Answering machine

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev
26th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 8, 2019
English Opening A30

In the meantime, far away in the spring of Sochi, the new “Vlad” is doing his best to accredit himself — both at home and abroad — as the Russian answer to Magnus Carlsen. 1. c4 c5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Ndb4 8. Nxc6 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Nxc6 10. Nc3 Bd7 11. Be3 g6 12. Ke1 Bg7 13. Rc1. Another continuation is 13. Kc2 Rc8 14. Rhd1 Na5 15. Bd4 Bf5+ 16. e4 Bxd4 17. Rxd4 Be6 18. b3 f6 19. f4 Kf7 20. Kb2 Rhd8 21. Rcd1 Rxd4 22. Rxd4 Nc6 23. Rd2 h6 and Black eventually managed to draw, Carlsen – Topalov, 1st Norway Chess, Sandnes 2013. 13. ... f5!? A new move by Inarkiev in place of 13. ... 0-0 14. f4 e5 15. Kf2 exf4 16. gxf4 Be6 17. Rhd1 Rfd8 18. Rxd8+ Rxd8 19. Bxc6 bxc6 20. b3 Bf6 21. Ne4 Bh4+ 22. Ng3 Bd5 23. Rc5 a6 24. Ra5 Ra8 25. f5 gxf5 26. Ra4 Be4 27. Kg1 Bxg3 28. hxg3 Kg7 ½ : ½ Jakovenko – Nepomniachtchi, Grand Prix 2017, 1st stage, Sharjah 2017. 14. f4 Kf7 15. Kf2 Rac8 16. Rhd1 Be6 17. Nd5 Rhd8 18. b4 Bd4!? Inarkiev is in a hurry to simplify, which, however, gives his opponent the opportunity to subtly gain a small structural advantage: 19. Bxd4 Bxd5 20. Bb6! axb6 21. Rxd5⩲ Nxb4 22. Rxc8 Rxc8 23. Rb5 Nc6 24. Rxb6 Nd8 25. Ke3 e6 26. Kd3 Ke7 27. a4

27. ... Rc1? This is a very strange mistake. It seems that after 27. ... Ra8 28. Rb4 Kd6 White, in spite of all his good will, could hardly have hoped for a win. 28. Bxb7 Ra1 29. Rb4 Nxb7 30. Rxb7+ Kf6 31. Rb4 Ra2 32. Kc4 Rxe2?! 32. ... e5 33. Kb3 Ra1 was perhaps a tougher defence, but then after 34. Kb2! Re1 35. a5 Rxe2+ 36. Kb3 White should win anyway. 33. a5+− e5 34. a6 exf4 35. gxf4 g5 36. Ra4 Re4+ 37. Kb5 Re8 38. a7 gxf4 39. a8=Q Rxa8 40. Rxa8 Ke5 41. Kc4 Ke4 42. Re8+ Kf3 43. Kd3 Kg2 44. Rf8 1 : 0.

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev. Photo © Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.