15.9.15

Slow Grinding

The general strategy in a short match of two games is to try and play without any risk whenever possible, especially with the white pieces. Things went very well for the experienced Peruvian GM in the second game of the match Granda Zuniga-Fier at the World Chess Cup 2015 in Baku.
A game that I liked (ChessBase 13)

[Event "FIDE World Cup 2015"]
[Site "Baku AZE"]
[Date "2015.09.13"]
[Round "1.52"]
[White "Granda Zuniga, Julio E"]
[Black "Fier, Alexandr"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A29"]
[WhiteElo "2667"]
[BlackElo "2624"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "123"]
[EventDate "2015.09.11"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 {This game followed
Khismatullin-Tomashevsky from the Russian Superfinal that we have annotated
for chess.com not long time ago.} 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O e4 7. Ng5 Bxc3 8. bxc3 Re8
9. f3 {This is one of the main lines in the English opening, which was heavily
investigated after Garry Kasparov used it against his great rival Anatoly
Karpov in their match in Sevilla 1987.} exf3 10. Nxf3 Qe7 {Diagram [#]} ({A
couple of weeks ago Anand tried} 10... d5 11. d4 dxc4 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6
14. e4 Bg4 {and held the game to a draw against the future winner of the
tournament in Aronian,L (2765)-Anand,V (2816) Saint Louis 2015}) 11. e3 Ne5 12.
d3 ({Nothing promises} 12. Nxe5 Qxe5 13. Rb1 Rb8 14. Rb5 Qe7 15. d3 d6 16. e4
Bg4 $1 {as seen in another encounter Aronian,L (2780)-Anand,V (2804) Stavanger
2015}) 12... d6 13. Nd4 c5 {Better than} (13... Bg4 14. Qc2 c5 {to which
Tomashevsky explained that the positional exchange sacrifice after} 15. Nf5
Bxf5 16. Rxf5 d5 17. cxd5 c4 18. d4 Nd3 19. Bd2 Ne4 20. Re5 $1 {is good for
White.}) 14. Nc2 $5 $146 {[%cal Rc1a3] Diagram [#] Granda Zuniga comes well
prepared for the game.} ({After the usual} 14. Nf5 Bxf5 15. Rxf5 d5 $1 $146 {
Tomashevsky uncorked a strong novelty. This was only the start of a superb
opening preparation by the former European champion which helped him win the
Russian title, Khismatullin,D (2642)-Tomashevsky,E (2747) Chita 2015.}) 14...
Bg4 15. Qd2 d5 {Fier follows Tomashevsky's footprints but this is exactly what
Granda wants. Instead} (15... Qe6 $5 {will be tested in the future.}) 16. cxd5
c4 17. Ba3 {The point behind White's knight retreat.} Qd8 {The only move as} (
17... Qd7 18. d4 Nd3 19. Rxf6 $1 {Diagram [#]} gxf6 20. e4 {followed by Nc2-e3
is awful for Black.}) 18. dxc4 (18. d4 Nd3 19. Rab1 {was another possibility.})
18... Nxc4 19. Qd4 Rc8 ({White is better after} 19... Nxa3 20. Nxa3 Qe7 21. Nc2
) 20. e4 {White managed to stabilize the situation and keep the extra pawn.
His play is easier.} Qb6 21. Rf4 Ne5 {Psychologically it was difficult to
retreat pieces, but} (21... Bd7 {followed by} 22. Bb4 Ng4 {[%cal Gg4e5]
Diagram [#] and Ng4-e5 with blockade might have been the better choice.}) 22.
Ne3 ({Better than} 22. Qxb6 axb6 23. Bb4 Nd3 {with counter play for Black. For
example} 24. Ne3 Nxf4 25. gxf4 Bd7 26. e5 g5 $1 {Diagram [#]}) 22... Be2 {This
makes things worse as the white knight can take advantage of the f5 square.} (
22... Bd7 {was still best.}) 23. d6 (23. Nf5 {at once was also very good. In
the forced line} Rxc3 24. Ne7+ Kh8 25. Qxb6 axb6 26. Bb2 Nf3+ 27. Bxf3 Rxf3 28.
Bxf6 ({Better than} 28. Rxf3 Bxf3 29. Bxf6 gxf6 30. d6) 28... gxf6 29. d6 {
White has serious winning chances.}) 23... Qa6 24. Bb4 Rcd8 25. Rxf6 $1 {
Diagram [#] This sacrifice is always good! Well sorry, it is not even a
sacrifice here.} gxf6 26. Nd5 Kg7 27. Nc7 Qc6 28. Qe3 {Solid and in accordance
with the general match strategy-no counter play at all for the opponent like in
the line} (28. Nxe8+ Rxe8 29. Qxa7 Bf3 30. Qd4 Bxg2 31. Kxg2 f5) 28... a5 $1 {
Diagram [#] Fier defends very well and takes care of the most dangerous white
pawn.} 29. Bxa5 (29. Bc5 Bf3 $1 {is OK for Black.}) 29... Qxd6 30. Nxe8+ Rxe8
31. Bb4 Qa6 32. Bc5 {Diagram [#] The tactical skirmish is over. Now the
grinding starts.} Qd3 33. Qxd3 Bxd3 34. Rd1 Ra8 35. a3 Bb5 36. Bh3 Bc6 37. Bf5
Nc4 {Misses the excellent chance} (37... Nf3+ 38. Kf2 Ng5 $1 {Diagram [#]} 39.
Re1 Re8 $14) 38. Kf2 h6 39. Bb4 b5 40. Bc5 Be8 41. g4 {White made a lot of
progress, activated his pieces and now the king.} Bc6 42. Kg3 Re8 43. Kf4 Re5
44. Bb4 Re8 45. h4 Ne5 46. Rd6 Ba8 47. h5 $1 {[%csl Yf6,Yf7,Rg7,Yh6][%cal
Gh4h5] Diagram [#] The signature of the great master. There will be no
annoying checks on g6, the black king will be in constant danger (if the black
rook leaves the back rank, the white one will occupy it and Bb4-f8 would prove
deadly).} Nc4 48. Ra6 Nd2 49. Bc5 ({Not bad was} 49. Rb6 Nxe4 50. Bd7 Rd8 51.
Bxb5 $18) 49... Bxe4 (49... Nxe4 $2 50. Rxa8) 50. Bd4 Bxf5 51. Bxf6+ Kh7 52.
Kxf5 {Diagram [#] A pair of pawn were traded but the most important
achievement for White is that he broke the blockade. His pieces are dominating.
} Nc4 53. Kf4 Ne3 54. Rd6 Nc4 55. Rd7 Kg8 56. g5 {The most convincing win.
White plays for an attack.} hxg5+ 57. Kxg5 Nxa3 58. Kh6 {With the idea
Rd7-d5-g5+} Kf8 59. Kh7 Re6 60. Rd8+ Re8 61. Rxe8+ Kxe8 62. Kg8 {Diagram [#]
The h pawn decided the game.} 1-0
Report.



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