GOTM; November;  2011 .  

Welcome to my  "Game of The Month"  feature!  (For November, 2011.)  [Game # 44.]  

This is a game, that is annotated - by me - for your enjoyment. Hopefully it is done in a way that is both entertaining and also informative. The main purpose {and thrust} of this column is to try and educate the general chess public. 

I have deeply annotated this game on my hard drive, you are welcome to contact me if you would like to try and obtain a copy. (Because of copyright violations, I ONLY offer a printed version!)  

This is a feature where I will try to pick a game that was recently played at the GM level. Then I will annotate it and try to basically explain what happened. ---> This column is aimed primarily at lower-rated players.  (Say 1600 & below.) 

I hope that you enjoy this game ... feedback is both encouraged and welcome. (Please respect my copyright.) 

  The two players ... (a brief, personal look at their chess careers). 

GM Hikaru Nakamura (24) - Originally born in Japan, he came to this country at age of two - when his parents moved here. He is enormously talented, I personally saw him at a scholastic tournament ... Nakamura was probably around age 13 {or younger} at this time ... and he was already a very strong master. (See this game, a young Nakamura crushes Bisguier. I annotated this game, my chess analysis of this game can be found in the comments/kibitzing section ... just below the game) Nakamura was one of our top junior players for the entire period that he was under the age of 21. (I remember the rating lists of that period, Nakamura was the #1 scholastic player for practically the entire time that he was eligible to be a part of {and listed on} those rating lists.) However, H. Nakamura did not mature as quickly as some might have thought, yet, by his late teens, he was already one of the strongest players in the USA. In 2009, he won the U.S. Championships. In January of 2011, he won clear first at Wijk ann Zee and these results have now vaulted him into the "Top Ten" (players) in the whole world. How far he goes from here might only limited by how hard he will work at the game. [Read the Wiki article on this player.]  

   [Google this player.  His CG profile.  His FIDE player-card.]   

GM Vassily Ivanchuk (42) - Born in the Ukraine, Ivanchuk has always been a player that I was interested in, (And I have always closely followed his whole career.); and is possibly the most erratic top chess player in the world; few good players have had the "ups-and-downs" that this player has seen. Possessed of a unique and wickedly vast chess talent, he was already recognized as a future GM before he was even 12 years old. He won many junior competitions, and then (not even 22 years old) he won first place in Linares, 1991, edging out Kasparov by a half a point. After such an excellent result, many in the chess world thought he was sure to {eventually} become a world champion. However, {perhaps because of bad nerves}; he does not ever seem to quite make it over the last key hurdle. A winner of dozens of international events, he is also a powerful team competitor, having won more medals from the FIDE Olympiad(s) than the next 3 GM's put together. For a while, he fell out of the "Top Ten" altogether, but now has recently rejoined the ranks of the world's elite players. [Read the Wiki article on this player.]  

   [Google this player.  His CG profile.  His FIDE player-card.]  

Click  HERE  to see a page that contains the FULL SCORE (text only) of ALL the games that are referenced to in my analysis of this game. (Where possible, I have provided a link to the CG website. However, not all of these games that I found in the games database are available on the CG website.) Be sure to (also) consult this page, this is my web page for the famous game of Donald Byrne vs. Bobby Fischer from the NY Rosenwald Tournament of 1956. (That page contains a fairly detailed look at the opening systems of the Grunfeld Defense. You should also refer to last month's game, it contains a new, fresh look at the fianchetto systems of the Grunfeld Defense.) 

This will be my "Game of The Month" for November, 2011;  ... ... ...  

Ivanchuk has always been one of my favorite players. 
(Its good to see him back in the "Top Ten," he is currently # 6 on the FIDE November Rating List.)  

I literally started on this game the same day that it was played!!! 
(I was almost finished with the game before a former student sent me an e-mail with a link to the analysis by GM A. Ramirez on the CB website.) 

  ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************   

My impressions of this contest are as follows: 

<<A somewhat confusing game, although its nice to see a game by two Top GM's that does not end in a victory for White ... ... no (easy) "1-0" here! 

The opening starts normally enough, White has his standard "plus-over-equal" type of advantage for the first seven moves of this struggle. However, somewhere along the way, Nakamura stumbles and allows "Chucky ... (The Terrible?)" to get the upper hand. Imprecise moves by White further exacerbate the difficulties that he now finds himself in. Then suddenly, White's game simply collapses ... there were more than one instance in this struggle where neither side found the (correct) computer move. Despite these flaws, I still like this game. Either GM could have bailed out with a short draw, neither one did, all-in-all, its an entertaining - if imperfect - game of Kings on the 64 squares.>> 

   ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************    

   1.d4 Nf6;  2.c4 g6;  3.Nc3 d5;  (Hits the center!)  

For the second month in a row, we have a Grunfeld Defense. (Yet I would like to point out, that while I chose this particular game, I was not the one that picked last month's brilliantly, well-played game.) I was also drawn to this contest because I played this opening system for a great part of my chess-playing career. (Maybe 20-25 years, or even more.) 

In any case, this month's opening system is completely different than the one examined last month. 

White's next move makes a lot of sense, prior to e2-e3, the Queen's -Bishop is developed outside the Pawn chain. Further, after White continues with e3 and Nf3, the  first player will have a lock on the e5-square, which is a good outpost for a Knight ... once the middlegame is reached. 

   4.Bf4,   (Classical / slow pressure.)   

This was one of the earliest systems to be played versus the Grunfeld, I was somewhat surprised to see it played in this clash. 
     [ Please see the important and historic contest:  F. Saemisch - E. Gruenfeld; Bad Pistyan, (Round. # 07) / 1922. ]   

  rnbqkb1r/ppp1pp1p/5np1/3p4/2PP1B2/2N5/PP2PPPP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 4  

When I was coming up in chess, it was usually one line that predominated current GM praxis - today, the new paradigm seems to be diversity in just about every conceivable opening system! 

[ Please see MCO-15, page # 643; columns # 25 - # 30 ... and all the notes that pertain to these particular lines. ]  

          [ RR  White can also play ... "The Russian System" here: 
            4.Nf3 Bg7;  5.Qb3 dxc4;  6.Qxc4,  "+/="  (With a small, but rather clear edge for White.) 

            [ See MCO-15, begin on page # 639, columns # # 13-14 ... and all the notes that apply to all of these different columns. ]   

            A good contest - that was played around eleven years ago would be: 
            GM Garry Kasparov (2851) - GM Peter Leko (2725); [D97]  ICT, 17th Super-GM / (Round #5) Linares, ESP; 04,03,2000.   
            {A tough, solid draw in 38 moves.} 

            Please also see my web page on the following historic chess game: 
            Donald Byrne - Robert J. Fischer; ICT, Rosenwald / New York, 1956. 
            (This is the game that is commonly referred to as: "The Game of The Century.")  [Replay, on the CG website.] 

            This web page contains an extremely detailed look at many of the systems of the whole of the Grunfeld Opening.   

                  *********************************************************************************************************************   

            White can also play 4.Nf3, and then follow this up with Bf4.   

            One standard reference gives the following continuation here: 
            4.Nf3 Bg7;  5.Bf4 0-0;  6.Rc1 dxc4;  7.e4,  "+/="  (White has a small, but solid edge here.)  

            and White is slightly better here. (This is also one of the top variations in the new "Power-Book.")   

            I don't want to go too deeply into an analysis of this sub-system as, after days of research, there are    
            MANY branches to this tree, and I am not sure which one is the absolute best. 

            [ Please see MCO-15, page # 643; column # 26 and all relative notes. ]   

            GM Vladimir Kramnik (2790) - GM Garry Kasparov (2825) / [D92] / 
            Chess Classic/Giants; (Round #1)  /  Frankfurt, Germany; 17, 06, 1998.   
            {White won a long, tough game, 1-0 in 52 total moves.} ]   

Both sides continue to develop ...  

   4...Bg7;  5.e3,  (Solid / Pawn-structure.)   

This is a quiet, sort of "safe" move, (White controls the center and this move also firmly anchors d4.); leaving White with a rather small ... 
but enduring advantage. (One positive aspect of e3, is that White can always play BxP/c4 if Black plays the capture, ...dxc4; at any point.)  

  rnbqk2r/ppp1ppbp/5np1/3p4/2PP1B2/2N1P3/PP3PPP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 5  

The main alternative to e2-e3 here, would be 5.Nf3, see my analysis below. 

            [ White could also play 5.Nf3, in this position. For example:   
              5.Nf3 0-0;  6.e3 c5!;   
              Black must play actively or risk being slowly crushed here.   

             7.dxc5,  (#1 choice in "Power-Book")   
             This opens the game, its one of the top moves, statistically speaking, 
             I am not sure if White has anything that is really better here.  

                    ( Or White could play more slowly, although this does not seem to really promise   
                       the first player any real edge coming out of the opening: 
                       7.Be2 cxd4;  8.Nxd4 dxc4;  9.Bxc4 a6;  10.0-0 Nbd7;  11.Nf3 b5;  12.Be2 Bb7;   
                       13.h3 Qb6;  14.Bh2 Rfd8;  15.Qd4 Qxd4;  16.Nxd4 Rac8;  "=/+"  (Black is a little better.)  
                       Draw agreed; 1/2 - 1/2. 

                       FM Stephen Muhammad {Booth} (2430) - A.J. Goldsby I (2233);   
                       Pensacola CC (Summer) Quarterly PFC Bank, (Round # 4) / FL; 2000. )  

            7...Qa5!?;  8.Rc1 dxc4;  9.Bxc4 Nbd7;  10.0-0 Nxc5;  11.Qe2, "+/="   (Small - but solid edge - for White.)  
             White is solidly better here. 

            See the contest: GM Yuri Yakovich (2591) - GM Valeri Yandemirov (2491);  
            ICT, Aeroflot Open ("A") / Moscow, RUS; (R#5) / 21,02,2004.   
            {A seemingly well-played and interesting draw in a total of forty-one moves.} ]  

     5...0-0;  (Development / King protection.) 

This seems to be about the best move for Black ... I am not sure if the second player should enter into complications, (and consider opening up the game); with his King still in the center.  

  rnbq1rk1/ppp1ppbp/5np1/3p4/2PP1B2/2N1P3/PP3PPP/R2QKBNR w KQ - 0 6  

          [ For the very sharp lines of:  5...c5!?;  6.dxc5 Qa5;   
            please see MCO-15, page # 643; and mainly column # 29.  

            Of course, I would be wrong to omit a reference to this (currently)   
             topical and outstanding game: 

            GM Levon Aronian (2802) - GM Peter Svidler (2755); [D93] / 
            ICT, 6th Tal Memorial / (Rnd. #08) / Moscow, RUS; Nov. 24th, 2011.   
            {White won a ultra-brilliant endgame, 1-0 in a total of 54 moves.} ]   

   6.Rc1,   (Development / placing pressure down the c-file.)   

This is OK for White, although the engines are unanimous in their choice of 6.Nf3!? here. (Of course, 6.Nf3, will transpose to one of the lines that I have already examined earlier; see the long note after 4.Bf4.)  

   rnbq1rk1/ppp1ppbp/5np1/3p4/2PP1B2/2N1P3/PP3PPP/2RQKBNR b K - 0 6  

I think that one of the main points of Rc1 is to try and discourage or dilute the effects of Black's pawn break on the center. ( ...c7-c5) Another aspect of Rc1 is that Black often plays ...c5; ..Qa5; and then ...Ne4; in this opening. If White has not prepared to meet this, then his c3-square is completely overrun. (So the Rook move helps to defuse this threat, somewhat.) 

   6...dxc4!?;  (Releasing tension.)   

Black does this to break down White's firm grip on the central squares and also prepare a quick and effortless development of all of his pieces. (6...dxc4!? is somewhat rare, but not new, there are 65 games in the CB on-line DB here. I will also note that there is NOT a lot of "GM - vs. - GM" experience with this line, either.) 

  rnbq1rk1/ppp1ppbp/5np1/8/2pP1B2/2N1P3/PP3PPP/2RQKBNR w K - 0 7  

Yet, there is something to be said for at least a look at the "Power-Book" line here ... see the continuation (in the brackets) below. 

GM A. Ramirez ... on the ChessBase website ... notes that 6...c5; and also 6...c6; are the most common moves here for Black. [See that article.]  

          [ The following continuation would have been interesting to explore: 
            RR  6...c5!?;  7.dxc5 Be6;  8.Nf3 Nc6;  9.Be2 Ne4;  10.0-0!? Nxc3;  11.bxc3, "+/="  11...dxc4;  "<=>" (cp) 
            and Black seems to get good play. (I once saw a game of L. Ftacnik's in one of my opening books, {1985};   
            and Black got good play. Here is another game, where Ftacnik faces the early Bf4 in the Gruenfeld.) 

            However, the results after  12.Ng5!,  "+/="  seem to favor White, see the interesting contest: 
            GM Rafael A. Vaganian (2570) - IM Roman Tomaszewski (2435); [D83] 
            ICT, 7th Toth Memorial; (Round. #01) / Kecskemet, Hungary; 02,06,1979.   
            {White won a very convincing game here, 1-0 in a total of forty moves.} ]  

Now White recaptures the c-pawn, while Black develops a piece. 

   7.Bxc4 Nbd7;  (N's in the center.)   

A key position has been reached.  

  r1bq1rk1/pppnppbp/5np1/8/2BP1B2/2N1P3/PP3PPP/2RQK1NR w K - 0 8  

Normally, White will continue with Nf3, and have a small but lasting advantage out of the opening phase of the game. 

White's next move is a rather unexpected sally from the cavalry.  

   8.Nb5?!,   (Maybe - '?') 

There is no doubt that Nf3 would have been an improvement over the Nb5!? ... as played in the game. (I think that the likelihood is that Nb5, while radical and an extremely interesting, is {in the end} a very dubious concept.)  

  r1bq1rk1/pppnppbp/5np1/1N6/2BP1B2/4P3/PP3PPP/2RQK1NR b K - 0 8  

This move costs White more than a point in the computer's evaluations. 
(The main problem with this move ... and the way that Nakamura followed it up ... was that Black loses several tempo AND the initiative.) 

I think that (what happened in this game) is that Nakamura must have seen something OTB that did not materialize during the actual game. It is also likely that he did not deeply consider the possible exchange sack, (that his opponent wound up playing); and that this was basically the cause of his failure. (Either this, or he had deeply prepared some line, and simply forgot his analysis.) 

          If you are interested in games in the DB, see the relatively well-played struggle, 
          (after the moves, 8.Nf3, a6; 9.0-0, c5;): 
           GM Ivan Farago (2510) - GM Nikola Spiridonov (2440); [D83] / 
           ICT, 17th Rubinstein Memorial (R#8) / Polanica Zdroj, Poland; 1979. 
          {1-0 in 62 total moves, I could not find this game on the CG website.}   

   ******************************************   

            [ >/= 8.Nf3!, "+/=" (& White is slightly better.)  - All the engines. ]  

Black's next play is forced. (Both sides played their next few moves relatively quickly.) 

We can assume that the player's were fairly certain that these moves were both fairly decent and also (more-or-less) of a forcing nature. 

   8...c6T;  9.Bc7 Qe8;  10.Nc3 e5!;   [Center.]   

We have known - since the time of Paul Morphy - that when you opponent has not castled and you have a lead in development, that you should open up the game as quickly as possible.  

   r1b1qrk1/ppBn1pbp/2p2np1/4p3/2BP4/2N1P3/PP3PPP/2RQK1NR w K e6 0 11  

However, there is the possibility of White playing Bd6, (and winning the exchange); that makes this move VERY good ... and quite possibly even a "double-exclam" type of move here. However, the players don't comment on it, and no one (that I can find) does any deep analysis on the possible exchange sacrifice, either. 
("10...e5!" - GM A Ramirez)   [Read this article on the CB website.]  

If White was not going test his opponent's idea and accept the exchange sacrifice, then his next move was close to being forced. 
(White cannot allow the center to be opened while his King remains in the middle of the board.) 

   11.dxe5,   'T' or '[]'  (No choice?) 

Nakamura probably felt that this move was very close to being forced here.  

  r1b1qrk1/ppBn1pbp/2p2np1/4P3/2B5/2N1P3/PP3PPP/2RQK1NR b K - 0 11  

Certainly, if White had tried Bd6!? here, Black would have gained good play with ...exd4! here. 

          [ The following exchange sacrifice is extremely interesting here: 
            RR  11.Bd6!? exd4!;  12.Bxf8 dxc3!;  "<=>"  (counterplay)  
            (with some interesting play for Black); however, we can assume that since GM 
            Nakamura by-passed this possibility, that it must be bad for White to accept it. 

            Perhaps someone who is really interested could do a deep analysis of this continuation ...  

                                   ****************************************************************

            For a deeper analysis, go here, then look for where I copied "RandomVisitor's" work 
            done with Rybka 4.1, it seems it pans out to equality.  ]  

   11...Nxe5;  (Hits c4.)  12.Be2T,   

White simply retreats ... he really had no choice here.  

  r1b1qrk1/ppB2pbp/2p2np1/4n3/8/2N1P3/PP2BPPP/2RQK1NR b K - 0 12  

Two things are now obvious: 
A.) White has not played the opening correctly in this game; and ... 
B.) Nakamura has allowed Ivanchuk to take over the initiative here.   

          [ RR   12.Bxe5!? Qxe5;  13.Nf3 Qe7;  "=/+"  

             </=   12.Bd6? Nxc4; 13.Bxf8 Qxf8;  "-/+" ]  

White also has yet another problem ... Black has already castled, so White must play "catch-up" in the overall development of his pieces. 

   12...Bf5;  13.Nf3,  (Forced.)   

White must finish his development and get castled or be faced with a possibly catastrophic loss. (It also becomes obvious that Nakamura ... who may have been counting on the possibility of B/c7-d6 to prevent Black from untangling his pieces ... has been outwitted and outplayed.)  

  r3qrk1/ppB2pbp/2p2np1/4nb2/8/2N1PN2/PP2BPPP/2RQK2R b K - 0 13  

Now all of Black's pieces are better developed here, Black is about to play ...R/a8-c8; with another gain of tempo. 

          [ </= 13.Bd6?? Rd8;  "-/+" ]  

   13...Nxf3+;  14.Bxf3 Rc8;  (Time.)   

With this move, Black gains time.  

   2r1qrk1/ppB2pbp/2p2np1/5b2/8/2N1PB2/PP3PPP/2RQK2R w K - 0 15   

<<"Black has gotten a dream position out of the opening. His pieces are active and he is slightly better developed. Hikaru is only a little worse, but having this situation after only 14 moves with White is very unpleasant.">>   - GM A Ramirez on CB.  [Read this article on the CB website.] 

All this is great, but no one (that I have seen) has pointed out that the machines greatly prefer the move of >/= 14...Qc8!; in this particular position. 
(See the note, just below.) 

          [ Probably an improvement was:  >/= 14...Qc8!;  15.Bg3 Rd8;  16.Qb3 Be6;  17.Qa4 Nd5!;  "=/+"  
             (Analysis by - Fritz 12.)  ... when Black has an ideal position. (His advantage might be bigger   
            and this would occur earlier than what was played in the actual game.) ]   

Now White's next move is nearly forced, Bd6 is a blunder owing to the pin on the wide open d-file. 

   15.Bg3 Ne4!;   

The simplest.   

  2r1qrk1/pp3pbp/2p3p1/5b2/4n3/2N1PBB1/PP3PPP/2RQK2R w K - 0 16  

The machine likes 15...Nd7!?; here, however, this might lead to a murky position. 
 --->   Ivanchuk's move is best and gives Black a small but persistent edge out of the opening.   

          [ RR  15...Nd7!?;  16.Bd6 Rd8;  17.Qb3 Ne5;  18.Bxe5 Bxe5;  19.Qxb7 Rb8;  20.Qxa7 Rxb2;  21.0-0 Qe6; "~" ]    

The next few ply (2.5 moves) are all pretty much forced, and represent best play - for both sides. 

   16.Bxe4 Bxe4;  17.0-0 Rd8;  18.Qa4,  (Hits the Bishop on e4, with tempo.)  

White had no choice here, all the other moves were clearly inferior.   

  3rqrk1/pp3pbp/2p3p1/8/Q3b3/2N1P1B1/PP3PPP/2R2RK1 b - - 0 18  

Black is clearly on top here, yet I don't think that White had to lose this game, as (although Black has a clear and lasting edge here); I do not see any real weaknesses in GM Hikaru Nakamura's position. [In fact, several strong computer engines do not see much of an edge (in the current position) for Black.]   

          [ </= 18.Qb3?! Bd3;  19.Rfd1 Qe7; "=/+"  (Black is solidly better here.) ]  

   18...Bd3;  19.Rfd1,   (Relatively forced.)   

Both sides, for about the last 6-7 moves, have been making moves that were forced and were fairly close to being "only" moves ...  

  3rqrk1/pp3pbp/2p3p1/8/Q7/2NbP1B1/PP3PPP/2RR2K1 b - - 0 19  

A critical position has been reached, Black's a-pawn is hanging and he must make a vital decision here. 

          [ RR  </= 19.Rfe1!? c5!?;  20.Qxa7!? Qc6!;  21.Qa4 b5; "~"   (w/comp. for material) ] 

   19...b5!;   (Time, Pawn-structure.)  

Black must play energetically, a slow or a passive move (here) could ruin everything for GM V. Ivanchuk.  

   3rqrk1/p4pbp/2p3p1/1p6/Q7/2NbP1B1/PP3PPP/2RR2K1 w - b6 0 20  

Now White is in the crucible of fire, and must have the certitude to reach the correct conclusion ... 
when you are near the edge of the cliff, you must be very careful not to go over the edge ... ... ...  

          [ </=  19...a6?;  20.Qb4,  "+/=" ]  

   20.Qa5?!,   {?}  (The wrong decision.) 

I am sure that one of my heroes in chess - GM Vicktor Korchnoi - would have had the courage to grab the pawn on the a7-square.  

  3rqrk1/p4pbp/2p3p1/Qp6/8/2NbP1B1/PP3PPP/2RR2K1 b - - 0 20  

It takes some heavy-duty calculation, (to make sure that the WQ does not wind up getting trapped); but surely a 2700+ player is capable of such a task? 

          [ The critical line was:  >/=  20.Qxa7! b4;  21.Na4 Be2;  22.Re1,  Definitely best.   

                    ( </= 22.Rxd8?! Qxd8;  23.Qc5 Qd2;  24.h3 Bb5;  25.Nb6 Bxb2;  "=/+"  (Black is slightly better.) )   

            22...Bb5;  23.b3 Qd7;  24.Qxd7 Rxd7;  "~"  (unclear)  

            Black probably has more than enough play for the Pawn, but whether or not the second player has 
            any real winning chances is (IMO) highly doubtful. ]   

The chess engines confirm that the next few moves (through Black's 22nd move) are best, (and are close to being forced); 
as both sides prepare to contest the open d-file. 

   20...Rd7;  21.Rd2 Qe7;   

This is OK, but maybe 21...Qd8; would have been an improvement over the course of the actual game? 
(I had this thought after I had already finished annotating the game, however, I thought that I would go ahead and stick a note in here, anyway.) 

   22.Rcd1 Rfd8;  "=/+"  (The second player has a small {but clear} advantage in this position.)   

See the diagram just below:  

  3r2k1/p2rqpbp/2p3p1/Qp6/8/2NbP1B1/PP1R1PPP/3R2K1 w - - 0 23  

There are several factors in Ivanchuk's favor, (Bishop-pair, Q-side Pawn majority); so White must play perfect chess not to lose from this position.  

White's next move prevents Black from playing ...b5-b4; which would completely disrupt White's game. 

   23.a3 h5!;   (Space, time.)  

This is a really nice move - and deserves some comments that might help to clarify the ideas here, especially for the players who may not play in tournaments or have not ever bothered to learn how to use a chess engine.  

  3r2k1/p2rqpb1/2p3p1/Qp5p/8/P1NbP1B1/1P1R1PPP/3R2K1 w - h6 0 24  

The position - to the master - is clearly in Black's favor. However, since I have already gone over this epic battle with a couple of the members of my local chess club, 
I also know that the average player might see this position as being very close to being equal. 

In such close positions, you have to look for little ways to increase your advantage. Black, by pushing his h-pawn forward two squares, has accomplished many things: 
#1.) He has gained some space. 
#2.) If a WR (or Q) ever penetrates to Black's first rank, the second player will have an escape hatch (h7) for his King. 
#3.) Black threatens h4 (hitting the B) and then ...h4-h3. If White captures, then his entire K-side Pawn formation has been corrupted. 
#4.) Just like tennis, Black has tossed the ball back over the net. White is a little off balance, and because Nakamura does not have a lot of decent options, just coming up with a reply is not such an easy task for White. 

          [ The machine prefers a continuation that is also advantageous for Black: 
            (>/=)  23...Bf5;  24.Rxd7 Rxd7;  25.Rxd7 Qxd7;  26.h3 h5;  "+/="  
            and Black would be solidly better. ]   

Because of Black's threats - please see the discussion after Black's 23rd move, above - White's next move is more or less (positionally) forced. 

   24.h3 h4;   (attack and with tempo)   

Ivanchuk continues to press his advantage and try to keep his opponent on the ropes.  

   3r2k1/p2rqpb1/2p3p1/Qp6/7p/P1NbP1BP/1P1R1PP1/3R2K1 w - - 0 25  

However, this was not the only move, the machine's play of 24...Bf5; was also an interesting idea and would have given a solid edge to Black. 

          [ Better was: >/=  24...Bf5;  "=/+" (Black is better.)  - Fritz 12 and Houdini 1.5 ]  

   25.Bh2!?,   (Maybe, probably - '?!')  

White had to move his attacked Bishop on the h2-square. 

But this move is wrong ... if, for no other reason, that if a heavy piece penetrates to White's first rank, then the first player will be in dire straits.  

   3r2k1/p2rqpb1/2p3p1/Qp6/7p/P1NbP2P/1P1R1PPB/3R2K1 b - - 0 25  

You can take a look at this position for yourself. You should be able to readily see that - if one, or both Rooks, are exchanged here, and a check occurs on White's back row ... ... ... 

          [ An improvement was: >/=  25.Bf4[],  (forced)  - Fritz 12 & Houdini 1.5 ]   

Now - if I were Black in this position, (and I was thinking clearly) - I would have tried to swap the Rooks and leave White with his sorry prelate stranded on the h2-square. 

   25...Kh7!?;   (Not the best.)  

This is not a terrible move, however, (for some reason); Ramirez gives it the dubious ('?!') appellation here. (IMO, this is overly harsh ...)  
  [Read this article on the CB website.]  

  3r4/p2rqpbk/2p3p1/Qp6/7p/P1NbP2P/1P1R1PPB/3R2K1 w - - 0 26   

I like Fritz's idea of 25...Bf5. 

          [ >/=  25...Bf5!;  "=/+"  (Black has a solid edge here.)   - Fritz 12.  

            >/=  25...Bf6;  "=/+"  (Black is just slightly better here.)  - Houdini 1.5 ]  

   26.Bc7!,   (Why? The idea?)   

White alertly leaps at the chance to exchange off his Bishop that was previously mired in quicksand in the backwaters of White's K-side ...    

  3r4/p1Brqpbk/2p3p1/Qp6/7p/P1NbP2P/1P1R1PP1/3R2K1 b - - 0 26  

This is the kind of sharp tactics that can sometimes save an inferior position. 

          [ </=  26.Bf4!? Bf6;  "=/+"  (Black is better.)  - Fritz 12. ]  

Once more, we come to a position where both players are pretty much forced to play the following series of moves in this game. 

   26...Rxc7;  27.Rxd3 Rxd3;  28.Rxd3 Bf6;   (Hmmm.)  

Black is clearly just a little better here, however, Ivanchuk's edge is far from being a decisive one.   

   8/p1r1qp1k/2p2bp1/Qp6/7p/P1NRP2P/1P3PP1/6K1 w - - 0 29  

Right now, if you compare the position of all of White's pieces to Black's, you can readily see why Black stands a little bit better here. (Especially noteworthy is White's poor Knight ... virtually stuck on the c3-square ... whereas Black's DSB is strong on the long diagonal, and also free to roam all of the dark squares. Bobby Fischer always said, that - in a mostly open position, with Pawns spread on both sides of the board - a Bishop is nearly always superior to the Knight. This is mostly because the Knight is a short-range piece and the Bishop is a long-range piece. Often times, the Bishop {because of its range} can support Pawns on one side of the board, while simultaneously interfering with the opponent's operations on the opposite side of the chess-board.)   

          [ >/=  28...Kg8; "=/+"  (Black is better.)  - Fritz 12.]  

   29.Rd2?!;   (Maybe - '?')   

This passive retreat only serves to make White's position worse. ('?!' - GM Alejandro Ramirez)  [Read this article on the CB website.]  

   8/p1r1qp1k/2p2bp1/Qp6/7p/P1N1P2P/1P1R1PP1/6K1 b - - 0 29  

All the engines agree that White HAD to play Qb4 in this position, please see the analysis - just below. 

          [ >/=  29.Qb4T Qxb4;  30.axb4 Kg7;  31.Kf1 Kf8;  "=/+"  (Black is just a little better here.)  - Fritz 12. ]   

Now the only way for Black to improve his position is to challenge White's control of the d-file. 

   29...Rd7;  30.Rc2[],  (Forced.)   

All of the engines (Fritz, Houdini, Shredder, Deep Junior, etc.) that I tested clearly indicated that it was horrible for White to exchange the Rooks here.   

   8/p2rqp1k/2p2bp1/Qp6/7p/P1N1P2P/1PR2PP1/6K1 b - - 0 30  

Normally, just a Queen and a Knight work very well together. In this position, however, we see the exception to that little rule of thumb. 

          [ The following analysis will clearly show that it was wrong for White to swap Rooks on the open file:   
            </=  30.Rxd7? Qxd7;   31.a4,   (OK?) 

            There is nothing that is clearly better for White, nor any line that will pull White's bacon out of the fire. 

                   ( </= 31.Qb4?! Qd2;  32.Qf8 Qxb2;  33.Qxf7+ Bg7;  34.Nd1 Qxa3;  "+/-"   

                      Or White could try: RR 31.Kh2 Kg7;  32.f4 Qe7; "/+"  (Maybe "-/+") )  

            31...Qd2;  32.axb5!?,  (hmmm)   
            White might as well capture in this position. (Everything will lose, as my analysis here will show.)   

                   ( Black wins in all lines:   
                      A.)  32.Qc7!? Qxb2;  33.Qxf7+ Bg7; "-/+"  

                      B.)  32.Qxa7 Kg7!;  33.Ne4 Qc1+!;  34.Kh2 Be5+;  35.f4 Bxf4+;  36.exf4 Qxf4+;  37.Kg1 Qxe4;  "-/+" )  

            32...Qxb2!;     (Or 32...Qe1+!? )  

            33.Qxa7,  Best?   

                   (Or 33.bxc6!? Qc1+;  34.Kh2 Qxc3; "-/+")  

            33...Kg7;  34.Qc5 Bxc3;  35.bxc6 Be1!;  36.Qd4+ Qxd4;  37.exd4 Ba5;  "-/+"  (See the analysis position, below.)  

            Black has won a piece, IMO this is a relatively simple "win on technique" for Black, and all of the engines will confirm the conclusion   
            that Black is winning here. ]  

   30...Qe6;   ('!?')  (centralization)   

Once more, Black plays a fairly decent move here, but perhaps failed to find the best move.  

   8/p2r1p1k/2p1qbp1/Qp6/7p/P1N1P2P/1PR2PP1/6K1 w - - 0 31  

But even with all of these bobbles, Black remains with the much superior chances in this endgame.  

          [ Better (for Black) was:  >/=  30...Kg7!;  (Maybe "-/+") and Black is clearly better here. - Fritz 12 and Houdini 1.5 ]  

   31.Qb4 a5!?;   (Interesting ...)   

This is a nice "pop" on the WQ, and its done with a gain of time. However, Black could have focused his firepower on c3, and White would have been helpless to prevent this.   

   8/3r1p1k/2p1qbp1/pp6/1Q5p/P1N1P2P/1PR2PP1/6K1 w - a6 0 32  

Black remains in control, especially as the analysis will show that Nakamura cannot afford to grab the a-Pawn in this position. 

          [ The box prefers:  31...Rd3!;  "/+"  (Black is clearly better.)  - Fritz 12 & Houdini 1.5 ]   

   32.Qf4!?,   (Right idea, wrong application?)   

White is trying really hard, but sometimes - especially in chess - just trying does not get the job done.   

   8/3r1p1k/2p1qbp1/pp6/5Q1p/P1N1P2P/1PR2PP1/6K1 b - - 0 32  

The general rule of thumb is that when you are defending, especially if your King might be in jeopardy, (as in this game); you should go ahead and exchange as many pieces as possible, most notably the Queens! 

          [ The following variation should prove to you that it was a bad idea for White to snatch the tempting button on a5:   
             </=  32.Qxa5?! Qb3!;  33.Re2 Rd3;  34.Re1,  Pretty much forced. 
             (The threat was that Black would play ...BxN/c3; and then ...Qd1+. This would have won the White rook the exposed e2-square) 

                    ( </= 34.Ne4!? Be5;  35.f4? Rxe3!; "-/+" )  

            34...Rxc3;  35.bxc3 Bxc3;  36.Qd8 Bxe1;  37.Qxh4+ Kg8;  38.Qd8+ Kg7;  39.Qd4+ f6;  40.Qd7+ Kh6; 
           41.Qxc6 Qb2;  42.Qf3 Bc3!;  "-/+"  (Black is winning in the final position of this analysis.)  

                ************************************************************************************************************************************************   

            The correct plan was for White to play Qg4, and try to get rid of the Queens and maybe neutralize some of the pressure: 
            >/=  32.Qg4! Qxg4;  33.hxg4 Bxc3;   34.Rxc3 Rd1+;   35.Kh2 Rd2;  36.b4!,  "<=>"  (counterplay)   
            and its not even clear that Black has any real winning chances, not from this position. ]    

   32...Kg7;   (Maybe - '!')   

Now that the KBP and the DSB on f6 are protected, the Black Queen is free to roam, penetrate, and do damage to White's position.  

   8/3r1pk1/2p1qbp1/pp6/5Q1p/P1N1P2P/1PR2PP1/6K1 w - - 0 33  

I highlight this aspect, as, (in my personal teaching experience); this is exactly the kind of consolidating move that a good class player might leave out ... 
and draw or lose from such a position. 

Now White has to find an "only" move, if he is to survive. 

   33.Rc1?,   (The losing move.)    

White had to get the Queens off the board, or get smashed. (In the resulting position, ALL of Black's pieces are superior to White's!) 

"Another strange move in a series of strange decisions. This allows the black rook access to the 2nd rank." 
  - GM A. Ramirez ... in the CB article. 

          [ >/=  33.Qg4T Qxg4;  34.hxg4 Rd3; "=/+" (Black is {just} solidly better here.) ]   

   33...a4;   (Space, Pawn-structure.)   

With this move, Ivanchuk gains more ground on the Q-side, and also fixes the foot-soldiers on the Queen-side.  

  8/3r1pk1/2p1qbp1/1p6/p4Q1p/P1N1P2P/1P3PP1/2R3K1 w - - 0 34  

But - technically speaking - the move is not the most accurate ... for many different reasons. 
(Mainly, it allows White's next move, a resource that Nakamura would not have had available to him if Ivanchuk had played the correct move instead.) 

          [ It would have been better for Black to have played:  >/=  33...Rd2!;  "-/+"  (Black is winning.)  
             with practically a won game. ]  

Now - according to the engines, (and yours truly) - Black is much better ... and very close to winning here. 

However, White still must make a move, and try to stay in the game. Black's threats are to play ...Rd3; and ...Qb4; and White's c3-point will be overwhelmed. White's next move is forced, the main idea is that the first player will be able to trade the ladies, if and when Black does play his Queen to b3. 

   34.Qb4 Rd3!?;   (Infiltration.) 

Black finally gets around to the idea of invading White's side of the board on the d3-square. 

This appears to be the best move, at least superficially so ... 
[ ('?' - GM Alejandro Ramirez) Since Black's move hardly threw away the win, I thought that a whole question mark here was completely out of line. ]   

  8/5pk1/2p1qbp1/1p6/pQ5p/P1NrP2P/1P3PP1/2R3K1 w - - 0 35  

However the chess engines find a move that is probably better here. 

          [ About five engines that I tested here - most notably Fritz 12 and also Houdini 1.5 - all preferred:   
            >/=  34...Be7!;  "/+"  (Maybe "-/+")  as being better for Black. (This would have been a big improvement over the actual game.) 
            (I think that the idea is to kick the WQ to a much worse square, and only then to play ...Rd3; or maybe even ...Rd2.) ]  

   35.Rc2??,   (Truly a blunder!)   

I don't know if time was a huge factor at this stage of the game, nonetheless, this move is a terrible mistake for GM H. Nakamura ... and the engines spot this  absolutely immediately here. Now, according to all the chess engines, the size of Black's edge doubles {or even triples!} in the resulting positions!!!  

   8/5pk1/2p1qbp1/1p6/pQ5p/P1NrP2P/1PR2PP1/6K1 b - - 0 35  

Even GM Ramirez notes that this is the last bad move, "that seals the deal" for Ivanchuk here. ('?' - GM A. Ramirez)  [Read this article on the CB website.] 

          [ White had to play:  >/=  35.Kf1T Be7; "/+"  (Black is clearly better.)  (Maybe "-/+")   
            when Black is tremendously better, yet Ivanchuk would have had some work to do ...  
            to prove the win. (The material balance has not {yet} been disturbed, both sides have   
            an equal number of Pawns.) ]  

   35...Qb3!;  (Liquidation.)   

There comes a time in nearly every chess game, that, (no matter what happens afterwards); it is time to try and trade down to the endgame ... ... ...   

  8/5pk1/2p2bp1/1p6/pQ5p/PqNrP2P/1PR2PP1/6K1 w - - 0 36  

This is the current position that we (now) have o the chess board. 

   36.Qxb3,   (To relieve the pressure?)   

Nakamura jumps at the opportunity to get the Queens off the board ...  

          [ The boxes (instead) recommend:  
            RR  36.Rc1 Qxb4;  37.axb4 a3;  "-/+"  (Black has a winning advantage.) 
            yet this does not alter the result. ]  

   36...axb3;  37.Rc1,   (Forced!?)  

This is sad ... ... ...   

   8/5pk1/2p2bp1/1p6/7p/PpNrP2P/1P3PP1/2R3K1 b - - 0 37  

White is having to back up and run away ... on nearly every turn.   

          [ RR  Or  37.Re2!? Rxc3!;  "-/+"  and Black has an easy win. ]   

The rest is a slaughter ... 
(Once Black gets a protected passed Pawn on b3, the game is all but over. Note that White cannot trade Rooks in the following few moves. 
 If he did, Black would simply push his b-pawn in and promote.)   

   37...Bxc3;  38.bxc3 c5;  39.Kf1 c4;  40.Ke2,  

White activates his King, hits the d3-square, and perhaps dreams of trying to make a draw from this particular position.  

   8/5pk1/6p1/1p6/2p4p/PpPrP2P/4KPP1/2R5 b - - 0 40  

  Now its a chess problem ... "Black to move and win."  

What move would you play in this position? 

   40...Rxc3!;    (Nice!!!)   "-/+"  (See the final position, just below.) 

Here, Black is winning easily, so GM Hikaru Nakamura abandons his rapidly sinking vessel. 

"An unusually weak effort by the American who we all know can play much better than this." GM Alejandro Ramirez - on CB.  
  [Read this article on the CB website.]  

   8/5pk1/6p1/1p6/2p4p/Ppr1P2P/4KPP1/2R5 w - - 0 41   

If the WR captures the flagrant "olliephaunt" ... then simply the move of 41...b3-b2! will get Black a brand-new Queen. 

Great play from GM Ivanchuk, however, to be fair, I must note that this was a sub-par effort from GM H. Nakamura. 

  Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2011.  All rights reserved.    

    0 - 1    

Tal Memorial (2011)  

This annual event - held to honor one of the greatest players who ever lived - was won by GM's Carlsen and Aronian, who tied for first. 
     [The ChessBase report on the final round.]   [The CG page for this tournament.]    [See the article, by GM A Ramirez, that also contains CB's annotations to this game.] 

See this page as well, it contains a long list of all the books that I possess on the Gruenfeld Defence. 

The analysis for this page was prepared with the excellent program,  ChessBase 10.0. (My main engine was/is Fritz 12.)  

The HTML was polished with several different tools and programs, (mostly FP)  ...  the text was checked for spelling with MS Word.  

The diagrams were created with the program,  Chess Captor 2.25.