The Russian Championship Superfinal has just concluded in Moscow. The average age of the participants was an astonishingly young 22 years. The title, champion of Russia, was won by Evgeny Alekseev of Saint Petersburg, but the most original and interesting play was by Jan Nepomniachtchi, who is all of 16 years old. Among the participants in this event, he probably has the highest potential of reaching the summit of the chess world. His game against last year’s Russian champion, Sergei Rublevsky, offers a glimpse of his tremendous talents.

NEPOMNIACHTCHI VS RUBLEVSKY (white) (black) SICILIAN DEFENSE

1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Qf3

A rare move, the apparent purpose of which is probably to create an unusual and unexplored position. 6… Nf6

White’s sixth move was tried in only one previous game in highlevel chess. Korchnoi-Taimanov 1958 continued 6…Nc6 7. Nb3 Nf6 8. Bf4 d6 9. Be2 Be7 10. Qg3 0-0 and black obtained a good position. For this event, white certainly prepared a different path. For example, after 6…Nc6 7. Nxc6 is interesting. 7. Bg5!? Qe5

In case of 7…Be7 8.0-0-0 d6 a well-known position from the Najdorf variation would suddenly arise. Now, with his double attack on g5 and d4, black seems to be winning a tempo. 8. Be3! Bb4

Black has to play this, if he want to prove that his queen is better placed on e5 than on c7. 9.0-0-0! Bxc3 10. bxc3 0-0?!

Black reasonably rejects the pawn offer. In case of 10…Qxe4 11. Qg3 0-0 (bad for black was 11…Qg6 12. Qd6 Ne4 13. Qa3 d6 14. Nb5) 12. Bd3 Qg4 13.f3 Qxg3 14. hxg3 white has a strong initiative. Bad also is the other capture: 10…Nxe4? 11. Bf4 Qd5 12.c4 and white wins. The best reaction was the immediate counteraction: 10…b5! 11. Bd3 Bb7 12. Bf4 Qc5 with an unclear position. 11. Bd3 d6 12. Nb3! d5 Black has not created counterplay and his queen in the center has become a burden for him. In white’s favor was 12…Qxc3 13. Bd4 Qc7 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Qxf6. 13. exd5 exd5 White would be better as well after 13…Nxd5 14. Bd4 Qf4+ 15. Qxf4 Nxf4 16. Be4. 14.h3! This modest move further restricts the movement of black’s queen. Inferior was 14. Bf4 Qh5. 14… Nc6 Winning the exchange by 14…Ne4 15.c4 Nc3 16. cxd5! Nxd1 17. Rxd1 gave white a very attractive position. 15. Bf4 Qe7 16. Bg5! Be6 Better was the active 16…Ne5. 17. Qg3 Rfe8 18. Kb1 a5 19. Rhe1 a4

20. Nc5! The cavalry come galloping in–demonstrating great horsemanship. 20… Ra5 21. Nd7! Nh5 Black is defenseless after 21…Qxd7 22. Bxf6 g6 23. Qf4 and 24. Qh6. 22. Bxe7 Nxg3 23. Bb4! Ra7 24. Bc5 Ra5 25. Bb4!? White could win material 25. Rxe6 fxe6 26. fxg3 Rd8 27. Rf1! But he aspires for more. 25… Ra7 26. Nc5 Nh5 27. Bb5! Nf4 Black’s position would be terrible after 27…Nf6 28.c4! dxc4 29. Bc3. 28.g3! Nxh3 29.f4! Raa8 White’s advantage is huge after 29…Nf2 30. Rxd5 Raa8 31. Nxe6 Rxe6 32. Rxe6 fxe6 33. Rd7 too. Now a series of tactical blows decides the outcome. 30. Nxb7 Rec8 31. Nd6 Nf2 32. Nxc8 Rxc8 Black also loses after 32…Nxd1 33. Bxc6 Rxc8 34. Bxa4 Nxc3+ 35. Bxc3 Rxc3 36.f5. 33. Rd2 Ne4 34. Rxe4! dxe4 35. Bxc6 e3 36. Rd4 e2 37.c4 Rb8 38. Kc1!

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