[Event "30. Russian Rapid Ch., Khanty-Mansiysk"] [White "Kokarev,D"] [Black "Pridorozhni,A"] [Site ""] [Round ""] [Annotator "Jonas Hacker"] [Result "1-0"] [Date "2018.??.??"] [PlyCount "109"] {We continue with a game where Black decides to develop his knight to c6, before we move on to the mainline Hedgehog with ...Nbd7. ---} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. f3 a6 6. c4 Nc6 {This move should always be considered, but when aiming for a Hedgehog set-up it is not ideal for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it makes it difficult for Black to bring fianchetto the c8-bishop because ...b7-b6 would leave the knight en prise. Secondly, an exchange of knights is more likely, which rather helps White, whose pieces are then aiming directly against the weaknesses at d6 and b6.} 7. Be3 e6 8. Nc3 Be7 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O Nxd4 ({Instead: -- a)} 10... d5 $5 {is an independent try to justify the placement of the c6-knight, but after} 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. e5 Nd7 14. f4 {White is slightly better with chances for a kingside attack. The game B.Firat-M.Sokac, Zadar 2014, continued} Bc5 15. Bxc5 Nxc5 16. Rc1 Rb8 17. b3 Rb4 18. a3 Rb8 19. b4 Ne6 20. f5 {and White indeed had a nice attack.} )({b)} 10... Qc7 {is another idea, trying to make 11...b6 work. However, White has a strong solution to cross Black's plans, beginning with} 11. Rc1 $1 {, when} b6 {. --- QUESTION: Probably Black did not even consider White's next move. Can you find the idea? --- ANSWER:} (11... Nxd4 { is the lesser evil but the position remains better for White for the same reason as in the main game} )12. Nd5 $1 { is very effective. A capture on d5 will open the c-file, when White wins the piece back with interest; i.e.} exd5 (12... Qb7 {does not help since} 13. Nxc6 $1 {is untouchable and} exd5 14. cxd5 {again leaves White with a huge plus} )13. cxd5 {and White has won an important pawn while maintaining the positional pluses. Objectively Black is lost after just 13 moves. In another of the Russian grandmaster's games, White went on to win convincingly:} b5 14. Nxc6 Bb7 15. Qd4 Bxc6 16. Rxc6 Qa5 17. a3 Nd7 18. b4 Qd8 19. f4 Bf6 20. Qd3 Nb8 21. Bb6 Qe7 22. Rc7 Nd7 23. Bg4 Nxb6 24. Rxe7 Bxe7 25. e5 {1-0 D.Kokarev-O.Kozlitin, Russian Cup, Samara 2002.} )11. Qxd4 $1 {Stronger than taking with the bishop. Now Black cannot play ...b7-b6 without further preparation, while White has an easy game since the d4-knight is no longer in the way.} Bd7 12. Rfd1 Qa5 ({After} 12... Bc6 13. b4 $1 {White has no problems expanding on the queenside.} )13. a3 Rfc8 14. b4 Qd8 15. Rac1 e5 ({Here} 15... b5 {seems worth a try because the a3-pawn becomes vulnerable as well. For example,} 16. cxb5 axb5 17. Nxb5 Bxb5 18. Bxb5 Rxa3 {reduces the material on the queenside; but White keeps a slight advantage after} 19. Rxc8 Qxc8 20. Rc1 Qd8 21. Bf1 { , due to his now passed b-pawn.} )16. Qd2 Qe8 17. Bg5 Be6 ({Black might try} 17... h6 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. Qxd6 Bg5 {, but the dark-square control should not be enough for the missing pawn.} )18. Nd5 Nxd5 19. exd5 Bd7 20. Bxe7 Qxe7 21. c5 $1 a5 (21... dxc5 22. bxc5 $1 {gives White dangerous connected pawns, since} Rxc5 $2 {is impossible due to} 23. d6 {and White wins material.} )22. c6 bxc6 23. dxc6 Bxc6 24. Qxd6 Qe8 ({After} 24... Qxd6 25. Rxd6 Bb7 ({while the tactical solution} 25... axb4 $5 26. Rdxc6 Rxc6 27. Rxc6 bxa3 {fails to} 28. Bc4 $1 g6 29. Ba2 {and White is in control of everything} )26. Rxc8+ Rxc8 27. bxa5 {the white a-pawns are too strong.} )25. bxa5 e4 ({There was no time for} 25... Rxa5 $2 {because of} 26. Rxc6 Rxc6 27. Qxc6 {and White wins.} )26. fxe4 g6 ({And here} 26... Qxe4 {fails to} 27. Rxc6 Rxc6 ({or} 27... Qxc6 28. Qxc6 Rxc6 29. Bf3 )28. Qd8+ Qe8 29. Qxe8+ Rxe8 30. Bb5 {, picking up one of the rooks. Black's back rank has been too weak in all these tactics; unfortunately, fixing the problem gives White time to consolidate.} )27. e5 Rxa5 28. Bg4 { Now it's all over. The rest is just a desperate try by Black.} f5 29. exf6 Qe3+ 30. Kh1 Bxg2+ 31. Kxg2 Qe4+ 32. Bf3 Rg5+ 33. Kf2 Qh4+ 34. Kf1 Qh3+ 35. Kf2 Qh4+ 36. Ke2 (36. Qg3 $1 {would have won nicely and instantly.} )Re8+ 37. Kd3 Qh3 38. f7+ Kxf7 39. Rc7+ Kg8 40. Qf6 Qf5+ 41. Qxf5 Rxf5 42. Rf1 Ra5 43. Rc3 Kg7 44. Bc6 Rd8+ 45. Kc2 Rd6 46. a4 Rh5 47. Rf2 Re5 48. Bb5 h5 49. Kb3 Kh6 50. Kb4 Re1 51. Rc6 Rd4+ 52. Kc5 Rg4 53. Ra2 h4 54. a5 h3 55. Ra3 1-0