Biel Final: MVL wins again!

[Event "48th Biel GM 2015"] [Site "Biel SUI"] [Date "2015.07.30"] [Round "10"] [White "Vachier Lagrave, M."] [Black "Rapport, R."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C41"] [WhiteElo "2731"] [BlackElo "2671"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez,Alejandro"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "2015.07.20"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 {The variations with exd4 have fallen out of grace in the eyes of theoreticians. White has a couple of ways of getting an advantage.} 6. g3 {This has been known for some time to give White at least a slight edge.} O-O (6... d5 {is complex, but probably just bad if White knows the correct continuation.}) 7. Bg2 Re8 8. O-O Bf8 9. Bf4 Nbd7 10. Qd2 Ne5 11. Rad1 c6 12. h3 b5 13. b3 {Black's position is not that bad, but White is to be preferred. He has better development and is controlling all of Black's pieces. Now MVL puts in the squeeze.} b4 14. Na4 c5 {Seeking complications, but its unclear that it gives Black anything.} 15. Nb5 d5 {A very Rapport-like solution.} (15... Ba6 16. c4 Bxb5 17. cxb5 {doesn't look good for Black. b5 is weak, but the nice light square control more than makes up for it.}) (15... Bxh3 16. Bxe5 Rxe5 17. Bxh3 a6 18. Nxd6 $18) 16. exd5 Bxh3 (16... Bd7 17. Rfe1 Ng6 18. Bc7 Rxe1+ 19. Rxe1 Qc8 20. d6 Bxb5 21. Nxc5 $16) 17. Bxe5 Rxe5 (17... Bxg2 18. Bxf6 Qxf6 19. Kxg2 $18) 18. Bxh3 a6 {Black regains his piece, but his position is trash.} 19. Nbc3 bxc3 20. Nxc3 {Black is down a pawn and White's passed pawn on d5 is a strong asset. Black's best hope is to blockade on the dark squares and hope White doesn't make any progress.} Bd6 21. Rfe1 Rxe1+ 22. Rxe1 Qc7 23. Ne4 Nxe4 24. Rxe4 Qb6 25. Qe3 g6 26. Bd7 Rd8 27. Be8 {White is in control of the position. Black has to be careful not to weaken his king too much.} Qc7 28. Kg2 Rb8 29. Rh4 h5 30. Re4 Rb4 31. c4 {MVL has no interest in exchange rooks, of course.} Rb8 $2 (31... Rb7 {offers more resistance.} 32. Qf3 $2 (32. Bc6 Rb8 33. Qf3 Be5 {at least improves the bishop.}) 32... Qd8 {with some chances to hold, Black wants to play Re7 next move and exchange pieces.}) 32. Qf3 Bf8 33. Qf6 a5 (33... Bg7 34. Qxa6 {is another pawn.}) 34. d6 $1 Qb7 (34... Bxd6 35. Bxf7+ Qxf7 36. Qxd6 { costs Black a pawn and trades the opposite colored bishops.}) 35. f3 Bg7 36. Qe7 (36. Qf4 {with the threat of Re7 was also completely winning.}) 36... Qxe7 37. Rxe7 Bf8 38. Bxf7+ Kg7 39. Ra7 Bxd6 40. Bd5+ Kf6 41. Rxa5 {two pawns are, after all, two pawns.} Rb6 42. f4 g5 43. Kf3 h4 44. fxg5+ Kxg5 45. gxh4+ Kxh4 46. Ke4 Kg5 47. Rb5 Rb8 48. Rxb8 {White rushes his king to b6 and advances the a-pawn.} 1-0

[Event "48th Biel GM 2015"] [Site "Biel SUI"] [Date "2015.07.30"] [Round "10"] [White "Wojtaszek, R."] [Black "Navara, D."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D98"] [WhiteElo "2733"] [BlackElo "2724"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez, Alejandro"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "q1r3k1/p4pb1/p2P2pp/2N5/2r5/4B1QP/Pn1R1PP1/2R3K1 w - - 0 28"] [PlyCount "29"] [EventDate "2015.07.20"] 28. Rb1 R8xc5 29. Bxc5 Qe4 30. Rf1 $6 (30. d7 Qxb1+ 31. Kh2 {Seems simple enough:} Bf6 32. d8=Q+ Bxd8 33. Rxd8+ Kh7 34. Qe5 {and Black simply gets mated. }) (30. Rbxb2 Rc1+ 31. Kh2 Be5 32. d7 Bxg3+ 33. fxg3 Qe1 34. d8=Q+ Kh7 35. g4 { And Black doesn't have any real threats:} Qh1+ 36. Kg3 Qe1+ 37. Kf3 Rc3+ 38. Rd3 Qf1+ 39. Ke4 Rxc5 40. Qd4 $18) 30... Rxc5 31. d7 Bf6 32. Rxb2 $6 (32. d8=Q+ Bxd8 33. Rxd8+ Kh7 34. Qd6 {is stronger, as the attack is lethal, at least once one realizes Black has nothing after:} Rg5 35. g4 h5 36. Qf6 Rxg4+ 37. hxg4 Qxg4+ 38. Kh2 $18) (32. Qd6 $18 Qe7 33. Qxe7 Bxe7 34. Re1 $18) 32... Rg5 33. Qb8+ Kg7 34. g3 $2 (34. Qb7 $1 $18 {But this would be a little unusual to play with seconds on your clock.}) 34... Qd4 $1 35. Rb4 Qxd7 {With the passed pawn eliminated, Navara has reasonable chances to hold this game.} 36. h4 Rf5 37. Rbb1 Qd2 38. Rbd1 Qxa2 {With this pawn gone, White's winning chanecs basically evaporate.} 39. Qxa7 Qc4 40. Qe3 a5 41. Qd3 Qxd3 42. Rxd3 1/2-1/2

[Event "48th Biel GM 2015"] [Site "Biel SUI"] [Date "2015.07.30"] [Round "10"] [White "Eljanov, P."] [Black "Adams, Mi"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E06"] [WhiteElo "2723"] [BlackElo "2740"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez,Alejandro"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1q1rk3/3nbp2/2pr2p1/pp4P1/P2pP3/1P1B2Q1/4NPK1/2R4R w - - 0 47"] [PlyCount "26"] [EventDate "2015.07.20"] 47. Rh8+ Bf8 48. axb5 cxb5 49. e5 Rd5 50. Qf4 $2 (50. Re1 $1 $16 {Black's very weak king will be difficult to hold. A timely e6 break will cost Black dearly.} Nxe5 51. Nf4 $5 (51. Nxd4 $1 {is decisive.})) 50... Qxe5 {A free pawn is a free pawn, after all.} 51. Re1 $4 {Perhaps a big oversight.} Qxh8 {Nicely calculated. White has no real threats.} 52. Nxd4+ Re5 53. Rh1 Qg7 54. Bxb5 Be7 $19 {Black's position is uncomfortable, but a rook is a rook after all...} 55. Ba4 Rxg5+ 56. Kf1 Qe5 {The rest is very easy. White cannot even avoid the queen trade.} 57. Qxe5 Rxe5 58. Rh8+ Bf8 59. Nc6 Rh5 {Black is up way too much material.} 0-1