St. Louis: Sechs Remis in Runde vier

[Event "U.S. Championship 2015"] [Site "Saint Louis"] [Date "2015.04.04"] [Round "4"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "So, Wesley"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D58"] [WhiteElo "2798"] [BlackElo "2788"] [Annotator "Josh Friedel"] [PlyCount "111"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [EventCountry "USA"] [SourceDate "2015.02.07"] {The battle everyone was looking forward to the second the fields were announced.} 1. c4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 {Wesley opts for the solid Queen's Gambit Declined against Hikaru.} 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 b6 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Bg3 c5 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. Nxd5 Bxd5 {Nothing out of the ordinary thus far.} 13. Qe2 cxd4 14. Nxd4 Bf6 15. Rfd1 Bxd4 {Black gives up the two bishops in order to diffuse White's superior development and central space. This also leaves black with a powerful blockade on d5.} 16. exd4 Nb8 { a clever idea, rerouting the knight to a more active square. This was already played by Kasimdzhanov against Ivanchuk, and I'd be willing to bet both players have seen the game.} 17. Rac1 Nc6 18. Bb5 {Hikaru's novelty.} (18. Qd2 {was chosen by Ivanchuk, but he was hardly able to trouble Kasim. Hikaru's move is more direct.}) 18... Rc8 19. Rc3 (19. Ba6 $2 {looks nice at first, but runs into} Nxd4 $1) 19... Ne7 20. Ba6 Rxc3 21. bxc3 {Hikaru's intention was to provoke this trade, giving himself the hanging pawns. Since they can't be blockaded it is hardly a risk, and the idea is to be able to expand with c4 at some point. Both of Black's minors are very active, however, which gives Wesley full equality in my view.} Nf5 22. Bf4 Qh4 $5 {An active try, trying to provoke kingside weaknesses.} 23. Bc1 Rd8 24. f3 Rd7 (24... Qe7 {I like slightly better, since the queen doesn't do anything on the kingside anymore.}) 25. Bd3 Rc7 {This looked loose to me at first, but Black has everything under control.} 26. Bd2 (26. Bxf5 $6 exf5 27. Qe8+ Kh7 28. Qe5 $6 {leaves everything hanging, but Black has the clever move} Re7 $1 29. Qxf5+ g6 30. Qd3 Re1+ 31. Rxe1 Qxe1+ 32. Qf1 Qxc3 {and Black is better.}) 26... Qd8 27. Rc1 Qf6 (27... Qd6 {I'd rather have access to the queenside, and I don't think Bxf5 is ever a problem.}) 28. a4 g5 $6 {This might not be terrible, but it looks reckless to me.} (28... Rc8 {It is hard to make pass moves, but I don't think it will be so easy for White to make progress here.}) 29. f4 {Naka tries to punish Wesley's move immediately, but it might not be the best way to go.} (29. Rf1 { preparing f4 next looks more precise.}) 29... gxf4 30. Qf2 Nh4 {This one is really a lemon, however.} (30... f3 {was best, and after} 31. c4 Bb7 32. d5 { The game is simply a mess. Best might be the solid} Ng7 {, preparing to capture on d5 next move.}) 31. Bxf4 $2 (31. Qxf4 {is just better for White, although I can't be sure what was missed by the players.} Qg7 32. Be4 Bxe4 33. Qxe4 Nf5 34. Rf1 {and with d5 in the air and Black's king weak, I'd much prefer White.}) 31... Nf3+ {Now it is Black who is better!} 32. gxf3 Qxf4 33. Qg3+ Qxg3+ 34. hxg3 Bxf3 35. Kf2 Bc6 {Hikaru has a long defense ahead, although he has good chances to hold a draw.} 36. Ra1 f6 37. a5 b5 38. c4 { White wants to trade off a pair of pawns, but I'd have done it slightly differently.} (38. a6 Bd7 39. Rb1 {gives White more active counterplay.}) 38... bxc4 39. Bxc4 Kf7 40. Ke3 Ke7 (40... f5 {is slightly more accurate, preventing g4 ideas from White.}) 41. Rb1 (41. g4 $1 {It looks funny to put a pawn on a light square, but all Black's pawns are fixed and weak now.} Kd6 42. Rf1 Bg2 43. Rf2 Rxc4 44. Rxg2 {and Rh2 next, with great drawing chances.}) 41... Rc8 42. g4 {Naka finds it this time.} Kd6 43. Ba6 $1 {A precise move, avoiding discoveries against the bishop and forcing the rook to make a decision.} Rg8 44. Rf1 {The game is approaching a draw now.} Rxg4 45. Rxf6 Re4+ 46. Kd3 Rh4 47. Bc4 Bd5 {Once the bishops come off, there simply aren't enough pawns left. The draw is relatively simple.} 48. Bxd5 Kxd5 49. Rf7 Rxd4+ 50. Ke3 {The a-pawn can't be saved.} Ra4 51. Rxa7 Ra3+ 52. Kf2 {Black's remaining pawns can't both be held.} Ke4 53. Rh7 Ra2+ 54. Kf1 Kf3 55. Rf7+ Ke3 56. Re7 {A draw, but not without its share of action. Wesley was the beneficiary of mutual oversights, but he was unable to convert the extra pawn, which was made difficult by his weak pawns and limited material.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "U.S. Championship 2015"] [Site "Saint Louis"] [Date "2015.04.04"] [Round "4"] [White "Gareev, Timur"] [Black "Kamsky, Gata"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B20"] [WhiteElo "2599"] [BlackElo "2680"] [Annotator "Josh Friedel"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [EventCountry "USA"] [SourceDate "2015.02.07"] {Last year these guys really disappointed in their first round encounter with an early perpetual. They made up for it this year.} 1. e4 c5 2. b4 {Everyone tournament should have one Timur.} cxb4 3. Nf3 d6 (3... d5 {is a more active choice for Black, but d6 can't be bad either.}) 4. d4 Nf6 5. Bd3 {This position has been reached many times. The idea is that White has a strong center for the sacrificed pawn.} g6 6. a3 bxa3 7. O-O Bg7 8. h3 {It looks strange to me to play a prophylactic move in a gambit, but preventing Bg4 is useful.} O-O 9. Bg5 {I don't care for this move as much, as it seems very committal.} (9. Nxa3 {followed by Re1 and seeing how Black develops would be my choice, since I'm not sure I know where I want the c1 bishop yet.}) 9... Nc6 10. Nc3 (10. c3 {is a more solid choice, but people don't play the wing gambit to be solid do they?}) 10... Nd7 (10... Nb4 {looks simple and safe, taking the sting out of e5 ideas.}) 11. Nd5 {This knight is an annoyance now.} h6 12. Bh4 Nb6 (12... g5 {is not for the faint of heart.} 13. Bxg5 hxg5 14. Nxg5 Nf6 {The only move to stop Qh5, but now White has} 15. e5 $1 {and Black's best move is} Ng4 {sacrificing the piece back, with an unclear game. Needless to say, Gata wanted no piece of this one.}) 13. c3 {In my opinion, White has full compensation for the sacrificed pawn.} Bd7 (13... Be6 {looks more to the point, trying to get rid of this pesky knight.} 14. Qb3 {and now perhaps} f5 $5 {with an unclear position.}) 14. Rxa3 Re8 (14... Nxd5 15. exd5 Na5 16. c4 {is no picnic for Black.}) 15. Re1 (15. Ne3 {looks strong, leaving Black choked for moves.}) 15... Rc8 16. Re3 {This move looks a little funny.} (16. Qa1 {looks more natural.}) 16... Nxd5 17. exd5 Na5 18. Nd2 Bf6 {Gata is desperate to diffuse the pressure against the e7 pawn.} ({The more patient} 18... b6 {might be objectively stronger, but I can understand the desire to be more proactive.} ) 19. Bg3 $6 {This seems like a concession.} (19. Bxf6 exf6 20. Rxe8+ Bxe8 21. Qg4 {followed by Qf4 and targeting d6 looks unpleasant to me.}) 19... b6 20. Qf3 Rc7 {White should never be in danger here, but Black's position will be tough to crack.} 21. Bf4 Bg7 22. c4 e5 $5 {An interesting way to mix up the game.} 23. dxe6 Rxe6 24. d5 Rxe3 25. Qxe3 {Up to this point, the opening notwithstanding, both sides have played solidly and logically. Now the game really starts to get funky.} Qf8 $2 {Black tries to defend everything, but this shouldn't work out.} (25... Bc8 {Black should give up a pawn, and h6 is by far the lesser evil.} 26. Bxh6 Re7 27. Qf4 Re1+ 28. Nf1 Qe7 {and material is even now, but Black has gained some activity, leaving the position approximately equal.}) 26. Rxa5 $2 {I'm all for the exchange sac, but this one is simply baffling. Of all the pieces to take, the knight on a5 wouldn't be high on my list.} (26. Qg3 {was simple and strong, since d6 cannot be defended. Once this important pawn is captured, White has better pieces and pawns, ensuring a large advantage.}) 26... bxa5 27. Ne4 {The position is just a mess now. There is a crucial move for Black here, and Kamsky doesn't find it.} a4 $2 {This just doesn't do enough.} (27... Rb7 {was definitely best, walking out of the Bxd6 fork. Now after} 28. Bxd6 Qe8 29. c5 a4 $1 {Black's a-pawn is much more threatening than White's pawns.} 30. c6 Bxc6 31. dxc6 Qxc6 {and White's pieces just can't generate any threats, while the a-pawn will simply march up the board.}) 28. Bxd6 Qd8 29. c5 $1 {Timur rightly delays taking the exchange. Black's pieces are too passive to assist the a-pawn now.} a3 30. Bc4 Bf5 $2 { A huge error, likely made in time pressure.} (30... Bb5 $1 {was most resilient, and after} 31. Ba2 (31. Bxb5 $4 a2 {and the pawn can't be stopped.}) 31... Re7 $1 {Another key move that's tough to find, Black has good chances to defend.}) 31. Ng3 $2 {Once again, Timur gets a bit too fancy.} (31. Bxc7 {It was time for simple chess.} Qxc7 32. d6 Qc6 {and only now} 33. Ng3 {leaving Black in a hopeless position.}) 31... Rd7 32. Nxf5 gxf5 33. Qxa3 Rxd6 $1 {Gata rarely misses a key defensive chance. White simply won't have enough to win here with opposite bishops.} 34. cxd6 Be5 35. Qxa7 Qxd6 36. Qe3 Kg7 37. Qf3 f4 38. Bd3 { Black's king is open, but a bishop and queen alone can't generate any threats. They fiddled around for a few moves, but White has no chances.} Qf6 39. Qe4 Bd6 40. Kf1 Qa1+ 41. Bb1 Qf6 42. Qh7+ Kf8 43. Qd3 Kg7 44. Qe4 Kf8 {Another close escape for Gata, who was on the ropes for a 2nd day in a row. Timur's creative opening almost paid dividends once again, but in the end he could only capture half a point.} 1/2-1/2