NeverAgain: <Poisonpawns>: this is the Löwenthal Variation. The Kalashnikov is 5...d6, which is like an accelerated Sveshnikov (AKA Lasker-Pelikan). The Loewenthal is pretty rare at GM level, it's considered less sound than the Sveshnikov.<alexrawlings: Could black have held on for a draw with 31.. Rd1?>
31...Rd1 is not a legal move. Did you mean 31...Rd8, perhaps? That move loses to 32.c5, winning the d6 pawn.
Below are Nisipeanu's annotations from Chessbase Magazine 134, with Komodo 9 evals in square brackets.
*****
• 4...e5 - A big surprise for me, because I was certain that this line was a one-game try and we had already had this in our first rapid encounter.
• 8.Qxf6 - Simple chess! I had already played this way against the specialist of this line Paco Vallejo in Heviz 2008. I took this line seriously after seeing the game Kramnik-Vallejo Amber 2005 (blind) Kramnik vs F Vallejo Pons, 2005
which went <8.Qd1 Qg6 9.Nc3 Nge7 10.h4 h5 11.Rh3 d5 12.Rg3 Bg4 13.f3 dxe4 14.fxg4 Rd8 15.Bd2 f5 16.Re3 hxg4 
>
• 10...h6?! [ 
0.48/31] - I don't like this move, which in my opinion is just wasting time. Better seems <10...d6 11.Bg5 Be6 12.O-O-O Ng4 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 Nxd3+!> (14...Ke7 was played in the first rapid game by Judit against me, but after 15.Be2! White kept a small but stable advantage due to his bishop pair.) <15.Rxd3 Ke7> [ 
0.87/30] and White has only a very small edge.
• 13.a3 [ 0.63/31] - I was aiming to be able to play quickly and strongly in this game, since winning was my only option at this point in the match. Therefore a position with a clear plan and zero tactics suited me well. Another option and possibly a better one was <13.Be2 d5> (13...Rc8 14.Rxd6 Nxa2+ 15.Nxa2 Bxa2 16.Rb6 ) <14.a3 d4 15.axb4 dxe3 16.fxe3 Rc8 > [ 0.50/30]
• 16.Bb6 [ 0.69/32] - White has a very pleasant edge in this endgame and by simply pushing his pawns according to 'the book' will create big practical problems for Black. My ideal pawn configuration on the queenside would be a5, b3, c4 and on the kingside e4, f3, g4, h5 and if White can get it Black will suffocate surely.
• 19...Bc4 [ 0.65/31]- Maybe a better way to fight against White's plan was <19...Nh5 20.R3d2 Nf4> but after <21.h4 f6 22.Kb1> [ 0.73/30] Black is still facing an unpleasant defence.
• 20.Re3 - Just to avoid any ...Ke6 followed by ...d6-d5 ideas.
• 22.g4 [ 1.00/30] - No ...f7-f5 please!
• 26.h5 [ 1.60/35] - First step complete, now White only has to play Na4, c2-c4, Bf2-e1-b4
and Nb6 for a complete squeeze.
• 27.R1d2 [ 1.60/31] - Overprotection never hurts!
• 31.Rd1 [ 1.58/32] - Since Black is in a sort of strange zugzwang, it makes no sense to hurry, especially in a rapid game. Anyway this move opens the way for the bishop to reach b4.
• 31...Nc7? [ 
2.77/32] - A blunder, but the position should be lost anyway.
◦ <31...R8c7 32.c5 dxc5 33.Rd8 Rc8 34.Bxc5+ Kf7 35.Rxc8 Rxc8 36.Bb4> [ 1.47/33] followed by Nc5 should be winning.
◦ <31...Bf7 32.c5 dxc5 33.Rd7+ Ke8 34.Rxb7 > [ 2.10/30]
• 39.c5! [ 4.21/36] - The easiest way to break down Black's defences.
*****
Kibitzing
sac: 41.Rxd5
