1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Bb5
a6
4.Ba4
Nf6
5.0-0
b5
6.Bb3
Bc5
7.a4
Rb8
8.axb5
axb5
9.c3
d6
10.d4
Bb6
11.Be3
0-0
12.Nbd2
h6
13.h3
Re8
14.Qc2
[Svidler calls it a poisonous little move. 14.Re1
is the most popular choice.]
14...exd4
[After 14...Bb7
the connection between the rook on b8 and black's dark bishop is broken and white can proceed with 15.d5
Bxe3?
16.dxc6
Bxd2
17.cxb7
Not only doesn't the white rook stand on e1, but the dark bishop is in trouble. ]
15.cxd4
Na5
[One can always talk about the Tarrasch dictum about a badly placed knight on the edge. Instead, black could have finished the development, bringing the bishop into play: 15...Bb7
and because the square b4 is free, the pawn advance is not dangerous anymore: 16.d5
Nb4
17.Qc3
Bxe3
18.fxe3
Na6
19.Bc2
Nc5
and black has no problems.]
16.Ba2
Bb7
17.e5
[After 17.d5
Bxe3
18.fxe3
c6
black holds quite comfortably, for example 19.b4
Nc4
20.dxc6
Bxc6
21.Nxc4
Bxe4
]
17...Nd5
"Normally this set up is very much in black's favor," Svidler explained. "I just assumed I play next Nd5-b4 and take the bishop. He played Bb1 and I'm very lucky I'm not just losing immediately."
18.Bb1
g6
19.Bxh6
Nc6
"I'm not saying I'm fine but it's trickier than it looks." - Svidler
20.exd6
"It seems that this is the move that throws away white's advantage," Svidler thought. Moving the white queen to the center was suggested by many experts, but it is not clear how white could have a big advantage after that. For example: [20.Qe4
dxe5!?
21.dxe5
Nf6
(21...f5
22.Qe2
Nxe5
23.Nxe5
Qh4
24.Qxb5
Qxh6
25.Ndf3+/=
) 22.Qh4!?
Nxe5
23.Bg5
Ned7
(23...Nxf3+?
24.Nxf3
Bxf3
(24...Kg7
25.Qh6+
Kg8
26.Bxg6+-
) 25.Bxf6
Bxf2+
26.Qxf2
Qxf6
27.Ra3
wins) 24.Bd3
Bc6
25.Rae1+/-
; After 20.Qe4
Kamsky looked at 20...Nxd4!?
21.Nxd4
(21.Bg5
is met by 21...Nf4!
) 21...Rxe5
but after 22.Qg4
white's position is more pleasant either after 22...Nf6
(or after 22...Rh5
23.Bxg6
Rxh6
24.Be4+
Kf8
25.Nf5
Rg6
26.Qf3
c6
27.Nb3+/=
) 23.Qg3!?
Bxd4
24.Bxg6
Kh8
25.Bxf7
Nh5
26.Qg4
Qf6
27.Qxd4
c5
28.Qg4
Qxh6
29.Nf3+/=
]
20...Qxd6
21.Ne4
Qb4
22.Ba2
Svidler thought first that he was lost, but it dawned on him that something spectacular is about to happen. [After 22.Bd2
Nxd4
23.Bxb4
Nxc2
24.Bxc2
Nxb4
25.Nf6+
Kh8
26.Nxe8
Nxc2
27.Rac1
Bxf3
28.Rxc2
(28.gxf3
Nd4
) 28...Be4
29.Rxc7
Rxe8
30.Rxf7
black is fine with the bishop pair.]
22...Nxd4
23.Nf6+
Kh8
24.Nxd4
[Kamsky had to win and 24.Nxd5
is petering out to a draw after 24...Nxf3+
(or 24...Nxc2
25.Nxb4
Nxb4
26.Bxf7
Re2=
) 25.gxf3
Bxd5
26.Bxd5
Qh4
threatening 27...Qg3+ with perpetual check and after 27.Be3
Bxe3
28.fxe3
Qg5+
29.Kh2
Qxd5
the chances are equal.]
24...Nxf6
25.Nc6
Svidler's first reaction was that he had to capture the knight, but then he found something else.
25...Qh4!
["Here I'm probably already better but it isn't obvious immediately. After 25...Bxc6
26.Qxc6
Qh4
white has this horribly strong move 27.Be3
I realized black is in a huge amount of trouble because my pieces are not coordinated. As soon as this bishop is exchanged away, all my potential initiative is gone: pawn on f7 is hanging, pawn on c7 will be hanging, I think I'm close to lost here. So I started looking at some romantic variations starting with Qh4." - Svidler]
26.Nxb8?
[Allowing a magnificent clincher. "There really isn't much white can do here. After 26.Be3
Rxe3
27.fxe3
Re8
for a single exchange I'm getting this horrible attack on the kingside and there really isn't much he can do. I definitely have a draw everywhere here and probably I'm already even winning. " - Svidler; Perhaps the best way for white to resist is 26.Bxf7
Qxh6
27.Bxe8
Rxe8
28.Rae1
]
26...Re2!!
Svidler's Coup de Grāce: "It's something you see in Anderssen's games. Put on the cover of a book. Suddenly white is just completely lost."
Before arriving at this amazing move, Svidler considered two other continuations: [A. 26...Be4
was Svidler's initial idea, but after 27.Qd2
Qg3
(27...Ng4
28.Bf4
the whole thing collapses because black is running out of pieces.) 28.Qg5
black's attack is refuted.; B. 26...Qg3
27.Nc6
Re2
was Svidler's other idea, which can be met by 28.Qc3
Bxf2+
29.Kh1
Qxc3
30.bxc3
Bxc6
31.Rfd1
with roughly equal chances. "But why am I starting this with 26...Qg3? This is where it dawned on me what was happening," Svidler explained his thinking process. ]
27.Qc3
[After 27.Qxe2
Qg3
nothing stands in the way of black's light bishop; the diagonal a8-h1 can't be blocked and white is being mated on g2.]
27...Rxf2
28.Nc6
Rxf1+
"...and I'm just collecting the entire chess set. It's a very nice feeling to make a move like Re2 on the board. It really doesn't happen every day. It's a great feeling. It's something you don't really see in the modern game because you never have an opportunity to do anything like that." - Svidler 0-1