December, 11, 2001 The 3d game of the match turned out to be short-lived once more and finished with a draw. It's difficult to explain why Vassily refuses from a principal 6.Bd3. As a result after 10...e5, which was met earlier Black has not any problem after the opening. There more, White needs to play accuracy. After a short battle and numerous trades the rivals passed to the endgame, where didn't want to tempt fate and agrred for a draw on the 27th move. Very spectacularly and tensely pass the games of another semifinal match - between P.Svidler and R.Ponomariov . And this game also was not an exclusion. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5 Nd7 6.Nxd7 Bxd7 7.0-0 Bd6 8.c4 c6 In reply to once more selected by R.Ponomariov the Russian game Petr has chosen a direction of game connected with 3.d4. In an actual position White selected 10.NЯ3, as perhaps 10.Qh5 "has a dry mouth". 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Nc3 What else could be recommended at this moment? On 10.Nd2 there is a simple 10...0-0. In case of 10.QЕ2 possible was a standard pawn's sacrifice 10...0-0. It means that the corridor of the struggle for an advantage is narrow. 10...Nxc3 11.bxc3 0-0 12.Qh5 f5 13.Re1 More energetic was 13.Qf3, attacking d5-pawn at once and preparing the dark-squared Bishops trading. Although in this case the practice also showed that Black keeps the position without special troubles. 13...Qc7 14.Bd2 Rae8 15.Bc2 Taking into account the followed Black's reaction it is possible to reccomend 15.g3 15... g6 16.Qf3 Re4! Since this moment White "transferred" in a defensive side and it seems he was not ready to this psychologically and failed to re-form to the defence. As a result one produces an impression that Black has simply "crushed" White. 17.g3 Was possible also h3. 17...Bb5 This brave (a prophylactic against 17.Bb3, on which follows BЯ4), pushing and at bottom risky move allowed young chess player to "win over" the rope. 18.Bf4? After 18.Bh6 Rf7 19.Rb1 (possible also to take on e4 - nothing decisive one can see still) White can speak as equal in the strugle for an advantage. 18...Bxf4 19.gxf4 Qd6 Maybe just this move slipped out from White's field of vision? After this Black manages to persuade the scale in his favour. 20.Bxe4 fxe4 21.Qg3 Rxf4 22.Rab1 Bd7 23.f3 Perhaps the last moment when it was an alternative to pass to a passive defence by way of 23.h3 followed by Re3. The further course of the game perceives as an avalanche crumbled on White. It's difficult to find something for White and if to add all the sum of previous exhausted duels White's things are completely bad. Black managed to lead his advantage to a victory without any visible efforts. P.Svidler's chance to recoup oneself is a very hard task. 23...b6 24.Re3 Qf6 25.Rf1 Bg4! etc. 0-1 |
