Tal Memorial Sees Sombre Start

[pgn height=300 layout=horizontal showmoves=figurine initialgame=first initialHalfmove=][Event “10th Tal Mem 2016”]
[Site “Moscow RUS”]
[Date “2016.09.26”]
[Round “1.2”]
[White “Svidler, Peter”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[BlackElo “2808”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “A30”]
[EventDate “2016.09.26”]
[Opening “English”]
[Variation “symmetrical, hedgehog system”]
[WhiteElo “2745”]
[WhiteFideId “4102142”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]

{ Annotations by John Lee Shaw for www.hotoffthechess.com. }
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 c5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.O-O Be7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 O-O 9.Rd1 d6 10.Bg5 Nc6 11.Qd2 Qb8 12.Rac1 Rd8 13.b3 h6 { Following a line played by Ukrainian Grandmaster, Yuri Solodovnichenko, who notched up wins with it back in 2012. } 14.Bf4 Ne5 15.Nd4 { Svidler goes his own way. Stella-Solodovnichenko 2012 had seen 15.Ne1 to be won by Black in 37; Valsecchi-Solodovnichenko 2012 continued 15.h3 and also went to Black. What does Svidler think he has with this new move? It had better be something, because Black will not be at all dissatisfied with his opening. } 15…Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Qb7+ 17.f3 g5 { Kramnik has clearly come out with his sleeves rolled up. Another way of going about playing …d5, was 17…Ng6 as shown in the variation. } ( 17…Ng6 18.Be3 d5 { and Black has the more positive stance here. } ) 18.Be3 d5 { I think that Kramnik will have been feeling quite alright here, and he would have been also had his opponent not had the following resource available. } 19.Bxg5 { ! This was the only way to play positively from here. I am guessing that Svidler had prepared this, but I am very curious as to his intentions had Kramnik opted for the 17…Ng6 variation, above. } 19…hxg5 20.Qxg5+ Ng6 { The only respectable move here, but unfortunately this knight turns in to a liability. } 21.Nxe6 { All of a sudden, White is better. Black must be very accurate in his defence, here. } 21…Rd6 ( 21…Nh7 { looks rather inviting, but this fails due to Black’s Queen placement … } 22.Nxd8 { (22.Qh6 is also perfectly valid) } 22…Rxd8 23.Qe3 { and White is of course winning. } ) 22.Nf4 Ne4 23.Qg4 { The only move to maintain the edge and not flip the situation on its head. } ( 23.Qf5 Nxf4+ 24.Qxf4 Nxc3 { and White has nothing in return for his piece. } ) ( 23.Qh5 { ?? is disaster on account of } 23…Nxf4+ 24.gxf4 Rg6+ { is a killer. } ) 23…Nxc3 24.Rxc3 d4 25.Rcd3 Rad8 26.Nd5 { Move by move, Svidler’s edge increases. } 26…Bf8 27.Rxd4 { 4 pawns for a piece anyone? White could not have hoped for a better position than this. } 27…Bg7 28.R4d2 { Adequate, but there was better. } ( 28.Nf6+ { ! This may have ended the game, White is winning in a very big way. It may also have simplified things a little for Svidler, with time becomming an issue. } 28…Bxf6 ( 28…Rxf6 { is the more direct way to lose. } 29.Rxd8+ Kh7 30.Qh5+ Bh6 31.R1d7 { and even Houdini isn’t escaping from this. } ) 29.Rxd6 Rxd6 30.Rxd6 Qe7 31.Rd2 { it is hard to see what Black has to hang on to here. } ) 28…b5 { ? Kramnik also seems to miss Nf6+. …Kf8 was prudent, here. } ( { Possible is: } 28…Kf8 29.Qg5 Ne7 { with Rd3 or Nb4 being super for White. } ) 29.Qe4 { White scorns Nf6+ a second time. It is hard for me to believe that Svidler missed this. } 29…Qb8 30.c5 Re8 31.Qg4 ( 31.Qxe8+ { !! I believe that this would have been decisive. } 31…Qxe8 32.cxd6 { Even without his Queen, White is material up, here, and that passed pawn is going to take some dealing with. A rook will easily be relocated from the d-file to the c-file and Black has very little to play with. } ) 31…Rde6 32.e4 Qc8 33.Rc2 Ne5 { There is a bit of a sense here that White’s inability to finish the game off over the last few moves, has spurred Black on a little and just allowed him to tidy up a bit. } 34.Qf5 Qb7 35.f4 { ? White really had to take the bull by the horns and strike out towards the Black King with 35.h4. I find it quite puzzling that Svidler had played so boldy and confidently in order to attain a great advantage and then been so hesitant to reap the rewards. I am thinking that time must have been a factor. } 35…Nc6 { The huge initiative that White held, has all but evaporated away here. Black has been allowed too much time to sort out his position. White is still better, but Black can fight now. } 36.e5 Nb4 37.Rcd2 f6 { ? not a good move, just as Kramnik seems to have got things under control, he takes his eye off the ball and hands a chance to Svidler. } 38.Qe4 { This is nothing short of a blunder, obviously under time pressure. e4 is not even that great a place for the Queen, but White had been given an opportunity to take back his initiative. Chances don’t come often against Kramnik, and one should take any that present themselves. } ( 38.Kh3 { Simply unpinning the knight gives Black problems to answer. The Nb4, the f6-pawn, White’s aggressively placed Queen. The best solution is probably to exchnage on d5, and this helps White to take ground. } 38…Nxd5 39.Rxd5 { And White holds all the cards again. The big point is that White has a vastly superior endgame and it will be very difficult now for Black to defend and avoid piece exchanges. } ) 38…Nxd5 { This is not nearly such a bad thing now, with White’s Queen placement. } 39.Rxd5 fxe5 { This is the point, with the White Queen on f5, White would have Rd7 here, with the prospect of Qf7+ to follow and mate. White’s last threat is gone and no doubt Svidler will have been very disappointed. } 40.f5 Ra6 41.R1d2 { There is a sense of calm about the position, now. From being on the verge of losing, Black has everything under control. Even more than that, he now has a passed pawn of his own, which White will need to keep a close eye on. } 41…Kh8 42.h4 Rh6 43.Kf3 ( { An interesting way to get the Queens off would be } 43.R5d4 Qxe4+ { there is nothing better } 44.Rxe4 { but though White is the better, Black should hold. } ) 43…Rh5 44.Qg4 Rxf5+ { Peter Svidler’s supporters must have been having heart failure here, as Black suddenly begins to look quite potent. } 45.Qxf5 Rf8 46.Qxf8+ Bxf8 47.b4 { Svidler must have intended this, but he is in a bit of a predicament now. } 47…Qf7+ 48.Kg2 e4 { Kramnik has his tail up. } 49.Re5 Qf3+ 50.Kh2 Qc3 51.Rdd5 e3 52.Re8 Kg7 53.Kh3 Qe1 54.Rde5 Qxb4 55.Rg5+ Kf7 56.Rxe3 { And the tranquility has returned, the game is a draw from here, barring errors — and in regard to this game, there is no surprise that the players played on a bit. } 56…Bxc5 57.Rf3+ Ke6 58.Rg6+ Ke7 59.Rg7+ Ke6 60.Rg6+ Kd7 61.Rg7+ Be7 62.Re3 a5 63.h5 Kd8 64.Rg8+ Kd7 65.Rg7 Kd8 66.Rg8+ { And here, peace was declared. When looking at this game, Vladimir Kramnik will no doubt feel rather unhappy with his opening prep — Peter Svidler will feel rather miffed to have only captured a half point. } 1/2-1/2

[Event “10th Tal Memorial 2016”]
[Site “Moscow”]
[Date “2016.09.26”]
[Round “1”]
[White “Nepomniachtchi, Ian”]
[Black “Tomashevsky, Evgeny”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “C45”]
[WhiteElo “2740”]
[BlackElo “2731”]
[PlyCount “45”]
[EventDate “2016.??.??”]
[EventType “tourn”]
[EventCountry “RUS”]

{ Annotations by John Lee Shaw for www.hotoffthechess.com. }
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8.
c4 Ba6 9. b3 g6 10. f4 Bg7 11. Qf2 Nf6 12. Ba3 d6 13. Nc3 {This seems new, Nd2
having been seen in an earlier outing.} O-O {Black errs immediately — his
Queen is badly misplaced and after White’s next, he is under a lot of pressure
already.} 14. O-O-O {To the point. In the space of a couple of moves, Black is
in all sorts of trouble. The f6-knight is en-prise, as is the d6-pawn. Couple
this with White’s awesome a3-bishop firing along the a3-f8 diagonal, (which
contain both Black’s Queen and Rook) and the very well placed Rd1, Black’s
position is already on the verge of collapse.} Ne8 15. g3 {It serves White to
maintain the tension towards d6, instead, Nepomiachtchi looks to complete his
development and obtain another strong bishop, firing along the h1-a8 diagonal.}
Bb7 {It is quite noticeable that Black is not making efforts to relieve the
pin to the d6-pawn, with …Qe6 for example. However, White has h4 at his
disposal, with intentions to play Bh3.} 16. Bg2 {The contrast between the two
sides is obvious, here. Black’s pieces are in complete disarray and totally
tied down. On the other hand, White’s pieces are optimumly situated, and once
he achieves Rhe1 disaster looms for Black.} f6 {This move does Black no
favours, but there were few credible options to him other than shuffling the
Queen or pushing pawns, and that is a very sad reflection on his position.} 17.
exd6 {White begins to reap the rewards of his superior opening play.} Nxd6 {
…cxd6 would change very little. White would likely play Rhe1 followed by c5.}
18. c5 Nf5 19. Rhe1 Qf7 20. Bf1 {! on its way to c4. With his Queen having
nowhere to go, Black is in all sorts of trouble here, White is just winning.}
Rfd8 21. Rxd8+ Rxd8 22. Bc4 {This move was not going to be stopped.} Rd5 {
A horrid move for any chess player to have to play. Nxd5 wins very simply here,
but Nepomniachtchi finds the optimum move …} 23. Qe2 {And here, Tomashevsky
resigned. The threat is quite simply Qe8+ and after …Qxe8, Rxe8+ followed by
Rb8, winning a piece outright. This is far better than just taking on d5 and
can not be answered.} 1-0

[Event “10th Tal Mem 2016”]
[Site “Moscow RUS”]
[Date “2016.09.26”]
[Round “1.1”]
[White “Aronian, Levon”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[BlackElo “2743”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “A35”]
[EventDate “2016.09.26”]
[Opening “English”]
[Variation “symmetrical, four knights system”]
[WhiteElo “2795”]
[WhiteFideId “13300474”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]

{ Annotations by John Lee Shaw for www.hotoffthechess.com. }
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 d5 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 dxc4 7.Nxc6 Qxd1+ 8.Nxd1 bxc6 9.Bg2 Nd5 10.Ne3 e6 11.Nxc4 Ba6 12.b3 Bb4+ 13.Bd2 Ke7 14.Rc1 Rhc8 15.Ne5 { Up to this point it had been custom to take the bishop here. This move does not really have any major intentions, and seems more a case of showing willing prior to major liquidation, which completely deadens the position. } 15…c5 16.Bxb4 cxb4 17.Rxc8 Rxc8 18.Bxd5 Kd6 19.Bf3 Kxe5 20.Kd2 { The game was unlikely to go anywhere from this point, really, not very much separates the two sides and it is not going to be very easy for either player to generate anything. } 20…Rc5 21.a3 bxa3 22.Ra1 Bb5 23.Rxa3 Rc7 24.h4 h6 25.Ra2 g5 26.hxg5 hxg5 27.Rc2 Rxc2+ 28.Kxc2 Kd4 29.e3+ Kc5 30.Kc3 a5 31.Bd1 f6 32.f4 e5 33.Bf3 Be8 34.Bd1 Bb5 35.Bf3 Be8 36.Bd1 Bb5 { The players agreed a draw. A rather inevitable ending to a not very enthralling game. } 1/2-1/2

[Event “10th Tal Mem 2016”]
[Site “Moscow RUS”]
[Date “2016.09.26”]
[Round “1.3”]
[White “Giri, Anish”]
[Black “Anand, Viswanathan”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[BlackElo “2776”]
[BlackFideId “5000017”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “E10”]
[EventDate “2016.09.26”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “4.Nf3”]
[WhiteElo “2755”]
[WhiteFideId “24116068”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]

{ Annotations by John Lee Shaw for www.hotoffthechess.com. }
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Qc2 dxc4 6.e4 c5 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 { According to my database, this natural move has its first outing here. …Ne5 had been played previously. Personally, I like this a lot more. } 9.Nb3 Bb6 10.O-O O-O { Perfectly fine, but …Qc7 was also an option here, tckling the bishop and putting the Queen on a good square with a tempo. } 11.Be2 Qc7 12.Bg5 Ne5 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Rac1 Rd8 { This is not bad, but …Bd7 was perhaps more appropriate here, preparing …Rac8, for example, but also preventing Na4 ideas from White. } 15.Na4 Qxc2 { There was nothing better than this exchange. It makes a lot of sense to liquidate along the c-file. } 16.Rxc2 Bd7 17.Nxb6 axb6 { I don’t quite understand Anand’s attitude towards his pawn structure. Aesthetics are not everything in chess, but still. } 18.Rd1 Kf8 ( { Not } 18…Rxa2 { ?? } 19.f4 { ! } 19…Ng6 20.Bb5 Nf8 21.Rcd2 { with a very big edge. } ) 19.a3 Nc6 20.Rcd2 Ke7 21.Nd4 e5 22.Nb5 Be6 23.Rxd8 Nxd8 24.Rc1 Nc6 { I know that engine evaluations put White ahead here, but I don’t think there was a lot of potential in the position from this point. Ok, Black’s pawns are a bit untidy, but White has no immediate threats towards them. Couple that with the identical material, and I think this game was always heading for a split point. } 25.Kf1 Rd8 26.Ke1 f5 27.exf5 Bxf5 28.Rd1 Rg8 29.g3 Be6 30.Kd2 f5 31.Ke3 { White has managed to activate his King very nicely, but I think that Black has the better quality pieces overall. Whatever edge Giri may hold, Anand certainly has enough up his sleeve to throw a spanner or two in the works. } 31…f4+ 32.gxf4 exf4+ 33.Kxf4 Rg2 34.Ke3 Rxh2 { White is undoubtedly better here, but the question is whether he can become active enough to do anything. } 35.Nc3 Rh3+ 36.f3 Rh5 37.Rg1 Bf7 38.b4 Ne5 39.Ne4 Nd7 40.f4 Rh2 41.Rc1 Bd5 { Threatening to win a piece with …Bxe4 and …Rxe2 obviously. } 42.Nc3 Bc6 43.Rg1 Nf6 44.Rg7+ Kd6 { Black has the situation under control here. } 45.Bd3 Rh3+ 46.Kd4 Rh4 47.Ne2 b5 48.Rg5 Nd5 49.Rf5 Nc7 50.Rf7 Ne6+ 51.Kc3 h5 52.Rf6 { …Ke7 and Rh6 will likely follow. The players agreed a draw here. Not really a very eventful game regardless of appearances. } 1/2-1/2

[Event “10th Tal Mem 2016”]
[Site “Moscow RUS”]
[Date “2016.09.26”]
[Round “1.5”]
[White “Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar”]
[Black “Li, Chao b”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[BlackElo “2746”]
[BlackFideId “8604436”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “D73”]
[EventDate “2016.09.26”]
[Opening “Neo-Gruenfeld, 5.Nf3”]
[WhiteElo “2761”]
[WhiteFideId “13401319”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]

{ Annotations by John Lee Shaw for www.hotoffthechess.com. }
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 d5 5.Bg2 c5 6.O-O cxd4 7.Nxd4 O-O 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nc3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Nc6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Be3 Bg4 13.Bd4 { This is a new move, 13.Bxc6 had been tried before with a draw, which is very easy to believe. Even this move results in a rather uneventful game, regardless of fluctuating engine evaluations at one point indicating Black being better. It is all pie in the sky really, the game is largely resolved and under control at this point, the players just show willing and play it out. } ( 13.Bxc6 { is drawy } 13…Rc8 14.Qxd8 Rfxd8 15.Bb5 Rxc3 { and the position is largely resolved. } ) 13…e5 14.Bc5 Qxd1 15.Rfxd1 Rfc8 16.Rd2 Bf8 17.Be3 Rab8 18.Bxa7 Ra8 19.Be3 Ra3 20.c4 Bb4 21.Rd3 Bxe2 22.Rxa3 Bxa3 23.c5 Bd3 24.Rd1 e4 25.Bf1 Rd8 26.f3 Rd5 27.fxe4 Bxe4 28.Rxd5 Bxd5 29.Bg2 Bxg2 30.Kxg2 f5 31.Kf3 Kf7 32.Kf4 Kf6 33.h4 h6 34.Kf3 g5 35.hxg5+ hxg5 36.g4 fxg4+ 37.Kxg4 Ke5 38.Bxg5 Kd5 39.Kf3 Bxc5 40.Ke2 Kc4 41.Kd2 1/2-1/2

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