Saturday
Jan092010
Gashimov-Grischuk, From Round 4 of the World Team Championship
Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 10:45PM It was a highly entertaining game I wanted to present, and here it is.
Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 10:45PM Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 10:45PM It was a highly entertaining game I wanted to present, and here it is.
Reader Comments (3)
Cracking game. The finale reminded me of the Kasparov-Topalov classic too. Thanks for the analysis.
When you see a game like this you know why they are called Grandmasters. Thanks so much for bringing this game to our attention it should be come a classic.
Once again, it is interesting to compare your writing and analyses with other sources - here Chessvibes and Chessok. GM Zagrebelny on chesspro.ru had picked Mamedyarov-Morozevich for live commentary, not a bad choice either but (in hindsight!) not the best one for round 4.
1) Chessvibes also mentions a predecessor game by R. Mamedov, is this line an Azeri specialty and team effort?
2) Other sources consider 15.Qh3 the novelty - it certainly was one for Grischuk as he spent about 45 minutes on his reply. As this doesn't happen for the first time: Is your database more comprehensive, or do other sources simply ignore correspondence games by lower-rated players?
3) All sources give the same line on move 21. You conclude "White stands a little less badly than black", Rybka on chessok says "+0.20 equal chances".
4) Move 23 may be the final turning point of the game. The other sources suggest 23.Rf7 - Peter Doggers on Chessvibes says "!?" without further comment (for Rybka see below).
My own analyses: The threat (after 23.Rf7) is obviously 24.Bb4. As 23.-a5 doesn't help (24.Bb4 anyway), my first try was 23.-Kd8 but this seems to lose by force: 24.Re7:! Ke7: 25.Bb4+ Kf6 26.g5+! Ng5: 27.Qg6+ Ke5 28.Qg7:+ Kf4 29.Qf6+ Kg4 (29.-Ke3 30.Bd2 mate) 30.Be2+ Nf3+ 31.Bf3:+ Qf3: 32.Rd4+.
Does 26.-hg5: 27.Qh8: Qb6 28.Qf8+ Ke5 29. Qg7:+ Kf4 hold? To my surprise I cannot find a forced win (but of course a perpetual).
Else there is 23.-Nd2: 24.Rd2: Kc7!? 25.Re7:+ Kb6 which looks similar to your line, but white is only a pawn down.
Rybka gives 23.-Nd6 (which I, for some reason, didn't consider) 24. Bb4 Rf8 25. Bxd6 Rxf7 26. Qxf7 Qc3+ 27. Kf2 Kxd6 28. Bg6+ Kc6 29. Be4+ {-0.23|d13} {equal chances}. Who am I to disagree with an engine, but can white aim for more with 25.Rg7: keeping the pressure on?
Long post, but the game is worth it!