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Ruslan Ponomariov vs Vasyl Ivanchuk
FIDE World Championship Tournament (2001/02), Moscow RUS, rd 7, Jan-23
Alekhine Defense: Modern. Larsen-Haakert Variation (B04)  ·  1/2-1/2

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply)7...Nd7 was played in L Shamkovich vs C Hansen, 1982 (0-1)8.h4 was played in Nunn vs Vaganian, 1986 (1-0)better is 9...e5 10.d5 Nd4 11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Bxd4 Bxd4 13.Qxd4 e5 ⩲ +0.72 (27 ply) ⩲ +1.22 (25 ply)better is 12.hxg6 hxg6 13.Nxd4 exd4 14.Bxd4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 e5 16.Qd3 ⩲ +1.14 (25 ply) ⩲ +0.52 (26 ply) 13...Bxd4 14.Qxd4 e5 15.Qe3 g5 16.Bd3 h6 17.f3 Qf6 18.c5 = +0.37 (27 ply) ⩲ +1.25 (25 ply) 17...Bf5 18.Qxg5+ Bg6 19.Bd3 Rf6 20.Rh4 Kh8 21.Ne4 Rf8 ⩲ +1.01 (26 ply) ± +2.03 (27 ply)better is 20...Bf5 21.Rxc7 Rac8 22.Rxb7 Nxc4 23.Bxc4 Rxc4 24.Rxa7 ± +1.77 (28 ply) ± +2.42 (26 ply) 21...Bf5 22.Rxb7 Nd7 23.Nb5 a5 24.O-O-O Rxh6 25.Rc7 Rf8 ± +1.73 (27 ply)+- +2.75 (27 ply); 22...Bf5 23.c5 Nd7 24.O-O-O g3 25.f3 b6 26.c6 Nf6 27.Rb7 ± +2.40 (25 ply)1/2-1/2

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35436 more games annotated by Stockfish]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-24-02  knight: White could have possibly avoided the exchange of queens.
Aug-20-02  ksadler: Yes, but considering that White only needs a draw in this game to clinch the world title, why would he want to keep both Queens on the board?
Jun-28-06  Poisonpawns: Vassily is undefeated when he uses Alekhines defense as far as i know,and against some very tough opponents he has made me look into the opening a bit more. Ponomariov vs Ivanchuk, 2002
Vallejo-Pons vs Ivanchuk, 2002
Topalov vs Ivanchuk, 2002
Morozevich vs Ivanchuk, 2002
and finally A Volokitin vs Ivanchuk, 2006
Sep-13-06  Sleeping kitten: It is quite strange, but he looks to me as if White was winning. What can Black do against the coming c5, since the b7 pawn needs protection ? Could Ponomariov have agreed a draw in a clearly winning position because he only needed a draw ?
Aug-09-07  atragon: Black has a very poor position. After 22.b4 i think there is nothing better than 22. ... a5 but black is always busted
May-14-13  Poisonpawns: White is winning here.Ponomariov must have just allowed the draw, since that was all he needed to clinch the title.
Mar-25-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: Needing a win in game 7 to keep the match alive (down 2-0 in an 8 game match) Ivanchuk surprised his opponent by playing rarely used sideline (4..Nc6) of the Alekhine's Defense. 9..0-0 was new; 9..e5 and 9..d5 had been played previously. Under normal circumstances Black would have played 13..Bxd4 14 Qxd4..e5 15 dxe..Qf6 with equality but a draw was useless for Black. Of course not 15..Kh8? 16 Qd4+..e5 17 dxe+..Qf6 18 e7! and wins. In a hopeless position Ivanchuk offered a draw ending the match.

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