[Event "Tolstoy Cup"] [Site "?"] [Date "2021.09.12"] [Round "6.2"] [White "Gelfand, Boris"] [Black "Paravyan, David"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A81"] [WhiteElo "2631"] [BlackElo "2676"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] {[%evp 0,61,19,23,69,68,78,63,63,71,54,54,59,19,11,24,27,27,27,2,30,54,50,57, 46,9,35,39,36,43,43,37,67,57,65,56,60,49,64,53,73,87,94,101,104,53,80,87,81, 116,94,73,111,93,287,362,483,678,691,700,778,819,29997,29998]} 1. Nf3 f5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 Nf6 5. O-O O-O 6. b3 (6. c4 {may have been automatic at one point, but the text move has become increasingly popular.}) 6... d6 7. Bb2 Ne4 (7... c6) (7... Qe8) 8. Nbd2 Nc6 9. Ne1 $1 Ng5 10. f4 Nf7 11. Nc4 e6 12. Qd2 $14 {/+/- Black's score in the database is good (+1 from eight games), but the results - both pro and con - have tracked with the ratings. The engine is enthusiastic about White's position, however, and nothing about this game would suggest otherwise.} (12. e3 $14 {followed by Nd3 also looks good. White has a nice edge here, and has gone an undefeated +4 in 13 games in the database.}) 12... Bd7 (12... Rb8 {, which the engine dislikes, has been the most popular move. It suggests the rather counterintuitive} 13. Bxc6 $146 bxc6 14. Na5 Bd7 15. c4 $16 {, implicitly arguing that Black can't do anything.}) 13. Rd1 $16 Rb8 $146 14. Ne3 ({The direct} 14. d5 {may be even better, e.g.} exd5 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. Ne3 Ne7 17. Qc3+ Kg8 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. Bxd5 $16 {/+-}) 14... Ne7 15. c4 g5 16. Nd3 Ng6 17. Kh1 $1 Qe7 18. Rf2 (18. fxg5 Nxg5 19. Nf4 $16) (18. a4 $5) 18... Kh8 (18... b6) 19. Rdf1 g4 $2 {I don't know if Paravyan was overly optimistic about his attacking ideas with ...h5-h4 or - perhaps more likely - was afraid that if the kingside opened up it would be to White's advantage. But it turns out that by (mostly) closing the kingside, White is given too free a hand to use his advantages elsewhere.} (19... Nh6) (19... gxf4 20. gxf4 $16) 20. d5 h5 (20... e5 $142 21. fxe5 Nfxe5 22. Nxf5 Rxf5 23. Rxf5 Bxf5 24. Rxf5 Nxd3 25. exd3 $18 {White is winning, thanks to his extra pawns and bishop pair. Still, White's extra pawn is doubled, and Black's position has stabilized, so he has chances to resist, given the short time control (G/ 20').}) 21. dxe6 Bxe6 22. Nd5 $6 (22. Bxg7+ $142 Kxg7 23. Nc2 $18) 22... Bxd5 23. cxd5 $16 {White is still pleasantly better, but not winning. This relatively good news for Black doesn't last very long, though.} Nh6 24. Re1 h4 (24... Bxb2) 25. Kg1 (25. e4) 25... Rbe8 (25... Bxb2 $142) 26. e4 $18 fxe4 $2 { And this loses outright.} 27. Bxe4 Qxe4 {Hoping to create some sort of quasi-fortress with the knight coming to f5, but White thwarts this plan.} 28. Rxe4 Rxe4 29. f5 $1 {White would be winning in any case, but this is a crusher. White threatens Qxh6+, exploiting the pin on the long dark-squared diagonal.} Nxf5 30. Rxf5 $1 {Of course.} Rxf5 31. Qh6+ {It's mate next move.} 1-0 [Event "Tolstoy Cup"] [Site "?"] [Date "2021.09.12"] [Round "6.5"] [White "Vitiugov, Nikita"] [Black "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B70"] [WhiteElo "2619"] [BlackElo "2542"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "62"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] {[%evp 0,62,25,13,49,38,94,88,71,49,49,26,97,29,34,-2,13,11,10,-24,-23,-19,0, -29,-7,-40,28,15,24,25,43,-45,-77,-70,-42,-42,-61,-57,-35,-54,-74,-85,-83,-76, -72,-100,-106,-106,-92,-133,-101,-120,-120,-265,-541,-1045,-1071,-29985,-29986, -29987,-29988,-29989,-29990,-29991,-29992]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. g3 {A safe line, but as we'll see there are no guarantees.} Nc6 7. Nxc6 (7. Nde2) ({and} 7. Bg2 {are more common.}) 7... bxc6 8. Bg2 {Threatening 9.e5.} Qc7 9. b3 Bg7 10. Bb2 Ba6 $5 $146 (10... O-O 11. O-O {had occurred in all the previous games from 10.Bb2, most of them featuring elite GMs, and here there's no consensus on what to do next. Some options:} Ba6 (11... e6 12. Qe2 d5 13. Na4 dxe4 14. Nc5 Qa5 15. Nxe4 Nxe4 16. Bxg7 Nxg3 17. hxg3 Kxg7 18. Bxc6 Rb8 19. Rad1 Bb7 20. Bxb7 Rxb7 21. c4 Qc5 22. Rfe1 a5 23. Qe3 Qxe3 24. Rxe3 a4 25. Kf1 axb3 26. axb3 Rc8 27. Ke2 e5 28. Kd2 e4 29. Kc3 f5 30. b4 Kf6 31. c5 h5 32. Kc4 Rbc7 33. Ra3 Kg5 34. Rd5 Kg4 35. b5 g5 36. b6 Re7 37. Kb5 f4 38. gxf4 gxf4 39. c6 e3 40. fxe3 fxe3 41. b7 Rb8 42. Rd4+ Kg5 43. Rd1 Rbxb7+ 44. cxb7 Rxb7+ 45. Kc4 Kf4 46. Rf1+ Ke4 47. Re1 Rc7+ 48. Kb5 h4 49. Raxe3+ Kf4 50. Rh3 Kg4 51. Reh1 Rh7 52. Kc4 Rh8 53. Kd3 Rh7 54. Ke2 {1-0 (54) Bacrot,E (2669)-Demuth,A (2497) Marseille 2019}) (11... e5 12. Qd2 Bb7 13. Rad1 Rfd8 14. Na4 Bf8 15. f4 Nd7 16. c4 Bg7 17. Qxd6 Qxd6 18. Rxd6 Bf8 19. Rdd1 exf4 20. gxf4 Nc5 21. Nxc5 Bxc5+ 22. Kh1 Be3 23. f5 c5 24. Bf6 Re8 25. Rfe1 Bxe4 26. fxg6 hxg6 27. Rd7 Bxg2+ 28. Kxg2 Re6 29. Bc3 g5 30. Kf3 Rae8 31. Rxa7 Re4 32. Rd7 Rf4+ 33. Kg2 Rf2+ 34. Kg3 Rxa2 35. Rf1 Bf4+ 36. Kf3 Kh7 37. Rd3 Kg6 38. h4 Rh2 39. hxg5 Rh3+ 40. Kxf4 Rxd3 41. Bf6 Rxb3 42. Rh1 Re4+ 43. Kxe4 Re3+ 44. Kxe3 {1-0 (44) Ragger,M (2687)-Vishnu,P (2518) St Petersburg 2018}) (11... Nd7 12. Qd2 Nb6 13. Rad1 a5 14. a4 Ba6 15. Rfe1 Rfd8 16. Kh1 e5 17. f4 exf4 18. Qxf4 Be5 19. Qf3 Nd7 20. Ba3 Nf6 21. Bc1 Kg7 22. Bf4 Qe7 23. Ne2 Re8 24. Nc1 Rad8 25. Bd2 Qc7 26. Nd3 Bxd3 27. Qxd3 h5 28. Bg5 Rb8 29. Rf1 Nd7 30. Qf3 Nc5 31. Be3 Ne6 32. Rf2 Qe7 33. Rdf1 Rb7 34. Bd2 h4 35. Qe3 Rh8 36. g4 f6 37. Qd3 Ra7 38. Be3 c5 39. h3 Rc8 40. Qc4 g5 41. Rd1 Re8 42. Rd5 Qf7 43. Rd1 Nf8 44. Qxf7+ Rxf7 45. Bd2 Ra7 46. Rf3 Ne6 47. Be3 Nd4 48. Bxd4 Bxd4 49. Rfd3 Be5 50. c4 Rb7 51. Rf1 Rb4 52. Kg1 Bd4+ 53. Kh1 Kf7 54. Bf3 Re5 55. Re1 Rb8 56. Kg2 Re7 57. Bd1 Rbe8 58. Bf3 Ke6 59. Bd1 Kd7 60. Bf3 Kc7 61. Rdd1 Rb8 62. Rd3 d5 63. cxd5 Kd6 64. Kf1 Rb4 65. Bd1 Be5 66. Bc2 Bg3 67. Ree3 Bf4 68. Re2 Rbxe4 69. Rxe4 Rxe4 70. Rd1 Rb4 71. Ke2 Be5 72. Rb1 Kxd5 73. Bd3 Kd4 74. Bc4 Rb7 75. Rd1+ Kc3 76. Rd3+ Kb4 77. Kf3 Re7 78. Re3 Rd7 79. Ke4 Rd4+ 80. Kf5 Rf4+ 81. Ke6 Bd4 82. Rd3 Rf2 83. Bd5 Re2+ 84. Kd6 Re1 85. Bc4 Rg1 86. Kd5 Be5 87. Ke4 Rh1 88. Kf5 Re1 89. Rf3 Bd4 90. Kg6 Rb1 91. Kf5 Rb2 92. Ke4 Bc3 93. Re3 Rg2 94. Kf3 Rd2 95. Ke4 Rd4+ 96. Kf5 Rf4+ 97. Ke6 Be5 98. Bd5 Ka3 99. Re2 Bd4 100. Kd6 f5 101. gxf5 Rxf5 102. Re8 Rf6+ 103. Re6 Rf2 104. Re8 Rd2 105. Ra8 g4 106. hxg4 h3 107. Ra7 c4 108. Rh7 c3 109. Be4 h2 110. g5 Bf6+ 111. Kc5 Bxg5 112. Kb5 Bd8 113. Rh3 Kxb3 {0-1 (113) Diaz Camallonga,C (2468)-Maghsoodloo,P (2690) Sitges 2019}) 12. Re1 Rad8 13. Qd4 e5 14. Qd2 Nd7 15. Na4 Bb5 16. Nc3 Ba6 17. Na4 Bb5 18. Ba3 Bxa4 19. Bxd6 Nb6 20. Rad1 Qb7 21. Qa5 Rfe8 22. bxa4 Nc4 23. Qc5 Nxd6 24. Rxd6 Rxd6 25. Qxd6 Bf8 26. Qd2 Qb4 27. Qxb4 Bxb4 28. Rd1 Kf8 29. Bh3 Bc5 30. Rd7 Re7 31. Rd3 Rb7 32. Rc3 Bb6 33. Rb3 Rb8 34. Bd7 Rd8 35. Bxc6 Rd2 36. Rf3 Ke7 37. Bd5 f6 38. c3 h5 39. h3 Bc5 40. a5 Rd1+ 41. Kg2 Rd2 42. a6 Rb2 43. Bc4 Rc2 44. Bb3 Rb2 45. g4 h4 46. Bd5 g5 47. a4 Bb6 48. Bg8 Bc5 49. Kf1 Rb1+ 50. Ke2 Rb2+ 51. Kf1 Rb1+ 52. Kg2 Rb2 53. Bc4 Bb6 54. Bb5 Rd2 55. Kf1 Ba5 56. c4 Bb6 57. Bc6 Rb2 58. Kg2 {1/2-1/2 (58) Wang,H (2722)-Wojtaszek,R (2727) Douglas 2018}) 11. Ne2 $2 (11. Qd2 {followed by castling long is best, with an advantage. Vitiugov wanted to stay "safe" by castling short, but the position demanded something else.}) 11... O-O (11... d5 12. exd5 cxd5 13. c4 Rd8 14. cxd5 O-O $15 ) 12. O-O $6 (12. c4 $8 d5 $1 $15) 12... d5 $17 13. exd5 cxd5 14. Re1 e5 { What a dream position for Black! Everyone would take up the Dragon if they could get positions like against 2700-rated players. (The rating above is Vitiugov's pre-tournament rapid rating. In classical chess, he's 2727.)} 15. Nc3 $2 (15. Nc1 {was better, heading for d3.}) 15... d4 $19 16. Na4 Rad8 17. Qd2 Rfe8 18. c3 d3 19. c4 Bb7 20. Rad1 (20. Bxb7 Qxb7 21. Rxe5 (21. Bxe5 $2 Ne4 22. Rxe4 Qxe4 $19) 21... Rxe5 22. Bxe5 Ne4 23. Qa5 {almost escapes for White. Only} Qe7 $1 {keeps a winning advantage:} 24. Bxg7 d2 25. Rd1 Kxg7 26. f3 Rd3 $3 27. fxe4 Qxe4 28. Nb2 $8 Qd4+ 29. Kg2 Qxb2 $19) 20... Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Qc6+ 22. Kg1 e4 23. h3 {Perhaps aimed against ...Ng4, swapping the bishops, and then ... Ng4-e5-f3(+). That stops one of the Black knight's ideas - but not all of them. } e3 $1 24. Rxe3 Ne4 25. Qa5 {Almost good enough.} Nxf2 $1 26. Kxf2 Bxb2 27. Nxb2 Qf6+ 28. Rf3 Re2+ $1 {Even better than taking on b2.} 29. Kg1 Qxf3 30. Qxd8+ Kg7 31. Qd4+ f6 {The checks run out after a move or two, and then it's time for mate. An excellent game by the youngster, but from a theoretical standpoint 10...Ba6 may not be best, provided White plays 11.Qd2 and castles long.} 0-1