Russian Superfinal Rd1-2: An inspiring start

by Albert Silver
10/18/2016 – The Russian Championship Superfinal to determine the Russian Champion for both men and women is currently running in Novosibirsk, Russia, and as usual, is the strongest national championship there is, even with the absence of names such as Kramnik or Karjakin. Peter Svidler leads the men’s lineup with Grischuk, Tomashevsky and others, while Kosteniuk and Gunina top the women’s rankings. With exciting games from the start, this report includes detailed analysis by GM Jonathan Speelman.
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Opening

Opening photos by A. Ziler

The opening ceremony of the Russian Superfinal took place on October 15 in Novosibirsk. The organizers of the event are Russian Chess Federation, Chess Federation of Novosibirsk Region, Elena and Gennady Timchenko Charitable Foundation, government of Novosibirsk Region, and office of mayor of Novosibirsk. RATM Holding is a general partner of the Superfinal.

After the presentations by the powers that be...

...came performances inspired by Alice Through the Looking Glass.

They featured Anna Ardova and other actors of Chamber Theater and other theaters of Novosibirsk

The actual drawing of lots involved a surprise element...

... A robot! As Chief Arbiter Maxim Ivakhin read out loud last names of the participants, the robot, utilizing its random number generator, assigned them a starting number.

Rounds one and two

Photos by Eteri Kublashvili

The opening round brought enormous excitement as fans and media came to watch

Peter Svidler always seems to shine especially brightly in the Russian Championship. His first round game against Ernesto Inarkiev was further confirmation as he went for the jugular.

Peter Svidler - Ernesto Inarkiev

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Bc4 Qd6 There is practically no theory on this sideline labeled Berlin by the computer. Even here, only four games can be found, albeit GM games. 8.Qe2 0-0 9.Nbd2 a5 10.Ng5 Qe7 10...Bf5 11.Nde4 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.dxe4 Nd8 14.Bd2 c6 15.a4 Ne6 16.Rd1 Qe7 17.g3 Rad8 18.0-0 Rd7 19.Bc1 Rfd8 20.Rxd7 Rxd7 21.Kg2 g6 22.Bh6 Qf6 23.Qg4 Rd8 24.Bxe6 Qxe6 25.Qxe6 fxe6 26.Kf3 Kf7 27.Ke2 Rd7 28.h4 Bf8 29.Be3 1/2-1/2 (81) Topalov,V (2761)-Aronian,L (2792) Saint Louis 2016 11.Nde4 Bd6 12.a4 h6 13.h4! Although predictable, and thematic, this move is also very strong. Beyond its obvious threat that prevents the knight from being captured, it also promises a strong f3-g4 at the right moment. Nd8 The immediate tactical idea is obviously 13...hxg5 14.hxg5 Ng4 15.Qf3 followed by Qg3-h4 and a world of pain on the h-file. 14.Qf3 Ng4 15.Qe2 The engines propose the curious switch in plans with 15.b3 with the idea of Kh8 16.Nxd6 cxd6 17.Ba3 followed by Ne4 and pressure on the d6 pawn. Still, one suspects that Svidler had a more gory idea in mind with regicide at the end. 15...Kh8 16.f3 Nf6 17.Nxf6 Qxf6 18.g4 Ne6? Black needed to play 18...Qe7 to free the queen from the discovered checks after an eventual hxg5. 19.Qe4 Nxg5 Covering h7 with 19...g6 loses material after 20.Nxe6 Bxe6 21.Bxh6 Rfe8 22.Bg5 Qg7 23.Bxe6 Rxe6 24.h5! 20.hxg5 Qe7
Svidler misses a brilliant shot to finish the game, but the line is anything but obvious. Can you do better? White to play and win.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Svidler,P2745Inarkiev,E27321–02016C65Superfinal 69th RUS-ch Men 20161

Alexander Riazentsev also had a sparking start as he defeated Dmitry Bocharov

Alexander Riazentsev - Dmitry Bocharov (Annotations by GM Jonathan Speelman)

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In this fine attacking game from the first round of the Russian Championship superfinal Alexander Riazantsev put Dmitry Bocharov, the top local player form Novosibirsk to the sword. After Riazantsev played a slightly unusal line of the Rubinstein Nimzo, Bocharov reacted rather indifferently and Riazantsev emerged with a lead in development and ready made attack against the black king. The white square finish was striking. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 This the Rubinstein Variation was for many years the main line though currently it's perhaps slightly less popular than Capablanca's 4.Qc2 There are also many other moves including 4.f3 4...0-0 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.cxd5 Very unusual. 7.0-0 is normally played when there are a number of different ways that Black can play Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Qc7 is the old main line. 7...exd5 8.dxc5 Bxc5 8...Nbd7 is played more often 9.Bd2 9.0-0 9...Nxc5 10.Be2 Ne6 and I wonder if Riazantsev was intending 11.Nb5 11.0-0 a6 prevents this 11...Bxd2+ 12.Qxd2 Ne4 13.Qb4 b6 14.0-0 a5 15.Qa3 when Whtie can try to play against the Isolated Queen's Pawn on d5 9.0-0 9.h3 was interesting first to prevent ...Bg4 9...Nc6 9...Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.g4 Bg6 12.Bxg6 hxg6 13.g5 13.Qb3 Qc8 14.Nxd5 Nxg4 15.Bd2 13...Ne4 14.Qxd5 Nxc3 15.Qxc5 15.Qxd8 Ne2+ 16.Kg2 Rxd8 17.Bd2 Nc6 18.Rfe1 15...Ne4 10.h3 a6 controlling b5 and making room for the bishop to reatreat 11.b3 d4 12.exd4 12.Na4 makes little sense after Ba7 which 10...a6 prepared. 12...Nxd4 13.Bb2 Ne6 In this open position, development is crucial. This gives White an easy advantage. Instead Black would like to play 13...Bf5 and I suspect that it was the best move but it's very sharp and would require a lot of fancy footywork from Black early on. 14.Nxd4 14.Bxf5 was my first thought but after Nxf5 15.Qc2 engines such as "Houdini" come up with the counterintuitive Nd6 which is loose in the middle of the board but supports ...Ne4 16.Rad1 Re8 17.Nb5 17.Nd5 Nfe4 17.Ng5 Qc8 18.Nd5 Nfe4 19.Nxe4 Nxe4 20.Rde1 Bd6 21.Qd3 Qe6 17...Rc8 18.Nxd6 Bxd6 19.Qf5 19.Qb1 h6 19...Rc5 20.Qb1 h6 14...Bxd3 15.Qxd3 Bxd4 15...Qxd4 16.Qf3 is rather nasty 16.Rad1 Be5 17.Qf5 Qb8 18.Rfe1 18.f4 Bxc3 19.Bxc3 Qc8 20.Qd3 Qc6 18...Re8 19.Re2 and Black is just about okay since Qc7 20.Nd5 Bh2+ 21.Kh1 Nxd5 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Qxd5 Bf4 24.g3 Qc2! maintains the balance 25.Ba1 25.Qd7 Rf8 26.Bxg7 Qxf2 25...Bh6 25...Bg5 26.Kg1 26.Kg1 14.Ne4 Be7 14...Nxe4 15.Bxe4 Qxd1 16.Rfxd1 is distinctly uncomfortable since Black will have big problems activating the c8 bishop 15.Qc2 Nd5 16.Nc3 Nf6 16...Nb4 17.Bxh7+ Kh8 18.Qb1 wins a pawn since g6 19.Bxg6 19.Rd1 Qe8 20.a3 Nc6 21.Nd5+ Kxh7 22.Bf6 as given by the vicious engines is even nasteier 19...fxg6 20.Ne5 gives White a huge attack for no material investment. 17.Rad1 Qa5 18.Rfe1 Lagging heavily in development and with White's forces aimed at his king. Black is in big trouble Rd8 19.Re5 b5 19...Qc7 20.Nd5! was also much better for White after Rxd5 20...Qxc2 21.Nxe7+ Kf8 22.Bxc2 Rxd1+ 23.Bxd1 Kxe7 24.Ba3+ Ke8 25.Nd4 20...Nxd5 21.Bxh7+ Kf8 22.Rexd5 21.Qxc7 Nxc7 22.Rxe7 Bf5 23.Rxc7 20.Nd5! This nice move wins a pawn Nxd5 21.Bxh7+ Kf8 22.Rexd5 Rxd5? 22...Bb7 put up a better fight though 23.Rf5 23.Be4! keeps a safe extra pawn since if Bxd5 23...Rac8 24.Rxd8+ 24.Bxd5 Rac8?! 25.Qh7 Bf6 26.Bxf6 gxf6 27.Nh4 Black gets what his appalling king's position deserves. 23...Bxf3 24.Rxf3 Rxd1+ 25.Qxd1 Ng5 25...Rd8 26.Rd3 26.Bd3 Qxa2 27.Rxf7+ Kxf7 28.Qh5+ Kf8 29.Qf5+ Ke8 30.Qxe6 Rxd3 31.Qg6+ Kd7 32.Qxd3+ 26...g6 26.Re3 Nxh7 27.Qh5 23.Rxd5 Bb7 24.Rf5! Rc8 24...Bxf3 25.Rxf7+ Kxf7 26.Qg6+ Kf8 27.Qxe6 Bc5 27...Ke8 28.gxf3 Qc7 28.gxf3 28.Qg8+ actually forces mate apparently 28...Qc7 hoping for Qg3+ 29.Qg8+ Ke7 30.Qxg7+ Kd8 31.Bf6+ Kc8 32.Qg8+ Kb7 33.Be4+ Kb6 34.Bxa8
The stars (pieces) are all aligned, and it is time to strike. White to play and win. Work out the line to the end.
Show Solution
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Riazantsev,A2651Bocharov,D26111–02016E5669th ch-RUS 20161.4

Leading the live commentary in Russian are Sergey Shipov and Sergei Rublevsky

Men's standings after two rounds

The surroundings of Novosibirsk are well-developed with a combination of more traditional buildings...

... and more grandiose structures.

Located in Siberia, it is understandably extremely cold on average

In the Women's Championship, the top seed is Alexandra Kosteniuk, winner of the title in 2005

Anastasia Bodnaruk - Alexandra Kosteniuk

In round one, Kosteniuk gained a decisive advantage here. Black to play and win.

Click for the solution

In round two, Kosteniuk defeated her closest rival in a brief 29 moves

Women's standings after two rounds

Links

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 13 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.
Born in the US, he grew up in Paris, France, where he completed his Baccalaureat, and after college moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He had a peak rating of 2240 FIDE, and was a key designer of Chess Assistant 6. In 2010 he joined the ChessBase family as an editor and writer at ChessBase News. He is also a passionate photographer with work appearing in numerous publications, and the content creator of the YouTube channel, Chess & Tech.

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