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Day 7. The change of roles

shipov01In life, everything changes very quickly. The black string is followed by white, and vice versa. The heroes become losers to later climb on the pedestal. The day before Movsesian defeated Grischuk, and the mood of the players was the opposite. And today, in round 7, everything changed in another direction. Grischuk brought the winning point to Russia, it cost a match to Armenia.

 


Just a few day back China was behind many, and now it is on the second place; the others only have to hope for the mistake from the leaders.
Yet before the start of the Olympiad many people were predicting that Azerbaijan would miss Gashimov who got ill. That is what happened indeed...

Grischuk,Alexander (2763) - Safarli,Eltaj (2620)
Russia - Azerbaijan


1

Black unsuccessfully conducted the opening and got positional problems, lost a pawn and as a result lost without a big fight. Here you see the stage of converting. The castle of Black is not solid.
42...h4
Passionate south player wanted to do something.
Apparently, more persistent is just accurately to stay on places, forcing the opponent to plan the win returning the pawn on c5. Here is the example variation: 42...Rc8 43.g3 Rc7 44.a4 (this is possible, too) 44...Rc8 45.c5+! bxc5+ (45...Rxc5 46.Rxc5 bxc5+ 47.Kc3 Bd5 48.Bc4 Bf3 49.Bf7+-) 46.Kc3 c4 47.Bf3 Rb8 48.Kd4 c3 (48...Bf7 49.Rc5!; 48...Rc8 49.b6!) 49.Kxc3 Rc8+ 50.Kd3 Rb8 51.Kd4 Bb3 52.Bc6 Bxa4 53.Rd5+ Ke6 54.Kc5 and so on.
43.Re3
A path to the pawn on h4.
43...Re7
A trap that is more transparent than a glass. Did not help 43...Rc8 44.Rh3 Rh8 45.Bf1! (но не 45.g3? hxg3! 46.Rxh8 g2–+) 45...Ke7 46.Kc3 (46.g3 Rd8+; 46.Ke3 Kd6 47.g3 Kc5) 46...Kd6 (or 46...Rh5 47.c5 bxc5 48.Bc4 Bd7 49.Be2 Rh8 50.Kc4+-) 47.g3 Kc5 48.Rxh4 Rxh4 49.gxh4 Bf7 50.Be2 Be8 51.Bf3 Bf7 52.Bc6! Bxc4 53.Be8+-
44.Bf3!
A shift of the bishop to d5 decides the game the quickest. The advantage would be gone after 44.Rh3? Bd5!
44...h3 45.g3 Rg7 46.Re5 g5
Not a dangerous break through.
47.c5+
This one is dangerous.
47...bxc5+ 48.Rxc5 gxf4 49.gxf4 Rg1 50.b6! 1–0

In mathematics if a>b and b>c, then for sure a>c. In chess happens otherwise. Judge by yourself.
Movsesian won Grischuk, Grischuk won Wang Yue, and finally the third game of the cycle was played:

Movsesian,Sergei (2698) - Wang,Yue (2685)
Armenia - China


1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 a6 5.d4 b5 6.c5 g6 7.Ne5 Bg7 8.f4 a5 9.Be2 h5
Getting a lesson from the losses. In the famous for its bright finale game Gelfand,B - Wang Yue/Medias 2010 happened 9...Qc7 10.0–0 0–0 11.a3 Be6 12.Bf3 Nbd7 13.Nd3 h6 14.g4 Nh7 15.h4 f5 16.g5 hxg5 17.hxg5, and Black was in deep pit.
10.0–0 Bf5 11.Bf3
Novelty. Grandiose complications happened after 11.Bd2 Ne4 12.a3 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bxe5 14.fxe5 a4 15.e4 dxe4 16.Bg5 Na6 17.d5 Nxc5 18.d6 f6 19.Rxf5 fxg5 20.Rxg5 Ne6?! 21.Rxg6 Nf4 22.Rg7 (22.Bxh5!) 22...exd6 23.exd6 Qb6+ 24.Kh1 0–0–0 in Wen,Y - Ni Hua/Ningbo 2011.
11...Ne4 12.a4 b4 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Be2 Be6 15.Qc2 Bd5

2

16.f5?!
Too harsh. Probably Sergey underestimated his position, thinking that he can't succeed in the maneuver game.
Meanwhile a simple development left him with the advantage. It was only important to start with 16.Nc4! and then lead the bishop to h4 - 16...Nd7 17.Bd2 Qc7 18.Be1.
16...Bxe5! 17.dxe5 gxf5 18.Rxf5 Nd7 19.Bxh5?
The rough miscalculation.
19...e6!
The brilliant objection. Black forces White to capture on f7.
20.Bxf7+ Ke7 21.Rf1 Qc7
Here it became obvious that White is catastrophically delayed with the development and his king is in trouble.
22.Bg6 Nxe5 23.Bxe4

3

23...Nd3!
The beginning of the final attack.
24.Qxd3 Qxh2+ 25.Kf2 Raf8+ 26.Ke2 [26.Ke1 Qg3+!] 26...Rxf1 27.Kxf1 Qg3!
Black has no piece, but he should not hurry. He tightens the slipknot.
28.Ke2
Leaded to mate 28.Bxd5 Rh1+ 29.Ke2 Re1+ 30.Kd2 Qf2+.
28...Rh1 29.Bd2 Rxa1 30.Bxd5 cxd5 31.Qh7+ Kd8
The checks finish soon.
32.Kd3 Qg4 33.Qh8+
Prolonged a battle for a little: 33.e4 Qxe4+ 34.Qxe4 dxe4+ 35.Kxe4 Rg1 36.Kf3 Rb1.
33...Kd7 34.b3 Qf5+ and due to inevitable mate White resigned.

Apparently, the leader of the Olympic champions starts to recollect himself.

Ivanchuk,Vassily (2769) - Vallejo Pons,Francisco (2697)
Ukraine - Russia

4

Black just took on d5. There is an impression that he is standing at least not worse. Of course, it is wrong:
25.Bh3! Ra8?
Abashment. In case of 25...Rc7 26.a5! Na4 the weakness of the 8th rank let Black down - 27.Rcf1!.
More chances for the survival was left after 25...Rb8! 26.a5 Nc4 27.exd5 Nxa5 28.Rf5 Bg6 29.Rxe5 Rd6 and so on.
26.a5! Nc4 [26...Rxa5? 27.Nxb7] 27.Nxb7 Rf8
No better is 27...Rdb8 28.exd5 Rxb7 29.Rxc4 and there is no 29...Rxa5? due to 30.Rf8#
28.Rxf8+ Rxf8 29.exd5 Nxb2 30.d6
White passed pawns are obviously quicker than Black's.
30...Bf3 31.Rc8! Rxc8 32.Bxc8 Bc6 33.d7 Bxd7 34.Bxd7 Nc4 35.Be6 b3 36.Bxc4 b2 37.Ba2 1–0

The winners of the European team championship are playing not very brightly, but still keep at the top ranks.

Khenkin,Igor (2656) - Iordachescu,Viorel (2645)
Germany - Moldova

5

36.Bxd7
Probably it was possible to go directly to the pawn endgame with 36.Rd6 Kc7 37.Rxd7+ Rxd7 38.Bxd7 Kxd7 39.Kf3 Kd6 40.Ke4 Kc5 41.h5 d3 (41...Kxb5 42.g5) 42.Kxd3 Kd5 (42...Kxb5 43.g5) 43.b3 Ke5 44.Kc4 Kd6 (44...Kf4 45.Kd5; 44...Ke4 45.g5) 45.Kd4 Ke7 46.Kd5 Kd7 47.b4!+-
36...Kxd7 37.Kf3 Re7 38.Rxf6 Re5
On 38...d3 follows 39.Re6! Rxe6 40.fxe6+ Kxe6 41.Ke3 Ke5 42.Kxd3 Kf4 43.g5 hxg5 44.hxg5 Kxg5 45.Ke4+-
39.Re6 Rxb5 40.Rxh6 Rxb2 41.Ke4 a5
This bright position with 6 passed pawns turns into White's favor. Tempos decide everything.
42.g5 a4 43.g6 a3 44.Rh7+ Kd6 45.Ra7 a2 46.f6! 1–0

The strong Hungarian team, as it could seem, was lucky with the pairings of the 7th round. Nevertheless, the expectations of the fans did not come true. One of the most experienced players at the Olympiad became the author of the sensation.

Torre,Eugene (2469) - Berkes,Ferenc (2685)
Phillipines - Hungary

6

Black had a big advantage during the game, missed several chances to win and as a result ended up in a slightly worse endgame. It is not a problem not to lose it. But apparently the young fighter did not have any power left. And he managed to make impossible.
66...e3?!
Makes the task more difficult. He should have immediately attacked the pawn on с3 - 66...Rh1 67.Kf4 Rc1 68.Kxe4 Rxc3 69.Bf7 Kc7 70.c5 Kd7 71.Kd5 Rc1=
67.Kf3 Rh3+ 68.Ke2 Kc7 69.Bf3! Kb6 70.Kxe3
The position is as in the remark, but with the additional pawn for White. But even this does not bring the win. Yet...
70...Rg3 71.c5+ Kb5 72.c6 Rg7 73.Kd3 Ra7 74.Bd5 Rg7 75.c4+
The last chance.
75...Kb4?
The final chord of the Hungarian drama. After right 75...Kb6! no path to the win of White is seen: 76.Bf3 Ra7 77.c5+ Kb5 78.Bd5 Rg7 79.Ke4 Rg4+ 80.Kf3 Rg7 81.Kf4 Re7 82.Kg4 Rh7 83.Kg3 (83.Bf3 Kc4) 83...Rh8 – and it is not clear how White can break though.
76.Be6! Rc7 [Or 76...Ka5 77.c5!] 77.Bd7

7

Winning shift of the bishop.
77...Ra7 78.c5
With the bishop on d5 Black would play Kb4-b5 with a draw, but now it is followed with the death check с6-с7+.
78...Rc7 79.Ke4 Kc4 80.Be6+ Kb4 81.Kd5 1–0

Israel and France did not let each other to climb up.

Fressinet,Laurent (2714) - Sutovsky,Emil (2687)
France - Israel


1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Qb3 Nb6 6.d4 Bg7 7.e4 Bg4 8.Bb5+ c6 9.Ng5 0–0 10.Be2 Bxe2 11.Nxe2 Na6 12.Qh3!?N
Before happened 12.Be3 Qd6 13.0–0 Qb4 14.Qxb4 Nxb4 15.Rfc1 e5 16.Nf3 exd4 17.Bxd4 Rfe8 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Ng3 Rad8 with the advantage for Black, Aronian,L -Navara,D /Wijk aan Zee 2012.
12...h6 13.Nf3 Qd7 14.Qh4 h5 15.h3 c5 16.g4! cxd4 17.gxh5 d3 18.hxg6 fxg6 19.Ng5 Rf6 20.Nf4 Qd6


8

The tough fight in the popular variation of the Gruenfeld defense leaded to the position where White has a Shakespeare choice: to castle or not to castle?
21.Rg1?
The answer is wrong. Instead of the win it leads to the defeat.
It was possible to castle immediately, but even stronger is 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.0–0, и далее белые прорывались по центру - 22...Nc4 23.e5! Nxe5 24.Re1 Nc5 (or 24...Nc7 25.Rxe5 Qxe5 26.Nxg6+ Rxg6 27.Qxg6 Kg8 28.Qf7+ Kh8 29.Bf4+-) 25.Rxe5 Qxe5 26.Nxg6+ Rxg6 27.Qxg6 Kg8 28.Be3 with no protection from the threats.
21...Nc4 22.Nd5 Nb4! 23.Nxf6+?
Abashment. The intrigue was kept by 23.Bf4!
23...Qxf6
Now White won't hold.
24.Rg3
The computer recommend 24.Kf1 Nc2 25.Rg4! e5 26.Bf4!!, and let God be its judge.
24...d2+! 25.Bxd2 Nc2+ 26.Kd1 Rd8 27.e5 Rxd2+ 28.Kc1

9

28...Nd4!
A nice end. On 29.exf6 follows 29...Ne2+ 30.Kb1 Rxb2#
29.Qxd4
The sides are competing in the desire to give up a queen.
29...Qc6!
And Black leaves this privilege for White.
30.Qxd2 Nxd2+ 31.Kxd2 Bxe5 32.Rg4 Qd5+ 33.Ke2 Bxb2 34.Rag1 Qxa2 35.Ne4 Kf7 36.Ng5+ Ke8 37.Kf3 a5 0–1

The match of the leaders of the women's section became the real challenge for the nerves of the fans. During the match Poland had a great advantage, counting up to virtual 3,5-0,5 at the estimation of the positions, but at the end it could even lose. Ex-world champion lost in the Russian team.

Kosteniuk,Alexandra (2489) - Zawadzka,Jolanta (2377) [B92]
Russia - Poland


10

In the second part of this distressful game the estimation changed from "winning for Black" to "draw". In the position at the diagram the pendulum has swung to the other side.
64.Rc4?
Attacked the knight form the wrong side. By 64.Rd5! Nd7 (64...Rb5? 65.d7+; 64...b3+ 65.Kb2) 65.Ra5 a3 66.Ra8+ Rb8 67.Ra7 White activated the rook and could be saved.
64...Rb5! Now the things are bad.. 65.Kb1 b3 66.Rd4
Not sweet is 66.d7+ Nxd7 67.Nxd7 Kxd7 68.Rxa4 Rd5 69.Ra6 Rd6 70.Ra7+ Ke6 71.Rg7 Kf6 72.Rb7 Rd3–+.
66...a3 67.d7+ Nxd7 68.Nxd7 a2+ 69.Kb2 Ra5 70.Nf6+
The same endgame could happen after 70.Rd1 a1Q+.
70...Kf7 71.Rd1 a1Q+! 72.Rxa1 Rxa1 73.Kxa1 Kxf6 74.Kb2 Ke6
White missed by exactly one tempo. 0–1

But the current Russian champion protected the back of her teammate.

Szczepkowska-Horowska,Karina (2375) - Pogonina,Natalija (2448)
Russia - Poland

11

Black was looking for an advantage in this absolutely drawish endgame for a long time, but even here there is no win.
62.Rxb4?
Panic in the time-trouble. Cold-blooded 62.Bf3 held the position. For example 62...Rg7 (easy is 62...Kxa2 63.Rg4! Rxg4 64.Bxg4 Kxb3 65.Be6+ Kc3 66.Bd7) 63.Kc2 Rc7+ 64.Rc4 Re7 65.Re4 Rh7 66.Bd1 - one cannot see how to break through for Black. There are a lot of moves but zero ideas: 66...Rh2 67.g4 Rh7 68.Rc4 Rg7 69.Re4 Kxa2 70.Rc4 и т.д.
62...axb4 63.Kxd2 Kxa2 64.Kc2
The illusion of the castle immediately falls apart.
64...Rg5! 65.Be4 Rc5+ 66.Kd3 Kxb3 67.g4 Rc3+ 68.Ke2 Kc4 69.Bf5 Kd4 70.g5 Rc5 0–1

In another very important match Georgians could not cope with Chinese pressuring. Everything was decided in the nervous ending at the 6th hour of the game.

Javakhishvili,Lela (2458) - Huang,Qian (2449)
Georgia - China

12

This endgame is drawn if there were no bishops. It seems that White should also escape with the bishops, but the game is sufficiently more complicated. Lela could not cope with this pressure in the time-trouble.
58...e5! 59.Rc7
Apparently, she should have attacked with the rook from the side - 59.Ra5.
59...Ke6 60.Bd1 [60.Bb5 Kd6!] 60...e4! 61.Ke1 Kd6 62.Rg7 e3 63.Bh5?
The decisive mistake. White should have stayed and held - 63.Rg5! Be4 64.Rg8 Bd3 (64...Rc1 65.Ke2!) 65.Rd8+ Ke7 66.Rd4 Ke6 67.Rd8 Bc4 68.Be2 and so on.
63...Bb5!
The mate net is ready
64.Kd1 Ra3! 65.Rg5 [65.Kc2 e2!] 65...Bd3 66.Kc1 Rb3 0–1

Taken by the games of the leader, I rarely notice the beautiful fragments on the lower boards. Here is one such episode.

Stojanovic,Andjelija (2277) - Hoang,Thi Nhu Y (2228)
Servia - Vietnam

13

21.Nd6!
A nice distraction.
21...Bxd6 [or 21...Qd7 22.Nxb7 Qxb7 23.Nxh6+!] 22.Nxh6+ Kh7
White mated immediately after 22...gxh6 23.Qg4+.
23.Nf5 Bxh2+
Or 23...f6 24.Qg4 Qg6 25.Qh3+ Kg8 26.Nxd6 with the decisive advantage.
24.Kxh2 f6 25.Rh1!
Original and very strong shift of the rook.
25...Bc8 26.Rxc8! 26...Rxc8 27.Kg3+! The most accurate. 27...Kg8 28.Qb3+ Qf7!
Probably played because of the love to art. Too prosaic is 28...Rf7 29.Nd6 Qd7 30.Nxf7 Qxf7 31.Rh8+!
29.Ne7#! 1–0

More will come!..