27... Nf4!+
A finishing combination by Georgian grandmaster.
28. gxf4 Rxh1 29. f5
(29. Kxh1 Ba6 30. Qe3 Rh8+ 31. Kg1 Qh3)
29... Rah8 -+
A finishing combination by Georgian grandmaster.
28. gxf4 Rxh1 29. f5
(29. Kxh1 Ba6 30. Qe3 Rh8+ 31. Kg1 Qh3)
29... Rah8 -+
11.c4!
This looks rather anti-positional as Black can capture on c4 and secure the d5-square for his knight. If only chess was that simple! The text move is by far the most convincing way to open things up. 11.a4 b4 doesn't do quite the same job, as the queen cannot go to a4 and there still aren't any open lines.
11...bxc4 12.Ne5
Black now has difficulty preventing the queen check on a4. This checking idea, coupled with the bishop pinning the knight on f6, already leaves him in an uncomfortable position. The Ne5/Qa4+ combo (or even Ne5/Bb5+) is another useful theme to remember.
12...Be7 13.Qa4+ Nd7 14.dxc5!!
A great piece sacrifice to open the d-file and keep up the pressure. White could have retained the initiative with 14 Bxe7, but Nisipeanu spots that he has an even better way to proceed. Even if you see a good move, you should always be on the lookout for a better one!
14...Bxg5 15.Rad1 Bd5
Attempting to block the d-file. 15...Bc8 could hardly be considered as an alternative!
16.Bxc4+-
This looks rather anti-positional as Black can capture on c4 and secure the d5-square for his knight. If only chess was that simple! The text move is by far the most convincing way to open things up. 11.a4 b4 doesn't do quite the same job, as the queen cannot go to a4 and there still aren't any open lines.
11...bxc4 12.Ne5
Black now has difficulty preventing the queen check on a4. This checking idea, coupled with the bishop pinning the knight on f6, already leaves him in an uncomfortable position. The Ne5/Qa4+ combo (or even Ne5/Bb5+) is another useful theme to remember.
12...Be7 13.Qa4+ Nd7 14.dxc5!!
A great piece sacrifice to open the d-file and keep up the pressure. White could have retained the initiative with 14 Bxe7, but Nisipeanu spots that he has an even better way to proceed. Even if you see a good move, you should always be on the lookout for a better one!
14...Bxg5 15.Rad1 Bd5
Attempting to block the d-file. 15...Bc8 could hardly be considered as an alternative!
16.Bxc4+-
12...a6!
Black's idea is to try for the ...b5 pawn break to attack White on the queenside. If White allows this, then ...b4 attacking the a3-pawn will open at least the b-file towards White's king. Black's kingside pawns remain untouched so White will find it harder to make progress with the same pawn storming idea, as seen in the game.
13.Be2
Trying to keep the lines closed on the queenside with 13.Nb3 Qb6 14.c5 is okay, but Black can get in ...b6 anyway at some point, e.g. 14...Qa7 15.e4 d4 16.Na4 e5!.
13...b5!
Offering a pawn sacrifice to open the a- and b-files.
14.cxd5
Accepting the pawn with 14.cxb5 axb5 15.Bxb5 Bd7 is too dangerous for White, as Black has three (!) open files down which to attack.
14...exd5 15.g4 Be6 16.Nb3 Qb6 17.g5 Ne4!
Not losing a pawn as Black has tactics against b3.
18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Rxd8+ Nxd8
Opening the c-file for the rook and leaving White no time to catch his breath.
20.Kb1 Rc8 21.Qd1 Nc6
The knight returns to the action. Black is better coordinated as most of his pieces are already looking towards the white king, and he can set about using the a3-pawn as a target of attack.
Black's idea is to try for the ...b5 pawn break to attack White on the queenside. If White allows this, then ...b4 attacking the a3-pawn will open at least the b-file towards White's king. Black's kingside pawns remain untouched so White will find it harder to make progress with the same pawn storming idea, as seen in the game.
13.Be2
Trying to keep the lines closed on the queenside with 13.Nb3 Qb6 14.c5 is okay, but Black can get in ...b6 anyway at some point, e.g. 14...Qa7 15.e4 d4 16.Na4 e5!.
13...b5!
Offering a pawn sacrifice to open the a- and b-files.
14.cxd5
Accepting the pawn with 14.cxb5 axb5 15.Bxb5 Bd7 is too dangerous for White, as Black has three (!) open files down which to attack.
14...exd5 15.g4 Be6 16.Nb3 Qb6 17.g5 Ne4!
Not losing a pawn as Black has tactics against b3.
18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Rxd8+ Nxd8
Opening the c-file for the rook and leaving White no time to catch his breath.
20.Kb1 Rc8 21.Qd1 Nc6
The knight returns to the action. Black is better coordinated as most of his pieces are already looking towards the white king, and he can set about using the a3-pawn as a target of attack.
Unity Chess Multiple Choice 553
public poll
C: c4 â 9
đđđđđđđ 82%
Jonas, Ramesh, Vincent, @jdvafa, @SinaKhansharifan, @RichardPeng, Yiyi, Michael, Zhenrui
A: f6 â 2
đđ 18%
Saghana, @Sophia_Peng
B: cĂd4
âŤď¸ 0%
đĽ 11 people voted so far.
public poll
C: c4 â 9
đđđđđđđ 82%
Jonas, Ramesh, Vincent, @jdvafa, @SinaKhansharifan, @RichardPeng, Yiyi, Michael, Zhenrui
A: f6 â 2
đđ 18%
Saghana, @Sophia_Peng
B: cĂd4
âŤď¸ 0%
đĽ 11 people voted so far.
Unity Chess Multiple Choice 554
public poll
B: Be5 â 9
đđđđđđđ 90%
Jonas, Ramesh, Vincent, @SinaKhansharifan, @Sophia_Peng, @RichardPeng, Yiyi, Michael, Zhenrui
A: BĂg5 â 1
đ 10%
Saghana
C: fĂg6
âŤď¸ 0%
đĽ 10 people voted so far.
public poll
B: Be5 â 9
đđđđđđđ 90%
Jonas, Ramesh, Vincent, @SinaKhansharifan, @Sophia_Peng, @RichardPeng, Yiyi, Michael, Zhenrui
A: BĂg5 â 1
đ 10%
Saghana
C: fĂg6
âŤď¸ 0%
đĽ 10 people voted so far.
â´ď¸ #about_Balashov
đ¸ Yuri Balashov
đ¸ Russian chess grandmaster
đ° Yuri Sergeyevich Balashov is a Russian chess grandmaster.He was awarded the grandmaster title in 1973. he was champion of Moscow in 1970 and runner-up to Anatoly Karpov in the 1976 USSR Chess Championship. In 1977, he won Lithuanian Chess Championship. Balashov tied for 1st at Lone Pine 1977 and tied for 1st at Wijk aan Zee 1982.
đ Full name: Yuri Sergeyevich Balashov
đ Country: Soviet Union â Russia
đ Born: 12 March 1949 (age 69)
Shadrinsk, Kurgan Oblast, RSFSR, USSR
đ Title: Grandmaster (1973)
đ FIDE rating: 2404 (April 2016)
đ Peak rating: 2600 (January 1979)
đ° Balashov represented the USSR in several team events. He played second board for the USSR team at the 1971, 1972, and 1974 World Student Team Championships, winning the second board individual gold in 1971 when he was an IM with 6.5/8. Balashov played in four European Team Chess Championships, 1970, 1973, 1977, and 1980, winning the fifth board individual gold in 1977. At the 24th Chess Olympiad in 1980, he scored 7.5/10 as the first board reserve to help the USSR team win the gold medal.
đ° In 2014, he won the Senior Tournament at the Moscow Open, and played for "Russia 1" team which won the European Senior Team Championship in Sibenik
đ° In the 1970s and early 1980s he was one of the top 25 chess players in the world. According to Chessmetrics, at his peak in July 1977 Balashov's play was equivalent to a rating of 2715, and he was ranked number 11 in the world. His best single performance was at Moscow (URS Championship), 1976, where he scored 10.5/16 possible points (66%) against 2688-rated opposition, for a performance rating of 2773.
âŚď¸ A memorable game by Balashovđ
đ¸ Karen Ashotovich Grigorian vs Yuri Balashov
đ¸ USSR Championship (1974), Leningrad URS, rd 4, Dec-04
đ¸ Dutch Defense: Rubinstein Variation (A84)
âŚď¸ Review and download PGN fileđ
@unitychess
đ¸ Yuri Balashov
đ¸ Russian chess grandmaster
đ° Yuri Sergeyevich Balashov is a Russian chess grandmaster.He was awarded the grandmaster title in 1973. he was champion of Moscow in 1970 and runner-up to Anatoly Karpov in the 1976 USSR Chess Championship. In 1977, he won Lithuanian Chess Championship. Balashov tied for 1st at Lone Pine 1977 and tied for 1st at Wijk aan Zee 1982.
đ Full name: Yuri Sergeyevich Balashov
đ Country: Soviet Union â Russia
đ Born: 12 March 1949 (age 69)
Shadrinsk, Kurgan Oblast, RSFSR, USSR
đ Title: Grandmaster (1973)
đ FIDE rating: 2404 (April 2016)
đ Peak rating: 2600 (January 1979)
đ° Balashov represented the USSR in several team events. He played second board for the USSR team at the 1971, 1972, and 1974 World Student Team Championships, winning the second board individual gold in 1971 when he was an IM with 6.5/8. Balashov played in four European Team Chess Championships, 1970, 1973, 1977, and 1980, winning the fifth board individual gold in 1977. At the 24th Chess Olympiad in 1980, he scored 7.5/10 as the first board reserve to help the USSR team win the gold medal.
đ° In 2014, he won the Senior Tournament at the Moscow Open, and played for "Russia 1" team which won the European Senior Team Championship in Sibenik
đ° In the 1970s and early 1980s he was one of the top 25 chess players in the world. According to Chessmetrics, at his peak in July 1977 Balashov's play was equivalent to a rating of 2715, and he was ranked number 11 in the world. His best single performance was at Moscow (URS Championship), 1976, where he scored 10.5/16 possible points (66%) against 2688-rated opposition, for a performance rating of 2773.
âŚď¸ A memorable game by Balashovđ
đ¸ Karen Ashotovich Grigorian vs Yuri Balashov
đ¸ USSR Championship (1974), Leningrad URS, rd 4, Dec-04
đ¸ Dutch Defense: Rubinstein Variation (A84)
âŚď¸ Review and download PGN fileđ
@unitychess
@Grigorian-Balashov 1974.pgn
645 B
đ¸ Karen Ashotovich Grigorian vs Yuri Balashov , USSR Championship (1974)
đ¸ PGN format
@unitychess
đ¸ PGN format
@unitychess
9...c4!
Black sets out his stall for the impending ...b5-b4 lunge. The c-pawn bypasses the white centre and instead is used as a spearhead for the upcoming pawn storm. This plan is remarkably difficult to counter, as any Nxb5 would just open the b-file for the black rook on a8 to come to b8. If the b-pawn is not captured, then ...b4 and ...c3 is likely to open up White's defensive pawn structure in any case. On the other side of the board, g4 and f5 ideas don't quite hit the spot, as Black has many defensive pieces which cover any f5-f6 pawn advance. See how the game continuation demonstrates this in practice.
10.f5 b5 11.fxe6
11.f6 gxf6 looks more dangerous for Black than it really is. White cannot take advantage of the open g-file, and also the queen on d2 is too far away to do any damage. After 12.Bh6 fxe5 13.Bxf8 Bxf8 Black enjoys great compensation for the exchange, with two pawns and the upcoming pawn storm on the queenside.
11...fxe6 12.h4 Qa5 13.Ng5 b4-+
Black sets out his stall for the impending ...b5-b4 lunge. The c-pawn bypasses the white centre and instead is used as a spearhead for the upcoming pawn storm. This plan is remarkably difficult to counter, as any Nxb5 would just open the b-file for the black rook on a8 to come to b8. If the b-pawn is not captured, then ...b4 and ...c3 is likely to open up White's defensive pawn structure in any case. On the other side of the board, g4 and f5 ideas don't quite hit the spot, as Black has many defensive pieces which cover any f5-f6 pawn advance. See how the game continuation demonstrates this in practice.
10.f5 b5 11.fxe6
11.f6 gxf6 looks more dangerous for Black than it really is. White cannot take advantage of the open g-file, and also the queen on d2 is too far away to do any damage. After 12.Bh6 fxe5 13.Bxf8 Bxf8 Black enjoys great compensation for the exchange, with two pawns and the upcoming pawn storm on the queenside.
11...fxe6 12.h4 Qa5 13.Ng5 b4-+