Positional Sacrifice

Anish Giri continued to play well at the end of the Tata Steel tournament and came in shared third place after a nice win against his compatriot Loek van Wely. The younger Dutchman played creatively and sacrificed twice to grind down his more experienced opponent.

[Event "Tata Steel Masters"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.01.23"]
[Round "11.6"]
[White "Giri, Anish"]
[Black "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2784"]
[BlackElo "2667"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "103"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:43:17"]
[BlackClock "0:23:42"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 {The Pirc is a rare guest on top level. Since Kramnik is
missing in Wijk, one should normally expect it from Ivanchuk here, but it is
Van Wely who gives it a try.} 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 {The Austrian attack remains
White's most aggressive choice.} Bg7 5. Bd3 e5 {Not the most common move, but
one that was recently tested at the top level.} ({Black usually} 5... O-O {for
example} 6. Nf3 Na6 (6... Nc6 {seems like a good alternative} 7. e5 dxe5 8.
fxe5 Nh5 9. Be3 Bg4 10. Be2 f6 11. exf6 exf6 12. O-O Re8 {with playable
position for Black in Karjakin,S (2777)-Jones,G (2664) Bilbao 2014}) 7. O-O c5
8. d5 Rb8 9. a4 {when the position resembles the Benoni with the white pawn
shy of getting to c4, Polgar,J (2705)-Carlsen,M (2848) Mexico City 2012}) (5...
Nc6) 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Nf3 exf4 8. Bxf4 O-O 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. O-O-O Ng4 $146 {
Diagram [#] Loek is trying to take control of the e5 square.} ({A novelty in
comparison to} 10... Be6 11. h3 Nd7 12. Bg5 (12. Bb5 $5) 12... Bf6 13. h4 h5
14. Qf4 Bxg5 15. hxg5 $1 {with strong pressure for White in Karjakin,S (2776)
-Wang,H (2752) Beijing 2013}) 11. Nd5 {You win something, you lose another.
The d5 square is no longer protected by the knight on f6. White's central
control secures him an edge.} Nce5 {The other move seems more natural} (11...
Nge5 {but is has its drawbacks as well. In particular in the line} 12. Bg5 (12.
Qe3 $5) 12... Qd6 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 $2 {is not good due to} 14. Be7) 12. h3 {Anish
is now fighting for the e5 square. He wants it all and now obviously.} Nxf3 ({
Perhaps the pawn sacrifice is interesting after} 12... c6 13. hxg4 Nxd3+ 14.
Qxd3 cxd5 15. g5 Bg4 16. exd5 Re8) 13. gxf3 Ne5 14. Be2 Be6 15. Bg5 {White
lures the pawn to the f6 square to lock the bsihop in prison. At least for a
while. Anish have taken down one of the knights. Now} (15. Qc3 $1 {to get rid
of the second one made a lot of sense. After} Nc6 16. Qe3 {seems as a fine
regroupment as now} Ne5 17. Bg5 {is way mre effective as in the game. In
particular} f6 {is hardly a move anymore...} 18. Nxf6+) 15... f6 ({Or else}
15... Qd7 16. f4) 16. Be3 c6 {Naturally, Black does not tolerate the knight in
the center.} 17. f4 $1 {An important idea. Giri plays extremely energetically
to hold the initiative.} (17. Nc3 Qa5 {would be great for Black.}) 17... Nf7
18. f5 $1 {Diagram [#]} gxf5 {Forced as the endgame is very bad for Black} (
18... Bxd5 19. exd5 Qxd5 (19... cxd5 20. Bf3 $16) 20. Qxd5 cxd5 21. Bf3 Rfe8 (
21... Bh6 22. Bxh6 Nxh6 23. Bxd5+) 22. Bf4 {the bishops rule, not King Loek.})
19. Nf4 $1 {Diagram [#] Completeting the idea. The knight is optimally placed
on f4 and the black pawns on f5 and f6 limit the scope of the black pieces.}
Qxd2+ 20. Bxd2 ({But not} 20. Rxd2 $2 Bh6 $1) 20... Rae8 {Alas, Black is
losing one of the bishops} (20... Bc8 {would be even worse for him} 21. Rhg1
Kh8 22. Bb4 Re8 23. Nh5 Bf8 24. Bc3) 21. Rhg1 $5 {This is tempting, but White
had solid alternative instead that would have given him the advantage without
any risk} (21. Nh5 $5 Kh8 22. Nxg7 Kxg7 23. Rhg1+ Kh8 24. Bh5 {with the threat
Bd2-c3} Rd8 ({Or else Black loses the exchange} 24... fxe4 25. Bc3 Ne5 26. Bxe8
Rxe8 27. Rdf1) 25. exf5 Bxf5 26. Rdf1 {The two bishops will soon shatter
Black's defense.}) 21... Kh8 {Diagram [#]} 22. Rxg7 $5 {This was Anish's point
but not Loek could have defended. The amazing profilaxys} (22. Kb1 $3 {would
have kept White in control as now Bg7-h6 is no longer a defenseive resourse.
Some lines:} Bh6 ({White wins the exchange after} 22... fxe4 23. Nxe6 Rxe6 24.
Bb4 Rfe8 25. Bc4) 23. Nxe6 Rxe6 24. Bb4 Rb8 25. Bc3 Ne5 26. exf5 $16 {with
clear advantage for White.}) 22... Kxg7 23. Nh5+ Kg6 $6 {Correct was} (23...
Kh8 $1 {Now in the line} 24. Bc3 ({But Van Wely saw ghosts in the line} 24.
Nxf6 Rd8 25. Bc3 Rxd1+ 26. Bxd1 Rd8 27. exf5 {it is extremely unpleasant for a
human being to play with the constat discovered threat in the air, but the cool
} Bc8 $1 {is a defense.} ({Rather than} 27... Bxf5 $2 28. Nd5+ Kg8 29. Ne7+ {
when White wins})) 24... Ne5 25. Nxf6 Rxf6 26. Bxe5 Kg7 27. Rg1+ Kf7 28. Bh5+
Rg6 29. Rf1 {White wins a pawn but Black should survive the OCB endgame after}
Kg8 30. exf5 Rf8 31. Bxg6 hxg6 32. f6 $14) 24. Rg1+ {The king is in danger,
White wins the knight.} Ng5 25. Nf4+ Kg7 26. h4 h6 27. Bh5 (27. Bc3 $5) 27...
Bf7 28. exf5 Bxh5 29. Nxh5+ Kf7 30. hxg5 fxg5 $6 {This gives White another
trump. Better was} (30... hxg5 31. Bc3 {with the idea} Re3 32. Bxf6 (32. Rd1 $1
{instead will keep White's chances higher.}) 32... Rh3 33. Rxg5 Rxh5 34. Rxh5
Kxf6) 31. Ng3 (31. Bb4 $1 {is more subtle.} Rg8 32. Bc3) 31... Rd8 32. Rh1 {
Diagram [#] In the endgame a R and a P are usually as good as the two light
pieces, and sometimes even better. However, this is not the case in the
actual position as the rooks are lacking open files and the balck pawns on the
kingside are weaknesses rather than passers. Giri converts his advantage with
an iron hand.} Rd4 ({The pawn cannot be saved} 32... Rh8 33. Bc3 Rh7 34. Ne4)
33. Rxh6 Rfd8 34. Rh7+ {Useful in between check to worsen the position of the
king.} (34. Rh2 Rg4) 34... Kg8 35. Rh2 Rg4 36. Ne2 Rd5 37. Rf2 Kf7 38. b3 {
White stabilized the situation.} b5 (38... Kf6 39. Bc3+ Kf7 40. Kb2) 39. b4 {
Fixes the pawns in order to attack them later with pieces.} c5 40. a3 cxb4 41.
axb4 a5 $1 {Loek correctly tries to trade as many pawns as possible.} 42. Nc3
Re5 43. bxa5 b4 44. Na2 Rxa5 45. Nxb4 Rg1+ ({Perhaps Black saw that in the line
} 45... Rb5 46. c3 Kf6 47. Kc2 {he cannot capture the pawn due to the trick}
Rxf5 $2 ({But instead} 47... Rg3 $1 {would have given him great drawing
chances.}) 48. Nd5+ $1 Ke5 49. Rxf5+ Kxf5 50. Ne3+) 46. Kb2 g4 47. Nd3 Rb5+ 48.
Kc3 g3 49. Rf3 Rb7 ({More stubborn was} 49... g2 50. Rg3 Rxf5 51. Be3 Ra1 52.
Rxg2) 50. Bf4 g2 51. Rg3 Re7 $2 {A blunder.} ({The game would have continued
after} 51... Kf6 52. Be3 Rc7+ 53. Kd2) 52. Ne5+ {A very creative and
intersteing game in which Anish Giri sacrificed first a pawn and then an
exchange to prove his advantage.} (52. Ne5+ {with the rook as} Ke8 53. Rg8# {
is a nice checkmate.}) 1-0

Report.

Drama

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.

[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.