Svidler’s CaroKann Demolished
Round 7 saw Ilya Smirin dismantle Peter Svidler’s CaroKann in fine style, allowing the Israeli grandmaster to come within half a point of the tournament leader, Lenier Dominguez, with just 2 rounds to go. Svidler finds himself in second to last place, a very unusual occurrence for the Russian star.
gm Smirin,I – gm Svidler,P
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Nf3$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">First let me say that it is quite a surprise that Svidler would play the CaroKann. I think that in the past 10 years he has tried it only once! Second, Smirin’s rather tame opening variation contains quite a bit of poison and has been played from time to time by such great players as Carlsen, Kramnik and Anand.</strong>} Nf6 {<strong style="color:black;">Capablanca often preferred to develop his King Knight before the other Knight in this kind of position, but I suppose it is just a matter of taste. </strong> }
( 4...Nc6!? 5.Ne5! Qb6!?
({<strong style="color:black;">More solid seems </strong> } 5...e6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Nxd7 Qxd7 8.c3 Bd6 9.Nd2 Nge7 10.O-O O-O
11.f4 Qc7 12.g3 Nf5 13.Nf3 Be7 14.Bd3 Nd6 15.Qe2$14 Rae8 16.Ne5
Bd8 17.Bd2 f5 18.Rae1 Bf6 19.Kg2 Ne4 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Be3 Rc8
22.Rc1 Rfd8 23.Rfd1 Qa5 24.a3 Qa4 25.c4 h6 26.h4 Kh7 27.Qh5 Bxe5
28.fxe5 Na5 29.Bxh6 Qe8 30.Qxe8 Rxe8 31.Bf4 Nxc4 32.Kh3 Nxb2
33.Rxc8 Rxc8 34.Rb1 Rc2 35.d5 exd5 36.e6 Kg8 37.Be5 Nd3 38.Rxb7
Nxe5 39.Rb8+ Kh7 40.e7 Ng4 41.Rh8+ {<strong style="color:black;"> 0-1, Smirin,I- Jobava,Ba , St Petersburg RUS 30/12/2018 World Blitz</strong> })
6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Bf4 a6 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3 Nxe5 10.Bxe5 e6 11.Bd3 Bd7
12.Nc5 Bxc5 13.dxc5 Qxc5 14.Qf3$14 Bb5 15.Bc2 O-O-O 16.a4 Bc6 17.b4
Qe7 18.O-O Ne4 19.b5 axb5 20.axb5 Bxb5 21.c4 Nd2 22.Qc3 Nxc4
23.Bxg7 Rhe8 24.Bf6 Qd6 25.Bxh7 Kd7 26.Rfb1 Bc6 27.Bxd8 Rxd8
28.Bd3 Qf4 29.Bxc4 dxc4 30.Rd1+ Bd5 31.Rd4 Qg5 32.g3 Rc8 33.Rf4
Qg6 34.Rd1 Ke7 35.Qb4+ Ke8 36.Rh4 Qf6 37.Rf4 Qe7 38.Qc3 b5 39.Rb1
Rb8 40.Ra1 b4 41.Qh8+ Qf8 42.Qe5 Rc8 43.Ra7 b3 44.Rh4 b2 45.Qxb2
c3 46.Qb5+ Bc6 47.Qa6 Bd7 48.Qd3 Rd8 49.Qxc3 Qd6 50.Qd4 {<strong style="color:black;"> 1-0, Smirin,I – Lei Tingjie , Wijk aan Zee NED 28/ 1/2017</strong> }
)
5.Ne5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This move has proven to be quite annoying to Black.</strong>} Nc6 {<strong style="color:black;"> There are plenty of options:</strong> }
( {<strong style="color:black;">The natural </strong> } 5...g6!? 6.Bd3 ({<strong style="color:black;">Or </strong> } 6.Bb5+ Nbd7 7.O-O Bg7 8.Nf3 O-O 9.Nc3 Nb8 10.h3 a6 11.Bd3 Nc6 12.a3 Bf5 13.Bxf5 gxf5 14.Ne2 e6
15.Bg5 Qb6 {<strong style="color:black;"> Carlsen – Morozevich (RUS) , Nice 27/ 3/2008</strong> } )
Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.c3 Nc6 9.Qe2 Nd7 10.f4$14 {<strong style="color:black;"> Carlsen M – Leko P2741 , Miskolc 29/ 5/2008 Match (active)</strong> }
)
( {<strong style="color:black;">My suggestion is </strong> } 5...a6 {<strong style="color:black;"> but I am not decided how to continue after the simple</strong> } 6.Bd3 )
( {<strong style="color:black;">I don’t like </strong> } 5...e6 {<strong style="color:black;"> because it voluntarily shuts in the Bishop</strong> } 6.Nd2 Nc6 7.c3 Bd6 8.f4 g6 9.Qf3$14
Nh5 10.g4 Ng7 11.Qh3 h5 12.Bd3 Kf8 13.Ndf3 Kg8 14.Bd2 Bd7 15.O-O-O
{<strong style="color:black;"> Anand V – Vallejo Pons F, Leon 30/ 5/2008</strong> } )
( {<strong style="color:black;">I don’t recommend </strong> } 5...Bf5 {<strong style="color:black;"> because of </strong> } 6.Bb5+! )
6.Bb5{[#]} Qa5+$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Apparently a new move, but not very good. The Queen is exposed here and soon becomes a liability for Black.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">More robust is </strong> } 6...Bd7$5 7.Nxd7 Qxd7 8.c3 g6
( 8...e6!? 9.O-O Bd6 10.Nd2
O-O 11.Re1
( 11.Bd3$5 Qc7 12.g3 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nf3 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3
Rfe8 16.Be3 Bc5 17.Qf4 Qb6 18.Bxc5 Qxc5 19.Rad1 Qb6 20.Rd2 Re7
21.Qb4 Qxb4 22.cxb4 Rc8 23.f3 Kf8 24.Kf2 h5 25.Bc2 Rc6 26.Bb3
Rb6 27.Rd4 Rbe6 28.Rd2 Rb6 29.Rd4 Rbe6 30.Rd2 {<strong style="color:black;"> 1/2-1/2, Adams,Mi – Howell,D, London ENG 17/12/2018 ch-GBR KO 2018</strong> })
a6 12.Bd3 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nf3 Nfg4 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.Bc2$14 Rfe8
17.Bf4 Bc7 18.g3 Rad8 19.Bxh7+ Kxh7 20.Bxe5 Bxe5 21.Qh5+ Kg8
22.Rxe5 Rxe5 23.Qxe5 Re8 24.Qd4 Qb5 25.b3 Re2 26.h4 b6 27.Rd1
Rxa2 28.Re1 Qc6 29.Re5 Qf6 30.Qe3 Ra1+ 31.Kg2 Ra5 32.h5 d4 33.cxd4
Rxe5 34.Qxe5 Qd8 35.d5 a5 36.d6 Qd7 37.Qe7 Qc6+ 38.Kg1 Qc1+ 39.Kh2
Qc5 40.Qe8+ Kh7 41.Qe4+ g6 42.hxg6+ Kg7 43.Qd3 Qxf2+ 44.Kh1 Qf6
45.d7 Qd8 46.Qc3+ Kxg6 47.Qc6+ Kh5 48.Qf3+ Kh6 49.Qxf7 Qh8 50.Kg2
Qa8+ 51.Kh2 Qh8 52.Qe8 {<strong style="color:black;"> 1-0, Kramnik,V – Caruana,F , Wijk aan Zee NED 27/ 1/2018 80th Tata Steel GpA</strong> }
)
9.O-O Bg7 10.Re1 O-O 11.Nd2 e6 12.a4 a6 13.Bd3 Rfc8 14.Nf3
Na5 15.Ne5 Qe7 16.Bg5 Qc7 17.Qf3 Ne8 18.Ng4 Nc4 19.Re2 Ned6 20.h4
h5 21.Nf6+ Bxf6 22.Qxf6 Ne8 23.Qf3 Ncd6 24.Bxg6 fxg6 25.Rxe6
Qf7 26.Qxd5 Rc6 27.Rxg6+ Ng7 28.Rxd6 {<strong style="color:black;"> 1-0, Smirin,I – Salgado Lopez,I , St Petersburg RUS 30/12/2018 World Blitz 2018</strong> }
)
({<strong style="color:black;"> A bit better is</strong> } 6...Qb6 {<strong style="color:black;"> but White can still annoy Black’s Queen with </strong> } 7.c4! )
7.Nc3{[#]} Bd7 8.Nxd7! Nxd7 9.Bd2$5 {<strong style="color:black;">Beginning to target the Black Queen </strong> }
({<strong style="color:black;">Previously seen is </strong> } 9.O-O a6 10.Bxc6
bxc6 11.Re1 e6 {<strong style="color:black;"> Schwabeneder,F – Mostbauer,F , Vienna AUT 26/ 7/2018 ch</strong> }
{<strong style="color:black;">and now </strong> } 12.Qh5 {!} )
Rc8 10.a4! Qb6 ( 10...Qd8 11.Nxd5 ) 11.a5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Smirin applies maximum pressure on his opponent</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Tempting, but less strong is </strong> } 11.Nxd5 Qxd4 12.Bc3 Qxd1+ 13.Rxd1 e6 14.Ne3 a6 {<strong style="color:black;">and Black is reasonably solid </strong> } ) Qxd4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Svidler’s experience in complex Grunfeld Opening is put to good use. The Queen is exposed,for sure, but retreating would leave White with all the chances. Svidler is the type of player who prefers an inferior, but complex, game to a more solid but passive game.</strong>}
( 11...Nxa5 12.Bxd7+ Kxd7 13.Nxd5 Qe6+ 14.Ne3 Nc4 15.O-O{<strong style="color:black;">with a solid plus for White </strong> } )
12.a6!{<strong style="color:black;">A strong move and it is not clear how Black should react. </strong> }
bxa6
({<strong style="color:black;">The alternative is </strong> } 12...b6 {<strong style="color:black;"> but after</strong> } 13.Bxc6 Rxc6 14.O-O e6 15.Nb5 Qxb2 16.Nxa7{<strong style="color:black;">the White a-pawn will cause Black worries. </strong> } )
13.Bxa6
Rb8 14.O-O e6 15.Bb5 Rc8 16.Ba6{<strong style="color:black;">gaining time on the clock </strong> } Rb8 17.Bb5 Rc8 18.Ra6!
( 18.Ra4 Qb6 19.Qe2 Be7 ) Nce5$4 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">The losing move!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Black had to play the solid </strong> } 18...Ndb8 {<strong style="color:black;">when White does not seem to have a kill anywhere </strong> } 19.Ra4 Qb6 20.Qe2
a6 21.Bxa6 Nxa6 22.Rxa6 Qb7{<strong style="color:black;">and Black is holding, atleast for the time being. </strong> } )
19.Qe2! Be7 20.Ra4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The Black Queen is being hunted like an animal</strong>} Nc4
( {<strong style="color:black;">Hardly worth consideration is </strong> }20...Qb6 21.Qxe5 Qxb5 22.Qxg7 )
21.Be3! ( {<strong style="color:black;">White also has the interesting </strong> }21.b3 Qxd2 22.Rxc4
Qxc3 23.Rxc3 Rxc3 24.Ra1 ) Qe5 22.Rxa7 Rc7
( 22...Rd8 23.Bxc4
dxc4 24.Rd1 Nf6 25.Qf3!$16 Rxd1+ 26.Qxd1 Nd5 27.Ra8+ Bd8 28.Bc5 )
23.f4$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Good enough is </strong> } 23.Bf4 Qxf4 24.Ra8+ Bd8 25.Nxd5 Qd6 26.Nxc7+ Qxc7 27.Qxc4 {<strong style="color:black;">when White should win. I assume Smirin wanted more. </strong> })
Qd6{[#]} ( {<strong style="color:black;">Also depressing is </strong> }23...Qxe3+ 24.Qxe3 Nxe3 25.Rxc7 )
24.Ra6$6
({<strong style="color:black;">White can force Svidlers resignation with the precise </strong> } 24.Ne4 {!} dxe4
( 24...Qb4 25.Rxc7 Qxb5 26.Rc8+ Bd8 27.Qxc4 ) 25.Rd1 Qb4 26.Rxc7
Qxb5 27.Rdxd7 {<strong style="color:black;">Etc. Probably Smirin was running short of time and he gives Svidler some chances to hang on </strong> } )
Qxa6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not pretty, but the Black Queen has been hunted for the entire game and it is time to cash it in for a couple of pieces</strong>} ( 24...Qb4$6 25.Ra8+ Bd8 26.Nxd5 )
25.Bxa6
( {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Once more Smirin plays imprecisely:</strong>}25.Nxd5! Qa5 26.Nxc7+ Qxc7 27.Qxc4 Qxc4 28.Bxc4 {<strong style="color:black;">when the win is just technical </strong> } ) Nxe3 26.Nb5
Rc6?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The final mistake. No doubt both players were short of time and this explains the imprecise play leading up to this move</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Black can still resist with </strong> } 26...Rc4! 27.Rf2 Ra4 28.Qxe3 Ra1+ 29.Rf1 Bc5 30.Nd4 Rxa6
31.c3 O-O {<strong style="color:black;">with some chances to hold. Now the game is all over and Smirin plays strongly </strong> } )
27.Nd4! Rb6 28.Ra1 Nxc2 29.Nxc2 O-O 30.Bb5 Nf6 31.Ra6
Rb7 32.b4 Ne4 33.Bc6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Svidler throws in the towel. The b-pawn is going to advance.</strong>} 1-0
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One of my favourite players, Peter Svidler has had some painful setbacks this year. It goes with the territory: after being one of the world’s leading players for more than 2 incredible decades, the ‘magic’ is less often seen today, and worse still: the 1-move blunders are beginning to set in…
Hopefully, however, Peter will prove us all wrong and have a SUPER second half of the year!
