Out from the barrio

Pavel Eljanov – Fabiano Caruana
3rd Gashimov Memorial; Şəmkir, May 27, 2016
Grünfeld Defence D91

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 Ne4 6. Bf4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 c5 8. e3 0-0 9. Be2 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nd7 11. 0-0 Nb6 12. Bb3 c4 13. Bc2 Nd5 14. Qd2 Nxf4. Another try was 14. ... Qa5 15. Be4 Nf6 16. Bb1 Bg4 17. Ne5 Be6 18. Rc1 Rfd8 19. Qe1 Rac8 20. h3 Qa3 21. Nf3 Nd5 ½ : ½ Sikorsky – Yamaliev, correspondence game, 2012. 15. exf4 Be6 16. a4 Bd5 17. Ne5 e6 18. Rfb1 Rb8 19. Qe3 a6 20. a5 b5 21. axb6 Rxb6 22. g3 Rxb1+ 23. Rxb1 Bxe5 24. Qxe5 Qa8 25. h4 Bh1 26. Kf1 h5 27. Ke1 a5 28. Ra1 Qg2 29. Rxa5 Qg1+ 30. Ke2 Bg2 31. Qe3 Rb8 32. Ra2 Bh3 33. Kd2 Bf5 34. Qe1 Qg2 35. Bxf5 exf5 36. Kc2?? Black’s position is easier to play, especially in a time scramble, but it is likely that after 36. Rc2 White may hold everything together.

36. ... Qb7?? Fabi, too, finds himself in terrible time pressure and misses the killer 36. ... Qf3!-+ 37. Kc1 (or 37. Rb2 Qd3+ 38. Kc1 Ra8-+) 37. ... Rb3 winning immediately. 37. Kd2 Qg2 38. Kc1?? Repetita non semper iuvant. Eljanov was still in time to play 38. Rc2. 38. ... Qf3! Caruana doesn’t give him a second chance! The rest is almost smooth :). 39. Rc2 Ra8 40. Qe2. On 40. Kb1 Ra3! (Δ ... Qf3-a8) 41. Kb2 Qb7+! wins. 40. ... Qh1+ 41. Kd2 Ra1. White is virtually in Zugzwang. 42. Qe8+ Kg7 43. Qe5+ Kh7 44. Qe2 Rb1 45. f3. Or 45. Qxc4 Rd1+ 46. Ke2 Qe1+ 47. Kf3 Qe4 mate. 45. ... Rg1 0 : 1.

Fabiano Caruana
Photo: shamkirchess.az