Giant in a Vintage Dress

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov – Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
24th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 5, 2017
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Qa4+ Nd7 8. Nf3 0-0 9. Be2 c5 10. 0-0 a6 11. Qa3 Qc7 12. e5 Nb6!? A novelty. For 12. ... b6 13. Bg5 Re8 14. h4 Bb7 15. h5 b5 16. Rac1 Rac8 see Riazantsev – Nepomniachtchi, World Rapid Chess Championship, Berlin 2015. 13. Qa5! Bf5 14. dxc5! Nd5 15. Qxc7 Nxc7 16. Nd4 Be4. 16. ... Bxe5 17. Nxf5 gxf5 18. Bf3 would result in a very unpleasant position for Black. 17. f3 Bd5 18. f4 f6 19. exf6 Bxf6 20. Be3 Nb5 21. Rac1! In his crystal-clear, inimitable style Karpov will succeed in maintaining both the extra Pawn and his positional advantage. 21. ... Rfd8. Not 21. ... Nxd4? 22. cxd4 Bxa2 because of 23. Bf3 eventually followed by Rf1-f2-b2. 22. a4 Na3 23. Bf2 Nc4

24. c6! Neat and elegant as usual. However, Karpov, as often happened to him in his second forty years, is very short of time. 24. ... bxc6 25. Nxc6 Rdc8 26. Nb4 Be4 27. Bg4 Rc7 28. Rfe1 Bb7 29. Nd3 Bc8 30. Bf3. Very natural and certainly not wrong, but 30. Be2 followed by Nd3-c5 (Stockfish) seems apparently stronger. 30. ... Bb7 31. Bxb7. White’s best chance for exploiting his plusses appears to be again 31. Be2 Bd5 32. Nc5 (Stockfish). 31. ... Rxb7 32. Nc5 Rb2. Now Svidler gains sufficient counterplay for the Pawn, and Karpov will have to content himself with a draw. 33. Bd4 Rd8 34. Rcd1 a5 35. Bxf6 Rxd1 36. Rxd1 exf6 37. Rd8+ Kf7 38. g4 Ne3 39. h3 Rg2+ 40. Kh1 Rg3 41. Rd7+ Kg8 42. Kh2 Nf1+ 43. Kh1 Ne3 44. Kh2 Nf1+ 45. Kh1 ½ : ½.

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (right) vs. Peter Veniaminovich Svidler (left). Photo: Salim Fazulyanov.

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin – Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
6th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 5 (Blitz 5+3); Baku, October 5, 2015
Spanish C89

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d3 Bd6 13. Re1 Bf5 14. Qf3 Re8 15. Rxe8+ Qxe8 16. Nd2 Qe1+ 17. Nf1 Bg6 18. Bc2?? An awful... novelty!

18. ... b4? Svidler misses his (first) chance: after 18. ... Nxc3! 19. bxc3 Qxc3 Black must win. 19. c4 b3 20. Bd1 Nb4 21. Bd2 Qe5 22. Bc3 Qc5 23. Bxb4 Qxb4 24. Bxb3 Qb6 25. Re1 Bc5 26. Ba4 Rd8 27. Rd1 Qxb2 28. Bxc6 Bh5? Too many mistakes by Svidler! After 28. ... Rxd3 29. Rxd3 Bxd3 30. Bd5 Bg6 31. a4 Qc2 the game seems to be roughly balanced. 29. Rb1? Karjakin also makes mistakes. After 29. g4! Black is in trouble, e.g. 29. ... Bxg4 30. Qxg4 Qxf2+ 31. Kh1 Rxd3 32. Rb1 g6 33. Qg2 with a huge advantage. 29. ... Qxb1. 29. ... Bxf3 30. Rxb2 Bxc6 makes it even easier for Black. 30. Qxh5 Bxf2+ 31. Kxf2 Qb6+ 32. Ne3 Qxc6 33. Nd5 Qd6 34. g3 h6 35. Qe2 Rb8 36. Kg2 Kh8 37. h4 Qa3 38. Kh3 Qc1 39. Nf4 Qb2 40. Qe7 Qb7 41. Qe5 Qd7+ 42. Kh2 Kg8??? An atrocious blunder! Svidler moves his own King in Karjakin’s time trouble, completely forgetting that his Rook is en prise. 43. Qxb8+ 1 : 0.

Svidler overwhelmed with desperation
Photo: ChessVibes (@ChessVibes)

Ian Aleksandrovitch Nepomniachtchi (@lachesisq)

The Longest Yard

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
6th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 2 (25+10); Baku, October 5, 2015
King’s Indian Attack A08

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 e6 4. 0-0 Be7 5. d3 0-0 6. Nbd2 c5 7. e4 Nc6 8. Re1 b5 9. e5. The classical approach. In the first classical game Svidler had preferred 9. exd5. 9. ... Nd7 10. Nf1 b4 11. h4 a5 12. N1h2 Re8 13. h5 h6 14. Ng4 Bf8 15. Bf4 a4 16. a3 bxa3 17. bxa3 Rb8 18. Ne3 Bb7 19. c4 dxc4 20. Nxc4 Nb6 21. Nxb6 Qxb6 22. Qxa4. White has won a Pawn, but it’s not easy to convert it into a win. 22. ... Ra8 23. Qc2 Ra6 24. Reb1 Qa7 25. Be3 Ba8 26. Qc3 Rd8 27. Nd2 Nd4 28. Bxd4 cxd4 29. Qc2 Bxg2 30. Kxg2 Rxa3 31. Rxa3 Qxa3 32. Ne4 Qa6 33. Rb3. “No more extra Pawn, but I’m really liking Peter’s position now. I have faith in more tie-breaks!”, Grandmaster David Smerdon said. 33. ... Qa5 34. f4 Ra8 35. Qb1. Grandmaster Evgeny Miroshnichenko on Svidler’s position: “It’s an ideal position to play if a draw is fine...”. 35. ... Qd5 36. Rb5 Qc6 37. Kf3 Ra3? Karjakin should have held on with 37. ... Qc7 38. Rb7 Qc8. 38. Rb8 Ra8 39. Qb7! Qxb7 40. Rxb7 Ra3

41. Rb8! Come on, Peter Veniaminovich! You can win! 41. ... Rxd3+ 42. Kf2. The threat is Ne4-c5-d7. 42. ... g6 43. Nc5. Nevertheless, 43. Nf6+ Kg7 44. hxg6 h5 (44. ... fxg6 loses to 45. Rb7+) 45. f5! is also probably winning. 43. ... Rd2+ 44. Ke1 Rb2 45. Rxb2 Bxc5 46. hxg6 fxg6 47. Ke2. “If this is not winning you can’t win a game of chess!”, Miroshnichenko said. 47. ... d3+ 48. Kxd3 h5 49. Kc4 Be3 50. Rb3 Bf2 51. Rf3 Bg1 52. Kb5 Kf7 53. Kc6 Ke7 54. Rb3 Bh2 55. Rb7+ Kf8 56. Kd6 Bxg3 57. Kxe6 Bxf4 58. Rf7+ 1 : 0.

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

The Gifted

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
Photo: chess24.com (@chess24com)

“To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die, to sleep... No more, and by a sleep to say we end The heartache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to: ’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep. To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil Must give us pause. There’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life, For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th’oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The pangs of despis’d love, the law’s delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th’unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pitch and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action”. “Hamlet”, Act III, Scene I

Cupio dissolvi

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
6th Chess World Cup; match game 3; Baku, October 3, 2015
Sicilian Defence B53

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4. The so-called Chekhover Variation – a sound choice. 4. ... a6 5. c4 Nc6 6. Qe3 Nf6 7. h3 g6 8. Nc3 Bg7 9. Be2 Nd7 10. Rb1 Nde5 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Rd1 Nxf3+ 13. Bxf3 f5!? Another continuation is 13. ... Bd7 14. Be2 f5 15. f3 f4 16. Qf2 Be5 17. Nd5 Rb8 18. Nb6 Be6 19. b3 Qe8 20. Bb2 Rd8 21. c5 Qf7 22. cxd6 Bxd6 23. Bc4 Bxc4 24. Nxc4 Bb8 25. Kh2 g5 26. Qc5 Qg6 27. Na5 ½ : ½ Vydeslaver – Duda, 14th Najdorf Memorial, Warsaw 2014. 14. exf5 Bxf5 15. Be4 Qd7 16. Nd5 Qe6 17. Bxf5 Qxf5 18. Bd2 Rae8 19. Bc3 e6 20. Nb6 d5 21. Bxg7 Kxg7 22. Qc5 Rf6 23. b4 Ne5. Karjakin feels that he must undertake something. 24. cxd5 Nd3 25. Qe3

25. ... Nxf2? Karjakin is desperately playing to win! The right way (for surviving), however, was 25. ... Qxf2+ 26. Qxf2 Nxf2 27. Re1 Nd3 28. Re3 Nf4 with roughly equal chances. 26. Rf1! Qe4 27. Rbe1. Apparently 27. Rfe1 was still stronger. 27. ... exd5. As bad as any other move. 28. Rxf2? Svidler’s first blackout! Here 28. Qc3 leads to an easy win for White. 28. ... Qh4 29. Qd2?? Catastrophe for Svidler! 29. Qxe8 was compulsory, since after 29. ... Qxf2+ 30. Kh2 Qxb6 Black’s extra Pawn is not significant at all. 29. ... Rxf2 30. Qc3+ d4. A trivial move which appears to have been overlooked by Peter Veniaminovich! 30. ... 0 : 1. It looks like a badly prearranged game – would say Bobby Fischer :(.

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler vs. Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Crash Crush

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin – Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
6th Chess World Cup; match game 2; Baku, October 2, 2015
Spanish C95

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. a4 Bf8 14. Bd3 c6 15. Qc2. The most straightforward. After 15. b3 Qc7 16. Qc2 Rac8 17. Bb2 Nh5 18. Bf1 Nf4 19. b4 Nb6 20. axb5 cxb5 Black is already slightly better, Karjakin – Carlsen, World Blitz Championship, Moscow 2010. 15. ... Rc8 16. axb5 axb5. Not 16. ... cxb5?! 17. d5! and White stands better. 17. b4 c5!? This looks like an improvement on 17. ... Qc7 18. Bb2 Ra8 19. Rad1 Nb6 20. c4! bxc4 21. Nxc4 Nxc4 22. Bxc4 h6 23. dxe5 dxe5 24. Bc3 Ba6 25. Bb3! when White has the upper hand, Karjakin – Carlsen, 1st Norway Chess, Sandnes 2013. 18. bxc5 exd4 19. c6 dxc3 20. cxb7 cxd2 21. Qxd2 Rb8 22. Bxb5 Qb6 23. Rb1 Qxb7 24. Bd3

25. ... Qa8 25. Rxb8 Rxb8 26. Bb2 Qa2 27. Re2 h6 28. Qc1 Qb3 29. Bc4 Qb7 30. Qd1 Re8 31. Bxf6 Nxf6 32. e5 dxe5 33. Nxe5 Re7 34. Qd4 Nd7! Peter Veniaminovich has little time on the clock, but plenty of ingenious resources to counter Karjakin’s plans. 35. Nxf7 Rxf7 36. Rb2 Qc6 37. Rb5?? White still has enough time, but no more inspiration. The text is a colossal mistake which blunders the piece and the game. “When you try to be clever in the opponent’s time trouble, don’t forget that the opponent can be better then you anyway!“, then Karjakin bitterly said. After 37. Qd5 Qxd5 38. Bxd5 the most likely result is a draw, as afterwards argued by Svidler. 37. ... Kh8! Sic et simpliciter. Black’s Rook is taboo as 38. Bxf7 Qxb5 leaves White down a piece for a Pawn. 38. Rd5? From worst to worst! But Black’s game was lost in any case. 38. ... Nb6 0 : 1. “I defended fairly well & probably deserved to draw it but I definitely didn’t deserve to win it!”, Svidler finally said.

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin vs. Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Ursus arctos

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
6th Chess World Cup; match game 1; Baku, October 1, 2015
King’s Indian Attack A08

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 e6 4. 0-0 Be7 5. d3 0-0 6. Nbd2 c5 7. e4 Nc6 8. Re1 b5 9. exd5. The alternative was 9. e5 Nd7 10. Nf1 b4 (10. ... Bb7 11. h4 Qc7 12. Bf4 Rfc8 13. Ne3 Qd8 14. Ng4 Bf8 15. c4 Ne7 16. b3 Bc6 17. h5 h6 18. Ne3 Nb6 19. Qe2 bxc4 20. dxc4 dxc4 21. bxc4 Na4 22. Qc2 Rab8 23. Reb1 Qa5 24. Rb3 Nb6 25. Qe2 Nd7 26. Rab1 Qc7 27. g4 Be4 28. Rxb8 Rxb8 29. Rxb8 Qxb8 30. Nf1 Bc6 ½ : ½ Karjakin – Domínguez Pérez, FIDE Grand Prix, Khanty-Mansiysk 2015) 11. h4 a5 12. Bf4 a4 13. a3 bxa3 14. bxa3 Ba6 15. Ne3 Rb8 16. c4 dxc4 17. Nxc4 Nb6 18. Nd6 Nd5 19. Qxa4 Rb6 20. Rac1 Nxf4 21. Qxf4 Nxe5 22. Nxe5 Bxd6 23. Qe3 Rb3 24. a4 Qc7 25. Nc4 Be7 26. Ne5 Bd6 27. Nc4 Be7 28. Ne5 ½ : ½ Svidler – Karjakin, Russian Team Championship, Loo 2014. 9. ... Nxd5. Another modus vivendi is 9. ... exd5, e.g. 10. a4 (10. d4 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. Nb3 Bb6 14. a4 bxa4 15. Rxa4 Re8 16. Bg5 Rxe1+ 17. Qxe1 h6 18. Be3 Bg6 19. c3 Bc2 20. Ra3 Rb8 21. Nfd4 Bxd4 22. Nxd4 Nxd4 23. Bxd4 Rxb2 24. Kh2 Be4 25. Rxa7 Bxg2 26. Kxg2 Ne4 27. Qa1 Rb8 28. Qa5 Qxa5 29. Rxa5 Rc8 30. Rxd5 Nxc3 31. Bxc3 Rxc3 ½ : ½ Topalov – Caruana, 2nd Norway Blitz, Flor & Fjære 2014) 10. ... Rb8 11. axb5 Rxb5 12. b3 Be6 13. Bb2 Qd7 14. Ne5 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Ng4 16. Bc3 Bf6 17. Bxf6 Nxf6 18. Ra6 Rc8 19. Qa1 Rc7 20. Nf3 Rb6 21. Ra5 Rb5 22. Ra4 h6 23. Ne5 Qe7 24. h3 Rb6 25. Kh2 Bc8 26. Ng4 Nxg4+ 27. Rxg4 Qf6 28. Rf4 Qxa1 29. Rxa1 Rd6 30. Ra5 a6 31. Rfa4 Kf8 32. h4 Ke7 33. Kg1 g5 34. Kf1 Bd7 35. Ra1 gxh4 36. gxh4 Bc8 37. Re1+ Kf6 38. Re8 Be6 39. Ke1 c4 40. bxc4 ½ : ½ Movsesian – Sergey Karjakin, FIDE World Team Chess Championship, Antalya 2013. 10. Ne4. For 10. a4 b4 11. Nb3 Bb7 12. Nfd2 Rc8 13. Qg4 Nd4 see C. D’Amore – P. H. Nielsen, 15th European Chess Team Championship, Gothenburg 2005. 10. ... Bb7 11. c3 a6 12. a4 b4 13. Bg5 f6. In order to control the critical g5 square, but at the cost of a serious weakening of the Kingside. 14. Bd2 e5 15. Rc1 Rf7? Svidler said afterwards that Black should not have played such a convoluted move. It’s hard to disagree.

16. d4! A very timely break-up of the centre, after which Black’s position quickly disintegrates. 16. ... bxc3. Objectively speaking, the opening of the b-file only helps White’s cause. 17. bxc3 cxd4 18. cxd4 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 exd4 20. Qb3. Black is in serious trouble. 20. ... Qd7 21. Rec1! Evidently after 21. Nc5?? Bxc5 22. Bxd5?? Bxd5! 23. Qxb8+ Rf8 White wins the Exchange but loses on the spot! 21. ... Qe6? A bad mistake, of course, in an already very compromised position: Her Majesty self-pins herself! 23. Nc5. Black is busted. 23. ... Bxc5 24. Rxc5 Rd8 25. Ba5 Rd6 26. Qc4! Nc3. Black could well resign here. 27. Rxb7 Qe1+ 28. Bf1 Ne2+ 29. Qxe2 1 : 0.

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler vs. Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Holding Back the Years

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Anish Giri
6th Chess World Cup; match game 2; Baku, September 28, 2015
Caro-Kann Defence B18

1. e4 c6. Something is very strange here. Giri has to win at all costs. Maybe we overlooked something? 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nh3 Nf6 7. Nf4 e5 8. dxe5 Qa5+ 9. c3 Qxe5+ 10. Qe2 Nbd7 11. Nxg6 hxg6 12. Bf4 Qxe2+ 13. Bxe2 Bc5. The position looks already very drawish now. The alternative was 13. ... 0-0-0 14. Rd1 Nd5 15. Bc1 N7f6 16. Bf3 Bd6 17. Ne2 Nb6 18. g3 Nc4 19. 0-0 Bc5 20. Bg2 Ng4 21. Rxd8+ Rxd8 22. Bh3 f5 23. Kg2 Nxf2 24. Rxf2 Bxf2 25. Kxf2 Ne5 26. Be3 Nd3+ 27. Kf3 Ne1+ 28. Kf2 Nd3+ 29. Kf1 Rh8 30. Bg2 Nxb2 31. h4 Rd8 32. Bd4 c5 33. Bxg7 Rd2 34. Nf4 Nc4 35. Ke1 Rxa2 36. Bd5 b5 37. Nxg6 Rh2 38. Bxc4 bxc4 39. Ne5 Kc7 40. Nxc4 Kc6 41. Ne5+ Kd5 42. Kf1 f4 43. c4+ Ke4 44. Ng4 Rc2 45. gxf4 Kxf4 46. Ne5 Rh2 47. Ke1 Rg2 48. Bh8 Rh2 ½ : ½ Duda – Yuffa, 54th World Junior Chess Championship, Khanty-Mansiysk 2015.

14. Bf3. Or 14. 0-0 0-0 15. Rad1 Rfe8 16. Rfe1 a5 17. Kf1 Ne5 18. h3 Nd5 19. Bc1 f5 20. Bb5 Nb6 ½ : ½ Tiviakov – Popov, European Individual Chess Championship, Budva 2009. 14. ... 0-0-0 15. 0-0 Nd5 16. Bxd5. Peter Veniaminovich plays safe. 16. ... cxd5. “Svidler – Giri drifting towards a draw. Means Svidler qualifies for final & Candidates 2016. Giri too on rating, Kramnik out FIDE World Cup”, Grandmaster Lars Bo Hansen tweeted. 17. Rad1 Nf8 18. Rfe1 Ne6 19. Be3 b6 20. Rd3 Kb7 21. Red1 Kc6 22. Ne2 Rh4 23. Nd4+ Bxd4 24. Bxd4 b5 25. g3 Rh5 26. Bxa7 Ra8 27. Be3 Rxa2 28. R1d2 Re5 29. h4 Ra4 30. Kg2 f6 31. Bd4 Rh5 32. Re3 Kd7 33. Red3 Kd6 34. Be3 Kc6 35. Rd1 Ra2 36. R1d2 Ra8 37. Rd1 Ra4 38. R1d2 Ra2 39. Kf1 Ra1+ 40. Rd1 Ra2 41. R1d2 Re5 42. Bd4 Rh5 43. Be3 Ra8 44. Rd1 Ra4 45. R3d2 Ra2 46. b3 Rxd2. It is not hard to foresee that pretty soon Svidler will manage to claim a draw by insufficient (mating) material. 47. Rxd2 b4 48. cxb4 Kb5 49. Bc5 Nxc5 50. bxc5 Kxc5 51. Ke2 g5 ½ : ½. “In a normal game I would never in a million years go for this position, because I’d be bored”, Svidler finally said.

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Old East Slavic

Anish Giri – Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
6th Chess World Cup; match game 1; Baku, September 27, 2015
Spanish C92

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Bb7 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 exd4 12. cxd4 Nd7 13. Nf1 Na5 14. Bc2 Bf6 15. Rb1. Curiously enough, 15. N1h2 occurred in a game where Svidler played White: 15. ... c5 16. Ng4 cxd4 17. Nxd4 Bxd4 18. Qxd4 Rc8 19. Qd1 h5 20. Nh2 Qc7 21. Bb1 Nf6 22. Bg5 Nxe4 23. Bxe4 Bxe4 24. Qxh5 Bg6 25. Qh4 Qc4 26. Ng4 f5 27. b3 Qf7 28. Ne3 Re4 29. Bf4 d5 30. f3 Ree8 31. Rad1 Rcd8 32. Rc1 d4 33. Nf1 Rd7 34. Bd2 Nb7 35. Rxe8+ Qxe8 36. Rc6 a5 37. Qg5 Rd6 38. Rxd6 Nxd6 39. Bxa5 Qe6 40. Qd8+ Be8 41. Bb4 Nf7 42. Qxd4 Qe5 43. Qd2 f4 44. Bc3 Qc5+ 45. Bd4 Qf5 46. Qc3 Qg6 47. Nd2 Bc6 48. Kh1 Nh6 49. Bf2 Nf5 50. Qe5 Ng3+ 51. Kh2 Nh5 52. Ne4 Qe8 53. Qxe8+ Bxe8 54. Nc5 Nf6 55. a4 bxa4 56. bxa4 Kf7 57. a5 Nd5 58. h4 Bb5 59. a6 Kg6 60. a7 Bc6 61. Bd4 Kh5 62. Bxg7 Kxh4 63. Ne6 1 : 0 Svidler – Kjartansson, 13th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2015. Instead, after 15. Bf4 Svidler usually answers 15. ... Nf8 16. Ng3 g6 (or 16. ... Ne6 17. Bd2 Nc4 18. Bc3 c5 19. e5 dxe5 20. dxe5 Be7 21. b3 b4 22. bxc4 Qxd1 23. Raxd1 Bxf3 24. gxf3 bxc3 25. Ne2 Rab8 26. Nxc3 Nd4 27. Be4 Rb4 28. Bd5 Rb2 29. Rb1 Rc2 30. Rbc1 Rb2 31. Rb1 Rc2 32. Rbc1 Rb2 ½ : ½ Motylev – Svidler, 68th Russian Chess Championship, Chita 2015) 17. Rb1 c5 18. d5 Nc4 19. Qc1 Nd7 20. Nf1 Rc8 21. N1h2 Nce5 22. Nxe5 Nxe5 23. Ng4 Nxg4 24. hxg4 c4 25. g5 Bg7 26. Bd2 a5 27. Bc3 b4 28. Bxg7 Kxg7 29. Qe3 Qe7 30. f4 Qc7 31. Qd4+ Kg8 32. Re3 Qc5 33. Qxc5 Rxc5 34. Kf2 Bc8 35. Ba4 Re7 36. Rh1 Rec7 37. Bc6 Bb7 38. Bxb7 Rxb7 39. Reh3 h5 40. gxh6 c3 41. Rb1 cxb2 42. Rxb2 Rc4 43. Re2 Re7 44. Kf3 Rc3+ 45. Re3 f5 46. Rxc3 bxc3 47. exf5 gxf5 48. Rh1 c2 49. Rc1 Rc7 50. Ke3 Rc5 51. Kd3 Rxd5+ 52. Kxc2 Rc5+ 53. Kd2 Rxc1 54. Kxc1 Kh7 55. Kc2 Kxh6 56. Kb3 d5 57. Kc3 Kh5 58. Kd4 Kg4 59. Kxd5 Kxf4 60. a4 Kg3 61. Ke5 Kxg2 62. Kxf5 ½ : ½ 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) – Svidler, China – Russia Match, 宁波市 (Níngbō) 2015. 15. ... c5 16. d5 Nc4 17. b3 Nce5 18. N3h2 Ng6 19. Ng3. Giri managed to find a new move. For 19. Bd2 Bg5 20. Ne3 Nf6 21. Nf5 Bxd2 22. Qxd2 Nh5 23. g3 Bc8 24. Kg2 Ra7 see Bauer – Svetushkin, Spanish Team Chess Championship, León 2012. 19. ... Bc8 20. Rf1. “It’s funny to witness that Giri is following my own preparation for the first game against Svidler so far :)”, Grandmaster Teimour Radjabov said. 20. ... Nb6 21. Ng4 Bxg4 22. hxg4 h6 23. Nf5 Ne7 24. Ne3 b4 25. g3. Intending Kg1-g2 followed by Rf1-h1, as well as Ne3-g2-f4-h5. 25. ... a5 26. Kg2. Svidler afterwards suggested 26. a4 (26. ... bxa3 27. Bxa3), but Giri prefers not to lose time. 26. ... a4 27. bxa4 Qd7

28. Qd3. Giri starts to go astray. After 28. a3! Nxa4 29. Rb3 Reb8 30. f4 White could still hope for a certain initiative. 28. ... Ng6 29. Nf5. A sounder continuation appears to be 29. a3 as 29. ... c4 30. Nxc4 Nxc4 31. Qxc4 Qxg4 32. Bd1 Nh4+ 33. Kh2 (but not 33. Kg1? because of 33. ... Qh3! 34. gxh4 Be5 with an overwhelming attack) 33. ... Nf3+ leads to a draw by perpetual check. 29. ... Nxa4 30. Bxa4? Here Giri offered a draw that Svidler understandably refused. It is not easy to suggest a way to add fuel to White’s attack, but (of course) the text cannot be good. 30. ... Rxa4 31. Rh1. “Giri goes ‘all-in’ with 31. Rh1”, says Grandmaster Evgenij Miroshnichenko. 31. ... Ne7! 32. g5? To make things worse, Giri keeps attacking. 32. ... hxg5 33. Ne3 Rxa2 34. Bd2 Ng6 35. Nf5 Ne5 36. Qe2 g6 37. Nh6+ Kg7 38. Nf5+. Giri tried a last-ditch bluff. 38. ... Kg8. Just to gain time on the clock. 39. Nh6+ Kg7 40. Nf5+ gxf5. Time control is reached and White can resign without regret. 41. Qh5 Ng6 0 : 1. “Looks like Anish Giri is having his off day and getting punished. More reason it would be insane to consider this as a World Championship”, Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura said.

Anish Giri vs. Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

To be continued...

韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

韦奕 (Wéi Yì) tried too hard to win and surrendered the fourth tie-break game (Blitz 10+10) to Svidler, thus putting an end to his splendid tournament. But surely we will hear of him again very soon! Peter Veniaminovich Svidler jumps to the semifinals.

Penguin

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Igor Lysyj
68th Russian Chess Championship; Chita, August 14, 2015
King’s Indian Attack A08

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 e6 4. 0-0 Be7 5. d3 0-0 6. Nbd2 c5 7. e4 Nc6 8. Re1 Qc7 9. Qe2 b5 10. exd5 exd5 11. a4. Much more to the point than 11. d4 cxd4 12. Nb3 Bg4 13. Qxb5 Rab8 as in the game Siebrecht – Duratti, 9th Young Masters Open, Lausanne 2008. 11. ... bxa4. “11. ... bxa4 isolates Black’s a-Pawn. This weakness handicaps Black for the rest of the game”, Ulhumbrus asserted. 12. Rxa4 Re8 13. Qd1 h6 14. Nb3 Be6 15. Bf4 Qb6 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Nd7 18. Bc3 Bf6 19. Qa1! In true hypermodern mode! 19. ... a6 20. h3 Rec8 21. Qa3 Ra7 22. Bxf6 Nxf6 23. Ra1 c4 24. Rb4 Qd8 25. Nd4 Bd7 26. dxc4 dxc4 27. Qa5 Qe7 28. Rb6 Rc5 29. Rb8+ Kh7 30. Qb6 Rac7 31. c3 Bb5 32. Rb7 Rxb7 33. Qxb7 Qxb7 34. Bxb7 Bd7 35. Bxa6 Bxh3 36. Ra4 Re5 37. Bxc4 Re1+ 38. Kh2 Bf1 39. Nf3 Rc1 40. Bxf7 Rc2? A mistake due to time trouble at the end of time control. If however 40. ... Bb5 then 41. Rf4 Bc6 42. Be6 h5 43. c4 when White has two Pawns to the good and a virtually won ending.

41. Ne5! 1 : 0. Black has no reasonable defence against the threat of 42. Bg6+ Kh8 43. Ra8+ Ng8 44. Nf7 mate.

chess24.com (chess24com)

One Shot

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Denis Khismatullin
68th Russian Chess Championship; Chita, August 12, 2015
Sicilian Defence B23

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. Nge2 d6 4. g3 g6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Bg7 7. Bg2 Nf6 8. b3 0-0 9. Bb2 Bd7 10. Qd2 Nc6 11. Nde2 b5 12. 0-0-0? Castling long to San Quentin... We would have castled Kingside. 12. ... Ng4 13. Rdf1 Qa5 14. h3 Nf6 15. Kb1 b4 16. Nd1. 16. Nd5 Nxd5 17. exd5 Na7 also seems to give Black a powerful attack. 16. ... Qc7 17. Ne3 a5 18. f4 a4. Svidler has achieved less than nothing from the opening, so he decides to embark on a hazardous adventure: 19. e5!? dxe5 20. fxe5 Nxe5! Khismatullin is very happy to sacrifice the Exchange! 21. Bxa8 Rxa8 22. Rf4 axb3 23. axb3. Comparatively best is 23. cxb3, though after 23. ... Bh6 Black retains a decisive advantage. 23. ... Qa7 24. Nd4. No better is 24. Nc1 Ne4! 25. Rxe4 Nc4!! 26. Nxc4 Qa1+! and mate next move. 24. ... Nh5 25. Nd5 Bc6 26. Nxc6 Qa2+ 27. Kc1

27. ... Qa1+!! An elegant finish! 28. Bxa1 Rxa1+ 29. Kb2 Nc4 mate. Or – as a “dual” – 29. ... Nd3 mate.

Meteoropathy

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Baadur Jobava
FIDE Grand Prix; Khanty-Mansiysk, May 26, 2015
French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bd7 5. Nf3 Bc6 6. Bd3 Nd7 7. Qe2 Be7 8. Neg5 Bxg5. This move is questionable since Black unnecessarily gives up the Bishop pair. It was preferable to play the immediate 8. ... h6 in order to met the wild 9. Nxe6 by 9. ... fxe6 10. Bg6+ Kf8 11. Bd2 Bd6 12. c4 Qf6 as in the game van der Wiel – Hodgson, Harlingen 1990. 9. Nxg5 h6 10. Nf3 Qf6 11. Ne5. Very dry strategy. 11. ... Nxe5 12. Qxe5 0-0-0 13. Be3 Qe7 14. 0-0-0 Nf6 15. f3 g5 16. c4 b6 17. Bd2 Nh5

18. d5! White energetically seizes the initiative. 18. ... f6 19. Qe2 Ba4 20. b3 Bd7. Unsound is 20. ... Qa3+ 21. Kb1 Bxb3 because of 22. Bc1! Bxd1 23. Qxe6+ (Jobava’s analysis) 21. g4 Ng7 22. Kb1 h5 23. h3 Qf7 24. Bc3 Kb8 25. Be4 Bc8 26. Rhe1 hxg4 27. hxg4 Bb7 28. dxe6 Bxe4+ 29. Qxe4 Rxd1+ 30. Rxd1 Nxe6 31. Qf5 Rh6 32. Rd2 Qg6 33. Qxg6 Rxg6 34. Rd5 Rh6 35. Rf5 Rh1+ 36. Kb2 Rh2+ 37. Kb1. White marks time. 37. ... Rh1+ 38. Kb2 Rh2+ 39. Ka3 a5 40. Rxf6 Re2 41. Rf5 Rf2 42. Re5 Nf4 43. Rxg5 Rxf3 44. Kb2 Nd3+ 45. Kc2 Nb4+ 46. Bxb4 axb4 47. Rf5 Rg3 48. g5. The Rook endgame is very difficult for Black, but not necessarily lost yet. 48. ... Kc8 49. Kd2 Kd7 50. Ke2 Ke6 51. Rb5 Rg2+ 52. Kf3 Rxa2 53. Rxb4 Ra1? On the wrong track. After 53. ... Rd2! 54. Rb5 Rd4 Black has excellent drawing chances. 54. Rb5 Kf7 55. Ke4 Rd1? More stubborn was 55. ... Re1+ 56. Kd5 Re6! 57. Kd4 c5+ 58. Kd5 Ke7 and Black is still fighting for survival. Now it’s very easy for White. 56. b4 Re1+ 57. Kd5 Re6 58. Kd4 Re1 59. c5 Rd1+ 60. Ke4 Re1+ 61. Kd5 Re6 62. Kd4 Rg6 63. cxb6 cxb6 64. Re5 Rc6 65. Kd5 Rc1 66. Kd6 1 : 0.

Baadur Jobava
Photo: Kirill Merkurev

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik – Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
22nd Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 2, 2015
Réti Opening A04

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 g6 4. b3 Bg7 5. Bb2 c5 6. c4 d4 7. b4 Nfd7 8. 0-0 Nc6. For 8. ... 0-0 9. bxc5 Nxc5 10. d3 Nc6 11. Nbd2 a5 see A. J. Miles - I. Sokolov, Belgrade 1988. 9. bxc5 0-0 10. d3 Nxc5 11. Nbd2 Rb8 12. Ba3 Qa5 13. Qc1 Na4 14. Nb3 Qc7 15. Qc2 Bd7 16. Rae1 Rfd8 17. e3. White conquers the centre with impressive simplicity and elegance. 17. ... dxe3 18. fxe3 h6 19. d4 Bf5 20. e4 Bg4 21. e5 Nb6. This move will cause Black more trouble. 22. Nh4! Suddenly Svidler has to reckon with the terrible threat of 23. Rxf7! Kxf7 24. Qxg6+ with an irresistible attack. 22. ... Nxd4. Thus, Black decides to capture the Pawn. 23. Qf2! Qxc4. Black most probably ought not to have accepted the second Pawn, but nevertheless on 23. ... Nf5 24. e6! White’s attack is still flourishing. 24. Re4. Forcing a decisive material gain. 24. ... Be6 25. Nxd4 Bd5

26. Ne6! Bxe6. Black also gives up his Queen, for if 26. ... Bxe4 then 27. Qxf7+ and mate next move. 27. Rxc4 Nxc4 28. Bxe7 Rd2 29. Qxa7 Bxe5 30. Nf3 Bc7 1 : 0. A game played in classic Capablanca style!

Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik
Photo: nsktv.ru

For the Beauty of the Heart

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Baadur Jobava
FIDE Grand Prix; Tbilisi, February 23, 2015
Caro-Kann Defence B12

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Nd7 6. 0-0 f6!? 7. c4 fxe5 8. dxe5 Bc5 9. Nc3 a6. For 9. ... Ne7 10. Na4 0-0 see V. Popov – Kukhmazov, Saint Petersburg 2013. 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Be3!? “Cementing White’s hold over d4 at the cost of a long term weakness on e3 and e5”, Grandmaster Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Álvarez writes. 11. ... Bxe3 12. fxe3 Ne7 13. Qb3 Qb8 14. Qa3 Nxe5 15. Nd4 N5c6 16. Nxf5. 16. g4 Nxd4 17. exd4 Bg6 18. Na4 would have possibly offered White better prospects to compensate the sacrificed Pawn. 16. ... exf5 17. Bf3 Qe5 18. Qc5 0-0-0 19. Rfd1 Kb8. Good news for Svidler: White has absolutely nothing for the sacrificed Pawn. 20. b4 Rd6! 21. b5

21. ... Rc8! A killer! After both 22. bxc6 Rcxc6 and 22. bxa6 Nd8! (protecting b7) White’s game is past any redemption. 22. Rac1 Na7 23. Qa3 axb5 24. Ne2 Rxc1 25. Rxc1 Nac6 26. Qc5 g5! The genial Jobava launches the final assault against White’s King. 27. h3 b4 28. a3 Re6 29. Kf2 d4! 30. exd4 Qxc5 31. dxc5 Ne5 0 : 1.

Baadur Jobava
Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova

隨選列印

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Brief notes by 一个手机号码

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Fabiano Caruana – Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
4th NH “Experience versus Rising Stars”; Amsterdam, August 14, 2010
Grünfeld Defence D86

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 0-0 10. 0-0 Qc7 11. Rc1 Rd8 12. Bf4 Be5. For the more stereotyped see 12. ... e5 13. Bg5 Rd6 see Caruana – Svidler, 17th European Team Championship, Novi Sad 2009. 13. Bxe5 Nxe5 14. Bb3 Ng4 15. Ng3 Qf4 16. Qe1! An inspired novelty, found two months earlier by Caruana and his coach Boris Avrukh – the threat is h2-h3. For 16. Qf3 Qxf3 17. gxf3 Nf6 see Cheparinov – Ivanchuk, Cap d’Agde 2008. 16. ... Nf6. 16. ... cxd4 17. cxd4 Rxd4 18. h3 Nf6 19. Ne2 is obviously bad, while 16. ... b6 17. h3 Nf6 18. e5 transposes to the game with the interpolation of the moves h2-h3 and ... b7-b6. 17. e5 Nd5 18. Bxd5! Rxd5 19. c4 Rd8. If 19. ... Rxd4? then 20. Ne2 Qxe5 21. Nxd4 Qxd4 22. Qxe7 with huge advantage for White. 20. d5. White’s Pawns centre is imposing. 20. ... b5!? 21. Qa5 Bd7 22. Rfe1! Be8. The counter 22. ... Qd4 23. e6! fxe6 fails to the zwischenzug 24. Rcd1! Qf6 25. dxe6 (Caruana’s analysis). 23. cxb5. After the impulsive 23. Qc7 Rac8! 24. Qxe7 Rd7! 25. Qf6 Qxf6 26. exf6 bxc4 Black is certainly not worse. 23. ... Rxd5 24. b6 Rd2? Caruana expected 24. ... Rxe5 with double-edged consequences; for example: 25. b7 Rb8 26. Qxa7 Rxe1+ 27. Rxe1 Bc6 28. Qxc5 Bxb7 29. Qxe7 with a small plus (Monokroussos). 25. Ne4! Rb2. On 25. ... Re2 26. b7! (not 26. Rxe2? on account of 26. ... Qxc1+ 27. Re1 axb6!) 26. ... Rb8 27. Qc7 and White wins. 26. Qxc5 Rxb6. 26. ... axb6 is refuted by 27. Qd4! threatening both Qd4xb2 and Ne4-f6+. 27. Qxe7 Bc6 28. Nf6+ Kg7 29. Rf1!! A “silent” prophylaxis before the final assault. 29. ... h6. In order to play ... Qf4-g5, as 29. ... Qg5?? at once would be refuted by 30. Ne8+. 30. Rc3 Rab8 31. Qc5. After 31. Rg3 Qf5! any White’s advantage vanishes. 31. ... Ra6. Intending ... Rb8-b5. If 31. ... Rb1 White has to settle for 32. Rcc1 with a Pawn more, as 32. Qxc6 Rxf1+ 33. Rxf1 Rb1+ 34. Ke2 Rb2+ 35. Rc2 Qc1! clears any advantage. 32. Qd6! Rbb6. Also after 32. ... Rc8 33. a3 Qg5 (or 33. ... Bb7? 34. Rxc8! Rxd6? 35. Rg8++) 34. Rg3 White wins. 33. Re3? A delay. The immediate 33. Nh5+! gxh5 34. Rg3+ Kh7 35. Qf8 would have won right away. 33. ... Rxa2? More stubborn is 33. ... Qb4, although after 34. Nh5+! Kh7 (if 34. ... gxh5? then 35. Qf6+ Kg8 36. Rg3+ Kf8 37. e6! finis) 35. Qf6 Qf8 36. e6! Ba4 (or 36. ... Bb5 37. Rfe1) 37. Nf4 White holds a powerful attack.

34. Nh5+! Never too late! A tragic qui pro quo was instead 34. Qd8?? Qxf2+! 35. Rxf2 Rb1+ 36. Rf1 Rxg2+ and mate next move. 34. ... gxh5 35. Rg3+ Qxg3 (35. ... Kh7 36. Qf8) 36. Qf6+ Kg8 37. hxg3 Be4. 37. ... Bxg2 38. Qd8+ is useless. 38. Qd8+ Kh7 39. Rc1 Bf5 40. Rc7 Be6 41. Rxa7 Rxa7. Or 41. ... Rb1+ 42. Kh2 Rxa7 43. Qd3+ and wins. 42. Qxb6 Ra4 43. Qb1+ Kg7 44. f4. Intending f4-f5-f6. 44. ... Ra5 45. Qd1! The last finesse, as after 45. f5? Rxe5! Black would still have hoped to build a fortress. 1 : 0.