[Event "European Individual Championship"] [Site "?"] [Date "2024.11.18"] [Round "10.1"] [White "Indjic, Aleksandar"] [Black "Yuffa, Daniil"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E42"] [WhiteElo "2623"] [BlackElo "2631"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "51"] [GameId "2113345136262326"] [EventDate "2024.??.??"] {[%evp 0,51,15,38,21,14,20,17,18,11,14,18,19,30,21,24,31,11,23,38,59,85,5,18,4,11,23,22,18,71,16,22,23,99,25,84,31,31,31,70,26,32,16,16,6,28,53,6,10,27,36,3,-20,-1]} 1. d4 (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. c4 Nb4 9. Be2 O-O 10. Nc3 Bf5 11. a3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Nc6 13. Re1 Re8 14. cxd5 Qxd5 15. Bf4 Rac8 16. h3 Be4 17. Be3 Na5 18. c4 Nxc4 19. Bxc4 Qxc4 20. Nd2 Qd5 21. Nxe4 Qxe4 22. Bg5 Qxe1+ 23. Qxe1 Bxg5 24. Qa5 Bf6 25. Qxa7 c5 26. Qxb7 Bxd4 27. Ra2 c4 28. Re2 Red8 29. a4 c3 30. Qe4 Bb6 31. Qc2 g6 32. Qb3 Rd6 33. Rc2 Ba5 34. g4 Rd2 35. Kg2 Rcd8 36. Rxc3 Bxc3 37. Qxc3 {This is very similar, though not identical, to my ending with Bryan Smith. This position is drawn, but that Leko loses it shows that there is no guarantee here, even for a World Championship finalist.} R2d5 38. Qc6 Ra5 39. Kg3 Rda8 40. h4 R5a6 41. Qc1 Ra5 42. Qh6 Rxa4 43. h5 R4a5 44. Qf4 $2 ({White should have thrown in the swap, when a draw remains the likeliest result.} 44. hxg6 hxg6 $11) 44... g5 $1 {It's still a draw with best play, but now White has real problems. Black's king is safe and he can use the f4 square to anchor a rook.} 45. Qf6 h6 $1 {Leko probably missed this tactical trick.} 46. f3 (46. Qxh6 $4 R8a6 $19) 46... R5a6 47. Qc3 Ra4 {Black wants to play ...Rf4, after which it's all over. Black will double on the f-file, take on f3, and win whether White trades into a pawn ending or not. White does his best to prevent Black from getting a rook to the f-file.} 48. Qc6 R8a6 49. Qe8+ Kg7 50. Qb5 R4a5 51. Qb4 Rd5 52. Qb3 Rad6 53. Qc4 Rd3 54. Kf2 $2 (54. Qb5 $1 {was the only move to stay alive.}) 54... Ra3 {Now Black will achieve ...Rf6 or ...Rdd3, winning in either case.} 55. Qc5 Ra2+ 56. Kg3 Rf6 57. Qb4 Raa6 58. Kg2 Rf4 59. Qb2+ Raf6 60. Qe5 (60. Qc3 Rxf3 61. Qxf3 Rxf3 62. Kxf3 Kf6 63. Ke4 Ke6 64. Kd4 (64. Kf3 Kd5 65. Ke3 Ke5 66. Kf3 Kd4 $19 {Black's king will zigzag its way to win both White pawns.}) 64... f5 $19) 60... Rxf3 61. Qa1 Rf1 62. Qc3 R1f2+ 63. Kg3 R2f3+ 64. Qxf3 Rxf3+ 65. Kxf3 Kf6 {0-1 Leko,P (2741)-Kramnik,V (2770) World-ch Kramnik-Leko +2-2=10 Brissago 2004 (1)}) 1... Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Nge2 d5 6. a3 Ba5 7. dxc5 dxc4 8. Bd2 O-O 9. Ng3 b6 10. Bxc4 bxc5 11. O-O Bb7 12. Qc2 Nbd7 13. Nce4 Nxe4 14. Bxa5 Qxa5 15. Nxe4 Bxe4 16. Qxe4 Nb6 17. Bd3 g6 18. Rfc1 Rfd8 19. Bf1 Rac8 20. g3 Rd2 21. b4 Qa4 22. h4 h5 23. Bc4 {I started watching the game here. The immediate threat is Bxg6.} Rd6 {I expected this, and likewise the next three half-moves.} (23... Nxc4 24. Rxc4 {is okay for Black if he spots} Qb3 {, with the idea of} 25. bxc5 Rxf2 $1 26. Kxf2 Qb2+ 27. Rc2 Qxa1 $11 {, though even here it might be annoying to worry about White's c-pawn.}) 24. Qf4 Nxc4 25. Qxc4 Rdd8 {Indjic thought for around 15 minutes here.} (25... Rdc6 {was the move that came to mind. It's fine, too.} 26. b5 {The only way to keep any life in the position.} Qxc4 27. Rxc4 Rb6 28. a4 a6 29. Rb1 {Again the only way to avoid a clear, routine draw, but even here there's not much for White.} axb5 30. axb5 Kf8 31. e4 e5 32. f4 Ke7 33. Kf2 Kd6 34. Ke3 exf4+ 35. gxf4 Rcb8 36. Rd1+ Ke7 37. Rxc5 Rxb5 38. Rc7+ Ke6 $11 {Black's position may look a tiny bit suspicious, but there's nothing there.}) 26. Qc2 (26. bxc5 $4 Rd1+ $1 $19) ({and} 26. b5 $4 Rd1+ $1 $19 {should of course be avoided.}) ({This problem might suggest} 26. Kg2 {as an option for White, and it was the move that grabbed my attention at the time. Now White does threaten to take on c5. Black has several good replies, however, including the following:} cxb4 (26... Qc6+ 27. e4 (27. Kg1 Qa4 {is a repetition.}) 27... Rd4 28. Qxd4 cxd4 29. Rxc6 Rxc6 $11 {is equal but could get a little spicy.}) 27. Qxb4 (27. Qxc8 $2 Rxc8 28. Rxc8+ Kg7 $19 {The pin down the a-file is a problem.}) 27... Qxb4 28. axb4 Rxc1 29. Rxc1 Rb8 30. Rc7 Rxb4 31. Rxa7 $11 {with a dead draw. I thought the game might end this way, and after working out the three moves covered so far I switched on the engine to see my lines and assessments were correct. The foregoing is right, as far as it goes, but the engine suggested two other moves. One was the one chosen in the game, and once I saw it and thought about it for a moment I was sure Indjic would choose it - and he did. I found the second move - the one I analyze in detail below - inscrutable at first, but after a minute or two I got it, was deeply impressed, and thought Indjic might find (and play) it on a good day but probably wouldn't do so here. My guess is that a top GM would be a favorite to find it in a slow game, but would be an underdog to find it in a rapid game. (Any GMs reading this are eagerly invited to weigh in and correct my mistaken impressions, of course.)}) (26. Rab1 $3 {So what's so amazing about this move? Well, it doesn't win; in fact, it doesn't even budge the needle above the engine's customary "0.00". Ok, then what's the point? The point is that it keeps the game going, keeps forcing Black to solve problems. Concretely, the point is that Black can no longer play ...cxb4 with an easy liquidation, as there's no longer a pin on the a-pawn after White takes twice on c8. (Compare the line in the 26.Kg2 variation that concluded with a bit of foreshadowing: "The pin down the a-file is a problem.") Black does not suffer grave problems here by any means, but the game goes on and his inferior pawn structure is a problem that remains to be solved.} a5 {This makes sense - White still cannot touch his b-pawn because of the 27...Rd1+ trick. But this doesn't immediately kill the game either:} ({Now} 26... cxb4 $6 27. Qxc8 Rxc8 28. Rxc8+ Kg7 {is not a trivial draw. White grabs the pawn, and after} 29. axb4 $14 {/? Black must constantly worry about endgames where the queenside pawns are traded, White doubles on the 7th rank, swaps everything there, and has a winning endgame with king and four pawns against king and three pawns. (White might even double on the 7th at the cost of his b-pawn, getting the f-pawn and threats against Black's king.) It's not that this is some sort of easy, mechanical win; in fact, Black should still make a draw here. But it won't be easy or automatic, and White will torture him for hours.}) (26... Qxa3 27. bxc5 {is still equal, but once again White has something to work with as his c-pawn is a more dangerous asset than Black's a-pawn.}) 27. Rc3 cxb4 (27... Rd1+ {is playable thanks to a tactical resource. Still, even here Black has some work to do before splittling the point, as you'll see.} 28. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 29. Kg2 axb4 30. axb4 Ra8 $1 31. Rc1 (31. bxc5 $4 Ra1 $19) (31. Rd3 Qe1 32. bxc5 Ra1 33. Rd8+ Kh7 34. Kf3 Qh1+ 35. Kf4 Qb1 36. Ke5 Ra7 37. c6 Qa1+ 38. Kd6 Qa3+ 39. Qc5 Qd3+ 40. Qd4 Qa3+ 41. Qc5 Qd3+ $11) 31... Qd2 $1 32. bxc5 Ra2 33. Rf1 (33. Qf1 Qxe3 34. Rc4 (34. c6 Rxf2+ 35. Qxf2 Qxc1 36. Qb6 Qc2+ $11) 34... Re2 $5 ({Passive defense appears to hold, though it's not usually the best strategy.} 34... Qe5 35. c6 Ra7 $11) 35. c6 Qd2 $1 36. Rc5 (36. c7 Qd5+ $11) 36... Qe3 $1 37. Qxe2 Qxc5 $1 38. Qa6 Kg7 $1 $11) 33... Rc2 34. Qd4 Qxd4 (34... Qe2 $11 {, maintaining the tension, also holds.}) 35. exd4 e5 36. dxe5 Rxc5 {is objectively drawn. The side with the extra pawn does occasionally win rook + four vs. rook + endings, but it's fairly uncommon when the defender has achieved the ideal pawn chain, as Black has here. (White's pawn already having committed to h4 doesn't help his chances, either.)}) 28. Qxc8 Rxc8 29. Rxc8+ Kg7 30. axb4 g5 $3 {This must be played sooner or later; let's have a look at "sooner":} (30... axb4 {is dangerous for Black, as White can still aim for the plan discussed above. First he wins the b-pawn, then doubles up against f7, swaps there, and wins the pawn-up king and pawn ending. Black can hold, but only with active play:} 31. Rc4 (31. Rb8 e5 $1 {is similar.}) 31... e5 $1 {Aimed primarily at taking away anchor squares for White's rook on the 4th rank. White can keep both rooks on the 4th, but then he's not making progress (which involves ganging up on and eventually taking f7). If instead White only has one rook on the 4th, Black will keep pestering it with the queen, and once it leaves the 4th then the counterplay with ...g5 and ...h4 will do its work. So while 30...axb4 makes Black's life a little more difficult, it's not a fatal overreach.} 32. Rcxb4 Qc6 33. Rb7 {White's plan is simple: move the b7-rook to a safe square on the 7th rank, then bring up the other rook, then take on f7. If Black tries to stop it by attacking the other rook (e.g. with 33...Qc2, then 34.Ra1 followed by 35.Raa7 is a simple solution. Black's only way to survive is to go for counterplay:} g5 $3 34. hxg5 h4 $1 35. gxh4 Qe6 $11 (35... Qf3 $11)) (30... Qb5 {Not fatal, but certainly making the defense more tricky.} 31. Rc5 Qd3 32. Rcc1 a4 $1 33. b5 a3 34. b6 a2 35. Ra1 Qb3 36. b7 {Once again, Black's only way to save this position is to go for counterplay with ...g5 and ...h4 before it's too late, and there's no time like the present to do it:} g5 $1 (36... Qxb7 37. Rxa2 g5 $1 38. Ra4 g4 39. Rc5 Qb1+ 40. Kh2 Kg6 41. Rf4 (41. Rg5+ Kh6 42. Rf4 f5 $1 $11) 41... f6 $1 $11) 37. hxg5 Qxb7 38. Rxa2 h4 $1 {Black is losing after other moves.} 39. gxh4 (39. Kh2 hxg3+ 40. fxg3 Kg6 $11) 39... Qe4 40. Ra7 (40. Ra5 Qxh4 41. Rac5 Qg4+ 42. Kf1 Qh3+ 43. Ke1 Qh1+ 44. Kd2 Qf3 45. Ke1 Qh1+ 46. Ke2 Qh5+ $11) 40... Qxh4 41. Rcc7 Qxg5+ 42. Kf1 Qb5+ $11) 31. b5 (31. hxg5 Qb5 32. Rc5 Qd3 33. Rcc1 h4 $1 34. b5 (34. gxh4 a4 35. b5 a3 36. b6 a2 37. Ra1 Qe2 38. b7 Qg4+ 39. Kf1 Qh3+ $1 40. Ke2 Qg4+ $1 41. Kd3 Qf5+ 42. Kc3 Qc5+ 43. Kb2 Qb4+ 44. Kxa2 Qxb7 $11 {Despite White's extra pawns, it's a draw - White's king is too exposed and the pawns are pretty loose.}) 34... hxg3 35. b6 gxf2+ 36. Kxf2 Qf5+ 37. Ke2 Qd5 38. b7 (38. Rg1 Qb7 39. Rg4 Qd5 40. Ra4 (40. b7 $4 Qa2+ $19) 40... Qg2+ 41. Kd3 Qd5+ $11) 38... Qg2+ 39. Kd3 Qd5+ 40. Kc3 Qc6+ $11 {leaves White with the choice of allowing a perpetual or giving up the b-pawn. If he chooses the latter, it's only Black who will have winning chances, though in this position they are pretty nearly nonexistent.}) 31... gxh4 32. b6 (32. gxh4 Qg4+ 33. Kf1 Qxh4 34. Rcc1 Qh1+ 35. Ke2 Qb7 36. b6 a4 37. Rc7 Qd5 38. Rb4 (38. b7 $4 Qa2+ $19) 38... Qa5 39. Rcc4 a3 $1 40. b7 a2 41. b8=Q a1=Q $11 {is equal, which can be shown in multiple lines.}) 32... h3 33. Kh2 (33. b7 $4 Qe4 34. Rg8+ Kf6 $19) 33... Qe4 34. Rg1 Qb7 $11 {The following line is just one possibility of many from here, but it gives a good idea of what Black is trying to do and how effective it can be.} 35. Rc2 Qxb6 36. Ra2 e5 37. Rga1 Qf6 38. Kxh3 Qf3 39. Rd2 f5 40. Kh2 h4 41. gxh4 Qe4 42. Rxa5 Qxh4+ 43. Kg1 Qg4+ 44. Kf1 Qc4+ 45. Ke1 Qc1+ 46. Ke2 Qc4+ 47. Ke1 Qc1+ $11) (26. Qc2 {is not a winning try, but it is an elegant way to force a draw. Now White is threatening to take on c5 as the ...Rd1+ idea is off the table. So Black has nothing better than to trade queens, after which the queenside will evaporate and a draw will result. With the draw Indjic guaranteed himself of a full-point lead against everyone but Dardha, whom he'd play in the last round, which meant that a draw in that game (which he achieved) would guarantee that he finished in clear first. From that pragmatic standpoint 26.Qc2 was a reasonable choice, and it paid off. Maybe some of the 15 minutes used on this move was spent considering 26.Rab1, and perhaps he thought that one of those lines could result in an accident. (If any of you know Indjic or can get in touch with him to ask, that would be great.)} Qxc2 27. Rxc2 cxb4 28. Rxc8 Rxc8 29. axb4 Rb8 30. Rxa7 Rxb4 {is the direction the game was headed, with a dead draw. Apparently the Sofia rules weren't in effect, so the players didn't have to do this and then repeat moves to finish the job.}) 1/2-1/2