[Event "Belgrade SRB"] [Site "Belgrade SRB"] [Date "2022.03.12"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Andreikin, Dmitry"] [Black "Rapport, Richard"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C47"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "2022.03.09"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 ({The Petroff. The previous Andreikin-Rapport encounter went} 2... Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. Nc3 d6 7. a3 Be6 8. Nd5 Qd7 9. Bg5 Bxd5 10. exd5 Nd4 11. Nxd4 exd4 12. Qf3 Rae8 13. Rae1 Bd8 14. h3 Qa4 15. Qd1 Qd7 16. Bd2 h6 17. b4 Re5 18. Qa1 Nxd5 19. Qxd4 Rxe1 20. Rxe1 Nb6 21. Bb3 Re8 22. Rxe8+ Qxe8 23. Qe4 Qxe4 24. dxe4 Nd7 25. g3 b5 26. a4 {(White has a clear advantage in the endgame thanks to paying with a pair of bishops against knight + bishop.)} Ne5 27. Kf1 bxa4 28. Bxa4 Nc4 29. Be1 c5 30. Ke2 cxb4 31. Bb3 Nb6 32. Bxb4 Bc7 33. f4 Nd7 34. Kd3 g5 35. Kd4 a5 36. Bd2 Bb6+ 37. Kc4 Nf6 38. e5 Ne4 39. Be1 gxf4 40. gxf4 dxe5 41. fxe5 Ng5 42. Bd2 Kg7 43. h4 Nf3 44. Bc3 Kg6 45. h5+ Kf5 46. Kb5 Bc7 47. Bxf7 Bxe5 48. Bg6+ Kg5 49. Bxa5 Nd4+ 50. Kc4 Nxc2 51. Kd3 Nd4 52. Ke4 Kf6 53. Kd5 Kg7 54. Bc3 Bf6 55. Bxd4 {1/2-1/2 (55) Andreikin,D (2736)-Rapport,R (2702) Wijk aan Zee 2017}) 3. Nc3 Nc6 {The Four Knights is one of the oldest openings in chess. It had a renaissance in the 1980s when particularly the English top players such as Short and Nunn played it with some success. The fact that it is still being contested in top -level chess shows the versatility of the opening.} 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. Bd2 ({This bishop move is a relatively recent discovery at grandmaster level. It only came to prominensce in 2018 when Andreikin's countrymen Vitugov, Nepomniachtchi and Motylev started playing it. More recently, it has been played by other world-class players such as Karjakin and So. Objectively speaking, it should not lead to any kind of significant problems for Black, but some precision is required. The main line, of course, is} 8. exd5 {which Rapport has faced in an earlier game:} O-O 9. O-O cxd5 10. Bg5 c6 11. Qf3 Bd6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. Qxf6 gxf6 {(despite his inferior pawn structure, Black has the slightly better chances on account of his bishop pair. )} 14. Ne2 Rb8 15. Rab1 Re8 16. Ng3 h6 17. Nf5 Bxf5 18. Bxf5 Rb7 19. Bd3 Be5 20. Rfe1 Kf8 21. b3 Rbe7 22. Kf1 Bc3 23. Rxe7 Kxe7 24. Rd1 Kf8 25. Be2 d4 26. Rd3 Re5 27. Rh3 Kg7 28. Rh5 Kg6 29. Rxe5 fxe5 30. Bd3+ f5 31. f3 {1/2-1/2 (31) Ni, H (2674)-Rapport,R (2707) China 2017}) 8... O-O 9. O-O Bxc3 ({A solid choice, which has been played by Magnus Carlsen as well as in that previous game by Andreikin against Matlakov. Rapport, however, has also tried} 9... Rb8 10. Re1 Re8 11. a3 Bxc3 12. Bxc3 dxe4 13. Bxe4 Qxd1 14. Raxd1 Nxe4 15. Rxe4 Bf5 16. Rxe8+ Rxe8 17. h3 Bxc2 {(At this point, White has no more than a small plus but Black's defensive task is a dull affair and mistakes can easily sneak in)} 18. Rd7 Rc8 19. Rd4 Bb3 20. Rg4 g6 21. Rb4 Bd5 22. Ra4 Ra8 23. Ra6 c5 24. Ra5 c6 25. Rxc5 f5 26. Ra5 a6 27. Ra4 Kf7 28. Rb4 Ra7 29. f3 a5 30. Rb8 a4 31. h4 Ke6 32. Kf2 f4 $2 ({Impatient defense. Black should have settled for} 32... Rf7) 33. Rb4 Kf5 34. Bd2 Bb3 35. Rxf4+ Ke6 36. Bc3 Re7 37. Kg3 Rf7 38. Re4+ Kd7 39. Rb4 Ke6 40. Rb6 Kd5 41. Ra6 c5 42. h5 gxh5 43. Rh6 Bc2 44. Rxh5+ Kc6 45. Kf2 Bg6 46. Re5 Kd6 47. Re1 Re7 48. Rd1+ Ke6 49. g4 h5 50. Kg3 hxg4 51. fxg4 Kf7 52. Rd5 Rc7 53. Rd6 Bc2 54. g5 Re7 55. Rf6+ Kg8 56. Rc6 Re3+ 57. Kf4 Re4+ 58. Kg3 Re3+ 59. Kf2 Re7 60. g6 Re8 61. g7 Bb3 62. Rxc5 Kf7 63. Rf5+ Kg8 64. Rh5 Kf7 65. Rh8 Rg8 66. Ke3 Ke7 67. Kf4 Re8 68. Kg5 Bg8 69. Rh6 Ra8 70. Rf6 Bf7 71. Bb4+ {1-0 (71) Karjakin,S (2750)-Rapport,R (2747) Saint Louis 2019}) 10. Bxc3 dxe4 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Bxe4 Qxb2 13. Bxc6 Rb8 14. Rb1 Qxb1 15. Qxb1 Rxb1 16. Rxb1 Rd8 17. Bf3 Bf5 ({Here Black typically has given preference to} 17... Kf8 18. Rb8 Re8 19. h4 ({Andreikin tried} 19. h3 Ba6 20. Rb4 Re5 21. Ra4 Be2 22. Ba8 $6 a5 23. g4 $6 Rc5 {(Black has taken over the initiative at this point.)} 24. Be4 Bd1 25. Kg2 g6 26. Ra3 Bxc2 27. Bxc2 Rxc2 28. Rxa5 c5 29. a4 c4 30. Kf3 c3 31. Ke3 Ra2 32. Ra8+ Kg7 33. g5 h6 34. h4 hxg5 35. hxg5 c2 36. Kd2 Kh7 37. f4 Kg7 38. a5 Kh7 39. a6 Kg7 40. Ra7 Kg8 41. Kc1 Kg7 42. Ra8 Kh7 43. Kd2 Kg7 44. Ra7 Kg8 45. Rc7 Rxa6 46. Rxc2 Ra3 47. Rc3 Ra2+ 48. Ke3 Ra4 49. Rd3 Rb4 50. Rd4 Rb3+ 51. Ke4 Kg7 52. f5 gxf5+ 53. Kxf5 Rb5+ 54. Kg4 Ra5 55. Rd7 Rb5 56. Kh5 Ra5 57. Rc7 Rb5 58. Ra7 Rc5 {1/2-1/2 (58) Andreikin,D (2724) -Csonka,B (2474) Chess.com INT 2022}) 19... Ba6 ({In the other prior game of Andreikin's, he faced} 19... Bf5 20. Rb7 Bxc2 21. Rxc7 Be4 22. Rxa7 Bxf3 23. gxf3 {(White is a pawn up in the endgame, but it is a stone-cold draw.)} Rc8 24. Kg2 Rc4 25. Kg3 g6 26. Ra5 Kg7 27. f4 Kf6 28. a4 h5 29. Ra7 Ke6 30. Ra6+ Kf5 31. Ra5+ Kf6 32. Ra7 Ke6 33. a5 Ra4 34. a6 f6 35. Ra8 Kf5 36. a7 Ra3+ 37. Kg2 Kxf4 38. Rf8 Rxa7 39. Rxf6+ Kg4 40. Rxg6+ Kxh4 41. f4 Ra2+ ({Black had a fun alternative in} 41... Rg7 $1 42. f5 (42. Rxg7 {is a stalemate.}) 42... Rf7 43. f6 Rg7 $1 {with a draw.}) 42. Kf3 Ra3+ 43. Ke4 Ra4+ 44. Ke5 Ra5+ 45. Kf6 Ra6+ 46. Kg7 Rxg6+ 47. Kxg6 Kg3 48. Kxh5 Kxf4 {1/2-1/2 (48) Andreikin,D (2728) -Matlakov,M (2682) Ufa 2021}) 20. Rb3 Be2 $1 (20... Re1+ $6 21. Kh2 Re5 22. Rc3 Be2 23. Bxe2 Rxe2 24. Kg3 Re4 25. Rxc7 Ra4 26. c4 Rxa2 27. c5 a5 28. Ra7 a4 29. c6 Rc2 30. c7 Ke8 31. Rxa4 {1/2-1/2 (31) Mastrovasilis,D (2619)-Grischuk,A (2773) Terme Catez 2021}) (20... Re5 $6 21. Rc3 Re7 22. Ra3 Re6 23. Bd5 Rb6 24. Bb3 c5 25. Ra4 g6 26. f3 Rd6 27. c4 Ke7 28. Ra5 Kd8 29. Rxc5 {with a won edgame which Karjakin duly converted, 1-0 (64) Karjakin,S (2743)-Vidit,S (2727) Wijk aan Zee 2022.}) 21. Bxe2 Rxe2 22. Rc3 Re7 23. f3 Ke8 24. Kf2 Kd7 25. Ra3 Re5 26. Rxa7 Rc5 {with an eventual draw in So,W (2765)-Carlsen,M (2872) Wijk aan Zee 2020.}) 18. Rb7 Bxc2 19. Rxc7 ({The first new move. In the only other game in my database, White instead opted for} 19. h3 f5 $2 ({Very weakening and difficult to understand. as it forces Black to enter an unpleasant and clearly worse endgame; instead, Black should have played} 19... c5 20. Rc7 Bd3 21. Bd5 Kf8 22. Bxf7 (22. Rxc5 Rd7 {should be impossible for Black to lose.}) ( {whereas} 22. Rxf7+ $4 Ke8 $1 {wins for Black.}) 22... Rd4 23. f3 a5 24. Kf2 Bc4 {with an endgame that should be a draw.}) 20. Rxc7 Be4 21. Bxe4 fxe4 22. Kf1 Rd2 23. Rxa7 {(This endgame should be lost for Black, whereas if the e4-pawn would be on f6, it would be a draw.)} h6 24. a4 Kh7 25. a5 Ra2 26. a6 Kg6 27. Ra8 Kg5 28. Ke1 Kh4 29. Rg8 $4 (29. a7 {wins for White.}) 29... e3 $1 30. fxe3 g5 $4 ({A blunder, but apparently McShane missed that after} 30... Rxa6 $1 31. Rxg7 h5 $1 {White cannot win because the black king is stalemated on h4, for instance,} 32. g4 ({if} 32. Kf2 {then Black has a perpetual check after} Ra2+ 33. Kf3 Rf2+ 34. Ke4 Rf4+ {, the rook cannot be captured because of the stalemate.}) ({also} 32. Rf7 Kg3 33. Rf5 ({or} 33. Rg7+ Kh4 $1) 33... Kxg2 34. Rxh5 Kf3 35. Re5 Ra2 {is a draw.}) 32... hxg4 33. hxg4 Ra2 34. Rg8 Kg3 35. g5 (35. e4 Kf4) 35... Kg4 36. g6 Kg5 37. g7 Kg6 {with a draw.}) 31. Ra8 Kg3 32. a7 $4 (32. e4 $1 {is a trivial win for White.}) 32... Kxg2 33. e4 Kxh3 34. e5 g4 35. e6 Ra6 36. Kd2 Rd6+ 37. Kc3 Rxe6 38. Rh8 Ra6 39. Rxh6+ Rxh6 40. a8=Q Kh2 $1 41. Qa2+ Kg3 42. Qf7 Rh2 43. Kd3 Rf2 {(Black has set up a fortress that held up despite White trying to break through for another 44 moves): 1/2-1/2 (87) Heimann,A (2617) -McShane,L (2680) Karlsruhe 2020}) 19... Be4 20. Be2 g5 21. h3 $6 ({After the text move, Black is allowed to hang on to the pawn. Objectively speaking, a better winning attempt was} 21. Rxa7 Rd2 22. Bg4 { but Black does not have any issues after} Bf5 23. Ra8+ Kg7 24. h3 Bxg4 25. hxg4 {with an endgame that Rapport will not lose.}) 21... a5 22. Ra7 Ra8 23. Re7 Bd5 24. Bf3 ({Andreikin tries to create an imbalance. After} 24. a3 h6 {, the endgame is completely even.}) 24... Bxf3 25. gxf3 {This endgame is completely drawn, but, of course, the rules dictate that the players have to reach move 30 before a draw can be agreed upon.} f6 ({Most moves should lead to a draw at this point, but the decision to play the text move nevertheless surprised me as it ties the black king to the back rank. It seemed more obvious to play} 25... Kg7 {, letting the king out.}) 26. Kg2 Rc8 27. Ra7 Rc5 28. f4 $5 { White's only try for an advantage, trying to find a path through for the white king.} (28. Kg3 Rf5 29. Kg4 (29. a3 Kh8 {does not lead anywhere for White}) 29... Rf4+ 30. Kg3 (30. Kh5 $4 Rh4#) 30... a4 ({or} 30... Rf5) 31. a3 Rd4 { and neither side can make any progress.}) 28... gxf4 29. Kf3 Rc3+ {Rapport chooses to defend with an active rook rather than holding the fifth rank, but that too would have been sufficient for a draw.} 30. Kg4 Ra3 31. Kf5 Rxh3 { Black has an extra pawn, but the activity of White's king and rook means that it is still Black who has to hold the draw.} 32. a4 ({White has to keep in mind that} 32. Rxa5 $4 Rh5+ {will cost White the rook.}) 32... f3 33. Kxf6 { Now White is threatening mate with Ra8, so the king has to be checked away from the f6-square.} Rh6+ 34. Kg5 Rh2 $1 35. Kf6 Rh6+ 36. Kg5 Rh2 37. Kf6 { and draw by repetition.} *