Shamkir Round 7: Carlsen in charge

by André Schulz
4/27/2018 – Veselin Topalov has yielded the lead to Magnus Carlsen at the Vugar Gashimov Memorial. In their head-to-head encounter, Topalov gave up his queen for rook and bishop, but could not hold the game against the reinvigorated world champion. Ding Liren also came out on top against the floundering David Navara. Is Carlsen's success off the board foreshadowing a Norwegian win in Shamkir? GM Daniel Fernandez annotates all games of round seven. | Photos: ShamkirChess.az

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Magnus makes his move, beats Topalov

On the rest day, the players of the Vugar Gashimov Memorial in Shamkir traditionally spend part of the afternoon on an excursion. Magnus Carlsen's affinity for all sports activities is well-known and, if possible, he prefers a football game. There was a friendly competition between an international selection and an Azerbaijani team. In the end, the hosts politely gave the guests the victory.

After the football match, players adjourned to a youth education centre and here the chess stars showed their skills in a sporty simultaneous.

Carlsen signing autographs

A simul in football uniform

On Thursday, however, it was back to business and Carlsen's brief stint as Veselin Topalov's teammate was over. The tournament leader Topalov, as the only player with two wins, had to defend with the black pieces against Carlsen. The World Champion started with the English opening and then continued with a rarely seen variation, most recently tried by Argentinian GM Sandro Mareco at the Dubai open a few weeks ago. He played 4.e3 and met 4...Bb4 with Qc2 but after the exchange on c3 recaptured with the b-pawn.

 
Carlsen vs Topalov
Position after 6.bxc3

From move 10 on, the two players were travelling on unexplored terrain. The result was a structure with largely fixed pawns, heavy a bishop and heavy pieces each in which White had some space advantage, but nothing clearly tangible. GM Daniel Fernandez goes through the game in full:

 
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As usual for a Carlsen game, the following was not played on the cutting edge of modern theory, so we can avoid stressing ourselves out before about move 15. 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 4.g3 is the 'main' move but it is important not to forget about the text, or even the slightly offbeat 4.a3. After this, however, a surprising number of my recent conversations have dealt with the line Bb4 5.Nd5!? which I expect to become a new fashion in the sub-elite group. 4...Bb4 5.Qc2 Bxc3 5...0-0 The text is obviously not a bad move, but I would prefer to keep the bishop-pair for now. 6.Nd5 Re8 and now: 7.Bd3 The most solid alternative. 7.Qf5 is risky, and may not promise anything. Black can choose between solid or gambit. d6 7...Be7!? 8.Nxe5 Nb4 9.Nxb4 Bxb4 10.Nf3 d5 11.Qd3 Bg4 gave Black acceptable compensation, especially for rapid, in Howell, D-Kryvoruchko,Y Riadh 2017 8.Nxf6+ Qxf6 The solid approach. 8...gxf6 9.Qh5 d5 can also be played after analysis, e.g. Nepomniachtchi,I-Karjakin, S chess.com INT 2017 9.Qxf6 gxf6 10.a3 Bc5 11.b4 Bb6 12.Bb2 a5 13.b5 Ne7 14.d4 a4!? 14...Ng6 15.a4 was an edge for White in the game that set this all off, i.e. Grischuk,A-Giri,A Elancourt 2013 7...h6 8.a3 8.0-0!? a5 9.Nxf6+ Qxf6 10.Bh7+ Kh8 11.Be4 seems a tad better to me- White is able to economise on a3. Perhaps he thought that after Bf8 he would want it anyway, but it is also perfectly fine to play 12.b3 Nb4 13.Qd1 , when the natural c6?! 14.Bb2 d5 turns out not to be that great after 15.Bb1 . 8...Bf8 9.0-0 d6 10.Nxf6+ Qxf6 11.Be4 a5 12.b3 g6 13.Bb2 Bg7 13...Bf5!? improves; the usually-dubious structure after 14.Bxf5 Qxf5 15.Qxf5 gxf5 16.Nh4 Ne7 is actually fine here due to the resource 17.f4 e4 18.Bf6 Bg7= 14.Rae1 Qd8 14...Bf5 is good again 15.d4! Nepomniachtchi,I-Karjakin,S chess.com INT 2017 6.bxc3 d6 7.e4 Here this is clearly the best way to fix the structure, either immediately or after a preliminary d3. 0-0 8.g3 Ne8 9.Nh4 As a general rule, the two bishops represent more of an advantage when they don't have to work around friendly knights. Specifically in this case, the h1-a8 diagonal gets cleared of both an enemy knight and a friendly one, so the exchange initiated with this move and executed over the following few moves favours White. Ne7 This move works well with a large variety of Black plans, so it is the following one, if any, that comes in for a bit of criticism. 10.d3 f5 This is fine, but the alternatives merited some attention. 10...f6!? initiates an interesting and highly thematic plan. 11.Bg2 After the reasonable 11.f4 exf4 12.gxf4 f5 White is seen to be under-developed 11...c5 12.0-0 g5 The point. Black claims that his dark squares, with holes plugged by knights and the light-square bishop zooming through the tunnels, represent enough of an advantage to offset the bishop-pair. To check this claim we should examine its logical extreme: 13.Nf3 13.Nf5 Nxf5 14.exf5 Bxf5 15.Bxb7 Rb8 16.Bg2 Qd7= won't give any edge 13...Ng7 14.h4 h6 15.d4 b6 The fortress is complete and Black intends either ...Ng6 or ...Qe8-h5 next. In my opinion, he is not worse. 11.exf5 Nxf5 12.Nxf5 Bxf5 13.Bg2 c6 14.h3?! Nc7 'Forgiving' White a little bit. 14...Qd7!? is the obvious way to query White's last move. Black could easily be better if White doesn't have a good answer up his sleeve, for instance 15.g4 Bg6 16.Rb1 b6 17.Be3 Nc7 15.0-0 Ne6 16.Be3 Nc5 17.Rad1 Qd7 18.Kh2 Bg6 The position is equal, but it seems like Black has a few more ideas. Here, for instance, he plays with the idea of ...Rf5-h5 or ...Qf5. 19.Rd2 Rae8 19...Qf5 is called for, making White clarify the situation rather than giving him time to think about how to unleash the bishop-pair. 20.Bxc5 dxc5= 20.Qd1!? b6 I suspect this move was actually played to cover the a7-pawn in case of tactics after a d4-push from White, but both it and the next are a little bit loose. 21.Re1 h6 22.Bxc5! dxc5 22...bxc5 23.Qa4 Rc8= is still fine, but it does look like White is on his way to asserting some kind of control, not least since his central 3 are stopping Black's central 4 in their tracks. 23.Re3 Re6 24.Kg1 Rd6 24...Qe7 25.Qe1 Re8 26.Be4 Bxe4 27.Rxe4 may be exactly what Black was looking to avoid, but in point of fact the e5-pawn is no weaker than the d3-pawn. 25.h4 Rd8?! This looks like a fairly large tactical oversight by the standards of these guys. 25...Re8 26.Qe1 Bf7= is uninspiring but fine 26.Rxe5 Bxd3 26...Rxd3? 27.Bd5+ cxd5 28.Rxd3 Bxd3 29.Rxd5± is a pawn, albeit not a great one 27.Be4! Well calculated. Bxc4 27...Bxe4 28.Rxd6 Qxd6 29.Re8+ Rxe8 30.Qxd6± 27...Kf8!? is the machine suggestion, but it too drops a pawn after an ingenious overloading motif: 28.Qf3+ Kg8 29.Bxc6! Qxc6 29...Rxc6 30.Rd5± 30.Qxc6! 30.Rxd3 Qxf3 31.Rxf3 Rd3 32.Kg2 Rxf3 33.Kxf3 Rd2= and Black will regain the pawn 30...Rxc6 31.Rd5 Rxd5 32.cxd5 Rd6 33.Rxd3 b5 Black has some degree of compensation for the pawn, but the rook endgame is still going to be unpleasant for him. Nevertheless, this was the best option. 28.Rxd6 Qxd6 29.Re8+ Rxe8 30.Qxd6 Rxe4 31.Qxc6 Re1+ 32.Kh2 Bxa2 Perhaps I have been unfair to Topalov and he may have seen ahead to this endgame, thinking it playable. However, after White's next, it is seen not to be so. 33.g4! A strong move, reckoning that the mate ideas with a White pawn on g6 will beat Black's passer in a race. 33.Qa8+ Kh7 34.Qxa7 is an obvious possibility, as soon as we notice that White can always escape from 'corner mates' with g4. However, surprisingly unpleasant now is Re2! 35.Kg2 Bd5+ 36.Kf1 Rd2! when White has to make concessions in view of the threat of ...Bf3. 33...Kh7 34.f4 h5 35.f5 35.Qd7!? is a computer move, taking advantage of Black's awful co-ordination and strongly hinting at f5-f6. Bb1 35...hxg4 36.Qd2+- 36.Qd2! Re8 37.Qd1 Be4 38.g5+- 35...hxg4 36.h5 Bf7 37.Qb7 37.Qd7 is again strong, changing the angle of attack: Kg8 38.Qd2 Rf1 39.Qg5± 37...Kg8 38.Qxa7 Bxh5 38...Rf1! limited White's advantage and may have drawn. 39.Qxb6 c4 39...Re4 40.Qxc5 Bf7 41.Qc8+ Kh7 also fails to set up the fortress with Bf7, Rc4 that Black so badly needs, because of 42.Qb7! Re2+ 43.Kg3 Kg8 44.c4 with similar play to the game 39...Re5 40.Qb8+ Re8 41.Qc7 changes nothing 40.Qd8+ Be8 41.Kg3 Kh7 42.Qc7 Kg8 43.Qxc4+ Bf7 44.Qd4 Re8 45.c4+- The position is now objectively completely winning and Magnus' technique was smooth from here. Rf8 46.c5 Be8 47.Qd5+ Kh7 48.Qe6 Bb5 49.c6 Bxc6 50.Qg6+ Kg8 51.Qxc6 Rf6 52.Qe8+ Kh7 53.Kxg4 Rh6 54.Kf4 Rf6 55.Ke5 Rh6 56.Qe6! A good way to break the final roadblock, though not the only one. 1–0
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Carlsen,M2843Topalov,V27491–02018A285th Shamkir Chess 20187

Topalov and Carlsen

Topalov vs Carlsen | Photo: ShamkirChess.az

Ding Liren scored his first win in Shamkir after a string of six draw. In an anti-Marshall variation of the Ruy Lopez against Navara, Black took over in the middle game, gradually gaining the initiative and tripped up Navara who underestimated the consequences of 33...b4. 

 
Navara vs Ding
Position after 33...b4

White had to take and after 34...Nd3 there were many ugly threats.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a3 This has always been a poor relation of the main moves, of which the most principled remains 8.c3, in spite of allowing the Marshall Gambit. d6 The most principled and popular move. 8...Bc5!? creates a strange impression but has been chosen by Aronian; it makes sense in that in the Arkhangelsk variation White would typically like to play a4, and in this case Black will regain his tempo and rejoin main lines. 9.c3 Bb6 10.d4 Re8! and now the Aronian game continued: 11.Bg5 d6 12.Qd3 Na5 13.Bd5 c6 14.Ba2 c5!? 15.dxc5 dxc5 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.b4 Nb7 18.c4 18.Nxe5 c4 is of course the key test, but I think Black has enough here. 18...bxc4 19.Bxc4 cxb4 20.axb4 Here the game Grischuk,A-Aronian,L Sharjah 2017 was agreed drawn; one possible continuation is h6 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Rxa6 Rxa6 23.Bxa6 Nd6 and it would be hard to fault White for believing the compensation here. 9.c3 Na5 10.Ba2 c5 11.d4?! White's sole idea in this variation was to keep the light-squared bishop on a more active diagonal. After the text, Black has a completely logical reply, which negates this gain and leaves White objectively suffering. 11.b4!? is interesting here. Nc6 12.d3 12.d4? exd4 13.cxd4 Bg4 12...Be6 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.Nbd2∞ Here the pawn-structure does not make it clear who should be playing for what, or where. The position is about equal, but the player who finds even a marginally better plan will find himself with a better position in no time. 11...c4! Black lays claim to a small edge at this point. From here on in, Ding Liren demonstrates some really crisp and clean chess. 11...Qc7 12.b4 cxb4 13.axb4 Nc4 14.Nbd2 may also be playable, but it gives White some of what he wants. 12.Bg5 12.dxe5? dxe5 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 14.Nxe5 is obviously not free, due to Nxe4 15.Nf3?! Nc5‼ 12...h6 13.Bh4 Bg4 13...Nh5 is the most thematic move, and after this too Black seems to be marginally better already. 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Nc6 16.d5 Na5 17.Bxf6 17.Bg3 Nd7 18.Nd2 Nc5 is not encouraging 17...Bxf6 18.Nd2 Bg5 19.Nf1 g6 Alongside White's numerous objective problems is the stylistic one that Black's moves suggest themselves immediately. Some cosmetic improvements on the kingside, a bit of 'hinting' at the idea of ...f5, and then the inevitable breakthrough with ...b4. 20.a4 Qe7 21.Bb1 Nb3 22.Ra2 Nc5 23.Bc2 Rfb8 24.g3 h5 25.h4 Bh6 All according to plan. White had no active alternatives. 26.axb5 axb5 27.Rea1 Rxa2 28.Rxa2 Kg7 29.Qe2 Rb7 30.Qe1 Qc7 31.Kg2 Qb6 It was never going to be possible to hold back ...b4 in the long term, not least because the c2-bishop needs to stay where it is to prevent immediate incursions by the Black knight (thus, White never has Ne3-c2-b4.) One thing that is, however, slightly surprising is that White crumbles in a further 5 moves. 32.Kf3? Maybe White was trying for g4, or maybe the king was just wandering to e2 via the front route. We shall never know, because on the next move it went straight back. Rc7 Still thinking of ...Nd3, but possibly in conjunction with ...Rc4 after the pawn has vacated that square. 32...Nd3 33.Bxd3 cxd3 34.Qd1 f5 was the engine solution, relying on ...Rf7 ideas like 35.Qxd3? fxe4+ 36.Qxe4 Rf7+-+ 33.Kg2? 33.Qd1 b4 34.cxb4 Qxb4 35.Kg2 was possible and Black still needs to find an idea that doesn't simplify too much 33...b4 Now Ding finishes crisply. 34.cxb4 Nd3 35.Bxd3 cxd3 Both ...Rc1 and ...Rc2 are extremely dangerous threats and White has no answer to both. 36.Ra1 36.Qd1 Rc2 37.Qf3 d2-+ 36...Rc2 0–1
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Navara,D2745Ding,L27780–12018C905th Shamkir Chess 20187

Ding and Navara

The Czech number one has now "long-castled" (with three consecutive losses) and slipped to last place | Photo: Shamkirchess.az

The seventh round brought the Azerbaijani derby today, with the game Mamedyarov-Radjabov. Against Radjabov's Grunfeld defence, Mamedyarov picked a double-fianchetto variant in which he received hanging pawns in the centre. However, Radjabov eased the tension in the centre pretty quickly and eventually the game ended in a knight vs bishop with symmetrical pawns.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 d5 5.b3 I have never been a particularly great fan of playing d4 in the middle of a double-fianchetto setup; it is usually a concession that Black goes to some lengths to force. If given it for free, as here, Black may be able to arrange some quick ...c5 and equalise completely without problems. Bg7 6.Nf3 0-0 7.0-0 dxc4 8.bxc4 c5! 9.Bb2 White feels obliged to play with the isolated c-pawn, which is an interesting structure in that if Black tries to simply play for its blockade, he will be at a disadvantage almost automatically. Note that we are still in heavy-duty theory here. 9.e3 cxd4 10.exd4 Nc6 reaches a standard 'hanging pawns' position- here, I think Black has very easy play against the pawns. For instance ...Bg4, ...Rc8, ...Qb6. 9...cxd4 10.Nxd4 Qb6 The main move, and it seems like a solid equaliser. 10...Nc6!? was chosen last year by Grischuk. The idea is clearly motivated in no small part by the Yugoslav Gambit (many orders, including 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 c5 5.0-0 0-0 6. Nc3 Nc6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 d6) and seems to provide Black with relatively easy equality too. 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Nd2 12.Bxc6 Rb8 13.Be5 Bh3 14.Bxb8 Bxf1 15.Qxd8 Rxd8 16.Kxf1 Rd1+ 17.Kg2 Ng4= and Black will regain all the material 12...Qc7 13.Qa4 Rb8 14.Nb3 Bg4 14...c5!= 15.Bc3 15.c5!? 15...Rfc8 16.h3 Bd7 17.Ba5 Qe5 18.Rad1 Qh5 Rapport, R-Grischuk,A chess.com INT 2017 11.Qc1 Bd7 12.Nd2 12.Nc3!? is possible, offering a truly intriguing material balance. Qxd4 12...Nc6 is playable, but only if Black has advance knowledge of 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Bxg7 Nf4!= which is the only way to keep equality! 13.Nd5 Qc5 14.Ba3 Qa5 15.Nxe7+ Kh8 16.Nxg6+ hxg6 17.Bxf8 Bxf8 18.Bxb7 Bc6 19.Qb2 Bg7 20.Bxc6 Nxc6 21.Qb7 Re8 22.Qxc6 Rxe2 I would slightly prefer to be White here, but either way there is a high probability of the game being decisive within a handful of moves! 12...Nc6 13.e3 13.Nc2 Rac8 14.Rb1 Qa6 15.Bc3 b6 16.Ne3 Rfd8= did not trouble Black greatly either in Giri,A-So,W chess.com INT 2017 13...Rac8 14.Bc3 Nxd4 Surprising, although quite likely best, especially from the point of view of locking down, in the minimum time possible, a draw with Black against a higher-rated player. 14...Qa6 was played in the precedent, and the isolated c-pawn is so weak that White's position, while fine or even better according to engines, is practically the harder to play. The game continued: 15.Qb2 b6 16.a4 Na5 17.Rfc1 17.Qb5!? Qxb5 18.axb5 Nxc4 19.Rxa7 Nxe3 20.fxe3 Rxc3 21.Rxf6 Bxf6 22.Rxd7 Rxe3 17...Nxc4 18.Nxc4 Qxc4!? 19.Bb4 19.Bb7 Qd3 20.Bxc8 Rxc8 19...Qa6 20.Bxe7 Rxc1+ 21.Qxc1 Re8 22.Qa3 Ng4= Black went on to win a complicated game in Yu,Y-Nepomniachtchi,I Doha 2016 15.exd4 Bf5 16.Qa3 Bd3 16...e5!? shows a bit of ambition, though the jury is still out on whether this is good or not. 17.Rfe1 Bxc4 18.Nxc4 Rxc4 19.Rab1 Qa6 20.Qxa6 bxa6 21.Bb4 Rxd4 22.Bxe7 The writing is on the wall: the game will be drawn with 3v3 on the kingside and at most two pieces each. Re8 23.Bc5 Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Rd2 25.Rb1 Nd7 26.Bxa7 Bd4 26...Rxa2 27.Rb7 Rd2 28.Be3 Rd1+ 29.Bf1 fails to change the ultimate verdict, since Black is too poorly co-ordinated to keep the a6-pawn for long, and in fact he runs considerably greater risk by leaving his opponent with the pair of bishops. 27.Bxd4 Rxd4 28.Bf1 Ra4 29.Rb7 Nf8 30.Rb6 Rxa2 31.Rxa6 Rxa6 32.Bxa6 Ne6 Now, nobody was going to win, but in true elite style it was necessary to engineer a repetition in order to sign the scoresheets as fast as possible. 33.Bf1 Nf8 34.Ba6 Ne6 35.Bf1 Nf8 36.Ba6 ½–½
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Mamedyarov,S2814Radjabov,T2748½–½2018A495th Shamkir Chess 20187

Mamedyarov and Radjabov

Mamedyarov and Radjabov have not played a decisive game since 2010 | Photo: Shamkirchess.az

Radoslaw Wojtaszek pursued a Catalan opening against Sergey Karjakin, a variation in which Anish Giri played earlier this year in Wijk aan Zee against Karjakin. After an early queen exchange, White kept a certain development advantage. Karjakin declined a repetition and apparently played the endgame for a win.

 
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Today, Karjakin's was possibly the most interesting draw of the round. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Nd2 c5 5.a3 Bxd2+ 6.Qxd2 cxd4 Unusually for Bogo-type openings, here Black needs to not cling on to his c5-pawn, not because d5 was such a big threat but because dxc5 was. 7.Nf3 d5 7...b6 8.Bg2 8.Nxd4 Bb7 9.f3 is another option I've pointed out before 8...Bb7 This is another big line, and also quite thematic. 9.Qxd4 9.0-0 is also playable, but White needs to be fine with the pawn not coming back immediately. For instance Bxf3 10.Bxf3 10.exf3!? Nc6 11.f4 Rc8 12.b4 d6 10...Nc6 11.b3 0-0 12.Bb2 Rc8 13.Bxd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Rc5= Tomashevsky,E-Eljanov,P Wijk aan Zee 2016 9...Nc6 10.Qc3 10.Qf4!? will be a future direction, as even though after 0-0 11.0-0 Na5= Black may have managed objective equality, there are still issues surrounding his d-pawn. 10...Rc8 11.b4 Ne7 Bhat,V-Kovalyov,A Montreal 2009 8.Bg2 dxc4 9.Qxd4 Qxd4 10.Nxd4 0-0 Reaching a type of position which is very standard for the Catalan and related openings. On this site I annotated one precedent to the present game, from Tata Steel this year. 11.Be3 Nd5 12.Rc1 Nxe3 13.fxe3 Nd7 In my annotations to Giri-Karjakin, Tata Steel 2018 I gave 13...e5 14.Nb5 Nd7 15.Nd6 and commented that the then-played 12...c3 was preferable to 12...Nxe3, awarding that move an exclamation mark! 14.Rxc4 Nf6 15.0-0 Rd8 15...e5!? is a reasonable improvement if Black must play 12...Nxe3, but as mentioned, I was convinced enough that 12...c3 equalises. 16.Rc7?! 16.Nf3!? is a reasonable attempt to justify my previous optimism about White's game: Ne5 is a strong idea, as is e4-e5. Even Rf4 deserves note. When they reach good depth, engines suggest Ne8 as an attempt to solve Black's issues, but White must be better after 17.Rfc1 f6 18.Nd4 18.Rd4 may also be enough, and undoubling the pawns is certainly appealing. Rxd4 19.exd4 Bd7 20.Nd2 16...Rb8 17.b4 Rd7 18.Rc4 Rd8 19.Rc7 e5 So White might be fine with a repetition, but...Black isn't? What can have gone wrong in these 20 innocuous moves? 20.Nb5 Bg4 21.Re1 21.Nxa7 e4 is a mess, and probably a good one for Black, who (unusually for the Catalan) has a better bishop. 21...a6 22.Nc3 Rbc8 23.Rxc8 Rxc8 This is the point; as soon as Black has even vaguely untangled, then as long as knights remain on the board his position is to be preferred. However he now drifts a little bit. 24.Na4 Rc7 25.h3 Bc8 26.Nb6 Be6 27.a4 h5 28.a5 g6 28...e4!? suggests itself to me; certainly this is one of the most classical moves in the position, shutting down White's g2-bishop and preparing ...g5 and an eventual king walk to e5. Also, after this move Black need never worry about trading knights- in fact, it will almost invariably be in his favour to do so. 29.Kf2 Kg7 29...Bf5 followed by ...Be4 is one interesting way of trying to grow the advantage. 30.Rd1 Bf5 31.Rd6 Be6 32.Rd1 g5 33.Ke1 Kf8 Black is holding off on decisive attempts, perhaps due to lack of time. 34.h4 34.Na8!? tries to simplify quickly, and I think it works. Rc4 35.Bxb7 Rxb4 36.Nb6 36.Bxa6 Ra4 36...Rb3 37.Bxa6 Ra3 38.Bc4 Rxa5 39.Bxe6 fxe6 40.Nd7+ Both sides have the same bad structure so Black is not still trying to be better. 34...gxh4 35.gxh4 Ke7 36.e4! White grows tired of the games surrounding if and when Black will push ...e4. 36.Rb1 e4 and Black's advantage is back. 36...Nd7 36...Rc3 37.Rd3 gains nothing; White's point is that if the rooks come off in any way whatsoever then he will have a fortress. 37.Nd5+! White plays well in this part of the game to neutralise Black's winning ideas. Bxd5 38.Rxd5 38.exd5? Kd6 would of course be a massive conceptual error from White. 38...Rc4 39.Bh3 Nf6 40.Rxe5+ Kd6 It looks like Black is generating tricks, but at the same time pawns are flying off the board left, right and centre, so Black's better co-ordination never translates into anything more meaningful. 41.Rf5 Nxe4 42.Kd1 Nc3+ 43.Ke1 Rxh4 44.Bg2 Rxb4 45.Rxf7 Nd5 45...b5!? was maybe worth a try: 46.Rf6+ Ke5 47.Rxa6 Rb2 48.Bf3 Ra2 49.Bxh5 Kd4 and with ideas like ...Ne4 about to come, White could still just about mess this up. 46.Rh7 Rb5 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Wojtaszek,R2744Karjakin,S2778½–½2018E005th Shamkir Chess 20187

In the game between Rauf Mamedov and Anish Giri, the Azerbaijani, who's celebrated his 30th birthday, fought his opponent's Petroff defence with a newly fashionable line, 5.Bd3, followed by c3, Bc2 and d4. During the middlegame, the game morphed into a kind of Benoni structure.

 
Mamedov vs Giri
Position after 24.c4

The position gradually levelled and Rauf Mamedov scored his seventh draw in seven tries.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Bd3 Nf6 5...d5 is also playable, but Black's pieces get in a little tangle after 6.Qe2 Qe7 7.0-0 when c4 is in the offing, as well as Re1, and Black does not have a clear way to develop without losing large amounts of time on a queen trade. 6.0-0 Be7 7.c3 0-0 8.Bc2 Bg4 I actually don't much like this move, although 1) it is obviously not bad, and 2) I made an analogous call against Nigel Short once. I would be interested in why Black decided against the normal Petroff move 8...d5 when following some normal re-grouping like ...Re8, ...c6, ...Nbd7-f8 White's small initiative will dissipate all by itself. 9.h3 9.d4 works better immediately, as White must have realised a bit later on in the game. The point is that a White knight on g3 already suffices to put the question to a Black bishop on g4, and furthermore, the answer 'Bh5' is not very sensible at that point. Definitely Black would have had to play rather differently than in the game. Re8! 9...c6 10.Re1 Na6 11.Nbd2 may still just be alright (say 11. ..Bh5 with a passive but reasonable position) but certainly Qd7?! is not: 12.Nf1 Rae8 13.Ng3 10.Nbd2 d5 11.Re1 Bd6 12.Rxe8+ Qxe8 13.Nf1 c6 14.Be3 Nbd7 15.Ng3 g6= Black has made a good number of 'useful' moves and can now give up the bishop pair with a clean conscience. 9...Bh5 10.d4 c6 10...d5 11.Re1 Re8= is obviously still fine too. 11.Re1 Na6 12.Nbd2 Qd7 An interesting and in fact rather ambitious concept from Black. Just as a 2500 might play the Modern rather than the Caro-Kann in an attempt to outclass a 2350, here Anish is deliberately leaving the pawn-structure fluid to leave more room to outplay his opponent. 13.Nf1 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 Nc7 might have been what Black was hoping for, and now the play becomes a bit messy. He has ideas of ...f5 in some positions, and will be able to meet d5 with ...c5. 13...Rae8 14.Ng3 The analogous position without h3 or ...Bh5 would have been troublesome for Black, but here he is just fine. Bg6 15.Bxg6 hxg6 16.Qb3 Bd8 16...Nc7= is both clever and spectacularly unnecessary. 17.Bg5 Nd5 Now the bishops are gone, Black has a little bit less to play with. 17...Bb6!? would have been a slightly interesting attempt from Black. He would like ...Nc7-e6 next, forcing an imbalance in kingside structures and minor pieces. 18.a4 d5 19.Ne5 Qc8 18.Bxd8 Rxd8 19.Ne4 19.c4!? Nf6 20.Ne4 and White can once again think about being the one with a microscopic nibble. 19...Rfe8 20.Qa3 Nf6 20...Nac7!? 21.c4 Nf4 would have been the last way to inject some life into the game; White's structure is at risk of having holes punched in it by (say) ...b6 and ...d5. 21.Nxf6+ gxf6 22.d5 c5 23.Qb3 Kg7 Now both sides probably thought the game would be drawn without further oversights or adventures. Indeed, the position looks ripe for massive trades, and the draw can perhaps be made with only queens and pawns on each side. 24.c4 Rxe1+ 25.Rxe1 Re8 26.a3 Rxe1+ 27.Nxe1 Nb8 28.Nc2 Qe7 29.Qe3 Qe5 30.Qb3?! But that doesn't excuse carelessness! I suspect this move was looking for a repetition, but instead White drifts into real danger. 30.Qxe5 fxe5 31.f3 f5 32.Kf2 a6 33.a4= locks down the position and draws, although White still needs to use a bit more care. 30...b6! 31.Ne3 f5 32.Qa4 a6 33.b4? 33.g3 Kf8 34.b4 f4 35.gxf4 Qxf4 was necessary, if a tiny bit unpleasant due to pawn-islands. 33...f4 34.Nf1 Kf8 Probably Anish was not on the lookout for a truly serious chance, after playing a super-solid Black Petroff game. 34...Qe1! and despite the fact that both knights are immobilised, White is actually in a lot of trouble. 35.bxc5 bxc5 36.Qb3 Nd7 37.Qa4 is of course not a repetition now, because Ne5 38.Qxa6 Nd3 forces mate. 35.bxc5 After the near-miss, White bails out and forces a repetition. dxc5 36.Qb3 Nd7 37.Qa4 Nb8 38.Qb3 Nd7 39.Qa4 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Mamedov,R2704Giri,A2777½–½2018C425th Shamkir Chess 20187

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André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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