[Event "2nd Prague Masters 2019"] [Site "Prague CZE"] [Date "2020.02.14"] [Round "3.5"] [White "Vidit, S."] [Black "Ragger, M."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D85"] [WhiteElo "2721"] [BlackElo "2670"] [Annotator "Yip"] [PlyCount "91"] [EventDate "2020.02.12"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "CZE"] [EventCategory "19"] [SourceTitle "TWIC 1319"] [Source "Mark Crowther"] [SourceDate "2020.02.17"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2020.02.17"] [SourceQuality "2"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Be3 c5 8. Nf3 Qa5 9. Qd2 Nc6 (9... O-O 10. Rc1 Rd8 {The (d-file)xray defence} 11. d5 e6 12. Bg5 f6 13. Be3 Nc6 14. Bd3 Ne7 15. c4 Qxd2+ 16. Bxd2 b6 17. O-O Bd7 18. Rfe1 Nc8 19. e5 exd5 20. cxd5 fxe5 21. Nxe5 Nd6 22. Bg5 Bxe5 23. Bxd8 Bf4 24. Bc7 Bxc1 25. Rxc1 Ne8 26. Be5 Rd8 27. f3 Ba4 {Is Delchev's recommendation in the Safest Grunfeld Reloaded(Chess Stars 2019)}) 10. Rb1 { The threat of Rb5 provokes a defensive pawn move which may later impact the game} a6 {This may help later queenside expansion with ..b5 or give White a target on b6} 11. Rc1 {The logical place for the rook, anticipating ..cxd4 and the opening of the c-file} cxd4 12. cxd4 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 {Black hopes that the Kd2 potentially vulnerable position will provide counterplay} e6 {This is a normal way to restrain the pawn centre from expanding d4-d5 but here the future of the Bc8 is looking sligtly bleak} 14. Bd3 O-O 15. h4 {Seems odd to make an attacking gesture without the presence of queens} h6 {Preparing to close the kingside with ..g5 to take away the h4-h5 threat but putting another pawn on a dark square limits Bg7} 16. Rc5 {The position is equal.} Rd8 { [%CAl Rc6d4]} 17. Rb1 {White has some pressure on the kingside and it is not immediately clear how Black will complete queenside development} Bf8 ({ Predecessor:} 17... Nxd4 18. Bxd4 Bxd4 19. Nxd4 Rxd4 20. Ke3 Rd8 21. Rb6 Bd7 22. a4 Bxa4 23. Rxb7 a5 {1/2-1/2 (35) Kermer,W (2398)-Meyer,F (2130) ICCF email 2018}) 18. Rc4 Bd7 19. Rb6 {[%mdl 2048] White is more active.} ( 19. Rxb7 {Is met by} Na5) 19... Be8 20. Rc1 (20. g3) 20... Bg7 {} 21. e5 {The Bg7 is further restricted at the cost of conceding the nice d5-central outpost} Bf8 {Giving up the b-pawn in the hope of some reasonable activity seems poor in view of what happens in the game} (21... Rab8 {Passive defence was better} 22. Rcb1 Na5) 22. Rxb7 Nb4 {Presumeably the idea was to land the knight on d5 for enough counterplay} 23. Bc4 { White has the simple plan of removing the knight when it arrives on d5} Bc6 { Black has problems after this} (23... a5 24. a3 Nd5 25. Bxd5 Rxd5 26. Rcc7 $14 {This does not look like much fun to defend against}) 24. Rc7 Bb5 25. Bb3 { White has won a pawn and seems to be making progress} (25. Nh2 h5 26. Nf3 $14) 25... Nd5 {The knight is excellently placed but only for one move} ( 25... Nd3 {Gives Black enough activity to hold} 26. R1c2 Bb4+ 27. Kd1 Ba5 28. Re7 Rab8 {is not clear at all} (28... Nb4 29. Rc1 Nd3 {w/repetition} )) 26. Bxd5 Rxd5 {} 27. Rc8 {Trading off one pair of rooks is a standard procedure for reducing defensive counterplay} Rd8 28. Rxa8 Rxa8 29. Bf4 { White has conceded the bishop pair but remains in control of the c-file} ({ White should play} 29. Kd1) 29... Kg7 30. Rc7 {Any human would make this move} (30. Ke3) (30. g4) 30... Bb4+ 31. Ke3 Rd8 (31... Ba5 {Harassing the unstable Rc7 is a logical alternative} 32. Rc5 Bb4 33. Rc1 Rb8 34. g4 Rb7 { White keeps the P+ but has a tough conversion task ahead}) 32. g4 {White takes up more free space on the kingside while Black is not able to generate any tangible threats} (32. Ke4) 32... Rd7 33. Rc8 a5 34. Bg3 Ba6 35. Rc2 {Useful to guard the pawns on the 2nd rank} Bb7 {Black again starts to suffer a bit} (35... Rb7 {Black could just wait to see how White will make progress} 36. Ng1 {The plan used in the game is ineffective as Black can make good use of the b-file to get enough counterplay} (36. g5 h5) (36. h5 g5 $11) 36... Ba3 37. f4 Rb1 38. Ne2 Rd1) 36. Ng1 {An odd looking retreat to free the f-pawn. White sticks to the plan of pushing his kingside majority} g5 {Resisting the f2-f4 plan} (36... Be7 {Bringing the bishop back to defend against f2-f4 is more stubborn} 37. f3 (37. f4 f5) (37. Ne2 g5 38. h5 Bd5) 37... Bd5 38. Ne2 {Black remains quite solid}) 37. f4 { White is pressing} (37. Ne2) 37... gxf4+ 38. Bxf4 {Black's kingside is showing signs of damage. The h6-pawn is now isolated and White is making clear progress} Be7 (38... Rd8) 39. h5 {Fixing the h6-pawn on a dark square is important even if the h-pawn seems to hold back the g,h-pawns} ( 39. Bg3) 39... Ba6 {The bishop was well placed on the long diagonal to prevent Nf3} (39... Bd5) (39... a4 40. Ne2 (40. Nf3 Bxf3 41. Kxf3 Rxd4) 40... Bd5) 40. Nf3 Bb4 {} (40... Rb7 {Is better but Black still is suffering} 41. d5 Rb4 (41... exd5 42. Nd4 {Material is level but the Nd4 is a monster}) 42. Nd4 Bd8 43. dxe6 Bb6 44. e7 Bxd4+ 45. Kf3 Rb8 46. Rd2 Re8 (46... Bb7+ 47. Kg3 Re8 48. Rxd4 Rxe7) (46... Bb6 { Hanging onto the extra piece loses to a nice sudden tactical strike} 47. Bxh6+ $1 Kh7 (47... Kxh6 48. Rd6+ Kg7 49. Rxb6) 48. Rb2 Bb7+ 49. Kg3 Bc6 50. Bf4 Rb7 51. e6 (51. g5)) 47. Rxd4) 41. g5 {After much work, a kingside passer will be created} hxg5 42. Nxg5 ({Resist} 42. Bxg5 a4) 42... Bb7 43. Ne4 {The active knight is as strong as either enemy bishop and has a great future with many tempting outposts to choose from} Be7 44. Nd6 Bd5 45. h6+ Kg6 {} (45... Kh7 46. Nxf7 Bh4) 46. Rc1 {Accuracy: White = 83%, Black = 67%.} 1-0