Karjakin - Shirov played yesterday

Karjakin, Sergey(2760) vs. Shirov, Alexei(2735)
5th Tal Memorial - Moscow/Russia - 2010.11.08

[Event "5th Tal Memorial"] [Site "Moscow/Russia"] [Date "2010.11.08"] [Round "4"] [White "Karjakin, Sergey"] [Black "Shirov, Alexei"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C78"] [WhiteElo "2760"] [BlackElo "2735"] [Annotator "Sylvain"] [PlyCount "126"] [EventDate "2010.??.??"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 { Archangelsk defence is one of Shirov's favorites} 7. c3 d6 8. d4 Bb6 9. Be3 { 9.a4 and 9.h3 are the main moves here} O-O 10. Nbd2 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. Bg5 exd4 {12...Na5 is tried more often but not very successfully. Before this game 12... exd4 has been played only once.} 13. Bd5 {this sharp move leads to a variation where black will get 2 pawns for the exchange.} dxc3 14. Bxc6 cxd2 15. Bxa8 Qxa8 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. Qxd2 Qxe4 {here we are. This looks promising for black : bishop pair and 2 pawns for the exchange, this is balanced} 18. Rfe1 Qf5 19. Nh4 Qg5 20. Qxg5+ fxg5 { black's structure is better now but white gets an active knight} 21. Nf5 Bg6 22. Ne7+ Kg7 23. Nd5 ({That's modern chess opening preparation!} 23. Rad1 { was Jobava-Grigoryan in 2008. White won in 48 moves, reaching a rook vs bishop+2 pawns endgame.}) 23... Rb8 24. Rad1 Kf8 {preventing Re7 thanks to c6} 25. g4 $1 {white needs to play very actively because black could end better in the endgame. Karjakin would like to place his knight firmly in f6.} c5 26. h4 ({the computer is afraid of the bishop pair and asks to take in b6} 26. Nxb6 Rxb6 27. Kg2 {is still balanced. Black has better chances but it's difficult to activate the bishop, the king and the d pawn!} b4 28. Rd5 c4 29. Rxg5 c3 30. b3 Rc6 31. f3 f6 32. Ra5 Bf7 33. Kf2 d5 { finally, but still no way to play with the Kf8 and white have active pieces} 34. Ke3 Re6+ 35. Kf2 Rd6 36. Rc5 Rd7 37. a3 d4 38. axb4 Bxb3 $11) 26... gxh4 27. f4 {discreetly threatening to trap the bishop :)} f5 28. g5 { nice idea by Karjakin: now he got f6 for his knight and the Bg6 is less strong. } Bf7 29. Nf6 c4+ (29... Rd8 30. Nxh7+ Kg7 31. Nf6 d5 32. Re7 c4+ 33. Kg2 { is almost the same than the game, white having enough activity in compensation} ) 30. Kg2 Rd8 31. Nxh7+ Kg7 32. Nf6 b4 33. Re7 (33. Nd5 { with the idea Ne7, was safer} Bxd5+ 34. Rxd5 c3 35. bxc3 bxc3 36. Re7+ Kg8 37. Re2 Rc8 38. Rc2 Rc4 $11) 33... c3 34. bxc3 bxc3 35. Nd7 { very good activity for white} Ba5 36. g6 $1 {impressive, 2B+2p against R+N can be really strong but Karjakin played so actively that it's Shirov who is having a hard time!} Kxg6 37. Kh3 {threatening to win the Bf7} Rxd7 {only move} 38. Rxd7 Bb4 39. Kxh4 Bxa2 {3 pawns for 2 exchanges: nice!} 40. R1xd6+ $1 { white immediately gives one exchange back to eliminate the c and d passed pawns } (40. Rc7 $2 {could become dangerous for white, the bishop pair can be very strong to support passed pawns.} a5 41. Kg3 Bb3 42. Rc1 Kf6 43. Kf3 a4 44. Ke3 Bc5+ 45. Kd3 c2 46. Rxc2 { sooner or later white will have to give one exchange back} Bxc2+ 47. Kxc2 Ke6 48. Rc8 a3 49. Kc3 Kd5 50. Kd3 $11) 40... Bxd6 41. Rxd6+ Kf7 42. Rc6 { of course the c pawn is more important} a5 43. Rxc3 {now black is playing for a draw. This game was played in the fourth round and Shirov lost first 3 games in endgames! One could imagine what he had in mind here : "no no please let me draw this one...".} a4 44. Rc6 {cutting the black king} Ke7 45. Kg3 (45. Ra6 Bb3 46. Kg5 Bc2 47. Rc6 Bd3 48. Rc3 Bb1 $1 {only move} (48... Be4 49. Rc4 $18) 49. Rc1 Bd3 $11) 45... Kd7 46. Ra6 Bb3 47. Kf2 Kc7 48. Ke1 Kb7 49. Rh6 (49. Ra5 {was more challenging} Kb6 50. Re5 $1 Kc6 51. Rxf5 a3 52. Kd2 a2 53. Ra5 Kd6 54. Kc3 Bd5 55. Ra6+ Ke7 56. Kd4 Bb3 57. Ke5 Kf7 58. f5 Kg7 $1 59. Ra7+ Bf7 $11 ) 49... Kc7 50. Kd2 a3 51. Kc3 a2 52. Kb2 Kd7 53. Ra6 Bc4 54. Ra5 Be6 55. Ra7+ Kc6 56. Ra6+ Kd7 57. Kc3 Kc7 58. Kd4 Kb7 59. Ra3 Kb6 60. Ke5 Bc4 61. Kxf5 { it's a draw} Kc5 62. Kg6 Kb4 63. Rxa2 Bxa2 {Nice game. It's impressive and instructive how Karjakin played with the "supposed slightly worse" material R+N against 2B+2p.} 1/2-1/2

1. e4 e5 2. Cf3 Cc6 3. Fb5 a6 4. Fa4 Cf6 5. O-O b5 6. Fb3 Fc5 Archangelsk defence is one of Shirov's favorites 7. c3 d6 8. d4 Fb6 9. Fe3 9.a4 and 9.h3 are the main moves here 9...  O-O 10. Cbd2 Fg4 11. h3 Fh5 12. Fg5 exd4 12...Na5 is tried more often but not very successfully. Before this game 12... exd4 has been played only once. 13. Fd5 this sharp move leads to a variation where black will get 2 pawns for the exchange. 13...  dxc3 14. Fxc6 cxd2 15. Fxa8 Dxa8 16. Fxf6 gxf6 17. Dxd2 Dxe4 here we are. This looks promising for black : bishop pair and 2 pawns for the exchange, this is balanced 18. Tfe1 Df5 19. Ch4 Dg5 20. Dxg5+ fxg5 black's structure is better now but white gets an active knight 21. Cf5 Fg6 22. Ce7+ Rg7 23. Cd5 ( That's modern chess opening preparation! 23. Tad1 was Jobava-Grigoryan in 2008. White won in 48 moves, reaching a rook vs bishop+2 pawns endgame. ) 23...  Tb8 24. Tad1 Rf8 preventing Re7 thanks to c6 25. g4! white needs to play very actively because black could end better in the endgame. Karjakin would like to place his knight firmly in f6. 25...  c5 26. h4 ( the computer is afraid of the bishop pair and asks to take in b6 26. Cxb6 Txb6 27. Rg2 is still balanced. Black has better chances but it's difficult to activate the bishop, the king and the d pawn! 27... b4 28. Td5 c4 29. Txg5 c3 30. b3 Tc6 31. f3 f6 32. Ta5 Ff7 33. Rf2 d5 finally, but still no way to play with the Kf8 and white have active pieces 34. Re3 Te6+ 35. Rf2 Td6 36. Tc5 Td7 37. a3 d4 38. axb4 Fxb3 = ) 26...  gxh4 27. f4 discreetly threatening to trap the bishop :) 27...  f5 28. g5 nice idea by Karjakin: now he got f6 for his knight and the Bg6 is less strong. 28...  Ff7 29. Cf6 c4+ ( 29... Td8 30. Cxh7+ Rg7 31. Cf6 d5 32. Te7 c4+ 33. Rg2 is almost the same than the game, white having enough activity in compensation ) 30. Rg2 Td8 31. Cxh7+ Rg7 32. Cf6 b4 33. Te7 ( 33. Cd5 with the idea Ne7, was safer 33... Fxd5+ 34. Txd5 c3 35. bxc3 bxc3 36. Te7+ Rg8 37. Te2 Tc8 38. Tc2 Tc4 = ) 33...  c3 34. bxc3 bxc3 35. Cd7 very good activity for white 35...  Fa5 36. g6! impressive, 2B+2p against R+N can be really strong but Karjakin played so actively that it's Shirov who is having a hard time! 36...  Rxg6 37. Rh3 threatening to win the Bf7 37...  Txd7 only move 38. Txd7 Fb4 39. Rxh4 Fxa2 3 pawns for 2 exchanges: nice! 40. T1xd6+! white immediately gives one exchange back to eliminate the c and d passed pawns ( 40. Tc7? could become dangerous for white, the bishop pair can be very strong to support passed pawns. 40... a5 41. Rg3 Fb3 42. Tc1 Rf6 43. Rf3 a4 44. Re3 Fc5+ 45. Rd3 c2 46. Txc2 sooner or later white will have to give one exchange back 46... Fxc2+ 47. Rxc2 Re6 48. Tc8 a3 49. Rc3 Rd5 50. Rd3 = ) 40...  Fxd6 41. Txd6+ Rf7 42. Tc6 of course the c pawn is more important 42...  a5 43. Txc3 now black is playing for a draw. This game was played in the fourth round and Shirov lost first 3 games in endgames! One could imagine what he had in mind here : "no no please let me draw this one...". 43...  a4 44. Tc6 cutting the black king 44...  Re7 45. Rg3 ( 45. Ta6 Fb3 46. Rg5 Fc2 47. Tc6 Fd3 48. Tc3 Fb1! only move ( 48... Fe4 49. Tc4 +- ) 49. Tc1 Fd3 = ) 45...  Rd7 46. Ta6 Fb3 47. Rf2 Rc7 48. Re1 Rb7 49. Th6 ( 49. Ta5 was more challenging 49... Rb6 50. Te5! Rc6 51. Txf5 a3 52. Rd2 a2 53. Ta5 Rd6 54. Rc3 Fd5 55. Ta6+ Re7 56. Rd4 Fb3 57. Re5 Rf7 58. f5 Rg7! 59. Ta7+ Ff7 = ) 49...  Rc7 50. Rd2 a3 51. Rc3 a2 52. Rb2 Rd7 53. Ta6 Fc4 54. Ta5 Fe6 55. Ta7+ Rc6 56. Ta6+ Rd7 57. Rc3 Rc7 58. Rd4 Rb7 59. Ta3 Rb6 60. Re5 Fc4 61. Rxf5 it's a draw 61...  Rc5 62. Rg6 Rb4 63. Txa2 Fxa2 Nice game. It's impressive and instructive how Karjakin played with the "supposed slightly worse" material R+N against 2B+2p. 1/2-1/2