[Event "Tata Steel Chess Masters 2019"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "1.7"] [White "Radjabov, Teimour"] [Black "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2757"] [BlackElo "2777"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 {Radjabov's way to fight the Berlin: avoid it with the Italian game.} Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 a6 7. a4 O-O 8. Re1 Ba7 9. h3 h6 ({Aronian defended differently at the Olympiad with:} 9... Kh8 10. d4 h6 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 dxe5 13. Qxd8 Rxd8 14. Nd2 {Then} Kg8 $1 {gave him the equality in Anand,V (2771)-Aronian,L (2780) Batumi 2018}) 10. Nbd2 Re8 11. b4 Be6 12. Bxe6 Rxe6 13. Bb2 {Nothing unusual so far.} Ne7 $146 {Albeit a novelty, this is also not unusual. The knight is often send to the kingside for the attack, or even to sit on a more stable square on g6. On the other hand, Black may also prepare c7-c6, followed by d6-d5.} ({Black did well in the predecessor:} 13... Qd7 14. Nf1 Ree8 15. Ng3 b5 16. Qc2 d5 17. Bc1 Rad8 18. Bd2 dxe4 19. dxe4 Qe6 {Giri,A (2772)-Sethuraman,S (2618) Tbilisi 2017, but apparently Kramnik did not expect repetition of the line.}) 14. c4 Ng6 ({ The direct attack} 14... Nh5 {is easily repelled after:} 15. Nf1 Nf4 16. Ne3 Rg6 17. Nh4) 15. Nf1 b5 {This might be a bit overoptimistic. Kramnik is looking for a good version of the Ruy Lopez, but he is not better prepared than his opponent on the queenside.} ({Moves like} 15... c6) ({Or} 15... Nf4 { were perfectly playable.}) 16. axb5 axb5 17. Ng3 (17. cxb5 $5 {deserved attention too} Bb6 18. Qc2 {Intending d3-d4.}) 17... bxc4 18. dxc4 Re8 19. Qc2 Qb8 20. Reb1 $1 {The beginning of a grand plan.} ({The obvious} 20. b5 { would yield White nothing after} Qb7 21. Bc3 Nf4 22. Nf5 Bc5 {with equality.}) 20... Qb7 {Avoiding the temptation.} ({The pawn is poisoned-} 20... Qxb4 $4 21. Bc1 Qc5 22. Be3) 21. c5 {The point behind Radjabov's play. He wants to lock the black bishop.} dxc5 (21... d5 {can be met with} 22. exd5 Nxd5 23. Nf5 ({ Even better than} 23. Bc3 Ndf4 24. Ne4 f5 {with some counterplay.}) 23... Ndf4 24. Kh2 {when White is clearly better.}) 22. bxc5 Qc6 {Now the battle is around the c5 pawn. Will it survive or not.} 23. Rc1 Nd7 24. Ra5 Reb8 25. Ba3 Nf4 26. Nf5 {The pawn survived and kept the black pieces in prison. Radjabov has the advantage.} Re8 ({Worse was:} 26... Kh7 27. Ne7 Qe6 28. Nd5) ({Whereas } 26... Kh8 {can be met with either} 27. Kh2 ({Or even better} 27. g3 $1 {When} Nxh3+ {loses to} 28. Kg2 Ng5 29. Nxg5 hxg5 30. Rh1+ {followed by a fork on e7.} )) 27. g3 $1 {Wonderful play! White makes sure there will be no active black pieces left. The h-pawn is an insignificant price for that.} Ne6 ({After} 27... Nxh3+ 28. Kg2 Ng5 29. Nxg5 hxg5 {White can start dealing with the bishop-} 30. Ra1) 28. Kg2 {A nice prophylactical move.} ({Radjabov avoids the line:} 28. Qc4 Bxc5 29. Rxc5 Ndxc5 30. Bxc5 Nxc5 31. Qxc5 Qxe4) 28... Nf6 ({The forcing line: } 28... Bxc5 29. Rxc5 Ndxc5 30. Bxc5 Nxc5 31. Qxc5 Qxe4 32. Ne7+ Kh8 33. Re1 { leads to clear advantage for White.}) 29. Re1 Nd7 30. Rc1 Kh7 {Kramnik makes a prophylactic move in return.} ({After} 30... Nf6 {Radjabov obviously would not have repeated moves and would have tried something like:} 31. Ra4 {when White is better after both:} Nd7 ({Or} 31... Bb8 32. Rxa8 Qxa8 33. Bb2 Qxe4 34. Bxe5) 32. Rc4) 31. Qc4 Bxc5 {Finally, the former world champion forces matters.} ({ Although he could have stayed as well with} 31... Nf6) 32. Rxc5 Ndxc5 33. Bxc5 Ra4 $2 {But here Kramnik went astray.} (33... Nxc5 {was mandatory, when} 34. Qxc5 Qxe4 35. Ne7 {(without a check)} ({Or} 35. Ne3) 35... Ra2 36. Nd5 { is better for White, but Black should be able to hold.}) 34. Qd5 Qa8 ({The endgame after} 34... Qxd5 35. exd5 Nxc5 36. Rxc5 {is bad for Black due to the remaining d-passer.}) 35. Qd7 $1 {A cold shower! The white pieces find a way to co-operate.} ({Maybe Black expected} 35. Qxa8 Rexa8 36. Nd2 Ra1 37. Rc3) 35... Kg8 {The other moves lose faster.} (35... Rxe4 36. Qxf7) (35... Qxe4 36. Qxe8) 36. Nxe5 Ng5 ({Or} 36... Qxe4+ 37. Kg1 {and Black cannot defend both e8 and f7 points.}) 37. Nc6 Raxe4 38. Nfe7+ {Radjabov not only kept the material advantage. More importantly, he brought his army closer to the enemy king and this is what people look for when owing the light pieces. The attack is decisive.} Kh7 (38... Kh8 {would be the end of the game after} 39. Ra1 $1) 39. Ra1 {This should have been the decisive deflection.} Ra4 $1 {The only defense, and Radjabov visibly was surprised here. He might have missed this move.} ({ Otherwise mate is inevitable, for example:} 39... Qxa1 40. Qxe8 h5 41. Qg8+ Kh6 42. Qh8+ Nh7 43. Bd4 Rxd4 44. Ng8+ Kg5 45. Qxg7+ Kf5 46. Qe5+ Kg6 47. Nce7#) 40. Rxa4 $2 {The dreadful fortieth move spoilt an excellent game.} ({Instead} 40. Rc1 {should have been winning, for example} Re4 41. Qd3 f5 42. f3) 40... Qxa4 41. Qxe8 Qe4+ {Now it is perpetual.} 42. Kf1 ({Or} 42. Kh2 Nf3+ 43. Kg2 Ng5+) 42... Qb1+ 43. Kg2 ({Nothing changes:} 43. Ke2 Qc2+ 44. Ke3 Qxc5+ (44... Qc3+ 45. Ke2 ({If White persists, he may get mated-} 45. Kf4 $4 Qf3+ 46. Ke5 Qe4#) 45... Qc2+)) 1/2-1/2 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A05"] [WhiteElo "2813"] [BlackElo "2835"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:30:18"] [BlackClock "0:16:42"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 b5 $5 {An old move which Carlsen himself played twice before in the PRO Chess League in 2017 against Caruana and Meier. He drew twice.} 3. d4 e6 4. Bg5 (4. e3 b4 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. O-O c5 7. a3 a5 8. Nbd2 Na6 9. c4 bxc3 10. bxc3 Be7 11. Rb1 Bc6 {Yu,Y (2750)-Jumabayev,R (2602) Ashkhabad 2017}) 4... c5 $5 {An early sign that Carlsen was ready for a sharp fight.} 5. d5 $146 { After seven minutes Ding plays the first new move.} (5. Bg2 Bb7 6. c3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Be7 8. O-O h6 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. e3 O-O 11. Nc3 b4 12. Ne2 Qb6 {Kamsky,G (2683) -So,W (2788) Saint Louis 2015}) 5... Qa5+ 6. Bd2 Qb6 7. dxe6 fxe6 8. a4 b4 9. a5 Qd8 10. Bg2 Nc6 $5 {Carlsen, who spent almost 10 minutes on this one, is ready to sacrifice an exchange.} (10... Bb7) 11. Ne5 Nxe5 $1 {That was the point of course.} 12. Bxa8 d5 {Black's pawn center is amazing and White's fianchetto bishop will be somewhat out of play for a while.} 13. a6 {The threat was 13...Ba6.} Bd7 14. Bb7 Bd6 15. Bg5 (15. Bf4 {was an important alternative.}) 15... Nf7 {Forcing White to give up the bishop pair (or lose a lot of time).} 16. Bxf6 Qxf6 17. Nd2 O-O 18. O-O Qxb2 19. e4 $1 {White needs to play energetically as otherwise, with hardly less material, Black will just be better.} Qd4 ({On} 19... Bb5 {Ding was probably planning} 20. exd5 $1 Bxf1 21. Rb1 Qd4 22. Nxf1) 20. exd5 e5 {Still keeping that bishop on b7 away from its king.} 21. Nb3 Qe4 22. Qd3 Qg4 23. f3 Qh5 24. Nd2 Ng5 25. Bc6 (25. Qe3 $5 c4 $5) 25... Bh3 26. Bb5 {There's no good way to keep the exchange.} (26. Rf2 $2 Bf5) 26... Bxf1 27. Rxf1 Rxf3 $1 {A nice tactic that equalizes instantly.} 28. Nxf3 e4 29. Qe3 Nxf3+ 30. Rxf3 Qxf3 31. Qxf3 exf3 32. Kf2 1/2-1/2 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Maghsoodloo, Parham"] [Black "Korobov, Anton"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "2679"] [BlackElo "2699"] [PlyCount "76"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:00:39"] [BlackClock "0:43:09"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3 h5 9. Nd5 (9. Qd2 Nbd7 10. Nd5 Bxd5 11. exd5 g6 12. Be2 Bg7 13. O-O-O O-O 14. g4 a5 15. a4 Nb6 {Leko,P (2690)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2780) Batumi 2018}) 9... Nxd5 10. exd5 Bf5 11. Bd3 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 Nd7 13. O-O Be7 14. Qd2 O-O 15. Na5 $146 (15. c4 Qc7 16. Na5 Bd8 17. b4 Qc8 18. Rab1 Bxa5 19. bxa5 Qxc4 20. Rfc1 Qa4 {Jacobsen,J (2151)-Kuhne,D (2273) ICCF email 2010}) 15... Qc8 16. c4 Bd8 17. Rac1 Re8 18. Kh1 (18. b4 $5) 18... e4 19. Nb3 exf3 20. gxf3 (20. Rxf3 Ne5 21. Rff1 Bf6) 20... Ne5 21. c5 Qh3 22. Qd1 Ng6 23. Qd2 Rc8 24. Bg1 Nh4 25. Qf2 Bg5 26. Rc4 Nf5 27. Qg2 Ng3+ 28. Qxg3 Qxf1 29. Rc2 Bf6 30. Rf2 Qb5 31. cxd6 Rcd8 32. Rd2 h4 33. Qf4 Re1 34. Rg2 h3 35. Rg4 Be5 36. Qg5 Rxd6 37. Nd2 Qe2 38. Qf5 Qxh2# 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.13"] [Round "2.7"] [White "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof"] [Black "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B13"] [WhiteElo "2738"] [BlackElo "2612"] [PlyCount "100"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bf4 {Once a favorite of Fischer's, the Exchanged Caro-Kann has returned into the tournament practice nowadays. White wants to play a QGD with reversed colors and an extra tempo.} Nc6 5. c3 Nf6 6. Nd2 Bg4 7. Qb3 Qc8 8. Ngf3 e6 9. Bd3 Bh5 10. O-O Bg6 11. Bxg6 hxg6 12. Rae1 Be7 13. g3 $146 {A novelty which prepares the kingside attack.} ({The curious predecessor saw:} 13. h4 a6 14. a4 Nh5 15. Bh2 Nf6 16. Bf4 Nh5 17. Bg5 Bxg5 18. hxg5 Qc7 $2 19. Qxd5 {and... Black went on to win in Carlsen,M (2832)-So,W (2815) chess.com INT 2017. Yes, this was a blitz game of course.}) 13... O-O 14. Ne5 Nxe5 15. dxe5 (15. Bxe5 {will be met with} Nd7 16. Bf4 b5 $1 {when Black conducts comfortable minority attack.}) 15... Nd7 16. h4 {White's plan became obvious. He intends Kg1-g2 followed by an attack along the h-file. He may often use the g5 point for his minor pieces as well.} Nc5 {Van Foreest activates his pieces.} ({Here the minority attack is somewhat slower:} 16... b5 17. Nf3 Rb8 18. Bg5) 17. Qc2 Qc6 18. Re3 $1 {Takes under control the vital d3 square.} ({Since} 18. Nf3 Qa6 {is a double attack- against the a2 pawn and the d3 square.}) 18... Qa6 {The point behind Black's maneuver. The queen tortures the white pawns and is ready to come to king's rescue.} 19. Qb1 {Duda avoids the weakening of the queenside.} ({Both} 19. b3 Rac8) ({and} 19. a3 Rac8 { would have made Black's queenside counterplay easier.}) 19... Rac8 20. Kg2 b5 21. Bg5 Qb7 ({Instead} 21... Bxg5 22. hxg5 {would only help White.}) 22. Bxe7 Qxe7 23. Rh1 a5 ({More accurate seems} 23... Qb7 $5 24. Nf3 Ne4 25. h5 b4 { not fearing} 26. hxg6 fxg6 {as the opening of the f-file is good only for Black.}) 24. Qd1 {White is carefully preparing the assault.} (24. h5 {would open the file a tad too early and will lead to mass exchanges along it after} gxh5 25. Rxh5 g6 26. Rh4 Kg7 27. Re1 Rh8 28. Reh1 Rxh4 29. Rxh4 Rh8 {with likely draw.}) 24... b4 {Van Foreest is consistent on the opposite wing. Why does he need the open files there when his king is in danger?} 25. Qg4 ({Here} 25. h5 {is more interesting, although Black can defend successfully after} bxc3 26. bxc3 g5 27. h6 f5 $5 ({Or} 27... g6)) 25... bxc3 26. bxc3 ({Worse was} 26. Rxc3 Qb7 {with double attack against b2 and the c3 rook.}) 26... Rb8 {Now finally White goes for:} 27. h5 {When Black obviously loves to keep everything closed with:} g5 28. h6 g6 ({Here} 28... f5 {is not as convincing as in the line above due to:} 29. exf6 gxf6 30. Nb3 f5 $2 31. h7+ Kh8 32. Qd4+) 29. Nf3 Ne4 30. Re2 $5 {Duda decided to sacrifice the ill pawn. A brave and correct decision.} ({Otherwise Black will make immediate use of the open file} 30. Nd4 Rb2 31. Re2 {to reduce White's attacking potential.}) 30... Nxc3 31. Rc2 Ne4 ({ Self-pinning does not seem fun after} 31... Rfc8 32. h7+ Kh8 33. Rhc1 Rc4 34. Qxg5 Qxg5 35. Nxg5 {when White is clearly better.}) ({The endgame is not fun neither:} 31... Nb5 32. Qxg5 Qxg5 33. Nxg5) 32. Nd4 {This is what the Polish GM sacrificed the pawn for. The obvious threat is Nd4-c6, but there are also problems along the c-file, with the black king and even the central line is in danger of getting trapped.} Rbc8 ({Not} 32... Rfc8 $2 33. Nc6) ({Nor} 32... Nc5 $2 33. Nc6) ({The computer likes} 32... Qa3 {although a human being would probably not even consider leaving his king lonely on the other side.}) 33. Nc6 Qa3 34. Rhc1 {The knight is almost trapped.} Kh7 35. Qe2 {Almost there, but...} ({Not yet} 35. f3 Nd2 $1) 35... g4 $1 {The only move, but a sufficient one.} ({ Otherwise the knight will be trapped:} 35... Rc7 36. f3) 36. Qxg4 Rc7 {Now it is the other way around! Black is trying to net a web around the enemy knight.} 37. Qf4 Rfc8 38. g4 $2 {In time trouble Duda errs.} ({After} 38. Qg4 {neither side can make progress and the game will most likely end a draw, unless one of the sides does not do something suicidal like:} Kxh6 $4 39. Rh1+ Kg7 40. Qh4) 38... g5 $1 {Removes the queen away from the strong position.} ({Perhaps Duda was hoping for something like:} 38... Qa4 $2 39. Ne7 $1 Rxc2 40. Qxf7+ Kh8 41. Nxg6#) 39. Qh2 ({In the possible endgame after} 39. Qf3 Qxf3+ 40. Kxf3 { Black can always win the h6 pawn, say:} f6 41. exf6 Nxf6 42. Nd4 Rxc2 43. Rxc2 Rxc2 44. Nxc2 e5) 39... Nd2 $1 {Another poweful move. It is twice more unpleasant in time-trouble.} 40. Rc3 {Loses quickly.} ({White had nothing better than the gloomy endgame:} 40. Qg3 Qxg3+ 41. Kxg3 Kxh6) 40... Qa4 { Not only the knight on c6 is trapped, the white king is in danger too. Duda was shaking his head.} 41. Qh5 Qe4+ {Van Foreest is careful. Now it is game over.} ({It is never too late to lose a won position:} 41... Rxc6 $4 42. Qxf7+ Kxh6 43. Rh1#) 42. Kh3 ({Or} 42. f3 Qf4) 42... d4 43. Rg3 ({Nothing changes:} 43. Rc5 Qf3+ 44. Kh2 Qxf2+) 43... Qf4 44. Rd1 Ne4 {Black is convincingly finishing the game.} ({Or} 44... Rxc6) 45. Rxd4 Nxg3 46. fxg3 Qf1+ 47. Kh2 Rxc6 48. Qxg5 Rc2+ 49. Rd2 Rxd2+ 50. Qxd2 Rc1 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.13"] [Round "2.2"] [White "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A28"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2783"] [PlyCount "84"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:39:24"] [BlackClock "0:53:18"] 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 Bc5 8. Be2 (8. h3 O-O 9. Be2 b6 10. O-O Qd6 11. Nd2 Qg6 12. Kh1 Bb7 13. Nb3 Be7 14. f4 Rad8 {Braun,A (2403)-Loinjak,S (2554) LSS email 2011}) 8... O-O 9. O-O Bb6 10. a4 Re8 11. Qc2 $146 (11. Rb1 h6 12. Qc2 a6 13. Be3 Bxe3 14. fxe3 Qe7 15. Rfe1 b6 16. d4 Bg4 {Svenn,G (2360)-Astrom,R (2468) Sweden 2000}) 11... Qf6 12. Kh1 h6 13. Ng1 Qd6 14. f4 Bxg1 15. Rxg1 exf4 16. d4 Ne7 17. Ba3 Qd8 18. Raf1 Ng6 19. e5 $6 (19. g3 Bh3 20. Rf2) 19... b6 $1 {Giri is ready to sac an exchange to gain control over the light squares.} 20. Bf3 $6 (20. Bd3) 20... Ba6 $1 21. Rf2 c5 22. g3 $2 {Here it doesn't work.} (22. Bxa8 Qxa8 23. Bc1 Qc8 24. Qd1 { was better but Black is fine after} Qf5) 22... fxg3 23. Rxg3 cxd4 24. cxd4 Rc8 25. Qf5 (25. Qd2) 25... Bc4 $1 {All of Black's pieces are great and so he's simply a pawn up.} 26. Bd6 Be6 27. Qb1 Nf4 $1 {Continuing energetically.} 28. d5 {Understandable, but insufficient.} Nxd5 (28... Bxd5 $2 29. Bxd5 Nxd5 30. Rxf7 $1 {should be avoided.}) 29. Qg1 Kh8 30. Rd2 (30. Rxg7 Rg8 31. Rfg2 Rxg7 32. Rxg7 Qh4 {is nothing.}) 30... Nf4 31. Rd4 Ng6 32. Be4 Rc4 {Super solid.} 33. Rxc4 Bxc4 34. Qd4 Be6 35. Bc6 Ne7 $1 36. Be4 (36. Bxe8 Nf5) 36... Nf5 37. Bxf5 Bxf5 38. Kg1 Be6 39. h4 Qd7 40. Qe4 Rc8 41. h5 Rc1+ 42. Kh2 Qd8 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.13"] [Round "2.4"] [White "Rapport, Richard"] [Black "Shankland, Samuel"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A06"] [WhiteElo "2731"] [BlackElo "2725"] [PlyCount "188"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:03:09"] [BlackClock "0:06:59"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O e5 5. d3 Nc6 6. e4 dxe4 7. dxe4 Qxd1 8. Rxd1 Bg4 9. c3 (9. Be3 Nd4 10. Bxd4 exd4 11. Na3 O-O-O 12. h3 Bxf3 13. Bxf3 Ne7 14. Nc4 Nc6 15. Bg4+ Kb8 {Caruana,F (2829)-Anand,V (2793) London 2014}) 9... Nf6 10. h3 Bd7 $146 (10... Be6 11. Re1 h6 12. Na3 Nd7 13. Bf1 Nb6 14. Nd2 h5 15. h4 O-O-O 16. b3 Bh6 {Movsziszian,K (2533)-Levin,F (2470) Llucmajor 2018}) 11. Re1 O-O-O 12. Na3 Ne8 13. c4 Bf8 14. Nc2 Be6 15. b3 Nb4 16. Nxb4 Bxb4 17. Rf1 f6 18. Be3 Ng7 19. c5 Rd3 20. Ne1 Rd7 21. c6 bxc6 22. Bxa7 Kb7 23. Be3 Ra8 24. Nf3 Bf7 25. Rfc1 Ne6 26. Bf1 Nd4 27. Kg2 c5 28. Bc4 Ba3 29. Rd1 Bxc4 30. bxc4 Kc6 31. Nh2 Rd6 32. Bh6 Kd7 33. Ng4 Ke6 34. Rab1 Bb4 35. Ne3 c6 36. a3 Rxa3 37. Ra1 Nb3 38. Rxa3 Bxa3 39. Rxd6+ Kxd6 40. Nc2 Bb2 41. Kf1 g5 42. Bf8+ Ke6 43. Ke2 Bd4 44. Ne1 Na5 45. Nd3 Nb7 46. f4 gxf4 47. gxf4 Kf7 48. Bh6 Nd6 49. fxe5 fxe5 50. Be3 Nxc4 51. Bf2 Ke7 52. Nxc5 Bxf2 53. Kxf2 Nb6 54. Kf3 Nd7 55. Nb7 c5 56. Ke3 Kf6 57. Nd6 Kg5 58. Kf3 Nb6 59. Nf7+ Kf6 60. Nh6 Nd7 61. Nf5 Kg5 62. Nd6 Nb6 63. Nf7+ Kf6 64. Nh6 Ke6 65. Nf5 c4 66. Ke2 Kd7 67. Nh6 Kc6 68. Nf7 Nd7 69. Kd2 Kc5 70. Kc3 Nf6 71. Nxe5 Nxe4+ 72. Kc2 Kd4 73. Nd7 Ke3 74. Nf8 h5 $2 (74... h6 $1 75. Ng6 (75. Kb2 Kd2) 75... Nd6 76. Kc3 Kf3 77. Kc2 Kg3 78. h4 Kg4 {and the h5-square is available for the king.}) 75. Ng6 Kf2 76. h4 Kg3 77. Kb2 Kg4 78. Kc2 Nd6 (78... Kf5 79. Ne7+ Kg4 80. Ng6) 79. Kc3 Nf5 80. Ne5+ Kxh4 81. Kxc4 Kg3 82. Ng6 Kf3 83. Kd3 Ne7 84. Ne5+ Kg2 85. Nf7 h4 86. Ng5 Ng8 87. Ke3 Kg3 88. Ne4+ Kg2 89. Ng5 Kg3 90. Ne4+ Kh2 91. Kf2 Nh6 92. Ng5 Ng4+ 93. Kf3 Ne5+ 94. Ke4 Kg2 1/2-1/2 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.13"] [Round "2.5"] [White "Saduakassova, Dinara"] [Black "Van Foreest, Lucas"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E32"] [WhiteElo "2472"] [BlackElo "2502"] [PlyCount "106"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:37:00"] [BlackClock "0:31:07"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 c5 9. dxc5 (9. e3 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. a3 Bxc3+ 13. Qxc3 d4 14. Qxd4 Qxd4 15. exd4 Re8+ {Laznicka,V (2662)-Gelfand,B (2703) Novy Bor 2018}) 9... g5 10. Bg3 Ne4 11. e3 Nd7 12. Bd6 Qa5 13. Bd3 $146 (13. Bxf8 Nxc3 14. bxc3 Bxc3+ 15. Kd1 Bxa1 16. Bxh6 Nxc5 17. Bd3 Nxd3 18. Qxd3 Bd7 19. Nd2 Rc8 20. Bxg5 Qa4+ 21. Nb3 Qxa2 22. Nd2 Qa4+ {0-1 Karavade,E (2374)-Prithu,G (2458) Isle of Man 2018}) 13... Nxc3 14. O-O Re8 15. bxc3 Bxc5 16. Bg3 Nf6 17. Rab1 b6 18. Be5 Ng4 19. Bd4 Bxd4 20. exd4 Be6 21. Qd2 Rac8 22. Rbc1 Kf8 23. h4 f6 24. Bg6 Re7 25. Rfe1 Qa3 26. Qc2 Kg7 27. Bh5 Qd6 28. Qg6+ Kf8 29. Bxg4 Bxg4 30. Qxh6+ ({ White can win in different ways. First} 30. Ne5 {was also very strong.}) 30... Kg8 31. Rxe7 $6 {Not so practical.} (31. hxg5 Bxf3 32. gxf6) 31... Qxe7 32. Re1 $2 (32. hxg5 {was still good:} Bxf3 33. Qh3 $1 Rd8 (33... Re8 34. Qxf3 fxg5 35. Qxd5+) 34. Qxf3 fxg5 35. Kf1 $1 {followed by Re1 still gives a huge edge.}) 32... Qg7 33. Qxg7+ Kxg7 34. Nh2 Bf5 35. hxg5 fxg5 36. Re5 Kf6 37. Re3 Rc4 38. Nf1 Ra4 39. Re2 Bd3 40. Rb2 Bc4 41. Ne3 Bxa2 42. Kf1 Bc4+ 43. Ke1 Ke6 44. Kd2 Ra5 45. Nc2 Kf5 46. Ke3 Kg4 47. Nb4 Ra1 48. Nc6 Kh4 49. Ne5 Re1+ 50. Kd2 Re2+ 51. Kc1 Re1+ 52. Kd2 Re2+ 53. Kc1 Re1+ 1/2-1/2 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.14"] [Round "3.4"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2777"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:31:36"] [BlackClock "0:00:31"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {Nepomniachtchi is not afraid of Kramnik's Berlin... } Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 O-O 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Re8 11. c3 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Ne8 13. d5 {...as he has prepared well.} ({ The move in the game speaks about White's intentions. He avoids an earlier game of the two which ended rather quickly:} 13. Bf4 d5 14. Bd3 c6 15. Nd2 g6 16. Qe3 Ng7 17. Re1 {1/2-1/2 (17) Nepomniachtchi,I (2740)-Kramnik,V (2808) Moscow 2016}) 13... b6 $146 {It is Kramnik's turn to deviate from the beaten paths.} ({Two other top grandmasters discussed the position in a different manner:} 13... c6 14. Nd2 cxd5 15. Nf3 d6 16. Be3 Nc7 17. Qd2 Bd7 18. g3 Bc6 { Giri,A (2780) -Caruana,F (2827) Batumi 2018}) 14. Bf4 Bb7 15. Qd2 h6 {An useful move, which prepares the trade of the bishops.} (15... Nd6 {is strategically risky as} 16. Bxd6 cxd6 {may lead to a position with an excluded black bishop.}) 16. c4 c6 {To prolong the diagonal for the bishop.} ({More solid was} 16... Bg5 17. Nc3 Bxf4 18. Qxf4 Qg5 {with good chances for equalization.}) 17. Nc3 cxd5 (17... Bxc3 {will be answered} 18. bxc3) 18. cxd5 $1 {Keeps more pieces on the board.} ({Instead:} 18. Nxd5 {would make Black's equalization easier-} Bxd5 19. cxd5 ({Or} 19. Qxd5 Bxb2 20. Rd1 Ba3 21. Qxd7 Qxd7 22. Rxd7 Nf6) 19... Bg5 {In both lines the swap of the pieces favors the side with the lesser space.}) 18... d6 {Kramnik hopes to create counterplay around the d5 pawn.} ({However} 18... Bg5 {seems more reliable.}) 19. Re1 Nc7 20. Bc4 Bxc3 {An important decision. Black concedes the bishop pair but opens air for his queen. Furthermore, now he has one extra striker against the d5 pawn.} ({Perhaps both players spent a lot of time checking the consequences of the normal:} 20... Qd7 {Then:} 21. Ne4 Be5 22. Bxe5 dxe5 {can be met with the tactical strike:} 23. Qxh6 $5 {However, the cold-blooded} Bxd5 {would have held the game, say:} ({Most likely Kramnik did not like something in the lines after:} 23... gxh6 24. Nf6+ Kg7 25. Nxd7 f6 26. d6 (26. f4 $5) 26... Nd5) 24. Bxd5 Nxd5 {and Black should be OK.}) 21. bxc3 Qf6 22. h3 {Nepomniachtchi also makes a generally useful move. He opens air for his king as he knows that the white rook will be soon needed along the fourth rank.} (22. Bb3 $5 {also looks good.}) 22... Rc8 ({Black avoids passive defense after} 22... Re8 23. Rxe8+ Nxe8 24. Bb3 Nc7) 23. Re4 b5 ({Instead} 23... Qf5 24. Qd3 {only improves White's position:} b5 $4 25. Re8+) 24. Bb3 a5 ({Alas, the other attempt to coordinate the pieces with:} 24... Na8 {(Intending Na8-b6) is met with:} 25. Be3 $1 Qxc3 26. Qxc3 Rxc3 27. Re8+ Kh7 28. Rb8 Rc7 29. Bxa7 {and Black is busted.}) 25. a3 Qf5 {If anything Black is consistent in his play against the central pawn.} (25... Na6 {would ahve given White some extra choice like:} 26. Qe2 (26. Rd4 {is still a move.}) 26... Rxc3 27. Bc2 g6 {Now both} 28. Bxh6 ({ And} 28. Be3 {look better for White.})) 26. Rd4 Qb1+ 27. Bd1 {White managed to keep his central pawn alive and has a firm grip on the position.} b4 {The best chance.} ({Instead} 27... Ne8 {can be met with} 28. Kh2) ({The forcing line:} 27... Bxd5 28. Rxd5 Nxd5 29. Qxd5 Rxc3 30. Kh2 Rxa3 31. Bxd6 {leads to a position where technically speaking it is even Black who has some slight material advantage. But the bishop pair is an enormous power and therefore Black is helpless. A nice line is:} Rd3 32. Qa8+ Kh7 33. Qe4+ g6 34. Qe8 Rxd6 35. Qxf7+ Kh8 36. Bb3 {and White wins.}) 28. cxb4 Nb5 29. Qd3 ({White would be also better in the beautiful line:} 29. Rd3 Rc4 30. bxa5 Rxf4 31. Rb3 Qa1 32. Rxb5 Rd4 33. Rb1 $1) 29... Qa1 30. Re4 Bxd5 {Once again the best practical chance. The problem for Black however was that he is not only worse, but that he was very low on time too.} ({The alternatives are clearly better for White: } 30... Nc3 31. Re1 Qxa3 32. Bc2) ({Or} 30... Nxa3 31. Re7 Ba6 32. Qxa6 Qxd1+ 33. Kh2) 31. Re1 Bc4 32. Qf5 Rf8 {In time-trouble Kramnik tries to keep his pieces together.} ({White would also keep significant advantage in case of:} 32... Ra8 33. Qd7 ({Or} 33. bxa5 $5) ({But not:} 33. Kh2 $2 axb4 34. Bc2 Qxe1 35. Qh7+ Kf8) 33... Qc3 (33... Nxa3 34. bxa5) 34. Re8+ Rxe8 35. Qxe8+ Kh7 36. Qe4+ g6 37. bxa5) 33. Kh2 $1 {A nasty move, especially in the time-trouble. Nepomniachtchi creates the mating threat Bd1-c2!} ({There was nothing wrong with:} 33. bxa5 {though.}) 33... g6 {This weakening of the dark squares is decisive!} ({The only move was:} 33... Qb2) ({Whereas the capture on a3 would have given White an excellent choice between much better endgame:} 33... Qxa3 34. Bc2 ({Or strong attack with:} 34. Bxh6 $1 {since:} gxh6 35. Bc2 {is unstoppable mate.}) 34... g6 35. Qf6 Qc3 36. Qxc3 Nxc3 37. bxa5) 34. Qe4 d5 ({ If} 34... Be6 35. Bxh6 Rb8 36. Bb3) 35. Qe7 axb4 36. Be5 {Mate on the dark squares is unavoidable.} ({Maybe Kramnik expected} 36. Bxh6 {which should have also won, but the move in the game is more convincing.}) 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.14"] [Round "3.2"] [White "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2612"] [BlackElo "2813"] [PlyCount "100"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:30:47"] [BlackClock "0:56:28"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d6 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 a5 (7... a6 8. a4 Ba7 9. h3 Kh8 10. d4 h6 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 dxe5 13. Qxd8 Rxd8 { Anand, V (2771)-Aronian,L (2780) Batumi 2018}) 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Nh7 $146 (10... Ba7 11. Na3 Nh7 12. Nd2 g4 13. Nb5 Bb6 14. Bb3 a4 15. Bc2 h5 16. h4 d5 17. d4 dxe4 18. dxe5 Ra5 {Vachier Lagrave,M (2778)-Ding Liren (2816) Shenzhen CHN 2018 was the game where Ding's 100-game undefeated streak ended.}) 11. d4 Bb6 12. dxe5 h5 13. h4 Bg4 14. Nbd2 Nxe5 15. Be2 Nxf3+ 16. Nxf3 Bxf3 17. Bxf3 gxh4 18. Bh2 h3 19. e5 Qh4 20. Qd2 dxe5 21. Rxe5 Rad8 22. Qe2 Ng5 23. Bxb7 f6 24. Re7 Rf7 25. Rxf7 Kxf7 26. Re1 Kg6 27. Qc2+ f5 28. Qe2 hxg2 29. Bxg2 Qg4 30. Kf1 h4 31. b3 Qxe2+ 32. Kxe2 Re8+ 33. Kf1 Rxe1+ 34. Kxe1 h3 35. Bd5 Ne4 36. Bxe4 fxe4 37. Ke2 Kf5 38. f3 c6 39. b4 $2 ({White could have drawn with some super accurate moves:} 39. a4 $1 c5 40. fxe4+ $1 Kxe4 41. Bd6 $1 Bd8 (41... Ba7 42. Bc7 Bb6 43. Bd6) 42. Kf2 $1 Kd5 43. Bxc5 $1 Kxc5 44. b4+ axb4 45. cxb4+ Kxb4 46. Kg3 ({or even} 46. Kg1 {ha!})) 39... a4 $1 {Without a passer of his own, White has no defense to Black's plan of trading bishops.} 40. c4 (40. a3 Bd8 41. c4 Bf6 42. b5 cxb5 43. cxb5 Be5) 40... Bd4 41. fxe4+ Kxe4 42. Kf1 Kd3 43. b5 cxb5 44. cxb5 Kc4 45. Ke2 Kxb5 46. Kf3 Kb4 47. Kg4 Ka3 48. Kxh3 Kxa2 49. Bd6 Kb3 50. Kg2 Bc3 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.15"] [Round "4.2"] [White "Rapport, Richard"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D00"] [WhiteElo "2731"] [BlackElo "2783"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bf4 e6 4. Nb5 {"There are a lot of ridiculous systems, but this one is not the most dangerous one" (Giri). In fact this is the Reversed Chigorin Defence; a similar position may arise after say 1.d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 Bf5 4.Bg2 e6 5.0-0 Be7 6.c4 Nb4 7.Na3.} Na6 5. e3 Be7 ({Black also did well in the following game:} 5... c6 6. Nc3 Nc7 7. Nf3 Bd6 8. Ne5 O-O 9. Qf3 Bb4 10. Bd3 Nb5 {Jobava,B (2690)-Anand,V (2782) Riadh 2017}) 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Bd3 c6 {The knight is sent back home, whereas the one on a6 is not poorly placed.} 8. Nc3 Nb4 9. h3 $146 {A novelty that aims to preserve the dark-squared bishop.} ({The only predecessor saw Black do really well after:} 9. a3 Nxd3+ 10. cxd3 Nh5 11. Bg3 Nxg3 12. hxg3 f6 13. Nd2 Qe8 {Bramajo,R-Gil,R (2250) Pehuajo 2017}) ({If White keeps the bishop} 9. Be2 {then the knight will get back to the center after} c5) 9... Nxd3+ 10. cxd3 b6 {Black equalized easily in the opening.} 11. O-O Bb7 12. Qb3 {Both sides start maneuvering.} Nd7 13. Rfe1 Rc8 14. Rac1 h6 15. Bg3 a5 16. Na4 Ba6 17. Ne5 Nxe5 18. Bxe5 Bb5 { Giri's maneuvers give the impression that he made some progress, but the position remains equal.} 19. Re2 Re8 ({Black also considered the active kingside play:} 19... f6 20. Bf4 g5 $5 {which definitely makes sense with a stable center. Next Rf8-f7-g7 will prepare the further advance of the pawns, although, of course this should not bring anything significant for the second player.}) 20. Rec2 Bf8 21. Nxb6 {A surprising move for Giri. "I thought I can be the only one to be better after this. I have the outside passer and his control over the open c-file is probably not so important."} Qxb6 22. a4 Ra8 23. g4 $2 {According to Giri this move was accompanied with a draw offer "which is a receipt of disaster." The weakening of the kingside is indeed serious and Black can now combine play against the white king with queenside expansion. In the meanwhile the extra central white pawn does not count for much and the open c-file does not have any juicy squares to satisfy the rooks.} ({Rapport should have taken the sting out of the black queenside pawns with:} 23. axb5 Qxb5 ({Worse for Black is} 23... cxb5 $6 24. Rc6) 24. Qc3 ({Rather than playing an endgame:} 24. Qxb5 cxb5 25. Rc7 a4 {which is definitely better for Black.})) 23... Qd8 $1 {Sending the queen to the attack the weaknesses.} 24. axb5 a4 25. Qc3 cxb5 26. Qc6 b4 27. Bc7 Qg5 $1 {A nice maneuver. The queen is ideally placed on g6.} ({White can defend well after} 27... Qh4 28. Kg2 h5 29. f3 Rec8) 28. f4 ({Or} 28. Bf4 Qg6 29. Qb5 h5 {when Black is better.}) 28... Qg6 ({Here} 28... Qh4 $5 {makes more sense with the g3 square weakened. In either case, Black has all the fun.}) 29. e4 {Rapport is desperately trying to make something out of his central pawns, but Giri simply ignores them.} h5 ({ Other interesting options were:} 29... b3 30. Rf2 a3 31. bxa3 Rec8) ({Or} 29... dxe4 30. dxe4 Qf6 31. Be5) 30. g5 ({Perhaps it was time to go bananas with:} 30. f5 {Hoping for} Qg5 ({However Black can opt for a favorable endgame with:} 30... exf5 31. Qxg6 fxg6 32. exd5 Re3) 31. fxe6 fxe6 32. exd5 hxg4 33. d6 Qe3+ 34. Kh1 Qxh3+ 35. Rh2 {with a huge mess.}) 30... h4 {Making sure that the g5 pawn will not be defended well.} 31. Kf2 a3 {Ater making significant progress on the kingside, Giri makes sure he has the best on the other wing.} 32. b3 { It is cruel to criticise White for this move.} ({However} 32. bxa3 bxa3 33. Ra2 {was more resilient.}) 32... Rec8 {Prepares the final breakthrough.} ({Here} 32... f6 {can lead to unnecessary complications after} 33. f5 $5) 33. Qb7 dxe4 34. dxe4 f6 $1 {The final touch. White's position collapses.} 35. Be5 {A nice move, but insufficient.} ({If} 35. Bd6 Rxc2+ 36. Rxc2 Re8 37. Bxf8 Rxf8 38. Qxb4 Qxe4 39. Qd2 fxg5 {Black wins.}) ({White has no chances at all after} 35. gxf6 Qg3+ 36. Ke2 a2) 35... Rxc2+ 36. Rxc2 Re8 37. gxf6 gxf6 38. Kf1 ({Or} 38. Bc7 Qg3+) 38... Re7 39. Qc6 Rg7 40. Qxe6+ Kh7 {Rapport loses at least a piece and therefore resigns.} (40... Kh7 {If:} 41. Qxf6 Qg1+ 42. Ke2 Rg2+ 43. Kd3 Qf1+ 44. Ke3 Rg3+ 45. Kd2 Rd3#) 0-1 [Event "Tata Steel Chess Masters 2019"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.16"] [Round "5.6"] [White "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B34"] [WhiteElo "2612"] [BlackElo "2835"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 {Apparently, the world champion spent so many hours polishing the Sveshnikov in his pre-match preparation that he is eager to show what more he has in stock.} 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 {Let's call this the Fabi-mania.} Nxd5 8. exd5 Ne7 9. c4 Ng6 10. Qa4 Bd7 11. Qb4 Qb8 12. h4 h5 13. Be3 a6 14. Nc3 f5 {Here it is. Carlsen deviates from one of his successful rapid games from the recent match.} ({That game saw:} 14... a5 15. Qb3 a4 16. Qd1 Be7 17. g3 Qc8 18. Be2 Bg4 {with obviously Black was not happy with the opening outcome, Caruana,F (2832)-Carlsen,M (2835) London 2018}) 15. O-O-O $146 {But it is Van Foreest who produced a novelty. True, after lengthy thought which makes me believe it was not home-made.} ({ We will have to see what did the Norwegian prepare against:} 15. g3 Be7 16. Be2 f4 17. gxf4 exf4 18. Bd4 O-O 19. Bxh5 Nxh4 20. O-O-O {as in Bhat,V (2411)-Wang, P (2306) Dallas 2002}) 15... Be7 {A quick and confident reaction.} 16. g3 O-O { This move which practically sacrifices the h5 pawn was also executed quickly.} 17. Be2 e4 18. Bd4 {White is uncertain and the champion quickly takes over the initiative.} ({The principled line was:} 18. Bxh5 Ne5 19. Be2 ({Worse is:} 19. Kb1 Nd3 20. Qb3 b5) 19... b5 20. cxb5 axb5 {with compensation for the pawn thanks to the open files against the white king.} (20... Bxb5 $5 {also deserves attention.})) 18... Bf6 19. Bxf6 ({Here the capture is not possible due to the line:} 19. Bxh5 Ne5 20. Be2 Nd3+ 21. Bxd3 Bxd4 {with clear edge for Black.}) 19... Rxf6 20. Qb6 {The last moment in which Van Foreest could have taken the pawn passed.} ({In comparison to the line two moves ago:} 20. Bxh5 { is less appealing for the first player due to:} Ne5 21. Be2 b5 22. cxb5 axb5 ( 22... Bxb5) 23. Kb1 f4 {Nevertheless, White should have risked and played with the extra pawn.}) 20... Ne5 {Now Carlsen quickly takes over the intiative.} 21. Kb1 ({Here} 21. Bxh5 {makes no sense at all:} Nxc4) 21... Be8 {Not only defending the pawn and improving the bishop, but also getting ready to send the queen back home.} 22. Rd2 $6 {White prepared a good set-up for his pieces, but sadly fails to construct it by a move.} ({Better was:} 22. Rhe1 Nd7 23. Qe3 Qc7 24. f3 {with approximate equality.}) 22... Nd7 {Yes, the queen is a bad blocker.} 23. Qd4 ({Probably it was not too late for:} 23. Qe3 Qc7 24. b3 Ne5 { although Black has no problems at all at least.}) 23... Qc7 24. Nd1 Ne5 25. Ne3 {One more move and the white knight will make it to f4 via g2, but:} f4 $1 { Clarifies matters. Black forces decisive weakening of the white kingside.} 26. gxf4 ({Black is also clearly on top after} 26. Nc2 Bg6) 26... Rxf4 27. Rg1 Bg6 {Carlsen is not in a hurry as he knows that the pawns are not going anywhere.} ({Weaker was} 27... Rxf2 28. Qxe4) ({And} 27... Rxh4 $2 28. Nf5 {would be horrible blunder.}) 28. Ka1 Raf8 {One missed move in the calculation led to a disaster for White. Van Foreest tries a desperate sacrifice, but in vain.} 29. c5 Rxf2 ({Less good was:} 29... dxc5 30. Qc3 Qd6 31. Rg5) 30. Qc3 ({The last chance was:} 30. cxd6 Qxd6 31. Rc2 Rxe2 32. Rxe2 Nf3 33. Qd1 Nxg1 34. Qxg1 Rf3) 30... Qxc5 31. Qxc5 dxc5 32. d6 Kh7 33. d7 Nf3 (33... Nf3 {White resigned due to the lines:} 34. Bxf3 ({Or} 34. d8=Q Rxd8 35. Rxd8 Rxe2) 34... Rxd2) 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.16"] [Round "5.3"] [White "Shankland, Samuel"] [Black "Ding, Liren"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C88"] [WhiteElo "2725"] [BlackElo "2813"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:22:21"] [BlackClock "0:31:02"] 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 Bb7 9. d3 d6 ({Ding said he wanted to avoid his opponent's preparation in the line with} 9... d5) 10. c3 Na5 11. Bc2 c5 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. Nf1 h6 14. Ne3 Bf8 15. b4 (15. Nh2 d5 16. Nhg4 dxe4 17. Nxf6+ Qxf6 18. dxe4 Rad8 19. Qe2 Bc8 20. a4 b4 {McShane,L (2669)-Hebden,M (2423) Hull 2018}) 15... cxb4 16. cxb4 Nc6 17. a3 d5 $146 (17... a5 18. bxa5 Nxa5 19. Rb1 Bc6 20. Nf5 Qc7 21. N3h4 Bd7 22. Bd2 Kh7 23. g4 g6 {Nezhmetdinov,R-Yudovich,M Baku (Azerbaijan) 1964}) 18. Ng4 $6 ( 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. exd5 Qxd5 20. Bb3 Qd6 21. Bb2 {was perhaps better.}) 18... Nxg4 19. hxg4 dxe4 20. dxe4 Qxd1 21. Rxd1 a5 22. bxa5 $6 (22. Rd7 $5) 22... Nxa5 23. Rb1 Bc6 24. Nd2 Red8 25. Kf1 Nb7 26. Rb3 Bd7 27. f3 Rac8 28. Bb1 b4 $1 29. Rb2 (29. axb4 Ba4) 29... Ba4 30. Re1 Rc7 31. Ba2 bxa3 32. Rb6 Bc5 33. Rb1 Bc2 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.16"] [Round "5.6"] [White "Gledura, Benjamin"] [Black "Kovalev, Vladislav"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2615"] [BlackElo "2687"] [PlyCount "84"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "1:22:51"] [BlackClock "0:52:29"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. c3 a5 7. Re1 O-O (7... h6 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. Nf1 Ne7 10. Ng3 Ng6 11. h3 a4 12. d4 exd4 13. Nxd4 Re8 14. Be3 Bb6 {Jones,G (2682)-Howell,D (2696) London 2018}) 8. h3 h6 9. Nbd2 Be6 10. Bb5 Qb8 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. d4 exd4 13. cxd4 Bb4 $146 (13... Bb6 14. Nf1 d5 15. e5 Ne4 16. Be3 a4 17. Qc1 Qe8 18. Ng3 Nxg3 19. fxg3 {1/2 (19) Baklan,V (2608) -Kravtsiv,M (2644) Kiev 2018}) 14. Re2 a4 15. a3 Ba5 16. e5 Nd5 17. Ne4 f5 18. Ng3 Nb6 19. d5 $5 Bxd5 (19... Nxd5 $5) 20. Nd4 f4 21. Ngf5 Rxf5 $5 22. Nxf5 Qf8 23. Nd4 $2 (23. Qc2 $1 f3 24. gxf3 Bb3 25. Qe4 Re8 26. Qg4 {was the way to go.} ) 23... c5 24. Nf3 Bb3 25. Qd3 Bc4 26. Qc2 d5 27. e6 Bxe2 28. Qxe2 Nc4 29. Ne5 Nxe5 30. Qxe5 Qd6 31. Bxf4 Qxe5 32. Bxe5 Re8 33. Rd1 Rxe6 34. Bc3 ({The problem was} 34. Rxd5 c6 35. Rxc5 Bb6) 34... Bxc3 35. bxc3 c6 36. c4 dxc4 37. f3 (37. Kf1 Kf7 38. Rc1 Ke7 39. Rxc4 Kd6) 37... Re3 38. Rc1 Rxa3 39. Rxc4 Ra1+ 40. Kf2 a3 41. Rxc5 a2 42. Rc2 ({Also after} 42. Ra5 c5 {White can resign.}) 42... Rf1+ 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.18"] [Round "6.2"] [White "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Black "Fedoseev, Vladimir"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B09"] [WhiteElo "2612"] [BlackElo "2724"] [PlyCount "91"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. e4 d6 {Fedoseev is not having the tournament of his life and his opening choice speaks about his "all or nothing intentions."} 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. a3 ({In a blitz game one can afford playing this line:} 5. Nf3 c5 6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. e5 Ng4 8. e6 Bxb5 9. exf7+ Kf8 10. Nxb5 Qa5+ 11. Nc3 cxd4 12. Nxd4 Kxf7 13. Qxg4 Bxd4 14. Bd2 {Nakamura,H (2769)-Carlsen,M (2843) Stavanger 2018}) 5... Nc6 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Be2 d5 8. e5 Ne4 9. Bd3 f5 $146 {An obvious and strong novelty.} ({White did well in the predecessor:} 9... Bf5 10. Be3 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Bxd3 12. cxd3 f6 {Kilpela,P (2142)-Liitiainen,E (2180) Helsinki 2002}) 10. O-O ({Since White did not castle yet:} 10. exf6 $6 exf6 11. Nxe4 $2 {is out of the question:} dxe4 12. Bxe4 Re8) 10... e6 11. Be3 b6 {Black's strong central knight secures him very comfortable play.} 12. Ng5 {White wants to get rid of it at once.} ({Playing around the knight was possible as well with} 12. Ne2 { although Black has good game after both} Na5 {intending c7-c5.} ({or} 12... a5 {followed by Bc8-a6.})) 12... Nxg5 {Fedoseev spotted an interesting sacrifice and went for it.} ({Here too} 12... Ne7 {was a safe option.}) 13. fxg5 f4 14. Rxf4 Rxf4 15. Bxf4 Nxd4 16. Bxg6 hxg6 17. Qxd4 Ba6 {The end of the forcing line. For the pawn Black owes the bishop pair and a beautiful pawn structure. Thanks to the light-squared bishop he threatens to occupy the f-file.} 18. Qa4 {Which is what White tries to hinder.} ({The f6 square was quite a temptation for the white knight too, therefore:} 18. Nd1 {deserved serious consideration. The knight does not make it just for a move though:} Qf8 19. Qf2 ({Not} 19. Ne3 $2 c5 20. Qa4 Bb5 21. Qxb5 Qxf4 {when Black is much better.}) 19... Qf7 20. Ne3 Rf8 21. g3 Bxe5 22. Ng4 Bg7 23. Re1 {In the process White lost his extra pawn but brought his pieces into active positions. The situation remains unclear, since both kings are not safe.}) ({There was also the over-protecting move} 18. Re1 {and then the knight maneuver.}) 18... Bb7 19. Bg3 Qxg5 (19... d4 $5 { was interesting as well.}) 20. Qd7 Qg4 21. Nb5 ({Or} 21. Qxc7 Ba6 22. Qd7 Rf8 { when Black's prospects are better.}) 21... Rf8 22. Nxc7 Bc8 23. Qe7 {In search for counterplay Van Foreest send his troops too far away from the king.} ({ Better was} 23. Qc6 Qf5 {although Black is still doing more than fine.}) 23... Qf5 {"I thought I was much worse and was getting outplayed. But then he started playing very quickly." (Van Foreest) Quite an accurate evaluation.} 24. Qd6 Bh6 $1 {Brings an important piece into the attack. The threat is back-rank mate after Bh6-e3+.} ({But not} 24... Qxc2 25. Nxe6 {when White's aggression will start making sense.}) 25. h3 Be3+ 26. Kh2 Bc5 27. Qc6 Qxc2 {Now the threat is a check on g1.} 28. Qb5 ({The piece sacrifice is insufficient:} 28. Nxd5 exd5 ({The point was that:} 28... Bg1+ $2 29. Rxg1 Qxc6 30. Ne7+ {works for White.}) 29. Qxd5+ Kh7 {and Black should win this.}) 28... Be7 {Fedoseeev decided to finish the game with direct attack against the white king on the long diagonal.} ({More simple was:} 28... Bd4 29. Qb4 Qxb2) 29. Na6 d4 30. Nb4 Bxb4 {Following the plan.} ({Although he could have simply taken the pawn with: } 30... Qxb2 {But apparently he miscalculated somewhere along the lines. Obviously, he would not have allowed the perpetual after:} 31. Qd3 Qxa1 ({ Instead the endgame after:} 31... Kg7 32. Ra2 Qc3 33. Qxc3 dxc3 34. Rc2 { Is clearly better for Black after both:} a5 ({Or even the simple:} 34... Bd7 35. Rxc3 Rc8 36. Rxc8 Bxc8) 35. Nd3 {Now Black needs to go for} g5 $1 ({ Rather than:} 35... Bxa3 36. Rxc3 Be7 37. Rc7 Re8 38. Bh4 Ba6 39. Nc5 $1 { with a draw.}) 36. Rxc3 Ba6 {There is no question who is better, but a there will be a ton of technical work going on for Black.}) 32. Qxg6+) 31. Qxb4 Bb7 32. Rg1 d3 {This is however a mistake.} ({Before doing this, Black should have secured his kingside with:} 32... Qe4 $1 33. Qd2 Rc8 34. Qg5 d3 {Black is still much better, although not necessarily winning.}) 33. Qg4 d2 {Mistakes never walk alone. Fedoseev does not feel the danger and the advantage goes fully in Van Foreest's hands.} ({Black should have looked for a draw already:} 33... Kg7 34. Qxe6 Qc6) 34. Qxe6+ Kg7 35. Qd7+ Rf7 ({After} 35... Kg8 36. Qxb7 d1=Q 37. Rxd1 Qxd1 {White has a pleasant risk-free endgame.}) 36. Qd4 {A nasty little ambush. The centralized queen does a ton of work and it is shocking to see the black kign getting mated now rather than white.} Kg8 ({Or} 36... Rf8 37. e6+ Kg8 38. Qd6 {with large advantage for White.}) 37. e6 Rf8 38. e7 Re8 39. Rd1 $1 {A cute way to get rid of the black passer.} ({There was a safer choice:} 39. Qd7 Qc6 40. Qxd2) 39... Qc6 ({The rook cannot be captured:} 39... Qxd1 40. Qc4+ Kg7 41. Be5+ Kh7 (41... Kh6 42. Qh4+ Qh5 43. Qf4+ Qg5 44. Qf8+ Kh5 45. g4+ Qxg4 46. hxg4+ Kh4 47. Bg3+ Kxg4 48. Qf4+ Kh5 49. Qh4#) 42. Qf7+ Kh6 43. Qg7+ Kg5 44. Qf6+ Kh5 45. g4+ Kh6 46. Qh4#) 40. Rxd2 Rxe7 41. Qg4 { Ironically, now it is White who has the extra pawn, the attack and the better pieces.} Qe4 42. Qg5 Rd7 43. Rf2 (43. Rxd7 $4 Qxg2#) 43... Rf7 44. Qd8+ Kg7 45. Bf4 Qd5 {Frustrated, Fedoseev loses on the spot.} ({The last chance was:} 45... Kh7 46. Qg5 {although White should be winning here too.} ({With the point that: } 46. Qb8 $2 {leads only to perpetual after:} g5 $1 47. Be5 Rxf2 48. Qh8+ Kg6 49. Qg7+ Kh5)) 46. Qb8 (46. Qb8 {The attack on the dark squares is irresistible:} Rf5 47. Rd2 Qc6 48. Be5+) 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.18"] [Round "6.6"] [White "Maghsoodloo, Parham"] [Black "Chigaev, Maksim"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C54"] [WhiteElo "2679"] [BlackElo "2604"] [PlyCount "162"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:01:49"] [BlackClock "0:07:24"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 d5 7. Bb5 Ne4 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Be3 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. Qc2 Nxc3 13. bxc3 f6 14. exf6 Qxf6 15. Be2 Bg6 16. Qb3 Qd6 17. O-O Rae8 18. a4 a6 19. Rae1 Kh8 20. Qa2 Qd8 21. Bg5 Qd6 22. Bc1 Qd8 23. Nh2 Be4 24. Ng4 Rf7 25. Ne3 Ne7 26. f3 $2 {White will regret this weakening of the kingside soon.} ({White is better after e.g.} 26. a5 Ba7 27. Qb3) 26... Bg6 27. Ba3 c6 28. Qd2 Bc7 29. Bd3 Bg3 {Black couldn't have made the problem with White's 26th move clearer.} 30. Re2 Bxd3 31. Qxd3 Ng6 32. Ng4 Nf4 33. Rxe8+ Qxe8 34. Qc2 Ne2+ 35. Kh1 Bf4 36. Rd1 h5 37. Ne5 Ng3+ 38. Kg1 Bxe5 39. dxe5 Qxe5 40. Bb2 Ne2+ 41. Kh1 Qe3 42. Bc1 Qf2 43. Qd3 Re7 44. Kh2 Re6 45. Bd2 Ng3 46. Qd4 Nf1+ 47. Kh1 Qxd4 48. cxd4 Nxd2 49. Rxd2 Re1+ 50. Kh2 Ra1 51. Kg3 Kh7 52. Kf4 Kg6 53. Ke5 Rxa4 54. g4 hxg4 55. hxg4 Ra3 56. Rb2 Rxf3 57. Rxb7 Rc3 58. Ra7 a5 59. Rxa5 Kg5 60. Ra1 g6 61. Rg1 Rc4 62. Ra1 c5 63. dxc5 Rxc5 64. Ra6 Rc4 65. Kxd5 Rxg4 66. Ke5 Rb4 67. Ra1 Kh5 68. Rh1+ Rh4 69. Rf1 g5 70. Kf5 Rh3 71. Ke4 Kg4 72. Rg1+ Rg3 73. Rf1 Ra3 74. Rg1+ Kh4 75. Rh1+ Rh3 76. Rf1 g4 77. Kf4 Rh2 78. Ra1 Rf2+ 79. Ke3 g3 80. Rh1+ Kg4 81. Rh7 Rf1 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.19"] [Round "7.3"] [White "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Black "Anand, Viswanathan"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2773"] [PlyCount "114"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:09:17"] [BlackClock "0:14:32"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d3 a6 6. Nd5 h6 (6... Nxd5 7. Bxd5 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. b4 Ba7 10. a4 h6 11. Be3 Ne7 12. Bb3 Ng6 13. O-O Kh8 {Karjakin, S (2782)-Aronian,L (2764) Leuven 2018}) 7. c3 d6 8. h3 (8. d4 exd4 9. cxd4 Ba7 10. Nxf6+ Qxf6 11. d5 Nd4 12. Nxd4 Bxd4 13. Qc2 Qg6 {Sermek,D (2547) -Sargissian,G (2611) Mallorca 2004}) 8... Ba7 9. a4 Be6 10. a5 Bxd5 11. exd5 Ne7 12. d4 exd4 13. Nxd4 O-O 14. g4 $6 (14. O-O Nexd5 15. Qf3 Bxd4 16. Bxd5 Nxd5 17. Qxd5 Bf6 18. Qxb7) 14... Nexd5 15. Kf1 Qd7 16. h4 $6 Bxd4 $6 (16... Rae8 $1 17. g5 Bxd4 18. Qxd4 Re4 19. Qd3 Rfe8 $1 20. gxf6 Re1+ 21. Kg2 Ne3+ $1) 17. Qxd4 Ne7 18. Be2 Qc6 19. Rh3 Qd5 $6 (19... d5 $5) 20. Qxd5 Nfxd5 21. Bf3 c6 22. Ra4 b5 23. axb6 Nxb6 24. Re4 Rfe8 25. g5 hxg5 26. Bxg5 f6 27. Bc1 d5 28. Rg4 Nc4 29. Be2 Ne5 30. Rf4 Kf7 31. h5 Rh8 32. Ra4 a5 33. b3 Rab8 34. Bd1 Rb5 35. Bc2 c5 $6 36. Rah4 $6 (36. c4 $1) 36... c4 37. bxc4 Nxc4 38. Kg2 Rc5 39. Rg3 Rcc8 (39... a4 $5) 40. Rhg4 Rcg8 41. Rh3 Ra8 42. Rhg3 $2 (42. Ba4) 42... Rxh5 43. Rxg7+ Ke6 44. Ba4 Rah8 45. Bf4 Rh2+ 46. Kf1 Rh1+ 47. Ke2 Ra1 48. Bb5 Ra2+ 49. Kf1 Rh1+ 50. Kg2 Raa1 51. Bxc4 Nf5 52. Bxd5+ Kxd5 53. Kf3 Nxg3 54. fxg3 a4 55. Kg4 a3 56. Ra7 a2 57. Kf5 Rh2 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.19"] [Round "7.4"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2738"] [PlyCount "129"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:12:15"] [BlackClock "0:23:24"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bf5 7. O-O Be7 8. Re1 O-O 9. Nbd2 Nd6 10. Nb3 c6 11. Bf4 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 Ne4 13. Re2 Na6 14. Rae1 Nc7 15. Bxc7 Qxc7 16. Nbd2 Bb4 17. c3 Nxd2 18. Rxd2 Bd6 19. Ng5 g6 20. Qh3 h5 21. Rde2 Qc8 22. Qe3 Qf5 23. g3 Kg7 24. h4 Rad8 25. Kg2 a6 26. a4 Rd7 27. Qd2 Qg4 28. Qc2 Rdd8 29. a5 Qd7 30. Qb3 Qc7 31. Re6 Qd7 32. R6e3 Rb8 33. Nf3 Qc7 34. Qa2 Rbd8 35. b4 Qc8 36. Qe2 Qg4 37. Qd3 Qf5 38. Qxf5 gxf5 39. Ng5 Kg6 40. Kf3 Rg8 41. R3e2 Kf6 42. Re3 Rh8 43. Kg2 Rhg8 44. Kf1 Rh8 45. Nf3 f4 46. gxf4 Kf5 47. Ne5 Rh7 48. Rg3 f6 49. Nd3 Rf8 50. Ree3 Rff7 51. Kg2 Re7 52. Rxe7 Rxe7 53. Kf3 Rf7 54. Rg8 Rh7 55. Rc8 Bc7 56. Re8 Bd6 57. Ra8 Bc7 58. Nc5 Bd6 59. Nd3 Bc7 60. Rf8 Bd6 61. Rg8 Bc7 62. Ra8 ({An interesting try was} 62. Rc8 Bd6 63. b5 axb5 (63... cxb5 64. Rd8 Ke6 65. Nc5+ Bxc5 66. dxc5) 64. a6 bxa6 65. Rxc6 Bf8 66. Rc8 $1 Ba3 67. Rd8 Rc7 68. Rxd5+ Kg6) 62... Bd6 63. Rg8 Bc7 64. Rg1 Re7 65. Rg8 1/2-1/2 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.19"] [Round "7.6"] [White "Radjabov, Teimour"] [Black "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D38"] [WhiteElo "2757"] [BlackElo "2695"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Qa4+ Nc6 6. e3 O-O 7. Qc2 Re8 8. Bd2 Bd6 ({In a recent GM game Black defended with:} 8... Bf8 9. a3 e5 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. cxd5 Nxf3+ 12. gxf3 Nxd5 13. Bd3 Nxc3 14. Bxc3 Qh4 15. O-O-O Be6 16. Rhg1 { Navara,D (2733)-Piorun,K (2634) Germany 2018}) 9. h3 a6 10. a3 Bd7 ({Both players briefly discussed the consequences of the idea:} 10... e5 11. cxd5 Nxd4 ) 11. Be2 dxc4 {Vidit was so impressed of his opponent's game after its end that he started for looking for improvements from a very early stage of the game.} ({The immediate} 11... h6 {deserved attention, for example:} 12. g4 e5 13. dxe5 ({Most likely White would have proceeded with the same:} 13. g5 hxg5 ( {Worse is} 13... e4 14. Ne5 hxg5 15. Nxd7 Qxd7 16. cxd5 Ne7 17. Nxe4 Nexd5 18. Nxg5 {when Black does not have enough for the pawn.}) 14. Nxg5 {although this seems a better version for the second player after:} exd4 15. Nxd5 dxe3 { with huge complications.}) 13... Nxe5 14. cxd5 c6 {when "my king is not safe" Radjabov.}) 12. Bxc4 h6 13. g4 $146 {The whole point behind the postponed castling. White is eager to use the kingside rook for a mating attack and exploiting the hook on h6.} ({White achieved nothing in the predecessor after: } 13. O-O e5 14. Rae1 Qe7 15. Nh4 Qd8 16. Qb3 Rf8 {Aronian,L (2793)-Giri,A (2771) Stavanger 2017}) 13... e5 {Flank attack is met with central strike. In theory yes, in practice...} ({Perhaps Black should have thrown in the intermediate move} 13... b5 {asking the bishop which way it goes. Now:} 14. Ba2 {Allows queenside counterplay with:} ({Whereas} 14. Bd3 e5 {looks safer for the second player than in the game.}) 14... b4 15. Ne4 ({Or} 15. Ne2 Qb8 16. g5 hxg5 17. Rg1) 15... bxa3 {In both cases with very unclear play.} ({Or} 15... Nxe4 16. Qxe4 bxa3 {Not fearing:} 17. Bb1 axb2 18. Qh7+ Kf8 19. Ra2 Qf6)) 14. g5 b5 {A mistake according to both players. In many lines this move only weakens Black's position.} ({I had a great time following the post mortem of the two players online and here I will try to bring some order in the ocean of possibilities that they covered. First of all they both believed:} 14... exd4 { was a must. Then White can try:} 15. gxh6 ({Or a slightly different version of the sacrifice with:} 15. O-O-O dxc3 ({They did not mention the line:} 15... hxg5 16. Nxg5 Ne5 $1 {which looks good for Black.}) ({Neither did they mention: } 15... b5 16. Ba2 dxc3 17. Bxc3 {which seems even more dangerous for Black than the game continuation.}) 16. Bxc3 hxg5 {Here comes a further and important juncture. White can attack with:} 17. Nxg5 ({Radjabov thought this will be too dangerous for Black due to:} 17. Bxf7+ Kxf7 18. Nxg5+ Kf8 19. Qg6 { Indeed, Black can easily get checkmated. Say:} Be6 $2 ({Or} 19... Re7 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. Qxf6+ Kg8 22. Ne6 $3 Bxe6 23. Rhg1+ Bg3 24. Rxg3+ Bg4 25. Rxg4+ Rg7 26. Qxg7#) ({It is the computer that finds a draw after:} 19... Kg8 $1 20. Qf7+ Kh8 21. Qg6) 20. Nh7+ $1) 17... Be6 18. Bxe6 fxe6 19. Qg6 Qe7 {Now some improving moves like:} 20. f4 {would lead to long-term pressure. But Vidit had the feeling this might be a bit too much for White.}) 15... dxc3 16. Bxc3 { Which is very similar to the game. This might be also objectively best after you check the other mind-boggling continuation below! Here:} ({However both players spent tons of time on the forcing and brilliant continuation:} 16. Qg6 cxd2+ 17. Ke2 $1 {To open the first rank.} ({Which seems better than} 17. Nxd2 Bf8) 17... Bf8 18. Bxf7+ Kh8 19. hxg7+ Bxg7 {Black is almost mated, but this almost means that the point could go either way. Very often Black survives thanks to a spoiler line d2-d1=Q+!} 20. Rhg1 (20. Rag1 {Intending Rg1-g4-h4 mate is met with:} d1=Q+ $1) 20... Rg8 21. Rg5 ({Once again Black survives thanks to the tempo gained by the passer in the following line:} 21. Rg4 Bxg4 22. hxg4 Nh7 23. Rh1 d1=Q+ $1 24. Rxd1 Qf6 25. Rh1 Qxf3+ $1 26. Kxf3 Ne5+ 27. Ke2 Nxg6 28. Bxg6 Bh6 $1 {when the second player even wins!}) 21... Qf8 22. Rag1 {Now if:} Ne7 $2 ({Worse is:} 22... Nh7 23. Rh5 Bh6 24. Bxg8 Qxg8 25. Qxh6 Qf7 26. Nxd2 {when White is on top.}) ({However, Black can repel the attack with the same old:} 22... d1=Q+ $1 23. Rxd1 Be8 {and even win the game.}) ( 22... Qd6 $1 {might also prove that the attack is not sufficient.}) 23. Qxf6 $3 {(Radjabov) will be a sweet end.}) 16... Be6 {seems like Black is holding. Say: } ({Worse is:} 16... Kf8 17. hxg7+ Kxg7 18. Rg1+ Kf8 19. Bxf7 $1 {(Radjabov)}) ({Someone in the room suggested he defensive resource:} 16... Bf4 {to bring the bishop for the kingside defense. It does not work though here:} 17. Qg6 Bxh6 {Since:} 18. O-O-O Qe7 19. Bxf6 Qxf6 20. Qxf6 gxf6 21. Rxd7 {is a clear edge for White in the endgame.}) 17. Bxe6 Rxe6 18. Ng5 Qe8 19. Rg1 {Here Vidit has to watch out for Radjabov's creativity:} Re5 ({Stronger is} 19... Ne5 $1 20. Nxe6 Nf3+ 21. Ke2 Nxg1+ 22. Rxg1 Qxe6 23. Rxg7+ Kf8 {when it is anything but clear. In any case it seems as the h6 pawn saveguards White.}) 20. Nh7 $3 Nxh7 21. Rxg7+ Kf8 22. Qxh7 {should be won for White.}) 15. Ba2 exd4 {It seems as Black took over the initiative, but...} 16. gxh6 $1 dxc3 17. Bxc3 {Reveals that White has huge attack on the g-file and the neighbouring diagonals.} Be6 ( {Once more:} 17... Bf4 {was a possibility but it seems as Black is again in trouble thanks to the accurate:} 18. Qg6 ({Not} 18. O-O-O Bxh6) 18... Bxh6 19. Rd1 $1 ({Rather than:} 19. O-O-O Qe7 20. Bxf6 Qc5+ $1 {and it transpires that White's king is on a horrible spot.} 21. Bc3 (21. Kb1 Bf5+) 21... Be6 {with advantage for Black.}) 19... Qe7 20. Bxf6 Qxf6 21. Qxf6 gxf6 22. Rxd7 {with a similar much better endgame for White.}) 18. Bxe6 ({Also interesting was:} 18. Rg1 Bxa2 19. Rxg7+ Kf8 {Although Radjabov did not want to divert his rook to:} 20. Rxa2 {Still, White looks better after:} Ne5 21. Ng5 Qd7 22. h4 $1 ({ Avoiding:} 22. f4 $2 Nf3+ 23. Nxf3 Rxe3+ {(Vidit, Radjabov)})) 18... Rxe6 19. Rg1 {At this point my computer starts to appreciate White's attack.} Ne8 ({ Radjabov expected instead:} 19... Bf4 {Now. However, White's attack seems horrendous even in that case. For example:} 20. Rxg7+ Kf8 21. Ng5 ({Or} 21. Rd1 Qe7 22. Rh7 $3 Nxh7 23. Qxh7 Rxe3+ 24. Kf1 $1 ({Or else White is getting checkmated:} 24. fxe3 Qxe3+ 25. Kf1 Qxf3+) 24... Qe4 25. Qg7+ Ke7 26. Qf6+ Kf8 27. Rd7 {and this seems close to won for White.}) 21... Bxg5 22. Rxg5 {Here:} Nd4 {(Vidit) loses to:} 23. Bb4+ $1 Ke8 24. Qd1) 20. Bxg7 Nxg7 21. Rxg7+ Kf8 22. Qh7 Qf6 (22... Rf6 23. Rg8+) 23. Ng5 {The attack is unstoppable. Radjabov finishes the game with precise and beautiful play.} Rxe3+ $1 {A practical chance.} ({If} 23... Re5 24. Rxf7+ Ke8 25. Qg8+ Bf8 26. Qxf8#) 24. Kf1 $1 { Rejected!} (24. fxe3 {leads to perpetual after:} Bg3+ 25. Kd1 Qf1+ 26. Kc2 Qc4+ 27. Kb1 Qf1+) 24... Nd8 25. Qg8+ Ke7 26. h7 Bg3 27. Ne4 $1 {Another beautiful strike!} Rxe4 28. Rxg3 Rh4 29. Rd1 {The most accurate.} (29. Re3+ {would also do.}) 29... Rxh7 30. Re3+ {Once again best.} (30. Qxh7 Ne6 31. Re3 {is won too. }) 30... Ne6 31. Qxa8 Rh8 32. Qc6 Kf8 {Now comes the time for the "coup de grace."} 33. Rxe6 $1 Qxe6 ({Or} 33... fxe6 34. Rd7 {when Qc8-a8+ cannot be prevented.}) 34. Rd8+ Kg7 35. Qc3+ f6 36. Qxc7+ {A great achievement by the Azeri Grandmaster!} 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.19"] [Round "7.7"] [White "Shankland, Samuel"] [Black "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A20"] [WhiteElo "2725"] [BlackElo "2612"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:33:59"] [BlackClock "0:23:05"] 1. c4 e5 2. d3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. a3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e3 a5 7. Be2 Bd6 8. b3 O-O 9. Bb2 f5 10. Nbd2 Qe7 11. Qc2 Bd7 12. g3 Kh8 13. O-O Rae8 14. Rfe1 e4 15. Nd4 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 exd3 17. Qxd3 Bxa3 18. Bf3 Nb4 ({Shankland suggested} 18... Be6 19. e4 Nb4 20. Qc3 Nc6 21. Rxa3 Nxd4 22. Rxa5 {and it's about equal.}) 19. Qc3 Nc6 20. Bxg7+ Qxg7 21. Qxg7+ Kxg7 22. Rxa3 f4 23. Be4 fxe3 24. Rxe3 Rf6 25. Ra1 Bf5 26. Rc1 Bxe4 27. Rxe4 Rxe4 28. Nxe4 Rf5 29. Kg2 Kf7 $2 {Only this seems to be the losing mistake.} (29... Rb5 30. Rc3 h5) 30. Nc5 {Now Black loses a pawn.} Nb4 31. Nxb7 Rxf2+ 32. Kxf2 Nd3+ 33. Ke3 Nxc1 34. Nxa5 Ke6 35. g4 Na2 36. Kd4 Nb4 37. h4 Nd5 38. Nc4 Nf4 39. Ne3 Ng6 40. Nf5 Kf6 41. Ke4 Nf8 42. Ne3 c6 43. Nc4 Ng6 44. g5+ Ke7 45. h5 Nf8 46. Ne5 Ne6 47. Nxc6+ Kd6 48. Kf5 Ng7+ 49. Kg4 Kxc6 50. h6 Ne8 51. g6 Kd7 52. Kg5 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.19"] [Round "7.5"] [White "Chigaev, Maksim"] [Black "Paehtz, Elisabeth"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "2604"] [BlackElo "2477"] [PlyCount "101"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:36:48"] [BlackClock "0:28:47"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 a6 6. h3 g6 7. g4 Bg7 8. Bg2 h5 9. g5 Nfd7 10. Nde2 Nc6 11. f4 Nb6 12. O-O e6 13. e5 dxe5 14. Bxc6+ bxc6 15. Qxd8+ Kxd8 16. fxe5 Bxe5 17. Rxf7 Ke8 18. Rf2 Nd5 19. Bd2 Rf8 20. Rxf8+ Kxf8 21. Na4 Rb8 22. c4 Nb6 23. Rf1+ Kg7 24. Nxb6 Rxb6 25. b3 Rb7 26. h4 Rf7 27. Bc3 Bxc3 28. Nxc3 Rxf1+ 29. Kxf1 Kf7 30. Ne4 Ke7 31. Ke2 e5 32. b4 Bg4+ 33. Kd3 Bf5 34. a3 Bc8 35. Nc5 Kd6 36. Ke3 Kc7 37. Ne4 Bh3 38. Nd2 Kd6 39. Kd3 Bg4 40. Ne4+ Kc7 41. Nc5 Bc8 42. a4 Kd6 43. Kc3 Kc7 44. b5 cxb5 45. cxb5 axb5 46. axb5 Bf5 47. Kc4 Kb6 ({Perhaps Black could still draw with} 47... Kd6 48. b6 Bg4 49. b7 {because of the intermediate check} Be2+ $1 (49... Kc7 $2 50. Kd5 {wins}) 50. Kb4 Kc7 51. Nd7 Kxb7 52. Nxe5 Kc7 53. Nxg6 Kd6 54. Kc3 Bd1 55. Kd4 Ke6) 48. Na4+ Ka5 49. Nc3 e4 50. Kd4 Kb6 51. Nxe4 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.19"] [Round "7"] [White "Radjabov, Teimour"] [Black "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2757"] [BlackElo "2695"] [Annotator "AlexYermo"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Qa4+ {In search of a new weapon against the Ragozin defence, White revisits the 1930's theory.} ({Both} 5. Bg5) ({and} 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 {are topical.}) 5... Nc6 {It's all about the placement of the black knight ahead of its c-pawn, which according to the classical principles of the Queens Gambit puts Black in disadvantage. Vyacheslav Ragozin made an important contribution by arguing the point.} 6. e3 O-O 7. Qc2 {[#] Sooner or later White has to return the queen to her proper spot, so it can be done right away.} (7. Bd2 {is best answered by the immediate } dxc4 $1 8. Bxc4 Bd6 {getting ready for e6-e5, which is the main idea in the Ragozin.} 9. O-O e5 10. h3 a6 11. Qc2 exd4 12. exd4 b5 $1 13. Be2 Nb4 14. Qd1 Bb7 {Yermolinsky-D.Zilberstein, San Francisco 2007}) 7... Re8 {Vidit settles on one of the most popular choices.} ({Others include} 7... dxc4 {which may eventually transpose to the game,}) (7... Ne7 {which I view as admission of guilt, as Black is trying to reposition the "badly placed" knight,}) ({and, finally my personal favorite} 7... b6) 8. Bd2 Bd6 {Black's idea is to wait for the white light-squared bishop to come out before taking on c4. I wonder if it's worth the trouble.} 9. h3 ({The point of Black's early rook move is visible after} 9. c5 Bf8 {where the threat of e6-e5 forces White into} 10. Bb5 Bd7 11. Bxc6 Bxc6 12. Ne5 {which, incidentally, might not be so bad for him.}) 9... a6 10. a3 Bd7 11. Be2 dxc4 12. Bxc4 h6 {[#] So, Black has won a local battle for a tempo (Bf1-e2xc4), but what are his accomplishments? The Bd7 move might have made sense when the white queen was on a4, but now it looks like a waste of time. In the meantime, thanks to the Re8 move Black must guard the g5-square before moving the e-pawn forward.} 13. g4 $3 {No matter what your engines say I absolutely admire Radjabov's concept. If Black can be punished for his opening transgressions it must be done in a resolute fashion.} (13. O-O e5 14. Rae1 Qe7 15. Nh4 {Aronian-Giri, 2017}) 13... e5 {A classic strategy of meeting a flank attack with counterstrike in the centre, but it's wrought with dangers of opening the diagonal for the white bishop.} (13... b5 14. Ba2 b4 { deserved attention.}) 14. g5 b5 ({Here and on the next move Vidit should have tried a a piece sacrifice:} 14... Nxd4 15. exd4 exd4+ 16. Ne2 b5 17. Bd3 hxg5 18. Nxg5 c5) 15. Ba2 exd4 {This will meet with a devastating response. [#]} ({ Still,} 15... Nxd4 16. exd4 exd4+ 17. Ne2 Qe7 18. Nfxd4 hxg5 {was there for the taking.}) 16. gxh6 $3 {Guess who's coming to dinner - White threatens Qg6!} dxc3 ({The only way to deal with it was} 16... Bf4 17. O-O-O Bxh6 (17... dxc3 18. exf4 cxd2+ 19. Rxd2 Qe7 20. Qg6 {is White's signature attacking line.}) 18. exd4 Bxd2+ 19. Qxd2 {and now counterattack -} b4 $1) 17. Bxc3 Be6 ({Now} 17... Bf4 18. Qg6 Bxh6 {still saves the king, but at the cost of a piece.} 19. Rd1 $1 ({Not} 19. O-O-O Qe7 20. Bxf6 {as} Qc5+ 21. Bc3 Be6 {turns the tables.}) 19... Qe7 20. Bxf6 Qxf6 21. Qxf6 gxf6 22. Rxd7 {with large advantage to White.}) 18. Bxe6 ({Aesthetically White doesn't want to put his rook on a2, but} 18. Rg1 Bxa2 19. Rxg7+ Kf8 20. Rxa2 Be5 21. Ng5 {actually works for him.}) 18... Rxe6 19. Rg1 {[#]} Ne8 {Clearing out that square was one of the ideas of 17...Be6, but just focusing on the defense isn't going to cut it.} ({Black needed to introduce an element of counterplay:} 19... Nh5 20. Bxg7 Bg3 $3 {albeit White has a choice of good responses to it, the most efficient being} 21. Rd1 Qe7 22. Ke2 Re8 23. Bc3 Rxe3+ 24. Kf1) 20. Bxg7 Nxg7 21. Rxg7+ Kf8 22. Qh7 {From this point on White's attack is irresistable.} Qf6 23. Ng5 Rxe3+ 24. Kf1 Nd8 25. Qg8+ Ke7 26. h7 Bg3 {[#]} 27. Ne4 $1 {Still, Teimour had to see this one and keep his nerve in the face of time trouble.} Rxe4 (27... Qf3) 28. Rxg3 Rh4 29. Rd1 {A final stroke in this truly brilliant game. Black is forced to part with a rook.} Rxh7 30. Re3+ Ne6 31. Qxa8 Rh8 32. Qc6 Kf8 33. Rxe6 Qxe6 34. Rd8+ Kg7 35. Qc3+ f6 36. Qxc7+ 1-0 [Event "81st Tata Steel Masters 2019"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.19"] [Round "7"] [White "Shankland, Samuel"] [Black "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2725"] [BlackElo "2612"] [Annotator "AlexYermo"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. c4 e5 2. d3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. a3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e3 a5 7. Be2 Bd6 8. b3 O-O 9. Bb2 f5 10. Nbd2 Qe7 11. Qc2 Bd7 12. g3 Kh8 13. O-O Rae8 14. Rfe1 { [#] A reversed Sicilian. The stage is set, and Jorden takes a first step forward.} e4 $1 15. Nd4 (15. Nh4 Be5 (15... f4 16. Nxe4 fxe3 17. fxe3 Nxe3 18. Qc1) 16. dxe4 ({The immediate} 16. Ng2 {runs into a tactic based on an overloaded white queen:} exd3 17. Bxd3 Ndb4) 16... fxe4 17. Ng2) 15... Nxd4 { Too bad he stopped halfway through.} (15... f4 $3 {[#] would be consistent and strong.} 16. exf4 (16. dxe4 fxe3 {Nothing to look at here.}) (16. gxf4 Nxf4 17. exf4 Bxf4 18. Nf1 Bxh2+ 19. Nxh2 Qg5+ 20. Kh1 Rxf2 {is curtains.}) (16. Nxe4 fxe3 17. fxe3 (17. f4 {appears to be White's best choice, but it doesn't inspire confidence.}) 17... Nxe3 18. Qc1 Nxd4 19. Bxd4 Nf5 {is a critical tempo illustrating the difference between 15.Nd4 and 15.Nh4}) 16... e3 17. Ne4 exf2+ 18. Kxf2 Bxf4 {with a raging attack.}) 16. Bxd4 exd3 17. Qxd3 Bxa3 18. Bf3 $1 {White has good compensation for a pawn.} Nb4 (18... Nf6 19. Bxb7 Bb4 { was a safer option for van Foreest.}) 19. Qc3 Nc6 20. Bxg7+ {Sam takes the game into an endgame, counting on the strength on his kingside pawn formation.} (20. Rxa3 Nxd4 21. Rxa5 Nxf3+ 22. Nxf3 c6 $11) 20... Qxg7 21. Qxg7+ Kxg7 22. Rxa3 {[#]} f4 {A logical move, getting rid of a weak pawn.} 23. Be4 (23. Bxc6 fxe3 24. Rxe3 Rxe3 25. fxe3 Bxc6 26. Rxa5 Rd8 {has to be OK for Black.}) 23... fxe3 24. Rxe3 Rf6 25. Ra1 Bf5 26. Rc1 Bxe4 27. Rxe4 Rxe4 28. Nxe4 Rf5 29. Kg2 { [#] By all rules this position has to be about equal, but Jorden makes a typical error on his next move.} Kf7 {Contrary to common wisdom one has to respect the tactical potential of the remaining pieces. Bringing the king into the mix is not always a good idea with rooks and knights still present on the board.} (29... Rb5 30. Rc3 Kg6 31. f4 Rb4 $11) 30. Nc5 $16 Nb4 $6 {Time trouble induced simplification only makes White's task easier.} (30... b6 31. Ne4) ({Best was} 30... Nd4 31. Nxb7 Nxb3 32. Rxc7+ Kg6 33. Nd6 Rf6 34. Nc4 Ra6) (30... Nd8 31. Nxb7) 31. Nxb7 Rxf2+ 32. Kxf2 Nd3+ 33. Ke3 Nxc1 34. Nxa5 Ke6 35. g4 $2 {[#] Shankland who earlier in the tournament had missed a knight endgame win against Rapport, almost let it happen again.} ({Whatever happened to good old centralisation?} 35. Ke4) 35... Na2 $2 {This one is pretty hard to comprehend.} (35... Ke5 36. h4 c5 $14) 36. Kd4 Nb4 37. h4 Nd5 38. Nc4 Nf4 39. Ne3 Ng6 ({The defender has to keep his knight active:} 39... Ne2+ 40. Ke4 c5 41. Nc4 Nc3+ 42. Kf4 h6 $16) 40. Nf5 Kf6 41. Ke4 Nf8 42. Ne3 c6 43. Nc4 $18 Ng6 44. g5+ Ke7 45. h5 Nf8 46. Ne5 Ne6 47. Nxc6+ Kd6 48. Kf5 $1 {Nicely calculated to the end.} Ng7+ 49. Kg4 Kxc6 50. h6 Ne8 51. g6 Kd7 52. Kg5 1-0 [Event "81st Tata Steel Challengers 2019"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.19"] [Round "7"] [White "Esipenko, Andrey"] [Black "Korobov, Anton"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2584"] [BlackElo "2699"] [Annotator "AlexYermo"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10. Ne5 Nbd7 11. O-O Bg7 12. Nxf7 $5 {[#] A topical line, following the memorable game Grischuk-Ding Liren, Berlin Candidates 2018} Kxf7 13. e5 Nd5 14. Ne4 Qb6 15. Nd6+ Ke7 16. a4 {[#]} ({The stem game Topalov-Kramnik, 2008 saw } 16. Bg4 {but later the same year Karjakin introduced a sharp reply} h5 17. Bxh5 Raf8 18. Qg4 Bh6 19. h4 Rhg8 {in his game against Shirov.}) 16... a5 { A novelty from Korobov. Knowing his style one wonders whether it was an over-the-board inspiration.} ({Ding chose} 16... Raf8 {and after} 17. Bf3 a6 18. Bxd5 cxd5 19. axb5 axb5 20. Kh1 Bc6 21. f4 {erred with} gxf4 $2 {allowing White a near forced win:} 22. Bh4+ Bf6 23. Qg4 {which Grischuk uncharacteristically missed.}) 17. Bf3 Rhf8 ({Somewhat illogically Black is better off blowing up the entire queenside with} 17... bxa4 {in search of activity for his pieces.}) 18. Bxd5 $1 {Grischuk's idea is very handy here as well.} cxd5 19. axb5 {[#] Despite a piece deficit White stands very well. His powerful Nd6 holds everything together, while a natural plan with f2-f4 is coming up next.} Rf5 $5 {Korobov is willing to part with anything to interfere with White's plans.} 20. Kh1 (20. Qh5 Rg8 21. Nxf5+ exf5 22. e6 {was very strong as well.}) 20... Kf8 ({How about taking it to the max?} 20... Raf8 21. Qd2 Rf4 {physically stops f2-f4, and thus can be considered.}) 21. f4 Kg8 22. Nxf5 exf5 23. fxg5 Nf8 24. gxh6 Qxh6 25. Rxf5 Bc8 26. Rf1 Be6 27. Qe1 Qg6 28. Qd2 {[#]} Nd7 ({White's better off keeping the queens in case of} 28... Qd3 29. Qf2 ({as} 29. Qxd3 cxd3 30. Be1 Bg4 {can get messy:} 31. Rxa5 Rc8 32. Bc3 Bh6 33. Ra6 Be3 34. b6 Rb8)) 29. Bh4 Bh6 30. Qe1 Qe4 31. Qf2 $1 {Same strategy here. White just has too many pawns, and the youngster confidently brings the point home.} Kh7 32. Ra3 Rf8 33. Bf6 $1 Nxf6 34. exf6 Bg5 35. b6 $1 Rxf6 36. Rf3 Rxf3 37. Qxf3 Qxd4 38. Qg3 Bf6 39. b7 Be5 40. b8=Q Bxg3 41. hxg3 1-0 [Event "Tata Steel Chess Masters 2019"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.20"] [Round "8.1"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Rapport, Richard"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B47"] [WhiteElo "2835"] [BlackElo "2731"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. g3 {I always suspected that this system was designed for the world champion.} a6 7. Bg2 Nf6 8. O-O d6 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Na4 Rb8 ({Ganguly defended differently in a recent game with: } 10... Bb7 11. c4 c5 12. Qe2 Be7 13. b3 O-O 14. Bb2 Nd7 15. Rad1 Bc6 16. Nc3 Bf6 {and managed to bring both his bishops out to equalize, Swiercz,D (2654) -Ganguly,S (2657) Saint Louis 2018}) 11. c4 c5 12. b3 Be7 13. Bb2 O-O 14. Qe1 $1 $146 {A strong novelty. The queen is extremely well posted on e1. It supports the advance of the e-pawn and thus prevents Black's relieving maneuvers from Ganguly's game from above.} ({The predecessor did not see White posting too many problems after:} 14. Qc2 Bb7 15. Rad1 Rfd8 16. h3 Nd7 17. Kh2 Bc6 18. Nc3 {Gantar,J (2134)-Mazi,L (2375) Aschach 2010}) ({Please note that} 14. Qd2 {can be met with} Bb7) 14... Nd7 ({Now} 14... Bb7 {fails to} 15. e5 $1 {which demolishes Black's pawn structure and leads to a slight, but long-term edge for White.}) 15. Rd1 Bb7 ({Once more the queen proves to be in an ideal position in the line:} 15... Bf6 $6 16. Bxf6 Nxf6 17. e5 $1 dxe5 18. Qe3 { when White's advantage is even bigger than in the similar line from above.}) ({ Black's best is perhaps:} 15... Ne5 16. Qc3 ({Worse is:} 16. f4 Nxc4 $1 17. bxc4 Bd7 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Nc3 {with unclear play.}) 16... Bf6 17. f4 Nc6 18. e5 dxe5 19. Qe3 exf4 20. Qxc5 Bxb2 21. Nxb2 Bb7 22. Rxf4 {although White also keeps a small edge in this line too.}) 16. Qc3 Bf6 17. Qd2 Be7 ({After} 17... Bxb2 18. Nxb2 {Black cannot protect his d6 pawn.}) 18. Qc3 Bf6 19. Qd2 Be7 20. f4 {Carlsen's novelty worked perfectly fine. Rapport could not find a way to trade at least a pair of light pieces and White's space advantage is significant. He is already threatening e4-e5.} e5 ({If} 20... Rfd8 21. Bc3 $1 { with the threat of a skewer.}) ({Whereas} 20... Bc6 {is refuted by} 21. e5 $1) 21. Bc3 $1 {the world champion uses every little chance to improve his pieces.} ({Many people would have automatically opted for:} 21. Nc3 exf4 22. gxf4) 21... Bc6 22. Ba5 Qb7 23. Nc3 exf4 24. gxf4 Rfe8 {It seems as Black managed to stabilize, but...} 25. e5 $1 {Strong anyway.} Bxg2 26. Qxg2 dxe5 ({The queen trade} 26... Qxg2+ 27. Kxg2 {will leave the pawn on d6 defenseless.}) 27. Nd5 e4 ({In case of:} 27... exf4 {White can at least win the exchange with:} 28. Bc7 {Since the rook is immobile-} ({But there is nothing wrong with:} 28. Rde1 Nf8 29. Rxf4 {with powerful initiative.}) 28... Rbc8 29. Nxe7+) 28. Bc3 f6 ({If } 28... Bf8 29. f5 Qc6 {White can even attack with the cunning rook lift:} 30. Rd3) 29. Kh1 {Carlsen is in attacking mood and wants to finish it off with a direct attack.} ({If White wanted large advantage without any risk he could have opted for:} 29. Rfe1 Bd8 30. Rxe4 Rxe4 31. Qxe4 Nf8 32. f5 {with domination.}) 29... Kh8 30. Rg1 Bf8 ({Not} 30... g6 31. f5 $1 {when Black's position quickly falls appart since:} g5 32. Qxg5) 31. Ne3 {Brings every piece into the attack. The rook will be lifted along the fifth rank, the knight will get even closer to the enemy king thanks to the f5 square.} ({Once more White rejects a risk-free edge and does not regain the pawn:} 31. Bxf6 Nxf6 32. Nxf6 Re7 33. Nd5) 31... Qc6 {Rapport finds the only defence.} 32. Rd5 Qe6 $1 ({Since } 32... g6 {is beautifully refuted:} 33. Rh5 $1) 33. Rh5 Qf7 34. Qh3 g6 { Now the queen cannot handle the kingside on her own.} ({The best chance was:} 34... h6 35. Nf5 Kh7 {Now White has the spectacular blow:} 36. Nxh6 ({Or} 36. Qg4 $5) 36... gxh6 37. Rd5 Rbd8 38. Qf5+ Kh8 {Here the materialistic:} 39. Rxd7 ({However:} 39. Ba5 $1 {should preserve White's edge.}) 39... Rxd7 40. Bxf6+ Bg7 41. Rxg7 Qxg7 42. Bxg7+ Rxg7 43. Qh5 {should not lead to a win as Black's pawn is very strong:} Ree7) 35. Rh4 Rb6 ({If} 35... Kg8 36. Rxg6+ Qxg6 37. Rg4 {wins for White.}) 36. f5 $1 {And Rapport could not keep his flank intact.} Ne5 ({On} 36... gxf5 37. Nxf5 Rbe6 {both} 38. Rhg4 {with the idea Qh3-g3} ({And} 38. Ng7 $5 {should win.})) 37. Nd5 Rd6 {An oversight, but Black's position was hopeless anyway.} 38. fxg6 Nxg6 39. Bxf6+ $1 {It all ends with "petite combinaison."} Rxf6 40. Rxh7+ (40. Rxh7+ {Black resigned due to:} Qxh7 41. Qxh7+ Kxh7 42. Nxf6+) 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.20"] [Round "8.6"] [White "Anand, Viswanathan"] [Black "Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B12"] [WhiteElo "2773"] [BlackElo "2817"] [PlyCount "57"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:21:55"] [BlackClock "0:14:16"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5 e6 5. Nf3 Bxc5 6. a3 Ne7 7. Bd3 Ng6 8. O-O O-O 9. Nbd2 Nc6 10. b4 Bb6 11. Bxg6 $146 (11. Bb2 Nf4 12. Nb3 a5 13. Qd2 Nxd3 14. cxd3 d4 15. bxa5 Bxa5 16. Nxa5 Rxa5 17. Nxd4 Nxe5 {Vitiugov,N (2735)-Anand, V (2776) Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden 2018}) 11... fxg6 12. Nb3 Bd7 $6 (12... a5 { was more accurate and Anand thought he wouldn't have any advantage here.} 13. b5 a4) 13. Re1 a5 14. b5 Ne7 ({Now} 14... a4 {doesn't work because} 15. bxc6 { attacks a bishop.}) 15. a4 Rc8 16. Be3 Bxe3 17. Rxe3 Nf5 18. Rd3 g5 19. h3 { This threatens 20.Qd2 and both a5 and g5 will hang.} b6 20. c4 $1 {Getting this move in tactically is excellent for White.} Rxc4 21. Rxd5 {The point.} Rf7 (21... exd5 22. Qxd5+ Kh8 23. Qxc4 {is just over.}) 22. Rd3 g4 23. Nfd2 Rb4 24. hxg4 Ne7 25. Nf3 Nd5 26. Nbd4 Rf4 27. Nc2 Rbe4 28. Rxd5 $1 {Again!} exd5 29. Qxd5+ (29. Qxd5+ Kh8 30. Rd1) 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.20"] [Round "8.7"] [White "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof"] [Black "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2738"] [BlackElo "2777"] [PlyCount "89"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:41:08"] [BlackClock "0:49:39"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. c3 a6 7. a4 O-O 8. Bg5 ( 8. Re1 h6 9. h3 Re8 10. Nbd2 Be6 11. b4 Bxc4 12. Nxc4 Ba7 13. Qc2 d5 14. Ne3 Bxe3 15. Bxe3 Qd7 {Vachier Lagrave,M (2789)-Kramnik,V (2792) Paris 2018}) 8... h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Ba7 11. Nbd2 Nh7 12. h3 h5 13. d4 h4 $146 (13... exd4 14. Nxd4 g4 15. hxg4 hxg4 16. Nxc6 bxc6 17. e5 d5 18. Be2 Qg5 19. a5 f5 {Topalov,V (2760)-So,W (2794) London 2016}) 14. Bh2 g4 15. hxg4 Bxg4 16. dxe5 dxe5 17. b4 h3 $6 {Too much.} (17... Re8) 18. b5 (18. gxh3 Bxh3 19. Kh1 Bxf1 20. Qxf1 { was strong.}) 18... Ne7 (18... Na5) 19. gxh3 $1 Bxh3 20. Nxe5 (20. Kh1) 20... Kg7 21. Nxf7 $5 (21. bxa6) 21... Rxf7 22. Bxf7 Bxf1 23. Bb3 Bh3 24. Be5+ Nf6 25. Bxf6+ Kxf6 26. Qf3+ Bf5 $2 (26... Kg7 {looks dead lost, but maybe it's not? } 27. Qf7+ Kh6 28. Qf4+ Kg7 29. Kh1 Ng6 30. Qf7+ Kh8 31. Qxg6 Qh4) 27. Rd1 $1 { Too much material.} Qc8 28. exf5 Qxf5 29. Ne4+ Kg7 30. Qxf5 Nxf5 31. Rd7+ Kh6 32. bxa6 bxa6 33. Rxc7 Bb8 34. Rf7 Nh4 35. Rf6+ Kg7 36. Kf1 Ra7 37. Rb6 Be5 38. Bd5 Ng6 39. c4 Bd4 40. c5 Nf4 41. Bb7 Nd3 42. Bxa6 Bxc5 43. Re6 Nf4 44. Nxc5 Rc7 45. Re4 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.19"] [Round "7.2"] [White "Esipenko, Andrey"] [Black "Korobov, Anton"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D43"] [WhiteElo "2584"] [BlackElo "2699"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:51:22"] [BlackClock "0:52:16"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10. Ne5 Nbd7 11. O-O Bg7 (11... h5 12. Nxd7 Qxd7 13. b3 Bb4 14. Be5 Rh6 15. Qc1 Bxc3 16. Qxc3 Nxe4 17. Qe3 f6 18. Qxe4 fxe5 19. Qxe5 O-O-O { Grischuk,A (2766)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2757) chess.com INT 2018}) 12. Nxf7 Kxf7 13. e5 Nd5 14. Ne4 Qb6 15. Nd6+ Ke7 16. a4 {A move that Grischuk tried before.} ({Nine years ago it was Veselin Topalov who introduced 12.Nxf7, found by his then second Ivan Cheparinov. In that year, three times White followed up with} 16. Bg4 Raf8 (16... h5 17. Bxh5 Raf8 18. Qg4 Bh6 19. h4 Rhg8 20. hxg5 Bxg5 21. Ne4 Ne3 22. Qxg5+ Rxg5 23. Bh4 Kd8 24. fxe3 Rh8 25. Bxg5+ Kc7 26. Bg4 c5 27. dxc5 Nxc5 28. Rf7+ Kb8 29. Nd6 Rg8 30. Raf1 Rxg5 31. Rf8+ Kc7 32. R1f7+ Nd7 33. Rxd7+ Kxd7 34. Rf7+ Kd8 35. Rf8+ Kd7 36. Rf7+ {1/2 Shirov,A (2740)-Karjakin,S (2732) Foros 2008}) 17. Qc2 Qxd4 (17... Rhg8 18. a4 Ba8 19. Rfe1 Nc7 20. d5 cxd5 21. axb5 a5 22. b3 cxb3 23. Qh7 d4 24. Bh5 Nxb5 25. Nf7 b2 26. Rab1 Nc3 27. Nxh6 Rh8 28. Qxg7+ Kd8 29. Nf7+ Kc7 30. Nxh8 Nxb1 31. Ng6 Rd8 32. h4 Nd2 33. hxg5 b1=Q 34. Rxb1 Qxb1+ 35. Kh2 Nf1+ 36. Kh3 Ne3 37. fxe3 Qh1+ 38. Kg4 Qxg2 39. Qf7 dxe3 40. Nh4 Qe4+ 41. Qf4 a4 42. Bf7 Nc5 {0-1 Timman,J (2561) -Ljubojevic,L (2543) Wijk aan Zee 2008}) 18. Qg6 Qxg4 19. Qxg7+ Kd8 20. Nxb7+ Kc8 21. a4 b4 22. Rac1 c3 23. bxc3 b3 24. c4 Rfg8 25. Nd6+ Kc7 26. Qf7 Rf8 27. cxd5 Rxf7 28. Rxc6+ Kb8 29. Nxf7 Re8 30. Nd6 Rh8 31. Rc4 Qe2 32. dxe6 Nb6 33. Rb4 Ka8 34. e7 Nd5 35. Rxb3 Nxe7 36. Rfb1 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 Topalov,V (2780)-Kramnik,V (2795) Wijk aan Zee 2008}) 16... a5 $146 (16... Raf8 17. Bf3 a6 18. Bxd5 cxd5 19. axb5 axb5 20. Kh1 Bc6 21. f4 gxf4 22. Rxf4 Rxf4 23. Bxf4 Kd8 {Grischuk,A (2767)-Ding,L (2769) Berlin 2018}) 17. Bf3 Rhf8 $2 ( 17... Ba6 $5) (17... bxa4 $5) 18. Bxd5 $1 cxd5 (18... exd5 19. Re1 {followed by 20.e6 is just killing.}) 19. axb5 Rf5 20. Kh1 ({Strong was} 20. Qh5 $1) 20... Kf8 21. f4 Kg8 22. Nxf5 exf5 23. fxg5 Nf8 (23... hxg5 24. Rxf5) 24. gxh6 Qxh6 25. Rxf5 Bc8 26. Rf1 Be6 27. Qe1 Qg6 28. Qd2 Nd7 29. Bh4 Bh6 30. Qe1 Qe4 31. Qf2 Kh7 32. Ra3 Rf8 33. Bf6 Nxf6 34. exf6 Bg5 35. b6 Rxf6 36. Rf3 Rxf3 37. Qxf3 Qxd4 38. Qg3 Bf6 39. b7 Be5 40. b8=Q Bxg3 41. hxg3 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.22"] [Round "9.3"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2695"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 {Nepomniachtchi admitted that he did not expect the Petroff.} 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nd3 ({The world champion tried to break the defense twice in latest WCC match. In one of the games he chose:} 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nd7 9. O-O-O Nf6 10. Bd3 c5 11. Rhe1 { but the challenger held relatively easily, Carlsen,M (2835)-Caruana,F (2832) London 2018}) 4... Nxe4 5. Qe2 Qe7 6. Nf4 Nc6 7. c3 $146 {White tries to improve on another London game.} ({That predecessor saw:} 7. Nd5 Nd4 8. Nxe7 Nxe2 9. Nd5 Nd4 10. Na3 Ne6 11. f3 N4c5 12. d4 Nd7 13. c3 c6 14. Nf4 {and we already know the result in Carlsen,M (2835)-Caruana,F (2832) London 2018}) 7... Nc5 8. d4 Qxe2+ 9. Bxe2 Ne6 10. d5 {At least trying to seize some space.} ({ Normally White would be happy to leave the black knights precariously placed, but a move like:} 10. Nd5 {will see Black insisting on the trade with:} Ne7) ({ Normal development deserved attention though:} 10. Na3 $5) 10... Nxf4 11. Bxf4 Ne5 12. Na3 {Now Vidit came up with a strong idea:} Bf5 $1 {A positional pawn sacrifice.} ({Although Black could have played the safe} 12... a6 {with good chances for equalization.}) 13. Nb5 O-O-O {The point behind Black's bishop sortie. Missed by White.} ({Nepomniachtchi only expected:} 13... Kd7) 14. Nxa7+ Kb8 15. Nb5 Nd3+ 16. Bxd3 Bxd3 17. a4 ({Or else Black has no problems at all, to say the least:} 17. Nd4 Bc4 18. O-O-O Bxd5) 17... Bc4 $1 {Another strong move.} ({Instead:} 17... Be4 18. c4 Bxg2 19. Rg1 {followed by a rook lift along the third rank may give White good attacking chances despite the limited material (Nepomniachtchi)}) 18. O-O-O Bb3 19. Rd2 Bxa4 {The first innacuracy by Vidit.} ({He should have waited with this for a moment. Strong was:} 19... Re8 $1 {when White cannot develop the initiative the way he did in the game. For example:} 20. a5 (20. Nd4 Bxd5) 20... Re4 21. Rd4 Rxd4 22. Nxd4 Bxd5 { and Black is doing fine.}) 20. Nd4 Be7 ({A tad more active, but similar to the game was:} 20... h6 21. b3 Bd7 22. Ra2 g5 23. Be3 Bg7 24. Kc2) 21. b3 {Now White has a clear plan to attack on the queenside. Especially on the a-file.} Be8 ({Intuitively, Black refrains from placing his bishop on the way of his king. However:} 21... Bd7 {is the suggestion of the brave machine. Then:} 22. Ra2 Bf6 (22... g5 23. Be3 c5 24. dxc6 bxc6 {is too siliconish for any human to understand.}) 23. Rd1 Rhe8 24. Be3 Bxd4 25. Bxd4 f6 26. Kd2 Bf5 {might lead to an improved version of the game continuation. Black is ready to escape with his king from the dangerous spot.}) 22. Ra2 Bf6 23. Rd1 Bxd4 ({Or else White might change his mind. Say:} 23... Kc8 24. Be3 Kd7 25. Ra7 Rb8 26. Ne2) 24. Rxd4 {The opposite-colored bishop endgame is "not that simple" (for Black.) "White has slight a initiative and [is] not taking any risks." (Nepomniachtchi. )} Bd7 25. c4 b6 {Nepomnichtchi called this an inaccuracy, and he was probably diplomatic.} ({The best chance was:} 25... Rhe8 26. Kd2 ({Or} 26. b4 Re1+ 27. Kd2 Rde8) 26... f6 27. b4 Bf5 28. c5 Re4 {when Black should be able to hold.}) 26. b4 {With the pawns fixed on the color of the opponent's bishop Black has no aces to play.} Kb7 27. c5 $1 {Blowing up the queenside. The opposite-colored bishop attack is super-powerful.} dxc5 ({Or} 27... Bb5 28. c6+ Kb8 29. Kc2 {when Black might and most likely will be mated on the open file.}) 28. bxc5 c6 ({If} 28... bxc5 29. Rb2+ Kc8 30. Rc4) 29. cxb6 cxd5 ({The strenght of the attack is demonstrated by this beauty:} 29... Kxb6 30. Be3 $1 c5 31. Rb4+ Kc7 32. Bf4+ Kc8 33. Rb8# {Notice how every little blow is delivered on a dark square.}) ({Black is also in a very bad shape after:} 29... c5 30. Re4 Kxb6 31. Re7) 30. Be3 Ra8 31. Ra7+ $1 {Squeezing out every juice from his soldiers.} Rxa7 32. bxa7 Bc6 {This might have been the last drop.} ({ Black could not take the pawn of course:} 32... Kxa7 $2 33. Rxd5+) ({However} 32... Rc8+ 33. Kd2 Be6 {might have been more resilient. At least the rook on c8 cuts the white king away.}) 33. Rg4 Rg8 34. Kd2 Kc7 $2 {Loses quickly.} ({ The last chance was:} 34... Ka8 {Hoping for:} 35. Rb4 $6 ({Although I do not know how will Black defend agaisnt the king march all the way to the kingside after:} 35. Kc3) 35... d4) 35. Rb4 Bb7 36. Bb6+ Kc6 ({Nothing changes:} 36... Kc8 37. Rb2 Kd7 38. Ba5 Bc6 39. Rb8 Rc8 40. Bc3) 37. Ba5 (37. Ba5 {Vidit resigned due to the line:} Ra8 38. Rb6+ Kc7 39. Rf6+ Kd7 40. Rxf7+ Kc6 41. Rc7+ ) 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.22"] [Round "9.7"] [White "Radjabov, Teimour"] [Black "Fedoseev, Vladimir"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D15"] [WhiteElo "2757"] [BlackElo "2724"] [PlyCount "168"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:01:43"] [BlackClock "0:20:43"] 1. c4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. e3 Bf5 6. Qb3 Ra7 (6... b5 7. c5 a5 8. Nh4 Bc8 9. f4 g6 10. Bd3 Nh5 11. Nf3 Bf5 12. e4 a4 {Gelfand,B (2703) -Grandelius,N (2655) Batumi 2018}) 7. Nh4 Bc8 8. Bd2 e6 9. c5 Nbd7 10. Nf3 e5 $146 (10... b6 11. cxb6 Qxb6 12. Qc2 Bd6 13. Rc1 Bb7 14. Bd3 O-O 15. O-O Rc8 16. Na4 Qd8 {Romanov,E (2636)-Malakhov,V (2712) Sochi 2017}) 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. dxe5 Nd7 13. Na4 Bxc5 14. Nxc5 Nxc5 15. Qc2 Ne4 16. Bd3 Nxd2 17. Qxd2 O-O 18. O-O f6 19. exf6 Qxf6 20. e4 dxe4 21. Bxe4 Be6 22. b3 Raa8 23. Qc2 g6 24. Rad1 Rad8 25. Rfe1 Kg7 26. Rd2 Rxd2 27. Qxd2 Rd8 28. Qc2 Qd4 29. h3 Qb4 30. Re2 Bf7 31. Bf3 Rd4 32. g3 Qd6 33. Kg2 Kg8 34. h4 a5 35. Qb2 b6 36. Qc3 c5 37. Qe3 Qf6 38. Qc3 Qd8 39. Qe3 Qd6 40. Qg5 Kg7 41. Qe7 Rd3 42. Qb7 Qf6 43. Bc6 Kf8 44. Qb8+ Rd8 45. Qb7 Rd6 46. Bf3 h5 47. Qa8+ Kg7 48. Qb7 Kf8 49. Qa8+ Qd8 50. Qb7 Rd7 51. Qc6 Kg7 52. Qe4 Rd3 53. Qb7 Qd7 54. Re7 Qxb7 55. Rxb7 Rd6 56. Be4 Kf6 57. Kf3 c4 58. bxc4 Bxc4 59. a3 Ke5 60. Ke3 Bd5 61. f4+ Ke6 62. Rb8 Bxe4 63. Kxe4 Rc6 64. a4 Rc4+ 65. Kf3 Rc3+ 66. Ke4 Rb3 67. Rg8 Kf7 68. Rb8 Kf6 69. Rf8+ Ke7 70. Rg8 Rxg3 71. Ke5 Re3+ 72. Kd4 Rg3 73. Ke5 Kf7 74. Rb8 Re3+ 75. Kd4 Re6 76. Kd5 Ke7 77. Rg8 Rd6+ 78. Ke5 Kd7 79. Rg7+ $2 (79. Rb8 Kc7 80. Rg8 {was still equal.}) 79... Kc6 80. Rg8 Kc5 81. Rc8+ Rc6 {Now if White avoids the pawn endgame he will just lose a4.} 82. Rxc6+ Kxc6 83. Kf6 b5 84. axb5+ Kd6 $3 (84... Kd6 {The point is} 85. Kxg6 a4 86. f5 a3 87. f6 a2 88. f7 Ke7 89. Kg7 a1=Q+ {and wins.}) 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.22"] [Round "9.5"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "2783"] [BlackElo "2612"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:03:57"] [BlackClock "0:07:49"] 1. c4 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. b3 e6 6. Ba3 $146 (6. Bxc6 bxc6 7. Bb2 e5 8. d3 Ne7 9. Qd2 d6 10. O-O-O O-O 11. e4 a5 12. h3 Be6 13. f4 Bh6 { Bauer,C (2646)-Bok,B (2620) Belgium 2018}) 6... d6 7. e3 Nge7 8. Nge2 O-O 9. O-O Nf5 (9... Qa5 10. Bb2 d5 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Nf4 Rd8 13. Qc1 d4 14. Na4 c4 { Ding,L (2813)-Vidit,S (2695) Wijk aan Zee 2019}) 10. d3 Qd7 11. Rc1 Rd8 12. Qd2 b6 13. d4 cxd4 14. exd4 d5 15. cxd5 Ncxd4 16. dxe6 $5 {A remarkable queen sacrifice.} Nf3+ 17. Bxf3 Qxd2 18. exf7+ Kxf7 19. Bxa8 Bf8 {Van Foreest was happy with this move, which gives him a relatively safe endgame. "I thought the worst was over for me."} ({The computer likes Black after} 19... Nd4 { but Van Foreest thought the machine overestimates White's position.}) 20. Rcd1 Bxa3 21. Rxd2 Rxd2 22. Bd5+ Kg7 23. Rd1 Rxd1+ 24. Nxd1 Bc5 25. Kg2 Nd4 26. Nec3 b5 27. Ne4 Be7 28. f3 Nc2 29. Kf2 Bd8 30. Nd6 1/2-1/2 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.23"] [Round "10.1"] [White "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof"] [Black "Rapport, Richard"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A45"] [WhiteElo "2738"] [BlackElo "2731"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:53:05"] [BlackClock "0:53:54"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 d5 3. Bxf6 exf6 4. e3 Be6 5. Nd2 c6 6. Ngf3 b5 7. a4 b4 8. a5 Bd6 9. c4 bxc3 10. bxc3 O-O 11. Be2 f5 12. O-O Nd7 13. Qa4 c5 14. c4 Nf6 15. Nb3 Ne4 16. Nxc5 Bxc5 17. dxc5 Rc8 18. c6 Nc3 19. Qc2 Nxe2+ 20. Qxe2 Rxc6 21. cxd5 Bxd5 22. Nd4 Rc5 23. Qd2 Qg5 24. f3 Rfc8 25. Rfc1 g6 26. Rxc5 Rxc5 27. Rb1 h5 28. Rb8+ Kh7 29. Re8 Qf6 30. Rb8 Qa6 31. Nb3 Bxb3 32. Qd8 $2 ({White had to win back the bishop with} 32. Qb2 {but wants more than half a point. He will get less.}) 32... Rc1+ 33. Kf2 Qf1+ 34. Kg3 {Here the fireworks start.} f4+ $1 35. Kxf4 (35. exf4 Qe1+ 36. Kh3 Be6+) 35... Rc4+ 36. Kg3 (36. e4 g5+ $1 37. Ke5 (37. Kg3 Qe1+ 38. Kh3 Qh4#) (37. Qxg5 Qc1+ 38. Kf5 Rc5+ 39. e5 Rxe5+) 37... Qa1+ 38. Kd6 Rd4+) 36... Qe1+ 37. Kh3 {And now the coup the grace...} Rc8 $3 { Just beautiful.} 38. Rxc8 (38. Qxc8 Be6+) 38... Be6+ 39. g4 hxg4+ $1 40. fxg4 Qxe3+ 41. Kh4 (41. Kg2 Qe2+ {followed by 42...Qxg4+ and 43...Bxc8.}) 41... Qf2+ (41... Qf2+ {and resigned because of} 42. Kg5 (42. Kh3 Qf3+ 43. Kh4 Qxg4#) 42... Bxc8 43. Qxc8 f6#) 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.23"] [Round "10.3"] [White "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "2612"] [BlackElo "2763"] [PlyCount "119"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f4 exf4 9. Bxf4 {Both Van Foreest and Giri were surprised that Nepomniachtchi entered a theoretical position down a tempo. "Perhaps Black can afford losing a tempo in the Berlin and survive, but not in the Najdorf" (Giri). As a rule the second player waits for the white bishop to come to e3 first before capturing on f4.} Nc6 10. Qe2 Be7 11. O-O-O Qc7 12. g4 O-O 13. g5 Nd7 14. Qe3 ( {White also got a stable advantage after:} 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15. exd5 Nce5 16. h4 Rfe8 17. h5 Nc5 18. Kb1 {Safarli,E (2667)-Papaioannou,I (2647) Rio Achaea 2018} ) 14... Rac8 15. Kb1 Rfe8 16. h4 b5 17. Qg3 Nce5 18. Nd4 $146 {A good novelty. The knight is perfectly located in the center, both hitting the black bishop, the f5 and c6 squares, but it also defends the c2 pawn.} ({Although in the predecessor White got the better game after another move:} 18. Rh2 Nb6 19. Bh3 b4 20. Nd5 Nxd5 21. exd5 Bxh3 22. Qxh3 a5 23. Nd4 Nc4 24. Nc6 {Bok,B (2613) -Barski,R (2346) Warsaw 2016}) 18... Nb6 19. Bh3 {Van Foreest trades Black's most valuable light piece. Thus he gets control over all the juicy light squares: f5, d5 and eventually c6.} Bxh3 ({There is no} 19... Qd7 $2 20. Nxe6 fxe6 21. Bxe5) 20. Qxh3 Nec4 {Threatening a capture on b2.} 21. Nd5 $1 { A very nice concept!} Nxd5 22. exd5 Nb6 {It seems as Black achieved a lot, but Van Foreest simply retreats with the bishop.} 23. Bc1 ({Not} 23. Nc6 Nxd5) ({ Nor the passive} 23. Qb3) 23... Nxd5 {Then proceeds with the attack as if nothing happened.} 24. h5 Bf8 25. g6 {The extra pawn is not playing any role at the moment, whereas White's attack on the kingside plays by itself.} h6 ({ The standard} 25... fxg6 26. hxg6 h6 {would not stop the attack. White will continue with:} 27. Qf3 Nb6 ({Not} 27... Nf6 28. Bxh6) 28. Rdf1 ({Or even} 28. Rhf1 {intending} Re7 29. Bg5 $1) 28... Re7 29. Rf2 {with a large advantage for the first player.}) 26. Qg2 Nf6 {It is time to make use of the open files.} ({ On} 26... Qb7 {White can win the pawn back with:} 27. gxf7+ Qxf7 (27... Kxf7 28. Rhg1 {is leaving the black king badly exposed.}) 28. Bxh6) 27. Bxh6 $1 { There he goes!} fxg6 ({The bishop is untouchable:} 27... gxh6 28. gxf7+ Kxf7 29. Qg6+ Ke7 30. Rhe1+ {with quick mate.}) 28. Rdf1 {The most obvious continuation.} ({The computer suggests instead an even more convenient continuation:} 28. Bg5 $1 Nxh5 29. Bc1 Qf7 30. Rdf1 {And Black cannot survive.} Nf6 31. Qh2) ({Worse is the immediate:} 28. Bc1 gxh5) 28... Qc4 {It is time for the next punch.} ({Or else Black loses quickly:} 28... Nxh5 29. Qxg6) 29. Rxf6 $1 {It is a nice one! Three white pieces are hanging, but Nepomniachtchi can take only one.} Qxd4 $1 {The right choice.} ({In case of:} 29... gxf6 30. Qxg6+ Kh8 {The fastest mate is:} 31. Bxf8 Rxf8 32. Qh6+ Kg8 33. Rg1+ Kf7 34. Qg7+ Ke8 35. Re1+ Kd8 36. Qe7#) 30. Rxg6 {The threat is to capture on g7 followed by h5-h6. Van Foreest regained the pawn and kept all the benefits of the open files.} Kh7 ({Or} 30... Kh8 31. Bd2) 31. Bc1 {An accurate retreat. The h5-h6 threat is deadly and Black has nothing better than:} ({Here} 31. Bd2 {is not convincing due to} Qe4 $1) 31... Qe4 {However now Van Foreest finds yet another beautiful blow.} ({On any other move, like:} 31... Rc7 {There is:} 32. h6 gxh6 33. Rhxh6+ Bxh6 34. Rxh6#) 32. h6 $1 {It is funny that all the tactics were performed either on the f6 or the h6 squares with the active usage of the g-file.} Qxg6 ({Worse was:} 32... Qxg2 33. hxg7+ Kxg6 34. g8=Q+) 33. hxg7+ {White wins material by force.} Kxg7 34. Bh6+ Kf7 (34... Kh7 { loses at once after} 35. Bxf8+) 35. Rf1+ Qf6 36. Qd5+ Ke7 37. Bg5 Qxg5 38. Rf7+ Kd8 39. Qxg5+ Be7 40. Qd5 {The last move before the time control and the end of the forcing line. Thanks to the additional weaknesses on a6 and d6 White should win.} Rg8 41. a3 Rg1+ 42. Ka2 Re1 ({The pawn is poisoned:} 42... Rxc2 43. Qe4 Rc7 44. Rxe7 Rxe7 45. Qa8+ Kd7 46. Qa7+) 43. Qb7 $1 {White needs to combine the threats against the black king with the attack against the weak pawns.} Rxc2 44. Rh7 (44. Rg7 {was somewhat better as in the similar line as in the game:} Rc7 45. Qxa6 Re5 46. Rg8+ Kd7 47. Qa8 {The move} Bf6 {comes without a tempo.}) 44... Rc7 ({No time for counterplay} 44... Ree2 $2 45. Rh8+) 45. Qxa6 Re5 46. Rh8+ Kd7 47. Qa8 Bf6 48. Rf8 Bg7 ({White will also find a way after:} 48... Bg5 49. Rg8 Rc4 50. Qg2) 49. Rd8+ Ke7 50. Qb8 Rec5 51. Rg8 Ke6 52. Qe8+ Kd5 53. Qe2 Be5 54. Rb8 Kc6 55. Qe4+ Kd7 56. Qd3 Kc6 57. Qf3+ d5 { Once that the pawn makes a move there is nobody to defend the king.} ({The last chance was:} 57... Kd7 58. Qf5+ Kc6 59. Qe4+ Kd7 60. Rf8) 58. Qh5 d4 59. Qg6+ Bd6 60. Qe4+ (60. Qe4+ {Black resigned not waiting for:} Rd5 61. Rxb5 $1) 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.23"] [Round "10.4"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Anand, Viswanathan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C77"] [WhiteElo "2835"] [BlackElo "2773"] [PlyCount "151"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:07:11"] [BlackClock "0:21:12"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Qd6 ( 7... O-O 8. Qe2 Re8 9. h3 Nd7 10. Nd1 Nf8 11. Ne3 {1/2 Rapport,R (2675)-Ding,L (2777) Tbilisi 2017}) 8. h3 Be6 9. Be3 $146 (9. O-O h6 10. Be3 g5 11. Bxc5 Qxc5 12. d4 exd4 13. Qxd4 Qxd4 14. Nxd4 Bd7 15. Rad1 O-O-O {Leon Fernandez, J-Carcavilla Ledesma,J Alfaro 2008}) 9... Nd7 10. Bxc5 Nxc5 11. Qd2 Nd7 12. d4 exd4 13. Nxd4 c5 14. Nxe6 fxe6 15. O-O-O Qxd2+ 16. Kxd2 Ne5 17. f4 Nc4+ 18. Kc1 Ke7 19. b3 Nd6 20. e5 Nf5 21. Ne4 b6 22. g4 Nh4 23. Rhf1 Rad8 24. Rxd8 Rxd8 25. f5 exf5 26. gxf5 Rf8 27. f6+ gxf6 28. exf6+ Kf7 29. Rf4 Ng6 30. Ng5+ Ke8 31. Rf1 h6 32. Ne6 Rf7 33. Rd1 Rxf6 34. Nxc7+ Kf8 35. Nxa6 Nf4 36. h4 Ng6 37. Rh1 Rf7 38. h5 Nf4 39. a4 Ke7 40. Nc7 Kf6 41. Nb5 Kg5 42. Nd6 Re7 43. Kb2 Re6 44. Nf7+ Kf5 45. Rd1 Kg4 46. Kc3 Kxh5 47. Rh1+ Kg6 48. Nxh6 Re4 49. Kb2 Re2 50. Ng4 Nd3+ 51. Kc3 Nb4 52. Rh2 Rxh2 53. Nxh2 Kf5 54. Nf3 Ke4 55. Ne1 Kd5 56. Nd3 Nc6 57. Nf4+ Kd6 58. Kc4 Na7 59. Nd5 Kc6 60. Ne7+ Kd6 61. Nf5+ Kc6 62. Kd3 Kc7 63. Ke4 Nc6 64. Ne3 Kd6 65. Nc4+ Kc7 66. c3 Ne7 67. Ke5 Ng6+ 68. Kf5 Ne7+ 69. Ke6 Ng6 70. a5 b5 $2 ({Anand might have been afraid of} 70... bxa5 71. Kd5 Nf4+ 72. Kxc5 Ne2 73. Na3 $1 {but} Kb7 (73... Nxc3 $2 74. Nb5+) 74. Nb1 Ka6 {should still be a draw.}) 71. Ne3 Nf4+ 72. Ke5 Ne2 73. Nd5+ Kc6 74. b4 $1 Nxc3 (74... cxb4 75. cxb4 Nc1 76. Ne7+ Kd7 77. Kd5 $1) 75. Nxc3 cxb4 76. Ne2 $1 (76. Ne2 Kb7 77. Nc1 Ka6 78. Nb3) 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.23"] [Round "10.6"] [White "Praggnanandhaa R"] [Black "Chigaev, Maksim"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B47"] [WhiteElo "2539"] [BlackElo "2604"] [PlyCount "102"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "1:01:40"] [BlackClock "0:45:00"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. f4 a6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3 d5 9. Qe2 Nf6 10. O-O Be7 11. Bd2 O-O 12. Rae1 Bb7 13. Kh1 g6 14. exd5 cxd5 15. f5 gxf5 16. Bxf5 d4 17. Bd3 $1 Qc6 18. Ne4 ({Winning waso} 18. Rf3 $1 { and White's attack is too strong.}) 18... Nxe4 19. Bxe4 Qxe4 20. Qxe4 Bxe4 21. Rxe4 h5 22. Rxd4 Rfd8 23. Rxd8+ Rxd8 24. Be3 f5 25. Kg1 Rc8 26. c3 Kf7 27. Rd1 e5 28. Rd5 Ke6 29. Ra5 Rc6 30. Kf1 Bd8 31. Rc5 Rd6 32. Rc8 f4 33. Bc5 Rd7 34. Ke2 Kf5 35. Bf2 Be7 36. Ra8 h4 37. Rxa6 h3 38. g3 $2 ({White is still better after} 38. gxh3 {e.g.} e4 39. Ra5+ Kg6 40. h4) 38... Bg5 $1 39. Ra5 Rd2+ $1 40. Kxd2 fxg3+ 41. Kd3 gxh2 42. Rxe5+ Kxe5 43. Bg3+ Bf4 44. Bxh2 Bxh2 45. Ke3 $2 ( 45. Ke2 Bg3 46. Kf1 {was still a draw because Black has the wrong bishop.}) 45... Bg3 $1 46. Kf3 Be1 {With this setup the white king cannot reach the corner.} 47. a4 Kd5 48. a5 Kc5 49. b3 Kb5 50. b4 Bh4 51. c4+ Ka6 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.23"] [Round "10.4"] [White "Maghsoodloo, Parham"] [Black "Bareev, Evgeny"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B12"] [WhiteElo "2679"] [BlackElo "2650"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:24:25"] [BlackClock "0:05:59"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nc3 e6 5. g4 Bg6 6. Nge2 c5 7. h4 (7. Be3 Ne7 8. f4 h5 9. f5 exf5 10. g5 Nbc6 11. Nf4 a6 12. Bg2 cxd4 13. Bxd4 Nxd4 14. Qxd4 Nc6 15. Qf2 Bb4 16. O-O-O Bxc3 17. bxc3 Qa5 18. Rxd5 Qxc3 19. Qc5 Qxc5 20. Rxc5 O-O 21. Bxc6 bxc6 22. Rd1 {Kasparov,G (2812)-Navara,D (2737) Saint Louis USA 2017}) 7... h5 8. Nf4 Bh7 9. g5 Nc6 (9... Bf5 10. Nxh5 cxd4 11. Nb5 d3 12. c3 Nc6 13. Ng3 Be4 14. Nxe4 dxe4 15. Qa4 Qd7 16. Qxe4 O-O-O {Idani,P (2569)-Lupulescu,C (2637) Abu Dhabi 2017}) 10. Qxh5 Nxd4 11. Nxe6 Nxe6 12. Bb5+ Ke7 13. g6 Bxg6 14. Qxh8 d4 15. Bg5+ Nxg5 16. hxg5 $146 (16. O-O-O Nh6 17. hxg5 Ng4 18. Qh4 Bf5 19. Rhg1 a6 20. g6+ {1-0 Albesa,A (1813)-Drus,M (1449) LSS email 2012}) 16... dxc3 17. Rd1 Qc7 {Bareev decides to give up the queen.} ({The engine suggests} 17... Qa5 {with wild complications, e.g.} 18. Rd7+ Ke6 19. Qh3+ Bf5 20. Rd6+ $1 Bxd6 21. Bc4+ Ke7 22. Qxf5 cxb2+ 23. Ke2 Re8 {and the game goes on!}) 18. Rd7+ ({The simple} 18. bxc3 {was also possible.}) 18... Qxd7 19. Bxd7 cxb2 20. O-O Kxd7 21. Qxg8 c4 22. Qh8 Kc7 $2 ({Perhaps} 22... Bxc2 {had to be tried but White seems on top after} 23. Qh3+ Kc6 24. Qc3 $1 b1=Q 25. Rxb1 Bxb1 26. Qxc4+ Bc5 27. Qa4+ b5 28. Qa6+ Bb6 29. a4 $1) 23. Qh4 Rc8 24. Qd4 Bxc2 25. Qxb2 Bf5 26. g6 fxg6 27. e6 Re8 28. Qb5 Rxe6 29. Qxc4+ Kb8 30. Rd1 Re8 31. Qf4+ 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.25"] [Round "11.4"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Shankland, Samuel"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2783"] [BlackElo "2725"] [PlyCount "89"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:24:44"] [BlackClock "0:46:55"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Na4 Qe7 (6... Bb6 7. a3 O-O 8. h3 Be6 9. Bxe6 fxe6 10. O-O Qe8 11. Nxb6 axb6 12. Bd2 h6 13. g3 d5 14. Qe2 dxe4 15. dxe4 Qg6 {Motylev,A (2661)-Xiong,J (2675) Saint Louis 2018}) 7. a3 Be6 8. Bxe6 Qxe6 9. b4 $146 (9. Nxc5 dxc5 10. O-O O-O-O 11. Qe1 c4 12. Ng5 Qe7 13. dxc4 Nd4 14. Qa5 Kb8 15. Be3 Nxc2 16. c5 Nxe3 17. c6 {1-0 Braun,M (2350) -Pitschka,C Germany 1991}) 9... Bb6 10. O-O O-O 11. c4 Nd7 12. Bb2 Nd4 13. Nd2 f5 14. Rc1 c5 15. exf5 Nxf5 16. Ne4 cxb4 17. Nxb6 axb6 18. axb4 Qg6 19. Ra1 Rxa1 20. Bxa1 Nf6 21. Nxf6+ Rxf6 22. Qf3 Nh4 23. Qd5+ Kh8 24. f4 h6 $1 25. Qe4 (25. fxe5 {allows a remarkable move:} Rf3 $1 {and White has nothing better than } 26. g3 Qf5 27. Rxf3 Nxf3+ {with a draw.}) 25... Qxe4 26. dxe4 Rxf4 27. Rxf4 exf4 28. e5 dxe5 29. Bxe5 Ng6 30. Bc7 b5 31. cxb5 {This was the most Giri could get, but it shouldn't be winning.} Kg8 32. Kf2 Kf7 33. Kf3 Nh4+ 34. Kxf4 Nxg2+ 35. Ke5 Ke7 36. Bd6+ Ke8 37. Ke6 g5 38. Kf6 Kd7 39. Bf8 Nh4 40. Bxh6 Nf3 41. h3 Ng1 42. Bxg5 Nxh3 43. Be3 Kd6 44. Kf5 Kd5 45. b6 (45. b6 {and Shankland resigned because he knew that after losing his knight it's a fortress with his king on a8, but he didn't know it's also a fortress with his king on c8! For example} Kd6 46. Kg4 Kd7 47. Kxh3 Kc8 48. Bf4 Kd7 49. Kg4 Kc8 50. Kf5 Kd7 51. Kf6 Kc8 52. Ke6 Kd8 53. Kd6 Kc8 {and White cannot get through.}) 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.25"] [Round "11.2"] [White "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Black "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A06"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2612"] [PlyCount "131"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. Nf3 {The move that served Kramnik well all his life.} d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c5 4. O-O Nc6 5. d3 e5 6. Qe1 ({Ding Liren chose to challenge the center at once: } 6. e4 d4 7. a4 Be7 8. Na3 O-O 9. Nc4 Nd7 10. Nfd2 {in Ding,L (2791)-Karjakin, S (2782) Stavanger 2018}) 6... Be7 7. e4 d4 8. a4 O-O 9. Na3 {We have the Reversed KID. Apparently, the former world champion wanted to test his opponent's knowledge here. Kramnik no doubt checked Van Foreest's games and knew well that the young Dutchman does not have much of experience facing the KID.} Ne8 $146 {A standard maneuver and a novelty at the same time.} ({In a predecessor Black did well after:} 9... Be6 10. Ng5 Bd7 11. f4 Ne8 12. Nf3 f6 13. Nc4 Qc7 14. Nh4 Nd6 {Gu,T (2197)-Guo,Q (2396) Shenzhen 2017}) 10. Nc4 Qc7 11. b3 {The plans for both sides are clear. White needs to play on the kingside and his opponent on the other wing.} b6 ({Beware of the famous trap:} 11... Rb8 $2 12. Nfxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Qxe5 14. Bf4) 12. Bd2 Be6 13. Qe2 { Renewing the trap idea from above as the queen takes control of the h5 spot.} f6 {Van Foreest defends the central pawn and is finally ready for Ne8-d6. However, the black bishop no longer hits the h4 square which makes:} ({If Black proceeds with his queenside play with:} 13... a6 $2 {He will get shocked with:} 14. Nfxe5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Qxe5 16. Bf4 Qf6 17. e5 {and White wins. Just a different version of the same trap.}) ({However, a semi-waiting, useful move like} 13... Rd8 {deserved attention, inviting White to show his intentions.}) 14. Nh4 {Possible.} Nd6 15. f4 ({Also interesting was:} 15. Nf5 Nxf5 16. exf5 Bxf5 17. f4 {with initiative for the pawn.}) 15... Rae8 16. f5 {Now not willing to swap off the bishops, Black played:} Bd7 {Which missed another strong and typical blow.} ({If} 16... Bf7 17. Bf3 {followed by Bf3-h5 will be positionally good for White, but that was the lesser evil for the Dutchman.}) 17. Ng6 $1 Rf7 ({The knight is taboo:} 17... hxg6 18. fxg6 Nf7 19. Qh5 Nh6 20. Bxh6 {with crushing attack.}) 18. Qh5 {The white pieces quickly surrounded the enemy king. Van Foreest has to be extremely careful.} Bd8 {One more serious inaccuracy.} ({Black needed to swap off the knights:} 18... Nxc4 19. bxc4 { then both} Nb4 ({Or} 19... Bd6 {would have been playable.})) 19. g4 Ne7 20. Rf3 {The most obvious move is not always the best.} ({Kramnik missed the study-like win suggested by the computer:} 20. Nxd6 Qxd6 21. Nh8 $3 Rff8 22. Rf3 h6 ({Or} 22... Kxh8 23. Rh3 h6 24. Bxh6 $1 {with forcing mate.}) 23. Bxh6 gxh6 24. Qxh6 {and Black is toasted.}) ({It is curious that the Russian GM saw the other interesting continuation:} 20. Ngxe5 $5 fxe5 21. Nxe5 Rff8 22. Bf4 { with strong threats. Apparently, Kramnik wanted to win without any risk, a clear sign of bad chess shape.}) 20... Nxg6 21. fxg6 hxg6 22. Qxg6 Nxc4 23. bxc4 Qc8 24. Rg3 Be6 25. Rf1 $6 {Missing the final bits of a advantage.} ({ Stronger was:} 25. Bf3 Kf8 26. g5) 25... Qd7 26. Bf3 Qxa4 {Petrosian's approach. Black is going to suffer no matter what, but at least he can grab a pawn.} 27. Bd1 ({There is not much for White after} 27. g5 Qxc2) 27... Qd7 28. Rh3 Kf8 29. Rh7 {It seems as Black will soon get checkmated, but Van Foreest defends well with:} Ke7 $1 ({Black cannot delay this move for too long. For example:} 29... a5 30. g5 a4 31. Bh5 a3 32. gxf6 Bxf6 33. Bg5 $1 {and White will finally make it to the opponent's king.} Bxg5 34. Qxg7+ Ke7 35. Rxf7+) 30. Rxg7 Rxg7 31. Qxg7+ Kd6 32. Qxd7+ Bxd7 33. Kg2 {At the end of the day and endgame appeared on the board. The game starts from the beginning, with equal chances for both sides.} a5 {Both sides advance their passers as much as they can.} 34. h4 a4 35. Bc1 Be7 36. Kg3 Ra8 37. Ba3 Rg8 (37... Ke6 $5) 38. Be2 Bd8 39. h5 Be8 40. Kh3 {The time-control move.} ({Kramnik does not want to risk with:} 40. h6 Rh8 41. Rh1 Bc6 42. g5 fxg5 43. Bg4 {Although this leads to an easier game for White. Say:} Ke7 ({Or} 43... Bf6 44. Bf5 Ke7 45. Kg4 Kf7) 44. Bf5 Kf6 45. Kg4 Be7 46. Bc1 Kf7 47. h7 Kg7 48. Bxg5 Bxg5 49. Kxg5 Ra8 50. Rh6 Kh8 ({Not} 50... a3 $2 51. h8=Q+ Rxh8 52. Rxc6) 51. Rxc6 a3 52. Rh6 a2 53. Rh1 a1=Q 54. Rxa1 Rxa1 55. Kf6 {with very unclear endgame.}) 40... Rh8 41. Bc1 Be7 42. Bd2 Bd7 43. Kg3 Ra8 44. Rb1 b5 $1 {An excellent idea. Black involves the light-squared bishop into the a-pawn promotion.} ({The computer likes:} 44... a3 45. Rxb6+ Bc6 46. Rb1 a2 47. Ra1 Ke6) 45. cxb5 a3 46. b6 a2 47. Ra1 Kc6 48. g5 $1 {A strong move in return. White is willing to fight the bishop and at the same time opens the road for his king.} fxg5 49. Bg4 Be8 $2 {A bad idea. Very. Now the white bishop will dominate on the diagonals.} ({The would have ended peacefully after:} 49... Bxg4 50. Kxg4 Kxb6 (50... c4) 51. h6 (51. Bxg5 Rg8) 51... c4 52. h7 Rh8 53. Rxa2 Rxh7) 50. Be6 Kxb6 51. Kg4 ({Also good was:} 51. h6 Bg6 52. Rxa2 Rxa2 53. Bxa2) 51... c4 $5 {Van Foreest squeezes chances out of nothing.} 52. h6 ({Easier was:} 52. Bxc4 Bd7+ 53. Kg3 Rh8 54. Bf7) 52... cxd3 ({The last chance was:} 52... Bb5 $1 53. h7 Rh8 {When White can try either:} 54. Bg8 ({Or} 54. Bf5 cxd3 55. Rxa2 dxc2 56. Rxc2 Be2+ 57. Kg3 Bf6) 54... cxd3 55. Rxa2 dxc2 56. Rxc2 Bd7+ 57. Kh5 Bc6 {in both cases White is better, but not necessarily winning.}) 53. cxd3 Bb5 54. Rxa2 Rxa2 55. Bxa2 Bxd3 56. Kf5 {Now the black bishop on e2 got excluded from the actual struggle. Kramnik confidently converted his edge.} Bf8 57. h7 ({Or} 57. Bxg5 Bc2 58. Kxe5 d3 59. Kd4 {and wins.}) 57... Bg7 58. Bxg5 Bc2 59. Bd5 d3 60. Kg6 ({White could still go wrong with:} 60. Bf6 $2 d2 61. Bxg7 d1=Q 62. h8=Q Qxd5 $1 { with a draw.}) 60... Bh8 61. Kf7 Kc5 62. Kg8 Bf6 63. Bxf6 d2 64. h8=Q d1=Q 65. Kf7 Bd3 66. Qh2 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.25"] [Round "11"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Shankland, Samuel"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2783"] [BlackElo "2725"] [Annotator "AlexYermo"] [PlyCount "89"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Na4 {One possible idea in the Guoco Pianissimo.} Qe7 7. a3 Be6 (7... a6 8. Nxc5 dxc5 9. Be3) 8. Bxe6 Qxe6 9. b4 Bb6 10. O-O O-O 11. c4 Nd7 12. Bb2 Nd4 13. Nd2 f5 14. Rc1 c5 { Sam stays solid,} ({He must have rejected} 14... f4 $5 {on account of} 15. c5 dxc5 16. Nxc5 Bxc5 17. bxc5 {and now} f3 {meets with} 18. Bxd4 fxg2 19. Kxg2 exd4 20. f4) 15. exf5 Nxf5 16. Ne4 $14 cxb4 $6 {This concession didn't seem forced at all.} 17. Nxb6 axb6 18. axb4 Qg6 {[#] Black has to generate some threats against the white king.} 19. Ra1 {Perhaps Anish gave too much respect to the Ra2 idea.} (19. Re1 Nf6 (19... Nh4 20. Ng3 Ra2 21. Qb3) 20. Nxf6+ Rxf6 21. Re4 Raf8 22. f3 $14) 19... Rxa1 20. Bxa1 Nf6 21. Nxf6+ Rxf6 22. Qf3 Nh4 $1 23. Qd5+ Kh8 $5 {[#] Moving the king away from the center is risky because the queen can be traded any moment.} (23... Qf7 24. Qxf7+ Kxf7 25. b5 Rg6) 24. f4 $1 {A beautiful rejoinder.} h6 $1 (24... Rxf4 25. Rxf4 exf4 26. Qxb7) 25. Qe4 { White is taking the game into a minor piece ending where he will be the one with winning chances.} Qxe4 26. dxe4 Rxf4 27. Rxf4 exf4 28. e5 (28. Bd4 { is ineffective on account of} b5 29. cxb5 Kg8) 28... dxe5 29. Bxe5 Ng6 30. Bc7 b5 31. cxb5 Kg8 32. Kf2 Kf7 33. Kf3 Nh4+ {This appears to have been played too soon. Why invite the white king forward?} ({A long line,} 33... Ke6 34. Ke4 Nh4 35. Bxf4 Nxg2 36. Bg3 g5 37. Kf3 Nf4 38. Bxf4 gxf4 39. Kxf4 Kd5 {leads to a draw.}) 34. Kxf4 Nxg2+ 35. Ke5 Ke7 36. Bd6+ Ke8 $1 {A couple of good ones from Sam.} 37. Ke6 g5 38. Kf6 Kd7 {Shakland enter a line all of us thought would be drawn.} (38... Nh4 39. Bb8 Kd7 40. Kg7 Nf5+ 41. Kg6 Ke6 42. Bg3 Ne3 43. Kxh6 Kf5 $11) 39. Bf8 Nh4 40. Bxh6 Nf3 41. h3 {A standard way of trapping the knight.} Ng1 42. Bxg5 Nxh3 43. Be3 {The job is done, but a peculiar position of the Q-side pawn prevents White from winning.} Kd6 44. Kf5 Kd5 45. b6 $5 { A pretty smart choice from Giri.} ({He had no doubt Shakland would have found} 45. Bc5 b6 $1 {a forced way to eliminate the rest of the pawns.} (45... Kc4 { is also good enough.} 46. Kg4 Nf2+ 47. Bxf2 Kxb4 48. b6 Kc4 49. Kf5 Kd5 50. Bg3 Kc6 51. Bc7 Kd7) 46. Bxb6 Kc4 47. Bc5 Kxb5 48. Kg4 Nf2+) (45. b6 {In reply Shakland shockingly resigned the game. Of course, in hindsight we all realize it doesn't matter how many b-pawns are there, as long as the front one is on b6.} Kd6 $11 {heading for c8.}) 1-0 [Event "81st Tata Steel Masters 2019"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.25"] [Round "11"] [White "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Black "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2612"] [Annotator "AlexYermo"] [PlyCount "131"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c5 4. O-O Nc6 5. d3 e5 6. Qe1 {Kings Indian with colors reversed.} Be7 7. e4 d4 $5 {Give Jorden credit for entering a full fight against his still formidable opponent.} (7... dxe4 8. dxe4 Be6 {would be easier to play for both sides.}) 8. a4 {Now Black needs to be able to figurte out which system of many he can choose benefits the least from that extra tempo.} O-O ({A Petrosian treatment, anyone?} 8... Bg4 9. h3 Bh5) 9. Na3 Ne8 10. Nc4 Qc7 11. b3 b6 12. Bd2 Be6 13. Qe2 f6 14. Nh4 Nd6 15. f4 Rae8 (15... Nxc4 16. bxc4 exf4 17. gxf4 Rae8 18. Kh1 Nb4 19. f5 {with the same idea, Ng6 as in the game.}) 16. f5 Bd7 17. Ng6 Rf7 18. Qh5 Bd8 19. g4 Ne7 {[#]} 20. Rf3 ( {Computers sho the ridiculous} 20. Nxd6 Qxd6 21. Nh8 $3 {whixh forces Black to lose the exchange, otherwise} Rff8 22. Rf3 Kxh8 23. Rh3 Kg8 24. Qxh7+ Kf7 25. Qh5+ Kg8 26. Bf3 {steamrolls him.}) 20... Nxg6 21. fxg6 hxg6 22. Qxg6 Nxc4 23. bxc4 Qc8 24. Rg3 Be6 25. Rf1 Qd7 26. Bf3 Qxa4 27. Bd1 Qd7 28. Rh3 Kf8 29. Rh7 Ke7 30. Rxg7 Rxg7 31. Qxg7+ Kd6 32. Qxd7+ Bxd7 {A very complex ending has been reached. For a while both players did well enough to keep it within the bounds of equality.} 33. Kg2 a5 34. h4 a4 35. Bc1 Be7 36. Kg3 Ra8 37. Ba3 Rg8 38. Be2 Bd8 39. h5 Be8 40. Kh3 Rh8 41. Bc1 Be7 42. Bd2 Bd7 43. Kg3 Ra8 44. Rb1 {[#]} b5 {An interesting winning attempt.} (44... Kc7 $11) 45. cxb5 a3 46. b6 a2 47. Ra1 Kc6 48. g5 $1 {excellent from Vlad. Finally he gets to activate his LSB} fxg5 49. Bg4 Be8 $2 {A little too much.} (49... Bxg4 50. Kxg4 Kxb6 51. h6 Bf6 52. Bxg5 Bh8 53. Kf5 Ra7 54. Kg6 Kb5 55. Bd2 {boils down to a draw, as neither side can queen their pawn.}) 50. Be6 $1 $18 Kxb6 51. Kg4 c4 52. h6 cxd3 53. cxd3 Bb5 54. Rxa2 Rxa2 55. Bxa2 Bxd3 56. Kf5 Bf8 57. h7 Bg7 58. Bxg5 Bc2 59. Bd5 {Last preparation before the king march.} d3 60. Kg6 Bh8 61. Kf7 Kc5 62. Kg8 Bf6 63. Bxf6 d2 64. h8=Q d1=Q 65. Kf7 Bd3 66. Qh2 1-0 [Event "81st Tata Steel Masters 2019"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.25"] [Round "11"] [White "Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar"] [Black "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2817"] [BlackElo "2695"] [Annotator "AlexYermo"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. a3 $6 { The choice of this risky line is understandable, as Shakriayr is still looking for his first win in 2019.} Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Nbd7 {[#]} 9. e3 (9. Qa4 O-O 10. Qxc4 c5 11. e3 b6 {appears safe for Black.}) (9. Nd2 b5 10. a4 c6 11. e4 {is logical, but Black can immediately interfere with White's plan of e4-e5 and Ne4-d6:} e5 $1) 9... b5 10. a4 c6 11. Qb1 a6 12. Be2 O-O 13. O-O Qe8 14. Re1 ( 14. e4 e5 (14... Bb7 {is good enough.}) 15. Bxf6 gxf6 16. Qc1 Kh7 17. Nh4 $13) 14... Nd5 15. Qc2 Bb7 16. e4 N5f6 17. Bf1 {The white bishop is very ineffective here, it should have been on c2.} c5 $1 18. Rab1 Qc8 $1 {Excellent play from Santosh Vidit.} 19. axb5 axb5 20. Rxb5 Bxe4 21. Qd2 (21. Rxe4 Qc6 { as the point.}) 21... Bxf3 22. gxf3 Qc6 23. Bxc4 cxd4 24. Qxd4 Rfc8 25. Rb4 Qxf3 $19 {White's position lies in ruin.} 26. Bg3 Ra3 27. Rc1 Nd5 28. Bxd5 exd5 29. Rd1 Nf6 30. Be5 Ne4 0-1 [Event "81st Tata Steel Masters 2019"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.25"] [Round "11"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Fedoseev, Vladimir"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2724"] [Annotator "AlexYermo"] [PlyCount "99"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. c3 h6 6. Be2 Ne7 7. Nbd2 a5 8. a4 Nd7 9. O-O g5 {Maybe it's me, but I cannot wrap my mind around Black's plan, particularly since he isn't going to castle Q-side because of the a7-a5 weakening move.} 10. Ne1 Qb6 11. Nd3 Bg7 ({Is} 11... Ng6 12. Re1 c5 {a try here?}) 12. Nb3 O-O 13. Nbc5 Nxc5 14. Nxc5 Qc7 15. f4 $1 $16 {[#] Of copurse, Nepo plays all the right moves, and very fast at that.} gxf4 16. Bxf4 b6 17. Nd3 c5 18. Qd2 Kh7 19. Be3 Rac8 $5 {An inspired pawn sacrifice.} ({When in trouble trade rooks, said J.R. Capablanca.} 19... cxd4 20. cxd4 Rac8 21. g4 Be4 22. Rac1 Qd7 23. Nf4 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Rc8) 20. dxc5 bxc5 21. Bxc5 Rfe8 22. Kh1 ( 22. Qe3 $5 Bg6 23. Bb6 {going after the second pawn.}) 22... Ng6 23. Bd4 Nxe5 24. Nxe5 Bxe5 25. Bxe5 Qxe5 26. Bd3 Bxd3 27. Qxd3+ {[#] Black's got himself a beautiful pawn structure. If he could only get the queens of he'd go full Rubinstein on his opponent. The sad truth, is with the queens on his king is terribly weak.} f5 $6 {I don't like this one at all.} (27... Kg8 28. Rae1 Qg5 29. Re3 Rc4 30. Rg3 Rg4 31. Rxg4 Qxg4 32. h3 Qxa4 33. Qg3+ Kf8 34. Qg6 Re7) 28. Rae1 Qg7 29. Qa6 Ra8 30. Qd6 Rad8 31. Qc5 Ra8 32. Re2 Qd7 33. Rfe1 Ra6 34. h3 Rg8 35. b4 $1 axb4 36. cxb4 d4 {The e6-pawn must be retained at all costs.} 37. b5 Rd6 38. b6 d3 39. Rd2 Rd5 40. Qb4 e5 41. Rc1 $1 Rd4 42. Qa5 Rxa4 43. Qxe5 $18 Re4 44. Qf6 Rg6 45. Rxd3 Rxf6 46. Rxd7+ Kg6 47. Rb1 Rfe6 48. Rdd1 Re8 49. b7 Rb8 50. Rd7 1-0 [Event "Tata Steel Chess Masters 2019"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.26"] [Round "12.1"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "2835"] [BlackElo "2738"] [PlyCount "141"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 Bb4 6. Bxc4 Nxe4 7. O-O Nf6 8. Qa4+ Nc6 9. Ne5 Rb8 10. Rd1 $146 {Carlsen improves over a game he witnessed not long time ago.} ({Aronian did not get much on Norwegian soil with:} 10. d5 exd5 11. Nxd5 Nxd5 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Qxc6+ Qd7 14. Bxd5 O-O 15. Qxd7 Bxd7 16. Be3 Bd6 17. b3 a5 18. Rfd1 a4 19. Rac1 axb3 20. axb3 {and the endgame was soon drawn, Aronian,L (2764)-Caruana,F (2822) Stavanger 2018}) 10... O-O 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Qxa7 Bd7 13. Qa4 c5 {Black of course gets rid of the doubled pawns.} 14. Qc2 cxd4 15. Rxd4 Bc5 {Duda wants to determine white rook's position.} ({ In the future two other moves will be seriously investigated in this position. Either the immediate:} 15... Qe7) ({Or} 15... Bd6 16. Rh4 {and then} Qe7) 16. Rh4 {White accepts the challenge and brings the rook closer to the enemy king.} ({White's advantage after} 16. Rd1 Qe7 {is purely symbolic.}) 16... h6 $6 { Duda is playing with fire!} ({Once more the preliminary move:} 16... Qe7 { was good. Only then when White attacks once more the pawn:} 17. Bd3 {Will Black play:} h6 {As the sacrifice:} 18. Bxh6 gxh6 19. Qd2 {Black has the important resource:} ({Worse is:} 19. Rxh6 Ng4 {and the white bishop is standing on the road of its own queen.}) 19... Rb4 $1 {To swap off the dangerous rook. White has draw guaranteed with:} 20. Qxh6 Rxh4 21. Qg5+ (21. Qxh4 Rb8) 21... Kh8 22. Qxh4+ Kg7 {but does he have more?}) 17. Bxh6 $1 { Logical and strong. Apparently Duda saw this and planned the following forcing play:} gxh6 18. Qd2 Nh7 ({Or} 18... Nd5 19. Qxh6 Bxf2+ 20. Kxf2 Qf6+ 21. Qxf6 Rxb2+ {which transposes to the game.}) 19. Qxh6 Bxf2+ $1 {Everything else leads to checkmate.} 20. Kxf2 Qf6+ 21. Qxf6 Rxb2+ {Also an important zwischenzug.} 22. Kg1 Nxf6 23. Rf1 {The end of the forcing line. Black returned the pawn but entered an endgame with limited material on the board. Unfortunately for him, his king is in danger even here.} Kg7 ({White is also better after:} 23... Nh7 24. Rf3) 24. Rf3 Rg8 {The best chance. Black was losing at least a pawn anyway.} ({Say:} 24... Rd8 25. Rhf4 Rb4 26. Rxf6 ({Or:} 26. a3 e5 27. Rxf6 Rxc4 28. Rxf7+) 26... Rxc4 27. Rxf7+ {it is hard to say which endgame was providing more defensive chances for Black.}) 25. Rhf4 ({Not: } 25. Rg3+ Kf8 {when Black is out of the woods.}) 25... Bc6 26. Rxf6 Bxf3 27. Rxf3 Rd8 {The rook is sometimes as good as the light pieces in the endgame. However here the co-ordinated white light pieces make White's position clearly better.} 28. Rf2 ({Perhaps} 28. a4 {was more precise.}) 28... Rb4 {A mistake. The side with the rooks usually lives better (and longer) life with their rook being the only major piece left on the board.} ({Black needed to play:} 28... Rdd2 {Then after the rook swap his defensive chances are way better than in the game. For example:} 29. Rxd2 Rxd2 30. Bb3 Rb2 31. Nb5 c5 32. Nd6 f5 33. Nc4 Rb1+ 34. Kf2 Kf6 {and this should be holdable with precise play.}) 29. Bb5 Ra8 30. a4 {Now Carlsen consolidates, although his win is still very far away from sight.} c6 31. Be2 {Watch out how the world champion makes everything needed to make progress from here on.} ({Not} 31. Bxc6 $2 Rc8) 31... Ra5 32. Rf3 f5 { Duda grabs as much space as he can. One reason is-to limit the white pieces. Another-to trade the white pawns.} 33. Kf2 Rc5 34. Bd1 $1 {A nice regroupment by the world champion.} e5 35. Ne2 Kf6 36. Ra3 {Now the a-pawn is more dangerous, but not yet willing to advance.} Rb1 37. Ke1 e4 (37... Ra5 $5) 38. g3 Ke5 39. h4 {Improving on the other flank.} ({White is not ready for the advance yet:} 39. a5 $2 Rbb5 40. a6 Ra5) 39... Ra5 40. h5 c5 41. Kd2 c4 { Both sides achieved almost the maximum.} 42. Kc2 Rb8 43. Kc3 Rb1 44. Kc2 ({ Carlsen does not allow too much counterplay, possible in the line:} 44. Bc2 Re1 45. Kd2 Rh1 46. Nf4 Kd4) 44... Rb8 45. Kc1 Rb6 46. Bc2 Rd6 47. Nf4 Rc5 { It seems as White cannot make any further progress.} 48. Re3 $1 {Sending the rook to help the more advanced passer. The impression is that world champion can squeeze water from a stone if he needs to.} ({The other way of sending the rook on the king's flank was:} 48. Ra2 $5 {But then Black can defend with:} Kd4 49. Bd1 c3 50. a5 Ra6 {When a not-mandatory line runs:} 51. h6 Rxh6 52. a6 c2 $1 53. Bxc2 Rh1+ {And Black escapes with the draw:} 54. Kd2 (54. Kb2 Rb5+ 55. Bb3 Rh2+ 56. Kc1 Rxa2 57. Bxa2 Ra5) 54... e3+ 55. Ke2 Rh2+ 56. Kd1 Rh1+ 57. Ke2 Rh2+ {Perpetual cannot be avoided:} 58. Kf3 $4 Rf2#) 48... Kd4 49. Re1 Rh6 { Only this obvious move is a mistake.} ({Black should have defended with:} 49... Ke5 $1 50. Rh1 Rc7) 50. Kd2 Re5 ({In case of:} 50... c3+ 51. Kc1 Rcc6 {White can break the pawn chain of the opponent with:} 52. g4 $1) 51. Ne2+ {Finally getting rid of the active black king. White's progress can no longer be held.} Kc5 52. Rh1 Re8 53. Kc3 Rg8 54. Rb1 $1 Rxh5 {Carlsen worked effortlessly on both flankns and the center to deserve the next blow:} 55. Bxe4 Re8 (55... fxe4 56. Rb5+ {droops the rook.}) 56. Nf4 Rg5 57. Rb5+ Kd6 58. Bxf5 Rxg3+ 59. Kd4 $1 {Very accurate play.} ({Instead:} 59. Kxc4 Re5 60. Rb6+ Kc7 61. Rf6 Rf3 { Ties the white pieces down and the possible trade of the rooks:} 62. Bd3 Ree3 63. Nd5+ Kb8 64. Rxf3 Rxf3 {leads to a textbook draw.}) 59... Rg1 60. Rb6+ Ke7 61. Ng6+ Kf7 62. Ne5+ Kg8 63. Nxc4 {White is winning although some accuracy is still needed.} Ra8 64. a5 Ra1 65. Rb5 Ra7 66. Be4 {Threatening to trap the rook.} Rc7 (66... Kf8 67. Bb7 $1 {followed by Kd4-c5-b6 will be the end.}) 67. Rf5 Kg7 68. Bc2 Rc1 69. Kc3 Rf7 {Loses at once, but there was no escape anyway. } ({The rook endgame is lost by force:} 69... Rxc2+ 70. Kxc2 Rxc4+ 71. Kb3 Rc8 72. a6 Ra8 73. Ra5 Kf7 74. Kb4 Ke7 75. Kb5 Kd7 76. a7 Kc7 77. Ka6) (69... Kg6 { would lead to the same lost endgame after:} 70. Rf1+ Rxc2+ 71. Kxc2 Rxc4+ 72. Kb3) ({And:} 69... Ra7 70. Rf2 {folowed by the king march to b6 changes nothing.}) 70. Rxf7+ Kxf7 71. Na3 (71. Na3 {The end would have been:} Rh1 ( 71... Ra1 72. Kb4) 72. a6 Rh8 73. a7 Ra8 74. Nb5) 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.26"] [Round "12.6"] [White "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"] [Black "Rapport, Richard"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A40"] [WhiteElo "2695"] [BlackElo "2731"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:51:43"] [BlackClock "1:05:39"] 1. d4 Nc6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 Bg4 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nf6 6. Qb3 (6. Qa4 Bxf3 7. gxf3 Bb4 8. Bg2 dxc4 9. a3 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 O-O 11. f4 Nd5 12. Qxc4 Na5 {Korobov,A (2700)-Morozevich,A (2711) Poikovsky 2015}) 6... Bxf3 7. gxf3 Rb8 8. a3 $146 ( 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 Qxd5 10. Qxd5 exd5 11. Bd2 a6 12. Rc1 Bd6 13. f4 Ne7 14. Bd3 g6 {Banikas,H (2440)-Papastavropoulos,A (2250) Athens 1996}) 8... Be7 9. f4 O-O 10. Qc2 Qd7 11. Rg1 Na5 12. cxd5 exd5 13. b4 Nc4 14. Nxd5 Nxd5 15. Bxc4 Bh4 16. f5 Rfe8 17. Kf1 Nf6 18. f3 Qc6 19. Kg2 Rbd8 20. b5 Qd7 21. Kh3 g5 22. e4 Qxd4 23. Bxg5 Bxg5 24. Rxg5+ Kh8 25. Rag1 Nxe4 26. fxe4 Rxe4 27. Bxf7 Rh4+ 28. Kg2 Qf6 29. Kh1 Qxf7 30. Qg2 ({Winning was} 30. Qc5 $1) 30... Rhd4 31. f6 ({ Here} 31. Rg7 Qd5 32. Rxc7 Qxg2+ 33. Kxg2 {was the best try.}) 31... Rd1 32. Qf3 Rxg1+ 33. Rxg1 Qd5 34. Qxd5 Rxd5 35. f7 Rd8 36. Rc1 a6 37. bxa6 bxa6 38. Rxc7 Kg7 39. Ra7 Rd1+ 40. Kg2 Rd2+ 41. Kg1 Rd1+ 1/2-1/2 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.26"] [Round "12.4"] [White "Paehtz, Elisabeth"] [Black "Kovalev, Vladislav"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A48"] [WhiteElo "2477"] [BlackElo "2687"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:12:36"] [BlackClock "0:36:34"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. Nbd2 d6 5. c3 O-O 6. e4 c5 7. dxc5 dxc5 8. Be2 Nc6 9. O-O Qc7 10. Qc2 b6 11. Nc4 (11. Rfe1 Bb7 12. Bh4 Rad8 13. Bg3 e5 14. Nc4 Nh5 15. Ne3 f6 16. Nd5 Qb8 17. Rad1 Kh8 18. Nd2 Nf4 19. Bxf4 exf4 {1/2 Galego,L (2471)-Spraggett,K (2530) Famalicao 2018}) 11... h6 12. Bh4 Nh5 13. Ne3 $146 (13. a4 Nf4 14. Bg3 Nxe2+ 15. Qxe2 Qb7 16. Ne3 Be6 17. Nd5 Rad8 18. Rfd1 Na5 19. Nf4 Bc4 {Marangunic,S (2460)-Sale,S (2425) Zagreb 1997}) 13... e6 14. Rad1 Bb7 15. Rd2 g5 16. Bg3 Nxg3 17. hxg3 Rad8 18. Rxd8 Rxd8 19. Nd2 Ne5 20. f4 $2 {This fails tactically.} Ng6 21. e5 gxf4 22. gxf4 Nxf4 $1 23. Ndc4 ( 23. Rxf4 Qxe5 {and either the rook or the knight will be hanging.}) 23... Bxe5 24. Bf3 Bxf3 25. Rxf3 Bg7 26. Qe4 Ng6 27. Ng4 Rd1+ 28. Kf2 Qe7 29. Nge3 Rd8 30. Rh3 b5 0-1 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.26"] [Round "12.7"] [White "Esipenko, Andrey"] [Black "Saduakassova, Dinara"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2584"] [BlackElo "2472"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:27:40"] [BlackClock "0:10:22"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 Nd7 8. Qd2 O-O 9. O-O-O c6 (9... Nf6 10. Bd3 c5 11. Rhe1 Be6 12. Kb1 Qa5 13. c4 Qxd2 14. Bxd2 h6 15. Nh4 Rfe8 16. Ng6 Ng4 {Carlsen,M (2835)-Caruana,F (2832) London 2018}) 10. h4 d5 11. Kb1 Re8 12. Bd3 Nc5 13. Ng5 h6 14. Bh7+ Kf8 15. c4 Na4 $146 (15... b6 16. cxd5 cxd5 17. Nf3 Bf6 18. Nd4 Bd7 19. f3 h5 20. Bd3 Nxd3 21. Qxd3 Kg8 {Leko,P (2690)-Gormally,D (2482) Isle of Man 2018}) 16. Qd3 Qd6 17. Bc1 hxg5 18. hxg5 Bd8 19. cxd5 cxd5 20. Qf3 Be6 21. Bf5 Nb6 22. Rde1 Nd7 23. Rh8+ Ke7 24. Rxe6+ $1 (24. Rxe6+ fxe6 25. Rxe8+ Kxe8 26. Bg6+ Ke7 27. Qf7#) 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.27"] [Round "13.1"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2783"] [BlackElo "2835"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:33:35"] [BlackClock "0:38:52"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 Bg5 12. Nc2 Rb8 13. Be2 O-O 14. O-O Kh8 {Giri didn't expect Carlsen to repeat this move because he thought Black's light-squared bishop shouldn't go to b7 in this structure.} (14... a5 15. Qd3 Be6 16. Rfd1 Kh8 17. Nce3 Qd7 18. a3 a4 19. Nb4 Rfd8 20. Nxc6 Qxc6 {Georgiev,K (2593)-Banusz,T (2612) Valjevo 2018}) 15. Bg4 (15. a3 Ne7 16. Ncb4 Nxd5 17. Nxd5 Be6 18. Qd3 Qc8 19. Rad1 a5 20. Qg3 h6 21. h3 Qc6 22. Qd3 Qd7 23. Qg3 Qc6 24. Qd3 Qd7 25. Qg3 {1/2 Radjabov,T (2757)-Carlsen,M (2835) Wijk aan Zee 2019}) 15... Bb7 $146 (15... Be6 16. Bxe6 fxe6 17. Ndb4 Rb6 18. Nxc6 Rxc6 19. Nb4 Rc4 20. Nxa6 Qb6 21. Nb4 Rxe4 {Tonndorf,M (2219)-Sanchez,J (2529) Milan 2013}) 16. Ncb4 ({For some reason Giri didn't like} 16. Qd3 Ne7 17. Nxe7 Bxe7) 16... Nxb4 17. cxb4 g6 {Here Giri realized he miscalculated something.} 18. a4 (18. Qd3 f5 19. Bf3 Rc8 20. b3 Bxd5 21. Qxd5 Rc2 {Giri}) 18... bxa4 19. Rxa4 Bc6 20. Be2 ( 20. Rxa6 {"I'm supposed to take on a6 obviously, but he was sitting there, sort of so eager to go home, that I thought OK, how can I keep him sitting here, and I went this insane Be2." - Giri}) 20... Bxa4 21. Qxa4 f5 22. exf5 Rxf5 23. Bd3 Rf8 24. Qxa6 Bd2 25. Qc4 Qc8 26. Qe4 Bxb4 27. Nxb4 Rf4 28. Qc6 Rfxb4 29. Qxd6 Qf8 30. Qxe5+ 1/2-1/2 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.27"] [Round "13.2"] [White "Rapport, Richard"] [Black "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "2731"] [BlackElo "2612"] [PlyCount "41"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. Qa4+ {Quite a rare line in comparison to the usual 5.e3 or 5.e4. Notably, it is often used by Rapport's compatriot and national team member Ferenc Berkes.} Nbd7 6. e4 a6 7. Bxc4 Rb8 ( {Here is a recent example of Berkes:} 7... c6 8. Be2 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. e5 Nd5 11. Nxd5 cxd5 12. Bd3 {with a nice-looking advanced French pawn structure for White, Berkes,F (2658)-Bauer,C (2647) Sochi 2017}) 8. Qc2 b5 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. Bf4 ({Another participant of the tournament was not as successful as Rapport recently:} 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 Be7 12. Rd1 O-O 13. O-O Rc8 14. Rfe1 Re8 15. a3 c5 16. dxc5 Rxc5 17. Qe2 Nh5 18. Bxe7 Qxe7 {with approximate equality. True, White managed to win later in Fedoseev,V (2719)-Predke,A (2622) St Petersburg 2018}) 10... Rc8 11. d5 $1 {A very strong reply. Just give Rapport the initiative, and it will find the enemy king by itself.} exd5 12. O-O-O d4 $146 {A novelty. I doubt we will see it again in the future...} ({Perhaps Van Foreest was following to footsteps of his great compatriot, but decided to improve upon his play. Van Wely drew after:} 12... Nc5 13. Nxd5 Nxd5 14. exd5 Nxd3+ 15. Rxd3 Be7 {however this position was by no means clear,Tregubov,P (2612)-Van Wely,L (2687) Warsaw 2005}) 13. Nxd4 Nh5 {The knight is moving to a worse position. However, Black might well be lost here. At least I could not find a sufficient defense. For example:} (13... Bc5 {allows} 14. Nf5 O-O ({ Worse is} 14... g6 15. Bg5 $1 gxf5 16. e5 {and Black is crushed.}) 15. e5 { with a large advantage for the first player.}) (13... Bd6 $2 {loses on the spot due to:} 14. e5 $1 Bxe5 15. Rhe1) ({The last developing move} 13... Be7 { is not convincing at all after:} 14. e5 Nh5 15. Be3 Nxe5 16. Be2 Nf6 17. Nf5 Bd6 {Now the cute:} 18. Bb6 $1 {looks horrible for Black.} ({Although the simple} 18. Nxg7+ {would also do.})) 14. Be3 c5 ({If} 14... Nhf6 15. e5 $1 { will open the highways for the white pieces:} Nxe5 16. Bf5) 15. Nf5 {White not only has large lead in the development. His pieces are getting close enough to the enemy king to deliver the final blow.} g6 16. Be2 Ng7 ({After:} 16... Nhf6 17. Nd6+ Bxd6 18. Rxd6 b4 19. Bg5 $1 {decides the domination on the dark squares:} bxc3 20. Qxc3) ({And} 16... gxf5 17. Bxh5 {leaves the black king without any shelter.}) 17. Nd6+ Bxd6 18. Rxd6 {Without the dark-squared bishop Black's position quickly collapses. What's more, whenever an attacker is traded it is immediately replaced by another one.} Qe7 ({Or else the pin is dreadful:} 18... O-O 19. Rhd1 Bc6 20. Qd2) 19. Rhd1 Bc6 {This loses at once, but there was nothing that Black can do.} ({Or} 19... Nb8 20. Bg4 Ne6 21. Qb3 { with the idea:} O-O 22. Rxe6 $1) 20. Rxd7 $1 {A neat finish.} Bxd7 21. Nd5 { An opening disaster!} (21. Nd5 {Black resigned not waiting for:} Qd8 22. Qc3 O-O 23. Nf6+) 1-0 [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2019.01.27"] [Round "13.5"] [White "Kovalev, Vladislav"] [Black "Kuipers, Stefan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C07"] [WhiteElo "2687"] [BlackElo "2470"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [WhiteClock "1:19:19"] [BlackClock "1:04:36"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd7 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3 Qc7 9. Qe2 Ne7 10. O-O Ng6 11. Nf3 Bd6 12. Re1 (12. c4 dxe4 13. Bxe4 O-O 14. Rd1 Rad8 15. h3 c5 16. b3 Bc6 17. Bg5 Rd7 {Nepomniachtchi,I (2763) -Vitiugov,N (2719) St Petersburg 2018}) 12... Nf4 13. Bxf4 Bxf4 14. g3 Bd6 15. exd5 cxd5 16. Rac1 Rd8 $146 (16... Qb6 17. c4 dxc4 18. Rxc4 g6 19. Rd4 Bc5 20. Rxd7 Kxd7 21. Ne5+ Ke7 22. Qf3 f6 23. Nc6+ Kf7 24. Ne5+ Ke7 25. Nc6+ Kf7 26. Ne5+ Ke7 {1/2 Gabrielian,A (2499)-Lomasov,S (2553) St Petersburg 2018}) 17. c4 dxc4 18. Rxc4 Qb6 19. Ne5 Bxe5 20. Qxe5 O-O 21. a3 Rc8 22. Rd4 Bc6 $4 {Black's position was already pretty unpleasant, but this loses very quickly.} 23. Bxh7+ Kxh7 24. Rg4 (24. Rg4 f6 25. Rh4+ Kg8 26. Qxe6+ Rf7 {and now} 27. Qh3 {is the quickest mate.}) 1-0