Alan Lasser's Game of the Week

   The scariest chess monster this Halloween was this pawn blob seen at the European Team Championships;  the winner sacrificed the exchange just to unleash the loathsome beast.  The mighty pawn blob soon dominated the position, tying up the Black rooks and blockading the Black king. 

GM Erwin L’Ami (2611)-GM Sergei Movsesian (2671)

2017 European Team Championship

10/31/17

Crete, Greece

1.d4 Nf6 

2.c4 e6 

3.Nf3 d5 

4.Nc3 Bb4 

5.Bg5 h6 

6.Bxf6 Qxf6 

7.Qa4+ Nc6 

8.e3 O-O 

9.Rc1 Qg6 

10.Qc2 Qxc2 

11.Rxc2 Rd8 

12.a3 Bf8 

13.Nb5 Rd7 

14.h4 a6

15.Nc3 Rd8 

16.g4 g6?! +0.08/24

16...dxc4 -0.32/23 17.Bxc4 e5 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Bxg4 20.Rg1 Bf5 21.e4 Bh7 22.Nd5 Kh8 23.Nc323. f3 Bc5 24. Rg4 c6 25. Nf4 Bd4 26. Bxf7 Bxe5 27. Ng6+ Bxg6 28. Bxg6 +0.07 Stockfish 23...f624.exf6 gxf6 25.Bf7

17.cxd5 exd5 

18.Bh3 Ne7 

19.Na4 c6

20.Nc5 Rb8 

21.Ke2 Kg7 

22.Nd3 Ng8 

23.g5 h5 

24.Nfe5 Ne7 

25.Bxc8 Nxc8 

26.Rh3 Bd6 

27.Rf3 Bxe5 

28.dxe5 Ne7 

29.Rf6 Ng8

30.f4? -0.89/27

30.Rf4 +0.27/24 30...Ne7 31.Nc5 31. e6 Nf5 32. exf7 Kxf7 33. Rc3 Ke6 34. Nc5+ Kd6 35. Rb4 b6 36. Nxa6 +0.47 Stockfish 31...Nf5 32.Rd2 a5 33.b4 axb4 34.axb4 Re8 35.e4 dxe4 36.Rxe4 Re7 37.Nd7 Rd838.Nf6 Ra8 39.Kf1 b6 40.Ke2 Re6

30…Nxf6 

31.gxf6+ Kh6 

32.Rc1 Rbc8 

33.Rg1 Rg8?! -0.27/28

33...Re8 -0.82/27 34.Nc5 b6 35.Nd7 Red8 36.e6 Rxd7 37.exd7 Rd8 38.Rc1 c5 39.b4 c4 40.e4 Rxd741.exd5 Rxd5 42.Rxc4 Rd6 43.a4 Rxf6 44.Kf3 Rd6 45.Ke4 Re6+ 46.Kf3 Kg7 47.Rc8 Re1 48.Rc6 Ra149.Rxb6 Rxa4 50.Ke3 Ra3+ 51.Ke4 Stockfish also plays 33...Rg8 =

34.Nc5 Rc7

34...Rb8 35.Kf3 Rge8 36.e6 fxe6 37.Nd7 Rbc8 38.Ne5 Rg8 39.Nf7+ Kh7 40.Ng5+ Kh6 41.Nf7+ = Stockfish

35.f5?! -0.58/25

35.Rg5 -0.27/27 35...b6 36.Nxa6 Rcc8 37.Nb4 Rge8 37...Rgd8 38.Nd3 Rg8 39.Nb4 = Stockfish 38.Kf3Rf8 39.Nd3 Rg8 40.Nb4 Rge8

35.Kf3 b6 36.Nxa6 Rcc8 37.Nb4 Rgd8 38.Nd3 c5 39.e6 fxe6 40.Ne5 Rf8 41.Rxg6+ Kh7 42.Rg7+ Kh643.Nf7+ Rxf7 44.Rxf7 Kg6 45.Rb7 Kxf6 46.Rxb6 c4 47.a4 c3 48.bxc3 Rxc3 +0.61 Stockfish

35...g5? +1.65/25

35...Rcc8 -0.58/25 36.Nxb7 36. Ne6 gxf5 37. Ng7 Rce8 38. Rg5 Rxg7 39. fxg7 Rg8 40. b4 Rxg7 41. Rxf5 Rg2+ 42. Kf3 Rg1 43. Kf2 Rg4 44. Rxf7 Rxh4 45. Rxb7 = Stockfish 36...gxf5 37.Rf1 Rg2+38.Kf3 Rg4 39.Nd6 Rf8 40.Nxf5+ Kh7 41.Ne7 a5 42.Nxc6

36.e6 g4 

37.e7 Re8 

38.Kf2 b6?! +2.25/28

38...a5 +1.67/26 39.e4 b6 40.Nd3 dxe4 41.Ne5 Rcxe7 41...Rexe7 42. fxe7 Rxe7 43. Nxc6 Rd7 44. Ne5 Rd5 45. Nxf7+ Kg7 46. Ng5 Rxf5+ 47. Ke3 Kf6 48. Nxe4+ +3.06 Stockfish 42.fxe7 Rxe7 43.Nxc6 e3+44.Ke2 Re4 45.f6 Re6 46.Ne7 46. Rf1 g3 47. Ne7+ Kh7 48. Rg1 Rf4 49. Rxg3 Rf2+ 50. Kxe3 Rxf6 51. Nd5 +4.59 Stockfish

39.Nd3 c5?! +2.82/25

39...Kh7 +2.06/26 40.Rc1 40. Ne5 Kg8 41. Kg3 Rcxe7 42. fxe7 Rxe7 43. Nxc6 Rxe3+ 44. Kf4 Rf3+ 45. Kg5 Kg7 46. Kxh5 Rxf5+ 47. Kxg4 +4.22 Stockfish 40...c5 41.Nf4 Rd7 42.Rd1 d4

40.Nf4 Rd7

41.Rd1 d4 

42.e4 Kh7?! +3.94/23

42...Rdxe7 +2.83/24 43.fxe7 Rxe7 44.Re1 Re5 44...f6 45. Nd5 Rf7 46. Rc1 a5 47. Ke2 Kg7 48. Nxb6 Rb7 49. Na4 Kf7 50. Rxc5 Rb3 51. Rxa5 Re3+ 52. Kf2 Rxe4 +5.92 Stockfish 45.b3 Re8 46.e5 Rf847.e6 fxe6 48.Rxe6+ Kh7 49.f6 b5 50.Re7+ Kh6 51.f7 Kg7 52.Nxh5+ Kg6 53.Nf4+ Kf6 54.Rc7 Rxf755.Rxc5 Rd7 56.Nd3 Re7

43.Nd5?! +3.05/23

43.e5 +3.94/23 43...c4 43...b5 44. e6 fxe6 45. fxe6 Rdxe7 46. fxe7 Rxe7 47. Re1 d3 48. Nxd3 Kg6 49. Re5 Kf6 50. Rxh5 +12.31 Stockfish 44.e6 fxe6 45.fxe6 Rdxe7 46.fxe7 d3 46...Rxe7 47. Rxd4 Re8 48. Rd5 Kg7 49. Rxh5 Rf8 50. Kg3 Kf6 51. e7 Re8 52. Nd5+ Kg6 53. Rg5+ Kf7 54. Rf5+ Kg7 55. Kxg4 b5 56. Re5 Kf7 57. Nc7 Rxe7 58. Rxe7+ Kxe7 59. Nxa6 +20.19 Stockfish 47.Nxh5 47. Nd5 Kg6 48. Rf1 d2 49. Ke2 g3 50. Rf6+ Kg7 51. Rf5 d1=B+ 52. Kxd1 Rxe7 53. Rg5+ Kf8 54. Nxe7 Kxe7 and mate on move 69, according to Stockfish 47...Kg6 48.Nf4+ Kf5 49.Nd5 b5 50.Kg3 Ke5 51.Nf4 Kd6 52.Ng6Kxe6 53.Kxg4

43…Rb8 

44.Kg3 1-0

[Event "2017 European Team Championship"]

[Site "Crete, Greece"]

[Date "2017.10.31"]

[Round "?"]

[White "GM Erwin L'Ami"]

[Black "GM Sergei Movsesian"]

[Result "1-0"]

[BlackElo "2671"]

[ECO "D38"]

[WhiteElo "2611"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.Qa4+ Nc6 8.e3 O-O

9.Rc1 Qg6 10.Qc2 Qxc2 11.Rxc2 Rd8 12.a3 Bf8 13.Nb5 Rd7 14.h4 a6 15.Nc3 Rd8

16.g4 g6 $6 { +0.08/24 } ( 16...dxc4 { -0.32/23 } 17.Bxc4 e5 18.Nxe5 Nxe5

19.dxe5 Bxg4 20.Rg1 Bf5 21.e4 Bh7 22.Nd5 Kh8 23.Nc3

{ 23. f3 Bc5 24. Rg4 c6 25. Nf4 Bd4 26. Bxf7 Bxe5 27. Ng6+ Bxg6 28. Bxg6

+0.07 Stockfish } 23...f6 24.exf6 gxf6 25.Bf7 ) 17.cxd5 exd5 18.Bh3 Ne7

19.Na4 c6 20.Nc5 Rb8 21.Ke2 Kg7 22.Nd3 Ng8 23.g5 h5 24.Nfe5 Ne7 25.Bxc8 Nxc8

26.Rh3 Bd6 27.Rf3 Bxe5 28.dxe5 Ne7 29.Rf6 Ng8 30.f4 $2 { -0.89/27 } ( 30.Rf4

{ +0.27/24 } 30...Ne7 31.Nc5

{ 31. e6 Nf5 32. exf7 Kxf7 33. Rc3 Ke6 34. Nc5+ Kd6 35. Rb4 b6 36. Nxa6

+0.47 Stockfish } 31...Nf5 32.Rd2 a5 33.b4 axb4 34.axb4 Re8 35.e4 dxe4

36.Rxe4 Re7 37.Nd7 Rd8 38.Nf6 Ra8 39.Kf1 b6 40.Ke2 Re6 ) 30...Nxf6 31.gxf6+

Kh6 32.Rc1 Rbc8 33.Rg1 Rg8 $6 { -0.27/28 } ( 33...Re8 { -0.82/27 } 34.Nc5 b6

35.Nd7 Red8 36.e6 Rxd7 37.exd7 Rd8 38.Rc1 c5 39.b4 c4 40.e4 Rxd7 41.exd5 Rxd5

42.Rxc4 Rd6 43.a4 Rxf6 44.Kf3 Rd6 45.Ke4 Re6+ 46.Kf3 Kg7 47.Rc8 Re1 48.Rc6

Ra1 49.Rxb6 Rxa4 50.Ke3 Ra3+ 51.Ke4 { Stockfish also plays 33...Rg8 = } )

34.Nc5 Rc7 ( 34...Rb8 35.Kf3 Rge8 36.e6 fxe6 37.Nd7 Rbc8 38.Ne5 Rg8 39.Nf7+

Kh7 40.Ng5+ Kh6 41.Nf7+ { = Stockfish } ) 35.f5 $6 { -0.58/25 } ( 35.Rg5

{ -0.27/27 } 35...b6 36.Nxa6 Rcc8 37.Nb4 Rge8

{ 37...Rgd8 38.Nd3 Rg8 39.Nb4 = Stockfish } 38.Kf3 Rf8 39.Nd3 Rg8 40.Nb4 Rge8

) ( 35.Kf3 b6 36.Nxa6 Rcc8 37.Nb4 Rgd8 38.Nd3 c5 39.e6 fxe6 40.Ne5 Rf8

41.Rxg6+ Kh7 42.Rg7+ Kh6 43.Nf7+ Rxf7 44.Rxf7 Kg6 45.Rb7 Kxf6 46.Rxb6 c4

47.a4 c3 48.bxc3 Rxc3 { +0.61 Stockfish } ) 35...g5 $2 { +1.65/25 } ( 

35...Rcc8 { -0.58/25 } 36.Nxb7

{ 36. Ne6 gxf5 37. Ng7 Rce8 38. Rg5 Rxg7 39. fxg7 Rg8 40. b4 Rxg7 41. Rxf5

Rg2+ 42. Kf3 Rg1 43. Kf2 Rg4 44. Rxf7 Rxh4 45. Rxb7 = Stockfish } 36...gxf5

37.Rf1 Rg2+ 38.Kf3 Rg4 39.Nd6 Rf8 40.Nxf5+ Kh7 41.Ne7 a5 42.Nxc6 ) 36.e6 g4

37.e7 Re8 38.Kf2 b6 $6 { +2.25/28 } ( 38...a5 { +1.67/26 } 39.e4 b6 40.Nd3

dxe4 41.Ne5 Rcxe7

{ 41...Rexe7 42. fxe7 Rxe7 43. Nxc6 Rd7 44. Ne5 Rd5 45. Nxf7+ Kg7 46. Ng5

Rxf5+ 47. Ke3 Kf6 48. Nxe4+ +3.06 Stockfish } 42.fxe7 Rxe7 43.Nxc6 e3+ 44.Ke2

Re4 45.f6 Re6 46.Ne7

{ 46. Rf1 g3 47. Ne7+ Kh7 48. Rg1 Rf4 49. Rxg3 Rf2+ 50. Kxe3 Rxf6 51. Nd5

+4.59 Stockfish } ) 39.Nd3 c5 $6 { +2.82/25 } ( 39...Kh7 { +2.06/26 } 40.Rc1

{ 40. Ne5 Kg8 41. Kg3 Rcxe7 42. fxe7 Rxe7 43. Nxc6 Rxe3+ 44. Kf4 Rf3+ 45.

Kg5 Kg7 46. Kxh5 Rxf5+ 47. Kxg4 +4.22 Stockfish } 40...c5 41.Nf4 Rd7 42.Rd1

d4 ) 40.Nf4 Rd7 41.Rd1 d4 42.e4 Kh7 $6 { +3.94/23 } ( 42...Rdxe7 { +2.83/24 }

43.fxe7 Rxe7 44.Re1 Re5

{ 44...f6 45. Nd5 Rf7 46. Rc1 a5 47. Ke2 Kg7 48. Nxb6 Rb7 49. Na4 Kf7 50.

Rxc5 Rb3 51. Rxa5 Re3+ 52. Kf2 Rxe4 +5.92 Stockfish } 45.b3 Re8 46.e5 Rf8

47.e6 fxe6 48.Rxe6+ Kh7 49.f6 b5 50.Re7+ Kh6 51.f7 Kg7 52.Nxh5+ Kg6 53.Nf4+

Kf6 54.Rc7 Rxf7 55.Rxc5 Rd7 56.Nd3 Re7 ) 43.Nd5 $6 { +3.05/23 } ( 43.e5

{ +3.94/23 } 43...c4

{ 43...b5 44. e6 fxe6 45. fxe6 Rdxe7 46. fxe7 Rxe7 47. Re1 d3 48. Nxd3 Kg6

49. Re5 Kf6 50. Rxh5 +12.31 Stockfish } 44.e6 fxe6 45.fxe6 Rdxe7 46.fxe7 d3

{ 46...Rxe7 47. Rxd4 Re8 48. Rd5 Kg7 49. Rxh5 Rf8 50. Kg3 Kf6 51. e7 Re8

52. Nd5+ Kg6 53. Rg5+ Kf7 54. Rf5+ Kg7 55. Kxg4 b5 56. Re5 Kf7 57. Nc7 Rxe7

58. Rxe7+ Kxe7 59. Nxa6 +20.19 Stockfish } 47.Nxh5

{ 47. Nd5 Kg6 48. Rf1 d2 49. Ke2 g3 50. Rf6+ Kg7 51. Rf5 d1=B+ 52. Kxd1

Rxe7 53. Rg5+ Kf8 54. Nxe7 Kxe7 and mate on move 69, according to Stockfish

} 47...Kg6 48.Nf4+ Kf5 49.Nd5 b5 50.Kg3 Ke5 51.Nf4 Kd6 52.Ng6 Kxe6 53.Kxg4 )

43...Rb8 44.Kg3 1-0