10 May 2015
Siberian might makes right
5th round of Russian Club Championships in Sergei Shipov's review.
Might makes right, if there is no other might. With a team, which consists of strong and never failing players, can compete only the same strong one. But there is also one important factor - winner's phyсhology. Look at the players of Novosibirsk team. For Kramnik and Aronian wins are as usual as sunrise and sunset. Jakovenko plays solid with the top players. Wang Yue became the World Team Chess Champion, having played for his national team. Korobov is at his boom now, during the last years he got used to challenging tasks. The only potentially weak player in team's lineup is Kokarev. But he also dropped into the victorious tempo of the collective. The great company does its job.
So, in addition to the perfect chess skills, Siberia is also a mentally strong team. It helps to get the better even in the hard matches: to pull through bad positions and to win in drawish ones. This particular happened in the 5th round. Examples are ahead...
The battle between Siberia and University has practically decided the winner of the event. Because all close competitors of the leading team turned out to be already defeated, and in the final two rounds the team will play with outsiders.
Here is how the decisive victory was being forged.
Wojtaszek - Kramnik
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 Be7 7.e3 0–0 8.Rc1 c5 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.cxd5 g5 11.Bg3 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.Qxd5 exd5 14.Be5 Bf5 15.Be2 Rac8 16.0–0 Bd3! 17.Rce1! Be4 18.Rd1 a6 19.Bd4 Ne6 20.Bc3 b5 21.Rc1 b4 22.Be5 f6 23.Bg3 a5 24.Bb5 Kf7 25.Nd4
With some uncommon manoeuvres Black almost equaled the position... By the way, after the opening, in the analysis I found a couple of opportunities to strengthen the play of both sides, but I leave it for the future to me and my students. So, at this point, instead of carefully simplifying the situation, Vladimir decided to complicate it.
25...Nc5?
Maybe he found 25...Nxd4 26.exd4 not enough because of White's initiative on the queen side. But let's examine it in detail: 26...h5 27.f3 (27.Bc7 Bd8! 28.Bd6 Be7=) 27...Bf5 28.Ba6 (28.Bc6 Be6) 28...Rxc1 29.Rxc1 h4 30.Bc7 (30.Bf2 Rb8) 30...Bc8! (30...Bd8) 31.Bb5 Be6, and it is not seen, how White can make progress. 32.Bxa5? is bad Ra8, while Black intends to put the rook on с8. The position looks equal.
26.f3 Bg6
Looks strange, but maybe Kramnik blundered a tactical nuance 26...Bd3 27.Rxc5! - ?
27.Rfd1
Right now the pawn d5 not only became immeasurable weak, but flatly is lost.
27...h5
Bad is also 27...Ne6 28.Bd7.
28.Nc6 h4 29.Bf2 Ne6
A ploy 29...b3 is meaningless: 30.axb3 Nxb3 31.Rc3, and then White eats up something.
30.Rxd5 Rc7 (30...Nc7? 31.Nxe7) 31.e4 Ra8
Let's examine the position: White has not only an extra-pawn, but a huge positional advantage. How was it possible for White not to win? Certainly you’ll agree that some psychological impact was presented during the game.
32.Rc4
Easily won 32.Rcd1 with the threat of inbreak on d7. 32...Nf8 is answered by 33.Nxe7 (special for computer: 33.e5! f5 34.e6+!) 33...Rxe7 34.Bc5 Rc7 (34...Re6 35.Rd8) 35.Bb6 Rc2 36.Rd6! with the pressure on f6. Two strong white bishops would have certainly crushed Black's unsteady defense.
32...Kg8
32...Nf4 looks more stubborn, for example, 33.Ne5+ fxe5 34.Rxc7 Nxd5 35.exd5 Kf8 36.Bc6 Rb8 37.Ra7 Bd8 etc. But Fortuna moves in a mysterious way! Kramnik chose another line and hit a chess jackpot. And in this variant it couldn't work out well. It is paradoxical, but experience has shown that sometimes works the principle "The worse - the better!"
33.Bb6 Rb7
It seems that here Wojtaszek didn't know where to look next. And he didn't succeed in making the right decision.
34.Bxa5
Easier, and therefore much practical is 34.Nxe7+! Rxe7 35.Bc6 with the following Bxa5.
34...Bf8!
The key moment of a game.
35.Nd8?
Just a blunder. The knot of pieces should have been untwisted by 35.Ba4! Bf7 36.Rc2!, and after 36...Nf4 there is 37.Rd8 Rxd8 38.Nxd8 Ra7 39.Nxf7 Rxa5 40.Bb3+-.
35...Rxb5?!
A response inaccuracy. 35...Nxd8! 36.Bxd8 Rxb5 37.Rxb5 Rxd8 sold all Black's problems.
36.Rxb5 Nxd8 37.Bxb4
White keeps some kind of advantage. It is important that two pieces for a rook (and two pawns) for Black are not two bishops, but a bishop and a knight, which is obviously weaker in the open position.
37...Bf7 38.Rc1 Ne6!
A good chance.
After a banal 38...Rxa2 White starts to dominate soon: 39.Bxf8 Kxf8 40.Rb8 Ke7 41.Rcc8 Ra1+ 42.Kf2 Rd1 43.Rc7+ Ke6 44.b4+-.
39.Rd1
Apparently, the last real chance to win for White was in 39.Ra5!, for example, 39...Rd8 40.Bxf8 Kxf8 41.Rd5! (41.Rc2 h3!) 41...Ra8 42.a3 Nf4 43.Rd2 etc. Three paws are more than two.
39...Bxb4 40.Rxb4 Rxa2
Now is it hard to exploit the advantage. And Wojtaszek couldn't do anything.
41.Rd7 Nc5 42.Rd6 Kg7 43.Rb5 (43.Rbb6?! g4!) 43...Ne6 44.Rb7 Kg6 45.g3 45...Ra1+ 46.Kg2 Rc1 47.Rd2 Nc5 48.Re7 hxg3 49.hxg3 Rc4 50.e5 g4 51.exf6 gxf3+ 52.Kxf3 Kxf6 53.Re3 Bh5+ 54.Kg2 Ne4 55.b3 Draw.
This way the leader of Siberia withstood. This draw was like a win. Teammates didn't set back the leader...
Aronian - Andreikin
Black forgot to exchange on f4, it led to unpleasant consequences.
29.f5!
Strong was also the immediate 29.e5, for example, 29...gxf4 30.exf6 Rxg3 31.Ne2±.
29...Bg8 30.e5!
This is a classic example of square's opening. I'll take note of it.
30...fxe5
Computer stubbornly insists on 30...Rh7!? 31.Rxh7 Rxh7, but after 32.e6 d5 33.g4 Black's bishop is caged. Black could hardly have escaped so.
31.f6 Rgf7
Not better is also 31...Rgc7 32.Rxg5.
32.Ne4
The hegemon knight is ready for a strike. Black has no defense.
32...d5
After 32...Rh7 very strong is 33.g4!+-.
33.Nc5 Nd6
Or 33...Rb5 34.Ne6+ Ke8 35.Rxg5+-.
34.Rxg5 Rxf6 35.Nxb7 Nxb7 36.Rxe5
And White's exchange came into play fast.
36...Nd6 37.Rd4 Bf7 38.Rf4 Rh6 39.g4 Rh1+ 40.Kb2 Rh2 41.Rf6 Ne4 42.Rxc6 Nf2 43.Ka3 Nxg4 44.Rc8+ Black resigned.
The second win of Siberia stгung along with the first one.
Jobava - Jakovenko
For team reasons Baadur should have fought for victory until the end. But how it can be done if there is no opportunity to fasten the position?
44.Rf4
Or 44.Re3 Rf8 45.Qd3 Qb2+ 46.Qe2 Qe5 47.Rf3 Re8 with constant Black's threats.
44...Qc7! 45.Kg3?!
Play with fire. After 45.Rf2 followed 45...Qe7 with the fork on e4 and h4.
45...Rd8! 46.Qe3??
A final blunder. The opportunity to escape was 46.Qf2! with the idea 46...g5 47.hxg5 hxg5 48.Qh2+ Kg7 49.Qb2+ Kg8 50.Qa2+, and this is a perpetual check.
46...g5! White are losing a rook that is why he resigned.
The most important, at least in the context of the fight for the top places, became the match between Bronze Horseman and Malachite. For Petersburgers it was a common stage of missed opportunities. Vitiugov and Matlakov didn't win quite promising positions against Shirov and Malakhov respectively. And on the last board a young warrior from Petersburg clearly overleapt himself. Having underrated «the veteran», on the contrary.
Bologan - Fedoseev
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d3 Ne7 6.Nh4 Ng6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.c4 e5 9.Nc3 d6 10.Bd2 Be7 11.Qa4 Bd7 12.0–0–0 Bg5 13.Qc2 Be6 14.f3
14...Bh6?!
A strange move. Simple 14...Bxd2+ 15.Qxd2 g5 was very comfortable for Black.
15.g3 g5?!
Fighting spirit is a good thing, but one should know where to draw the line. To preserve two bishops this way is over the top.
Still it would be well to do an exchange, but here the game became finer: 15...Bxd2+ 16.Qxd2 g5 17.f4! gxf4 18.gxf4 exf4 19.Qxf4 Rh4! 20.Qf2 Qf6! with equal chances.
16.Kb1 Rc8 17.Rdf1
Little by little White prepares the break f2-f4, and what should Black do?
17...0–0?
An amazing bravery. Even an excessive one.
Black could not to determine the position right now. It was worse to wait and see...
18.g4!
White blocks the position to have an opportunity for a break h3-h4 in the most comfortable situation. Not so clear was 18.h4 g4!
18...f6 19.h4 Rf7 20.hxg5 fxg5
After 20...Bxg5 very strong was 21.f4! exf4 22.Bxf4 Bxf4 (22...Bxg4 23.Qh2) 23.Rxf4 Qd7 24.Qh2 Kf8 25.g5 fxg5 26.Rxf7+ Bxf7 27.Rg1 Qe6 28.Rxg5 Re8 29.e5±.
21.Bc1
And the bishop h6 is in an absurd situation. Strategically the game is settled. Then followed.
21...Qa5 22.Nd1! Rcf8 23.Qe2 Rb7 24.Ne3
Black couldn't play g7-g6 that means, white knight will jump on f5 sooner or later.
24...Rfb8 25.Rh2 Rb6 26.Qe1 Qa6 27.Qc3 Qa4 28.Rg1 Ra6 29.b3 Rab6 30.Rb2 Qa3 31.Ka1
31...a5?
Fedoseev blunders, being tired of the futureless defense.
The game could end so: 31...R6b7 32.Nf5! Rd8 (after 32...Bxf5 33.gxf5 White broke through the vertical «g») 33.Nxh6+ (the computer advices 33.Nxd6 Rxd6 34.Qxe5, but what's the point of these complications?) 33...gxh6 34.Rh2 Qb4 35.Qb2! Rh7 36.Rgh1 with White's compelling threats.
32.Nc2!
The queen is trapped.
32...Qxb2+ 33.Bxb2 a4 34.bxa4 Black resigned.
The team SHSM finally managed to win. There is a team which things are going even worse...
The game between leaders was especially attractive for me. Gata Rustamovich Kamsky is a living classic of the Hedgehog System, which can be learned on his games. This time he properly fought against the young and active opponent. As a result we see a new great example illustrating Ljubojevic plan with running of the wing black pawn.
Nepomniachtchi – Kamsky
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Be2 b6 8.0–0 Bb7 9.f3 Nbd7 10.Be3 Be7 11.Rc1 0–0 12.a3 Rc8 13.b4 Qc7 14.Qd2 Qb8 15.Rfd1 Bd8 16.Kh1 Re8 17.Bg1 Bc7 18.Rb1
18...h5!
The beginning of a glorious way.
19.Qe1!
Here and further Ian prevents from the opponent's plan.
19...Bd8
As usual, one should always calculate Black's breaks in the center. And almost everywhere they don't work out. For example, here harsh actions lead to the troubles: 19...d5 20.exd5 exd5 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.cxd5 Nf6 23.Nc6 Bxc6 24.dxc6 b5 25.a4! Bb6 26.axb5 axb5 27.Rbc1 Bxg1 28.Kxg1 Re6 29.Qd2 Qb6+ 30.Kf1 Rexc6 31.Rxc6 Qxc6 32.h4!±.
20.Bf2! Bc7 21.Qg1
The pawn h2 should be defended too.
21...Bd8
After 21...Ne5 strong is 22.c5.
22.Na4 Qa8
Even a genius wouldn't calculate the variant 22...Ne5 23.c5! (23.Rdc1 Nfd7!) 23...b5 24.Nc3 Nfd7! 25.a4! dxc5 26.bxc5 b4! to the end. But not a word about genius! Even my computer in a slow analysis couldn't find decisive moves.
23.Rbc1
Pawn's sacrifice looked interesting: 23.Bg3!? d5 24.exd5 exd5 25.c5! bxc5 26.bxc5 Nxc5 27.Nxc5 Rxc5 28.Bd3 – here Black's pieces are very passive, threats the invasion Nd4-f5-d6.
I don't remember having analyzed this idea in my book. I'll place a mark for the future...
23...Qb8
Both chess experts and fans surely know that after the break 23...d5 in this situation always strong is so called Karpov's grip: 24.exd5 exd5 25.c5!. Exactly so the young champion won one of the games 30 years ago.
24.Rb1!
White rook looks for black queen, what will matter in complications.
24...Qa8 25.Rdc1
And here relevant was 25.Bg3!
25...Ne5
26.c5
White's break strikes upon objection, which was prepared well enough too.
Here a computer insists on 26.Nb3, but I don't see any real problems for Black after 26...Nxc4! 27.Nxb6 (27.Bxc4 b5 28.Nb2 bxc4 29.Nxc4 Bc7!) 27...Nxb6 (but not 27...Bxb6 28.Bxb6 Nxa3 29.Ra1 Nc2 30.Ra4, and Black's knight is in trouble) 28.Bxb6 Bc6 shifting the bishop on b5.
26...b5!
Of course, there is no point in opening the lines for rooks.
27.Nb6!
The only move here. In the variation 27.Nc3 dxc5 28.bxc5 Nfd7 29.Nb3 Be7 30.Na2 Rc7 both sides paid all attention to the pawn c5. With nearly equal chances.
27...Bxb6 28.cxb6
The pawn b6 is very dangerous. Black needs the counter play.
28...d5! 29.Bg3
We have the important choice before.
29...Ng6!?
Kamsky opts for the way of samurai. According to Ljubojevic, he insists on the h5 pawn's advance, but at the same time loosens the control over the queen side. More cautious player would choose 29...Nc4, which is not bad too.
30.a4!
It's time to hurry.
30...h4?
Up to a point it is a logical solution, but in exact variants White's threats happen to be more dangerous.
Black should accepted a battle on the queen side and didn't forget about other parts of a battle. In the analysis I managed to find extraordinary deeps: 30...bxa4! 31.b5! e5! 32.bxa6 (или 32.Nf5 axb5 33.Nd6 Rxc1 34.Rxc1 dxe4) 32...Bxa6 33.Nb5 Rxc1 34.Rxc1 Qb8 35.Nc7 (not better is 35.exd5 h4 36.Bf2 Nf4 37.Bc4 h3!) 35...Bxe2 36.Nxe8 Nxe8 37.Qe1 Bc4 (let me put aside simplifying 37...Bxf3!? 38.gxf3 Qxb6 39.exd5) 38.Qa5 Nd6 39.exd5 h4 40.Bf2 h3! 41.Rxc4 (or 41.Qa7 hxg2+ 42.Kg1 Qc8!) 41...hxg2+ 42.Kg1 Nxc4 43.Qa7 Qc8 44.b7 Qf5 45.b8Q+ Kh7.
Thus, White followed his ideas to the logical end, having promoted the pawn. But how to avoid the threat Qf5-d3-f1 - ? There is only one way to rescue: 46.Qxa4 Qd3 47.Qxc4 (to the mate leads 47.Qa1? Nd2! 48.Kxg2 Nf4+ 49.Kg1 Nh3+ 50.Kg2 Qxf3#) 47...Qxc4 48.Qb1 Qxd5 49.Qf5 с with some chances to escape.
Of course, I gave only one line of uncountable quantity, which could be possible after 30...bxa4!. But you must admit that it's imposing.
31.Bc7! e5!
After 31...dxe4 White completely seized the initiative by means of 32.axb5 exf3 (32...h3 33.bxa6) 33.Bxf3 Bxf3 34.gxf3 axb5 35.Ra1 Qd5 36.Rc5 Qd7 37.Ra7 etc.
32.axb5!
It starts a mutual pieces liquidation.
32...exd4 33.bxa6 dxe4! 34.axb7 Qxb7 35.Qxd4!
The exact solution again. To the immense complications led 35.fxe4 h3! 36.Qxd4 Nh4, and Black had chances to catch fish in turbid water: 37.Qf2 hxg2+ 38.Kg1 Rxe4 39.Bb5 Re1+! 40.Rxe1 Nf3+ 41.Kxg2 Nxe1+ 42.Kf1 Ng4! 43.Qxe1 Qh1+ 44.Ke2 Qg2+ 45.Kd3 Qd5+ 46.Kc2 Qxb5 etc.
35...h3!
Yes! The pawn came to h3. Ljubomir's idea of white king's activation is implemented. But in this very position White finally is one step ahead.
36.Kg1?!
Missing the good chances. The bishop should be moved on c6 immediately. Here is an illustration: 36.Bb5! hxg2+ 37.Kxg2 exf3+ 38.Kg1 Re4 (или 38...Re6 39.Ra1 Re4 40.Bc6 Qxc6 41.Rxc6 Rxd4 42.b7 Re8 43.Rxf6! gxf6 44.Ra8 Rde4 45.b5+-) 39.Bc6 Qxc6 40.Rxc6 Rxd4 41.b7 Re8 42.b8Q Rxb8 43.Bxb8 Ne4 44.Rc8+! Kh7 45.Rc2 f2+ 46.Kf1 Nd2+ 47.Rxd2 Rxd2 48.b5 Rd7 49.b6 Rb7 50.Bd6, and then begins the white king's hike – with the prospects of success.
36...hxg2?
Time pressure corrects the game. Opponents can not calculate the variants exact by now. Playing 36...Nd5! 37.fxe4 Nxc7 38.Rxc7 Rxc7 39.bxc7 Nf4! 40.Bf3 Qxc7 Black got a weighty counterplay, which was enough for equation.
37.Ra1! Ra8
Of course not 37...exf3 38.Ba6!
38.Rxa8 Qxa8
38...Rxa8 39.fxe4 also is bad.
39.Ra1 Qc8 40.fxe4 Nxe4 41.Bf3 Qf5 42.Bxg2 Nh4 43.b7 Qg6
The high point of a battle. White is ready to eat up the rook on b8, he needs only to resist the last Black's pounce. And here Ian made a mistake.
44.Qxe4?
Unfailingly won 44.Bg3! Nxg3 45.hxg3 Qxg3 46.Qf2 Qe5 47.Ra5! (it is the most accurate, and after 47.Ra8 Nxg2 48.Rxe8+ Qxe8 49.Qb6! Qe1+ the king's spring on d8 should be taken into account – 50.Kxg2 etc.) 47...Qe7 (47...Qc7 48.Qxh4) 48.Qg3+-.
44...Rxe4 45.b8Q+ Kh7 46.Bg3 Nxg2 47.Kxg2 Re2+ 48.Kg1 Qe4
White can defend the king only by losing the most important pawn b4.
49.Qa8 Qxb4 50.Qd5 Qe4! 51.Qxe4+ Rxe4
And there is an endgame, in which White's extra-piece doesn't hand a victory. After 40 moves the epochal Battle of the Nations however ended in a friendly way.
52.Kf2 Re6 53.Ra4 g5 54.Rd4 Kg6 55.Kf3 Rf6+ 56.Ke4 Rf1 57.Rd6+ Kh5 58.Ke3 f5 59.Ke2 Ra1 60.Kf3 Ra3+ 61.Kg2 f4 62.Bf2 g4 63.Rd2 Kg6 64.Bb6 Rc3 65.Ba5 Rc5 66.Ra2 Kf5 67.Bd2 Rc4 68.Rb2 Ke4 69.Be1 Ra4 70.Bb4 Ke5 71.Bc3+ Ke4 72.Rb5 Rc4 73.Rb3 Kf5 74.Kf1 Ke4 75.Bd2 Rd4 76.Ba5 Rd3 77.Rb2 Kf3 78.Rf2+ Ke4 79.Kg2 g3 80.hxg3 Rxg3+ 81.Kh2 Rg8 82.Bc7 f3 83.Rf1 Rh8+ 84.Kg3 Rg8+ 85.Kh4 Rh8+ 86.Kg5 Rg8+ 87.Kh5 Rh8+ 88.Kg6 Rg8+ 89.Kf7 Rg2 90.Bb6 Rb2 91.Bg1 Rg2 92.Kf6 Rxg1! 93.Rxg1 f2 94.Rf1 Kf3 95.Rxf2+ Draw.
You may say that Kamsky had a great luck in this game. And I'll answer that the Hedghog favours the brave! And supports them for their fidelity.
Such complicated and hard were the battles on the other boards in this match, they all ended with a draw. And only on the last board the opponents weren't equally strong.
Murtazin - Potkin
Black has a strong pressure for the exchange. In addition to the threats on White's king he has two passed pawns on the flank. However White could oppose. In this regard he should gather all pieces in one troop playing 34.Rf1! Qd3 35.Qe3 Qb5 36.Rae1! Rd8 37.Qg3 etc.
But then followed
34.d5? Nd4!
And White resigned because of 35.Qxd4 Re2 with inevitable mate.
One could hardly be surprised at Lada's win against Yamal. Bukavshin and Yakovich very confidently beat their not so prominent opponents.
A special aspect, beautifying the whole round, was a game of the only girl in men's event. And I have already warned you that Sasha Goryachkina would find her feet and understand: the opponents are not so strong. And it happened! In the game with experienced grandmaster the young chess player from Salekhard won very confident, having demonstrated the technique on the Rubinstein's level - I am very serious about it.
Judge for yourself.
Goryachkina - Frolyanov
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.Qa4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Nd5 8.Bxb4 Ndxb4 9.0–0 Rb8 10.Nc3 a6 11.Ne5 0–0 12.Nxc6 Nxc6 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Qxc4 Qd6 15.b3 Rb4 16.Ne4 Qxd4 17.Qxd4 Rxd4 18.f3 Rfd8 19.Rfc1 Bb7 20.Kf2 f6 21.Rc3 e5 22.Ke1 Kf7 23.Rb1 Ke7 (23...a5!?) 24.b4 Rb8 25.a3 Ba8 26.Rbc1 Rd5 (26...a5! 27.bxa5 Ra4) 27.Nc5 Rb6 28.Nb3 Rd7
At the end of the opening Black was too effortless (he had an opportunity to interrupt White's ideal arrangement on the queen side) and as a result, he was pressed. Understanding that it is hard to win on the narrow section of a battle, Sasha opens the second front.
29.f4! exf4 30.gxf4 Kf7 31.e3
The principle "Don't hurry!" at work.
31...Bb7 32.Nd4 Rd5 33.Rc5!
The pawn c6 is not ripen enough.
33...Rxc5 34.Rxc5 Ke7 35.h4!
Rook pawn's movement leads to forming of a new weakness for Black.
35...g6?!
I think, the pawn's structure could not be determined yet: 35...Bc8!. For example, after 36.h5 Be6 37.h6 appeared one more opportunity 37...gxh6!?
36.h5 Bc8
Now the capture 36...gxh5 appeared in the worse way. Still it was noteworthy: 37.Rxh5 c5! 38.Rxh7+ Kd6 39.bxc5+ Kxc5 40.Rxc7+ Kd6 41.Rf7 Kc5 42.Kd2 Bd5 with the chances to escape.
37.h6!
It was played in an expert manner. A white pawn became the prospective passed pawn. And very dangerous.
37...Bd7
Didn't help also 37...Bf5 because of 38.Nxf5+ gxf5 39.Kd2 Kf7 40.Kc3 Kg6 41.a4!, and White eats up a lot of black pawns, creating the passed one. Black's counterplay is being late: 41...Kxh6 42.a5 Rb8 43.Rxc6 Kg6 (43...Ra8 44.Rxf6+ Kh5 45.Rxf5+ Kg4 46.Rc5 h5 47.Rg5+!) 44.Rxa6 h5 45.Rc6 h4 46.Rxc7 h3 47.Kb3+-.
38.Kf2 Kd6 39.e4 Rb8
Dmitry got tired of waiting the death and decided to speed things up. The passive defense could hardly help. Besides the break e4-e5 with the following knight's relocation to g5 White also can shift the king on c3 with the idea of a3-a4-a5.
40.e5+ fxe5 41.fxe5+ Ke7 42.Nxc6+
It's time now!
42...Bxc6 43.Rxc6 Kd7 44.Rxa6 Re8
More persistent is 44...Rb5!. And nothing came from 45.Rf6 Ke7.
At the same time winning was 45.Ra8!, e.g., 45...Rxe5 46.Rh8 Re7 47.Rg8! Ke6 48.Rg7 Kf6 49.b5! Re5 50.a4 Re4 51.Rxh7 Rxa4 52.Rxc7 Rh4 53.h7 and the pawn b5 goes forward.
45.Rf6 Rxe5
Or 45...Ke7 46.b5 Ra8 47.Ra6 Rf8+ 48.Ke3 Rf5 49.Kd4 Rh5 50.Ra7 Kd8 51.b6 cxb6 52.Rxh7+-.
46.Rf7+ Kc6 (46...Re7 47.Rg7!) 47.Rxh7 Rh5 48.Kg3 Kb5 49.Rh8 Kb6 50.Kg4 Kb7 51.a4 c6
It seemed, Black has built an unbreachable fortress. But Sasha dispels an illusion.
52.h7! Ka7 53.b5 cxb5
Of course, didn't work 53...c5 54.a5 c4 because of 55.b6+ Kb7 56.a6+! Kxa6 57.Ra8+ with White's win.
54.axb5 Kb7 55.b6!
It is a decisive zugzwang. The black rook has to leave its plaсe. Moreover, this is a double zugzwang! By White's move the position would be drawish.
55...Rh2 56.Kg5 Rh1 57.Kf6!
Of course, not 57.Kxg6? Rg1+ 58.Kf6 Rh1 with a simple draw. In the game White's king hides from checks behind the black pawn.
57...g5 58.Kg7 g4 59.Rg8! Black resigned.
A flawless victory! Such endgame canvas would be a great honour to every top player.
Well done, Sasha! The men have to learn from such games.
Other women in Sochi play in their special event. It's 5th round became quite ordinary. The main adventure was the battle between Ugra and St.Petersburg.
Zhenya Ovod drew attention to herself again, having defeated the finalist of Women's World Championship.
Pogonina - Ovod
White has initiative. Her most important asset is a bad knight on a6. It should be restrained. But Natasha decided to spend some time on the king side, having miscalculated.
27.Re1?
Even visually, the move looks strange. The rooks moves aside from the good horizontal.
Strong looks 27.Bc2! with the idea Bc2-a4. Then didn't work 27...Bxg2? because of 28.f3 Bxh3 29.Kh2! (29.Qxa6? Rxd4 30.Bxd4 Qxf3–+) 29...Bf5 30.Bxf5 Qd8! (30...exf5 31.e6!; 30...gxf5 31.Rg1+ Kh7 32.Qg2+-) 31.Bh3 Rxd4 32.Bxd4 Qxd4 33.Rc8! with the notable White's initiative.
Correct is 27...Qd8! 28.Be4 Bxe4 29.Qxe4 Nc7 30.g3, following which White's knight went on c6, and Black's – on d5. It seems that White maintained a slight advantage.
And in the game everything was messed up:
27...Nc7! 28.Qg4
The intention to make a strike at g6 turned out to be impossible.
28...h5! 29.Qg3 Qd8!
Black leads the pieces to the center, occasionally creating counterthreats.
30.Nf3?!
Noteworthy was 30.Bc2! with the following trap: 30...Rxd4? 31.Bxd4 Qxd4 32.Rd1 Qb2, and here White's idea worked well – 33.Bxg6!
But a lot stronger is 30...Bh6! 31.Nf3 (or 31.Qd3 h4!) 31...Nd5, and then minor pieces use the square f4 as attack base.
30...Rd1!
Here White can not hold all his separated pieces.
31.Bc2
Or 31.Bc3 Rxe1+ 32.Nxe1 Nb5 33.a4 Nxc3 34.Qxc3 Qh4–+.
31...Bxf3 32.Bxd1 Bxd1
And soon Black's material advantage came into play.
33.Bc1 Ba4 34.Bg5 Qd7 35.Rc1 Nd5 36.Bf6 Kh7 37.Bg5 Bg7 38.f4 Bf8 39.Kh2 a5 40.bxa5 bxa5 41.Qf3 Qb7 42.Rc3 Bd1 43.Qe4 a4 44.Bf6 Qa6 45.Rc1 Bb3 46.g4 Bxa3 47.Ra1 Bb2 48.Rb1 a3 49.gxh5 Qc4 50.hxg6+ fxg6 51.Qg2 Qxf4+ 52.Kg1 Bd4+ 53.Kh1 a2 White resigned.
This success allowed Petersburgers drawing the match (Mkrtchian defeated Belenkaya). The result turned out in favour of Moscow teams. Eminent SHSM without scoring a point defeated the team from Grozny, and Boavista (unexpected Portuguese name!) tackled with University 3-1.
Before the last two rounds the big number of leading teams is impressing. Four teams are competing for gold medals in fact.
The intrigue is great!
