(1) Ding Liren (2530) - Vitiugov,N (2681) [D45]

RUS-CHN Match Standard Sochi RUS (3), 17.08.2009

[This interesting match is analysed by International Master Ravi,Lanka]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.g4 h6 8.h3 a6 9.c5 Fixing the centre. Other moves are [9.Bd2; 9.b3; 9.Rg1] 9...Be7 [9...Bc7 was chosen by Svidler 10.Bd2 e5 In my opinion striking the centre is more logical. (10...b5 11.cxb6 Nxb6 12.Bd3 Bd6 13.e4 Be7 14.0–0–0 Bb7 15.Kb1 Rc8 16.Rhg1 c5 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.g5 dxe4 19.Nxe4 Nxe4 20.Bxe4 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 Qd5 22.Qe2 hxg5 23.Nxg5 Rh4 24.Bc3 Qc4 25.Qf3 Rf4 26.Qb7 Bxf2 27.Rgf1 Nd5 28.Be5 Rf5 29.Rc1 Qd3+ 30.Ka1 Rd8 31.Qc6+ Ke7 32.Rxf2 Rxg5 33.Qb7+ Rd7 34.Rxf7+ Kxf7 35.Qxd7+ Kg8 36.Bxg7 1–0 Mamedyarov,S (2725)-Svidler,P (2726)/Nalchik RUS 2009/The Week in Chess 755) 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Bxe5 13.0–0–0 Qe7 14.Na4 Ne4 15.Ba5 f5 16.Bd3 0–0 17.f3 Ng3 18.Rhg1 fxg4 19.f4 Nf5 20.Bd2 Bc7 21.Rde1 g3 22.Nb6 Bxb6 23.cxb6 Qh4 24.Bc3 Qxh3 25.e4 dxe4 26.Bxe4 Bd7 27.Qb3+ Kh7 28.Be5 Qh4 29.Rxg3 g6 30.Rd1 Qe7 31.Rh1 Rae8 32.Rgg1 Qc5+ 33.Kb1 Rxe5 34.fxe5 Qxe5 35.Re1 Re8 36.Ka1 Kg7 37.Qd1 Qd4 38.Bc2 Qxd1+ 39.Rxd1 Re7 40.Rd2 h5 41.Rhd1 Be6 42.Re1 Kf6 43.Rd8 Bb3 44.Rf8+ Rf7 45.Rxf7+ Bxf7 46.Bd3 Nd6 47.Rf1+ Ke5 48.Bxa6 Bd5 49.Be2 h4 50.Rf8 Bg2 51.Bg4 Nc4 52.Rf7 c5 53.Rh7 g5 54.Rh6 Ne3 55.Bc8 Nf5 56.Rh5 Kf4 57.a4 Bf3 58.Rh8 Nd6 59.Be6 Ke5 60.Bd7 Nc4 61.Rh6 Na5 62.Kb1 Be4+ 63.Kc1 Nb3+ 64.Kd1 Kf4 65.Ke2 c4 66.Rf6+ Ke5 67.Re6+ Kf4 68.Rf6+ Ke5 69.Re6+ Kf4 70.Rf6+ 1/2–1/2 Avrukh,B (2657) -Gustafsson,J (2634)/Hamburg GER 2009/The Week in Chess 747] 10.Rg1 b6 If black does not play b6 and a later c5 he will be reduced to passivity 11.cxb6 Qxb6 12.g5 hxg5 13.Nxg5 A critical point of the game. Here there are many threats. Some thing like Ne6 followed by Rg7 is always in the air. So Black chooses to defend the g pawn first 13...Rg8 14.Na4 Qa7 sacrificing a pawn [14...Qc7 15.Bd2 c5 16.Nxc5 Nxc5 17.b4 should be in white's favour] 15.Qxc6 Bb7 16.Qc2 Rc8 17.Nc3 e5 18.Bd2!? [18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Bg2 Qb6 with counter chances for the sacrificed pawn] 18...exd4 19.exd4 Qxd4 20.Be3 Qb4 21.0–0–0 Nc5 [21...Nb6 appears to be more pleasing! 22.a3 Qa5] 22.f3 very nice prophylaxis. It prevents moves like Ne4 and connects the Rook on g1 to defend White's second rank 22...Bc6 23.Bd4 a5 24.Rg2 a4 25.Re2 Rc7?! this walks into loss of tempos. Better is direct a3! 26.Be5 Rd7 27.Rd4 Qb6 28.h4 bringing out the bishop via h3-c8 diagonal 28...a3 29.b3 Rb7 30.Bh3 Rh8 31.b4 Ncd7 [31...Kf8 is a good try! 32.Bxf6 Bxf6 33.bxc5 (33.Nh7+ Rxh7 34.Qxh7 g6 35.bxc5 Qxc5) 33...Qb2+] 32.Na4! Qb5 33.Bd6 and after this the game is over!! 33...Ng8 34.Nc3 Qb6 35.Qf5 attacking f7 for which, unfortunately, there is no reply! 35...Kd8 36.Nxf7+ Kc8 37.Bc5 Nh6 38.Bxb6 Nxf5 39.Bxf5 Bf6 40.Nxd5 Kb8 [40...Bxd4 41.Ne7+ Kb8 42.Nxc6+ Ka8 43.Bxd4] 41.Nxf6 After Nf6. Black loses the Rook on h8. So he resigned 1–0