Giants on Parade

Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
Match game 3; Hoogeveen, October 25, 2017
Nimzo-Indian Defence E53

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 0-0 5. Bd3 c5 6. Nf3 d5 7. cxd5 exd5 8. dxc5 Nbd7 9. Bd2 Nxc5 10. Be2 Ne6 11. 0-0. The alternative is 11. a3 Be7 12. 0-0 a6 13. Rc1 b6 14. Na2 Bb7 15. Bc3 Ne4 16. Be5 Bf6 17. Nb4 N4c5 18. Nd3 Bxe5 19. Ndxe5 Qd6 20. Nc4 Qd8 21. Nce5 Qd6 22. Nc4 Qd8 23. Nce5 ½ : ½ Harikrishna – Topalov, 4th Norway Chess, Stavanger 2016. 11. ... a6! If, instead, 11. ... d4 there might follow 12. exd4 Nxd4 13. Nxd4 Qxd4 14. Be3 Qxd1 15. Rfxd1 Bg4 16. Bxg4 Nxg4 17. Bd4 Rfd8 18. g3 Be7 19. Rac1 Bf6 20. Bxf6 Nxf6 21. Kf1 Kf8 22. h3 Rac8 23. Rxd8+ Rxd8 24. Ke2 Ke7 25. a3 Ke6 26. Nb1 b6 27. Nd2 h6 28. Rc7 Rd7 29. Rc6+ Rd6 30. Rc7 Rd7 ½ : ½ Bruzón Batista – Świercz, 2017 Spring Chess Classic (Group A), Saint Louis 2017. 12. Qb3 Be7 13. Nd4. 13. Rfd1 b5 14. Be1 Bb7 15. a3 Rc8 also gives Black quite a comfortable game, Krush – Wojtaszek, 2nd Qatar Masters Open, Doha 2015. 13. ... Bc5 14. Nxe6 Bxe6 15. Qc2. Not 15. Qxb7?? because of 15. ... Qd6 gaining material. 15. ... Qd6 16. Rfd1 Rac8 17. Be1 b5 18. Bf3 b4 19. Ne4!? Ivanchuk must have not been too happy with his opening play, so now he goes for wild complications.

19. ... dxe4!? 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) cannot resist to the temptation of sacrificing the Queen. Simpler was 19. ... Nxe4 20. Bxe4 Qe5 21. Bxh7+ Kh8 22. Bd3 as after 22. ... Bd6 23. f4 Qxe3+ 24. Qf2 Bxf4 Black remains a Pawn ahead, although it may be not enough to ensure the win. 20. Rxd6 Bxd6 21. Qd1 Be5!? In fact sacrificing Her Majesty. Less intricate was 21. ... Rfd8 22. Be2 Bxh2+ 23. Kxh2 Rxd1 24. Rxd1 a5 remaining a (most likely ininfluent) Pawn ahead. 22. Be2 Bxb2 23. Rb1 Bc3 24. Bxa6 Bxa2!? Again playing with fire. Stockfish’s 24. ... Rc6 25. Qa4 Rc7 seems to be the most non-committal way to play for a draw. 25. Bxc3 bxc3 26. Ra1 c2 27. Qc1 Bb1 28. Bxc8 Rxc8 29. Rxb1 cxb1=Q 30. Qxb1. A Rook and Knight vs. Queen ending is the most 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) conceded to Ivanchuk, just because he was sure that he would have easily been able to set up a fortress position. 30. ... h6 31. h3 Rd8 32. Qb2 Re8 33. Qd4 Re6 34. Kh2 g5 35. Kg1 Nh7 36. Qd1 Nf6 37. Kh2 Kg7 38. Qd4 Re7 39. f3 Re6 40. Kg1 exf3 41. gxf3 Kg8 42. Kf2 Nh7 43. Kg3 Nf8 44. Kg4 Rg6 45. Kg3 Ne6 46. Qe5 Ng7 47. Kf2 Re6 48. Qd5 Kh7 49. h4 gxh4 50. e4 f5 51. e5 Rg6 52. Qd8 h3 53. Qh4 Re6 54. Qg3 Re7 55. Kg1 Re6 56. Kh2 Rg6 57. Qf4 Rg5 58. Kxh3 Rg6 59. Kh2 Rg5 60. Qc4 Rg6 61. Qf7 Re6 62. Qc7 Rg6 63. Kh3 Kg8 64. Qc8+ Kh7 65. f4 Rg4 66. Qc4 Nh5 67. e6 Nxf4+ 68. Kh2 Nh5 69. Qc7+ Ng7 70. Qf7 Rh4+ 71. Kg2 Rg4+ 72. Kf3 Re4 73. e7 Re5 74. Qf6 Re4 75. Qf7 Re5 76. Kg3 Re3+ 77. Kg2 ½ : ½. Two great players who played great chess together.