[Event "Open 50+"] [Site "Prague"] [Date "2025.02.18"] [Round "02"] [White "Novikov, Igor"] [Black "Holemar, David"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2490"] [BlackElo "2150"] [TimeControl "40/5400+30:1800+30"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E10"] [Opening "Blumenfeld Countergambit Accepted"] [StudyName "2025 FIDE World Senior Team Championships"] [ChapterName "Novikov, Igor - Holemar, David"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/lbyDv1vS/VTWHHPyu"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [Orientation "white"] { Novikov's loss on board 3 during the second-round match against ŠK Moravská Slavia was a bit of a heartbreaker, as Novikov had a fantastic position out of the opening before being outplayed in a heavy-piece late-middlegame under time pressure right before the 40th move. } 1. d4 { [%clk 1:30:56] } 1... Nf6 { [%clk 1:30:51] } 2. c4 { [%clk 1:31:16] } 2... e6 { [%clk 1:31:15] } 3. Nf3 { [%clk 1:31:32] } 3... c5 { [%clk 1:31:38] } 4. d5 { [%clk 1:31:48] } 4... b5 { The Blumenfeld Countergambit is not as popular as the Benko Gambit (omitting ... e7-e6), but is still playable and full of surprise value. } { [%clk 1:31:33] } 5. dxe6 { [%clk 1:26:41] } 5... fxe6 { [%clk 1:31:54] } 6. cxb5 { [%clk 1:26:57] } 6... d5 { [%clk 1:32:18] } 7. g3 { [%clk 1:23:09] } 7... Bd6 { [%clk 1:28:00] } 8. Nc3!? { A move-order trick! } { [%clk 1:20:33] } (8. Bg2 { is, unsurprisingly, the main move. } 8... O-O 9. O-O Bb7 10. Nbd2 { is the main line. } (10. Nc3 { is not seen as much, as White often wants to play Nd2-c4 after ... d5-d4, or provoke ... c5-c4 with Nd2-b3, whereas the knight lacks improving squares from here. } 10... Nbd7 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. Nd2 { This is the idea, though, with Nf3-d2 instead of Nb1-d2. })) 8... d4 { Black takes the bait, and is now at serious risk of overextension. } { [%clk 1:13:21] } (8... O-O 9. Bg2 Bb7 10. O-O Nbd7 { transposes to the above line with 8. Bg2 and 10. Nc3 after } 11. Bg5 { with Nf3-d2 to follow. }) 9. Na4 { [%clk 1:18:14] } (9. Nxd4 cxd4 10. Bg2 { is apparently justified, too! }) 9... O-O?! { [%clk 1:05:05] } (9... Qa5+ 10. Bd2 Qxb5 { was best, not just because it regains the pawn, but because the queen now defends the b7-square to anticipate a future Bf1-g2 and Nf3xd4 with ... Bc8-b7. Additionally, Black can play for ... Bc8-d7 and pressure on the a4-pawn, such as after: } 11. Bg2 Bd7 { when } 12. Nxd4? { now loses to } (12. b3 O-O 13. Rc1 Na6 $13) 12... cxd4 13. Bxa8 Qxa4 $17) 10. Bg2 { White's position brims with tactical potential. } { [%clk 1:12:43] } 10... Bb7 { [%clk 1:04:24] } 11. b4!? { [%clk 1:05:24] } (11. O-O e5 12. Bg5 Qe7 (12... Nbd7?! 13. Nxd4! { Again a lovely trick. } { [%cal Gd4e6] } 13... Bxg2 14. Ne6 Qe7 15. Nxf8 Bxf1 16. Nxd7 Qxd7 17. Bxf6 $18 { [%cal Gd1d5] }) 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. e3 { gives White promising attacking chances. }) 11... cxb4 { [%clk 0:59:44] } 12. Qxd4 { [%clk 1:05:17] } 12... e5 { [%clk 0:58:58] } 13. Qe3?! { [%clk 0:48:33] } (13. Qd1 { is better, defending the knight. White has plenty of time to attack after castling. }) 13... Qa5! { Black creates counterplay before White castles. } { [%clk 0:48:50] } 14. Nc5 { [%clk 0:43:45] } 14... Bd5 { [%clk 0:44:37] } 15. O-O { [%clk 0:35:42] } 15... Qxb5?! { Black is playing with fire the longer White's active minors stay on the board. Clearly, he missed a detail after White's follow-up. } { [%clk 0:44:37] } (15... Bxc5 16. Qxc5 Nbd7 17. Qd6 Qxb5 $10 { was Black's best bet. }) 16. Ne6! { [%clk 0:32:53] } 16... Rf7 { [%clk 0:23:31] } (16... Bxe6 { fails to } 17. Nd4 { with tempo on the queen, playing off the pin against the e5-pawn, and discovering an attacking on the trapped, hanging a8-rook. } { [%cal Ge3e6] } 17... Qe8 18. Nxe6 Qxe6 19. Bxa8 $18) 17. Rd1 { White develops with more threats, as Nf3-d4 is still a resource after ... Bd5xe6. } { [%clk 0:17:37] } 17... Nbd7 { [%clk 0:15:36] } 18. Nfg5 { Another piece joins the party! } { [%clk 0:14:03] } 18... Re7 { [%clk 0:13:14] } 19. Bxd5!? { This makes White's job harder. Instead, } { [%clk 0:05:31] } (19. Rxd5! { effectively ends the game: } 19... Nxd5 20. Qb3 N7f6 { All of this follows the same plan as the game variation, but now } 21. Ne4 { works, as } 21... Nxe4 22. Bxe4 $18 { leaves Black unable to preserve material. } 22... Rxe6 { Black is up a full rook for the moment, but } 23. Bxd5 { sees White come out on top nevertheless! }) 19... Nxd5 { [%clk 0:13:33] } 20. Qb3 { [%clk 0:05:49] } 20... N7f6 { [%clk 0:12:43] } 21. Be3 { [%clk 0:03:22] } (21. Ne4? { This no longer works without a light-squared bishop. } 21... Nxe4 22. Rxd5 (22. Qxd5? Qxd5 23. Rxd5 Rxe6 $19)) 21... Kh8 { [%clk 0:11:04] } 22. Ne4 { [%clk 0:01:35] } 22... Nxe4 { [%clk 0:10:50] } 23. Rxd5 { [%clk 0:02:02] } 23... Qxe2 { [%clk 0:06:26] } 24. Ng5 { [%clk 0:02:22] } 24... Nxg5 { [%clk 0:06:13] } 25. Bxg5 { [%clk 0:02:49] } 25... Re6 { [%clk 0:06:27] } 26. Rad1 { [%clk 0:03:02] } 26... Bf8 { Black has successfully navigated the complications and made it out with a fine position. But each player is below five minutes, with 14 more moves until the time control! } { [%clk 0:04:30] } 27. Rd7 { [%clk 0:01:27] } 27... Qg4 { [%clk 0:03:44] } 28. Be3 { [%clk 0:01:46] } 28... a5 { [%clk 0:03:34] } 29. Qd5 { [%clk 0:01:10] } 29... Ree8 { [%clk 0:03:55] } 30. Bc5!? { Trading pieces in time pressure is often risky, and here it turns out to be White's king who ends up weaker without the coverage of its dark-squared defender. } { [%clk 0:01:07] } 30... Bxc5 { [%clk 0:02:47] } 31. Qxc5 { [%clk 0:01:35] } 31... h6 { [%clk 0:02:29] } 32. R1d6 { [%clk 0:01:13] } 32... Qe4 { [%clk 0:01:44] } 33. Qc1 { [%clk 0:01:10] } 33... Qh7 $10 { Black's extra pawn is going to be hard to convert, as the e-pawn is vulnerable and White's rooks are keeping Black's queen tied down. As long as the players make it to move 40, this should be a draw. } { [%clk 0:01:43] } 34. Rc7 { [%clk 0:00:53] } 34... Rad8 { [%clk 0:01:17] } 35. Qc6 { [%clk 0:00:53] } (35. Rxg7 Qxg7 (35... Kxg7?! 36. Rxd8 Rxd8 37. Qc7+ $14 { leaves White as the one pushing. }) 36. Rxh6+ Kg8 37. Qc4+! Kf8 (37... Qf7?! 38. Rh8+ $16) 38. Qh4! $10 { Down a rook, Black has no way to avoid the perpetual. }) 35... Rf8 { [%clk 0:01:09] } 36. Rf7 { [%clk 0:00:36] } (36. Rg6 { was more direct, and safer. } 36... Rd1+ 37. Kg2 Rd2 38. Rcxg7 $10 { is one of many drawing moves here. }) 36... Qb1+ { [%clk 0:00:43] } 37. Kg2 { [%clk 0:01:04] } 37... Rxf7 { [%clk 0:01:03] } 38. Rxd8+ { [%clk 0:01:30] } 38... Kh7 { [%clk 0:01:28] } 39. Qa8?? { [%clk 0:01:23] } (39. Qd5 Qf5 40. f3 e4 41. Qxe4 Qxe4 42. fxe4 Rc7 $15 { leaves Black pushing, but allegedly all rook endgames are drawn. }) 39... Qf5? { Going after the f2-pawn is correct, but this is not the most precise way. } { [%clk 0:01:34] } (39... Qc2 40. Rh8+ Kg6 41. Qa6+ Rf6 42. Qf1 a4 $19 { With the queen pacified, Black decides things on the queenside. }) 40. Rd2?? { The losing move. } { [%clk 0:01:01] } (40. Rh8+ Kg6 41. Qa6+ Rf6 42. Qe2 e4 43. Re8 $17 { gives White much better chances of hanging on. }) 40... e4! { The queen loses contact with the f3-square, and Black's attack now crashes through. } { [%clk 0:01:36] } 41. Qd5 { [%clk 0:24:17] } 41... Qf3+ { [%clk 0:28:12] } 42. Kg1 { [%clk 0:24:41] } 42... a4 { [%clk 0:27:48] } 43. Qc4 { [%clk 0:20:22] } 43... b3 { [%clk 0:23:49] } 44. axb3 { [%clk 0:18:29] } 44... axb3 { [%clk 0:24:11] } 45. Qc5 { [%clk 0:18:27] } 45... e3 { [%clk 0:19:26] } 46. Qxe3 { [%clk 0:17:46] } 46... Qxe3 { [%clk 0:19:39] } 47. fxe3 { [%clk 0:18:12] } 47... Ra7 { 0-1 Black wins. } { [%clk 0:20:03] } 0-1