Norway Chess: Die Schlussrunde in der GM-Analyse

[Event "Altibox Norway Chess 2017"] [Site "Stavanger"] [Date "2017.06.16"] [Round "9"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Aronian, Levon"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "2812"] [BlackElo "2793"] [Annotator "Alex Yermolinsky"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 {It seems White has totally hit the wall in this line.} ({Perhaps, it's time to switch back to} 5. Bg5 { particularly with the idea of meeting the popular Lasker Defense,} O-O 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 {with} 10. g4 $1 ({or} 10. h4 {first}) 10... Nd7 11. h4 {as in Aronian-Harikrishna, 2011, and, more recently, Matlakov-Howell, Euro Individual Ch 2017}) 5... O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 $1 {It's mainly about this move.} 7. a3 ({The only way to stop c7-c5 is, well,} 7. c5 {which brought Anand success in a World Championship match game against Carlsen in 2014, but since then White has had precious little success with it. Wesley himself scored only 0.5-1.5 in two tries against Nakamura a year ago.} c6) 7... c5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 exd5 10. dxc5 Nxc5 {The point of Black's play. Instead of directly challenging White's stronghold on d4, the black knight prefers to stay active.} 11. Be5 Bf6 {The simplest.} (11... Bf5 {is a nice developing move, but Mamedyarov-Kramnik, 2016 showed us how White benefits from his own complete development more than Black. After} 12. Be2 Bf6 13. O-O $5 Bxe5 14. Nxe5 Qf6 {Shak played the energetic} 15. b4 $1 {and was able to obtain some edge.}) 12. Bxf6 (12. Be2 Bxe5 13. Nxe5 Qd6 14. Nf3 Bd7 $1 {is very similar to the game.} 15. O-O (15. Nd4 Ba4 16. Qd2 Nb3 17. Nxb3 Bxb3 18. Rc1 Rfd8) 15... Ba4 16. Qd4 Rac8 {The black bishop deprives the white rooks of their birthright d1-square, effectively neutralizing the pressure against the isolated pawn.}) 12... Qxf6 13. Qd4 Qe7 14. Rd1 Rd8 15. Be2 Bf5 16. Qb4 a5 17. Qc3 Ne4 18. Qd4 Nc5 19. Qc3 Ne4 20. Qe5 Qxe5 21. Nxe5 Rac8 22. Nf3 Nc5 23. Nd4 Bd7 $1 {[#] The key maneuver.} 24. f3 Ba4 25. Rd2 Nb3 26. Nxb3 Bxb3 27. Kf2 Rd6 28. f4 g6 {If White could only airlift his Rh1 to d4, then the pressure on d5 would give him fair chances. In the real world, it is not going to happen.} 29. e4 {Wesley knows it and decides to change the pawn structure.} Rf6 30. exd5 Rxf4+ 31. Bf3 Rd8 32. Kg3 Rf6 33. Rc1 Rfd6 {Rock solid again, and I will leave the rest of the game without notes.} 34. Rd4 a4 35. h4 Kg7 36. Rc3 h6 37. Rc7 Bxd5 38. Rxa4 Bxf3 39. gxf3 b5 40. Rf4 R8d7 41. Rxd7 Rxd7 42. Rb4 Rd5 43. Kf4 f5 44. Ke3 Kf6 45. Rd4 Rxd4 46. Kxd4 g5 47. hxg5+ hxg5 48. b3 Ke6 49. a4 bxa4 50. bxa4 Kd6 51. a5 g4 52. fxg4 fxg4 53. a6 Kc7 54. a7 Kb7 55. a8=Q+ Kxa8 56. Kd3 g3 57. Ke2 g2 58. Kf2 g1=Q+ 59. Kxg1 1/2-1/2

[Event "Altibox Norway Chess 2017"] [Site "Stavanger"] [Date "2017.06.16"] [Round "9"] [White "Karjakin, Sergey"] [Black "Vachier Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B91"] [WhiteElo "2781"] [BlackElo "2796"] [Annotator "Alex Yermolinsky"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3 e5 7. Nde2 Be7 8. Bg2 b5 9. Nd5 Nbd7 10. Nec3 Nb6 11. Nxe7 Qxe7 12. Bg5 O-O {A small, but significant improvement} ({over Giri-Wojtaszek, 2015 that saw} 12... h6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. a4 $1 {It's crucial for White to soften up Black's Q-side.}) 13. Qf3 ({Now} 13. a4 {is pointless. Black goes} b4 {and easily equalizes after} 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. Qxd5 Bg4 17. h3 Bf3) 13... Be6 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. Qxf6 gxf6 {[#] Black's pieces are active and he can combine attack with defense - Nc4 hits b2 and protects d6 is a case in point.} 16. O-O-O b4 17. Nd5 $6 (17. Ne2 Rfd8 18. b3 a5 19. Kb2 Kf8 20. Rd2 $11) 17... Nxd5 18. exd5 Bf5 19. f4 Rfc8 20. Rd2 Rc5 21. Re1 a5 22. Rf2 Rac8 23. Be4 Bxe4 24. Rxe4 {[#] I guess MVL was content with just salvaging what was left of his tournament, particularly since his win over Kramnik in round eight had already put him on the scoreboard.} Rxd5 $6 ({Otherwise, there was no reason to downgrade the obvious} 24... f5 25. Re3 e4 26. Rd2 h5 27. a3 Kg7 28. axb4 axb4 29. Rb3 Rc4 $17 {There's a dinstinct possibility of Black winning this ending. It has been done before by generations of Sicilian players, including the author of these words.}) 25. fxe5 fxe5 26. Rg4+ Kf8 27. Rh4 Kg7 28. Rg4+ Kf8 29. Rh4 Kg7 30. Rg4+ Kf8 1/2-1/2

[Event "Altibox Norway Chess 2017"] [Site "Stavanger"] [Date "2017.06.16"] [Round "9"] [White "Anand, Viswanathan"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C54"] [WhiteElo "2786"] [BlackElo "2832"] [Annotator "Alex Yermolinsky"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. O-O a6 7. a4 Ba7 8. Re1 O-O 9. h3 h6 10. Nbd2 Be6 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. b4 Nh5 13. Ra2 Qf6 14. Nc4 { [#] This Italian Guoco Piano/Anti-Berlin Ruy Lopez is a staple of top level chess these days. Between the two of them Anand and Carlsen must have played it a hundred times, including many battles against each other.} b5 $6 {I don't particularly like this move and I suspect Magnus didn't much fancy it either.} ({The thing is, the normal} 14... Ne7 {allows} 15. d4 $1 {and even if Black can hold his own after} exd4 16. cxd4 Ng6 17. e5 $1 Qf5 {which is not a fact yet, the position after} 18. exd6 Qd5 19. Rc2 cxd6 {offers White a chance to wrap it up with repetition:} 20. Ne3 Qe4 21. Nc4) 15. Ne3 ({White has to be a bit careful not to walk into} 15. axb5 axb5 16. Ne3 $2 Bxe3 17. Rxa8 Bxf2+) 15... Bb6 16. Ng4 Qe7 17. Be3 Bxe3 18. fxe3 {In the resulted symmetrical structure White holds two advantages: pressure against b5 and better posts for his knights. Granted, it's not much yet, but White's prospects look much brighter.} Rab8 {Concession no.1} 19. axb5 axb5 20. Ra6 Nd8 {Concession no.2 of the same} 21. d4 exd4 22. cxd4 Nf7 {[#]} 23. Qc2 $2 {Not a bad move in itself, but I mark it down for a missed opportunity.} (23. e5 $1 Ng3 24. Qc2 Nf5 (24... Ng5 {offers no compensation whatsoever:} 25. Nxg5 Qxg5 26. exd6 cxd6 27. Rxd6 h5 28. Ne5 $16) 25. e4 Ng3 (25... Nh4 26. Nf6+ gxf6 27. Nxh4 Kg7 28. exd6 cxd6 29. d5 {is disastrous for Black.}) 26. Rc6 {would put Magnus on the ropes yet again. We are used to his indifference to playing for an opening advantage with white because we know of his ability to win from equal positions. Getting in trouble with black, as it consistently happened to Carlsen in this tournament, is another kettle of fish.}) 23... Nf6 $1 {At the last moment the hapless knight escapes.} 24. Nxf6+ Qxf6 25. Rc6 Ng5 $1 { Now Carlsen has a clear path to counterplay.} 26. Nxg5 Qxg5 27. Rxc7 Qg3 $1 28. Qe2 ({Still,} 28. Re2 Ra8 29. Qc1 Ra4 30. Qe1 {was worth trying.}) 28... Ra8 29. Rcc1 Ra3 30. Ra1 Rb3 31. Rab1 Ra3 32. Ra1 Rb3 33. Rab1 Ra3 34. Ra1 1/2-1/2

[Event "Altibox Norway Chess 2017"] [Site "Stavanger"] [Date "2017.06.16"] [Round "9"] [White "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D05"] [WhiteElo "2808"] [BlackElo "2771"] [Annotator "Alex Yermolinsky"] [PlyCount "39"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 c5 5. O-O c4 $5 {A relatively obscure idea that has a lot of ambition behind it. Black goes for space at the cost of relieving pressure against the d4-pawn.} 6. Be2 b5 7. b3 Bb7 8. Nc3 $6 { A provocative reply from Vladimir.} (8. a4 a6 9. c3 Nbd7 10. Nbd2 Be7 11. Ba3 O-O 12. Qc2 {was Kuraica-Bareev, 2003 which ended in an upset win by the Bosnian veteran.}) 8... b4 {Anish doesn't hesitate to go for a space grab.} ({ Rakhmanov-Vallejo Pons, 2013 saw a more subtly approach by Black:} 8... a6 9. Ne5 (9. bxc4 dxc4 $1) 9... Qc7 10. Bd2 Nc6 11. f4 Bd6 12. Bf3 Ne7 13. Rb1 { and only now} b4 $1 {[#] Here White missed his last chance to make a game out of his dubious setup.} 14. Nxd5 $5 exd5 15. bxc4 a5 $1 (15... dxc4 16. Bxb7 Qxb7 17. Nxc4 Qc7 18. Nxd6+ Qxd6 19. Bxb4 Qc6 20. Qd3 Qe4 21. f5 {White isn't in such a bad way here.}) 16. a3 O-O 17. c5 Bxe5 18. fxe5 Ne4 19. axb4 axb4 20. Rxb4 {but Black is probably better here.}) 9. Na4 c3 10. Ne5 {[#]} Bd6 $2 ({ The correct} 10... Nc6 11. a3 a5 12. Bb5 Qc7 {would practically compel White to try the highly speculative} 13. e4 {because otherwise his Bc1 would have no way out.} Nxe4 14. Qg4 h5 15. Qe2 Bd6 16. Be3 $15) 11. a3 ({Also,} 11. Bb5+ { right away has its points.} Kf8 12. Nc5 Qb6 (12... Bxc5 {is depressing. After} 13. dxc5 Qa5 14. a4 Qc7 15. Qd4 {White has full control of the dark squares.}) 13. Nxb7 Qxb7 14. Qd3 a6 15. Ba4 {How does Black develop here? It won't take White long to prepare e3-e4.}) 11... a5 (11... O-O {would be a major concession. White simply goes} 12. axb4 Bxb4 13. Ba3 a5 14. Nc5 Qc7 15. Bxb4 axb4 16. Rxa8 Bxa8 17. Qd3 Nc6 18. f4 {and he has all the play on the a-file and against the weak b4-pawn. That's the problem with attempting to grab space: it only works when we get to push his pieces back. Once the opponent finds his way around the advancing pawns (Na4-c5 in this case), they become terribly weak.}) 12. Bb5+ Kf8 ({Same story unfolds in case of} 12... Nbd7 13. Nxd7 Nxd7 14. Nc5 Bxc5 15. dxc5 Qc7 16. axb4 axb4 17. Rxa8+ Bxa8 18. Qd4 O-O 19. Bxd7 Qxd7 20. Qxb4 $18) 13. Nc5 Qb6 14. Nxb7 Qxb7 15. Qe2 {[#] The black king is in more trouble than it seems, and, of course, the black rooks aren't coordinated. } g6 {One of those "positional" moves that at times can meet with a direct tactical refutation.} (15... h5 16. f3 h4 17. e4 Qb6 18. Kh1 Qxd4 19. Bf4 { is quite dangerous for Black, yet, it seemed a better choice.}) 16. e4 Nxe4 ( 16... dxe4 17. Bh6+ Kg8 18. axb4 Bxb4 19. f3) (16... Kg7 17. Nxf7 $1 {Perhaps, Anish missed that one.} Kxf7 18. e5 $18) 17. Bh6+ Ke7 (17... Kg8 18. Ng4 Be7 19. axb4 axb4 20. Rxa8 Qxa8 21. f3 Nf6 22. Qe5 $18) 18. f3 $18 {Black won't last long here.} Nd2 ({Some spectacular lines Anish Giri decided to leave in the dark:} 18... Bxe5 19. fxe4 Bxd4+ 20. Kh1 dxe4 21. Rad1 e5 22. Qc4) ({or} 18... Nf6 19. Rfe1 Bxe5 20. dxe5 Nfd7 21. axb4 axb4 22. Rxa8 Qxa8 23. Qf2 Qa5 24. Qh4+ Ke8 25. Qf6 Rg8 26. Bg5) 19. Rfe1 Kd8 20. Bf4 (20. Bf4 Kc7 21. axb4 axb4 22. Rxa8 Qxa8 23. Nxf7 Bxf4 24. Qxe6 Rc8 25. Qf6 $1) 1-0

[Event "Altibox Norway Chess 2017"] [Site "Stavanger"] [Date "2017.06.16"] [Round "9"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B97"] [WhiteElo "2808"] [BlackElo "2785"] [Annotator "Alex Yermolinsky"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd3 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. f5 Be7 11. fxe6 fxe6 12. Be2 Qa5 13. Bd2 Qc7 14. g4 h6 { [#] Lots of theory here, in this modern take on the Poisoned Pawn.} 15. Rg1 { Caruana seeks his own way.} ({The originators of the whole line, the Azeri stars Radjabov, Gashimov and Mamedov, split their efforts between} 15. Qh3) ({ and} 15. e5) 15... Bd7 16. g5 hxg5 17. Rxg5 Nc6 {Hikaru decides to gives back the pawn right away. By doing this he utilizes a common approach of sidestepping the bulk of opponent's preparation. The drawback is in settling for an inferior move.} ({I'm sure Fabi had some home cooking ready for} 17... Rh7 {but likely, it was not} 18. e5 dxe5 19. Ne4 $2 Nxe4 20. Qxe4 Bxg5 21. Qxh7 Bxd2+ 22. Kxd2 Qa5+ 23. Kd1 Qd5 $17) 18. Rxg7 O-O-O (18... Nxd4 19. Qxd4 { and Black cannot castle.}) 19. Ncb5 $1 axb5 20. Nxb5 Ne5 $1 (20... Qb8 { gets trashed by} 21. Rxe7 Nxe7 22. Nxd6+ Kc7 23. Bf4) 21. Nxc7 Nxd3+ 22. cxd3 { [#]} Ng8 $2 ({The redemption could only be found in an incredible computer-generated idea:} 22... Rxh2 $3 23. Rxe7 Rh1+ 24. Bf1 Rf8 {and Black wins his piece back.}) 23. Na8 ({Also,} 23. Ba5 Rxh2 24. Kd2 {was quite good for White.}) 23... Kb8 24. Nb6 Bc6 25. Bf4 {In the immortal words of Roman Dzindzi, White has the pawn and the compensation.} e5 26. Bg3 Bf6 27. Rf7 Be8 28. Rf8 Bg7 29. Rf2 Ne7 30. Bg4 Nc6 31. Rfb2 Nd4 32. Nd5 b5 33. a4 Bh6 34. axb5 Rg8 35. h3 Kb7 36. Ne7 Rf8 37. Nc6 $1 {The shortest way to victory.} Bxc6 38. bxc6+ Kxc6 39. Bf2 {[#]Now White threatens to eliminate Nd4 with checkmate to follow. Hikaru had no choice, but he knew it wasn't going to be enough.} Rxf2 40. Kxf2 Rf8+ 41. Kg2 Be3 42. Rb8 Rxb8 43. Rxb8 d5 44. Rc8+ Kd6 45. Rd8+ Ke7 46. Rd7+ Kf6 47. exd5 e4 48. dxe4 Bf4 49. h4 Nb5 50. h5 Be5 51. Bf5 Kg5 52. Bg6 Nd6 53. Re7 Nc4 54. Re6 Bf6 55. d6 Ne5 56. Bf5 Nd3 57. Rxf6 Kxf6 58. d7 Ke7 59. h6 1-0