1.d4
d5
2.c4
c6
3.Nf3
Nf6
4.e3
I like sasha's caution! Yesterday, he playe too adventurously, even casually, and paid the price.Today, it seems, he has taken himself in hand and is playing solidly.
4...Bg4
5.Qb3
A slight side-step, looking to avoid well-known paths as soon as possible. Sasha wants to avoid a memory test, and just play chess.
5...Qb6
6.Nc3
It is not in either side's interest to exchange queens at present, as this would improve the opponent's pawn structure.
6...e6
7.Nh4
Going after Black's light-squared bishop.
7...Bh5
8.h3
g5
[A very sharp move! The game Carlsen-Movsesian, earlier this week, continued 8...Nbd7
9.g4
Bg6
10.g5
Ng8
11.Nxg6
hxg6
12.Qc2
Ne7
13.Bd2
Nf5
14.cxd5
cxd5
15.Nb5
Bd6
16.Qa4
a6
17.Rc1
Ke7
18.Nxd6
Nxd6
and Black, rather surprisingly, demonstrated that the two knighst can fight successfully against White's two bishops. ]
9.Nf3
[Again played quiety. The game Gonzales-Savchenko, Palma 2008, went 9.g4
gxh4
10.gxh5
Rg8
11.Be2
Nbd7
12.Bd2
Qc7
13.cxd5
exd5
14.Rc1
Nb6
15.Qc2
Qe7
16.b4
Qe6
17.b5
c5
18.Kf1
Nc4
and Black eventually won a sharp game.]
9...h6
10.g4
[Sasha lurches forward. One cannot forever restrain one's temperament. The source game continued 10.Ne5
Nfd7
11.Nd3
Bg6
12.Bd2
Na6
13.Rc1
Qxb3
14.axb3
Nb4
15.Nxb4
Bxb4
16.h4
0-0
17.cxd5
exd5
18.Be2
a6
and Black had no problems. Wang Yue - Aronian, Dresden 2008 ]
10...Bg6
11.h4
Attack at all costs! Frankly, though, it seems to me that this move leads only to numerous exchanges and a draw. But let us see.
11...Qxb3
[A small concession. However, after Âïðî~~åì, ïîñëå 11...Nxg4
12.hxg5
Na6
White can force the queen exchange by 13.c5!
]
12.axb3
Rg8
[Smeets believes his opponent. After 12...Nxg4
13.hxg5
White has the cunning idea of trapping the knight on g4 by means of Nf3-g1 and f2-f3, eg 13...Na6
14.c5
Nb4
15.Ra4
Nd3+?
(But stronger is 15...a5
though here Black has to calculate a long forced variation: 16.Ng1
Bd3
'!' 17.f3
Nc2+
18.Kd2
Bxf1
19.Kxc2
Nf2!
20.Rh2
Nd3
'!' 21.Bd2
Nb4+
and the king's knight escapes to the queenside! ) 16.Bxd3
Bxd3
17.Ng1!
and White emerges with an extra piece. ]
13.hxg5
hxg5
Now the mutual capture of the g-pawns will just lead to equality. But Sasha is spending time, loking for something better.
14.c5
A sensible reaction. White intends b4-b5, with strong pressure on the queenside. Smeets' exaggerated respect for his opponent may turn out badly for him. [14.Nxg5
Bc2!
is not dangerous for Black.; It is tempting to examine 14.Ne5
Bc2
15.c5
but it is very hard to analyse to the end the daring capture 15...Bxb3!?
After 16.Bd3
the black bishop is in trouble, but he can play 16...Nbd7
17.Ra3
Nxe5
18.dxe5
Nd7
19.Rxb3
Nxc5
20.Bc2
Nxb3
21.Bxb3
and I am not sure how to evaluate this unusual position. Probably, Black is OK. ]
14...Nxg4
[I don't see any alternative. Black cannot hold up the queenside advance: 14...Nbd7
15.b4
a6
16.b5!
]
15.b4
[Morozevich rushes it! he does not believe it necessary to regain the pawn. I am not sure that his compensation is so significant, however. It seems to me that the simple line is more promising: 15.Nxg5
', íàïðèìåð,' 15...Bc2
16.Nf3
Bxb3
17.Bd3
Looking deeper, I found an improvement for Black: 17...Nd7
(17...Na6
and the threat of the knight jump to b4 forces White to part with one of his bishops. 18.Bxa6
bxa6
19.Rxa6
Kd7
20.Rg1
f6
and it is difficult to find resources for White to develop his initiative. ) 18.Nd2
Bc4
19.Nxc4
dxc4
20.Bxc4
and White has a clear advantage, thanks to his two bishops and superiority in the centre. ]
15...f6
Agreed! A good reply. By defending his pawn on g5, Black enables the knight to return via h6. [After 15...Be7
the knight would be stuck on g4 for a long time. ]
16.b5
An important moment. How should Black meet his opponent's queenside attack? He has no time to waste. If the second white b-pawn reaches b5, White will have a large advantage. Black needs to meet this by playing a6, cxb5, and putting a knight on c6 and his king on d7. I do not see any other way.
16...cxb5
[The same idea, but in a less convincing form. I was looking at 16...a6!
17.b4
cxb5
18.Bxb5+
(18.Nxb5
Kd7
) 18...Nc6
and did not find anything special for White. ]
17.Rg1
[After 17.Bxb5+
Nc6
the striking 18.Ra6
does not bring anything after 18...0-0-0!
]
17...Nh6
Played carefully. [Also not bad is 17...Bf5
; and even 17...Bh5
but approaching time-trouble makes Black hurry things.]
18.Nxb5
Kd7
19.Rxa7
He has to recapture the pawn.
19...Rxa7
20.Nxa7
Nc6
21.Nxc6
[Too slow is 21.Nb5
Nb4!
]
21...bxc6
Each side's weaknesses roughly cancel each other out.
22.b4
White has a pawn majority on the queenside. But at present, the infantry lack artillery support, and by themselves they cannot win the battle.
22...Be7
Played after quite long thought. I believe the position is about equal and a repetition may be forced. A depressing prospect for the Muscovite! He ahs too few points, and is much the higher-rated player...But I fear that sasha may overdo things in trying to avoid a draw. [My analysis managed to cast doubts on the alternative 22...Bg7
23.b5
cxb5
24.Bxb5+
Kc7
25.Bd2
Ra8
26.Nxg5!
Ra1+
27.Ke2
Rxg1
28.Nxe6+
Kc8
29.Nxg7
and hite's two pawns are worth more than Black's extra exchange.]
23.Kd2
[Here is the line which leads to an early dinner: 23.b5
cxb5
24.Bxb5+
Kc7
25.Bd2
Ra8
26.Ke2
Ra2
27.Rh1
Ng4
28.Rh8
e5
(28...Be4
29.Re8!
) 29.Rg8
Bh5
30.Rh8
Bg6
31.Rg8
etc.]
23...Be4
[The rook penetration does not lead to success: 23...Ra8
24.Bb2
Ra2?!
25.Kc3!
]
24.Ne1
[An equal ending results from 24.Be2
g4
25.Nh2
f5
26.f3
]
24...g4!
Black successfully exploits White's slowness.
25.Kc3?
But this is dubious, if not downright bad. [Morozevich should have maintained equality by 25.Be2
f5
26.f3
]
25...f5
The bishop comes to h4 and Black develops strong pressure.
26.Nd3?!
Continuing to drift. [He should defend by 26.Be2
Bh4
27.Rf1
so as to put the king on b3 and play f2-f3.]
26...Bh4!
The f2 pawn is on the verge of extinction. White now needs study-like accuracy to save the game. Clearly, he needs to find a way to sacrifice the f2 pawn and create piece counterplay. In time-trouble this is the best chance. Clock times are 0.22-0.14.
27.f4?
Seemingly another oversight. [More stubborn was 27.Ne5+
Kc7
28.Bg2!
Bxf2
29.Rh1
Rh8
30.Bxe4
dxe4
31.Ng6
'=' 31...g3!
(31...Rh7
32.Nf8
Rh8
33.Ng6
=) 32.Nxh8
g2
33.Rd1
Ng4
34.Ng6
Black has the initiative, but I cannot see a clear win. White seems to have time to win the e6 pawn with his knight.]
27...gxf3
I think Black would retain a serious advantage by keeping the pawn on g4. But taking on f3 is even stronger.
28.Rh1
[28.Ne5+
Kc7
29.Rh1
f2!
30.Rxh4
Rg1
]
28...Bg5?
Jan is getting nervous! [He could secure a decisive advantage by 28...Nf7!
29.Rxh4
Rg1
]
29.Ne5+
Kc7
Times:0.16 - 0.06. There are still many moves to make to the time control, and so, many chances to go wrong.
30.Rh3
Ra8?
[Correct was 30...f2!
31.Rh2
Bf6!
32.Rxf2
Bxe5
33.dxe5
Rg1
and White will lose the e5 pawn, since after 34.Rf4
Ng4
35.Kd4?
Nh2!
he loses a piece.]
31.Nxf3
Bxf3
32.Rxf3
Now the worst is behind White.
32...Ra2
Black retains some slight pressure, but nothing too serious.
33.Rh3
Accurately played. [Trying to take the initiative by 33.Rg3
Ng4
34.Bh3
rebounds: 34...Bh4!
35.Rg1
Bf2
36.Rg2
Nxe3!
37.Rxf2
(37.Bxe3
Ra3+!
) 37...Rxf2
38.Bxe3
Rf3
]
33...Ng4
34.b5
Morozevich returns to the right idea. Passive defence of e3 could lead to new problems.
34...cxb5
35.Bxb5
Rh2
In serious time-trouble, Jan hurries to simplify. [Stronger was 35...Bh6
]
36.Rxh2
Nxh2
37.Kd3
The initiative has passed to White.
37...Ng4
38.Bd2
The bishops are ready to drive off the black kin and support their passed pawn.
38...Bh4
An accurate manoeuvre. From g3, the bishop will cover the crucial c7 square.
39.Ba5+
Kc8
40.Be8
[There ws no win by 40.Ba6+
Kb8
41.c6
ââèäó 41...Bg3!
]
40...Nf6
A further inaccuracy. [Better was 40...Bd8!
41.Be1
Nf6
and now 42.Bf7
is ineffective because of 42...Kd7
But only those who have never been in his situation could criticise the Dutch player - after time-trouble ends, one's hands are shaking and one's head is spinning. ]
41.Bf7
Now Black is losing a pawn.
41...Kd7
42.c6+
Kxc6
43.Bxe6
F5 must drop. A new phase of the battle is beginning. With two bishops and an extra pawn, White ahs winning chances, at least in practice. It is certainly the best position Morozevich has had in the whole game.
43...Ne4
44.Bxf5
Nd6
A good set-up. Black sits tight and waits for White to attempt something.
45.Bg4
Nc4
46.Bc3
Nd6
[It seems he can draw by 46...Bf2
47.e4
Ne3!
but the resulting variations are too difficult for a tired player to work out.]
47.Bf3
Bf2
48.Bd2
Nc4?
The last tragic oversight in this game. By simply moving his bishop to and fro, Black can hold.
49.Bxd5+!
Winning a pawn and the game. One can only synpathise with Smeets, whose nerves failed him. 1-0