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Until move 20, Dariusz Swiercz and Wesley So were following theory out of a Berlin Defence. The endgame that appeared on the board left White on the defensive.
In a rook ending, Swiercz understandably was thinking long and hard before deciding whether to enter a pawn endgame — after all, a drawn position could suddenly turn into a losing position if you have not calculated precisely enough. A hesitant Swiercz finally decided to leave the rooks on the board while in time trouble. His misfortune was that he had to deal with the exception to the rule: the correct move would have been the transition to the pawn endgame!
On top level the Berlin Defense is a popular defensive weapon but it also offers Black good chances to win if White does not proceed precisely. On this DVD Victor Bologan shows what Black can and should do if White tries to avoid the main lines of the Berlin Defense.
Both players are well-versed theoretically in this line.
20.f4 Ke7 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.Rf1 h5 23.f5 hxg4 24.hxg4 Rh4 25.f6+ Kf7 26.Re4 Rd2 27.fxg7+ Kxg7 28.Rf2 Rxf2 29.Kxf2 Rh2+ 30.Kf3 Rxc2 31.Rd4 Rxb2 32.Rd7+ Kg6 33.Rxc7 c5 34.Re7 Rb6 35.Rc7 a6 36.Rxc5 Rc6
Confirmed by the incorruptible computers: this is a drawn position.
37.Ra5?? But now White is lost.
[Correct was 37.Rxc6 bxc6 38.a4 a5 39.Ke4 Kg5 40.Kd4 Kxg4 41.Kc5 Kf5 42.Kb6!
White draws here. However, Swiercz had only two minutes left on his clock, and he needed to calculate the whole line.]
37...Rc3+ 38.Ke4 Rc4+ 39.Kd3 Rxg4 40.Rc5 Kf5 41.Kc3 b5 42.Kb3 Rc4 43.Rxc4 bxc4+ 44.Kxc4 Kxe5 45.a4 Kf4
Swiercz resigned. 0-1
Dariusz Swiercz spent too much time in the early stages of the game | Photo: Bryan Adams
Opening package: 1.b3 and Black Secrets in the Modern Italian
Wesley So published two new opening DVDs: 1.b3, the so called Nimzo-Larsen-Attack, for White and his black secrets in the modern Italian. Get them in a package and save money!
Fabiano Caruana’s position against Leinier Dominguez was worse for a while, but he was probably never in real danger of losing | Photo: Bryan Adams
Peter Svidler had to work hard in his game against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov to recover from an opening that did not go particularly well for him | Photo: Austin Fuller
