1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
6.Bc4
The Azeris seem to have come to this tournament full of surprises. First we saw Radjabov use the black side of a Catalan, an opening he had never used before, to neutralize Kramnik yesterday. Today we see Mamedyarov using this aggressive system for the first time in his life - or at least according to my records on official play.
6...e6
7.Bb3
b5
8.0-0
Be7
9.Qf3
Qc7
10.Qg3
0-0
11.Bh6
Ne8
12.Rad1
Bd7
13.f4
Nc6
So far we've been following several strong games, and the position is well-known to Najdorf players. Here the main move is Nxc6, as in Rublevsky-Bu.
14.f5
This rare move had been used once before in a world class game, about 10 years ago, and never again since. It's interesting, although a little strange, that Mamedyarov is repeating this line. Gelfand doesn't follow the same path as the previous game, which ended in a convincing black victory.
The move itself warrants quite an explanation. Playing f5 in a Sicilian is always very committal: White weakens the important e5 square, preventing him from ever achieving an e5 break, as well as allowing Black's pieces (usually a knight, but in some rare cases a queen or a bishop) to occupy the fantastic defensive square e5. Some writers have gone so far as to say that if Black didn't have the e5 square for his pieces after f5, he would lose every Sicilian.
White must therefore consistently attack on the kingside from now on until he obtains a material gain, or he will end up strategically worse. [14.Nxc6
Bxc6
15.f5
Kh8
16.f6
A spectacular pawn push, but a well-known one... 16...gxh6
17.fxe7
Qxe7
18.Qf2
And White has compensation for the missing pawn. A few games have seen this position, the most recent being the aforementioned Rublevsky-Bu, 2010 China (rapid).]
14...Nxd4
15.Rxd4
Kh8
This move has not been tried before. The game enters uncharted waters, and the position is full of possibilities. [15...Bf6
was Kasparov's choice, and he further added a "!" in his annotations to the game. Maybe Gelfand was unaware of the Kasparov game, or, more likely, he was afraid of an Azerbaidjani preparation in this line. 16.Rd3
Be5
17.Qg4
b4!
18.f6!
g6
19.Ne2
a5!
Morozevich-Kasparov (Astana 2001). A fantastic game which Kasparov won after 57 moves.]
16.Be3
[16.f6
is a very logical move. Mamedyarov may have rejected it because of 16...Bxf6
(16...gxf6!?
is also an interesting alternative. Black obtains a strong pawn center in return for the lost exchange. However, White can respond by sacrificing material of his own! 17.Nd5!?
A crazy move typical of the Sicilian. Black is forced to take this intruder, but opens the fourth rank to the rook on d4. It is almost impossible to give an evaluation of this position without lengthy variations, so let's just say that this position is very unclear.) 17.Rxf6
Qc5!
Strangely enough, although both the f6 and h6 pieces are under attack, neither can be effectively taken. However, the rook on d4 is now pinned! (17...gxh6
18.Rxh6
Rg8
19.Qh4
Rg7
gives White some pressure, but might be playable. ) 18.Bxg7+
Nxg7
19.Qf2
Qe5
with a very murky position.]
16...Nf6
17.Qh3
A logical move, upping the pressure on this side of the board. However, it does remove the pressure that the queen on g3 was exerting on the h2-b8 diagonal, specifically pinning the d pawn. Black now achieves another of his strategical goals in the Sicilian: the d5 break!
17...d5
18.e5!
The exclamation mark is not so much for the strength of the move, but for its practical value. White probably already stood worse after a "normal" move such as exd5, so he tries an "all-out" approach to crash on the kingside, or die trying. [18.exd5?!
exf5
And White has too many weaknesses, and no coordination. Black is clearly better.]
18...Qxe5
19.Rh4
Now Bd4 is a threat. Black responds with a cool move.
19...Rfc8!
Forcing White to spend a tempo.
20.Kh1
[After 20.Bd4
Bc5
21.Bxc5
Rxc5
Black is obviously better.; 20.Bg5
was an interesting alternative, immediately hitting the h7 pawn. Black has a few resources. The more logical ones are: 20...h6
(20...Kg8
21.Bxf6
Qxf6
22.Rxh7
g6
The point is that the f-pawn is pinned due to Bc5+, so White cannot immediately continue his attack. However the position is still far from clear. 23.g4
(23.Kh1
Rxc3
24.bxc3
gxf5
25.Rf3
Bd6
is unclear.) 23...Rxc3!
is complicated, but I like Black's chances.) 21.Rxh6+!
The only move. White must not retreat! 21...gxh6
22.Qxh6+
Kg8
23.fxe6
Bxe6
24.Bxf6
Bxf6
25.Rxf6
Rc6
White clearly has resources on the kingside, but it's unclear if they are enough. His own king might become vulnerable and the bishop and knight are simply too far away to be of any help right now. Black is probably better in this position, but a lot of play remains after Rf3.]
20...Rxc3!
Mamedyarov might have underestimated this strong, strong sacrifice from Gelfand. The sacrifice doesn't seem logical from the beginning: why is Black giving up a perfectly good rook for a knight that in this case had no hope of joining the attack on the kingside? The reason is control: Black will be able to neutralize White's threats, specially Bd4, once his queen gets to c3. Any exchange of queens from hereforth will favor Black, so it's basically a pin. Further, this sacrifice guarantees the burial of the bishop on b3, which will not see a bright future. A strong move indeed!
21.bxc3
Qxc3
22.Rd4?!
Mamedyarov panics in a difficult position. Bringing back the rook does little for his position. This is typical of a failed Sicilian attack: even with the extra material it becomes very hard to move the White pieces as they have lost purpose. [22.Bd4
Qxh3
23.Rxh3
a5
24.c3
Ne4
is an ugly, ugly ending to defend. White's rooks have no targets and his structure is weak to say the least, but it may have been the best chance...; 22.fxe6
Bxe6
23.Qf3
Ne4
was also in Black's favor.]
22...a5!
Gelfand swiftly punishes White's play. He doesn't spend time with tempting moves such as [22...e5
23.Rd3
Qc6
since 24.Bg5!
gives white plenty of counterplay. Probably the point behind Rd4.; 22...exf5?!
23.Rd3
Qc7
24.Bd4
and White's bishops are more alive than Black would like them to be.]
23.Rd3
Qc6
24.c3
a4
25.Bc2
e5-+
Now that the bishop is no longer on the a2-g8 diagonal, the time is ripe to advance the center pawns. Black is strategically winning: he has a crushing center, better piece placement, more targets and better coordination. Mamedyarov must try to create some tricks, but time is running short.
26.Bg5
b4
27.Qh4
bxc3
28.Rh3
This pressure on the kingside would alarm any mortal, but Gelfand plays it cool and simple. He has now obtained a material advantage as he has three pawns for the exchange, and furthermore his center pawns will obviously roll over White in a few moves. Still, the h-file is open and his king seems to be in some danger. Not bothered with this, he simply transfers it to the center.
28...Kg8
29.Re1
[29.Bxf6
Bxf6
30.Qxh7+
Kf8-+
And White simply has no good moves. The king is perfectly safe on e7.]
29...e4
30.g4
White is trying some shenanigans with g5 after Bxf6, but it's just not enough.
30...Kf8
31.Be3
[31.Bxf6
Bxf6
32.g5
Bd8
and again, there is no good move for White. Black just controls too many squares and his pawns are too strong.]
31...Qc4
32.g5
32...Bxf5!
Gelfand simply takes all the material that is thrown at him. In this case it doesn't even matter, since it's all about his pawn domination.
33.gxf6
Bxf6
34.Qh5
34...Bg6!?
This is an interesting approach. Though Bxh3 was winning, Gelfand is not afraid of being down an entire rook! He has five full pawns as compensation, and furthermore, they are so strong! Very pleasing aesthetically.
35.Qg4
35...Qxa2
The fact that Black has the luxury to pick off this pawn speaks volumes of his domination. d5-d4 will come in time, and White has absolutely no counterplay.
36.Bb1
Qc4
37.Qg2
a3
38.Ba2
Qc6
39.Rg3
Rb8
There are simply too many threats in this position, and not enough moves. Despite being up a rook, White's position could not be more hopeless. Gelfand wins a fantastic game that really brings out the very spirit of a Black side Sicilian: He coolly dealt with the kingside threat by transfering his king, he took care to eliminate and restrict White's minor pieces, and he showed how clumsy even an extra rook can be if the army supporting it has no direction. 0-1