1.Nf3
c5
2.e4
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
6.h3
e6
Breaking into the Scheveningen Sicilian is the most popular choice.
7.g4
h6
8.Bg2
Be7
9.Be3
Nc6
10.f4
Nd7
11.0-0
Avoiding Be7-h4+.
11...Nxd4
12.Qxd4
0-0
13.Qd2
The queen retreats to avoid pawn punches in the center. It also creates a battery with the bishop, aiming at a potential target: the pawn on h6.
In this position, Alexei Shirov chose to switch the knight to h5 via e2 and g3. [13.Ne2
b5
14.Ng3
Bb7
15.Nh5
e5
16.Qd2
Nf6
but after confronting the active knight, black equalized in Shirov-Sutovsky, Poikovsky 2014. The game was drawn in 44 moves.]
13...Rb8
14.Rad1
b5
15.Ne2
The last piece that can be attacked retreats voluntarily, reinforcing the kingside attack and leaving black without a target on the queenside.
15...Qc7
16.f5
Opening the diagonal c1-h6.
16...Nf6
Grischuk wants to have the possibility to break in the center with d6-d5. [Otherwise he would have chosen 16...Ne5
17.b3
Kh7
(17...Rd8?!
runs into a strong exchange sacrifice: 18.f6!
Bxf6
19.Rxf6!
gxf6
20.Nf4
and the black king is vulnerable through dark-square weaknesses. White's attack flourishes, for example: 20...Kf8
21.Nh5
Ke7
22.Qf2
Nd7
23.Nxf6!
(23.Rf1
) 23...Nxf6
24.Rf1
) 18.Nf4
Rd8
19.Nh5
Bh4
20.g5
hxg5
21.Bxg5
Bxg5
22.Qxg5
f6
23.Qh4
(The piece sacrifice does not win: 23.Nxf6+
gxf6
24.Qxf6
Rb7
25.Rf4
Qb6+
26.Kh1
Rg7
27.Rg1
Kg8
28.fxe6
Re8
29.e7
Rf7
30.Qg5+
Rg7
31.Qf6=
) 23...Kg8
24.Kh2
Rf8
(24...Qxc2
25.Qg3+-
) 25.Rf2
with white's edge.]
17.Ng3
Navara covers his pawn on e4 and Grischuk, with only about seven minutes left on his clock, is without an obvious target. The disadvantage is that white can't pressure the pawn on e6 and black can play 17...Bb7.
17...Re8
Opening the square of f8 for the bishop and enticing white to sacrifice something. [For example, 17...Bb7
18.Bxh6!?
gxh6
19.Qxh6
d5
20.Kh2
(20.Rd3
dxe4
21.Rc3
Qe5
(21...Qd6
22.g5
) 22.Qg5+
Kh8
23.Qh4+=
) 20...Bd6
21.Qg5+
leads to a perpetual check.]
18.Bd4
Navara played the provoking move after a long deliberation. An exchange sacrifice on f6 is in the air. [He might have been considering 18.fxe6
producing a dilemma for black: 18...fxe6?!
is weaker, because of (18...Bxe6!?
the correct capture 19.Nf5
Bxf5
20.Rxf5
Rbc8
(After 20...Nd7
21.e5!?
Nxe5
22.Bd5
Bf6
23.Bxh6
Nc4
24.Qf2
white may claim a tiny advantage.) 21.Bxh6
Bf8!
dwarfs the attack.) 19.Bxh6!
gxh6
20.Qxh6
and white has a winning attack, for example 20...Bd8
(20...Nh7
21.Qg6+
Kh8
22.Rf7+-
) 21.e5!
dxe5
22.Nh5
Rb7
(22...Nxh5
23.Qg6+
Ng7
24.Be4+-
) 23.Rxd8!
wins.; After the immediate sacrifice 18.Bxh6
gxh6
19.Qxh6
black succeeds to cover the dark squares with 19...Nh7
20.Nh5
Bf8
with the edge.]
18...e5
[White's last move was not just a teaser, forcing to close the center, it threatens to crack open the doors to the black king via the square f6, for example 18...b4
19.fxe6
Bxe6
20.Bxf6
Bxf6
21.Rxf6
gxf6
22.Nh5
Qc5+
23.Kh1
Qg5
24.Qd4
with a strong pressure.; But the exchange sacrifice is less effective after 18...Bb7
19.fxe6
fxe6
20.Rxf6
Bxf6!?
(20...gxf6?!
21.Qxh6
Bf8
22.Qxf6
Bg7
23.Qg6
Qf7
24.Qxf7+
Kxf7
25.Rf1+
Kg8
26.Bxg7
Kxg7
27.Nh5+
Kh8
28.Rf6+/-
) 21.Bxf6
gxf6
22.Nh5
Rf8
23.Rf1
black defends with 23...Qc5+
24.Kh1
Qg5
25.Qxd6
Rbe8
26.Qd7
Bc8
equalizing.]
19.Be3
Bb7
[Black could have kept his bishop on the diagonal c8-h3 and moved the rook from the square e8 where it would become exposed later: 19...Rd8
20.Bxh6
gxh6
21.Qxh6
Nh7
22.f6
Bf8
23.Qh5
Kh8
24.g5
Be6
with a playable game.]
20.Bxh6!
A dangerous sacrifice in opponent's time trouble.
20...gxh6
[Accepting the sacrifice has been criticized in favor of the cold-blooded 20...d5
and black seems to be fine, for example: 21.Bg5
(21.exd5
gxh6
22.Qxh6
e4!
23.Qg5+
(23.d6
Qb6+
24.Kh1
Nh7
25.Qh5
Bxd6
26.g5
e3
27.g6
Bxg2+
28.Kxg2
Qb7+
29.Kg1
fxg6
30.Qxg6+
Kh8
31.Qxd6
e2
32.Qd4+
Kg8
33.Qg4+
Kh8
34.Qd4+=
) 23...Kh8
24.Qh4+
Nh7
25.f6
Qb6+
26.Kh1
Bxf6
27.Qh5
e3
28.Rde1
Re5
and black beats the attack.; 21.Bxg7
Kxg7
22.g5
Bc5+
23.Kh2
Nxe4
24.Bxe4
dxe4
25.f6+
Kg6
26.Qe2
Rh8
27.Qg4
Qc8
28.Rd7
Qxd7
29.Qxd7
Bc8
30.Qc7
Bxh3=
) 21...dxe4
22.Kh2
(22.Bxf6
Qb6+
23.Kh2
e3
24.Qe2
Bxf6
25.Bxb7
Rxb7
26.Ne4
) 22...Red8
23.Qe2
Nd5=
]
21.Qxh6
Nh7
[Instead of this natural move, black could have tried a clever defense 21...d5
22.g5
Bf8!?
(22...Nxe4?
23.Bxe4
Bf8
24.Qh4
dxe4
25.Nh5+-
) and only after 23.Qh4!
(23.Qxf6??
Bg7-+
) 23...Nh7
White can still break through: 24.f6!
(24.exd5?!
f6
(24...Qxc2
25.Be4
Qc5+
26.Kh2+-
) 25.gxf6
Qb6+
26.Kh2
Qxf6
27.Qg4+
Kh8
and black survives.) 24...Kh8
25.exd5
e4
26.Bxe4
Rxe4
27.Nxe4+/-
]
22.f6
Bf8
[22...Bxf6
23.Rxf6
Nxf6
24.Nf5+-
]
23.Qh5
Qc5+
Grischuk sees he can exchange the queens, but it would not help him. [Instead, the computers suggest 23...Kh8
although after 24.g5
black has no counterplay and white can quietly improve his attack. One idea is to bring the light bishop from g2 to f5; another is to bring the rook on h4, for example: 24...Bc8
25.Rf2
Rb7
(25...Qc4
26.Nf5
Bxf5
27.exf5+-
) 26.Rdf1
Be6
27.Kh2
Qc4
28.Rf4!!
and white wins. It would be a time pressure horror. ]
24.Kh2
Qe3
25.h4
Qh6
26.Qxh6
Bxh6
The pawn avalanche is rolling.
27.g5
Bf8
Other moves do not help either: [27...Nxg5
28.Nf5
; 27...Bxg5
28.hxg5
Nxg5
29.Nf5
(29.Rf5
) 29...Re6
30.Ng7
Rxf6
31.Rxf6
Kxg7
32.Rfxd6
Rh8+
33.Kg3
Nxe4+
34.Bxe4
Bxe4
35.Rxa6
Bxc2
36.Rd5
and white should win.]
28.g6!
A tactical solution: white wins back a piece.
28...Bh6
[28...fxg6
29.f7++-
; 28...Nxf6
29.Rxf6
fxg6
30.Rxg6+
Kh7
31.h5
black suffers on the light squares.]
29.Nf5!
A decisive leap. Grischukâ?[]s game collapses like a house of cards.
29...Bf4+
It doesnâ?[]t matter what black plays. [After 29...Bf8
30.g7
wins.]
30.Rxf4!
Nxf6
[30...exf4
31.Nh6+
Kf8
32.g7#
]
31.gxf7+
Kxf7
32.Nxd6+
Ke7
[White also wins after 32...Kg6
33.h5+
Nxh5
34.Rg4+
Kf6
35.Nxe8+
Rxe8
36.Rd6+
Ke7
37.Rh6
Nf6
38.Rg7+
Kf8
39.Rgg6
Ng8
40.Rh7+-
]
33.Nxe8
This is a simple way to victory. [The analytical engines beg for 33.Rf5
Red8
34.Rxe5+
Kf8
35.Bh3+-
]
33...exf4
34.Nxf6
Kxf6
35.Rd6+
Ke5
36.Rb6!
A devastating pin. Black does not have any good moves.
36...f3
37.Bxf3
Rf8
38.Kg3
Bxe4
39.Bxe4
Kxe4
40.Re6+
1-0