[Event "FIDE World Cup"]
[Site "Baku"]
[Date "2015.09.13"]
[Round "1.8"]
[White "Kovalyov, Anton"]
[Black "Kasimdzhanov, Rustam"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A30"]
[WhiteElo "2616"]
[BlackElo "2704"]
[Annotator "CB"]
[PlyCount "65"]
[EventDate "2015.09.11"]
[EventType "k.o."]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "AZE"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 169"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2015.11.10"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2015.11.10"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. c4 e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. b3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Bb2
Nc6 9. Nc3 b6 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. d4 Bb7 12. Rc1 Re8 13. Qd2 Qd7 14. Rfd1 Rad8
15. e3 a5 16. Bc3 Qc7 17. Qb2 Bf8 18. Nh4 Nb4 19. a3 Na6 20. dxc5 bxc5 {[#]} (
20... Nxc5 {gefiel Schwarz nicht:} 21. b4 (21. Nf5 g6 22. Bg7 gxf5 23. Bxf8
Rxf8 24. b4 Na4 25. Rxc7 Nxb2 26. Rb1 Nc4 27. Rxb7 Nxa3 28. Rb3 (28. Rd1) 28...
Nc4 $14) 21... Na4 22. Qb3 Nxc3 23. Rxc3 $14) 21. Qd2 {Nun ist der a-Bauer
verloren.} Rd7 22. Bxa5 Qb8 23. Qd3 d4 24. Qb5 Bxg2 {Der Versuch, auf der
langen Diagonalen zu tricksen, wird abgewehrt.} 25. Qxd7 Ba8 26. exd4 Re7 27.
Qd8 Qb7 28. d5 Rd7 29. Qb6 Qc8 30. b4 c4 31. d6 Qe8 32. Re1 Qc8 33. Nf5 1-0

[Event "ESP-chT CECLUB Honor"]
[Site "Linares"]
[Date "2017.08.17"]
[Round "4.3"]
[White "Kovalyov, Anton"]
[Black "Naiditsch, Arkadij"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E92"]
[WhiteElo "2641"]
[BlackElo "2710"]
[PlyCount "139"]
[EventDate "2017.08.14"]
[EventType "team-tourn"]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "ESP"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 180 Extra"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2017.10.06"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.10.06"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Equigoma Social Catolica"]
[BlackTeam "Taldea Gros Xake"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "ESP"]
[BlackTeamCountry "ESP"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. d4 d6 5. e4 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. Be3 h6 8. O-O
Nc6 9. Bc1 Ne7 10. d5 Ng4 11. Ne1 f5 12. Bxg4 fxg4 13. Be3 g5 14. c5 Ng6 15.
Rc1 Rf7 16. a4 Nf4 17. Nb5 a6 18. Na3 dxc5 19. Bxc5 Bd7 20. b3 c6 21. Nc4 cxd5
22. exd5 Rc8 23. Nd6 Rxc5 24. Rxc5 Qf8 25. Nxf7 Qxc5 26. Nd8 Bf6 27. Ne6 Qxd5
28. Qxd5 Nxd5 29. Nc5 Bc6 30. Ned3 Nf4 31. Nxf4 gxf4 32. Rc1 a5 33. g3 f3 34.
h3 gxh3 35. Kh2 b6 36. Rd1 e4 37. Nd7 Bg5 38. Ne5 e3 39. fxe3 Be4 40. Rf1 Bxe3
41. Nxf3 Bc2 42. Ne5 Bd4 43. Nc6 Bc5 44. Nxa5 bxa5 45. Rc1 Bxb3 46. Rxc5 Bxa4
47. Rc7 Bb3 48. Kxh3 a4 49. Kg4 a3 50. Kh5 a2 51. Ra7 Kf8 52. Kxh6 Be6 53. Kg6
Ke8 54. Kf6 Bc4 55. g4 Kd8 56. Ke5 Kc8 57. Kd4 Kb8 58. Ra3 Bf7 59. Kc5 Kc7 60.
Ra7+ Kb8 61. Kb6 Kc8 62. Kc6 Kd8 63. Kd6 Kc8 64. g5 Kb8 65. Ra3 Kb7 66. Kc5 Kc8
67. Kc6 Be8+ 68. Kd6 Bf7 69. Ke7 Bc4 70. g6 1-0

[Event "FIDE World Cup"]
[Site "Tbilisi"]
[Date "2017.09.03"]
[Round "1.1"]
[White "Akobian, Varuzhan"]
[Black "Kovalyov, Anton"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D27"]
[WhiteElo "2662"]
[BlackElo "2641"]
[PlyCount "122"]
[EventDate "2017.09.03"]
[EventType "k.o."]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "GEO"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 181"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2017.11.10"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.11.10"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e3 a6 6. a4 c5 7. Bxc4 Nc6 8. O-O
Be7 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Qe2 Qc7 11. h3 O-O 12. Rd1 b6 13. e4 Nd7 14. Be3 Bxe3 15.
Qxe3 Nb4 16. Qe2 Bb7 17. Rac1 Nc5 18. Qe3 Rad8 19. Be2 Rxd1+ 20. Rxd1 h6 21.
Qd4 Nc6 22. Qc4 Na5 23. Qd4 Nc6 24. Qc4 a5 25. g3 Rd8 26. Rxd8+ Qxd8 27. Kf1
Ba6 28. Nb5 Nb4 29. b3 Qf6 30. e5 Qf5 31. Kg2 Bb7 32. Nd6 Bxf3+ 33. Bxf3 Qxe5
34. Ne4 Nbd3 35. Nxc5 Ne1+ 36. Kh1 bxc5 37. Be4 f5 38. Bc6 Qd6 39. Qb5 Nd3 40.
f4 g5 41. Bf3 gxf4 42. Qe8+ Kg7 43. Bh5 Qd5+ 44. Kh2 fxg3+ 45. Kxg3 Qd6+ 46.
Kf3 Ne5+ 47. Ke2 Qd3+ 48. Ke1 Qe3+ 49. Kf1 Qxh3+ 50. Kg1 Qg3+ 51. Kf1 Qd3+ 52.
Ke1 Qd6 53. Be2 f4 54. Qa8 Qd5 55. Qxa5 f3 56. Bb5 Qe4+ 57. Kd2 Qd4+ 58. Kc2 c4
59. bxc4 f2 60. Qc7+ Kf6 61. c5 Nc4 0-1

[Event "FIDE World Cup"]
[Site "Tbilisi"]
[Date "2017.09.06"]
[Round "2.1"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Kovalyov, Anton"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2794"]
[BlackElo "2649"]
[Annotator "Atul Dahale"]
[PlyCount "86"]
[EventDate "2017.09.03"]
[EventType "k.o."]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "GEO"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 181"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2017.11.10"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.11.10"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d6 {[%emt 0:
00:09]} 3. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 4. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]}
Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 5. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:04][%csl Yb5,Rc5,
Gd5,Re5,Gf5][%cal Ge4d5,Ge4f5,Rd6e5,Rd6c5,Yf1b5] Of course, the Najdorf! The
Najdorf is one of the most popular openings in the world because it's dynamic
and strategically it's very solid. Sharp tactical battles might happen in this
opening. The a6 move is very important in the Najdorf as Black needs to
control the b5-square to stop Bb5 and in the middlegame ...a6 gives support to
the b-pawn and Black can start his queenside offensive with the ...b5-move.
You can also see the synthesis of the light and dark squared strategy, as
White controls light squares with his pawn on e4 and Black controls the dark
squares.} (5... e5 $6 6. Bb5+ $1 Bd7 7. Bxd7+ Qxd7 {[%csl Gd5,Rd6,Re5,Gf5,Rf8]
This favours White, as you can see Black's light squares are weakened after e5
and the strong defender i.e. the light squared bishop is now exchanged and the
remaining dark squared bishop on f8 is not that active.}) 6. h3 {[%emt 0:00:02]
has become very popular recently and is considered as one of the main options
against the Najdorf now. It is a good way to steer the game away from regular
extensively analysed positions. Vishy Anand plays this variation quite often
and has really good results against elite players.} e5 {[%emt 0:00:23]} (6...
e6 7. g4 Be7 8. Bg2 Nfd7 9. Be3 Nc6 {This was one of the popular variations
but after some of White's good results, it has lost its charm.}) (6... g6 {
is another alternative} 7. g4 Bg7 8. Bg2 O-O {Black takes an interesting
Sicilian Dragon type approach.}) 7. Nb3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} (7. Nde2 {is the main
line after which play might continue with} h5 (7... b5 {lead to a fighting
game between Caruana and Wesly So:} 8. g4 b4 9. Nd5 Nxd5 10. exd5 h5 11. gxh5
Rxh5 12. a3 bxa3 13. Rxa3 Nd7 14. Bg2 Nf6 15. O-O {0-1 (69) Caruana,F (2805)
-So,W (2778) Dortmund 2015}) 8. Bg5 Be6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. Nd5 Qd8 11. Qd3 {
Anand played a good technical endgame in this encounter} (11. Nec3 {[%csl Gd5,
Re6,Rf8] White has positionally well placed knight in the centre whereas Black
has two bishops with interesting play to come.}) 11... Nd7 12. O-O-O g6 13. Kb1
Nc5 14. Qf3 Bg7 15. Nec3 b5 16. Ne3 O-O 17. Rg1 Bh6 18. Ncd5 Bxe3 19. Qxe3 Rc8
20. Be2 Kg7 21. f4 Bxd5 22. Rxd5 exf4 23. Qxf4 Re8 24. Rxd6 Qe7 25. e5 Qxe5 26.
Qxe5+ Rxe5 27. Bf3 Ne4 28. Bxe4 Rxe4 29. Rxa6 Re2 30. c3 h4 31. Ra5 b4 32. cxb4
Rcc2 33. b3 Rb2+ 34. Ka1 Rxg2 35. Rxg2 Rxg2 36. b5 Re2 37. b6 Re8 38. b7 Rb8
39. Rb5 f5 40. Kb2 {1-0 (40) Anand,V (2783)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2742) Saint
Louis USA 2017}) 7... Be6 {[%emt 0:03:24]} 8. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:18]} h5 {[%emt 0:
03:07]} 9. Be2 {[%emt 0:12:04]} Nbd7 {[%emt 0:02:49]} 10. O-O {[%emt 0:01:31]
Short castling might not be the most exciting thing in the position, but as
Anish Giri says, in the Najdorf, the most ambitious approach might not be the
best one, as it is studied and analysed extensively.} Rc8 {[%emt 0:03:19]} 11.
Qd2 {[%emt 0:02:10] We are already in a fresh position.} b5 $6 {[%emt 0:07:10]
Not such a great decision, as Black has already moved his rook to c8. After
this ...b5-move the a6-pawn will always be unprotected.} ({The simple} 11...
Be7 {[%cal Ge8g8,Gb7b5] with the idea of castling or ...b5 and then castle on
the next move is good.} 12. Rfd1 O-O 13. a4 Nb6 {[%cal Gd6d5,Gb6c4] with
interesting play to follow.}) 12. Rfd1 {[%emt 0:05:23]} (12. a4 $1 b4 13. Nd5 {
not afraid of} Nxe4 {which is met by} 14. Qd1 {[%csl Gb4][%cal Gd5b4]} Bxd5 15.
Qxd5 Nef6 16. Qb7 Nb8 17. Bxa6 Nxa6 18. Qxa6 $14 {[%csl Ra4] White is ahead in
development plus he has a passed pawn which will add to the pressure on Black.}
) 12... Nb6 {[%emt 0:09:00]} 13. Bxb6 {[%emt 0:09:45] Good decision with the
idea of a4!} ({After} 13. Na5 b4 14. Nb1 {and now comes the very important and
typical Najdorf breakthrough in the centre} d5 $1 {After this Black's backward
pawn is set free and also the bad dark-squared bishop is also free to come
into the game, a dream of any Najdorf player.} 15. Bxa6 d4 $14 {Black should
be fine here.}) 13... Qxb6 {[%emt 0:01:11]} 14. a4 $1 {[%emt 0:00:28]} b4 {
[%emt 0:04:33]} 15. Nd5 {[%emt 0:00:35]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:05:50]} (15... Bxd5 {
was possible but after} 16. exd5 Ne4 17. Qe1 Rxc2 {will be met by the strong}
18. Rd4 $1 exd4 19. Bd3 Rc7 20. Qxe4+ Be7 (20... Re7 21. Qf5 Rc7 22. a5 Qb7 $16
) 21. a5 Qb7 22. Nxd4 g6 23. Nc6 $16 {[%csl Rb4][%cal Ga1a4,Ga4b4]}) 16. exd5 {
[%emt 0:01:15]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:00:46]} 17. a5 {[%emt 0:05:20] Anand has fixed
the weakness on a6 and is clearly better now. Not because of the position
itself, but because he has a key idea on the next move.} Qb7 {[%emt 0:09:13]}
18. Qe3 $1 {[%emt 0:03:40] This is the move that Kovalyov had missed. The
queen comes to b6 and the a6-pawn is lost.} Be7 {[%emt 0:13:19]} (18... Rb8 {
is just too slow and is met with} 19. f4 $16) 19. Qb6 $1 {[%emt 0:01:47] A
very strong idea by Vishy attacking the a6-pawn.} Qxb6 {[%emt 0:00:38]} 20.
axb6 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:00:08] Kovalyov somehow clings on.} 21. Rxa6
{[%emt 0:00:42]} Bd8 {[%emt 0:00:07] There is no real good way to defend the
b6-pawn, but White should be better, because of superior development and
co-ordination.} 22. b7 $5 {[%emt 0:20:04]} (22. Na5 Bxb6 (22... Rxb6 23. Ra8
$16) 23. Nc4 Bd4 24. Nxd6+ Ke7 25. Nc4 (25. Ne4 {should give White some
advantage especially because ...Bxb2 is met with d6+ cutting off the
co-ordination.} Bxb2 (25... Rhc8 $14) 26. d6+ $16) 25... Rhc8 26. b3 Ra8 $44 {
[%csl Ra1][%cal Ga8a1] with very good compensation for the pawn as Black has
the bishop pair and control over the a-file.}) 22... Ke7 {[%emt 0:06:58]} 23.
Nc5 $6 {[%emt 0:08:44] Anand is in an inspired mood and makes a very practical
sacrifice. Objectively it might not be the best, but Vishy has seen that it
poses good enough problems for his opponent to try it out. Later on after he
was knocked out from the event, Anand blamed his elimination on this move.
"Sometimes your head just isn't screwed on straight and you do strange things.
Of course, afterwards you cannot understand why!" You can check out his video
here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gf_BnuKP7Y} (23. Rda1 Rxb7 24. Ra8 $14 {
should give White a small edge, but nothing substantial.}) 23... dxc5 {[%emt 0:
10:18] As Kovalyov said after the game, if Nc5 worked it could have been the
game of the year, but fortunately it didn't!} 24. d6+ {[%emt 0:00:16]} Kf6 {
[%emt 0:00:48]} (24... Ke6 25. Bc4+ Kf5 26. Bd5 $17 {Black seems all tied up,
but White is not threatening anything concretely.} Bf6 27. Ra5 e4 28. Rxc5 Bxb2
29. Bc6+ Ke6 $15) 25. Bf3 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Kf5 $5 {[%emt 0:01:26] The king is
taking part actively in the battle and threatening ...e4.} 26. Bd5 {[%emt 0:07:
01]} (26. Ra8 Bf6 $15) 26... e4 {[%emt 0:00:34]} 27. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:24]} Bf6 {
[%emt 0:05:04] Bringing the piece into game is necessary for Black.} (27... Re8
{supporting the pawn on e4 was interesting and after} 28. Bxf7 {Black will
sacrifice his rook for the bishop and will have a good endgame with two
bishops.} Rxb7 $1 29. Bxe8 Bxe8 30. Rd1 Bd7 $17) 28. Bxe4+ {[%emt 0:01:47]} Kg5
{[%emt 0:00:11] Anton plays this position well and is not afraid of moving his
king around the board.} 29. Ra5 {[%emt 0:04:50]} Bxb2 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 30.
Rxc5+ {[%emt 0:00:29]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:01:02]} 31. Re3 {[%emt 0:02:22]} g6 {
[%emt 0:00:16]} 32. Rf3+ {[%emt 0:01:20]} Ke6 $1 {[%emt 0:00:43] Black's king
is in the centre but it's quite safe; it's just a matter of time before Black
will regroup his pieces and make use of the extra wood on the board.} (32...
Kg7 $6 33. Bd5 Bf6 34. Rc7 Rhd8 35. Re3 $11 {None of Black's pieces are moving.
}) 33. Rd3 {[%emt 0:01:39]} Rhd8 {[%emt 0:00:33]} 34. Ra5 {[%emt 0:00:18]} f5 {
[%emt 0:02:41]} 35. Bf3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Bc3 $17 {[%emt 0:00:17] Overall Black
has consolidated his extra piece and White is in trouble.} 36. h4 {[%emt 0:01:
25]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:01:14]} 37. g3 {[%emt 0:01:47]} f4 $1 {[%emt 0:03:30] This
key move seals the game in Black's favour. The idea is that you activate your
light-squared bishop.} 38. Be4 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Bf5 {[%emt 0:00:41]} 39. Bxf5 {
[%emt 0:04:25]} gxf5 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 40. Rb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:01:
37]} 41. Kf1 {[%emt 0:03:27]} Rd7 {[%emt 0:00:51]} 42. gxf4 {[%emt 0:01:02]}
Rbxb7 {[%emt 0:00:48]} 43. Re3+ {[%emt 0:01:11]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:00:34] This
turned out to be one of the most important games at the World Cup 2017. Anand
couldn't come back in game two of the match and was eliminated. Of course all
of this was before the shorts incident that Kovalyov was involved in, but in
any case this was a great result for the Canadian player.} 0-1

