25.10.14

Exciting Draw in Round Four

All the games ended peacefully in round four of the Tashkent Grand Prix which does not necessarily mean that there was no show for the spectators.
A game that I liked (ChessBase 12)

[Event "Tashkent FIDE GP"]
[Site "Tashkent UZB"]
[Date "2014.10.24"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Mamedyarov, S."]
[Black "Nakamura, Hi"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D31"]
[WhiteElo "2764"]
[BlackElo "2764"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "2014.10.20"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 {Invention of Tigran Petrosian. He used this move
to avoid Botvinnik's plan with Ng1-e2, followed by f2-f3 and e3-e4 with strong
central play. The sixth world champion used this plan to defeat Paul Keres in
1952. After 3...Be7 Black usually expects 4.Nf3} 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 {However
White can also vary his play.} c6 6. e3 Bf5 {If White does not like the b1-d3
diagonal, Black will gladly occupy it.} 7. g4 {The most dangerous plan.} ({The
swap of the light-squared bishops is clearly favorable for Black as he has
most of his pawns on light squares.} 7. Bd3 Bxd3 8. Qxd3 $11) 7... Be6 {This
position was tested three times in the Botvinnik-Petrosian match. White tried
both 8.h2-h3 and 8.Bf1-h3. Mamedyarov chooses a third option} 8. h4 ({After} 8.
h3 $5 {White's plan is to play Bd3, Qc2, Nge2, 0-0-0.}) 8... Nd7 9. h5 Nh6 10.
Be2 Nb6 11. Nh3 g5 12. hxg6 hxg6 13. Be5 $5 $146 {[%csl Rf4][%cal Gh3f4,Ge5h8]
Diagram [#] A very sharp and unexpected move.} ({It is funny that Nakamura
used this line himself to defeat Levon Aronian three years ago. In this game
he made a novelty} 13. Bg3 $146 Qd7 ({which none else dared to repeat that far
as after} 13... Nxg4 $3 14. Bxg4 Qd7 {Black is actually better (suggested by
Romain Edouard).}) 14. Nf4 O-O-O 15. Nxe6 {Nakamura,H (2753)-Aronian,L (2807)
Sao Paulo/Bilbao 2011}) (13. f3 Bh4+ {[%cal Gg6g5,Gf7f5] followed by ...g5 and
...f5 is usually played.}) 13... f6 {Forced.} ({Bad is} 13... Rh7 14. Nf4 Nd7
15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. Bg3 $16) 14. Nf4 $1 {The point behind Mamedyarov's previous
move.} fxe5 15. Nxg6 Rg8 $6 {Taken by surprise Nakamura decided to sacrifice a
pawn.} (15... Rh7 {will be the critical test for the whole line.}) 16. Nxe7
Qxe7 17. Rxh6 e4 ({Black needs to close the center.} 17... exd4 $6 18. Qxd4 $16
{will add positional advantage to the extra pawn.}) 18. a4 {[%csl Ya7,Yb6,Yb7,
Re8] Diagram [#] Shakhriyar got tempted by a queenside attack.} ({The critical
point of the battle. White missed the nice regrouping} 18. Kd2 $1 O-O-O 19. Qg1
$1 {The queen is coming quickly in the game} Rg7 20. Qg3 Rdg8 21. Qe5 $16 {
[%csl Ge5,Gh6] with powerful centralization and clear edge for White.}) 18...
Nd7 {The knight is moving to a better square.} 19. Qb3 ({Black is also
gradually equalizing in case of} 19. a5 Nf6 ({Not} 19... O-O-O $2 20. a6 b6 21.
Qa4 $16) 20. a6 b6 21. Qa4 Bd7 22. O-O-O O-O-O ({It is too early to regain the
pawn} 22... Nxg4 $2 23. Bxg4 Rxg4 24. Rh8+) 23. Rg1 Rg5 {and after some
further preparation the pawn on g4 will disappear.}) 19... Nf6 20. Rc1 $5 {The
best practical chance.} Bxg4 {Once again Hikaru is very precise.} (20... O-O-O
$6 21. a5 Nxg4 22. Bxg4 Rxg4 23. Ne2 $5 ({or} 23. a6 b6 24. Qa4 Qe8 25. Ne2 {
will be definitely more pleasant for White to play.})) 21. Rxf6 $1 {[%csl Ya7,
Yb7] Diagram [#] This is what the previous play was all about.} Qxf6 22. Qxb7
Rd8 23. Qxa7 {For the exchange White has two pawns and some initiative. The
problem is that his king is not perfectly safe neither.} Rf8 24. Nd1 Bxe2 25.
Kxe2 Qd6 {Nakamura takes measures against the white pawns.} 26. Rc5 Rb8 27. Qa5
Kd7 28. Qc3 Ra8 29. a5 Rfb8 30. b4 Rb5 {Now that the pawns are stopped it is
time for some trades.} 31. Rxb5 cxb5 32. Qc5 {Diagram [#]} Rc8 $1 {Once that
the black pieces get freedom it is only White who needs to be careful.} ({
There is no need to allow another defended passer.} 32... Qxc5 $6 33. dxc5) 33.
Qxb5+ Ke6 34. a6 $1 {Mamedyarov forces a draw.} (34. Qb7 $2 {is playing with
fire} Rc2+ 35. Kf1 Qh2 36. Qa6+ Ke7 37. Ke1 Qc7 {with the idea Rc2-c1 and
Qc7-c3 leads to powerful attack for Black.}) 34... Ra8 (34... Rc2+ 35. Ke1 Qh2
36. Qe8+ {will force perpetual check.}) ({As will} 34... Ra8 35. a7 Rxa7 36.
Qe8+ $11) 1/2-1/2



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