1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Bb5
f5
The not often played 'Jaenisch Variation' of the 'Ruy Lopez', probably prepared by Radjabov before-hand especially for this event.
4.d3
[4.Nc3
is considered to be the main line but things are not so clear-cut anyway and I am pretty sure that Radjabov would have come up with some fresh ideas.]
4...fxe4
5.dxe4
Nf6
6.0-0
Bc5
[Unpleased for Black is 6...Nxe4?!
7.Re1
Nf6
(7...d5
8.Nxe5
Bc5
9.Qh5++-
(9.Rf1?
Qd6~~
Pirklova,H-Havrdova,L/Svetla nad Sazavou 1994) ) 8.Bxc6!
(8.Nxe5
Nxe5
9.Rxe5+
Be7
10.Qe2+/=
) 8...bxc6
9.Nxe5
Be7
10.Qe2
Bb7
11.Bg5+/-
.]
7.Bxc6
bxc6
8.Nxe5
0-0
9.Bg5
[Other white options are 9.Nc3
; and 9.Qe2
.]
9...Qe8
[The most principled continuation. Of course Black's 'possibilities' includes 9...d6
10.Nd3
(10.Nxc6?!
Qe8©
) 10...Bb6
11.Nd2
(11.Nc3
Ba6
12.Kh1
Qe8©
Van Blitterswijk,S-Hendriks,R/Dieren 2004) 11...Qe8
12.Bxf6
Rxf6©
Gurevich,V-Jonkman,H/Cappelle la Grande 1994; or 9...Ba6
10.Nd3
Qe7
(10...Be7
11.Nd2
Nxe4
12.Bxe7
Qxe7
13.Nxe4
Qxe4
14.Nc5
Qc4
15.Nxa6
Qxa6
16.Qxd7
Qb6
17.b3
Rad8
18.Qe6+
Kh8
19.Qe3+/-
Sisniega,M-Burke,J/New York 1984) 11.Nd2
Bd4
12.Nb3!
(12.Nf3
Qxe4
13.Re1
Qf5~~
Aginian,N-Dimovska,A/Dresden 2004) 12...Bb6
13.e5
Bxd3
14.exf6
gxf6
15.Qxd3
fxg5
16.c4+/=
.]
10.Bxf6
[Somewhat naive would be 10.Nd3?!
Nxe4
11.Nxc5
Nxg5=/+
.]
10...Rxf6
11.Nd3
Bd4!
[11...Bb6
would transpose to the 9...d6 comments.]
12.c3
[Black achieves enough compensation after 12.Nd2
d6
13.Qe2
Qg6
14.Kh1
Ba6
15.Rab1
Raf8
due to his bishop-pair and his active pieces, as in Spassky,B-Antunes,A/Thessaloniki 1988.]
12...Bb6
13.Nd2
d6
[13...Ba6
is interesting: 14.c4
(14.e5
Rf8
15.c4
Qg6
16.Qe2
d5
17.Nb4
Bc8
18.cxd5
Bh3
19.g3
Bxf1
20.Rxf1~~
1/2-1/2 Schaefer,M-Micic,J/Dortmund 1991) 14...Rh6
(14...d5?!
15.Qa4!+/-
Shinkevich,V-Geller,J/Vladimir 2002; 14...Rd6
15.Qb3
Bd4
16.c5+
Re6
17.Nf4
Bxf1
18.Nxe6
Qxe6
19.Qxe6+
dxe6
20.Kxf1
Bxb2
21.Rb1+/=
) 15.Qb3
Bd4
16.Nf3
c5©
.]
14.c4
[Not much is offered by 14.Qe2
Qg6!
(14...Ba6
15.c4
Qf7
16.b3+/=
Bruzon Bautista,L-Gomez,F/Santa Clara 2000) 15.Kh1
Bg4
16.f3
Be6©
.]
14...Qg6?!
[A new move but not a satisfactory one in my opinion. 14...Rh6
15.Re1
(15.c5
Bxc5
16.Nxc5
Qe5
17.Nf3
Qxc5
) 15...Qe7
16.Nf1
Qg5
17.Qd2
Qh5©
was seen in Aginian,N-Shukurova,M/Elista 1998.]
15.Kh1
[A useful defencive move. Bad is 15.c5?
Bh3
16.Qb3+
Kh8
17.Nf4
Rxf4
18.Qxh3
Bxc5-/+
.]
15...Bg4
16.f3
Be6
17.f4
[Although the text-move is fine too, 17.c5!
looks to be quite strong: 17...dxc5
(17...Bxc5
18.Nxc5
dxc5
19.f4+/-
) 18.f4
c4
19.Ne5
Qe8
20.Qc2+/-
.]
17...Bg4
18.Qe1
Re8
19.c5!
The thematic advance which allows White to gain the advantage.
19...Bxc5
[19...dxc5
20.Ne5
Qh5
21.Nxg4
Qxg4
22.h3+/-
.]
20.Nxc5
dxc5
21.h3
Bc8
[21...Qh5
22.Qe3
c4
23.Rae1+/-
.]
22.Qe3
Qh6
23.Rf3
Rd8
24.Nc4
White has gained a clear and long-term advantage. The material in quantity terms is equal but just compare the white e- and f-pawns to the black c5- and c6-pawns. Then it is easy to understand that quality counts.
24...Rd4
25.b3
Qh4
26.Raf1
Rf8
[26...Ba6
27.e5
Rf8
28.e6+/-
.]
27.Ne5
Qf6
28.Rc1
Qd6
29.Nxc6!
A small combination that wins material.
29...Rd1+
[29...Qxc6
30.Qxd4
cxd4
31.Rxc6
Bb7
32.Re6
.]
30.Rxd1
Qxd1+
31.Kh2
Qd6
32.Ne5
[Also possible was 32.Nxa7
Ba6
33.a4
Qb6
34.Nb5
Bxb5
35.axb5
Qxb5
36.e5+-
.]
32...Bb7
33.Nd3
c4
34.bxc4
Re8
35.Ne5
Game is over and the rest was not really too interesting (although a bit of precision is needed of course!).
35...c5
36.Rf2
Rd8
37.Rb2
Ba8
38.Nf3
Rf8
39.e5
Qe6
40.Qxc5
Qf5
[40...Bxf3
41.gxf3
Qf5
42.Qd5+
Kh8
43.Qe4
Qd7
44.f5+-
.]
41.Qe3
Be4
42.c5
Bd5
43.Rd2
Ba8
44.Nd4!
Qxf4+
45.Qxf4
Rxf4
46.Ne6
Rc4
47.Ng5
[47.Rf2!
was better but anyway Black was obliged to resign as after 47...Rf4 48.e6 there is no salvation.] 1-0