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Gabriel Sargissian vs Alexander Grischuk
"Gabriel's Gambit" (game of the day Jan-25-2017)
Dresden Olympiad (2008), Dresden GER, rd 7, Nov-20
Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto. Nimzowitsch Variation (E15)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
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Nov-20-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  tamar: What to make of Sargissian?

Lots of great moments here. My favorite was the last.

The single Queen holds off bishop and Queen while the White King walks across the board.

Just a fabulous effort against a dangerous opponent.

Nov-20-08  shintaro go: Why is Sargissian not 2700 yet? He clearly can bang with the heavyweights and his play is way above his rating.
Nov-21-08  arsen387: Gabriel understands chess far better than many 2700+ players and this game is a perfect example of that, just like his other win against Stellwagen in this Olimpiad. Maybe he doesn't take chess very seriously? But during Olimpiads it's a different story, he represents his country, a whole nation, so he plays with full dedication and responsibility and it shows off in his results.

This game is a real gem! Amazing final position

Nov-21-08  notyetagm: Beautiful.
Nov-21-08  Eyal: The king walk through the light squares at the end (g4-f3-e4-d5-c6-b7-a6) indeed looks like taken from a composition. But it seems that Black could still save himself after 59.Kf3:


click for larger view

A key point in this position is that Black has to keep the c5 square open for a queen check, so the king's penetration can be prevented when it reaches d5. After 59...b5? 60.Ke4 it's impossible to do this; instead, Black should play 59...Bd6! and now 60.Ke4 Bb4 and the king cannot advance any further (61.Kd5?? Qc5+ is losing for White: 62.Ke4 Qe5+ 63.Kf3 Qxf5+ and everything is falling apart).

Nov-24-08  aragorn69: Wonderful game, even if it might take me a few weeks to understand what was really going on...
Nov-26-08  Timothy Glenn Forney: 8.Bg2 Is hereby named the Gabriel Gambit.
Nov-26-08  Nezhmetdinov: Does Black ever survive in this variation?
Dec-30-08  arsen387: <Gabriel Sargissian's excellent game against Alexander Grischuk at the Dresden Olympiad was known as the best one in November. It was decided by the Jury of Grandmasters at the www.chesspro.ru website.>

This game became the undisputable and clear favourite as 5 out of 10 GM members of jury put this game on the 1st place in their list. The effort of Gabi's teammate Akopian against Lagrave Akopian vs M Vachier Lagrave, 2008 was voted the 3rd. Second was Shirov vs Topalov, 2008

Apr-28-09  paavoh: <Eyal>, thanks for your great comments. I have no engine to check but 56.- Qxd7 57.exd7 Be7, instead of 56.- b4 probably does not help since White brings the King to the Q side to finish off the Black pawns. And in your line 59.- Bd6!, the longer route via e2-d1 won't work either, right?!
Oct-03-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: <arsen387>This game is a real gem! Amazing final position.

Arsen387,
There is another amazing position based on analysis of 61...♔g7, eg 62. h5 ♔h6 63.♔c6 b4 64.♕d2+ ♔g7 65.h6+ ♔g8 66.h7+ ♔h8 67.♕d7 c3 68.♕e7 ♗e7 69.♔d7 c2 70.♔e7 c1(♕) 71.♔f7 ♕c7+ 72.e7 ♕c4+ 73.♔f8


click for larger view

73...♕c5 74.g7+ ♔h7 75.g8(♕)+ ♔h6 76.♕g6#

Feb-04-10  arsen387: <GrahamClayton> thanks for that spectacular line. those far advanced pawns on Kside are real killers
Nov-30-10  sevenseaman: < Timothy Glenn Forney> 'Gabriel gambit' indeed. Its a move that greatly influences the course of the game.

< GrahamClayton> A wonderful end position in honor of 'power play by pawns'; apt to the context.

Mar-05-11  garcimitch: <Eyal> in your line after 59...Bd6 60.Ke4 Bb4 white has to play 61.Qc8! (threat is Qh8 mate) Kh5 62.Kf3 Qg7 63.Qxc4 wins
Aug-17-13  BlackFront: <Gift of the Gab>
Aug-30-13  RedShield: <Gabriel's Oh Boy>
Mar-03-14  whiteshark: An entertaining battle that started with an original sacrifice, full of new and exciting positions, and rounded off with a very complex endgame.
Jan-25-17  paavoh: Revisiting this game after almost eight years, it still amazes me. Just wonderful!
Jan-25-17  Ironmanth: Wow! This is one game that at first review I can honestly say I have not at all a clear idea of what is happening at a deep level. Surely it will repay closer analysis. Sigh; always work to be done - thanks! ;)
Jan-25-17  kevin86: The pawns captured black's soul!
Jan-25-17  ChessHigherCat: It's funny how white played 36. R1d4, which seems to invite a pin, but the bishop is "counterpinned": Black can't play 36...Bc5 because of 37. Rf7+, and he still can't do it on move 37 because of 38. RxR BxR, 39. QxR.
Jan-25-17  drpoundsign: I guess white could not have taken the doubled black b pawn sooner?? This was a VERY Deep Game! I come here with my "Skull Full of Mush" but, perhaps, if I understood a game of this Magnitude-the Mush would be compressed into Diamond.
Feb-03-17  Moszkowski012273: Black had several opportunities near the end to draw this....
Feb-03-18  Grandma Sturleigh: After 36...Bc5, White wouldn't play 37. Rf7+ because 37...Qxf7+ 38. exf7 Rd8 is winning for Black.
Feb-03-18  Grandma Sturleigh: The position after 61. Kd5 is a remarkable zugzwang.


click for larger view

Black to play loses because 61...Bb4 blocks the b-pawn. If we reach the same position with White to move (by 60...Bd6 61. Kd5 Bc5) then it's a draw because Black answers 62. Kc6 with 62...b4.

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