[Event "Russian Superfinal 2013"] [Site "Novgorod, Russia"] [Date "2013.10.13"] [Round "8"] [White "Goganov, A."] [Black "Motylev, A."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B07"] [WhiteElo "2575"] [BlackElo "2676"] [Annotator "Friedel,Joshua"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] 1. d4 d6 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. Nf3 e5 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. a4 c6 8. a5 Rb8 9. Qe2 Qc7 10. Be3 b5 11. axb6 axb6 12. d5 b5 13. Ra7 Bb7 14. dxc6 bxc4 15. cxd7 Qxd7 16. Qxc4 Rfc8 17. Qd3 h6 {At this point, White is up a pawn for dubious compensation at best, but the game took an unusual turn.} 18. Nh4 $2 { I'm not a believer in this kingside escapade.} (18. Nd2 {looks simple, solid, and strong.}) 18... Bf8 19. f4 $2 {This is consistent, but as is often the case when pursuing the wrong path, consistency is not a positive quality.} (19. f3 {was probably best, solidifying the center, but there is no way White would play Nh4 with the intention of following it up with f3.}) 19... Ng4 $2 (19... Qc6 $1 {was possible now, and I'm unsure how White will defend this e4 pawn.} 20. Nf5 (20. fxe5 dxe5 {only helps out Black's dark-squared bishop.}) 20... Ra8 (20... Nxe4 21. Rxb7 Rxb7 22. Nxe4 {is less clear.}) 21. Rxa8 Rxa8 {and I think Black is just better, as the e4 pawn is extremely weak and Black's pieces have a lot of active potential.}) 20. Nf5 Nxe3 $6 {Once again, consistency is not a virtue.} (20... Qc6 {was best even here, with the point that it isn't so easy for White to find a move.}) 21. Nxe3 exf4 (21... Qc7 { was better, trying to bring the queen to the g1-a7 diagonal and discourage a knight from hopping onto the d5 square.}) 22. Rxf4 (22. Ned5 $1 {was more accurate, as it shuts down Black's options of d5 and ra8.}) 22... d5 {I'm not sure this move is good objectively, but it is an understandable practical try.} (22... Ra8 {was the main alternative, but after} 23. Rxa8 Rxa8 24. Ncd5 {White is clearly in charge.}) 23. Ncxd5 Rd8 {This couldn't have been his intention.} (23... Bc5 {was the first idea that came to my mind, which automatically makes it suspect, but there is some chance Motylev had some idea like this as well.} 24. Nf6+ {No, I didn't miss this move.} gxf6 25. Qxd7 Bxe3+ 26. Kh1 Bxa7 (26... Bxf4 27. Rxb7 {is simply lost for Black.}) 27. Rg4+ Kh8 28. Qd2 $1 {Yes, this one I missed, although Qxf7 is perfectly sufficient as well.} Kh7 29. Rh4 { with mate to follow.}) (23... Qd6 {is best according to the infernal machine, though after} 24. g3 Qe5 25. b4 {it is clear Black won't have enough.}) 24. b4 {Once White takes away the c5 square, Black's counterplay is limited. The rest should be fairly straightforward.} Qe6 25. c3 Rd7 26. Ra1 Re8 27. Rd1 Kh8 28. Nf5 Qe5 29. Rff1 g6 30. Nxh6 $1 {Nicely calculated.} Bxd5 (30... Bxh6 31. Qh3) 31. Ng4 Qg5 32. Qh3+ Qh5 33. Qxh5+ gxh5 34. Nf6 Bc6 35. Nxd7 Bg7 36. Nf6 Rc8 37. Rf5 Bh6 38. Rxh5 Kg7 39. Ng4 Bf4 40. Rc5 Bb8 41. Kh1 1-0

[Event "Russian Superfinal 2013"] [Site "Novgorod, Russia"] [Date "2013.10.13"] [Round "8"] [White "Kramnik, V."] [Black "Karjakin, S."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E06"] [WhiteElo "2795"] [BlackElo "2762"] [Annotator "Friedel,Joshua"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Nc3 Nbd7 7. b3 c6 8. O-O b6 9. Bb2 Ba6 10. Nd2 Rc8 11. e4 dxe4 12. Re1 c5 13. Ndxe4 cxd4 14. Qxd4 Nc5 15. Qe3 Qc7 16. Nxc5 Bxc5 17. Qf3 Rfd8 18. Ne2 Qe7 19. Rad1 Rxd1 20. Rxd1 Rd8 21. Rxd8+ Qxd8 22. Nd4 {It has been a tense and high quality struggle thus far. Don't let the innocuous appearance of these positions fool you - they require precision!} h5 $1 {Karjakin correctly assesses that this is the best way to provide counterplay. He gives his king luft and allows for Ng4 ideas.} 23. Qa8 Bc8 {Once again, best. The self-pin looks rather unusual, but Black will get counterplay using the powerful bishop on c5.} (23... Qxa8 24. Bxa8 {is what Kramnik was hoping for, and Black will have to struggle for the draw here. White's plan is to play Kg2 followed by an eventual Nc6, and if Black takes on d4 then he will suffer for a long time against the bishops.}) 24. Bf3 {This move is quite understandable, covering the g4 and d1 squares.} (24. h3 Bxd4 25. Bxd4 Qxd4 26. Qxc8+ Kh7 {doesn't looks like much.}) 24... Kh7 25. Ne2 { Otherwise Black was going to snap off the knight.} Ng4 (25... Qd1+ 26. Kg2 Ng4 {was even more precise, preventing the idea White played in the game.}) 26. Bd4 $1 Bxd4 27. Qe4+ f5 28. Qxd4 {Now Black has to be cautious again, as the c-pawn must be treated with caution and there are potential weaknesses.} Qe7 29. Nf4 $1 {The only real try for advantage.} e5 30. Nd5 Qd6 31. Qd2 (31. Qc3 { was a better square for the queen, which now supports the advance of the c-pawn, and I think White is slightly better.}) 31... g6 32. b4 Kg7 {Accurate play, planning Nf6.} 33. Qc1 Nf6 {It is slightly inaccurate here, however.} ( 33... Be6 {first was better, as now c5 can't really be played.} 34. c5 (34. a3 $11) 34... bxc5 35. bxc5 Qc6 {with an annoying pin.}) 34. c5 bxc5 35. bxc5 (35. Nxf6 {was simpler, and now after} Kxf6 36. bxc5 {White's c-pawn should present some difficulties, though with accurate play Black should hold of course.}) 35... Qc6 36. Qc3 e4 {and here Nxf6 isn't an option.} 37. Nb4 (37. Nxf6 Qxf6 { and after the queen trade Black will be better due to his superior king.}) 37... Qe6 38. Be2 a5 39. Nc2 Qxa2 {Now the position is still complicated but White isn't better. In fact, I think accuracy is required by both sides now.} 40. c6 Qb1+ 41. Kg2 h4 {The c-pawn is a potential hazard, not to mention that Black's king isn't the happiest camper. The reason why it is drawn is because White's king can be made to feel uncomfortable as well.} 42. Qc5 f4 43. Qe7+ Kh6 44. Qf8+ {White opts for a perpetual instead of getting checkmated.} Kh7 45. Qf7+ Kh6 46. Qf8+ Kh7 47. Qf7+ Kh6 48. Qf8+ {A very high quality and entertaining game!} 1/2-1/2