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Gelfand,B (2739) - Adams,Mi (2727) [D37]
Alekhine Mem Paris/St Petersburg FRA/RUS (3), 23.04.2013

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bf4 dxc4 6.e3 Nd5 7.Bxc4 Nxf4 8.exf4

This pawn structure was tried by Alekhine against Rubinstein. "I think white should be better here." - Gelfand.

8...Nb6 9.Bb3 Bd6 10.g3 Bd7

11.0-0

[11.Qd3 "Here I think I made a big mistake I think I have to start with 11.Qd3." - Gelfand. 11...Bc6 12.0-0-0!? "I think it's serious advantage for white, it's more ambitious at least." - Gelfand.]

11...0-0 12.Qd3 Bc6 13.Rad1

[13.Rfe1 1-0 Pinter,J (2556)-Moor,O (2381)/Zurich SUI 2000 (41)]

13...Qf6

[13...Bxf3!? "Here's it's nothing special." - Gelfand. 14.Qxf3 c6 15.f5 exf5 16.Qxf5 Slightly better for white but nothing special. - Gelfand.]

14.Ng5

14...g6

[14...Qf5!? 15.Qe2 (15.Qxf5 exf5 16.Rfe1 g6) 15...Qa5 16.Bc2 h6 17.Nf3 Rad8]

15.Nge4

"Here is a critical moment." - Gelfand.

[15.Rfe1 Nd5 16.Nxd5 exd5 (16...Bxd5 17.Bxd5 exd5 18.Qb5 c6 (18...Qf5!? 19.Qxb7 (19.Rd3 c6 20.Qb3) 19...Rab8 20.Qc6 Rxb2) 19.Qxb7 Bxf4! with equality.) ]

15...Qf5

[15...Bxe4 According to Gelfand but it doesn't seem clear. 16.Nxe4 Qe7 17.d5 e5 18.f5 a5]

16.d5 exd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxd5 Bxd5 19.Qxd5 Qxd5 20.Rxd5 Rfd8

Gelfand thinks this position is now unpleasant for black. He is never going to take on d6.

21.Rc1

Keeping the pressure.

[21.Nxd6 cxd6 22.Rfd1 Rac8 And it's a draw according to Gelfand.]

21...Rac8 22.Rc3

Gelfand had many possibilities but thought he found the correct one.

22...Be7

[22...Kg7 Allows white a dangerous attack. 23.f5 gxf5 24.Rxf5 Be7 25.Rcf3 Rf8 (25...Rd1+ 26.Kg2 Rf8 27.Ng5 Rd7) 26.Ng5 Bxg5 27.Rxg5+ Kh8 28.Rd5 is already very nasty.]

23.Rxd8+ Bxd8 24.f5

Another critical moment where white has many possibilities.

24...Kg7?!

Black is already lacking choices and misses a combination winning a pawn.

[24...c6 25.Rb3 Rb8; 24...gxf5 25.Nd6 Rb8 26.Nxf5 Grischuk had this line in commentary and thought this was close to draw but certainly practically white seems to have good chances. 26...h5 27.Rd3 Kh7 28.Ne3 Kg6 29.h4; 24...Be7 25.f6 Bf8 is also very unpleasant for black.]

25.Nd6 Rb8 26.Ne8+ Kf8 27.fxg6 hxg6 28.Nxc7 Bf6 29.Rb3 Be5

[29...Rd8 Gelfand suggestion but this seems to make things worse for black. 30.Rxb7 Rd2 31.Rxa7 Bd4 (31...Rxb2 32.Ra8+ Ke7 33.Nd5+; 31...Bxb2 32.Nb5 Bf6 33.a4) 32.Ra8+ Kg7 33.b4 Rxf2 34.Kh1]

30.Nd5 b6 31.Nb4 Rc8

After I consolidated it's a matter of time. Gelfand.

32.Nd3 Bf6 33.h4 Rc2 34.Kf1 Ke7 35.Ke1 Kd6 36.Rb4 Bg7 37.Kd1 Rc7 38.h5

"I think h5 is a good move." Gelfand who was please to make such a critical decision in time pressure rather than wait until after time control when it might not have been as strong. It's about getting f5 for the rook.

38...gxh5 39.Rb5 Rd7 40.Rxh5 Ke7 41.Ke2 Rc7 42.Rb5 Rc4 43.Kf3 Ra4 44.a3 Rd4 45.Ke3 Rc4 46.b3 Rc2 47.a4 Rc6 48.g4 Re6+ 49.Kf3 Rc6 50.Ke4 Re6+ 51.Kf3 Rc6 52.Nb4 Rc1 53.Ke4 Kd6 54.Nd3 Rg1 55.Kf5 Bc3 56.f4

According to Gelfand a technical inaccuracy.

[56.g5]]

56...f6

[56...Ke7 57.a5]

57.Nf2 Kc6 58.Ne4 a6 59.Nxc3 axb5 60.axb5+ Kd6 61.Ne4+ Ke7 62.Nxf6 Rd1 63.Kg6 Rd3 64.f5 Rd6 65.g5 Kf8 66.b4 Rd4 67.Kh6 Rh4+ 68.Nh5 Rxb4 69.g6 Rg4 70.f6 Rg1 71.Nf4 Re1 72.Nd5 Rf1 73.Kg5 Rg1+ 74.Kf5 Rf1+ 75.Ke6 Re1+ 76.Kd6 Rf1 77.Kc6 1-0

Kramnik,V (2801) - Vachier Lagrave,M (2722) [A05]
Alekhine Mem Paris/St Petersburg FRA/RUS (3), 23.04.2013

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.c4 0-0 5.0-0 Nc6 6.Nc3 e5 7.d3 d6 8.b3

[8.Nd5 Ne7 9.e4 Nd7 10.Rb1 a5 11.d4 exd4 12.Nxd4 Nc6 13.Nb5 Nce5 14.Ndxc7 Nc5 15.Nxa8 Bg4 16.f3 Be6 17.b3 Qxa8 18.Qxd6 Ncd3 19.Qb6 Qc8 20.Ba3 Rd8 21.f4 Nc6 22.e5 Ndb4 23.Rbd1 Bf8 24.Nd6 Qb8 25.Bxb4 Nxb4 26.Qxa5 1-0 Godes,D-Gamayev,O/Ramat-Gan ISR 1994]

8...Nd4N

A quiet opening that hasn't been played at a high level but the general position isn't really theoretical.

[8...h6 1-0 Vanderwaeren,S (2310)-Le Quang,K (2215)/Geraardsbergen 1992/EXT 1999 (89)]

9.Nd2 c6 10.e3 Ne6 11.Ba3 a5 12.Rc1 Nc5 13.Nf3 Re8 14.h3

[14.Nxe5 Rxe5 15.d4 Bg4 16.f3 (16.Qc2 Bf5 17.Qd1 Bg4 draws) 16...Rxe3 17.dxc5 Bf5 18.cxd6 a4]]

14...Nxd3

[14...Na6 Kramnik - "Ugly, ugly looking move but I thought it was quite playable. At least you stop d4." ]

15.Qxd3 e4 16.Qe2 exf3 17.Qxf3 a4!?

"It looks like it should be losing but..." - Kramnik

[17...Bf5!? 18.Rfd1 (18.Qd1 a4 19.Bxd6 axb3 20.axb3 h5) 18...Qc8 19.Kh2 (19.g4! Kramnik. 19...Nxg4 20.e4 Ne5 21.Qg3 Be6 22.Bxd6) 19...Ng4+ Vachier doesn't seem to quite work for equality. 20.hxg4 Bxg4 21.Qf4 Be5 22.Qh6 (22.Qg5 f6 23.Qh6 Bxc3 24.f3) ]

18.Nxa4 Ne4 19.Qd1

[19.Rfd1 Bf5 (19...Ng5 20.Qe2 Bxh3) ; 19.Qe2 Nc3 (19...b5 Kramnik couldn't find anything clear but the computer seems to think he's much better. 20.cxb5 cxb5 21.Qxb5 Ba6 22.Qc6 Bxf1 23.Bxe4 Rxe4) 20.Nxc3 Rxa3 At least I have some compensation. - Vachier. Drawing chances maybe - Kramnik.]

19...b5 20.cxb5 cxb5 21.Qd5 Ra7

[21...Bxh3 22.Bxe4 Bxf1 (22...Ra7 23.Bg2) ]

22.Bxe4

"I think this is just strong." - Kramnik. And indeed the next few moves seem to be pretty much a forcing sequence.

[22.Bb2!? Kramnik. But he doesn't think he's better. 22...Bxb2 (22...Bb7 23.Qxb5) 23.Nxb2= Bb7 24.Qxb5 Ba6 25.Qa4 Nc5]

22...bxa4

[22...Bb7 Doesn't seem to amount to anything. 23.Qxb5 Bxe4 24.Bxd6 Rb7 25.Qc5 Bf3]

23.Qxd6 axb3 24.axb3

[24.Bc6 Kramnik didn't see any need to calculate this option and it seems to be bad. 24...Qxd6 25.Bxd6 Rd8 26.Bc5 Rxa2]

24...Bxh3

[24...Bd7 25.Bc5; 24...Rxa3 Just doesn't work. 25.Qxa3 Rxe4 (25...Bxh3 26.Rfd1 Qb6) 26.Qa8 Re8 27.Rfd1]

25.Qxd8 Rxd8 26.Bc5 Rc7 27.Bg2

Looks the simplest.

[27.Bb6 Rxc1 28.Rxc1 Rb8 29.Rc6 Bd7 (29...Be5 30.Bd5) 30.Rd6 Be6 31.Ba7]

27...Bxg2 28.Kxg2 Rdc8 29.Ba3 f5

[29...h5 Was an option.]

30.Rxc7 Rxc7 31.Rb1 Kf7 32.Bb2 Bxb2?!

[32...Bf8 Kramnik definitely expected Bf8. 33.Bd4 Rb7 "Definitely not easy to win." - Kramnik. 34.Kf3 (34.f4 Ke6 35.Kf3 Kd5) ]

33.Rxb2 Rb7 34.b4 Rb5 35.f4

[35.Kf3 g5 (35...Ke6 36.g4 fxg4+ 37.Kxg4 h5+ 38.Kh4 Kf5) ]

35...g5!

Absolutely forced if black wants any play at all.

36.Kf3

[36.fxg5 Kg6 37.Kf3 Kxg5 38.Rb1 h6 39.Rb2 Kf6]

36...g4+ 37.Ke2 Ke6 38.Kd3 Kd5

39.Rb1

[39.e4+ This is the right idea which Kramnik saw but did not play. 39...fxe4+ 40.Ke3 h5 (40...Ke6 41.Kxe4 h5 42.Kd4 Kf5 43.Kc4 Rb8 44.Rh2 Ke4 45.Rxh5 Kf3 46.f5) 41.Rd2+ Ke6 42.Rd4 and white will win. This line was pointed out by Timman in commentary too. It's hard to understand why Kramnik didn't play this.]

39...h5 40.Rb2 Rb6 41.Rb1

[41.b5 This was Kramnik's intention. 41...Kc5 42.e4 Rxb5 draws. (42...fxe4+ 43.Kxe4) 43.Rxb5+ Kxb5 44.exf5 Kc6 45.f6 (45.Ke4; 45.Kd4 Kd7) ]

41...Rb5 42.Rb2 Rb6 43.e4+ fxe4+ 44.Ke3 h4!

and it is black now that gets dangerous running pawns sufficient to hold the draw.

45.gxh4 g3 46.h5 Ke6 47.h6 Kf5 48.b5 Rxh6 49.b6 g2 50.Rb5+ Kg4 51.Kf2 Kh3 52.Kg1 Rd6 53.Rb1 e3 54.b7 e2 55.Rb3+ Kg4 56.Re3 Rb6 57.Kxg2 Rxb7 58.Rxe2 Kxf4 1/2-1/2

Svidler,P (2747) - Vitiugov,N (2712) [C19]
Alekhine Mem Paris/St Petersburg FRA/RUS (3), 23.04.2013

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 cxd4 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 Qc7 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 dxc3 12.Nxc3 Nd4 13.Bb2 Bd7 14.0-0-0 Qb6 15.Qd3 Ndf5 16.Nb5 Rc8 17.g3 a6

[17...Rc4 18.Nd6+ Nxd6 19.exd6 Nf5 20.Kb1 Ba4 21.Rd2 Kd7 22.Bh3 Nd4 23.f5 e5 24.f6+ Kxd6 25.c3 e4 26.Qe3 Nb5 27.Qxb6+ axb6 28.Rc1 d4 29.cxd4 e3 30.Re2 Rxc1+ 31.Kxc1 Re8 32.Re1 Nc7 33.Bf5 Nd5 34.h4 Nxf6 35.d5 Nh5 36.g4 Nf4 37.h5 Ng2 38.Re2 Nf4 39.Re1 Bd7 40.Bxd7 Nd3+ 41.Kd1 Kxd7 42.Bg7 Nxe1 43.Kxe1 Rc8 44.h6 Rc1+ 45.Ke2 Rh1 46.Kxe3 Ke7 47.Kf4 Rh3 48.g5 Kd6 49.Kf5 Rh1 50.Bf8+ Kd7 51.Kf6 Ke8 52.Bb4 Rh5 53.d6 b5 54.Bc5 Kd7 55.Bb4 Ke8 56.Bd2 Rh2 57.Kg7 f6 58.g6 1-0 Karjakin,S (2739)-Sutovsky,E (2661)/Poikovsky RUS 2010/The Week in Chess 814]

18.Nd4

Svidler thought he might be able to play better somewhere but he wasn't sure where. This is the "only move in the position."

18...Ba4 19.Rd2 Rc4 20.Bg2

"There are no threats in the position but moves have to be made. I'm not sure what's going on here but what Nikita did was very logical. He has two knights and only one square on f5 so exchanging a knight seems logical." " - Svidler.

[20.Nxf5 Nxf5 21.Bh3 Ne3 22.Bd4 Bxc2 23.Bxb6 Bxd3+ 24.Kb2 Be4 25.Re1 Nf5 26.Bf1 Rc6 27.Bf2 Kf8 28.Rc1 Rxc1 29.Kxc1 Kg7 30.Kb2 Rc8 31.a4 Ne7 32.h4 Nc6 33.Bb6 Kh6 34.Be2 Ne7 35.g4 Ng6 36.Bf1 Ne7 37.Rf2 Rg8 38.Be2 Rc8 39.Bf1 Rg8 40.Bh3 Nc6 41.Kb3 Ne7 42.Kb2 Nc6 43.Be3 Kh7 44.Bc5 1/2-1/2 Sutton,R (2215)-Owen,K (2359)/ICCF email 2011/Corr 2013; 20.Be2 Nxd4 21.Bxd4 Bxc2 22.Rxc2 Rxd4 23.Qc3 Nc6]

20...Nxd4 21.Bxd4 Qb5 22.Bf1 Qc6

"If I could somehow manage to teleport my Queen to f2 and my bishop to d3 I would be much better but I'm not sure how to do that." Svidler.

23.Qe2

[23.Bb2 I can start with Bb2 but it only gives black additional possibilities. - Svidler.]

23...Nf5 24.Bb2

"If it were white to move then white would have a huge advantage but after 24....Rh8 it seems like I'm not in time." - Svidler.

24...Rh8

"Ng3 is a huge threat and I'm not sure about Rg1 but I had a feeling something bad might happen there." - Svidler.

25.Qf2

If not for the tactics white would be much better! - Svidler.

[25.Rg1 Rc3!? 26.Bxc3 Qxc3 27.Kb1 Qxa3 28.Qd3 Qc5 29.Rh1 Ne3 30.c3 Nc4 is more fun for black.]

25...Nxg3

Unfortunately this is a forced draw. - Svidler.

26.Bxc4 Nxh1 27.Qa7 Qxc4 28.Qb8+ Kd7 29.Qxh8 Bxc2 30.Rxc2 Qf1+ 31.Kd2 Qf2+ 32.Kd3 Qf3+ 33.Kd2 Qf2+ 34.Kd3 Qf3+ 35.Kd2

Another attempt to get something in a theoretical line that leads to 0:0:0 [equality]

1/2-1/2

Ding Liren (2707) - Fressinet,L (2706) [D17]
Alekhine Mem Paris/St Petersburg FRA/RUS (3), 23.04.2013

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Qc7 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Bf4 Nfd7 11.Bg2 f6 12.0-0 g5 13.Bxe5 Nxe5 14.Ne3 Be6 15.Qd4!?

[15.Rc1 Qf7 16.Qd4 Be7 17.Ne4 0-0 18.Nxg5 fxg5 19.Qxe5 Bf6 20.Qa5 Bxb2 21.Qxg5+ Qg7 22.Qxg7+ Bxg7 23.a5 a6 24.Nc4 Rad8 25.e3 Rd3 26.Be4 Rb3 27.Rc2 Rd8 28.Rfc1 h6 29.Kg2 Rb5 30.h3 Bxc4 31.Rxc4 Rxa5 32.f4 Rb5 33.Kf3 a5 34.Ra4 c5 35.g4 b6 36.h4 Rb4 37.Bc6 Rd6 38.Rxb4 axb4 39.Ba4 Rd3 40.Bb5 Rc3 41.Rxc3 Bxc3 42.Ke2 Kf7 43.h5 Ke6 44.Kd3 Bb2 45.Kc2 Bc3 46.e4 Kf6 47.Kd3 Bb2 48.Bc4 Bd4 49.e5+ Ke7 50.Ke4 b3 51.Bxb3 b5 52.g5 hxg5 53.h6 Kf8 54.fxg5 1-0 Gretarsson,H (2440)-Fridjonsson,J (2210)/Reykjavik 1995]

15...Qb6 16.Qe4 Qb4 17.a5 a6 18.Ra4?!

Aggressive but this looks to be a bit too much.

18...Qxb2 19.Ned1 Qb3 20.f4 Nd7

[20...gxf4 21.gxf4 Nd7 22.Bh3 Nc5]

21.f5

[21.Bh3]]

21...Nc5 22.Qd4 Nxa4 23.Nxa4 Rd8 24.Qxf6 Rxd1 25.fxe6 Qxa4

[25...Qe3+ 26.Kh1 Qd4 27.Qf7+ Kd8 28.Qxb7 Rxf1+ 29.Bxf1 Qd5+]

26.Qf7+ Kd8 27.Qf6+ Ke8

[27...Kc7]

28.Qf7+ Kd8 29.Qf6+ Ke8

Black decides to allow the draw.

1/2-1/2

Anand,V (2783) - Aronian,L (2809) [C65]
Alekhine Mem Paris/St Petersburg FRA/RUS (3), 23.04.2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 0-0 6.0-0 Re8 7.Re1 a6 8.Ba4 b5 9.Bb3 d6 10.Nbd2 Bb6 11.Nf1 Ne7 12.Ng3 Ng6 13.h3 h6

[13...Bb7 14.Nh2 d5 15.Ng4 Nxg4 16.Qxg4 c6 17.Nf5 Bc8 18.Bg5 f6 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.fxe3 Be6 21.exd5 Bxd5 22.h4 Ra7 23.d4 e4 24.Rec1 Nf8 25.c4 bxc4 26.Bxc4 g6 27.Bxd5+ Qxd5 28.Rc5 Qe6 29.Rac1 h5 30.Qg3 Rd7 31.Nh6+ Kh7 32.Rxc6 Qe7 33.Rf1 Kxh6 34.Rfxf6 Qg7 35.Rxa6 Kh7 36.b4 Rf7 37.Rfc6 Rd8 38.b5 Rdd7 39.a4 Rb7 40.Rd6 Rf5 41.Rac6 Qf7 42.Kh2 Rf1 43.b6 Ra1 44.Rf6 Qg7 45.Rc7 Rxc7 46.Qxc7 Nd7 47.b7 Nxf6 48.Qxg7+ Kxg7 49.b8Q Rxa4 50.Kg3 Ra2 51.Qe5 Ra7 52.d5 Rf7 53.d6 Kg8 54.Qe6 Kg7 55.Kf2 1-0 Kryvoruchko,Y (2609)-Svetushkin,D (2560)/Rethymno GRE 2010/The Week in Chess 820]

14.d4 c5 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Qxd8 Bxd8 17.a4 c4 18.Bc2 Ba5!? 19.axb5 axb5 20.Be3 Bb7 21.Ra2 Bc7 22.Rea1 Rxa2 23.Rxa2 Ra8 24.Rxa8+ Bxa8

A draw seems inevitable.

25.Kf1 Ne7 26.Nd2 Kf8 27.Bc5 Nd7 28.Ba3 g6 29.f3 Ke8 30.b3 cxb3 31.Nxb3 Nc8 32.Bd3 Bc6 33.c4 bxc4 34.Bxc4 Ba4 35.Nc5 Nxc5 36.Bxc5 Nb6 37.Bxb6 Bxb6 38.Ne2 Ba5 39.Nc1 Ke7 40.Nd3 Bc3 41.g4 1/2-1/2

Alekhine Memorial Paris/St Petersburg (FRA/RUS), 21 iv-1 v 2013															cat. XX (2745)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
1.	Gelfand, Boris	g	ISR	2739	*	.	1	½	.	.	.	½	.	.	2	2851
2.	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	g	FRA	2722	.	*	.	½	1	½	.	.	.	.	2	2863
3.	Adams, Michael	g	ENG	2727	0	.	*	.	.	.	.	1	1	.	2	2881
4.	Fressinet, Laurent	g	FRA	2706	½	½	.	*	½	.	.	.	.	.	1½	2722
5.	Ding, Liren	g	CHN	2707	.	0	.	½	*	.	1	.	.	.	1½	2745
6.	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2801	.	½	.	.	.	*	0	.	.	1	1½	2747
7.	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2809	.	.	.	.	0	1	*	.	½	.	1½	2763
8.	Svidler, Peter	g	RUS	2747	½	.	0	.	.	.	.	*	.	½	1	2601
9.	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	2783	.	.	0	.	.	.	½	.	*	½	1	2624
10.	Vitiugov, Nikita	g	RUS	2712	.	.	.	.	.	0	.	½	½	*	1	2652

Round 3 (April 23, 2013)
Gelfand, Boris	- Adams, Michael	1-0	77	D37	QGD 5.Bf4
Ding, Liren	- Fressinet, Laurent	½-½	29	D17	Slav Defence
Kramnik, Vladimir	- Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	½-½	58	A05	Various
Svidler, Peter	- Vitiugov, Nikita	½-½	35	C19	French Winawer
Anand, Viswanathan	- Aronian, Levon	½-½	41	C65	Ruy Lopez Berlin

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