The Actual

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Gataulla Rustemovich Kamsky
23rd Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 8, 2016
Sicilian Defence B31

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. 0-0 Bg7 6. Re1 Nh6 7. c3 0-0 8. h3 f5 9. e5 Nf7 10. d4. The more reserved 10. d3 is also interesting, e.g. 10. ... Ba6 11. c4 d6 12. e6 Ne5 13. Nc3 Rb8 14. Nxe5 Bxe5 15. Na4 Qc7 16. Bh6 Rf6 17. Rxe5 dxe5 18. Nxc5 Bc8 19. d4 g5 20. Bxg5 Rg6 21. Qh5 Qd6 22. Re1 Qxd4 23. Be3? (here 23. Rd1! Qxc5 24. Rd8+ Kg7 25. Bh6+ Kf6 26. Be3! Qxc4 27. Qxh7 Bxe6 28. Qh8+ Rg7 29. Bh6! seems to win handily for White) 23. ... Qxc4 24. b3 Qb4 25. Rd1 Bxe6 26. Nxe6 Rxe6 27. Qxf5 Rd6 28. Rc1 Qa5 29. Rc4 Rg6 30. Rg4 Rxg4 31. Qxg4+ Kh8 32. Qe6 Re8 33. Qxc6 Rd8 34. a4 Qd5 35. Qxd5 Rxd5 36. Bxa7 Rd1+ 37. Kh2 Rb1 38. Bc5 Rxb3 39. Bxe7 Rb2 40. Bf6+ Kg8 41. Bxe5 Rxf2 42. a5 ½ : ½ M. Adams – Giri, 78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2016. 10. ... cxd4 11. cxd4 Bb7 12. Nc3 c5 13. dxc5!? Aiming to improve on 13. d5 Rc8 14. e6 dxe6 15. dxe6 Nd6 16. Ne5 Rf6 17. Nd7 Rxe6 18. Rxe6 Qxd7 19. Re1 Bd4 20. Qa4 Bc6 21. Qb3+ Nf7 22. Qe6 Qb7 23. Qb3 Qd7 24. Qe6 Qb7 25. Qb3 Qd7 26. Qe6 ½ : ½ Ankit – Kulaots, 1st International Chess Festival “Open Iași”, Iași 2014. 13. ... Qc7 14. Bf4. On 14. b4 a5 doesn’t worry Black at all. 14. ... Qxc5 15. Qxd7 Bxf3 16. gxf3 Qc4

17. e6!? Nepomniachtchi decides to enter wild complications rather than resign himself to 17. Bg3 Ng5 18. Kg2 Nxf3! 19. Kxf3 Rfd8! 20. Qxe7 Qc6+ 21. Ke2 Qc4+ 22. Kf3 Qc6+ with a draw by perpetual check. 17. ... Qxf4 18. exf7+ Rxf7 19. Nd5 Qg5+ 20. Kf1 e5 21. Qe6 Rf8 22. Rac1. Intending Rc1-c7. 22. ... Kh8 23. Rc8 Rxc8 24. Qxc8+ Rf8 25. Qe6 Qh4 26. Kg2 e4. No doubt Black wish to claim the initiative. 27. f4 Bxb2. The alternative 27. ... g5!? 28. Qe7 Qh5 29. Re3! looks anything but clear, so Kamsky prefers a peaceful solution. 28. Re2 Bg7 29. Rc2 Bd4 30. Rd2 Bg7 31. Rc2 Bd4 32. Rd2 Bg7 ½ : ½.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi is stretching his arms up and over his head, preparing for the fight. Photo: Mikhail Sholudko/Chess-News.ru.