Gashimov R9: All rests on one game

[Event "Vugar Gashimov Memorial 2014"] [Site "Shamkir"] [Date "2014.04.29"] [Round "9"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D11"] [WhiteElo "2783"] [BlackElo "2760"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez,Alejandro"] [PlyCount "111"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] [EventCountry "AZE"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 {This variation of the Slav is experiencing a serious revival. Its solid approach and the fact that no fully equalizing line has been found make it a dangerous weapon.} Bg4 5. Nc3 e6 6. h3 Bh5 7. Qb3 Qb6 8. Nh4 {This has been the reason for the resurgence of e3. White play for the typical advantage of the two bishops, although it will be a long game to try to exploit this.} g5 9. Nf3 h6 10. Ne5 Nfd7 {Securing that Black will not lose the pair of bishops for now, but the move is rather passive.} (10... Nbd7 11. g4 Nxe5 12. dxe5 {obviously doesn't work since the knight on f6 is under attack.}) 11. Nd3 Bg6 12. h4 Rg8 13. hxg5 (13. Bd2 {Grandelius-Carmling, 2009. A game that was eventually drawn.}) 13... hxg5 14. Bd2 dxc4 {This simplification of the center usually favors White. Black normally tries to keep the tension.} (14... Na6 15. f3 Bg7 {looked possible.}) 15. Qxc4 Qa6 16. Nc1 Qxc4 17. Bxc4 Nb6 18. Be2 N8d7 19. e4 Be7 20. Nb3 f5 21. f3 a5 22. a4 { White enjoys a very small advantage. He has more space and it is easier to maneuver his pieces. It is easier also to find moves for White than for Black, and in this practical aspect the tables can turn even more in White's favor.} e5 $5 {Trying to force matters, very much in the style of Mamedyarov.} 23. exf5 Bf7 $6 (23... Bxf5 {seemed better.} 24. Ne4 Nd5 25. O-O-O $14) 24. Bd1 Nc4 { Now Black is playing for compensation. If White is forced to be passive than Black will be fine, but Caruana will not comply.} 25. Ne4 (25. Bc1 exd4 26. Nxd4 Nc5 {gives Black good play.}) 25... g4 (25... Nxd2 26. Nbxd2 $1 exd4 27. Bb3 $1 {White will follow with g4 securing his passed pawn on f5 while keeping a blockade on Black's own passers on the light-squares.}) 26. Bc3 gxf3 27. gxf3 O-O-O 28. Kf2 exd4 29. Nxd4 {White has emerged up a pawn and Black has some activity to show for it. It just doesn't seem to be enough.} Nc5 30. Be2 Nxe4+ {A sad necessity, the knight on e4 was too strong.} 31. fxe4 Nd2 32. Bxd2 Rxd4 33. Ke3 Bc5 34. Bc3 $1 {Not afraid of any ghosts! There is not particularly dangerous discovery.} (34. Rac1 Re8 $1 35. Rxc5 Rdxe4+ 36. Kd3 Rxe2 37. Rxa5 Rf2 {seems difficult to win.}) 34... Rg3+ (34... Rxa4+ 35. Kf4 {and White's pawns on e4 and f5 are very scary, despite the restored material balance.}) 35. Kf2 Rxc3 $1 36. bxc3 Rxe4+ 37. Ke1 Bc4 38. Rh2 Re5 $6 {Going after the f-pawn does not work.} (38... Bd6 $1 39. Rg2 Be5 $1 {Playing for positional compensation put more practical difficulties on White who cannot untangle easily:} 40. Kf1 Bd5 $1 $11 {Black has serious threats in this position.}) 39. f6 Bxe2 $2 {This gives away a pawn, basically.} (39... Re6 40. f7 Kc7 $1 $14 { A difficult move for any human. The point is that Black will calmly move the rook from e6 and take on f7 with his bishop.}) 40. Rxe2 Rf5 41. Re8+ Kc7 42. Ra8 {Black has no time to defend b6 in this variation.} Bf2+ (42... b6 43. Ra7+ Kd6 44. f7 Ke6 45. Kd2 $18) (42... Bb6 43. Rf8 {secures the f-pawn.}) 43. Ke2 Bh4 44. f7 Rxf7 45. Rxa5 {This endgame seems difficult to win due to the reduced amount of material and the defensive possibilities of the bishop, but Caruana breaks Mamedyarov's barricade rather effortlessly.} Rf2+ 46. Ke3 Rc2 47. Ra3 Be7 48. Rb3 Ra2 49. Re5 Bd6 50. Rf5 $1 {The attack on b7 will decide the game.} Kb8 51. Rf7 Bc7 52. Rb4 Rh2 53. Kd3 Rg2 54. Re4 Rg3+ 55. Kc2 $1 {Of course White is not interested in trading rooks. The battery on the 7th is decisive.} Ba5 56. Ree7 {A strange moment to resign.} (56. Ree7 Rxc3+ 57. Kb2 Rc5 $1 {Maybe Mamedyarov missed this move?} 58. Rxb7+ Kc8 59. Ra7 Kb8 60. Rae7 Rd5 $1 {Or this one?} 61. Re8+ Rd8 $1 62. Rxd8+ Bxd8 {This is a win for White according to the tablebases, but White has to avoid a few tricks and know some concrete ideas.}) 1-0