Dortmund 2010 - Round 9

(1) Mamedyarov,S (2761) - Ponomariov,R (2734) [D37] Sparkassen GM Dortmund GER (9), 24.07.2010 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.g4!? It isn't often that we give a diagram for the 5th move of a game, but this is certainly deserving of one. In a database with more than 37 thousand games with the position just before g4, over 31 thousand had 5.Bg5 played, and fourteen (not thousand, just plain fourteen) contained this move. All but one were by players of a *much* lower standard unsurprisingly. The idea of an early g4 thrust is common in many openings, and has even been introduced in QGD positions in the past, such as Kasparov-Spassky (Barcelona, 1989), but never quite this early. Is this the dawn of a new line, or will it just enter the annals of opening theory just to illustrate GMs have tried them all? Only time will tell. In any case, Mamedyarov clearly felt that in order to try and wrest the first prize from Ponomariov, the moment was now, and he was ready to wrestle the bull by the horns. 5...0-0 [It is tempting to prevent the advance of the g-pawn with 5...h6 but this is exactly the sort of reaction White is hoping for. It would weaken Black's kingside, where he is bound to castle, and provides an attractive target after 6.Rg1 ] 6.g5 Ne4 7.Qc2 Nxg5 8.Bxg5 Bxg5 9.h4 Bh6 10.e3 c6 11.Ng5 f5 12.Rg1 Qe7 13.0-0-0 Nd7 14.f3 White is preparing a break with e4 in order to open lines and renew his threats, while Black takes measures to prevent it and complete his development. 14...Nf6 15.Kb1 Kh8 16.Bd3 e5! The exclamation mark is not for positional reasons. [Black certainly had other alternatives such as 16...dxc4 17.Bxc4 b5 18.Bd3 a5 19.e4 g6 20.Rge1~~ But why enter an unclear line that is clearly double-edged, when he has no need? The Ukrainian is leading by a point and has no need to take unnecessary risks. The burden of proof is on Mamedyarov to show he can somehow win this, so that being the case, Ponomariov's move, leading to simplifications, and a much easier position to play, is by far the best practical decision.] 17.cxd5 Nxd5 18.Nxd5 cxd5 19.dxe5 Qxe5 20.Qc5 Be6 21.f4 Qf6 22.Nxe6 Qxe6 23.Bc2 b6 24.Qxd5 Qxe3 25.Bxf5 Qc5 After this, the queens come off, and Black is now in safe waters. 26.Qxc5 bxc5 27.Rd5 Bxf4 28.Rg4 Be3 29.h5 Bd4 30.Kc2 a5 31.a4 Rf6 32.Rg2 Raf8 33.Bd3 g6 34.hxg6 Rf2+ 35.Rxf2 Rxf2+ 36.Kd1 hxg6 37.Bxg6 Kg7 38.Bc2 Kf6 39.b3 Rf1+ 40.Ke2 Rf2+ 41.Kd1 Rf1+ 42.Ke2 Rf2+ 43.Kd1 1/2-1/2

(2) Naiditsch,A (2684) - Kramnik,V (2790) [B07] Sparkassen GM Dortmund GER (9), 24.07.2010 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be3 a6 5.Qd2 b5 6.f3 Nbd7 7.Nge2 Nb6 8.Nf4 Bg7 9.a4 b4 10.Ncd5 Nbxd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 0-0 13.Qxb4 e6 14.Bc4 Qh4+ 15.Kd1 Bxd4? A surprising decision that will lead to serious problems. [Simpler and better was 15...Re8 ] 16.Bxa6 e5 17.Bxc8 Tit for tat as this allows Black to create his own chances. [17.Bb5 Keeping the bishop and helping cover the b-file from Black's rooks. 17...Qf6 18.Bxd4 exd4 19.Bc6 Bh3 20.Qd2 (20.gxh3?? Qxf3+ 21.Kd2 Qe3+ 22.Kd1= ) 20...Rab8 21.Kc1 and White is almost winning thanks to his extra pawn, consolidated king position, and passed a-pawn (note the Bc6 covering the promotion square).] 17...Rfxc8 18.c3 Rab8 19.Qc4 c5 The engines unanimously condemn this and recommend [19...Rxb2 20.cxd4 Rcb8 21.Rc1 e4 22.Rc2 Rb1+ 23.Rc1 R1b2= ] 20.Bc1 e4 The biggest problem with this speculative attack is not so much that Black lacks pieces or firepower, but that White's decisions are all relatively straightforward, as Black is unable to muster more than one-move or two-move threats. A lot is made about the art of attack in bringing in the pieces, keeping the initiative, etc. But in a speculative attack where the consequences also depend on your opponent making a mistake, it is NO LESS ESSENTIAL to give your opponent difficult decisions to solve at the board. This last quality is completely lacking here. 21.cxd4 exf3 22.gxf3 Re8 23.Ra3 Not the best, but nor does it change the basic evaluation of the position. Black can do nothing to prevent White's king from fleeing to safety via Kd1-c2-b1. 23...Rb4 24.Qf1 Qxd4+ 25.Kc2 c4 26.Qd1 Qf2+ 27.Bd2 Re2 28.Ra2 [Black is threatening 28.-- Rxd2+ 29.Qxd2 Rxb2+ 30.Kxb2 Qxd2+-+ ] 28...Qxf3 29.Re1 Qb3+? Both players were down to a couple of minutes each at this point. 30.Kb1 Rxe1 31.Qxe1 c3 32.Bxc3 Re4 33.Qf1 [33.Qxe4 Qd1# ] 33...Qxd5 34.Ra3 1-0

(3) Le Quang Liem (2681) - Leko,P (2734) [D45] Sparkassen GM Dortmund GER (9), 24.07.2010 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Bxc4 a6 10.a4 c5 11.Rd1 cxd4 12.exd4 Qc7 13.Qe2 Re8 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 b6 16.Bg3 Bxg3 17.hxg3 Qa7 18.Ba2 Bb7 19.Ne5 Rad8 20.Nc4 Nf8 21.Rd2 Ng6 22.Ne5 Nxe5 23.dxe5 Rxd2 24.Qxd2 Ne4 25.Nxe4 Bxe4 26.Rc1 b5 27.Qd6 Qa8 28.f3 Bg6 29.Rc7 bxa4 30.Bc4 Qb8 31.Qc6 Rd8 32.Qb7 a5 33.Bb5 Qxb7 34.Rxb7 Rd1+ 35.Kh2 Ra1 36.Ra7 a3 37.bxa3 Rxa3 38.g4 h5 39.gxh5 Bxh5 40.g4 Bg6 41.Kg2 Re3 42.Rxa5 Rxe5 43.Ra8+ Kh7 44.Bf1 Re3 45.Ra5 Rc3 46.Kf2 Bc2 47.Be2 Kh6 48.Ra1 Bg6 49.Ra5 Bb1 50.Ra7 f6 51.Ra1 Bg6 52.Ra7 e5 53.Re7 Rc5 54.Ke3 Ra5 55.Kf2 Bc2 56.Rc7 Ra2 57.Ke3 Ra3+ 58.Kf2 Bg6 59.Re7 Ra5 60.Ke3 Bb1 61.Rb7 Ra3+ 62.Kf2 Ba2 63.Rd7 g6 64.Rd6 Kg5 65.Rb6 Bd5 66.Rd6 Ba8 67.Re6 Rc3 68.Re8 Bd5 69.Rd8 Bb7 70.Rd7 Bc6 71.Rd6 f5 72.gxf5 gxf5 73.Rd8 Bb7 74.Rb8 Rb3 75.Kg3 f4+ 76.Kf2 Rb2 77.Ke1 Rb6 78.Kf2 Kf6 79.Ke1 Ke7 80.Kf2 Kd7 81.Ke1 Rb1+ 82.Kf2 Rb2 83.Ke1 Rb4 84.Kf2 Kc7 85.Re8 Kd6 86.Rb8 Rb3 87.Rd8+ Kc5 88.Rd2 Bd5 89.Rc2+ Kd6 90.Rd2 Rc3 91.Rb2 Rc8 92.Rd2 Rc1 93.Rb2 Kc5 94.Rd2 Rh1 95.Rc2+ Kb4 96.Kg2 Rh6 97.Rc7 Bc6 98.Re7 Rh5 99.Rc7 Kc5 100.Rc8 Rh6 101.Kf2 Kd4 102.Rd8+ Bd5 103.Rd7 Rh2+ 104.Kf1 Ke3 105.Rxd5 Rf2+ 106.Kg1 Rxe2 107.Rxe5+ Kxf3 108.Rf5 Re1+ 109.Kh2 Rf1 110.Ra5 Rf2+ 111.Kg1 Re2 112.Kf1 Rf2+ 113.Kg1 Re2 114.Kf1 Re3 115.Ra2 Rb3 116.Rf2+ Kg4 117.Rg2+ Rg3 118.Ra2 Rf3+ 119.Kg2 1/2-1/2