[Annotator "Spraggett"]
[Source ""]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6
{[#]The standard position of the Tajmanov Defence (or simply the ‘Tajmanov’), one of the most popular variations in the Sicilian Defence. While not as popular as the Najdorf Variation, there is rarely a tournament in the world where one can not find a game or two with the Tajmanov.}
7.Qf3
{[#]One of the most popular ways of meeting the Tajmanov today. Curiously, this variation was unheard of a few years ago, but there has been a resurgence in Qf3-lines against all of the Sicilian variations in recent years. One of the advantages of this variation is that there is virtually no theory yet, and the players are thrown onto their own to navigate}
Bd6!?
{[#]This move looks artificial and I don’t like it. True, some really strong players have tried it, such as Svidler and Eljanov. On the plus side the move rules out any Qg3 ideas, but otherwise it does little for Black’s development. Better, in my opinion is d6 or Nf6. }
( 7...Nf6 8.O-O-O d6 9.Be2 Be7 10.Qg3 O-O {Black has a normal game Vallejo Pons,F – Spraggett, Kevin, Barcelona 2- 2-2013}
)
8.O-O-O Be5
{[#] Black had to do something against the threatened Nd-b5. Black’s fundamental idea in this line seems to be to position his Bishop on e5 anyway}
9.g3!
{Simple chess! White intends to move his Queen and advance his f-pawn. There are
other plans available, such as Be2 and g4, but Caruana’s plan has the advantage of being more natural.}
( 9.Nxc6!? bxc6 10.Bd4 Bxd4 11.Rxd4$14 Nf6 12.Qg3 Qxg3 13.hxg3 d5
14.exd5 cxd5 15.Bd3 h6 16.Re1 O-O 17.Na4 a5 18.Nb6 Rb8 19.Nxc8
Rfxc8 20.b3 Nd7 21.Kb2 Nc5 22.Bf1 g5 23.f3 Rb6 24.a4 Nb7 25.Bd3
Kg7 26.f4 Nc5 27.Bb5 Ne4 28.c4 Nxg3 29.fxg5 Nf5 30.gxh6+ Kf6
31.Rf4 Kg5 32.g3 dxc4 33.Rxc4 Rh8 34.Rc5 Kg4 35.Bd3 Nxg3 36.h7
f5 37.Rc7 Kf3 38.Re5 Kf4 39.Rxa5 e5 40.Ra6 Rbb8 41.a5 e4 42.Bc4
Ke3 43.Rg6 f4 44.a6 Kf2 45.a7 Rbd8 46.Rg8 e3 47.Rxh8 Rxh8 48.Bg8
{1-0, Shirov,A 2689 – Perunovic,Mil 2624 , Reykjavik ISL 19-11-2015 20th European Teams}
)
Nge7 ( 9...Nf6!? 10.Qe2 O-O 11.f4 Bxd4 12.Bxd4 Nxd4 13.Rxd4 { So far Hansen,Eric – Barbosa,E, Montevideo URU 17- 5-2015 10th American Continental}
e5! 14.Rd2 Re8! 15.g4 b5!$13 ) 10.Qe2 O-O 11.f4
{[#] Now Black will be forced to exchange his best pieces. It is this that I don’t like about Black’s plan. It is curious that books don’t talk much about this aspect of development, but it is worth emphasizing that ‘developing’ a piece only to exchange it a move or two later is the same thing as not developing the piece in the first place}
Bxd4 12.Bxd4 Nxd4 13.Rxd4 e5
{[#]
I think this move is stronger with the Knight on f6. In my database I find not
less than 5 games from this position. Caruana’s next move is new (and strongest)}
14.Rd1!
{[#] There is little point to worrying about the pawn on f4. Most e4-players today have grown accustomed to sacrificing a pawn for the initiative and here Black’s
lack of proper development can only be a bonus for White.}
exf4 ( 14...d6 15.Qd2! ) 15.e5!
{[#] Stopping d6 and threatening to recapture on f4, giving White the g-file. Black must now make some difficult choices as otherwise he is going to be quickly over run.}
f3!?
{[#] A practical decision, and as such difficult to criticize. Black rules out White getting any open files against his King. On the other hand, he does not prevent White , with just natural moves,
from getting a superior game. Clearly, Black must re-think his opening.}
( 15...Ng6!? 16.Nd5 Qxe5 ( 16...Qa5 ) 17.Qxe5 Nxe5 18.gxf4 Nc6
19.Nb6 Rb8 20.Bh3 )
( 15...fxg3?! 16.hxg3 Ng6 17.Qh5 h6 { is very dangerous looking for Black} )
16.Qxf3 Qxe5 17.Bg2 d6 18.Rhe1
{[#] The result of the opening is clear. White has developed every one of his pieces, all of them actively posted, while Black struggles to get his pieces out of the box, let alone finding good squares for them.}
Qg5+ 19.Kb1! ( 19.Qe3!? Qxe3+ 20.Rxe3 Nf5 21.Ree1 Rd8 22.g4 Nh4
23.Rxd6 Bxg4 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8 25.Bxb7 {is also possible, but Caruana’s move is stronger}
) Be6 ( 19...Bg4?! 20.Qxb7 Bxd1 21.Qxe7 Qxe7 22.Rxe7 Rae8 23.Rxe8
Rxe8 24.Nxd1 Re2 25.Bb7 { is a hopeless ending for Black} ) 20.Qxb7
{[#] And so White has regained his pawn and has a distinctly superior middlegame and endgame! Ofcourse, Black is going to try to get some counterplay on the open
b-file, but White e4-players are quite used to handling these positions, more
than a few variations of the Sicilian Defence have mainlines with similar
strategies. Here White’s excellently placed pieces will prevent Black from
doing any damage. From the strategic point of view, against a player like Caruana, Black’s game is good as lost.}
d5
( 20...Rfb8 21.Qc7 ( 21.Qxa8 Rxa8 22.Bxa8 {is also worth considering}
) d5 22.Qe5 )
( 20...Rab8 21.Qxa6 ( 21.Qc7 Rfc8 22.Qxd6 Qa5 ) Qc5 ( 21...d5 22.Qd6 ) 22.Ne4 Qb4 23.b3 Ra8 24.Nf6+ ) 21.Nxd5
Nxd5 22.Bxd5 Rab8 23.Qc6 Rfc8 ( 23...Qf6 24.b3 Rfc8 25.Qd6 )
24.Qd6
{[#] Now it is White who is up a pawn! Black has succeeded in mobilizing all of his pieces, his Rooks especially well posted. But (there is always a but) White’s King is quite safe and Black has difficulty in creating any real threats. For a player of Caruana’s class, the rest is easy. Readers would do well to pay attention to his technique.}
Bf5 25.Be4 ( 25.Ka1!? Bxc2 26.Bxf7+ Kh8 27.Rd5$16 ) Bxe4 26.Rxe4 Rd8
{[#]}
27.Rde1! Qb5 28.Qe5!
{[#] Black’s initiative is running out. Without a minor piece to work with, it is really difficult for Black to create any serious threats. Curiously, Rooks-while useful pieces in themselves-lack the natural agility of the minor pieces. }
Qc6 ( 28...f5 29.Qxb5 axb5 30.Rb4 { is hopeless} ) 29.b3 h6 30.Kb2
{each of Caruana’s moves are obvious and strong} Rb5 31.Qf4 Rc8
32.R1e2 Rc5 33.c4 a5 34.Qe3
{[#] Now Caruana intends to trade things off on e8 and win the ending. His pawns on the Queenside will be unstoppable}
Kh7 35.Re5 Qf6 36.Qf4 Qg6 37.Qe4
{[#]}
f5 38.Qd4 Qh5 39.Rf2
Rxe5 40.Qxe5 Rf8 41.Qxa5
{[#] Two pawns and counting. Normally a strong grandmaster like Movsesian would
resign here, but he decides to play for the ‘spectators’}
Qd1 42.Qd2 Qg1 43.Qc2 Kh8 44.a4 g5 45.c5 f4 46.c6 f3 47.c7 Kg7
48.Rd2 f2 49.Rd7+
{[#] It is mate. Moral of the story: if you don’t get out of the opening with all
of your pieces developed to good squares when playing these 2800-plus players, you stand no chance.}
1-0
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