Game of the day. Grandmaster Alexander Kalinin makes comments

Russia Chess Cup Stage 2013

Round 4

Aghasaryan R. - Maletin P.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 The Armenian master follows the footsteps of his great countryman Tigran Petrosian. The ninth world champion used the Anti-Grunfeld with great effect, developing the bishop on g5. 5... Ne4 6. cd Ng5 7. Ng5 e6

Attempts to sharpen the game with the move as associated with the move 7... c6!? However, in the example of Petrosian — Korchnoi Moscow 1937 white was able to steer clear of complications, leading the game into a quiet continuation with 8. Nf3 cd 9. e3 O-O 10. Be2 Nc6 11. O-O e6 12. Rc1 Qe7 13. Na4 etc.

8. Nf3 ed 9. e3 The Grunfeld Defense has transposed into a Queen's Gambit with the Carlsbad structure. 9... O-O 10. Be2

One of the classic games of Petrosian on the current theme continued in the following fashion: 10. Bd3 Nc6 11. O-O Ne7 12. b4 Bf5?! 13. Bf5 Nf5 14. b5! Qd6 15. Qb3 Ke7 16. Rfc1 Kh8? 17. Rc2 h6 18. Rac1 c6 19. Na4 Rab8 20. g3 Kh7 21. Nc5 Rfd8 22. bc bc 23. Qa4 , and white has achieved a clear advantage on the queen-side. Petrosian — Krogius Tbilisi 1959

10... c6 11. O-O Be6

12. Qb3

Most often in this position white goes for an immediate minority attack with 12.b4. But with careful play black is able to keep his queen-side intact. For instance: 12... a6 13. a4 Nd7 14. Ne1 (or 14. b5 ab (14... a5!?) 15. ab c5 16. Qd2 Ra1 17. Ra1 cd 18. Nd4 Nc5= , Seirawan - Epishin, Wijk aan Zee 1992) 14... Qe7 15. Nd3 Rfe8 16. Rc1 Rad8 17. Re1 (17. b5 a5) 17... Qd6 18. Bf3 Bf5 19. Nc5 Nc5 20. bc Qe7

with equality, Kiriakov – Sashikiran, Hastings 2002. With the text move white is showing that the advancement of the a and b pawns is going to be preceded by a piece bombardment on the queen-side.

12... Qb6 13. Qc2 Bf5 14. Qd2 Nd7 15. Na4 Qd8 16. Rfc1 Qe7 17. Ne1 The d3 square is the ideal position for the white king-side knight in this line. 17... Rae8 18. b4 a6 19. Nc5 Nc5 20. Rc5 Taking on c5 with the Rook saves white the option of an advance of a2-a4 and b4-b5. 20... Bd7 21. Bf1

The immediate 21. Nd3? Is not an option because of 21... Bd4

 

21... f5! Pushing the f and g pawns with the idea of a break with f5-f4 is the main method of counter-play for black. 22. Nd3 g5 23. Re1 A useful prophylactic move in light of the continuation f4-f5. 23... Qd6 24. f4 It seems that white is attacking his opponent’s intents at the root and establishing control of the dark squares, condemning the bishop to inactivity on d7. However... 24... gf 25. Nf4

25... Re3!! "Thunder in clear sky"! This brilliant strike allows black to fight for the initiative. 26. Qe3?! Unexpectedly, the change in decorations has lead to a significant inaccuracy on white’s part of white.

He should have taken the continuation 26. Re3 Qf4 27. Rd3 Qd6 , in which, of course the bishop pair and vulnerability of d4 provide excellent compensation for the positional sacrifice.

26... Re8 27. Qe8 Be8 28. Re8 Kf7 29. Re5 Be5 30. de Qe5

Apparently from far away white made an inaccurate estimation of the situation created. He has, of course, more than enough material compensation for the queen, but it proves inevitable that another queen-side pawn will be lost. 31. Nd3 Qd4 32. Kh1 Qa1 33. Kg1 Qa2 34. g3 Qd2 35. Rc1 Ke7 36. Re1 Kd6 37. Re5 a5! 38. ba c5 The armada of black passed pawns sets into motion, and with the support of the queen. It can be felt that the white pieces are unable to provide sufficient resistance to the catastrophic force.

39. Rf5 c4 40. Rf6 Ke7 41. Rf2 Qa5 42. Nf4 Kd6 43. Bg2 Qa1 44. Rf1 Qa7 45. Kh1 d4 46. h4 b5 47. Re1 d3

White is lost. The theoretical hope of building a fortress with the minor pieces after attacking the black pawns wasn’t destined to succeed. Play continued: 48. Re6 Kc5 49. Re5 Kb4 50. Rd5 Kc3 51. Rb5 Qa1 52. Kh2 d2 53. Bf3 d1Q 54. Bd1 Qd1 55. Kg2 Qd7 56. Rd5 Qc6 57. Kf2 Kb3 58. Rd4 Qf6 59. Ke3 c3 60. Ne2 c2 61. Rf4 Qb6 62. Kf3 Kb2 63. Re4 Qc6 64. Ke3 c1Q 65. Nc1 Kc1 66. Rf4 Qg2 67. Rf3 Kd1 68. Kf4 Ke2 69. Re3 Kf2 70. Rd3 Qc6 71. Rd2 Kg1 72. Rd3 Kg2 73. Re3 Qc4 74. Re4 Qf7 [0:1]