[Event "Tata Steel-A 86th "] [White "Wei,Yi"] [Black "Vidit,Santosh Gujrathi"] [Site ""] [Round ""] [Annotator "Wei,Yi"] [Result "1-0"] [Date "2024.01.28"] [WhiteElo "2740"] [BlackElo "2742"] [PlyCount "75"] {After the dramatic 12th round, I had sized the chance to become one of the five co-leaders. In this last round game, my opponent is Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, a strong Grandmaster from India. Last year, his performance was really amazing and he won the Grand Swiss, qualifying for the Candidates 2024. Even so, I had to play for victory because my competitors were all in good shape and had good chances to win their last game. So there were no reasons to back off!} 1. d4 $5 {In this tournament, I started all my white games with 1. e4. But in this special game, I decided to change a bit.} d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 $5 {The Colle System does not often appear in my games, so this was the second surprise to my opponent. He started to think about the set-up for Black.} c5 4. c3 $5 {And maybe this was another surprise. White's stucture is like the reversed Meran.} e6 {The most common move and a logical way to protect the pawn on c5.My next two moves are more or less 'forced'.} (4... Nc6 $6 5. dxc5 e5 6. b4 $16 {Is bad for Black.} )(4... cxd4 5. exd4 {turns into the Caro-Kann Exchange pawn sturcture.} )5. Bd3 Nbd7 $5 {He spent some time to decide the square of the knight. The knight is safer on d7.} (5... Nc6 6. Nbd2 Bd6 { is another choice. But with the knight on c6, sometimes I can threaten it by b4-b5.} )6. Nbd2 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1 $1 {The first key moment. Now I want to play e4, then the attack on kingside will be terrible.} (8. e4 $6 {is too hasty,} cxd4 9. cxd4 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Bxe4 h6 $15 {[%cal Gd7f6] is just bad for White. White has an weakness on d4, and Black's king is very safe after ...Nf6.} (11... Nf6 12. Bg5 $11 ))Qc7 $6 {Very natural way to defend e5 squre, but maybe underestimating the rook on e1} (8... e5 9. e4 cxd4 10. cxd4 {transposes to a popular line of the Meran without Nc3.} )(8... b6 $142 9. e4 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Be7 $1 $11 {[%cal Gc8b7] is a safer way to play. But in the game, a retreat like .. .Be7 is not easy to evaluate for Black .} )9. e4 $1 {Of course, no choices .} cxd4 10. cxd4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 {Suddenly, I felt Black is in big trouble because of the possible following attack.} b6 $5 (11... Nxe4 12. Rxe4 Nf6 $2 {This natural move will increase the danger} 13. Rh4 {[%cal Gc1g5] } h6 (13... g6 14. Bh6 $18 )14. Bxh6 $1 {Not a difficult sacrifice! } gxh6 15. Qd2 $18 {; ;} )(11... Bf4 $6 {looks like a good way to stop Bg5, but after} 12. Ne5 $1 Bxe5 13. dxe5 Qxe5 14. Bd2 $18 {[%csl Re5][%cal Gd2c3,Gc3h8,Gd3h7] the pair of bishops determines White's big advantage} )(11... h6 12. Nxd6 Qxd6 13. Ne5 $1 $16 {[%cal Gc1f4,Ge1e3,Ge3g3] is also bad.} )12. Bg5 (12. Nxf6+ $6 {is an inaccuracy, as after} Nxf6 13. Bg5 Bb7 $1 {Black simply completes the improvement of the minor pieces.} 14. Bxf6 (14. Rc1 Qd8 $1 $15 { Now there's no need to play . ..Qb8!} )gxf6 15. Rc1 Qd8 {[%cal Gf6f5,Gd8f6] Even with the doubled f-pawn, Black's king is safe.} )Nxe4 { My opponent doesn't want to defend passively, he is trying to create counterplay.} (12... Bb7 $2 {will lose the game quickly:} 13. Rc1 Qb8 $8 14. Nxf6+ Nxf6 {[#] Here comes the big difference:} 15. Bxf6 gxf6 16. Bxh7+ $3 Kxh7 17. Ne5 $1 $18 {[%cal Gd1h5,Ge1e3,Ge3g3] There's no way to defend the king;} )(12... Be7 $1 {is a better way to defend.} 13. Rc1 (13. Ne5 {is the suggestion of the engine, but it's still OK for Black:} Nxe5 14. Rc1 Qd8 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. Bxf6 Qxf6 17. dxe5 Qe7 18. Qc2 g6 19. Qc7 Bd7 $14 )Qd8 $14 {Black's pieces look a bit lazy, but as compensation, White has no attacks for the time being. The position is playable.} )13. Rxe4 $1 Bb7 14. Rc1 Qb8 15. Rh4 f5 $1 { The best defensive move here.} (15... h6 $4 {is still terrible:} 16. Bxh6 gxh6 17. Rg4+ Kh8 18. Qd2 $18 {Time to resign;} )(15... g6 $6 {leads to big trouble for the d7 knight:} 16. Qa4 $1 $18 {[%csl Rd7]} ({During the game I thought} 16. Bb5 {is also good, but after} f6 17. Bxd7 Bxf3 {there still exist some hopes for Black.} ))16. Bc4 {Attacks the pawn on e6 and stops ...Bd5.} Qe8 (16... Bd5 $2 17. Bxd5 exd5 18. Rc6 $1 {limits the freedom of Black's queen and treatens to win the pawn on d5.} (18. Qb3 $2 Qb7 )b5 (18... Rc8 19. Qb3 $1 $18 {. .} )19. Qb3 Nb6 {holds the d5 pawn, but loses another one .} 20. Qxb5 $18 )17. Qb3 Kh8 $6 {An interesting way to set a trap, but not the right move order} (17... Qg6 $2 {is bad too:} 18. Bxe6+ Kh8 19. Bd5 $1 $18 {; ;} )(17... Bxf3 $142 {is the only move here.} 18. Qxf3 Kh8 $6 {will give White a chance to show the consecutive tactics.} (18... Rc8 19. Qe2 Kh8 20. Bxe6 $18 )(18... Qg6 $142 19. Bd2 Rac8 20. Qe2 Kh8 $16 {black can stiill try to hold.} )19. Qh3 $1 (19. Re1 $18 {is what I wanted to play in the game. Not the best, but of course, the simpler move ...} )Qg6 20. Bxe6 $1 h6 (20... Qxe6 21. Rxh7+ Kg8 22. Qh5 g6 23. Qh6 $18 )21. Bxh6 $1 Qxe6 22. Bd2+ $1 Kg8 23. Re1 $1 Qf6 24. Rh8+ Kf7 25. Rh5 $1 Kg8 26. Bg5 $1 Rae8 (26... Qg6 27. Rh8+ Kf7 28. Qb3+ $1 )27. Rxe8 Rxe8 28. Rh8+ Kf7 29. Qh5+ Qg6 30. Qxg6+ Kxg6 31. Rxe8 Kxg5 32. Rd8 $18 {Wonderful, but it's impossible to find all this without engines ...} )18. Re1 $1 $18 ({Of course not} 18. Bxe6 $2 Bxf3 19. Bxd7 Qg6 $15 {! !} )Be4 (18... Bxf3 19. Rxe6 $18 {loses easily;} )(18... e5 {doesn't give Black chances to fight back.} 19. Nxe5 Nxe5 (19... Bxe5 20. dxe5 Nxe5 (20... Qg6 21. Qh3 $18 )21. Qh3 $1 Nf3+ 22. gxf3 Qxe1+ 23. Kg2 $18 {. .} )20. dxe5 Qg6 21. Rxh7+ $1 $18 {Tthis rook sacrifice is like what's going to happen in the game.} )19. Bxe6 Qg6 {Another key moment of the game. Here I saw two ways to continue, but was not sure which is the best. After a long think, I found the more powerful way:} 20. Bd2 $1 {Now I want to play Ng5, there are no good ways to stop it.} (20. Bxd7 Bxf3 21. Qxf3 Qxg5 22. Rh5 Qg4 (22... Qf6 $2 23. Qh3 $1 h6 24. Re6 $18 )(22... Qf4 23. Qxf4 Bxf4 24. Bxf5 h6 25. Be6 $18 {[%csl Ra8,Rf8][%cal Gd4d5]} )23. Qxg4 fxg4 24. Bxg4 $18 {This would be the simpler way, but will lead to a long endgame, that's why I rejected it .} )Nf6 $1 { So the best defence here is: go for counterplay!} (20... Be7 21. Rh3 $18 {[%cal Gh3g3] } )21. Ng5 f4 $1 {The final test for White!} 22. Rxh7+ $1 {But I had to see all this before I played 20.Bd2 so I couldn't miss the right move here!} Nxh7 23. Nxe4 {Thing are easy now. I have a dream bishop on e6, it limits most of the black pieces. And the knight on h7 is not free as Black's king is fragile without its protection.} f3 (23... Be7 24. d5 Ng5 {This is the last chance to exchange the powerful central knight, but then White's bishops will dominate the game as well} 25. Nxg5 Bxg5 (25... Qxg5 26. Re5 $1 $18 )26. Bb4 Rfe8 27. d6 $18 {. .} )24. g3 $8 Be7 (24... Bf4 25. Bb4 $18 {Black loses the rook or f3 pawn.} )25. d5 Rad8 26. Qa4 $6 {An inaccuracy. It gives Black a chance to fight back.} ({My original plan was to keep an eye on my king with} 26. h3 {, but I did not want to give Black the chance to exchange the knights after} Nf6 {But without the knight, Black's king is helpless:} 27. Nxf6 Rxf6 (27... Bxf6 28. Qxf3 Bd4 29. Bf4 $18 )28. Bb4 $1 Bxb4 29. Qxb4 $18 {[%csl Rh8][%cal Gb4h4,Gb4e7,Ge1e4] There are soo many weakness to defend ...} )a5 (26... Rfe8 $5 {[%cal Gh7f8] is the last chance for black.} 27. Bd7 $1 Qh5 (27... Rf8 28. Qc6 $18 )28. h4 $1 {I must find last two moves, otherwise things will be unclear.} Rf8 29. Qc6 $1 {[%csl Gd5,Gg6] controls some important squares, and threatens to play d6.} Nf6 30. d6 $1 Bxd6 (30... Rxd7 31. Nxf6 $18 )31. Nxf6 Rxf6 32. Bg5 $18 {. .} )(26... Nf6 27. Ng5 $1 Nxd5 28. Qh4+ Qh6 29. Qxh6+ gxh6 30. Nf7+ $18 {- it's just a winning endgame for White.} )27. Qc6 Bb4 {Destroying the pair of bishops, but it's too late now.} (27... Rfe8 $2 { Now this is easy to meet} 28. Bd7 Qh5 29. h4 $18 {; ;} )(27... Nf6 28. d6 Nxe4 29. dxe7 Nxd2 {Now, the most accurate move is} 30. Qd5 $1 $18 ({During the game I saw only} 30. Qd6 {, beautiful too, but meaningless.} ))28. Bxb4 axb4 29. h4 $1 {Openning a 'window' for my king, while also stopping ... Ng5 and ... Nf6 ideas. .} Ra8 {Again he tries to create counterplay.} ({Now} 29... Nf6 { will be met by} 30. Ng5 $18 {. .} )30. Nd6 $1 {But this simple move just stops it. Now, Nf7+ is a decisive threat.} Ra7 (30... Rxa2 31. Nf7+ $1 Rxf7 32. Qe8+ $18 {is what I want.} )31. Qxb6 {Before I played this move, I already predicted the ending ; )} Rxa2 32. Qc7 $1 Nf6 33. Nf7+ Kh7 34. Ne5 $1 {The key of my calculation. Suddenly things are clear: Black will lose one of his pieces, or his king.} Qh6 (34... Qh5 35. Qc2+ Kh6 36. g4 $18 {is not difficult to find.} )35. Qc2+ g6 36. Nxg6 Rfa8 (36... Qxg6 37. Bf5 $18 {. .} )37. Ne5+ Kg7 38. Qc7+ {With the victory in this game, I joined the leaders and went into the tiebreak. Finally, I won the tiebreak and the tournament with some luck ; )} 1-0