Tbilisi Rd3: Tomashevsky emerges leader

[Event "Tbilisi FIDE Grand Prix"] [Site "Tbilisi GEO"] [Date "2015.02.17"] [Round "3"] [White "Andreikin, D."] [Black "Mamedyarov, S."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D13"] [WhiteElo "2737"] [BlackElo "2759"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez,Alejandro"] [PlyCount "113"] [EventDate "2015.02.14"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Nc3 Nc6 {This version of the Exchange Slav has never been deemed as dangerous; and for a good reason. The development of the knight to f3 doesn't allow White some options that he has when he first develops other pieces.} 6. Bf4 a6 7. Ne5 (7. e3 Bg4 $11) (7. Rc1 {is a little more tenatious, but here too Black has been doing just fine.}) 7... e6 (7... Bd7 {was Mamedyarov's choice twice against Morozevich in the Mindgames in China a couple of years ago - first in the rapid and then in the blitz, though the Azeri lost both games.}) 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. e3 Bd6 10. Qd2 c5 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. Rc1 O-O {since d5 cannot be taken it is quite obvious that Black has no problems from the opening. His development is nearly complete, his central control is good and his pieces will be active.} 13. Be2 (13. Nxd5 Ne4 $1 $19) 13... Bd7 14. O-O Qb6 15. Be5 Rfc8 16. Bxf6 $6 {The structural weakness that Black suffers is not worth as much as the pair of bishops. Mamedyarov stands with a slight advantage thanks to his superior activity.} gxf6 17. e4 d4 18. e5 {This was Andrekin's idea. Clever, but insufficient.} Be7 (18... fxe5 $2 19. Qg5+ $16) (18... dxc3 19. Rxc3 $1 Bc6 20. Rg3+ Kf8 21. exf6 {with a serious attack, though only deep analysis will reveal if it is enough for an advantage, there is no reason for Mamedyarov to go into this.}) 19. Bd3 f5 20. Ne2 (20. Ne4 $5 {This move was probably more in tune with continuing the attack, but it does seem that Black has a good way out of it:} fxe4 21. Bxe4 f5 22. exf6 Bxf6 23. Qh6 Bg7 24. Qxh7+ Kf8 {and since White has no space to rooklift his best would be to take on a8, leaving him with two rooks and two pawns for two bishops; a favorable material ratio for the two bishops in this position.}) 20... Kh8 21. Bc4 Bc6 22. Qxd4 Qb7 23. g3 Bg5 24. Nf4 Be4 25. Qe3 (25. Qd2 Rd8 26. Ng6+ hxg6 27. Qxg5 Bh1 28. f3 Bxf3 $15) 25... Qxb2 26. Ng6+ hxg6 27. Qxg5 Qxe5 28. Bxa6 Rxc1 29. Qh6+ Kg8 30. Rxc1 Bd5 {White is just worse. He has problems down the diagonal and his a-pawn is a weakness rather than a strength.} 31. Bc4 Bb7 32. Qe3 Qxe3 33. fxe3 Rc8 34. Rb1 Rxc4 35. Rxb7 Rc1+ 36. Kg2 Rc2+ 37. Kf3 Rxh2 {A nice transformation of advantages. The a-pawn is White's only chance to survive, but winning the h-pawn guarantees that the kingside pawn structure cannot be held together.} (37... Rxa2 38. h3 Kg7 {is not as clear.}) 38. a4 Ra2 39. Ra7 Ra3 40. a5 Kg7 41. a6 Kf6 42. Ke2 e5 (42... Kg5 $19) 43. Kd2 e4 44. Kc2 {Grandmasters are known to be as clever as possible. This doesn't work, but since passive defense clearly falls apart Andreikin tries to create some practical chances.} Rxe3 45. Kb2 Rd3 46. Rb7 Rd6 $1 (46... Rd8 47. a7 Ra8 48. Kc3 Kg5 49. Rxf7 Kg4 50. Kd2 {should also be winning, but it is more complicated.}) 47. a7 Ra6 48. Kc3 Kg5 49. Rxf7 Kg4 50. Rg7 Kf3 51. Rxg6 Rxa7 52. Rg5 Rf7 53. Kd2 Kf2 54. Rh5 e3+ 55. Kd3 e2 56. Rh2+ Kf3 57. Kd4 0-1

[Event "Tbilisi FIDE Grand Prix"] [Site "Tbilisi GEO"] [Date "2015.02.17"] [Round "3"] [White "Tomashevsky, E."] [Black "Grischuk, A."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E90"] [WhiteElo "2716"] [BlackElo "2810"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez,Alejandro"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "2015.02.14"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. h3 e5 7. d5 a5 8. g4 Na6 9. Be3 Nd7 10. a3 c6 {When a 2800 player "blunders" a pawn on move 10, you know something is up.} 11. Rg1 {White ignores the break on the center and focuses on making f5 undesirable.} (11. dxc6 Ndc5 $1 {Seems to give Black plenty of compensation. If White takes on b7 the bishop will recapture and the pressure on e4 is annoying.} 12. b4 Ne6 13. c5 $5 bxc6 $1 14. cxd6 axb4 15. axb4 Nd4 $1 $13) 11... Rb8 12. Nd2 Ndc5 13. Rb1 Nd7 {Not a maneuver that inspires a lot of confidence in Black's position.} 14. Qf3 Ndc5 15. Qd1 Ra8 16. Rg3 Kh8 (16... Qb6 {looks awkward but perhaps preventing b4 was an important priority.}) 17. b4 axb4 18. axb4 Nd7 19. Ra1 Rb8 20. Rxa6 $1 {A powerful exchange sacrifice!} bxa6 (20... cxd5 21. Rxd6 d4 22. c5 dxc3 23. Nb1 $18) 21. dxc6 Nb6 22. Qa1 (22. b5 {was a bit more natural, simply to secure c6 as soon as possible.}) 22... Qc7 23. c5 $5 (23. b5 axb5 24. cxb5 Ra8 {makes Qa1 kind of senseless.}) 23... dxc5 24. bxc5 Na8 25. Qa4 {White has great chances at keeping the bind with his c-pawn. He plans to transfer his bishop from f1 to c6 to secure his c6 pawn, after which Black will have no moves.} Qa7 26. Nc4 $2 (26. Nd5 $1 {The players must have not noticed that there is a strong threat of c7 with this move.} Be6 27. c7 $1 Nxc7 28. c6 $18) 26... Be6 27. Bd3 $6 Rfd8 28. Ke2 Nc7 (28... Rd4 $5 $15 {It was the perfect time to counter sacrifice the exchange. Black might even be better once the bishop trades on d4 since the queen will take on c5 promptly.}) 29. Nb6 Bf6 30. Bc4 Bxc4+ 31. Qxc4 Ne6 32. Ncd5 {Now it is clear that things went wrong for Black. He is completely tied down.} Bg7 33. Rf3 Re8 34. c7 Rb7 35. c8=Q Rxc8 36. Nxc8 Rb2+ 37. Kf1 1-0