The Modern Game of Zugzwang

In Reykjavik everything is expected. More and more excellent games are produced, like the following one:

[Event "Open European Team Championship"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.11.16"]
[Round "4.1"]
[White "Jobava, Baadur"]
[Black "Saric, Ivan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2668"]
[BlackElo "2652"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "115"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:38:47"]
[BlackClock "0:29:55"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 {Diagram [#] You did not expect Jobava to play the
Ruy Lopez, did you? Ponziani is so much more fun than 20-25 moves of theory...}
Nf6 {The main move. According to my Megabase Saric had never played against
this opening in official game. But he live-witnessed Carlsen's win against Hou
Yifan in Wijk.} 4. d4 Nxe4 ({Actually, Jobava had a game in Ponziani this year
already, but opponent deviated from the main paths with} 4... d6 5. Bd3 Be7 6.
O-O O-O 7. Re1 Bg4 8. d5 Nb8 9. Nbd2 a5 10. h3 Bh5 11. Nf1 Na6 12. Ng3 Bg6 13.
Nh4 $14 {Diagram [#] Jobava,B (2683)-Benidze,D (2491) Ureki 2015}) ({Carlsen
chose} 4... exd4 5. e5 Nd5 {Hou-Carlsen, Wijk an Zee 2013.}) 5. d5 Ne7 6. Nxe5
Ng6 7. Qe2 Qe7 8. Qxe4 Qxe5 9. Qxe5+ Nxe5 10. Bf4 {This particular line has
the reputation of an ultra solid weapon where White can hardly ever lose (or
win). Jobava has his own way instead of the conventional development:} (10. Be2
Bc5 11. Nd2 d6 12. Nb3 Bb6 13. a4 a6 14. a5 Ba7 15. Nd4 Bxd4 16. cxd4 Nd7 {
with slight advantage for White in Lu,S (2606)-Wang,H (2710) Xinghua 2015})
10... Bd6 11. Bg3 f5 12. Nd2 O-O 13. f4 $146 {[%csl Yf4] Diagram [#] Boom, the
novelty! White sacrifices a pawn! Not a move that the computer will suggest.} (
{All the twelve predecessors saw} 13. f3 {when after} b6 14. O-O-O Bb7 15. Nc4
Nxc4 16. Bxc4 f4 17. Bf2 Rae8 {trades are about to happen along the e file,
and a handshake.}) 13... Ng6 14. O-O-O Bxf4 (14... b6 $1 {was probably better.
The pawn on f4 has nowhere to go. After} 15. Nc4 Bxf4+ 16. Bxf4 Nxf4 17. d6 {
White has compensation for the pawn, but hardly more.}) (14... Nxf4 $2 {
is bad due to the simple} 15. Nc4 {when White regains the pawn and keeps
pressure for free.}) 15. d6 $1 {[%csl Ya8,Yc8] Diagram [#] The point behind
the sacrifice. Jobava tries to seal the bishop on c8.} cxd6 ({Another way to
defend is} 15... Bxg3 $5 16. hxg3 (16. Bc4+ Kh8 17. hxg3 cxd6 18. Nf3 Ne5 19.
Bd5 {makes sense as well.}) 16... cxd6 17. Nf3 Ne5 18. Rxd6 Rf6 19. Rd4 Nxf3
20. gxf3 ({Black can give back the pawn in case of a need-} 20. Bc4+ d5 21.
Bxd5+ Be6 {with approximate equality.}) 20... d6 {Just like the line above,
White has compensation, but hardly advantage.}) 16. Bxf4 Nxf4 17. g3 Nh5 {
The other retreat seemed more natural} (17... Ne6 18. Nc4 d5 19. Rxd5 f4 20.
Nd6 b6 {although it is not clear how will Black develop his bishop from b7.})
18. Nc4 $1 d5 $1 {A freeing attempt.} (18... b6 19. Nxd6 Rb8 20. Bc4+ Kh8 21.
Rhf1 {is horrendous, while}) (18... Nf6 19. Nxd6 Ne4 20. Bc4+ Kh8 21. Nxe4 fxe4
22. Bd5 $16 {is a solid advantage for White.}) 19. Nd6 $1 {[%csl Gd6] Diagram
[#]} ({Or else Saric will come out of the trouble} 19. Rxd5 Nf6 $1 (19... d6 $5
) 20. Rd6 b5) 19... Nf6 20. Bg2 {Jobava is not interested in the f5 pawn. The
blocked queenside is his mantra.} Ne4 21. Rxd5 Nxd6 22. Rxd6 {A very pleasant
situation for White arose. His four pieces are free in their motion and have
the fun part beating the black king and rook.} Re8 {If Black trades his last
active piece} (22... Rf6 23. Rxf6 gxf6 {his position will get critical after
either} 24. Rd1 (24. Rf1 {is not bad neither.})) 23. Rf1 g6 24. Bd5+ {Diagram
[#]} Kh8 {Or else White will win two pawns after} (24... Kg7 25. Bxb7 Bxb7 26.
Rxd7+ Kh6 27. Rxb7 $16) 25. Kd2 a5 26. Rf4 {Prepares the next maneuver and
discourages the queenside rook sortie.} Re5 (26... Ra6 27. Rxa6 bxa6 28. Ra4 {
regains the pawn for White and keeps stable advantage.}) 27. Rc4 Rb8 28. Rc7 {
Now the bishop is out of the picture for good and White is looking for the
decisive improvement.} b6 29. c4 {[%csl Gd5,Rd6][%cal Gc4d5,Rd6f6,Rf6f7,Rf7f8]
Diagram [#] To free the other rook.} Kg7 30. a4 ({There is absolutely no need
to force matters} 30. Bb7 Rxb7 31. Rxb7 Bxb7 32. Rxd7+ Kh6 33. Rxb7 Re6 {
when White is definitely better but Black has chances to survive.}) (30. Bc6 $6
Rc5) 30... Kf8 (30... Re7 $5 {might have been more stubborn.}) 31. Rf6+ Ke8 32.
Ra7 {[%csl Yb8,Yc8,Re5,Ye8] Diagram [#] Zugzwang # 1! Only the e5 rook can
move.} Re7 (32... Ke7 33. Rf7+ Kd6 34. Rxh7 $18) 33. h4 $1 {Once that the
White pieces have been activated to the maximum, the pawns march forward in
order to create weakneses.} Rg7 ({Or} 33... Re5 34. h5 gxh5 35. Rh6 Re7 36.
Rxh5) 34. Ke3 Ke7 35. Re6+ Kd8 36. Re5 h6 ({Otherwise the king may get in}
36... h5 37. Kf4 {followed by Kf4-g5.}) 37. Kd4 {[%csl Yb8,Yc8,Yd8,Rg7][%cal
Gh4h5] Diagram [#] Zugzwang #2! The white pawn cannot be stopped from breaking
the kingside pawn structure.} Rh7 (37... g5 38. h5 $1 f4 39. gxf4 gxf4 40. Rf5
$18) 38. h5 $1 {The kingside collapses and the white pieces invade the
opponent's camp.} Rg7 39. hxg6 Rxg6 40. Re3 {The last move before the
additional time made the win a bit complicated. The simplest solution was} (40.
Rxf5 $1 Rxg3 41. Rf7 {[%csl Rc8][%cal Gf7h7,Gh7h8,Ga7c7,Gc7c8] Diagram [#]
followed by Rf7-h7-h8+ and Ra7-c7xc8.}) 40... Rg7 41. Rf3 Rg6 42. Rxf5 Rxg3 43.
Rf8+ Ke7 44. Rf7+ Kd6 {Or else the game might transpose to the winning line
from above with} (44... Kd8 45. Rh7 Rh3 46. Rh8+ Ke7 47. Rc7 {trapping the
bishop.}) 45. Rf6+ Ke7 46. Rxh6 {Pawns are even, but four white pieces are
still beating two...} Rg4+ 47. Ke5 Rg5+ 48. Kf4 Rg1 49. Be4 Re1 50. b3 $1 {
Diagram [#] The final touch. The hasty} (50. Ke5 Bb7 $1 {would have ruined a
true masterpiece} 51. Rh7+ Kd8 52. Kd6 Rxe4 53. Rxd7+ Ke8 54. Raxb7 Rxb7 55.
Rxb7 Rxc4 56. Rxb6 Rxa4 $11) 50... Re2 51. Ke5 {Now White can.} Kf7 (51... Bb7
{does not help this time as in the line} 52. Rh7+ Kd8 (52... Kf8 53. Rh8+ Ke7
54. Rxb8 Rxe4+ 55. Kf5 Bc6 56. Rxb6 $18) 53. Kd6 Rxe4 54. Rxd7+ Ke8 55. Raxb7 {
the c4 pawn is defended and White wins.}) 52. Kd6 $1 Rxe4 53. Kc7 {[%csl Yb8,
Yc8] Diagram [#] A wonderful finish of a great game!} Rb7+ 54. Rxb7 Bxb7 55.
Kxb7 Re6 56. Rxe6 dxe6 57. Kxb6 e5 58. Kxa5 1-0

To Develop or not to Develop?

Chess have changed greatly in the past twenty years. It became much more concrete, thorough. The following game from the Tata Steel tournament is one good example.

[Event "Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.01.21"]
[Round "10.4"]
[White "Saric, Ivan"]
[Black "Giri, Anish"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2666"]
[BlackElo "2784"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "94"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:37:34"]
[BlackClock "1:13:44"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qf3 {Not a
very commong choice in the Taimanov. White wants to castle long as quick as
possible and to place the queen as agressive as he can on the other side where
he will attack. The normal developing moves are} (7. Bd3) (7. Be2) 7... Ne5 8.
Qg3 h5 {Anish played this already against Karjakin and described it then with
the words "the worst possible line..."} 9. f4 {Ivan does not want to discover
the opponent's preparation after} (9. f3 b5 10. O-O-O d6 11. f4 Ng4 12. e5 dxe5
({it was pointed out by some sources that} 12... Nxe3 13. Qxe3 d5 {might be
better}) 13. fxe5 Nxe3 14. Qxe3 Bd7 {Karjakin-Giri, Tashent GP 2014}) 9... h4 {
This was what the previous move was all about. Now White will have to place
the queen in a less active square.} 10. Qh3 (10. Qf2 $6 Ng4) 10... Nc4 11. Bxc4
Qxc4 {Diagram [#] Some years back Giri would have be stripped of his GM title
and possibly sent in jail (at least) for violating all the opening rules. He
had not developed any piece yet, beside the queen and advanced the pawns on
the kingside where he is about to get checkmated. Nowadays, this is
considered normal. Black has a lot of hidden trumps up his sleeve, namely the
powerful bishop pair and the fluid pawn structure. One more thing of a great
importance is that there are no pawn clashes yet and this means that the balck
king will be safe in the center. At least for a while.} 12. O-O-O b5 {No, he
does not develop yet, but watches carefully for the white maneuvers.} 13. f5 {
Ivan decided to open some files.} (13. e5 {would be met with} Bb7 {that stops
Nc3-e4 jump.}) 13... Bb7 (13... b4 {would be a bit too much and White can
start attacking the weakened dark squares after} 14. Na4 Qc7 15. Nb3) 14. Rhf1
({Black remains remarkably solid after} 14. fxe6 dxe6 15. e5 Rc8 {and he has
all the time in the world to bring his knight to g6 or f5 after Ng8-e7. It is
true that White have opened a file in this line but there is nothing to attack
there yet and his queen is somewhat misplaced.}) 14... e5 $146 {Logically
closes the center, but allows a direct play against the d5 square.} ({In case
of} 14... Rc8 {which Anish tried in round six against Radjabov White has the
strong} 15. Nf3 $1 {with the threat Nf3-e5xf7! no matter what, or if Black
retreats} ({Radjabov played} 15. fxe6 {against Giri in Wijk some rounds before}
dxe6 16. Rxf7 Kxf7 17. b3 Ba3+ 18. Kb1 Qxc3 19. Qxe6+ Kf8 20. Rf1+ Nf6 21.
Rxf6+ gxf6 22. Qxf6+ Kg8 23. Qg6+ Kf8 24. Qf6+ Kg8 25. Qg6+ Kf8 26. Qf6+ {
½-½ (26) Radjabov,T (2734)-Giri,A (2784) 2015}) 15... Qc7 16. Ng5 {and once
again Ng5xf7 is in the air. For example} e5 $2 17. Nxf7 $3 Kxf7 18. f6 $1 {
This is the moment that White cherishes and it would be soon over} Nxf6 19.
Rxd7+ Qxd7 20. Qxd7+) 15. Nb3 ({Once again} 15. Nf3 $5 {was interesting but
less convincing due to} d6 16. Ng5 b4 17. Nd5 Bxd5 {and White cannot capture
with a piece on d5, whcih means that his whole strategy is wrong.}) 15... Qc7
16. Bg5 $5 {Nice regroupment. Not only the pawn on h4 is in danger, but the
bishop is ready to swap off the black knight and secure the d5 point for the
knight.} Rc8 17. Rf2 $5 {Protects c2 pawn and prepares Nc3-d5. White looks
better now, he managed to turn the threats of a tactical blitzkrieg into
strategical concessions in the black camp.} ({However, I have the feeling that
he should have stuck to the initial plan of opening the game and checkmating
the king after} 17. f6 $5) 17... Be7 $1 {In a difficult situation Giri is
amazingly resourceful.} 18. Bxe7 Kxe7 $3 {Diagram [#] Anish defends greatly.
As he does not intend to castle into the attack ever, it makes little sense to
capture with the knight as it will be very badly placed afterwards} (18... Nxe7
19. Rfd2 Bc6 20. a3 {and Black has nothing better than} Ng8 {to which} 21. g4
$1 {with the idea} Nf6 22. Qe3 {and g4-g5 gives large edge to White.}) 19. Rfd2
Nf6 {Now the knight is optimally placed for both attack and defense.} 20. a3
Rh6 $1 {One more important move in Black's plan. Black is out of danger.} 21.
Qe3 ({Black's position is solid after} 21. g4 hxg3 22. Qxg3 Kf8 23. Rg1 Rh7 {
but this was superior version of what White had later in the game.}) 21... Kf8
22. Kb1 Kg8 {Funny it might seem but Giri castled at last.} 23. Rg1 {Ivan
prepares the second wave of the attack.} ({It was tempting to regroup the
knight as well after} 23. Nc1 Bc6 24. Nd3 {but} a5 $1 {comes just in time.})
23... Ng4 24. Qf3 Qb6 25. Re1 Nf6 {And Anish is actively opposing it.} 26. g4
hxg3 27. Qxg3 ({In the race for the d5 square Black seems faster} 27. hxg3 a5
28. g4 b4 29. Na4 Qc6 30. Nac5 a4 {with complications which tend to favour the
second player.}) 27... d6 28. Rg2 Rh7 {Diagram [#] Anish survived the attack
and can start thinking of activity himself. The risky strategy succeeded!} 29.
Qg5 $6 {The beginning of a wrong idea.} (29. Qd3 {was better.}) 29... Kf8 30.
Qd2 $6 Rxc3 $1 {Typical and strong. This is not even an exchange sacrifice!}
31. Qxc3 Nxe4 32. Qd3 $2 {This makes things worse.} (32. Qb4 $1 {was mandatory
when in the line} Nc3+ 33. bxc3 Bxg2 {White can win a central pawn back} 34.
Rxe5 Rxh2 35. Re2 {with chances of survival, say} Rh1+ 36. Kb2 Bd5 37. Qf4 {
The threat Qf4-g5 is annoying, to say at least.}) 32... Nc3+ 33. Qxc3 Bxg2 34.
Qc8+ Ke7 35. Qg8 {Diagram [#]} Qf2 $1 {A cold shower. The attack is over
before it began.} ({Ivan was obviously hoping for something like} 35... Rxh2
36. Qxg7 Bh3 37. Rxe5+ dxe5 38. Qxe5+ Kf8 39. Qxh2 Bxf5 {when White is
definitely not worse.}) 36. Rd1 (36. Rxe5+ dxe5 37. Qxh7 Kf6 {is hopeless for
White who cannot co-ordinate his pieces.}) 36... Be4 $1 {One more subtle move.}
37. Rd2 ({Ivan probably missed that in the line} 37. Qxh7 {Black is not forced
to capture on c2 with the queen, but can play} Bxc2+ $1 ({Rather than} 37...
Qxc2+ 38. Ka2 Qxd1 39. Qh4+ {that wns a piece for White.}) 38. Kc1 Bxf5 {and
wins.}) 37... Qg1+ 38. Ka2 Bxf5 {Giri stabilized the situation and went on to
convert the extra pawns.} 39. Qb8 Rh6 40. Rd5 Bd7 41. Qb7 Qg4 42. Na5 {Diagram
[#] The last chace for some tricks but...} Kf6 $1 {This brave king won the
game.} (42... Rxh2 43. Qc7 Rxc2 $1 44. Qxc2 Qe6 45. Qb3 Qxd5 $1 46. Qxd5 Be6 {
wins as well, but why to complicate things?!}) 43. b3 (43. Rxd6+ Be6+ 44. Nb3
Rxh2 {is equally hopeless.}) 43... Rxh2 44. Rxd6+ Be6 45. Kb2 Qf4 46. Nc6 Rh1
47. Qe7+ Kf5 {An excellent game by Anish who risked greatly but achieved an
important win!} 0-1

Report by Peter Doggers here.