A Sleeping Giant

李超 (Lǐ Chāo) – Anish Giri
4th Altibox Norway Chess; Stavanger, April 29, 2016
Grünfeld Defence D84

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 0-0 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Nxd5 Qxd5 8. Bxc7 Na6 9. Bxa6 Qxg2 10. Qf3 Qxf3 11. Nxf3 bxa6 12. Rc1 f6 13. Rg1 Rf7 14. b3. The alternative is 14. Ke2, e.g. 14. ... Bd7 15. Nd2 e5 16. d5 Bb5+ 17. Kf3 f5 18. b3 e4+ 19. Kg2 Bb2 20. Rc2 Bd3 21. Rc6 Bb5 22. Rc2 Bd3 23. Rc6 ½ : ½ Radjabov – Ivanchuk, 23rd SuperGrandMasters Chess Tournament, Morelia/Linares 2006. 14. ... Bb7 15. Ke2 Bf8 16. Ba5 e6 17. Nd2 Re8 18. h4 e5 19. h5 exd4 20. hxg6 hxg6 21. Rxg6+ Kh7 22. Rg3 Bh6 23. Nc4 Re6 24. Rd1 dxe3 25. Rd6 Re4 26. fxe3 Rh4 27. Rd8 Bf8 28. Nd2 Bc6 29. Kd3 Rh5 30. Bc3 Be7 31. Rc8 Bb5+ 32. Kc2 Bf8 33. a4 Bd7 34. Rd8 Bf5+ 35. Kb2 Rh2 36. Rf3 Be7 37. Rd4 Bg6 38. Rdf4 Bc5 39. b4 Rb7 40. Ka3 Be7 41. Nb3. 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) does his best to give Giri some vague chances, but, indeed, not enough for risking to lose. 41. ... Rc7 42. Bxf6 Rcc2 43. Rh4+ Rxh4 44. Bxh4 Bxh4 45. Rh3 Bf7 46. Rxh4+ Kg7 47. Rh1 Rc3 48. Rb1 Rxe3 49. a5 Bc4

50. b5. The right way. It should be noted that, even in the worst case, Black is left with the wrong Bishop for the a-Pawn. 50. ... axb5 51. a6 Kf6 52. Kb4 Bd3 53. Rc1 Re4+ 54. Kc3 Be2 55. Kb2 Rb4 56. Rc6+ Ke5 57. Kc3 Rh4 58. Rc7 b4+ 59. Kb2 Bxa6 60. Na5 Kd5 61. Rxa7 Bb5 62. Rg7 Ba4 63. Rg2 Rh3 64. Rg5+ Ke6 65. Rg6+ Kf5 66. Rb6 Rh2+ 67. Ka1 Rh4 68. Nc6 b3 69. Na5 Rh1+ 70. Kb2 Rh2+ 71. Kb1 Rh1+ 72. Kb2 Rh2+ 73. Kb1 Ke5 ½ : ½.

李超 (Lǐ Chāo)
Photo: Joachim Steinbru/4th Altibox Norway Chess