[Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022.03.04"] [Round "4"] [White "Predke, Alexandr"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B95"] [WhiteElo "2682"] [BlackElo "2761"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qf3 {A rare line, which became popular thanks to the efforts of the unforgettable Bronstein. Recently Nepomniachtchi added it to his repertoire as well.} Be7 ({ The above-mentioned players ended up in identical positions, seprated appart by almost seventy years of chess development and a modest pawn advance (on a3) } 7... Nbd7 8. O-O-O Qc7 9. a3 (9. Qg3 b5 10. Bxb5 axb5 11. Ndxb5 Qb8 12. Nxd6+ Bxd6 13. Qxd6 Qxd6 14. Rxd6 {as in Bronstein,D-Najdorf,M Buenos Aires 1954}) 9... Be7 10. Qg3 b5 11. Bxb5 axb5 12. Ndxb5 Qb8 13. Nxd6+ Bxd6 14. Qxd6 Qxd6 15. Rxd6 {interestingly both White players won in these games, Nepomniachtchi, I (2784)-Abdusattorov,$146 (2627) Chess.com INT 2020}) 8. O-O-O Qa5 { Vachier-Lagrave is as always perfectly prepared in his beloved Najdorf.} ({ In the majority of the cases Black prefers to develop his knight on d7, here, or on the next move. Here is an example:} 8... Nbd7 9. Be2 Qc7 10. Qg3 b5 11. a3 Bb7 12. Rhe1 Rc8 13. f4 Nxe4 14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Bxe7 Kxe7 16. Bd3 Bxd3 17. Qxd3 Nc5 18. Nf5+ Kf6 19. Qg3 Ne4 20. Qxg7+ Kxf5 21. g4+ Kxf4 22. Rf1+ { 1-0 (22) Yoo,C (2647)-Drygalov,S (2838) Chess.com INT 2020}) 9. h4 Bd7 $5 { [%mdl 4] Black indicates that he would like to develop his knight to c6.} (9... Nbd7) 10. Bc4 $146 {After a heavy thought, Predke decided to switch to Sozin-like development.} ({The predecessor saw:} 10. g4 Nc6 11. Nb3 Qc7 12. Qe2 b5 13. Be3 h5 14. g5 Ng4 15. a3 Rb8 16. Bd2 b4 {with active counter-play for Black, Sedlak,$146 (2524)-Ljubicic,F (2406) Pula 2003}) ({Critical seems} 10. e5 $5 dxe5 {when} 11. Qxb7 $2 {certainly does not work due to} ({However} 11. Nxe6 $1 {leads to interesting complications and unclear play after} fxe6 12. Bxf6 O-O 13. Qxb7 gxf6 14. Rxd7 ({But not} 14. Qxa8 $2 Bc6 15. Qa7 Bc5 { when the queen is suddenly trapped.}) 14... Nxd7 15. Qxd7 Kf7 {and it is anyone's game.}) 11... exd4 12. Qxa8 Qb6 {and Black wins material.}) ({The machine likes Bronstein's} 10. Qg3 $5) 10... Nc6 11. Bb3 h6 ({Another way to play it is} 11... Nxd4 12. Rxd4 Bc6 {but Vachier-Lagrave wants to keep this knight alive for greater deeds.}) 12. Be3 ({Perhaps the computer's} 12. Nxc6 Bxc6 13. Bf4 {is an improvement $2}) 12... Ne5 13. Qe2 ({The queen can be left in front of the pawns with} 13. Qg3 {but from here it does not threaten anything yet, and Black can proceed as in the game} Rc8 14. Qxg7 $2 Rg8 15. Qxh6 Neg4 {and Black will win a piece.}) 13... Rc8 14. Kb1 $1 {Careful play by Predke.} ({The immediate} 14. f4 {is spectacularly refuted with} Rxc3 $1 15. Bd2 (15. bxc3 Nxe4 {is plain bad for White.}) 15... Nd3+ 16. Kb1 Qh5 $1 { and Black is clearly on top.}) 14... b5 15. f4 {Another major decision point. The Russian GM decided to force matters in the center.} ({Th alternative was the doubled-edge position after} 15. a3 b4 16. axb4 Qxb4 17. f3) 15... Neg4 ({ This time} 15... Rxc3 16. Bd2 $1 {does not work for Black.}) 16. e5 ({After} 16. Bg1 b4 $1 {suddenly embarrasses the white knight.}) ({However} 16. a3 { was still possible.}) 16... dxe5 17. fxe5 Nxe5 18. Bxh6 Rxh6 19. Qxe5 {As a result, Vachier-Lagrave won a hefty bishop pair and from here on every endgame he enters would be close (if not perfectly) winning for him. But before that he needs to solve the problem of his king in the middle. Right now Predke threatens various knight jumps, like Nd4-f5, or even Nd4xe6 $1} Qc7 $1 { Very useful $1 The white queen is removed from her optimal position.} 20. Qe2 ( {As we know, the endgame after} 20. Qxc7 $2 Rxc7 {is horrific for White.}) 20... Qf4 {Black finds a clever idea to insert the second rook into the assault.} ({There was an interesting alternative} 20... b4 21. Na4 Rh5 22. g4 Re5 $1 (22... Ra5 23. g5) 23. Qg2 Ra5 {with Black's edge.}) 21. Rh3 ({Here} 21. Rhe1 $1 {looked stronger, when White can consolidate his kingside thank to small tactics, like} Kf8 ({Or} 21... Qxh4 $2 22. Nf5) ({Or} 21... Rxh4 $2 22. Nxe6 $1 fxe6 23. Bxe6 Bxe6 24. Qxe6 Qc7 25. Nd5 $1) 22. g3 {capitalizing on the extra tempo to defend.}) 21... Rc5 $1 {The point behind Vahcier-Lagrave's play. The second rook enters the battle.} (21... Qg4 $5 22. Qe1 b4 {looks good for Black too.}) 22. Re3 Qg4 23. Nf3 Bc6 24. a4 {This turns out to be a weakening.} ({Safer looked} 24. a3 {with the idea to meet} Bxf3 25. gxf3 Qxh4 { with} 26. Bxe6 $3 fxe6 27. Rxe6 Nh5 28. Rxh6 gxh6 29. Qe6 $1 {when the same old machine claims that White has enough initiative for a perpetual.}) 24... Kf8 25. axb5 axb5 26. g3 b4 {Black took full control and now pushes the knight to the edge.} 27. Na2 (27. Na4 Rf5 {is awkward for White.}) 27... Rf5 {The pin is unbearable and Predke goes for a forcing line.} 28. Nd4 Qxe2 29. Rxe2 ({ As we already know the endgame after} 29. Nxe2 Ng4 {is practically unplayable for White.}) 29... Bf3 30. Rxe6 {This was White's point. Alas, there is a drawback.} ({However, the endgames were pretty bad for White as well} 30. Nxf3 Rxf3 31. Rd3 Rxd3 32. cxd3 Bd6) ({Or} 30. Nxf5 Bxe2 31. Re1 (31. Nxh6 Bxd1) 31... exf5 32. Rxe2 Ne4 {with massive Black advantage in both cases.}) 30... Bxd1 31. Rxe7 ({No time for} 31. Nxf5 fxe6) 31... Bxc2+ $1 {A decisive in-between spoiler $1} ({Predke likely only saw} 31... Kxe7 32. Nxf5+ Kf8 33. Nxh6 gxh6 {when White should be the one to win.}) 32. Kxc2 (32. Bxc2 Rf1+ { changes nothing.}) 32... Rc5+ {Vachier-Lagrave keeps the rook alive and quickly converts his advantage.} 33. Kd3 Kxe7 34. Nxb4 Nd7 35. Nd5+ Kf8 36. Nf5 Rg6 37. Nde3 Rb6 38. Nd4 Ne5+ 39. Ke4 Nc6 40. Bd5 Ne7 41. b3 Rg6 42. b4 Rc3 43. Bc4 Rxg3 44. Ndc2 Rg4+ $1 {PLAY CHESS, NOT WAR.} 0-1 [Event "Belgrade"] [Site "Belgrade"] [Date "2022.03.04"] [Round "4.1"] [White "Fedoseev, Vladimir"] [Black "Rapport, Richard"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C42"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "84"] [EventDate "2022.03.01"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 c6 9. Nc3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 dxc4 ({The alternative} 10... Bg4 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Rb1 {was played in Grischuk-Bacrot yesterday.}) 11. Bxc4 Bf5 12. Bg5 ({In a game by the very young Fedoseev, White opted for} 12. Re1 Nd7 13. a4 a5 14. Bg5 Qc7 15. Nh4 Be6 16. Rxe6 fxe6 17. Bxe6+ Rf7 18. Bxf7+ Kxf7 19. Qb3+ {and was clearly winning although it took him some time to convert it, Fedoseev,V (2171) -Kharitonov,A (2092) Peterhof 2009.}) 12... Qa5 13. d5 Qc5 14. Qb3 ({Here White departs from previous grandmaster play. Previously, White had tried} 14. Bb3 cxd5 15. Be3 ({or} 15. Bxd5 Nc6 16. Be3 Qa3 17. Nh4 Bc8 18. Bb3 Ne5 19. h3 Be6 20. Bd4 Nc6 21. Bxe6 fxe6 22. Qg4 Nxd4 23. cxd4 Rae8 {½-½ (23) Wagner,D (2572)-Banusz,T (2631) Biel 2021}) 15... Qc7 16. Qxd5 Be6 17. Qh5 Bxb3 18. axb3 Qxc3 19. Bd4 Qc2 20. Rfc1 Qg6 21. Qxg6 hxg6 22. Bxa7 Nc6 {with equal chances and later a draw, Karjakin,S (2752)-Esipenko,A (2686) Moscow 2020.}) 14... b5 15. Be2 Be4 ({In a recent game, Black tried} 15... Qxd5 16. Qxd5 cxd5 17. Nd4 Bd7 18. Nxb5 Be5 19. Be3 a6 20. Nd4 Nc6 {and the chances were close to equal, Caspi,I (2510)-Vardan,$146 (2366) Belgrade 2021.}) 16. Be3 $6 ({White had an interesting alternative in} 16. Rad1 {, for instance,} Bxd5 17. c4 Bxf3 ({both } 17... bxc4 18. Qb7) ({and} 17... Bxc4 18. Bxc4 bxc4 19. Qb7 {are terrible for Black}) 18. Bxf3 Bc7 19. Be3 Qxc4 20. Qa3 {when Black has two extra pawns, but is struggling to get his queenside pieces into play. White has sufficient compensation, but I don't know how much more than that.}) 16... Qxd5 17. Rfd1 Qxb3 18. axb3 Be7 19. Nd2 Bc2 20. Rdc1 Bf5 21. c4 {White has some initiative, but it is hard to believe that Black should be in any kind of trouble at this point.} bxc4 22. Nxc4 Nd7 23. Bf3 Rfc8 24. Ra6 Rab8 25. Rxa7 Bf8 26. Na5 Ne5 27. Be2 Ra8 28. Nxc6 Rxa7 29. Nxa7 Rxc1+ 30. Bxc1 Bc2 31. Bb2 Nd3 32. Bxd3 Bxd3 33. Bc3 {White has won a pawn but with a bishop pair on Black's hands, it is difficult for White to hope to make real progress.} f6 34. Nc6 Be4 35. Na5 Kf7 36. Nc4 Ke6 37. b4 Bd3 38. Ne3 Bd6 39. g3 g5 40. Ng2 Be2 41. h3 f5 42. Bd2 g4 1/2-1/2 [Event "Belgrade"] [Site "Belgrade"] [Date "2022.03.04"] [Round "4.2"] [White "Tabatabaei, M. Amin"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B30"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2022.03.01"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. O-O Nge7 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Ng6 7. Be3 Be7 8. c3 O-O 9. Nd2 a6 $5 ({A departure from what has previously been played in grandmaster games:} 9... Bg5 10. Qe1 Nxd4 ({or} 10... Bf4 11. g3 Bxe3 12. Qxe3 e5 $6 13. Nf5 d5 14. Rad1 Qf6 15. exd5 {and White had an obvious advantage in Sevian,S (2654)-Praggnanandhaa,R (2618) Riga 2021}) 11. cxd4 Bxe3 12. Qxe3 d6 13. Rfc1 Bd7 14. Bf1 Rc8 15. d5 exd5 16. exd5 {with a tiny edge for White in Matlakov,M (2682)-Ivic,V (2606) Riga 2021, although Black soon made his own life miserable and lost.}) (9... Qc7 10. f4 d5 11. e5 f6 12. exf6 Rxf6 13. g3 e5 14. fxe5 Ncxe5 15. Qb3 {and White had a structural advantage, Svidler,P (2723)-Gelfand,B (2676) chess24.com INT 2020.}) 10. Be2 Nxd4 11. cxd4 b5 12. a4 ({A better try was} 12. Bd3 d6 13. Nf3 {with a small plus for White .}) 12... bxa4 $1 13. d5 exd5 14. exd5 Bg5 15. Bxg5 Qxg5 16. Rxa4 Bb7 {Black has completely equalized. Now, the players find a way to vacuum off the remainder of the pieces in a hurry.} 17. Bf3 Bxd5 18. Ne4 Bxe4 19. Bxe4 Rab8 20. Rxa6 Rxb2 21. Qxd7 Nf4 22. g3 Rd2 23. Qf5 Qxf5 24. Bxf5 Rd5 25. Bxh7+ Kxh7 26. gxf4 Rd4 27. Ra3 Rxf4 28. Rh3+ Kg8 29. Kg2 g6 30. Rf3 Rxf3 31. Kxf3 1/2-1/2 [Event "Belgrade"] [Site "Belgrade"] [Date "2022.03.04"] [Round "4.2"] [White "Shankland, Sam"] [Black "Bacrot, Etienne"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D10"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "87"] [EventDate "2022.03.01"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 b5 4. a4 c6 5. Nc3 {As far as I can see, we are now already out of what these players have played before. The line is supposed to lead to approximately equal chances, but it can be strategically complex because of the uneven pawn structure, giving both sides something to play for.} b4 6. Nb1 Ba6 7. Qc2 Nf6 8. Nd2 Qxd4 9. Ngf3 b3 10. Nxd4 bxc2 11. f3 e6 $6 ({ This is almost certainly not the best move. Neither is} 11... c3 12. bxc3 Bxf1 13. Rxf1 e5 14. Nxc2 {when White has an easier time exploiting Black's structural weaknesses, Svane,R (2599)-Warmerdam,M (2450) Moscow 2019.}) ({ Black's best appears to be the untried} 11... g6 {, applying pressure along the h8-a1 diagonal and fighting for control over the d4-square, possibly with.. .c6-c5 and ...Nc6 to come.}) 12. Nxc2 Be7 13. Nxc4 O-O 14. Be3 c5 15. Ne5 $2 ({ White lets the advantage slip out of his hands. It was better to play} 15. O-O-O Nc6 (15... Bxc4 16. Bxc4 Nc6 17. Ba6 {leads to a similar position}) ( 15... Nfd7 16. N2a3 {gives White a nice clamp on the queenside where he can then prepare to attack Black's weak c-pawn while Black is struggling to organize his pieces.}) 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. Bxa6 {with a clear positional advantage thanks to the bishop pair and Black's isolated c-pawn.}) 15... Bxf1 16. Rxf1 Nfd7 17. Nc4 Nc6 18. Ke2 Nb6 {Now, Black is mostly okay.} 19. Nd2 Rab8 20. b3 Rfd8 21. Rfc1 f5 $1 {Black defends energetically which is necessary. If White is allowed too much time, then the c5-pawn can become a real headache for Black.} 22. Rab1 fxe4 (22... Rb7 {intending ...Rbd7 is possibly better.}) 23. fxe4 Rb7 $6 ({Now Black starts sliding into an inferior position. It was better to play} 23... Nd7 24. Ne1 e5 25. Nd3 Nd4+ {when Black maintains about equal chances, but perhaps Bacrot was concerned about putting his pawns on the color of his own bishop.}) 24. Ne1 Nd4+ $6 25. Bxd4 Rxd4 ({Or} 25... cxd4 26. Nd3 {when Black is really struggling with because he has not yet had the opportunity to play ...e6-e5 and eventually White's a- + b- vs a-pawn majority will be of importance.}) 26. Nef3 Rb4 27. Ne5 Rd4 $2 (27... Rc7 {was better keeping White's advantage within limits.}) 28. Nc6 $1 Rxd2+ 29. Kxd2 Bg5+ 30. Ke2 Bxc1 31. Rxc1 {This endgame is very unpleasant for Black who will have to take a very passive defensive stance to hang on to his three isolated pawns.} Nd7 32. Rd1 Nf6 33. Rd8+ Kf7 34. Ra8 $2 ({White seems to be winning after} 34. e5 Ng8 35. Rd3 {, for instance,} Kg6 36. Nd8 Rb4 37. Nxe6 {.}) 34... Kg6 35. Rxa7 Rxb3 36. a5 $2 ({White lets the remainder of his advantage out of his hands. The correct move was} 36. Re7 Rb2+ ({after} 36... Nxe4 {things are also far from easy for Black, e.g.,} 37. Rxe6+ Kf5 38. Re5+ Kf4 39. g3+ Nxg3+ 40. hxg3+ Rxg3 41. Rxc5) 37. Kd3 Rxg2 38. a5 Rxh2 39. a6 Ra2 40. a7 {but Black may have just about enough counterplay to save the draw if he pushes his h-pawn.}) 36... Nxe4 37. Re7 Kf6 38. a6 Nc3+ 39. Kd2 Ra3 40. a7 Nb5 41. Rb7 Ra2+ 42. Ke3 Nxa7 $1 {When commentators David Preuss and Keti Tsatsalashvili first looked at this position, they failed to account for this option for Black. Black sacrifices the knight to win White's remaining pawns, ensuring a draw.} 43. Rxa7 Rxg2 44. Ra5 1/2-1/2 [Event "Belgrade"] [Site "Belgrade"] [Date "2022.03.04"] [Round "4.1"] [White "Andreikin, Dmitry"] [Black "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D85"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "2022.03.01"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Be3 Qa5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. Rb1 a6 11. Rc1 cxd4 12. cxd4 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 e6 14. Bd3 O-O 15. h4 ({The main alternative is} 15. Rc4 {but Black does not have any discernable problems, for instance,} Bd7 16. Rhc1 Rfd8 17. Bg5 f6 18. Be3 Be8 19. Ke2 Rac8 20. g3 Bf8 21. R4c3 b5 22. h4 Bb4 23. Rb3 Be7 24. Rbc3 Bb4 25. Rb3 Bd6 26. Rbc3 Bb4 {1/2-1/2 (26) Karjakin,S (2776)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2733) Moscow 2011}) 15... Rd8 16. e5 ({The text move basically starts a sequence that leads to a draw. Admittedly, it looks exciting, but keep in mind that both players knew where it would take them. If White wanted more, he should have played} 16. Rc4 Bd7 17. h5 b5 18. Rcc1 Be8 19. e5 {and White has a small but clear advantage as in (40) Ding Liren (2805)-Tomczak,J (2605) Chess.com INT 2020.}) 16... h6 17. h5 g5 18. Nxg5 Nxd4 19. Bh7+ Kf8 20. Nxf7 Kxf7 21. Rc7+ Kf8 22. Rd1 Nf5+ 23. Ke2 Rxd1 24. Bc5+ Ke8 25. Kxd1 Bd7 26. Bg6+ Kd8 27. Bb6 Rc8 28. Rc6+ Ke7 29. Bc5+ Kd8 30. Bb6+ Ke7 31. Bc5+ Kd8 32. Bb6+ {with a draw by repetition} 1/2-1/2