DAY 326 Fatal Cramp

There are cramped positions and fatally cramped positions.

Giampiero Adocchio White
Nils Grandelius Black
Reykjavik 2016
King’s Indian Reversed A07

1 e4 c5 2 f3 e6 3 g3 c6 4 g2 f6 5 e2 e5 6 c3 e7 7 0-0 0-0 8 d1 d5!

White is a bit cramped after 9 d3! d4 but not significantly worse.

9 exd5? xd5!

illustration

Now, however, Black can meet d2-d3 with pressure (...f5 or ...g4 and ...ad8). Note that 10 d4? xd4! costs a pawn.

10 d4? e4!

Black wants more than 10...cxd4 11 xd4! e4 or 10...exd4 11 xd4 e5.

He would get it now after 11 e5 cxd4! 12 xc6 xc6 13 cxd4 g4 or 13 xd4 c5.

11 g5 g4! 12 f3 exf3 13 xf3 xf3

Black is much better after 14 xf3 ad8 15 xd5 xd5 because of White’s sleeping queenside (16 dxc5? db4! 17 xd8 xd8).

14 xf3 fe8

Among Black’s threats is 15...cxd4 16 cxd4 xd4! 17 xd4 c5 (18 f2 g4).

15 c4 h5 16 d5 d6!

White’s attacked queen has no good square (17 g2 d4 18 xd4?? xd1+ or 18 bd2 e2). Or 17 d3 e5 18 xe5 xe5 followed by ...d4+ and/or...g4.

17 f1 d4! White resigns.

Question 367: Is this really lost?

Hagen Poetsch White
Liviu Nisipeanu Black
Pardubice 2014

1 e4 c5 2 f3 e6 3 g3 c6 4 g2 f6 5 e2 e5 6 0-0 e7 7 c3 0-0 8 d1 d5! 9 exd5? xd5! 10 d3 d8 11 g5 d6 12 a3 g4 13 f3 xf3 14 xf3 h6 15 e4 xe4 16 xe4 e6 17 f4 f5 18 e2 d5 19 e3 exf4 20 xf4 f6 21 b5 ac8 22 c4 d4+ 23 xd4 xd4! 24 f2 c6 25 f1 e8 26 e3? xe3! 27 xe3 e8 White resigns.