Durban GM brings fourteen grandmasters

[Event "Open Tournament"] [Site "?"] [Date "2014.09.25"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Brunello Sabino (ITA)"] [Black "Gupta Abhijeet (IND)"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D85"] [PlyCount "105"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Be3 Qa5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. Rb1 a6 11. Rc1 cxd4 12. cxd4 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 e6 14. d5 exd5 15. exd5 Ne5 ({In a high-profile blitz game, Levon Aronian beat Nepomniatchi with 14.d5 and play continued} 15... Ne7 16. Bc4 Nf5 (16... O-O 17. Bc5 Bh6+ 18. Kc3 Bxc1 19. Rxc1 Re8 20. Re1 Nxd5+ 21. Bxd5 Rxe1 22. Nxe1 Be6 23. Bxb7 Rb8 24. Bxa6 Bxa2 25. Nd3 h5 26. Nb4 Be6 27. Bd4 Kh7 28. Nd3 Rb3+ 29. Kd2 Ra3 30. Bb7 Ra2+ 31. Nb2 Ra5 32. f4 Bd5 33. Bxd5 Rxd5 34. Ke3 Ra5 35. Nd3 { 1-0 (70) Holzke,F (2506)-Ftacnik,L (2570) Germany 2012}) 17. Bc5 Bh6+ 18. Kc3 Bxc1 19. Rxc1 f6 20. Re1+ Kd7 21. Re6 b5 22. Bb3 a5 23. g4 b4+ 24. Kd2 Nh6 25. Ba4+ Kc7 26. Re7+ Kd8 27. d6 Ra6 28. Bb5 Nxg4 {1-0 (28) Aronian,L (2801) -Nepomniachtchi,I (2720) Moscow 2010}) 16. Nxe5 Bxe5 17. g3 O-O 18. Bg2 Bd6 { [#] This is a key position. Black wants to neutralize the d5 pawn and if possible capture it, while White wants to use it to hamper Black's play, and use the space to force concessions. The engines say it is equal, and while it may be, Black's lack of development and space makes it less comfortable.} 19. Bc5 $1 {An excellent decision since it is easily Black's best piece. Not only does it blockade the d-pawn, but it also prevents penetration to c7 or other dark squares.} Rd8 20. Rhe1 Kf8 21. Kd3 Bxc5 22. Rxc5 Bf5+ 23. Kd4 Rd7 24. a4 Rb8 25. Re3 b6 $2 {No one likes to be stuck behind the trenches passively waiting for the opponent to show his hand, but that is what he needed to do. The text move creates a nasty weakness that immediately tips the balance in White's favor.} 26. Rc6 $1 b5 27. a5 b4 {Forced} ({Trying to protect the a-pawn with} 27... Ra8 {fails to} 28. Kc5 Raa7 29. d6 {and it is clear that Black is lost.}) 28. Rb3 Re8 29. Bf3 {Preventing any shenanigans such as Re2.} Re1 30. Rxb4 {White is up a pawn and is eyeballing the a6 pawn to create a second passer.} Be6 31. Kc5 Bh3 32. Rxa6 ({The immediate} 32. d6 $1 {was more precise since now} Rc1+ {fails to} 33. Rc4) 32... Rc1+ 33. Kd4 ({The difference is that now} 33. Rc4 {cannot be played due to} Rxc4+ 34. Kxc4 Bf1+ 35. Kc5 Bxa6) 33... Rc2 34. Ra4 Rxf2 35. Ke3 Rb2 36. d6 ({Low on time, White misses} 36. Rb6 Re7+ 37. Be4 {and the speeding a-pawn will decide things quickly}) 36... Rb3+ 37. Kf2 Rb2+ 38. Ke1 Bg2 39. Bxg2 Rxg2 40. Rb6 Rd8 41. Kd1 $1 {An important precision. Why?} ({Because carelessly shoving} 41. a6 $4 { would let Black slip through the cracks with} Rc8 $1 {and White must play} 42. Kd1 {to prevent Rc1 mate, and now} Rcc2 {ensures a draw.}) 41... Rc8 42. d7 { Sorry, your time has run out.} Rd8 43. Rb7 Rg1+ 44. Kd2 Rg2+ 45. Kd3 Rg1 46. a6 Rc1 47. a7 Rcc8 48. Ke4 Ra8 49. Kd5 Ke7 50. Kc6 f5 51. Ra2 g5 52. Re2+ Kf6 53. Re8 1-0