Russell Dive 2012 Olympiad Games
Our Olympiad reps annotated more games than could be accomodated in the Oct 2012 issue, all the annotated games are available in these sections.
Dive, Russell - Hamal, Manish 2012 Istanbul 40th Olympiad Open
A29: English Opening: Four Knights Variation with 4 g3 1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Bg2 e5 5.Nc3 Nb6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.a3 Be6 8.d3 Be7 9.O-O O-O 10.b4 f6 11.Bb2 Qd7 12.Re1 ( 12.Ne4 a5 13.Nc5 Bxc5 14.bxc5 Nc8 = ) 12...Rad8 ( 12...a5 13.b5 Nd4 14.Nxd4 exd4 15.Ne4 =+ ) 13.Rc1 ( 13.Ne4!? = ) 13...a5 =+ 14.b5 Nd4 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Ne4 Qxb5 17.Rxc7 Nd5 18.Rc2 Rc8 19.Rxc8 Rxc8 20.Bxd4 Bxa3
Moves are clickable
Black has two potentially dangerous passed pawns, so White needs to do something quickly to contain or eliminate them. 21.Qa1 Qb4 ( 21...Bb4!? 22.Rb1 Qd7 =+ ) 22.Rb1 += Qe7 23.Nc3 Nxc3 24.Bxc3 b6? ( 24...Bb4!? and Black hangs on 25.Bxb4 axb4 += ) 25.Rxb6 +/- a4? ( 25...Bb4 26.Bd4 +/- ) 26.Be4 ( 26.Rxe6 was better, then 26...Qxe6 27.Qxa3 Qxe2 28.Bb7 +- ) 26...Bb3 27.Kg2 ( 27.Rb7!? Qd6 28.Bf3 +/- ) 27...Bc5 +/- 28.Rb7 Qe6 29.Rb5 ( 29.Qb2!? +/- ) 29...Qd7 = 30.Rb7 Qe6 31.Rb5 Qd7 = 32.Ra5 Qc7 ( 32...a3 33.Kg1 Bf8 34.d4 = ) 33.Bd2 +/- Qb6 ( 33...Qd7 34.Be3 Bxe3 35.fxe3 +/- ) 34.Qc3 Be6 35.Rxa4 Bxf2 36.Qb4 Qxb4 37.Rxb4 Bc5 38.Rb7 Bd4 39.Bf3 Rc2 40.Bb4 Rc1 41.h3 Rg1+ 42.Kh2 Rb1 43.g4 g6 44.Bd2 Rb2 45.Rxb2 Bxb2 46.Kg3 Kf7 47.Ba5 Bb3 48.Bb6
48...f5 ( 48...Be5+!? 49.Kf2 f5 +/- ) 49.gxf5 +- gxf5 50.Kf4 Ke6 51.Kg5 Bg7 52.Bb7 Bd1 ( 52...Kf7 +- ) 53.e3 Bf6+ 54.Kh6 Kd7 55.Kxh7 Be2 56.Kg6 Be7 57.Ba6 Bf1 58.Kxf5 Bxh3+ 59.Ke5 Bd6+ 60.Kd5 Be6+ 61.Ke4 Bh3 62.Bb5+ Ke7 63.Kd4 Bg3 64.Bc4 Bc8 65.Bc5+ Kd7 66.Bd5 Ba6 67.Ke4 Bh2 68.d4 Bf1 69.Kf5 Bh3+ 70.Kf6 Bg1 71.e4 Bg2 72.Be6+ Kc6 73.e5 Bf2 74.Bb3 Bf3 75.e6 Bh5 76.Kg5 Be2 77.e7 Be3+ 78.Kg6 Bc1 1-0
Dive, Russell - Ziska, Helgi Dam 2012 Istanbul 40th Olympiad Open
A15: English Opening: 1...Nf6 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.b4 Bg7 4.Bb2 O-O 5.g3 d6 6.Bg2 e5 7.d3 a5 8.a3 e4 9.dxe4 Nxe4 10.Bxg7 Kxg7 11.Qd4+ Qf6 12.Nbd2 Re8 13.b5 Nc5 14.e3 Nbd7 15.O-O h6 16.Rfe1 Nb6 17.h4 Be6 18.Bf1 a4 19.Qxf6+ Kxf6 20.Nd4 g5 21.hxg5+ hxg5 22.Rac1 g4 ( 22...Bd7 23.Rc3 =+ ) 23.Be2 Nbd7 24.Kg2 Ne5 25.Rh1 Rh8 26.Rxh8 Rxh8 27.Rh1 Rxh1 28.Kxh1 d5 ( 28...Nb3 29.Ne4+ Ke7 30.Nxe6 Kxe6 31.Nc3 -/+ ) 29.cxd5 Bxd5+ 30.Kg1 Nb3 31.Nb1 Na5 ( 31...Nc1!? 32.Kf1 Ke7 =+ ) 32.Kf1 = Bb3 33.Ke1 c5 34.bxc6 bxc6 35.Kd2 c5 36.Nxb3 axb3
Moves are clickable
Although Black now has two connected passed pawns, the active White King and the difficult to co-ordinate Black Knights, give White the better chances. (Worse is 36...Nxb3+ 37.Kc3 +/- ) 37.Kc3 Ke6 ( 37...Ke7!? = is interesting ) 38.Nd2 += c4 39.Kb4 Nec6+? ( 39...b2 += ) 40.Kc3?? Missing a chance to be clearly better. ( 40.Kb5 c3 41.Nxb3 Nxb3 42.Bc4+ ( 42.Kxc6?? c2 -+ ) 42...Kd6 43.Bxb3 +- ) 40...Ne5 = 41.Kb4 Nec6+? ( 41...b2 42.Nb1 ( 42.Kxa5 c3 43.Nb3 b1=Q -+ ) 42...Nb7 43.Bxc4+ Kd6 44.Be2 += ) 42.Kc3??
You are down to playing 30 seconds a move against a strong opponent, are playing matchpoint team chess and the team already has two points on the board, what do you do? I wasn't sure about Kb5 and didn't have time to fully analyse it, so I decided to repeat the position and take the draw. 42...Ne5 = 43.Kb4 Nec6+ 1/2-1/2
Khader, Sami - Dive, Russell 2012 Istanbul 40th Olympiad Open
E12: Queen's Indian: Unusual White 4th moves, 4 a3, 4 Nc3 Bb7 5 a3 and 4 Nc3 Bb7 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6 3.c4 e6 4.a3 Bb7 5.Nc3 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bf4 Bd6 8.Bxd6 Qxd6 9.Nb5 Qe7 10.Qc2 c6 11.Nc3 Nbd7 12.e3 O-O 13.Bd3 Rfe8 14.O-O Ne4 15.Nd2 f5 16.Rae1 Qf6 17.Ndb1 Nf8 18.Ne2 Ne6 19.f3
Moves are clickable
After a lot of manoeuvring, white finally plays f3 with e4 to follow soon. 19...Nd6 20.Kh1 ( 20.Nbc3 g6 =+ ) 20...Kh8 ( 20...c5 21.dxc5 bxc5 22.Ng3 -/+ ) 21.e4 ( 21.Nbc3!? =+ ) 21...Nxd4 -/+ 22.Nxd4 Qxd4 23.exf5 ( 23.exd5 Qxd5 24.Nc3 Qc5 -/+ ) 23...c5 24.f6? ( 24.Qc3 Qf4 25.Qd2 Qxd2 26.Nxd2 -+ ) 24...Qxf6 -+ 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26.Bxh7 ( 26.b3 c4! 27.bxc4 dxc4 28.Be2 -+ ) 26...Ba6 27.Bd3 c4 28.Bg6 Re6 29.Bh5 ( 29.Rd1 Qg5 ( 29...Qxg6 30.Qxg6 Rxg6 31.Nc3 -+ ) 30.Bh7 Rh6 -+ ) 29...Qh4 30.Bg6 Re1 31.g3 Rxf1+ 32.Kg2 Qf6 33.Kxf1 Qxf3+ ( 33...d4 34.Kg2 d3 35.Bxd3 cxd3 36.Qd2 -+ ) 34.Kg1 ( 34.Qf2 isn't any better 34...Qh1+ 35.Qg1 c3+ 36.Kf2 Qxg1+ 37.Kxg1 cxb2 -+ ) 34...d4 ( 34...Qg4 makes things more secure 35.h4 d4 36.h5 Qxg3+ 37.Qg2 Qe1+ 38.Qf1 -+ ) 35.Qf2 Qf6 36.Qxf6 gxf6 37.Kf2 f5 38.a4 ( 38.Bh5 Bb5 39.Ke1 Kg7 -+ ) 38...Kg7 39.Bh5 Ne4+ 40.Ke1 Nc5 41.Be2 Nxa4 42.b3 Nb2 43.bxc4 Bxc4 44.Bf3 ( 44.Na3 Bxe2 45.Kxe2 a6 -+ ) 44...Nd3+ 45.Kd2 Ne5 46.Bd1 Ba6 47.Kc1 Ng4 48.h4 ( 48.h3 Ne3 -+ ) 48...Ne3 49.Nd2 ( 49.Na3 Kf6 -+ ( 49...Nxd1?! 50.Kxd1 d3 51.Kd2 -+ ) ) 49...Nf1 50.Nb3 ( 50.Nxf1 Bxf1 51.Bf3 a5 -+ ) 50...d3 51.g4 ( 51.Nd4 Kf6 -+ ) 51...fxg4 52.Bxg4 Ne3 ( 52...Bc4 might be a quicker way to win 53.Bh3 Bxb3 54.Bxf1 -+ ) 53.Bh3 Kh6 ( 53...Nc4!?
makes it even easier for Black 54.Bd7 -+ ) 54.Kd2 Nd5 ( 54...Nc4+!? 55.Kxd3 Na5+ 56.Kc3 Nxb3 57.Kxb3 -+ ) 55.Nd4 Kh5 ( 55...Nf4 would have kept the clear advantage 56.Bf5 Bb7 -+ ) 56.Nc6 =+ Kxh4 57.Bf5 Nf4 58.Nxa7 Kg5 59.Bh7 Kf6 60.Ke3 Nd5+ 61.Kd2 Nb4 62.Kc3 Nd5+ 63.Kd2 Nf4 64.Ke3 Ng6 ( 64...Ke5 65.Nc6+ Kd6 66.Nb4 =+ ) 65.Bxg6 = Kxg6 66.Nc6 Kf5 67.Nb4 Bc4 68.Nxd3 Bxd3 Definitely a win that got away. 1/2-1/2
Dive, Russell - Domingos, Catarino 2012 Istanbul 40th Olympiad Open
A14: English Opening: 1...e6 with b3 by White 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.b3 c6 7.Bb2 a5 8.d3 Nbd7 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.Qc2 Na6 11.a3 Bd7 ( 11...Nc5 12.Rac1 +/- ) 12.e4 ( 12.Ne5 h5 +/- ) 12...Be8 13.Rad1 Rc8 14.Bh3 Rb8 15.Ne5 ( 15.d4 dxe4 16.Nxe4 b5 17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 +/- ) 15...Qb6 ( 15...Nc5 16.exd5 cxd5 17.Bg2 +/- ) 16.Kh1 ( 16.Rfe1!? +/- ) 16...Rd8 17.f4
Moves are clickable
17...Nc5 18.Bg2 ( 18.f5 dxe4 19.d4 Nd3 += ) 18...dxe4 19.dxe4 ( 19.Nxe4 Qxb3 20.Qxb3 Nxb3 -/+ ) 19...Bd7 ( 19...h5!? = ) 20.Bd4 += Bc8 21.Bg1 ( 21.Qc3 Qc7 +/- ) 21...Qc7 += 22.Rb1 ( 22.Qc3 b6 = ) 22...Na6 ( 22...Nfd7 23.Nxd7 Rxd7 24.Nf3 = ) 23.Ra1 = Nd7 24.Nef3 ( 24.Nxd7 Rxd7 25.Nf3 = ) 24...Ndc5 ( 24...e5 25.fxe5 Ndc5 26.Bd4 =+ ) 25.Rfd1 ( 25.Bd4 f6 += ) 25...b6 ( 25...Rd7 26.Ne5 Rdd8 27.Nef3 = ) 26.Nf1 Bb7 27.Ne3 Rxd1 28.Rxd1 Nd7 ( 28...Rd8 29.e5 = ) 29.Ra1 ( 29.e5 Rd8 30.Qb2 h6 = ) 29...c5 ( 29...Re8 30.e5 = ) 30.Re1 += Rd8 31.Nd1 Nab8 32.Nc3 Nc6 33.Nb5 Qb8 34.Rd1 ( 34.e5 Qa8 += ) 34...Na7 ( 34...e5 35.Be3 = ) 35.h3 ( 35.Nc3!? += would keep a small edge ) 35...Nxb5 =+ 36.cxb5 Qa8 37.Ne1 ( 37.Re1!? =+ ) 37...Nf6 38.Rxd8+ Qxd8 ( 38...Bxd8!? 39.e5 Bxg2+ 40.Nxg2 Qe4 41.Qxe4 Nxe4 -/+ ) 39.a4 Qd7 40.Kh2 Bd8 41.Qe2 Bc7 42.Nd3 Qe8 43.Nb2? ( 43.e5 this is definitely better than what happens 43...Bxg2 44.Kxg2 = ) 43...e5 -+
Now I saw why 43.Nb2 wasn't one of my better moves in this topsy-turvy game! 44.f5 Qa8 45.Nc4 Bxe4 46.Bxe4 Qxe4 47.Qxe4 Nxe4 48.Kg2 Kf8 ( 48...g6 49.g4 -/+ ) 49.g4 Ke7 50.Be3 Nc3 51.Bg5+ f6 52.Bd2 Nd5 ( 52...Ne2!? 53.Be3 Kd8 -+ ) 53.Kf3 -/+ I thought I might still be able to hold the game, given my active pieces were better than blacks. 53...Kd7 54.Ke4 Ne7 55.h4 g6 56.Bh6 Ke8 57.Ne3 Ng8 58.Bg7 Kf7 59.Bh8 This is the first time I can ever remember of burying my bishop on h8. I trusted my calculations that I would be able to get it out again! 59...gxf5+ 60.gxf5 h5 61.Nf1 Ne7 62.Ng3 Nc8 63.Nxh5 Nd6+ 64.Kd5 Nxf5 ( 64...e4 65.Nxf6 e3 66.Ne4 Nxf5 67.Kc4 =+ ) 65.Bxf6 ( 65.Nxf6 Bd8 66.Ne4 Nxh4 67.Bxe5 +- ) 65...Nd4?? With both players down to their thirty second increments, no one has time to calculate all the possibilities. ( 65...Kg6 66.Kc6 Bb8 = ( 66...Kxh5?? Black cannot capture the knight 67.Kxc7 Ne3 68.Bxe5 +- ) ) 66.Bxe5 +- Bxe5 67.Kxe5 Nxb3 68.Nf4 c4 ( 68...Nd2 does not improve anything 69.Kd5 +- ) 69.Nd5 Kg6 70.Nc3 Kh5 71.Kd5 Kxh4 72.Kxc4 Nc5 73.Kd5 Kg4 74.Kc6 Kf5 75.Kxb6 Nb3 76.Kc6 Nd4+ 77.Kc7 Ke5 78.b6 Ne6+ 79.Kc8 Nc5 80.b7 Nxb7 81.Kxb7 Kd4 82.Kb6 This game see-sawed throughout and the result could have gone either way. 1-0
Dervishi, Erald - Dive, Russell 2012 Istanbul 40th Olympiad Open
B04: Alekhine's Defence: 4 Nf3 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.c4 Nb6 6.e6 fxe6 7.Nc3 g6 8.h4 Bg7 9.Be3 O-O 10.h5 e5 11.hxg6 hxg6 12.d5 Nd4 13.Nxd4 ( Inferior is 13.Bxd4 exd4 14.Nxd4 e6 =+ ) 13...exd4 14.Bxd4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 White will get a strong attack if Black is not very careful. 15...e5 16.Qd3 Kg7 ( 16...Qg5!? += is an interesting alternative ) 17.Qe3 Rh8 18.Rxh8 Qxh8 19.c5 Nd7 ( 19...dxc5 20.Qxe5+ Kg8 21.Qe8+ ( 21.Qxc7 Bg4 22.Qe7 Qd4 += ) 21...Kh7 22.Qe7+ Qg7 23.Qxc5 +- ) 20.cxd6 cxd6 21.Ne4 Nf6 22.Nxd6 Qf8 ( 22...Ng4 23.Qc5 Bd7 24.Qc7 +- ) 23.Qxe5 Bg4 24.Bb5??
Moves are clickable
This gives me some chance to get back into the game. ( 24.Rc1 and White keeps his decisive advantage 24...Rd8 25.Rc7+ Kg8 26.Re7 +- ) 24...Rd8 +/- 25.Ne4 ( 25.Ne8+! Rxe8 26.Bxe8 Qxe8 27.Qxe8 Nxe8 28.Rc1 +/- ) 25...Qb4+ =+ 26.Nc3 ( 26.Kf1 Qxe4 ( 26...Qxb5+?? the bishop mustn't be touched 27.Kg1 Rf8 28.Qe7+ Rf7 29.Qxf7+ Kxf7 30.Nd6+ Ke7 31.Nxb5 +- ) 27.Qc7+ Bd7 28.Qxd8 Bxb5+ 29.Kg1 Nxd5 =+ ) 26...Rxd5 -/+ My grandmaster opponent was in serious time trouble and my pieces were flooding into his position. Things couldn't be much better, or could they? 27.Qc7+ Kh6 28.Kf1 Rxb5 29.Nxb5 Qxb5+ 30.Kg1 Qxb2 31.Re1 Qb4 Qd2 is probably better 32.Re7 Nd5??
After unsuccessfully spending most of my remaining valuable time trying to find the knock-out punch, I managed to TKO myself. ( 32...Nd7 the only saving move 33.Rxd7 Qe1+ 34.Kh2 Bxd7 35.Qxd7 Qxf2 36.Qxb7 Qxa2 =+ ) 33.Rh7+ +- Kg5 34.Qe5+ Bf5 35.Qxd5 Qe1+ 36.Kh2 Qxf2 37.Qd6 ( 37.Qe5 makes it even easier for White 37...Qf4+ otherwise White plays the devilish Rh3, Rg3+ manouevre and it's all over 38.Qxf4+ Kxf4 39.Rxb7 a6 +- ) 37...a5? ( 37...b5 38.Qe7+ Kg4 39.Qe5 Qf4+ 40.Qxf4+ Kxf4 41.Rxa7 +- ) 38.Qd8+ ( 38.Qe5 still wins 38...Qf4+ 39.Qxf4+ Kxf4 40.Rxb7 Bd3 +- ) 38...Kg4 39.Qd1+ ( 39.Qxa5 Be4 40.Rh4+ Qxh4+ 41.Kg1 Qg3 -+ ) 39...Kg5 40.Qc1+ Kg4 41.Qc4+ Kg5 42.Rxb7 Qe3 43.Rb5 Qd2 44.Rd5 Qb2 45.Kg3 ( 45.Rxa5!? Qh8+ 46.Kg3 Qb8+ 47.Kf3 Qb7+ 48.Rd5 Kf6 +- ) 45...Qb8+ 46.Kf3 A game I thought I might be chalking up a win, however I made the last mistake and ended up paying for it dearly. ( 46.Kf3 Kf6 47.Qd4+ Kf7 48.Rxa5 +- ) 1-0