Wijk-aan-Zee, 2005,
6th round

Annotates GM Valery Popov

Kramnik - Svidler 1-0
Anand - Ponomariov 1/2
van Wely - Leko 1/2
Adams - Sokolov 1/2
Short - Topalov 0-1
Grischuk - Polgar 1/2
Morozevich - Bruson 0-1
Anand - Ponomariov [B90]
Najdorf with Anand?! seems not the best choice, in my opinion...
6... Qb6 Now almost nobody plays so... [6...e5; 6...e6]
8.Bf4!?N It's a surprise but this is a novelty! (The usual continuations are 8.Qe2 or 8.g4). White aims at the d6-pawn and could go with the Queen on d2.
8...Nbd7 For the variation with 8.Qe2 more ttypical is to put the knight on c6 in order to save the d7-square for the retreat of the other knight... after 9.g4! Be7 10.Qe2 x f3 [10.Qd2 Ne5] 10...h6 Black keeps the station for the f6-knight, spending in vain the time and weakening the pawn structure on the kingside.
13.a3 Now already White protects his knight.
15.g5 White caught the opponent first
15...Nh5 When the pure knight will enter in the game?...
17.Rd3! Why the knight came to a4? :)
19... e5 The knight will enter in the game! But the d5-square...
20.Qf2 After 20...Bc6 [20...Nf4 21.Bxf4 exf4 22.Qd4 0-0 23.gxh6] 21.gxh6 Black's position looked very suspicious, and now White also has an extra-pawn!
22.f4!! White opens the files - the Black King is in danger!
22...Nf6 [22...Nxf4 23.Bxf4 exf4 24.Qxf4+]
24.Rf1 [24.Nc5!??]
25.Nc5 A move later but still very strong.
29.Rdf3 One can certify a full crash of Black's defence. White needs only a minimum of accuracy.
37.b4 Black could resign - firther doesn't present any interes.
Kramnik - Svidler [B41]
1.e4 Kramnik is a persistent person in the "assimilation" of this move. :)
4... a6 the Sicilian? 5.c4 No! Kramnik brilliantly knows the English debut! [5.Bd3 Bc5]
8.a3 the game goes away from the theoretical ways with seven-league strides ...
10.0-0 White has two Bishops, an advantage in the center. Black's hope are the weakened c-pawns
12.Qxd3 There are no more two Bishops but White is ready to attack by way of e5!, thus
12...e5 13.fxe5!! An unexpected piece sacrifice: d4-knight will not be able to go away after 13...dxe5 14.Bg5! h6 15.Bh4 exd4 [15...Qb6 16.Rab1 Qa7 17.Rxf6 gxf6 18.Bxf6]
16... dxc3 it's interesting 16...g5 17.exf6 gxh4
20.Rac1 Arose an endgame with the different colored bishops, Black's King still had not find a safe refuge
21... Kd7?? Svidler lose in one move! [21...Be6 22.Rxc3 Rc8 23.Rd3+ Ke8 with a full compensation for White, but about a victory it's quite unclear...]
24.Rd1+ I don't understand what Peter blundered...
van_Wely - Leko [E32]
1.d4 van Wely had a goel - not to lose! And still manage with this problem...
6... b6 a very firm Nimco.
20.Bb5 Perhaps only this is a novelty. But to whom this is necessary... Leko this endgame never will lose!
Adams - Sokolov [C91]
9.d4 This move already surpassed the other possibility 9.h3
18.Qb1 A novelty but in such positions of Ruy Lopez this maneuver undoubtedly has been met.
19... d5 White should be ready to open the game by no means no worse than Black. The latter even has no a window! :)
22.dxc5 In any endgame the b5-pawn will be a slightly weaker than b3pawn. And as for the rest...:)
27.f4 [27.Nf3!?]
27...Qc6! 28.Bxg6 A tacit agreement with a draw [In the line 28.f5? Bh5? 29.g4 Nxe5 30.Bxe5 Rxe5 White has no any piece which defence the King.]
Grischuk - J.Polgar [E05]
10... h6 Judit refuse the suggestion "to dance" [10...Be4 11.Qc1 Bb7]
11.a3 [11.Rc1 Bd6 Iskusnyh-Short, 2004]
14.Qe3 It seems the "lambada" of the Queen and Bishop ended to White's profit. To enter a7-Rook in the fight and to get rid of c7-weakness will be not simple for Black...
18.Qd3 Everything as always: White prevents Black to carry out c7-c5, meanwhile e2-e4 is already his own resource.
19.Rac1 It's time to admit that Grischuk has a stable positional advantage.
25... c5 Otherwise Black will not have enough space.
28... Qd7 Nevertheless Black can't return the material - things are bad for Judit!
29.Rd5?! Why not 29.Qc3! Bxc5+ 30.Qxc5 Ra8 31.e5! Here Black has much more chances to win than in the game
32.Ne4 b4? It's difficult to understand this move, the Black bishop is out of play and b4-pawn is also is not long for this world now [32...f5!?]
33.d6 The pawn should pass
36.Bb6! It's impossible 36.Bc7? b3! 37.d7 Be7 38.Nd5 Bd8 39.Bxd8 b2! 40.Ndc3 Rxd7 41.Ba5 Ra7 42.Bb4 Ra4-+]
37.Bc5 Not last forever Grischuk plays very correct [37.Ng4 b3 (37...Kf8 38.Ne5) 38.Ngf6+ gxf6 39.Nxf6+ Kg7 40.Nxd7 b2 (40...Bxd6 41.Bd4+ Kg6 42.Ne5+ Kf5 43.Bb2+-) 41.Bd4+ Kg8?]
39.Bb4? A simpleе 39.Nef6+! gxf6 40.Nxf6+ Kg7 41.Nxd7 f6T (41...b2 42.Bd4+ Kg8 43.Nf6+ Kf8 44.d7+-) 42.Nxf6 b2 43.d7 b1Q 44.d8Q Be3+ 45.Kg2+- led to a clear winning. к
44.Ke3 But here there is nowhere to win...
Morozevich - Bruzon [C42]
15... Qd7 When Black chose the opening - Russian game, he determined the disposition of the fight: Bruson will play very accuracy. No matter that Morozevich has only half a point, today he certainly will try to obtain twice as many!:) 16.Nd2 Morozevich don't follow the fashion - 16.Ra2, Morozevich makes the fashion!
16...Ne7 It's difficult to understand why just so...
25.Nd6 Black tries to provide an undermining on c5, White prevents!
27... Bf8 How accuracy is the Cuban. But Morozevich still hasn't blundered out - he is OK.
32.h3 White can creat a passing pawn on d-file. How he can find something else?
36.Bf2 f5?! Why to open the King? Bruson even doesn't try to get any counter-play on the queenside.
41.Re1 White has got some chances to win. More active placement of pieces, the Queens still on the board...
41...Qd5 Maybe too early Black gives away the 7th rank? Maybe the Cuban simply got tires...
42... Rf8! It's possible already to take the a7-pawn... [42...Qd7 43.Bh4! Qxe7 44.Rxe7+]
44.Qxb6 [44.Re7!? Bf6 45.Rxh7 Qxc3 46.Kh2 Qe3!!]
46... Rf7 A strange decision, let say.
47.Re8+ White again has a strong initiative.
A recurrent Morozevich's tragedy - in a better endgame he lost in a couple of moves:
56.Qh4??
Short - Topalov [B33]
13.g3 A reliable in looks system of the Cheliabinsk variation.
13...Ne7 Only several games are played with this move: it's strange... [13...Be6 14.h4 Bh6 15.Bh3 Short-Inarkiev, 2004]
16... a5 Black has not any problem.
18.Nce3 [18.Kg2 b4! 19.cxb4 Nxd5 20.exd5 Qc7?]
20.g4?! Short forget himself in playing. Why not 20.Kg2
24... Rxd5 Black has an obvious advantage in heavypieces endgame.
28... f6 In the Rooks ending White will not be sweetly!
41.Ra7+ The time control is overed. Arose a calculating Rooks endgame. If Black wins Veselin will find everything...
41...Ke6! 42.Rxg7 Rh2+ 43.Kg3 Rxh5 The pair of black pawns will come to the finish obviously faster.
47... h5 And here is the end...