Top Chess in Chita

The Russian Super Final takes place in Chita. With two rounds to go anything can happen in both sections. Evgeny Tomashevsky is leading the men's tournament, half a point ahead of the nearest rival but will have to defend the black color tomorrow against Sergey Karjakin who is trailing him by half a point. In the ladies section the leader is the young Aleksandra Goryachkina.
Not all the players have the tournament of their lives, but there are plenty of interesting games to watch. Like this one:

[Event "Russian Championship Superfinal"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.08.16"]
[Round "7.1"]
[White "Khismatullin, Denis"]
[Black "Dubov, Daniil"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2642"]
[BlackElo "2654"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "128"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:00:41"]
[BlackClock "0:24:02"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. b4 {White is stronger on the
queenside and expands as much as he can there. The problem with this plan is
that it neglects the development of the kingside.} ({A more common plan is} 5.
Nc3 Bg7 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O {Carlsen,M (2863)-Mamedyarov,S (2756) Shamkir 2015})
5... Bg7 6. a4 O-O 7. Nbd2 Ne4 8. Bb2 Bg4 9. Qb3 a5 $146 {Diagram [#] "If I
stand passive I might get significantly worse" Dubov. Black is sacrificing a
pawn.} ({In the predecessing games Black was defending with} 9... Nxd2 10. Nxd2
Be6 {Kaenel,H (2364)-Sermier,G (2420) Switzerland 2011}) 10. b5 Nd7 {The point
behind Black's last move. Now White is more or less forced to accept the
challenge.} 11. cxd5 ({Bad is} 11. Bd3 $2 Ndc5 $1 12. dxc5 Nxc5 13. Qc2 Nxd3+
14. Qxd3 Bxb2 $19) ({The other natural move} 11. Be2 {also has a drawback} Nxd2
12. Nxd2 Bxe2) 11... cxd5 12. Qxd5 Nxd2 13. Nxd2 e5 $1 {[%csl Ye1][%cal Ge8e1]
Diagram [#] The point behind the sacrifice. Black breaks open the center and
intends to attack the uncastled white king.} 14. Be2 {Khismatullin understands
the danger and rushes to safeguard his king.} ({Black's initiative remains
strong in the endgame after} 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Qxd8 Rfxd8) ({The pawn-grabbing
} 14. Qxb7 $2 {is suicidal} exd4 15. Bxd4 Bxd4 16. exd4 Re8+) 14... Be6 15. Qe4
({Once more} 15. Qxb7 {looks dubious on the account of} exd4 16. Bxd4 Nc5 $5 (
16... Bxd4 $1 17. exd4 Nb6 {aint's bad neither.}) 17. Bxc5 Bxa1 18. Bxf8 Kxf8
19. Qe4 Bc3 {(Dubov)}) 15... Re8 {Black had plenty of choice how to develop
the initiative.} ({Like in the line above it made sense to open the center at
once with} 15... exd4 16. Bxd4 Nc5 17. Bxc5 Bxa1 18. Bxf8 Kxf8 19. Qd3 {with
plenty of compensation for the pawn.}) ({He could have also asked White if he
wants to repeat the moves after} 15... Bf5 {Or not, but when White goes for}
16. Qf3 (16. Qd5 Be6) 16... exd4 17. Bxd4 Bxd4 18. exd4 Nb6 {Black seems
perfectly fine.}) 16. d5 {This move slightly shocked Black who possibly
expected something like} (16. Nf3 exd4 17. Nxd4 Nc5 {with initiative.}) 16...
Nf6 {[%csl Re4][%cal Rf6e4] Diagram [#]} ({From far away Dubov wanted to
continue} 16... Bf5 {and it is somewhat misterious why he did not follow his
plan. The line} 17. Qc4 Rc8 18. Qa2 Rc2 (18... Qh4 $5 {might be better.}) 19.
Bd1 Rxb2 20. Qxb2 e4 21. Qa3 Bxa1 22. Qxa1 Nc5 $15 {is very good for Black.})
17. dxe6 $1 {The move that we should expect from Khismatullin- fearless
attacker.} ({Black has risk-free advantage after} 17. Qh4 Nxd5 18. Qxd8 Rexd8
$15) 17... Nxe4 18. exf7+ Kxf7 19. Bc4+ Re6 {The only move.} ({In case of}
19... Kf6 20. Nxe4+ Kf5 21. f3 $1 {[%csl Yf5][%cal Rg4f5,Rg2g4] Diagram [#]
Black is in trouble. For instance} h5 22. Rd1 Qc7 23. Nd6+ Kf6 24. f4 $1 {
Followed by 0-0 leaves him no reasonable moves.}) ({The king is not save in
the center} 19... Ke7 20. Nxe4 {with the threat Bb2-a3+}) 20. Nxe4 Rc8 ({Dubov
did not like the line} 20... Qh4 {because of the study-like play} 21. Bd5 $1 {
Diagram [#]} Rd8 22. g3 $1 Qh5 23. Bxe6+ Kxe6 24. O-O {with advantage for
White.}) 21. Bxe6+ ({Or else Black intended to give back the sacrificed
material after} 21. Rd1 Qxd1+ $1 22. Kxd1 Rxc4 23. Ng5+ Kf6 24. Nxe6 Kxe6 $17 {
with clear advantage in the endgame. It should also be noted that Dubov saw
the line} 25. Kd2 Rxa4 26. Bc3 $6 Ra2+ 27. Kd3 e4+ $19) 21... Kxe6 22. O-O {
The smoke is going down but it is anything but clear still. White has adequate
material balance for the queen, but the black pieces control the open files.
The good old verdict unclear suits best in the situation.} Qd3 23. Ng5+ Kf5 {
"A nutter" would Simon say. Indeed, Black could have played safer} (23... Ke7
24. Ba3+ Ke8 25. Ne6) 24. h4 {[%csl Rf5][%cal Ge3e4,Ra1a3,Ra3f3] Diagram [#]
With the idea to insert the white rook along the third rank after e3-e4+
followed by Ra1-a3-f3.} Qe2 {The queen moves away from the third rank with a
tempo. It should also be noted that around this point of the game both players
were down to two minutes on their clocks.} ({On} 24... Qb3 {Dubov did not like}
25. Rfb1 ({However} 25. e4+ {might be even stronger, for example} Kg4 26. Bc1
Kxh4 27. Nxh7 Rc3 28. Bg5+ Kg4 29. Rac1 {and the black king is in danger.}))
25. e4+ Kg4 26. Bc1 {A critical moment of the game.} Rc3 $6 {It looks logical
to swap off one of the active white pieces with} (26... Bf6 $5 {this however
gives an extra option for White} 27. Nxh7 Bxh4) ({Or} 26... Bh6 27. Be3 ({This
time} 27. Nxh7 {is not as good} Bxc1 28. Raxc1 Rxc1 29. Rxc1 Qd2 30. Rc7 Qe1+
31. Kh2 Qxf2 $17) 27... Bxg5 28. Bxg5 Rc3 29. Rac1 Rxc1 30. Rxc1 h6 31. Bxh6
Kxh4 32. Be3 {If anyone is better here it is only White.}) 27. Be3 $6 ({
Khismatullin missed a golden chance} 27. Nxh7 $1 {was extremely strong when he
could have created a mating net after} Kxh4 28. Bg5+ Kg4 29. Kh2 $1 {Diagram
[#]} Kh5 30. Rae1 Qa2 (30... Qc2 31. f3) (30... Qg4 31. f3) 31. g4+ (31. f3)
31... Kxg4 32. Rg1+ Kh5 33. Kg2 Kg4 34. Kf1+ Kh3 35. Rh1+ Kg4 36. Rh4+ Kf3 37.
Rh3+ Kg4 38. Rxc3 $18) 27... Kxh4 ({Black cannot play for checkmate himself}
27... Rxe3 28. fxe3 Kg3 29. Rf3+) 28. Nf3+ ({Also interesting is} 28. g3+ Kg4
29. Rae1 Qc4 30. f3+ {with the idea} Kxg3 ({But Black is fine after} 30... Kh5
$1 31. g4+ Kh4 32. Nxh7 Kg3 33. Bf2+ Kf4) 31. Bf2+ Kf4 32. Bh4 Qc8 33. Re2 {
and White wins.}) 28... Kh5 29. Rad1 Qc2 {Surprisingly, this is also a mistake.
} (29... Rxe3 30. fxe3 Qxe3+ 31. Rf2 Qxe4 32. Rd7 Bh6 33. Rxh7 Qe3 {would most
likely ended in a draw.}) 30. Rfe1 ({Dubov saw the move} 30. Rd7 {and intended
to defend with} Rc7 {In the time-trouble both players missed the fantastic
resource:} 31. Ne1 $3 (31. Rc1 $2 Qxc1+ 32. Bxc1 Rxd7 {was the line that Black
was hoping for.}) 31... Qc3 32. g4+ Kxg4 33. Rxc7 Qxc7 34. Kg2 $1 {[%csl Yg4]
[%cal Rf2f3,Rf1h1,Rh1h8] Diagram [#] When all of a sudden the black king is in
mating net. White should win after} Bf6 35. Rh1 Bh4 36. Nf3 g5 37. Nxg5 $1 Qc2
(37... Bxg5 38. f3#) 38. Nf3 Bg3 39. Rxh7 Qxe4 40. Rg7+ Kf5 41. Kxg3 $18) ({
Black is defending after} 30. Rd5 g5 $1 {with the tactical idea to take any of
the white light pieces at the moment he captures on g5.} 31. Nxg5 (31. Bxg5
Rxf3) (31. Nxe5 Qxe4 32. g4+ Kh4 33. Rd4 Qxe5 34. Kg2 Qxd4) 31... Rxe3) 30...
g5 31. Nh2 Rd3 32. Rc1 Qxa4 {Diagram [#]} 33. b6 $2 {Now White's attack slows
down and it is the material advantage which matters.} ({White should have
opted for} 33. Rc7 Kg6 34. Rxb7) 33... Kg6 34. Nf1 Qxe4 35. Rc7 a4 36. Rec1 a3
37. R1c4 Qd5 38. R4c5 Qd6 39. Rxb7 a2 40. Rc1 e4 41. Ra7 {The time trouble is
over and Blаck has enough time to convert the advantage.} a1=Q ({But not}
41... Ra3 42. b7 a1=Q 43. Rxa1 Rxa1 44. Rxa1 Bxa1 45. Ba7 Be5 46. b8=Q Qxb8 47.
Bxb8 Bxb8 48. Nd2 {[%csl Yd2,Re4,Yf2,Yg2,Rg5] Diagram [#] when in order to
draw White needs to give his knight and two pawns for the e4 and g5 pawns only.
}) 42. Raxa1 Bxa1 43. Rxa1 Rd1 44. Rxd1 Qxd1 45. b7 ({There is no fortress
after} 45. g3 h5 46. Kg2 h4 47. gxh4 gxh4 48. Nh2 Kh5 49. Kh3 Qh1 {zugzwang.})
45... Qb1 46. g4 Qxb7 {[%cal Gg6f6,Gf6e6,Ge6d5,Gd5c4,Gc4d3,Gd3e2] Diagram [#]
Next Dubov demonstrated neatly the winning plan. First the king goes all the
way to e2.} 47. Kg2 Qd7 48. Nh2 Qd1 49. Ba7 Kf6 50. Bb6 Ke5 51. Ba7 Kd5 52. Bb6
Kc4 53. Ba7 Kd3 54. Bb6 Ke2 55. Bc5 {Then the queen is transferred to the
kingside.} Qd7 56. Bb6 Qf7 57. Be3 h6 58. Bb6 h5 59. gxh5 Qxh5 60. Nf1 Qf3+ 61.
Kg1 Qh3 62. Ne3 Kf3 63. Bd4 g4 64. Be5 {Diagram [#] And last, the decisive
break comes.} g3 $1 {White resigned not willing to see} (64... g3 65. Bxg3
Qxg3+ 66. fxg3 Kxe3 67. g4 Kd2 $19) 0-1