The last round of the Khanty-Mansiysk Grand Prix defined the winners of the event. But perhaps the most interesting game was the one between Peter Svidler and Baadur Jobava. Especially the comments of teh Russian GM:
A game that I liked (ChessBase 13)
[Event "FIDE Grand Prix - Khanty-Mansiysk"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.05.26"]
[Round "11.5"]
[White "Svidler, Peter"]
[Black "Jobava, Baadur"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2734"]
[BlackElo "2699"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "131"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:21:34"]
[BlackClock "0:29:09"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 {Jobava switched back to the Rubinstein French.}
4. Nxe4 Bd7 5. Nf3 Bc6 6. Bd3 Nd7 7. Qe2 Be7 8. Neg5 {[%csl Ye6,Yf7,Yh7]
Diagram [#] This move is connected with a blunder as Svidler explained at the
press-conference. One of the key ideas for White in these set-ups to sacrifice
the knight on either e6 or f7. Svidler saw that in the line} (8. c4 {(to get
control of the d5 square)} Ngf6 9. Neg5 h6 10. Nxe6 fxe6 11. Bg6+ Kf8 12. Qxe6
{Black does not have the move Bc6-d5, but has anotehr way to save himself} Bb4+
{followed by Qd8-e7 and wins.}) 8... Bxg5 {But while thinking, the Russian GM
realized that in the line} (8... h6 $1 9. Nxe6 ({He also desperately considered
} 9. Qxe6 hxg5 10. Nxg5 Nh6 11. Bg6 {which however is refuted by the simple}
O-O) ({Therefore, he should have opted for the sad} 9. Ne4 {and as he mocked
himself after the game "I would sit here and explain to you how important is
to have the b1-h5 diagonal weakend and how deep my idea is to deliver
checkmate later". Svidler is an amazing annotator!}) (9. Nh3 {is horrible
after} g5) 9... fxe6 10. Bg6+ Kf8 11. Qxe6 {Black for some reason still has
the move} Bb4+ {:)}) 9. Nxg5 h6 $146 ({Previosly only} 9... Ngf6 10. c4 O-O 11.
O-O {has been played in Fluvia Poyatos,J (2450)-Lopez Martinez,J (2440) Spain
2004}) 10. Nf3 ({Bad is} 10. Qh5 Qe7 11. O-O Ngf6 12. Qh3 O-O-O 13. Nf3 g5 {
with pleasant attack for Black (Svidler).}) 10... Qf6 11. Ne5 $5 {[%csl Rg2]
Diagram [#] The only way to fight for the advantage. Black is very comfortable
after} (11. Be4 Bxe4 12. Qxe4 O-O-O $11) 11... Nxe5 ({White has ample
compensation for a pawn after} 11... Bxg2 12. Rg1 Bc6 13. Bd2) 12. Qxe5 ({
White did not like} 12. dxe5 Qh4 {[%cal Gg8e7,Ge7f5] with the idea Ng8-e7-f5
and very nice position for Black.}) 12... O-O-O {Jobava plays for more than
equality which he has after} (12... Qxe5+ 13. dxe5 Ne7 $11 {[%csl Gd5,Gf5]
Diagram [#]}) 13. Be3 Qe7 $6 {Again the trade of the queens is objectively best
} (13... Qxe5 14. dxe5 Ne7 $11) 14. O-O-O Nf6 15. f3 $14 {Now the bishop pair
provides some advantage to White.} g5 ({Black cannot equalize with} 15... Nd5
16. Bd2 Nb4 17. Bxb4 Qxb4 18. Qxg7 $16 {(Svidler)}) 16. c4 b6 17. Bd2 ({Some
more preparation was possible} 17. Rhe1 Nd7 18. Qg3 f5 19. Qf2 f4 20. Bd2 Nc5
21. Bc2 {with advantage for White (Svidler)}) 17... Nh5 {[%csl Yg5,Rh5,Yh6]
Diagram [#] The problem for Black is that he has to sit and wait while his
opponent is preparing the central break d4-d5.} 18. d5 f6 19. Qe2 {White's
advantage grew and Jobava tries to muddy the waters with} Ba4 20. b3 Bd7 ({The
piece sacrifice} 20... Qa3+ 21. Kb1 Bxb3 {fails to} 22. Bc1 $1 Bxd1 23. Qxe6+ {
(Svidler, Jobava).}) 21. g4 Ng7 {Now the knight is stranded. Svidler believed
that Black should have sacrificed a pawn instead} (21... Nf4 22. Bxf4 gxf4 23.
dxe6 Bxe6 24. Qe4 Kb8 25. Qxf4 a5 {with chancesto survive.}) 22. Kb1 ({Better
is} 22. Bc3 Kb8 23. h4 {with pressure on the dark squares. White will very
much like to conduct the play on the color of the bishop that the opponent
does not have.}) 22... h5 {Generates useful pressure along the h file.} 23. h3
Qf7 24. Bc3 Kb8 25. Be4 (25. Qb2 $5) 25... Bc8 26. Rhe1 {Diagram [#]} ({In
case of} 26. Qb2 {White did not like} Ne8 (26... e5 27. b4 Bb7 28. Qb3 {
followed by c4-c5 is excellent for White.}) 27. dxe6 Rxd1+ 28. Rxd1 Qxe6 29.
Rd8 $6 (29. Bd5 {keeps an edge for White instead.}) 29... hxg4 $1 30. hxg4 $2
Rh1+ {and wins.}) 26... hxg4 27. hxg4 Bb7 28. dxe6 Bxe4+ 29. Qxe4 Rxd1+ 30.
Rxd1 Nxe6 31. Qf5 {Black managed to trade one of the bishops, but his brother
still dominates the knight. Badly.} Rh6 ({Jobava saw the line} 31... Rf8 32.
Re1 Ng7 33. Qh7 $1 {[%cal Gf3f4,Gg4g5] followed by f3-f4 and g4-g5!}) 32. Rd2
Qg6 33. Qxg6 Rxg6 {[%csl Yf6][%cal Gd2d5,Gd5f5,Gf5f6] Diagram [#] In order to
relieve the pressure Black has to exchange the queens, but now he inevitably
loses the pawn on f6.} 34. Rd5 Rh6 35. Rf5 Rh1+ 36. Kb2 Rh2+ 37. Kb1 Rh1+ 38.
Kb2 Rh2+ 39. Ka3 a5 (39... Rf2 {would be similar to the game} 40. Bxf6 {This
is better than} (40. Rxf6 Nf4 41. Rf8+ Kb7 42. Bf6 Nd3 43. Bxg5 a5 44. Rd8 Rxf3
) 40... a5 $16) 40. Rxf6 Re2 41. Rf5 Rf2 42. Re5 Nf4 ({Worse is} 42... Rxf3 43.
Bxa5 $1 bxa5 44. Rxe6 Rf4 45. Re5 {where the three connected pawns easily
prevail.}) 43. Rxg5 Rxf3 44. Kb2 ({In case of} 44. Bd4 Nd3 45. Rg8+ Kb7 46. g5
{Jobava suggested} Rg3 (46... c5 $5 {Svidler}) 47. g6 Rg2 {when Black indeed
has a lot of counterplay after} 48. g7 Nb4 {Mate is threatened!} 49. Bb2 {and
here instead of the Georgian's sugegstion} Nc2+ ({Black can do} 49... c6 $1 {
[%csl Ya3][%cal Rb6b5,Rb4c2] Diagram [#]} 50. Rf8 b5 {when White has to find
the draw} 51. Rf7+ (51. cxb5 $2 {loses after} cxb5 52. Rf7+ Kc6 53. Rf6+ Kd7
54. Rf7+ Kd6 55. Rf6+ Ke7) (51. g8=Q $4 Nc2#) 51... Ka6 52. cxb5+ cxb5 53. Rc7
$11) 50. Ka4 Nd4) ({Svidler also considered the amusing} 44. Bxa5 bxa5 45. Rf5
{but quickly figured it a draw after} Kb7 46. g5 Rg3 47. Rxf4 Rxg5 $11) 44...
Nd3+ 45. Kc2 Nb4+ 46. Bxb4 axb4 47. Rf5 Rg3 48. g5 {The rook endgame is very
unplesant for Black. The passer on g5 is extremely good. But as we know "all
rook endgames are draw", are not they?} Kc8 $1 {Black cannot hold with the
rook only, he needs to bring on all the reserves.} (48... Rg2+ 49. Kd3 Rxa2 50.
Ke4 Re2+ 51. Kf4 $1 {followed by Re5-e3 wins for White.}) 49. Kd2 Kd7 50. Ke2
Ke6 51. Rb5 Rg2+ 52. Kf3 Rxa2 53. Rxb4 Ra1 $6 {Diagram [#] Up to now Black had
defended very well, but this is a serious step in the wrong direction.} ({
Jobava should have activated the rook as soon as possible} 53... Rd2 $1 54. Rb5
Rd4 {with reasonable drawing chances.}) 54. Rb5 Kf7 55. Ke4 Rd1 $6 {Another
inaccurucy. Better was} (55... Re1+ 56. Kd5 (56. Kd4 Rd1+ 57. Ke5 Re1+) 56...
Re6 $1 57. Kd4 c5+ 58. Kd5 Ke7 {and Black should hold.}) 56. b4 Re1+ 57. Kd5
Re6 58. Kd4 {Without the c7-c5 resourse Black is in trouble.} Re1 59. c5 Rd1+
60. Ke4 Re1+ 61. Kd5 $1 Re6 62. Kd4 $1 {Diagram [#] Zugzwang!} Rg6 (62... Ke7
63. cxb6 cxb6 64. Re5) (62... Kg6 63. cxb6 cxb6 64. Re5 Rd6+ 65. Kc4) 63. cxb6
cxb6 64. Re5 Rc6 65. Kd5 Rc1 66. Kd6 {The b6 pawn drops and tehnblack king can
do nothing to stop the b4 one.} ({The official recording says that White
played here} 66. Ke4 {but is not likely to be the truth. Probably the king was
placed on e4 at the moment of Black's resignation.}) 1-0
Report.
[Event "FIDE Grand Prix - Khanty-Mansiysk"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.05.26"]
[Round "11.5"]
[White "Svidler, Peter"]
[Black "Jobava, Baadur"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2734"]
[BlackElo "2699"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "131"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:21:34"]
[BlackClock "0:29:09"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 {Jobava switched back to the Rubinstein French.}
4. Nxe4 Bd7 5. Nf3 Bc6 6. Bd3 Nd7 7. Qe2 Be7 8. Neg5 {[%csl Ye6,Yf7,Yh7]
Diagram [#] This move is connected with a blunder as Svidler explained at the
press-conference. One of the key ideas for White in these set-ups to sacrifice
the knight on either e6 or f7. Svidler saw that in the line} (8. c4 {(to get
control of the d5 square)} Ngf6 9. Neg5 h6 10. Nxe6 fxe6 11. Bg6+ Kf8 12. Qxe6
{Black does not have the move Bc6-d5, but has anotehr way to save himself} Bb4+
{followed by Qd8-e7 and wins.}) 8... Bxg5 {But while thinking, the Russian GM
realized that in the line} (8... h6 $1 9. Nxe6 ({He also desperately considered
} 9. Qxe6 hxg5 10. Nxg5 Nh6 11. Bg6 {which however is refuted by the simple}
O-O) ({Therefore, he should have opted for the sad} 9. Ne4 {and as he mocked
himself after the game "I would sit here and explain to you how important is
to have the b1-h5 diagonal weakend and how deep my idea is to deliver
checkmate later". Svidler is an amazing annotator!}) (9. Nh3 {is horrible
after} g5) 9... fxe6 10. Bg6+ Kf8 11. Qxe6 {Black for some reason still has
the move} Bb4+ {:)}) 9. Nxg5 h6 $146 ({Previosly only} 9... Ngf6 10. c4 O-O 11.
O-O {has been played in Fluvia Poyatos,J (2450)-Lopez Martinez,J (2440) Spain
2004}) 10. Nf3 ({Bad is} 10. Qh5 Qe7 11. O-O Ngf6 12. Qh3 O-O-O 13. Nf3 g5 {
with pleasant attack for Black (Svidler).}) 10... Qf6 11. Ne5 $5 {[%csl Rg2]
Diagram [#] The only way to fight for the advantage. Black is very comfortable
after} (11. Be4 Bxe4 12. Qxe4 O-O-O $11) 11... Nxe5 ({White has ample
compensation for a pawn after} 11... Bxg2 12. Rg1 Bc6 13. Bd2) 12. Qxe5 ({
White did not like} 12. dxe5 Qh4 {[%cal Gg8e7,Ge7f5] with the idea Ng8-e7-f5
and very nice position for Black.}) 12... O-O-O {Jobava plays for more than
equality which he has after} (12... Qxe5+ 13. dxe5 Ne7 $11 {[%csl Gd5,Gf5]
Diagram [#]}) 13. Be3 Qe7 $6 {Again the trade of the queens is objectively best
} (13... Qxe5 14. dxe5 Ne7 $11) 14. O-O-O Nf6 15. f3 $14 {Now the bishop pair
provides some advantage to White.} g5 ({Black cannot equalize with} 15... Nd5
16. Bd2 Nb4 17. Bxb4 Qxb4 18. Qxg7 $16 {(Svidler)}) 16. c4 b6 17. Bd2 ({Some
more preparation was possible} 17. Rhe1 Nd7 18. Qg3 f5 19. Qf2 f4 20. Bd2 Nc5
21. Bc2 {with advantage for White (Svidler)}) 17... Nh5 {[%csl Yg5,Rh5,Yh6]
Diagram [#] The problem for Black is that he has to sit and wait while his
opponent is preparing the central break d4-d5.} 18. d5 f6 19. Qe2 {White's
advantage grew and Jobava tries to muddy the waters with} Ba4 20. b3 Bd7 ({The
piece sacrifice} 20... Qa3+ 21. Kb1 Bxb3 {fails to} 22. Bc1 $1 Bxd1 23. Qxe6+ {
(Svidler, Jobava).}) 21. g4 Ng7 {Now the knight is stranded. Svidler believed
that Black should have sacrificed a pawn instead} (21... Nf4 22. Bxf4 gxf4 23.
dxe6 Bxe6 24. Qe4 Kb8 25. Qxf4 a5 {with chancesto survive.}) 22. Kb1 ({Better
is} 22. Bc3 Kb8 23. h4 {with pressure on the dark squares. White will very
much like to conduct the play on the color of the bishop that the opponent
does not have.}) 22... h5 {Generates useful pressure along the h file.} 23. h3
Qf7 24. Bc3 Kb8 25. Be4 (25. Qb2 $5) 25... Bc8 26. Rhe1 {Diagram [#]} ({In
case of} 26. Qb2 {White did not like} Ne8 (26... e5 27. b4 Bb7 28. Qb3 {
followed by c4-c5 is excellent for White.}) 27. dxe6 Rxd1+ 28. Rxd1 Qxe6 29.
Rd8 $6 (29. Bd5 {keeps an edge for White instead.}) 29... hxg4 $1 30. hxg4 $2
Rh1+ {and wins.}) 26... hxg4 27. hxg4 Bb7 28. dxe6 Bxe4+ 29. Qxe4 Rxd1+ 30.
Rxd1 Nxe6 31. Qf5 {Black managed to trade one of the bishops, but his brother
still dominates the knight. Badly.} Rh6 ({Jobava saw the line} 31... Rf8 32.
Re1 Ng7 33. Qh7 $1 {[%cal Gf3f4,Gg4g5] followed by f3-f4 and g4-g5!}) 32. Rd2
Qg6 33. Qxg6 Rxg6 {[%csl Yf6][%cal Gd2d5,Gd5f5,Gf5f6] Diagram [#] In order to
relieve the pressure Black has to exchange the queens, but now he inevitably
loses the pawn on f6.} 34. Rd5 Rh6 35. Rf5 Rh1+ 36. Kb2 Rh2+ 37. Kb1 Rh1+ 38.
Kb2 Rh2+ 39. Ka3 a5 (39... Rf2 {would be similar to the game} 40. Bxf6 {This
is better than} (40. Rxf6 Nf4 41. Rf8+ Kb7 42. Bf6 Nd3 43. Bxg5 a5 44. Rd8 Rxf3
) 40... a5 $16) 40. Rxf6 Re2 41. Rf5 Rf2 42. Re5 Nf4 ({Worse is} 42... Rxf3 43.
Bxa5 $1 bxa5 44. Rxe6 Rf4 45. Re5 {where the three connected pawns easily
prevail.}) 43. Rxg5 Rxf3 44. Kb2 ({In case of} 44. Bd4 Nd3 45. Rg8+ Kb7 46. g5
{Jobava suggested} Rg3 (46... c5 $5 {Svidler}) 47. g6 Rg2 {when Black indeed
has a lot of counterplay after} 48. g7 Nb4 {Mate is threatened!} 49. Bb2 {and
here instead of the Georgian's sugegstion} Nc2+ ({Black can do} 49... c6 $1 {
[%csl Ya3][%cal Rb6b5,Rb4c2] Diagram [#]} 50. Rf8 b5 {when White has to find
the draw} 51. Rf7+ (51. cxb5 $2 {loses after} cxb5 52. Rf7+ Kc6 53. Rf6+ Kd7
54. Rf7+ Kd6 55. Rf6+ Ke7) (51. g8=Q $4 Nc2#) 51... Ka6 52. cxb5+ cxb5 53. Rc7
$11) 50. Ka4 Nd4) ({Svidler also considered the amusing} 44. Bxa5 bxa5 45. Rf5
{but quickly figured it a draw after} Kb7 46. g5 Rg3 47. Rxf4 Rxg5 $11) 44...
Nd3+ 45. Kc2 Nb4+ 46. Bxb4 axb4 47. Rf5 Rg3 48. g5 {The rook endgame is very
unplesant for Black. The passer on g5 is extremely good. But as we know "all
rook endgames are draw", are not they?} Kc8 $1 {Black cannot hold with the
rook only, he needs to bring on all the reserves.} (48... Rg2+ 49. Kd3 Rxa2 50.
Ke4 Re2+ 51. Kf4 $1 {followed by Re5-e3 wins for White.}) 49. Kd2 Kd7 50. Ke2
Ke6 51. Rb5 Rg2+ 52. Kf3 Rxa2 53. Rxb4 Ra1 $6 {Diagram [#] Up to now Black had
defended very well, but this is a serious step in the wrong direction.} ({
Jobava should have activated the rook as soon as possible} 53... Rd2 $1 54. Rb5
Rd4 {with reasonable drawing chances.}) 54. Rb5 Kf7 55. Ke4 Rd1 $6 {Another
inaccurucy. Better was} (55... Re1+ 56. Kd5 (56. Kd4 Rd1+ 57. Ke5 Re1+) 56...
Re6 $1 57. Kd4 c5+ 58. Kd5 Ke7 {and Black should hold.}) 56. b4 Re1+ 57. Kd5
Re6 58. Kd4 {Without the c7-c5 resourse Black is in trouble.} Re1 59. c5 Rd1+
60. Ke4 Re1+ 61. Kd5 $1 Re6 62. Kd4 $1 {Diagram [#] Zugzwang!} Rg6 (62... Ke7
63. cxb6 cxb6 64. Re5) (62... Kg6 63. cxb6 cxb6 64. Re5 Rd6+ 65. Kc4) 63. cxb6
cxb6 64. Re5 Rc6 65. Kd5 Rc1 66. Kd6 {The b6 pawn drops and tehnblack king can
do nothing to stop the b4 one.} ({The official recording says that White
played here} 66. Ke4 {but is not likely to be the truth. Probably the king was
placed on e4 at the moment of Black's resignation.}) 1-0
Report.