Volatile Frenemies

Anish Giri – Baskaran Adhiban
80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 27, 2018
Benoni Defence A60

Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri will go all out tomorrow to win the 80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament’s first prize. And whereas Carlsen defeated today Maxim Sergeevich Matlakov showing his superb technique in a Rook and Bishop of opposite colour endgame, Giri bent Baskaran Adhiban with elegant and crystal clear strategy. 1. c4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 d6 5. e4 e6 6. Bd3 exd5 7. cxd5 Bg4 8. Nbd2 Nf6 9. 0-0 0-0 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Nxf3 c4 12. Bxc4 Nxe4 13. Re1 Re8 14. Qc2 Nf6 15. Rxe8+ Nxe8 16. Bg5. Maybe it’s a novelty. Whatever it is, proof theory gave 16. Qb3 Qc7 17. Be3 Nd7 18. Rc1 Nc5 19. Qa3 Qd8 20. b4 Nd7 21. Qd3 Rc8 22. Bb3 Rxc1+ 23. Bxc1 Qc7 24. Bd2 a6 25. a4 Ne5 26. Nxe5 Bxe5 27. g4 Ng7 28. Kg2 h5 29. f4 Bf6 30. a5 hxg4 31. hxg4 Qd7 32. Bd1 Ne8 33. Be2 Nc7 34. Qc4 Nb5 35. Be3 Qe8 36. Kf3 Nc3 37. g5 ½ : ½ Khismatullin – Andreikin, 13th Open, Voronezh 2009. 16. ... Nf6 17. Nd4 Qb6? It’s not the best place for Her Majesty, and, very probably, it’s the mistake which will cost Black the game. 17. ... a6!? 18. Bb3 Nbd7 19. Ne6(!) Qc8 is Stockfish’s advice, leading to a simplified and materially equal position, which, however, would present an ideological challenge: White’s Bishop pair against Black’s Knight pair. 18. Be3 Ng4!?

19. Qe4! Adhiban was probably hoping for 19. hxg4? Bxd4 with a perfectly playable game. 19. ... Nf6. If 19. ... Nxe3 then 20. Qe8+ Bf8 21. fxe3 with the deadly threat of Nd4-e6. 20. Qe7 Nbd7 21. Nb5. And that’s the epiphany: White wins a decisive Pawn and remains with a powerful advantage, which Giri will convert with no difficulties. 21. ... Bf8 22. Bxb6 Bxe7 23. Bxa7 Ne5 24. b3 Nxc4 25. bxc4 Rc8 26. Re1 Bf8 27. Bd4 Nd7 28. Rc1 Ra8 29. Rc2 Ra6 30. Re2 Ra4. Black’s desperate Rook expedition hastens the end. 31. Re8 Rxc4 32. Rd8 Ne5 33. f4 Nd3 34. Bf6 Re4 35. Nxd6 Re1+ 36. Kh2 Nf2 37. Bg5 h5 38. Bh6 h4 39. g4 Kh7 40. Rxf8 Nd3 41. Rxf7+ Kh8 42. Rf8+ 1 : 0.

Artwork © Willum Morsch