Quick 1-Minute Summary
For the 5th time since 2005 Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia) is host to the FIDE World Cup. This year’s edition is being held between September 9 and October 4. A total of $1.6 million prize money, with the winner taking home $110,000 PLUS the right to participate in the upcoming Candidates Tournament (as will the other finalist).
For those unfamiliar with the format of the World Cup, it is a knockout event with 128 participants in round-one, 64 participants in round-two, etc. A maximum of 7 rounds. Each round features a mini-match of 2 games, except for the final round where 4 games will be played. Tie-breaks, if necessary.
Unfortunately, despite a very nicely organized media-coverage of the tournament, there is no direct PGN download on the official site. Hopefully before the end of the World Cup the organizers will change this.
You Might Also Be Interested In…
You can download the PGN here!
The Canadian representative at the World Cup is 52 year old Evgeny Bareev. His first round pairing is against the higher rated Rustam Kasimdzanov. According to my database, they have played twice before, in 2002 (Bareev won) and in 2003 (Kasimdzanov won), with Bareev playing Black in both games.
In today’s game Bareev lost . He tried to surprise his opponent in the opening, avoiding his favourite lines (the Caro Kann and the French), but Kasimdzanov was well prepared and innovated on the 10th move, giving him a slightly better position.
In the middlegame Bareev played fearlessly, castling Queenside, but never got any real play. After a couple of small imprecisions, Kasimdzanov got a big advantage, Bareev’s King feeling very uncomfortable.
In what appears to be mutual time trouble, both players played somewhat inaccurately, but Bareev made the last mistake, grubbing a poison pawn and resigned a few moves before mate.
Tomorrow Bareev will play with the White pieces and must win. Let’s wish him good luck!
gm Kasimdzanov – gm Bareev Rd.1 10.9.2019 (1-0)
1.e4 e5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">According to my database, Bareev had not played this way since 1995! This way he avoids his opponent’s main preparation for today’s game.</strong>} 2.Bc4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The Bishop’s Opening. White often plays this way as a means of avoiding the Petroff Defence, which Bareev is known to have included in his repetoire. Kasimdzanov rarely plays this way, but he must have decided to also avoid Bareev’s preparation. Cat and Mouse psychology!</strong>} Nf6 3.d3 c6
( 3...Nc6 4.Nf3 h6 5.O-O d6 6.c3 g5
{!?} {<strong style="color:black;">Gelfand B – Bareev E, Munich 1993</strong> } )
4.Nf3 d5 5.Bb3 a5
6.a4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not the only move in this position, but one which has been seen in top level chess recently.</strong>}
( 6.Nc3$5 Bb4 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Nbd7 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.O-O O-O
11.Re1 Re8 12.c4 Ne7 13.Ng5 h6 14.Ne4 a4 15.Ba2 c5 16.Nd6 Rf8
17.c3 Ng6 18.Bb1 Nf6 19.Nxc8 Qxc8 20.Qf3 Re8 21.Bc2 Nh4 22.Qg3
g5 23.d4 {!} Nf5 24.Qh3 e4 25.f3 exf3 {?} 26.Rxe8+ Qxe8 27.Bxg5
hxg5 28.Qxf5 Qe3+ 29.Kh1 fxg2+ 30.Kxg2 Qe2+ 31.Kg1 Ng4 32.Qh7+
Kf8 33.Rf1 f6 34.Bg6 {<strong style="color:black;"> 1-0, Kasparov G – Bareev E , Linares 1993</strong>} )
Bd6 ({<strong style="color:black;">Also often seen is </strong> } 6...Bb4+ 7.c3 Bd6 {<strong style="color:black;">and judging by this game, perhaps the most precise way for Black to play. </strong> } ) 7.exd5 cxd5
( {<strong style="color:black;">Quite reasonable is </strong> } 7...Nxd5 8.O-O O-O 9.Re1{<strong style="color:black;">which resembles something between the Spanish and the Italian games. </strong> } )
8.Nc3 Be6 9.Bg5 d4 10.Bxf6$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A new move in this position. Bareev now has his choice of how to recapture.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Previously seen are the inoffensive </strong> } 10.Bxe6 dxc3! )
({<strong style="color:black;"> And the slightly inferior </strong> } 10.Ne4 Bxb3! 11.cxb3 Bb4+ )
gxf6$5{[#]}
({<strong style="color:black;">A fighting move, typical of Bareev’s style of play with Black. There is no good reason to not take with the Queen, but perhaps Bareev was unwilling to let Kasimdzanov get some Kingside initiative: </strong> } 10...Qxf6 11.Ne4 Qe7 12.Bxe6 Qxe6 13.Nfg5$5
Qe7 ( 13...Qg6 ) 14.Qh5$5 )
11.Nb5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Perhaps Bareev underestimated this move. The Knight will be annoying on this square.</strong>} Bxb3 12.cxb3 Bb4+
13.Nd2{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black seems to have a completely playable game at first impression, but things are not so clear. Especially, the question of where Black should put his King (Kingside or Queenside) is not easy to answer. Infact, there are risks involved. Of course, Bareev understood this when he recaptured on f6 with his Pawn. In the game Bareev does not find a completely satisfactory solution.</strong>} Nc6
( {<strong style="color:black;">Occupying the g-file does not change White’s overall strategy </strong> } 13...Rg8 14.O-O Bxd2 15.Qxd2 Nc6 16.f4 {<strong style="color:black;">with play similar to the game. It is not clear what the Black Rook on g8 is doing. </strong> } )
14.f4
({<strong style="color:black;">The same thing is </strong> } 14.O-O {<strong style="color:black;"> first</strong> } ) Qe7 15.O-O Bxd2 16.Qxd2 O-O-O{[#] <strong style="color:red;">So Bareev opts for Queenside after all.</strong>} 17.Rae1$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White is fully mobilized. It is instructive that Kasimdzanov tries to prevent any Black counterplay in the centre.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">After the more direct </strong> } 17.fxe5 fxe5
18.Rf5 {<strong style="color:black;">(with the idea of doubling on the f-file) </strong> } e4! 19.dxe4 Qxe4 20.Rxf7 Qe3+ 21.Qxe3 dxe3 {<strong style="color:black;">Black gets good counterplay, probably enough to keep the game balanced, in a dynamic sort of way. </strong> } 22.Re1 Rd3! )
Kb8 18.Na3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This Knight is the hero of the game! Kasimdzanov now wants to put it on c4 from where it will tie Black down for the moment.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;"> Now not as strong is</strong> } 18.fxe5 fxe5 19.Rf5 f6!{<strong style="color:black;"> and Black is ok </strong> } )
Qb4{<strong style="color:black;">Trying to get some play </strong> }
( 18...Rd5 19.Nc4 Ka7
20.fxe5 fxe5 21.Qh6!$16 )
19.Qd1 Rhe8 20.fxe5 Rxe5
( {[#] <strong style="color:red;">In as much as Bareev ends up getting no play in the game continuation, I might recommend the ‘va Banque’ gambit:</strong>} 20...fxe5$5 21.Rxf7
( 21.Nc4 e4! 22.Rxe4 Rxe4 23.dxe4 d3 ) e4! 22.dxe4 d3! {[#] <strong style="color:red;">with an annoying passed pawn.</strong>} )
21.Nc4
Rxe1 22.Rxe1 Ka7{[#]} 23.h3 Rd7 24.Rf1{[#]} Re7 25.Kh2{<strong style="color:black;">Now that White’s King is nice and safe, White is ready to use his Rook to infiltrate the Black position. </strong> } Re6 26.Rf5{[#]} Ne5$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This is just wrong. Though the position is getting unpleasant, Bareev had to play more actively</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Black had to try </strong> }26...Qe7! 27.Qd2 Qc7+ 28.Qf4 Qxf4+ 29.Rxf4 Ka6!{<strong style="color:black;">and try to break in the Queenside with b5 </strong> } )
27.Na3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Remember my earlier remark about this Knight being a hero. Now the Knight goes back to b5 where it will further harrass the Black King.</strong>} Kb6
( {<strong style="color:black;">Or if </strong> } 27...Nc6 28.Nb5+ Kb8 ( 28...Kb6 29.Qg4! ) 29.Qg4!{<strong style="color:black;">and the Queen penetrates decisively </strong> } )
28.Nb5 Nc6
29.Qc2$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Probably time trouble. With this move Kasimdzanov’s victory is put in doubt. </strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Decisve is the immediate </strong> }29.Qg4! {<strong style="color:black;">when if </strong> } Qd2 30.Qg3! )
Qe7$6
({<strong style="color:black;"> Missing </strong> } 29...Re3! 30.Rxf6 Qe1!{<strong style="color:black;">with real counterplay </strong> } )
30.Qf2!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Now Kasimdzanov is in control again.</strong>} Re3
( 30...Qd8 31.Qf4 )
31.Qf4! Rxd3 32.Rxf6
({[#] <strong style="color:red;">Missing the immediate cruncher:</strong>} 32.Nd6! Ka6 33.Nc8 Qd7 34.Qf1 Nb4 35.Rxf6+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;">etc</strong>} ) Rxb3?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Losing immediately, but it is lost anyway</strong>}
( 32...Ka6 33.Rxf7 Qe1 34.Qc7 Qe5+ 35.Qxe5 Nxe5 36.Rxh7 Rxb3
37.Rh6+ b6 38.Rh7 Nc6 39.Rc7 )
33.Qxd4+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Forced mate. Bareev threw in the towel.</strong>} 1-0
You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.
