1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d3 Ne7 6.Qe2 d5

Rare move, 6..Qc7 or 6..Ng6 are played more often.

7.c4 Ng6 8.g3?!

This is novelty, 8.0-0 is old White's choice and probably better choic

8..Bd6 9.h4?

Logical follow-up but it's not good.Real question is what to do for White? Castling short can't be wise here, Black will follow his plan with castle and e5 and suddenly light squares are weak.Probably 9.Nc3 is best.

9..dxc4 10.dxc4 e5 11.Nbd2 ( diagram )

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11..Nf8! 12.Nf1 Ne6 13.Ne3 Nd4 14.Nxd4 cxd4 15.Nf5 Bb4+ 16.Bd2 Bxd2+ 17.Qxd2 0-0 ( diagram )

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Black is better, Knight on f5 looks like a big threat to Black but that ain't the case, in fact that Knight is big problem for White.Where to place him? Second question is where to place King? Long castle? Short? Or to stay in center?

18.g4 f6 19.f3 Be6 20.c5 a5 21.b3 Qb8

This is chess perfection, Queen goes to b4, White will move Queen, then a4 will blow White's Q side.

22.Kf2 Ra7!

Another great move, this Rook can have important role in Queenside but also can swing to Kingside after f5-g6.

23.Rhc1 Qb4 24.Qd3 a4 25.bxa4 Qxa4 ( diagram )

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Total destruction, a2, c5 are weak, White' K side is abandoned so Black will switch attention to K side.

26.Kg3 g6 27.Nd6 Qa3 28.Qd2 f5!

End has begun!

29.gxf5 gxf5 30.exf5 Rg7+ 31.Kh2 Qxf3 32.Rg1 Bxf5 33.Nxf5 Rxf5 34.Rxg7+ Kxg7 35.Qg2+ Qxg2+ 36.Kxg2 e4 ( diagram )

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Connected central pawns are far stronger then a2 fellow.White is lost.

37.a4 e3 38.a5 e2 39.a6 d3 40.a7 Rf8 0-1

Extracted from blog about Sergey Karjakin.

http://www.karjakin.blogspot.com/