Harpa submersa

Alexander Anatolyevich Donchenko – Anish Giri
32nd Reykjavík Open; Reykjavík, April 25, 2017
Catalan Opening E09

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 e6 3. c4 c6 4. Qc2 Nf6 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. g3 Be7 7. Bg2 0-0 8. 0-0 b6 9. e4 Bb7 10. e5 Ne8 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Re1 Rc8 13. Qa4 Nc7 14. Bf1 Qe8!? A novelty. For 14. ... a5 15. Bd3 Ba6 16. Bb1 see Grachev – Simonian, 21st Russian Team Chess Championship, Loo 2014. 15. Kg2 Nb8!?? “Here we see the difference between open tournaments and the Élite one’s. Giri is ready to take risks here against his opponent that we wouldn’t see in an Élite tournament. Giri now gives up two Pawns!”, writes Ingvar in his tournament report. 16. Qxa7 Ba8 17. Qxb6 Nc6 18. Qb3 f6 19. Qe3 Qf7 20. exf6 Bxf6 21. Kg1. Maybe it’s not wrong, but 21. Bd3 appears more to the point. 21. ... Rce8 22. Qf4? In order to prevent ... e6-e5, but... 22. ... g5! 23. Nxg5 Qg7 24. Nh3 Nxd4. “Black’s pieces have become magically alive. Meanwhile White is still lagging in co-ordination!”, Ingvar wrote. 25. Bd3 e5 26. Qe3 e4 27. Bb1 Nce6 28. Kh1 Kh8 29. a4 Qg4 30. Nf4 Nxf4 31. Qxf4 Qg7 32. Qe3 Bg5 33. f4 Bf6 34. Ra3 Nf5 35. Qb6 Bd4 36. Qb5 Bf2 37. Rf1 Ba7 38. Ba2 d4. White is in a valley of tears. 39. Bd5 Rb8 40. Qc4 Rfc8 41. Qa2 Ne3 42. Rxe3 dxe3 43. Nxe4

And now Giri concludes in grand style: 43. ... Qf7!! 0 : 1. For if 44. Bxf7 then 44. ... Bxe4+ 45. Kg1 e2+ and mate in two moves.

Anish Giri
Photo: Lennart Ootes