29.12.2005
Round 10: Svidler-Morozevich
*Feel free to send your questions to Konstantin: sakaev@e3e5.com. Please also include your name and location.*
Live commentary by Konstantin Sakaev
Svidler,P (2740) - Morozevich,A (2707)
ch-RUS superfinal Moscow, Russia (10), 29.12.2005
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4
Another popular continuation is 7...a6, as Morozevich himself preferred to play before. Here is one of his games: 8.Qd2 b5 9.a3 g5!? 10.fxg5 cxd4 11.Bxd4?! (stronger is 11.Nxd4, as Motylev played against Volkov in this tournament) 11...Bg7 12.0-0-0 0-0, and Black has better chances, Anand,V-Morozevich,A/Monte Carlo 2005.
8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a6 11.Nce2 Peter strengthens the control over the d4-square. Recently in San Luis Morozevich played a very creative game against Anand: 11.Nb3!? Bb4 12.Bd3 b5 13.Rhf1 Nb6 14.a3 Be7 15.Nd4 Qc7 16.Nxc6 Qxc6 17.Bd4 Nc4 18.Qe2 Rb8 19.Bxh7+ Kxh7 20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Rd3 f5 22.Rh3 Bc5 23.Rff3 Bxd4 24.Rfg3 Rb7 25.Qh7+ Kf7 26.Qxg7+ Ke8 27.Qxf8+, and a draw by perpetual, Anand,V-Morozevich,A/San Luis 2005. White often plays 11.h4, and then advances the h=pawn even further. This aggressive advance also frees the 3rd rank for the rook (Rh1-h3), which sometimes proves useful.
Meanwhile the spectators witnessed another knight move to the rim by Zvjaginsev (8...Nh6). But Vadim, why have you delayed it so much? ;)
11...Qe7 A multi-purpose move. The Black's queen protects the bishop, making the knight maneuver from d7 to b6 possible, and prepares the f7-f6 break.
12.Nb3 In this circumstances, compared to Anand's 11.Nb3 one move earlier, Black can't pin the c3-knight by Bb4 (forcing a2-a3 - a serious weakening that can be exploited by advancing the b-pawn b7-b5-b4), but White removed his knight from active position. Morozevich uses it.
12...Bxe3 13.Qxe3
13...f6! 14.exf6 Nxf6 Worse is 14...Qxf6 15.g3, protecting the f4-pawn and preparing to bring the bishop to h3.
15.h3 In many variations it is crucial to keep the g4-square under control, for example, 15.Ned4 Ng4, and now A) 16.Qg3 is bad due to 16...e5 17.fxe5 Nf2; B) if 16.Qf3, then 16...Nxd4 (the repetition 16...Nge5 17.Qe3 Ng4 is possible) 17.Nxd4 e5; C) 16.Qd2 16...e5!, and Black has an excellent game.
Overall, in the position that arose in the game, Black has a good play. Both the immediate e6-e5 and 15...a5 look promising.
15...a5 16.a3 b5 17.g4 The position is double-edged. The game may continue 17...b4 18.a4, and now 18...Bd7 or 18...Ba6.
17...a4. OK, it looks like Morozevich decided to sacrifice a pawn: 18.Nd4 Nxd4 19.Nxd4 b4 20.Nc6 Qc7 21.Nxb4 Ne4 22.Bg2 Bb7. Black has some conpensation, but it is unlikely to be sufficient.
18.Nd4 Na5!
One can't guess a single move of Morozevich! But this is very strong: he sacrifices a pawn under better circumstances. Black's knight goes to c4.
In the game Kramnik-Dreev White obtained a very good position after Dreev's 16...Be7, the move I simply can't explain. Kramnik can develop a serious kingside initiative.
19.Nxb5 Nc4 20.Qd4 Now the game may continue 20...Ba6 (or 20...Bd7) 21.Nec3 Bxb5 22.Nxb5 Rfc8 - Black has a good compensation.
20...Bd7 21.Nec3 Rac8 A silent draw offer 22.Qa7 Ra8 23.Qd4 was possible. Of course, neither side must repeat the moves.
22.f5! Now 22...Bxb5 23.Nxb5 e5 24.Qa7 Qd8 looks forced. Here White has to choose between 25.g5 Ne4 26.f6 and 25.Bxc4 Rxc4 26.Qa6 with complex game in both cases.
Let us assess other games. Rublevsky-Volkov: the rook ending is drawn. I have a feeling that instead of 16...0-0-0 Black could have tried 16...Rd8, in order to keep the king closer to his strong pawn fist in the center, after e6-e5 the king could be mored to e6. Motylev-Bareev: complex and unclear. The same could be said about the game Tomashevsky-Zvjaginsev. Jakovenko-Khalifman: Black has a compensation for the sacrificed pawn, which is enough for the equality. Kramnik-Dreev: White is better. He may proceed with the kingside attack starting with the f-pawn advance.
22...Bxb5 23.Nxb5
23...Ne4 24.Bxc4 Rxc4 25.Qe5 Nf2 The position is very complicated! There are oceans of variations. Here is a sample one: 26.Qxe6+ Qxe6 27.fxe6 Nxh1 28.e7 Re8 29.Nd6 Rxe7 30.Nxc4 Nf2 31.Rf1 with advantage to White. Meanwhile, Zvjaginsev is a piece down and has no compensation against Tomashevsky.
27...Nxd1 28.e7! Re8 29.Nd6 Rxe7 30.Nxc4 Nf2 31.Rf1 is just a move transposition.
26.Qxe6+ Qxe6 27.fxe6 Nxd1 28.e7
28...Rb8
I rejected this move because of 29.Rxd1 Re4 30.Nc3 Rxe7 31.Nxa4 Re3 32.Rxd5 Rxh3. There is a feeling that White's pawns move faster, although this position is, of course, double-edged.
Three games just ended in draws. Draws in two of them are obvious, but Kramnik's decision is something I just don't want to comment on...
29.Rxd1 Re4 30.Nc3 Rxe7 31.Nxa4
Finally we managed to guess something right! Petya risks losing, but he stands with advantage - this is the only way to win games.
31...Rxe3 32.Rd5 Rxh3 33.c4
33...Rh4 34.c5 Rxg4 35.Nb6 Kf7 36.a4 (it is interesting to check 36.b4!?) 36...Rxb6 37.cxb6 Rxa4 38.b7 Rb4 39.Rd7+
The game ends, and the result will be a draw. Sharp 36.b4 led to a position with mutual chances. In my opinion, White's chances were higher, but the character of the game is completely not forced in that case, and I am unable to support my evaluation with concrete variations.
39...Ke6 40.Rxg7 h5 41.Kc2 Kd6 42.Kc3 Rb5 43.Rh7 Kc6 44.Rxh5. Game drawn. ½-½
There is a single game played at the moment. Motylev has certain technical difficulties, but his position is winning. See you tomorrow! The round starts 11am msk - don't be late!
Back to the Superfinal main page
