[Event "Olympiad"] [White "Grivas,Efstratios"] [Black "Quendro,Llambi"] [Site "Thessaloniki"] [Round "9"] [Annotator "SHJ-CHESS"] [Result "1-0"] [Date "1988.11.22"] [WhiteElo "2400"] [BlackElo "2295"] [PlyCount "69"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e5 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 {(D) [#] The main position of the 'Old Benoni Defence' or ‘Czech Benoni Defence’. Black blocks the centre early, avoiding direct battles and aiming for manoeuvring play, 'besides the lines'. White enjoys more space, due to his advance d5-pawn, so he feels a bit happier than his opponent! In general, White can opt for the b4 and f4 advances, while Black would have to minimise his ideas to an eventual ...f5 advance. I must also note that the name of my opponent Quendro is meaning Centre in the Greek language, so my teammates were commenting after the game that he shouldn’t have blocked the centre, as then he would be helpless. Well, quite an interesting remark!} g6 ({A hybrid system, which will transpose to 'King's Indian Defence' set-ups.} 5... Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Be2 Nbd7 8. O-O Ne8 9. a3 $14 {, is supposed to be the most played line here, as in Milton,K-Marin,M Torrelavega 2007.} )6. h3 {(D) [#]} ({Of course, White can opt for} 6. Be2 Bg7 7. Nf3 {, but an expansion on the kingside, due to the blocked nature of the position, cannot harm.} )Bg7 (6... h5 {, stopping g4, seems to be appropriate here:} 7. Nf3 Bh6 8. Bxh6 Rxh6 9. Qd2 Rh8 10. O-O-O a6 11. a4 $14 {Vachier Lagrave,M-Gukesh,D Internet 2023.} )7. g4 ({Less ambitious is} 7. g3 O-O 8. Bg2 a6 9. Nge2 Ne8 10. O-O $14 {Sanna,G-Sygulski,A Thessaloniki 1984.} )h5 ({An interesting and probably more fighting continuation, as the 'dull'} 7... O-O 8. Nge2 Ne8 9. Be3 Bf6 10. Qd2 $16 {Romero Holmes,A-Fernandez Hernandez,G Bergara 2013, is quite pleasant for White. In this blocked type of positions, you should always look for some activity, as passivity will kill you slowly but surely…} )8. g5 {(D) [#]} Nh7 ({A kind of a novelty to} 8... Nfd7 9. Be2 Na6 10. Nf3 Nc7 11. a4 a5 12. Be3 $16 {Goehler,A-Ramseier,J Halle 1987. Now Black will aim for a future ...f6 counterplay.} )9. Nf3 a6 10. Be3 {A natural way of development, as the g5-pawn will need support and White doesn’t want to play h4, as after an eventual ...f6, the h4-pawn will be week, as square g4 as well.} Nd7 11. Qd2 O-O {(D) [#]} 12. a4 $1 {Stopping any future activity ideas with ...b5 (sacrificing a pawn) on the queenside.} Rb8 13. Be2 {White will prepare his only idea and break with f4. He has time to prepare it, as the blocked nature of the position, allows him so.} Nb6 14. Kf1 Bd7 15. Kg2 Qc8 {(D) [#]} 16. Ne1 $1 {Planning b3, Nd3 and f4 - Black has to do something...} f6 17. gxf6 Rxf6 18. Nc2 {Planning a5 and b4, as well - White enjoys more freedom in his plans, due to his spatial advantage.} a5 {Stops the afore-mentioned idea, but weakens the b5-square - everything has its positive and negative aspects...} 19. Nb5 Ra8 20. b3 Qd8 21. Nc3 {(D) [#]} Nc8 $2 ({Passive. An interesting idea here for Black was to sacrifice the exchange by} 21... Rf4 $1 22. Rag1 $1 (22. Bxf4 $2 exf4 23. h4 Qf6 $44 )Qf6 23. Ne1 Ng5 24. f3 Rf8 25. Bxf4 Qxf4 26. Qxf4 exf4 27. Nd1 Nf7 28. Nf2 Kh7 29. h4 {, where although White stands better, it would be extremely difficult to convert his material advantage.} )22. Ne1 $1 {White relocates his knight to f3, supporting the future f4 advance.} b6 23. Nd3 Qe7 24. Rag1 {All white pieces are driven to the only place where we will see some activity; the kingside.} Na7 {(D) [#]} 25. Kf1 $1 {The white king hurries to hide away from the kingside, where he will feel safe.} Raf8 26. Ke1 Nc8 27. h4 Qe8 28. Rg3 {Before the final assault with f4, White further improves his position - rooks will be doubled on the semi-open g-file, the king could be further driven away to c2, and so on. No hurry, due to the blocked centre!} Ne7 29. Rhg1 R6f7 {(D) [#]} 30. Bh6 (30. Kd1 {, should be fine, but White can go on with the text as well.} )Bxh6 $2 ({A critical position.} 30... Rf4 {, now, is not that strong, as after} 31. Bxg7 Kxg7 32. Nxf4 exf4 {(D) [#]} 33. Rd3 $1 (33. Rf3 Qf7 34. Bd1 g5 35. hxg5 Bg4 36. Nb5 Ng6 37. Rc3 f3 38. e5 $1 $16 )Kh8 34. Bf3 Nf5 35. Qxf4 Qe7 36. Be2 Nxh4 37. Qg3 $18 {, Black should be busted. Black had to try} )(30... Nf6 31. Bg5 Kh7 32. Kd1 $16 {and hope... After the text, Black's position is ruined-up.} )31. Qxh6 Kh8 {(D) [#]} 32. Bxh5 $1 {A small combination that brings the cabbage home!} Nf5 (32... gxh5 33. Rg7 {, mates soon.} )(32... Ng8 33. Qxg6 Ngf6 34. Ne2 $18 {, cannot be a solution either...} )33. exf5 gxh5 {(D) [#]} 34. Ne4 $1 (34. Rg7 $2 Bxf5 $16 {, looks a bit childish.} )Qd8 ({Or} 34... Bxf5 35. Nxd6 Qd7 36. Nxf7+ Qxf7 37. Nxe5 $18 {.} )35. Nxd6 {(D) [#] And Black decided to resign, as he loses the house! (Times: 1.46-1.54)} 1-0