David Howell, courtesy of John Upham
Luke McShane turned in a hugely impressive performance at the Tal Memorial, beating three of the top players in the world. After a slow start, he managed to pick himself up and show that he could fight against the best, and his style of play is always entertaining. However, in the following game he runs into an inspired Grischuk.
White AI Grischuk
Black LJ McShane
Tal Memorial 2012
English, Four Knights A49
[Howell]
1 c4 Nf6
2 Nc3 e5
3 Nf3 Nc6
4 g3 Bc5
5 Bg2 d6
6 0-0 0-0
7 e3 a6
8 d4 Ba7
9 h3 Rb8
After some natural opening moves, both sides must assess the position and begin to form some plans. Slightly cramped, McShane shows that he is looking for activity with a timely …b7-b5 break.
10 dxe5
Surprisingly, Grischuk releases the tension but this cleverly poses a tough question: which way should Black recapture?
10…Nxe5
Even after lengthy analysis of this position, I am still not sure which move is best! 10…dxe5 is principled, staking a claim for space and keeping the symmetry 11 Qe2 must have been White’s idea The obvious follow-up of Rd1 and Nd5 is difficult to meet, mainly due to the awkward placing of Black’s knight on c6 This must have been the reason for Luke’s choice After 11 Qe2 Qe7 12 Rd1 (12 Nd5 Nxd5 13 cxd5 Nb4! 14 e4 Bd7! is unclear) 12…Rd8 13 Nd5 Qd6 (13…Nxd5 14 cxd5 Nb4 15 e4 leaves White in control) 14 b3, White has an undeniable edge.
11 b3
White chooses to keep the new pawn-structure, correctly judging that his extra space and Black’s blunted bishop on a7 will give him hopes of an advantage.
11…Nxf3+
Not a mistake on its own, but Black’s idea is too ambitious. Perhaps maintaining the knight’s stronghold on e5 was more sensible, with a move like 11…Qe7.
12 Qxf3 b5
The logical continuation of Black’s plan. Unfortunately, White is not compelled to capture on b5.
13 Qe2! bxc4?!
White is now given a beautiful square for his queen. The consistent 13…Bd7 was stronger, delaying any clarification of the queenside situation until a more suitable moment. In the game, Black’s weakened pawns are an obvious target and White is able to develop naturally.
14 Qxc4 a5
15 Bb2 Bd7
16 Rac1 Bc5
17 Rfd1 Re8
18 Na4!
There is no need for White to continue improving his pieces; they are already on great squares. Having built-up, White is ready to commence some favourable simplifications.
18…Bxa4
Unfortunately for Black, this is forced. The tempting 18…Rb4 fails to 19 Qa6 (19 Bxf6 and 19 Qd3 are also strong) 19…Bxa4 20 Rxc5! and White wins the a-pawn since Black cannot recapture on c5: 20…dxc5 Rxd8 Rxd8 22 Bxf6 Bb5 23 Qxa5 Rd1+ 24 Kh2 gxf6 25 Qxc7 with a straightforward win for White.
19 Qxa4 Bb6
20 Bc6!
White’s unopposed light-squared bishop is dominant here, and remains so for most of the game. Compare the strength of each side’s pieces – it is clear who holds the advantage.
20…Re7
A strange choice, but 20…Re6 simply loses a pawn after 21 Bc3! McShane now wants to activate his knight via d7, but Grischuk seizes the opportunity to transform his advantage into something more long-term.
21 Bxf6!
21 Bc3 was also possible, but the text is stronger.
21…gxf6
22 Qg4+ Kh8
23 Rc4 Re5
24 Rd5 Qe7
25 Qf3 Rg8
26 Kg2 Rg6
Just like Kramnik-Grischuk, we have reached a middlegame with major pieces and opposite-coloured bishops. Once again, the difference between the bishops is a key factor Black’s bishop on b6 is doomed to protect the pawn on c7 and has no offensive prospects Meanwhile, White’s counterpart on c6 controls many important squares and has the potential to be a strong attacking piece It is also clear that White holds the trumps on the kingside, due to Black’s shattered pawns. However, it is impossible to win on that side alone, and he needs to open up a second front. Therefore:
27 b4! axb4
28 Rxb4
The passed a-pawn is now an extra thing for Black to worry about, and this will later become apparent.
28…Kg7
29 a4 Qe6
30 h4 f5
31 Rf4?!
Possibly the only inaccuracy in a very smooth game 31 Rbb5 was more precise.
31…Rf6?!
Passive defence will not save Black in the long-term, and he misses a fantastic opportunity to muddy the waters and complicate White’s task: 31…Bxe3! was now playable. 32 fxe3 loses to 32…Rxe3, when Black’s major pieces co-ordinate perfectly. Instead, 32 Rxf5 Qxf5! 33 Qxf5 Rxf5 34 Rxf5 Bd4 gives Black hope to hold the endgame Also possible is 32 Rxe5 dxe5 33 Rxf5 (33 Bd5 e4! is an easy detail to miss, but suddenly Black is out of trouble) 33…Qxc6 34 Rxf7+ Kg8 35 fxe3 Qxf3+ 36 Rxf3 and White still has decent winning chances, but matters are far from clear. Both players were now approaching time-trouble, and it must have been difficult for Luke McShane to change his mind-set from the defensive task he had found himself with 31…Bxe3 also requires some precise calculation, so it is completely understandable that both players overlooked this blow.
32 Kh2 h6
Another imperceptible mistake, but perhaps another waiting move such as 32…Kf8 was necessary.
33 h5!
Now Black’s rook on f6 is imprisoned.
33…Kf8
34 Kg2 Kg7
35 Kh2 Kf8
36 Kg2 Kg7
36…Bxe3 no longer works: 37 fxe3 Rxe3 38 Qd1 Re2+ 39 Kf1 Rh2 40 Rd2! and the bishop on c6 covers h1.
37 Qd1 Kf8
38 Kf1 Qc8
39 Qd3 Kg7
40 Kg2
Having patiently manoeuvred and reached 40, White is ready to begin the eventual advance of his a-pawn. McShane decides to relieve the tension.
40…Rxd5
41 Bxd5 Qe8
41…c6 42 Qc4 Bc5 43 Bf3 does not help Black. He has temporarily gained some breathing space, but c6 is now terminally weak and the advance of the a-pawn will be hard to meet.
42 Rxf5 Rxf5
Perhaps too late, Luke realises that 42…Qxa4 was impossible: 43 Rxf6 Kxf6 44 Qh7! is decisive.
43 Qxf5 Qe7
44 Bb3 Qf6
45 Qd5 c5
46 Bc4 Ba5
47 f4 Qe7
48 Kf2 Bc3
49 Ke2 Bb4
50 g4 Qd7
51 Kd3 Qe7
52 g5!
White feels ready to make the final breakthrough. He has safely blockaded his opponent’s central pawns, and his advantages on both flanks will tell. Black is helpless and must simply await his fate.
52…hxg5
53 fxg5 Be1
54 g6 fxg6
55 Qg8+ Kf6
56 Qxg6+ Ke5
57 h6 d5
58 Qg7+ Qf6
59 Bxd5!
A small tactic to end the game. White will now be able to exchange queens and win a simple opposite-coloured bishop endgame. The Englishman is unable to deal with both outside passed pawns.
59…Bh4
60 Kc4 Kd6
61 Qxf6+ Bxf6
62 a5 Kc7
63 h7
1-0
A simple yet extremely effective game from Grischuk. He capitalised on a few minor inaccuracies from his opponent in the early middlegame, and showed tremendous patience and technique to slowly nurture his advantage into a full point. White took no risks and barely needed to calculate variations. Black was given no real chances, and it must have been depressing to defend so passively for so long. Just as in the previous game, the superior bishop and the domination of a colour complex played a key role in White’s victory.
rrrr
