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Annotations v.07: Amber Blindfold/Rapid #1: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 e5 7 Nb3 Be6 8 Qd2 Be7 9 f3 0-0 10 0-0-0 Nbd7 11 g4 b5> A very popular position. The game usually continues 12 g5 Nh5 13 Nd5 or 12 g5 b4 13 Ne2 Ne8. <12 Rg1> Introduced by Anand a year ago against Morozevich, who obtained a good position by 12 ... b4 13 Nd5 Bxd5 14 exd5 a5 15 g5 Nh5. Perhaps Anand would vary with the untested 13 Na4 a5 14 Bb5 Rb8 15 Qe2. <12…Nb6> Also logical. <13 Na5!? Qc7 14 g5 Nfd7> Not bad, although 14 ... Nh5 makes sense too. <15 Nd5 Bxd5> White welcomes 15 ... Nxd5 16 exd5 Bf5 17 Nc6 Rfe8 18 Bd3. <16 exd5 Nxd5!?> Critical, as the safer 16 ... Rac8 17 Kb1 should favor White. <17 Qxd5 Qxa5 18 Bd3 Qc7?> Black must pause for 18 ... g6. Then 19 h4 gives White fair compensation for the pawn. <19 g6! Nf6?> Losing spectacularly. No better is 19 ... Rac8? 20 gxh7+ Kh8 21 Rxg7! Kxg7 (or 21 ... Nf6 22 Rg8+, exposing Black's King) 22 Rg1+ Kh8 23 Bh6 Bf6 24 Qe4, when White threatens 25 Rg8+ and mate at h7. Black had to try 19 ... hxg6 20 Rxg6 Bf6 (not 20...Nf6? because 21 Bh6! Nxd5 22 Rxg7+ mates) 21 Rg3 Rfd8 or 21 ... Nb6 22 Qe4 Rfc8, evacuating his King to e7. <20 gxf7+ Kh8 21 Rxg7!! Kxg7 22 Rg1+ Kh8 23 Bh6> Black has no defense to the threat of 24 Bg7 mate. If 23 ... Nh5, then 24 Bxf8 Rxf8 25 Rg8+ mates at g8 instead. <23…Ng4 24 Rxg4 Rxf7> Setting the trap 25 Qxf7?? Bg5+. <25 Qxa8+, 1-0.> #2: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 d5 4 Bg2 Bb4+ 5 Bd2 Be7> A finesse that keeps White from developing his Bishop at b2. <6 Nf3 0-0 7 0-0 c6 8 Bf4> Not fearing 8…dxc4 9 Ne5. b6 <9 Nc3 Bb7 10 Rc1 Nh5 11 Be5> Leko tried 11 Bxb8 Qxb8 12 Ne5 Nf6 13 e3 Rd8 14 cxd5 cxd5 15 f4 against Aronian in Morelia in February. <11…Nd7> The solid 11…f6 12 Bxb8 Rxb8 13 e3 (threatening 14 g4) g6 14 cxd5 cxd5 does not suit Aronian, who likes complications. <12 cxd5 exd5> Again, 12…cxd5 is safer. <13 e4! f6?> Black's ambition betrays him. Too uncomfortable is 13…dxe4?! 14 Nxe4 Nhf6 15 Nd6 or 14…c5 15 Nd6, but Black could accept a small disadvantage by 13…Nhf6 14 exd5 cxd5. <14 exd5 cxd5> White's pawns are overwhelming after 14…fxe5 15 Nxe5 Nxe5 16 dxe5 g6 17 dxc6. <15 Bc7! Qxc7 16 Nh4!> A surprising crusher. Black must return the piece, and more. <16…Nf4> White refutes 16…g6 by 17 Nxd5 Qd8 18 Nxe7+ Qxe7 19 Bxb7, gaining a pawn. <17 gxf4 Rf7> Tougher is 17…Rfc8 18 Qg4! Bf8, but 19 Nxd5 Qxc1 20 Qxd7! wins anyway. <18 Nxd5 Qb8 19 Nxe7+ Rxe7 20 Nf5> Picking up at least the exchange. <20…Re8 21 Qb3+ Kh8 22 Bxb7 Qxb7 23 Nd6, 1-0.> #3: <1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 d5 4 d4 dxc4 5 e4 Bb4 6 Bg5 b5 a4 c6 8 e5 h6 9 exf6 hxg5 10 fxg7 Rg8 11 g3 Bb7 12 Bg2 c5> Theory considers 12 ... Nd7 13 0-0 a6 14 axb5 axb5 15 Rxa8 Bxa8 16 Ne5 slightly in White's favor. <13 0-0 g4 14 axb5!> A powerful novelty. Previous games had tested 14 Nh4 Bxg2. <14…gxf3> Perhaps Black should decline with 14 ... Rxg7. <15 Bxf3 Bxf3 16 Qxf3 Nd7 17 dxc5> White plans Rf1-d1. Black doesn't have time to deal with the d-file and to eliminate the passer at g7. <17…Bxc3> After 17 ... Bxc5 18 Rfd1 (threatening 19 Rxd7! Qxd7 20 Qxa8+) Rc8 19 Ne4, White's other Rook may enter at a7. And 17 ... Rxg7 18 Rfd1 leaves Black helpless after either 18 ... Qb8 19 Qc6 Qc8 20 Rxd7 or 18 ... Qc8 19 b6! Nxc5 20 Rxa7. <18 bxc3 Nxc5 19 Rfd1 Qc8> Black cannot stand 19 ... Nd3 20 Qc6+ Ke7 21 Qxc4, winning the Knight. <20 Rd6!> Invasion! One point is that 20 ... Rxg7 21 Qh5! creates threats of 22 Qh8+ and 22 Rc6. <20…Qb7 21 Qh5 Rc8 22 Rc6!> Crushing, as 22 ... Rxc6 23 bxc6 Qxc6 permits 24 Qh8. <22…Nd3 23 Rxc8+ Qxc8 24 Rxa7, 1-0.> 3 games, 2007 Annotations v.07: Biel Chess Festival #1: <1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 e5> Trying to reach the Philidor Defense by 4 Nf3 Nbd7. <4 Nge2> More challenging is 4 dxe5 dxe5 5 Qxd8+ Kxd8 6 Bc4 or 6 Nf3. <4…Nbd7 5 g3 c6 6 Bg2 b5 7 a3> Carlsen needed to win this last-round game, but he has chosen a harmless formation. <Be7 8 0-0 0-0 9 h3 a5!?> Ambitious. Black could equalize with 9. . . a6 10 Be3 c5. <10 g4!? Ba6 11 Ng3> Also ambitious. Black has no worries after 11 Re1 b4 12 Nb1 c5. <11…b4 12 Nce2 bxa3?!> Both 12. . . d5 and 12. . . c5 are satisfactory. <13 Rxa3!> Welcoming 13. . . exd4 14 Nxd4! Bxf1 15 Nxc6 Qe8 16 Bxf1, with plenty for the exchange. <13…d5 14 Re3 dxe4> Reasonable, as is 14. . . Qc7 15 Re1 Rfe8. But 14. . . exd4? 15 Nxd4 Rc8 16 Rfe1 helps White, who refutes 16. . . dxe4 17 g5 Nd5 18 Rxe4 Bxg5? by 19 Bxg5 Qxg5 20 Rg4 Qd8 21 Ndf5 g6 22 Bxd5 cxd5 23 Ne7+. <15 Re1 Qc7 16 Nf5 Bd8?> Too awkward. Instead, 16. . . Rfe8 17 g5 Nd5 18 Rxe4 Bf8 should hold. <17 g5 Nd5 18 Rxe4 f6> Else White brings a Knight or Queen to h5, with threats against g7 or h7. <19 Neg3 g6> Pick your poison. Black has no chance after 19. . . fxg5 20 dxe5. 20 Nh6+ Kg7 21 dxe5 fxg5 Nor can Black survive 21. . . Nxe5 22 Qd4 Nd7 23 c4 N5b6 24 Bf4 or 21. . . f5 22 Rh4 f4 23 Ne4! Nxe5 24 Qd4. Finally, the plausible 21. . . fxe5 22 Ng4 Be7 runs into 23 c4 N5b6 24 b3, when even 24. . . Bb4 does not prevent 25 Bb2! Bxe1 26 Qxe1, with an unstoppable attack. <22 e6! Kxh6> If 22. . . N7f6, simply 23 Re5 picks up a pawn, as 23. . . Kxh6 24 Bxg5+ Kg7 would lose more to 25 Bxd5 Nxd5 26 e7 Bxe7 27 Rxe7+. <23 e7> Seeing 23. . . Bxe7 24 Rxe7 Nxe7 25 Rxe7 Rad8 26 Qd4!, threatening mate at g7 or h4. <23…Qb6 24 exf8=Q+ Nxf8 25 c4 Nf4 26 Qd6 Kg7> Or 26. . . Bc7 27 Nf5+ Kh5 28 Bf3+. <27 Bxf4 gxf4 28 Re7+!, 1-0.> It's mate after 28. . . Kh6 29 Qxf4+ or 28. . . Kg8 29 Qf6. #2: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Be7 8 Qf3 Qc7 9 0-0-0 Nbd7 10 g4 b5 11 Bxf6 gxf6> Much less popular than 11…Nxf6, although Fischer used it three times. <12 a3> Theory concentrates on 12 f5 Ne5 13 Qh3 0-0. <12…Bb7 13 h4 h6 14 Rh2 Nc5 15 Rhd2> Possibly threatening 16 Bxb5+ axb5 17 Ndxb5. <15…h5> Tempting is 15…Qa5 16 Kb1 b4 17 axb4 Qxb4 18 Bg2 Rb8, but 16 Nb3!? Nxb3+ 17 cxb3 b4 18 axb4 Qxb4 19 Bc4 sets up f4-f5. <16 g5 f5 17 Bd3 0-0-0 18 Qe3 fxe4 19 Bxe4> Inviting 19…Nxe4 20 Nxe4. White may shake Black's pawn structure by g5-g6 or f4-f5, and Rd2-d3-c3 is in the air. <19…d5> Prudent. <20 Bg2 Bd6 21 Rf2 Kb8 22 Kb1 Rhe8 23 Rff1> To avoid 23 Nce2 Ne4. <23…Nd7 24 Nce2?!> Allowing Black's Knight to reach c4. White's King would be safer after 24 Ka2 Nb6 25 b3 Qc5 26 Nb1, despite his loosening of the dark squares. <24…Nb6 25 Ng3 Nc4 26 Qf3 Rc8 27 Nxh5 Rh8> The Rook contributes to Black's attack by making 28…Nxb2 29 Kxb2 Rxh5 a threat. <28 c3> Now White can parry 28…Nxb2 29 Kxb2 Rxh5 30 Qxh5 Qxc3+ 31 Kb1 Bxa3 by 32 Qe2. Amazingly, Black has no follow up to 32…Rc4 33 Rf3! Rb4+ 35 Ka2 Rb2+ 36 Ka1. <28…Qa5 29 Rd3> Supporting his King, but Black strikes elsewhere. <29…e5! 30 fxe5> Too many pieces hang after 30 Nb3? Qa4 31 Qd1 e4. <30…Nxe5 31 Qf6 Qd8!> White gets more compensation from 31…Qc7 32 Nf4 Nxd3 33 Nxd3. <32 Nf4?!> White should eliminate more pawns by 32 Qxd8 Rcxd8 33 Nf4 Nxd3 34 Nxd3 Rxh4 35 Rxf7. Then 35…Rg4 36 Bf3 Rxg5 37 Ne6 Rg1+ 38 Kc2 Rdg8 39 Nef4 gives him fair prospects of drawing. <32…Qxf6 33 gxf6 Nxd3 34 Nxd3 Rcg8 35 Bf3> Useless is 35 Bh1 Rg6. Rh6 White's pawns are doomed if Black avoids traps like 35…Rxh4?? 36 Nf5. <36 Be2 Kc7 37 h5 Bc8 38 Kc1 Bg4 39 Bxg4> Or 39 Rg1 Bxe2. <39…Rxg4 40 Nb4> Black obtains a passed f-pawn from 40 Rf5 Rh4 41 Rxd5 R4xh5 42 Nf5 Rxf6, and neither 43 Nxd6 Rf1+! nor 43 Ne3 Rh2 will save White. <40…Bxb4 41 axb4 Rxh5 42 Rf2> Only momentarily preventing an invasion on his second rank. But 42 Re1 Re4 is no better. <42…Kd6 43 Kb1 Rhg5 44 Nf5+ Ke6 45 Nd4+ Kd7 46 Nb3 Rg2 47 Rf3 R5g3 48 Rf4 Rh3 49 Nc5+ Kd6 50 Rf1 Rhh2 51 Nd3 Rd2 52 Rf3> All tied up! One nudge will end it. <52…d4!, 0-1.> Every White pawn falls after 53 cxd4 Kd5 54 Kc1 Kxd4. 2 games, 2007 Annotations v.07: Corus Edition A collection/Analysis of 2007 games (CORUS CHESS TOURNAMENT) that I think deserves recognition and be "Game of the Day." #1: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2 0-0 6 Nf3 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 b4 Nh5 10 Re1 f5 11 Ng5 Nf6 12 f3> Usual, though Kramnik prefers 12 Bf3. <12...Kh8 13 Ne6 Bxe6 14 dxe6> The pawn at e6 may fall, but White opens the d-file and gains d5 for a Knight. <14...Nh5 15 g3 Bf6 16 c5 f4 17 Kg2 Nc6 18 cxd6 cxd6 19 Nd5 Nd4 20 Bb2> After 20 gxf4 Nxe6, White's King is too vulnerable. <20...Nxe6 21 g4 Nhg7 22 Nxf6 Rxf6 23 Qd5 Qe7 24 Red1 Rd8 25 Qa5> What else? The Bishops do little, and Black intends to open a file by ...h7-h5. <25...b6> Weakening c6. However, Radjabov feared 25...a6 26 Qb6, followed by 27 Rd5 and 28 Rad1. <26 Qd5 Rff8 27 Rac1 h5> Threatening 28...hxg4 29 fxg4 f3+! 30 Bxf3 Nf4+. <28 gxh5> Neither 28 h3? Qh4 29 Rh1 Qg3+ 30 Kf1 Ng5 nor 28 g5 Nxg5 29 Rc6 Nf7 helps White. <28...Qh4!> Black must attack before his doomed Queenside collapses. Too slow is 28...Nxh5 29 Rc6 Nf6 because 30 Bxe5! dxe5 31 Qxe6 breaks through. <29 Rc6> Or 29 hxg6 Rf6 30 Rg1 Nh5! 31 Kf1 Qxh2, and Black's attack should succeed. <29...g5!> Shirov, a terrific attacker, reportedly overlooked this idea. <30 Rxd6 g4 31 Rxe6!?> Trappy. Black refutes 31 Bxe5 by 31...Qh3+ 32 Kg1 g3, not fearing 33 Bxg7+ Kxg7 34 Qe5+ Kh7. If 31 Qxe5 Qh3+ 32 Kg1, not 32...g3? because 33 Qxg7+! Nxg7 34 Rh6+ Kg8 35 Bc4+ Ne6 36 Rh8+ Kf7 37 Rh7+ Kg8 38 Rh8+ salvages a draw. But 32...Rxd6 33 Rxd6 g3 is convincing. <31...Rxd5 32 Rh6+ Kg8 33 Bc4 gxf3+ 34 Kh1> White cannot stand 34 Kxf3 Qh3+ 35 Kf2 Qe3+ 36 Kg2 Qxe4+ or 34 Kf1 Qh3+ 35 Ke1 f2+! 36 Kxf2 Qe3+. <34...Nxh5!?> fantastic conception, but the computer points out that the less spectacular 34...Qh3 35 Bxd5+ Rf7 36 Rg6 f2 37 Rg2 Qd3! wins more cleanly. <35 Rg1+ Ng3+ 36 Rxg3+ fxg3 37 Rxh4> The greedier 37 Bxd5+ Kg7 38 Rxh4 permits 38...g2+ 39 Kg1 f2+ 40 Kxg2 f1Q+ 41 Kg3 Qf3 mate. <37...g2+ 38 Kg1 f2+ 39 Kxg2 f1Q+ 40 Bxf1> White has captured two Queens in four moves, but he's still suffering. <40...Rd2+ 41 Kg3 Rxb2 42 Bc4+ Kg7 43 Bb3 Rb1> Black makes progress by harassing White's King. <44 Kg2 Rc8! 45 Kf3?!> Tougher is 45 Rh5 Rc3 (threatening mate by 46...Rb2+) 46 Rg5+ Kh6 47 Rg3. <45...Rc3+ 46 Kg4 Rf1!> Anticipating mate after 47 Bd5 Kg6 or 47 Rh5 Rf4+ 48 Kg5 Rc6. <47 Kh5 Kf6!, 0-1> #2: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 Bg5 e6 7 Qd3> Varying from the usual 7 Qd2. <7...Be7 8 0-0-0 0-0 9 f4 Qb6> Reasonable, although 9 ... h6 is most critical. <10 Ndb5 Rd8 11 Qg3> Inviting 11 ... a6 12 Nxd6!, when 12 ... Nh5 13 Nc4! and 12 ... Rxd6 13 Rxd6 Nh5 14 Rxc6! keep the extra pawn. <11...Ne8 12 Bxe7 Nxe7 13 Bc4 Qc5 14 Bb3 Bd7 15 Nd4 b5> Counterplay! <16 f5 exf5> Not bad is 16 ... e5 17 Nf3 Nf6. <17 Rhe1! Nf6> Sharpest. Not 17 ... fxe4? 18 Nxe4 Qb6 19 Ng5. <18 e5!?> White wants more than recovering the pawn by 18 exf5 Nxf5 19 Nxf5 Bxf5 20 Nd5 Nxd5 21 Rxd5 Qc8 22 Rxb5. <18...f4! 19 Qg5 Ng6> Or 19 ... h6 20 Qxf4 Ng6 21 Qe3 dxe5 22 Ndxb5, with even chances. <20 Bxf7+?!> Imaginative but flawed. Correct is 20 Nf3. <20...Kxf7 21 Nb3 Qc6??> After 21 ... Qxe5! 22 Rxe5 dxe5, White must give up material to rescue his Queen. <22 exf6> Crushing. Now 22 ... h6? gets mated by 23 Re7+. <22...gxf6 23 Qh6 Rh8> No better is 23 ... Kg8 24 Nd5 Rf8 25 Re7!. <24 Nd4 Qa6?> Fatal. Black lingers into the endgame by 24 ... Qxg2 25 Ndxb5 Qg5, although White still wins with 26 Nxd6+. <25 Nd5> Seeing 25 ... Qxa2 26 Re7+! Nxe7 27 Qxf6+. <Rae8 26 Rxe8 Bxe8 27 Re1 Qb7 28 Nf5, 1-0> #3: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 e4 Nxc3 6 bxc3 Bg7 7 Bc4 c5 8 Ne2 Nc6 9 Be3 0-0 10 0-0 Bg4> Smyslov advocated 10 ... Qc7. <11 f3 Na5 12 Bd3> The pawn-grabbing 12 Bxf7+ Rxf7 13 fxg4 Nc4 is fine for Black. <12...cxd4 13 cxd4 Be6 14 d5!?> Bronstein's 1950 innovation, still considered critical. <14...Bxa1 15 Qxa1 f6> Without his Bishop, Black must beware of an invasion on the dark squares. However, analysis has never proved an advantage for either side. <16 Qd4> Recently revived. For years, 16 Rb1 and 16 Qb1 were most popular. <16...Bf7> Another branch begins 16 ... Bd7 17 e5 fxe5 18 Qxe5 Qb8 19 Qxe7 Re8 20 Qc5 b6 21 Qc1. <17 Bh6 Re8 18 Bb5 e5 19 Qf2 Re7 20 f4> Welcoming 20 ... Qb6, as 21 Qxb6 axb6 22 fxe5 Rxe5 23 Ng3 f5 24 Bf4 recovers the exchange. And 22 ... fxe5 23 Nc1 gives Black problems with his e-pawn and his stranded Knight. <20...exf4 21 Qxf4 Qb6+ 22 Kh1 Bxd5> Not 22 ... Qxb5?? 23 Qxf6 Bxd5 because 24 Qf8+ mates. <23 exd5 Qxb5 24 Qxf6 Qe8> The game remains precariously balanced. <25 Qd4> Black would not mind 25 Bd2 Nc4 26 Bc3 Ne5 27 Ng3 Rc8. <25...Rd8> Or 25 ... Rf7 26 Rxf7 Qxf7 27 h3 Rd8 28 Qc3!, as in the game. <26 h3 Rf7 27 Rxf7 Qxf7 28 Qc3!> Undoubtedly found in pre-game analysis. The obvious 28 Nf4? favors Black after 28 ... Nc6! 29 Qa1 Ne7 30 Ne6 Rxd5 31 Ng5 Rxg5 32 Bxg5 h5. <28...b6 29 Ng3> Heading for f6. <29...Nb7?!> Better is 29 ... Re8 30 Qd4 Qc7, foreseeing 31 Ne4? Qe5 or 31 d6 Re1+ 32 Kh2 Qd7 33 Qf4 Re8, when 34 Ne4 Qf5 still appears equal. <30 Ne4 Qe7> Black must shed material. If 30 ... Nc5 31 Nf6+ Kh8, White makes progress by 32 d6 Ne6 33 Qe5 Rc8 (or 33 ... Ng7 34 Qe7) 34 Nd5+ Ng7 35 Nc7. <31 Nf6+ Kf7> As 31 ... Kh8? 32 d6! sets up a deadly discovery. <32 Nxh7 Kg8 33 Nf6+ Kf7 34 Ng4 Kg8 35 Qd2 Re8> White's initiative continues even after the slightly tougher 35 ... Rc8 36 Qf4. <36 Qf4 Qd6 37 Qf2> Typical Topalov! Most grandmasters would enter the endgame by 37 Nf6+ Kf7 38 Nxe8+ Qxf4 39 Bxf4 Kxe8 40 g4, but he wants a middlegame knockout. <37...Qc5 38 Qg3> Also powerful is 38 Nf6+ Kf7 39 Qf1. <38...Qd4?!> Losing. However, 38 ... Qe7 39 Qf4 Qd6 gives White a second chance for the pawn-ahead endgame. <39 Kh2> Threatening 40 Qc7. <39...Nd8> If 39 ... Rc8 40 Qe1!, White invades at e6 or e7. And 39 ... Nc5 40 Qd6 Kf7 41 Bg5! creates unstoppable threats of 42 Bf6 and 42 Nh6+. <40 Qd6 Ne6 41 Be3!, 1-0> #4: <1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 b5 6 Bb3 Bb7 7 Re1 Bc5 8 c3 0-0> Usual is 8...d6 9 d4 Bb6, but Black has an interesting new idea. <9 d4 Bb6 10 Be3> The obvious tries 10 dxe5 Ng4 and 10 Nxe5 Nxe5 11 dxe5 Nxe4 only produce equality, while 10 d5 Na5 11 Nxe5? Re8 favors Black. <10...exd4 11 cxd4 Na5> Hitting e4. Of course, 11...Nxe4?? loses a piece to 12 d5. <12 Bg5> Aggressive play from the world's youngest grandmaster. Black has less to fear from 12 d5 Bxe3 13 Rxe3 Re8. <12...Nxb3 13 Qxb3 h6 14 Bh4 g5?> Correct is 14...Re8. Black parries 15 e5? by 15...Bxf3 16 Qxf3 Bxd4, while 15 Nc3 g5 16 Bg3 Nxe4 17 Ne5 Nd6 gives White barely enough for the pawn. <15 Nxg5! Nxe4> Did Black count on this reply, or did he overlook that 15...hxg5 16 Bxg5 Bxd4 loses to 17 Qg3 Kh7 18 e5? <16 Rxe4! Bxe4 17 Qg3> Threatening discoveries against Black's King and Queen. <17...hxg5> Hopeless is 17...Bg6 18 Nxf7 Kxf7 19 Bxd8 Raxd8 20 Nc3. <18 Bxg5 Qe8 19 Bf6+ Bg6 20 Nc3> Preparing 21 Qh4. <20...Qe6?!> Black gets almost enough for the Queen by 20...Bxd4! 21 Nd5! Qe4 22 Ne7+ Qxe7 23 Bxe7 Rfe8, but 24 Qg5 Bxb2 26 Rd1 d6 27 f4 continues White's attack. <21 Qh4 Bh7 22 Qg5+ Bg6 23 Nd5 Bxd4> After 23...Rfe8 24 h3, Black has no remedy for 25 Qh6. <24 Bxd4 c5> Or 24...f5 25 Qh6 Kf7 26 Qg7+ Ke8 27 Nxc7+. <25 Nf6+ Kg7 26 Ne8+ Kg8 27 Qh6, 1-0.> #5: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 e4 Nxc3 6 bxc3 Bg7 7 Bc4 c5 8 Ne2 Nc6 9 Be3 0-0 10 0-0 Bd7> A rare choice, probably designed to avoid 10 ... Qc7 11 Rc1 Rd8 12 Bf4. <11 Rb1 Qc7 12 Bf4 Qc8> Slightly awkward, but White's edge is minimal. Nor does 12 ... e5 13 Bg3 completely equalize. <13 Rc1 a6 14 Qd2 b5 15 Bd3 Qb7 16 Bh6 Bxh6> Safer is 16 ... Qb6, not fearing 17 Bxg7 Kxg7 18 Qe3 cxd4 19 cxd4 e5. <17 Qxh6 cxd4?!> Opening the c-file will have drastic consequences. First 17 ... Qb6 limits White's activity. <8 cxd4 Qb6 19 Rc5!> Foreseeing 19 ... Nxd4? 20 Rh5! gxh5 21 Qxb6. <19...Bg4?> Losing. Black's last chance is 19 ... Rfd8 20 Rfc1 Rac8. <20 Nf4!> One threat is 21 Nd5 Qb7 22 Rxc6 Qxc6 23 Nxe7+. <20...Nxd4> White refutes 20 ... Rfc8 by 21 Rg5 Bd7 22 Nh5 Qxd4 23 e5. <21 Rg5 Bf3> No better are 21 ... Be6 22 Nh5 and 21 ... Bd7 22 Rh5, while 21 ... e5 loses a piece to 22 Nd5 Qe6 23 Rxg4. <22 Rg3, 1-0.> 5 games, 2007 Annotations v.07: Dortmund 2007 ChessWorld champion Vladimir Kramnik won an elite round robin in Dortmund, Germany. Kramnik scored 5-2, winning three games as White. He has now taken first prize in eight of the annual Dortmund tournaments. Next at 4-3 were Evgeny Alekseev (Russia), Viswanathan Anand (India) and Peter Leko (Hungary). Others: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan), 3 1/2-3 1/2; Magnus Carlsen (Norway), 3-4; Boris Gelfand (Israel), 2 1/2-4 1/2; and Arkadij Naiditsch (Germany), 2-5. Naiditsch won the 2005 event in a memorable upset. #1: <1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 d5 4 d4 Be7 5 Bg2 0-0 6 0-0 dxc4 7 Qc2 a6 8 Qxc4 b5 9 Qc2 Bb7> Black solves one problem (activating his QB) but creates another (backward c-pawn). <10 Bd2 Nc6> Inferior is 10…Nbd7?! 11 Ba5, but 10…Be4 has a good reputation. <11 e3 Nb4 12 Bxb4 Bxb4 13 a3 Be7 14 Nbd2 Rc8 15 b4> White must squelch c7-c5, and 15 Nb3 allows Black to equalize with 15…Be4 16 Qc3 Qd5 17 Nbd2 c5! 18 Nxe4 Nxe4 19 Qa5 Qd6. <15…a5 16 Ne5! Nd5?> Black should investigate 16…Bxg2 17 Kxg2 c6. Note that 17…Qd5+ 18 e4! Qxd4 19 Nc6 Qd7 20 Nf3 axb4 21 axb4 gives White excellent compensation for the pawn. <17 Nb3!> A terrific idea, almost instantly decisive. <17…axb4 18 Na5 Ba8 19 Nac6 Bxc6> If 19…Qd6 20 Bxd5 exd5 21 axb4 f6 22 Nxe7+ Qxe7 23 Nd3, the pitiful Bishop is no match for the Knight. <20 Nxc6 Qd7 21 Bxd5 exd5 22 axb4 Rfe8> Black must drop a pawn. For example, 22…Ra8 23 Rfc1 Bd6 loses to 24 Rxa8 Rxa8 25 Qe2. <23 Ra5 Bf8 24 Ne5 Qe6 25 Rxb5 Rb8> The clever 25…Bxb4!? 26 Rxb4 c5 won't save Black after 27 dxc5 Qxe5 28 Rc1. <26 Rxb8 Rxb8 27 Qxc7> Welcoming 27…Rxb4 28 Ra1. <27…Bd6 28 Qa5 Bxb4> Nor will 28…Bxe5 29 dxe5 Qxe5 save Black. White gains a second pawn by 30 Rd1 Qb2 31 Rxd5, and trading Rooks with Rd5-d8+ will clinch victory. <29 Rb1!> Black must give up another pawn to escape this pin. <29…Qd6 30 Qa4, 1-0.> If 30…Bd2, then 31 Rxb8+ Qxb8 32 Qd7 Qf8 33 Qxd5 wins easily. 1 game, 2007 Annotations v.07: Linares/Morelia Edition #1: <1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Qc2 dxc4 5 Qxc4 Bf5 6 g3 Nbd7 7 Nc3 e6 8 Bg2 Be7 9 0-0 0-0 10 Re1 Ne4> Else 11 e4 favors White. <11 Qb3 Qb6 12 Nh4!? Bxh4> It's uncertain if 12...Qxb3 helps Black. Both players want the half-open a-file. <13 gxh4 Nef6 14 e4> The pawn at h4 could become a target, but not immediately. In the near future, White's grip on the center appears more pertinent. <14...Bg6 15 Qxb6 axb6> Or 15...Nxb6 16 Bg5, with an edge to White. <16 Bf4 Rfe8 17 Rad1 b5> Nor does 17...e5 18 Be3 completely equalize. <18 Bd6 e5 19 d5 Nh5> Probably best. Black gets nowhere with 19...Nb6 20 b3, while 19...c5?! is parried by 20 a3 Ra5 21 f3, intending Bg2-f1. <20 Bf1 f6 21 b3 Nf4 22 a4!? bxa4 23 bxa4> Further loosening his pawn structure. White hopes that Bf1-c4 or Rd1-b1 will disturb Black. <23...Bf7> The tricky 23...Nb6 24 a5! Rxa5 25 Bc7 Rc5 26 Bxb6 Rxc3 27 d6 Ra8 30 d7 Ne6 31 d8Q+ Nxd8 costs a piece, although Black might eke out a draw. Toughest is 23...cxd5, inviting 24 exd5? Rec8 25 Bb4 Nc5 and 24 Bb5?! d4. After 24 Nxd5 Nxd5 25 Rxd5 Bf7 26 Rb5 b6 27 Rb4 Be6, Black's position remains solid. <24 Rb1 Ra7?!> Too defensive. Instead, 24...cxd5 25 Rxb7 d4! 26 Nb5 Nf8 maintains equality. Obviously 27 Nc7? Reb8 is harmless, but it was too difficult to foresee that Black could handle 27 Nxd4! exd4 28 Bxf4 Rxa4 29 Bb5 Rb4 30 Bd6 Rb2 31 Ra1 by 31...Rc8 32 Raa7 Ne6! 33 Rxf7 Rxb5 34 Rfe7 d3. <25 Red1 Rc8 26 Ne2 Nxe2+> A concession, but Black cannot stand 26...Bh5 27 Nxf4 Bxd1 28 Rxd1 exf4 29 Bh3. If 29...b6, White exploits the back rank with 30 Be6+ Kh8 31 dxc6 Rxc6 32 Bb8! Rxe6 33 Bxa7 Nf8 34 Rd8 Kg8 35 a5!, anticipating 35...bxa5 36 Bc5. <27 Bxe2> Threatening 28 Bg4. <27...cxd5> Maybe 27...f5!? saves Black. <28 exd5 Nf8 29 Bb5> A triumph for White's strategy. Every White piece works, and the d-pawn is ready to advance. <29...Raa8> After 29...Ng6 30 Bb4, both 30...Nxh4 31 d6 Rd8 32 d7 and 30...Be8 31 Bxe8 Rxe8 32 Bc5 Rxa4 33 d6 leave Black helpless against the d-pawn. <30 Be7 Ng6 31 d6 Nxe7> Not fearing 32 dxe7?! Be8 33 Bxe8? Rxe8 34 Rxb7 Rxa4, but White reveals a surprise. <32 Bd7!! Nc6> The problem with 32...Rcb8 33 dxe7 Be8 is 34 Be6+, when White reaches the back rank by 34...Bf7 35 Rxb7! Rxb7? 36 Rd8+ or 34...Kh8 35 Rd6! g6 36 Rbd1 Kg7 37 Rd8. <33 Rxb7 Nd4 34 Bxc8 Rxc8 35 Rdb1> To trade Rooks. White welcomes 35...Nf3+ 36 Kh1! Bd5 37 Rb8. <35...Rf8> Every Black resource fails. For example, 35...Be6 36 d7 Rf8 37 a5 Nf3+ 38 Kh1! Nxh4 loses to 39 a6 Bd5+ 40 f3! Bxf3+ 41 Kg1 Bxb7 42 axb7 Rb8 43 Rc1. <36 Rb8 Be8 37 a5 Nf3+> White laughs at 37...Nc6 38 a6. <38 Kf1!? Nd2+ 39 Ke1 Nxb1 40 a6> Black must yield a Rook and a Bishop to stop the two passers. <40...Bc6 41 a7 Kf7 42 d7 Ke7 43 Rxf8 Kxd7 44 a8=Q> Good enough, but what's the rush? After 44 Rf7+! Kc8 45 Rxg7, Black will still have to give up his Bishop for the a-pawn. <44...Bxa8 45 Rxa8 h5> With 45...Ke7 46 Ra7+ Kf8, Black would force White to find 47 f3! h5 48 Ra5 Ke7 49 Ke2, trapping the Knight. Also 47 f3! e4!? 48 Ra1! Nc3 49 Kd2 Nb5 50 fxe4 clinches the win. <46 Ra7+ Ke6 47 Rxg7 Kf5> Else 48 Rh7 is routine. <48 Rg3!, 1-0.> #2: <1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 d6 8 c3 0-0 9 h3 Na5 10 Bc2 c5 11 d4 Nd7. 12 d5> Lately Black has met 12 Nbd2 with 12 ... exd4 13 cxd4 Nc6 14 d5 Nce5. <12…Nb6 13 Nbd2 g6 14 b4 cxb4 15 cxb4 Nac4 16 Nxc4 Nxc4 17 Bb3 Nb6> Black would lose a pawn by 17 ... f5?! 18 Bxc4 bxc4 19 Bh6 Rf7 20 Rc1, but 17 ... Bd7 prepares ... f7-f5. <18 Be3 Bd7 19 Rc1 Rc8 20 Rxc8 Bxc8 21 Qc2 Bd7 22 Rc1 Na8> Thwarting an invasion on the c-file, but Anand artfully switches to the Kingside. <23 Qd2 Qb8 24 Bg5!> Inviting 24 ... f6? 25 Nxe5! dxe5 26 d6+. <24…Bxg5> Best. If 24 ... Qd8, then 25 Bh6 Re8 26 Ng5! sets up f2-f4, with a ferocious attack. <25 Nxg5 Rc8?!> Not recognizing the danger. Black should hold with 25 ... Kg7 26 f4 h6 27 Nf3 f6. <26 Rf1! h6> Too late! Only 26 ... Kg7 27 f4 f6 resists. <27 Ne6!> White sees that 27 ... fxe6 28 dxe6 Be8 allows 29 e7+ Kg7 30 Qd5, forcing Black to return material by 30 ... Rc4. <27…Kh7> Isn't the Knight still doomed? <28 f4!> Now White will meet 28 ... fxe6 29 dxe6 Be8 by 30 f5, obtaining two charging passers. <28…Qa7+ 29 Kh2 Be8 30 f5!> Threatening 31 Nf8+ Kg7 32 f6+, mating. <30…gxf5 31 exf5 f6> Declining his last opportunity to capture the Knight, as 31 ... fxe6 32 dxe6 Qc7 33 f6 Bg6 lets White break through with 34 Rd1. <32 Re1> Quickest is 32 Rf3 Bf7 33 Rg3 Rg8 34 Rxg8 Bxg8 35 Qc3!, invading via c6 or g3. <22…Nc7 33 Rc1 Bd7 34 Rc3> No harm done! The Rook will reach g3, leaving Black defenseless. <34…e4 35 Rg3 Nxe6 36 dxe6 Be8 37 e7 Bh5> Or 37 ... Qe7 38 Bg8+. <38 Qxd6, 1-0> Flashy!! #3: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 e4 Nxc3 6 bxc3 Bg7 7 Bc4 c5 8 Ne2 Nc6 9 Be3 0-0 10 0-0> Now Black usually chooses 10…Qc7 11 Rc1 Rd8 or 10…Bg4 11 f3 Na5. <10…Na5> Out of fashion for 15 years. <11 Bd3 b6 12 Rc1> Intending 13 d5 e6 14 c4. <12…cxd4 13 cxd4 e6 14 Qd2 Bb7 15 h4!> Before Black applies pressure to the pawn center, White takes aim at the Kingside. Black cannot stand 15…Qxh4?? 16 Bg5 Qg4 17 f3 Qh5 because 18 Ng3! Bxd4+ 19 Rf2 Bxf2+ 20 Kxf2 Qh2 21 Rh1 traps his Queen. <15…Qe7?!> Inferior. Both 15…Qd7 16 Bh6 Bxh6 17 Qxh6 Nc6 18 Qe3 Rfd8 and 15…Nc6 16 Bb5 Ne7 make more sense. <16 h5 Rfc8 17 e5!> The target is f6. <17…Rxc1 18 Rxc1 Rc8 19 Rxc8+ Bxc8 20 Bg5> White's attack does not rely on Rooks. Ivanchuk, the world's fifth-ranked player, has failed to distract the prodigy. <20…Qc7> No better is 20…f6?, as 21 exf6 Bxf6 22 Bxf6 Qxf6 23 hxg6 hxg6 24 Qc2 hits c8 and g6. But 20…Qa3 21 Ng3 Bb7 22 Ne4 Bxe4 23 Bxe4 Nc4 24 Qc2 b5 or 20…Qd7 21 Bf6 Nc6 22 Qf4 Bf8 keeps some hope of survival. <21 Bf6 Nc6> After 21…Bxf6? 22 exf6 Qd8 23 Qg5, White breaks through with a sacrifice at g6. <22 Qg5> Threatening to drive Black's King out of its shelter by 23 Bxg7 Kxg7 24 Qf6+ Kh6 (or 24…Kg8 25 h6) 25 hxg6 fxg6 26 Qf8+. <22.h6 23 Qc1 g5> Losing a piece, but the improvement 23…Qd7 24 hxg6 fxg6 25 Bxg6 Ba6 won't save Black. After 26 Nf4 Nxd4 27 Qe3, Black's King is too vulnerable. <24 Bb5 Bd7 25 d5!> Clearance. <25…exd5 26 Nd4 Bxf6 27 exf6 Qd6 28 Bxc6 Qxf6> If 28…Bg4 29 Qe3 Qxf6 30 Bxd5 Bxh5 31 Nc6, White's threats persist. <29 Bxd7 Qxd4 30 g3 Qc5 31 Qxc5 bxc5 32 Bc6 d4 33 Bb5 Kf8 34 f4 gxf4 35 gxf4, 1-0.> White makes progress easily by 35…Ke7 36 Kf2 Ke6 37 Bc4+ Kf5 38 Kf3 f6 39 Ba6! Ke6 40 Ke4. 3 games, 2007 Annotations v.07: Misc. <Armenian Championship (2007) > #1: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Bb7> Nimzovich's 4...Ba6 is more popular now. <5 Bg2 Be7 6 0-0 0-0 7 d5!?> As 7 Nc3 Ne4 scores well for Black. <7...exd5 8 Nh4 c6 9 cxd5 Nxd5 10 Nf5> White has fair compensation for the pawn. <10...Nc7 11 e4 d5 12 Re1 Bf6> Another path begins 12...dxe4 13 Nc3 Bf6 14 Nxe4. <13 e5 Bc8!> An important resource, as 13...Be7 14 Qg4 Ne6 permits 15 Bh6 Bg5 16 Nxg7! Nxg7 17 Bxg5, clearly favoring White. <14 exf6 Bxf5 15 fxg7 Re8 16 Rxe8+ Nxe8 17 Nc3 Nd7 18 Nxd5?> Correct is 18 b4, with about even chances. <18...cxd5 19 Qxd5 Ne5!> The refutation. <20 Qxa8> Not 20 Qxe5? because of 20...Qd1+ 21 Bf1 Bd3. <20...Qd1+ 21 Bf1 Bd7!> <Threatening 22...Bc6 and 23...Qf3.> <22 Bf4 Nf3+ 23 Kg2 Ne1+ 24 Kg1 Qxa1 25 Qe4> Trying to pick off Black's trapped Knight with 26 Bd2. <25...Qd1 26 Be2> After 26 Qe7 Nf3+ 27 Kg2 Nxg7, the tricky variations 28 Bd6 Bh3+! 29 Kxh3 Qxf1+ 30 Kg4 Nxh2+ and 28 Be2 Qg1+! 29 Kxf3 Qh1+ 30 Ke3 Nf5+ win for Black. <26...Nf3+ 27 Kg2 Qg1+ 28 Kxf3 Bc6!, 0-1.> Next 29 Qxc6 Qh1+ skewers White's King and Queen. <Gibraltar Masters (2007) > #2: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Ba6 5 Qc2 Bb7 6 Bg2 c5 7 d5> A well-known pawn sacrifice. Black has fewer problems after 7 dxc5. <7...exd5 8 cxd5 Nxd5!?> Most games have continued 8...Bxd5 9 Nc3 Bc6 10 e4. Spraggett's choice discourages 9 e4? because of 9...Nb4 10 Qe2 Ba6. <9 Qb3 Nc7 10 Ne5 d5 11 Nc3 Bd6> Sharpest, although 11...Be7 12 Bf4 0-0 13 0-0-0 should be investigated too. <12 Nxf7!> Do or die! The obvious 12 Qa4+?! Kf8 13 Bf4 lets Black take charge with 13...Qe7 14 Nd3 Bc6 and soon ...d5-d4. <12...Kxf7 13 Nxd5 Kf8> Prudent. The alternative 13...Ne6 14 Nf4 Bxf4 15 Bxb7 Bxc1 16 Rxc1 Nd7 17 Rd1 gives White pressure on the d-file. <14 Bg5!?> Ambitiously rejecting repetition by 14 Qf3+ Kg8 15 Qb3 Kf8 16 Qf3+. <14...Qd7> Avoiding 14...Qxg5?? 15 Nxc7 Bxg2 16 Ne6+. <15 0-0-0> The computer claims that Black can secure an advantage by 15...Nb5 16 e3 c4! 17 Qxc4 Na6, intending ...Ra8-c8 and possibly ...Qd7-f5. Maybe so, but the chess gods will reward White's bold play. <15...Nc6?> Another "safe" defense, 15...Bc6?, loses beautifully to 16 Nxc7 Qxc7 (or 16...Bxg2 17 Ne6+ Ke8 18 Rxd6! Qxd6 19 Rd1) 17 Rxd6! Qxd6 18 Rd1. For example, 18...Qc7 19 Bf4 Qc8 is punished by 20 Bd6+ Ke8 21 Qe3+ Kf7 22 Qe7+ Kg6 23 Be5. <16 Qf3+ Ke8> Both 16...Kg8 17 Nxc7 Qxc7 18 Qd5+ and 16...Qf7 17 Qxf7+ Kxf7 18 Nxc7 Bxc7 19 Rd7+ recover the sacrificed piece. <17 Qe4+ Ne6> If 17...Kf8, White reaches a position in the game by 18 Nxc7 Qxc7 19 Qf5+ Ke8 20 Qe6+. More complicated is 17...Be5 18 Nf6+! gxf6 19 Rxd7 Kxd7 20 Qf5+, when Black must yield a piece by 20...Ke7 21 Bxc6 Bxc6 22 Qxe5+ or 20...Ne6 21 Bxc6+ Bxc6 22 Rd1+ Bd4 23 Bxf6 Rhf8 24 e3. <18 Nc7+! Qxc7> White refutes 18...Bxc7 19 Rxd7 Kxd7 20 Rd1+ Ned4 efficiently by 21 Bh3+ Kd6 22 Qe6 mate. <19 Qxe6+ Be7> Also hopeless is 19...Ne7 20 Rxd6! Bxg2 21 Rhd1. <20 Bxc6+, 1-0.> Black gives up a little early, but 20...Bxc6 21 Bxe7 Bd7 22 Qe3 Kf7 23 Bd6 would produce only pain. <Moscow Open (2007) > #3: <1 d4 c5 2 d5 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 Nc3 Bxc3+ 5 bxc3 f5> Black hopes to control e4, then attack the c-pawns. <6 e4!?> Another sharp response begins 6 h4 Nf6 7 h5 Nxh5 8 Rxh5 gxh5 9 e4. <6...fxe4 7 f3 Qa5 8 Qc2 exf3?!> Falling dangerously behind in development. Sturdier is 8 ... Nf6 9 fxe4 d6 10 Bd3 Nbd7 11 Nf3 Ng4. <9 Nxf3 Nf6 10 Bd3 d6 11 0-0 Bg4 12 Ng5!> Eye-ing e6 and h7. Black's opening has failed. <12...Nbd7 13 h3 Bf5 14 Bxf5 gxf5 15 Ne6> Also attractive is 15 Rxf5 Ne5 16 Rb1. <15...Nf8 16 Ng7+ Kd8 17 Nxf5> Taking aim at e7 while threatening 18 Nxd6. <17...N8d7 18 Bg5 Rf8> Plausible, but White launches a ruthless King hunt. <9 Rae1 Rf7 20 Rxe7! Rxe7 21 Nxe7 Kxe7 22 Qxh7+ Kd8 23 Rxf6!> As 23 ... Nxf6 permits 24 Bxf6+ Kc8 25 Qg8+ Kc7 26 Qxa8, soon mating. <23...Kc7 24 Rxd6! Kxd6> Black lasts no longer by declining with 24 ... Qa4 25 Bf4. <25 Bf4+ Ne5 26 Qg6+ Kd7 27 Qe6+ Kd8 28 Bg5+ Kc7 29 Qxe5+ Kd7 30 Qe6+ Kc7 31 d6+ Kb6 32 d7+ Kc7 33 Bf4+, 1-0.> <Cappelle Open (2007) > #4: <1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 c4 b6 4 g3 Ba6 5 b3 b5!?> Less tested than 5…Bb4+ 6 Bd2 Be7. <6 cxb5 Bxb5 7 Bg2 Bc6> Fighting for d5 and e4. Occasionally Black tries 7…d5, 7…c5 8 0-0 Bc6 or 7…Bb4+ 8 Bd2 a5. <8 0-0 Qc8 9 Bg5 Ne4 10 Bf4> Threatening 11 Ne5. <10…d6 11 Qd3 Qb7 12 Rc1 Nd7? > Correct is 12…Bd5 13 Nc3 Nxc3 14 Qxc3 Na6, with only a tiny disadvantage. <13 Rxc6!> Removing Black's best piece. <13…Qxc6 14 Ng5 f5> Forced, as 14…d5 15 Nxe4 dxe4 16 Bxe4 skewers the Queen and Rook. <15 Nxe6> Black's tiny material plus won't save him. He trails in development, cannot hide his King and must reckon with the threat of 16 Nxc7+! Qxc7 17 Bxe4. <15…Rc8 16 d5 Qb6> After 16…Qb7 17 Nc3 Nxc3 18 Qxc3 Nf6 19 Qe3, Black's King is too exposed. A cute possibility is 19…Kd7 20 Nd4! Re8 21 Qe6+! Rxe6 22 dxe6+, regaining material. <17 Bxe4> Now White refutes 17…fxe4 18 Qxe4 Nf6 by 19 Nxg7+ Kf7 20 Qe6+ Kxg7 21 Qxc8. <17…Ne5 18 Bxe5 fxe4 19 Qxe4 dxe5 20 Nd2 c6 21 Rc1> Every piece works. <21…Bb4 22 Qxe5!> An easy mating finish. <22…Bxd2 23 Nc5+ Kf8> Or 23…Kd8 24 Qd6+. <24 Nd7+, 1-0> <European Championship (2007) > #5: <1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 Qe2> A sideline of the Ruy Lopez, instead of the customary 5 0-0. <5…b5 6 Bb3 Be7 7 c3> Attempting to advance d2-d4 before castling. Black has few problems after 7 0-0 0-0 8 c3 d5. <7…0-0 8 d4 exd4> More interesting than the solid 8 ... d6. <9 e5 Ne8?!> Sharper is 9 ... Re8! 10 0-0 Bf8 11 cxd4 d6, as 12 Ng5 (maybe 12 Qc2 improves) Nxd4 13 Bxf7+ Kh8 14 Qd3 dxe5 15 Bxe8 Qxe8 is satisfactory for Black. <10 cxd4 d5 11 Nc3 Bg4> Inviting 12 Bxd5 Nxd4, but White secures an advantage by defending d4. <12 Be3 Bb4 13 0-0 Ne7 14 h3 Bh5> Consistent, but White's initiative grows. <15 g4 Bg6 16 Nh4 c6 17 f4 f5> Necessary. If 17 ... Bxc3, hoping to rescue the Bishop by 18 bxc3 Be4, White inserts 18 Nxg6. <18 exf6 Nxf6 19 f5 Bf7 20 g5 Ne4> After 20 ... Ne8 21 Bc2 Qc7 (not 21 ... Nd6? 22 g6) 22 Qg4, it's unlikely that Black can fend off threats of f5-f6 and g5-g6. <21 g6! hxg6?> Black must cede a bit of material by 21 ... Ng3 22 gxf7+ Rxf7 23 Qg4 Nxf1. <22 Nxe4 dxe4 23 fxg6 Bxb3> Did Black expect 24 axb3?? Qd6, when 25 Qh5? Qg3+ saves him? <24 Qh5!, 1-0.> After 24 ... Rf6 25 axb3 Qd5 26 Bg5, Black cannot keep the f-file closed. #6: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be2 e5 7 Nb3 Be7 8 0-0 0-0 9 Kh1 b6> Prudent, as both 9…b5 10 a4 b4 11 Nd5 and 9…Be6 10 f4 Qc7 11 f5 Bc4 12 g4 score well for White. <10 Be3 Bb7 11 f3 b5!?> Stronger than 9…b5 because 11 f3 has weakened e3. <12 a4 b4 13 Nd5 Nxd5 14 exd5> Welcoming 14….a5 15 c4. <14…Bg5!> The prelude to a fierce tactical battle where Black frequently relies on occupying e3. <15 Bxg5 Qxg5 16 a5 Nd7 17 Ra4 Nf6 18 Bc4> White drops material after 18 Rxb4? Nxd5! 19 Rxb7? Ne3 or 19 Rg4 Qh6. <18…Qh4! 19 Rxb4> Also 19 g4 h5 20 Rxb4 Rab8 gives Black sufficient counter-play. <19…Nxd5 20 g3> Or 20 Rxb7 Qxc4, when Black threatens to trap the Rook by 21…Qc6. <20…Qh3 21 Rxb7 Ne3 22 Qe2 Nxc4> Black foresees 23 Qxc4?? Rac8 24 Qe2 Rxc2! 25 Qxc2 Qxf1#. <23 Rd1 Nxb2!?> Risky. The simpler 23…Rfc8 24 Kg1 Qe6 25 c3 Rab8 guarantees Black a substantial advantage. <24 Rxd6 Rac8 25 Kg1?> Natural, but Black's attack should win quickly. The strange 25 Rb4!, plotting the gain of the Knight by 25…Rxc2?? 26 Rd2, would force 25…Rfd8 26 Rxd8+ Rxd8 27 Nd2 h6 (threatening 28…Rxd2) 28 Kg1 Qd7 29 Nf1, with only a small edge to Black. <25…Nc4 26 Rxa6 Rfd8 27 Raa7> Nor will 27 Qf1 Qf5 save White. <27…Ne3!> That square again! <28 Rc7> Black refutes 28 Rxf7 by 28…Rd1+ 29 Kf2 Qxh2+ 30 Kxe3 Rc3+. <28…Rd1+?!> Clearest is 28…Rxc7 29 Rxc7 f5!, leaving White helpless against 30…Rd1+ 31 Kf2 Qxh2+ 32 Kxe3 f4+, winning the Queen. <29 Kf2 Rcd8 30 Kxe3 Qh6+ 31 f4> Both 31 Ke4? R1d4+ and 31 Kf2? Qxh2+ 32 Ke3 Qg1+ 33 Ke4 R8d4+ lead to mate. <31…exf4+ 32 Kf3> Avoiding 32 gxf4 Qh3+ 33 Kf2 Rh1. <32…fxg3 33 Qxd1> Karjakin continually finds the toughest defense, but he cannot alter his fate. <33…Qh5+> Also 33…Qf6+ 34 Kxg3 Rxd1 should win. <34 Kxg3 Qxd1 35 Rxf7 Qg1+> A long series of checks will enable Black to gain two Rooks for his Queen. <36 Kh3 Qe3+ 37 Kg2 Qe4+ 38 Kg3 Qe5+ 39 Kg2 Qe2+ 40 Kg3 Qe3+ 41 Kg2 Qe4+ 42 Kg3 Qg6+ 43 Kf4 Qd6+ 44 Kg4 Qe6+ 45 Kg3> Or 45 Kf4 Qc4+! 46 Kg3 Qxf7, as in the game. <45…Qxf7 46 Rxf7 Kxf7> Clarity, at last. White cannot hang on to his pawns. <47 Kf4> If 47 a6, Black picks off the pawn by 47…Ra8 48 Nc5 Ke7 49 Kf4 Kd6. <47…Rc8 48 Nd4 Rc5 49 a6 Ra5 50 c4 Rxa6 51 c5 Ra5 52 c6 Rc5 53 h4 g6 54 Nf3> The waiting defense 54 Ke4 Ke7 55 Kf4 Kd6 56 Ke4 loses to 56…Rh5. <54…Rc4+!> Welcoming 55 Ke5 Rxc6 and 55 Kg5 Kg7 56 Ne5 h6#. <55 Ke3 Kf6 56 Nd4 Ke5 57 Nf3+ Kd6 58 h5 gxh5 59 Ng5 Rxc6 60 Kf4> Or 60 Nxh7 Ke5 61 Ng5 Rc3+ 62 Kf2 Kf4, winning routinely. <61…Rc4+ 61 Kf5 h4 62 Nh3 Kd5 63 Kg5 Ke5 64 Kh5 Kf5 65 Ng5 h6> As 66 Kxh6 h3! 67 Nxh3 allows 67…Rh4+. <66 Nh3 Ke4!, 0-1> Black will trap the Knight by 67 Kxh4 Kf3+ 68 Kh5 Kg2. #7: <1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 c6 4 e4!? dxe4 5 Nxe4 Bb4+ 6 Bd2> One of Frank Marshall's many gambits. <6…Qxd4 7 Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8 Be2 Na6> Alternatives include 8 ... Nd7 and 8 ... c5!? 9 Bxc5 Qxg2. <9 Bd6> Now 9 ... e5 10 Nf3 Bg4 is considered reliable for Black. <9…Qxg2?!> Probably too greedy, but very tricky! The 1994 book by Wells gives only 10 Qd2 Bd7? 11 0-0-0 0-0-0 12 c5, winning for White. <10 Qd2> Welcoming 10 ... Qxh1? 11 0-0-0, as Black cannot stand 11 ... Qe4 12 Be7! or 11 ... e5 12 Bxe5 f6 13 Bf3. <10…Ne7?!> Best appears 10 ... Nf6 10 Bf3 Qg6. <11 Bxe7 Kxe7 12 0-0-0 f6 13 Nf3 Qh3?> Losing the Queen. Black had to try 13 ... Qg6, although 14 Qd6+ Kf7 15 c5! sets up 16 Bxa6 bxa6 17 Qc7+. <14 Ng5! fxg5> Else 15 Qd6+ Ke8 16 Qd8 mate. <15 Qxg5+ Kf7 16 Bg4 Qxg4> Or 16 ... Qh6 17 Bh5+, and the Queen goes. <17 Qxg4 Rf8 18 Rhg1 g6 19 Qh4> White finishes efficiently. <19…Kg7 20 Rd8 Rf7 21 Rxg6+! Kxg6 22 Rg8+ Kf5 23 Rg5+ Kf6 24 Rh5+, 1-0.> <Sigeman & Co (2007) > #8: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bg5> The most heavily analyzed answer to the Najdorf Sicilian. <6…e6 7 f4 b5!? 8 a3> Declining to enter the Polugaevsky variation 8 e5 dxe5 9 fxe5 Qc7. <Nbd7 9 Bd3 Bb7 10 Qe2 Be7?> Natural but wrong. Either 10…Qc7 or 10…Qb6 11 Nb3 Be7 maintains a satisfactory position. <11 e5 Ng8?> Black cannot afford this loss of time. Opening the f-file by 11…dxe5? 12 fxe5 also leads to trouble. For example, 12…Nd5 runs into 13 Nxe6! fxe6 14 Qh5+ Kf8 15 0-0+ N5f6 16 exf6, when material is equal but Black's King is not safe. However, the immediate 11…Nd5 improves, as 12 Nxe6!? fxe6 13 exd6 Bxg5 14 Qxe6+ Be7 15 Nxd5 Bxd5 16 Qxd5 Bf6 is far from clear. <12 Nf5!> Black could stand 12 exd6 Bxg5. <12…exf5> What else? Both 12…dxe5 13 Nd6+ and 12…Bxg5 13 Nxd6+ Kf8 14 fxg5 are awful for Black. <13 exd6 f6> Most alternatives are met by 14 0-0-0, except that 13…Kf8 drops a pawn to 14 dxe7+ Nxe7 15 Bxe7+ Qxe7 16 Qxe7+ Kxe7 17 Bxf5. <14 Bxf5!> White wants threats against the un-castled King. If 14 Bh4?!, Black could wriggle out by 14…Nc5 15 0-0-0 Kf7 16 dxe7 Qc7! 17 Rhf1 Nxe7. <14…Kf8> Acquiescing to a hopeless endgame. After 14…fxg5 15 0-0-0, Black's two extra pieces won't save him, as 15…Bc6 16 fxg5 Kf8 17 dxe7+ Nxe7 18 Rhf1 and 15…Nb6 16 Rhe1 Kf8 17 dxe7+ Qxe7 18 Qf2 Qc7 19 fxg5 leave Black helpless. <15 0-0-0 fxg5 16 dxe7+ Qxe7 17 Rxd7 Qxe2 18 Nxe2 Bxg2 19 Rg1 Ne7> Worse is 19…Bf3 20 Nd4. <20 Rxg2 Nxf5 21 Rxg5 g6 22 Ng3! > No blockade! <Nxg3 23 hxg3 Re8 24 Ra7 Re1+> A second pawn must go, as 24…Re6 25 Rc5 threatens the back rank. <25 Kd2 Re7 26 Rxa6 Kg7 27 Rd6 Rhe8 28 Kc3 Re2 29 Kb3 R8e3+ 30 Rd3 Rxd3+ 31 cxd3 Re3 32 Kc3 h6 33 Kd2!, Black Resigns.> White anticipates 33…Rf3 34 Ke2, exchanging Rooks. #9: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 b5!?> Hermansson's third venture with the Polugaevsky variation. <8 e5 dxe5 9 fxe5 Qc7 10 exf6> Another branch begins 10 Qe2 Nfd7 11 0-0-0. <10…Qe5+ 11 Be2 Qxg5 12 0-0 Ra7> Polugaevsky once recommended 12…Qe5. <13 Qd3 Rd7 14 Ne4 Qe5 15 Nf3> Welcoming 15…Rxd3 16 Nxe5 Rd4, as 17 fxg7 Bxg7 18 Nxf7 0-0 19 Nfg5 h6 20 c3 gains a pawn. <15…Qxb2 16 Qe3 Bb7 17 Rab1> Usually White inserts 17 a4 b4 before chasing the Queen. Then, as Leko demonstrated, 18 Rab1 Qxc2 19 Nfg5 Qc7? loses beautifully to 20 Rxb4! Bxe4 21 Nxe4 Bxb4 22 fxg7 Rg8 23 Nf6+ Kd8 24 Nxg8 Bc5 25 Nf6 Bxe3+ 26 Kh1. <17…Qxc2 18 Nfg5 g6?> Black has no time for this or for 18…h6? 19 Rbc1 Qxa2 20 Nxf7! Rxf7 21 fxg7 Rxg7 22 Bh5+, mating. But 18…Qc7 seems playable. <19 Rbc1 Qa4> To parry 20 Qa7 with 20…Qd4+. Black cannot stand 19…Qxa2 20 Qa7 Nc6 21 Rxc6 Bxc6 22 Qb8+ Rd8 23 Qc7 Bc5+ (it's mate after 23…Bd7 24 Nd6+ Bxd6 25 Qxd6) 24 Nxc5 0-0 25 Nxf7! Qxe2 26 Nh6+. <20 Nxe6!> Devastating. <20…fxe6> If 20…Ba3, one method is 21 Ng7+ Kf8 22 Nd6. <21 f7+! Kd8> Nor does 21…Rxf7 escape, because 22 Nd6+! Bxd6 23 Qxe6+ anticipates 23…Re7 24 Rc8+ and 23…Be7 24 Qxf7+ Kd8 25 Rfd1+ Nd7 26 Qe6 b4 27 Qb6+ Ke8 28 Qxb7. <22 Qg5+ Re7 23 Qe5, 1-0.> The finish could be 23…Nc6 24 Rxc6 Bxc6 25 Qb8+ Kd7 26 Nf6 mate. <Leko - Kramnik Rapid Match (2007) > #10: <1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 d3> In all four games as White, Leko played a quiet form of the Ruy Lopez with d2-d3. <5…b5 6 Bb3 Bc5 7 0-0 d6 8 c3 h6 9 a4 Rb8 10 d4> Better late than never! Kramnik needed only a draw to clinch the match, so Leko had to become aggressive. <10…Bb6 11 Na3 0-0 12 axb5 axb5 13 Nxb5 Bg4 14 Be3 d5!?> Another lively choice is 14 ... exd4 15 cxd4 Nxe4 16 Bd5 Qe8, parrying 17 Qc2 by 17 ... Bxf3 18 gxf3 (not 18 Bxc6 Qe6 19 gxf3 Qg6+ 20 Kh1? Ng3+) Nb4 19 Qxe4 Qxb5. <15 exd5 Nxd5 16 h3 Bh5 17 g4 Bg6 18 Na3> Perhaps 18 Bc4 exd4 19 cxd4 keeps an edge. <18…exd4 19 cxd4 Be4> Now Black recovers the pawn, while White's Kingside remains vulnerable. <20 Bc2 Bxf3 21 Qxf3 Nxd4 22 Bxd4 Bxd4 23 Rad1 c5 24 Nb5!? The last chance to worry Black. <24…Rxb5! 25 Qd3 g6 26 Qxb5 Nf4> Black has more than enough for the exchange. <27 Qc6> Not 27 Qb3?? Qa8 28 Qg3 Ne2+. Also 27 Kh2?! Qh4 28 Qb3 Be5 is very uncomfortable for White. <27…Nxh3+ 28 Kg2 Nf4+ 29 Kf3> Worse is 29 Kg1? Qg5 30 Qf3 f5, and Black's attack should win. <29…Ne6, ½-½.> Black stands much better, but is satisfied to draw. 10 games, 2007 Annotations v.07: Misc. II <Gausdal Classics GM-group A (2007) > #1: <1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 g3 dxc4 5 Bg2 Nbd7 6 0-0!?> The 16-year old phenom dares the 70-year old legend to keep the pawn. White could recover it with 6 Qa4. <6…Rb8 7 Qc2 b5 8 b3 cxb3> Worth a thought is 8…Bb7!? 9 bxc4 Be4. <9 axb3 a6 10 Ne5 Nxe5 11 dxe5 Nd5> Not 11…Nd7? 12 Bc6 Bb7 because 13 Be3! Bxc6 14 Qxc6 keeps Black pinned. <12 Rd1 Qe7> Plausible, as is 12…Bd7 13 Bd2 Qc8. <13 Nc3 Qc5 14 Rxd5!?> Enterprising speculation. White could get an edge from 14 Bxd5 exd5 15 Be3 Qc6 16 Rac1 Be6 17 Nxd5. <14…exd5 15 b4 Qxb4> To meet 16 Nxd5 with 16…Qc4. Riskier is 15…Qd4 16 Be3 Qxe5 because 17 Bf4 Qf5 18 e4 gives White an ominous lead in development. <16 Ba3 Qg4?> Now Black will suffer, despite his extra material. It's doubtful if White has enough compensation after 16…Qd4! 17 Rd1 Qxe5 18 Bxf8 Kxf8 19 Nxd5 Bg4, as 20 Qc5+ Qd6 is harmless. <17 Bxf8 Kxf8 18 Nxd5> Threatening 19 Qc5+. <18…Qc4> Also 18…Qd4 19 Rd1 Qxe5 20 Qc5+ Qd6 21 Qa7 favors White. <19 Qd2 Be6 20 Rc1 Qb3> There is no salvation in 20…Bxd5, as 21 Bxd5! Qg4 22 Rxc7 continues the attack. <21 Nxc7 Kg8 22 Qd6> Still pursuing the King. White could wipe out the Queenside by 22 Nxa6 Rf8 23 Bc6. <22…Rc8 23 Bb7 h6!> Toughest. After 23…Rf8 24 Bd5!, White imagines 24…Bxd5 25 Nxd5 h5 26 Qxf8+! Kxf8 27 Rc8 mate or 24…Qb2 25 Nxe6! Qxc1+ 26 Kg2 Qc8 27 Nxf8 Qxf8 28 Qd7, followed by e5-e6-e7. <24 Bxc8 Bxc8 25 Nxb5 axb5 26 Rxc8+ Kh7 27 Rc1> The b-pawn would provide plenty of counterplay if Rooks were exchanged. <27…Re8 28 Kg2 Kg8 29 Rc5 Qa2?!> Dropping a second pawn. Probably White can make progress anyway after 29…b4 30 e4, but it's not easy. <30 Qc6, 1-0.> White parries 30…Rd8 31 Qxb5 Rd2 by 32 Rc8+ Kh7 33 Rf8 Rxe2 34 Qd3+ g6 35 Qf3, when 35…Kg7 36 Re8! Qa6 permits 37 Qf6+! Qxf6 38 exf6+ Kxf6 39 Rxe2. <Kramnik - Aronian Rapid Match (2007) > #2: <1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 0-0 8 c3 d5!? 9 exd5 Nxd5 10 Nxe5 Nxe5 11 Rxe5 c6 12 d4 Bd6 13 Re1 Qh4 14 g3 Qh3 15 Be3 Bg4 16 Qd3 Rae8 17 Nd2 Re6 18 Qf1>. The old Usually White prefers a2-a4 here or on the next move. <18…Qh5 19 f3!?> New. <19…Nxe3> Not bad. If Aronian had more than 25 minutes for the entire game, though, he might find the route to equality with 19 ... Rxe3 20 Rxe3 Nxe3 21 Qf2 Bxf3! 22 Qxf3 Qxf3 23 Nxf3 c5. <20 Qf2 Nd5> Now 20 ... Bxf3 21 Bxe6! Nc2 22 Qxf3 favors White, slightly. <21 fxg4 Qxg4 22 Qf3> Kramnik's goal is an endgame where Black has vulnerable pawns. For example, 22 ... Qxf3 23 Nxf3 Rfe8 24 Rxe6 Rxe6 25 c4! bxc4 26 Bxc4 a5 27 Rc1 sets up Bc4-b3-a4. <22…Qg5 23 Rxe6 fxe6 24 Ne4 Qg6> Black drops material by 24 ... Rxf3? 25 Nxg5, as 25 ... Rf6 26 Ne4 and 25 ... Re3 26 Kf2 embarrass the Rook. <25 Qe2 Nf4?!> Black gets adequate counterplay from 25 ... Bf4! 26 Kh1 Be3 27 Bc2 Qf5. <26 Qc2 Nh3+?> Necessary is the uncomfortable 26 ... Be7 27 Re1 Nd5. <27 Kg2> Avoiding 27 Kh1?? Qxe4+! 28 Qxe4 Nf2+. <Qg4 28 Bxe6+!> Neatly simplifying. <28…Qxe6 29 Qb3 Nf4+ 30 gxf4 Qxb3 31 axb3 Bxf4 32 Rxa6> White emerges with an extra b-pawn. His active Rook and mobile Knight will team up to attack c6, clinching victory. <32…Rc8 33 Nc5 Kf7> Even the sturdier 33 ... Bg5 34 Nd3 Bf6 won't hold out long after 35 Kf3. <34 Nd3 g5 35 Nxf4 gxf4 36 Kf3 Ke6 37 Kxf4 Kd6> If 37 ... Kd5 38 Ke3 Rf8, White pushes him back by 39 c4+ bxc4 40 Ra5+. <38 c4 Rf8+ 39 Ke3 Kc7 40 Ra7+ Kb6 41 Rxh7 Rf1 42 Rh6 Kb7> Or 42 ... Rb1 43 d5. <43 Rh5 Rb1 44 Kd3! bxc4+ 45 Kc2, 1-0.> <Russian Team Championship (2007) > #3: <1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2 d6 6 0-0 Nbd7 7 Nc3 e5 8 e4 a6> The modern treatment, aiming for …b7-b5. <9 Re1 c6> Less common than 9…Rb8 or 9…exd4. <10 b3 b5 11 cxb5 axb5 12 Bb2 Bb7 13 dxe5 Nxe5 14 Nxe5 dxe5 15 Qc2 Qb6 16 a4> White has the edge. He hopes to occupy c4 (after 16…b4 17 Nd1 Nd7 18 Ne3) or c5 (after 16…bxa4?! 17 Nxa4). <16…Rfd8 17 Bf1 Bh6! 18 Rad1 Qc5! 19 Qe2 b4> Excessive optimism? Black could equalize with 19…Qb4 20 axb5 Qxb3. <20 Nb1 Nd7 21 Qf3 Qe7 22 Nd2 Nc5 23 Nc4> Success! The a-pawn is obviously much more valuable than the c-pawn. <23…f6 24 Nb6 Rxd1 25 Rxd1 Rd8 26 a5 Kg7 27 h4 Rd6 28 Ra1 Na6 29 Bc4 Qc7 30 h5> To make further progress, White needs a second front. <30…Nc5 31 Na4!?> Setting the trap 31…Qxa5? 32 Bxe5. <31…Nd7 32 Nb6 Nc5> Black would land in an unbreakable pin by 32…Nxb6 33 axb6 Qd7 (not 33…Qxb6? 34 Bxe5) 34 Ra7 c5 35 Bd5 Rxb6 36 Qd1. <33 hxg6 hxg6 34 Kg2 Bg5 35 Rh1> Threatening Qf3-g4-h3. <35…Rd8 36 Qg4 Qb8> White refutes 36…Bc8 beautifully by 37 Nxc8 Qxc8 38 Qxg5! fxg5 39 Bxe5+ Kf8 40 Bf6 Ne6 41 Rh8+ Kf7 42 Rxd8 Qc7 43 e5, intending 44 Rd6. <37 Bc1?!> Unconvincing. Nor does 37 f4?! Rd2+ 38 Kf3 clinch a win, as the computer reveals the defense 38…Qd6! 39 fxg5 fxg5 40 Qxg5 Qf8+ 41 Qf4 Qxf4+ 42 gxf4 Rxb2. But 37 Qh3 Rh8 38 Qxh8+ Qxh8 39 Rxh8 Kxh8 40 f4! exf4 41 gxf4 Bxf4 42 Bxf6+ Kh7 43 e5 should win, as Black will have to give up a piece for one of the passers. <37…Bxc1 38 Rxc1 Rd4?> The right way is 38…Qd6! 39 Rh1 Qd4, when 40 Qh3 Qxe4+ 41 Kg1 Qe1+ 42 Bf1 Rd2 gives Black sufficient counterplay. <39 Rh1!> This time, White's attack is decisive. <39…Rd8> Hoping for 40 Qh3 Rh8. <40 Na4!> As 40…Nxa4 41 Qh3! Rh8 42 Qd7+ mates. The more spectacular 40 Nd7! wins Black's Queen, because 40…Nxd7 41 Qe6 and 40…Rxd7 41 Qh4 f5 42 exf5 lead to mate. <40…Nxe4 41 Qh3 f5 42 Qh7+ Kf6> Now 43 Qf7+ Kg5 44 Rh5+! is quickest, but White chooses a routine win. <43 Rh6, 1-0.> <United States Championship (2007) > #4: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e6 6 g4. h6 7 h3 a6 8 Bg2 Qc7 9 f4 b5> Not fearing 10 e5 Bb7. <10 0-0 Bb7 11 g5!? hxg5> The alternative 11 ... b4 12 gxf6 bxc3 13 f5 e5 14 fxg7 Bxg7 15 f6 Bf8 16 Nf5 Rg8 17 Qf3 should favor White. <12 fxg5 b4!> Sharpest, although 12 ... Nfd7 13 g6 Nf6 is playable. <13 Nd5! Nxd5?> Only 13 ... exd5 14 gxf6 dxe4 resists. Then 15 Qg4 gxf6 16 Bxe4 Nd7 leaves both Kings vulnerable. <14 exd5 e5> Probably expecting 15 Nf5 g6. <15 g6!> The second Knight offer wins. <15…Qc5> No better is 15 ... exd4 16 Rxf7 Be7 17 Bg5, while 15 ... f6 and 15 ... fxg6 lead to agony after 16 Ne6. <16 Be3 exd4 17 Bxd4 Qb5 18 a4!> Foreseeing 18 ... bxa3 19 Qe1+ Kd8 20 c4! Qd7 21 Bb6+ Kc8 22 Rxf7. Nor will 19 ... Be7 20 Rxf7 Qd7 save Black, as 21 Rxa3 heads for e3 or f3. <18…Qa5 19 Qe2+ Kd8 20 Rxf7 Nd7 21 Qe3> Preparing Ra1-e1 while preventing 21 ... Ne5 because of 22 Bb6+. <21…b3 22 c3 Rc8 23 Re1 Kc7 24 Bb6+! Qxb6 25 Rxd7+, 1-0.> #5: <1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bf5 5 Ng3 Bg6 6 h4 h6 7 Nf3 e6> Tempting 8 Ne5, but White proceeds as usual. <8 h5 Bh7 9 Bd3 Bxd3 10 Qxd3 Nf6 11 Bf4> Less explored than 11 Bd2 Nbd7. <11…Bb4+ 12 c3 Bd6 13 Ne5 0-0 14 0-0-0 Nbd7 15 Ne4 Nxe4> Natural, but 15…Nxe5!? 16 dxe5 Bxe5 17 Bxe5 Qxd3 is an interesting pawn grab. White gets fair compensation from either 18 Nxf6+ gxf6 19 Rxd3 fxe5 20 Rd7 or 18 Rxd3 Nxe4 19 Re1! (inviting 19…Nxf2? 20 Rg3). <16 Qxe4 Qc7 17 Kb1> Preventing 17…c5 because 18 Nxd7 Bxf4 (no longer check!) 19 Nxf8 gains material. <17…Rad8 18 g4!> Thematic and very powerful. Black has no answer to g4-g5, opening a file for attack. <18…Nf6> After 18…Nxe5 19 dxe5 Be7 20 Rdg1, White still enforces g4-g5. <19 Qe2 Nd5 20 Bd2 c5 21 g5! cxd4> If 21…hxg5, most accurate appears 22 h6! g6 23 Bxg5, seeing 23…f6 24 h7+ Kh8 25 Nxg6+ and 23…Rc8 24 h7+ Kh8 25 Qf3. <22 cxd4 hxg5 23 Bxg5 Be7> Now White refutes 23…f6 by 24 Rc1! Qb8 25 Ng6 fxg5 26 Qxe6+ Rf7 27 h6! or 24…Qa5 25 h6! (not convincing is 25 Nc4? Nf4! 26 Bxf4 Qf5+) fxe5 26 fxg7 Rfe8 27 Qh5. <24 Rdg1 Qb6 25 Qd2> Stopping 25…Nc3+ while setting up 26 Bh6. <25…f6> Other finishes include 25…Bf6 26 Bxf6 Nxf6 27 Qh6 Ne8 28 Rxg7+ Nxg7 29 Rg1; 25…Kh8 26 Bh6 Bf6 27 Bxg7+! Bxg7 28 Qg5; and 25…Kh7 26 Qd3+ f5 27 Bxe7 Nxe7 28 Qg3 Rg8 29 Qg6+! Nxg6 30 hxg6 mate. <26 h6!> Imagining 26…fxg5 27 h7+ Kh8 28 Ng6 mate. <26…fxe5 27 Bxe7 Nxe7 28 Rxg7+ Kh8 29 Qg5!, Black Resigns.> An impressive rout of a former U.S. champion. #6: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 Bg5 e6 7 Qd2 Be7 8 0-0-0 0-0 9 f4 h6 10 Bh4 Nxd4 11 Qxd4 a6> Less common than 11 ... Qa5. One point is that 12 Be2 Nxe4! 13 Bxe7?! Nxc3 favors Black. <12 Bd3> Reasonable. Theory concentrates on 12 g4!? Nxg4 13 Bxe7 Qxe7 14 Qxd6. <12…Qc7 13 e5 dxe5 14 fxe5 Rd8 15 Qf4 Nd5 16 Nxd5 Rxd5!?> Trying to prove that e5 is weak. The safer 16 ... exd5 clears e6 for the Bishop, equalizing. <17 Bxe7 Qxe7 18 h4 Bd7 19 Qe4> White would welcome 19 c4!? Qc5! 20 Rhf1 Be8 21 Qe4 g6?! 22 h5 Rxe5 23 Qxb7, but Black escapes with the cold-blooded 21 ... Kf8! 22 Qh7 b5 23 Qh8+ Ke7 24 Qxg7 Qe3+ 25 Kc2 Qxe5. <19…g6 20 h5 Qg5+ 21 Rd2?!> Allowing an unexpectedly swift counterattack. The drawish 21 Kb1 Bc6 22 hxg6 fxg6 23 Qxg6+ Qxg6 24 Bxg6 Rxe5 is the logical outcome. <21…Bb5! 22 hxg6> Very dangerous. White should brave the complications of 22 c4 Rxe5 23 Qxb7 Rd8, as 24 hxg6 fxg6 25 cxb5 Rxd3 26 Qb8+ Kg7 27 Qxe5+ (not 27 Qc7+? Kf6 28 Rf1+ Rf5) Qxe5 28 Rxd3 reaches a defensible endgame. <22…Bxd3 23 gxf7+ Kf8 24 cxd3 Rc8+ 25 Kd1 Rdc5!> White would not mind 25 ... Rxe5?! 26 Qh4. <26 Rh4?> Losing. White hangs on with 26 g4! Rc1+ 27 Ke2 Rxh1 28 Qxh1 Qxg4+ 29 Qf3. <26…Rc1+ 27 Ke2 Qg3! 28 Qb4+ R8c5> Avoiding 28 ... Kxf7?? 29 Rf4+ Kg8 30 Rg4+. <29 Rd1 Qxg2+ 30 Ke3 Qg3+ 31 Ke2 a5! 32 Qg4> Or 32 Qa3 R1c2+ 33 Rd2 Qg2+. <R5c2+, 1-0.> <National Open (2007) > #7: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 b5 The 9 Bxf6 gxf6> Black must avoid 9…Qxf6? 10 Nd5 Qd8 11 c4 b4 12 Qa4. <10 Nd5 f5 11 c3> Welcoming 11…fxe4? 12 Bxb5! axb5 13 Nxb5, with too many threats. <11…Bg7 12 g3> New. Usual is 12 exf5 or 12 Bd3. <12…h5?> The U.S. champion overreacts. He should settle for 12…fxe4 13 Bg2 0-0 14 Bxe4 f5, equalizing. Note that 13…f5 14 Qh5+ Kf8 15 f3! exf3 16 Bxf3 Be6 17 Rf1 gives White a dangerous initiative. <13 Bg2> Intending simply 14 exf5 Bxf5 15 Ne3. <13…f4> Aiming for confusion. The natural 13…fxe4 14 Bxe4 Bg4 15 Bf3 Bxf3 16 Qxf3 Rc8 17 Nc2 leaves White in command of the light squares. <14 Nc2 Kf8> Maybe 14…h4 15 gxf4 exf4 16 Nxf4 Be5 gives Black a bit of compensation. <15 Qe2> An intuitive decision. Khachiyan prefers development to the pawn grab. <15…Qg5 16 Bf3 Rb8> If Black eliminates his vulnerable Kingside pawns by 16…fxg3 17 hxg3 h4 18 gxh4 Rxh4 19 Rxh4 Qxh4, White targets the Queenside by 20 Nb6 Rb8 21 Nxc8 Rxc8 22 a4. <17 h4 Qh6 18 0-0-0!?> This bold choice will be rewarded. Of course, 18 gxf4 is also promising. <18…fxg3+ 19 Kb1 gxf2 20 Qxf2 a5 21 a3> White's King is much safer than Black's. The extra pawn means little. <21…Be6 22 Rhg1 Rb7?> Correct is 22…Bf6 23 Nce3 (not 23 Bxh5? Bd8, as the Bishop emerges at b6) Bd8. <23 Rg5! Bxd5 24 exd5 Ne7 25 Bxh5?!> White's only slip. After 25 Rdg1 Rg8 26 Bxh5, Black cannot hold out long. <25…Qf6?!> Reasonable, but 25…Bf6! 26 Rf1 Nxd5 survives, precariously. Because 27 Rf5 Nf4 and 27 Bf3 Bxg5 28 hxg5 Qe6 don't worry Black, the critical variation is 27 Qf3 Bxg5 28 Qxd5 Qxh5 29 Qxb7 Bf4 30 Qxb5 Qxh4 – unclear. <26 Qg2 Bh6 27 Rf1 Bxg5! 28 hxg5! Qxf1+> Worse is 28…Qg7 29 Rxf7+. <29 Qxf1 Rxh5 30 Qf6> Black has enough material, but the agile Queen will outplay the Rooks. <30…Rd7> Not 30…Nxd5? 31 Qf3 or 30…Rb6? 31 g6! Nxg6 32 Qd8+. <31 Ne3 Rh7 32 Ka2 Ke8> Perhaps 32…Rg7 improves. <33 Qf1 Rb7 34 Nf5!> As 34…Nxf5? 35 Qxf5 threatens 36 Qc8+. <34…Rd7> If 34…Nc8, White invades with 35 a4! bxa4 36 Qa6. <35 Ng3 b4> Trickier is 35…Nxd5 36 Qxb5 Nc7, but 37 Qxa5 d5 (or 37…Rg7 38 Ne4) 38 Qb6 should win. <36 Ne4 Ng8 37 Qb5 Ke7 38 Nf6!> Efficiently simplifying. <38…Nxf6 39 gxf6+ Ke8 40 Qb8+ Rd8 41 Qc7 Rd7 42 Qc8+ Rd8 43 Qc6+ Rd7> White refutes 43…Kf8 44 Qc7 Re8 45 Qxd6+ Kg8 46 cxb4 e4 neatly by 47 Qe7!. <44 cxb4 axb4 45 axb4 Rh4> After 45…e4 46 b5, White will promote with mate. <46 b5 Ra4+ 47 Kb3 Ra5> No better is 47…Raa7 48 b6 Rab7 49 Qc8+ Rd8 50 Qxb7. <48 b6, 1-0.> He does not want to see 48…Rc5 49 b7 Rxc6 50 dxc6 Rd8 51 c7. <Deep Fritz - Deep Junior (2007) > #8: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 e4 Nxc3 6 bxc3 Bg7 7 Nf3 c5 8 Rb1 0-0 9 Be2 Nc6 10 d5 Ne5> Very dangerous is 10…Bxc3+ 11 Bd2, as White will follow with h2-h4-h5. <11 Nxe5 Bxe5 12 Qd2 e6 13 f4> Thematic. White wants to control the center with pawns, while Black tries to confuse the issue with odd tactics. <13…Bc7> Preventing c3-c4. <14 0-0 exd5 15 exd5 Ba5 16 f5!? Bxf5 17 Rxb7 Qd6 18 Bc4 Qe5 19 Rf3 Rab8!?> Strange. Why not 19…Rfb8? <20 Rxa7 Bb6 21 Ra4 Bc7 22 g3 Rb1> A murky position, very difficult for computers or humans! White may have the edge, but his exposed King means that he cannot afford a single misjudgment. <23 Re3 Qf6 24 Ra6 Bd6 25 Re1 Rfb8 26 Bf1 h5 27 a4 c4!? 28 Rc6 Ra1 29 Bxc4?!> It's uncertain if Black has enough compensation after 29 Rxc4. <29…Bd7 30 Rf1!> White cannot recover after 30 Ra6? Bc5+ 31 Kg2 Qf5: 32 a5 h4! 33 gxh4 Rxc1! 34 Rxc1 Qe4+, or 32 Qf4 Rb2+! 33 Bxb2 Qh3+ 34 Kf3 Bg4+. <30…Qe7 31 Rxd6!?> Not bad, although repeating moves by 31 Re1 Qf6 32 Rf1 was more prudent. <31…Qxd6 32 Qf2> White cannot lose after 32 Qf4 Qxf4 33 Bxf4 Rbb1 34 Rxb1 Rxb1+ 35 Kf2 Bxa4 36 Ke3. <32…Qb6 33 Bf4?> At last, the advantage tips to Black. With 33 Be3 Rxf1+ 34 Bxf1 Qb1 35 Qf6, White forces 35…Bh3 36 Bd4 Qxf1+ 37 Qxf1 Bxf1 38 Kxf1. Black can pick off one passer by 38…f5 39 a5 Rb5, but 40 a6 Rxd5 41 a7 Ra5 42 Ke2 should draw easily. <33…Qxf2+ 34 Kxf2 Rb2+ 35 Ke3 Rxa4> Inviting 36 Be2?? Rxe2+ or 36 Kd3?? Rxc4. <36 Bd3 Rxh2 37 c4> White retains hopes of drawing because of his powerful passers. <37…Ra3 38 Kd4 h4! 39 g4!> Not 39 gxh4?? Rxh4 (threatening 40…g5) 40 Be4 because 40…f5 41 Bc2 g5 wins a piece. Also 39 c5?? Rxd3+ is fatal. <39…Rh3 40 Be2 Rhb3 41 Ke5?> Machines lack the sense of desperation. The "human" move 41 c5 could lead to a drawn ending by 41…Ra4+ 42 Ke5 Rbb4 43 c6 Re4+ 44 Kd6 Bxc6 45 dxc6 Rxe2 46 c7 Rc2 47 Kd7 Rd4+ 48 Bd6 Rxg4 49 c8Q+ Rxc8 50 Kxc8, while the tempting 41…Ra2 42 Bd1 Rb1 43 c6 Bxg4 might even lose to 44 d6 Raa1 45 Bxg4 Rxf1 46 c7. <41…Rb2 42 Re1 Raa2 43 Bd1 Ra6!> Restraining the pawns, as 44 c5? loses to 44…f6+ 45 Ke4 Rb4+ 46 Kf3 Ra3+ 47 Re3 Bxg4+! 48 Kxg4 Rxe3. <44 Bc1?! Rb8 45 Rg1 h3 46 Rh1 f6+ 47 Kd4 Ra1 48 Bc2> Also hopeless is 48 Bf4 Rbb1. <48…g5 49 c5 Bxg4 50 c6 Kf7 51 Rf1> Now 51 d6 Ra6! defangs the pawns: 52 c7 Rbb6, or 52 Be4 Ra4+! 53 Kd3 Rd8 54 d7 Bxd7 55 cxd7 Rxd7+ 56 Ke3 Re8. <51…Rh8 52 d6 h2 53 d7> White loses too much material after 53 Rh1 Bf3 54 c7 Bxh1 55 d7 Raa8 or 53 Be4 Ra4+ 54 Kd3 Rh3+ 55 Be3 Ra3+. <53…Ke7 54 Rh1, and 0-1.> <Gorenje 2007 Tournament (2007) > #9: <1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bd7 5 Nf3 Bc6 6 Bd3 Nd7 7 0-0 Ngf6 8 Ng3 Be7 9 Re1 0-0 10 Qe2 b6> White will thwart Black's plan of 11 ... Bb7 and 12 ... c5. Instead, Black should seek counterplay with 10 ... Bxf3 11 Qxf3 c5, as suggested by Psakhis. <11 Ba6> Now 11 ... Bxf3 12 Qxf3 c5 drops the exchange to 13 Bb7 Rb8 14 Bf4. Maybe Black should rearrange his pieces by 11 ... Nb8!? 12 Ne5 Bd5 13 Bd3 Bb7, as 14 c3 c5 looks "normal." <11…Rb8 12 c4 Bb7?> Also uncomfortable is 12 ... Ba8?! 13 Bf4. Black must resort to 12 ... Re8. <13 Bxb7 Rxb7 14 Ne5?!> Did Karpov realize that 14 d5! Bb4 15 dxe6 wins a pawn, as 15 ... Bxe1? 16 e7 is lethal? <14…Qc8?> Justifying Karpov's choice. Nor does 14 ... c5? 15 Nc6 Qe8 help, because 16 Nf5! wins. But 14 ... Nxe5 15 dxe5 Nd7 16 Qg4 Kh8 would minimize White's edge. <15 Nc6> Burying the Rook at b7. <15…Re8 16 Bg5> Preventing 16 ... Nb8, as 17 Nxe7+ Rxe7 18 Bxf6 gxf6 19 Nf5! gains the exchange. <16…Bf8 17 Bxf6 Nxf6> Eliminating the Knight by 17 ... gxf6 18 Rad1 Nb8 19 Nxb8 Rxb8 won't save Black. White replies 20 Nh5 Qd8 21 d5!, anticipating 21 ... Qe7 22 Qf3 f5 23 dxe6 fxe6 24 Rd7! Qg5 25 Qg3! Qxg3 26 Nf6+ Kh8 27 Rxh7 mate. <18 Nh5 Nd7> Black needs his Knight to challenge the monster at c6. He lasts longer with 18 ... Nxh5 19 Qxh5 Qd7 20 Qf3, but he can never free his Rook. <19 Qg4 Kh8 20 Re3! Nb8> Aiding White's attack. But 20 ... g6 21 Nf4 Nb8 also fails, to 22 Ne5 c6 23 Rh3 (threatening 24 Nxf7+ Rxf7 25 Nxg6+) Kg8 24 Qh4 h6 25 Ng4. <21 Rg3!> Welcoming 21 ... Nxc6 22 Nxg7 Ne7 23 Nxe8 Qxe8, as 24 Qf3! hits b7 and f6. <21…f5> After 21 ... g6 22 Nf6, best is ceding the exchange by 22 ... Bg7 23 Nxe8. If 22 ... Nxc6, White forces mate with 23 Rh3 h6 24 Qg5! Kg7 25 Rxh6 Bd6 26 Nh5+ Kg8 27 Rh8+! Kxh8 28 Qh6+. <22 Qh4 Nxc6> Or 22 ... g6 23 Qf6+ Kg8 24 Rxg6+ hxg6 25 Qxg6+ Kh8 26 Nf6, mating. <23 Nf6! h6 24 Qxh6+ gxh6 25 Rg8+, Black Mated.> Pretty good for a retiree! <15th World Computer Chess Championship (2007) > #10: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 a6 5 Nc3 b5 6 Bd3 d6 7 0-0 Nf6 8 Be3 Bb7 9 f4> Inviting 9…b4 10 e5! bxc3 11 exf6 cxb2?, when 12 Rb1 Qxf6 13 Rxb2 leaves Black in trouble. Tougher, but still undesirable for Black, is 11…Qxf6 12 bxc3 Nd7 13 Rb1. <9…Nbd7 10 a3 Qc7> The counterattack 10…Rc8 11 Qf3 Rxc3!? 12 bxc3 Nc5 favors White after 13 c4. <11 Qf3 Be7 12 Rae1> A standard attacking formation. White can meet 12…0-0 by 13 g4. <12…Nc5 13 Bf2 d5!?> Another critical line begins 13…0-0 14 Qh3 Rfe8, when 15 e5 Nxd3 is satisfactory for Black. <14 e5 Nfe4 15 f5!?> A fantastically complicated new idea. <15…Nd2> Inserting 15…Nxd3 doesn't help, as White can refute 16 cxd3 Nd2 17 Qg4 g6 by the surprising 18 f6! Bc5 19 Nxe6 fxe6 20 Qxe6+ Kd8 21 Bxc5 Qxc5+ 22 Rf2 Nb3 23 f7. But 15…Qxe5 16 b4 Qf6! 17 bxc5 Nxc3 18 Qg3 Ne4 may survive. <16 Qg4 g6?> Black had to risk 16…Nxf1 17 Qxg7 0-0-0, although 18 Rxf1 will give White plenty for the exchange. Note that 17…Rf8? would lose beautifully to 18 Ncxb5! axb5 19 Bxb5+ Kd8 (or 19…Nd7 20 fxe6 fxe6 21 Nxe6 Qc8 22 Nxf8 Bxf8 23 Qxh7 Kd8 24 e6) 20 Bh4! Kc8 21 f6. <17 fxe6 fxe6> The plausible 17…0-0 18 exf7+ Rxf7 will cost Black material after 19 Nf5! Bf8 20 e6 Rf6 21 Qg5. <18 Ncxb5!> Foreseeing 18…axb5 19 Bxb5+ Nd7 20 Nxe6 Qc8 21 Bb6! Nxf1 22 Rxf1, threatening 23 Ng7 mate. Or, if 19…Kd8, then 20 b4! Nxf1 21 bxc5 strikes at e6. <18…Qd7 19 Nd6+ Bxd6 20 exd6 0-0> After 20…0-0-0 21 Nf3!, Black has no time for 21…Nxd3 22 cxd3 Nxf1 because 23 Rc1+ Kb8 24 Qd4 Ba8 25 Ne5 attacks. He can reduce the danger to his King by 21…Nxf3+ 22 Qxf3 Qxd6, but 23 Qh3 will soon win at least a pawn. <21 Bxg6! hxg6> Not 21…Nxf1 because 22 Nxe6 (threatening 23 Bf7+) Nxe6 23 Bf5+ Qg7 24 Bxe6+ Kh8 25 Bd4 pins and wins. <22 Nf3!> Dazzling. Black could linger a while in the endgame after 22 Qxg6+ Qg7 23 Qxg7+ Kxg7 24 b4 Nxf1. <22…Nxf1> There is no good way to save the Knight at c5. If 22…Nxf3+ 23 gxf3 Rac8 24 Bxc5 Rxc5, then 25 Rxe6 is deadly. Toughest is 22…Nde4 23 Bd4 e5 24 Qxg6+ Qg7, but 25 Nxe5 will overwhelm Black with pawns. <23 Bxc5 Bc8 24 Ne5 Qg7 25 d7> Elegant simplification. <Bxd7 26 Nxd7 Qxd7 27 Bd4!> The last difficult calculation. White anticipates 27…Qh7 28 Qxe6+ Rf7 29 Rxf1 Raf8 30 Rf6! and 28…Qf7 29 Qe5 Kh7 30 Qg5! Kg8 31 Re7. <27…Rf7 28 Qxg6+ Rg7 29 Bxg7 Qxg7, and 1-0.> White would gain a third pawn by 30 Qxe6+ Kh8 31 Rxf1. 10 games, 2007 Annotations v.07: Misc. III <35th World Open (2007) > #1: <1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nc3 Nc6 4 Bb5 Nd4 5 Bc4 Nxf3+ 6 gxf3!?> Najer's specialty. The routine 6 Qxf3 d6 7 h3 Be7 is harmless. <6…d6> White develops quickly after 6 ... c6 7 d4. More challenging is 6 ... Bc5, but 7 f4 d6 8 Rg1 causes trouble. <7 d4 Be6 8 d5 Bh3> In 2005, Mamedyarov suffered against Najer with 8 ... Bd7 9 f4 exf4 10 Bxf4 g6 11 Qd2 Bg7 12 0-0-0: E Najer vs Mamedyarov, 2005 <9 f4 exf4 10 Bxf4 Nd7 11 Rg1> Already, Black has severe development problems. <11…Qc8 12 Qf3 Nb6 13 Bb3 h5 14 Qe3> Or 14 e5. <14…f6 15 Qd3 a5 16 a4 Bd7 17 0-0-0 Kf7?!> Losing. After 17 ... g5, not so clear is 18 e5 Bf5, but 18 Be3 Be7 19 Bd4 increases the pressure. <18 e5! fxe5 19 Qg6+ Kg8 20 Ne4 Qd8 21 Bxe5!> Setting up 22 Nf6+. Another method is 21 Bg5 Be7 22 Bf6! Rh7 23 Bxe7 Qxe7 24 Nf6+. <21…Bg4 22 Nf6+ Qxf6 23 Bxf6 Rh6> Or 23 ... Bxd1 24 Bxg7. <24 Qxh6, 1-0.> The ending is easy after 24 ... gxh6 25 f3 Kf7 26 fxg4. <US Women's Championship (2007) > #2: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 Nc6> Less common than 4 ... c5 or 4 ... d5. <5 Nf3 d6 6 Bd2 0-0 7 a3 Bxc3 8 Bxc3 Qe7 9 e3 e5 10 d5> White has a useful advantage in space. Nb8 11 Be2 Ne8 Probably expecting 12 0-0 f5. Other plans begin with 11 ... Bg4 and 11 ... c6. <12 h3> Sneaky! <12…f5 13 g4! f4> Neither 13 ... e4? 14 Nd4 nor 13 ... fxg4?! 14 hxg4 g6 15 Nd2 helps, but 13 ... c5!? may improve. <14 0-0-0 a5 15 exf4! Rxf4 16 Bd2 Rf8 17 Ng5 Nf6 18 Bd3> Forcing a serious weakness. After 18 ... g6 19 Rde1 Qg7 20 Rhf1, White will break through with f2-f4. <18…h6 19 Nh7 Nxh7 20 Bxh7+ Kh8 21 Be3 Nd7 22 Rhg1> Next g4-g5 will expose Black's King. <22…c6 23 Kb1 b5?> Yielding a pawn distracts White only momentarily from her Kingside attack. Black's last hope was 23 ... cxd5 24 cxd5 Nf6 25 Bg6 Bd7 26 g5 hxg5 27 Bxg5 Be8. <24 dxc6 Nf6 25 Bg6 bxc4 26 Qxc4 Be6 27 Qe2 Nd5 28 g5> Not minding 28 ... Nxe3 29 fxe3. <28…Rab8 29 Rc1 Nf4 30 Bxf4 Rxf4 31 gxh6 gxh6 32 Bd3 Qa7> If 32 ... Rh4, White wins on the Queenside with 33 c7 Rc8 34 Qc2 Rxh3 35 Ba6. <33 c7 Rbf8 34 Qh5 R4f6 35 Rg6, 1-0.> <Staunton Memorial (2007) > #3: <1 e4 c5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 f4 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Bb5 Nd4 6 0-0 a6 7 Bd3> The awkward placement of this Bishop negates White's lead in development. <7…b5> Or 7…d6. <8 Nxd4 Bxd4+> After 8…cxd4 9 Ne2 d6, White gets the edge with 10 c3 dxc3 11 dxc3. <9 Kh1 Bb7?!> Natural, but Black should pause for 9…d6. 10 e5! Cutting off the retreat of Black's KB. <Ra7?!> Weak unless White falls for 11 Ne2?? Qa8. White would treat 10…d5?! roughly by 11 Nxb5! axb5 12 Bxb5+ Kf8 13 c3, but 10…d6 11 Nxb5 dxe5 survives. <11 Be4! Bxc3> The superior 11…c4 12 Bxb7 Rxb7 13 Ne2 Bb6 14 d4 gives Black a lifeless position, so Van Wely gambles on complications. <12 Bxb7 Bxb2> Similar is 12…Bxd2 13 Bxd2 Rxb7 14 f5. <13 Bxb2 Rxb7 14 f5!> Black is lost. He has an extra pawn but faces an invasion on the f-file. <14…Nh6> After 14…gxf5 15 e6 Nf6 16 Bxf6 exf6 17 exf7+, Black's loose pawns will fall quickly. <15 Qf3 Qb6 16 e6!> Inviting 16…0-0 17 f6!, when 17…fxe6 18 fxe7 Rxf3 19 e8Q+ and 17…Nf5 18 fxe7 Re8 19 Qc3! end it. f6 Nor can Black stand 16…Rf8 17 fxg6 hxg6 18 Bg7 or 16…Rg8 17 exf7+ Nxf7 18 fxg6 Qxg6 19 Qxb7. <17 fxg6 hxg6> If 17…dxe6, White grabs material by 18 g7 Rg8 19 Qh5+ Nf7 20 Qxh7. <18 Bxf6! exf6> Black loses only a pawn with 18…Rf8 19 Qg3 Rxf6 20 Rxf6 exf6 21 Qxg6+ Ke7 22 exd7 Rxd7 23 Qxh6, but that decides the outcome. <19 Qxf6 Rg8 20 Rae1> Threatening both 21 exd7+ and 21 Qf7+. <20…d5 21 Qg5!> Seeing the crushers 21…Rh7 22 Rf7! and 21…Nf5 22 Rxf5. <21…Re7 22 Qxh6 Qa5> Black drops a Rook by 22…Rxe6 23 Qh7! Rf8 24 Qxg6+ Kd7 25 Qg7+. <23 Rf6 Qxa2 24 Rxg6 Rf8 25 Qxf8+!, 1-0.> A sparkling upset of the best Dutch player. <French Championship (2007) > #4: <1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 d6 8 c3 0-0 9 h3 Bb7 10 d4 Re8 11 Nbd2 Bf8 12 a3 Nb8?> A standard maneuver, mistimed. Either 12. . . h6 or 12. . . g6 is fine. <13 Ng5> Several 1980s games tested another powerful response, 13 dxe5 dxe5 14 Ng5 Re7 15 Nxf7 Rxf7 16 Nf3. <13…Re7> After 13. . . d5, White can gain a pawn by 14 exd5 exd4 15 Rxe8 Qxe8 16 d6 Bd5 17 dxc7 Nbd7 18 Nxh7!? Kxh7 19 Bxd5 Nxd5 20 Qh5+ or simply attack with 14 dxe5 Rxe5 15 Ndf3 Re7 16 e5 Ne8 17 Qd3 g6 18 e6. <14 Ndf3 exd4?!> From bad to worse. Nor does Black have much hope after 14. . . Nc6?! 15 Nxf7 Rxf7 16 Ng5 d5 17 Nxf7 (not 17 exd5? Na5!) Kxf7 18 Bg5. Only the ugly 14. . . h6 15 dxe5 hxg5 16 exf6 gxf6 keeps him alive. <15 Nxf7! Rxf7 16 Ng5 d5 17 Nxf7> Convincing. Not so clear is 17 e5?! Re7. <17…Kxf7 18 e5 Ne8> Else Black loses too much material. <19 Qf3+ Kg8 20 Bg5! Qxg5> Or 20. . . Qd7 21 e6. <21 Bxd5+ Bxd5 22 Qxd5+ Kh8 23 Qxa8 Qd8> Three pieces sometimes can fight two Rooks, but not when they are stuck on the back rank. <24 Rad1 c6> If 24. . . c5, White can pick off another pawn by 25 cxd4 cxd4 26 Qa7. <25 Rxd4 Qc8> Allowing the cutest finish. White dispatches 25. . . Qc7 most forcefully by 26 Red1 Be7 27 e6! Nd6 28 Rxd6 Bxd6 29 Rxd6 Qxd6 30 e7 Qe5 31 Qb7, or 27. . . Nf6 28 Rd7 Nxd7 29 Rxd7 Qf4 30 g3! Qe5 31 Rxe7. <26 Red1 Be7 27 Qa7! Nc7> Or 27. . . Bg5 28 Qf7 h6 29 Rd8! Bxd8 30 Qxe8+. <28 Qb7!, 1-0.> #5: <1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 4 c3 Nf6 5 d3> The restrained modern treatment of the Giuoco Piano. The ancient 5 d4 exd4 6 cxd4 Bb4+ 7 Nc3 Nxe4 has been analyzed to exhaustion. <5…d6 6 Nbd2 0-0 7 Bb3 a6 8 Nf1> Or 8 0-0. <8…d5> Sharpest. <9 exd5 Nxd5 10 Ng3 Nf6> To restrain d3-d4. If 10. . . f6 11 0-0 Be6 12 Be3, White will soon advance d3-d4. <11 0-0 h6 12 Be3 Bxe3 13 fxe3 Re8 14 Nh4 Be6 15 Nhf5 Bxb3?!> An uncharacteristic slip from a veteran GM and former Soviet champion. Black would remain nearly equal after the correct 15 . . . e4 16 d4 Na5, welcoming 17 Bxe6? fxe6. <16 Qxb3!> Creating deadly threats on the f-file. White can refute 16 . . . Rb8? by 17 Nxg7! Kxg7 18 Rxf6!, anticipating 18 . . . Kxf6 19 Rf1+ Kg7 20 Qxf7+ Kh8 21 Rf6. And 16 . . . Qxd3? permits 17 Nxh6+! gxh6 18 Rxf6, when 18 . . . Qxe3+ 19 Kh1 Nd8 loses to 20 Rg6+! and 21 Nf5. <16…Re6!> The only defense. <17 Qxb7 Ra7> To recover the pawn. Black's King is safer after 17 . . . Rb8 18 Qxa6 Rxb2, but 19 Qc4 keeps the extra pawn. <18 Qb3 Qxd3 19 Rad1 Qb5 20 Qc2 Rb7?> Black had to find one more good move, 20 . . . e4!, to hold White to a small advantage. <21 Ne4!> Eliminating the Knight at f6 leaves Black helpless. <21…Ne8> If 21 . . . Qxb2 22 Nxf6+, Black must lose a Knight to 22 . . . Rxf6 23 Ne7+! Kf8 24 Qxb2 Rxb2 25 Rxf6 gxf6 26 Nxc6 or his Queen to 22 . . . gxf6 23 Qe4 Qe2 24 Qh4 h5 25 Qg3+ Qg4 26 Nh6+. If Black instead guards his back rank by 21 . . . Nxe4 22 Qxe4 Rb8, White invades with 23 Rd7. A pretty possibility is 23 . . . Nd4 24 Rxf7! Ne2+ 25 Kh1 Nxc3 26 Nxh6+! Rxh6 27 Qg4 g6 28 Rf8+! Rxf8 29 Qe6+, mating. <22 Qf2 Kh7> After 22 . . . f6 23 Qg3 Kf7, most persuasive is the flashy 24 a4! Qc4 25 Rd7+ Ne7 26 Nxf6!, with the surprising finish 26 . . . gxf6 27 Nxh6+ Kf8 28 Qg8+! Nxg8 29 Rf7 mate. <23 Nxh6!, 1-0.> Black cannot avoid mate after 23 . . . Kxh6 24 Qh4+ Kg6 25 Rf5! or 23 . . . gxh6 24 Qxf7+ Ng7 25 Rd7 Ne7 26 Rxe7 Rxe7 27 Nf6+. <Russia - China Match (2007) > #6: <1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 c4 c6 4 Nc3 dxc4 5 a4 Bf5 6 Ne5> Almost as popular as the main line, 6 e3 e6 7 Bxc4 Bb4. <6…e6 7 f3 c5> Lately, Black has shied away from the piece sacrifice 7…Bb4 8 e4 Bxe4 9 fxe4 Nxe4, as 10 Bd2 Qxd4 11 Nxe4 has scored well for White. <8 e4 cxd4> Kramnik prefers 8…Bg6. <9 exf5 Bb4 10 Bxc4 dxc3 11 Qxd8+ Kxd8 12 Nxf7+!> This new idea involves a Rook sacrifice. Earlier games showed that Black can survive 12 Ke2 cxb2 13 Bxb2 Ke7. <12…Ke8 13 bxc3 Bxc3+ 14 Ke2 Bxa1> Black's King is the target after 14…Kxf7 15 fxe6+ Kg6 16 Bd3+ Kh5 17 h4! Bxa1 18 Bf5! (intending 19 g4+) or 15…Ke8 16 Rb1 b6 17 Ba3. The latter variation might continue 17…Nc6 18 Bb5 Rc8 19 Rhd1, threatening 20 Rbc1 or 20 Rd6. <15 fxe6! Rg8 16 Ba3> White has only a pawn for the Rook, but he is winning. Black's Rooks are particularly ineffective. <16…Bd4 17 Rb1> Even stronger is 17 Rd1. If 17…Nc6, White's Knight runs wild with 18 Nd6+ Kd8 19 Nb5 Ke8 20 Nxd4 Rd8 21 Nf5 Rxd1 22 Kxd1 g6 23 Nd6+ Kd8 24 e7+ Nxe7 25 Nxb7+ Kd7 26 Bxg8. Or, if 17…Bb6 18 Nd6+ Kd8, either 19 a5 or 19 e7+ Kxe7 20 Ne4+ gains material. <17…b6 18 Bb5+ Nbd7 19 Bc6> Another way is 19 Rd1 Bc5 20 Bxc5 bxc5 21 Ne5. <19…Rc8> Heading for an ending with a pawn less. However, 19…Rb8 20 Kd3! Bf2 21 Ne5 seems just as bad. <20 Nd6+ Ke7 21 Nxc8+ Kxe6 22 Nxa7> White's brilliant novelty has netted a reward of one pawn. Exploiting it won't be easy. <22…Ne5> At last, Black's pieces are working. <23 Rd1 Nxc6 24 Nxc6 Be5> White's task is tougher after 24…Bc5 25 Bxc5 (perhaps 25 Nd4+ improves) bxc5 because of his misplaced Knight. There is no clear path to victory after 26 a5 Ra8 or 26 Nd8+ Ke7 27 Nb7 c4 28 a5 Ra8. <25 Nd8+! Kf5 26 g4+ Kg6 27 h4 h6 28 h5+ Kh7> A safe hideout, but White has made progress. <29 Kf2 Re8 30 Nc6 Bf4 31 Bd6> Exchanges favor White. <31…Re6 32 Bxf4 Rxc6 33 Rd4 Rc5 34 Ke2 Kg8 35 Kd3 Kf7 36 Bd2 Rc7 37 Be3 Ra7 38 Rc4 Nd5 39 Bd2 Nc7> Dreaming of …b7-b5, exchanging the Queenside pawns. <40 Rf4+ Ke6 41 Re4+ Kd7 42 Be3 Nd5 43 Bd4 Kd6?!> A mistake, but 43…Kc6 44 Re8! Rxa4 45 Bxg7 or 44…Rf7 45 Kc4 Nc7 46 Rb8 would cost Black a second pawn. <44 Be5+! Kc6 45 Rc4+, 1-0.> <Russian Championship Higher League (2007) > #7: <1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 b5 6 Bb3 Bc5 7 a4 Rb8> Or 7…Bb7. <8 c3 d6 9 d4 Bb6 10 a5!?> Inviting 10…Nxa5 11 Rxa5 Bxa5 12 dxe5, when 12…dxe5 gives back material to 13 Qxd8+ Kxd8 14 Nxe5. Critical is 12…Ng4 13 Bg5 f6 14 exf6 gxf6 15 Bh4, with fair compensation for the exchange. <Ba7 11 h3 0-0 12 Be3 exd4!?> Liveliest, although it abandons his strong point at e5. <13 cxd4 d5> Reasonable, but 13…Nxe4!? 14 Bd5 Qe8 may improve. Then 15 Qc2? Nb4 16 Qxe4 Qxe4 17 Bxe4 f5 favors Black. Less clear is 15 Re1. <14 e5 Ne4 15 Nc3 Nxc3 16 bxc3 Ne7 17 Bg5 f6?> Underestimating the danger to his King. White's advantage is insignificant after 17…Be6. <18 exf6 gxf6 19 Bh6 Rf7> Best. After 19…Re8 20 Re1 c6, White creates threats with 21 Nh4!, intending 22 Qf3. <20 Re1 c6 21 Nh4 Ng6> If 21…Nf5 22 Qg4+ Ng7, then 23 Qg3 Rbb7 24 Bc2 threatens 25 Bxh7+. <22 Qh5 Nxh4> No better is 22…Nf8 23 Re3. <23 Qxh4 Rbb7?!> Hoping to trade all the Rooks. Black lasts longer with 23…Bf5, although 24 Re3 Qd7 25 Rae1 is very unpleasant. <24 Bd1!> The refutation. <24…Rbe7> Similar is 24…Rfe7 25 Bh5, threatening 26 Qxf6 Rxe1+ 27 Rxe1 Qxf6 28 Re8+. If 25…Qd6, White infiltrates with 26 Bf4 Qd8 27 Be5! fxe5 28 Qg5+ Kh8 29 Qf6+ Kg8 30 Bf7+ Rxf7 31 Qxd8+. <25 Bh5 Rxe1+ 26 Rxe1 Re7> Black seems on the verge of escaping. <27 Re5!!> A spectacular way to set up 28 Qxf6. Also 27 Re6!! Bxe6 28 Qxf6, intending 29 Bf7+, wins. <27…fxe5> Sidestepping the prettier variations 27…Qd6 28 Qg3+ Kh8 29 Bg7+! and 27…Rxe5 28 dxe5 Kh8 29 Bf7! Qe7 30 Qxf6+ Qxf6 31 exf6 d4 32 Bg7 mate. <28 Qg5+, 1-0.> It's mate after 28…Kh8 29 Bf7. <Asian Individual Championship (2007) > #8: <1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Bd3 Na6 7 0-0 c5 8 d5> Now the position resembles a Benoni. White has more space and good chances to attack on the Kingside. <Nc7 9 Qe1 e6> Central counterplay, the approved strategy. If Black aims for …b7-b5 with 9…Bd7, then 10 a4 a6 11 a5 gives White time for Qe1-h4 and f4-f5. <10 dxe6 fxe6> Not attractive is 10…Bxe6 11 f5 Bd7 because 12 Qh4 Bc6 13 Bg5 develops quickly and pins Black's best defender. <11 e5! Nfd5?! > Black must accept a small disadvantage by 11…Ne8 12 Be3 b6. <12 Ne4 Nxf4> Black chooses the most aggressive moves and gets clobbered. However, neither 12…Ne8 13 Bb5 nor 12…dxe5 13 fxe5 b6 14 Bg5 would fare much better. <13 Bxf4 Rxf4 14 Nxd6 Nd5 15 Qg3> Welcoming 15…Bxe5? 16 Nxe5 Rxf1+ 17 Rxf1 Qxd6 because 18 Bxg6! will mate. <Qf8 16 Rae1 Ne7?! > White handles the superior 16…Bd7 with 17 Ng5!, threatening 18 Nxh7. Then 17…Bxe5 18 Rxe5 Rxf1+ 19 Bxf1 Qxd6 looks miserable, as 20 Nxh7! Kg7 (or 20…Kxh7 21 Rh5+) 21 Bd3 Ne7 22 Ng5 attacks relentlessly. <17 Ng5! Rxf1+ 18 Rxf1 Nf5> Plausible, until one spots White's devastating reply. <19 Bxf5 gxf5 20 Rxf5!, Black Resigns.> White anticipates 20…exf5 21 Qb3+ or 20…Qd8 21 Rf7. The winner is 14 years old. <European Club Cup (2007) > #9: <1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 g3 Bg7 6 Bg2 Nb6 7 d4 Nc6 8 e3 e5> Direct. Lately Black has experimented with 8. . . 0-0 9 0-0 Re8, delaying . . . e7-e5. <9 d5 Ne7 10 e4 Bg4 11 h3 Bxf3 12 Qxf3 c6 13 0-0 cxd5> Consistent, but slightly inferior to 13. . . 0-0 14 Rd1 cxd5. Then 15 Nxd5 Nexd5 16 exd5 Qd6 17 Qb3 Rfc8 18 Bd2 Bf8! keeps control of the blockade square d6. <14 Nxd5 Nexd5> Black should vary with 14. . . Nbxd5 15 exd5 Nf5, eyeing d6. <15 exd5 0-0 16 Qb3 Qd6 17 Bd2! Rfc8 18 Bb4 Qd7 19 d6> The d-pawn is isolated but very strong. <19…Rc4 20 a4 e4> Black tries to bury White's KB. Not 20. . . a5?! 21 Ba3 Qd8 because either 22 Bd5! Rxa4 23 Bxf7+ Kh8 24 Rac1 or 22 Rad1 Rb8 23 Bd5! wins for White. <21 Rfd1> Avoiding 21 a5? Qb5. <21…Rd8 22 Bf1 Rd4> After 22. . . Rcc8 23 a5 Na8 24 Re1 Re8 25 Qa4!, White's Bishops and passed d-pawn will overwhelm Black. <23 a5 Nc8 24 Rxd4 Bxd4 25 Rd1 Be5 26 Qd5! Bxd6> Black accomplishes the hypermodern dream of annihilating White's pawn center, yet lands in a lost position. However, 26. . . Bxb2 fares no better, as 27 Bb5 Qxh3 28 Qxe4 a6 29 d7 axb5 30 Qe8+ leads to mate. <27 Qxe4> The pin on the d-file is decisive. Black cannot survive 27. . . Qc6? 28 Qxc6 bxc6 29 Ba6 or 27. . . Qe7? 28 Rxd6! Qxe4 29 Rxd8+ Kg7 30 Bc3+ Kh6 31 Rxc8. <27…Qa4> If 27. . . Qc7, then 28 Bc3 threatens 29 Qd4, invading on the long diagonal. A bit tougher is 27. . . f6!? 28 a6! bxa6 29 Bxa6 Qa4, but 30 Be2 leaves Black's pieces uncoordinated and vulnerable. <28 Qd4 Ne7> Both 28. . . Be7 29 Qxd8+ and 28. . . Qxb4 29 Qxb4 cost too much material. <29 b3!> Not falling for 29 Bxd6? Qxd4 30 Rxd4 Nf5. <29…Qxb3 30 Bc3 Kf8 31 Bc4!> Winning the Queen or mating. <31…Qa4 32 Qh8+ Ng8 33 Qg7+, 1-0.> #10: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Ba6 5 b3 c6> Instead of 5…Bb4+ 6 Bd2 Be7. 6 Bg2 Bb4+ Now 6…d5 is more common. <7 Nbd2> The players have conspired to reach a fresh position after only seven moves. <7…d5 8 0-0 0-0 9 Qc2 c5 10 dxc5 Bxc5> Correct. After 10…bxc5, White secures an edge with either 11 Bb2 or 11 Rd1. <11 Bb2 Nc6 12 a3 Bb7 13 cxd5 exd5?!> Obtaining an inferior version of the isolated d-pawn, as White will seize control of d4. Instead, 13…Nxd5 14 b4 Be7 15 e4 Nf6 16 b5 Na5 maintains equality. If 17 Rfd1 Qd7!, White has to watch the pawn at b5. <14 b4 Be7 15 Rac1 Re8 16 Rfd1 Bd6 17 e4!?> Very imaginative. Standard strategy, with 17 e3 or 17 Qd3, suffices for a tangible advantage, but Mamedyarov wants more. <17…Rc8> Black would lose a piece by 17…dxe4? 18 Nc4! exf3 19 Nxd6 Qe7 20 Nxb7. <18 Qb1 Nxe4 19 Nxe4 dxe4> Forced. After 19…Rxe4? 20 Rxd5 Re6, Black could stand 21 Bh3? Ne5!, but 21 Rcd1 is decisive. For example, 21 Rcd1 Qe7 22 Ng5 Rg6 loses to 23 Rxd6! Qxg5 24 Rd7 Ba8 25 Bd5 Nd8 26 Bxa8 Rxa8 27 f4!, chasing the Queen from defending d8. 20 Nh4 g6? This should lose. Black must risk 20…Ne7 21 Rxc8 Nxc8 22 Nf5 f6, although White has ample compensation. <21 Bxe4 Qe7 22 Bd5!> Threatening 23 Nxg6. The Bishops are deadly. <22…Kf8> White refutes 22…Be5 by 23 Nxg6! hxg6 24 Qxg6+ Kf8 25 Qh6+ Kg8 26 Rc4! Nd4 27 Rcxd4 Bxd4 28 Bxd4. <23 Rc2?> Keeping the advantage but missing the crushing 23 Nf5!! gxf5 24 Qxf5. Then 24…Be5 25 Bxe5 Nxe5 26 Qxh7 Qf6 27 Bxb7 is simple enough, but 24…Ne5 25 Qxh7 Qd7 requires White to find the intricate sequence 26 Qh6+ Kg8 27 Rxc8 Bxc8 28 Be4! Qh3! 29 Bh7+! (Black wins after 29 Qxd6?? Ng4 and 29 Rxd6?? Nf3+) Kh8 30 Rxd6. <23…Be5 24 Re2 Qc7 25 Rde1 f6> Ugly, but 25…Bxb2 26 Qxb2 Rxe2 lets White send Black's King on a one-way journey by 27 Qh8+! Ke7 28 Rxe2+ Kd6 29 Qf6+! Kxd5 30 Nf3. <26 Nf3 Rcd8 27 Be4?> White must settle for 27 Nxe5 Nxe5 28 Bxb7 Qxb7 29 Bxe5 Rxe5 30 Rxe5 fxe5, when 31 Rxe5?! Qf3 isn't clear but 31 Qb2! Rd5 32 Qc3! soon picks off the e-pawn. <27…Nd4!> Alertly equalizing. <28 Bxd4 Bxd4 29 Bxb7 Rxe2 30 Rxe2 Qxb7 31 Qb3 Rd6!> To answer 32 Rd2 solidly by 32…Be5 33 Rxd6 Bxd6 34 Nd4 Be5 35 Ne6+ Ke7. <32 h4 b5?!> With 32…Qd7 33 h5 Kg7, Black would escape. <33 Rd2 Be5 34 Rxd6 Bxd6 35 Nd4> The Queen and Knight cooperate well, and e6 is a target. Although White's advantage is small, Mamedyarov will outplay his formidable opponent a second time. <35…Be5> Probably 35…a6 36 Qe6 Be5 improves. <36 Ne6+ Ke7 37 Nc5 Qc8> Only this retreat prevents an invasion at e6 or g8. <38 Qd5 a6 39 h5! gxh5> From this point, it's doubtful if Black can hold. However, after 39…Bd6 40 h6, White has the constant threat to get his Queen to h7. <40 Qe4 Qg4 41 Qxh7+ Ke8 42 Qh8+ Kf7 43 Qh7+ Ke8 44 Kg2! Bd6> Hoping for 45 Nxa6?? Bxg3 46 fxg3 Qe2+, drawing. White refutes the immediate 44…Bxg3? by 45 f3!, safely winning the Bishop. <45 Ne4 Be7 46 f3 Qe6 47 Qxh5+ Kd7 48 Nf2> Converting the extra pawn will take dozens of precise moves. <48…Qb3 49 Qf5+ Kc7 50 Qf4+> Another way is 50 Qh7 Kd8 51 Qd3+. <50…Bd6 51 Qc1+ Kd7 52 Ne4 Qa2+ 53 Kh3 Qe6+ 54 Kg2 Qa2+ 55 Kf1 Be5> After 55…Qh2 56 Qd1, Black must trade Queens. <56 Nc5+ Ke7 57 Qd1! Qc4+> If 57…Bd6, White makes progress with 58 Qe1+ (not 58 Qe2+? Qxe2+ 59 Kxe2, as 59…Bxc5 60 bxc5 Ke6 draws) Kf7 59 Ne4 Be5 60 Qe3. <58 Kg2 Bd4 59 Nxa6 Qa2+> Both 59…Be3 and 59…Bb6 lead to 60 Nc5 Bxc5 61 bxc5 Qxc5 62 Qd3, a Queen ending White can win with patience and care. <60 Kh3 Qe6+ 61 g4 Qe3?!> Also 61…Qc4?! 62 Nc7! leaves White two pawns ahead. Black lasts longest with 61…Qxa6 62 Qxd4 Qxa3. <62 Nc7 Qh6+ 63 Kg2 Be5 64 Nxb5 Qh2+ 65 Kf1> Welcoming 65…Bg3 66 Qe2+. <65…Kf8 66 Qe2 Qh1+ 67 Kf2 Qc1> White's King is safe after 67…Qh2+ 68 Ke3 Qf4+ 69 Kd3. <68 Qd3 Kg7> Black could set the trap 68…Qb2+ 69 Ke3?? Bf4+! 70 Kxf4 Qe5 mate. However, White should evade checks by 69 Kf1 Qa1+ 70 Ke2 Qb2+ 71 Qd2, or 70…Qa2+ 71 Ke3. <69 Nd4 Qb2+ 70 Ne2, 1-0.> A very high quality battle, despite a few mistakes. 10 games, 2007 Annotations v.07: Misc. IV <World Junior Championship (2007) > #1: <Corsica Masters (2007) > #2: <1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 e6 5 Bg5 h6 6 Bh4 dxc4 7 e4 b5 8 e5 g5 9 Bg3> An obscure sideline. Usually White plays 9 Nxg5 hxg5 10 Bxg5. <9…Nd5 10 Nd2 Nd7 11 Be2 Bb7 12 a4 Qb6 13 Nde4> White's easy development and strong center gives him some compensation, but Black's position appears satisfactory. a5 Rejecting 13 ... b4?! because 14 a5! Qc7 15 a6 Bc8 16 Nb1 soon recovers the gambit pawn. <14 0-0 Rd8> Here or next move, Black should develop his Bishop to e7. Note that 14 ... 0-0-0?! lets White open lines with 15 axb5 cxb5 16 b3. <15 Bh5 b4?> One slip gives White an overwhelming attack. <16 Qg4! Nc7> Black cannot defend e6 with 16 ... c5?, as 17 Nd6+! Bxd6 18 Qxe6+ mates. Nor does 16 ... Ke7 17 Qf3 Rh7 help. For example, White can break through after 18 Nxd5+ cxd5 19 Nd6 f5 by 20 Bg6 Rg7 21 Qh5 Rg8 (else 22 Qxh6) 22 Bf7 Rg7 23 Qxh6! Rxf7 24 Qxg5+, winning. <17 Nd6+ Bxd6 18 exd6> As 18 ... bxc3 19 dxc7 threatens e6 again. <18…Nf6 19 Qf3 Nxh5 20 dxc7 Rxd4> More solid is 20 ... Rc8, but Black has little chance to survive. <21 Qxh5 bxc3 22 bxc3 Rd3 23 Rab1 Qa6 24 Be5 Rh7 25 f4!> Adding the last Rook to the attack. <25…c5> White refutes 25 ... Rd5 amusingly by 26 fxg5 Rxe5 27 g6! Rxh5 28 gxh7. <26 fxg5 Rd2> Or 26 ... Qc6 27 Rxb7! Qxb7 28 g6. <27 Rxb7 Qxb7 28 Qf3 Rd5> If 28 ... Qxf3, most persuasive is 29 Rxf3 Kd7 30 g6! fxg6 31 Rf8. <29 g6!, 1-0.> <European Team Championship (2007) > #3: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 e4 Nxc3 6 bxc3 Bg7 7 Bc4 0-0 8 Ne2 c5 9 Be3 Nc6 10 0-0 Bd7> Less forcing than the popular alternatives 10…Qc7 and 10 …Bg4. <11 Rb1 Qc7 12 Bd3 Rad8 13 Qc2 Na5 14 dxc5 Be6> Possibly 14…e5 15 Rfd1 Be6 improves. <15 c4 Nc6> White's extra pawn appears worthless, but just wait! <16 Nf4 Bc8> Very uncomfortable is 16 …Nd4 17 Qa4! Be5 18 Nd5!, when 18…Bxh2+ 19 Kh1 Qe5 20 Qd1! prevents .ƒ|.ƒ|. Qe5-h5 and menaces f2-f4. <17 Nd5 Qd7 18 f4!> Sharper and probably stronger than 18 Rfd1 <18…e6 19 Nc3. e6 19 Rfd1 Kh8 20 Be2 exd5 21 cxd5> The staunchest hypermodern would fear White's pawn center. <21…Ne7 22 Bf3 Qe8 23 Qb3> White has no direct threat yet. He may increase the pressure by g2-g4 and e4-e5, or he could consider 24 Qa3 a6 25 c6!? bxc6 26 Bc5. <23…g5!?> To control e5. Not clear is 24 fxg5 Ng6. <24 f5 h6 25 g4 Ng8 26 Kg2 Nf6 27 Bf2 Nd7 28 Qa3 a6 29 h4 Bf6 30 hxg5 hxg5?> Letting White use the h-file. The outcome remains in doubt after 30…Bxg5 <31 Bg3 Ne5.> 31 Bg3 Ne5 Also insufficient is 31…Be5, as 32 c6! bxc6 33 dxc6 Bxg3 34 cxd7 costs material. White would refute 32 c6! Nf6 convincingly by 33 Rh1+ Nh7 (or 33…Kg7 34 Qe3) 34 c7! Rd6 35 Bxe5+ Qxe5 36 Rb6!, relying on 36…Rxb6 37 Qxf8 mate. <32 Rb6!! Nc4> Or 32…Kg7 33 Rxf6! Kxf6 34 Qc3. Black cannot save the pinned Knight because White threatens both 35 Rh1 and 35 d6, followed by 36 Rd5. <33 Qb3?!> Not bad, but White could win in spectacular fashion by 33 Rh1+ Kg8 34 Rxf6! Nxa3 35 Rfh6, intending 36 f6 and 37 Rh8 mate. If 33…Kg7, then 34 Qc1 Nxb6 35 e5! decides. <33…Nxb6 34 Qxb6 Kg7> The only chance. Black could not stand 34…Qe7 35 e5! Bxe5 36 Qh6+ Kg8 37 Bxe5 Qxe5 38 f6 or 34…Bg7 35 Rh1+ Kg8 36 f6 Bh8 37 Qb1! Bxf6 38 e5. <35 Rh1 Qb5> There is no time for 35…Rh8, as 36 e5! Bxe5 37 Rxh8 Kxh8 38 Qh6+ attacks. <36 Qxb5 axb5 37 e5 Bxe5> Or 37…Be7 38 d6. <38 Bxe5+ f6 39 Bc7 Rde8> Black has enough material, but he still cannot activate his pieces. White is winning. <40 d6 Re3 41 Rd1 Rf7 42 Bb6 Re5> Tougher is 42…Rxf3 43 Kxf3 Bd7. <43 Kf2 Kf8 44 Rh1 Kg8 45 a3 Rg7 46 Rh6 Rf7 47 c6> Also good is 47 Bd8 Rxc5 48 Bxf6 Rh7 49 Rg6+. <47…bxc6 48 Bd4 Bd7> Avoiding 48…Re8 49 Bxc6 Bd7 50 Bd5. <49 Bxe5 fxe5> Equal material, but White will invade. <50 Bd1 c5 51 Bf3 Rf8 52 Bd5+ Kg7 53 Rg6+ Kh7 54 Ke3 b4 55 axb4 cxb4 56 Re6> Welcoming 56…Bxe6 57 fxe6. <56…Rd8 57 Re7+, 1-0.> After 57…Kh6, both 58 Ke4 and 58 Be4 win quickly. #4: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 7 g4 h6> Declining the piece sacrifice 7 . . . e5 8 Nf5 g6 9 g5 gxf5 10 exf5, which scores well for White. <8 Bg2 e5> Changing his mind! The safer 8 . . . Nc6 9 h3 Bd7 almost equalizes. <9 Nf5 g6 10 h3 gxf5 11 exf5 Nc6> Black concentrates on Queenside development. Maybe 11 . . . d5!? 12 Nxd5 Nxd5 13 Bxd5 Nc6 or 13 . . . Be7 works better. <12 Qe2 Qa5 13 0-0-0 Bd7 14 f4 Rc8?!> An unjustified counterattack. Instead, 14 . . . Be7?! walks into 15 g5! hxg5 16 fxg5 Nh5 17 f6, but 14 . . . 0-0-0 seems satisfactory. <15 Kb1 Nb4?! 16 a3 Rxc3> Expecting counterplay from 17 bxc3? Nbd5. <17 axb4 Qxb4> Black welcomes 18 Bd2? Qc4!, as he can refute 19 Qe1 Rxc2 20 fxe5 by 20 . . . Qb3! 21 exf6+ Kd8 22 Bc1 Rxg2. <18 fxe5!> A decisive interpolation. <18…Ba4> Now 18 . . . dxe5? 19 Bd2 is hopeless for Black. <19 exf6! Bxc2+ 20 Qxc2 Rxc2 21 Kxc2> Black has an edge in material only if one counts his buried Rook and Bishop. <21…d5 22 Rxd5 Qa4+ 23 Kb1 Bb4 24 Bc5!> Keeping Black's King in the center, as 24 . . . Bxc5? permits 25 Re1+ Kf8 26 Rd8+. <24…Qb3 25 Re5+ Kd8 26 Bxb4 Qxb4 27 Rc1!, 1-0.> White intends 28 Rd5+ Ke8 29 Rc8 mate. #5: <1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qd8> Instead of the standard 3 . . . Qa5 or the fashionable 3 . . . Qd6. <4 d4 Nf6 5 Bc4> Black has no weaknesses, but he lags in development. His next two moves aggravate the problem. <5…a6 6 Bg5 h6 7 Bxf6 exf6 8 Qh5 g6 9 Qe2+ Be7> Not 9 . . . Qe7?, as 10 Nd5 Qxe2+ 11 Nxe2 costs Black a pawn. <10 0-0-0 0-0 11 h4> White needs to cause trouble before Black catches up in development. <11…h5> Not 11 . . . b5?? because 12 Qe4 hits a8 and g6, but 11 . . . Kg7 12 h5 b5 13 Bd3 f5 is solid. <12 f3 f5> Black thinks he can squelch g2-g4. He could reduce the danger by 12 . . . Kg7 13 g4 Rh8. <13 Nh3!?> Characteristic aggression from Sutovsky, who offers two pawns to launch his attack. <13…b5 14 Bb3 Bxh4 15 g4!? fxg4 16 fxg4> Rejecting 16 Qe4, as 16 . . . Bf5 17 Qxa8 gxh3 gives Black enough compensation. <16…hxg4> Perhaps 16 . . . Bxg4 17 Qe4 Kg7 18 Qxa8 Bxd1 19 Rxd1 c6 improves. White's Queen is out of action and Black's Kingside pawns would be formidable in an endgame. <17 Nf4> Threatening 18 Nxg6 and 18 Qh2. <17…Kg7 18 Qe5+ Bf6 19 Qe4 Bg5!> White refutes 19 . . . Ra7? by 20 Bxf7! Rxf7 21 Rh7+! Kg8 22 Qxg6+ Rg7 23 Rxg7+ Bxg7 24 Re1 Bd7 25 Nh5 Qf8 26 Nd5. Proof of the danger of slow development! <20 Kb1> Again threatening 21 Bxf7. <20…Bf5 21 Nh5+! gxh5> Similar is 21 . . . Kg8 22 Qe5 gxh5 23 Qxf5. <22 Qxf5 Qf6 23 Qe4 Qf3> Black's astute defense has kept the outcome in doubt. He can also consider 23 . . . Nd7 24 Rxh5 Qg6, when 25 Bxf7!? Qxe4 26 Rxg5+ Kxf7 27 Nxe4 Rg8 28 Rg1 limits White to a small endgame advantage. <24 Qe5+ Qf6 25 Qxc7 Qe7?!> He should try to eliminate the Queens by 25 . . . Bf4 26 Qb7 Qc6. Apparently White must settle for 27 Qe7 Qg6 28 Bd5 Nc6 29 Qe4! Qxe4 30 Bxe4 Rac8 31 Rxh5, with activity but no clear cut advantage. <26 Qh2 h4?!> Even the sturdier 26 . . . Rh8 27 Rde1 Qd8 28 Ne4 is very uncomfortable for Black. <27 Qg2 Nd7 28 Qxg4> Material is equal, and White's threats continue. Black cannot survive long. <28…Kh6 29 Nd5 f5> White invades on the open files after 29 . . . Qe6 30 Rxh4+ and 29 . . . Qd8 30 Rdg1 Rg8 31 Nf4. <30 Qxh4+! Bxh4 31 Nxe7 Kh5 32 Rdg1> Threatening 33 Ng6. <32…Rf6 33 Bd5, 1-0.> <Liga de Campeones (2007) > #6: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2. d5 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 Qxc3 Ne4 7 Qc2 c5 8 dxc5 Nc6 9 cxd5> Most common is 9 e3 Qa5+ 10 Bd2 Nxd2 11 Qxd2 dxc4, with even chances. <9…exd5 10 e3> Or 10 Nf3 Bf5 11 b4 d4! 12 g4 Bg6 13 Qc4 d3!, as in Kramnik vs Anand, 1999. <10…Qa5+ 11 b4!?> New. Nxb4 12 axb4 Qxa1 13 Bb5+ Kf8 Also 13 . . . Bd7 14 Bxd7+ Kxd7 15 Ne2 gives White adequate compensation for the exchange. <14 Ne2 a5> Plausible. White would not mind 14 . . . Bf5 15 Qb3. <15 f3 Nf6 16 0-0 Qe5> Probably best, as 16 . . . axb4 17 Bb2 Qa5 18 Ra1 Qxa1+ 19 Bxa1 favors White slightly. <17 e4!?> Black's backward development justifies White's aggression. <17…dxe4 18 Bf4 Qf5> Not 18 . . . Qe6? 19 Rd1 Bd7 because 20 Bxd7 Nxd7 21 Bd6+ Kg8 22 Nf4 Qh6 23 Nd5 f5 24 Nc7 threatens 25 Qc4+ and 25 Nxa8. <19 g4 Qg6> Now 19 . . . Qe6? drops the Queen to 20 Bd6+ Kg8 21 Nf4. <20 Qd2 Be6 21 Bb8!> Relying on 21 . . . Rxb8?? 22 Qd6+. <20…Nd5??> Losing. After 21 . . . Bd5! 22 Nf4 Qh6 23 Bd6+ Kg8, White has nothing better than 24 Nxd5 Qxd2 25 Ne7+ Kf8 26 Ng6+ Kg8 27 Ne7+, drawing. <Casino de Barcelona (2007) > #7: <1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 d5 4 Bg2 Be7 5 0-0 0-0 6 b3 a5 7 Nc3 c6 8 d4 Nbd7 9 Qc2 b6 10 e4 Ba6 11 Nd2> Leaving d4 unguarded. Either 11 e5 Ne8 12 Ne2 or 11 Ne5 Rc8 12 Rd1 improves. <11…c5!?> Much more aggressive than the natural 11 . . . Rc8. <12 exd5?!> Chances remain about even after 12 dxc5 dxc4 13 Nxc4. The sharper alternative 12 e5 Ne8 13 dxc5 Bxc5 14 Rd1 seems adequate too. <12…cxd4 13 Nb5> Ineffective, but 13 d6 Bxd6 14 Bxa8 gives Black too much compensation after 14 . . . dxc3 15 Ne4 Qxa8 16 Nxd6 Ne5 17 Rd1 Rd8. <exd5 14 Nxd4 Rc8 15 Re1> Accepting the loss of the c-pawn. No better is 15 a4, as 15 . . . dxc4 16 Nxc4 Bxc4 17 bxc4 Ne5 wins it anyway. <15…b5!> Avoiding 15 . . . dxc4? 16 Nc6. <16 Bb2 Re8 17 Qd1 bxc4 18 bxc4 Qb6 19 Rb1 dxc4 20 Nc6?> Overlooking a startling Queen sacrifice. White should resist with 20 Bc3 Qc5 21 Qa4 Nb6 22 Qxa5 Qxa5 23 Bxa5 Nbd5 24 Bxd5 Nxd5 25 Re5. <20…Rxc6 21 Bxf6 Qxf2+! 22 Kxf2> Black keeps a material surplus after 22 Kh1 Rxf6 23 Ne4 Qa7. <22…Bc5+ 23 Kf3> Or 23 Kf1 c3+ 24 Re2 c2!, recovering the Queen and more. <Rxf6+ 24 Kg4 Ne5+ 25 Kg5> Nakamura had to foresee 25 Rxe5 Bc8+! (not 25 . . . Rxe5??, as 26 Rb8+ Bf8 27 Ne4 turns the tables) 26 Kh4 Rxe5, mating. <25…Rg6+ 26 Kh5> After 26 Kf5 Bc8+ 26 Ke4, Black wins most quickly with 26 . . . Rd6. <26…f6 27 Rxe5> Allowing mate, but 27 Bd5+ Kh8 28 Kh4 Rh6+ 29 Qh5 loses too much material to 29 . . . g5+. <Rxe5+ 28 Kh4 Bc8!, 0-1.> As 29 Bd5+ Rxd5 30 g4 Rd3! mates in four moves. 8 games, 2007 Annotations v.07: Mtel Masters #1: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 d5 4 Nc3 c6 5 Bg5 h6 6 Bxf6 Qxf6 7 Qb3 Nd7 8 e4 dxe4 9 Nxe4 Qf4 10 Bd3> White leads in development, but Black has a solid position and a pair of Bishops. Chances are nearly even. <10…e5!?> More aggressive than 10 ... Be7. <11 0-0 exd4> Even Topalov, a daring player, does not risk 11 ... f5!? 12 Ng3 e4 13 Rfe1 Kd8 14 Nxe4 fxe4 15 Rxe4 Qf7. But 11 ... Be7 was again safer. <12 Nxd4 Nc5> Consistent, although Black will not manage to castle. It's too late for 12 ... Be7 because 13 Nf5! attacks. <13 Nxc5 Bxc5> Also uncomfortable is 13 ... Qxd4 14 Rfe1+ Be7 15 Qa3. <14 Rae1+ Kf8 15 Re4 Qf6> Planning 16 ... g6 and 17 ... Kg7. Instead, 15 ... Qd6 16 Rfe1 Bd7 17 Nf3 Bf5?! 18 Re7! Qxd3 fails to 19 Rxf7+! Kg8 20 Qxb7. <16 Qc3!> Preventing 16 ... g6 because 17 Ne6+ wins the Queen. <16…a5?!> Topalov is unwilling to admit that his opening has failed and that he should grovel for a draw with 16 ... Bxd4 17 Rxd4 c5 18 Rd5 Qxc3 19 bxc3 Be6 20 Rxc5 Rc8. <17 Rfe1 Bd7 18 R1e3!> Target: f7. <18…Bb4> Not 18 ... Re8 19 Rxe8+ Bxe8 20 Ne6+! fxe6 21 Rf3. The superior 18 ... Kg8 19 Rf3 Qd8 avoids loss of material, but Black's prospects are grim after 20 Nb3 Bf8 21 Qe5. <19 Qc2 Qd6> After 19 ... Re8 20 c5, White threatens to trap the Bishop by 21 a3. <20 Rf3 h5?! 21 c5!> Clearance. <21…Bxc5 22 Bc4 f6> A disastrous weakening of the light squares. However, 22 ... Be8 23 Ne6+ Kg8 24 Nxc5 Qxc5 25 Bxf7+ costs the Queen. <23 Ne6+ Bxe6 24 Rxe6 Qd7> Black cannot stop the invasion. If 24 ... Qc7 25 Qg6 Bd4, White blasts through with 26 Rfxf6+! gxf6 27 Rxf6+ Bxf6 28 Qxf6+ Ke8 29 Qxh8+ Kd7 30 Qxa8. <25 Qf5 Qd4 26 Re4 Qd1+ 27 Bf1> Leaving Black defenseless against the maneuver Rf3-d3-d7. <27…Bd6 28 Rd3 Bxh2+ 29 Kxh2 Qxf1 30 Rd7, 1-0.> #2: <1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 Nc3 0-0 5 e4 d6 6 Be2 e5 7 Be3 Ng4 8 Bg5 f6 9 Bh4> Some prefer 9 Bc1. <9…g5 10 Bg3 Nh6 11 d5> White has also tried 11 c5 and 11 dxe5 dxe5 12 Qd5+. <11…Nd7 12 h3> Rare. The main line is 12 Nd2 f5 13 exf5 Nf6 14 Nde4 Nxe4 15 Nxe4 Bxf5 16 Bd3, keeping control of e4. <12…f5 13 exf5 Nc5! 14 Nd2> White cannot stand 14 b4? e4! 15 Nd4 Nxf5. <14…Bxf5 15 0-0 e4> Thanks to White's hesitation at move 12, Black usurps e4. Nevertheless, chances remain even. <16 Nb3 b6 17 Nd4> Stronger is 17 Re1 Qf6 18 Nxc5 bxc5 19 Bh5! Rab8 20 Qe2, soon exchanging the e-pawn for the b-pawn. <17…Qf6 18 Nc6> An attractive post, but irrelevant to Black's buildup. Tougher is 18 Nxf5 Nxf5 19 Bh2. <18…a5> Next …Ra8-e8 will activate Black's last piece. <19 f4> Hoping to revive the Bishop by 20 fxg5 Qxg5 21 Bf4. Nor does 19 f3 e3 solve White's problems. <19…Bd7! 20 Nb5?> Not too bad is 20 Qc1. <20…Bxc6 21 dxc6 Qxb2 22 Rb1 Qxa2> More than mere pawn grabbing. Watch the Queen threaten g2! <23 Nxc7 Nf5!> Crushing. White could survive 23…Rac8? 24 Nd5 Nf5 25 Bh2. <24 Bf2> Black refutes 24 Bh2 Ne3 25 Qe1 most convincingly by 25…Nd3!, seeing 26 Bxd3 Qxg2 mate. <24…e3 25 Be1 Nd4! 26 Nxa8> As 26 Bg4 e2 loses routinely. <Nxe2+ 27 Kh2 Nxf4 28 Rxf4> Setting a trap. Instead, 28 Rg1 Be5 29 Bg3 fails because of 29…e2 30 Qc1 Ne4. <28…gxf4 29 Rxb6 f3!> The careless 29…Rxa8?? lets White turn the tables with 30 Qd5+ Kh8 31 c7 Rf8 32 Rb8. <30 Qd5+ Ne6!> Accurate! After the natural 30…Kh8 31 Qxf3 Rxf3 32 Rb8+ Rf8 33 Rxf8+ Bxf8 34 c7, Black must work hard to prove a win. <31 Qxe6+ Kh8 32 Qg4 Be5+ 33 Kh1 f2, 0-1.> 2 games, 2007 Annotations v.07: WCC Tournament 2007 #1: <1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 d5 4 d4 dxc4 5 Bg2> Letting Black retain the extra pawn. White could recover it with 5 Qa4+. <5…a6 6 Ne5 Bb4+ 7 Nc3 Nd5 8 0-0!?> A new idea, offering two more pawns. Usual is 8 Bd2 b5 9 0-0 Bxc3 10 bxc3 0-0 11 a4, with about even chances. <8…0-0> Morozevich sensibly rejects the greedy 8. . . Nxc3 9 bxc3 Bxc3 10 Rb1 Qxd4, as White gets ample compensation from 11 Qa4+ b5 12 Qc2. Note that 8. . . b5? would drop the extra pawn, to 9 Nxd5 exd5 10 Nxc4! bxc4 11 Qa4+. <9 Qc2 b5> Again, a good choice in a tricky position undoubtedly analyzed at home by the world champion. The alternatives 9. . . Nb6 10 Rd1 and 9. . . Bxc3 10 bxc3 b5 11 e4 Nb6 12 f4 look more promising for White. <10 Nxd5 exd5 11 b3> Threatening to capture twice on c4. <11…c6 12 e4 f6> Sharpest. Black can also consider 12. . . Be6 and 12. . . Ra7. <13 exd5> White must sacrifice a piece, as 13 Nf3? dxe4 14 Qxe4 Re8 15 Qc2 Be6 gives Black a safe position and the extra pawn. <13…fxe5> Black is committed! Backing out, with 13. . . cxd5 14 bxc4 Bb7 (or 14. . . bxc4 15 Nxc4) 15 Nd3, cedes White an undisputed edge. <14 bxc4 exd4> After 14. . . Bd6 15 dxc6 Ra7 16 c5 Be7 17 d5, White's pawns are more valuable than Black's Knight. <15 dxc6 Be6!?> Welcoming 16 c7 Qxc7 17 Bxa8 bxc4, with plenty for the exchange. Instead, Black could hang on to material by 15. . . Ra7 16 Qb3 Bc3 17 cxb5+ Raf7. Then the plausible 18 b6 Nxc6!? 19 Bxc6 Bxa1 20 Ba3 Bc3 21 Bxf8 Kxf8 22 b7 Bxb7 23 Bxb7 leads to a draw. Another sequence, 15. . . Bc3 16 cxb5 Be6 17 c7 Qxc7 18 Bxa8 d3 19 Qb1 Bxa1 20 Qxa1 axb5, also produces equality. <16 cxb5 d3?> Finally Black goes wrong. The position remains obscure after 16. . . Ra7. <17 c7! Qd4 18 Qa4 Nd7> Not 18. . . Qxa1? 19 Qxb4 or 18. . . d2? 19 Bxd2 Qxd2 20 Bxa8. <19 Be3 Qd6 20 Bxa8 Rxa8 21 Bf4?> Correct is 21 Rc1 or 21 Qxa6. <21…Qf8?> Much tougher is 21...Qd5, setting the trap 22 Qxb4?? Qf3!. <22 b6!> Relying on the double attack 22. . . Nxb6 23 Qc6. <22…Ne5> Trying to swindle his way out of a lost position. <23 Bxe5 Qf3> Threatening 24. . . Bh3. <24 Qd1 Qe4 25 b7> Anticipating 25. . . Qxb7 26 Qxd3 Bh3 27 f3 Bxf1 28 Rxf1, when the c-pawn is decisive. <Rf8 26 c8=Q Bd5 27 f3, 1-0.> #2: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 d5 4 Nc3 c6. 5 Bg5 h6 6 Bh4 dxc4 7 e4 g5> The lines beginning 7 . . . b5 8 e5 g5 9 Nxg5 have been analyzed past move 30. <8 Bg3 b5> A standard modern battleground. Black has an extra pawn, White has quicker development and more central control. <9 Ne5 h5 10 h4 g4 11 Be2 Bb7 12 0-0 Nbd7 13 Qc2 Nxe5 14 Bxe5 Bg7 15 Rad1> Four rounds later, Grischuk tried 15 Bg3 Qxd4 16 Rfd1 against Svidler. <0-0 16 Bg3 Nd7 17 f3?!> This thrust could be timed better with 17 e5 f5 18 exf6 Qxf6 19 f3. Or, if 17 e5 Qb6, then 18 Ne4 c5 19 Ng5 f5 20 exf6 Nxf6 21 Be5 gives White serious threats. <17…c5!?> Anand credited this novelty to his second, Danish GM Peter Heine Nielsen. <18 dxc5> Also reasonable is 18 Nxb5 cxd4 19 Qxc4. <18…Qe7> Black foresees an attack after 19 Bd6 Qxh4 20 fxg4 (not 20 Bxf8?? g3) Nxc5 21 Bxc5? Be5, but White should draw with 21 g3! Qg5 (or 21. . . Qh3 22 Rf2) 22 Bf4 Qe7 23 Bd6 Qg5 24 Bf4. <19 Kh1 a6 20 a4 Bc6 21 Nd5?!> White should settle for a small disadvantage by 21 fxg4 hxg4 22 Bxg4 Nxc5. <21…exd5 22 exd5 Be5!> A subtle idea, both simpler and more effective than the many complicated alternatives. <23 f4> Forced, as 23 Bxe5 permits 23. . . Qxh4+ 24 Kg1 Nxe5, still menacing . . . g4-g3. <23…Bg7> Anand explained that he wanted to keep the Bishop at e2 from working. The best players make chess look so easy! <24 dxc6 Nxc5> Threatening 25 . . . Ne4 26 Be1 g3. <25 Rd5 Ne4 26 Be1 Qe6!> White would parry 26 . . . g3? with 27 Rxh5. <27 Rxh5 f5> Winning. The Rook is doomed. <28 Kh2 Rac8 29 Bb4 Rfe8> Thinking of . . . Ne4-f6. <30 axb5 axb5 31 Re1 Qf7 32 Rg5 Nxg5 33 fxg5 Rxc6 34 Bf1 Rxe1 35 Bxe1 Re6 36 Bc3 Qc7+ 37 g3> After 37 Kg1 Qc5+ 38 Kh2 Bxc3, White cannot stand 39 bxc3 Re1 or 39 Qxc3 Qf2. <37…Re3 38 Qg2 Bxc3 39 bxc3 f4 40 Qa8+ Kg7 41 Qa6 fxg3+, 0-1.> Next 42 . . . Qf7 will end resistance. #3: <1 Nf3 d5 2 d4 Nf6 3 c4 c6 4 Nc3 e6 5 Bg5 h6 6 Bh4 dxc4 7 e4 g5 8 Bg3 b5 9 Be2 Bb7 10 h4 g4 11 Ne5 h5> Reaching the same position as Aronian-Anand. <12 0-0 Nbd7 13 Qc2 Nxe5 14 Bxe5 Bg7 15 Bg3!?> Aronian tried 15 Rad1. <15…Qxd4> Else White follows with 16 e5 and 17 Ne4. <16 Rfd1 Qc5> Hoping to retreat to e7. <17 Bd6 Qb6 18 a4> White's initiative is probably worth two pawns. <18…a6 19 e5 Nd7> After 19…Nd5 20 Ne4, Black has less chance of freeing his QB with …c6-c5. If 20…Bf8 21 a5, neither 21…Qa7 22 b3 cxb3 23 Qxb3 nor 21…Qd8 22 Nf6+ Nxf6 23 Bxf8 Nd5 24 Bg7 Rg8 25 Qh7 Kd7 26 Bf6 Qf8 27 Qxh5 activates Black's pieces. <20 a5 Qa7 21 Ne4 c5> Most logical. Black cannot stand 21…Nxe5?? 22 Bc5 Qb8 23 Nd6+ or 21…Bxe5?? 22 Bxe5 Nxe5 23 Qc3 Ng6 24 Qg7! Rd8 25 Rxd8+ Kxd8 26 Qxf7. But 21…0-0-0!? 22 Be7 (or 22 b3) Bxe5 23 Bxd8 Rxd8 seems playable. Chances are about even after 24 Nd6+ Bxd6 25 Rxd6 c5 26 Rad1 Bd5 27 R1xd5! exd5 28 Qf5. <22 Ng5> Threatening 23 Nxe6. <22…Nxe5> Fearless! Also critical is 22…Bd5 23 Rxd5 exd5 24 e6, when the emergency evacuation 24…0-0-0! keeps equality. <23 Bxe5 Bxe5 24 Bxc4!> Intending 25 Bxe6. Black cannot survive 24…Rh6? 25 Nxf7! Kxf7 26 Qf5+ Ke8 27 Bxe6 Bf6 28 Rd7, and 24…Bc8 hardly inspires confidence. One reply is 25 Bd5 exd5 26 Rxd5. <24…bxc4 25 Qa4+ Kf8> The problem with 25…Bc6? 26 Qxc6+ Ke7 is 27 Nxf7! Kxf7 28 Rd7+. <26 Rd7 Bd5!> Necessary to defend f7. <27 Rd1! Bd4> Not 27…Bxb2? because 28 R1xd5! exd5 29 Qc6! Kg8 30 Rxa7 Rxa7 31 Qb6 Rd7 32 Qxb2 wins material. <28 Rxa7 Rxa7> Black has enough for the Queen. The game remains tense and balanced. <29 b3!> Counting on 29…cxb3 30 Rxd4 cxd4 31 Qxd4, although it's doubtful White can win after 31…Rb7 32 Qxh8+ Ke7 33 Qb2 f6. <29…Kg7 30 bxc4 Ba8> Black has absorbed a lot of punches but he's still upright. <31 Qc2 g3 32 Rxd4 cxd4 33 Qe2 gxf2+ 34 Qxf2 Rd8> Easier is 34…e5 35 Qg3 f6. White gets no more than a draw from 36 Ne4+ Kf7 37 Nxf6 Kxf6 38 Qg5+ Kf7 39 Qf5+ Kg8 40 Qg6+ Rg7 or 36 Ne6+ Kh6 37 Qf2 Rf7 38 Ng5 Rff8 39 Ne6 Rf7. <35 Qg3 Kf8> Not 35…Kh8? 36 Qe5+ Kg8 37 Nxe6! fxe6 38 Qg5+. <36 Qe5 Ke8?> Time pressure mars a superb fight. The correct 36…Rad7! 37 Qh8+ Ke7 38 Qg7 d3 39 c5 Re8! makes White seek a draw by 40 Qxf7+ Kd8 41 Nxe6+ Rxe6 42 Qxe6 d2 43 Qf6+. <37 Nxe6?> Both players overlook that 37 Qh8+ Ke7 38 Qg7 Rf8 39 Nxe6! wins for White. <37…fxe6 38 Qh8+ Ke7> Not 38…Kd7?? 39 Qxd4+. <39 Qg7+ Ke8> Again, 39…Kd6?? 40 Qxd4+ loses. <40 Qh8+> Also 40 Qxa7 d3 41 Qxa6 d2 42 Qxe6+ Kf8 draws. <40…Ke7 41 Qg7+, ½-½.> #4: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 d5 4 Bg2 Be7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 0-0 dxc4 7 Qc2 a6 8 Qxc4 b5 9 Qc2 Bb7> This system solves Black's perennial problem of how to develop his QB. If he manages to trade his backward c-pawn by . . . c7-c5xd4, he should attain equality. <10 Bd2 Be4 11 Qc1 Qc8 12 Bg5 Nbd7> Not bad is 12. . . c5. <13 Qf4> New but harmless. As Black four rounds earlier against Aronian, Kramnik met the natural 13 Nbd2 with 13. . . Bb7 14 Nb3 a5 15 Bxf6 Bxf6 16 Nc5 Bd5 17 e4 Bc4 and quickly drew. <13…Bb7 14 Rc1 Bd6 15 Qh4 h6 16 Bxf6> After 16 Bf4 g5 17 Bxg5 hxg5 18 Qxg5+ Kh8 19 Qh6+, Black should avoid 19. . . Nh7? 20 Ng5 Ndf6 21 e4 and accept repetition with 19. . . Kg8. <Nxf6 17 Nbd2 Re8 18 e4 Nd7 19 Nb3 a5> Now White should keep an edge with 20 a4. <20 Nc5?> Probably Kramnik overlooked the reply. <20…Be7! 21 Qf4 e5! 22 Nxe5!?> Making the best of it. Instead, 22 Qf5 Nxc5 23 dxc5 Qxf5 24 exf5 Bf6 25 Nd2 Bxg2 26 Kxg2 e4 27 Rc2 is uncomfortably passive. <22…Nxe5 23 dxe5> Forced. White would drop material with 23 Qxe5? Bg5 24 Qf5 Qxf5 25 exf5 Bxc1 26 Bxb7 Bxb2, as 27 Rb1 Bxd4 28 Bxa8 Rxa8 29 Rxb5? runs into 29. . . c6. <23…Bg5 24 Qf3 Bxc1 25 Rxc1 Rxe5?!> Natural, but Black's advantage vanishes. Correct is 25. . . Bc6. <26 Qc3 f6?!> Leko does not adjust to the changed situation. He should settle for equality with 26. . . Re7 27 Nxb7 Qxb7 28 e5 Qa7 29 Bxa8 Qxa8 30 Rd1 Qe4. <27 Qb3+ Kh8?> The third inaccuracy proves fatal. <28 Qf7!> Suddenly White has a deadly initiative. <28…Bc6 29 Nd3 Re6> If Black had played 27. . . Kh7, he could hold with 29. . . Be8! 30 Qf8 Rh5. <30 Nf4 Rd6> Or 30. . . Bd7? 31 Nh5! Qg8 32 Qxd7. <31 Ng6+ Kh7 32 e5! fxe5> White refutes 32. . . Be8 by 33 Nf8+ Kh8 34 Qe7 fxe5 35 Bxa8! (not 35 Rxc7?? Rd1+ 36 Bf1 Qg4) Qxa8 36 Ne6 Rxe6 37 Qxe6. <33 Bxc6> Inviting 33. . . Rxg6 34 Be4 Raa6 35 Rxc7 Qg8 36 Qd7, threatening h2-h4-h5. <32…Rf6 34 Qd5 Qf5> Also hopeless is 34. . . Rb8 35 Nxe5. <35 Bxa8 Qxf2+ 36 Kh1 Qxb2 37 Qc5 Kxg6> Against 37. . . Rf2, quickest is 38 Nf4!, setting up 39 Be4+. <38 Be4+ Kh5 39 Rb1, 1-0.> #5: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 Bg5 e6 7 Qd2 a6 8 0-0-0 Bd7 9 f3> A recently fashionable alternative to the customary 9 f4. <9…Be7 10 Be3> Making way for g2-g4-g5. <10…h5!?> Thwarting White's attacking idea, but almost giving up on castling. <11 Kb1 Qc7 12 Nxc6!?> New. White has tried 12 Bd3 and 12 h3 h4 13 Bd3. <12…bxc6> If 12…Bxc6, White probably intended 13 Ne2 and 14 Nd4. <13 Bf4 e5 14 Bg5 Be6?!> Tougher is 14…Rb8. <15 Bxf6 gxf6> Black gets negligible compensation from 15…Bxf6?! 16 Qxd6 Qb7 17 Be2. <16 f4! a5> After 16…exf4, either 17 Qxf4 or 17 Ne2 favors White. And 16…f5 is risky because 17 fxe5 dxe5 18 exf5 Bxf5 19 Bc4 leaves Black's King without shelter. <17 f5 Bd7 18 a4> Black's central pawns look impressive, but White will restrain …d6-d5 while stifling Black on the Queenside. <18…Rb8 19 Bc4 Rb4 20 Bb3 Qb6 21 Rhe1 Rd4> Alternatives are equally ineffective. Morozevich, one of the most aggressive GMs, has been quietly throttled. <22 Qe2 Rxd1+ 23 Rxd1 Qc5 24 Rd3!> Inviting 24…Qg1+ 25 Ka2 Qxh2, as 26 Rh3 Qg1 27 Rxh5 takes aim at h7. For example, 27…Rxh5 28 Qxh5 Qxg2 loses to 29 Bxf7+ Kd8 30 Qh8+ Kc7 31 Qa8. <24…h4 25 Rh3 Bd8> White meets 25…d5 strongly with 26 Qg4 Qf2 28 Qg7 Rf8 29 exd5 Bxf5 30 Rf3. <26 Ka2 Kf8 27 Qe1> Conquering h4 begins the invasion. <27…Be8 28 Rxh4 Rxh4 29 Qxh4 Qg1> The illusion of counterplay. <30 Qh8+ Ke7 31 h4!> The bottled-up Bishops cannot deal with the h-pawn. <31…d5 32 exd5 Qxg2 33 h5, 1-0.> White will obtain a second queen after 33…e4 34 h6 e3 35 Qg7. 5 games, 2007 Annotations v.07: World Cup 1. <1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 c6 4 Nf3 dxc4 5 e3 b5 6 a4 Bb4 7 Bd2 a5 8 axb5 Bxc3 9 Bxc3 cxb5 10 b3 Bb7 11 bxc4 b4> What a pawn structure! Black will win on the Queenside unless White breaks through in the center. <12 Bb2 Nf6 13 Bd3 0-0 14 0-0 Nbd7 15 Re1 Ne4> Seizing e4. The alternate plan 15 . . . Qc7 16 e4 e5 invites 17 c5 Ba6 18 Rc1 exd4 19 c6, increasing the tension. <16 Qc2 f5 17 c5> If 17 Rec1 Qc7 18 Ne1, Black can try 18 . . . a4!?, anticipating 19 Rxa4 b3! 20 Qxb3 Ndc5. <17…Qc7 18 Bb5 Bd5 19 Qe2 Ndf6> Firmly controlling d5 and e4. White must arrange f2-f3. <20 h3?> Black will pounce on this weakening. Maybe Onischuk disliked 20 Ne5! Ng4!, but 21 f3 Nxe5 22 fxe4 Ng4 23 e5 isn't too bad. <20…g5! 21 Ne5 g4! 22 hxg4> After 22 h4 g3 23 f3 Nf2, Black's Queen invades via g7, h6 and h4. <fxg4 23 Nd3?> Also inadequate is 23 Nxg4? Qg7, as Black threatens both f2 and g2. White had to risk 23 f3 gxf3 24 gxf3 Qg7+ 25 Qg2 Ng5 26 e4. <23…Qg7 24 Nf4 Qh6 25 Rf1 g3> Winning. <26 Nh3 gxf2+ 27 Rxf2 Nxf2 28 Nxf2> Hoping to push e3-e4, but Black strikes first. <Bxg2! 29 Kxg2 Ra7 30 Rh1> The pinned Knight falls after 30 Kf1 Ne4 31 Qg4+ Qg6. <30…Qg6+ 31 Kf1 Ng4> Seeing 32 Rg1 Nh2+. <32 Be8> Clever, but Shirov simplifies. <32…Qb1+ 33 Kg2 Rxf2+ 34 Qxf2 Qxh1+ 35 Kxh1 Nxf2+ 36 Kg2 Nd1 37 Bc1 b3 38 e4 b2 39 Bxb2 Nxb2 40 Bb5> Or 40 d5 exd5 41 exd5 Nd3 42 c6 Nf4+ 43 Kf3 Nxd5. <40…a4 41 d5 exd5 42 exd5 a3, 0-1.> #2: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3> Instead of the customary 3 d4. <3…e5 4 Bc4 Be7 5 d3 d6> A common battleground in the Sicilian Defense, popularized by Kramnik. Black controls d4, but White can use d5 and the lever f2-f4. <6 Nd2> Thinking of Nd2-f1-e3-d5. <6…Bg5 7 Qh5!?> Less investigated than 7 h4. <7…Nh6> Threatening 8 . . . Bg4. Black prefers to accept an offside Knight rather than the weak squares (f6 and h6) of 7 . . . g6 8 Qd1 Nf6. <8 h3 Nd4 9 0-0> Svidler tried 9 Bb5+ Kf8 10 Qd1 and obtained no advantage. Kamsky offers a pawn, expecting compensation from 9 . . . Nxc2 10 Nb3 Bxc1 11 Raxc1 Nb4 (or 11 . . . Nd4 12 Nxd4 exd4 13 Nd5) 12 f4 exf4 13 Rxf4 0-0 14 Rcf1, as Black cannot activate his Knight at h6. <9…0-0 10 Nb3 Bxc1 11 Raxc1 Ne6> To restrain f2-f4. White gets an edge from 11 . . . Be6 12 Nxd4 Bxc4 13 dxc4 cxd4 14 Nd5, meeting 14 . . . f5 strongly by 15 f4. <12 Ne2 Qf6 13 Nd2 Kh8 14 c3 g5!?> Permanently stifling f2-f4. <15 d4!> White shifts attention to the center. He invites 15 . . . cxd4 16 cxd4 exd4 17 Nf3 Rg8 18 Bxe6! (not clear is 18 Rfd1?! g4 19 hxg4 Ng5!) Bxe6 19 Nfxd4, when Black is hampered by scattered pawns and the misplaced Knight. Rg8! Black insists on a Kingside battle. <16 dxe5 dxe5 17 Nf3> As 17 . . . g4? 18 Qxe5! Qxe5 19 Nxe5 gxh3 20 g3 favors White. <17…Rg6!> Threatening 18 . . . Ng7. Shirov has imaginatively and economically launched a Kingside attack. <18 h4!? Qg7 19 Bxe6 Bxe6 20 hxg5 f6!> As 21 gxh6?? Rxh6 costs White his Queen. <21 gxf6 Rxg2+ 22 Kh1 Qxf6?!> Tempting, but Black should settle for 22 . . . Qg4! 23 Qxg4 Rxg4 24 Ng3 Nf7. After picking off the pawn at f6, Black would have a small advantage. <23 Qxe5> Now White has the edge. <24…Qxe5> Refraining from 23 . . . Rh2+?! because 24 Kg1! Rg8+ 25 Ng3 Qxe5 26 Nxe5 increases White's advantage. <24 Nxe5 Rg5 25 f4 Rh5+ 26 Kg1 Rg8+ 27 Kf2 Rh2+ 28 Ke3> White's discomfort is an illusion. His King is safe and his central pawns will advance. <28…Rgg2 29 Ng1> Not 29 Rce1? Ng4+ 30 Nxg4 Bxg4, and the advantage swings back to Black. <29…Rxb2 30 f5 Bxa2 31 Rcd1> Despite Black's extra pawn, White has made progress. <31…Rcb2?> Useless. He must rely on his pitiful Knight with 31 . . . Nf7. <32 Rd8+ Ng8 33 Ngf3 Rxc3+ 34 Kf4 Rh6 35 Rg1> One threat is 36 Rgxg8+ Bxg8 37 Nf7+ Kg7 38 Nxh6, gaining a piece. <35…Rf6 36 Ng5 h6 37 Ngf7+!, 1-0.> Material falls by 37 . . . Bxf7 38 Nxf7+ Rxf7 39 Rgxg8+ Kh7 40 Rh8+ Kg7 41 Rdg8+ Kf6 42 e5+ Ke7 43 Re8+ Kd7 44 e6+. #3: <1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 Nxe4 4 Bd3 d5 5 dxe5> Harmless, but less investigated than 5 Nxe5. <5…Be7> Sharpest is 5 . . . Nc6 6 0-0 Bg4. <6 0-0 Bg4> Stronger than 6 . . . 0-0 7 c4. <7 h3 Bh5 8 Re1 Nc6 9 Nc3!? Bg6> Solid. Not bad is 9 . . . Nxc3 10 bxc3 0-0 if Black meets 11 Rb1 by 11 . . . b6 12 Rb5 Bc5 rather than 11 . . . Rb8?! 12 Rb5. <10 Bd2 Nxd2 11 Qxd2 d4 12 Ne4 0-0> Black has equalized. <13 a3 Qd5 14 Qf4 Rfe8 15 Re2 Bf8 16 Ng3 Bxd3 17 cxd3 Re6?!> Black has few problems after 17 . . . Qb5 18 Rd1 Rad8. <18 Nh5!> The cramping pawn at e5 and White's Queen and Knights cooperate well. <18…Rae8 19 Rae1 a5?> Probably underestimating the reply. An illustration of White's prospects is 19 . . . R6e7? 20 Qg5 Kh8 21 Nf4 Qb3 22 e6!, threatening 23 exf7 and inviting 22 . . . fxe6? 23 Ng6+! hxg6 24 Qh4+ Kg8 25 Ng5. The computer suggests the unnatural 19 . . . R8e7 20 Qg4 Qa5 as Black's best defense. <20 Qg4!> Threatening both 21 Nf6+ and 21 Nf4. Black must lose material. <20…Rg6 21 Nf4! Rxg4 22 Nxd5 Rg6 23 g4!?> Also 23 Nxc7 should win. <23…Rd8?!> Even the superior 23 . . . f6 24 exf6 Rxe2 25 Rxe2 gxf6 26 Nxc7 is miserable for Black. <24 Nf4! Rh6 25 g5 Re6 26 Nxe6 fxe6 27 Rc1> Kamsky handles the technical phase patiently. First he ties Black to the defense of d4. Later he will open a file and invade with his Rooks. <27…Rd5 28 Rc4 Bc5 29 h4 Bb6 30 Kg2 Ne7 31 h5 Rd8 32 Re4 Nf5 33 Nh4 Ne7 34 Kg3 g6> If Black waits, White makes progress with g5-g6 and Re4-f4-f7. <35 Kg4 Rd5 36 hxg6 hxg6 37 a4 Kf7 38 Rc1> Clearly, the Rooks belong on the h-file. <38…Rd8 39 Rh1 Kg7 40 Ng2 Nf5 41 Nf4 Re8 42 Ree1 c5 43 Rh3, 1-0.> After 43 . . . Bc7 44 Kf3 b6 45 Ke4, White breaks through with 46 Reh1 and 47 Rh7+. #4: <1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 e5 7 Nb3 Be7 8 f3 Be6 9 Qd2 Nbd7 10 g4 0-0 11 0-0-0 Qc7> Some prefer 11 . . . b5 12 g5 b4. <12 Kb1 b5 13 g5 Nh5> A fascinating position that has endured years of analysis and grandmaster games without revealing all its mysteries. <14 f4> Another common line begins 14 Nd5 Bxd5 15 exd5 Nb6. <14…exf4 15 Bxf4 Nxf4 16 Qxf4 Rac8 17 Nd4 Nb6> More natural appears 17 . . . Ne5, but Grischuk obtained a strong attack with 18 h4 Rfe8 19 h5 b4 20 Nd5 Bxd5 21 exd5 Bf8 22 Bh3 Rb8 23 g6!. <18 Bd3 Qc5 19 Nf5> New. Two recent games were drawn quickly by 19 Nd5 Nxd5 20 exd5 Bxd5 21 Nf5 Rce8 22 Nxe7+ Rxe7 23 Bxh7+ Kxh7 24 Qf5+ g6 25 Qxd5 Re2. <19…Rce8> In a fast game, it is difficult to react to a sharp novelty. Probably 19 . . . Rfe8 improves. <20 Nxe7+ Rxe7 21 e5!> Too slow is 21 Qh4 Qe5! 22 Nd5 Rb7, when Black will counterattack with 23 . . . Na4. <21…d5> Safer than 21 . . . Qxe5 22 Qh4 g6 23 Rhe1 Qh8 24 Ne4. The plausible 21 . . . dxe5 22 Qh4 f5 would lose to 23 gxf6 gxf6 24 Ne4 Qc6 25 Nxf6+ Rxf6 26 Rhg1+! (not 26 Qxf6?? because 26 . . . Bxa2+ wins the Queen) Kf7 27 Qxh7+ Ke8 28 Qh8+ Rf8 29 Bg6+. <22 h4 Nc4 23 h5 d4?> Losing. Necessary is 23 . . . Qe3! 24 Qh4 Rb7, so Black can meet 25 h6 g6 26 Rhe1 Qc5 27 Qf4 by 27 . . . Qb4, threatening mate and a discovery on White's Queen. 24 h6! g6 White refutes 24 . . . Qxe5 by 25 Bxh7+! Kxh7 26 hxg7+ Kxg7 27 Qh4 Rc8 28 Qh6+ Kg8 29 Qf6!, mating. Trickier is 27 . . . Bf5, but 28 Qh6+ Kg8 29 Nd5! Bxc2+ 30 Kc1! f6 31 g6 Bxg6 32 Nxe7+ Qxe7 33 Qxg6+ Qg7 34 Qe4 will cost Black his Queen. <25 Nd5!> The interference theme, a rarity in tournaments. Karjakin avoids 25 Bxc4 Bxc4 26 Qf6?? Qxe5 but renews the threat to invade at f6. <25…Qxd5> Only the hopeless 25...f5 26 Nxe7+ delays the end. <26 Bxc4 Qxc4 27 Qf6, 1-0.> It's mate after 27 . . . Qxa2+ 28 Kc1 Qa1+ 29 Kd2 Qa5+ 30 Ke2 Bg4+ 31 Kf2. 4 games, 2007 Annotations v.08: Amber 1 game, 2008 Annotations v.08: Linares 3 games, 2008 Annotations v.08: Misc. I 3 games, 2008 Annotations v.08: Wijk aan Zee #2: <1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 e6 5 Bg5 h6 6 Bh4> The safe line begins 6 Bxf6 Qxf6 7 e3. <6…dxc4 7 e4 g5 8 Bg3 b5 9 Be2 Bb7 10 0-0 Nbd7 11 Ne5 Bg7> In this popular position, White unveils a speculative new idea. <12 Nxf7!? Kxf7 13 e5 Nd5 14 Ne4> Can White really have enough compensation for the Knight? Black's defense is undeniably difficult. <14…Ke7> If 14 . . . Kg8, White's Queen invades by the plausible sequence 15 Nd6 Qb6 16 Bh5 Rf8 17 Qg4 Nc7 18 Qe4 Ba8 19 Qg6. Then 19 . . . Qxd4? loses to 20 Nc8! Qc5 21 Rad1 Nb6 22 Rd8, but 19 . . . Rh7 20 Bg4 Kh8 is far from clear. <15 Nd6 Qb6 16 Bg4 Raf8 17 Qc2 Qxd4?> Poor. A day later, Ljubojevich succeeded with 17 . . . Rhg8 against Timman. Critical appears 18 Rfd1 Ba8 19 Qg6 Nc7 20 Bh5 (threatening 21 Nc8+) Qb8. <18 Qg6 Qxg4 19 Qxg7+ Kd8 20 Nxb7+ Kc8 21 a4 b4 22 Rac1> White has a dangerous initiative at the cheap cost of one pawn. <22…c3 23 bxc3 b3> Rightly fearing 23 . . . bxc3 24 Rb1. Nor is 23 . . . Nxc3 24 Nd6+ Kc7 25 h3 satisfactory for Black, as 25 . . . Qd4 26 Rfd1! Qxd1+ (not 26 . . . Nxd1? 27 Nb5+) 27 Rxd1 Nxd1 lets White break through with 28 Ne4 Kd8 29 Nf6. <24 c4> Welcoming 24 . . . Nf4 25 Rfd1. <24…Rfg8 25 Nd6+ Kc7 26 Qf7 Rf8 27 cxd5?!> Topalov cannot refrain from a Queen sacrifice against his nemesis, but the simpler 27 h3! would clinch victory. <27…Rxf7 28 Rxc6+ Kb8 29 Nxf7 Re8?> Black should fight back with 29 . . . Qe2!, although 30 Rc3 (not 30 Nxh8? because of 30 . . . Qxf1+ 31 Kxf1 b2) b2 31 Rb3+ Ka8 32 Nxh8 Nc5 33 Rxb2 keeps White on top. <30 Nd6 Rh8 31 Rc4 Qe2 32 dxe6 Nb6> Now White can parry 32 . . . b2 by 33 Rb4+ Ka8 34 Rb1. <33 Rb4 Ka8 34 e7 Nd5 35 Rxb3 Nxe7 36 Rfb1> Black is doomed. <Nd5 37 h3 h5 38 Nf7! Rc8 39 e6 a6 40 Nxg5 h4 41 Bd6 Rg8 42 R3b2 Qd3 43 e7 Nf6 44 Be5 Nd7 45 Ne6, 1-0.> #3: <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6> A flexible order of moves, typical of modern games. Probably Black hopes for 3 Nc3 Bb4, the Nimzo-Indian Defense. <3 g3> Inviting 3 . . . d5, the Catalan Opening. <3…c5 4 Nf3> Declining the invitation to a Modern Benoni, 4 d5. <4…cxd4 5 Nxd4 d5 6 Bg2 e5> Arriving at a hybrid of the English Opening and the Catalan. <7 Nf3 d4 8 0-0 Nc6 9 e3 d3> Weak or strong? The game depends on the fate of the passed pawn. <10 Nc3 Bb4 11 Bd2 0-0 12 a3 Bxc3 13 Bxc3 Ne4!?> A daring new idea. The natural 13 . . . Re8 14 b4 e4 supports the d-pawn, but 15 Nd2 Bf5 16 f3 strikes back, with equality. <14 Bxe5> Not 14 Nxe5?? Nxc3 15 Nxc6 because 15 . . . Ne2+! gains a piece. <14…Bg4 15 Bd4> Accepting the challenge. Black would not mind 15 h3 Bxf3 16 Bxf3 Nxf2 17 Rxf2 Nxe5 18 Bxb7 Rb8 19 Bd5 Qg5. <15…Ng5 16 Bc3 Rc8> Patient. Another idea is 16 . . . Re8 17 b4 d2!?, intending 18 . . . Qd3. <17 b4 Re8 18 h4> The only way to break the pin. Instead, 18 Rc1? d2 19 Rc2? drops material to 19 . . . Qd3, while 18 Ra2 Qd7 19 Rd2 Red8 gives Black the annoying threat of 20 . . . Ne4. <18…Ne4 19 Bb2 Qd7 20 Qc1> As 20 Qa4?! Bxf3 21 Bxf3 Nd2 costs the exchange. <20…d2 21 Qc2 Bf5> More bark than bite. Black should prefer 21 . . . Rcd8 22 b5 Qf5!, when 23 bxc6? Bxf3 24 Bxf3 Qxf3 25 cxb7? loses to 25 . . . Nxg3! 26 fxg3 Qxg3+ 27 Kh1 Qxh4+ 28 Kg2 Rxe3. The correct 23 Ng5! d1Q 24 Raxd1 Bxd1 25 Qb1! keeps chances about even. <22 Qb3> Not bad, but 22 Rfd1! calls Black's bluff, as she cannot stand 22 . . . Nxg3? 23 Qxd2 Qxd2 24 Nxd2. Also 22 Rfd1! Bg4 23 Nxd2 Bxd1 24 Rxd1 favors White. <22…Be6 23 Qc2> Even 23 Nxd2! Nxd2 24 Qc3 f6 25 Rad1 Red8 26 Bc1 looks promising. <Bf5 24 Qa4 Qd3 25 b5 Nd8 26 Qxa7> Computer-approved pawn snatching. White may trade Queens with 27 Qd4. <26…Ne6 27 g4!?> Sharper, but not necessarily stronger, than 27 Rad1 N6c5 28 Bd4. <27…Bxg4 28 Ne5 Qc2 29 Nxg4 Qxb2 30 Bxe4 Rxc4 31 Bf3??> Spoiling an outstanding defense. With 31 Rab1! Rc1 32 Qa4 Qc3 33 Bf3, White stops the d-pawn. However, 33 . . . Rc8 34 Qb3 h5 35 Nh2 Qf6, threatening 36 . . . Qg6+, remains murky. <31…Rc1 32 Raxc1 dxc1Q 33 Rxc1 Qxc1+> The d-pawn claims a Rook, and Black emerges with a clear advantage. <34 Kg2 h5 35 Nh2> Or 35 Ne5 Qc7 36 Nd3 Qc4, and Black's pieces cooperate well. <35…Nc5 36 Bxb7?! Qc2> The pawn at f2 is the best target. <37 Bd5> If 37 Nf3 Nd3 38 e4, Black makes progress with 38 . . . Qc7! 39 Qe3 Nf4+ 40 Kg1 Qxb7 41 Qxf4 Rxe4. <37…Qg6+ 38 Kh1> As 38 Kf1 runs into 38 . . . Qd3+ 39 Kg1 Qxd5. <38…Nd3 39 Nf3> Or 39 e4 Nf4. <Nxf2+ 40 Kh2 Ng4+, 0-1.> 3 games, 2008 Finest Games of Year 2001 37 games, 2001 Games that Made Chess Proud The greatest chess games that young and old can see over and over again. These games will go on for generations and generations. 69 games, 1851-2000 History in the Making 12 games, 1475-2004 Krabbe's Forgotten Pieces Those are from Tim Krabbe's 110 Most Fantastic moves but some aren't to recognizable than others. NOT IN DATABASE (A FELONY! =D): (#8) Kholmov - Bronstein, Kiev 1964 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.O-O-O Nbd7 10.g4 b5 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.f5 Ne5 13.Qh3 O-O 14.g5 b4 15.gxf6 Bxf6 16.Rg1+ Kh8 17.Qh6 Qe7 <18.Nc6> Nxc6 19.e5 Bg5+ 20.Rxg5 f6 21.exd6 Qf7 22.Rg3 bxc3 23.Bc4 cxb2+ 24.Kb1 Nd8 25.Rdg1 Ra7 26.d7 Rxd7 27.fxe6 Nxe6 28.Bxe6 Rd1+ 29.Rxd1 Bxe6 30.Kxb2 Rb8+ 31.Ka1 Bxa2 32.Rgd3 Qe7 33.Kxa2 Qe6+ 34.Rb3 1-0 (#22) Oren - Dyner, Tel Aviv 1952 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 c5 5.d5 O-O 6.e4 d6 7.Ne2 Nfd7 8.O-O b5 9.cxb5 a6 10.bxa6 Nxa6 11.Nbc3 Rb8 12.b3 Nb4 13.Bb2 Ne5 14.Na4 Nbd3 15.Bc3 Ba6 16.f4 Ng4 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Rf3 c4 19.bxc4 Rb4 20.Rxd3 Bxc4 21.Ra3 Qa5 22.Bf3 Bb3 23.Rxb3 Qa7+ <24.Nb6> 1-0 (#30) Hommeles - Skoblikov, Rotterdam 1992 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 Bf5 5.fxe4 Nxe4 6.Qf3 Nd6 7.Bf4 e6 8.O-O-O Nd7 9.g4 Bg6 10.Qe3 Be7 11.Nf3 h6 12.Ne5 Bh7 13.h4 c6 14.d5 exd5 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Bxd6 Nf6 17.Bc5 Ne4 18.Nxe4 Bxe4 19.Bd3 Bxh1 20.Re1 Be4 21.Bxe4 Kf8 <22.Bh7> Qd7 23.Bxe7+ Ke8 24.Bf5 Qb7 25.Bb4+ Kd8 26.Ba5+ 1-0 (#37) Moehring-Kaikamdzozov, Zamardi 1978 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e5 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 g6 6.f3 h5 7.h4 Bh6 8.Bxh6 Rxh6 9.g3 Rh8 10.Bh3 a6 11.Bxc8 Qxc8 12.Qd2 Kf8 13.Nh3 Kg7 14.Kf2 Nbd7 15.Kg2 Qd8 16.b3 Qa5 17.a4 Rab8 18.Qb2 Qd8 19.Rhf1 Nf8 20.Rf2 N8h7 21.Rh1 Qe7 22.Rff1 Rhf8 23.Nf2 Nd7 24.g4 Nhf6 25.Qd2 Rh8 26.Rh3 Qd8 27.g5 Ne8 28.Nd3 Qe7 29.f4 Nc7 30.Rhf3 Rhf8 31.f5 Kg8 32.Ne2 Rbe8 33.Ng3 Qd8 34.R3f2 Kg7 35.Qe2 Rh8 36.Qb2 a5 37.fxg6 fxg6 38.Rf7+ Kg8 39.Nf4 Rh7 40.Rxh7 Kxh7 41.Nfxh5 Rf8 42.Qe2 Rxf1 43.Qxf1 Qe7 44.Nf6+ Nxf6 45.gxf6 Qf7 46.h5 gxh5 47.Qf5+ Kh6 48.Nxh5 Ne8 49.Kf2 Qf8 50.Kg3 Qg8+ 51.Kh2 Qf7 52.Kh3 Qf8 53.Kg4 Qg8+ 54.Kf3 Qf8 55.Ke2 Qf7 56.Ke3 Qf8 57.Kd3 Qf7 58.Kc2 Qf8 59.Kc3 Qf7 60.Kd3 Qf8 61.Kc2 Qf7 62.Kb2 Qf8 63.Ka3 Qf7 64.Ka2 Qf8 65.Kb2 Qf7 66.Ka3 Qf8 67.Ka2 Qf7 68.Ka1 Qf8 69.Kb1 Qf7 70.Kc1 Qf8 71.Kd1 Qf7 72.Kd2 Qf8 73.Ke1 Qf7 74.Kf1 Qf8 75.Kg1 Qf7 76.Kh2 Qf8 77.f7 Ng7 78.Qf6+ Kxh5 79.Kg3 b6 80.Kh3 Ne8 81.Qf5+ Kh6 82.Qe6+ Kh7 83.fxe8Q Qf3+ 84.Kh4 Qf2+ 85.Kh5 Qh2+ <86.Qh3> Qxh3+ 87.Kg5 Qg3+ 88.Kf6 Qf3+ 89.Ke7 Qxb3 90.Qh5+ Kg7 91.Qg4+ 1-0 (#38) A. Petrosyan - Hasaj, Schilde 1970 1.c4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.d4 Nf6 4.e4 d6 5.f3 e5 6.d5 Na6 7.Be3 Nh5 8.Qd2 Qh4+ 9.Bf2 Qe7 10.O-O-O O-O 11.Be3 f5 12.Bd3 f4 13.Bf2 Bf6 14.Nge2 Bh4 15.Bg1 Bd7 16.Kb1 b6 17.Nc1 Nc5 18.Bc2 a5 19.Bxc5 bxc5 20.Ba4 Bxa4 21.Nxa4 Rfb8 22.Qc2 Kh8 23.Rd3 Rb4 24.Ra3 Qe8 25.Nd3 g5 26.h3 Nf6 27.Rc1 Kg7 28.b3 Nd7 29.Qd2 Rb7 30.Ndb2 Nb6 31.Ka1 h5 32.Nd1 Nxa4 33.Rxa4 Rb4 34.Nc3 Qc8 35.Nb5 Bg3 36.Qe2 Kf6 37.Rb1 Ke7 38.a3 Rxa4 39.bxa4 Kd8 40.Nc3 Rb8 41.Rb5 Rxb5 42.axb5 Qa8 43.Na4 Qa7 44.Ka2 Kc8 45.Qb2 <Qb6> 46.Nxb6+ cxb6 47.h4 gxh4 48.Qd2 h3 49.gxh3 h4 50.Kb3 Kb7 51.Ka4 Ka7 52.Qg2 Kb7 53.Qb2 Ka7 54.Qc2 Kb7 55.Qc3 Ka7 = (#43) Zeitlin - Monin, USSR 1978 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nc6 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nd7 6.Nb3 Be7 7.c3 a5 8.a4 b6 9.h4 Ba6 10.Bxa6 Rxa6 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bf4 <Qa8> 13.h5 Kd8 14.Nc1 Kc8 15.Nd3 Kb7 16.Bd2 Qf8 17.Kf1 Ra8 18.Rb1 g5 19.b4 axb4 20.cxb4 g4 21.b5 gxf3 22.bxc6+ Kxc6 23.gxf3 Kb7 24.Qc2 f6 25.Nf4 fxe5 26.Nxe6 Qxf3 27.Rh2 Rxa4 28.Qxc7+ Ka6 29.Be3 Qf5 30.Re1 Qxe6 31.Rg2 Bg5 32.Bxg5 hxg5 33.Rxg5 Ra2 34.dxe5 Rf8 35.Kg1 Rg8 36.Rxg8 Qxg8+ 37.Kf1 Nc5 38.Rb1 Qe6 39.Qg7 Qh3+ 40.Kg1 Ra4 0-1 (#48) Malinov - Savinov, Leningrad 1988 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 Bxa6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Nf3 g6 8.g3 Bg7 9.h4 O-O 10.h5 Nbd7 11.hxg6 hxg6 12.Bh3 Re8 13.Qc2 Rb8 14.Be3 Nxd5 <15.Qxg6> fxg6 16.Be6+ Kf8 17.Nxd5 Rxb2 18.Ng5 Nf6 19.Nf4 Qa5+ 20.Kf1 Bxe2+ 21.Kg1 Reb8 22.Bf7 Rb1+ 23.Kh2 Ng4+ 24.Kh3 Rxh1+ 25.Rxh1 Nxf2+ 26.Bxf2 Bg4+ 27.Kxg4 Rb4 28.Kf3 Qa3+ 29.Be3 Qa8+ 30.Bd5 Qa5 31.Nfe6+ Kg8 32.Nc7+ e6 33.Bxe6+ Kf8 34.Nh7+ Ke7 35.Bg5+ Bf6 36.Bxf6# (#54) P. v.d. Weide - Ligterink, Leeuwarden 1979 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bd3 Nc6 4.c3 e5 5.d5 Nb8 6.f4 Nbd7 7.Nf3 exf4 8.Bxf4 g6 9.O-O Bg7 10.Nbd2 O-O 11.Qe1 Ng4 12.Qg3 Nge5 13.Bc2 Qe7 14.Rf2 a5 15.Raf1 a4 16.a3 c6 17.Nd4 cxd5 18.exd5 Nc5 19.N2f3 Bd7 20.Bg5 f6 21.Bf4 Rae8 22.h4 f5 23.h5 Ne4 24.Bxe4 fxe4 25.Ng5 Ng4 26.Nde6 Nxf2 27.Bxd6 <Nh1> 28.Rxf8+ Qxf8 29.Nxf8 Nxg3 30.Nxd7 Ne2+ 31.Kf2 Nxc3 32.bxc3 Rd8 33.c4 Rxd7 34.c5 Bd4+ 35.Ke2 Bxc5 36.Bxc5 Rxd5 37.Nxe4 Rxh5 38.Nf6+ Kf7 39.Nxh5 gxh5 and White lost on time (#55) Shabalov - Ronin, Kiev 1983 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 b5 3.Bg2 Bb7 4.O-O e6 5.a4 b4 6.a5 c5 7.c4 a6 8.d4 Nc6 9.d5 Nxa5 10.Ne5 Bd6 <11.Nxd7> Nxc4 12.Nxf6+ Qxf6 13.Qa4+ Kf8 14.e4 exd5 15.exd5 Qf5 16.Nd2 Nxd2 17.Bxd2 h5 18.h4 g6 19.Bg5 Re8 20.Rae1 Rxe1 21.Rxe1 Kg7 22.Be4 Qe5 23.Qd7 Bc8 24.Qc6 Be7 25.Bf4 Qxb2 26.Bf5 Bf6 27.Bxc8 b3 28.Qb7 Bd4 29.Rf1 Rxc8 30.Qxc8 Qc2 31.Qb8 b2 32.Be5+ Bxe5 33.Qxe5+ Kh7 34.Qb8 c4 35.d6 c3 36.d7 Qd2 37.d8Q Qxd8 38.Qxd8 c2 39.Qd2 b1Q 40.Rc1 1-0 (#57) Voronov - Estrin, Leningrad 1971 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.h3 d6 9.c3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.dxc5 dxc5 14.Nf1 Be6 15.Ne3 Rad8 16.Qe2 g6 17.Ng5 Nh5 18.Nxe6 fxe6 19.g3 c4 20.Ng4 Bc5 21.Kg2 Nd4 22.cxd4 exd4 23.Bg5 d3 24.Bxd8 <Qb8> 25.Nh6+ Kh8 26.Qd2 Rxf2+ 27.Qxf2 Bxf2 28.Bf6+ Nxf6 29.Kxf2 Qf8 0-1 22 games, 1935-1998

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