[Event "FIDE Candidates Tournament"] [White "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Black "Wang, Hao"] [Site "Yekaterinburg"] [Round "3.3"] [Annotator "Stephen Gordon"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Date "2020.03.19"] [WhiteElo "2777"] [BlackElo "2762"] [PlyCount "98"] 1. e4 {} e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d3 Nf6 6. d4 d5 7. Bd3 Bd6 8. Qe2+ {It's quite refreshing to see a relatively straightforward approach being used in an attempt to gain an advantage with White against the Petroff. The idea behind White's approach is to force Black to make a concession in this position.} Be6 {Probably the most principled. Black parts with the light-squared bishop in return for activity.} ({The other option is} 8... Qe7 9. Qxe7+ Bxe7 (9... Kxe7 10. 0-0 {Black's king placement isn't ideal.} )10. Bf4 {may give White a nagging edge due to the more active bishops.} )9. Ng5 Qe7 10. Nxe6 fxe6 11. c3 (11. Nd2 Nc6 12. Nf3 e5 )c5 (11... 0-0 12. 0-0 e5 13. dxe5 Bxe5 14. Nd2 Nbd7 15. Nf3 Rae8 16. Qd1 Bd6 17. Re1 Qf7 18. Rxe8 Qxe8 19. h3 Ne5 20. Be3 Nxd3 21. Qxd3 a6 22. Rd1 Qb5 23. Qc2 Re8 24. a4 Qc4 25. Nd4 Ne4 26. Nf5 Be5 27. Bd4 Qc6 28. Qb3 Nf6 29. Bxe5 Rxe5 30. Nd4 Qb6 31. Qxb6 cxb6 32. Kf1 Kf7 33. f3 g6 34. Re1 Rxe1+ 35. Kxe1 Nh5 36. Kf2 Nf4 37. b3 g5 38. Ne2 Nd3+ 39. Ke3 Nc5 40. Nd4 Kf6 41. g3 Ke5 42. Ke2 Kf6 43. Ke3 Ke5 44. Ke2 Kf6 45. Kd2 Ke5 46. Ke3 Kf6 47. Ke2 {½-½ (45) Bacrot,E (2671)-Christiansen,J (2558) Douglas ENG 2019.} )12. Nd2 Nc6 13. Nf3 0-0 (13... cxd4 14. cxd4 Bb4+ 15. Kf1 $5 {could have been one of Grischuk's ideas.} )14. 0-0 cxd4 15. cxd4 e5 16. dxe5 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 Qxe5 {At first glance it does look as though Black should be totally fine here. It's easy to activate the pieces and there's no way at this stage you can point at the pawn on d5 and call it a weakness. However, Grischuk has a game plan.} 18. Qxe5 Bxe5 19. f3 {Grischuk was asked in the interview after the game about his time management. He said that he was aware it wasn't good but that he is struggling to see anything, and then went on to say it took him around an hour to see 19.f3. Carlsen was impressed by this move in the live commentary and made a convincing case for White now having something to work with. The problem for Black is that in a few moves' time, it's going to be difficult for Black to improve his position. White, on the other hand, if things go to plan, will be hoping to complete development and then start to advance the pawns.} Bd4+ 20. Kh1 Rac8 21. Rd1 Rfe8 22. g3 { Note that the bishop on d3 does an excellent job of keeping the Black rooks at bay.} Kf7 23. Kg2 g6 24. Bd2 Be3 25. h4 (25. Be1 {keeping the two bishops was definitely something to consider, but is probably not as good as Grischuk's approach, as the bishop v knight advantage is being felt regardless of whether the dark-squared bishops are there or not.} d4 26. a4 Nd5 27. a5 )Re6 26. Bxe3 Rxe3 27. Kf2 {Sasha definitely has something to work with now. It's difficult to highlight exactly where Wang Hao has gone wrong, it's possible that the approach in the opening doesn't equalise fully.} Re6 28. Rd2 Ke7 29. Rad1 Rec6 30. g4 a6 31. h5 {Nice expansion on the kingside. Compare this to the position on move 22. Black's position has barely moved on and White has managed to organise and get and effective pawn-break on the kingside.} Kf7 (31... gxh5 32. g5 {is very bad news for Black.} )32. a3 Re8 33. hxg6+ hxg6 34. g5 {Possibly a mistake.} ({Valid alternatives were} 34. Rc2 {and} )(34. Bb1 { after which Black is suffering.} )Ne4+ $1 {Wang Hao seizes the opportunity to simplify.} 35. Bxe4 (35. fxe4 dxe4 {makes Black's task simple, with ...e3 threatened.} 36. Bxe4 Rxe4 {is totally fine for Black.} )dxe4 36. Re1 exf3 37. Rd7+ Kf8 38. Rh1 {Very resourceful near the time control. Engines are unphased by this concept, but over the board, with little time left, this is not easy to navigate.} Kg8 39. Rxb7 (39. Rhh7 {was another try. The engines are not worried, but I certainly would have been nervous handling Black here.} Rc2+ 40. Kxf3 Rf8+ 41. Ke3 Rff2 $11 )Rc2+ 40. Kxf3 Rc5 { A nice idea from Wang Hao - he intentionally gives the f3-pawn in order to threaten a perpertual with ...Rf5+ and then the e-rook can deliver the rest of the checks.} 41. Rh4 Rxg5 {Black is now out of danger.} 42. b4 Rge5 43. Rd4 Re3+ 44. Kf4 Rxa3 45. Rd6 Ra1 46. Rxg6+ Kh8 47. Rh6+ Kg8 48. Rg6+ Kh8 49. Rh6+ Kg8 1/2-1/2