Dortmund Rd7: Caruana first, So second

[Event "43rd GM 2015"] [Site "Dortmund GER"] [Date "2015.07.05"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Nisipeanu, Liviu-Dieter"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C52"] [WhiteElo "2654"] [BlackElo "2805"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2015.06.27"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 {In the comments section to the ChessBase report of round six, a user by the name of Omoplata wrote, "The decisive last game Nisipeanu-Caruana hopefully won't be a bitter disappointment like Topalov-Anand in Norway." I am sure you remember the 15 odd move theoretical draw whether neither tried hard. Nisipeanu was going to have nothing of that. By playing the Evan's Gambit he had made his intentions clear. It was a do or die game for him. Winning it would mean a clear first in Dortmund. A good enough inspiration!} Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 d6 (6... exd4 7. O-O {leads to exciting positions where White is ready to sacrifice as many as three pawns. Robert Fischer- Rueben Fine is one of the classics in this line.}) 7. Qb3 (7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Qxd8+ Nxd8 9. Nxe5 Be6 $11 {gives Black a very comfortable position.}) 7... Qd7 (7... Qe7 {might seem more natural as it doesn't block the c8 bishop but after} 8. d5 Nd4 9. Nxd4 (9. Qa4+ Qd7 10. Qxa5 Nc2+ $13) 9... exd4 10. Qa4+ Bd7 11. Qxa5 Qxe4+ 12. Kd1 $13 {The position is interesting and White is not worse.}) 8. dxe5 (8. O-O {is another way to play. A line of play could possibly go something like this:} Bb6 9. Bb5 a6 10. Ba4 Ba7 11. d5 $2 ( 11. Bxc6 Qxc6 12. dxe5 dxe5 13. Nxe5 Qe6 $15 {is also better for Black.}) 11... b5 12. dxc6 Qxc6 $19) 8... Bb6 9. a4 Na5 10. Qa2 Nxc4 11. Qxc4 Ne7 12. Ba3 $2 { At this point it would a good question to ask whether Nisipeanu knew about the top level battle between Nakamura and Anand which occured in December 2014. In a way that game showed that White has nothing at all in this line. Yet Nisipeanu repeats it in this all important game. The fact that he thought for 8 minutes and 53 seconds for this move clearly shows that he hadn't prepared anything special here.} (12. exd6 cxd6 13. O-O O-O 14. Qd3 Ng6 15. a5 Bc5 16. Be3 Re8 17. Nbd2 Bxe3 18. Qxe3 d5 19. Rfe1 dxe4 20. Nxe4 Qe7 21. Nd6 Qxe3 22. fxe3 Rd8 23. Red1 Rb8 24. Rd4 Be6 25. c4 b6 26. axb6 axb6 27. Ra7 h6 28. h3 Ra8 29. Rb7 Rdb8 30. Rc7 Ra5 31. Kh2 Rc5 32. Ra7 Kf8 33. g4 Ra5 34. Rc7 Rc5 35. Ra7 Ra5 36. Rc7 {1/2-1/2 (36) Nakamura,H (2775)-Anand,V (2793) London 2014}) 12... O-O {A very practical choice by Fabiano. But he had a few more forcing moves at his disposal like} (12... d5 13. exd5 Qxd5 {When White is struggling with his broken pawn structure.}) 13. O-O Re8 (13... Ng6 14. exd6 cxd6 15. Rd1 Qg4 $1 {Ne5 is a huge threat now.} 16. h3 (16. Rxd6 $2 Nf4 17. Qf1 Nh3+ 18. Kh1 Nxf2+ $19) 16... Ne5 17. hxg4 Nxc4 $15 {With a clearly better position for Black.}) 14. exd6 cxd6 15. Rd1 Qc6 16. Nbd2 Be6 17. Qxc6 Nxc6 18. Bxd6 {So White has won a pawn. But look at the Black pieces. They are perfectly positioned. White pawns are isolated and weak. Add to the fact that he has the bishop pair, I would say that Caruana has excellent compensation.} Rad8 19. Bb4 (19. e5 f6 $1 $15 {Would have been difficult to counter.}) 19... Rd3 20. a5 Bc7 21. Nf1 Rxd1 (21... Red8 {looks natural but allows White to equalise after} 22. Rxd3 Rxd3 23. Ne3 {When it's not clear what Black's next plan should be.}) 22. Rxd1 Nxa5 $15 {The pawn has been won back and all the advantages have been retained.} 23. Nd4 Nc4 $1 {One of Caruana's and also an excellent quality of the top players in the world is that they know exactly when to trade one advantage for another. They are not attached to one particular advantage. For example here, the bishop pair was Black's big advantage, but Fabiano is ready to give up his e6 bishop. He realises that it is much more important to get the knight to c4 who then help him to get his a-pawn rolling down the board.} 24. Nxe6 Rxe6 25. Rd7 Rc6 (25... Bb6 26. Rxb7 h5 $15 {would also have given Black the advantage in spite of being a pawn down.}) 26. Ng3 g6 27. Ne2 a5 $1 { No time to waste!} 28. Nd4 {This was White's idea with getting his knight from f1-g3-e2. But Caruana had seen a move further here.} axb4 $1 29. Nxc6 b3 $1 30. Rxc7 (30. Nb4 b2 31. Rd1 Nd2 $19) (30. Na7 $5 {was relatively best but after} b2 31. Rd1 {Black has to find} Bf4 $1 ({The natural} 31... Nd2 $2 {is a mistake because of} 32. Nb5 $1 $11) 32. Rb1 Bc1 $19 {With Nd2 to follow.}) 30... Nd6 $1 {A very nice finish to the game. White is a rook up but can do absolultey nothing to stop the b-pawn from queening. It is quite possible that we could criticize Nisipeanu for choosing the Evan's Gambit. But I think the problem here was not with the opening choice but with the fact that the Nisipeanu could not come up with an improvement to the game Nakamura-Anand. As for Caruana, he played a fine game making absolutely no mistakes and winning the tournament. And guess what, with 11 Elo points gained, he is back to 2808!} 0-1

[Event "43rd GM 2015"] [Site "Dortmund GER"] [Date "2015.07.05"] [Round "7.2"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2778"] [BlackElo "2783"] [Annotator "Sagar Shah"] [PlyCount "151"] [EventDate "2015.06.27"] {Wesley had been having a topsy turvy tournament in Dortmund. Wins against Caruana and Nepo were compensated by losses against Nisipeanu and Naiditsch. But his final round victory against Kramnik would have been especially sweet because he beat the former World Champion in his favourite Berlin Defence.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. h3 Ne7 10. Nc3 Bd7 {Kramnik uses a line that has only been played ten times in the past and one in which Black players haven't scored a win. But it was never been tried by a 2700+ player.} (10... Ng6 {is the main move.}) (10... h6 {is the second most played move in the position.}) 11. Ng5 $146 {This is a new move in the position. A clear indication that this was not prepared by Wesley is the fact that he used seven and a half minutes for this move.} Ke8 12. e6 $5 {Played after 20 minutes of thought. Wesley definitely was trying to weigh the pros and cons of this sacrifice. On one hand he loses a pawn but on the other he get a very nice initiative and squares like e4 for his knight.} Bxe6 (12... fxe6 13. Re1 Nf5 14. Nxe6 Bxe6 15. Rxe6+ Kf7 16. Re5 $11 {was also a possible line.}) 13. Nxe6 fxe6 14. Re1 Kf7 {The computer already likes Black's position but in a practical game things are not so simple. So would like to place his knight on e4 and create some problems for the king on f7.} 15. Ne4 h6 {Of course, preventing Ng5.} 16. Rd1 {Nine and a half minutes for this move. It would definitely not have been easy for Wesley to play this move. But he realises that the d-file is more important than the e-file.} e5 (16... Nd5 17. c4 Nf6 18. Nxf6 Kxf6 19. Bd2 (19. Rd7 Bd6 $15) 19... Bd6 20. Bc3+ e5 $11 {Black doesn't have too many problems here.}) 17. Rd7 Rc8 18. Bd2 b6 {After the c5 square is controlled, Black now threatens K to e6.} ( 18... Ke6 $2 19. Nc5+ $14) 19. Re1 Ke6 20. Rd3 c5 ({Maybe it's not such a huge inaccuracy to play c5, but it made more sense to play g5 followed by Bg7 to finish the development.} 20... g5 {and with this move Black also prevents the move f4.}) 21. f4 Nc6 22. Rg3 Re8 (22... Nd4 23. c3 Nf5 24. Rg4 $13) 23. fxe5 g5 (23... Nxe5 24. Bc3 Kd5 {The king looks pretty cool in the center of the board. Unlike Bruzon's king against Wei Yi, this one is way safer!} 25. Nd2 c4 $13) 24. h4 Bg7 25. hxg5 Bxe5 26. Rf3 hxg5 27. Bxg5 $6 {The game had reached the pinnacle of excitement with both players making excellent moves. Here Bxg5 is not the most accurate. Better would have been} (27. Nf6 $5 Ref8 28. Bxg5 Nd4 $2 (28... Rf7 $142) 29. Rxe5+ Kxe5 30. Nd7+ Kd6 31. Rxf8 Rh5 $1 32. Nxc5 $1 bxc5 (32... Rxg5 $2 33. Ne4+ $16) 33. Bf6 Nxc2 34. g4 $14) 27... Bd4+ $1 28. Nf2+ Kd5 29. Rd1 Rhg8 (29... Ne5 $5) 30. Bf4 Re2 $5 {Kramnik might have assessed the piece sacrifice in his favour. Objectively White should be better but practically it's easier to play as Black as the pawns on the queenside just have to be pushed whereas So has to find the accurate setup of pieces.} ( 30... Kc4 $1 31. c3 Be5 $11 {Black has absolutely no problems here.}) 31. c3 Rxb2 32. cxd4 Nxd4 33. Be3 (33. Ra3 $5 {would have been definitely preferable to retain the a2 pawn.}) 33... Rxa2 34. Rf4 Ra4 35. Ne4 Kc6 36. Nc3 Ra3 37. Bxd4 cxd4 38. Ne2 d3 39. Rf3 Ra2 (39... dxe2 40. Rc1+ $18) 40. Nf4 d2 41. Kf2 b5 42. Rc3+ Kb7 43. Nd5 Rg7 44. Rb3 a6 45. Nb4 Ra4 46. Rxd2 {White has won an important pawn but now the c-pawn moves ahead with a few tempi.} c5 47. Nd5 Rd7 {The game is still nicely balanced. It is interesting to see how top two players in the world are actually playing this weird material balance to the best of their abilities.} 48. Rf3 Re4 49. Rf6 Ka7 50. Rd3 c4 51. Rh3 Rd4 52. Nb4 R4d6 53. Rhh6 Rxf6+ 54. Rxf6 Rd2+ 55. Kf3 a5 (55... Kb7 56. Nxa6 (56. Rxa6 $2 Rb2 $15) 56... c3 57. Nc5+ Kc7 58. Ke3 Rxg2 $11) 56. Ra6+ Kb7 57. Rxa5 Kb6 58. Ra2 Rd7 (58... Rd8 {maybe it was better to prevent the rook infiltration to a8.}) 59. Ra8 Kc5 60. Nc2 $16 {The knight and the rook have now started to co-ordinate really well. The knight prevents, the black king from entering the position and the White rook will start checking from behind. A deadly combo.} Rc7 61. Rf8 $1 c3 62. Rf5+ Kb6 63. g4 $18 {The queenside pawns have been blockaded and the g-pawn marches ahead!} Ka5 64. g5 Ka4 65. Ke3 Rd7 66. g6 b4 67. Rf4 Kb3 68. Nxb4 Re7+ 69. Re4 Rg7 70. Rg4 Re7+ 71. Kf3 Rg7 72. Nc6 Rg8 73. g7 c2 74. Nd4+ Kc4 75. Nxc2+ Kd5 76. Rg6 {A beautiful game by both sides. Firstly So for finding this brilliant idea with Ng5 and e6 to sacrifice a pawn for initiative in the opening. Then Kramnik who sacrificed a pieces for this mass of queenside pawns. And in the end, So for using his knight and rooks so well to keep things under control. An absolute world class contest.} 1-0

[Event "43rd GM 2015"] [Site "Dortmund GER"] [Date "2015.07.05"] [Round "7.3"] [White "Hou, Yifan"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B92"] [WhiteElo "2676"] [BlackElo "2720"] [PlyCount "125"] [EventDate "2015.06.27"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "GER"] [EventCategory "19"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Qd3 Be6 10. Nd5 Bxd5 11. exd5 Nbd7 12. Bd2 a5 13. a4 Qc7 14. Rfd1 Rfc8 15. Rac1 g6 16. h3 Bf8 17. Qf3 Bg7 18. Bb5 Nc5 19. Nxc5 Qxc5 20. Bg5 Nh5 21. c3 f5 22. g4 fxg4 23. hxg4 Nf4 24. Bxf4 exf4 25. Re1 Be5 26. Rcd1 Rd8 27. Qd3 Qc8 28. f3 Qc5+ 29. Kg2 Rac8 30. Rxe5 dxe5 31. d6 Kg7 32. d7 Rc7 33. Qe4 Qe7 34. Rd5 Rc5 35. Rxc5 Qxc5 36. Qxb7 Qd6 37. Qe4 Kf8 38. Qe1 Qe7 39. b4 axb4 40. cxb4 {[#] Black is understandably worried that if he just plays passively, White will work a way to advance the queenside pawns and win the game, so he decides to play actively.} h5 41. gxh5 Qg5+ 42. Kf1 gxh5 43. Qe4 Ke7 44. Qh7+ Kd6 45. Qc2 Ke7 46. Qc5+ Kf6 47. Qd6+ Kg7 48. Bc4 Qf6 49. Be6 e4 50. fxe4 f3 51. Qg3+ Kh8 52. Bf5 Qc3 53. Kf2 Qd4+ 54. Kxf3 Rg8 55. Qe1 Qd3+ 56. Kf4 Qd6+ 57. Kf3 Qd3+ 58. Kf2 Qd4+ {This position seems clear but White misses a chance to make Black work a little hard for the point.} 59. Qe3 (59. Ke2 $1 {was much less clear. The engines say it is still equal, after a long thought, but there is nothing easy about this for Black.}) 59... Qb2+ 60. Kf1 Qb1+ 61. Kf2 Qb2+ 62. Kf1 Qb1+ 63. Kf2 1/2-1/2

[Event "43rd GM 2015"] [Site "Dortmund GER"] [Date "2015.07.05"] [Round "7.4"] [White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Black "Meier, Georg"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2722"] [BlackElo "2654"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "6k1/p3qr1p/1p1p2p1/2pP1bR1/2n2N1P/P1P3Q1/8/5RK1 b - - 0 36"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2015.06.27"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "GER"] [EventCategory "19"] 36... Qe3+ $2 (36... Nd2 {attacking the rook on f1, followed by} 37. Rd1 Ne4 { with a double attack was winning.}) 37. Qxe3 Nxe3 38. Re1 Ng4 39. h5 {A mistake that allows Black to capture the exchange once more.} Ne5 $2 (39... Kg7 {followed by Kf6 and the rook on g5 has nowhere to go.}) 40. Rg3 Kg7 41. Rf1 Re7 42. Ng2 Bd7 43. Nh4 Bg4 44. Rf4 Bd7 45. Nf3 b5 $2 (45... Nd3 $1 {and suddenly White is out of good moves. For example,} 46. Rh4 Nc1 $1 {and there is no defense against Ne2+, which will win either the exchange or the pawn on c3.}) 46. Ng5 Bf5 47. a4 a6 48. a5 Nc4 49. Nf3 Bb1 50. Ng5 Bf5 51. Nf3 Be4 52. h6+ Kxh6 53. Rh3+ Kg7 54. Ng5 Bf5 55. Rxh7+ Kf6 56. Rxe7 Kxe7 57. Ne4 Nxa5 { Here again, it is not even a question of missing a shot. Black's material advantage is simply too much. Or should be.} 58. Rh4 Bxe4 59. Rxe4+ Kd7 $2 { Why give the g-pawn?} (59... Kf7 $1 {and} 60. Re6 {is not a threat due to} Nc4) 60. Rg4 Nc4 61. Rxg6 a5 $2 (61... Kc7 {was the obvious move, so that Rg7+ can be replied with Kb6}) 62. Rg7+ Kc8 63. Kf2 b4 (63... a4 {was still winning, with} 64. Ke2 Nb6 {and d5 cannot be protected since} 65. Rg5 Kb7 66. Kd3 b4 { is crushing.}) 64. cxb4 cxb4 65. Ke2 Nb6 66. Kd3 a4 67. Ra7 b3 68. Ra5 Nd7 69. Kc3 Nc5 70. Kb2 Kb7 71. Ka3 Kb6 72. Ra8 Kb7 73. Rh8 Kb6 74. Rh6 Kc7 75. Rh7+ Kb6 76. Rh6 Kc7 77. Rh7+ 1/2-1/2