Peter Leko vs Peter Svidler (2005)

Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players ·

Kibitzing

Peter Leko vs Peter Svidler
FIDE World Championship Tournament (2005), San Luis ARG, rd 10, Oct-09
Spanish Game: Closed Variations (C84) · 1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

explore this opening	find similar games	54 more Leko/Svidler games
	PGN: download \| view \| print	Help: general \| java-troubleshooting

TIP: At the top of the page we display the common English name for the opening, followed by the ECO code (e.g. "C84"). The ECO codes are links that take you to opening pages.

For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.

PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

Peter Leko vs Peter Svidler (2005)
Photograph copyright © 2005 World Chess Championship Press. Used with permission.

Oct-09-05		muzzy: Leko had a nice advantage at the beginning of the middle game.

Oct-10-05		csmath: To play anti-Marshall you need to have some understanding for the position. I think Leko outplayed Svidler in the middlegame here. For some reason Leko retreats with queen 26. Qe3 and after that Svidler is able to equalize. In the final position white will have to put his rook on a-file, perhaps even on a3 to stop the a-pawn from advancing. It is doubtful what black can do here, it is probably a draw but it wouldn't hurt if they both continued for few moves more.

Oct-10-05		Mateo: I think 34... Rb6! could have been played. If 35. Nc2 bc 36. Ra1 Rb2! 37. Rec1 (37. Ra6 Rb1 38. Raa1 Ba2! 39. Kh2 Kh7! (39... Ra1? 40. Ra1 Bb1 41. Ra8 Kh7 42. Rc8 ) 40. Ra2 (40. f3? Kh7 ) Re1 41. Rc2 Re4 =) Ba2 41. Kf1 Rb1 42. Ke2 Rc1 46. Rc1 Bb3 47. Kd2 a5. If white exchanges on c2, it is a draw king ending at least for black (meanwhile white go to catch the a pawn, black king go to the king side). So white king must stay on the queen side to stop the a and c pawns in order to free his rook. But even in that case, I don't think white can win with the rook and the king side majority because black can defend with the king (which goes to f8-e7), and the bishop is both attacking and defensive, having a look to e6. If white does not take the offer and plays for instance 35. Rec1 black plays 35... Rd2 at least equal. In the game after 35. Red1 Rd1 36. Rd1 Rb6 Leko has a slightly better ending. For instance, 37. f4 a5 38. Kf2 a4 39. Ra1 Ra6 40. Ra3 , with a very small advantage for white. I am a bit disappointed he did not try to press Svidler in this position. The same thing occurred against Topalov where he took a draw in a slightly better position.

Oct-10-05		csmath: <<with a very small advantage for white. >> I would agree they should have played a little longer but only for the sake of audience, there is no advantage for white here, he can do nothing, it is fairly easy to hold this. Push your engine for few moves more and see for yourself. If white moves knight the black rook will come to c2 and eat b2 pawn, white rook can go nowhere. White is practically paralized even with a pawn majority on the kingside. If knight and bishop are exchanged, the resulting ending is a theoretical draw. I am not a grandmaster but I could hold this for either side fairly easily.

Oct-10-05		Mateo: <csmath> I must tell you that that my variations are NOT computer analysis, as you suggested several times, but more exactly computer + myself analysis (I have been playing for years in FIDE tournaments with an international elo). If I see a move which the computer does not think about I play it and ask to the computer to analyse it. Sometimes (not always) it may improve the computer variations and change his evaluation. For instance, that is what happened in the above mentionned analysis on move 35 : my computer said 35. Red1 and draw. I thought 35. Nc2 desearved consideration. The same about 37... Ba2. The computer said 37... Bd3. In other words, I do not always trust computers and I do not see why I should not use my brain! About the game, in the final position you may be right. But my idea was in my variation to try something like Ne2-c3, and black cannot invade the c file.

Oct-10-05		Mateo: "There was an interesting moment just before the end when Svidler could perhaps have sacrificed the exchange and obtained a passed pawn on the seventh rank as compensation. It entailed some risk though, and I am not surprised that he chose to let the opportunity slip gently by." (Short)

Oct-10-05		csmath: Not much of an opportunity. It doesn't seem he would be any better after sacrificing the exchange. White can accept it and in fact it would be Svidler fighting for a draw. This way he got quite a safe draw therefore his choice was correct. All I am saying is that in the final position this is not a GM draw, there is no advantage to anybody and in fact it is a draw easy to hold since white is paralized and cannot use the pawn majority on the kingside. It is fair for the guys not to waste energy. Leko and Svidler have made many GM draws in their careers but this is not one of them. No fret, I am using computer for analyses as well. I also play this line of anti-Marshall and my take is here that Leko lost his advantage somewhere in the middlegame.

Aug-22-25		plang: 12..Rb8 had been played several times previously; Svidler played the new move 12..h6!? spending a tempo to prevent Bg5. Gershon was critical of 13..Rb8?! saying that 13..bxc should have been played first. The point was that in the game 14..exd 15 cxd..d5 is no longer effective as there is no open b-file for Black and after 16 exd..Nxd5 17 Nce5..Nxe5 18 Nxe5..Qb7 18 Qd3 White has a promising initiative. After 15 Ba4! Svidler already felt that his position was close to being lost. Shipov suggested 17..c6 but after 18 Nxg4..Nxg4 19 dxc..Nxc6 20 Bxc6..Qxc6 21 Nh4!..Bxh4 (21..Nxf2? 22 Nf5! wins) 22 Qxg4 White has the edge. 18 Qd3?! seems a bit slow; 18 Nh4 would have given White a promising kingside initiative: ie. 18..bxc 19 Nhf5!..cxb 20 Bxb2..Bd8 21 Bc1 (if 21..Qb4 22 Bd2..Qxe4 23 Bc2..Qf4 24 g3..Qg5 25 h4). Instead, in the subsequent maneuvering Svidler was able to gradually activate his pieces and achieve the draw.

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
Nothing in violation of United States law.
No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
No trolling.
The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.

NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.