Not all the Grandmaster games are completely logical. Even those at the top level. GMs remain human beings no matter how high their ratings are and this sometimes prevents them from conducting the game to a logical outcome.
As in the following game from round seven of the Tata Steel tournament.
A game that I liked (ChessBase 13)
[Event "Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.01.17"]
[Round "7.2"]
[White "Ding, Liren"]
[Black "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2732"]
[BlackElo "2667"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "157"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:10:36"]
[BlackClock "0:01:17"]
1. c4 {White is playing the Sicilian Defense reversed.} c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3
Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nc7 7. O-O e5 {And Black does the Maroczy
bind on his turn.} 8. a3 {Since White has an extra tempo, he can afford more
things. Cncretely to attack the center with the move b2-b4!} Be7 ({A modern
way to prevent the b2-b4 advance is} 8... Rb8 {a move we discussed not long
time ago with Alex Yermolinsky at one of the chess.com TV shows. The idea is
that after} 9. b4 cxb4 10. axb4 Bxb4 {(a line in which once felt the Serbian
GM Bogosavljevic) Whie cannot win the pawn back with the typical trick} 11.
Nxe5 $2 Nxe5 12. Qa4+ Nc6 13. Bxc6+ bxc6 {[%csl Rb4][%cal Rb8b4] as the bishop
on b4 is defended.}) 9. b4 O-O {King's Loek concept is very simple and
effective. Finish the development and let White prove that they can actually
challenge the black center.} (9... cxb4 10. axb4 Bxb4 $2 {makes no sense now
due to} 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Qa4+ Nc6 13. Bxc6+ bxc6 14. Qxb4 {with large
advantage for White.}) 10. Rb1 ({White can try} 10. bxc5 Bxc5 11. Bb2 {this
frees the center a bit, but allows time to Black to regroup conveniently with}
Re8 12. Rc1 Bf8 {and level the game, Kramnik,V (2781)-Timofeev,A (2665) Moscow
2011}) 10... cxb4 $146 {Diagram [#] This simple move is a novelty. Black had
only tested} (10... Bf5 {previously, obviously not willing to give up the
central control. After} 11. d3 c4 12. e4 {was tried by White} ({However, the
immediate} 12. b5 Na5 13. Qa4 Ne6 14. Nd5 $5 {might be stronger as pointed by
the engines, with the idea} Qxd5 15. Nh4 e4 16. dxc4 Qc5 17. Nxf5 Qxf5 18. Qxa5
{with a solid extra pawn for White.}) 12... Be6 13. b5 Na5 14. d4 {with
initiative for White in the game Lalic,B (2500)-Izeta Txabarri,F (2340) Palma
de Mallorca 1989}) 11. axb4 b5 {The point. Van Wely blocks the b4 pawn and
slowly builds his play around it. This is a typical idea for the hedgehog.} 12.
Bb2 ({The tricks favor Black} 12. Nxe5 $2 Nxe5 13. Bxa8 Nxa8) (12. d4 $2 exd4
13. Nxd4 Qxd4 14. Bxc6 $2 Qxc3 {and wins}) 12... Bf5 13. Rc1 {The threat is
Nc3xb5.} Rc8 {Overprotects the knight on c6 and lets the rook stay clear of
the fianchettoes bishop on g2. Black had comfortably levelled the chances.} 14.
d3 Qd7 15. Nb1 {A crafty idea.} ({The more active} 15. Ne4 {bocks the white
bishop and after} Ne6 16. Nc5 Nxc5 17. bxc5 Qe6 {the black pawns on the
queenside are obviously more mobile than the white ones in the center.}) 15...
Na6 $1 {Loek is alert.} ({The natural defense} 15... f6 $2 {suddenly loses to}
16. Rxc6 $1 Qxc6 17. Nd4 Qd7 18. Bc6 $1 {and if} Qd6 19. Nxf5 Qxc6 20. Nxe7+)
16. Bxe5 ({The line} 16. Nxe5 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Nxb4 18. Nc3 {leaves the white
bishop exposed on e5.}) ({Most likely Ding should have opted for} 16. Nc3 Naxb4
17. Nxb5 Rb8 {with approximate equality.}) ({Or} 16. Na3) 16... Naxb4 17. Bb2
Rfd8 {A peculiar position. It seems as White's central superiority should
count more than Black's one on the queenside. However, since van Wely has
strong pressure along the half-open d file Ding Liren has no time to start
pushing the pawns.} 18. Nc3 (18. e4 $2 {creates a weakness on d3.} Bg6) ({While
} 18. d4 $2 {comically self-traps the white rook after} Na2) 18... a6 {In the
next moves Black confidently outplays his opponent.} 19. Ra1 Bh3 20. Bxh3 Qxh3
21. Qd2 Qf5 {The threat is Nb4xd3.} 22. Kg2 ({Say} 22. Rab1 $2 Nxd3 23. exd3
Qxf3) 22... a5 23. Ne4 Nd5 (23... a4 {looks also very nice for Black.}) 24.
Rfc1 a4 25. Kg1 h6 {The logical play gave Black large advantage. Ding Liren
further weakens his position with the next move.} 26. h4 $6 Bb4 27. Qd1 {
Diagram [#]} Bf8 {King Loek misses a good chance.} ({Strong was} 27... Qd7 {
with the threat f7-f5-f4! If} 28. Nc5 Qa7 29. Ne4 a3 {is strong} ({Or again}
29... f5 {In either case White is in trouble.})) 28. Rcb1 Nb6 (28... Qd7 $1)
29. Bc1 Nc4 30. Nc3 Bb4 31. Na2 Be7 32. Nc3 Bb4 33. Na2 Be7 34. Nc3 Nb4 {Van
Wely does not find a concrete plan but continues to play for a win.} 35. Kg2 (
35. Bf4 {was better although Black is much better here as well.}) 35... Na5 {
One more miss for Black.} ({After} 35... Ne5 $1 36. Nxe5 Qxe5 {the white
knight on c3 is trapped!} 37. Ne4 (37. Na2 Nxa2 38. Rxa2 Qd5+) (37. Bd2 Rxc3
38. Bxc3 Qxc3) 37... Qxe4+ 38. dxe4 Rxd1 {Black wins.}) 36. Bd2 Nb3 37. Rxb3
axb3 38. Rb1 {Black had won the exchange and is very close to the win.} Nc6 {
The third and last clear miss. The combo} (38... Nxd3 $1 39. exd3 Rxc3 40. Bxc3
Rxd3 41. Bd2 Rxf3 {would have wrapped the game home.}) 39. e4 Qh5 (39... Qc5 {
was better}) 40. Nd5 {Ding managed to stabilize the situation and Loek looks
for a way to retain the initiative.} Rxd5 41. exd5 Qxd5 42. Qxb3 Qxb3 43. Rxb3
b4 {Black is still better thanks to the outside passed pawn.} 44. Kf1 f6 45.
Rb1 Kf7 {Brings the king in the game.} 46. Ra1 Rb8 47. Be3 b3 48. Nd2 b2 ({A
more logical follow up was} 48... Ke6 49. Rb1 Na5 50. Ke2 Kd5) 49. Rb1 f5 50.
Nc4 Bf6 51. Bc5 Bc3 ({The last winning attempt was connected with the
computer-study idea} 51... Ra8 $5 {Very strong with the idea} 52. Nxb2 Rb8 53.
d4 {Diagram [#]} Rb3 $3 {when White has nothing to move.} 54. Kg2 (54. Ke2
Nxd4+ 55. Kd2 Nb5 56. Kc2 Rc3+ 57. Kd2 Rxc5) 54... Nb8 $1 {Try finding this
idea over the board!} 55. Kh3 Na6 56. Bd6 Nb4 57. Bc5 Nd3 58. Nxd3 Rxb1 {when
Black's chances for a win are quite resonable.}) 52. Ke2 Nb4 53. d4 Ke6 $4 {
Hallucination. Van Wely forgot that his king is not yet there.} (53... Nd5 54.
Kd3 Ke6 {would be equal.}) 54. Bxb4 Bxb4 ({Alas,} 54... Rxb4 55. Kd3 {traps
the bishop as} Be1 56. Rxe1+ {is taken with a check.}) 55. Rxb2 {Tables have
turned and it is White who has the advantage. The frustrated Loek van Wely
loses without much chances.} g5 56. h5 g4 57. Kd3 Bd6 58. Re2+ Kd7 59. Ne3 Rf8
60. Ra2 f4 (60... Ke6 61. Nc4 Bb8 (61... Rb8 62. Ra6) 62. Ra6+) 61. Nxg4 fxg3
62. fxg3 Bxg3 63. Nxh6 Rf4 64. Rg2 Bf2 65. Rg4 Rf3+ 66. Ke2 Rf8 67. Re4 Kd6 68.
Ng4 Bg1 69. Kd3 Rf3+ 70. Kc4 Ra3 71. h6 Ra4+ 72. Kc3 Ra3+ 73. Kb4 Rh3 74. Kc4
Rh4 75. d5 Be3 $2 76. Nf6 Rh3 (76... Rxe4+ 77. Nxe4+ Kd7 78. h7) 77. Re6+ Kc7
78. d6+ Kb7 79. d7 {Van Wely outplayed his strong opponent but was imprecise
in the detail when converting the advantage. The stubborness of the Chinese
star Ding Liren was rewarded by a ful point and he is now half point short of
the leaders.} 1-0
Report.
As in the following game from round seven of the Tata Steel tournament.
[Event "Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.01.17"]
[Round "7.2"]
[White "Ding, Liren"]
[Black "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2732"]
[BlackElo "2667"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "157"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:10:36"]
[BlackClock "0:01:17"]
1. c4 {White is playing the Sicilian Defense reversed.} c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3
Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nc7 7. O-O e5 {And Black does the Maroczy
bind on his turn.} 8. a3 {Since White has an extra tempo, he can afford more
things. Cncretely to attack the center with the move b2-b4!} Be7 ({A modern
way to prevent the b2-b4 advance is} 8... Rb8 {a move we discussed not long
time ago with Alex Yermolinsky at one of the chess.com TV shows. The idea is
that after} 9. b4 cxb4 10. axb4 Bxb4 {(a line in which once felt the Serbian
GM Bogosavljevic) Whie cannot win the pawn back with the typical trick} 11.
Nxe5 $2 Nxe5 12. Qa4+ Nc6 13. Bxc6+ bxc6 {[%csl Rb4][%cal Rb8b4] as the bishop
on b4 is defended.}) 9. b4 O-O {King's Loek concept is very simple and
effective. Finish the development and let White prove that they can actually
challenge the black center.} (9... cxb4 10. axb4 Bxb4 $2 {makes no sense now
due to} 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Qa4+ Nc6 13. Bxc6+ bxc6 14. Qxb4 {with large
advantage for White.}) 10. Rb1 ({White can try} 10. bxc5 Bxc5 11. Bb2 {this
frees the center a bit, but allows time to Black to regroup conveniently with}
Re8 12. Rc1 Bf8 {and level the game, Kramnik,V (2781)-Timofeev,A (2665) Moscow
2011}) 10... cxb4 $146 {Diagram [#] This simple move is a novelty. Black had
only tested} (10... Bf5 {previously, obviously not willing to give up the
central control. After} 11. d3 c4 12. e4 {was tried by White} ({However, the
immediate} 12. b5 Na5 13. Qa4 Ne6 14. Nd5 $5 {might be stronger as pointed by
the engines, with the idea} Qxd5 15. Nh4 e4 16. dxc4 Qc5 17. Nxf5 Qxf5 18. Qxa5
{with a solid extra pawn for White.}) 12... Be6 13. b5 Na5 14. d4 {with
initiative for White in the game Lalic,B (2500)-Izeta Txabarri,F (2340) Palma
de Mallorca 1989}) 11. axb4 b5 {The point. Van Wely blocks the b4 pawn and
slowly builds his play around it. This is a typical idea for the hedgehog.} 12.
Bb2 ({The tricks favor Black} 12. Nxe5 $2 Nxe5 13. Bxa8 Nxa8) (12. d4 $2 exd4
13. Nxd4 Qxd4 14. Bxc6 $2 Qxc3 {and wins}) 12... Bf5 13. Rc1 {The threat is
Nc3xb5.} Rc8 {Overprotects the knight on c6 and lets the rook stay clear of
the fianchettoes bishop on g2. Black had comfortably levelled the chances.} 14.
d3 Qd7 15. Nb1 {A crafty idea.} ({The more active} 15. Ne4 {bocks the white
bishop and after} Ne6 16. Nc5 Nxc5 17. bxc5 Qe6 {the black pawns on the
queenside are obviously more mobile than the white ones in the center.}) 15...
Na6 $1 {Loek is alert.} ({The natural defense} 15... f6 $2 {suddenly loses to}
16. Rxc6 $1 Qxc6 17. Nd4 Qd7 18. Bc6 $1 {and if} Qd6 19. Nxf5 Qxc6 20. Nxe7+)
16. Bxe5 ({The line} 16. Nxe5 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Nxb4 18. Nc3 {leaves the white
bishop exposed on e5.}) ({Most likely Ding should have opted for} 16. Nc3 Naxb4
17. Nxb5 Rb8 {with approximate equality.}) ({Or} 16. Na3) 16... Naxb4 17. Bb2
Rfd8 {A peculiar position. It seems as White's central superiority should
count more than Black's one on the queenside. However, since van Wely has
strong pressure along the half-open d file Ding Liren has no time to start
pushing the pawns.} 18. Nc3 (18. e4 $2 {creates a weakness on d3.} Bg6) ({While
} 18. d4 $2 {comically self-traps the white rook after} Na2) 18... a6 {In the
next moves Black confidently outplays his opponent.} 19. Ra1 Bh3 20. Bxh3 Qxh3
21. Qd2 Qf5 {The threat is Nb4xd3.} 22. Kg2 ({Say} 22. Rab1 $2 Nxd3 23. exd3
Qxf3) 22... a5 23. Ne4 Nd5 (23... a4 {looks also very nice for Black.}) 24.
Rfc1 a4 25. Kg1 h6 {The logical play gave Black large advantage. Ding Liren
further weakens his position with the next move.} 26. h4 $6 Bb4 27. Qd1 {
Diagram [#]} Bf8 {King Loek misses a good chance.} ({Strong was} 27... Qd7 {
with the threat f7-f5-f4! If} 28. Nc5 Qa7 29. Ne4 a3 {is strong} ({Or again}
29... f5 {In either case White is in trouble.})) 28. Rcb1 Nb6 (28... Qd7 $1)
29. Bc1 Nc4 30. Nc3 Bb4 31. Na2 Be7 32. Nc3 Bb4 33. Na2 Be7 34. Nc3 Nb4 {Van
Wely does not find a concrete plan but continues to play for a win.} 35. Kg2 (
35. Bf4 {was better although Black is much better here as well.}) 35... Na5 {
One more miss for Black.} ({After} 35... Ne5 $1 36. Nxe5 Qxe5 {the white
knight on c3 is trapped!} 37. Ne4 (37. Na2 Nxa2 38. Rxa2 Qd5+) (37. Bd2 Rxc3
38. Bxc3 Qxc3) 37... Qxe4+ 38. dxe4 Rxd1 {Black wins.}) 36. Bd2 Nb3 37. Rxb3
axb3 38. Rb1 {Black had won the exchange and is very close to the win.} Nc6 {
The third and last clear miss. The combo} (38... Nxd3 $1 39. exd3 Rxc3 40. Bxc3
Rxd3 41. Bd2 Rxf3 {would have wrapped the game home.}) 39. e4 Qh5 (39... Qc5 {
was better}) 40. Nd5 {Ding managed to stabilize the situation and Loek looks
for a way to retain the initiative.} Rxd5 41. exd5 Qxd5 42. Qxb3 Qxb3 43. Rxb3
b4 {Black is still better thanks to the outside passed pawn.} 44. Kf1 f6 45.
Rb1 Kf7 {Brings the king in the game.} 46. Ra1 Rb8 47. Be3 b3 48. Nd2 b2 ({A
more logical follow up was} 48... Ke6 49. Rb1 Na5 50. Ke2 Kd5) 49. Rb1 f5 50.
Nc4 Bf6 51. Bc5 Bc3 ({The last winning attempt was connected with the
computer-study idea} 51... Ra8 $5 {Very strong with the idea} 52. Nxb2 Rb8 53.
d4 {Diagram [#]} Rb3 $3 {when White has nothing to move.} 54. Kg2 (54. Ke2
Nxd4+ 55. Kd2 Nb5 56. Kc2 Rc3+ 57. Kd2 Rxc5) 54... Nb8 $1 {Try finding this
idea over the board!} 55. Kh3 Na6 56. Bd6 Nb4 57. Bc5 Nd3 58. Nxd3 Rxb1 {when
Black's chances for a win are quite resonable.}) 52. Ke2 Nb4 53. d4 Ke6 $4 {
Hallucination. Van Wely forgot that his king is not yet there.} (53... Nd5 54.
Kd3 Ke6 {would be equal.}) 54. Bxb4 Bxb4 ({Alas,} 54... Rxb4 55. Kd3 {traps
the bishop as} Be1 56. Rxe1+ {is taken with a check.}) 55. Rxb2 {Tables have
turned and it is White who has the advantage. The frustrated Loek van Wely
loses without much chances.} g5 56. h5 g4 57. Kd3 Bd6 58. Re2+ Kd7 59. Ne3 Rf8
60. Ra2 f4 (60... Ke6 61. Nc4 Bb8 (61... Rb8 62. Ra6) 62. Ra6+) 61. Nxg4 fxg3
62. fxg3 Bxg3 63. Nxh6 Rf4 64. Rg2 Bf2 65. Rg4 Rf3+ 66. Ke2 Rf8 67. Re4 Kd6 68.
Ng4 Bg1 69. Kd3 Rf3+ 70. Kc4 Ra3 71. h6 Ra4+ 72. Kc3 Ra3+ 73. Kb4 Rh3 74. Kc4
Rh4 75. d5 Be3 $2 76. Nf6 Rh3 (76... Rxe4+ 77. Nxe4+ Kd7 78. h7) 77. Re6+ Kc7
78. d6+ Kb7 79. d7 {Van Wely outplayed his strong opponent but was imprecise
in the detail when converting the advantage. The stubborness of the Chinese
star Ding Liren was rewarded by a ful point and he is now half point short of
the leaders.} 1-0
Report.
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