Two for One

王皓 (Wáng Hào) – David Wei Liang Howell
1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019; Santon, October 21, 2019
Neo-Grünfeld Defence D71

王皓 (Wáng Hào) from China is the surprising winner of the Grand Swiss Tournament — having scored a better tie-breaker than Fabiano Caruana — and thus also the taker of the Candidates’ spot up for grabs. One can only notice that both Magnus Carlsen and Caruana, who didn’t need the victory in the tournament, made the fate of the winner and losers, crowning 王皓 (Wáng Hào) “King for a Night” and kicking Levon Grigori Aronian and Hikaru Nakamura off from next year’s Candidates Tournament. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Nf3 Nb6 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. e3 e5 9. Nc3 exd4 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. exd4 c6 12. d5 cxd5 13. Nxd5 0-0 14. Be3. If 14. Nc3 then 14. ... Qxd1 15. Rxd1 Bg4 16. Rf1 Nc4 17. Nd5 Kh8 18. Bg5 Rac8= Najdorf – F. Ólafsson, International Jubilee Grandmaster Tournament, Bled 1961. 14. ... Be6!?TN (14. ... Nxd5 ½ : ½ Grachev – Areshchenko, 20th Cappelle-la-Grande Open, Cappelle-la-Grande 2004) 15. Nxb6 axb6 16. Bxb7 Rxa2 17. Rxa2 Bxa2 18. Qa4

18. ... Bd5?? A blunder that loses immediately. Correct was 18. ... Be6 19. Qb4 Qf6 20. Qxb6 Qxb2 with dead equality. 19. Rd1+− Bxb7 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. f4 Bxb2 22. Qa7 Rd7 23. Qxb6 Ba1 24. Qb5 Rd1+ 25. Kf2 Bh1 26. Qe8+ Kg7 27. Bc5 h5 28. Bf8+ Kf6 29. Qe7+ Kf5 30. Qxf7+ Bf6 31. Be7 Rd2+ 32. Ke3 Rxh2 33. Qxf6+ Kg4 34. Qxg6+ Kh3 35. f5 Bd5 36. f6 Kg2 37. Qc2+ 1 : 0.

Howell showed no nerves for his afternoon’s showdown, and 王皓 (Wáng Hào) took easily advantage of such an unexpected acquiescence. Photo: John Saunders.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

Magnus Carlsen – Maxim Sergeevich Matlakov
1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019; Santon, October 20, 2019
Semi-Slav Defence D44

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. h4 g4 10. Ne5 Nbd7 11. Be2 Bb7 12. Nxd7 Qxd7 13. Be5 Qe7 14. b3 Rg8. A famous game continued: 14. ... cxb3 15. axb3 a6 16. Qc1! Rg8 17. 0-0 Nh5 18. d5! Qxh4? 19. g3 Qg5 20. dxc6! Qxe5 (20. ... Qxc1? 21. cxb7!+−) 21. cxb7 Rb8 22. Nd5!! exd5 23. Qc8+ Ke7 24. Rxa6 Nxg3 25. Bxb5 Ne2+ 26. Bxe2 f6 27. Re6+ Qxe6 28. Qxb8 1 : 0 Nakamura – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), 4th Sinquefield Cup 2016, Saint Louis 2016. 15. Qc2. After 15. bxc4 b4 16. Na4 Nxe4 Black — who is a Pawn up — is a little too much comfortable, Krush – Stefanova, 2nd Trophée Universitaire, La Roche-sur-Yon 2007. 15. ... b4 16. Na4 c3 17 a3. Postcards from nowhere: 17. 0-0 Nd7 18. Bg3 h5 19. a3 a5 20. e5 Rg7 21. Rfd1 Qd8 22. Nc5 Qb6 23. axb4 axb4 24. Rxa8+ Bxa8 25. Ra1 Bb7 26. Nxb7 Qxb7 27. Bd3 Rg8 28. Bf4 Be7 29. g3 Rh8 30. Ra6 Nb8 31. Ra4 Kf8 32. Qc1 Nd7 33. Qa1 c5 34. Ra7 Qc6 35. Bf1 cxd4 36. Bg2 Qb5 37. Rb7 Qxb7 38. Bxb7 d3 39. Be4 Nc5 40. Qf1 Nxe4 41. Qxd3 Nc5 42. Qc4 Kg7 43. Qxb4 c2 44. Qc3 Rd8 45. Qxc2 Rd5 46. Be3 Nd3 47. Qc3 Nxe5 48. Bd4 Bd6 49. Kg2 Kh7 50. Qc2+ Kh6 51. Qd2+ Kh7 52. Qf4 Kg8 53. Ba1 Nf3 54. Qh6 Be5 55. Qxh5 Nxh4+ 56. Qxh4 Bxa1 57. Qxg4+ Bg7 58. Qb4 Bf6 59. Qb8+ Rd8 60. Qf4 Kg7 61. b4 Rd5 62. Qc4 Rd4 63. Qc5 Rd5 64. Qc6 Rd2 65. b5 Bd4 66. Kh3 Rxf2 67. b6 1 : 0 Binas – Zajšek, 11th European Team Chess Championship, Semifinal 3, by correspondence, 2017. 17. ... Nd7 18. Bg3 Bg7. Maybe a new move, but certainly not a “rewriting” of the old book: 18. ... a5 19. 0-0 h5 20. e5 Rg7 21. Rfd1 Qd8 22. Nc5 Qb6 23. axb4 axb4 24. Rxa8+ Bxa8 25. Ra1 Bb7 26. Nxb7 Qxb7 27. Ba6 Qb6 28. Qe4 Be7 29. Bd3 Qb7 30. Qe3 Kf8 31. Bf4 Ke8 32. Bh6 Rg8 33. Qe4 Rg6 34. Be3 Nb6 35. d5 Nxd5 36. Ra7 Qc8 37. g3 Rg8 38. Qh7 Rf8 39. Bh6 Qb8 40. Ra2 Kd7 41. Bxf8 Qxf8 42. Qxh5 Qg7 43. Re2 Bc5 44. Kf1 Bb6 45. Qh7 Qxh7 46. Bxh7 c5 47. Bd3 Ne7 48. h5 Ng8 49. Re4 Nh6 50. Be2 Ke7 51. Ke1 1 : 0 Galavics – Sazon, Preliminaries of the 42nd World Correspondence Chess Championship, by correspondence, 2018. 19. Rd1 a5 20. 0-0 Bf6 21. Nc5!? (21. Bc7 Bxh4 22. e5 Qg5!?∞) 21. ... Nxc5 22. dxc5 e5 23. Rd6 Bxh4 24. Bc4 Bg5 25. Qd3!? The position is very complex and even more difficult to assess. Interesting variations could arise after 25. Rfd1!? Ba6!?∞ with an unbalanced, dynamic struggle. 25. ... Rg6 26. f4 exf4? So easy, so wrong. 26. ... gxf3! was called for.

27. Bxf4!? The engines give here 27. e5!!+− winning in all variations, but Carlsen does not dare so much as that. 27. ... Bxf4 28. Rxf4 c2 29. Qxc2 Rxd6 30. cxd6 Qxd6 31. e5 Qc5+ 32. Kh1 Qe3? 32. ... Qe7 33. Qd1! was now Black’s best worst defence, whilst the text should lose almost instantly. 33. Qf5 Kd8 34. Qxf7 Kc8 35. axb4. Even simpler was 35. Qe8+ Kc7 36. Qe7+ Kb6 37. Rf7+− when Black could resign. 35. ... Qxe5 36. Qf8+. 36. b5! (Δ b5-b6) 36. ... cxb5 37. Rxg4 was still a way to deliver a final attack on the Black King. 36. ... Kc7 37. Rf7+ Kb6 38. bxa5+ Qxa5 39. Qe7 Qh5+ 40. Kg1 Ra1+ 41. Bf1 Qxf7! This ingenious resource is the only chance for Black to make Carlsen’s win as difficult as possible. Unfortunately for Matlakov, though, there’s no fortress! 42. Qxf7 Ba6 43. Qf2+ Kb7 44. Qd4 Rxf1+ 45. Kh2 h5 46. Qc5 Rb1 47. Qxh5 Kb6 48. Qxg4 Rxb3 49. Qg8 Rd3 50. g4 Rd5 51. g5 Bd3 52. g6 Bxg6 53. Qxg6 Kc7 54. Qf7+ Kb8 55. Kg3 Rg5+ 56. Kf4 Rd5 57. Qf8+ Kb7 58. Qb4+ Kc7 59. Ke4 Kc8 60. Qb6 Kd7 61. Qb7+ Kd6 62. Qc8 Kc5 63. Qb8 Rh5 64. Kf4 Rd5 65. Kg4 Kc4 66. Qb6 Rd4+ 67. Kf5 c5 67. Kf5 c5 68. Qa5 Rd5+ 69. Ke6 Rd4 70. Qa4+ Kc3 71. Qa3+ Kc4 72. Qa5 Rd3 73. Qa4+ Kc3 74. Qa3+ Kc4 75. Qc1+ Kb4 76. Qb2+ Kc4 77. Qc2+ Kd4 78. Kd6 c4 79. Qf2+ Re3 80. Qd2+ Ke4 1 : 0.

Thanks to today’s win over Matlakov, Carlsen tied 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)’s record unbeaten streak of 100 classical games. Photo: John Saunders.

Numbers and Games

Fabiano Caruana – David Antón Guijarro
1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019; Santon, October 20, 2019
English Opening A27

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Nxc6 dxc6 7. Qxd8+ Kxd8 8. Bg5+ Ke8 9. 0-0-0 Be6 10. e4 Bh6!? A novelty instead of 10. ... Nf6, after which there can follow, for instance, 11. h3 Nd7 12. Nd5 Be5 13. Be3 f6 14. f4 Bd6 15. Nc3 Bc5 16. Bxc5 Nxc5 17. Be2 a5 18. b3 Ke7 19. Bg4 Bf7 20. h4 Rhd8 ½ : ½ Janssen – Brandenburg, 64th Dutch Chess Championship, Hilversum 2008. 11. Bxh6 Nxh6 12. Be2 Ke7 13. b3 f6 14. h4 Nf7 15. f4 h5 16. Bf3 a5 17. Rhe1 Bg4 18. Bxg4 hxg4 19. g3 Rad8 20. Rxd8 Kxd8 21. Rh1 Ke7 22. Kd2 b6 23. Nd1 a4!? The opening of the a-file can hardly be blamed as a further cause of trouble, but the more circumspect 23. ... Nd6 24. Nf2 f5 appears to be near equal. 24. Nf2 axb3 25. axb3 Ra8 26. h5. Of course 26. Nxg4 Ra2+ doesn’t go much far. 26. ... Ra2+ 27. Ke3 gxh5 28. Rxh5 Rb2 29. Nxg4 Rxb3+ 30. Kf2 Rb2+ 31. Kf1 Rb1+ 32. Ke2 Rb2+ 33. Kf3 Rb3+ 34. Kg2 Rb2+ 35. Kh3 Rb1 36. Rf5 Nd6 37. Rxf6 Nxe4 38. Rg6. After 38. Rxc6 Rg1 Black should draw without much difficulty. 38. ... Rh1+? Here Antón Guijarro misses his last chance to hold his own by 38. ... b5! for if 39. Rxc6 then 39. ... b4 40. Rxc7+ Kd8 41. Rb7 Nd6 42. Rb6 Kc7 43. c5 Nc4 44. Rb5 Kc6 45. Rb8 Kc7 with a draw. Now Caruana gives proof of his calculation skills, working his way to an elegant conclusion: 39. Kg2 Rc1 40. Ne5! (40. Rxc6?? Rc3 41. Rxc7+ Kd6=) 40. ... Rc2+ 41. Kh3 c5 42. Kg4 Nd6 43. f5! Nxc4 44. Re6+ Kd8 45. Nxc4 Rxc4+ 46. Kg5 Rc3 47. g4 c4 48. Kf6 Rg3 49. g5 c3 50. g6 b5 51. g7 b4

52. Kf7! The only winning move! 52. ... Rxg7+ 53. Kxg7 c2 54. Re1 b3 55. f6 b2 56. f7 c1=Q 57. f8=Q+ Kd7 58. Qf5+ 1 : 0. For mate in three follows.

By virtue of his win over Antón Guijarro, Caruana took the sole lead of the Grand Swiss Tournament with one round to go. Photo: John Saunders.

Eighteen Dialogues

Magnus Carlsen – Fabiano Caruana
1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019; Santon, October 19, 2019
English Opening A28

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e4 Bc5 5. Nxe5 Nxe5 6. d4 Bb4 7. dxe5 Nxe4 8. Qf3 Nxc3 9. bxc3 Ba5. If, instead, 9. ... Be7 there may follow 10. Qg3↑ with Kingside initiative; for instance: 10. ... g6 11. Bh6 d6 12. Be2 Be6 13. Rd1 Qd7 14. exd6 cxd6 15. 0-0 0-0-0 16. Be3 Qa4 17. Qf3 (17. Rb1 d5 18. Qf3 Qc6 19. Bxa7 dxc4 20. Qe3 Rhe8 21. Rb6 Qd7 22. Bf3 Bd5 23. Qe5 Qc7 24. Qxc7+ Kxc7 25. Bxd5 Rxd5 26. Rfb1 Ra8 27. Rxb7+ Kd8 28. g3 Rd7 29. Rxd7+ Kxd7 30. Rb7+ Ke6 31. a4 Bd8 32. Kg2 h5 33. Kf3 Bf6 34. Rb6+ Kf5 35. Rb7 Ke6 36. a5 Bxc3 37. a6 Ba5 38. Ke2 c3 39. Kd3 Rd8+ 40. Kc2 Rd6 41. Rb3 Rxa6 42. Bd4 Rd6 43. Bxc3 Rc6 44. Kd3 Bxc3 45. Rxc3 Rxc3+ 46. Kxc3 Kf5 47. f3 g5 48. Kd4 Ke6 49. Ke4 f6 50. h4 f5+ 51. Ke3 f4+ 52. gxf4 gxh4 ½ : ½ Carlsen – Nepomniachtchi, 5th Grand Chess Tour, 1st stage, Côte d’Ivoire Blitz, Abidjan 2019) 17. ... Qc6 18. Qf4 b6 19. a4 Rd7 20. a5 bxa5 21. Rb1 Rc7 22. c5 dxc5 23. Bf3 Qd6 24. Qe4 Rd8 1 : 0 Carlsen – Giri, 7th World Blitz Chess Championship, Saint Petersburg 2018. 10. Bf4. Now 10. Qg3 can be answered by 10. ... 0-0 11. Bh6 Bxc3+! 12. Qxc3 gxh6 13. f4 d6 14. 0-0-0 Bf5 15. Bd3 Qd7 16. Rhe1 Rfe8 17. Re3 ½ : ½ Grigoryan – Rublevsky, 11th Serbian Team Chess Championship 1st League, Ruma 2017. 10. ... 0-0

11. 0-0-0!? A bold “castling” move, and likely a computer-analysed drawing line as well. 11. ... Qe7 12. Kb2 Rb8 13. Bd3 b5! 14. cxb5 Bb7 15. Qh3 g6 16. Qe3 Rfe8 17. Rhe1 Bc6 18. a4 a6 19. Bg5 Bxc3+! This is the most neat way of forcing a draw, even though also after 19. ... Qf8 20. Bh6 Qe7 21. Bg5 Qf8 White seems to have nothing better than repeating moves. 20. Kxc3 Qa3+ 21. Kd2 Qb4+ 22. Ke2 Qg4+ 23. Kd2 Qb4+ 24. Ke2 Qg4+ 25. Kd2 Qb4+ ½ : ½.

Today’s draw raised to 18 the number of consecutive classical draws between Carlsen and Caruana. Photo: John Saunders.

Between the Lines

Fabiano Caruana – Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev
1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019; Santon, October 15, 2019
Sicilian Defence B31

Today’s victory of Caruana undoubtedly had much to do with opening theory. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. 0-0 Bg7 5. c3 e5 6. d4 cxd4 (6. ... exd4 7. cxd4 Nxd4 8. Nxd4 Bxd4?! 9. Nc3 Ne7 10. Bh6!) 7. cxd4 exd4 8. Bf4 Nge7 9. Bd6! 0-0 10. Nbd2. “White has excellent development and his occupation of the key square d6 definitely sets Black some problems in bringing out his remaining pieces”, John Emms, Richard Palliser, and Peter Wells wrote in their book “Dangerous Weapons: Anti-Sicilians”, Everyman Chess, London, 2009, p. 95. 10. ... a6 11. Qa4 Ra7 12. Bd3 b5 13. Qc2!?TN (13. Qd1 Bb7 14. a4 bxa4 15. Qxa4 a5 16. Rfd1 h6 17. Nb3 Re8 18. Nbxd4 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 Qb6 20. Nb5 Bc6 21. Qa3 Bxb5 22. Bc5 Qb7 23. Bxb5 Raa8 24. Qa4 Nc6 25. Be3 Rab8 26. Bxc6 Qxc6 ½ : ½ Ruck – Ivić, 28th Croatian Team Chess Championship, Mali Lošinj 2019) 13. ... Bb7 14. a4 bxa4 15. Rxa4 a5

16. h4 Ba6. The engines give the Exchange sacrifice 16. ... Nc8 as an interesting option for Black, but the eventual compensation of a Pawn and the Bishop pair would not probably be enough to change the story’s ending. 17. Bxa6 Rxa6 18. b4 Na7 19. Qc5. 19. Bc5!? may be even stronger for White, according to the engines. 19. ... Nac8 20. Bc7 Qe8 21. b5 d6 22. Qc4 d5? 22. ... Nb6 23. Bxb6 Rxb6 24. Rxa5 is somewhat better for White, but probably still tenable for Black. After the text, Black’s game falls apart beyond repair. 23. Qc5 dxe4 24. Nxe4 d3 25. Ra3 Re6 26. Nfg5 Nf5 27. Nxe6 Qxe6 28. Ra4 Re8 29. b6 Qd7 30. Qxa5 Nxb6 31. Bxb6 Qc6 32. f3 d2 33. Bf2 Bh6 34. Ra3 Qc2 35. Qd5 Qc1 36. Ra7 Rf8 37. Ra1 Ne3 38. Bxe3 Bxe3+ 39. Kh1 Qc7 40. Qd3 Bh6 41. Qd4 Rd8 42. Nf6+ Kh8 43. Nd5+ Kg8 44. Ra8 1 : 0.

So far — and once again — Caruana is confirming himself as the most competitive challenger to Magnus Carlsen. Photo credit: John Saunders.

In the City

Luke James McShane – Fabiano Caruana
1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019; Santon, October 14, 2019
Four Knights Game C48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bd6 5. d3 0-0 6. 0-0 h6 7. Kh1. A recent game continued: 7. a3 Re8 8. Be3 Bf8 9. Bc4 d6 10. h3 Be6 11. Bxe6 Rxe6 (11. ... fxe6!? is probably sounder) 12. Nd5 Ne7 13. c4 c6 14. Nxf6+ Rxf6 15. d4!⩲ Nepomniachtchi – Tomashevsky, 8th Chess World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2019, tie-break game 5 (time control: 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move). 7. ... Re8 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. Ng1 Bf8 10. f4 exf4 11. Bxf4 d5 12. e5 Bg4 13. Qd2 Nh5 14. Rae1 Rb8 15. h3 Nxf4 16. Qxf4 Bh5 17. Nd1 Rb4 18. Qf2 c5 19. b3 Rb6 20. Nf3 Rbe6 21. Ne3 Qd7 22. g4 Bg6 23. Ng2 c4 24. Nf4 cxd3 25. cxd3 Bb4 26. Rd1 R6e7? Caruana sacrifices a Pawn for the sake of nothing. 26. ... Ra6 27. e6!? Rexe6! was a creative defence — much in Petrosian’s style. 27. Qxa7 Bh7 28. Qd4 c5 29. Qxd5 Qa7 30. Qc4 Qxa2 31. g5 hxg5 32. Nxg5 Qa8+ 33. Kg1 Qc6 34. d4 Bf5 35. Nd5 Rd7 36. Ne3. Such an overwhelming position of McShane was hardly imaginable prior to the game. 36. ... Bg6 37. d5 Qc7 38. Ng4 Qd8 39. e6? (39. h4+−) 39. ... fxe6? On the verge of time control both missed their way, and now it is Caruana’s turn to let his chance slip by, as 39. ... Qxg5! 40. exd7 Re4! here would lead to a pyrotechnic draw. 40. Nxe6 Qb8 41. d6! Rxd6 42. Nc7+ Rde6 43. Rd7 Kh8 44. Qf4 Qb6 45. Nxe6 Qxe6 46. Rd6 Qe4 47. Qg5 Kh7 48. Qh4+ Kg8 49. Qg3 Kh7 50. Nf2 Qc2 51. Nd3! Be4 52. Qg5 Qe2 53. Nxb4 cxb4 54. Rd2 Qa6 55. Qh5+ Qh6 56. Qxh6+ Kxh6 57. Re1 Re5

58. Kh2? Probably there are other ways to win, but 58. Rg2!! Bxg2 (otherwise Rg2-g4 would follow) 59. Rxe5 Bxh3 60. Rb5+− must be an exemplary one! 58. ... Rd5! That is a bad surprise to McShane. Not sure if there still exists a way to win. 59. Rxd5 Bxd5 60. Re3 g5 61. Kg3 Kg6 62. Kf2 Kf5 63. Rg3 Be6 64. Ke2 Bd5 65. Kd2 Be6 66. Rf3+ Ke5 67. Re3+ Kf6 68. Kc2 Bf5+ 69. Kc1 Be6 70. Kd2 Bd5 71. Kc2 Be6 72. Kb2 Bf5 73. Rg3 Be6 74. Rd3 Ke5 75. Re3+ Kf6 76. Re4 Bxh3 77. Rxb4 g4 78. Re4 g3 79. Kc3 Kf5 80. Re1 Kf4 81. b4 Kf3 82. b5 Kf2 83. Kd2 g2 84. b6 Bc8 85. Re2+ ½ : ½.

Certain things can only happen when a challenger to the World Chess Championship meets a chess amateur. Photo credit: John Saunders.

Colour opposites

Ivan Cheparinov – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019; Santon, October 13, 2019
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 a6 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Be6 7. e3 Nbd7 8. Bd3 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Nh5 11. Be5 Nhf6 12. Qb3 g4 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Ne5 Nxe5 15. dxe5 Qxe5 16. Qxb7 Rd8 17. Qc6+ Ke7 18. 0-0 h5!?TN (18. ... Kf6 19. Rad1 h5 20. Bc2 Kg7 21. Ne2 Bd6 22. Nf4 Qxb2 23. Bb3 Rh6 24. Rd4 Bxf4 25. Rxf4 Qe5 26. Rc1 Rd7 27. Qxa6 d4 28. Qd3 dxe3 29. Qxe3 Qxe3 30. fxe3 Bxb3 31. axb3 Rhd6 32. Rfc4 Rd1+ 33. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 34. Kf2 Rd2+ 35. Kf1 Rd3 36. Kf2 Rxb3 37. Rxc7 ½ : ½ Akobian – Deac, 16th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2018) 19. Rae1?! 19. Rad1 Kf6 would have transposed into the above mentioned game. The text is more ambitious, but also much riskier. 19. ... Kf6 20. e4. The alternative 20. f4!? gxf3 21. Rxf3+ Kg7 was likewise nothing special for White. 20. ... Bd6! 21. g3 d4! 22. Nd5+ (22. Ne2 h4! 23. Nf4 Kg7↑) 22. ... Kg7 23. h4! Attack is the best defence!? 23. ... gxh3 24. f4 Bxd5 25. exd5 Qf6 26. Rf3?! 26. Kh2! Rhg8! is certainly easier for Black to play, but there is still nothing definite. 26. ... Rhg8! 27. Qc2 Rde8?! 28. Ref1? This is a very grave mistake, probably due to lack of time. White had to exchange Rooks with 28. Rxe8 Rxe8, because then after 29. Kh2 h4⩱↑ he could still have hoped to survive Black’s initiative. 28. ... Kf8!−+ (Δ ... h5-h4) 29. Qh2 h4 30. Qxh3 hxg3 31. Rxg3 Rh8 32. Qg4

32. ... Re3? Vitiugov missed here an almost forced win: 32. ... Qh6! 33. Rg2 Re3−+ with devastating threats. Now, quite incredibly, White succeeds in mixing up things to the extent of saving the game. 33. Rff3 Rxf3 34. Qxf3 Bxf4 35. d6!? Qxd6 36. Qa8+ Ke7 37. Qxh8 Bxg3 38. Qh7 Qf4? (38. ... Qb4!? 39. Qe4+ Kd6∓) 39. Qe4+! It’s not a rule but a recurrent casuistry that endings with Bishops of opposite colour are drawn, so Cheparinov must have taken a breath of relief as he exchanged Queens. And here, indeed, there’s no exception! 39. ... Qxe4 40. Bxe4 Kd6 41. Kg2 Bf4 42. Bd3 a5 43. Kf3 Bc1 44. b3 Ke5 45. a4 Bd2 46. Bc4 f5 47. Bd3 f4 48. Ke2 Be3 49. Bc2 Kd5 50. Bd1 Kc5 51. Kd3 Kb4 52. Kc2 Bf2 53. Be2 Be1 54. Bd1 Bc3 55. Be2 Kc5 56. Kd3 Kd5 57. Bf3+ Kc5 58. Kc2 Kb4 59. Be2 c5 60. Bc4 f3 61. Bd5 f2 62. Bc4 Be1 63. Bf1 c4 64. Bxc4 Kc5 65. Kd1 Kd6 66. Ke2 Ke5 67. Kf3 Kf5 68. Bd3+ Kg5 69. Be2 Kf5 70. Bd3+ Ke5 71. Bc4 Kd6 72. Ke2 Kc6 73. Kd1 Kc5 74. Bd3 Kd6 75. Ke2 Kd5 76. b4 axb4 77. a5 b3 78. a6 Kc6 79. Kf1 Kb6 80. Ke2 Bb4 81. Kxf2 Bc5 82. Bc4 b2 83. Bd3 Ka5 84. Ke2 Kb4 85. Kd2 Kb3 86. Bb1 Bb6 87. Kd3 ½ : ½.

Cheparinov (right) and Vitiugov (left) showed with clarity why endings with Bishops of opposite colour are so often drawn. Photo credit: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/Chess.com.