[Event "World Championship, 1961"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.07.30"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Mikhail Tal"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r2q1rk1/pppb1ppp/3b1nn1/3P2N1/1PB5/P1N1P2P/1B3PP1/R2QK2R w KQ - 0 0"]
[PlyCount "1"]

{Diagram [#]} 1. Ne6 (1. h4 h6 2. h5) (1. h4 h5 2. Nce4) (1. O-O) 1-0

[Event "Ch Great Britain"]
[Site "Great Britain"]
[Date "1988.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Murray Chandler"]
[Black "Colin A McNab"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B08"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "1988.??.??"]

1. e4 g6 2. d4 d6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Be3 a6 5. a4 Nf6 6. h3 O-O 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. a5 e5
9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Nxe5 dxe5 11. Bc4 Qe7 12. O-O Rd8 13. Qe2 Be6 {Diagram [#]}
14. Ra3 (14. Bg5) (14. f3) (14. Bxe6) 14... Nh5 15. Bxe6 Qxe6 16. Rb3 Rab8 17.
Rd1 Rxd1+ 18. Qxd1 Bf6 19. Qd5 Qc8 20. Na4 c6 21. Qd6 Qd8 22. Qxd8+ Bxd8 23.
Nc5 Bxa5 24. Nxa6 Ra8 25. Nc5 b6 26. Nd7 c5 27. Nxb6 Bxb6 28. Rxb6 Rc8 29. Rb5
Nf6 30. Rxc5 Rxc5 31. Bxc5 Nxe4 32. Be7 f5 33. f3 Nd2 34. b3 e4 35. Kf2 1-0

[Event "London Chess Classic"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "2011.12.04"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Nigel Short"]
[Black "Vladimir Kramnik"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C48"]
[WhiteElo "2698"]
[BlackElo "2800"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "86"]
[EventDate "2011.12.03"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nd4 5. Nxd4 exd4 6. e5 dxc3 7. exf6 Qxf6
8. dxc3 Bc5 (8... Qe5+) 9. Qe2+ Qe6 10. O-O O-O 11. Qf3 d6 12. Bg5 Qf5 13. Be7
{Diagram [#]} Qxf3 14. gxf3 a6 15. Ba4 (15. Bxf8 axb5 16. Be7 f6) 15... b5 16.
b4 Re8 17. Rfe1 Bb6 18. Bb3 Bb7 19. Kg2 d5 20. Re5 c6 21. Rae1 Bc7 22. R5e2 Bc8
23. a4 Bd7 24. Bh4 Rxe2 25. Rxe2 Re8 26. Rxe8+ Bxe8 27. Bg3 Bd8 28. Be5 f6 29.
Bb8 Bg6 30. axb5 axb5 31. Kf1 Kf7 32. Ke2 Ke6 33. Ke3 Bb6+ 34. Ke2 Bh5 35. Ba2
g5 36. Bb3 f5 37. Ba2 f4 38. Bb3 Kf5 39. Bd6 g4 40. Kf1 g3 41. fxg3 fxg3 42.
Bxg3 Bxf3 43. Ba2 Be3 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.07.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Poisoned Pawn"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B97"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "56"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 (6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bc1
Nf6 8. Be3 Ng4 9. Bc1 Nf6) 6... e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. f5 Nc6
11. fxe6 fxe6 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. e5 dxe5 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Ne4 Qxa2 16. Rd1 Be7
17. Be2 O-O 18. O-O Ra7 19. Rf3 Kh8 20. Rg3 Rd7 21. Qh6 Rf7 {Diagram [#]} 22.
Qh5 Rxd1+ 23. Bxd1 Qa5 24. Kf1 Qd8 25. Qxf7 Qxd1+ 26. Kf2 Qxc2+ 27. Ke3 Bc5+
28. Nxc5 Qxc5+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.07.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Belgrade"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C47"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "46"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nd5 Nxe4 6. Qe2 f5 7. Ng5 d3 8.
cxd3 Nd4 9. Qh5+ g6 10. Qh4 c6 11. dxe4 cxd5 12. exd5 Qa5+ (12... Bg7) 13. Kd1
Qxd5 14. Bc4 Qxc4 15. Re1+ Be7 16. Rxe7+ Kxe7 17. Ne4+ {Diagram [#]} Ke6 18.
Qf6+ Kd5 19. Nc3+ Kc5 20. b4+ Kxb4 21. Qd6+ Ka5 22. Qa3+ Kb6 23. Qd6+ Ka5 *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.07.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Richter-Rauzer Sicilian"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B60"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "22"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 Qb6 7. Be3 Qxb2 8.
Ndb5 Qb4 9. Bd2 Qc5 (9... Nxe4 10. a3) 10. Be3 Qb4 11. Bd2 Qc5 *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.07.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "King's Indian Defense"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "E87"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "21"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Nh5 8. Qd2
Qh4+ 9. Bf2 Qf4 10. Be3 Qh4+ 11. Bf2 *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.07.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Andy's favorite"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "A53"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "18"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 e5 5. d5 Nd4 6. e3 Bg4 {Diagram [#]} 7.
Qa4+ (7. f3 Nxf3+ 8. Nxf3 e4) (7. Nge2) 7... Bd7 8. Qd1 Bg4 9. Qa4+ Bd7 *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.07.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Modern Defense"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "A42"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "18"]

1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. Nc3 c6 (4... Nc6 5. d5 Nd4 6. Be3 c5 7. Nge2 Qb6
8. Nxd4 cxd4 9. Na4 Qa5+ (9... Qb4+ 10. Bd2) (9... dxe3) 10. b4 Qxb4+ 11. Bd2
Qa3 12. Bc1) 5. f4 Qb6 6. Be3 (6. Nf3 Bg4 7. d5) 6... Qxb2 7. Na4 Qa3 8. Bc1
Qb4+ 9. Bd2 Qa3 *

[Event "Aeroflot Open"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2012.02.14"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Markus Ragger"]
[Black "Sethuraman P Sethuraman"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D66"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "73"]
[EventDate "2012.02.07"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 Nbd7 8. Rc1
c6 9. Bd3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 b5 11. Bd3 Bb7 12. O-O Rc8 13. Qe2 b4 14. Na4 c5 15.
Ba6 Bxa6 16. Qxa6 cxd4 17. Nxd4 Nc[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1990.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "New game"]
[Black "inside Chess 1990"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Benko"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3K4/8/k2P4/1p6/8/4R3/7r/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "23"]
[EventDate "1990.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2012.05.22"]

{# #} 1. d7 Kb6 (1... b4 2. Re5) 2. Re5 (2. Ke7 $2 Rh7+ 3. Kd6 Rxd7+ 4. Kxd7
Kc5 $1 $11) 2... Rd2 3. Ke8 $1 (3. Ke7 $2 Kc7 4. Rc5+ Kb6 5. Rc2 Rd4 $11) 3...
Kc7 (3... Ka5 4. d8=Q+ Rxd8+ 5. Kxd8 Ka4 6. Kc7 b4 7. Kb6 b3 8. Rb5 Ka3 9. Kc5
b2 10. Kc4 Ka2 11. Ra5+ $18) 4. Re7 Kb6 5. d8=Q+ Rxd8+ 6. Kxd8 Kc5 7. Rb7 b4 8.
Kc7 Kc4 9. Kb6 b3 10. Ka5 Kc3 11. Ka4 b2 12. Ka3 1-0

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1987.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Chess Life"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Benko"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "K7/8/R7/6pk/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "17"]
[EventDate "1987.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2012.05.22"]

{# #} 1. Kb7 Kg4 (1... g4 2. Kc6 g3 3. Kd5 g2 4. Ra1 Kg4 5. Ke4) 2. Rf6 Kh3 3.
Kc6 g4 4. Kd5 g3 5. Ke4 g2 6. Kf3 g1=N+ 7. Kf2 Kh2 8. Rh6+ Nh3+ 9. Kf3 1-0

2012.02.07"]

1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. b3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bb2 O-O 8. Be2
a6 9. d4 e5 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. O-O Bg4 13. Nd4 Rc8 14. Qd1 Bb8 15.
Bxg4 Nexg4 16. g3 Qd6 17. Qe2 Rfe8 18. Rad1 h5 19. Qf3 Ne4 20. Nde2 Qc6 21.
Nxd5 Qc2 22. Ne7+ Rxe7 23. Rc1 Ng5 24. Qd5 Nh3+ 25. Kh1 Nhxf2+ 26. Kg1 Nh3+ 27.
Kh1 Qe4+ 28. Qxe4 Rxc1 29. Qf3 Nhf2+ 30. Kg2 Rxf1 31. Bd4 {Diagram [#]} Nd1 32.
Kxf1 (32. Qxf1 Ndxe3+) (32. Qd5 Ndxe3+) 32... Nxh2+ 0-1

[Event "Aeroflot Open"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2012.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Ivan Popov"]
[Black "M R Venkatesh"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B33"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "61"]
[EventDate "2012.02.07"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8.
Na3 b5 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nd5 f5 11. c3 Bg7 12. exf5 Bxf5 13. Nc2 Be6 14. Be2 O-O
15. O-O Rb8 16. Ncb4 Nxb4 17. Nxb4 Qb6 18. Bf3 Rfc8 19. Be4 a5 20. Nd5 Qd8 21.
Qd3 Rc5 22. f4 f5 23. Bxf5 Bxd5 24. Bxh7+ Kh8 25. Qh3 Bf6 26. fxe5 Bh4 27. Bd3
Bxg2 {Diagram [#]} 28. Rf8+ Kg7 (28... Qxf8 29. Qxh4+) 29. Qxg2+ (29. Qf5)
29... Kxf8 30. Rf1+ Ke8 31. Qg6+ 1-0

[Event "Aeroflot Open"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2012.02.13"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Parimarjan Negi"]
[Black "Anton Shomoev"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B96"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "2012.02.07"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 b5 8. e5
dxe5 9. fxe5 Qc7 10. exf6 Qe5+ 11. Be2 Qxg5 12. O-O Ra7 13. Qd3 Rd7 14. Ne4 Qe5
15. Nf3 Qxb2 16. Qe3 Bb7 17. Rab1 Qxa2 18. c4 Bxe4 19. fxg7 Bxg7 20. Qxe4 Rd6
21. Ng5 Rd4 22. Qb7 O-O 23. Bd3 Qd2 24. Rxf7 Qxg5 25. Rxf8+ Kxf8 26. Rf1+ Ke8
27. Bxh7 Nd7 28. Qxa6 Qe3+ 29. Kh1 Ke7 30. cxb5 Rh4 31. Bg8 {Diagram [#]} Rxh2+
32. Kxh2 Be5+ 33. Kh1 Qh6+ 34. Kg1 Bh2+ 35. Kf2 Qd2+ 36. Kf3 Ne5+ 37. Ke4 Qd3#
0-1

[Event "Aeroflot Open"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2012.02.13"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Sergei Zhigalko"]
[Black "Sanan Sjugirov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B51"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[EventDate "2012.02.07"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6 4. O-O Bd7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. c3 a6 7. Bf1 Bg4 8. h3
Bxf3 9. Qxf3 g6 10. d3 Bg7 11. Be3 Nd7 12. Qd1 O-O 13. a4 Rb8 14. Na3 b5 15.
axb5 axb5 16. d4 c4 17. b3 Na5 18. bxc4 bxc4 19. Nxc4 Nxc4 20. Bxc4 Qc7 21. Qd3
Rfc8 22. Bb5 Nb6 23. c4 Nxc4 {Diagram [#]} 24. Rec1 Rxb5 25. Rxc4 Rc5 (25...
Qxc4 26. Qxc4 Rxc4 27. Ra8+ Bf8 28. Bh6) 26. dxc5 d5 (26... Bxa1 27. cxd6 Qxc4
28. Qxc4 Rxc4 29. d7) 27. Rcc1 1-0

[Event "ABC-237-August-2012"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.06.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Wittek vs. Blackburne"]
[Black "Vienna 1882"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C01"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "61"]
[EventDate "2012.06.10"]
[SourceDate "2012.06.10"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. exd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Bd6 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Nc6 8.
a3 Bg4 9. Be3 Qd7 10. Re1 Rae8 11. Be2 Qf5 {Diagra[Event "13thEICC Plovdiv BUL"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Melkumyan, Hrant"]
[Black "Andreikin, Dmitry"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Benko"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/8/1kp5/6p1/6K1/3r2P1/4R3 w - - 0 62"]
[PlyCount "31"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2012.05.22"]

{# # # #} 62. Rb1+ (62. Kxg4 Rxg2+ 63. Kf3 Rb2) 62... Kc4 63. Rc1+ Kd4 (63...
Kb4) (63... Kd5) 64. Rg1 c4 65. Kxg4 c3 66. Kf3 (66. g3 c2 67. Rc1 Kc3 68. Kf5
(68. Kh5) 68... Rd1 69. Rxc2+ Kxc2 70. g4 Kd3 71. g5) 66... c2 67. Rc1 Kd3 {
Diagram [#]} (67... Kc3 $1 68. g4 Rd4 $1 69. Kg3 (69. g5 Kd2 70. Ra1 c1=Q 71.
Rxc1 Kxc1 72. Kg3 Kd2 73. g6 Rd6 74. g7 Rg6+ $19) 69... Kd2 70. Ra1 c1=Q 71.
Rxc1 Kxc1 72. Kh4 Kd2 73. Kg5 Ke3 74. Kf5 Rf4+ 75. Kg5 Kf3 $19) 68. g4 Rd1 69.
Rxc2 Kxc2 70. Ke4 Rg1 71. Kf5 Kd3 72. g5 Kd4 73. g6 Kd5 74. Kf6 Kd6 75. g7 Kd7
76. Kf7 Rxg7+ 77. Kxg7 1/2-1/2

8. Rb8 Re2+ 49. Kh3 Kf3 50. Rb5 (50. Rh8
Re1 51. Kh2 Kg4 52. Rg8+) 50... Kf4 (50... Re3 51. Rxf5+ (51. Kh2 Kg4) (51. Rb2
f4) 51... Ke4+) 51. Ra5 Re5 52. Ra4+ (52. Ra1 Kf3 53. Rf1+ Ke2 54. Rf4 Ke3 55.
Kg3) 52... Kf3 53. Ra3+ (53. Ra1 Kf2 54. Ra2+ Re2) 53... Re3 54. Ra5 f4 55.
Rxh5 Kf2+ 56. Kh2 f3 57. Ra5 Kf1 58. Ra1+ Re1 59. Ra3 f2 60. Ra2 Re8 61. Ra1+
Ke2 62. Ra2+ Kf3 63. Ra3+ Re3 0-1

.06.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Problem 4"]
[Black "Double attack"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1b5/5pk1/5pp1/8/6n1/5Nq1/4B1P1/3Q1RK1 b - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[EventDate "2012.06.10"]
[SourceDate "2012.06.10"]

{Diagram [#]}  0-1

[Event "ABC-237-August-2012"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.06.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Problem 5"]
[Black "Mating net"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "k7/8/8/2B5/8/7q/7b/3Q3K b - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[EventDate "2012.06.10"]
[SourceDate "2012.06.10"]

{Diagram [#]}  0-1

[Event "ABC-237-August-2012"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.06.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Problem 6"]
[Black "Discovery"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5k2/5qp1/7p/3n4/2Q5/5BP1/5PK1/8 b - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[EventDate "2012.06.10"]
[SourceDate "2012.06.10"]

{Diagram [#]}  0-1

[Event "US Championship"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2012.05.16"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Alexander Stripunsky"]
[Black "Hikaru Nakamura"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C04"]
[Annotator "Mike Klein"]
[PlyCount "142"]
[EventDate "2012.05.07"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nd7 6. Nb3 a5 7. a4 Be7 8. Bb5
Na7 9. Bd3 b6 10. Bd2 c5 11. dxc5 Nxc5 12. Nxc5 bxc5 13. b3 O-O 14. Qe2 Nc6 15.
Bb5 Qb6 16. O-O Ba6 17. c4 Bb7 18. Rad1 Nb4 19. Ng5 h6 20. Nh3 d4 21. Nf4 Kh7
22. Rfe1 Rg8 23. Nd3 Raf8 24. Nxb4 axb4 25. Qd3+ g6 26. Bf4 Kg7 27. Qh3 g5 28.
Bg3 Kh7 29. Qg4 Rg6 30. h3 Kg7 31. Qh5 Rg8 32. Rd3 Qa7 33. f3 Bd8 34. Kf2 Kf8
35. Ke2 Bc7 36. Kd1 Qa8 37. Kc1 f5 38. Bh2 Ke7 39. Rd2 f4 40. Bg1 Qf8 41. Bxd4
cxd4 42. Rxd4 Bc8 43. c5 Qg7 44. Rd6 Bxd6 45. cxd6+ Kd8 46. Bd3 Bb7 47. Qxg6
Qxg6 48. Bxg6 Rxg6 49. Rd1 Bd5 50. Rd4 Kd7 51. Rxb4 Rg8 52. Kd2 Rf8 53. a5 h5
54. Rb6 Ra8 55. b4 g4 56. hxg4 hxg4 57. fxg4 Bxg2 58. a6 Bd5 59. Rb5 f3 60. Ke3
Rf8 61. Kf2 Rh8 {Nakamura continued his usage of obscure openings, using the
Guimard Defense in the French (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6) to arrive at an
even more rare ending.} 62. Rxd5 $2 {Short on time, Stripunsky goes for the
jugular. Something more stable like 62. Rc5 was probably good enough to hold
the draw, as the players found out in their post-round analysis.} exd5 {
Diagram [#]} 63. b5 Rb8 $1 (63... Ra8 $2 {stops the pawns but fails to improve
black's chances of liquidating them. The text counterintuitively allows the
pawns to each advance one rank farther, but this allows the black king to help.
}) 64. g5 (64. a7 Ra8 65. b6 Kc6 66. e6 Kxb6 67. d7 Kc7 68. Kxf3 Kd6 $19) 64...
Rxb5 65. g6 {an immediate kind advance does not help} Rb8 66. a7 Ra8 67. g7 Ke6
68. Kxf3 Kxe5 69. d7 {with the strange spectacle of three passed pawns
helpless against a well-placed rook that keeps them from graduating.} Kd6 70.
Kf4 Kxd7 71. Ke5 Kc6 {Near misses like this kept Stripunsky from recovering
from his opening round blunder, and from bettering his lifetime score against
Nakamara. He has now lost three consecutive games as white to Nakamura in U.S.
Championship play.} 0-1

[Event "US Championship Rd. 9"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kamsky, Gata"]
[Black "Seirawan, Yasser"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B19"]
[Annotator "FM Mike Klein"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2012.06.13"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5
Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bd2 Ngf6 12. O-O-O Be7 13. Ne4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4
Nf6 15. Qd3 O-O 16. Kb1 (16. g4 {is more common, but Kamsky ducks his king to
a safer square first. One recent example of 16. g4 shows the kind of bloodbath
than can ensue:} Nxg4 17. Rhg1 Nxf2 18. Qe2 Nxd1 19. Bxh6 Bf6 20. Bxg7 Bxg7 21.
h6 Qf6 22. Qh2 Qxf3 23. hxg7 Qe3+ 24. Kb1 Nc3+ 25. bxc3 Qxg1+ 26. Qxg1 Rfd8 27.
Qg5 Kh7 28. Qf6 Rd7 29. Kb2 Rg8 30. Qh4+ Kxg7 31. Qg3+ Kf8 32. Qb8+ Kg7 33.
Qg3+ Kf8 34. Qb8+ Kg7 35. Qg3+ {1/2-1/2 in Hovhannisyan-Akopian, 2012.}) 16...
c5 17. g4 Nxg4 {"Yasser is ous for snacking on pawns," commentator WGM
Jennifer Shahade said live. This one, however, is usually captured by most
players.} 18. Qe2 $1 {Now Kamsky threatens Rhg1 and Bxh6.} Kh8 {not the most
common continuation, but Kamsky was ready nonetheless. Centralizing the queen
with 18. ..Qd5 is also playable.} 19. Rhg1 Nf6 20. dxc5 Qc7 {Diagram [#]} 21.
Ne5 Bxc5 $2 (21... Rad8 22. b4 {and then Black attempts to open the queenside
is the main line according to Kamsky.}) 22. Bxh6 {Like all the other moves,
played nearly instantly. Seirawan went into a deep think. "If Gata hadn't
played so fast, maybe I would've woken up," Seirawan said. As he informed
after the game, he analyzed 21...Bxc5 before and knew it was a mistake, but
forgot why. "I got the feeling I could not take the pawn," he said, but the
feeling came too late.} gxh6 23. Rd7 $1 {Attempting to deflect the knight away
from its post.} Qxd7 (23... Nxd7 {leads to immediate capitulation after} 24.
Qd2 Kh7 (24... Nf6 25. Qxh6+ Nh7 26. Qg7#) 25. Ng4 $1 Qe5 26. Qxh6+ Kg8 27.
Nf6#) 24. Nxd7 Nxd7 25. Qd2 {and white wins the knight. Black's position is
too eviscerated to hope for a fortress, and Kamsky makes quick work.} Kh7 26.
b4 Rad8 27. bxc5 Nf6 28. Qf4 Ne8 29. Qe4+ Kh8 30. Qxb7 Ng7 31. Qxa7 Rc8 32. Rd1
Nf5 33. Rd7 Kg7 34. a4 Kf6 35. a5 {1-0. Kamsky's game was the first to finish.
At a little more than two hours, he had a workday five hours shorter than
Nakamura, his next opponent. The theoretical preparation advantage grew larger
after Nakamura's marathon draw with Lenderman ended. The champion said he
wanted to get his mind off the emotional swings of the game and so he went out
for a few drinks and did little preparation for the Kamsky game.} 1-0

[Event "US Championship"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.??.??"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Kamsky, Gata"]
[Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B90"]
[Annotator "Ludwig, Daniel"]
[PlyCount "100"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 {This move is not
considered a critical test against the Najdorf, but Kamsky has a lot of faith
in this line and has used it against some of the best Najdorf players in the
world.} e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bc4 O-O 9. O-O Be6 10. Bb3 Nc6 {This is one of the
drawbacks of the early 6.a4 variation. Black plays his knight to c6 because a5
is important to prevent and the b4 square is weakened. In these structures,
ideally white likes to wait until black plays Nbd7 before playing a4 so that
a5 is easier to play and Nb4 is also impossible.} 11. Bg5 {Thus far both sides
have developed naturally, and white is undergoing the usual plan of weakening
the d5 square. However, in less than ten moves white's position will be
passive and clearly worse.} Na5 $1 {Everything in this position revolves
around white's ability to play Nd5. This move undermines white's plan, and it
also prepares ideas on the 'b' and 'c' files.} 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 {Diagram #} 13.
Bd5 $2 {This is one of the game's key positions. This move looks nice, but it
is little more than a moral victory. The bishop on d5 does not restrict any of
black's play. Instead it limits white's ideas on the d-file and the bishop
occupies the key square for a knight.} (13. Nd5 Nxb3 14. cxb3 Rc8 15. Qd3 {It
is easy to understand why Kamsky avoided this, though objectively this
position is clearly better than what he received. This position may not be
aesthetically pleasing for white, but on the plus side, at some point black
must trade his good bishop to try and make progress.}) (13. Ba2 {This move
deserves some consideration because it leaves the d5 square free without
damaging the queenside pawn structure.} Rc8 14. Nd5 Nc4 15. b3 Bxd5 (15... Nb6
16. Nxf6+ Qxf6 17. Qxd6) 16. Qxd5 {Both sides have bad bishops here, but
white's position is probably slightly better due to the backwards d6 pawn.})
13... Rc8 14. Nd2 Qc7 15. Re1 Bg5 $1 {This not only activates the bad bishop,
it restricts white's key maneuvre, Nd2-f1-e3-d5. Now white's position is
already unpleasant.} 16. Nf1 Qb6 17. Rb1 Nc4 18. Qe2 Bh6 {Nakamura later
questioned this move, but it is quite acceptable, as are many other moves.
Kamsky was quickly plummeting into time pressure because he was unable to come
up with a long-term plan. In situations like this, sometimes patient moves
like Bh6 can be the best because they force the opponent to find something
useful while low on time.} 19. h4 Qb4 20. g3 Rc7 21. Kg2 Nb6 22. Bb3 $1 {Black
is going to win a pawn, and there are many ways white can choose to give one
up. Objectively, Bb3 was the best choice. This move changes the nature of the
position, and allows white some extra activity.} Bxb3 23. cxb3 Qxb3 24. a5 Na4
{Diagram #} (24... Nc4 {The knight is better on this central square where it
defends d6 and threatens a5.}) 25. Nh2 $2 (25. Nd5 $1 Rc2 26. Qd1 Nxb2 27. Ne7+
Kh8 28. Qxd6 {This position is unclear, but likely equal with best play.
White's queenside has disintegrated, but now the black pieces are clumsy, not
white's.}) 25... g6 $1 {This move avoids a long and relatively forced
variation that leads to an endgame that is possibly holding for white. The
move g6 keeps the tension in the position, and also forces white to make more
critical decisions with little time.} (25... Nxc3 26. bxc3 Qxc3 27. Ng4 Qxa5 (
27... Qd2 28. Qf3 Rc3 29. Qd1) 28. Red1 Qc5 29. Nxh6+ gxh6 30. Rdc1 Qxc1 31.
Rxc1 Rxc1 32. Qg4+ Kh8 33. Qd7 Rcc8 34. Qxb7 Ra8 35. Qe7 f6 36. Qxd6 a5 37. Qa3
{The black king is slightly exposed, so it is difficult to make progress.}) 26.
Ng4 Bg7 27. Nd5 Rc2 28. Qe3 (28. Qd1 Nxb2 29. Ne7+ Kh8 30. Qxd6 {This is
white's best defense.}) 28... Nc5 29. h5 Qxe3 30. Ngxe3 Rd2 31. Nc4 Rd4 32.
Nxd6 Rd8 33. b4 (33. Rec1 Nxe4 34. Nxe4 Rxe4 35. Rc5) 33... Nd3 34. Nxb7 Nxe1+
35. Rxe1 Ra8 36. f3 {Despite being down the exchange, Kamsky still has good
drawing chances. But white must retain activity, even at the cost of a pawn.} (
36. Nc5 Bf8 37. Rc1) 36... Bf8 37. Rc1 Bxb4 38. Rc7 {White could also have
taken 38. hxg6 before playing Rc7. The advantage of waiting is that the move
h6 can lock up the black king in some variations, and after gxh5 white now has
the f5 square for the knight.} (38. hxg6) 38... gxh5 39. Kh3 Kg7 40. Kh4 $2 {
The dreaded 40th move strikes again. Now black is winning thanks to the pin on
the seventh rank.} (40. Nxb4 Rxb4 41. Nd6 {Now black has a tough choice of
either losing the f7 or a6 pawn. In either case white should have good drawing
chances.}) 40... Ra7 $1 41. Kxh5 {Diagram #} Rxd5 $1 {Nakamura correctly
removes white's best piece and simplifies into a clear win.} 42. exd5 Bxa5 43.
Re7 (43. d6 $5 Bxc7 44. dxc7 Ra8 45. Nd6 a5 46. c8=Q Rxc8 47. Nxc8 a4 48. Nd6
a3 49. Nf5+ Kf6 50. Ne3 a2 51. Nc2 Ke6 52. Kh6 Kd6 $1 {Amazingly the black
king has more than enough time to march all the way to c3 before white can
generate a passed pawn.} 53. Kxh7 Kc5 54. Kg7 Kc4 55. Kxf7 Kc3 56. Na1 Kb2) (
43. Rc5 $4 Bb6) 43... Bb6 44. d6 a5 45. Kg5 (45. Nd8 {There are some tricks
here, but Nakamura figured everything out.} Kf8 $1 (45... a4 46. Nc6 $1) 46.
Rxa7 Bxa7 47. Nc6 Bb6 {Knights are terrible defenders against rook pawns, and
black will eventually walk the king towards the queenside.} 48. Nxe5 a4 49. Nc4
Bc5 50. d7 Ke7 51. Kh6 Kxd7 52. Kxh7 Ke6 53. Kg7 Kd5) 45... a4 46. Kf5 a3 47.
Nd8 a2 48. Ne6+ Kh6 49. Ng5 a1=Q 50. Nxf7+ Kg7 {With no more good checks
available, white resigned.} 0-1

[Event "ch-USA 2012"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2012.05.10"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Nakamura, Hi"]
[Black "Robson, R."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B76"]
[WhiteElo "2775"]
[BlackElo "2614"]
[Annotator ",Ray"]
[PlyCount "97"]
[EventDate "2012.05.08"]

{Facing Hikaru for the first time ever was bound to be interesting and
exciting for me, as he has been a player I have looked up to since I was young.
I had had a bad start with .5/2, so I was hoping to start my comeback with a
decent result in this game.} 1. e4 {This was the first small surprise.
Nakamura had already played e4 in his first round, but nowadays he usually
chooses not to advance his king's pawn on the first move. I was actually more
worried about e4 as I felt I didn't have any solid lines to rely on in this
game.} c5 {Besides the Sicilian I sometimes play the French, but I decided to
go with the opening which I have played more often.} 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4.
Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 {The Dragon. Perhaps it seems strange to play such a sharp
opening against a dangerous opponent like Hikaru, but I thought I actually had
more chances of getting a decent position with this than with the Scheveningen
or Classical Sicilians (the other two lines I have played), since I didn't
feel well enough prepared there.} 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O 9. g4 {A
small surprise. This move seems to have experienced a revival at the top level
lately. White simply wants to delay castling and continue with h4, so black
cannot continue normally. g4 also has the benefit of preventing d5 due to g5.}
Be6 {The other main line is Nxd4 followed by Be6, but releasing the tension
favors white. For example, white cannot continue with h4 here because of d5!}
10. Nxe6 {This is an obvious move, but for a long time it wasn't considered a
very good one. It was thought that the pawn on e6 wasn't really such a big
weakness, and that it helped control the center. Recently some resources have
been found for white, and now g4 is usually played in connection with Nxe6.} (
10. h4 d5 {should be good for black.}) (10. O-O-O Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Qa5 {was the
old main line, which is considered fine for black.}) 10... fxe6 11. O-O-O Ne5
12. Be2 Qc8 {I had actually already had this position against Bartosz Socko at
the Aeroflot Open. He decided to play Bh6, and eventually won after mistakes
by both sides. Hikaru's choice is more critical.} (12... Rc8 {is another
logical move, but after} 13. Nb5 $1 {, with ideas of Nxa7 and Nd4, white has
been doing well.}) 13. h4 Nfd7 {Black may or may not want to take the f3-pawn.
The main idea is just stopping Bh6.} (13... Nc4 14. Bxc4 Qxc4 15. Bh6 {is
slightly better for white.}) 14. f4 (14. h5 {was still possible, since} Nxf3 $5
(14... Nc4 {is also possible, and after} 15. Bxc4 Qxc4 16. hxg6 hxg6 {the
position isn't completely clear, since black can often run with his king to
the center if necessary.}) 15. Nd5 $1 {is a nice blow. I had thought this was
better for white, but black seems to get a resonable position in any case.}
Nxd2 (15... exd5 16. Qxd5+ Rf7 (16... Kh8 $2 17. hxg6 Nf6 18. Rxh7+ Nxh7 19.
Qh5 {and black gets mated or loses too many pieces.}) 17. Bxf3 $14) 16. Nxe7+
Kf7 17. Nxc8 Raxc8 18. Rxd2 Ke7 {Black shouldn't really have problems due to
his dark-square control.} 19. hxg6 hxg6 20. Bg5+ Bf6 $5 21. Rh7+ Rf7 22. Bxf6+
Kxf6 23. g5+ Ke7 24. Rxf7+ Kxf7 25. Rxd6 Ne5 {and black has good compensation.}
) 14... Nc4 15. Bxc4 Qxc4 16. e5 {Diagram [#] I knew I had seen this position
before, but unfortunately I didn't remember the right way.} Nb6 $2 (16... Rad8
{is probably the best move, when the position is still unclear.}) 17. h5 {Now
white gets a big and easy attack.} dxe5 18. hxg6 hxg6 19. Qh2 Rxf4 {
Unfortunately the only move.} (19... exf4 20. Bd4 {is simply crushing for
white.}) 20. Bxf4 (20. Kb1 Nd5 $1 {is good for black.}) 20... Qxf4+ 21. Kb1 {
I had actually completely missed this when I took on f4. For some reason I
thought he was forced to take exchange queens.} Qxh2 22. Rxh2 Rf8 {Still, the
position isn't as bad as it looks for black. I am quickly getting some
counterplay with Rf4, and if I eventually activate my bishop with e4 I will
have counterplay. Also, the tripled pawns aren't as bad as they seem, since
after white takes one of them they will only be doubled. :)} 23. Ne4 ({The
computer recommends the interesting} 23. b3 Rf4 24. Ne2 {, with the idea of}
Rxg4 25. Rd8+ Kf7 26. Rb8 {When the knight on e2 is doing a good job
preventing black from getting counterplay.}) 23... Rf4 24. Ng5 $2 {It made
more sense to go to c5 and take the b7 pawn. The pawn on e6 isn't completely
useless, but the one on b7 looks much tastier.} (24. Nc5 Rxg4 25. Nxb7 {and
white has good chances.}) 24... Rxg4 25. Nxe6 Bf6 {I wasn't sure whether or
not I should be afraid of Nxg7. The bishop could be a strong piece in the
future, though, so I think Bf6 makes sense.} 26. b3 {Now white just wants to
play c4, when my knight will have major issues. Therefore,} Nc8 27. c4 (27.
Rd8+ Kf7 28. Nc5 Nd6 29. Rh7+ Bg7 {doesn't give white anything.}) (27. Rf2 $5 {
was an interesting try to prevent black's knight from getting into the game.
After} b6 (27... Nd6 $2 28. Rxd6) 28. c4 Kf7 29. Nc7 e4 {black still has good
chances of saving the game.}) 27... Nd6 28. c5 Nb5 29. Rd7 {I was in time
trouble at this point, so Hikaru was playing quite quickly. I should mention
that Hikaru played the whole game while hardly consuming any time.} Kf7 {I had
thought this was a mistake, but now I think that Re1+ was the decisive error.}
(29... e4 $1 {was probably also good enough to hold.} 30. Rxb7 Rg1+ 31. Kc2 Ra1
$1 {This is the whole point. Now} 32. Rxb5 {looks critical, which leads to an
amazing line. After} Rxa2+ 33. Kc1 Rxh2 34. c6 e3 35. c7 (35. Nf4 {leads to a
draw after} Rh1+ 36. Kc2 Rh2+ {, since} 37. Kd3 {allows} Rd2+ 38. Kxe3 Rc2 {,
when black is slightly better.}) 35... Rh1+ 36. Kc2 e2 37. c8=Q+ Kh7 38. Nf8+
Kg7 (38... Kh6 $4 {fails to} 39. Qe8 Rg1 40. Qf7) 39. Ne6+ (39. Qe8 {now black
can escape to h8, and after} e1=Q 40. Qxg6+ Kh8 41. Rh5+ Rxh5 42. Qxh5+ Kg7 {
he actually wins.}) 39... Kh7 40. Re5 (40. Rb8 Rc1+ $1 (40... e1=Q $4 41. Qg8+
Kh6 42. Qh8+ $1 Bxh8 43. Rxh8#) 41. Kxc1 e1=Q+ 42. Kc2 Qe2+ {with a perpetual.}
) 40... Bxe5 41. Qf8 (41. Ng5+ Kg7 42. Nf3 {Qxe7+} (42. Qb7 e1=Q 43. Qxe7+ Kh6
44. Nf7+ Kh7 45. Nxe5+ Kh6 46. Nf7+ Kg7 {is just a draw.}) 42... e1=Q (42...
e1=N+ $5) 43. Nxe1 Rxe1 44. Qd7 Bd6 45. Qxa7 Re4 {and it will end as a draw.})
41... Bf6 42. Qf7+ Kh6 43. Nf8 e1=N+ {Somehow black makes every move with
check, and so he can survive.} 44. Kd2 Nf3+ 45. Ke2 Nh4 {and black guards g6
while protecting the rook from Qh7+.}) (29... Rg1+ {could transpose to e4 after
} 30. Kc2 Na3+ 31. Kb2 Nb5 32. Rxb7 {Rg1+} e4+) 30. Rxb7 {The following
sequence of moves seems forced.} Rg1+ 31. Kc2 Na3+ 32. Kb2 Nb1 33. Nd8+ Ke8 34.
Nc6 e4+ 35. Kc2 Na3+ 36. Kd2 Nb1+ 37. Ke3 {Diagram [#]} Re1+ $2 {This check
only helps white's position.} ({The right move was} 37... Nc3 $1 {, when
black's pieces are all coordinating well. The knight does several things well
here. First of all, it discourages any immediate captures on e7 due to Nd5+
forks. Also, after the black rook gives a few checks, the knight will either
help support the advance of the pawn to e2 or go back to d5, where it supports
e7 and prepares an e4-e3 advance.} 38. Rxa7 (38. Rh7 $2 Rg3+ 39. Kf2 Rf3+ 40.
Kg1 Nd5 {shows the great activity of the black pieces. Black may already start
playing to win here.}) 38... Rd1 39. Kf2 Rd3 $5 {White should probably just
force a draw here.} 40. Rh7 (40. Kf1 Rd1+ 41. Kg2 Nd5 {could be dangerous for
white.}) 40... e3+ 41. Kg2 e2 42. Rhxe7+ Bxe7 43. Rxe7+ Kf8 44. Kf2 Rh3 (44...
Rd1 45. Rxe2 Nxe2 46. Kxe2 {is also a Rxe7+ simple draw.}) 45. Ke1 Nxa2 46.
Rxe2 Nc1 47. Rf2+ Ke8 {and all the pawns come off the board.}) 38. Kf2 Rc1 39.
Rh7 Rc2+ 40. Kg3 $2 {Hikaru played this practically instantly, but this could
have thrown the win away.} ({Instead,} 40. Ke3 {was the right move. After} Nc3
41. Ne5 $1 {black is completely lost.} Nd1+ 42. Kf4 Rf2+ 43. Kg4 Ne3+ 44. Kh3 {
and white wins.}) 40... Rc3+ $2 {Unfortunately I was playing on the increment
here, and at the last second I made this stupid move.} (40... Nc3 $1 {The key
point is that Nxe7 isn't a threat due to Be5+, and so I can just bring my
knight back into play.} 41. Rhxe7+ {Probably best.} (41. Rxa7 Nd5 {Here black
is not in any danger, and so white should try to find a draw.}) (41. Nxe7 $4
Be5+ 42. Kg4 Rg2+ 43. Kh4 Rh2+ 44. Kg5 Rxh7) 41... Bxe7 42. Rxe7+ Kf8 43. Rxa7
Ne2+ (43... Nxa2 {should also draw, but Ne2+ is simpler.}) 44. Kg4 Rc3 $1 {
Black has enough counterplay to draw, for instance:} 45. Ne5 Rg3+ 46. Kh4 g5+
47. Kh5 Nf4+ 48. Kh6 e3 49. Ra4 e2 50. Re4 Rg1 51. Nf3 Rf1 52. Kxg5 {g5+} Rxf3
53. c6 Nd5 54. Rxe2 {and the game should be drawn.}) 41. Kg4 {Now I realized
that I was completely lost. I couldn't find any reasonable moves, but I didn't
want to resign and so played} e3 42. Nxe7 e2 {Here I was expecting a normal
continuation like Rb8+, when white will stop the pawn on e2 and win easily.
When I saw Hikaru hovering his hand above the knight I got excited, and then
he played it!} 43. Nd5 $3 {Two exclams just for the idea.} (43. Rb8+ Kd7 44.
Nxg6+ Kc6 45. Re8 {and white wins was the mundane way to go.}) 43... Rg3+ 44.
Kf4 Bg5+ {I had seen that Be5+ would lose to Kxe5 followed by Rg3+ Kd6, but I
didn't believe that it could work with the bishop on the board.} (44... Be5+
45. Kxe5 Re3+ 46. Kd6) 45. Ke5 e1=Q+ 46. Kd6 {A great position. Black has an
extra queen, but is completely lost against the threats of Rh8+ and Rb8+. It's
funny because the position looks like a study, but isn't. Unfortunately I had
to be on the wrong side.  [Nakamura said part of his training with Kasparov
involved studies, so this position should have made him right at home. - M.K.]}
Bf4+ ({or} 46... Rf3 47. Rb8+ Bd8 48. Nc7+ {and black gets mated.}) (46... Be7+
{would be best if black had a few more pieces, but here after} 47. Rhxe7+ Qxe7+
48. Rxe7+ {black is in a completely lost ending.}) 47. Nxf4 Rd3+ {Qd2+} ({or} 
47... Qd2+ 48. Nd5 {and the knight comes back and guards everything.}) 48. Nxd3
Qg3+ 49. Ne5 {Domination again. Here I resigned.} 1-0

[Event "US Championship (Women)"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2012.05.20"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Anna Zatonskih"]
[Black "Irina Krush"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B15"]
[WhiteElo "2510"]
[BlackElo "2457"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2012.05.20"]

1. d4 g6 2. e4 (2. Nf3) 2... Bg7 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 d5 {Diagram [#]} 5. h3 (5. e5
) 5... Nf6 6. Bd3 (6. e5) 6... dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nxe4 8. Bxe4 O-O 9. O-O Nd7 10. c3
e5 11. Bc2 exd4 12. Nxd4 Qb6 13. Nb3 (13. a4 a5 14. Be3 Qxb2 15. Qd2) 13... Qc7
14. Re1 Nf6 15. Qf3 Be6 16. Bf4 Qb6 17. Be3 Qc7 18. Bf4 Qb6 19. g4 {Diagram [#]
} a5 (19... Bd5 20. Qg3 Rac8 21. Be5 Ne8 22. Bxg7 Nxg7) 20. Bd6 Rfe8 21. Qg3 a4
22. Bc7 (22. Nc5 Qxb2 23. Nxe6 Rxe6) 22... Qa7 23. Nd4 Bd5 24. Be5 {Diagram [#]
} Ne4 25. Bxe4 (25. Rxe4 Bxe4 26. Bxg7 Kxg7) 25... Bxe5 26. Qf3 Bxd4 27. Bxd5
cxd5 28. cxd4 Qxd4 29. Red1 Qxb2 30. Qxd5 Re2 31. Rdb1 Qf6 32. Rf1 Rd8 33. Qxb7
Rdd2 34. Qa7 {Diagram [#]} Qf3 35. Rae1 0-1

[Event "21ST ANNUAL CHICAGO OPEN"]
[Site "Wheeling, Illinois"]
[Date "2012.05.26"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Ludwig, Daniel"]
[Black "Shulman, Yury"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E32"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "141"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6 7. Bg5 c5 8.
dxc5 bxc5 9. e3 d6 10. O-O-O (10. Bd3) (10. Rd1 Nbd7 11. Rxd6 Qc7 12. Rd1 Ne4
13. Qc2 Qa5+) 10... Nbd7 {Diagram [#]} (10... Ne4 11. Qd3 Nxf2 (11... Nxg5 12.
h4 f5 13. hxg5 Qxg5 14. Qxd6) 12. Bxd8 Nxd3+ 13. Bxd3 Rxd8 14. Be4 d5 15. cxd5
Bb7 16. Ne2 exd5 17. Nc3 Nc6 18. Bxd5 Na5 19. Bxb7 Nxb7) 11. Rxd6 Qc7 12. Rd1
Ne4 13. Qc2 Nxg5 14. h4 Ne4 15. Qxe4 Bb7 16. Qc2 Ne5 17. Ne2 {Diagram [#]} Rad8
18. Rxd8 Rxd8 19. Nf4 Bc6 20. Be2 Rb8 21. Rd1 Qa5 22. Qd2 Qb6 23. Qc3 Qc7 24.
Rd2 Ba4 25. Bd1 Bxd1 26. Rxd1 h6 27. Nh5 (27. g4) 27... f6 28. Nf4 Qc6 {
Diagram [#]} 29. Qa5 (29. Qc2) 29... Nxc4 (29... Qe4 30. Rd8+ Rxd8 31. Qxd8+
Kh7 32. b3) 30. Qxa7 Qb5 (30... Rb7 31. Qa8+ Kh7 32. Rd8) 31. b4 {Diagram [#]}
(31. Rd7 Qxb2+ 32. Kd1 Qb1+ 33. Ke2 Qc2+ 34. Kf3 Ne5+ 35. Kg3 Nxd7 36. Qxd7 e5)
31... Ne5 (31... cxb4 32. Rd7) (31... Rb7 32. Rd8+ Kh7 33. Qa8) (31... Nxa3 32.
Qxa3 Qc4+ 33. Kd2 Rd8+ 34. Ke1 Rxd1+ 35. Kxd1 Qf1+ 36. Kd2 Qxf2+ 37. Ne2 cxb4
38. Qa8+ Kf7 39. g3) (31... Nxe3 32. fxe3 Qc4+ (32... cxb4 33. Rd7) 33. Kb2)
32. Nxe6 Rb7 (32... Qc4+ 33. Kd2 Qxe6 34. Qxb8+) 33. Qxc5 Qa6 34. Qc8+ Kh7 35.
Nf8+ Kg8 36. Nd7+ Kh7 37. Qc2+ g6 38. Nxe5 Qxa3+ 39. Qb2 Rc7+ 40. Kb1 Qa4 41.
Rc1 Rxc1+ 42. Kxc1 fxe5 43. h5 e4 44. hxg6+ Kxg6 45. Kd2 Qd7+ 46. Qd4 Qc6 47.
b5 Qxb5 48. Qxe4+ Kg7 49. Qd4+ Kf7 50. Ke1 Qc6 51. Qf4+ Kg6 52. Qg4+ Kh7 53.
Qf5+ Kg7 54. g4 Qa6 55. e4 Qd3 56. e5 Qc3+ 57. Kf1 Qc1+ 58. Kg2 Qc6+ 59. Qf3
Qc4 60. Qf6+ Kh7 61. Qf5+ Kg7 62. e6 Qc6+ 63. f3 Qc4 64. Qe5+ Kf8 65. Qf6+ Kg8
66. Qg6+ Kh8 67. Qxh6+ Kg8 68. Qg6+ Kh8 69. Qe4 Qa2+ 70. Kg3 Qa1 71. Qe3 1-0

[Event "21ST ANNUAL CHICAGO OPEN"]
[Site "Wheeling, Illinois"]
[Date "2012.05.25"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Friedel, Joshua"]
[Black "Hess, Robert"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C65"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "108"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 (4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7.
dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8) 4... d6 5. O-O Bd7 6. c3 Be7 7. Re1 O-O 8. Ba4 Re8 9.
Nbd2 Bf8 10. Nf1 h6 11. Ng3 Ne7 12. Bb3 Ng6 13. h3 c5 14. d4 Qc7 15. d5 {
Diagram [#]} b5 16. Bc2 Reb8 17. a4 c4 18. Nh2 b4 19. Qf3 Nh4 (19... b3 20. Bd1
Rb6 21. Be3 Ra6) 20. Qe2 b3 (20... bxc3 21. bxc3 Ng6 22. Qf3 Rb7) 21. Bd1 Rb6
22. Be3 Ng6 {Diagram [#]} (22... Ra6 23. Bxb3) (22... Rb7) 23. Bxb6 (23. Qf1
Rb7 (23... Nf4 24. Bxb6 axb6 25. Be2 Qc8 (25... Nxe2+ 26. Qxe2 Bxa4 27. Ng4 Nd7
28. Nh5) 26. h4 (26. Bxc4 Nxg2 27. Qxg2 Bxh3 28. Qf3 Qxc4) 26... Nxe2+ 27. Qxe2
Bxa4 28. Nhf1 b5) 24. Be2 Rc8 25. Nf3 Nf4 26. Nd2 Nxe2+ 27. Qxe2) 23... axb6
24. Qe3 b5 25. a5 (25. Nh5 Nxh5 26. Bxh5 bxa4 27. Bxg6 fxg6 28. Ra3 Be7) 25...
Rxa5 26. Rxa5 Qxa5 27. Be2 Nf4 28. Bf1 Bc8 29. Rb1 {Diagram [#]} (29. Qc1 Ba6
30. Qa1 Qb6 31. Qa3 Nd7 32. Ra1 Nc5 33. Qa5 Qxa5 34. Rxa5) 29... Nd7 30. Qc1
Nc5 31. Ra1 Qb6 32. Qe3 Be7 33. Nf3 Bd8 34. Kh2 Kh7 35. Be2 Bd7 36. Bf1 Na4 37.
Qd2 Qc5 38. Rd1 Ba5 39. Rc1 Bb6 (39... Qb6 40. Kg1 b4 41. cxb4 Bxb4 42. Qe3 Bc5
43. Qd2 c3 44. bxc3 b2 45. Rb1 Ba3 46. Ne2 Nxe2+ 47. Bxe2 Qa5 48. c4 Qc3) (
39... b4 40. cxb4 Bxb4 41. Rxc4 Bxd2 42. Rxc5 dxc5 43. Nxd2 Nxb2 44. Nxb3 c4
45. Nc1 Kg6) 40. Nh1 Qc8 (40... f5 41. exf5 Bxf5) 41. Ng3 Qc5 42. Kg1 Ba5 43.
Kh2 Qb6 44. Rb1 {Diagram [#]} Qa7 (44... Bxc3 45. bxc3 b4 46. cxb4 (46. Bxc4
bxc3 47. Qe1 b2) 46... c3 47. Qc1 Qxb4 48. Ne1 b2 49. Qd1 Nc5 50. Nd3 Nfxd3 51.
Bxd3 Nxd3 52. Qxd3 Qd4) 45. Ra1 Bb6 46. Kg1 Qc7 47. Kh2 Nc5 48. Ne1 Qd8 49. Qd1
Na4 50. Qd2 Qf6 51. Rxa4 bxa4 52. Bxc4 h5 53. Nf1 Qg6 54. g3 Nxh3 0-1

[Event "21ST ANNUAL CHICAGO OPEN"]
[Site "Wheeling, Illinois"]
[Date "2012.05.28"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Mikhalevski, Victor"]
[Black "Ramirez, Alejandro"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A11"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "92"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
[Source "MonRoi"]

1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Bg4 4. Ne5 Bf5 5. cxd5 (5. Bg2 e6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. d4
Nd7) (5. Qb3 Nd7 6. Nxd7 Qxd7 7. cxd5 Be4 (7... cxd5 8. e4 Qc8 9. Nc3)) 5...
Qxd5 6. Qb3 (6. Nf3 Bxb1 7. Rxb1 Qxa2 8. Qc2 Na6) (6. d4) 6... Qxb3 7. axb3 {
Diagram [#]} Na6 8. Bg2 (8. d3 Nb4 (8... f6 9. Nc4 (9. Bg2) 9... Nb4 10. Nba3
e5 11. Bg2 Be6) 9. Ra4 e6 10. Bd2) 8... Nc5 9. O-O Nxb3 10. Ra3 Nd4 (10... Nxc1
11. Rxc1) (10... Bxb1 11. Rxb3) 11. Nc3 {Diagram [#]} f6 (11... e6 12. Ra4) 12.
Nc4 (12. Nf3 e5 13. Ra4 Nxf3+ 14. Bxf3 a6) 12... e5 13. Ra2 a6 (13... Be6 14.
d3 Bb4) 14. d3 O-O-O 15. f4 Bc5 16. Kh1 (16. Be3 Be6) 16... Be6 17. fxe5 {
Diagram [#]} b5 (17... fxe5 18. Ne4 Be7 19. Ng5 Bxg5 20. Bxg5 Nf6 21. Bxf6 gxf6
22. Rxf6 Bxc4 23. dxc4 Nxe2) 18. Ne4 (18. e3 Nb3 (18... bxc4 19. exd4 Bxd4 20.
Rxa6 cxd3 21. Rxc6+ Kd7 22. Rd1) 19. Rxa6 bxc4 20. Rxc6+ Kd7 21. d4) (18. Rxa6
bxc4 19. e3 Kb7 20. exd4 Kxa6 21. dxc5 Kb7) 18... Be7 19. e3 Nc2 (19... Ne2 20.
Ned6+ Bxd6 21. Nxd6+ Rxd6 22. exd6 Bxa2 23. Bd2 Bd5 24. Re1 Bxg2+ 25. Kxg2 Nh6
26. Rxe2 Kd7) 20. Ncd6+ (20. Rxa6 bxc4 21. Rxc6+ Kd7 22. exf6 Nxf6) 20... Bxd6
21. Rxa6 Kb7 {Diagram [#]} (21... Nb4 22. Nxd6+ Rxd6 23. Ra8+ Kb7 24. Ra5 Rd5
25. Bxd5 Nxd5) 22. Ng5 (22. exd6 Kxa6 23. Nc5+ Kb6 24. Nxe6 Rxd6 25. Nxg7 Ne7)
(22. Nc5+ Bxc5 23. Rxc6 Bd5 (23... Bb4 24. Rxe6+ Ka7) 24. Rxc5 Bxg2+ 25. Kxg2
Na1 26. e4) 22... Bd7 23. Nf7 (23. Ra2 fxg5 24. exd6 Nf6) 23... Kxa6 24. exd6
Nh6 25. Nxh8 Rxh8 26. Bd2 {Diagram [#]} Nf5 27. e4 Nfd4 (27... Nxd6 28. Rc1 Nd4
29. Be3) 28. e5 fxe5 29. Rf7 Rd8 30. Bg5 Be6 31. Rxg7 Rxd6 32. Rxh7 Ne1 33. Be4
Bd5 34. Be7 Rd7 35. Bxd5 Rxd5 36. g4 Nxd3 37. h4 Nf2+ 38. Kg2 Nxg4 39. Kh3 Nf2+
40. Kg3 Ne4+ 41. Kg4 Rd7 42. Rf7 Nd6 43. Rf6 Rxe7 44. Rxd6 Rg7+ 45. Kh3 Rh7 46.
Rf6 e4 0-1

[Event "2012 U.S. Amateur"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.07.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Vinko Rutar"]
[Black "Michael Lim"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "A14"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "124"]
[SourceDate "2012.07.05"]

1. c4 c6 2. b3 Nf6 3. Bb2 e6 4. g3 d5 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O b6 8. Ne5
Qc7 9. d3 Bb7 10. Nd2 c5 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. Nef3 Nc6 (12... Bf6 13. Bxf6 Nxf6)
13. Ne4 Rac8 (13... f5 14. Ned2) 14. Rc1 Rfd8 (14... f5) 15. Qc2 h6 16. Qb1 Qb8
17. Qa1 Bf8 18. Rfd1 Nde7 19. e3 Nb4 20. Ne1 Qa8 21. f3 Ba6 (21... f5 22. Kf2
a5) 22. Bf1 Nf5 23. Kf2 Rd7 24. a3 Nc6 25. Ng2 Rcd8 26. Nf4 Qb8 27. g4 Nd6 (
27... Nxe3 28. Kxe3 Nd4) 28. Ng3 Ne8 29. Qb1 Bd6 30. Nfh5 Be5 31. d4 cxd4 {
Diagram [#]} 32. Bxa6 (32. exd4 Bxg3+ 33. Nxg3 Bxf1 34. Rxc6 Bb5) 32... dxe3+
33. Ke1 Rxd1+ 34. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 35. Kxd1 Qd6+ 36. Qd3 Bxb2 37. Ke2 Qxd3+ (37...
Nd4+) 38. Bxd3 Bxa3 39. Kxe3 Bc1+ 40. Kf2 Nd6 41. Ne4 Nxe4+ 42. Bxe4 Nd4 43. b4
Bd2 44. h4 Bxb4 45. g5 hxg5 46. hxg5 Bd2 47. f4 b5 48. g6 f5 49. Bd3 Kf8 50.
Ng3 Bxf4 51. Ne2 Nxe2 52. Kxe2 b4 53. Kf3 Bc1 54. Ke2 Ke7 55. Kd1 Bb2 56. Kc2
Bd4 57. Kb3 a5 58. Kc4 Bc3 59. Kb3 Kf6 60. Ka4 e5 61. Kxa5 e4 62. Bb1 Kxg6 *

[Event "Moscow World Ch."]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.05.14"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Gelfand, Boris"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D70"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "2012.05.??"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "12"]
[SourceDate "2001.09.18"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 {An anti-Grunfeld system favoured by one of Anand's
seconds, Peter Heine Nielsen.} d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Be3 O-O
8. Qd2 {1.58} e5 {1.55  A small surprise -} (8... Nc6 {is far more common and
has been the preferred choice of Grunfled expert Peter Svidler.}) 9. d5 c6 {[#]
} 10. h4 $1 {1.54} cxd5 {In their 1998 match to decide who would challenge
Kasparov, Shirov won a key game against Kramnik with} (10... h5 {but later
analysis showed that} 11. g4 {gives White a huge attack.}) 11. exd5 N8d7 {1.53}
12. h5 {1.53} Nf6 {1.52} 13. hxg6 {1.52} fxg6 {To enable a ...Rf7 defence
after 14.Bh6 Bxh6 15.Qxh6.} 14. O-O-O {1.51} Bd7 {1.51  White has had a huge
strike rate from this position, but Israeli players have been notable on both
sides and it is therefore not surprising that Gelfand knows rather more than
current theory.} 15. Kb1 {1.30} Rc8 {[#]1.51} 16. Ka1 {1.20  Anand's cautious
last two moves cost him half an hour, mostly wondering why Gelfand would play
a line which had scored so badly in the past. By the time he moved, he was
ready for Gelfand's next move, a novelty.} e4 $1 {1.47} 17. Bd4 $1 {1.12} Na4 {
1.38} 18. Nge2 $1 {1.08  Anand plays this part of the game with great
precision. After} (18. Nxe4 Nxe4 19. fxe4 Bxd4 20. Qxd4 Qg5 $1 {Black's
initiative becomes dangerous.}) 18... Qa5 {1.20} 19. Nxe4 {0.52} Qxd2 {1.19}
20. Nxf6+ {0.51} Rxf6 $1 {1.06} 21. Rxd2 Rf5 $1 {1.05} 22. Bxg7 Kxg7 23. d6 {
[#]0.34} Rfc5 $6 {0.50  Upon being shown the equalising line} (23... Nb6 24.
Nc3 (24. Rh4) 24... Rd5 $3 {Gelfand said  "It looks promising. I would have
played the idea had I seen it! Maybe White should play 24.Rh4 instead of 24.
Nc3. In any case I underestimated his next move."}) 24. Rd1 $1 {0.33} a5 $5 {
Many thought that this was a winning try but Gelfand refuted that theory in
the post-game press conference. "Black is trying to regain the pawn and
equalise but the question is whether I will be able to equalise immediately or
if I will have to fight for a long time."} (24... Rc2 $5 {Gelfand looked at}
25. b3 Nb2 26. Rb1 Nd3 27. Nd4 Nb4 $5 28. Nxc2 Rxc2 29. Re1 Rxa2+ 30. Kb1 Bf5+
{when probably Black has enough to draw, but unfortunately after 26.Rd4! the
knight is not coming out."}) 25. Rh4 $1 {0.23} Rc2 {0.39  Gelfand had
calculated this forcing variation to a double rook ending where he believed he
had enough play to draw.} 26. b3 Nb2 $1 (26... Nb6 27. Re4 {is too depressing
for Black.}) 27. Rb1 {0.16} Nd3 {0.35} 28. Nd4 {0.15} Rd2 {0.33  "Now} (28...
Nb4 {is not enough," said Gelfand, "because after} 29. Nxc2 Rxc2 30. Rd1 Rxa2+
31. Kb1 Bf5+ {White has} 32. Re4 $1 {."}) 29. Bxd3 {0.13} Rxd3 30. Re1 {0.12}
Rd2 {0.21} 31. Kb1 {0.10} Bf5+ {0.19} 32. Nxf5+ gxf5 33. Re7+ {08.38} Kg6 {0.16
} 34. Rc7 $6 {05.47  After the game Anand was kicking himself for not playing}
(34. d7 $1 Rcc2 35. Rc4 $3 {when, amazingly, White can avoid checkmate and
prevail e.g.} Rb2+ ({Neither player seriosuly considered} 35... Rxc4 {which
looks like a slow death after} 36. bxc4 {Black can fight on with} h5 (36... Kf6
37. Rxh7 Kg6 38. d8=Q $1 {is worse.}) 37. Kc1 Rd4 38. Kc2 Kf6 39. Rh7 Kg6 ({On
} 39... Ke6 {both} 40. Kc3 {and} (40. Kb3 $5 {lead to winning pawn endgames if
Black takes the d7 pawn.})) 40. Kc3 $1 Rd1 41. d8=Q $1 Rxd8 42. Rxb7 {and the
passed c pawn is a winner for White.}) 36. Kc1 Rxa2 37. Rc8 Rf2 {and now Anand
at first thought he could win with the spectacular 38.Rg8+ Kf6 39.Re2!!???,
forgetting about 39...Rf1+! and checkmate next move. Later Anand realised that
the right path to victory was} 38. Re6+ $1 Kg7 (38... Kh5 39. g4+ fxg4 40. Rc5+
{is similar.}) 39. Rg8+ Kf7 40. Rf6+ $1 {and the pawn queens with check.  It
turns out that Black's best defence was 34...Rd1+ 35.Kb2 Rd2+ 36.Ka3 Rcc2 when
after 37.Ka4 Rxa2+ 38.Kb5 Rab2 39.Kb6!, the White king can wander to e8 and,
with the aid of some mating net tricks, win.}) 34... Re8 $1 {0.15} 35. Rh1 $6 {
04.14  Anand woke up to the strength of 34.d7 and 35.Rc4 as soon as his hand
left the rook on h1 - otherwise he could have attempted to repeat moves via} (
35. Re7 $1 {Black can still fight on in a bad rook ending after} Rd8 {but more
likely Gelfand would have replied} (35... Rc8 {since he had not seen White's
winning idea, while.}) (35... Rxe7 {is impossible because of the trick} 36.
dxe7 Re2 37. Re4 $3)) 35... Ree2 $1 {0.12} 36. d7 Rb2+ 37. Kc1 Rxa2 {Just in
time - beacuse of the mate threat, White cannot avoid the draw.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Moscow World Ch."]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.05.20"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Gelfand, Boris"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D45"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "2012.05.??"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "12"]
[SourceDate "2001.09.18"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 a6 6. c5 {"As expected, the
battle heats up today," said commentator Leko.} Nbd7 {1.58} 7. Qc2 {1.57  A
very unusual move, allowing both the ...e5 and ...b6 breaks.} b6 {1.53} 8. cxb6
{1.57} Nxb6 {1.49} (8... Qxb6) 9. Bd2 {1.55} c5 {1.44  Normally when Black
achieves this advance he has few problems, so Anand spent some time wondering
what Gelfand's idea would be.} 10. Rc1 {1.54} cxd4 $2 {1.35  Too casual.
"Black must play} (10... Nfd7 $1 {," said Leko. "I don't understand why Vishy
didn't play it. After} 11. e4 Bb7 {nothing is happening. You keep the knight
on b6 to srtop Na4 and White's pieces have nothing to do."  "I started to
drift a little bit in the opening; with that bad bishop on c8 I had to play
more precisely," admitted Anand.}) 11. exd4 {1.54} Bd6 {1.33} 12. Bg5 {1.37 
Karpov, watching a game live at the Tretyakov for the first time, suggested
the more forcing} (12. Na4 {but after} Nxa4 13. Qc6+ Bd7 14. Qxd6 Ne4 {Black
is comfortable enough. "12.Bg5 was better for restricting counterplay,"
explained Gelfand after the game.}) 12... O-O {1.24} 13. Bd3 h6 14. Bh4 {1.33}
Bb7 {1.16} 15. O-O {1.26} Qb8 {1.05} 16. Bg3 $1 {1.14} ({"} 16. Bxf6 {seems
quite logical but after} gxf6 17. Ne2 Rc8 18. Qd2 Bf8 {and later Qd6, Black's
king is quite safe and Black's f8 bishop can be useful," said Gelfand.}) 16...
Rc8 {0.58} 17. Qe2 {1.11} Bxg3 18. hxg3 Qd6 {0.53} 19. Rc2 $1 {0.59  Simple
and effective.  "Black had some problems with the light squared bishop and I
built my strategy on this," said Gelfand.} Nbd7 {0.43} 20. Rfc1 {0.56} Rab8 {
0.39  "Not a very impressive move," admitted Anand. "If you have to play such
a thing, the position is bad."} 21. Na4 {0.41  Karpov preferred} (21. a3 {
avoiding exchanges for a while, but Gelfand had a consistent plan;  "When I 
[can] exchange dark squared bishops, rooks and queens, as a result my knights
have domination of the board and Black's bishop never enters the game."}) 21...
Ne4 $5 {0.30  A pawn sacrifice to achieve some activity, but Gelfand refutes
it by ignoring it. 21...Rxc2 was necessary, but after 22.Qxc2! Rc8 23.Nc5
White maintains an edge.} (21... Rxc2 {was necessary, but after} 22. Qxc2 $1 (
22. Rxc2 $6 Bc6 $1 23. Nc5 Bb5 {justifies Anand's 20th move.}) 22... Rc8 23.
Nc5 (23. Qxc8+ $5 Bxc8 24. Rxc8+ Nf8 25. Nc5 {might also be promising
according to Dvoretsky.}) 23... Nxc5 24. dxc5 Qc7 25. b4 {maintains an edge
since} e5 {can be met by} 26. Bf5 Rd8 27. c6 {.}) 22. Rxc8+ {0.36} Bxc8 23. Qc2
$1 {0.35  More simple chess.} (23. Bxe4 dxe4 24. Qxe4 Bb7 {would allow Black's
bishop to come to life for a pawn which might not be easy to hang on to.})
23... g5 {0.22  "In a bad position, usually all moves are bad," said Anand.} (
23... Ndf6 {was the best chance, although after} 24. Ne5 (24. Qc7 Bd7 $1 {is
the point behind Black's defence.}) 24... Bd7 25. Nc5 Bb5 (25... Nxc5 26. Qxc5
Qxc5 27. dxc5 {is ugly for Black.}) 26. Bxe4 dxe4 27. Nxe4 {and now Black
cannot regain the pawn with} Qxd4 {because of} 28. Nxf6+ gxf6 29. Nxf7 $1) 24.
Qc7 {0.28} Qxc7 {0.13} 25. Rxc7 f6 {0.13  Keeping the knight out of e5, but
only temporarily. "Black is already lost," said Leko.} 26. Bxe4 $1 {0.17} dxe4
27. Nd2 f5 {0.12} 28. Nc4 Nf6 29. Nc5 Nd5 {09.57} 30. Ra7 {0.15} Nb4 {05.58}
31. Ne5 {0.13} Nc2 {04.59  A last throw of the dice by Anand, sacrificing the
ill-fated bishop.} 32. Nc6 {0.10} Rxb2 33. Rc7 Rb1+ 34. Kh2 e3 35. Rxc8+ Kh7 {
02.58} 36. Rc7+ {05.46} Kh8 {01.24} 37. Ne5 $1 {03.47} e2 {01.00  "In the
final moves I checked everything a few times to be sure I didn't miss anything.
He could try} (37... exf2 38. Nxe6 f1=N+ 39. Kh3 {but I checkmate him in the
end," said Gelfand.}) 38. Nxe6 $1 {02.52  Avoiding Anand's final trap -} (38.
Ng6+ Kg8 39. Nxe6 Rh1+ 40. Kxh1 e1=Q+ 41. Kh2 Qxe6 {and Black turns the tables.
Now, however, Ng6+ and Rg7 mate is only avoidable at ruinous cost.  A
strategical masterpiece by Gelfand.}) 1-0

[Event "Moscow World Ch."]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.05.21"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Gelfand, Boris"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E60"]
[PlyCount "33"]
[EventDate "2012.05.??"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "12"]
[SourceDate "2001.09.18"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 c5 {1.59} 4. d5 {1.59} d6 {1.58} 5. e4 Bg7 6. Ne2 {1.
58  Finding a good square for the king's knight can often be a problem in
these Benoni/Samisch lines, so on the rare occasions when White has not
already played Nc3, playing Ne2-c3 is considered to be a promising idea. The
knight on b1 will often find a good square on c4 (after ...e6 and ...exd5,
cxd5).} O-O 7. Nec3 {[#]1.50} Nh5 $5 {1.49  Original and provocative play.
After} (7... e6 8. Bg5 {is supposed to be slightly better for White.} ({rather
than} 8. Be3 exd5 9. cxd5 Nh5 {followed by ...Be5})) 8. Bg5 {1.42  Probably
not a great idea. "...Nh5 normally happens only after ...e6," explained Anand.}
({"} 8. g4 {was my other idea but it was rather committal so I found this Bg5
idea."}) 8... Bf6 {1.41} (8... f5 $1 {(Leko) was the best way to exploit
White's 8th move. Then Black threatens 9...f4 followed by ...Nd7-e5 with total
control over the dark squares.}) 9. Bxf6 $6 {1.38} (9. Be3 Be5 10. Qd2 {was
far more logical, after which White can still hope for an edge.}) 9... exf6 $1
{1.39} 10. Qd2 {1.29  All the computer engines were crying out for White to
play} (10. g4 {but after} Nf4 $1 11. Qd2 g5 12. h4 Nd7 13. Qh2 h5 $1 {Black is
doing fine, e.g.} 14. hxg5 fxg5 15. gxh5 Ne5 16. Nd2 Qf6 {when White's extra
pawn on h5 is worth little but Black's control over the dark squares is
awesome.  Unfortunately for Gelfand, seeing this variation led him to try for
a similar sacrifice a few moves later, with fatal consequences.}) 10... f5 {1.
37} 11. exf5 $1 {1.25   "I was not so nervous after 10...f5," explained Anand,
"because I had already succeeded in exchanging the dark squared bishops, so
his attack was not so strong."} Bxf5 {1.27} 12. g4 {1.19} Re8+ {The first step
on the path to ruin. "I had to caculate a lot of variations," said Gelfand, "
and unfortunately I miscalculated something."  Gelfand had two other lines
which seemed completely playable -} (12... Qh4+ 13. Kd1 Bxb1 14. Rxb1 Nf6 {and}
) (12... Bxb1 13. Rxb1 Nf6 {but he wanted more...}) 13. Kd1 $1 {1.15} Bxb1 {1.
07} 14. Rxb1 {[#]1.15} Qf6 $2 {0.58  A major tactical error, caused in part by
being entranced by the variation 15.Kc2 Nf4 (15...Qxf3? 16.Be2 is the trap
that Gelfand did see.) 16.Ne4 Rxe4! 17.fxe4 Nd7 when Black has two wonderful
knights for the exchange but White can generate counterplay through 18.h4. 
Having assessed this position and decided that Black was fine, Gelfand forgot
something much simpler. (Curiously, Peter Leko in the commentary box also
found himself analysing the exchange sacrifice and also missed Anand's simple
refutation.)  "However if I have to play} (14... Ng7 {then the whole concept
of Black's play is unfortunate," said Gelfand, and indeed after} 15. Kc2 {with
Bd3 and h4 to follow, White stands well.}) 15. gxh5 $1 {1.13  Anand took only
two minutes to check his calculations before springing the trap shut.} Qxf3+
16. Kc2 Qxh1 {0.56} 17. Qf2 $1 {1.13  In his original calculations (when
playing 12...Re8+) Gelfand had dismissed 15.gxh5 because he saw only 17.Qf4,
well met by 17...Qg1.  Now, however, Black's queen is firmly trapped and after}
(17. Qf2 Nc6 (17... Na6 18. a3 $1) 18. dxc6 Qxc6 19. Bg2 {White dominates the
board, so Gelfand preferred to resign.}) 1-0

[Event "Moscow World Ch. Playoff"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.05.30"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Gelfand, Boris"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D46"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "2012.05.??"]
[EventType "match (rapid)"]
[EventRounds "4"]
[SourceDate "2001.09.18"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 {Finally varying from 5...a6,
with which Anand drew three and lost one during the match.} 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bd3
O-O 8. O-O e5 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. e4 exd4 11. Nxd5 Nxd5 12. exd5 h6 13. b3 {0.25 
A new idea but hardly scary for Black.} (13. Nxd4 {is not dangerous for Black
because of} Qh4 14. Nf3 Qh5 15. Bh7+ Kh8 16. Qf5 Qxf5 17. Bxf5 Nf6 18. Bc2 b6
$1 {and Black will eventually regain the pawn without problems.}) 13... Ne5 14.
Nxe5 Bxe5 {0.25} 15. Re1 {0.22} Re8 {0.20} 16. Bb2 {0.20} Bd7 {0.20} 17. Qd2 {
0.18} Qf6 {0.16} 18. g3 {0.17} Rac8 {0.14} 19. a4 $6 {0.10  Unhappy with} (19.
f4 Bc7 {followed by 20...Bb6, Gelfand tries to mark time but in doing so
allows a sharp-eyed Anand a tactical opportunity.}) 19... Qf3 $1 {0.10} 20. Be4
{07.47} Qxb3 {0.10} 21. Reb1 $1 {[#]07.31} Bxg3 $5 {05.45} ({After} 21... Qb6
22. a5 Qf6 23. Re1 {and not} (23. f4 $6 Bxf4 {- the position is not easy for
either side, so Anand goes for complications, underestimating White's chances
after 26...Kh7.})) 22. Ra3 $1 {04.32  Diamond cut diamond.} Qb6 {5.00  Anand
had seen a long tactical line, but underestimated White's counterplay at the
end.} (22... Qc4 23. Rc1 ({and not} 23. Bd3 Bxh2+ 24. Kxh2 Qxd5 {with
excellent play for the piece.}) 23... Bf4 $1 24. Qxf4 Qe2 25. Rxc8 Bxc8 26. Bg6
$3 {is also a complete mess, though Black is always the player with winning
chances..}) 23. Bxd4 {04.14} Bxh2+ {508} 24. Kxh2 Qd6+ 25. Rg3 Rxe4 26. Bxg7 {
[#]} Kh7 {05.24} 27. Rxb7 $1 {03.06  "I saw this but I didn't believe it,"
said Anand.} Rg8 $5 {02.54} 28. Qxh6+ {"Forcing a draw is very practical,"
said Sergey Karjakin. "With only a few minutes left on the clock you can't
blame Boris here."} (28. Rxd7 $2 Rh4+ {but it emerged later that}) (28. Qd3 $1
f5 (28... Bf5 29. Rxf7 $1 Rh4+ 30. Kg2 {is winning for White, but}) (28... Qf4
$5 {might hang on.}) 29. Bb2 {would have set Anand some tricky problems with
both players down to their last three minutes.}) 28... Qxh6+ 29. Bxh6 Rxg3 {2.
32} 30. Kxg3 {02.31} Bc8 31. Rc7 Kxh6 32. Rxc8 {02.13} Rxa4 {02.51  "I think
we both played pretty well," said Anand.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Moscow World Ch. Playoff"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.05.30"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Gelfand, Boris"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D12"]
[PlyCount "126"]
[EventDate "2012.05.??"]
[EventType "match (rapid)"]
[EventRounds "4"]
[SourceDate "2001.09.18"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 {An option which Anand had not been
offered in earlier games because Gelfand always started with 3.Nc3, putting
more pressure on d5 and making ...Bf5 more problematic because of Qb3 ideas.}
5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Nxg6 hxg6 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. O-O Bd6 10. h3 O-O 11. Qc2 {
0.26} Qe7 {0.25} 12. Rd1 {[#]0.24} Rac8 $2 {0.25  "I should take on c4 and
then play ...Nb6 and ...c5; something along those lines generally works," said
Anand. "I just blacked out for a minute."} 13. c5 $1 {0.23} Bb8 {0.25} 14. f4 {
0.23} Ne8 {0.25  Playing fast as if to show that nothing untoward has happened,
but  matters soon go from bad to worse.} 15. b4 {0.22} g5 {0.22} 16. Rb1 {0.21}
f5 {0.24} 17. b5 {0.21} gxf4 18. exf4 Nef6 {0.24} 19. bxc6 {0.19} bxc6 {0.24}
20. Ba6 {0.19  White's play is easy, but over the next few moves Gelfand uses
up precious minutes.} Rc7 {0.23} 21. Be3 {0.17} Ne4 {0.21} 22. Rb2 {0.14} g5 $5
{0.21  Desperation, but it succeeds in confusing the situation.} 23. Rdb1 {0.12
} gxf4 {0.20} 24. Bxf4 {0.12} e5 {[#]0.20} 25. Bxe5 Nxe5 26. Rxb8 $2 {0.11 
Played instantly, but} (26. Nxe4 fxe4 27. dxe5 {wins the unfortunate bishop on
b8. Commentator Peter Svidler suggested that Black may have some practical
chances after} Rcc8 $1 28. Bxc8 Bxe5 {but objectively Black is lost.}) 26...
Ng6 {0.20  "I was just lost," said Anand, "but I was lucky that I was lost in
a way that I would always have some counterplay."} 27. Nxe4 {08.03} fxe4 {0.20}
28. Qf2 {06.21} Qg7 {[#]0.19} 29. Kh2 {04.24  "What could be easier than} (29.
Rxf8+ Nxf8 30. Rb3 {, with a huge advantage?" said commentator Sergey Karjakin.
}) 29... Rcf7 {0.19} 30. Qg3 {04.30} Nf4 {0.17} 31. R8b3 {01.44} Qxg3+ 32.
Rxg3+ Kh7 {0.16} 33. Rd1 {1.20} Ne6 {0.16} 34. Be2 {1.12} Rf2 35. Bg4 {1.16}
Nf4 {0.15} 36. Rb1 $1 {0.46  As usual in this match, Gelfand finds counterplay
just in time.} Rf7 {0.14} 37. Rb8 {00.40} Rxa2 {0.10} 38. Rc8 {00.46} e3 {0.10}
(38... Rf6 39. Rc7+ Kh6 {was safer, but likely Anand, still with a ten minute
advantage, was looking to end the match with a win.}) 39. Rxe3 {00.39} Rxg2+ {
09.05} 40. Kh1 Rd2 {08.33} 41. Rxc6 {0.46} Ne6 {07.34} 42. Rf3 Rxf3 43. Bxf3
Nxd4 44. Rc7+ Kh6 45. Bxd5 Rc2 46. Be4 Rc3 {07.35} 47. Kh2 {0.23} Kg5 48. Rd7
Nf3+ {Now it is Anand's turn to panic -} (48... Ne6 {should hold comfortably.})
49. Bxf3 Rxf3 50. Rxa7 {0.17  Played with 7 seconds to spare - probably
Gelfand had realised that he had no win here.} Rc3 51. Rc7 Kf5 {05.30 
"Originally I thought I could just draw with} (51... Kh4 {but then I saw his
king coming over to help the c pawn," explained Anand. He was seeing ghosts -
51...Kh4 does draw after} 52. Kg1 Kxh3 {.}) 52. c6 $6 Ke6 $6 (52... Rc2+ 53.
Kg3 Rc3+ 54. Kh4 Ke5) 53. h4 $1 Kd6 54. Rc8 Ra3 {05.31} 55. Kg2 Re3 56. Kh2 Ra3
57. Kg2 Re3 58. h5 $1 Re5 59. h6 Rh5 60. Rh8 Kxc6 {[#]} 61. Rh7 $2 {An
extraordinary mistake, played at blitz speed even though Gelfand had by now
built up 45 seconds on the clock. The obvious} (61. Kg3 {wins, but both
players were under the misapprehension that then Black could achieve the famed
Vancura position by playing} Kb7 62. Kg4 Rc5 {followed by ...Rc6.  With one
extra move - if the Black rook was on c6 rather than c5, this position would
indeed be the Vancura draw, but here White has time for the simple} 63. Rf8 {
with an easy win.  Unfortunately for Gelfand, with Anand playing quickly and
confidently and apparently headed directly for the feared Vancura draw,
Gelfand was convinced by his opponent's body language to prevent 61...Kb7 -
with the consequence that Anand now draws much more easily.}) 61... Kd6 62. Kg3
Ke6 63. Kg4 Rh1 1/2-1/2

[Event "athaneum 2011"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Benson, Brian"]
[Black "Drake, Bradford"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E26"]
[WhiteElo "1787"]
[BlackElo "2077"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[PlyCount "41"]
[EventDate "2012.05.03"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 (4. e3) 4... Bxc3+ {Diagram [#]} 5. bxc3 c5
6. e3 Qa5 7. Bd2 {Diagram [#]} O-O 8. Bd3 Nc6 9. Ne2 d6 10. O-O e5 11. Ng3 Qc7
{Diagram [#]} 12. d5 Ne7 13. f4 exf4 {Diagram [#]} 14. Rxf4 (14. exf4 Ng6 15.
Nf5) 14... Ng6 15. Rxf6 gxf6 {Diagram [#]} 16. Nh5 (16. Qh5) 16... f5 (16...
Qe7 17. Qf3 f5 {Diagram [#]} 18. Bxf5 (18. e4 fxe4 19. Nf6+ Kg7 20. Bxe4 {
Diagram [#]} Qxf6 21. Bh6+) 18... Bxf5 19. Qxf5 Qe5 20. e4) 17. e4 {Diagram [#]
} fxe4 18. Nf6+ Kg7 19. Qh5 {Diagram [#]} exd3 (19... Rh8 20. Bh6+ Kxf6 21.
Qg5#) (19... Kxf6 20. Bg5+ Ke5 21. Bd8+ (21. Bxe4) 21... f5) 20. Rf1 Bf5 21.
Rxf5 {Diagram [#]} 1-0

[Event "10th US Corr Chess Ch Prelim"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1990.05.22"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bizar, Irving"]
[Black "Osbun, Erik D"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Benko"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "6k1/1r3pp1/4p2p/8/R7/5P2/5P1P/6K1 b - - 0 35"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2012.05.22"]
[SourceDate "2012.05.22"]

{# #} 35... Rb5 36. Kg2 (36. h3 $5 Rg5+ 37. Kh2) (36. f4 $5) 36... Rg5+ 37. Kf1
(37. Kh1) 37... Kh7 38. Rb4 Kg6 39. Ra4 Kh5 40. Rb4 f5 41. f4 $2 (41. Ra4 Rg6
42. Rb4 e5 43. Rb5 Re6 44. Kg2) 41... Rg6 42. f3 (42. h3) (42. Rb3) 42... Kh4
43. Rb2 Rf6 (43... Kh3) 44. Rb7 g5 45. fxg5 Kxg5 {# #} 46. Rb4 (46. Kg2) 46...
e5 47. Kg2 Rd6 48. Rb5 Kf4 49. Rb4+ e4 50. fxe4 fxe4 {# #} 51. Rb2 Rg6+ $2 52.
Kf1 (52. Kf2) 52... h5 53. Rf2+ $2 (53. Rb3) 53... Ke3 $1 54. Rf5 h4 $1 55. Rh5
Rg4 $2 (55... Rf6+ 56. Kg2 Ke2 57. Rxh4 Rg6+ 58. Kh3 e3 $19) 56. Rh8 $1 (56.
Rh7) 56... Kf3 57. Re8 $2 e3 $2 58. Re7 Re4 59. Rg7 Ra4 60. Rf7+ $1 Ke4 61.
Re7+ $2 (61. h3) 61... Kd3 $1 62. Rd7+ Rd4 63. Ra7 Rf4+ 64. Ke1 Rb4 65. Rd7+
Ke4 66. h3 Rb1+ $1 67. Ke2 Rb2+ $1 68. Ke1 Kf3 69. Rf7+ Kg2 0-1

[Event "7th US Corr Chess Ch Prelim"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.05.22"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Osbun, Erik D"]
[Black "Owen, Louis B"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Benko"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/5kp1/4p2p/r7/4P3/1R3P1P/6P1/6K1 w - - 0 40"]
[PlyCount "41"]
[EventDate "2012.05.22"]
[SourceDate "2012.05.22"]

{# #} 40. Rb7+ {# #} Kf6 41. Kh2 e5 (41... g5) (41... h5) 42. Rb6+ Kf7 43. g4
Ra1 44. h4 Rc1 (44... g6 45. Rb7+ Kf6 (45... Kg8 46. Rb5) 46. Rh7) 45. h5 Ra1
46. Rg6 Rb1 47. g5 hxg5 48. Rxg5 Kf6 49. Rg6+ Kf7 {# #} 50. Kh3 Rh1+ 51. Kg4
Rh2 52. Ra6 Rh1 53. Kg5 Rh3 54. Ra7+ Kf8 (54... Kg8 55. Kg4 Rh1 56. Kf5 (56.
Ra5 Rg1+ 57. Kf5)) 55. Kg4 Rh1 56. Ra5 Rg1+ 57. Kf5 Rg3 58. Ke6 g6 (58... Kg8
59. Ra8+ Kh7 60. Rf8) 59. Kf6 Rxf3+ 60. Kxg6 1-0

[Event "New York Open, 1981"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.07.08"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bosko Abramovic"]
[Black "Joel Benjamin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Kantor, Alan"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5b2/2R1Nq1k/6p1/1P1Pp1Bp/4b3/7P/6P1/6K1 b - - 0 0"]
[PlyCount "4"]

{Diagram [#]} 1... Bh6 (1... Bd3 2. d6 Qf1+ (2... Bg7 3. d7 Qf1+ 4. Kh2 Be4 5.
Rc2) 3. Kh2 Be4 4. Nd5+ Kh8 5. Ne3) (1... Kh8 2. b6 Bxe7 3. Rxe7 Qxd5 4. b7
Qd4+ 5. Kh2 Qb2) (1... Bxg2 2. Kxg2 e4 3. d6 Qf3+ 4. Kh2 Bg7 5. Nc6 Qe2+ 6. Kh1
e3 7. Re7 (7. d7 Qe1+ 8. Kh2 e2 9. Be3 h4) 7... Qd1+ 8. Kg2 Qd5+ 9. Kf1 Qxb5+
10. Ke1 Qxc6 11. d7 Qc1+) 2. b6 Bxg5 3. Nc6 0-1

