[Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022.02.05"] [Round "2"] [White "Shirov, Alexei"] [Black "Dominguez Perez, Leinier"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B23"] [WhiteElo "2704"] [BlackElo "2752"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "76"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 {Dominguez mainly uses the solid open games against strong opposition, but today he decided to play big and opted for his beloved Sicilian.} 2. Nc3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 {Probably this line was the reason. Shirov had used it quite a bit lately, and Black had prepared well for it.} Nc6 5. Qd2 g6 6. b3 Bh6 {Asking White the awkward question: do you trade the dark-squared bishops, which would be an opening failure, or do you self-pin $2} 7. f4 Nf6 ({Another recent game of Shirov’s went:} 7... f5 8. Bb2 Nf6 9. O-O-O Rf8 10. exf5 Bxf5 11. Bb5 Qb6 12. Re1 O-O-O 13. Nf3 e5 {Shirov,A (2704)-Santos Latasa,J (2639) Salamanca 2021}) 8. Bb2 O-O 9. O-O-O e5 {Black is practically blitzing and Shirov starts to take time on his clock. In fact, for the next three (still known moves) the Latvian-born-Spanish GM would spend more than an hour of his precious time.} 10. g3 Re8 {An obvious and strong move. It is Dominguez who is better developed, thus he is the one seeking a quick opening of the center.} ({ Another interesting top-level game went} 10... exf4 11. gxf4 Re8 12. Bd3 Bg4 13. Nge2 Qa5 14. Kb1 Bxe2 15. Qxe2 Bxf4 16. Bc4 Be5 {Andriasian,Z (2887) -Firouzja,A (3053) Chess.com INT 2019}) 11. Kb1 Nd4 12. Bg2 Bg4 13. Rf1 d5 $1 { Of course $1 Black is hardly trying to take over the initiative. And notice: he does this while heavily on top on the clock.} 14. h3 $1 $146 {This logical move is a novelty.} ({The predecessor saw:} 14. exd5 Bf5 (14... Rc8 $5 { at once also looks appealing.}) 15. Rc1 b5 16. Nge2 b4 {With an initiative for Black, who emerged victorious after} 17. Na4 Nxd5 ({Perhaps even stronger was} 17... Nxe2 $1 18. Qxe2 exf4) 18. Nxd4 exd4 19. Bxd4 Qa5 {Di Nicolantonio,L (2408)-Lamard,G (2452) Paris 2019}) ({Also} 14. Nxd5 {changes little due to} Nxd5 15. exd5 Rc8 16. Rc1 Bf5 {with Black's edge.}) 14... Be6 {Black also starts to think a lot and this would soon lead to mutual time-trouble.} 15. g4 {Fire on board $1} ({After} 15. exd5 {Black could have switched back to the predecessor with} Bf5 $1) 15... Nxe4 ({Certainly not} 15... Bxf4 $2 16. Rxf4 exf4 17. Qxd4) 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Bxe4 Rc8 {The center has been opened and both sides start their walk into the minefield.} 18. Qd3 {Unpinning seems best.} ({ The other logical move was to develop at once with} 18. Ne2 Nxe2 19. Qxe2 { with the idea} Bxf4 ({However} 19... exf4 $1 {is stronger, and better for the second player.}) 20. Bxb7) 18... Qa5 {A risky affair.} ({Safer was to deprive White of his next resource with} 18... f5 $5 19. gxf5 Nxf5 {The threat of a fork on the g3-square practically forces White to swap the queens after} 20. Ne2 Qxd3 21. cxd3 exf4 22. Nxf4 Ng3 23. Nxe6 Nxe4 24. dxe4 Rxe6 {which should be approximately equal.}) 19. f5 $1 {The logical follow-up which, however, has a hidden flaw.} Bd5 {The most logical move.} ({But there was this amazing, unbelievable resource instead} 19... Nxc2 $3 20. fxe6 Nb4 $1 21. exf7+ Kh8 $3 { In the spirit of the Spassky-Bronstein game, Black can sacrifice a rook with a check, adding a knight and a pawn on the road. Still, after} ({Notice that} 21... Kg7 $2 {does not work due to the underpromotion fxe8=$146+ Rxe8} 22. Qd7 {and White wins.}) 22. fxe8=Q+ Rxe8 {White, who is up heavily on material, will have to part with loads of material to safeguard his king. First, the queen would leave after} 23. a4 Nxd3 24. Bxd3 {But then there is also the double-attack} Qd5 $1 {that wins a whole rook more for Black and then} 25. Bc4 Qe4+ $1 26. Ka1 Qxh1 {should be big edge for the second player.}) 20. Rh2 ({ Apparently, Dominguez was not afraid of} 20. Bxd5 Qxd5 21. Ne2 Rxc2 22. Nxd4 Rxb2+ 23. Kxb2 exd4 {as he lost a similar situation with the white pieces against the world champion.}) 20... Bxe4 21. Qxe4 Nb5 {Again the most logical continuation. This knight is looking for glory $1} ({Here} 21... Qa6 22. Re1 Bf4 23. Rf2 g5 {might be better according to the machine.}) 22. Qxb7 {Shirov decided to risk it and snack on the pawn.} ({This was the last good moment to finally bring the knight into the game with} 22. Ne2 {when White needs not to fear} Na3+ ({Perhaps Shirov disliked} 22... Nd6 {but there, too, he has good play with} 23. Qh1 $1 Bf4 24. Nxf4 exf4 25. fxg6 hxg6 26. a4) 23. Bxa3 Qxa3 24. fxg6 fxg6 25. g5 Bxg5 26. h4 {with nice attacking prospects for the first player.}) 22... Nd6 {The point behind the maneuver. Dominguez wants to bring his passer into motion while opening the important long diagonal.} ({Although there was nothing wrong with} 22... Nc3+ 23. Bxc3 Qxc3 24. Qe4 Red8 25. Ne2 Qc5 {when Black should have enough for the pawn.}) 23. Qf3 e4 24. Qd1 {Stepping on a mine...} ({Correct was} 24. Qf2 $1 {hitting the f7-pawn and thus preventing} Nb5 ({True, there is the highly dangerous idea} 24... e3 $1 25. Qh4 Bg7 26. Bxg7 Ne4 $3 {when the forcing play} 27. fxg6 fxg6 28. Bd4 Nd2+ 29. Rxd2 exd2 30. Nf3 Rxc2 $3 {leads, as strange as it looks, to a draw, at least after a quick engine tackling} 31. Kxc2 Qxa2+ 32. Kc3 Rc8+ 33. Kd3 Qc2+ 34. Ke3 Re8+ 35. Be5 Qc1 36. Rxc1 dxc1=Q+ 37. Kf2 g5 38. Qh6 Rxe5 39. Nxe5 Qc5+) 25. fxg6 $1 ) 24... Nb5 $1 {Back to the c3-spot $1 Once the diagonal has been opened, both sides want to have it, no matter the price.} 25. c4 ({Alas, it is too late for } 25. Ne2 Qc7 26. Rg2 Red8 $1 {when White cannot defend his c2-root-pawn.}) 25... Nc3+ 26. Bxc3 Qxc3 {Practically, it is over. The huge battery on the long diagonal leaves the white pieces horribly fragile.} 27. Rc2 Qe5 $1 { Luring the white queen away from the first rank.} ({Correctly avoiding} 27... Qf6 28. fxg6 $1) 28. Qd5 Qf6 {Now the rook on f1 is hanging.} 29. a3 ({Once more, there is no time to activate the knight with} 29. Ne2 Bg7 30. Nc3 Rcd8 31. Qb5 a6 32. Qb7 Re7 33. Qb4 e3 {and Black should destroy the opponent's defenses soon.}) 29... Bg7 (29... Rcd8 $1 {would have been equally good.}) 30. Ka2 Rcd8 31. Qa5 Rd3 {The decisive infiltration begins. The Cuban-born-American GM will force more weaknesses first.} 32. Ne2 Rb8 33. b4 Rbd8 {Both players are in horrible time trouble, but it is far easier to attack than to defend when low on time.} ({There was also the beautiful idea} 33... Rc8 34. c5 Qc6 35. Nf4 e3 $3) 34. b5 {Missing his last chance.} ({ Which was connected with} 34. g5 $1 {and if the automatic} Qxg5 {White can get rid of the queens with} ({Black should be still able to win with} 34... Qd6 $1 35. f6 Rd2) 35. fxg6 Qxa5 36. gxf7+ Kf8 37. bxa5) 34... e3 35. Rfc1 Rd2 { With the threat of Qf6-b2+ above all.} 36. Kb3 R8d3+ 37. Rc3 ({Or} 37. Nc3 Rxc2 38. Rxc2 e2 $1) 37... Qd6 {All the black pieces are involved and Shirov's position collapses.} 38. Qxa7 Rxe2 {A pretty attack by Dominguez $1} 0-1 [Event "Berlin"] [Site "Berlin"] [Date "2022.02.05"] [Round "2"] [White "Harikrishna, Pentala"] [Black "So, Wesley"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2717"] [BlackElo "2772"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [EventCountry "GER"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. a4 Be7 7. Nc3 a6 8. Bf1 e4 9. Nxe4 Nxe4 10. Rxe4 d5 11. Re1 Bg4 12. h3 Bh5 13. Be2 O-O 14. d4 Bd6 15. Ne5 Bxe2 16. Rxe2 Nxe5 $6 {[Black's troubles start here.]} (16... Bxe5 17. dxe5 d4 {could be a better way to defend.}) 17. dxe5 Be7 18. Rd2 c6 19. c4 Qa5 20. cxd5 cxd5 21. Rd3 $1 (21. Rxd5 Rad8 22. Rxd8 Rxd8 23. Qe2 Rd4 24. b3 Qd5 { will give Black equality.}) 21... Rfd8 22. Be3 Rac8 23. Qb3 Qb4 {[A remarkable concept. So judges that his control of the d-file should be enough to give him equality, even after losing the d-pawn in the future.]} 24. Qxb4 Bxb4 25. Rad1 Kf8 26. Rxd5 $6 (26. Bb6 Rd7 27. Rd4 $1 Be7 28. Rxd5 Rxd5 29. Rxd5 Rc2 30. Rd7 Rxb2 31. Rxb7 Ke8 {was a better try for White.}) 26... Rxd5 27. Rxd5 Ke7 28. Rd4 a5 29. Rh4 h6 30. Rg4 Kf8 31. Kf1 Rc2 32. b3 Bc5 $1 {[So liquidates into a rook ending.]} 33. Re4 Bxe3 34. Rxe3 Ke7 {[The relative difference of the kings' activity gives Black adequate counter-play to level the game.]} 35. f4 g6 36. Rd3 b5 37. axb5 Rc5 38. Kf2 Rxb5 39. Kf3 h5 40. g4 hxg4+ 41. hxg4 Ke6 42. Kg3 g5 43. fxg5 Rxe5 44. Kh4 Ke7 45. Rf3 Re4 46. g6 fxg6 47. Kg5 a4 48. bxa4 Rxa4 49. Kxg6 1/2-1/2 [Event "Berlin"] [Site "Berlin"] [Date "2022.02.05"] [Round "2"] [White "Rapport, Richard"] [Black "Fedoseev, Vladimir"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E32"] [WhiteElo "2763"] [BlackElo "2704"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [EventCountry "GER"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6 7. Bg5 Bb7 8. Nh3 h6 9. Bh4 d6 10. f3 Nbd7 11. e4 c5 12. Nf2 {[A new move, but quite a familiar pawn structure.]} Re8 13. dxc5 Nxc5 $6 14. Bxf6 $1 {(White correctly judges his chances in a queenless middlegame.]} Qxf6 15. Qxf6 gxf6 16. b4 Nb3 $6 {[Risky. Though the subsequent course of the game justified Fedoseev's decision, this was not entirely warranted.]} (16... Nd7 17. Rd1 Ne5 18. Rxd6 Rac8 {and White will keep an advantage.}) 17. Rd1 a5 18. Rxd6 axb4 19. axb4 Ra1+ 20. Rd1 Rea8 {[Though objectively White is better, Black's counterplay is a major factor in a practical game. This was the main reason for how Fedoseev fought back remarkably in this phase of the game.]} 21. Be2 Nc1 22. Ng4 R8a2 23. Nxf6+ Kf8 24. Kf2 $2 {[Rapport cracks under relentless pressure, allowing Fedoseev to equalize.]} (24. Bf1 Nd3+ 25. Bxd3 Rxd1+ 26. Kxd1 Ra1+ 27. Ke2 Rxh1 28. Nd7+ Ke7 29. Nxb6 {was the way to go, and White should not be worse in the final position.}) 24... Rxe2+ 25. Kg3 Rc2 26. Kh4 {[Even though White is down a piece, he has counterplay against the black king and the knight on c1 which cannot move]} Kg7 27. Nh5+ Kg6 $2 {[And this is where Black gets ambitious $1]} (27... Kf8 28. Nf6 Rxc4 (28... Kg7) 29. Kh5 {with a complex position.}) 28. Rd8 Ra8 29. Rhd1 {[Suddenly the black king is in trouble.]} Rxc4 30. Rxa8 Bxa8 31. Rd8 Bxe4 32. g4 $3 {[Not very often do we see a side being down a piece still rejecting the offer to get it back, preferring to play for the initiative instead.]} (32. fxe4 $2 Rxe4+ 33. g4 f5) 32... Kh7 33. fxe4 $18 e5 34. Nf6+ Kg6 35. Rd6 Ne2 36. Ng8+ Kg7 37. Nxh6 Rxe4 38. Nf5+ Kh7 39. Rh6+ Kg8 40. Rxb6 Nf4 41. Kg5 f6+ 42. Kh6 Re2 43. h4 Kf7 44. b5 Rb2 45. Rb8 Nd5 46. h5 e4 47. Nd6+ Ke7 48. Nxe4 Rb4 49. b6 f5 50. gxf5 Rxe4 51. b7 Nf6 52. Rd8 1-0 [Event "Berlin"] [Site "Berlin"] [Date "2022.02.05"] [Round "2"] [White "Wojtaszek, Radoslaw"] [Black "Oparin, Grigoriy"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D33"] [WhiteElo "2686"] [BlackElo "2681"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [EventCountry "GER"] 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 e6 4. Nf3 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. d4 Nc6 7. Bg2 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bc5 9. Nb3 Bb6 10. Na4 O-O 11. Nxb6 axb6 12. Be3 h5 13. O-O h4 14. gxh4 { (A remarkable decision. White weighs that his kingside weakness will not be significant in the ensuing middlegame, and boldly aims for a complicated struggle.]} Bg4 15. f3 Bf5 16. Nd4 Bg6 17. Qd2 {[Look at the position $1 One of the most difficult concepts of chess play is when there are imbalances present on the board. Apart from white's bishop pair, the broken pawn structures for both the sides, the presence of doubled and isolated pawns, and the number of pawn islands all contribute to a remarkably complicated struggle $1]} Re8 18. Rfe1 Nh5 19. Bf2 Qf6 20. Qg5 $1 {[Correctly aiming for an endgame where White's bishops will exert their dominance.]} Nxd4 21. Qxf6 Nxe2+ 22. Rxe2 gxf6 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. Bxb6 $6 {(A slip]} (24. Bf1 {and Black's counterplay would have been a non-starter if the black rook was prevented from reaching the seventh rank.}) 24... Re2 25. Bd4 Rc2 26. Bf1 Nf4 27. Bxf6 Bd3 $2 (27... Bf5 {with the idea of ...Nf4-h3+, would have offered better counterplay} ) 28. Bxd3 Nxd3 29. Rd1 Nf4 30. Kf1 Kh7 31. Be5 $2 {(Throwing away the win. Wojtaszek confessed after the game that he overlooked Black's reply.]} (31. Bg5 Ne6 32. Rd2 {with a much better position.}) 31... Ng2 $1 32. Rd3 {[White is still better, but Wojtasjek lost his way in the ensuing endgame.]} Nxh4 33. Rxd5 $2 (33. Rb3) 33... Nxf3 34. Bc3 Kg6 35. h3 f5 36. Rd3 Ng5 37. Rd6+ Kh5 38. Rf6 Ne4 39. Rxf5+ Kg6 40. Rb5 Nxc3 41. bxc3 Rxc3 1/2-1/2 [Event "Berlin"] [Site "Berlin"] [Date "2022.02.05"] [Round "2"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Esipenko, Andrey"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A29"] [WhiteElo "2736"] [BlackElo "2714"] [PlyCount "91"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [EventCountry "GER"] 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bc5 7. O-O O-O 8. Qc2 Nf6 9. a3 {[Seems to be a new move in the position.]} Nd4 10. Nxd4 exd4 11. b4 Bb6 12. Na4 Re8 13. Nxb6 axb6 14. e3 {[White has a slight advantage due to his pair of bishops and a certain crampedness in Black's position.]} d3 15. Qc3 Ne4 16. Qc4 Bf5 17. Bb2 Qd7 18. Bxe4 {[A remarkable decision, taken after half an hour's deliberation: Nakamura aims for a middlegame with opposite-colored bishops, assuming that his domination on the dark squares will enable him to develop an attack on the black king.]} Bxe4 19. f3 Bc6 20. Rac1 Re7 21. Qf4 f6 22. Rc4 Rd8 23. Rfc1 {[White's pressure can be felt at this point.]} Qe6 $2 ( 23... Rc8 {was better, defending the weak pawn at c7.}) 24. b5 $1 {[Staying alert, Nakamura exhibits remarkable accuracy.]} Bxb5 25. Re4 $1 {[A prelude to an accurately calculated deep combination $1]} Qf7 26. Rxe7 Qxe7 27. Rxc7 Rd7 28. Rc8+ Rd8 29. Bxf6 $3 gxf6 30. Qg4+ Kf8 31. Rxd8+ Qxd8 32. Qb4+ Qe7 33. Qxb5 {[Reaching a won ending, which Nakamura wraps up with ease.]} Qxa3 34. Kf2 Qc5 35. Qxd3 b5 36. Qc3 Qe7 37. Ke2 Kg7 38. Qd4 Qf7 39. Qg4+ Kh8 40. Qb4 Qe8 41. Qd6 Qf7 42. Qc5 Qe8 43. g4 Kg7 44. h4 Qd7 45. h5 Kg8 46. h6 1-0 [Event "Berlin"] [Site "Berlin"] [Date "2022.02.05"] [Round "2"] [White "Bacrot, Etienne"] [Black "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B08"] [WhiteElo "2642"] [BlackElo "2764"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [EventCountry "GER"] 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O a6 7. a4 b6 8. Re1 e6 {[For the last three moves, Grischuk consumed about 45 minutes on the clock.]} 9. e5 dxe5 10. Nxe5 Bb7 11. Bf3 Qc8 12. Bg5 {[With harmoniously developed pieces and a space advantage, White has a small advantage here.]} Nfd7 13. Bf4 Rd8 14. Ng4 {[White looks to be in command here, and Bacrot only needed to find a tactical combination to achieve a breakthrough.]} Rf8 $6 15. d5 h5 16. Ne5 (16. Nh6+ Kh7 17. Nxf7 Rxf7 18. dxe6 Rxf4 19. exd7 Nxd7 20. Bxb7 Qxb7 21. Qxd7 {and White has an extra pawn.}) 16... Nxe5 17. Bxe5 f6 {[At this point, Grischuk had only less than a minute on his clock.]} 18. d6 $2 {[Bacrot later blamed this as the crucial position where he lost his advantage.]} (18. Bg3 e5 19. Qd3 Qe8 20. d6 Bxf3 21. Qxf3 {and White preserves his advantage.}) 18... fxe5 19. d7 Nxd7 20. Bxb7 Qxb7 21. Qxd7 Qc8 22. Qc6 {[White still keeps some advantage, but Grischuk fought back well in mutual time scramble.]} Rf7 23. Rad1 Qe8 24. Qe4 Rf4 25. Qb7 Rc4 26. Qf3 Rd8 27. Rxd8 Qxd8 28. Qe2 Rd4 29. Qxa6 Rd2 30. Qc4 Qd4 31. Qxe6+ Kh7 32. Qf7 Qf4 33. Qxf4 exf4 34. Rc1 Bxc3 35. bxc3 1/2-1/2