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Peter Svidler vs Konstantin Maslak
Russian Championship Superfinal (2008), Moscow RUS, rd 5, Oct-08
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf. Opocensky Variation Traditional Line (B92)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Oct-08-08  Vorph: Is 6. Be2 known theory? There seems to be no immediate compensation for white in case of exd4.
Oct-08-08  mtber197: Someone asked about this on playchess and 2 people said it was just a notation error.
Oct-08-08  braimondi: what the hell was that 6.♗e2? o.o
Oct-09-08  AnalyzeThis: Maybe they both just didn't notice.
Oct-09-08  Ladolcevita: Its impossible to neglect opponent's move as a professional player
Oct-09-08  Eyal: It's quite obvious that there was some notation/transmission error, and the real move order is the standard 5...a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 (you just have to switch moves 5-6 by Black).

It seemed for a while that Svidler has good winning chances, especially after executing the c5 break, but Maslak managed to equalize by 42...b5! which leads to the fall of the d6 pawn. Svidler probably missed this idea, otherwise he would have responded to 41...Rcd8 with 42.Rd1 or Ne3.

Oct-09-08  percyblakeney: Maslak defended well against his almost 200 points higher rated opponent and may even have missed some winning chances with 50. ... Nc4 and white will have to find some exact moves to hold. The immediate 51. Rxc4 is best and around -0.70 to Rybka 2.2. Black is a piece down but plays Rd2 and is threatening e3 and some other things. If white instead tries 51. Nf5+ gxf5 52. Rxc4 black plays e3 and white is actually lost:


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Many pretty lines are possible from here, for example 53. Rc2 Nd4 54. Rc3 e2 55. Re3 Rd7 56. Ba6 f4 57. gxf4 Qc6+ 58. f3 e1N+ and wins. (53. fxe3 Qb2+ followed by Rd2 is the quickest win.)

Oct-09-08  Eyal: Yeah, 50...Nc4 would have been quite spectacular - putting the knight where it can be captured by two white pieces (but 51.Rxc4 allows 51...Rd2 as noted; whereas 51.Nxc4, which removes the knight's protection from d1, loses instantly to 51...Qf3+ followed by Rd1). And especially after the previous move, 49...Ne6, has also apparently put this piece "en prise" (but 50.Qxb6?? would lose, of course, to 50...Nf4+). The kind of move an engine finds in an instant but very few humans would consider...

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