(1) Mamedyarov,Shakhriyar (2756) - Ivanchuk,Vassily (2754) [A79]
39th Olympiad Men Khanty-Mansiysk RUS (9.1), 30.09.2010



1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.Nd2 Bg7 8.e4 0-0 9.Be2 Na6 10.0-0 Re8 11.f3 Nc7 Ivanchuk`s ability to not only play any opening, but any type of position due to his sheer versatility makes it almost impossible to really prepare against him. Vassily's choice of the Benoni shows that he is willing to take chances in this game and it is quite fitting that the first game with this line as black was played by Tal.

12.a4 Nd7 13.Kh1 b6 14.Ra3 Qe7 15.a5 Previously 15.Nb5 had been played in Kramnik-Topalov (2001) and 15.Nc4 in Eljanov-Oleksienko (2004).

15...Bb7 16.Nb5 Nf6?! [Better was 16...Nxb5 17.Bxb5 Red8 18.Re1 ]

17.Nxc7 Qxc7 18.Bb5 Reb8 19.Nc4 There is no question it is far easier to find good squares for white pieces than for black, which says a lot about the position.

19...bxa5 20.Bf4 Bf8










21.e5! Classic and perfectly timed.

21...Nxd5 22.exd6 Qd8 23.Bg3 Nb4 24.d7 Bd5 25.Bxb8 Rxb8 26.Ne3 Be6 27.Ba4 Bg7










28.f4!! Brilliant. With the d7 pawn splitting the black forces, white goes for the jugular.

28...Bxb2 Although this seems to ignore white's obvious threats, it doesn't seem as black had any good moves left to protect himself. [If black were to try and cover the d-file with 28...Bd4 white would still follow up with 29.f5! Bxd7 30.Bxd7 Qxd7 (30...Bxe3 31.Rxe3 ) 31.Ng4! threatenng Nf6+. If 31...Nd5 32.fxg6 fxg6 33.Rd3 Rb7 34.Nh6+ (Also possible is 34.Rxd4 cxd4 35.Qxd4 h5 36.Qxd5+ Qxd5 37.Nf6+ Kg7 38.Nxd5+- ) 34...Kg7 35.Rf7+ Qxf7 36.Nxf7 Rxf7+- ]

29.f5 Bxd7 30.fxg6 hxg6 31.Qb3










31...Bxa3? An error though finding the computer's defense is far from obvious. [31...Nd5! was best. While 32.Qxd5 Be6 33.Qxd8+ Rxd8 34.Rb3 Bxb3 35.Bxb3 Rd7 is hardly inspiring, it was still black's best chance.]

32.Qxf7+ The rest is a mop up.

32...Kh8 33.Bxd7 Qg8 34.Qf6+ Qg7 35.Qh4+ Qh7 36.Qf4 Ra8 37.Qf3 Rb8 38.Qf4 Ra8 39.Be6 Bb2 40.Nc4 Bd4 41.Nd6 a4 42.Nf7+ Kg7 43.Ng5 Qh5 44.g4! The quickest path to mate.

44...Qh4 45.Qc7+ Kh8 46.Nf7+ Kh7 47.Ne5+ Kh6 48.g5+ 1-0