FEDOSEEV vs DUDA – ROUND 3 TATA STEEL MASTERS 2019

This game is from round 3 of the Tata Steel Masters 2018, fully annotated. It is between Vladimir Fedoseev with White against Jan-Krzysztof Duda with Black.

This game features a Catalan Opening. To learn more about the Catalan Opening, here is the best instruction book I could find on Amazon.

Fedoseev,Vladimir (2724) - Duda,Jan-Krzysztof (2738)

81st Tata Steel Masters 2019 Wijk aan Zee (3), 14.01.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 c5 7.dxc5 E03: Open Catalan: 5 Qa4+ Nbd7 6 Qxc4 [7.Nf3 Nb6 8.Qd3 cxd4 9.0–0 Be7 10.Nxd4 0–0 11.Nc3 e5 12.Nf3 Qxd3 13.exd3 Bd6 14.b3 Bd7 15.d4 exd4 16.Nxd4 Rac8 17.Ndb5 Be5 18.Ba3 Bxb5 19.Nxb5 Bxa1 20.Bxf8 Kxf8 21.Rxa1 a5 Donner,J-Martin,P/Buenos Aires 1955/MCD/1–0]

7...Bxc5 8.Nc3 a6 Covers b5 [8...0–0 9.Nf3 a6 10.Qb3 Re8 11.0–0 Rb8 12.Ng5 b5 13.Nge4 Bb7 14.Bf4 e5 15.Bg5 Qb6 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.Nxf6+ Qxf6 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.Ne4 Qe7 20.Rfd1 Rc7 21.Rd5 h6 22.Rad1 Rec8 23.Qf3 Opocensky,K-Pachman,L/Prague 1943/HCL/0–1]

9.Qb3 Ra7 10.Na4 Qa5+ 11.Kf1 b6 Consolidates c5 

12.Nxc5 Nxc5 White has the pair of bishops 

13.Qc2 0–0 14.Nf3 Bb7 15.Bd2 White is behind in development. 

15...Qb5 16.Nd4 White threatens to win material: Nd4xb5 

16...Qd7 17.Bxb7 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-trk+(
7trL+q+pzpp'
6pzp-+psn-+&
5+-sn-+-+-%
4-+-sN-+-+$
3+-+-+-zP-#
2PzPQvLPzP-zP"
1tR-+-+K+R!
xabcdefghy

17...Rxb7 [Instead of 17...Qxd4 18.Bf3²] 

18.Nf3 Nce4 19.Rc1 Qd5 Black threatens to win material: Qd5xa2 

20.Bb4 White threatens to win material: Bb4xf8 

20...Re8 21.Kg2 Qb5 22.Ba3 h5 23.Rhf1 Rd7 24.e3 h4 25.Nxh4 Rd2 26.Qc4 Qxc4 27.Rxc4 b5 Black threatens to win material: b5xc4 

28.Rd4 [28.Rb4!?³ has some apparent merit] 

28...Rc2µ 29.Bb4 [¹29.Nf3!? a5 30.Ne1µ] 

29...e5–+ 30.Rd3 Rxb2 31.a3 Ng4 32.Be1 Rc8 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+r+-+k+(
7+-+-+pzp-'
6p+-+-+-+&
5+p+-zp-+-%
4-+-+n+nsN$
3zP-+RzP-zP-#
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1+-+-vLR+-!
xabcdefghy

33.Nf5? [¹33.h3 Nexf2! the decision 34.Bxf2–+] 

33...Rcc2 34.Rd8+ [34.h4 g6 35.Rd8+ Kh7 36.Nd6 Nxd6 37.Rxd6 Nxe3+ 38.Kg1 Nxf1 39.Kxf1–+] 

34...Kh7 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-tR-+-+(
7+-+-+pzpk'
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5+p+-zpN+-%
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xabcdefghy

35.Kh3 [35.Kf3 doesn't change the outcome of the game 35...Nexf2 36.Rxf2 Nxf2–+] 

35...Ngxf2+ 36.Kh4 0–1

NEPOMNIACHTCHI vs KRAMNIK – ROUND 3 TATA STEEL MASTERS 2019

This game is from round 3 of the Tata Steel Masters 2018, fully annotated. It is between Ian Nepomniachtchi with White against Vladimir Kramnik with Black.

This game features a Ruy Lopez. To learn more about the Ruy Lopez, here is the best instruction book I could find on Amazon.

Nepomniachtchi,Ian (2763) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2777)

81st Tata Steel Masters 2019 Wijk aan Zee (3), 14.01.2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0–0 Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 0–0 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 C67: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defence: 4 0–0 Nxe4 [10...Nf5 11.d5 Re8 12.Rxe8+ Qxe8 13.Nd2 d6 ½–½ Palac,M (2574)-Nielsen,P (2653)/Warsaw 2005/CBM 108] 

11.c3 Rxe1 [11...Nf5 12.Rxe8+ Qxe8 13.Bf4 d6 14.Nd2 Bd7 15.Bd3 g6 16.Ne4 Bg7 17.Qd2 Qe6 18.Ng5 Qd5 19.Be4 Qb5 20.Bd3 Qa5 21.Bc4 Rf8 22.a4 c6 23.Bd3 d5 24.Nf3 Re8 25.b4 Qd8 26.a5 Sargissian,G (2658)-Khamrakulov,I (2527)/Zafra 2007/CBM 117 ext/1–0 (47)] 

12.Qxe1 Ne8 [12...Nf5 13.Bf4 d6 14.Nd2 Be6 15.Bd3 Nh4 16.Ne4 Ng6 17.Bd2 d5 18.Nc5 Bc8 19.Qe3 b6 20.Nb3 Qd6 21.Qe8+ Nf8 22.Re1 Bb7 23.Qe3 Ne6 24.Qf3 Rd8 25.Qf5 Nf8 26.Bf4 Qc6 27.Nd2 Steinitz,W-Zukertort,J/USA 1886/MainBase/0–1 (39); 12...b6 13.Bf4 Qe7 14.Na3 Bb7 15.Qxe7 Bxe7 16.Bxd6 Bxd6 17.Nb5 Kf8 18.Nxd6 cxd6 19.f3 Rc8 20.Kf2 Bd5 21.Ba6 Re8 22.a4 Rb8 23.Bd3 Be6 24.Ke3 h6 25.Be4 d5 26.Bd3 Ke7 27.f4 Geller,J (2490)-Safin,S (2445)/Nishnij Tagil 2005/CBM 109 ext/1–0 (71); 12...Qe7 13.Qd1 b6 14.Bf4 Bb7 15.a4 Re8 16.a5 Qe1 17.Na3 Qxd1 18.Rxd1 bxa5 19.Ra1 Bc6 20.Bxd6 cxd6 21.Nc4 Rb8 22.Rxa5 d5 23.Ne3 Rxb2 24.Rxa7 h5 25.Rc7 g6 26.g3 Rb1 27.h4 Becerra Rivero,J (2535)-Garcia Vicente,N (2263)/Malaga 1999/CBM 068 ext/1–0 (40)] 

13.d5 b6 14.Bf4 Bb7 Black threatens to win material: Bb7xd5 

15.Qd2 h6 Covers g5 

16.c4 c6 17.Nc3 cxd5 18.cxd5 d6 Black has a cramped position.  

19.Re1 Nc7 20.Bc4 Bxc3 

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-wq-+k+(
7zplsn-+pzp-'
6-zp-zp-+-zp&
5+-+P+-+-%
4-+L+-vL-+$
3+-vl-+-+-#
2PzP-wQ-zPPzP"
1+-+-tR-mK-!
xabcdefghy

21.bxc3 White has the pair of bishops [Less advisable is 21.Qxc3 Bxd5 22.Bg3 Bxc4 23.Qxc4 Qd7³] 

21...Qf6 22.h3 Rc8 23.Re4 b5 24.Bb3 a5 25.a3 Qf5 Can d5 get defended? 

26.Rd4 Qb1+ 27.Bd1 b4 28.cxb4 [Inferior is 28.axb4 Nb5 29.bxa5 Nxd4 30.cxd4 Qa1³] 

28...Nb5 Black threatens to win material: Nb5xd4 

29.Qd3 White threatens to win material: Qd3xb1 

29...Qa1 Black threatens to win material: Qa1xd4 

30.Re4 [Instead of 30.Qxb5 Qxd4 31.Qxb7 Qxd1+ 32.Kh2 Rc3=] 

30...Bxd5 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+r+-+k+(
7+-+-+pzp-'
6-+-zp-+-zp&
5zpn+l+-+-%
4-zP-+RvL-+$
3zP-+Q+-+P#
2-+-+-zPP+"
1wq-+L+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

31.Re1 [31.Qxd5?! Nc3 32.Qf5 Qxd1+ 33.Kh2 Rf8=] 

31...Bc4 32.Qf5 White threatens to win material: Qf5xc8 

32...Rf8 33.Kh2 [¹33.bxa5 Qc3 34.Re3±] 

33...g6? Secures h5 [¹33...Qd4 is a viable option 34.Re4 Qd5 35.Qxd5 Bxd5²] 

34.Qe4+- d5 [34...Be6 35.Bxh6 Rb8 36.Bb3+-] 

35.Qe7 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-trk+(
7+-+-wQp+-'
6-+-+-+pzp&
5zpn+p+-+-%
4-zPl+-vL-+$
3zP-+-+-+P#
2-+-+-zPPmK"
1wq-+LtR-+-!
xabcdefghy

35...axb4?? leading to a quick end [¹35...Qd4 36.Bxh6 Ra8+-] 

36.Be5 [36.Be5 Qxe5+ 37.Qxe5 bxa3 38.Ba4+-]  1–0

DUDA vs VAN FOREEST – ROUND 2 TATA STEEL MASTERS 2019

This game is from round 2 of the Tata Steel Masters 2018, fully annotated. It is between Jan-Krysztof Duda with White against Jorden Van Foreest with Black.

This game features a Caro-Kann. To learn more about the Caro-Kann, here is the best instruction book I could find on Amazon.

Duda,Jan-Krzysztof (2738) - Van Foreest,Jorden (2612)

81st Tata Steel Masters 2019 Wijk aan Zee (2), 13.01.2019

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bf4 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Nd2 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qc8 8.Ngf3 e6 9.Bd3 Bh5 B13: Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation and Panov-Botvinnik Attack [9...a6 10.0–0 Be7 11.Rae1 0–0 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Nd7 14.Qc2 g6 15.h3 Bf5 16.Bxf5 gxf5 17.Bh6 Re8 18.Qd3 Kh8 19.c4 Nb6 20.Rc1 Qd7 21.Qd4 Bd8 22.c5 Nc8 23.Nc4 Na7 24.Nd6 Buchenau,F (2344)-Falk,T (1992)/Verden 2006/CBM 110 ext/½–½ (55)] 
10.0–0 Bg6 11.Bxg6 hxg6 12.Rae1 [12.Rfe1 Be7 13.Ne5 0–0 14.a4 Nd7 15.Ndf3 Ncxe5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Qc6 18.Re3 b6 19.Qb5 Rfc8 20.Qa6 Bd6 21.Bxd6 Qxd6 22.a5 Qc6 23.Qe2 Qc7 24.b4 Qe7 25.Qa6 Rab8 26.axb6 axb6 Roos,L (2325)-Andruet,G (2420)/France 1989/TD/0–1 (40)] 
12...Be7 13.g3 0–0 14.Ne5 Nxe5 

XABCDEFGHY
8r+q+-trk+(
7zpp+-vlpzp-'
6-+-+psnp+&
5+-+psn-+-%
4-+-zP-vL-+$
3+QzP-+-zP-#
2PzP-sN-zP-zP"
1+-+-tRRmK-!
xabcdefghy

15.dxe5 [Not 15.Rxe5 Bd6µ] 
15...Nd7 16.h4 Nc5 17.Qc2 Qc6 18.Re3 Qa6 Black threatens to win material: Qa6xa2 
19.Qb1 Rac8 20.Kg2 b5 21.Bg5 White threatens to win material: Bg5xe7 
21...Qb7 22.Bxe7 Qxe7 23.Rh1 a5 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+r+-trk+(
7+-+-wqpzp-'
6-+-+p+p+&
5zppsnpzP-+-%
4-+-+-+-zP$
3+-zP-tR-zP-#
2PzP-sN-zPK+"
1+Q+-+-+R!
xabcdefghy

24.Qd1 White intends h5 
24...b4 This push gains space 
25.Qg4 bxc3 26.bxc3 Rb8 27.h5 g5 28.h6 g6 White has a new passed pawn: h6 
29.Nf3 Ne4 30.Re2 Nxc3 31.Rc2 Ne4 32.Nd4 Rbc8 33.Nc6 White threatens to win material: Nc6xe7 
33...Qa3 34.Rhc1 Kh7 Black threatens to win material: Kh7xh6 
35.Qe2 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+r+-tr-+(
7+-+-+p+k'
6-+N+p+pzP&
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4-+-+n+-+$
3wq-+-+-zP-#
2P+R+QzPK+"
1+-tR-+-+-!
xabcdefghy

35...g4 [Weaker is 35...Kxh6 36.f3 Nxg3 37.Kxg3²] 
36.Qxg4 Rc7 37.Qf4 Rfc8 38.g4? [¹38.Qg4!?= is worth looking at] 
38...g5µ 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+r+-+-+(
7+-tr-+p+k'
6-+N+p+-zP&
5zp-+pzP-zp-%
4-+-+nwQP+$
3wq-+-+-+-#
2P+R+-zPK+"
1+-tR-+-+-!
xabcdefghy

39.Qh2 Nd2! Deflection: d2 
40.Rc3? [40.Rxd2 Qxc1 Double attack(40...Qxc1 Deflection; 40...Qxc1 Decoy) ] 
40...Qa4–+ 41.Qh5? [41.f3 Nc4 42.Nd4 Qxa2+ 43.Kg3 Qxh2+ 44.Kxh2 Kxh6–+] 
41...Qe4+ 42.Kh3 [42.f3 desperation 42...Qf4 43.Qh2–+] 
42...d4 43.Rg3 Qf4 [43...Rxc6?! is easily refuted 44.Qxf7+ Kxh6 45.Qh5+ Kg7 46.Qxg5+ Kf8 47.Qf6+ Ke8 48.Qh8+ Kd7 49.Qg7+ Kd8 50.f3–+] 
44.Rd1 [44.Re1 doesn't change anything anymore 44...Rxc6 45.Kg2 Rc2–+] 
44...Ne4 45.Rxd4 [45.Re1 doesn't change the outcome of the game 45...Nxf2+ 46.Kg2 Rxc6–+] 
45...Nxg3 46.fxg3 [46.Rxf4 does not solve anything 46...Nxh5 47.gxh5 gxf4–+] 
46...Qf1+ 47.Kh2 Rxc6 48.Qxg5 Rc2+ 49.Rd2 Rxd2+ 50.Qxd2 Rc1 [50...Rc1 51.Qg2 Qd3–+]  0–1

KRAMNIK vs GIRI – ROUND 2 TATA STEEL MASTERS 2019

This game is from round 2 of the Tata Steel Masters 2018, fully annotated. It is between Vladimir Kramnik with White against Anish Giri with Black.

This game features an English Opening. To learn more about the English Opening, here is the best instruction book I could find on Amazon.

Kramnik,Vladimir (2777) - Giri,Anish (2783)

81st Tata Steel Masters 2019 Wijk aan Zee (2), 13.01.2019

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 Bc5 8.Be2 0–0 9.0–0 White castles and improves king safety A28: English Opening: Four Knights Variation 
9...Bb6 [9...Kh8 10.Rb1 Rb8 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.d4 Bd6 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.Qa4 Bd7 15.Qxa7 b6 16.Qa3 Bc6 17.Qb4 Re8 18.Bb5 Bxb5 19.Qxb5 Bxc3 20.Qc4 ½–½ Tal,M (2600)-Chernin,A (2565)/Sochi 1986/MCL; 9...Qe7 10.d4 Bd6 11.d5 Na5 12.c4 b6 13.Bb2 Nb7 14.Nd2 Nc5 15.Rb1 f5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.Rc1 e4 18.Bd4 Qh4 19.g3 Qh3 20.Re1 Rae8 21.Be3 ½–½ Ginsburg,M (2381)-Kraai,J (2412)/San Francisco 1999/CBM 071 ext] 
10.a4 Re8 11.Qc2 

XABCDEFGHY
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6-vln+-+-+&
5+-+-zp-+-%
4P+-+P+-+$
3+-zPP+N+-#
2-+Q+LzPPzP"
1tR-vL-+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

11...Qf6 Black has an active position 
12.Kh1 h6 Covers g5 
13.Ng1 Qd6 14.f4 Bxg1 15.Rxg1 exf4 16.d4 Ne7 17.Ba3 Qd8 18.Raf1 Ng6 19.e5 White wins space 
19...b6 Controls c5 
20.Bf3 White threatens to win material: Bf3xa8 
20...Ba6 Black threatens to win material: Ba6xf1 
21.Rf2 c5 22.g3 [22.Bxa8!? should be considered 22...Qxa8 23.Bc1²] 
22...fxg3 23.Rxg3 cxd4 24.cxd4 White has a new passed pawn: d4. Black has a cramped position.  
24...Rc8 Black threatens to win material: Rc8xc2 [Less advisable is 24...Qxd4 25.e6 Rxe6 26.Bxa8 Re1+ 27.Rg1 Rxg1+ 28.Kxg1=] 
25.Qf5 Bc4 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+rwqr+k+(
7zp-+-+pzp-'
6-zp-+-+nzp&
5+-+-zPQ+-%
4P+lzP-+-+$
3vL-+-+LtR-#
2-+-+-tR-zP"
1+-+-+-+K!
xabcdefghy

26.Bd6 An ideal square for the white bishop. 
26...Be6 27.Qb1 Nf4 28.d5 Nxd5 [28...Bxd5? 29.Bxd5 Nxd5 30.Rxf7 Rc1+ 31.Qxc1 Kxf7 32.Qc2+-] 
29.Qg1 Kh8 30.Rd2 [¹30.Rxg7!? Qh4 31.Rfg2µ] 
30...Nf4–+ 31.Rd4 Ng6 32.Be4 Rc4 33.Rxc4 Bxc4 34.Qd4 Be6 35.Bc6 [35.Bxg6 fxg6 36.Kg1 Qd7–+] 
35...Ne7 36.Be4 Nf5 37.Bxf5 Bxf5 38.Kg1 Be6 39.h4 Qd7 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+r+-mk(
7zp-+q+pzp-'
6-zp-vLl+-zp&
5+-+-zP-+-%
4P+-wQ-+-zP$
3+-+-+-tR-#
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

40.Qe4?! instead of fighting back [40.Rc3 Rc8 41.Rxc8+ Qxc8 42.Kf2–+] 
40...Rc8 41.h5 [41.Ra3 a fruitless try to alter the course of the game 41...Rc4 42.Qa8+ Kh7–+] 
41...Rc1+ 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-mk(
7zp-+q+pzp-'
6-zp-vLl+-zp&
5+-+-zP-+P%
4P+-+Q+-+$
3+-+-+-tR-#
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-tr-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

42.Kh2 [42.Kf2–+ a last effort to resist the inevitable] 
42...Qd8 [42...Qd8–+]  0–1

VAN FOREEST vs ANAND – ROUND 1 TATA STEEL MASTERS 2019

This game is from round 1 of the Tata Steel Masters 2018, fully annotated. It is between Jorden Van Foreest with White against Viswanathan Anand with Black.

This game features a Caro-Kann Defense. To learn more about the Caro-Kann Defense, here is the best instruction book I could find on Amazon.

Van Foreest,Jorden (2612) - Anand,Viswanathan (2773)

81st Tata Steel Masters 2019 Wijk aan Zee (1), 12.01.2019

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.c3 Qc7 B13: Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation and Panov-Botvinnik Attack [5...Qd6 6.Ne2 g6 7.0–0 Bg7 8.Bf4 Qb6 9.Qb3 Nbd7 10.Nd2 0–0 11.h3 Re8 12.Rfe1 Qa5 13.Nf3 e6 14.Qc2 Nb6 15.a4 Nbd7 16.Nc1 Nf8 17.b4 Qd8 18.Nb3 b6 19.a5 Nh5 20.Bh2 Afek,Y (2325)-Pronold,H (2315)/Werfen 1991/TD/1–0 (44); 5...a6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qc8 8.Nd2 e6 9.Ngf3 Nc6 10.0–0 Be7 11.Rae1 0–0 12.h3 Bh5 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Nd7 15.Qc2 Bg6 16.Rc1 b5 17.Bxg6 fxg6 18.Bg3 Bg5 19.b3 Qc5 20.c4 Smith,D (2009)-Perk,E (2057)/Dresden 2006/CBM 111 ext/0–1 (53)] 

6.h3 Covers g4 [6.Ne2 e6 7.Bf4 Bd6 8.Bxd6 (8.Bg3 Nc6 9.Nd2 Bd7 10.0–0 Bxg3 11.Nxg3 Rc8 12.f4 Ne7 13.Qe2 0–0 14.Nf3 a6 15.Ne5 g6 16.h4 Nf5 17.Nxf5 exf5 18.Kh1 Ne4 19.Bxe4 dxe4 20.Nxd7 Qxd7 21.Rac1 Rfd8 22.Rfd1 Qe7 Glueck,G-Artz,F/Mannheim 1990/GER/½–½ (55)) 8...Qxd6 9.Nd2 Nc6 10.Nf3 Bd7 11.0–0 0–0 12.Re1 Rab8 13.Ng3 b5 14.a3 a5 15.Ne5 Rfc8 16.Nh5 Ne8 17.Re3 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Qe7 19.Rg3 g6 20.Qf3 Kh8 Guadalpi,D (2260)-Flouzat,J (2225)/France 1998/CBM 064 ext/1–0 (31); 6.Bg5 Bg4 7.Qc2 Nbd7 8.Nd2 e6 9.Ngf3 Bd6 10.0–0 Bh5 11.Bh4 Bg6 12.Bg3 0–0 13.Rfe1 Bxg3 14.hxg3 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 Rfc8 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Nd7 18.Qd4 b5 19.a4 a6 20.Ra2 Rab8 Schwing,H-Zimmerer,M/Badenweiler 1988/GER/½–½] 

6...g6 Secures f5 

7.Nf3 Bf5 8.Ne5 Nc6 9.Bf4 Qb6 10.Bxf5 

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+kvl-tr(
7zpp+-zpp+p'
6-wqn+-snp+&
5+-+psNL+-%
4-+-zP-vL-+$
3+-zP-+-+P#
2PzP-+-zPP+"
1tRN+QmK-+R!
xabcdefghy

10...gxf5 [10...Qxb2? is a blank shot 11.Nxc6 gxf5 12.Ne5+-] 

11.Nd3 e6 12.Nd2 Rg8 Black threatens to win material: Rg8xg2 

13.0–0 0–0–0 14.a4 Ne4 15.Rc1 Bd6 16.Bxd6 Nxd6 17.b4 White has a new backward pawn: c3 

17...Kb8 18.Qe2 Qc7 19.Qe3 Ne7 20.f3 Consolidates e4 

20...Ng6 21.Ne5? [¹21.a5³ would keep White alive] 

21...f4–+ 22.Qe1 Nf5 23.Nxg6 

XABCDEFGHY
8-mk-tr-+r+(
7zppwq-+p+p'
6-+-+p+N+&
5+-+p+n+-%
4PzP-zP-zp-+$
3+-zP-+P+P#
2-+-sN-+P+"
1+-tR-wQRmK-!
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23...Rxg6 [23...fxg6?! 24.Rf2=; 23...hxg6?! 24.Nb3³] 

24.Rf2 [24.c4 Ne3 25.Rf2 Rdg8–+ (25...dxc4?! 26.Nf1 e5 27.Nxe3 fxe3 28.Qxe3 exd4 29.Qe4–+) ] 

24...Rdg8 25.c4 

XABCDEFGHY
8-mk-+-+r+(
7zppwq-+p+p'
6-+-+p+r+&
5+-+p+n+-%
4PzPPzP-zp-+$
3+-+-+P+P#
2-+-sN-tRP+"
1+-tR-wQ-mK-!
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25...Ne3 [¹25...Nh4 keeps an even firmer grip 26.Kf1 Nxg2–+] 

26.cxd5?? a blunder in a bad position. .  [26.g4 fxg3 27.Re2–+] 

26...Nxg2 27.Qe5 Qxe5 28.dxe5 

XABCDEFGHY
8-mk-+-+r+(
7zpp+-+p+p'
6-+-+p+r+&
5+-+PzP-+-%
4PzP-+-zp-+$
3+-+-+P+P#
2-+-sN-tRn+"
1+-tR-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

28...Ne1+ [28...Ne1+ 29.Kf1 Nd3–+]  0–1

GIRI vs NEPOMNIACHTCHI – ROUND 1 TATA STEEL MASTERS 2019

This game is from round 1 of the Tata Steel Masters 2018, fully annotated. It is between Anish Giri with White against Ian Nepomniachtchi with Black.

This game features a Pirc Defense. To learn more about the Pirc Defense, here is the best instruction book I could find on Amazon.

Giri,Anish (2783) - Nepomniachtchi,Ian (2763)

81st Tata Steel Masters 2019 Wijk aan Zee (1), 12.01.2019

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be3 a6 5.Qd2 b5 6.f3 Nbd7 7.0–0–0 B07: Pirc Defence: Miscellaneous Systems [7.Nh3 Bb7 8.Be2 Bg7 9.0–0 0–0 10.a4 c6 11.Nf2 e5 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Rfd1 Re8 14.Bf1 Nf8 15.Qxd8 Rexd8 16.Rxd8 Rxd8 17.axb5 cxb5 18.Na2 N8d7 19.Nb4 Bf8 20.Nfd3 Ra8 21.c3 Bd6 Ibragimov,I (2578)-Wojtkiewicz,A (2576)/Connecticut 2001/CBM 081 ext/½–½] 

7...Nb6 [7...Bb7 8.g4 c5 9.dxc5 dxc5 10.g5 Nh5 11.Bh3 e6 12.Bg4 Ne5 13.Qe2 Qa5 14.Bxh5 b4 15.Bf4 Be7 16.Nd5 Qxa2 17.c3 Nc4 18.Nc7+ Kf8 0–1 Fernandez,D (2447)-Rodriguez Vila,A (2547)/Villa Martelli 2007/CBM 119 ext] 

8.g4 [8.Bd3 Nfd7 9.f4 Bg7 10.Nf3 0–0 11.f5 c5 12.Bh6 c4 13.Be2 b4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 c3 16.Qg5 cxb2+ 17.Kb1 Nf6 18.fxg6 hxg6 19.Bd3 Nh7 20.Qe3 Bb7 21.h4 Bxd5 22.Nd2 f5 Potikha,L (2099)-Borsuk,A (2298)/Ramat Aviv 2000/CBM 077/0–1 (51); 8.b3 Bb7 9.Kb1 c6 10.g4 Qc7 11.h4 e6 12.h5 c5 13.hxg6 fxg6 14.Nh3 b4 15.Ne2 c4 16.Ng5 c3 17.Qe1 Bc8 18.Nf4 Qg7 19.Ngxe6 Bxe6 20.Nxe6 Qe7 21.d5 Nbxd5 22.exd5 Nxd5 Barria,D (2349)-Luque Canalejo,F/Coria del Rio 2005/CBM 104 ext/1–0] 

8...Bb7 9.Nh3 Nfd7 10.Be2 e6 Black should quickly conclude development. 

11.Bg5 White threatens to win material: Bg5xd8 

11...Be7 12.Qe3 Bxg5 13.Nxg5 h6 14.Nh3 

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14...Qh4 Black threatens to win material: Qh4xh3 

15.Nf2 0–0–0 16.f4 [16.b3!?=] 

16...f5³ 17.Bf3 b4 18.exf5 bxc3 19.fxe6 cxb2+ 20.Kb1 Nf6 21.Bxb7+ Kxb7 22.Qf3+ d5 [22...Ka7 23.f5–+] 

23.Nd3 

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23...Ne4 [23...Nxg4?! 24.Rhg1 Nxh2 25.Nc5+ Kc6 26.Qc3=] 

24.Nc5+ 

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24...Ka7 [24...Nxc5 25.dxc5 Nc4 26.Rxd5µ] 

25.Qa3? [¹25.Nxe4 dxe4 26.Qxe4µ] 

25...Nxc5–+ 26.Qxc5 

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26...Kb7 [26...Kb7 27.Rhg1 Rd6–+]  0–1