Two Of Caruna’s games, 70th ITA Seina

4 December 2010, Kuala Lumpur – At the request of some readers, I have included two of GM Caruana's chess games of the Italian Chess Championship 2010. Here is GM Caruana’s chess game against Michele Godena in the tenth round of the 70th Italian Chess Championship 2010 in Seina, Italy.

The Queen’s Gambit Accepted opening transpired during the game.

[Event "70° Campionato Italiano Assoluto"]
[Site "Siena"]
[Date "2010.12.03"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Caruana, F."]
[Black "Godena, M."]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "105"]
[EventDate "2010.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 e5 4. Nf3 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 exd4 6. Nxd4 Ne7 7. Bf4 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Ng6 9. Bg3 Qe7 10. Bxc4 Qxe4+ 11. Qe2 Qxe2+ 12. Bxe2 Na6 13. Rb1 O-O 14. O-O Re8 15. Rfe1 Nc5 16. Bxc7 Bd7 17. Bf3 Rxe1+ 18. Rxe1 Rc8 19. Bg3 b6 20. h4 Ne6 21. h5 Ne7 22. Be5 Nc6 23. Nxc6 Bxc6 24. Bg4 Re8 25. Bg3 g6 26. h6 f5 27. Bd1 f4 28. Bh4 Kf8 29. Re5 g5 30. Bh5 Rc8 31. Bxg5 Nxg5 32. Rxg5 Bd7 33.Rg7 Rc5 34. Bf3 Bf5 35. Rxa7 Rxc3 36. Bd5 Bg6 37. Ra4 Rc1+ 38. Kh2 Rc5 39.Rxf4+ Ke7 40. Bf3 Ra5 41. Rb4 b5 42. Bd5 Kf6 43. f4 Bf5 44. Bc6 Bd3 45. Rd4 Ra3 46. Bd5 Bb1 47. Rd1 Bd3 48. Bb3 Bc4 49. Bc2 Ke7 50. Bf5 Rxa2 51. Rd7+ Kf8 52.Rxh7 Bd5 53. Rd7 1-0 

White played 53.Rd7 and black resigned. With two extra white pawns, white is in a winning position as the h6 pawn is on its way to queening. It has the rook and bishop strategically placed. The white bishop at f5 controls the critical h7, b1 squares and the important b1-h7 diagonal. While the white rook pins the black king to the back rank. Black’s bishop does not control h7 square nor the h8 queening square. If black tries, 53…Rxg2+, then 54.Kh3. If black plays 54…Rg1, then white wins the bishop at d5 en prise. If black plays 54…Rg8, then 55.h7 followed by Rd8+ winning the rook.  With right technique, white should win.

In the ninth round, GM Fabiano Caruana faced Carlos H Garcia Palermo in another chess game of the 70th Italian Chess Championship 2010, Seina, Italy.

The London and Colle System opening transpired during the game.

[Event "70th ch-ITA"]
[Site "Siena ITA"]
[Date "2010.12.02"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Garcia Palermo, C."]
[Black "Caruana, F."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A46"]
[WhiteElo "2465"]
[BlackElo "2709"]
[PlyCount "48"]
[EventDate "2010.11.23"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 h6 4. Bh4 d6 5. Nc3 g5 6. Bg3 Nh5 7. e4 Bg7 8. Bb5+
c6 9. Ba4 Nxg3 10. hxg3 Nd7 11. Qd3 a6 12. Bb3 b5 13. a4 Bb7 14. O-O O-O 15.
Ne2 c5 16. axb5 axb5 17. Qxb5 Bxe4 18. Nd2 Rb8 19. Qa6 Bg6 20. Rfd1 d5 21. c4
cxd4 22. cxd5 Nc5 23. Qa3 Nxb3 24. dxe6 Qd5 0-1

The two black bishops control the diagonals and the knight at b3 is menacing rook at a1 and white knight at d2. The knight has support from rook at b8 and black queen at d5. It has one advance pawn at d4 while white has one pawn at e6. If white pawn moves 25.e7, then black can answer 25…Rfe8 stopping the pawn. Black has good chances of winning but white appears to have given up hope and resigned. Another win for Fabuao Caruana.

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Official website: http://www.federscacchi.it/cia2010/
Games :   http://www.federscacchi.it/cia2010/online.php
Games in pgn (click here)