Round 6

Morozevich - Shirov [B95]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qf3 h6 8. Be3 Bd7

Black puts his pieces like in the Rauzer Attack in order to prevent White from attacking the square e6 which could be possible for instance after 8... Nbd7 9. Be2 Qc7 10. O-O (the continuation 10. Qg3 b5 11. f4 b4 let Black to get a good play in the game Ljubojevic - Browne, (Amsterdam, 1972)) 10... b5 11. a3 Bb7 12. Qh3 (I. Zaitsev - V. Loginov, Moscow,1999).

9. O-O-O Nc6 10. Qg3 Rc8 11. f4 Nb4 12. e5

Black threatens to sacrifice the exchange on c3. This is why there was no 12. Kb1? as it would be followed with 12... Rxc3! 13. bxc3 Nxe4 14. Qe1 Nd5 with a strong attack by Black.

12... dxe5 13. fxe5 Nfd5 14. Nxd5 Nxd5 15. Bd3?!

White accepted the exchange of his important dark-squared bishop for Black’s knight. In case of 15. Bd2 (if 15. Bf2, then White has to reckon with 15... Qg5+ ) 15... Qb6 (if 15... g6?!, then after 16. Bd3 Bg7 White would have 17. Bxg6!) 16. Be1 White would not give the advantage of two bishops to his opponent and would keep the pressure on Black’s kingside.

15... Nxe3 16. Qxe3 Qg5 17. Rhe1 Bc5 18. Be4 Rc7 19. Kb1!?

White is going to part with the pawn. Probably the prospect to play a worse endgame after 19. Qxg5 hxg5 20. h3 does not suit him.

19... Qxe5 20. Nf3 Qf6 21. Qb3 O-O 22. g4 Qf4?!

Black’s last move looks far too optimistic. Now White will be able to develop a strong initiative notwithstanding that Black has finished his development, has an extra pawn and the advantage of two bishops. The potential activity of white pieces could be reduced with 22... Bc6!? (if 22... Bb5, then White has to continue with 23. a4, as 23. Ne5? is bad because of 23... Bf2! ), and after 23. Bxc6 bxc6 24. Ne5 Rd8 Black would have good chances to achieve his extra pawn.

23. Ne5!

White pieces become very active suddenly.

23... Bc8

No 23... Qxe5?? because of 24. Bh7+ , as well as 23... Bb5 24. c4 Bc6? looks bad because of 25. Bxc6 bxc6 26. Nd7.

24. h4 Be7 25. g5!

White is ready to sacrifice another pawn in order to open up files on the kingside.

25... hxg5 26. hxg5 Bxg5 27. Qb6 Re7

28. Qb4?

White failed to achieve his good plan. After 28. Qd4! Bh6 (it’s very important that there is no 28... g6? because of 29. Rf1 Qe3 30. Nxg6! fxg6 31. Rxf8+ Kxf8 32. Qh8+ Kf7 33. Rh1 with a mating attack by White, while after 28... Ree8 29. Rh1 f5 White should not lose owing to 30. Rh8+ Kxh8 31. Ng6+ Kh7 31. Nxf4 Bxf4 32. Bxb7 ) 29. Rh1 Rfe8 30. Bh7+ Kh8 (there is no 30... Kf8 because of 31. Rdf1 with the threat of Nf4-g6 ) 31. Be4 Black hardly would have anything better than repeating the position with 31... Kg8.

28... g6!

Now all White’s threats are parried and Black just has two extra pawns.

29. Qd6 Ree8 30. Qc7 Bf6 31. Bd3 Rd8 32. a3 Rd5 33. Bxg6 Bxe5 34. Bh7+ Kg7

One extra piece is enough for Black to win the game, though he had an opportunity to take another too: 34... Kxh7 35. Rh1+ Kg7 36. Rdg1+ Kf6.

35. Rg1+ Kf6 36. Qb6 Rb5 0-1

White resigned.

Anand - Kasparov [B85]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. a4 Nc6 8. Be2 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. f4 Qc7 11. Kh1 Re8 12. Bf3 Bd7

This theoretical position is well known. G. Kasparov managed to defend himself after 12... Rb8 more than once, and the move 12… Bf8 attracted the attention of chess players after the game Sutovsky - Kasparov (Tel Aviv (simultan), 1998) too.

13. Nb3 b6

The last time that V. Anand managed to win against G. Kasparov in a game with the normal time control it was just in this variation. White gained a considerable advantage in the game Anand - Kasparov (New York (m/9), 1995) after 13... Na5 14. Nxa5 Qxa5 15. Qd3 Rad8 16. Rfd1 Bc6 17. b4 Qc7 18. b5 Bd7 19. Rab1 axb5 20. Nxb5 Bxb5 (20... Qa5 is relatively better as it gave a slight advantage in the endgame after 21. Nxd6 Bxa4 22. Bb6 Rxd6 23. Bxa5 Rxd3 24. cxd3 Bxd1 25. Bxd1 in the game Vratonjic - Antic (Nis, 1996)) 21. axb5.

14. g4 Bc8 15. g5 Nd7 16. Bg2 Bb7 17. Qh5 Nb4

Black did this active move just in time. In case of 17... g6 18. Qh3 Nb4 White has already 19. f5, and after 19... Nxc2 20. fxg6 fxg6 White got a decisive attack with 21. Rf7!! in the game Tiviakov - Van Wely (Groningen, 1995).

18. Rf2 g6 19. Qh3 Bf8 20. Raf1

20... Bg7!?

This move means that Black decided to sacrifice the pawn. 20... Re7 that occurred previously led to a long manoeuvring play. For instance, in the game Z. Almasi - Ribli (Hungary, 1998) it looked as follows: 21. Rd2 Rd8 22. Rfd1 Ree8 23. Nc1 Ba8 24. Nd3 Nxd3 25. cxd3.

21. Bd4 e5!

Practically Black has no choice. He did not planned to exchange the dark-squared bishops.

22. fxe5 Nxe5 23. Bxe5 Rxe5 24. Rxf7 Re7 25. Rxe7

The active play on dark squares is a good compensation for the sacrificed black pawn. Having avoided the exchange of the rooks with 25. R7f2 Black could keep his initiative after 25... Rc8 26. Kg1 (if 26. Rd2, then there is 26... Bxc3 27. Qxc3 Qxc3 28. bxc3 Rxc3 29. Rxd6 Nxc2 30. Rxb6 Ne3 with an equal play) 26... Qc4 or after 25... Rae8 26. Rd2 Be5.

25... Qxe7 26. Qe3 Re8!

Black engages his last reserve.

27. Qxb6

White accepted the forced variant leading to a perpetual check.

27... Bxc3 28. bxc3 Bxe4 29. Qxb4 Bxg2+ 30. Kxg2 Qxg5+ 1/2-1/2

Draw. The position would repeat after 31. Kh1 Qd5+ 32. Kg1 Qg5+.

Leko-Kramnik [B33]

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. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nd5 Bg7 11. c3

The Sveshnikov Variation of the Sicilian Defence was played by the same opponents differently in the beginning of the year: 11. g3 f5 12. exf5 Bxf5 13. Bg2 Be6 14. c3 O-O 15. O-O Rb8 16. Nc2 a5 17. Qe2 Ne7 18. Rad1 (Leko-Kramnik, Linares, 2000).

11... f5 12. exf5 Bxf5 13. Nc2 O-O 14. Nce3 Be6 15. Bd3 f5

16. a4

16. Qh5 was seen in the previous round in the game Anand - Kramnik (Frankfurt (round5), 2000).

16... b4

An attempt to win a piece with 16... f4? would let White to develop an attack of the black king with 17. Qh5 Rf7 (if 17... h6, then 18. Qg6 Re8 19. Nf5 is strong) 18. Bxh7+ (18. Qxh7+ Kf8 19. Bf5 is not so clear because of 19... Qe8 ) 18... Kf8 19. Bf5 Rxf5 20. Nxf5 Bxd5 21. Rd1 Be6 22. Rxd6 Qc8 23. Nxg7 Kxg7 24. g3.

17. O-O bxc3 18. bxc3 Kh8

Again Black should not try to win the piece with 18... f4?. White would get a dangerous attack after 19. Qh5 Rf7 20. Qxh7+ (20. Bxh7+ Kf8 is not so clear) 20... Kf8 21. Bf5 Qe8 (if 21... Qc8, then 22. Nb6 fxe3 23. Bxe6 Qxe6 24. Nxa8) 22. Bg6 fxe3 23. Bxf7 Bxf7 24. fxe3.

19. Rb1 e4 20. Nf4 Bd7

In case of 20... Bg8 White could develop his initiative with 21. Bc4 Bxc3 22. Qh5!?, but an intermediate 20... Ba2!? deserved attention too, as Black could have a good play after 21. Ra1 Bg8 22. Bc4 Bxc3 23. Rc1 Be5 24. Bxg8 Rxg8 24. Rxc6 Bxf4 25. Nxf5 Qf6.

21. Bc4 Be5

If Black plays 21... Bxc3, then 22. Qh5!? is possible (in case of 22. Qxd6 Black is OK after 22... Be5 23. Qh6 Rf6) 22... Qe8 (after 22... Ne5 23. Rb7 Qe8 24. Qh3 White has a good compensation for the sacrificed pawn) 23. Qxe8 Bxe8 (23... Rfxe8? is bad for Black because of 24. Nfd5 Ba5 25. Nf6 Re7 26. Bd5 with a win, while after 23... Raxe8 24. Ned5 Be5 25. Bxa6 White keeps better chances) 24. Ne6 Rf7 25. Bd5 and White still puts an unpleasant pressure on Black’s position.

22. Ne6 Bxe6 23. Bxe6 Qg5

A headlong advance after 23... f4 24. Nc4 f3 25. g3 would only weaken Black’s pawns.

24. Bd5 Rac8 25. Nc4 Ne7 26. Nxe5 dxe5 27. c4 Ng6

Black could struggle for a draw with 27... Rfd8 28. Rb6 Nxd5 29. cxd5 Rc4 30. Rxa6 Rd4.

28. Kh1 Rcd8?

Allowing White to make his pieces more active. Black would be OK after 28... Nf4!? 29. g3 Nxd5 30. Qxd5 (if 30. cxd5, then 30...Rc4 to be followed with the transfer of the rook to d4) 30... Qf6.

29. Rb6!

Now Black has to care about the pawn on a6 too.

29... Rf6 30. a5 Nf4 31. g3 Nxd5 32. cxd5 f4

It’s not good for Black to exchange the rooks. After 32... Rxb6 33. axb6 Qg8 (just as in case of 33... Rb8 34. Qb3 Qd2 35. b7) 34. b7 Rb8 35. Qb3 White’s far advanced passed pawns would give him a decisive advantage.

33. Qe2 Rxd5

If 33... Rxb6 34. axb6 e3, then simply 35. b7.

34. Qxe4 Rd8

There is no way to take White’s last passed pawn on the queenside with 34... Rxa5. After 35. Rb8+! (no 35. gxf4 because of 35... Qxf4 36. Rb8+ Kg7 37. Rb7+ Kf8!) 35... Kg7 36. Rb7+ Rf7 (there is already no 36... Kf8 because of 37. Qxh7) 37. gxf4 Qxf4 38. Rg1+ Kf8 (after 38... Kh6 the game is to be won with 39. Qg2 Qf3 40. Rxf7) 39. Rb8+ Ke7 40. Qb7+ Kf6 41. Qc6+ Kf5 42. Qc8+ black king falls a prey to White’s heavy pieces.

35. h4!

Making Black to part with the pawns.

35... Qf5

If 35... Qg6, then 36. Qxe5.

36. Qxf5 Rxf5 37. g4 Rf7 38. Rxa6 Rd2

Simplifying White’s task. After 38... Re7 39. Rf6!? (in case of 39. Rb6 Black gets a real chance to get a drawn rook endgame with the h-pawn against two white pawns g and h after 39... e4 40. a6 e3) 39... Rd2 40. Kg2 Ra2 41. a6 Kg7 42. g5 White would have still to make efforts to win the game. But now it’s easy.

39. Re6 Re2 40.a6 Ra2 41. Kg2 e4 42. Rxe4 Rxa6

The play transfers to the kingside where the weakness of the f-pawn should result in its loss.

43. Rd1 Ra3 44. Rdd4 f3+ 45. Kg3 Ra1 46. Rf4 1-0

Black resigned.