19.8.15

Khismatullin Does not Stand Still

Last year Denis Khismatullin won bronze medal at the Russian championship, but the start of the current Super Final was not good for him. However, thanks to his consistent fighting mood he was capable of moving close to the equator of the tournament table after the following win:
A game that I liked (ChessBase 13)

[Event "Russian Championship Superfinal"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.08.17"]
[Round "8.6"]
[White "Motylev, Alexander"]
[Black "Khismatullin, Denis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2658"]
[BlackElo "2642"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:31:12"]
[BlackClock "0:32:34"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 Nbd7 {Diagram [#]
"Alexander is a famous specialist when playing against Najdorf, but today I
got lucky and managed to use my round one preparation for Sergey Karjakin."
Khismatullin.} 7. Bc4 h6 8. Bh4 g6 {[%cal Gf8g7] Diagram [#] "A relatively
fresh idea that has been seen in correspondence games, but not in top-level
over-the-board."Khismatullin} ({Instead} 8... Ne5 9. Bb3 g5 10. Bg3 e6 11. h4
Rg8 12. hxg5 hxg5 13. Nf3 {was the course of Shirov,A (2732)-Ibrahimov,R (2543)
Villarrobledo 2009}) 9. Qe2 Bg7 10. O-O-O ({It is important that} 10. Bxf7+ {
does not work due to} Kxf7 11. Qc4+ d5 {(Khismatullin).}) 10... O-O 11. f4 Qc7
{Stops e4-e5 and prepares e7-e5.} 12. f5 $146 {Diagram [#] "Controversial
decision, but since this was the first choice of the computer I was prepared
against it." Khismatullin} ({All predecessors continued} 12. Nf3 {one example
goes} Nb6 13. Bb3 Bg4 14. h3 Bxf3 15. Qxf3 Nbd7 16. g4 {with sharp play in
Lampert,J (2454)-Cebalo,M (2379) Bad Woerishofen 2015}) 12... g5 {It seems as
this pawn will be a good hook for the White's attack but in reality it is
Black's play which is easier.} 13. Bg3 b5 14. Bb3 Bb7 15. h4 g4 {[%csl Yg4,Gg8]
[%cal Rh1h4,Rf1f5] Diagram [#] The point behind Black's play. This is typical
Dragon idea. Black may even sacrifice this pawn later in case of a need. The
most important thing though is to keep the files locked.} 16. h5 {Khismatullin
did not like this move neither and suggested some central play instead with
either} (16. Rhe1) ({Or prophylaxis} 16. Kb1) 16... Nc5 17. e5 {Practically
forced. After} (17. Bd5 $6 b4 $1 {Black's attack is too strong} 18. Bxb7 bxc3
19. Bxa8 cxb2+) ({Perhaps} 17. Nd5 {was better, although it would allow the
move} Nxb3+ 18. axb3 Bxd5 19. exd5 {The position is very complex, and I
suspect this was White's best bet. In the line} Nxd5 (19... Rac8 $5) {White
should go for the tricky} 20. Ne6 Qa5 21. Rxd5 Qa1+ 22. Kd2 Qxh1 {Diagram [#]}
23. Nxg7 $1 Kxg7 24. f6+ $1 exf6 (24... Kxf6 $2 25. Be5+ $3 {might end badly
for Black.}) 25. Qxg4+ Kh7 26. Qf5+ Kg7 27. Qg4+ {with perpetual.}) 17... dxe5
18. Bxe5 Qb6 {The queen prepares the queenside attack and keeps an eye on the
other wing.} 19. Rh4 {Motylev decided to sacrifice the exchange in order to
reach the black king.} ({Parting with the dark-squared bishop cannot be good
for White} 19. Bxf6 Qxf6 (19... Bxf6 {is also good} 20. Qxg4+ Kh8 ({The move}
20... Kh7 {is possible as well as the trick} 21. Bxf7 $2 {fails to the
in-between check} Bg5+)) 20. Qxg4 Rfd8 {Black controls the board.}) ({Black
also has very clear play after} 19. Rhe1 Rad8) 19... Kh7 20. Rxg4 {The point.
White's attack evaporates after} (20. Bxf6 Bxf6 21. Rxg4 b4 (21... Rad8 $5) 22.
Na4 Nxa4 23. Bxa4 Rad8 {[%csl Gb7,Gf6][%cal Gb7h1,Gf6a1] Diagram [#] with
clear edge for Black thanks to his awesome bishops.}) 20... Nxg4 21. Bxg7 Kxg7
({A bit more precise was} 21... Nxb3+ {as if White recaptures with the knight}
22. Nxb3 {Black can trade queens} (22. axb3 Rg8 $1 {repels the attack and
will leave Black winning after} 23. f6 Nxf6 24. Bxh6 Kxh6 25. Qxe7 Rae8 26.
Qxf7 Bc8) 22... Qe3+ 23. Qxe3 Nxe3 {with winning endgame for Black.}) 22. Qxg4+
Kh8 23. Qe2 (23. Qf4 Qf6 {will create the threat e7-e5 and White will have no
time to consolidate (Khismatullin).}) 23... Nxb3+ 24. Nxb3 Qf6 25. Na5 ({White
cannot afford to grab pawns} 25. Rd7 Bc6 26. Rxe7 {as then Black can swap off
rooks with} Rfe8 27. Rxe8+ Rxe8 28. Qf2 Re5 29. g4 Qg5+ $19 {Diagram [#]
Almost all endgames are easily won for the second player.}) 25... Qg5+ ({One
more precision was mentioned by Khismatullin} 25... b4 $1 {depriving the
knight of the d1 square} 26. Na4 Qg5+ 27. Rd2 Bd5 $1 {which would have
transposed to the game.}) 26. Rd2 b4 27. Na4 (27. Nd1 {was White's last chance
to try and cement the position by transferring the knight from a5 to e3,
although Black should be close to winning here as well.}) 27... Bd5 $1 {[%csl
Ya4,Ya5] Diagram [#] Now the white knights are horrible.} 28. c4 ({The bishop
is untouchable due to the pin} 28. Qe5+ f6 29. Qxd5 Rad8) 28... bxc3 29. Nxc3
Rac8 {Once that the rooks occupy the open files game would be over.} 30. Kd1
Rfd8 31. Ke1 {Once again the bishop is untouchable} (31. Rxd5 Rxd5+ 32. Nxd5
Rc1#) (31. Nxd5 Rxd5 32. Nb3 Qxf5 $19) 31... Qh4+ 32. Qf2 Qh1+ 33. Qf1 Qxf1+ {
Well calculated by Black. The endgame is won by force.} 34. Kxf1 Bxa2 $1 {
Diagram [#] Wins the pawn back. The rest was easy for Khismatullin.} 35. Rxd8+
Rxd8 36. Nc6 (36. Nxa2 Rd1+ 37. Ke2 Ra1) 36... Bc4+ 37. Ke1 Rd3 38. Kf2 Rd2+
39. Ke3 Rxb2 40. Ne5 Bb3 0-1



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1 comment:

pedro said...

Dear Dejan, it seems that there's something wrong with the two last posts. The game viewer doesn't appear, just text.