2017 Tata Rd8: Excitement up and down!

[Event "Tata Steel Masters"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.01.22"] [Round "8"] [White "Rapport, Richard"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A12"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. Nf3 $5 {Stopping 1)e5... first of all.} d5 2. b3 $5 {Now that black can't play 2)...e5, white plays this setup with b3. Richard Rapport is well-known to be a creative player in general, and also in the openings. Richard also played b3 on move 1 against Sergey Karjakin but in that game if anyone was better, it was Sergey, so Richard decided to adjust his plays a bit, and it worked very well.} Bf5 3. Bb2 e6 4. d3 h6 5. Nbd2 Nf6 6. c4 c6 7. g3 Be7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O Nbd7 10. a3 a5 {Stopping white from explanding on the queenside with b4.} 11. Qb1 $5 {Preparing b4 anyway.} Bh7 12. b4 axb4 13. axb4 Qb6 14. Bc3 Rxa1 15. Qxa1 Bxb4 16. Bxb4 Qxb4 17. Rb1 Qd6 18. Rxb7 e5 19. d4 exd4 20. Nxd4 c5 21. N4b3 d4 $5 {An ambitious move. If Magnus wanted a quiter, simplified game, he could've opted for 21)...dxc4. But probably Magnus, after a heartbreaking draw last round against Anish Giri, wanted to try hard to win this game with black against Richard Rapport, who has been having a difficult tournament up to this point.} (21... dxc4 22. Nxc4 Qe6 23. Ne3 Be4 24. Bxe4 Nxe4 $11 {Should just be dead equal.}) 22. Bh3 d3 $6 {This decision is very double-edged since it makes black's bishop on h7 bad, and gives white strong control of the center. On the other hand, Magnus thinks that the d3 pawn will be enough of a trump, that it will compensate for the drawbacks in his position. It turned out to be a bit too optimistic.} (22... Rb8 23. Rxb8+ Qxb8 24. Qa5 Qc8 {Should still be quite balanced.}) 23. e3 $1 {White correctly now doesn't simplify the game, and keeps the tension to his advantage. A lot of players might have just tried to release the tension to get closer to a draw if they would play Magnus. But Richard to his credit is a very fighting player, even when his tournament isn't going the way he would like it to be. I really applaud that.} (23. exd3 $6 Qxd3 $11) (23. e4 $5) 23... Ne5 $6 {Natural move, but considering that black already started playing unbalanced chess he should've probably tried to continue going that route.} (23... g5 $1 {After this profylaxis move white might be better but it's still not as clear. At least white can't easily expland in the center, like he was able to do in the game.}) 24. Bg2 $1 (24. f4 $2 Nf3+ $1 25. Nxf3 Be4 $15 {Was a nice trap by Magnus, and perhaps Richard saw it and that's why avoided it and played the strong consolidating move, Bg2. }) 24... Rc8 (24... Ned7 {The funny thing is, stockfish thinks going back ned7 is the best move. The knight on e5 turns out to be really misplaced, since it will get hit with e4 and f4.}) 25. f4 Neg4 26. e4 Re8 $5 {At this point sacrifising a piece might be the best practical chance, since black is already getting streamrolled.} 27. e5 Nxe5 28. fxe5 Rxe5 29. Rb6 $1 {Very nice geometry.} Qe7 30. Rb8+ Ne8 31. Bc6 Re1+ 32. Qxe1 Qxe1+ 33. Nf1 {Black resigned because he will be down a piece in the endgame which is completely hopeless. A very nice game by Richard Rapport, trying to play a fighting game against Magnus, playing logical chess, keeping the tension, and taking full advantage of Magnus's over-ambitious play at one moment.} 1-0

[Event "79th Tata Steel GpA"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"] [Date "2017.01.22"] [Round "8"] [White "Aronian, L."] [Black "Giri, A."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E10"] [WhiteElo "2780"] [BlackElo "2773"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez,Alejandro"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "2017.01.13"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Na3 $5 {In a position where nearly everything has been tried, Aronian comes up with a new idea! It is hard to believe that this move refutes Black's super-solid line, but it's at least an attempt.} Nbd7 9. Rc1 Ne4 10. Be3 Bxa3 $6 {Perhaps the beginning of the end for Anish. The idea of installing a knight on c4 looks very tempting, but it is unfortunately met with a strong sacrifice.} 11. bxa3 Nd6 12. c5 Nc4 13. Rxc4 $1 {A bit obvious, but that doesn't mean it isn't strong! In return for the rook, White eliminates Black's most powerful piece and dominates the dark squares. It will also be difficult to develop some of black pieces, especially that bishop on c8.} dxc4 14. Qc2 h6 (14... b5 15. Ng5 Nf6 16. Bxc6 Bd7 $5 $16 {Trying to fight back by giving up a lot of material in exchange for the light squares, was probably a better practical try. But giving up an exchange and a pawn is never easy, and objectively this is also terrible for Black.}) 15. Qxc4 b6 16. Bf4 Re8 17. Bd6 {White's position plays itself, while Black cannot access the b-file.} Bb7 18. Ne5 bxc5 19. dxc5 Nxe5 20. Bxe5 a5 (20... Qd2 21. Rb1 {Doesn't actually improve Black's position, but it would at least give the sense that the queen is active!}) 21. Rb1 Ra7 22. Qc3 f6 23. Bd6 Ba8 24. Be4 f5 25. Bc2 Rb7 26. Rd1 Rd7 27. e4 {With the opening of the light squares on the kingside, Black's position is completely desperate. Notice the sad state of that bishop on a8.} Qf6 28. Qc4 Kh8 29. Re1 Qf7 30. Qd3 f4 31. gxf4 $1 (31. e5 $6 g5 {is not so clear yet, though favoring White.}) 31... e5 32. Qh3 $1 Rxd6 (32... exf4 33. e5 {is now devastating, with Qd3, e6 and Bf5 all up in the air.}) 33. cxd6 Qg6+ 34. Qg3 Qxd6 {Black has eliminated the bishop on d6, but his position is still hopeless. He doesn't have the time to defend his kingside. Aronian's pieces swoop in for a last attack.} 35. Rd1 Qc5 (35... Qe7 36. fxe5 {wasn't that much more fun either.}) 36. Rd7 Rg8 37. Bb3 exf4 38. Qg6 f3 39. h4 Qc3 40. Bxg8 Qe1+ 41. Kh2 Qxf2+ 42. Kh3 Qf1+ 43. Kg4 1-0

[Event "Tata Steel Masters"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.01.22"] [Round "8"] [White "Adhiban, Baskaran"] [Black "Andreikin, Dmitry"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B25"] [PlyCount "91"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 $5 {Steering the games into less explored areas has worked incredibly well for Adhiban in this tournament. In the last 4 games Adhiban scored an amazing 3.5/4, all with not the most mainstream lines.} Nc6 3. g3 (3. f4 {Is also possible}) 3... g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 Nge7 7. Nf3 Nd4 8. O-O Bg4 9. Be3 c5 10. Qd2 O-O 11. Nh4 exf4 12. Bxf4 Qd7 (12... b5 $5 13. Rf2 b4 14. Nd1 Bxd1 15. Rxd1 Ne6 16. Bh6 Bxb2 $5 17. Bxf8 Qxf8 $44 {Deserved attention perhaps. Black has a pawn and a very strong bishop for the exchange and has full control of the dark squares, and also probably won't have to ever worry about an attack.}) 13. Rf2 Rae8 $6 (13... f6 {Perhaps this was better defence. It's basically a prophylaxis against bh6.} 14. Bh6 $6 (14. Be3 b5 {Is probably roughly equal}) 14... Bxh6 15. Qxh6 g5 {This is the main point. Now white is in an awkward spot.} 16. Nf3 (16. Rxf6 Rxf6 17. Qxg5+ Rg6 18. Nxg6 Nxg6 19. Nd5 Kh8 {And white probably doesn't have enough compensation.}) (16. h3 gxh4 17. hxg4 hxg3 18. Rxf6 Rxf6 19. Qxf6 Rf8 20. Qh4 Ng6 21. Qxg3 Ne5 $40 {Black has very good pieces here.}) (16. e5 gxh4 17. exf6 (17. Ne4 fxe5 18. Raf1 Nef5 19. Nf6+ Rxf6 20. Qxf6 Qf7 $1 $17 {And again white's initiative falls short.}) 17... Ng6) 16... Nef5 $1 {That's the point!} 17. exf5 Nxf5 18. Ne5 dxe5 $19) 14. Bh6 $1 Bxh6 15. Qxh6 {Here white already has dangerous practical initiative if not already an objective advantage.} b5 16. h3 Be6 17. Raf1 Qd8 $6 {This move is already a serious mistake in a difficult position.} (17... Nec6 18. Nf5 $1 f6 19. Ne3 Qg7 20. Qxg7+ Kxg7 21. Ncd5 $14 {White might be slightly better but the game is still defensible for black.}) 18. Nb1 $6 { Objectively not the most precise execution, though it worked very well for white in the game.} (18. Nd1 $1 {From here it goes to e3 and really develops lots of initiative.} d5 {Probably white played Nb1 with the idea to discourage d5, but it turns out even here d5 isn't so effective for black.} 19. Ne3 dxe4 20. dxe4 f5 $1 {Seems like the only move.} (20... Nec6 21. Nhf5 $1 {Turns out this threat is too powerful.}) (20... Bc4 21. e5 $3 Bxf1 22. Ng4 $1 f5 23. Nf6+ Rxf6 (23... Kf7 24. Bxf1 {And white has a decisive attack.}) 24. exf6 Ne6 25. Bxf1 $18) 21. c3 fxe4 $1 {And again only move.} 22. Bxe4 (22. cxd4 cxd4 { Is suddenly very good compensation for black.}) 22... Rxf2 23. Rxf2 Ndf5 (23... Ndc6 $2 24. Nxg6 $18) 24. Nhxf5 Bxf5 25. Nxf5 Nxf5 26. Bxf5 gxf5 27. Rxf5 $16 { And after all that white gets an endgame with good winning chances but certainly black is still in the game.}) 18... d5 $2 {This is definitely a mistake, which maximizes the value of the b1 knight and makes it a monster.} ( 18... Kh8 $14 {Black should just stand tight and keep his position together. I don't see a clear way white is breaking through here.}) 19. Nd2 $1 {Now white has a decisive advantage, and from here on white played flawlessly.} dxe4 20. Nxe4 Nef5 21. Rxf5 $3 {Perhaps this is what black missed when he played 18)... d5? Without this move black is fine.} (21. Nxf5 $2 Nxf5 {Isn't even better for white.} 22. Rxf5 $6 (22. Qf4 $11) 22... Bxf5 23. Rxf5 Rxe4 $1 {And suddenly the tables turn.}) 21... Nxf5 22. Rxf5 $1 {The point. Now the rook can't be taken.} (22. Nxf5 $2 Bxf5 23. Rxf5 Rxe4) 22... Qd4+ (22... gxf5 23. Nf6+ $18) ( 22... Bxf5 23. Nxf5 gxf5 24. Nf6+ $18) 23. Rf2 f5 24. Ng5 (24. Nxg6 $5 { Might have been slightly more precise and flashier but certainly white's move is more than enough to win.} hxg6 25. Qxg6+ Qg7 26. Nf6+ Rxf6 27. Qxe8+ $18) 24... Qg7 25. Qxg7+ Kxg7 26. Bc6 $18 {The rest is matter of technique. Adhiban had very good technique in this game and he capped it off with some very precise calculation.} h6 27. Nxe6+ Rxe6 28. Bxb5 Rb8 29. a4 a6 30. Bc4 Re1+ 31. Kg2 Rxb2 32. Bxa6 Rc1 33. Bc4 Rcxc2 34. Rxc2 Rxc2+ 35. Kf3 Kf6 36. a5 g5 37. a6 $1 Rc1 (37... gxh4 38. a7 $18) 38. Ng2 Ke5 39. Ne3 h5 $5 {Loses right away but good practical try, especially right before move 40.} (39... Ra1 {Would still be losing in the long run but would be a little bit more resiliant.} 40. g4 f4 41. Nf5 h5 42. Nh6 $18 {Will win eventually though.}) 40. Nc2 $1 {Very nice to find such a move, especially on move 40.} g4+ {Best practical chance} (40... Rxc2 41. a7 $18 {The pawn just queens since the a2 square is protected.}) 41. Ke3 $1 {Precise calculation} (41. hxg4 $6 fxg4+ 42. Ke3 Rf1 {Would still be winning for white but would allow the game to drag on a bit.}) 41... gxh3 42. a7 h2 43. a8=Q h1=Q 44. Qb8+ $1 {The only move that mates by force. Adhiban probably had to see this move in advance when he played 41)Ke3!} (44. Qe8+ $6 Kd6 45. Qd8+ Kc6 46. Kf4 $18 {Still wins but kf4 would be now the only move that wins by force, which is far from easy to find.}) 44... Kf6 45. Qf8+ Kg6 46. Bf7+ {Black resigned because after Kh7, Qg8+ Kh6 Qg6 mate, or Kf6 Bg8+ Kg6 Qf7+ Kg5 Qg7 mate or Kh6 Qf6 mate, or Kf6 Bg8+ Ke5 Qe7 mate.} 1-0

[Event "Tata Steel Masters"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.01.22"] [Round "8"] [White "Eljanov, Pavel"] [Black "Wojtaszek, Radoslaw"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B92"] [PlyCount "92"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {Welcome everyone! This is GM Aleksandr Lenderman and this is my game of the day for round 8. I also did brief analysis for nice wins by Adhiban against Andreikin and Rapport against Magnus Carlsen, but I chose this draw between Eljanov and Wojtaszek as my game of the day because I thought it was a very interesting sharp struggle and a true back and forth battle, rather than being a one-sided affair.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 { The Najdorf, in which Wojtaszek is one of the biggest specialists, along with many other top elite players.} 6. Be2 {A quiter way to play against the Najdorf.} (6. a3 $5 {This move has been tried earlier in the tournament by Sergey Karjakin against Pentala Harikrishna, which prompted Magnus Carlsen to try it against Wojtaszek, where Magnus ended up outplaying black, but it's clear that black could have improved on that game many different ways, so Eljanov doesn't want to test Wojtaszek here.}) 6... e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Be3 Be6 9. Nd5 Nbd7 10. Qd3 Bxd5 ({Another approach for black is} 10... O-O {I'm curious to know what white had in mind here.} 11. c4 {Maybe white should play some other way here.} (11. a4) (11. O-O) 11... b5 $1 {That's the point of not playing Bxd5, in order to use the c4 pawn as a hook.} 12. Nd2 Nc5 13. Bxc5 dxc5 14. b3 Bxd5 15. cxd5 Ne8 16. O-O Nd6 {With a complex game which ended up in black's favor.} 17. a4 Bg5 18. Nf3 Bf4 19. axb5 f5 20. Nd2 Qg5 21. Rad1 axb5 22. exf5 Ra3 23. Ne4 c4 24. Qc2 Qxf5 25. Qb2 Rxb3 26. Qxb3 cxb3 27. Nxd6 Qg6 28. Nxb5 e4 29. d6 b2 30. Nd4 Qxd6 31. Bc4+ Kh8 32. Ne6 Bxh2+ 33. Kh1 Rxf2 34. Ng5 Bg3 {0-1 (34) Anand,V (2796)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2773) London ENG 2015}) 11. exd5 O-O 12. a4 {Not strictly a novelty, but already sort of a new idea.} (12. O-O {Is a much more popular move here, after which there is a lot of theory here.} Nc5 $5 (12... Ne8 $5 {Is also possible with two ideas. One is to play for f5, and another is to try to trade off the dark squared bishops with bg5, since in the long-run the bishop on e7 is a bit passive, while white has a bishop pair advantage.} 13. a4 Bg5 14. a5 g6) 13. Nxc5 dxc5 14. c4 Qc7 { Leads to a non-standard game.}) 12... Rc8 (12... Ne8 $5 13. a5 Bg5 {I'm not sure if starting with Ne8 a move earlier would make a big difference.}) 13. a5 Ne8 $146 {Is this move according to my database is the first novelty, a very logical one though of course.} (13... Re8 {The only other game I found featured 13)...Re8.} 14. O-O Bf8 15. c4 g6 16. Nd2 h5 17. f4 $2 (17. h3 $14 { White should have at least some advantage though here. White has two bishops advantage and a strong space advantage on the queenside, while black doesn't have a really obvious plan here as far as I can see.}) 17... exf4 18. Bxf4 b6 19. b4 bxa5 20. bxa5 Nc5 21. Qf3 Nfd7 22. Bxd6 f5 23. Bxf8 Rxf8 24. Qf2 Qf6 25. Nf3 Rb8 26. Rab1 Ne4 27. Qa7 Rxb1 28. Rxb1 Nc3 29. Bd3 Nxb1 30. Qxd7 Nd2 31. Nxd2 Qd4+ 32. Kh1 Qxd3 {0-1 (32) Le Goff,D (2270)-Palac,M (2583) Cap d'Agde 2008}) 14. O-O Bg5 15. c4 f5 16. f3 (16. f4 {Stockfish also suggests this move but it's a very double-edged idea to give black the e5 square so easily.} exf4 17. Bxf4 Bxf4 18. Rxf4 Ne5 19. Qh3 g6 20. Nd4 Ng7 $132) 16... Bxe3+ 17. Qxe3 f4 $5 {A start of a very ambitious plan, perhaps either going for a kingside attack, or more likely just trying to get control of the e3 square.} (17... Qh4 {This move also seems playable.}) 18. Qf2 g5 {This move might already be a bit too ambitious and weakening.} (18... Rb8 $5 {This move would be a very nice profylaxis against Nd2 since black would suddenly open up the b-file and create immediate counterplay.} 19. Nd2 $6 (19. Nc1 $1 {After Nc1 though perhaps white is still better, but this move isn't so natural to play.} b6 20. axb6 Rxb6 21. Nd3 {Now because of the strong knight on d3, black's counterplay falls short.}) 19... b6 $132) (18... g6 {This was probably more solid, because in a lot of lines the g5 pawn isn't hanging.}) 19. Nd2 Ndf6 (19... Ng7 20. Ne4 Nf5 21. b4 $14 {Would also be better for white.} h6 22. Bd3 Nf6 (22... Ne3 $2 23. Nxd6) 23. Nxf6+ Rxf6 24. Bxf5 Rxf5 25. Rac1 $14 {White's pawns on the queenside will be more mobile and threatening than black's kingside pawns.}) 20. b4 Ng7 21. Ne4 $1 {But white got in his move, Ne4 just in time to interfere with black's plan. Therefore, possibly this plan didn't work out so well for black, and it's possible that Pavel Eljanov knew the neuances of the position a bit deeper than Wojtaszek in this game.} (21. Bd3 {Was also possible but maybe not as clear.} Qd7 {Stockfish says white is still better, but practically it's easier to play for black I think since black has ideas like nf5 and g4.}) 21... Nxe4 22. fxe4 g4 23. c5 $1 {White is a bit faster.} Qg5 24. c6 bxc6 $5 {I think best practical choice.} (24... g3 {This move also falls short.} 25. Qf3 $1 gxh2+ (25... Qh4 26. h3 {Is strategically hopeless for black.}) 26. Kh1 (26. Kxh2 $5) 26... Rc7 27. Rfc1 $16 {And white is in control. Black can't get anything going on the kingside. His knight on g7 isn't great, and white's bishop is a very useful defender and attacker at the same time.}) 25. Bxa6 g3 26. Qf3 Rc7 27. dxc6 gxh2+ 28. Kxh2 d5 $1 {At this point if black doesn't create immediate counterplay he will just lose slowly.} 29. exd5 Nf5 30. d6 $6 {Seemingly the idea of this move was probably to simplify the game but in fact this move does anything but :)} (30. Rae1 $1 { Seems like this move is cleaner.} Ng3 (30... Rf6 31. Rxe5 $18) (30... Nd4 31. Qe4 Rg7 32. d6 Qh6+ 33. Kg1 Qxd6 (33... f3 34. Bc4+ Kh8 35. Qxe5 Qd2 36. Rf2 Qxf2+ 37. Kxf2 fxg2+ 38. Ke3 Nc2+ 39. Kd2 Nxe1 40. Qxe1 g1=Q 41. Qxg1 Rxg1 42. d7 $18 {Picturesque position. Black has two extra rooks against white's lone bishop and pawns, but the rooks are helpless against the 4 monsterous pawns.}) 34. Bc4+ Kh8 35. Qxe5 $18 {Is an easy technical win.}) (30... Rg7 31. Rxe5) ( 30... Nh4 31. Qh3 Rf6 32. Kg1 Rh6 33. Be2) 31. Kg1 $1 {That's the key point. White is of course happy to sacrifise the exchange to eliminate black's main dynamic threat, his powerful knight.} Qh4 32. d6 {Is just winning. Black's attack doesn't work.} Rg7 33. Rxe5 Qh1+ 34. Kf2 Qh4 35. d7 $18) 30... Qh6+ 31. Qh3 Qxd6 32. Bc4+ {The most natural move, to get the bishop to defence and free up the passed pawns, with a tempo.} (32. b5 $5 {Maybe this move is playable but to leave the bishop like this on a6 and completely ignore the kingside is only possible for a computer to play like that.} Rf6 33. Rfd1 Nd4 { I think that in a practical game black has too much initiative even if the computer will miraculously defend.}) 32... Kh8 33. b5 $6 {Such a natural move but it seems like now black really gets too much initiative.} (33. Rfd1 $3 { It seems like only this very strong move keeps an advantage for white. But it's so hard to give up your pride and soul of the position, your beautiful passers. But the king safety is more important.} Qxb4 (33... Qxc6 34. Bd3 { Here black seems to get enough counterplay} (34. Rac1 $1 {This seems to be the key 2nd move to make the black queen commit.} Ne3 $6 (34... Qf6 35. Bd3 { And at least here white is able to get rid of that dangerous black knight on his terms.}) (34... Qg6 35. Bd3 Rcf7 36. Be4 $16) 35. Be2 $1 Qxc1 36. Rxc1 Rxc1 37. Qe6 $18) 34... Ne3 35. Rac1 Qd6 $1 36. Bxh7 $1 (36. Rxc7 Qxc7 37. Rc1 Qg7) 36... Ng4+ $1 37. Qxg4 Rxh7+ 38. Kg1 Qe7 39. Rc8 Qa7+ $1 40. Rc5 f3 $1 $132) ({ Even still black can play nd4 and ignore white's pawns. Though the key difference is, now white isn't forced to play b5} 33... Nd4 $1 34. a6 $1 Qxc6 35. a7 Rg7 $1 36. b5 Qa8 $1 {Black keeps making only moves, but now Rg3 is a huge threat.} 37. Rd3 f3 38. gxf3 Rxa7 {Finally black gets rid of the dangerous passers.} 39. Qg3 $1 {The only move to continue the battle for an advantage.} Re8 $1 {Only defence not to lose right away.} 40. Bd5 $1 Qb8 41. Rxa7 Qxa7 42. Qg5 Nxb5 43. Qf6+ Qg7 44. Qxg7+ Kxg7 45. Bc6 Re7 46. Bxb5 e4 47. fxe4 Rxe4 $14 {Wow! And after all that we end up with rook+bishop vs rook! :) Simply incredible game chess.}) 34. Be6 Nd4 35. a6 {White seems to have good winning chances here}) 33... Rg7 34. Rad1 Nd4 {This move is fine, but objectively 34)... qc5! might've been much tougher for white to deal with.} ( 34... Qc5 $1 {Might be stronger since here white seems to be under pressure and has to play only moves to survive.} 35. Bd3 (35. Be2 $6 Rg3 $3 36. Qh5 Rg6 $1 $40) 35... Ne3 36. Rc1 Nxf1+ (36... Qa3 $5 {Might be even stronger.} 37. c7 Nxf1+ 38. Rxf1 Rxc7 39. b6 Rg7 40. a6 e4 41. Bxe4 Qxa6 42. Rb1 f3 43. Bxf3 Qd3 44. Rd1 Qe3 45. b7 Rg6 46. Rb1 Rh6 47. b8=Q Rxh3+ 48. Kxh3 Rxb8 49. Rxb8+ Kg7 50. Rb7+ $11 {It's a sample computer line, which is not forced obviously, but shows how difficult it can be for both sides to play, and funnily enough end in a quiet position(fortress) :)}) 37. Rxf1 Rfg8 38. Kh1 e4 $1 39. Bxe4 Qxb5 40. Rxf4 Qxa5 {And I think if anyone is trying to win, it's black.}) 35. Rxd4 Qxd4 $1 (35... exd4 $2 36. Qe6 $18) 36. Qd3 Qc5 (36... Qb2 $5) 37. Rf3 Qe7 { At first chessbomb.com computer claims this move to be a mistake, but in fact it seems like this move is also objectively not bad.} (37... Rf6 $5 38. Qd8+ Rf8 39. Qd5 Qe7 {Would also be enough counterplay for a draw.}) 38. Bd5 (38. Qe4 Rg3 $1 {This idea chessbomb computer misses at a lower depth} 39. b6 (39. Rxg3 $4 fxg3+ 40. Kxg3 Rf4 $19) 39... Qg7 $3 {Here too black will have enough counterplay for a draw.}) 38... Qg5 $1 39. Rh3 Rd8 $6 {Objectively not the best move, but it worked out very well for black in the game, and a very nice practical try it turned out.} (39... f3 $1 {Objectively maybe this move gives black better chances.} 40. Bxf3 Rd8 {And now suddenly black generates some counterplay since he now attacks the queen, and the white queen doesn't have a very nice square to go to.} 41. Qf1 $1 {Seems like the only move that retains winning chances.} (41. Qc4 $2 Rd2 $1 {Is already a draw.}) (41. Qe4 $2 Rd4 42. c7 Rxc7 {This is equal also.}) 41... e4 $1 42. Be2 Rdg8 $1 43. g4 (43. g3 Qe5 $1 {The computer on chessbomb.com doesn't see this far! :)} 44. Qe1 (44. Qf2 e3 45. Qf3 Qe7 $3 {Sets up a nasty Rf7 threat} 46. Rh4 (46. b6 $2 Rf7) 46... Qd6 47. Rh3 Qe7 $11) 44... e3) 43... Qd2 $3 {With very serious counterplay. Black is still very much in the game.}) 40. b6 $2 {On the last move before the time control Pavel Eljanov made a heart breaking mistake which allows black to force a draw. He just needed to find one more move, and most likely the game would've been over.} (40. Qf3 $1 {This move would finish off black since now black has no more serious counterplay and white's pawns will be decisive.} e4 { Maybe this was what Pavel wasn't sure about but it turns out it's not nearly enough for black.} 41. Bxe4 Qxb5 {I guess Pavel saw up to here and didn't see a clear win here, and in fact it's not so obvious that there is a clear win here, while white just gave up an important b5 pawn. But it turns out black's king is just too exposed.} 42. Qc3 $1 $18 (42. c7 $5 {This move also wins but again, it's not so obvious} Rxc7 43. Qxf4 Rg7 44. Bxh7 $1 {And again, this shot is decisive.} Rxh7 45. Qf6+ Kg8 46. Qxd8+ $18) (42. Bxh7 {Finally this move also wins.} Rxh7 43. c7 {Transposing into the c7 and qc3 line.}) 42... Kg8 43. c7 $1 Rc8 44. Bxh7+ $3 {That's the point. It's the only winning move though.} Rxh7 (44... Kf7 45. Be4 $18 {Is also completely winning since the attack is unstoppable.}) 45. Rxh7 Kxh7 46. Qh3+ Kg7 47. Qxc8 {And white wins, since black has no perpetual check here.} Qh5+ 48. Qh3) 40... e4 41. Qxe4 f3 $1 {Possibly this move was missed by Eljanov. Now black deflects the queen to a worse square, f3, where it doesn't control the key e5 square. Therefore black will be able to give perpetual check.} (41... Rxd5 $4 42. c7 {Is possibly what Eljanov was counting on when he played 40)b6?}) 42. Qxf3 {Everything else loses. Here Eljanov probably realized that he's blown the win and spend some time to recover and just make sure he doesn't have some miraculous way still to win. But unfortunately for him now the win is gone, and in fact if he plays anything except for qxf3 he loses by force.} Rxd5 43. c7 Qe5+ 44. Rg3 Rxg3 45. Qxg3 (45. c8=Q+ $4 Rg8+ {Is of course a nice point.}) 45... Qh5+ 46. Qh3 (46. Kg1 $4 Qd1+ {And here black will either mate or win the queen by force.}) 46... Qe5+ {And the game ended in a nice fighting draw. This must be very heartbreaking to Pavel Eljanov, especially considering that in the previous round he was very close to beating Wesley So. Pavel Eljanov could've easily been a sole leader going into the rest day, and he has really played great fighting chess in this tournament. Hopefully Pavel can recover from these two difficult games and continue to play even better after the rest day.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "79th Tata Steel GpA"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"] [Date "2017.01.22"] [Round "8"] [White "Van Wely, L."] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, I."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D83"] [WhiteElo "2695"] [BlackElo "2767"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez,Alejandro"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "4k3/pK3p2/Pp3Bp1/6P1/7P/4b3/2R5/4r3 b - - 0 43"] [PlyCount "62"] [EventDate "2017.01.13"] {[#]} 43... b5 44. Rb2 (44. Rc8+ $1 Kd7 45. Rd8+ Ke6 46. Bc3 $1 {The only clear win!} (46. Bd4 Rd1 47. Re8+ Kd7 48. Rxe3 Rxd4 49. Kxa7 Kc7 {is not completely clear yet.}) 46... Re2 (46... Ke7 47. Rd5 Re2 48. Bd4 $1 Bxd4 49. Rxd4 {and with the king cut off from the queenside the pawn simply marches forward.}) 47. Bd4 Rd2 48. Re8+ Kd7 49. Bxe3 {and now the rook on d2 is under attack!}) 44... Kd7 {Now Black's king is in the game and despite his best efforts, there is no way through for White.} 45. Rxb5 Rd1 46. Be5 Ke6 47. Bb8 f6 48. Rb3 Bg1 49. gxf6 Kxf6 50. Rb5 Be3 51. Bc7 Rd3 52. Be5+ Ke6 53. Bh2 Kf6 54. Bc7 Ke6 55. Bb8 Kf6 56. Bg3 Rd7+ 57. Kc6 Rd3 58. Bd6 Bf2 59. Bb8 Rc3+ 60. Kb7 Rd3 61. Bf4 Rd7+ 62. Kc6 Rd3 63. Bb8 Rc3+ 64. Kb7 Rd3 65. Rb1 Rd2 66. Ka8 Ra2 67. Rf1 Ke6 68. Bxa7 Bxh4 69. Kb7 Rb2+ 70. Kc6 Ra2 71. Kb5 Rb2+ 72. Kc6 Ra2 73. Kb7 Rb2+ 74. Kc6 1/2-1/2

[Event "79th Tata Steel GpB"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"] [Date "2017.01.22"] [Round "8"] [White "Guramishvili, S."] [Black "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A40"] [WhiteElo "2370"] [BlackElo "2612"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez,Alejandro"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "6k1/p1Q3p1/7p/2P5/4Pp2/P2rnP2/1P1r2PP/2R1K3 w - - 0 31"] [PlyCount "11"] [EventDate "2017.01.13"] {[#]} 31. c6 Kh7 $1 (31... Nxg2+ 32. Kf1 Rxf3+ 33. Kg1 {lets the king escape.}) 32. Qa5 (32. Qe5 Rxg2 33. Qxf4 Rb3 $1 {setting up the unusual perpetual with Rg1-g2.}) 32... Rxg2 33. c7 Rd1+ {Fancy and forcing, but not the only move.} ( 33... Rd6 34. c8=Q Rg1+ 35. Ke2 Rg2+ $11) 34. Rxd1 Nc2+ 35. Kf1 Ne3+ 36. Ke1 1/2-1/2