In round one
is was Carlsen vs Caruana that held the audience attention as the draw had the
top two seeds meeting so early. Round two was another stroke of luck. Two of
the three co-leaders were drawn to meet. Then, when Vishy Anand drew his game
relatively early suddenly Giri vs Kramnik had the chance to deliver a sole
leader.
The pairings
for round 2 were as follows, with tournament points in brackets:
Baskaran
Adhiban 2655 (0.5) vs Magnus Carlsen 2834 (0.5)
Fabiano
Caruana 2811 (0.5) vs Gawain Jones 2640 (0.5)
Sergey Karjakin
2753 (0.5) vs Viswanathan Anand 2767 (1)
Yi Wei 2743
(0) vs Peter Svidler 2768 (0.5)
Yifan Hou
2680 (0) vs Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2804 (0.5)
Maxim
Matlakov (0) vs Wesley So 2792 (0.5)
Anish Giri
2752 (1) vs Vladamir Kramnik 2787 (1)
Here are the
three decisive games from round 2:
Giri,Anish
(2752) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2787)
Tata Steel Masters Wijk
aan Zee (2.2), 14.01.2018
1.c4 e6
2.Nc3 Bb4 3.Qb3 I
was intrigued by this opening, and looked around it a bit, finding that it is
indeed played reasonably often by really top players, but probably should not
promise anything, at least on a cursory investigation.
3...Ba5 [3...a5
is a stereotypical 'Bogo' way to play, and after 4.a3 Bxc3 5.Qxc3 Nf6 6.b3 0–0
7.Bb2 d6 8.e3 e5 9.d4 Nc6= Black was fine in Aronian,L-Riazantsev,A Sharjah
2017]
4.Nf3 c5 [4...Nf6 was played in an old Conquest-Rozentalis game,
but doubtless Giri had something else quite inventive up his sleeve, for
instance 5.g4!?÷]
5.d4 Nf6 6.dxc5!? Not holding back, Giri makes a
double-edged decision that might score worse on the engine pane, but is nearly
certain to get him the bishop pair and hence an imbalanced position. [6.e3
might well be more solid, and Black needs to be careful that he does not
transpose to an awkward Nimzo. This can be acheived with 6...cxd4?! 7.exd4 d5
8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Bd3² and for this reason Black should prefer something like
6...d6.]
6...Na6 7.Be3 Ne4 8.g3 Naxc5 9.Qc2 Bxc3+ [9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 b6
11.Bg2 is a hard thing for a human to play as Black, with the backward d-pawn
and the wayward bishop on a5.]
10.bxc3 b6 11.Bg2 Bb7 12.0–0 0–0 13.Rfd1 Qe7 Now
we have more or less the position that White signed up for on move 6. A simplistic
evaluation would be 'equal', a better one would be 'equal for kids or blitz
players, better for Black from 1800 to 2600 in classical, and messy above
that!'
14.a4 One problem Black has is that he cannot block the a5-push.
14...d6
[14...f5 15.a5 e5 16.axb6 axb6 might have been preferable for Black, who
intends ...f4 soon- the plan is very easy to grasp.]
15.a5 f5 16.axb6 axb6
17.Nd4 Nf6 18.Bxb7 Nxb7 19.Rxa8 Rxa8 20.Nb5 Rc8?! Leaving the a-file, which
White eventually exploits, and he could in fact have done so a bit faster.
[20...Nd7! is sensible, heading for c5 with one knight and either a5 or e5 with
the other, and keeping the Nimzo-typical ...Rc8 in reserve. White wins a pawn
with 21.Nxd6 Nxd6 22.Qd3 Ne5 23.Qxd6 Qxd6 24.Rxd6 Nxc4 25.Rxe6 but after 25...Rc8!!
his pieces are so badly tangled that he must give it back to get out. 26.Re7
Kf8 27.Rb7 Nxe3 28.fxe3 Rxc3 29.e4 fxe4 30.Rxb6=]
21.Qa2 [21.Bxb6 Rxc4
22.Ra1±]
21...d5 22.Bg5 A reasonable human way of using the a-file.
22...Rxc4?!
[22...Qd7!? 23.Bxf6 gxf6„ is quite a random defensive attempt, but it seems
okay.; 22...dxc4 23.Qa7±]
23.Qa8+ Kf7 24.Ra1 Na5 25.Qb8 Rc6 26.Nd4 Rxc3? [26...Rd6!
leaves Black facing a string of tactical problems, but his pieces aren't as
poorly linked as in the game. 27.Bf4 (27.Nf3 Qd8 28.Ne5+ Kf8 29.Qa7 Qe7
30.Qa6 Nb3 31.Rb1 Nc5©) 27...Rd7 28.Qxb6 Nc4 29.Qb8 Qe8=]
27.Qxb6 Now
Black should be lost, which seemingly is only discovered by playing down lines
with the engine rather than just letting it run.
27...Nc4 28.Qb8 Nd7 The
final mistake, getting the rook trivially trapped. [28...Ra3 29.Rb1 Kg6 is the
engine attempt, and now White may have nothing better than an
almost-definitely-winning ending with 30.Rb7 Qe8 31.Qxe8+ Nxe8 32.Nxe6±]
29.Bxe7
Nxb8 30.Bb4+- e5 31.Ra7+ Kg8 32.Bxc3 exd4 33.Bxd4 Nc6 34.Rxg7+ Kf8 35.Bf6 1–0
Adhiban,B
(2655) - Carlsen,Magnus (2834)
Tata Steel Masters Wijk
aan Zee (2.1), 14.01.2018
1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 0–0 9.0–0
cxd5 10.Bg5 c6 11.Qf3 It is interesting how these things change.
In 2008 this line was taught to me from the White side by Ukrainian-Israeli GM
Boris Alterman; shortly after became an IM (in 2011) I viewed it as primarily a
drawing weapon and now I think it's just a way to get a long and strategically
messy game which the better player will probably win. That is in fact what
occurred.
11...Bd6 [11...Rb8 12.h3 probably brings White a little bit
closer to his dream of Na4, b3, c4, Bf4 and Rad1.; 11...Be7 is more played and
is most solid, but the doubled f-pawns are not something to get that scared
about.]
12.Rae1 Possibly preparation, but in any case quite logical to
take the e5-square from Black's bishop. [12.h3 is main, and now a tactic worth
knowing is 12...Rb8 13.b3 Be5 14.Bf4!? although it doesn't necessarily promise
White anything after 14...Bxc3 15.Bxb8 Bxa1 16.Rxa1 Bg4 17.hxg4 Qxb8= as in
Morozevich,A -Kramnik,V Moscow 2013. However, we were not destined to see
another bishop-vs- knight-and-solid-d5-centre draw this round.]
12...Rb8
13.b3 Keeping equality. [13.Na4 h6!³]
13...a5 [13...Bb4 tries to
take advantage of White's tactically vulnerable pieces. There could follow:
14.Qg3 Bd7 and I assume Carlsen saw this and steered clear due to the drawing
line 15.Qh4! h6 16.Bxh6=]
14.h3 h6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Qxf6 gxf6 17.Ne2 c5
18.Ng3 Rd8 19.Nf5 So White has emerged with a marginally more comfortable
position from the opening, but Black isn't giving up on trying to win just yet.
19...Bf8! Bishops of the same colour always offer more imbalance, and in
this case White needs to be concerned about the ...c4 push too. [19...Bxf5
20.Bxf5 a4 21.g3 axb3 22.axb3 Be5= would be a reasonably solid way to make a
draw]
20.Ne7+ Bxe7 21.Rxe7 Be6 22.Rd1 [22.Ra7! As always, White should
exchange precisely one pair of rooks, and this poses Black some significant
problems. 22...Ra8 (22...c4 23.Be2 is inconvenient for Black as he
doesn't obtain enough in case of ...c4, but also bad is 23...Ra8 24.Rxa8
Rxa8 25.f4²) 23.Rxa8 Rxa8 24.f4 (24.g4 h5=) 24...f5! (24...Kf8
25.Kf2 Ke7 26.g4² leads to the same problem as in Giri-Hou yesterday, and a
Rubinstein game about 100 years ago: the isolated rook's pawn is often a major
weakness.) 25.g4 fxg4 26.f5 Bd7 27.hxg4 Re8=]
22...c4 23.Be2 a4 Now
Black is having some fun: possibly Adhiban missed from afar that ...Rxc2 can
pin a bishop to a c7-rook a few moves into certain lines.
24.bxa4 Bf5?! Either
an inaccuracy or a slight gamble. Either way, it makes the game look a bit less
'smooth' given that it is a win in the end, but also increased the likelihood
of that being the result. [24...Kf8 25.Rc7 Rb2„ was for instance one reasonable
continuation for Black]
25.Bf3?! Missing the accidental chance. [25.c3!
Ra8 (25...d4 26.Bxc4 dxc3 27.Rxd8+ Rxd8 28.Bb3²) 26.Rc7! The point is
that White can use the pin on the d-file, and for this reason Black is unable
to take on a4. For instance: 26...Be6 27.f4 f5 28.Rd2²]
25...d4!³ 26.a5? [26.Re2
Rb2 27.Red2 is the engine suggestion but following 27...d3!? it is also a bit
depressing, e.g. 28.cxd3 (28.c3 Rb6 29.a5 Ra6³) 28...c3 29.Rxb2 cxb2
30.Rb1 Rb8 31.Be4 Be6 32.a5 Bxa2 33.Rxb2 Rxb2 34.a6 Rb1+ 35.Kh2 Ra1 36.a7 Bd5
37.Bxd5 Rxa7³ and the endgame should be held, especially at this level: bishop
goes to f5 and is supported by g4, for instance, but it requires a certain
appetite for suffering to go in for this.]
26...Bxc2–+ 27.Rc1 Rb1 28.Rxb1
Bxb1 29.Rc7 c3 The engine takes a while to realise, but White is toast.
30.Bd1
[30.Kf1 Re8 snares the a5-pawn in a reasonably funny way]
30...Ra8
31.Rc5 Bxa2 32.Bc2 Be6 33.Kf1 Rc8 34.Rxc8+ Bxc8 35.Ke2 Ba6+ 36.Kf3 d3 A
very well played game! 0–1
Hou,Yifan
(2680) - Mamedyarov,Shakhriyar (2804)
Tata Steel Masters Wijk
aan Zee (2.4), 14.01.2018
1.e4 e6
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.a3 Ba5 This is
optimistic. Bxc3 is the move you play if you would like to hold a solid draw.
7.Nge2
Nge7 8.0–0 0–0 9.Bg5 [9.Na4!? demands attention, because the bishop pair is
almost never bad to have. An old game by an (East) German grandmaster went:
9...Bf5 10.Nc5 Qc8 11.Bg5 Bb6 12.b4 Bxc5 13.dxc5 Re8= Schmittdiel,E-Uhlmann,W
Germany 1992]
9...f6 10.Be3 Bf5 11.Nf4?! The computer sees no problem
with this, but compared to move 6, Black is much better developed and ready to
take advantage of the structural problem this implies.
11...Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qd7
13.c4 Bxd3 [13...Na5 is the engine recommendation, but the compact
structure after 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.c4 Nxe3 16.fxe3 may be better for White than it
thinks.]
14.Qxd3 Rad8 15.Rab1 [15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Nxd5 Qxd5 17.c4„ is worth
a look: the blitzy ...Ne5 gets the knight trapped, and when White gets d5 in
his bishop will be of equal value to the knight.]
15...b6 16.Rb5?! Now
Black is slightly better already as this rook is tactically weak and does not
coordinate well with the rest of the pieces.
16...dxc4 17.Qxc4+ Rf7 18.Rd1 This
doesn't help either as now everything comes with tempo.
18...Na5 19.Qd3 c6
20.Rbb1 Qf5³ 21.a4 [21.Qe2 Nd5 22.Nxd5 cxd5 23.Qd3 might not be so
dreadful]
21...g5! 22.Nh5 Qxd3 23.Rxd3 Nd5 24.Bd2 Nc4 This position is
almost winning at the elite level, and Mamedyarov's 'tactically informed
technique' is nearly perfect.
25.Re1 h6 26.h4 [26.Re6 Rd6 27.Re8+ Kh7
28.h3 may have been worth a try, just to keep two active pieces] 26...Kh7
27.g4 gxh4 28.Re6 Rd6 29.Rxd6 Nxd6 30.f3 f5–+ 31.Be1 a5 32.Bxh4 b5 33.Ra3 Nc4
34.Ra1 fxg4 35.fxg4 Nde3 36.Nf6+ Kg6 37.d5 cxd5 38.axb5 Rxf6 Gaining
material, though there might have been some last bit of optimisation to do.
[38...Nxc2 39.Rc1 (39.Rb1 Nd2–+) 39...Nd4 40.Kg2 Rxf6 41.Bxf6 Kxf6
42.Rb1 Nb6 obtains the same position with the c2-pawn gone.]
39.Bxf6 Kxf6
40.c3 [40.Kf2 Nxg4+ 41.Kf3 Nge5+ 42.Kf4 was the last try to pose practical
problems, in my opinion]
40...Ke6–+ Now Black's pieces all have defined
roles: the Black king will stop the b-pawn, and then take it once the a-pawn
has distracted White's rook.
41.b6 Kd7 42.Rb1 Kc8 43.b7+ Kb8 44.Kf2 a4
45.Ke2 a3 46.Kd3 Nxg4 47.Kd4 Nd2 [47...Nge3 and ...Nc2 and ...a2 would have
been as per the original plan, but there is a tactic instead.]
48.Rb4 a2 0–1
Caruana,Fabiano
(2811) - Jones,Gawain C B (2640)
Tata Steel Masters Wijk
aan Zee (2.6), 14.01.2018
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 I'm not sure what else one expects from
Gawain Jones!
5.h3 0–0! 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 The Petrosian systems are a good
place for both sides to show class as they lead to long and yet complicated
games, so this was a predictable choice from Caruana, but as Gawain mentioned
yesterday, he is not in this event as decoration and can give as good as he
gets in complex positions.
7...Na6 8.g4 Nc5 9.f3 h5!?N This is new
according to my database, but also quite good. [Previously a strong grandmaster
had played for ...f5 here with 9...Ne8 10.Qd2 f5 11.exf5 gxf5 and lost a long
game to a centre/kingside attack in Parligras, M-Demchenko,A Konya 2017]
10.Qd2
[10.Bg5 might have been an interesting way to execute the same idea, trying
to get the Black queen a bit out of place first.; 10.g5 Nh7 11.h4 would have
forced Black to come up with something other than the plan he showed in the
game. My guess is that the intention was 11...f6!? 12.Qd2 fxg5 13.hxg5 and now
if he had reached this position, Black might not have been able to resist the
thematic, and ironically Petrosian-like, exchange sacrifice 13...Rf4!? 14.Bxf4
exf4 15.Qxf4 Bd7©]
10...Nh7 11.0–0–0 h4 Black is threatened with a
kingside attack, so he must prevent gxh5 opening up the whole flank.
12.Bd3 Black
can now choose between ...f5 and .. .b5 plans.
12...Nxd3+ [12...a6 is
another way of playing; even though White would typically like to retain the
light-squared bishop on say c2, here Black is on time with ...b5 and some pawn
sacrifices. 13.Kb1 (13.Bc2 b5 14.b4 Nb7 15.cxb5 a5!÷ is cute) 13...Nxd3
14.Qxd3 b5 15.cxb5 axb5 16.Nxb5 Ba6÷ Black seems to have quite good
compensation.]
13.Qxd3 f5 14.Rh2 [14.gxf5 gxf5 15.exf5 Bxf5 16.Ne4 was
stereotyped, but maybe not advantageous after 16...Qe8=]
14...Kh8 15.Rg2 Bd7
Black keeps tension. [15...f4 runs the risk that following 16.Bf2 and
another 40 moves, Black will find himself crushed on the queenside with no
moves or space.]
16.exf5 gxf5 17.g5 f4 18.Bf2 Qe8?! This is completely
understandable, trying to organise ... Qh5 and ...Nf8-g6 or even ..Be8-g6, but
concretely another move was better. [18...Rg8 The idea is just to use the
unexpected pressure on... the g5 pawn. 19.g6!? (19.Bxh4 Bh6=) 19...Bf6
20.Nge2 Nf8= Black will play .... Qc8 and ...Bf5 next.]
19.Ne4² Bf5 20.Bxh4
Qh5 21.Bf2 Bxe4 [.Nf8-g6 and other extravagant maneouvres do not ultimately
target the White kingside pawns, for example 21...Rfc8 22.h4 Nf8 23.Kb1 Ng6
24.Ne2± and White can play c5 soon.]
22.fxe4 Nxg5 23.Rg4 Nh7 [23...Bh6
was another option, after which White is also better and may manage to get more
pieces off: 24.Rh4 Qg6 25.Nf3! Nf7 26.Rg1±]
24.Nf3 Bf6 25.c5 Rg8 26.Rdg1 Qh6
[26...Be7 was also possible immediately and would have maintained the
option of ...Rxg4 and ...Qe8-a4.]
27.Qf1 Be7 [27...Rxg4 28.hxg4 Rg8²]
28.Kc2
[28.Bh4! would have led to a situation reminiscent of Anand's game from
yesterday, where White's practical advantage is larger than his actual one. For
instance: 28...Rxg4 29.hxg4! Bxh4 30.Rh1 Rg8 31.cxd6 cxd6 32.Nxh4±]
28...Nf6=
29.Ng5 Raf8 30.Ne6 Qh7! 31.Rh4 Nh5 32.Nxf8 Rxf8 [32...Qxe4+!? led to a really
interesting ending: 33.Qd3 Qxd3+ 34.Kxd3 Bxh4 35.Ng6+ Rxg6 36.Rxg6 Kh7 37.Rg2
Bxf2 38.Rxf2 Ng3 39.cxd6 cxd6© I very much believe Black is in this game, and
all three reuslts are on the cards.]
33.Rhg4 Qxe4+ 34.Qd3 Qxd3+ 35.Kxd3 e4+
36.Kc4 [36.Kxe4 Nf6+ 37.Kf3² would have been my choice-baby steps! Caruana
wants to try and win with an extra exchange.]
36...dxc5 37.Bxc5 Bxc5 38.Kxc5
Ng3 39.Rh4+ Kg7 40.Kd4 Rf5 41.Rxf4! The best way to give up an exchange.
[41.Rc1 Rf7 42.Rg4+ Kf8 would have delayed the inevitable but White is going to
have to sac an exchange against the rolling pawns.]
41...Rxf4 42.Rxg3+ Kf6
43.Rb3 c6 Now Black has to try and get 'b and a against e with rooks' as
connected pawns always win in these things. [43...b6 44.Rc3 e3+! was a simple-once-you-see
it way to draw: 45.Kxe3 Ke5 46.Rxc7 Rh4 47.Rxa7 Rxh3+ 48.Kd2 Kxd5=]
44.Rxb7 [44.dxc6
bxc6 45.Rc3 is, strangely enough, winning, for complicated reasons we shan't go
into.]
44...cxd5 45.Kxd5 e3! And this is the reason why Rxb7 isn't
winning. Black's e-pawn is far enough advanced that White cannot take a7 and
then go back.
46.Rb3 Rf2 47.Rxe3 Rxb2 48.a4 Rb7 49.h4 Rd7+ 50.Kc5 Rh7 51.Re4
Rh5+ 52.Kd6 Kf7 53.Re7+ Kg8 Black remembers how to draw from the side as in
a Nakamura-Howell game if need be!
54.Re4 Kf7 55.Rf4+ Ke8 56.Kc7 Ke7 57.Re4+
Kf6 58.Kb7 Rh7+ 59.Ka6 Kf5 60.Rb4 Ke6 61.a5 Kd6 62.Rf4 Rh5 63.Rg4 Kc6 64.Rb4
Rh7 65.Rc4+ Kd6 66.Rc1 Rxh4 67.Kxa7 Ra4 68.a6 Rb4 69.Ka8= Black's king is
too close to the pawn. ½–½
Karjakin,Sergey
(2753) - Anand,Viswanathan (2767)
Tata Steel Masters Wijk
aan Zee (2.5), 14.01.2018
1.Nf3 d5
2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c5 4.0–0 Nc6 5.d4 e6 6.c4 dxc4 7.dxc5 Third
most popular after 7.Ne5 and 7.Qa4, but this is a good try for an advantage. [An
even less popular move was featured in the immediate predecessor, though I
actually find it quite interesting: 7.Na3!? cxd4 8.Nxc4 Bc5 9.b3 (9.a3!? might
improve and after 9...a5 either Bf4 or the straightforward gambit 10.e3©)
9...Qe7 10.Nfe5 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 Nd7= Black later managed to consolidate his
pawn and press for a while in Carlsen,M-Anand,V London 2017]
7...Qxd1 8.Rxd1
Bxc5 9.Nfd2 [9.Nbd2 c3 10.bxc3 0–0 is reasonably topical; I actually think
White may have something after the 11.Ne1!? of Le, Q-Harikrishna,P Huaian 2017]
9...Na5!= A good move which essentially equalises since White can't
easily attack the pawn again.
10.Na3 [10.Nc3 Bd7 11.Nce4 Nxe4 12.Nxe4
Bb4! with ...Bc6 to come is easy enough for Black]
10...Bxa3 11.bxa3 0–0 [11...c3!?
12.Nb3 Nc4„ is maybe a bit too ambitious from Black, but White needs to prove
this in a precise way.]
12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Bxe4 e5 14.Bb2 Re8 15.Bc3 Nc6 White
might appear to have something here but one of the most basic facts about this
position is that the c8-bishop will develop soon, so therefore Black has few
difficulties once a few more moves are played.
16.Rab1 h6 The computer
disagrees, but this move is completely the right one from a schematic point of
view. Black would like to play ...Re7 but right now there is an issue with the
back rank, therefore he solves it and then plays ...Re7. [16...Nd4 17.Bxd4 exd4
18.Rxd4 Be6 19.Rxb7 Rec8= is one other way to play]
17.f3 Re7 18.Kf2 f6 Now
White must take action reasonably quickly, or else after ...Be6 and ...Rd8 he
risks having his compensation fade.
19.Bd5+ Kh7 20.Be4+ Kg8 21.Bb4 Rc7
22.Bd6 Rd7 23.Bd5+ Kh8 24.Bxc4 Nd4 25.Bc5?! This move is maybe a bit too
compliant. [25.Bb4 keeps trying for an advantage, though I think Black still
proves his concept after the precise 25...Rc7 26.Bd5 Bd7! It is important to
not fear ghosts. 27.e3 Bc6!=]
25...Rc7 26.Bxd4 Rxc4 27.Be3 b6 28.Rd8+ Kh7
29.Rc1 Rxc1 30.Bxc1 Bb7 31.Rxa8 Here I might be vaguely tempted to play a
few moves of the bishop endgame as Black, because the doubled pawns mean only I
can be better, but the players had sufficient respect for each other to agree a
draw here.[31.Rxa8 Bxa8 32.e4 Kg6³] ½–½
Matlakov,Maxim
(2718) - So,Wesley (2792)
Tata Steel Masters Wijk
aan Zee (2.3), 14.01.2018
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Qa4 [6.0–0 is another main
move, but I believe ...Rb8 equalises.]
6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Nd5 8.Bxb4 Ndxb4 9.Nc3
Bd7 10.0–0 a5 11.Qd1 0–0 12.e3 [12.Nd2!? scores extremely well, though it
seems Black should somehow have equality. 12...Nxd4 13.Bxb7 Rb8 14.Bg2 Bc8
15.Nxc4 Ba6! (15...c5 16.e3 Ba6 17.b3² was a better version for White in
Leko,P-Grischuk,A Khanty-Mansiysk 2010) 16.b3 Bxc4 17.bxc4 Ndc2= White
will be hard pressed to make anything of the advantage of the bishop.]
12...a4
13.Nxa4 Probably the best try for an edge. [13.Qe2!? and now 13...Na5
14.Ne5 Nd5 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Bxd5 Bh3 17.Qf3!? was an interesting piece of
preparation from White in Aronian,L-Kramnik,V Shanghai 2010, but the exchange
did eventually tell.]
13...Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Bxa4 15.Qxc4 Qe7 Computers
rather like White's position around here, but tend to calm down quickly.
16.a3
Nd5 17.Rfc1 [17.e4 Nb6 18.Qc3 might be an interesting way to play as
White's plans like b3, a4, Rfc1, Qc5 are much more immediately obvious than
Black's corresponding ones.]
17...Rfc8 18.b3 Bc6 [18...Be8 is preferred
by engines, but I actually prefer the text. The follow-up after .. .Be8 could
be 19.a4 c6 20.Nd2 when Black's grip on equality is a bit tenuous.]
19.Nd4
Rxa3 As a human you just know what is going to happen now.. .
20.Nxc6
bxc6 21.Qxc6 Rxa1 22.Rxa1 Nf6 23.Rc1 h5 24.Bf3 Rb8 25.Qxc7 Qxc7 26.Rxc7 Rxb3 ...and
here it is.
27.Rc8+ Kh7 28.Rc7 Kg8 29.Rc8+ Kh7 30.Rc7 Kg8 ½–½
Wei,Yi
(2743) - Svidler,Peter (2768)
Tata Steel Masters Wijk
aan Zee (2.7), 14.01.2018
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Ne4 [4...Bg7 is the other move, and would be my
choice in a game. Following 5.Bxf6 Bxf6 6.cxd5 c6! Black obtains good
compensation.]
5.Bh4 Nxc3 [5...c5!? is a suitably mental-looking move
which however quietens down reasonably soon. It equalises, and is suitable for
quick research at home.]
6.bxc3 dxc4 7.e3 Be6 8.Nf3 Bg7 9.Qb1 One of
those positions where Black should be equal, but finding clear ways to do so is
a little challenging.
9...Qd5 [9...b6 is more often played, and maybe
better. 10.Be2 0–0 11.0–0 and now following the inaccurate 11...c5?! White
obtained a much easier position in a recent practical test, and the game will
for obvious reasons have influenced the present one. A logical improvement is
...Nc6, and that seems to obtain equal chances, but Svidler might have been
scared of White's analysis of his own previous game. 12.Rd1 Qc7 13.Qb2 (13.d5!?²)
13...Re8 14.Ng5 Bd5 15.e4 Bb7 16.Bg3² Tran,T-Wei,Y Chengdu 2017]
10.Be2
Bf5 11.Qb4 c5 12.Qb5+ Maybe just trying to stop the ...Nd7 development plan
before inevitably capturing on c4.
12...Bd7 13.Qxc4 Bc6 14.Qb3 e6 15.c4 This
might throw away White's opening edge. [15.0–0 is more conservative, since
Black feels awkward with his queen in the middle anyway. There are some obvious
quick lines: 15...Qxb3 (15...0–0 16.Be7 Rc8 17.Bxc5²; 15...Nd7 16.c4 Qf5
17.Rad1²) 16.axb3 Nd7 17.b4²]
15...Qd7 16.Ne5 Qc7 17.0–0!? Maximalism.
White makes Black run a gauntlet for his equality. [17.Nxc6 Nxc6 18.Rb1 cxd4
19.Qxb7 Qxb7 20.Rxb7 0–0= is an optical edge only for White]
17...0–0 [17...cxd4
18.exd4 Bxe5 19.dxe5 Qxe5 is the acid test, and the computer obviously thinks
this is fine for Black, but I'd prefer White after 20.Qb4©]
18.Bg3!² Back
on track. Black will be suffering a bit now.
18...Qb6 19.Rfd1 Qa6 20.a4 Nd7
21.Nxc6 bxc6 22.Rab1 cxd4 23.exd4 Nb6 24.Ra1 [24.a5!? Qxa5 25.Ra1 Qg5 26.h4
Qe7 27.Ra6² deserved consideration too- the a7-pawn and c6-pawn are both weak.]
24...Rfd8 25.a5 Nc8 26.Ra2 A tricky move that was probably seen a while
in advance. White's threat is c5, trapping the queen, and this serves as a
tactical defence of d4 too.
26...Ne7 Else d5 comes with even more power.
27.d5 exd5 28.cxd5 Qc8 29.Bh4 Qc7 30.Bxe7 [30.Qa3!? c5 31.Bc4± kept the
same size of advantage but with material level.]
30...Qxe7 31.dxc6 Rxd1+
32.Qxd1 Rd8 33.Qc2 Be5 34.g3 Rb8 35.Kg2 As with Anand-Matlakov, this is a
thankless defence even if possible in theory- but the difference is Svidler
manages it! Although he is lost at various points.
35...Kg7 36.Qc1 Rb3
37.Bf3 Bc7 38.Qc4 Ra3 39.Qd4+ Be5 40.Re2 [40.Qxe5+!? is worth a glance or
two, but not more: 40...Qxe5 41.Rxa3 g5! This is the only move. Black needs to
force g4 and exchange a pair of pawns, so that down the road Bb7 can be stopped
on pain of perpetual by Bb7. For instance: 42.g4 h5 43.h3 hxg4 44.hxg4 Qc5
45.Rd3 Qxa5 46.Rd7 Qc5 47.c7 Qc4!=]
40...Rxa5 41.Qd7 Kf8 42.Qc8+ Qe8 43.Qb7
Rc5 44.Qxa7 [44.Rd2! was winning on the spot- there was nothing to be done
about Rd7 and Bd5.]
44...Qe7 45.Qa3 h5 46.Rd2 Bd6 47.Qd3 Be5 48.Qa3 Bd6
49.Qd3 Be5 50.Qb3 Rc3 51.Qd1 h4 52.Rd7 Qg5 53.Qd5 Qf5 54.Bg4?! Committing
to the next move as otherwise c6 is lost.
54...Qf6 55.f4 Not a fantastic
call to have to make. Now White has few pawns and the one he might eventually
have to win with queens on a square of the wrong colour. [55.Be2 Rxc6 56.Rxf7+
Qxf7 57.Qxc6 hxg3 58.hxg3=]
55...Bxf4 56.gxf4 Rc2+ 57.Kh3 Rc3+ 58.Kg2 Rc2+
59.Kg1 Rc1+ 60.Bd1 Qxf4 61.Qd4 Going into a drawn ending.
61...Qxd4+
62.Rxd4 Rxc6 63.Rxh4 Kg7 64.Rd4 Rf6 Black has now reached complete safety,
though White made him go the distance.
65.Kg2 Kh6 66.Bf3 Kg7 67.Kg3 Kh6
68.Kf2 Kg7 69.Rd7 Kg8 70.Ke3 Kg7 71.Bd5 Kg8 72.Bc4 Kg7 73.Rc7 Rf5 74.Ra7 Rf6
75.Rb7 Rf5 76.Ba2 Rf6 77.Bb3 Rf5 78.Rd7 Rf6 79.Bc4 Rf5 80.Bd5 Rf6 81.Rb7 Rf5
82.Ke4 Kg8 83.Ra7 Kg7 84.Kd4 Rf2 85.h3 Rf1 86.Kc5 Rf6 87.Rb7 Kg8 88.Kd4 Rf5
89.Kc4 Kg7 90.Kc5 Rf6 91.Rc7 Kf8 92.Be4 Kg7 93.Kd5 Re6 94.Kd4 Rf6 95.Ra7 Kf8
96.Ra3 Kg7 97.Kd5 Re6 98.Rc3 Rf6 99.Bc2 Kf8 100.Bb3 Kg7 101.Ke5 Rf5+ 102.Kd6
Rf4 103.Bd5 Rf5 104.Rc7 Kf8 105.Ra7 Rf6+ 106.Kd7 Rf5 107.Ra8+ Kg7 108.Kd6 Rf6+
109.Ke7 Rf5 110.Rd8 Re5+ 111.Kd6 Rf5 112.Be4 Rf6+ 113.Ke5 Re6+ 114.Kf4 Rf6+
115.Kg5 Re6 116.Rd4 Rf6 117.h4 Re6 118.Bf3 Rf6 119.Bg4 Rf1 120.Rd7 Rf2 121.h5
gxh5 122.Bxh5 Rf1 123.Bxf7 Rxf7 124.Rxf7+ ½–½
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