Ursus arctos

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
6th Chess World Cup; match game 1; Baku, October 1, 2015
King’s Indian Attack A08

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 e6 4. 0-0 Be7 5. d3 0-0 6. Nbd2 c5 7. e4 Nc6 8. Re1 b5 9. exd5. The alternative was 9. e5 Nd7 10. Nf1 b4 (10. ... Bb7 11. h4 Qc7 12. Bf4 Rfc8 13. Ne3 Qd8 14. Ng4 Bf8 15. c4 Ne7 16. b3 Bc6 17. h5 h6 18. Ne3 Nb6 19. Qe2 bxc4 20. dxc4 dxc4 21. bxc4 Na4 22. Qc2 Rab8 23. Reb1 Qa5 24. Rb3 Nb6 25. Qe2 Nd7 26. Rab1 Qc7 27. g4 Be4 28. Rxb8 Rxb8 29. Rxb8 Qxb8 30. Nf1 Bc6 ½ : ½ Karjakin – Domínguez Pérez, FIDE Grand Prix, Khanty-Mansiysk 2015) 11. h4 a5 12. Bf4 a4 13. a3 bxa3 14. bxa3 Ba6 15. Ne3 Rb8 16. c4 dxc4 17. Nxc4 Nb6 18. Nd6 Nd5 19. Qxa4 Rb6 20. Rac1 Nxf4 21. Qxf4 Nxe5 22. Nxe5 Bxd6 23. Qe3 Rb3 24. a4 Qc7 25. Nc4 Be7 26. Ne5 Bd6 27. Nc4 Be7 28. Ne5 ½ : ½ Svidler – Karjakin, Russian Team Championship, Loo 2014. 9. ... Nxd5. Another modus vivendi is 9. ... exd5, e.g. 10. a4 (10. d4 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. Nb3 Bb6 14. a4 bxa4 15. Rxa4 Re8 16. Bg5 Rxe1+ 17. Qxe1 h6 18. Be3 Bg6 19. c3 Bc2 20. Ra3 Rb8 21. Nfd4 Bxd4 22. Nxd4 Nxd4 23. Bxd4 Rxb2 24. Kh2 Be4 25. Rxa7 Bxg2 26. Kxg2 Ne4 27. Qa1 Rb8 28. Qa5 Qxa5 29. Rxa5 Rc8 30. Rxd5 Nxc3 31. Bxc3 Rxc3 ½ : ½ Topalov – Caruana, 2nd Norway Blitz, Flor & Fjære 2014) 10. ... Rb8 11. axb5 Rxb5 12. b3 Be6 13. Bb2 Qd7 14. Ne5 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Ng4 16. Bc3 Bf6 17. Bxf6 Nxf6 18. Ra6 Rc8 19. Qa1 Rc7 20. Nf3 Rb6 21. Ra5 Rb5 22. Ra4 h6 23. Ne5 Qe7 24. h3 Rb6 25. Kh2 Bc8 26. Ng4 Nxg4+ 27. Rxg4 Qf6 28. Rf4 Qxa1 29. Rxa1 Rd6 30. Ra5 a6 31. Rfa4 Kf8 32. h4 Ke7 33. Kg1 g5 34. Kf1 Bd7 35. Ra1 gxh4 36. gxh4 Bc8 37. Re1+ Kf6 38. Re8 Be6 39. Ke1 c4 40. bxc4 ½ : ½ Movsesian – Sergey Karjakin, FIDE World Team Chess Championship, Antalya 2013. 10. Ne4. For 10. a4 b4 11. Nb3 Bb7 12. Nfd2 Rc8 13. Qg4 Nd4 see C. D’Amore – P. H. Nielsen, 15th European Chess Team Championship, Gothenburg 2005. 10. ... Bb7 11. c3 a6 12. a4 b4 13. Bg5 f6. In order to control the critical g5 square, but at the cost of a serious weakening of the Kingside. 14. Bd2 e5 15. Rc1 Rf7? Svidler said afterwards that Black should not have played such a convoluted move. It’s hard to disagree.

16. d4! A very timely break-up of the centre, after which Black’s position quickly disintegrates. 16. ... bxc3. Objectively speaking, the opening of the b-file only helps White’s cause. 17. bxc3 cxd4 18. cxd4 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 exd4 20. Qb3. Black is in serious trouble. 20. ... Qd7 21. Rec1! Evidently after 21. Nc5?? Bxc5 22. Bxd5?? Bxd5! 23. Qxb8+ Rf8 White wins the Exchange but loses on the spot! 21. ... Qe6? A bad mistake, of course, in an already very compromised position: Her Majesty self-pins herself! 23. Nc5. Black is busted. 23. ... Bxc5 24. Rxc5 Rd8 25. Ba5 Rd6 26. Qc4! Nc3. Black could well resign here. 27. Rxb7 Qe1+ 28. Bf1 Ne2+ 29. Qxe2 1 : 0.

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler vs. Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili