[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "2011.05.21"] [Round "?"] [White "?"] [Black "?"] [Result "*"] [ECO "A37"] [Annotator "carrobie,robbie"] [PlyCount "116"] [EventDate "2011.05.21"] [SourceDate "2011.05.21"] 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 {It seems that Boris is following the steps of Vladimir Kramnik, who started his white games against Grischuk with 1.c4 and managed to put enormous pressure.} 3. Nc3 e5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. a3 Nge7 {Sascha keeps on repeating his openings. Boris is choosing 4.g3 instead of 4.e3, which has been played by Kramnik. Gelfand is choosing the strategy to go for a "long fight". The position is very flexible and both colors can choose between many different plans.} 7. b4 {Wow, Boris is not even "losing" time to castle first! But by far this is not a novelty, around 20 games been played in this position. } d5 {One of the nice games is Kiril Georgiev - Baadur Jobava, that continued 7...d5 8.bc o-o 9. o-o dc 10.Rb1 and white managed to get advantage. Grischuk played 7...d5 rather quickly, which means he knows the position well. Perhaps white could also try 8.cd Nd5 9.Ng5 Nc3 10.dc Qd1 11.Kd1 with a slightly better endgame.} 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Ng5 {Boris is going for it, and very quickly. Now this is a novelty!} Nc7 {Grischuk seems to know it! As we can see both players are super well prepared even in the side lines! A very interesting moment now. For sure Gelfand knows about the computer move 10.d3 with a crazy position appearing after 10...e4 11.Nge4 cb 12.ab f5 13.Bg5 Bc3 14.Kf1!...very unclear. But I guess he is very surprised by the speed with which Grischuk played the opening, and might be afraid of being out-prepared in a very forced position. The quiet line starts with 10.Nge4, but after 10...c4 black solves most of the openings problems. Not an easy decision for Gelfand, risking to lose by force with white would be a tough blow.} 10. d3 {But he is going for it! Boris is a fighter, no fear! Now Grischuk has to make similar decision, to play 10...e4 or to be worse after 10...cb 11.ab 0-0 12.Rb1} cxb4 11. axb4 e4 12. Ngxe4 {White also had an opportunity to play 12.Qb3, but after 12...0-0 13. Nge4 Be6 all black pieces are developed and he should do fine. Now only moves seems to be 12...f5...} f5 13. Bg5 Bxc3+ 14. Kf1 Qd4 {After the quick play from both players (who are both probably hoping to know the line better than the other), we have reached a very interesting position. White has a logical choise 15.Bf6 after which 15...Ba1 seems to be the only move, then 16.Bd4 Bd4 17.Nd6 with a super sharp position in which black has material advantage but white has definitely compensation for it. Or maybe to try now 15.Nc3!? Qc3 16. Bf4! Nb5 17.Rc1 Qf6 18.Rc5 with unclear position...But I guess 15.Bf6 is looking better and will be played in the game.} 15. Nxc3 {This move is very hard to make over the board. For sure Boris knew it, a human move would be definitely 15.Bf6. So lets see where Boris' analysis will lead us...From human point of view, the white position is not looking great, being a piece down, no castle and only one pawn as compensation. But due to concrete tactical ideas, the position remains very unclear...} Qxc3 {16.Bf4 or 16.Rc1 should be the main moves now. Maybe also interesting is to play 16.b5 Nd8 (if 16...Nb5 17. Rc1 Qe5 and 18.Rc6!) 17.b6 Nce6 18. Bd2 with some compensation for the piece, but somehow difficult to believe that it will be enough...} 16. Bf4 Nb5 17. Rc1 Qf6 18. Rc5 a6 19. Bxc6+ bxc6 20. Be5 Qf8 21. Qc1 Bd7 22. Bxh8 Qxh8 23. Qe3+ { A bit strange decision by Gelfand. If he wanted to grab the rook why not first 22.Qc4 and then take it one move later. What is he planning to do now after 23. ..Kf7? Probably 24.Re5 but after 24...Qf8 white position in not looking great at all.} Kf7 24. Re5 Qf8 25. h4 h5 26. Qf4 Qd6 {Grischuk is displaying a very good feeling for the position and makes the best moves. What to do for white now? Black simply wants to play Kf6 after which the queens' exchange will be forced, and it is highly questionable if white will be able to save the endgame.} 27. Kg2 Kf6 28. Re4 {Boris wants to keep his pawn structure intact, but 28.Re4 is a risky decision. After 28...Qf4 29.Rf4 Be6 it will not be easy for white to take the rook out from f4. I am not sure if Boris did himself a favour. Maybe better way to defend was simple 28.Rc5 with clearly worse but "very hard to beat" position.} Qxf4 29. Rxf4 Be6 30. Rc1 Ke7 31. f3 Kd6 32. Kf2 Rb8 {Grischuk is putting his rook on b8, but what for? 32...Nc7 has been an interesting option for black, with idea Bd5 and Ne6 to catch the rook on f4. Maybe Grischuk is thinking that this option will not "run away" and wants to make other useful moves. Maybe best option now is to push 33.g4.} 33. e4 Nc7 34. g4 {Boris throws everything in, there is nothing to lose!} fxg4 {Grischuk keeps his cool and continues to make best moves 34...fg! Now black position is getting close to winning. As we can observe, Rb8 is standing just perfect, and soon will eat the pawn on b4.} 35. Rf6 gxf3 36. Rxg6 Rxb4 37. Rh6 {Gelfand is fighting like a lion but his chances to survive are not getting better. Grischuk has several good opportunities, 37...a5 and particularly 37...Rb3 are looking very nice. 37...Rb3 38.Rh5 Rd3 39.Rhc5 Bd7 40.h5 Ne6 and black is close to winning.} a5 38. Rxh5 a4 39. Rhc5 Bd7 40. Kxf3 Ne6 41. R5c4 c5 42. h5 {Boris is trying to have some action with the "h" pawn. But after 42...Rb2 43. Rh1 (43. Rc2 not possible because of Nd4+ fork) 43...a3 44. Ra1 Bb5 Sasha will obtain wonderful position. Gelfand is a fantastic fighter, Grischuk needs to play very well to get a full point today. Sasha is taking his time, he knows that a victory with black today could be the key of the match.} Rb2 43. Rh1 Nd4+ 44. Ke3 Be6 45. e5+ Kxe5 46. Rxc5+ Bd5 47. Rxd5+ Kxd5 48. h6 Re2+ 49. Kf4 Ne6+ {Grischuk wants to keep his knight alive! Once again Boris Gelfand defended splendidly! Now he just has to play several accurate moves to obtain the draw. After 50.Kg3 Nf8 51.h7 Nxh7 52.Ra1! and next Rxa4.} 50. Kg3 Nf8 51. h7 Nxh7 52. Rxh7 a3 53. Kf3 Re1 54. Ra7 Ra1 55. Ke3 a2 56. Ra5+ Kc6 57. Kd4 Kb6 58. Ra8 Kb7 *
Annotations courtesy of GM Arkadij Naiditsch and GM Sebastien Maze on
ChessBomb.com
Originally posted by elady 1.White wasn't ready for this variation
2.Grischuk is better blitz player. May be he began draw-strategy as he played against Kramnik and Aronian
Originally posted by elady 1.White wasn't ready for this variation
2.Grischuk is better blitz player. May be he began draw-strategy as he played against Kramnik and Aronian
if Grischuk wasn't ready why did Gelfand accept draw?
we have seen very good preparation so far and once one is caught off guard the opp accepts a draw? makes no sense to me.
Originally posted by watchyourbackrank true. still it takes two to draw. so gelfand is a puss, too!
Look at how he played as White and look how Grischuk played.
I think Gelfand is happy to have a shot to win the match with White. In addition, he's fifteen years older than Grischuk and essentially getting a day off helps him more than the younger man.
Originally posted by watchyourbackrank if Grischuk wasn't ready why did Gelfand accept draw?
we have seen very good preparation so far and once one is caught off guard the opp accepts a draw? makes no sense to me.
Because white had a little advantage.Grishuk had to think how to develop this advantege. It was simple to do a draw by white, just play Bg2, 0-0 ang exchange all the pawns of the Q-side and that's it. Black can't prevent it. Don't forget that 43 years old Gelfand was tired after winning Mamedyarov, Kamsky and after 2 very hard games against Grischuk
Originally posted by no1marauder Grischuk is a puss.
You people are hung up on white and black, Sasha played better over the two previous games than Gelfand, infact, Gelfand was lucky to survive them, for in both instances, Sasha had advantages but was unable to press it home.
Originally posted by robbie carrobie You people are hung up on white and black, Sasha played better over the two previous games than Gelfand, infact, Gelfand was lucky to survive them, for in both instances, Sasha had advantages but was unable to press it home.
There's about a 20% difference in Grischuk's winning percentage with White v. Black and a 15% difference in Gelfand's on the Chessgames database.
