Anger Management

Anish Giri – Fabiano Caruana
78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 19, 2016
Spanish Game C80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Be3 Be7 10. c3 Qd7 11. Nbd2 Nxd2 12. Qxd2 Na5 13. Bg5 c5 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. Bxd5? This is a very dubious move by which not only White renounces any theoretical advantage, but he submits himself to hold a slightly inferior position for the whole game. After 15. Rfe1 Rd8 16. Qf4 White has somewhat the better chances, Keres – Pilnik, Buenos Aires 1964. 15. ... Rd8 16. c4 Nxc4 17. Bc6+ Kf8 18. Qc3 b4 19. Qc1 h6 20. a3 bxa3 21. bxa3

21. ... g5! 22. Rb1 Qc7 23. Be4 Qa5 24. Rb7 Rg8 25. Rb3 Nd6 26. exd6 Bxb3 27. Qb2 Be6 28. Rd1 Qb5 29. Qf6 Qa4 30. Rb1 Qxe4 31. Qxd8+ Kg7 32. Qb6 g4 33. Nd2 Qd3 34. Qb2+ Kg6 35. f3 c4 36. Ne4 c3 37. Nxc3 gxf3 38. Nd1 Qxd6 39. Ne3 Qd3 40. Qc2 Qxc2 41. Nxc2 Kf6 42. Ne1 fxg2 43. Rb6 a5 44. Ra6 Rg5 45. Nxg2 Rf5 46. h3 Rc5 47. Nf4 Kf5 48. Nxe6 fxe6 49. Kf2 h5 50. a4 e5 51. Ra8 e4 52. Ke3 Rc3+ 53. Kd4 Rd3+ 54. Kc4 Kf4. Or 54. ... Ra3 when 55. Rxa5+ Kf4 56. Rxh5 Rxa4+ transposes into the next variation. 55. Rxa5 Rxh3? Caruana misses his big chance: 55. ... Ra3!! 56. Rxh5 Rxa4+ would have won for Black quite easily. 56. Ra8 Rh1 57. a5 h4 58. a6 Ra1 59. a7 Ke3 60. Kb5 h3 61. Kb6 Rb1+ 62. Kc6 Ra1 63. Kb6 ½ : ½. “Brilliant defence”, finally joked Giri.

Anish Giri (left) vs. Fabiano Caruana (right). Photo: Tata Steel Chess.