[Event "WCC Match 2024"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Gukesh Dommaraju"] [Site "Singapore"] [Round "10.1"] [Annotator "Sundararajan Kidambi"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Date "2024.12.07"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "2728"] [BlackElo "2783"] [PlyCount "72"] [GameId "2120788612816925"] [EventDate "2024.11.18"] [EventType "match"] [EventCountry "SIN"] [SourceTitle "playchess.com"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceQuality "1"] [TimeControl "40/7200:1800+30"] {[%evp 18,72,22,21,27,28,25,8,34,6,12,12,10,22,16,17,18,17,28,13,18,18,23,20,15,17,15,12,22,15,20,20,20,13,20,20,20,20,28,13,13,13,14,14,15,9,9,9,9,9,9,0,9,0,9,0,9]} 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 3. Bf4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} e6 {[%emt 0:01:16]} 4. e3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:27]} 5. Be2 {[%emt 0:00:51]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:01:01]} 6. dxc5 {[%emt 0:01:41]} Bxc5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 7. c4 {[%emt 0:02:43]} O-O {[%emt 0:01:38]} 8. O-O {[%emt 0:00:40]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:56] Gukesh played this quickly} (8... dxc4 9. Bxc4 Qe7 {Black and try and develop the knight on d7 is more typical of a Queens Gambit Accepted player.}) 9. Nc3 $1 {[%emt 0:01:05] White commits Nc3 only after Black does the same too.} dxc4 {[%emt 0:00:37]} 10. Bxc4 {[%emt 0:02:45]} Nh5 $5 {[%emt 0:25:58] After a long thought Gukesh typically tries to solve the position in a concrete fashion.} ({Clearly Gukesh did not like to defend a passive endgame after} 10... Qxd1 11. Rfxd1) 11. Bg5 {[%emt 0:25:16]} (11. Qc2 $5 Nxf4 12. exf4 {White could create an imbalance and play this structure like the famous Kramnik-Carlsen game 2010 though this is a better version of Black.}) 11... Be7 {[%emt 0:03:44]} 12. Ne4 {[%emt 0:09:55]} (12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Nd4 Nf6 (13... Nxd4 14. Qxh5 Nc6 {also seems ok for black}) 14. Nxc6 bxc6 {Ding thought this position was fine for Black.}) 12... Nf6 {[%emt 0:02:04]} 13. Nxf6+ {[%emt 0:07:04]} Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 14. Qxd8 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Rxd8 {[%emt 0:08:47]} 15. Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:05] Ding decided to play it very safe and allowed Black to equalise easily.} gxf6 {[%emt 0:00:04] With only one theoretical weakness on f6, this was perhaps not even a hint of a try and the game resulted in an easy draw!} 16. Rfd1 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:00:17]} 17. Rac1 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Be8 {[%emt 0:01:40]} 18. Rxd8 {[%emt 0:01:23]} Rxd8 {[%emt 0:03:55]} 19. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:05:47]} 20. a3 {[%emt 0:04:57]} f5 {[%emt 0:02:00]} 21. Ke1 {[%emt 0:01:45]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00:42]} 22. Be2 {[%emt 0:03:41]} Ne7 {[%emt 0:11:04]} 23. g3 {[%emt 0:04:06]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:04:26]} 24. Rxc8 {[%emt 0:00:26]} Nxc8 $11 {[%emt 0:00:05][%mdl 4096]} 25. Nd2 {[%emt 0:04:31]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 26. Nc4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Nxc4 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 27. Bxc4 {[%emt 0:00:04] KB-KB} Bc6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 28. f4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} b6 {[%emt 0:00:41] The position is equal.} 29. Kd2 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 30. Kc3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 31. b4 {[%emt 0:00:15]} f6 {[%emt 0:01:00]} 32. Kd4 {[%emt 0:00:15]} h6 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 33. Bb3 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Bb7 {[%emt 0:00:33]} 34. Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Bc6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 35. Bb3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Bb7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 36. Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Bc6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Gibraltar Masters playoff 16th"] [White "Rapport, Richard"] [Black "Aronian, Levon"] [Site "Caleta"] [Round "1.1"] [Annotator "Gupta,Abhijeet"] [Result "0-1"] [Date "2018.02.01"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "2700"] [BlackElo "2797"] [PlyCount "94"] [GameId "2120856977451104"] [EventDate "2018.02.01"] [EventType "k.o. (rapid)"] [EventRounds "2"] [EventCountry "GGB"] [SourceTitle "CBM 183"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2018.03.14"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2018.03.14"] [SourceQuality "1"] {It has to be said that going into the tiebreaks,Levon was definitely the favourite.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d5 3. e3 e6 4. Nf3 c5 5. Be2 Nc6 6. O-O Be7 $6 {I somehow don't like this move but hey I am not going to argue with Aronian's opening :)} (6... cxd4 7. exd4 Bd6 {looks more normal.}) 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. c4 O-O 9. Nc3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Qxd1 11. Rfxd1 b6 12. Ng5 Be7 13. Nge4 Rd8 14. Bb5 Bb7 15. Nd6 Bxd6 16. Bxd6 {Richard can be very happy how the opening went, he has two bishops no weakness and can push Levon forever in such kind of positions.} Rac8 17. f3 a6 18. Be2 b5 19. Kf2 e5 20. Rac1 (20. b4 $1 {[%CAl Ga2a4] This would have been almost winning for White:} Ne8 21. Bc5 Rxd1 22. Rxd1 Rd8 23. Ra1 $1 Rd2 24. a4 bxa4 25. Nxa4 $16) 20... h6 21. h4 (21. b4 {Again the same idea with b4 then a4 should be really nice for White.}) 21... Ne8 22. Bc5 Rxd1 23. Rxd1 Nd8 24. a4 Ne6 25. Ba3 bxa4 26. Nxa4 Nf6 27. Rd2 e4 28. Nb6 Rb8 29. Nc4 Bc6 30. Nd6 Bb5 31. Nxb5 axb5 32. Bd6 Rb7 33. Bb4 Nc7 34. Rd8+ Kh7 35. Bc3 (35. fxe4 {this would have sealed the deal:} Nxe4+ (35... Ne6 36. Rc8 Nxe4+ 37. Kf3) 36. Kf3 Nf6 37. Bd3+ g6 38. Bc3 Ne6 39. Ra8 Kg7 40. Ra6 h5 41. b4 {and Black is in zugzwang.}) 35... Ne6 36. Ra8 Nd5 37. Be5 Nb6 38. Re8 $2 (38. Rb8 $1 Rxb8 39. Bxb8 exf3 40. gxf3 b4 41. Bd6 $16) 38... Nc4 {Now Black is too active to make a draw.} 39. Bc3 Nc5 40. Bb4 Nd3+ 41. Bxd3 exd3 42. b3 Nb2 43. Rc8 $2 (43. Ke1 {would have been a better try but it's also getting scary for White:} Ra7 (43... Rc7 44. Bd2 $1) 44. Kd2 Ra1 45. Rd8 Rf1 46. g4 Rxf3 47. Kc1 Rf2 48. Bd2 Rg2 49. Rd4 Kg6 50. e4 Kf6 51. Rd5 b4 52. Bxb4 Rc2+ 53. Kb1 Ke6 54. Ba3 Nc4 55. bxc4 Rxc4 56. Rxd3 Rxe4 {and Black should hold this.}) 43... Nd1+ 44. Ke1 $2 {Mistakes don't come alone.} (44. Kg3 Nxe3 45. Rd8 Nc2 46. Bc5 $11) 44... Nxe3 45. Kf2 Nc2 46. Bc5 {This is the final mistake but things were already quite difficult for White.} (46. Bd2 Rd7 {[%CAl Gc2a1]} (46... Re7 47. Kf1) 47. Rc3 (47. Rc5 b4 48. Re5 Kg6 $17)) 46... Rd7 47. Be3 Nxe3 {The second game of this match was also won by Levon although with some hiccups and managed to set up an interesting final against MVL.} 0-1 [Event "Dortmund SuperGM 37th"] [White "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Site "Dortmund"] [Round "8"] [Annotator "Stohl,I"] [Result "1-0"] [Date "2009.07.10"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "2759"] [BlackElo "2772"] [PlyCount "71"] [GameId "284556434123"] [EventDate "2009.07.02"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "10"] [EventCountry "GER"] [EventCategory "20"] [SourceTitle "CBM 131"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2009.07.15"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2009.07.15"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 {Again no Catalan from Kramnik, just as in the previous rounds.} Be7 5. Bf4 {Kramnik plays this slightly more often than the other bishop move, Carlsen with White also alternates between the two main lines.} ({Currently the theoretical reputation of the solid line} 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 b6 {remains intact. Although in a recent high-level game White was successful, this was not due to the opening itself:} 8. Be2 Bb7 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. cxd5 exd5 11. b4 c5 12. bxc5 bxc5 13. Rb1 Bc6 14. O-O Nd7 15. Bb5 Qc7 16. Qd3 Rfc8 17. Rfd1 Rab8 18. a4 cxd4 19. exd4 Ba8 $6 (19... Bxb5 $142 $11 {Gelfand} 20. Nxb5 $140 Qa5 $1 21. Qf5 Qxa4 22. Qxd7 a6 23. Ne5 Bxe5 24. dxe5 Rd8 25. Qc6 Rxb5 26. e6 $1 $11) 20. Qf5 Qxc3 (20... Rd8 $5 21. Rbc1 $14) 21. Qxd7 Qc7 22. Qf5 Rb6 23. Ne5 $36 {Grischuk,A (2748)-Gelfand,B (2733)/Nalchik/2009/ Krasenkow's notes in CBM 130 show that White's minor pieces are stronger than Black's bishop pair, especially the ?a8.}) 5... O-O 6. e3 c5 ({The last time Kramnik had to face this line with Black, he opted for} 6... Nbd7 7. a3 ({More ambitious is} 7. c5 {, but even here Black can hold his own:} Nh5 (7... c6 8. Bd3 b6 9. b4 a5 10. a3 Ba6 11. O-O Qc8 12. h3 Qb7 13. Rb1 Bxd3 (13... axb4 14. axb4 Rfc8 15. Bxa6 Qxa6 16. Qc2 Bd8 17. Rb2 Qb7 18. Ne1 Bc7 19. Nd3 Ne8 20. Rc1 b5 21. Nb1 f6 22. Bxc7 Nxc7 23. Nd2 Ra6 24. e4 Nf8 25. e5 f5 26. Nb3 Ne8 27. Na5 Qf7 28. Qd2 h6 29. h4 $14 {?,Cheparinov,I (2679)-L'Ami,E (2603)/EU-ch Budva/2009/}) 14. Qxd3 axb4 15. axb4 Ra3 16. Qc2 Rfa8 17. Rfc1 b5 18. Nd2 Bd8 19. Nb3 Ne4 $1 20. Nxe4 dxe4 21. Qxe4 Nf6 22. Qf3 Nd5 $132 {/?,Lysyj,I (2593)-Zvjaginsev,V (2677)/Moscow op/2008/}) 8. Bd3 Nxf4 9. exf4 b6 (9... c6 10. O-O b6 11. b4 bxc5 12. bxc5 Qa5 13. Qc2 h6 14. Rfb1 Ba6 15. Bxa6 Qxa6 16. Ne2 Rfb8 17. Ne1 Bf6 18. Nd3 Qa5 19. g3 Bd8 20. Kg2 Bc7 21. Ng1 Rxb1 22. Rxb1 Rb8 23. Rxb8+ Nxb8 24. Nf3 Nd7 25. h4 Qb5 26. Nde5 {Sargissian,G (2678)-Ehlvest,J (2595)/Moscow Aeroflot op/2009/} Bxe5 $11) 10. b4 a5 11. a3 c6 12. O-O Qc7 13. g3 Ba6 14. Re1 Bf6 15. Ne5 Bxe5 16. fxe5 Bxd3 17. Qxd3 Ra7 18. Reb1 b5 19. a4 axb4 20. Rxb4 f6 21. exf6 Nxf6 22. Qe2 Re8 23. Re1 bxa4 24. Rxa4 Rxa4 25. Nxa4 Qa5 26. Nb6 e5 $1 $11 {Krasenkow,M (2620)-Riazantsev,A (2634)/Metz op/2009/}) 7... c5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 exd5 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. Be5 Bf5 $5 (11... Bf6 {is played more often, but Kramnik's choice is no less natural.}) 12. Be2 Bf6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Nd4 Ne6 15. Nxf5 Qxf5 16. O-O Rfd8 17. Bg4 Qe5 18. Qb3 Nc5 19. Qb5 b6 20. Rfd1 Rd6 21. Rd4 a6 22. Qb4 h5 23. Bh3 Rad8 24. g3 g5 $5 25. Rad1 g4 26. Bg2 Ne6 27. R4d3 d4 28. exd4 Rxd4 29. Rxd4 Rxd4 $11 {1/2,Anand,V (2783)-Kramnik,V (2772)/WCh Bonn/ 2008/}) 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. a3 Nc6 9. Qc2 {Aims for a more complex struggle.} ({The other topical continuation is} 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. Bd3 Bb6 12. O-O {, here Black has to make an important choice: More enterprising is} d4 (12... Bg4 13. h3 Bh5 14. b4 Re8 15. Rc1 a6 16. Bxa6 Rxa6 17. b5 Rxa3 18. bxc6 bxc6 19. Rxc6 Ra7 20. Rd6 Rd7 21. Qxd5 Rxd6 22. Qxd6 Qxd6 23. Bxd6 $11 {/? leads to an ?, in which White has at best only practical winning chances. Although he can push on without risk, ultimately he was successful only in the Leko-Kramnik game from WCh 2004.} Rd8 $5 (23... Bxf3 24. gxf3 Bd8 25. Rb1 Bf6 26. Kg2 g6 27. f4 Kg7 28. Rb7 Re6 29. Rd7 Re8 30. Ra7 Re6 31. Bc5 Rc6 32. Ra5 $14 {Leko,P (2741)-Kramnik,V (2770)/WCh Brissago/2004/}) 24. Bg3 Bc5 25. Rc1 Bf8 26. Nd4 Bg6 27. Rc7 h6 28. h4 Re8 29. Nb5 Rb8 30. Nc3 Re8 31. Kh2 Bf5 32. Nb5 Rc8 33. Ra7 Bc5 34. Ra1 Rd8 {??,Karpov,A (2687)-Anand,V (2755)/Moscow rpd/2002/}) 13. e4 Bg4 14. h3 Qf6 (14... Bh5 $5 15. g4 Bg6 16. Nd2 f6 $13 {is also playable}) 15. Bh2 (15. Bg3 Bh5 $1 16. Re1 Rfe8 17. Rc1 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Ne5 19. Qxf6 gxf6 20. Bxe5 fxe5 21. g3 Rac8 22. Kg2 Kg7 23. Kf3 Kf6 24. h4 Rg8 25. Ke2 Ke7 $11 {Christiansen,L (2524)-Onischuk,A (2638)/Minneapolis/2005/}) (15. hxg4 Qxf4 16. g5 Nd8 17. g3 Qg4 18. Kg2 Ne6 19. Rh1 Nf4+ 20. Kf1 Nh3 21. Qd2 Bd8 22. e5 g6 23. Be2 {Beliavsky,A (2641)-Meier,G (2560)/EU-ch Plovdiv/2008/} Nxg5 24. Kg2 Qe4 25. Rae1 Rc8 26. Bd1 Qc6 27. Qxd4 Ne6 28. Qg4 $13 {Beliavsky}) 15... Bxf3 {Here the swap is more justified, as the ? on h2 is placed worse, than on g3.} 16. Qxf3 Qxf3 17. gxf3 Na5 18. Rac1 Nb3 19. Rc2 Rac8 20. Rd1 Nc5 21. Bb5 Rfd8 22. Kg2 Ne6 23. Rxc8 Rxc8 24. f4 Rc2 25. f5 Nc5 26. Rxd4 g6 27. Be5 Rxb2 28. Bc4 Rc2 29. Bd5 Kf8 30. Bg3 Ke7 31. Bh4+ f6 32. fxg6 hxg6 33. e5 g5 34. exf6+ Kxf6 35. Bg3 Ne6 36. Rc4 Nf4+ $11 {1/2,Portisch,L (2512)-Beliavsky,A (2648)/Bazna/2007/}) ({Too sterile is} 9. Be2 dxc4 10. Bxc4 {due to} Nh5 $1 11. Qxd8 (11. Bg5 Be7 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. O-O Rd8 14. Qe2 Bd7 15. e4 Nf4 16. Qe3 Ng6 17. e5 Nh4 $1 18. Nxh4 Qxh4 $11 {Nikolic,P (2600)-Georgiev,K (2535)/Dubai olm/1986/}) 11... Rxd8 12. Bc7 Rd7 13. Be5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Rd8 15. O-O Nf6 16. Rfd1 Bd7 17. Nxd7 Rxd7 18. Rxd7 Nxd7 19. Rd1 Nf6 20. Kf1 $11 {1/2,Topalov,V (2750)-Gelfand,B (2665)/Vienna/1996/}) ({After} 9. b4 {White must reckon with the sharp sacrifice} Nxb4 $5 (9... Be7 $132 {is fully playable as well.}) 10. axb4 Bxb4 11. Qb3 a5 12. O-O-O Bd7 13. Ne5 (13. Rd4 $2 Qe7 14. Be5 Rfc8 15. Kb1 b5 16. Nxb5 a4 17. Qa2 Bxb5 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. cxb5 Rc3 20. Rd3 Rac8 $19 {?,Epishin,V (2606)-Short,N (2673)/Malmo/2002/}) (13. Kb1 $5 $13) 13... Rc8 14. Nxd7 (14. Kb1 $5) 14... Qxd7 15. Qc2 Bxc3 16. Qxc3 Ne4 17. Qb2 b5 18. f3 Nd6 19. Bxd6 Qxd6 20. Qxb5 Qa3+ 21. Qb2 Qxe3+ $44 {?, Denayer,W (2255)-Shishkin,V (2135)/corr/2007/}) 9... Qa5 10. Rd1 {The attention has again focused upon this older move.} ({Black has found means to disarm the sharp attempt} 10. O-O-O Be7 11. h4 (11. g4 dxc4 12. Bxc4 e5 13. g5 exf4 14. gxf6 Bxf6 15. Nd5 Ne7 $1 $132 {and the defence holds.}) 11... Rd8 12. Nd2 dxc4 (12... a6 $6 13. g4 $1 dxc4 14. Nxc4 Rxd1+ 15. Qxd1 Qd8 16. Qxd8+ Bxd8 17. Bg2 e5 18. Nxe5 Nxe5 19. Bxe5 Nxg4 20. Bg3 Kf8 21. Rd1 Ke8 22. Na4 $16 {1-0 Nielsen,P (2625)-Glud,J (2486)/Silkeborg 2008/CBM 123 Extra (40)}) 13. Nxc4 Rxd1+ 14. Qxd1 Qd8 15. Qxd8+ Nxd8 (15... Bxd8 16. Be2 Nd5 17. Nxd5 exd5 18. Nd6 Bc7 19. Rd1 Bxd6 20. Bxd6 $14 {Peng,Z (2400)-Maric,A (2460)/Groningen/1997/}) 16. Be2 Bd7 17. e4 Bc6 18. f3 Nh5 19. Bc7 Rc8 20. Be5 Bf6 21. Nd6 Ra8 (21... Rc7 $5 {Kramnik}) 22. Bxf6 Nxf6 23. Rd1 Kf8 24. Kd2 Ne8 25. Nc4 f6 26. Ke3 b6 27. f4 Nf7 28. g4 h6 $14 {/=,Topalov,V (2783)-Kramnik,V (2766)/Wijk aan Zee/2007/ In the resulting ? White has slight edge due to his space advantage, but the position is symmetrical and in the course of the game Black neutralized any winning attempts with careful defence.}) ({Some years ago Black faced a few problems after} 10. Nd2 {However, then Anand and Nielsen came up with the convincing} Bb4 (10... Be7 11. Bg3 Bd7 12. Be2 Rfc8 13. O-O (13. Rd1 Qd8 14. cxd5 Nxd5 15. Nxd5 exd5 16. Qb1 d4 17. O-O $5 $36 {is Agrest's untested suggestion, which also deserves attention.}) 13... Qd8 14. b4 $14 {?}) 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Bd3 Nh5 $1 13. Bg3 (13. Nb3 Bxc3+ 14. bxc3 Qd8 $11) (13. Bxh7+ Kh8 14. Bd3 Nxf4 15. exf4 Re8+ $36) 13... h6 (13... d4 $5 14. Nb3 Bxc3+ 15. bxc3 Qxc3+ 16. Qxc3 dxc3 17. Rc1 Nxg3 18. hxg3 h6 19. Rxc3 Be6 20. Nc5 Ne5 {Jankovic,A (2532)-Saravanan,V (2405)/Kalamaria/2008/ is also good enough, here White should have played the modest} 21. Nxe6 Nxd3+ 22. Rxd3 fxe6 23. Ke2 $11) 14. O-O Bxc3 15. Nb3 Qb6 16. Qxc3 Nxg3 17. hxg3 Rd8 18. Nc5 d4 19. exd4 Nxd4 20. Rfe1 Be6 21. Nxe6 Nxe6 22. Rac1 Rd6 23. b4 Rad8 24. Be4 Ng5 25. Bb1 Rc6 26. Qb2 Rxc1 27. Qxc1 g6 28. Qc3 Qd4 29. Qxd4 $11 {1/2,Gelfand,B (2727)-Nielsen,P (2646)/Turin olm/2006/}) 10... Be7 {The standard reaction, tested already in the Karpov-Korchnoi matches.} (10... Re8 $6 11. Nd2 e5 12. Bg5 Nd4 13. Qb1 Bf5 14. Bd3 e4 15. Bc2 (15. Bf1 $5 {is risky, but objectively even stronger.}) 15... Nxc2+ 16. Qxc2 Qa6 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. Nb3 Bd6 19. Rxd5 $16 {Kortschnoj,V (2665)-Karpov,A (2725)/WCh Baguio City/1978/}) 11. Be2 {Currently White's main try.} ({The older continuation} 11. Nd2 e5 12. Bg5 d4 13. Nb3 {doesn't promise too much and Black even has a choice:} Qd8 (13... Qb6 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Nd5 Qd8 16. Bd3 g6 17. exd4 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 exd4 19. Nxf6+ (19. O-O Bg7 $1 20. Rde1 Be6 21. Nf4 Bd7 22. Be4 Rb8 23. Nd3 Qc7 24. b3 Rfe8 25. Qd2 a5 $132 {Gelfand,B (2691)-Kramnik,V (2751)/Dos Hermanas/1999/}) 19... Qxf6 20. O-O Bg4 21. f3 Be6 22. f4 Bd7 23. Be4 Bc6 24. Bd5 Rfe8 25. Qd3 Bxd5 26. cxd5 Rac8 27. g3 Kf8 28. Rf2 Re3 29. Qxd4 Qxd4 30. Rxd4 Ke7 $44 {Hansen,C (2505)-Jussupow,A (2590)/Reykjavik/1985/}) 14. Be2 a5 15. Na4 g6 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. O-O (17. c5 Be6 18. e4 Qe8 19. Nb6 a4 20. Nd2 Ra5 21. Bd3 Be7 22. Nxa4 $2 (22. Ndc4 $142) 22... Nb8 23. b3 Bxb3 24. Nxb3 Rxa4 25. Ra1 Qc6 26. O-O Nd7 27. Qe2 Nxc5 28. Rfc1 Ra7 29. Nxc5 Bxc5 $17 {Alterman,B (2615)-Kasparov,G (2825)/Tel Aviv sim/1998/}) 17... Qc7 (17... Bg7 $5 18. c5 Qh4 19. e4 Be6 20. Bd3 f5 $13 {Shneider,A (2495)-Kruppa,Y (2440)/Podolsk/1989/}) 18. c5 Be6 19. e4 Ne7 20. Nd2 Bg5 21. Nf3 Bh6 22. Bc4 Bg4 23. Rd3 Kh8 24. h3 f5 25. Rb3 d3 $1 26. Qxd3 Rad8 $44 {Ftacnik,L (2590)-Kotronias,V (2550)/Thessaloniki olm/1988/}) 11... dxc4 ({Inferior is} 11... Ne4 12. cxd5 Nxc3 13. Qxc3 $5 (13. bxc3 exd5 14. O-O Be6 15. a4 Rac8 16. Rb1 Bf6 17. Rxb7 d4 18. exd4 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 Bxd4 20. Rb5 Qxc3 21. Qxc3 Rxc3 22. Rd1 Rc2 23. Rxd4 Rxe2 $11 {Vorobiov,E (2572)-Mikhalevski,A (2441)/Pardubice/2007/}) 13... Qxc3+ 14. bxc3 exd5 15. Rxd5 Bxa3 16. Nd4 a5 (16... Be7 17. Kd2 Rd8 18. Bf3 $14 Nxd4 $2 19. cxd4 Bb4+ 20. Kd3 Rxd5 21. Bxd5 Kf8 22. Rc1 Ba5 23. e4 Ke7 24. Bc7 $18 {Nyback,T (2655)-Dobrev,N (2366)/FRA-chT Chalons en Champagne/2009/}) 17. Rb5 a4 18. Kd2 Be7 19. Ra1 Ra7 20. Bg5 f6 21. Bf4 Rd8 22. Bc7 Re8 23. Bb6 Ra8 24. Bc4+ Kf8 25. Ne6+ Bxe6 26. Bxe6 Bd6 27. Bd5 Re7 28. Kc2 Rd7 29. Be6 Re7 30. Bd5 Rd7 31. f4 $36 {[%csl Gb6,Gd5] ?,Sokolov,I (2657)-Meier,G (2608)/EU-ch Budva/2009/}) ({However, a possibly viable idea is} 11... e5 $5 12. Nxe5 (12. Bxe5 $5 dxc4 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Bxc4 Bf5 15. Qb3 $14) 12... Nxe5 13. Bxe5 dxc4 14. Bd4 Bf5 15. Qc1 Rac8 16. O-O Rfd8 17. Rd2 Ne4 18. Nxe4 Bxe4 19. f3 Bf5 20. Rfd1 b5 21. Bc3 Qc7 22. Rxd8+ Rxd8 23. Rxd8+ Qxd8 24. Bd4 a6 25. Qc3 Bf8 26. e4 Be6 27. f4 f6 $11 {Mamedyarov,S (2646)-Nielsen,P (2668)/ESP-chT Sant Lluis/2005/}) 12. Bxc4 $32 {White had to invest a tempo with his ?, but Black still has some problems with his ? development.} Nh5 {A rare move.} ({However, even the more usual reaction isn't quite ideal:} 12... e5 13. Bg3 Bg4 14. O-O Rac8 15. Nd5 (15. Rc1 $5 a6 16. Ng5 Bh5 17. Nd5 Bg6 18. Nxe7+ Nxe7 19. Qb3 b5 20. Be6 Rxc1 21. Rxc1 Ne4 22. Nxe4 Bxe4 23. f3 Bb7 24. Bh3 Bd5 25. Qc3 Qxc3 26. Rxc3 f6 27. e4 $16 {Rychagov,A (2575)-Aveskulov,V (2495)/Saratov/2006/}) 15... b5 (15... Nxd5 16. Rxd5 (16. Bxd5 $142 $1 $14) 16... Qc7 17. Qe4 Be6 18. Rd2 Bxc4 19. Qxc4 Bf6 20. Rfd1 Rfd8 21. h3 {Werner,D (2376)-Porat,D (2199)/Budapest/2005/} Qe7 $11) 16. Ba2 Nxd5 17. Bxd5 Nd4 18. Qb1 b4 19. Qe4 Bxf3 20. gxf3 Ne2+ 21. Kg2 Nxg3 $2 (21... bxa3 22. Qxe5 $14) 22. hxg3 bxa3 23. Rh1 g6 24. Rxh7 $1 Kxh7 25. Qxe5 Kg8 26. Rh1 {1-0,Mamedyarov,S (2646)-Moradiabadi,E (2485)/Abu Dhabi op/2005/}) 13. O-O (13. Bd3 g6 14. Bh6 Rd8 15. O-O Bd7 16. Be2 a6 17. Nd2 Nf6 18. Bf4 e5 19. Bg5 Be6 20. h3 Rac8 21. Bxf6 Bxf6 22. Bg4 {Vallejo Pons,F (2702)-Short,N (2663)/Wijk aan Zee/2009/} Nd4 $5 $132 {?} 23. exd4 Bxg4 24. hxg4 exd4 25. Nde4 Bg7 26. Qa4 Qe5 27. f4 Qe7 28. f5 dxc3 29. f6 Qc7 $1 30. fxg7 c2 31. Rxd8+ Qxd8 32. Nc3 Qd2 $17) ({White can aspire for a minimal advantage with} 13. Bd6 Bxd6 14. Rxd6 Nf6 15. Qd2 $5 (15. Rd2 Rd8 16. Rxd8+ Qxd8 17. O-O Bd7 18. Rd1 Qe7 19. h3 Rd8 20. Rd2 Be8 21. Rxd8 Qxd8 22. Qd2 Qxd2 23. Nxd2 Kf8 24. f4 Ke7 $11 {Mecking,H (2567)-Short,N (2663)/Wijk aan Zee/2009/}) 15... Rd8 16. Rxd8+ Qxd8 17. Qxd8+ Nxd8 18. Ke2 Kf8 19. e4 Bd7 20. e5 Ne8 21. Rd1 Ke7 22. Ng5 Rc8 23. Ba2 h6 24. Nge4 b6 25. f4 Nb7 26. Nd2 Nc5 27. Nc4 Bc6 28. g3 $14 {?,Eljanov,P (2693)-Chadaev,N (2557)/RUS-chT Dagomys/2009/}) 13... Nxf4 14. exf4 g6 {Frees g7 for the ?e7.} ({Another purpose for the text-move can be seen from the following example:} 14... Rd8 $6 15. Rxd8+ Qxd8 16. Rd1 Bd7 17. f5 $1 Qc8 (17... exf5 18. Qb3 $40) 18. Qd3 Be8 19. fxe6 fxe6 20. Nd5 Qd8 21. Qe2 $18 {Gupta,A (2569)-Kjartansson,G (2365)/Reykjavik/2009/}) 15. g3 {White makes a useful move and waits to see, how Black intends to unravel his ?forces.} Rd8 $146 {[%mdl 8] A reasonable novelty.} (15... Bf6 16. Rd3 Qf5 (16... Bg7 $142) 17. Re1 (17. Nb5 $1) 17... Na5 18. Ba2 Bd7 $2 (18... b6 19. Ne4 Ba6 $14) 19. Nh4 $1 Bxh4 20. Re5 Qg4 21. Rxd7 Nc6 22. Rb5 Bf6 23. Kg2 $1 $18 {Epishin,V (2600)-Atalik,S (2561)/Bratto /2005/}) ({Atalik suggests the interesting} 15... a6 $5 16. Be2 $5 (16. Ne4 b5 17. Be2 Bb7 18. Rd7 Qb6 19. Qc3 Rac8 20. Nf6+ Bxf6 21. Qxf6 Nb8 22. Rd2 Qc6 23. Rfd1 Qe4 $132 {Atalik}) (16. Bd3 Rd8 $11) (16. Ba2 Rd8 $132 {and compared with the game, the extra a6 move is useful for Black.} (16... b5 $6 17. f5 $1 gxf5 18. Nd5 exd5 19. Bxd5 $36)) 16... Rd8 (16... b5 17. Nxb5 axb5 18. Qxc6 b4 19. axb4 $14) (16... Bf6 17. Ne4 Bg7 18. Nd6 $36) 17. Rxd8+ Qxd8 18. Rd1 Bd7 {is similar to the game - White has a slight initiative, but Black retains chances to eventually achieve full equality.} (18... Qc7 19. Ne4 Bd7 20. Ne5 $36)) 16. Rxd8+ Qxd8 (16... Bxd8 $6 17. Rd1 Bf6 18. Ne4 Bg7 19. Nd6 $16 {Atalik}) 17. Rd1 Bd7 {Seemingly risky, but White has no immediate forcing way to exploit the pin on the ?d.} 18. f5 {[%mdl 512] An interesting pawn sacrifice, but for the time being Carlsen finds the way to hold the balance.} ({Possibly more promising was Shipov's suggestion} 18. Ng5 $5 Qc8 $142 (18... Rc8 $2 19. Nxf7 $1 Kxf7 20. f5 gxf5 21. Qxf5+ Kg7 22. Qg4+ Kf7 23. Qe4 $1 Kg7 24. Rxd7 Qxd7 25. Bxe6 {??g4+-}) (18... Qe8 19. Nb5 Rd8 20. Nc7 (20. Nd6 Bxd6 21. Rxd6 Qe7 $14) 20... Qf8 21. Rxd7 $1 Rxd7 22. Ncxe6 Qh6 23. Kg2 $1 $40) 19. h4 $36) 18... gxf5 (18... exf5 $6 19. Qb3 Rb8 (19... Qe8 20. Bxf7+ Qxf7 21. Qxb7 Rb8 22. Qxd7 $18) 20. Bxf7+ Kg7 21. Kg2 $5 (21. Be6 Bxe6 22. Qxe6 Qg8 $14) 21... Qc8 22. Ne2 {[%csl Re6][%CAl Ye2f4] ??f4?,×e6}) 19. Qd2 Qb6 $5 {This tricky move is not forced.} (19... Be8 20. Qh6 Qa5 (20... Qb6 {-19...?b6!?}) 21. Nd5 $5 (21. Ng5 Qe5 $1 22. Qxh7+ Kf8 23. Nf3 Qg7 $11) 21... exd5 22. Rxd5 Qa4 $1 (22... Qc7 23. Rxf5 $40 Qd7 24. Rf4 Bd6 25. Qg5+ Kf8 $8 26. Re4 $1 {[%CAl Rg5h6,Rh2h3] ??h6,h3+-}) {and it seems that White doesn't have more than a perpetual with} 23. Ng5 Bxg5 24. Qxg5+ Kf8 $8 (24... Kh8 $2 25. Qxf5 $18 Qxc4 26. Qf6+ Kg8 27. Rg5+ Kf8 28. Qd6+ Ne7 29. Qh6#) 25. Qh6+ Kg8 26. Qg5+ $11) (19... Bc8 20. Qf4 $5 (20. Qh6 Qf8) 20... Bd7 (20... Qf8 21. Bb5 $32) 21. Qd2 (21. Qh6 a6 $5 {[%CAl Ya8c8,Yc8c7,Yd8f8] ??c8-c7, ?f8}) 21... Bc8 $11) 20. Qh6 {White avoids the traps.} (20. Qxd7 $2 Rd8 $19) (20. Na4 $6 Ne5 $1 (20... Nd4 $1 {can lead to the same position}) 21. Nxb6 (21. Nxe5 Bxa4 $17) 21... Nxf3+ 22. Kf1 (22. Kg2 $2 Nxd2 23. Nxa8 Bc6+ $19) 22... Nxd2+ 23. Rxd2 axb6 24. Rxd7 Bf6 $15 {/=}) 20... Be8 (20... Rd8 21. Ng5 (21. Rxd7 $6 Rxd7 22. Bxe6 Nd4 $1 23. Bxf7+ Kh8 $15) 21... Bxg5 $8 22. Qxg5+ Kf8 23. Qf6 Bc8 (23... Qxb2 $4 24. Qh8+ Ke7 25. Nd5+ $18) 24. Rxd8+ Qxd8 25. Qh8+ Ke7 26. Qxh7 Qd4 $132 {is also possible, but the text-move is more solid.}) 21. Ng5 Bxg5 $8 22. Qxg5+ Kf8 (22... Kh8 $2 23. Rd6 {[%CAl Rd6e6,Rg5f6] ?,??f6,?e6} Qc7 24. Qf6+ Kg8 25. Rxe6 Qd8 $8 26. Qxf5 (26. Rd6 $16) 26... fxe6 27. Qxe6+ Bf7 (27... Kg7 28. Qg8+ Kh6 29. Qf8+ Kg6 30. Nd5 $18) 28. Qxf7+ Kh8 29. Qxb7 Na5 30. Qb5 $16) 23. Qh6+ {White repeats moves to gain time before the control.} (23. Rd6 {-25.?d6}) 23... Kg8 24. Qg5+ Kf8 25. Rd6 Qc7 $2 {[%mdl 8256] A serious error, which White exploits with a decisive piece of tactics.} (25... Rd8 26. Rxe6 $5 Qd4 $142 $1 (26... fxe6 $2 27. Qh6+ Kg8 (27... Ke7 $2 28. Qxe6+ Kf8 29. Qf6+) 28. Qxe6+ Kg7 29. Qg8+ Kf6 30. Qf8+ Ke5 (30... Kg6 31. Ne2 $1 $18) (30... Kg5 31. Ne4+ fxe4 32. h4+ Kg6 33. Qg8+ Kf5 34. Qg5#) 31. Nb5 $1 {[%CAl Rf8g7] ??g7+-}) 27. Rf6 (27. Qh6+ Kg8 28. Rf6 Qxc4 29. Qg5+ {-27.?f6}) 27... Qxc4 28. Rxc6 Qd4 29. Rc4 Qd2 30. Qxf5 Bc6 31. Rxc6 $5 (31. Ne4 Qd1+ 32. Kg2 Qd5 33. Qxd5 Bxd5 34. Rd4 f5 35. f3 fxe4 36. fxe4 Bxe4+ 37. Rxe4 Rd2+ $11) 31... bxc6 32. Qxh7 Rd6 $14 {White is somewhat better (safer ?), but the result of the game is far from decided.}) (25... Qc5 $5 {is safer and holds the balance:} 26. Ne4 $5 (26. Qh6+ Kg8 (26... Ke7 $2 27. Nd5+ $1 exd5 (27... Kxd6 28. Qf8+ $18) 28. Rxd5 $18 {?} Qxc4 29. Qd6#) 27. Rxe6 fxe6 (27... Qxc4 28. Qg5+ $11) 28. Bxe6+ Bf7 29. Nd5 Bxe6 30. Qxe6+ Kg7 $11) 26... Qxc4 27. Nf6 Ke7 $8 28. Rd1 (28. Ne4+ Kf8 $11) 28... Nd4 $8 29. Nxe8+ Kxe8 $1 (29... Kf8 30. Qg7+ Kxe8 31. Rxd4 Qc1+ 32. Kg2 Rc8 33. Rh4 $36) 30. Qg8+ Ke7 31. Qxa8 Ne2+ $5 (31... Qd5 32. Rxd4 Qxd4 33. Qxb7+ Kf6 34. Kg2 $11 {/?}) 32. Kg2 Qe4+ 33. f3 Nf4+ 34. gxf4 Qe2+ 35. Kg3 Qxd1 36. Qxb7+ Qd7 $11) (25... Qxb2 $2 26. Qf6 Qc1+ (26... Kg8 27. Rxe6 $18) 27. Rd1 Qxa3 28. Bxe6 Kg8 29. Bxf5 Qf8 30. Ne4 $18 {?}) 26. Qh6+ Ke7 $8 (26... Kg8 27. Rxe6 $1 fxe6 28. Bxe6+ Bf7 29. Nd5 $18 {[%CAl Rd5f6] ??f6}) 27. Qh4+ {White again repeats moves, here he wants to accurately calculate the winning line.} (27. Nb5 $1 {-29.?b5!}) 27... Kf8 (27... Kxd6 28. Nb5+ Kd7 29. Nxc7 $18 (29. Bxe6+ $5 fxe6 30. Qxh7+ $18)) 28. Qh6+ Ke7 29. Nb5 $1 Qa5 (29... Qxd6 30. Nxd6 Kxd6 31. Qxh7 Ne5 {was more resilient, but equally hopeless in the long run - the ?h2 will decide after} 32. Be2 $18 {[%csl Gh2]}) (29... Qc8 30. Qxh7 Nd8 (30... Kf8 31. Qh6+ Ke7 32. Qg5+ Kf8 33. Nd4 $1 Nxd4 34. Rxd4 $18) 31. Qh4+ f6 32. Rd1 Qc5 33. Nd4 $1 Bf7 34. Re1 {and White's ? will eventually break thorugh. A nice sample line is} Kd7 35. Bb5+ Ke7 $2 36. Nxf5+ $1 Qxf5 37. Qb4+ Qc5 38. Qxc5#) 30. b4 ({Similar is} 30. Rxe6+ $1 fxe6 31. Qxe6+ Kd8 32. b4 $18) 30... Nxb4 {The only reasonable way to postpone mate, but even now the ? breaks through.} (30... Qb6 31. Rxe6+ $1 fxe6 32. Qxe6+ Kd8 (32... Kf8 33. Qh6+ Ke7 34. Qd6#) 33. Qd6+ Bd7 34. Be6 Nb8 35. Qf8+ Be8 36. Qf6#) 31. Rxe6+ $1 (31. axb4 $2 Qa1+ 32. Kg2 Bxb5 33. Rxe6+ fxe6 34. Qxe6+ Kd8 35. Bxb5 Qd4 36. Qe8+ Kc7 37. Qxa8 Qd5+ $13) 31... fxe6 32. Qxe6+ Kd8 33. Qf6+ {An important move, protecting the a1-square.} Kc8 34. Qxf5+ $5 {Before taking the ?, White grabs a ?.} (34. axb4 $18) 34... Kd8 (34... Bd7 35. Nd6+ $18) (34... Kb8 35. Qe5+ $18) 35. Qf6+ Kc8 36. axb4 $1 {Now Black faces a quick mate, or immense material losses.} (36. axb4 Qd8 (36... Qxb4 37. Be6+ Bd7 38. Qh8+ {mates immediately.}) 37. Be6+ Bd7 38. Qc3+ Kb8 39. Qe5+ Kc8 40. Qc5+ Kb8 41. Bxd7 b6 42. Qd6+ Kb7 43. Bc6+ $18) 1-0