[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.04"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Black "Timofeev, Artyom"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B51"]
[WhiteElo "2715"]
[BlackElo "2670"]
[Annotator "Ftacnik,L"]
[PlyCount "107"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2010"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. d4 Ngf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bxd7+ Nxd7 7. O-O e6 8.
d5 {The serious strategical decision. White has a development advantage, but
due to the absence of the light squared bishop he decides to imprint the
position a closed character.} e5 9. a4 Be7 10. Nd2 O-O 11. Nc4 Nb6 12. Ne3 Bg5
(12... Bd7 13. Nf5 (13. Qd3 Bg5 14. a5 Nc8 15. b3 g6 16. Nc4 Bxc1 17. Raxc1 Bb5
18. Ra1 f5 19. f4 exf4 20. Rxf4 Bxc4 21. Qxc4 Qg5 22. exf5 Rxf5 23. Rxf5 Qxf5
24. Rf1 Qe5 25. Qe4 Qxe4 26. Nxe4 {1-0 Breder,D (2438)-Rajlich,V (2338)/
Budapest 2002 (60)}) 13... Nc8 14. f4 Bf6 15. fxe5 Bxe5 16. Bf4 Bxf5 17. exf5
Bd4+ 18. Kh1 Re8 19. Qd3 Nb6 20. a5 Nd7 21. Bxd6 Ne5 22. Bxe5 Rxe5 23. Qc4 Qd6
24. Rae1 Rae8 25. Rxe5 Rxe5 26. Na4 Qxd5 27. Qxd5 Rxd5 28. Nb6 {1-0 Laznicka,V
(2525)-Stocek,J (2580)/Brno 2006 (45)}) 13. Qe2 Bd7 14. a5 $5 {The first
independent move makes a very healthy impression. Alekseev would like to use
the benefit of the optimal c4 square for the knight.} (14. Bd2 g6 15. b3 f5 16.
Nc4 Nxc4 17. Bxg5 Qxg5 18. bxc4 f4 19. f3 Rae8 20. Rfb1 Bc8 21. a5 Qf6 22. Na4
g5 23. Nb6 Rf7 24. Rb3 h5 25. Rab1 {0-1 Sanduleac,V (2492)-Gelashvili,T (2576)/
Turin 2006 (62)}) 14... Nc8 15. Bd2 Bf4 (15... Qf6 16. Nc4 Bxd2 17. Qxd2 $14)
16. Rfb1 Na7 17. Nc4 Nb5 $2 {Timofeev is making a very unfortunate strategical
decision as he provokes the exchange on the f4 square. White will be able to
quickly enhance his advantage.} (17... Bxd2 18. Qxd2 Qc7 19. f4 f6 $14) 18.
Bxf4 exf4 (18... Nxc3 19. bxc3 exf4 20. Nxd6 $18) 19. Nb6 Nd4 (19... Nxc3 20.
bxc3 Rb8 21. Qf3 g5 22. h4 f6 23. Qh5 $16) 20. Qd3 Rb8 21. Ne2 Nxe2+ 22. Qxe2
Qe7 (22... Qc7 23. Qd2 g5 24. h4 f6 25. hxg5 fxg5 26. e5 dxe5 27. d6 Qc6 28.
Re1 Rbe8 29. Nxd7 Qxd7 30. Qd5+ $16) 23. b4 $1 {[%mdl 32] The semi opening of
the b file will push all the trumphs into white hands. In the pawn structure
similar to Benoni he will be able to fight for the endgame advantage.} (23. Qf3
g5 24. h4 f6 25. b4 $16) 23... cxb4 24. Rxb4 f5 (24... Bb5 25. Qd2 f3 26. gxf3
f5 27. Re1 $16) 25. Qf3 Qe5 26. Rab1 Bb5 (26... Rbd8 27. Nc4 fxe4 28. Nxe5 exf3
29. Nxf3 Bc8 30. Rd4 $16) 27. h3 Rf7 28. exf5 Qxf5 29. c4 Be8 30. Re1 $1 {
The only open file on the board plays a key role in the white's plans.} Rf6 (
30... Rd8 31. Rb2 Rf8 32. Qg4 $16) 31. Qg4 Qxg4 (31... Rd8 32. Qxf5 Rxf5 33.
Rb2 $16) 32. hxg4 f3 (32... Rd8 33. Rb2 Bg6 34. f3 Rf7 35. Rbe2 Kf8 36. g3 fxg3
37. Kg2 $16) 33. Rb3 $1 fxg2 34. Rbe3 {Alekseev is cleverly mounting the
pressure and in the coming phase will play for the complete domination.} Kf8 (
34... Bg6 35. Nd7 $18) 35. Kxg2 (35. Rxe8+ $2 Rxe8 36. Nd7+ Kf7 37. Rxe8 Kxe8
38. Nxf6+ gxf6 39. Kxg2 Kd7 40. Kf3 Kc7 41. Kf4 b6 42. axb6+ Kxb6 43. g5 fxg5+
44. Kxg5 a5 $15) 35... Rd8 36. Kg3 Bd7 $2 {The serious mistake in the position
with diminishing number of sensible moves.} (36... Rf7 37. f4 $16) 37. Re7 $1
Be8 (37... Bc8 38. Rc7 $18) (37... Rf7 $2 38. Nxd7+ Rxd7 39. Re8#) 38. Rxb7 Rf7
39. Rxf7+ Bxf7 40. f4 {White keeps pushing to realize his plan, but in the
meantime he managed to win the spare pawn.} h5 (40... Be8 41. f5 h6 42. Kf4 Bf7
43. g5 $18) 41. f5 hxg4 42. Kxg4 Bg8 (42... g6 43. f6 $18) 43. Kg5 Kf7 44. Re3
Bh7 45. Re6 Bg8 (45... Kf8 46. f6 Kg8 47. fxg7 Kxg7 48. Re7+ Kh8 49. Kf6 $18)
46. c5 $1 dxc5 47. Rc6 {Timfeev is not able to prevent white d pawn from
advnacing to d7 square.} Ke7 (47... Kf8 48. d6 c4 49. d7 Bf7 50. f6 $18) 48.
d6+ Kf8 (48... Rxd6 49. Nc8+ Kd7 50. Rxd6+ Kxc8 51. Rxa6 $18) 49. d7 c4 50. Rc8
Ke7 51. Kg6 Bf7+ 52. Kxg7 {The fight has ended with a convincing success of
white's strategy.} Rg8+ (52... Rxd7 53. f6+ Kd6 54. Nxd7 $18) 53. Rxg8 Bxg8 54.
f6+ 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.08"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Black "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A58"]
[WhiteElo "2715"]
[BlackElo "2669"]
[PlyCount "99"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 b5 5. cxb5 Bg7 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Bg2 d6 8. Nh3 a6
9. bxa6 Nbd7 10. O-O Bxa6 11. Bd2 Qb6 12. Qc2 Rfb8 13. Rab1 Qa7 14. b3 Ne8 15.
Ng5 h6 16. Nf3 Nc7 17. Rfe1 Nb5 18. Nxb5 Rxb5 19. e4 Rab8 20. Bc3 Bb7 21. Bf1
Rb6 22. Bxg7 Kxg7 23. Rbd1 Nf6 24. Nd2 Ba8 25. Nc4 Ra6 26. Rd2 Rd8 27. Bg2 Nd7
28. Qc3+ f6 29. a4 Nb6 30. Bf1 Nxc4 31. Bxc4 Rb6 32. f4 Kh7 33. h4 Qb7 34. Kh2
h5 35. a5 Rb4 36. e5 dxe5 37. fxe5 f5 38. Qe3 Qa7 39. a6 Rb6 40. Qg5 Rd7 41. d6
exd6 42. exd6 Be4 43. Qf6 Rxa6 44. Bxa6 Qxa6 45. Qe6 Qb5 46. Rc1 Kh6 47. Qg8
Qb4 48. Qh8+ Rh7 49. Qc3 Qb7 50. Qe3+ 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.15"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Black "Svidler, Peter"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "2715"]
[BlackElo "2727"]
[Annotator "Stohl,I"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

{[%mdl 2] WIth this last-round win Peter Svidler managed to catch up with his
opponent, thus forcing a rapid play-off - which brought him his 5th Russian
champion title.} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 {Playing for a win with Black against a
strong opponent requires a psychlogically astute opening choice. The course of
the game justified Svidler's Caro-Kann - Alekseev usually plays the Advance
Variation, in itself a dangerous fighting weapon, but it's not so simple even
for White to fully release the tension.} 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Nd7 6. O-O
Bg6 {Black indicates he wants to keep his B;, moreover Alekseev has not faced
this move before.} ({The more often played} 6... Ne7 7. Nh4 {is not to
everyone's taste.}) ({A plausible alternative is} 6... h6 7. Nbd2 (7. b3 Ne7 8.
c4 Ng6 9. Re1 Bb4 10. Bd2 Bxd2 11. Nbxd2 O-O 12. Bf1 Nh4 13. g3 Nxf3+ 14. Nxf3
a5 15. Bd3 Bxd3 16. Qxd3 Qb6 17. Kg2 Rfd8 18. h4 Qa6 19. Qc2 a4 20. Rac1 axb3
21. axb3 Qa2 22. cxd5 Qxc2 23. Rxc2 exd5 24. b4 Nb6 25. b5 Nc4 $14 {/=,
Alekseev,E (2679)-Miton,K (2653)/RUS-chT Sochi/2007/}) 7... Ne7 8. Nb3 g5 $5 (
8... Nc8 {In the notes to Sutovsky-Miladinovic, EU-ch Plovdiv 2008 I
considered this manoeuvre too slow in connection with the potentially
weakening h6. Matters are not so clear, but White has reasonable chances to
fight for the initiative:} 9. Be3 (9. a4 Be7 10. a5 a6 11. c4 Na7 12. Be3 O-O (
12... dxc4 13. Nbd2 O-O 14. Nxc4 Nb5 15. Bd3 Bxd3 16. Qxd3 Qc7 17. Rfd1 Rad8
18. Rac1 c5 19. Qe4 cxd4 20. Nxd4 Nxd4 21. Bxd4 Qb8 22. Be3 Rfe8 23. h4 Nf8 24.
h5 Rxd1+ 25. Rxd1 Rd8 26. Rc1 Nd7 27. g3 $14 {Vachier Lagrave,M (2716)
-Nakamura,H (2704)/Cap d'Agde rpd/2008/}) 13. Nfd2 dxc4 14. Nxc4 Be4 15. Nc5
Bxc5 16. dxc5 Bd5 17. Nb6 (17. f4 $5 {()}) 17... Nxe5 18. Nxa8 Qxa8 19. Bf4 Ng6
20. Bd6 Rd8 21. Bd3 Nc8 22. Bxg6 Nxd6 23. cxd6 fxg6 24. Qg4 Kh7 25. Qg3 Qb8 26.
d7 Qxg3 27. fxg3 Rxd7 $11 {Vachier Lagrave,M (2716)-Nakamura,H (2704)/Cap
d'Agde rpd/2008/}) 9... Be7 10. Nfd2 $5 O-O 11. f4 Ncb6 12. a4 a5 13. c3 f6 14.
exf6 Nxf6 15. Nc5 Bxc5 16. dxc5 Nbd7 17. b4 Ne4 18. Nxe4 Bxe4 19. Qe1 Qe7 20.
Qg3 Bf5 21. Bd4 Nf6 22. Qe3 Ne4 23. Rfb1 g5 24. Rf1 Kh7 $14 {/<=>,Karjakin,S 
(2727)-Cheparinov,I (2687)/Sochi/2008/}) ({Other possible plans are:} 8... Bh7
9. Bd2 Ng6 10. Rc1 Be7 11. c4 dxc4 12. Bxc4 O-O 13. g3 Re8 14. Re1 Bf8 15. Na5
Rb8 16. b4 Ne7 17. Bf1 Nd5 18. a3 N7b6 19. Qb3 Re7 20. Red1 Nc7 21. Qe3 Rd7 22.
Be1 Nbd5 23. Qe2 Nb5 24. Qb2 Be4 25. Nd2 Bg6 $13 {Malakhov,V (2675)-Jobava,B 
(2664)/ECC Kallithea/2008/}) 9. Ne1 c5 10. Nxc5 Nxc5 11. dxc5 Nc6 12. Bd3 Be4
13. Qe2 Bxc5 14. Bxe4 dxe4 15. Qxe4 Qd4 16. Qf3 O-O-O 17. Be3 Nxe5 18. Qf6 Qd6
19. Bxc5 Qxc5 20. Nd3 Nxd3 21. cxd3 Qf5 22. Rac1+ Kb8 23. Qxf5 exf5 $11 {
Vachier Lagrave,M (2716)-Cheparinov,I (2696)/Cap d'Agde rpd/2008/}) 7. b3 {
With White Svidler has preferred other moves, but without success - this is
perhaps why he chose 6...Bg6.} (7. Nbd2 Nh6 8. c3 (8. c4 Be7 9. Qb3 Rb8 10. Qc3
O-O 11. c5 f6 12. exf6 Bxf6 13. b4 Nf7 14. Nb3 e5 15. Be3 Re8 $15 {Karjakin,S 
(2727)-Carlsen,M (2775)/Moscow 5'/2008/}) 8... Be7 9. Ne1 c5 10. Ndf3 O-O 11.
Nd3 cxd4 12. cxd4 Rc8 13. a4 Qc7 14. Bxh6 gxh6 15. Qd2 Kg7 16. a5 a6 17. h4 b6
18. axb6 Nxb6 19. b3 Qc2 20. Rxa6 Qxd2 21. Nxd2 Rc2 22. Rd1 Rb8 23. g3 Bxd3 24.
Bxd3 Rb2 25. Ra7 {1/2,Svidler,P (2750)-Asrian,K (2634)/ECC Fuegen/2006/} Bb4
$11) (7. c3 Be7 (7... Nh6 $5 8. Bxh6 gxh6 $13 {is more usual}) 8. Na3 Bxa3 $5 (
{An interesting parallel to the previous example, but Black can also play} 8...
Nh6 9. Nc2 Nf5 10. Nce1 Nh4 11. Nxh4 Bxh4 12. g3 Be7 13. h4 h6 14. Ng2 O-O 15.
Nf4 Be4 16. Bd3 Bxd3 17. Qxd3 c5 18. Qe2 Rc8 19. Nh5 Kh7 $132 20. Nxg7 $2 Kxg7
21. Qg4+ Kh7 22. Qh5 Qe8 $1 23. Qxh6+ Kg8 $17 {[%cal Yf7f6] /\f6,Sutovsky,E 
(2654)-Pantsulaia,L (2578)/WChT Beersheba/2005/}) 9. bxa3 Ne7 10. a4 Qa5 11.
Qb3 Nb6 12. Bd1 Bh5 13. Rb1 O-O 14. Qb4 Qxb4 15. Rxb4 Rfb8 16. Be2 Bxf3 17.
Bxf3 Nc4 (17... c5 $5 18. dxc5 Nd7 19. Be3 Nc6 $13) 18. Bg5 Kf8 19. Rfb1 Na5
20. Be2 Ke8 21. g4 b6 22. h4 h6 23. Bc1 Kd7 24. h5 $14 {Svidler,P (2728)
-Ivanchuk,V (2750)/Monte Carlo rpd/2007/}) 7... Nh6 8. c4 (8. Bxh6 {in
connection with the previous move looks dubious, after} gxh6 {[%cal Yf8g7,
Yf7f6] /\Bg7,f6<=>[+] Black gets active dark-square play.}) 8... Nf5 9. Nc3 Bb4
10. Bb2 O-O {Both sides have finished their development and can start
realizing their strategic plans. White with his () would like to target the
Kg8, but Black's forces are flexibly placed and sufficiently active to
generate <=> in the [+], or even on the >> (as in the game).} 11. Bd3 {[%cal
Yc3e2,Ye2f4] /\Ne2-f4 , but Black won't wait for that...} (11. a3 Ba5 $5 (11...
Be7 12. cxd5 (12. Qd2 Bh5 $1 13. h3 $2 Bxf3 14. Bxf3 dxc4 15. Ne4 cxb3 16. g4
Nh4 17. Bd1 Nb6 18. f4 Nc4 $19 {Socko,B (2551)-Polak,T (2473)/Pardubice op/
2003/}) 12... cxd5 13. g4 $1 Nh6 14. Ne1 f6 15. exf6 gxf6 16. h4 $1 f5 $5 17.
g5 Bxg5 $1 18. hxg5 Qxg5+ 19. Ng2 f4 20. Qd2 $1 Rf7 21. Bb5 $1 (21. a4 $2 Kh8
22. f3 Rg8 23. Rf2 Bh5 24. Bd3 Qh4 25. Re1 Qh3 26. Qe2 Rxg2+ 27. Rxg2 Bxf3 28.
Qxf3 Qxf3 29. Bb5 Nf8 30. Nd1 Rg7 {0-1,Wahls,M (2555)-Rogers,I (2580)/
Bundesliga 9596/1996/}) 21... Raf8 22. Rae1 Rg7 23. f3 $16 {[%csl Rd7,Re6,Rf4]
Rogers,פd7,e6, f4}) 12. cxd5 (12. Rc1 a6 13. b4 Bc7 14. cxd5 cxd5 15. Bd3 Nb6
16. Ne2 Ne7 17. Nf4 Bxd3 18. Qxd3 Nc4 19. Rc2 Ng6 20. Nh5 $13 {1/2,Zarnicki,P 
(2515)-Slipak,S (2510)/Villa Gesell/1998/}) 12... cxd5 13. Na4 Nh4 14. Nxh4
Qxh4 15. Nc5 Nxc5 16. dxc5 Bc7 17. f4 f6 18. g3 Qh6 19. exf6 gxf6 20. Bf3 Rad8
21. Qe2 Be4 $1 22. Rae1 (22. Bxe4 dxe4 23. Qxe4 Rd2 24. Rf2 Rxf2 25. Kxf2 Qxh2+
26. Qg2 Qxg2+ 27. Kxg2 Rd8 $132) 22... f5 23. b4 Rd7 24. Qd1 Re7 25. Bg2 e5 26.
fxe5 Bxe5 27. Bxe5 Rxe5 28. Rf4 b6 29. Qd4 Rfe8 30. Ref1 bxc5 31. bxc5 Qe6 $132
{[%csl Ge4] Lecroq,M (2603)-Sogaard,O (2535)/corr/2004/ The powerful Be4
enabled Black to hold a strategically suspect position}) (11. g3 a6 (11... Bh5
$1 $132) 12. a3 Ba5 13. h3 dxc4 14. bxc4 c5 15. d5 Nd4 16. Nxd4 cxd4 17. Qxd4
Bb6 18. Qf4 f6 19. dxe6 fxe5 20. Qd2 Nf6 21. Qxd8 Rfxd8 22. Na4 Bd4 23. Bxd4
Rxd4 24. Nc5 Rd2 25. Rfe1 $16 {Volokitin,A (2347)-Zelcic,R (2529)/Lausanne/
2000/}) (11. Rc1 f6 (11... Qe7 {/\Ba3~~}) 12. cxd5 exd5 (12... cxd5 $142 13.
Nb5 $14) 13. a3 Ba5 14. Na4 fxe5 15. dxe5 Qe7 16. b4 Bc7 17. Re1 a6 18. Nc3 Bb6
19. Na4 Ba7 20. e6 Nf6 21. Bd3 Rad8 22. Bxf5 Bxf5 23. Bd4 Bb8 24. Bc5 Bd6 25.
Nd4 $36 {Schunk,E (2260)-Doettling,F (2475)/Fuerth/1999/}) 11... f6 $5 $146 {
[%mdl 8] Black uses the previous rather slow move to open the position and
activate his forces.} (11... Nh4 12. Nxh4 Qxh4 13. Ne2 Rad8 14. a3 Ba5 15. g3
Qh5 16. c5 Qf3 17. Nf4 Qxd1 18. Rfxd1 Bxd3 19. Rxd3 Rb8 20. b4 $11 {()/+/=,
Iordachescu,V (2627)-Dreev,A (2689)/playchess.com 5'/2004/}) 12. Ne2 $6 {
Consistent, but hardly ideal.} (12. a3 Bxc3 13. Bxc3 fxe5 14. dxe5 Bh5 15. Be2
Nc5 $13) (12. exf6 $6 Qxf6 13. Ne2 Bh5 $36 (13... Bd6 $5)) (12. g4 Nh6 13. Bxg6
hxg6 14. h3 fxe5 15. dxe5 (15. Nxe5 Nxe5 16. dxe5 Qh4 $15) 15... dxc4 16. bxc4
Nc5 $15) ({Possibly the most circumspect choice was} 12. cxd5 cxd5 13. a3 Bxc3
(13... Ba5 $5 14. Ne2 $13 {is now more justified}) 14. Bxc3 $11) 12... fxe5 13.
dxe5 (13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. dxe5 Qb6 $1 15. Nd4 Nxd4 16. Bxg6 Nf5 $36) 13... Nc5 $1
$15 {[%mdl 64] This works tactically and Black grabs the initiative.} 14. Nf4 {
The best, as the complications are not too promising for White:} (14. Bxf5 Bxf5
15. a3 Ba5 16. b4 Nd3 $36) (14. Bc2 dxc4 (14... Bh5 15. Bxf5 Rxf5 16. Ng3 Bxf3
17. gxf3 Rf8 18. a3 dxc4 19. axb4 Nxb3 20. Qxd8 Rfxd8 $44) 15. a3 (15. bxc4
Qxd1 16. Bxd1 (16. Raxd1 Ne3 $17) 16... Bh5 $36) 15... Qxd1 16. Raxd1 (16. Bxd1
Nd3 $15) 16... Ng3 17. Nxg3 Bxc2 18. axb4 Bxd1 19. Rxd1 Nxb3 $13 {/=/+}) (14.
cxd5 Ne3 $5 (14... Nxd3 15. Qxd3 cxd5 $15) 15. fxe3 Nxd3 $36) 14... Nxd3 15.
Nxd3 (15. Qxd3 Nh4 $17 {/\} 16. Nxg6 $2 Rxf3 $1) 15... Bh5 16. Nf4 $8 (16. Nxb4
$2 Nh4 $40) 16... Bxf3 17. Qxf3 Qe7 (17... Qd7 18. Qg4 (18. Nd3 $5) 18... Bc5
$5 {is also pleasant for Black, but the text move seems better - from e7 the Q
eyes both flanks.}) 18. cxd5 cxd5 19. Qg4 (19. Nd3 Rac8 20. Rac1 (20. Qe2 Bc3
$15) 20... Bd2 $15) (19. Qe2 $142 $5 {prevents the following move and is close
to equality.}) 19... Bd2 $1 {[%csl Rc1][%cal Gc8c1] Black starts fighting for
the <->c.} 20. Nd3 Rac8 $36 21. Qd1 {Rather passive, the circumspect} (21. Qe2
$142 Rc2 (21... Bc3 22. Rac1 $15) 22. Rac1 Rfc8 23. Rxc2 Rxc2 24. Rc1 Rxc1+ 25.
Bxc1 $15 {keeps Black's edge within limits.}) 21... Qg5 {[%mdl 128]} (21... Bc3
$15 {is solid, but Black already has higher ambitions - a direct -> against
White's K.}) 22. g3 (22. Kh1 Nh4 23. Rg1 Bc3 $17) (22. f4 $4 Be3+ 23. Kh1 Ng3+
24. hxg3 Qh6+ $19) 22... Be3 $1 $40 {[%cal Rf5g3] /\Ng3} 23. Kh1 {White had
hardly anything better.} (23. fxe3 $2 Nxg3 24. Rxf8+ (24. hxg3 $2 Qxg3+ 25. Kh1
Rxf1+ 26. Qxf1 Rc2 $19) 24... Rxf8 25. Nf4 Nf5+ $1 (25... Ne4+ 26. Kf1 Rxf4+
27. exf4 Qxf4+ 28. Kg1 Qf2+ 29. Kh1 Qxb2 30. Qc1 $11 {is drawish}) 26. Ng2 Nh4
27. Qe2 Nxg2 28. Qxg2 Qxe3+ 29. Kh1 Rf2 30. Qg4 Qh6 $1 $19) (23. Re1 Nxg3 (
23... Bd4 $5 $17) 24. Rxe3 Ne2+ 25. Kf1 (25. Kh1 $2 Rxf2 26. Nxf2 Qxe3 $19)
25... Qxe3 26. Qxe2 Qh3+ $36) 23... Qh6 (23... Bd4 $5 {is not bad, but the
text move is more tricky.}) 24. Bc1 $1 {White must somehow get rid of the
annoying B.} d4 (24... Bxc1 25. Rxc1 Rxc1 26. Qxc1 Qh5 27. Qd1 Qxd1 28. Rxd1
Rc8 $15 {is too academic - Black's edge is only minimal and White has good
chances to hold the _|_.}) 25. Kg2 $2 {A serious mistake, which allows Black
to greatly increase the pressure.} (25. Kg1 $142 {as it forces Black to do
something with his Be3.}) ({Even} 25. Rg1 {with similar ideas deserves
attention.}) 25... Rc3 $1 26. Qe2 (26. fxe3 $2 Rxc1 $1 27. Qxc1 Nxe3+ $19) (26.
Kg1 Bxc1 27. Rxc1 Rfc8 $17 (27... Ne3 $6 28. fxe3 Qxe3+ 29. Kg2 (29. Nf2 $2
Rxf2 $19) 29... Rxd3 (29... Qxd3 30. Qxd3 Rxd3 31. Rxf8+ Kxf8 32. Rc8+ Kf7 33.
Rc7+ Kg6 34. Rxb7 Rd2+ (34... a5 35. Ra7 Re3 36. Rxa5 d3 37. Ra7 Kf5 38. Kf2
Re2+ 39. Kf3 Rxh2 40. Ke3 d2 41. Rd7 d1=Q 42. Rxd1 Rxa2 43. Rd7 $11) 35. Kf3
Rxa2 36. Ke4 $1 $132) 30. Rxf8+ Kxf8 31. Qf1+ Ke8 32. Rc8+ Kd7 33. Qf7+ Kxc8
34. Qe8+ Kc7 35. Qe7+ Kb6 36. Qb4+ $11)) 26... Qg6 (26... Rfc8 $5 {seems
equally strong:} 27. Bb2 (27. fxe3 Rc2 28. Bd2 Nxe3+ (28... dxe3 $19) 29. Kg1
Nxf1 30. Bxh6 Rxe2 31. Kxf1 Rxh2 32. Rc1 Rc3 $1 $19) 27... Rc2 $17 {->}) ({
Simplification with} 26... Bxc1 27. Rfxc1 Nh4+ 28. gxh4 (28. Kf1 Nf3 $40) 28...
Qg6+ 29. Kh1 Rxd3 $17 {is already not enough.}) 27. fxe3 (27. Bxe3 Nh4+ $1 28.
Kh1 (28. Kg1 Rxd3 $19) 28... Qe4+ 29. f3 Rxf3 30. Rxf3 Nxf3 $19) 27... Rxd3 28.
Kg1 (28. Qxd3 $4 Nh4+) 28... Nxe3 $2 {Black also errs, this natural and human
move should have squandered all of his advantage.} ({The computer takes only
seconds to see} 28... Rf7 $3 29. Bd2 (29. Qxd3 $2 Nxe3 $19) (29. exd4 $2 Nxg3
$19) 29... Nxe3 30. Rxf7 Kxf7 31. Bxe3 dxe3 $17 {- now contrary to the game}
32. Qc2 h6 {doesn't help.}) 29. Rxf8+ Kxf8 30. Bxe3 dxe3 (30... Rxe3 31. Rf1+
Kg8 (31... Ke7 32. Qc4 Rxg3+ $8 33. hxg3 Qxg3+ $11) 32. Qc4 h6 33. Qxd4 Re2 34.
Qxa7 $11 {and Black has nothing concrete.}) 31. Rc1 $2 $138 ({Nerves and
time-trouble - Alekseev misses his chance to save the game and win the
tournament with} 31. Qc2 $1 Rd8 (31... h6 $2 32. Qc8+ Ke7 33. Rf1 $18 {->}) (
31... Ke8 32. Rf1 Kd7 33. Rc1 $11) 32. Qc5+ (32. Qc7 $5 Ke8 33. Qxb7 $11) 32...
Kg8 33. Qxe3 $11) 31... h6 {Black sorely needed this luft.} 32. Rc8+ Kf7 33. g4
$2 {This mistake abruptly terminates any possible resistance.} ({Necessary was
} 33. Qf1+ $8 Qf5 34. Rc4 $1 (34. Qxf5+ exf5 35. Kf1 Rd2 $19) {although Black
should win after} 34... Qxf1+ 35. Kxf1 Rd2 $17) 33... Qe4 $19 34. Rc4 Qd5 {
[%cal Rd3d2] Black's K is now absolutely safe and Rd2 will decide the issue.}
0-1

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Black "Riazantsev, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2715"]
[BlackElo "2656"]
[PlyCount "93"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Qd2
O-O 9. Be2 a6 10. O-O b5 11. a3 Qc7 12. Nd1 Rb8 13. c3 a5 14. Bf2 b4 15. axb4
axb4 16. Ne3 Na5 17. Qd1 bxc3 18. bxc3 Nb3 19. Rb1 Na5 20. f5 Rxb1 21. Qxb1 Qb6
22. Qa2 Nc6 23. Rb1 Qa5 24. Qxa5 Nxa5 25. g4 Bd8 26. Bd3 cxd4 27. cxd4 Nc4 28.
Nxc4 dxc4 29. Bxc4 Nb6 30. Ba2 exf5 31. d5 Na4 32. Rc1 Ba5 33. Nd4 Nc3 34. Bc4
Bb7 35. Nxf5 Ne4 36. d6 Ng5 37. Ne7+ Kh8 38. Be2 Nh3+ 39. Kf1 Nxf2 40. Kxf2
Bb6+ 41. Kf1 Bd8 42. Rb1 Ba8 43. Kf2 g6 44. Bf3 Kg7 45. Bxa8 Bxe7 46. dxe7 Rxa8
47. g5 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.13"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Black "Maslak, Konstantin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B74"]
[WhiteElo "2715"]
[BlackElo "2544"]
[PlyCount "133"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8.
Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3 Be6 10. f4 Qc8 11. Kh1 Rd8 12. Bg1 d5 13. e5 Ne4 14. Bd3 Nxc3
15. bxc3 Bf5 16. Qe2 f6 17. exf6 exf6 18. Rae1 b6 19. Qf3 Bxd3 20. Qxd3 f5 21.
Re2 Qd7 22. Rfe1 Kf7 23. Nd2 Re8 24. Nf3 Rxe2 25. Rxe2 Rd8 26. h3 Bf6 27. Bd4
Nxd4 28. cxd4 Rc8 29. Qe3 Re8 30. Ne5+ Bxe5 31. fxe5 Qe6 32. Qh6 Kg8 33. Re3
Rf8 34. Rf3 Qc6 35. c3 Qa4 36. Qd2 Kg7 37. Kh2 Qc6 38. Qf2 Qe6 39. g4 h6 40.
Kg3 b5 41. gxf5 gxf5 42. Kf4 Qe7 43. Rg3+ Kf7 44. Rg1 Ke8 45. Rg6 Qa3 46. Re6+
Kd7 47. Rd6+ Kc7 48. Qc2 Rf7 49. h4 a6 50. h5 Kb7 51. Rxh6 Rc7 52. Rg6 Ka7 53.
h6 Rxc3 54. Qg2 Qc1+ 55. Kxf5 Rc2 56. Qxd5 Qf1+ 57. Ke6 Qh3+ 58. Kd6 Qc8 59.
Qf7+ Kb6 60. d5 Ka5 61. h7 Qd8+ 62. Ke6 Qc8+ 63. Qd7 Qf8 64. d6 Rh2 65. Qc7+
Ka4 66. d7 Rh6 67. Rf6 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.13"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Black "Lastin, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C78"]
[WhiteElo "2669"]
[BlackElo "2651"]
[PlyCount "133"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bb7 7. d3 Bc5 8. Nc3
d6 9. a4 b4 10. Ne2 h6 11. Ng3 O-O 12. Re1 Rb8 13. a5 Ne7 14. Nh4 Bc8 15. c3
bxc3 16. bxc3 d5 17. h3 Be6 18. Bc2 dxe4 19. Nxe4 Nxe4 20. Rxe4 Nd5 21. Qe1 Bd6
22. Nf3 Bf5 23. Re2 f6 24. Nh4 Bh7 25. Ra4 Qd7 26. Qd2 c5 27. Rc4 Nf4 28. Re1
g5 29. Nf3 Rfd8 30. Qd1 Nd5 31. h4 Bf8 32. hxg5 hxg5 33. d4 Qf7 34. Bxh7+ Qxh7
35. Qe2 exd4 36. cxd4 Re8 37. Be3 g4 38. Nh2 Nxe3 39. fxe3 f5 40. dxc5 Rbc8 41.
Qd3 Re5 42. c6 Bc5 43. Rc3 Qh4 44. Qc4+ Kg7 45. Rd1 Rh8 46. Rd7+ Be7 47. Nf1
Re4 48. Qc5 g3 49. Rxe7+ Rxe7 50. Nxg3 Qxg3 51. Qxe7+ Kg6 52. Qe6+ Kg5 53. Qe7+
Kg6 54. Qe6+ Kg5 55. Rc1 Qh2+ 56. Kf2 Qh4+ 57. Ke2 Qh5+ 58. Kf2 Qh4+ 59. Ke2
Qh5+ 60. Kd3 Rd8+ 61. Kc3 Re8 62. Qd7 Rxe3+ 63. Kd4 Re4+ 64. Kc5 Qh8 65. c7
Qf8+ 66. Kb6 Qb4+ 67. Ka7 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.06"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Black "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C67"]
[WhiteElo "2669"]
[BlackElo "2737"]
[PlyCount "28"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. dxe5 Nxb5 7. a4 Nbd4 8.
Nxd4 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 d5 10. exd6 Qxd6 11. Qe4+ Qe6 12. Qd4 Qd6 13. Qe4+ Qe6 14.
Qd4 Qd6 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.04"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C19"]
[WhiteElo "2669"]
[BlackElo "2638"]
[Annotator "Vitiugov,N"]
[PlyCount "90"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Nf3 {A move
leading to a long struggle.} (7. Qg4 {is more frequently seen and more
aggressive.}) 7... b6 8. Bb5+ {The only way to avoid an exchange of bishops.}
Bd7 9. Bd3 Ba4 {But now Black get a nice square for his bishop.} 10. h4 h6 11.
Bf4 Nbc6 ({The standard plan in this position is} 11... c4 $5 12. Be2 Kd7 $13)
12. h5 a6 $5 {Interesting idea. Black insists on exchanging bishops, but now
it is not so good.} 13. Qb1 (13. Rb1 $6 {was weaker:} Bb5 14. Bxb5 axb5 15.
Rxb5 Rxa3 16. dxc5 bxc5 17. Rxc5 Qb6 18. Be3 Nf5 19. Bd4 Qa6 $1) 13... Qc7 14.
O-O Na5 15. Ra2 $1 {A strong, multifunctional move, but it does not look
pretty.} Rb8 $6 {Loss of time.} (15... O-O $5) 16. Re1 Kd7 $6 {An original
move, with some ideas behind it, but it is also very sound.} 17. Rb2 c4 {
A forced measure} (17... Nc4 $6 18. Bxc4 dxc4 19. dxc5 bxc5 20. Rd1+ Nd5 $2 (
20... Kc8 21. Nd2 $5 $36) 21. Rxd5+ $18) 18. Be2 $16 {We now see the standard
pawn structure, in which Black made many useless moves.} Nac6 19. Qc1 b5 $6 {
Black shouldn't hurry to close in his bishop.} 20. Nh2 $1 {White begins a
series of very sound moves.} a5 21. Ra2 Qd8 22. Bg4 Qg8 $1 {Black also plays
well, but in the opening he wasted a lot of tempi. That's why White got an
advantage.} 23. Nf1 Kc7 24. Ne3 Kb7 25. Bh3 Nc8 26. Bg3 Nb6 27. f4 $2 {A
serious mistake, after which Black's position becomes acceptable.} ({The right
move was} 27. Bh4 $5) 27... f5 $1 28. Qd1 $6 {The second mistake. White loses
the thread of the game.} (28. Bh4 $5) ({The opening of the position is not in
White's favour.} 28. exf6 gxf6 29. Bh4 f5 $13) 28... Ne7 29. Rf1 (29. Kh2 $5 {
is more accurate:} g5 30. hxg6 Nxg6 31. Qh5) 29... g5 30. hxg6 Nxg6 31. Bxf5 $2
{Ernesto is a non-compromise fighter. And, in spite of the fact that the
position in the game is not favourable for him, he continues to play for a win.
} (31. Qh5 $2 Nxe5 $1) ({More cautious player would prefer} 31. Kh2 h5 {
and Black is ok.}) 31... exf5 32. Nxf5 Ka6 33. Qf3 h5 {Black needs counterplay
immediately.} ({The alternative was} 33... Rf8 $5 34. Ne3 Ne7 35. f5 Nxf5 36.
Nxf5 Rxf5 37. Qxf5 Qxg3 $132) 34. Ne3 h4 35. Bh2 h3 36. g4 Nh4 37. Qg3 Rb7 $1 {
An important move. Though both players were in time trouble, the level of
moves remained high.} 38. f5 Ng2 39. g5 $2 {In such sharp position any mistake
can become the last one. It happened.} ({The right way was} 39. Nxg2 hxg2 40.
Rf2 $1 Rbh7 41. Rxg2 Rh3 42. Qf4 R8h4 $1 $40 {But here Black also has a strong
initiative. For example,} 43. Kh1 Rxc3 44. e6 Rhh3 45. g5 Rhf3 46. Qg4 Rf1+ 47.
Rg1 Rf2 48. Rg2 Rfxc2 49. f6 Rc1+ 50. Rg1 Bc2 51. Rxc1 Be4+ 52. Kg1 Rxc1+ 53.
Kf2 Qh8 {and Black has a decisive attack.}) 39... Rh5 40. g6 Nxe3 41. Qxe3 Rf7
$1 {Now Black is winning.} 42. f6 Qxg6+ 43. Bg3 h2+ (43... Bxc2 44. Kh2) 44.
Kh1 Rh3 (44... Bxc2 $2 45. Rxc2 Qxc2 46. e6 $17 {is not so clear.}) 45. Rf3
Bxc2 0-1

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.15"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Black "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C43"]
[WhiteElo "2669"]
[BlackElo "2640"]
[PlyCount "120"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. dxe5 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. h3 Nc5 8.
Be2 Nc6 9. Nc3 d4 10. Nb5 Ne6 11. c3 Bc5 12. cxd4 Ncxd4 13. Nfxd4 Bxd4 14. Nxd4
Qxd4 15. Qxd4 Nxd4 16. Bd3 Bf5 17. Bxf5 Nxf5 18. Rd1 c5 19. Bg5 Rfe8 20. Rd7 b6
21. Rad1 h6 22. Bf4 Nd4 23. Kf1 g5 24. Bh2 Red8 25. Rb7 Rdb8 26. Rxb8+ Rxb8 27.
f4 Re8 28. Rd2 a5 29. Kf2 Kg7 30. g4 gxf4 31. Bxf4 Kg6 32. Kg3 h5 33. h4 a4 34.
a3 b5 35. Rf2 Re6 36. Kh3 b4 37. Bg5 bxa3 38. bxa3 Rxe5 39. Rf6+ Kg7 40. gxh5
Re4 41. h6+ Kg8 42. Ra6 Ne6 43. Ra7 Rc4 44. Kg3 Re4 45. Kf3 Rc4 46. Kg3 Re4 47.
Kf3 Rc4 48. Rd7 Rd4 49. Rb7 Rc4 50. Rd7 Rd4 51. Rxd4 Nxd4+ 52. Ke4 Nb5 53. Bc1
Kh7 54. Kd3 Nd6 55. Bf4 Nb5 56. Bc1 Nd6 57. Be3 Nb5 58. Bxc5 Kxh6 59. Kc4 Nxa3+
60. Bxa3 Kh5 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Black "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2669"]
[BlackElo "2787"]
[PlyCount "124"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bc4
O-O 9. O-O Be6 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. Na4 Ng4 12. Qd3 Nc6 13. Qb3 Rf6 14. Bg5 Na5
15. Qb6 Rf7 16. Bxe7 Rxe7 17. b3 Rc8 18. Qxd8+ Rxd8 19. Rad1 b5 20. Nc5 Nc6 21.
Nd3 Nf6 22. Rfe1 h6 23. c3 Kf8 24. Kf1 Rc7 25. Ng1 Rdc8 26. f3 Nb8 27. Ne2 Nbd7
28. Rd2 a5 29. Nb2 d5 30. exd5 exd5 31. f4 e4 32. h3 Kg8 33. Kf2 Nc5 34. Ke3 a4
35. b4 Nb7 36. a3 Rxc3+ 37. Nxc3 Rxc3+ 38. Kd4 Rxa3 39. g4 Rb3 40. g5 Nh5 41.
Ke5 Kh7 42. Rg1 hxg5 43. fxg5 Kg6 44. Nd1 e3 45. Re2 Rxb4 46. Rg4 d4 47. Nxe3
Nd8 48. Ng2 a3 49. Nh4+ Kf7 50. Kd6 Ra4 51. Kd7 Ne6 52. g6+ Kf8 53. Kxe6 a2 54.
Rxa2 Rxa2 55. Rxd4 Re2+ 56. Kf5 Nf6 57. Rb4 Ne8 58. Kg5 Nd6 59. Rd4 Rd2 60.
Rxd2 Ne4+ 61. Kf4 Nxd2 62. Nf5 b4 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.13"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Black "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D17"]
[WhiteElo "2737"]
[BlackElo "2640"]
[Annotator "Rogozenco,D"]
[PlyCount "95"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Nb6 8.
Ne5 a5 9. g3 e6 10. Bg2 Bb4 11. O-O O-O 12. e3 h6 13. Qe2 Bh7 14. Rd1 Nfd7 15.
Nd3 Qe7 16. e4 Rfd8 {The present game casts doubts on this relatively new move.
} ({Probably Black must accept a slightly inferior endgame arising after} 16...
e5 17. dxe5 ({Not} 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. dxe5 Bc5 $1 {0-1 Gelfand,B (2720)-Wang
Yue (2704)/Sochi 2008 (54). and Black equalizes comfortably.}) (17. d5 Rfd8 18.
Be3 $11 {1/2-1/2 Kramnik,V (2725)-Short,N (2665)/Novgorod 1994 (46)}) 17...
Nxe5 18. Nxe5 Qxe5 19. Be3 Bc5 20. Rac1 Bxe3 21. Qxe3 Nc4 22. Qd4 Qxd4 23. Rxd4
{but of course fighting for a draw in an endgame is not everyone's cup of tea.}
) 17. f4 $1 $146 ({Just a week previous to the present game Sakaev himself
with White played this position and continued} 17. Be3 Nc4 18. Nxb4 Qxb4 19.
Na2 Qb3 20. Nc1 {and now instead of 20...Qb4, which after the repetition 21.
Na2 Qb3 22.Nc1 Qb4 allowed White to consolidate the position and achieve
advantage after 23.Nd3 Qe7 24.Bc1 followed by 25.b3, Black had to take the
pawn b2:} Qxb2 21. Qxc4 Qxa1 22. Qb3 Ra6 {Although this looks dangerous for
Black, the concrete analysis shows that he can keep extra material:} 23. d5 (
23. Nd3 $140 $2 Rb6 24. Qc2 Qa3 $19) (23. Qxb7 $2 Qxa4 $19) 23... Qf6 24. Qxb7
Raa8 25. d6 (25. dxc6 Nc5 26. Rxd8+ Rxd8 27. Bxc5 Rd1+ 28. Bf1 Bxe4 $19 {
[%cal Gf6f3]}) 25... Ne5 26. f4 Ng4 27. e5 Qg6 {and White cannot make use of
his apparently strong bishops and pawn chain. Apart from being an exchange up,
Black has counterplay against the white king (Qh5 or Qc2 are powerful threats)
and his chances are better.}) ({Jakovenko also played this variation in the
same tournament a few rounds before. After} 17. Bf4 Bd6 18. Be3 Nc4 19. Bc1 e5
20. d5 Nf6 21. b3 Nb6 22. dxc6 bxc6 23. Nb1 Nbd7 24. Nd2 Nc5 25. Nxc5 Bxc5 26.
Bb2 Bd4 27. Bxd4 Rxd4 28. Nc4 c5 29. Qe1 Qc7 30. Rac1 {White achieved an edge,
which he converted into a full point later, 1-0 Jakovenko,D (2737)-Lastin,A 
(2651)/Moscow 2008 (51). Sakaev had obviously prepared an improvement for
Black, but he was confronted with a nasty surprise. After 17.f4 the only
active possibility for Black remains the advance of the c-pawn, but that will
weaken the b5-square.}) 17... Nf6 (17... c5 18. Be3 $14) 18. h3 Qc7 (18... Rxd4
{loses the exchange after} 19. Be3 {Sakaev's move protects the knight on b6
and Black threatens now to take on d4.}) 19. Nf2 $1 {Not an obvious retreat,
but very strong. On f2 the knight is placed ideally: apart from the fact that
it is protecting the e4-pawn and thus preparing 20.Be3, it also closes the
diagonal a7-g1 (which Black can use for tactical motifs) and (via g4) the
knight can take part in the assault on the kingside.} ({The active move} 19.
Ne5 {is weaker. After} c5 20. Nb5 (20. Be3 $6 Bxc3 21. bxc3 Bxe4 $15) 20... Qe7
$11 {Black attacks White's centre more easily.}) 19... c5 {The opening of the
centre favours White. Instead of this Black had to accept an inferior, passive
position and choose a waiting strategy.} 20. Be3 cxd4 21. Bxd4 {Suddenly Black
is facing big problems due to the unstable position of his both knights and
queen.} Bc5 (21... Be7 $2 22. Nb5 Qc4 23. Qxc4 Nxc4 24. b3 $18) 22. Bxf6 $1 {
Thanks to Nf2 the bishop is not pinned and White can destroy his opponent's
pawn structure.} ({After} 22. Nb5 Qe7 23. Bxc5 Qxc5 24. Rdc1 ({or} 24. Rxd8+
Rxd8 25. e5 Nfd5 26. Nd6 Qd4) 24... Qb4 $1 (24... Qe7 25. Qe3 $16 {[%csl Rb6]})
25. Nd3 Qe7 26. Rc7 Rd7 27. Rac1 Ne8 28. Rxd7 Nxd7 29. e5 Rd8 {[%cal Gd7b6]
White is just slightly better.}) 22... gxf6 23. Kh2 Nd7 24. Ng4 Kg7 25. e5 $1
f5 (25... fxe5 {runs into} 26. Nb5 $1 (26. Nxe5 Nxe5 27. fxe5 Be7 $13) (26.
fxe5 h5 $13) 26... Qb8 27. Nxe5 Nxe5 28. Rxd8 Qxd8 29. Qxe5+ $18 {[%csl Rc5]})
26. Ne3 {With the bishop locked up on h7 and weak queenside Black is
strategically lost.} Nb6 (26... f6 27. Nb5 Qb6 28. Nc4 $18) 27. Nb5 Qe7 28. Nd6
$1 Rd7 ({Taking on d6 would open the long diagonal and weaken the king's
position even more:} 28... Bxd6 29. exd6 Qd7 (29... Rxd6 30. Nxf5+ Bxf5 31.
Qe5+ $18) 30. Qd3 {[%cal Gd3d4]} Nc8 31. Nc4 f6 32. Qb3 $18 {[%csl Rb7]}) 29.
Rac1 Rc7 {Sakaev has succeeded in avoiding a quick loss, but White dominates
completely. Jakovenko improves his pieces further. and Black's situation is
just hopeless.} (29... Bb4 30. Qb5 $18) 30. b3 Rb8 31. Rd3 Bg6 32. Rcd1 h5 33.
h4 $1 {Avoiding any counterplay attempt.} Bb4 (33... f6 34. Nb5 Rd7 ({After} 
34... fxe5 {the most convincing is} 35. Nc4 e4 36. Nxb6 exd3 (36... Bxb6 37.
Nxc7 exd3 38. Qe5+ Kf7 (38... Kh6 39. Nd5 $18) 39. Nxe6 Qxe6 40. Bd5 $18) 37.
Qe5+ Kh6 38. Nxc7 Bxb6 39. Nd5 $18) 35. exf6+ Kxf6 36. Rxd7 Nxd7 37. Nc4 $18)
34. Nc2 ({Jakovenko's move is more sophisticated than the direct} 34. Nb5 Rd7
35. Rxd7 Nxd7 36. Nd6 b6 37. Qb5 Nf8 38. Nc2 Bc5 {where Black has managed to
exchange a pair of rooks and still holds the position somehow.}) 34... Bc5 35.
Nd4 Bb4 36. N4b5 Rc5 (36... Rd7 37. Qe3 Qd8 38. Nxb7 $18) 37. Nc4 $1 $18 {
Finally White finds a way to penetrate to the 7th rank and wins material.} Nxc4
38. Rd7 Qf8 39. bxc4 b6 (39... Kh6 40. Bxb7 $18) 40. Nc7 {The double-attack 
(threatening 41.Nxe6+ and 41.Na6) that finishes the game.} Kh6 41. Na6 Rbc8 42.
Nxc5 Qxc5 {Black's light-squared bishop is still out of play, so basically
White is playing as if he were a rook up.} 43. R1d6 Bc3 ({or} 43... Qxc4 44.
Qxc4 Rxc4 45. Rxb6 Rc2 46. Kh3 Ra2 47. Bc6 Ra3 48. Bb5 Be1 49. Rd3 Ra2 50. Rd1
Bb4 51. Rb7 $18) 44. Qd3 Be1 45. Rd8 Rxd8 46. Rxd8 Kh7 47. Rb8 Qf2 48. Kh1 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.08"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Black "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B54"]
[WhiteElo "2737"]
[BlackElo "2787"]
[PlyCount "114"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 d6 6. g4 b5 7. Bg2 Bb7 8. O-O
Ne7 9. f4 Nbc6 10. Be3 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Nc6 12. Qd2 Be7 13. Rad1 Rc8 14. Qf2 Bh4
15. Qe2 Na5 16. g5 Nc4 17. Bd4 e5 18. Bxe5 Bxg5 19. Bxg7 Rg8 20. Bd4 Bf6 21.
Bxf6 Qxf6 22. Nd5 Qxb2 23. e5 Kf8 24. Rf2 Bxd5 25. Rxd5 Re8 26. Kh1 dxe5 27.
fxe5 Nxe5 28. Qf1 Qc3 29. Rd7 Re7 30. Rxe7 Kxe7 31. Bd5 Rg6 32. Be4 Rg7 33. Re2
f6 34. Qf2 Qc7 35. Re1 h5 36. Bg2 Rg5 37. h3 Kf7 38. Rf1 Qd6 39. Qa7+ Kg6 40.
Qa8 Kg7 41. Qa7+ Nf7 42. Qb7 a5 43. Qf3 b4 44. Rd1 Qe6 45. Rf1 Nd6 46. Rd1 Nf5
47. Qb7+ Kh6 48. Rd8 Qe1+ 49. Kh2 Qe5+ 50. Kg1 Rg7 51. Rh8+ Kg5 52. Qc6 Qe1+
53. Kh2 Qe5+ 54. Kg1 Nd4 55. Qc4 Kh4 56. Qd3 Ne2+ 57. Kf1 Nf4 0-1

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.05"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Black "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C67"]
[WhiteElo "2737"]
[BlackElo "2715"]
[PlyCount "129"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5
8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nc3 Ke8 10. h3 Be7 11. g4 Nh4 12. Nxh4 Bxh4 13. Rd1 Be7 14.
Kg2 h5 15. f3 Be6 16. Ne2 Rd8 17. Rxd8+ Bxd8 18. Nf4 hxg4 19. hxg4 Bc8 20. Nh5
Rh7 21. Be3 b6 22. Rh1 Kf8 23. Rd1 Ke8 24. c4 c5 25. Nf4 a5 26. Nd5 Be6 27. Bf4
Rh8 28. Ne3 Rh7 29. b3 Bc8 30. Bg3 Rh8 31. Nd5 Be6 32. Nf4 Bc8 33. Nh5 Rh7 34.
Be1 Be7 35. Bc3 Be6 36. Kg3 Kf8 37. Nf4 Ke8 38. Nxe6 fxe6 39. Bd2 Rh8 40. Be3
Bd8 41. Kg2 Be7 42. Bf4 Rf8 43. Bc1 Rh8 44. Be3 Bd8 45. Rh1 Rxh1 46. Kxh1 g5
47. f4 gxf4 48. Bxf4 Kf7 49. Kg2 Be7 50. Kh3 Kg6 51. Bg3 Bf8 52. Bh4 Bg7 53.
Bf6 Bxf6 54. exf6 Kxf6 55. a4 Kg6 56. Kg3 Kg5 57. Kf3 e5 58. Ke4 Kxg4 59. Kxe5
Kf3 60. Kd5 Ke3 61. Kc6 Kd2 62. Kxc7 Kc3 63. Kxb6 Kb4 64. Kc6 Kxb3 65. Kb5 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.15"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2737"]
[BlackElo "2638"]
[Annotator "Ftacnik,L"]
[PlyCount "59"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2010"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8. Qd2 b5
9. a3 Bb7 10. Bd3 g5 $5 {The 21-year old Vitiugov is a great hope for the
russian chess and the championship presented him in the best light. The game
from the last round was bearing a special importance for both players,
Jakovenko needed a win for sharing the first place. In the well known
theoretical position black is presenting a very interesting novelty.} (10...
Qc7 11. O-O O-O-O 12. Nd1 cxd4 13. Nxd4 g5 14. Nxc6 Qxc6 15. Bd4 gxf4 16. Qxf4
Rg8 17. Ne3 f6 18. exf6 e5 19. f7 Rxg2+ {0-1 Svidler,P (2728)-Morozevich,A 
(2741)/Monte Carlo 2007}) (10... Qb6 11. Qf2 c4 (11... g6 12. O-O cxd4 $6 13.
Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Bxd4 Qxd4 15. Qxd4 Bc5 16. Ne2 h5 (16... Bxd4+ 17. Nxd4 h5) 17.
c3 $5 Ke7 18. Kf2 Bc6 19. Rfc1 Rac8 20. g3 Bxd4+ 21. cxd4 Bb7 22. h3 Rxc1 23.
Nxc1 $14 {1-0 Wang Hao (2593)-Akobian,V (2600)/Moscow 2006/ (72)}) (11... Rc8
12. O-O cxd4 (12... g6 13. Kh1 c4 14. Be2 Ne7 15. Nd1 h5 16. Bd2 Nf5 17. Bb4 a5
18. Bxf8 Kxf8 19. c3 Kg7 20. Ne3 Bc6 21. Ng5 Nf8 {1/2 Smirnov,P (2614)
-Kiriakov,P (2555)/Sochi 2006 (52)}) 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Bxd4 Qxd4 15. Qxd4 Bc5
16. Ne2 $14 {Van den Doel,E-Glek,I/Wijk aan Zee 1995}) 12. Be2 b4 (12... Ne7
13. O-O h5 14. Qe1 Nf5 15. Bf2 Be7 16. Qd2 Nb8 17. Nd1 Nc6 18. c3 Na5 19. Rb1
Nb3 20. Qe1 a5 21. Ne3 Nxe3 22. Bxe3 b4 23. axb4 axb4 24. Nd2 Nxd2 25. Bxd2 {
1-0 Luther,T (2604)-Volkov,S (2578)/Moscow 2001 (66)}) 13. axb4 Nxb4 14. Rc1 h5
15. Ng5 g6 16. g4 hxg4 17. Bxg4 Nc6 18. O-O Ne7 19. h4 Nf5 20. h5 Be7 21. Ne2
f6 22. hxg6 {0-1 Smirnov,P (2629)-Filippov,V (2630)/Rethymnon 2003}) (10... Rc8
11. O-O g6 12. Qf2 b4 13. Nd1 Qb6 14. c3 a5 15. Qe2 h5 16. Nf2 c4 17. Bc2 Ne7
18. Nh3 Nf5 19. Bf2 Bc6 20. Nhg5 Be7 {1/2 Nepomniachtchi,I (2613)-Kiriakov,P 
(2541)/Krasnoyarsk 2007 (47)}) 11. fxg5 cxd4 12. Nxd4 Ndxe5 (12... Ncxe5 13.
O-O Bd6 14. Be2 Ng6 $13) 13. O-O Bg7 {After the demise of the pawn center
black has to be careful about the attacking potential of the enemy. It will
not be easy to solve the riddle of the peaceful spot for the black king.} (
13... Rg8 14. Nxc6 Bxc6 15. Qf2 $14) 14. Nxc6 Bxc6 (14... Nxc6 15. Bc5 Ne5 16.
Qf4 $16) 15. Bc5 Qc7 (15... Rc8 16. Ne2 Nc4 17. Bxc4 dxc4 18. Qf4 $14) 16. a4
Nc4 $2 {The very tempting jump of the knight to the sicilian square c4 is
unfortunatelly a false solution in this situation. In the quiet of a home
study it is possible to prove, that the swap of the bishop d3 would bring
relief and parity.} (16... Nxd3 $1 17. cxd3 (17. Qxd3 b4 18. Ne2 Bxb2 19. Ra2
Be5 20. Kh1 $15) 17... d4 18. Ne2 Bxg2 19. Rfc1 Bd5 20. axb5 axb5 21. Qb4 Qd7
22. Nxd4 (22. Rxa8+ Bxa8 23. Bb6 Be5 24. Qc5 Bd5 25. Nxd4 f5 $11) 22... Rg8 23.
Rxa8+ Bxa8 24. Nxb5 Be5 $11) 17. Qf2 b4 (17... Nxb2 18. axb5 Bxc3 (18... axb5
19. Rxa8+ Bxa8 20. Bxb5+ Bc6 21. Bxc6+ Qxc6 22. Qxf7+ $18) 19. Ra3 Be5 20. bxc6
$16) (17... bxa4 18. Nxa4 Nxb2 19. Nb6 Nxd3 20. cxd3 Rb8 21. Rxa6 $16) 18. Bxb4
(18. Ne4 dxe4 19. Bxc4 Bxb2 20. Rad1 Bg7 21. Be2 Bd5 22. Bh5 $16) 18... Nxb2
19. Rab1 Nxd3 (19... Nc4 20. Bxc4 dxc4 21. Ba5 $16) 20. cxd3 Be5 21. Rbc1 $1 {
[%mdl 128] Vitiugov might have missed, that despite the centralisation of the
mighty bishop white is still preserving dangerous attacking chances.} Rb8 (
21... Bxh2+ $2 22. Kh1 O-O-O (22... Bg3 23. Nxd5 $1 Bxd5 (23... exd5 24. Rfe1+)
24. Qf6 Be5 25. Qxh8+ Bxh8 26. Rxc7 $18) 23. Nb5 axb5 24. axb5 h6 25. g6 $18)
22. Na2 (22. Ba5 $2 Qxa5 23. Qxf7+ Kd8 24. Qxe6 Qc5+ 25. Kh1 Re8 $19) 22... Rb7
23. Qc2 Bd7 (23... a5 24. Bxa5 Qxa5 25. Qxc6+ Rd7 26. Nc3 Qc7 27. Nb5 Bxh2+ 28.
Kh1 Qxc6 29. Rxc6 Be5 30. d4 Bg7 31. a5 $16) 24. Qf2 Bc6 25. Rc2 $1 {After the
forced repetition of the position white keeps his attack alive without a loss
of strength.} a5 (25... Bxh2+ 26. Kh1 Bg3 (26... Bd6 27. Rfc1 Bxb4 28. Rxc6 $18
) (26... Rg8 27. Qh4 Be5 28. d4 $18) 27. Qc5 Rg8 28. Ba5 Qd7 29. Qxc6 Qxc6 30.
Rxc6 Rxg5 31. Nb4 $16) 26. Rfc1 (26. Ba3 Bxh2+ 27. Kh1 Bd6 $15) 26... axb4 27.
Rxc6 Qa5 $2 {The defense remains the least grateful part of a chess art. Often
one inaccuracy and the fruits of a good defense based on intuition, sound
positional factors and a piece of luck can vanish in a moment.} (27... Qe7 28.
d4 (28. Rc8+ Kd7 29. Rxh8 Bxh8 30. a5 b3 31. a6 Rb5 32. a7 Ra5 33. Qb6 Bd4+ 34.
Qxd4 bxa2 35. Qb6 Qc5+ 36. Rxc5 a1=Q+ 37. Kf2 Rxa7 $11) 28... Bc7 29. Nxb4 Qxb4
30. Rxc7 Rxc7 31. Rxc7 O-O 32. h4 $14) 28. R6c5 Qa7 (28... Qb6 29. a5 $18) (
28... Qxa4 29. Rc8+ Ke7 30. Rxh8 Bxh8 31. Qc5+ $18) 29. Nxb4 Bc7 (29... Qb6 30.
Nxd5 exd5 31. Re1 O-O 32. Rxe5 $16) 30. Rxc7 $1 {The tragedy is complete,
black will be left without a piece.} (30. Rxc7 $1 Rxc7 31. Qxa7 Rxa7 32. Rc8+
Ke7 33. Rxh8 $18) 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Black "Lastin, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D17"]
[WhiteElo "2737"]
[BlackElo "2651"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Nb6 8.
Ne5 a5 9. g3 e6 10. Bg2 Bb4 11. O-O O-O 12. e3 h6 13. Qe2 Bh7 14. Rd1 Nfd7 15.
Nd3 Qe7 16. e4 Rfd8 17. Bf4 Bd6 18. Be3 Nc4 19. Bc1 e5 20. d5 Nf6 21. b3 Nb6
22. dxc6 bxc6 23. Nb1 Nbd7 24. Nd2 Nc5 25. Nxc5 Bxc5 26. Bb2 Bd4 27. Bxd4 Rxd4
28. Nc4 c5 29. Qe1 Qc7 30. Rac1 Nd7 31. f3 Bg6 32. Bh3 Nb8 33. Rxd4 exd4 34.
Nd2 Na6 35. Qe2 f6 36. Be6+ Bf7 37. Bd5 Ra7 38. Bxf7+ Qxf7 39. Qb5 Qc7 40. Nc4
Nb4 41. Nb2 Na6 42. Nd3 Qf7 43. Nxc5 Nxc5 44. Rxc5 Kh7 45. Qd3 Rb7 46. Rd5 Qe6
47. Kg2 Rb4 48. g4 Kg8 49. Rxd4 Rxb3 50. Rd8+ Kh7 51. Qd5 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.09"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Lastin, Alexander"]
[Black "Timofeev, Artyom"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B80"]
[WhiteElo "2651"]
[BlackElo "2670"]
[PlyCount "86"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Be3 Nc6 7. Qe2 Nxd4 8.
Bxd4 e5 9. Be3 a6 10. O-O-O Be7 11. f3 Be6 12. Kb1 Rc8 13. Qd2 Qa5 14. Nd5 Qxd2
15. Nxf6+ gxf6 16. Rxd2 f5 17. Bd3 f4 18. Bf2 h5 19. g3 Bg5 20. Rdd1 Ke7 21.
Rhg1 fxg3 22. hxg3 h4 23. gxh4 Bxh4 24. Be3 Rcg8 25. b3 Bg3 26. Bd2 Bf2 27.
Rxg8 Rxg8 28. f4 exf4 29. Bxf4 Rg4 30. Bc1 Bg3 31. Rg1 Be5 32. Bg5+ Kd7 33.
Rxg4 Bxg4 34. Kc1 b5 35. a4 Kc6 36. axb5+ axb5 37. Kd2 Be6 38. Be3 Bg4 39. Ba7
Kb7 40. Be3 Kc6 41. Ba7 Kb7 42. Be3 Kc6 43. Ba7 Kb7 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.06"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Lastin, Alexander"]
[Black "Svidler, Peter"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C92"]
[WhiteElo "2651"]
[BlackElo "2727"]
[PlyCount "27"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Re8 10. d4 Bb7 11. Ng5 Rf8 12. Nf3 Re8 13. Ng5 Rf8 14. Nf3 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.03"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Lastin, Alexander"]
[Black "Tomashevsky, Evgeny"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C78"]
[WhiteElo "2651"]
[BlackElo "2646"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bb7 {Over the past
decade, the neo-Arkhangelsk (...Bc5 without ...Bb7) has been submitted to
thorough theoretical and practical examination. Lately, the variation seems to
be passing through a crisis and the genuine Arkhangelsk (consigned to oblivion
some time ago, without any obvious reason) may be on the way to becoming
fashionable again.} 7. Re1 Bc5 8. c3 d6 9. d4 Bb6 10. a4 O-O 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4
g5 13. Bg3 Re8 {An important tabyia. Black has weakened his kingside, but
hopes to keep the g3-bishop out of play. In the event of an early opening of
the centre, his bishops may become very threatening.} 14. axb5 ({A slow course
of events should not bother Black too much after} 14. Qd3 Qd7 15. Nbd2 Kg7 16.
Rad1 Re7 $6 {Unnecessarily taking the e7-square away from the knight.} (16...
Rad8 {is more natural and probably better.} 17. Nf1 $140 Na5 18. Bc2 Nc4 $36)
17. Nf1 (17. d5 $1 $14 {[%csl Re7]}) 17... Na5 18. Bc2 Nc4 19. dxe5 dxe5 20.
Qe2 Qe8 21. Bd3 Nd6 $11 {Tatai,S (2410)-Costa,J (2425)/Manila 1992/TD (1/2, 62)
}) ({Releasing the tension in the centre with} 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 dxe5 {
is also harmless for Black.} 16. Nd2 Qd6 (16... c5 17. Qe2 c4 18. Bc2 {Zapata,
A (2520)-Vittorino,C (2332)/Neiva 2005/CBM 106 ext (1-0, 30)} Qe7 $13) 17. axb5
axb5 18. Rxa8 Rxa8 19. Qe2 {Erdogdu,M (2303)-Godena,M (2527)/Istanbul 2003/CBM
096 (1/2, 43)} Bc6 $11) ({The necessity of opening the a-file before playing
h4 can be inferred from the following game} 14. h4 Na5 $1 15. hxg5 $5 (15. Bc2
exd4 16. hxg5 Nxe4 $13) 15... Nxb3 16. gxf6 Nxa1 {This rook would not be
hanging after previous exchanges on b5 and a8.} 17. Bh4 exd4 18. Qd2 Kh7 (18...
Rxe4 19. Qxh6 Rxe1+ 20. Nxe1 Qf8 21. Qg5+ Kh7 22. Qf5+ $11 {Bykhovsky,Av.}) 19.
Ng5+ Kg8 20. Nf3 Kh7 21. Ng5+ Kg8 22. Ne6 Rxe6 23. Qxh6 Qf8 24. Qg5+ Kh8 25.
Qh5+ Kg8 {1/2 Mestel,A (2450)-Beliavsky,A (2545)/Mexico 1978/EXT 2003}) 14...
axb5 15. Rxa8 Bxa8 16. h4 (16. d5 {leaves the bishop looking odd on g3 and
allows Black to develop a strong kingside initiative.} Ne7 17. c4 (17. Na3 c6
18. dxc6 Bxc6 19. Qd3 Qb8 20. Nc2 Bc5 21. Nb4 Bxb4 22. cxb4 Kg7 {Sanden,S 
(2340)-Moberg,K (2300)/Lindesberg 1993/EXT 2000 (1/2, 41)}) 17... bxc4 18. Bxc4
Ng6 19. h3 Bb7 20. Bb5 Rf8 21. Nfd2 h5 22. Nc4 Bd4 23. Nbd2 Qb8 24. Qb3 h4 25.
Bh2 g4 $36 {with a strong initiative at no cost in Generalov,N (2245)-Rausis,I
(2490)/W-Cup7 fin corr 1994/Corr 2002 (0-1, 39)}) 16... g4 17. Nh2 Qd7 18. h5
$5 $146 {A logical novelty. WHite intends to undermine the g4-pawn with Bh4,
without releasing the tension in the centre. The only drawback of this plan is
that the queen's knight is still undeveloped.} (18. d5 {makes more sense than
one move earlier, because the black kingside has been weakened, but the
position remains uncertain.} Ne7 19. h5 (19. Qe2 $6 {loses time and places the
queen on a vulnerable square.} c6 20. dxc6 Bxc6 21. Nd2 Ng6 22. Ra1 Nf4 23.
Bxf4 exf4 $17 {Jabot,D-Sakellarakis,D/UECC email 1999/Corr 2002 (1/2, 31)})
19... Kg7 20. Bh4 Neg8 ({Black also managed to hold after} 20... Nxh5 21. Nxg4
Ng6 22. Ne3 Bxe3 23. Qxh5 Bc5 24. Nd2 Bb7 25. Nf1 Nxh4 26. Qxh4 Bc8 27. Bd1 Qd8
28. Qxd8 Rxd8 29. b4 Bb6 30. Be2 Bd7 31. Ra1 Kg6 32. Ne3 {1/2 Krakops,M (2295)
-Fainveits,L (2245)/Riga 1993/CBM 035 ext}) 21. Nd2 c6 22. Ndf1 cxd5 23. exd5
Qf5 24. Ne3 Qxh5 25. Nhxg4 Nxg4 26. Qxg4+ Qxg4 27. Nxg4 f5 28. Ne3 Kg6 $13 {
Prokopp,H-Montag,A/Germany 1996/Corr 2004 (0-1, 52). The central structure is
not unpromising for Black.}) 18... exd4 $1 {The logical reaction. Black's
bishop will revive soon.} 19. Bh4 Kg7 20. Nd2 dxc3 21. Bxf6+ Kxf6 22. Nxg4+ Kg7
23. bxc3 Ne5 24. Ne3 Kh7 $1 $36 {[%cal Ge8g8] Probably best. It appears that
the opening of the g-file favours Black, while White is not sufficiently well
developed to take advantage of the f5-square.} (24... Nd3 {is probably
premature and leads to unclear consequences.} 25. Rf1 (25. Re2 Rg8) 25... Bxe3
({The spectacular} 25... Nxf2 {turns out well for White after} 26. Kxf2 f5 27.
Ke2 Bxe4 28. Nxe4 Rxe4 29. Qd5 Rxe3+ 30. Kd1 Kf6 31. g4 Re5 32. Qg8 $40) 26.
fxe3 Ne5 $13 {and Black seems to be doing OK. Still, it would be a pitty to
have to part with the dark-squared bishop...}) 25. Nf3 {White decides to give
up a pawn in order to avoid the numerous possible tactical tricks.} (25. Bc2
Rg8 $36 26. Nf5 $2 Rxg2+ $1 27. Kxg2 Qxf5 $17) (25. Nf5 Rg8 {[%cal Gg8g2]} 26.
g3 Rg5 27. Qe2 Qc6 28. Bd5 Qxc3 29. Bxa8 Rxg3+ 30. Kf1 Rg8 $19 {[%cal Gc3h3,
Gg8a8] In both these lines, we can notice how unstable the knight can be on f5.
}) 25... Nxf3+ $6 {This intermediate exchange just helps White activate his
queen, which will weigh rather heavily in the balance of the position.} ({
Black should not have refrained from the immediate} 25... Bxe4 $1 {for instance
} 26. Nd4 Rg8 27. Bd5 (27. Bc2 f5) 27... Rxg2+ $1 28. Nxg2 Bxd5 29. Re3 $8 b4
$5 {[%csl Rd4]} 30. cxb4 Qg4 31. Qxg4 Nxg4 32. Rg3 f5 $44 {[%csl Rd4,Rf2,Rg3]
[%cal Gb6f2]}) 26. Qxf3 Bxe4 27. Qf4 $36 {Black's position is dangerous now.}
Bxe3 28. Rxe3 Bb1 29. Rf3 $40 f5 30. Qc1 Be4 31. Rg3 f4 32. Qxf4 Qf5 33. Qe3
Qxh5 34. Qd2 Qf5 35. f3 Bb1 36. Qd4 Qe5 37. Qh4 Bf5 38. f4 Qe1+ 39. Kh2 Bg6 40.
Qf6 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.04"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Lastin, Alexander"]
[Black "Maslak, Konstantin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2651"]
[BlackElo "2544"]
[PlyCount "93"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 Nc6 7. Be2 Nxd4 8.
Qxd4 e5 9. Qd3 Be7 10. O-O Be6 11. Rd1 O-O 12. a5 Rc8 13. Be3 Qc7 14. Bf3 h6
15. g3 Qc4 16. Qd2 Rfe8 17. Bg2 Qb4 18. Na4 Qxd2 19. Rxd2 Ng4 20. Bb6 Nf6 21.
b3 Bd7 22. f3 h5 23. c4 Be6 24. Be3 g6 25. Nb6 Rc7 26. Rad1 Kg7 27. h4 Bf8 28.
Rd3 Nd7 29. Nxd7 Rxd7 30. Bb6 Rc8 31. f4 exf4 32. gxf4 Bg4 33. R1d2 Re7 34.
Rxd6 Ree8 35. e5 Bxd6 36. exd6 Bd7 37. Bxb7 Re1+ 38. Kf2 Rce8 39. Bf3 Rb1 40.
Rd3 Ree1 41. Bd4+ f6 42. c5 Bb5 43. c6 Rf1+ 44. Kg3 Rxf3+ 45. Rxf3 Bxc6 46. Rc3
Bb5 47. d7 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.14"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Lastin, Alexander"]
[Black "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C92"]
[WhiteElo "2651"]
[BlackElo "2787"]
[PlyCount "27"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Re8 10. d4 Bb7 11. Ng5 Rf8 12. Nf3 Re8 13. Ng5 Rf8 14. Nf3 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.11"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Lastin, Alexander"]
[Black "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C07"]
[WhiteElo "2651"]
[BlackElo "2715"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6. exd5 Qxd5 7. Nb5 Na6 8.
Nc3 Qd8 9. a3 Be7 10. Bc4 O-O 11. O-O Nb8 12. Nde4 Qc7 13. Bd3 Nbd7 14. Re1 b6
15. Nb5 Qc6 16. Nbd6 Nc5 17. Nxc8 Raxc8 18. Nxc5 Bxc5 19. Qe2 Rfd8 20. Bf4 Bd6
21. Bd2 h6 22. Rad1 Nd7 23. Bc3 Qc7 24. Qh5 Qc5 25. Qe2 Qc7 26. Qh5 Qc5 27. Qe2
1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.11"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Maslak, Konstantin"]
[Black "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E08"]
[WhiteElo "2544"]
[BlackElo "2737"]
[PlyCount "30"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2
Nbd7 9. Bf4 b6 10. Rd1 Ba6 11. Ne5 Rc8 12. Nc3 Nh5 13. Bc1 Nhf6 14. Bf4 Nh5 15.
Bc1 Nhf6 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.03"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Maslak, Konstantin"]
[Black "Riazantsev, Alexander"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E05"]
[WhiteElo "2544"]
[BlackElo "2656"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "94"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. Qxc4
b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2 Be4 11. Qc1 Bb7 {This line was designed by Karpov on the
occasion of his first match against Kasparov. Of course, in a match Black
cannot complain about a draw by repetition...} 12. Bf4 Nd5 13. Nc3 Nxf4 14.
Qxf4 {Abstractly speaking, this is a logical way to react to Black's way of
playing, since the tempo "won" by the queen (Qc1) has been converted into a
radical activation of Her Majesty.} Nd7 {This natural developing move is by
far not the only continuation in this position.} ({20 years ago, Karpov
preferred to activate his queen first with} 14... Qd6 15. Rfd1 ({This may be
more consistent than} 15. Ne5 Bxg2 16. Kxg2 c5 17. dxc5 Qxc5 18. Ne4 Qb6 19.
Rfd1 Ra7 20. Rac1 f6 21. Nf3 e5 $11 {and White somewhat lost stability in the
centre in Khalifman,A (2530)-Karpov,A (2725)/Moscow 1988/URS-ch (1/2, 26)}) (
15. Qe3 $5) 15... Nd7 16. d5 Qxf4 17. gxf4 exd5 18. Nxd5 Bxd5 19. Rxd5 Nb6 20.
Rdd1 Bf6 21. Rac1 Bxb2 22. Rxc7 $14 {White's advantage may seem rather
symbolic, but he managed to convert it into a win in Romanishin,O (2550)
-Janjgava,L (2470)/Simferopol 1988/CBM 011 (1-0, 39)}) ({Recently, Karpov has
started experimenting with} 14... c5 {, which had been "officially doomed"
long time ago:} 15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. Rfd1 {This may be the best move, but none of
Karpov's opponents played it.} (16. Ng5 Qb6 17. Bxb7 Qxb7 18. Rfd1 Be7 19. Rd3
Nd7 20. Rad1 Bxg5 21. Qxg5 Nf6 {and Black gradually equalized in Ubilava,E 
(2528)-Karpov,A (2668)/Calatrava, rapid 2007/CBM 117 ext (1/2, 36)}) (16. a4
bxa4 17. Nxa4 Bd6 18. Qe3 Qe7 19. Nb6 Bc5 20. Qb3 Ra7 21. Rfd1 Bc6 22. Na4 Rb7
23. Qc2 Bb4 24. Rac1 a5 $11 {Grischuk,A (2728)-Karpov,A (2651)/Moscow 2008/CBM
126 (1/2, 34)}) 16... Qe7 17. Rac1 Ra7 18. a4 $5 b4 19. Ne4 Bxe4 20. Qxe4 $14 {
White is better developed and has good prospects on light squares, Lastin,A 
(2622)-Novikov,M (2426)/Tomsk 2004/CBM 102/[Ribli] (1-0, 54)}) 15. Rfd1 Bd6 16.
Ne5 $146 {A new try to maintain the pressure. Previously, White's concern was
to find the best square for the queen.} (16. Qh4 Nf6 $6 (16... Qxh4 $1 17. Nxh4
Bxg2 18. Nxg2 Nf6 19. Rac1 Rac8 $11 {/\ ...c5. With his knight passively
placed on g2, White has little chance of retaining an advantage.}) 17. a3 Qb8
18. g4 Rd8 19. Rac1 Be7 20. g5 Nd7 21. d5 Nf8 22. Ne5 $16 {with an advantage
in space and a strong initiative for White in Aronian,L (2744)-Ivanchuk,V 
(2750)/Monte Carlo 2007/CBM 117 ext (1-0, 67)}) (16. Qe3 Nb6 17. Ne5 Bxg2 18.
Kxg2 f5 19. f4 b4 20. Nb1 {[%csl Rb1] Obviously, White cannot be better here.
In Mikhalevski,V (2590)-Bakre,T (2426)/Sydney 2007/CBM 117 ext (1-0!, 32),
Black could in fact have obtained a big advantage with} Nd5 21. Qb3 Bxe5 22.
fxe5 (22. dxe5 Ne3+ $1 $19 {This trick must have been overlooked by both
opponents.}) 22... f4 $40) 16... Bxg2 17. Kxg2 f5 $5 {An interesting attempt
to take over the initiative on the kingside.} (17... Bxe5 18. dxe5 Qe7 19. a4
b4 20. Ne4 Rfd8 21. Rac1 $14 {Despite White's doubled pawns, Black is under
serious pressure.}) (17... f6 {does not win a piece because of the same move
as in the game.} 18. Nc6 $14) 18. Nc6 Qe8 ({The simplifications after} 18...
Bxf4 19. Nxd8 Rfxd8 20. gxf4 Rac8 21. Rac1 {leave White with some pressure.} c5
{fails to equalize.} ({Maybe Black should prefer} 21... Nf6 $5) 22. dxc5 Rxc5 (
22... Nxc5 23. Rxd8+ Rxd8 24. Nxb5 $1 $16) 23. Rd4 Kf7 24. Rcd1 Ke7 25. Rd6 $36
) 19. Qf3 g5 {Among other menaces, Black threatens to drive the enemy queen
away from the active h1-a8 diagonal.} 20. Na5 $6 {White clears the c6-square
for the queen, but retreats with the knight to a passive square.} ({He should
have kept the knight on the optimal c6-square and cleared another square for
the queen with} 20. Kg1 {. This would have been a much lesser commitment.} Nf6
21. b4 h5 22. a4 g4 23. Qg2 $14 {White's queenside initiative has reached more
concrete forms than Black's kingside attack.}) 20... Nf6 21. a3 h5 {It can be
felt that Black has overtaken his opponent in terms of speed.} 22. d5 $6 {
This move only opens files for Black. The d-file is not too important, because
it securely blocked by the enemy bishop.} f4 23. Qd3 fxg3 24. fxg3 {An obvious
positional concession.} ({However, the more consistent} 24. hxg3 {would not
have spared White any problems:} exd5 25. Nxd5 (25. Nb7 Be5) 25... Ne4 {
[%csl Rf2]} 26. Rf1 h4 $40) 24... exd5 25. Nxd5 Qe4+ 26. Qxe4 Nxe4 $15 {
Black has the better structure and an active bishop.} 27. Rf1 Be5 28. Nc6 Bxb2
29. Nxc7 Bxa1 30. Nxa8 Rxf1 31. Kxf1 Bb2 32. Nc7 Nc5 33. Nb4 Bxa3 34. Nbxa6
Nxa6 35. Nxa6 Bd6 36. Kf2 Kf7 37. Ke3 Ke6 38. Ke4 b4 39. Kd4 Kf5 40. e4+ Ke6
41. h3 g4 42. hxg4 hxg4 43. e5 b3 44. Kc3 Kxe5 45. Kxb3 Kd4 46. Kc2 Kc4 47. Kd2
Bxg3 0-1

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.05"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Maslak, Konstantin"]
[Black "Tomashevsky, Evgeny"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E15"]
[WhiteElo "2544"]
[BlackElo "2646"]
[PlyCount "182"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 d5 6. Bg2 dxc4 7. Ne5 Bb4+ 8. Kf1
Bd6 9. Nd2 Nbd7 10. Nc6 Qc8 11. Nxc4 Bb7 12. Qd3 Nb8 13. N6e5 O-O 14. Bb2 Be7
15. Bxb7 Qxb7 16. Qf3 Qxf3 17. Nxf3 c5 18. Rc1 Nc6 19. dxc5 Bxc5 20. Nfe5 Nxe5
21. Nxe5 Rfd8 22. Nd3 Bd6 23. Kg2 Nd5 24. Rhd1 h5 25. Kf3 Nb4 26. a3 Nxd3 27.
Rxd3 Bc5 28. Rcd1 Rxd3+ 29. Rxd3 Rc8 30. h3 Bf8 31. a4 Rc2 32. Bd4 f6 33. e4
Kf7 34. g4 hxg4+ 35. hxg4 Bb4 36. Be3 Ke7 37. Kg2 Bc5 38. Kf3 Bxe3 39. Kxe3 e5
40. Kf3 Rb2 41. Kg3 a6 42. Kf3 b5 43. axb5 axb5 44. Ke3 b4 45. Kf3 Kf7 46. g5
Kg6 47. gxf6 gxf6 48. Re3 Kg5 49. Rd3 Rb1 50. Re3 Rh1 51. Kg2 Rd1 52. Kg3 Rd4
53. Re1 Rd3+ 54. Re3 Rc3 55. Kf3 Rc1 56. Kg3 Rc2 57. Rf3 Rc3 58. Re3 f5 59.
exf5 Kxf5 60. Kf3 e4+ 61. Ke2 Rc2+ 62. Ke1 Kf4 63. Rh3 Rb2 64. Rh4+ Kf3 65.
Rh3+ Kg4 66. Re3 Kf4 67. Kf1 Ke5 68. Ke1 Kd4 69. Rg3 Rc2 70. Re3 Ra2 71. Rg3
Rb2 72. Re3 Rc2 73. Rg3 Rc1+ 74. Kd2 Rf1 75. Ke2 Rb1 76. Kd2 Rb2+ 77. Ke1 Rc2
78. Re3 Rc5 79. Kd2 Rg5 80. Ke2 Rf5 81. Rg3 Ra5 82. Re3 Ra2+ 83. Ke1 Rc2 84.
Rg3 Rc3 85. Kd2 Rf3 86. Rxf3 exf3 87. Kc2 Ke4 88. Kd2 Kd4 89. Kc2 Ke4 90. Kd2
Kd4 91. Kc2 Ke4 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.14"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Maslak, Konstantin"]
[Black "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E73"]
[WhiteElo "2544"]
[BlackElo "2669"]
[PlyCount "107"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 h6 7. Be3 c5 8. e5
dxe5 9. dxe5 Qxd1+ 10. Rxd1 Ng4 11. Bxc5 Nxe5 12. Nd5 Nbc6 13. f4 Ng4 14. h3
Nf6 15. Bf3 Bf5 16. g4 Bc2 17. Rd2 Ne4 18. Bxe7 Nxd2 19. Kxd2 Bb1 20. Bxf8 Kxf8
21. Nc3 Rd8+ 22. Bd5 Na5 23. b3 Bxc3+ 24. Kxc3 Bxa2 25. Nf3 Bxb3 26. Ra1 Rxd5
27. cxd5 Bxd5 28. Rxa5 Bxf3 29. Rxa7 Bg2 30. h4 Bf3 31. g5 hxg5 32. hxg5 b5 33.
Kd4 Bg2 34. Ke5 Kg7 35. Rc7 Bf1 36. Rb7 Bd3 37. Kd6 Bc4 38. Ke7 Bd3 39. Rb6 Bf1
40. Rb7 Bd3 41. Rb8 Be2 42. Kd6 Bc4 43. Kc5 Bd3 44. Kd4 Be2 45. Ke4 Bc4 46. Rb6
Bf1 47. f5 gxf5+ 48. Kxf5 Bd3+ 49. Kg4 Bc4 50. Kf4 Bd3 51. Ke5 Bc4 52. Kf4 Bd3
53. Ke5 Bc4 54. Kf4 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.09"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Maslak, Konstantin"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D10"]
[WhiteElo "2544"]
[BlackElo "2638"]
[Annotator "Rogozenco,D"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 dxc4 4. e4 b5 5. a4 b4 6. Na2 Nf6 7. e5 Nd5 8. Bxc4 e6
9. Nf3 Ba6 {The popularity of this move is increasing lately, since several
games showed that Black can do without ...a5. His plan is to advance ...c5
quickly.} 10. Bxa6 {One of the main options.} ({The other moves are 10.Qe2 (10.
Qd3) and 10.b3:} 10. Qe2 Bxc4 11. Qxc4 Qb6 (11... Nb6 12. Qc2 Qd5 {1/2-1/2
Lukacs,P (2415)-Hajnal,Z (2437)/Hungary 2006} 13. b3 N8d7 14. O-O c5 $5 15. a5
$140 c4 $1 $13 {/=}) 12. O-O Qa6 13. b3 (13. Qxa6 Nxa6 14. Bd2 c5 15. dxc5 (15.
Rac1 h6 $5) 15... Bxc5 16. Nc1 h6 17. Nb3 Rc8 18. Rfc1 Kd7 $11) 13... Qxc4 14.
bxc4 Nb6 15. c5 Nd5 16. Bd2 (16. a5 $4 b3 $19) 16... a5 $11 {1-0 Brynell,S 
(2459)-Akesson,J (2360)/Gothenburg 2004 (39)}) ({And} 10. b3 c5 ({Now that
White does not have the b3-square for his knight, Black can also consider} 
10... Bb7 11. Bd2 a5 {The blitz game Dreev,A (2697)-Korotylev,A (2609)/Moscow 
(blitz) 2006 continued} 12. Nc1 Nd7 13. Nd3 Be7 14. O-O O-O 15. Qe2 c5 16. dxc5
Nxc5 17. Nxc5 Bxc5 18. Rac1 {with equality.}) 11. O-O Bxc4 12. bxc4 Nc7 13. Be3
(13. Bg5 $5) 13... Nc6 14. Nc1 cxd4 15. Bxd4 (15. Nxd4 Nxd4 (15... Nxe5 16. Qe2
$44) 16. Bxd4 Be7 $11) 15... Nxd4 (15... Be7 $142 16. Nb3 O-O $11) 16. Nxd4 Bc5
17. Nb5 Nxb5 (17... Qxd1 $142 18. Rxd1 (18. Nxc7+ Kd7 19. Rxd1+ Kxc7 20. Nb3
Be7 $11) 18... Na6 19. Nb3 Ke7 $11) 18. axb5 Bd4 (18... O-O $14) 19. Ra6 $1
Bxe5 20. Qh5 Qf6 21. Re1 ({Even better is} 21. Nd3 Bd4 (21... Bc3 22. Qc5 $16)
22. Nxb4 O-O 23. Nc6 {with advantage}) 21... Rd8 22. g3 Rd2 $2 (22... Bd6 $13)
23. Re2 $2 (23. Rxe6+ $1 Qxe6 24. Rxe5 {wins}) 23... Rd1+ 24. Kg2 Rxc1 25. b6
axb6 26. Ra8+ Ke7 27. Rxh8 b3 $11 {1/2-1/2 Milov,V (2653)-Milman,L (2439)/
Minneapolis 2005 (41)}) 10... Nxa6 11. O-O (11. Qd3 Qb6 12. O-O c5 13. Be3 Rc8
$5 {[%cal Gc5c4]} (13... Be7 $11) 14. Rfc1 {[%csl Ra2]} Be7 15. Qb5+ $1 Qxb5
16. axb5 Nac7 17. Bd2 O-O 18. dxc5 Nxb5 19. Nxb4 Rxc5 $11) (11. Bg5 Qb6 12. Nc1
(12. O-O h6 13. Bd2 Be7 14. Qe2 O-O 15. Nc1 c5 16. Nb3 Rfc8 17. Rfc1 cxd4 18.
Nfxd4 Nc5 19. Qg4 Kf8 20. a5 Qa6 21. Nxc5 Rxc5 {1/2-1/2 Halkias,S (2548)
-Sitnikov,A (2429)/Kavala 2005}) 12... h6 13. Bd2 c5 14. Qe2 Rc8 15. Qb5+ Qxb5
16. axb5 Nac7 17. Rxa7 (17. dxc5 $142 Bxc5 (17... Nxb5 18. Nd3 $14 Bxc5 $2 19.
Rc1) 18. Nd3 Bb6 19. Nxb4 Nxb4 20. Bxb4 Nxb5 21. O-O Rc4 $11) 17... c4 $1 $15 {
0-1 Jussupow,A (2583)-Rustemov,A (2552)/Germany 2007 (74)} (17... Nxb5 {
leads only to equality after} 18. Rb7 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 cxd4 20. Ke2 Be7 21. Nb3
$11)) (11. Bd2 Be7 12. Qe2 Qb6 13. Nc1 c5 14. Qb5+ (14. Nb3 O-O $11) 14... Qxb5
15. axb5 Nac7 16. dxc5 (16. Nb3 $2 c4) 16... Bxc5 17. Nd3 Bb6 18. Nxb4 Nxb4 19.
Bxb4 Nxb5 20. Ke2 (20. Rd1 a5 $11) 20... O-O-O $1 {1/2-1/2 Jussupow,A (2587)
-L'Ami,E (2610)/Amsterdam 2008 (47)}) 11... c5 12. Bg5 $146 (12. Qe2 Nb8 (12...
Qb6 $5 13. a5 Qb7 $11 (13... Qxa5 $2 14. Nc3 Nxc3 15. bxc3 Qxa1 16. Qb5+ Kd8
17. Bg5+ $18)) 13. Rd1 Nc6 {0-1 Kryakvin,D (2488)-Deutsch,E (2362)/playchess.
com 2006 (42)}) 12... Qb6 (12... Be7 $6 {would be a typical positional mistake.
First of all Black should normally avoid the trade of the bishops. Secondly,
the b6-square is optimal for the black queen in this variation. Finally, when
White has the bishop on g5 Black will later win an important tempo with ...h6.}
13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Qd3 Qb7 (14... Nac7 15. Nc1 O-O 16. dxc5 Qxc5 17. Ng5 g6 18.
Qh3 h5 19. Nd3 $14) 15. Nc1 (15. Qb5+ $5) 15... O-O 16. Ng5 g6 17. Qh3 h5 18.
Ne2 $14) 13. Nd2 ({In the event of} 13. Nc1 {White must reckon with} c4 $1)
13... h6 14. Bh4 (14. Nc4 Qc6 15. Bd2 cxd4 $15) 14... Qb7 {A good move, but
Black had an attractive alternative:} (14... cxd4 $5 15. Nc4 Qc6 16. Qxd4 Bc5 {
and if} 17. Qg4 {then suddenly Black takes over the initiative with} g5 18. Bg3
h5 19. Qxg5 h4 20. Bxh4 (20. Bf4 Nxf4 21. Qxf4 Rg8 22. g3 h3 $19) (20. Qg7
O-O-O 21. Nd6+ Kb8 $19) 20... Be7 21. Nd6+ Kd7 {with favourable complications.}
) 15. dxc5 {This allows Black to bring conveniently the knight into play.} ({
After} 15. Ne4 cxd4 16. Qxd4 {strong is} (16. Nc1 Nc3 $1 $132) 16... Nb8 $1 {
and the pawn e5 becomes a weakness. The position would have remained
double-edged.}) 15... Nxc5 {Now Black has the advantage.} 16. Nc4 ({In the
event of} 16. Qf3 Nxa4 17. Nc1 Nc5 {White's compensation for the pawn is
hardly sufficient.}) (16. Bg3 {protects against Nf4, but allows Black to
complete development.} Be7 $15) (16. Nc1 Nf4 17. Qf3 (17. Nf3 g5 18. Bg3 Rd8
19. Qc2 Nxg2 20. Kxg2 g4 $17) 17... Qxf3 18. Nxf3 Be7 $15) 16... Nf4 17. f3 g5
18. Bg3 Rd8 19. Nd6+ (19. Qe1 $2 Ncd3 $19) 19... Bxd6 20. exd6 Ncd3 21. Nc1
Qb6+ 22. Kh1 Qxd6 23. Nxd3 Qxd3 $17 24. Qc1 $1 Ne2 (24... Qd6 $5) 25. Qc6+ Qd7
26. Qc5 Nxg3+ 27. hxg3 Qd6 (27... Qe7 28. Qb5+ Kf8 $17) 28. Qxa7 Qxg3 29. Rfd1
O-O 30. a5 Ra8 (30... Rc8 $5 31. Rd2 (31. Rac1 Rxc1 32. Rxc1 Qe5 $17) 31... Rc4
32. a6 Rh4+ 33. Kg1 Qh2+ 34. Kf2 g4 $40) 31. Qd4 b3 32. a6 Rfc8 33. Rdc1 Rxc1+
({The last chance to try to convert the extra pawn was} 33... Rd8) 34. Rxc1 Qf4
35. Qxf4 gxf4 36. Ra1 $11 {with such a strong passed pawn White is completely
out of danger.} Kf8 37. Ra4 Ke7 (37... e5 38. Kh2 Ke7 39. Kh3 f5 40. Kh4 Kd6
41. Kh5 e4 42. fxe4 fxe4 43. Rxe4 Rxa6 44. Rxf4 Kc5 45. g4 $11) 38. Rxf4 (38.
Kh2 Kd6 39. Kh3 f5 40. Kh4 Kc5 $11 (40... e5 $11)) 38... Rxa6 39. Rb4 Kf6 40.
Rxb3 Kg5 41. Kh2 e5 42. Rb5 Kf5 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.06"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Maslak, Konstantin"]
[Black "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D39"]
[WhiteElo "2544"]
[BlackElo "2640"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 c5 7. Bxc4 cxd4 8.
Nxd4 Bd7 9. O-O Nc6 10. Nxc6 Bxc6 11. Qb3 Qa5 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Bxe6 fxe6 14.
Qxe6+ Be7 15. Nd5 Bxd5 16. exd5 Qb6 17. Qg4 f5 18. Qxf5 Qg6 19. Qf4 Qd6 20. Qg4
h5 21. Qa4+ Qd7 22. Qf4 Qd6 23. Qa4+ Qd7 24. Qf4 Qd6 25. Qa4+ Qd7 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.09"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Black "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D38"]
[WhiteElo "2787"]
[BlackElo "2715"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. d4 Bb4 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. Qb3 c5 8.
a3 Bxc3+ 9. Qxc3 c4 10. Nd2 O-O 11. e3 h6 12. Bf4 Nb6 13. a4 a5 14. b3 Be6 15.
Be2 Qe7 16. O-O Rfc8 17. bxc4 dxc4 18. e4 Bf5 19. Bf3 Bxe4 20. Nxe4 Nxe4 21.
Qc2 f5 22. Be5 Nd5 23. Bxe4 fxe4 24. Qxe4 Qf7 25. f4 c3 26. Rac1 Rc4 27. Rf3
Rac8 28. Rg3 Nf6 29. Qc2 R4c6 30. h3 Nh5 31. Rg4 Nf6 32. Rg6 Ne8 33. Rg3 Rc4
34. Kh2 Nf6 35. Qb3 c2 36. Bxf6 Qxf6 37. Rxc2 Qf7 38. Rxc4 Rxc4 39. f5 Rxd4 40.
Qb6 Rf4 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.06"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Black "Timofeev, Artyom"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D91"]
[WhiteElo "2787"]
[BlackElo "2670"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. Bh4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. e3 c5 8.
cxd5 Qxd5 9. Nf3 Nc6 10. Be2 cxd4 11. cxd4 b6 12. O-O Bb7 13. Qb3 Qxb3 14. axb3
O-O 15. b4 Rfe8 16. Ra4 a6 17. b5 axb5 18. Bxb5 e6 19. Rb1 Rxa4 20. Bxa4 Ra8
21. Bc2 Bf8 22. Bb3 Na5 23. Bc2 Nc6 24. Bb3 Na5 25. Bc2 Nc6 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.13"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Black "Riazantsev, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C13"]
[WhiteElo "2787"]
[BlackElo "2656"]
[PlyCount "71"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. Nf3 O-O 8.
Qd3 Nd7 9. O-O-O b6 10. h4 Bb7 11. Kb1 Qe7 12. Nfg5 Rfd8 13. Nc5 Nf8 14. Nxb7
Rxd4 15. Qf3 Rxd1+ 16. Qxd1 h6 17. Ne4 Bxb2 18. c3 Ba3 19. Qb3 Bd6 20. g3 f5
21. Nbxd6 cxd6 22. Nd2 d5 23. Qb4 Qc7 24. Bd3 Nd7 25. f4 Nc5 26. Bc2 b5 27. Rc1
a5 28. Qd4 Rc8 29. g4 Ne4 30. Nxe4 fxe4 31. f5 Qd6 32. fxe6 Qxe6 33. Bb3 Rd8
34. Rd1 Kh8 35. g5 e3 36. Bc2 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.04"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Black "Svidler, Peter"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A29"]
[WhiteElo "2787"]
[BlackElo "2727"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "174"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nc3 Nb6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8.
d3 O-O 9. a4 $5 {This move is entirely in accordance with Morozevich' tendency
to avoid forced theoretical lines. Last year, during the Mexico World
Championship, he used the English opening to transpose to a reversed
Boleslavski variation of the Sicilian. (See Morozevich,A (2758)-Grischuk,A 
(2726)/Mexico City MEX 2007/CBM 120/[Marin] (1-0, 42)). Both games have some
strategic elements in common: The structure of both sides will more or less be
immobile and Morozevich will mainly play on the light squares.} a5 10. Be3 Be6
({The main alternative is} 10... Bg4 {, but in this case White's pressure
along the "English" diagonal will be more difficult to neutralize.}) 11. Nd2 {
But this really is a rare line.} ({The most frequent move is} 11. Rc1 {, but
then, after} Nd5 {White cannot carry out general exchanges on d5. For instance,
} 12. Nxd5 Bxd5 13. Nd2 Bxg2 14. Kxg2 {and Black is not foced to place his
queen on d5, which would make it exposed to an exchange (generally, favouring
White).} Nd4 15. Bxd4 exd4 16. Qc2 Bb4 17. Ne4 c6 18. Qc4 Re8 {and White did
not achieve anything special in Markowski,T (2560)-Navara,D (2647)/Warsaw 2005/
CBM 108 (1/2, 41)}) 11... Nd5 {Black immediately neutralises the fianchettoed
white bishop.} ({In the event of natural developing moves such as} 11... Qd7
12. Rc1 Rad8 13. Nb3 {the threats Nc5 or even Bxc6 followed by Nxe5 more or
less force Black play} Nd5 {anyway, but this would just mean the loss of a
tempo after} 14. Nxd5 Bxd5 15. Bxd5 Qxd5 {and now} 16. Qc2 Rfe8 17. Qc4 $14 {
leaves White with some queenside pressure.}) (11... Rb8 {is not a really
useful move.} 12. Nb3 (12. Rc1 $5) 12... Nd5 13. Nxd5 Bxd5 14. Bxd5 Qxd5 15.
Rc1 Bd6 16. Qc2 Nb4 17. Qc4 b6 18. Nd2 c6 19. Qh4 f6 20. Nc4 Bc7 21. Bd2 $14 {
and we can notice that White has obtained a better regrouping than Morozevich
in Markowski,T (2587)-De Vreugt,D (2503)/Istanbul 2003/CBM 096 (1-0, 118)}) (
11... f5 {is an aggressive move, which has the drawback that weakens a lot of
light squares.} 12. Rc1 f4 (12... Qd7 13. Nb3) 13. Bxb6 $1 cxb6 14. Nc4 Bc5 15.
Ne4 Bb4 {the bishop is less exposed here, but not that active.} (15... Bd4 {
The bishop will remain captive on this central square.} 16. Re1 Bg4 17. Qb3 Kh8
18. e3 f3 (18... Bc5 19. Nxc5 bxc5 20. Qxb7 $18) 19. exd4 Nxd4 $6 (19... fxg2
20. Nxe5 Nxd4 21. Nf7+ Rxf7 22. Qxf7 Nf3+ 23. Kxg2 Nxe1+ 24. Rxe1 Qxd3 25. Nd6
$16 Be2 26. Qxb7 Rf8 27. Nf7+ Kg8 28. Ne5 $18) 20. Qd1 $16 {Gaponenko,I (2448)
-Mullon,J (2327)/St Chely d'Aubrac 2004/CBM 101 ext (1-0, 41)}) 16. Kh1 $6 (16.
e3 $5 $14 {would have avoided Black's attack, retaining a strategically
favourable position.}) 16... Nd4 17. Nc3 Qg5 18. Nxb6 Rad8 19. Nc4 Qh5 $40 {
Malakhov,V (2679)-Nepomniashchy,Y (2602)/Dresden 2007/CBM 118 (1-0, 40)}) 12.
Nxd5 Bxd5 13. Bxd5 Qxd5 14. Qb3 {This is a thematic move. If White succeeds in
exchanging queens under favourable circumstances, his pressure on the
queenside combined with a latent kingisde expansion (something more difficult
to achieve with queens on the board!) would leave him with a long-lasting plus.
} ({However, White can also keep the queen move in reserve.} 14. Rc1 {
(Parrying Black's main threat, ...Nd4)} Bd6 15. Qb3 $1 Qxb3 (15... Nb4 {
does not prevent the queen exchange, because, unlike in the main game, White
can play} 16. Qxd5 Nxd5 17. Bc5 $14) 16. Nxb3 Rfe8 17. Nc5 Bxc5 (17... Nd4 18.
Bxd4 exd4 19. Ne4 $14 {would leave Black with double pawns on the d-file.}) 18.
Rxc5 Re7 19. Rfc1 f6 20. R1c4 Kf7 21. f3 Re6 22. Kf2 Ke8 23. f4 $14 {with
pressure on both wings in Averbakh,Y-Bebchuk,E/Moscow 1964/MCD (1-0, 53)})
14... Nb4 {The best way to... avoid the exchange of queens.} (14... Qd7 15. Qb5
Qc8 16. Rfc1 Rd8 {leaves White with strong queenside pressure.} 17. Rxc6 $5 {
A surgical solution, but probably there are other plans.} bxc6 18. Qxe5 $14 {
Voloshin,L (2430)-Nun,J (2395)/Czechia 1997/EXT 98 (1/2, 51)}) (14... Qxb3 15.
Nxb3 Nb4 16. Rac1 (16. Rfc1 {looks more natural.}) 16... Rfc8 17. Rc4 ({
Or, since the f1-rook should be useful in a way or another,} 17. Bc5 Bg5 18. f4
) 17... b6 18. d4 {Not the best plan. The black bishop will be activated now.
White should aim for kingside expansion somehow.} (18. g4 $5 Nd5 19. Bd2 {
[%cal Gd2c3,Gb3d2]}) 18... exd4 19. Nxd4 Bf6 {and Black was well regrouped in
Markowski,T (2505)-Korneev,O (2560)/Metz 1998/EXT 99 (1/2, 32)}) 15. Rfc1 ({
Now,} 15. Qxd5 Nxd5 {leaves the bishop in an uncomfortable situation.}) 15...
Qd7 {Now, the pressure exerted by the white queen has been neutralised, at
least for a while.} 16. Ne4 b6 17. Bd2 c6 18. Bc3 Qc7 19. Qc4 Nd5 20. Nd2 {
White has been moving his minor pieces around, aiming to provoke as many pawn
advances as possible. On the queenside, Black has created for himself some
weaknesses, but in the centre he is quite solid. This is precisely the area
which White should focus on during the next phase of the game.} Rfe8 {Svidler
concentrates his rooks in the centre.} ({Playing for the standard ...f5 would
justify White's strategy, for instance} 20... Kh8 21. Nf3 Bd6 22. Rc2 f5 23.
Rac1 Rac8 24. e4 $1 $14) 21. Qe4 {My feeling is that, starting with this
moment, Morozevich' "hyper-modern" play crosses the limit of admissible risk.
By transferring the queen to an advanced position, he will expose himself to
tactical tricks.} ({Before defining the queen's intentions, he should have
improved the placement of all other pieces to the maximum, with, say} 21. Nf3
Bf8 22. Rc2 Rad8 23. Rac1 {when I would slightly prefer White. The threats of
d4 (with the possible insertion of the moves Bd2 and/or e4) force Black be on
permanent guard.}) 21... Bc5 22. Nf3 Bd6 23. Ng5 Nf6 24. Qf5 h6 25. Nf3 {
Now, White will lose the control of the e4-square.} (25. Ne4 {may have been a
better possibility to retain equal chances in a complicated position.}) 25...
Re6 26. Rc2 ({Now, the generally desirable} 26. e4 {would leave the queen
terribly misplaced.}) 26... Nd5 27. Rac1 Rae8 28. Bd2 Bb4 29. Bxb4 Nxb4 30. Rc4
c5 $5 {[%cal Gb4c6,Gc6d4] Black iremediably weakens the c4-square, reckoning
with the fact that White will not be in time to transfer the knight there.} 31.
Nd2 Qd7 32. b3 Nc6 33. Qh5 Nd4 34. Re1 e4 $1 {A nice tactical blow, taking
full advantage of White's lack of coordination. As we will see, the queen's
exposed position is part of the whole business.} 35. dxe4 (35. Nxe4 Re5 36. Qh4
f5 37. Nc3 (37. Qh3 R5e7 38. Nc3 Nf3+ $1 $19) 37... Nf3+ $1 $19) 35... Re5 36.
Qh4 Nf5 $1 37. exf5 Qxd2 38. Rf1 Rxe2 39. Qg4 Qd3 40. f6 g6 $17 {Black is very
active and White's pawns are weak.} 41. Rcc1 Qxb3 42. Rb1 Qe6 43. Qf4 Re4 44.
Qc7 Rb4 45. Rbd1 Qxf6 46. Rd6 Qe7 47. Rd7 Qe6 48. Rfd1 Re4 49. Kg2 Rxa4 50.
R7d6 Qf5 51. R1d3 Ra1 52. Rd8 Rae1 53. Rf3 Qe6 54. Rxe8+ Qxe8 55. Qxb6 a4 56.
Qxc5 Qa8 57. Qc3 Rb1 58. Qc4 Rb7 59. Qd5 Ra7 60. Qxa8+ Rxa8 61. Ra3 f5 62. Kf3
Kf7 63. Ke3 Ke6 64. Kd4 g5 65. Re3+ Kd6 66. Ra3 g4 67. Kc4 Ke5 68. Re3+ Kf6 69.
Ra3 h5 70. Kd4 Ra7 71. f4 h4 72. gxh4 Re7 73. Kd3 Re4 74. Rc3 Kg6 75. Rc8 Rxf4
76. Rg8+ Kf7 77. Ra8 Rf2 78. Ke3 Rxh2 79. Rxa4 Kg6 80. Ra8 Rxh4 81. Kf4 Rh3 82.
Ra6+ Kh5 83. Kxf5 Rf3+ 84. Ke4 Kh4 85. Ra1 Kh3 86. Rg1 Ra3 87. Kf4 g3 0-1

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.15"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Black "Maslak, Konstantin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B92"]
[WhiteElo "2787"]
[BlackElo "2544"]
[PlyCount "138"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. O-O
O-O 9. Kh1 Be6 10. f4 exf4 11. Bxf4 Nc6 12. Qe1 Ne5 13. Nd4 Rc8 14. Rd1 Qb6 15.
Bc1 Qc7 16. Qg3 b5 17. a3 Rfe8 18. Nf5 Bxf5 19. exf5 Kh8 20. h3 h6 21. Rd4 Bf8
22. Qh4 Ned7 23. a4 Qb6 24. Bd3 bxa4 25. Rb4 Qc6 26. Rxa4 Ra8 27. Rc4 Qb6 28.
Rd4 Re5 29. Bc4 Kg8 30. Nd5 Nxd5 31. Rxd5 Rae8 32. Rxe5 Rxe5 33. b3 d5 34. Bd3
a5 35. Bb2 Re8 36. Qa4 Qd8 37. Qb5 Nc5 38. f6 Ne4 39. Bxe4 dxe4 40. Bc3 e3 41.
Bxa5 Qa8 42. Bc3 e2 43. Re1 Qe4 44. fxg7 Bd6 45. Bd2 Bg3 46. Qa6 Qf5 47. Rg1
Qf2 48. Re1 Qf5 49. Rg1 Qf2 50. Re1 h5 51. Qd3 h4 52. Qf3 Re5 53. Qa8+ Kxg7 54.
Qf3 Qxe1+ 55. Bxe1 Bxe1 56. Qg4+ Kh7 57. Qf4 Bg3 58. Qxf7+ Kh6 59. Qf6+ Kh5 60.
Qf7+ Kg5 61. Qg7+ Kf4 62. Qh6+ Ke4 63. Qg6+ Ke3 64. Qd3+ Kf2 65. Qf3+ Ke1 66.
Qd3 Kf2 67. Qf3+ Ke1 68. Qd3 Re8 69. Qd4 Kf1 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.04"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Riazantsev, Alexander"]
[Black "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D45"]
[WhiteElo "2656"]
[BlackElo "2640"]
[PlyCount "122"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 a6 6. b3 Bb4 7. Bd2 O-O 8. Bd3
Nbd7 9. O-O Bd6 10. e4 dxc4 11. bxc4 e5 12. c5 Bc7 13. Na4 exd4 14. h3 h6 15.
Re1 Re8 16. Rb1 Nf8 17. Qc2 N6d7 18. Rbd1 Qf6 19. Nxd4 Ne5 20. Bf1 Bxh3 21. f4
Bg4 22. Be2 Bxe2 23. Rxe2 Ng4 24. e5 Qh4 25. Nf3 Qh5 26. Rb1 Ne6 27. Qe4 Rad8
28. g3 f5 29. Qc4 Kh7 30. Rg2 Ne3 31. Bxe3 Qxf3 32. Qe2 Qe4 33. Nc3 Qd3 34. Rb3
Ba5 35. Nb1 Qe4 36. Qc2 Qxc2 37. Rxc2 Rd1+ 38. Kg2 Re7 39. Na3 Rd5 40. Nc4 Bc7
41. Rxb7 g5 42. Kf3 Nxc5 43. Ra7 Red7 44. Bxc5 Rxc5 45. Ne3 Rxc2 46. Nxc2 Kg6
47. Rxa6 Kh5 48. Rxc6 Ba5 49. Ne3 Rd3 50. Ke2 Rd2+ 51. Kf1 Rd3 52. Ke2 Rd2+ 53.
Kf1 Rd3 54. Nc4 Bb4 55. Rb6 Bf8 56. Rf6 Bb4 57. Rb6 Bf8 58. Rf6 Bb4 59. Rxf5
Kg4 60. Rf7 Kxg3 61. fxg5 hxg5 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.15"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Riazantsev, Alexander"]
[Black "Lastin, Alexander"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D17"]
[WhiteElo "2656"]
[BlackElo "2651"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8.
g3 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Bf4 Nfd7 11. Bg2 g5 12. Ne3 gxf4 13. Nxf5 O-O-O 14. Qc2
Nc5 15. O-O fxg3 16. hxg3 a5 17. Rfd1 h5 18. Ne4 Nxe4 19. Bxe4 Bb4 20. Rxd8+
Qxd8 21. Kg2 Qf6 22. e3 Ng6 23. Rh1 Kb8 24. b3 h4 25. Nxh4 Nxh4+ 26. Rxh4 Rxh4
27. gxh4 Qxh4 28. Bf3 Qg5+ 29. Kf1 Qe5 30. Qe4 Qxe4 31. Bxe4 Kc7 32. Ke2 Kd6
33. Bd3 f6 34. Be4 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.06"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Riazantsev, Alexander"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D43"]
[WhiteElo "2656"]
[BlackElo "2638"]
[PlyCount "255"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5
9. Be2 Bb7 10. h4 g4 11. Ne5 Nbd7 12. Nxd7 Qxd7 13. Be5 Qe7 14. O-O Rg8 15. b3
b4 16. Na4 Nxe4 17. Qc2 c5 18. Bxc4 Bg7 19. Bxg7 Rxg7 20. Rae1 Nd6 21. Nxc5
Nxc4 22. bxc4 Bc6 23. Qd2 O-O-O 24. Qxb4 Rxd4 25. g3 Qd6 26. Rb1 e5 27. Qa5 f6
28. Qa6+ Kd8 29. Rb7 Rxb7 30. Nxb7+ Bxb7 31. Qxb7 Rd1 32. Qa8+ Ke7 33. Qxa7+
Ke6 34. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 35. Kh2 Qc2 36. a4 f5 37. Qe3 Qxc4 38. Qxh6+ Kd5 39. Qd2+
Ke6 40. Qh6+ Kd5 41. Qh7 Qc8 42. a5 Ke4 43. Qa7 f4 44. a6 Kf3 45. Qb7+ Kxf2 46.
Qb2+ Kf3 47. Qb3+ Ke2 48. a7 Qa6 49. Qc2+ Ke3 50. Qc1+ Ke2 51. Qb2+ Kd3 52. Qf2
Ke4 53. gxf4 exf4 54. Qg2+ f3 55. Qxg4+ Ke3 56. Qg5+ Ke2 57. Qe5+ Kf1 58. Qb8
Qe2+ 59. Kg3 Qf2+ 60. Kg4 Qd4+ 61. Kxf3 Qd3+ 62. Kf4 Qd4+ 63. Kf5 Qd5+ 64. Qe5
Qd7+ 65. Kg5 Qxa7 66. h5 Qg1+ 67. Kf5 Qg8 68. h6 Qh7+ 69. Kg5 Qg8+ 70. Kh4 Qc4+
71. Kh3 Qb3+ 72. Kh4 Qc4+ 73. Kh5 Qf7+ 74. Kg4 Qg8+ 75. Qg5 Qh8 76. Qf5+ Ke1
77. h7 Kd1 78. Qd5+ Kc1 79. Qg8 Qd4+ 80. Kh5 Qd1+ 81. Qg4 Qh1+ 82. Kg6 Qc6+ 83.
Kg5 Qd5+ 84. Qf5 Qg2+ 85. Kh6 Qc6+ 86. Kh5 Qh1+ 87. Kg6 Qc6+ 88. Qf6 Qe4+ 89.
Kh6 Qh1+ 90. Kg7 Qb7+ 91. Kg6 Qe4+ 92. Qf5 Qc6+ 93. Kg5 Qg2+ 94. Kh4 Qh2+ 95.
Kg5 Qg2+ 96. Kf6 Qc6+ 97. Qe6 Qf3+ 98. Ke7 Qb7+ 99. Qd7 Qb4+ 100. Ke8 Qb8+ 101.
Ke7 Qe5+ 102. Kd8 Qh8+ 103. Kc7 Qe5+ 104. Kb7 Qb2+ 105. Ka6 Qa3+ 106. Kb6 Qb2+
107. Qb5 Qh8 108. Qc4+ Kb1 109. Qc7 Qd4+ 110. Kb7 Qe4+ 111. Kb8 Qe8+ 112. Qc8
Qe5+ 113. Ka7 Qd4+ 114. Ka8 Qa4+ 115. Kb8 Qf4+ 116. Qc7 Qf8+ 117. Kb7 Qf3+ 118.
Ka6 Qd3+ 119. Ka7 Qa3+ 120. Kb8 Qf8+ 121. Qc8 Qf4+ 122. Ka7 Qd4+ 123. Ka8 Qa4+
124. Kb8 Qf4+ 125. Qc7 Qf8+ 126. Ka7 Qa3+ 127. Kb7 Qf3+ 128. Kc8 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.11"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Riazantsev, Alexander"]
[Black "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E63"]
[WhiteElo "2656"]
[BlackElo "2669"]
[PlyCount "100"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nf3 d6 6. O-O Nc6 7. Nc3 a6 8. Re1
Re8 9. h3 Bd7 10. e4 e5 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 dxe5 13. Be3 Be6 14. Nd5 Nd7 15.
Qb3 Qc8 16. Qa3 Bf8 17. Qa5 c6 18. Rac1 b6 19. Qd2 Qb7 20. Bh6 Bxh6 21. Qxh6 f6
22. Ne3 Nc5 23. Red1 Rad8 24. b4 Na4 25. b5 axb5 26. cxb5 cxb5 27. Nd5 Bxd5 28.
exd5 Rd6 29. Rc6 Qd7 30. Qc1 Nc5 31. Qb1 e4 32. Qxb5 Rxc6 33. Qxc6 Qxc6 34.
dxc6 Rc8 35. Rd6 Kf7 36. c7 Rxc7 37. Rxb6 f5 38. Rb1 Nd3 39. a4 Ra7 40. Ra1 Nc5
41. Rc1 Nxa4 42. Ra1 Kf6 43. f3 Ke5 44. Kf2 Kd4 45. Rd1+ Kc4 46. fxe4 Nc3 47.
Re1 Ra2+ 48. Kf1 Kd3 49. exf5 gxf5 50. g4 fxg4 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.09"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Riazantsev, Alexander"]
[Black "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E12"]
[WhiteElo "2656"]
[BlackElo "2737"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Ba6 5. Qb3 Be7 6. Nc3 Bb7 7. Bf4 O-O 8. Rd1
d5 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. e3 Nd7 12. Be2 c5 13. dxc5 Nxc5 14. Qa2 Bf6
15. O-O Qe7 16. Rfe1 Rfd8 17. Nd4 Ne6 18. Bg3 Nxd4 19. exd4 Re8 20. Qb1 Qd7 21.
Bf4 g6 22. Qd3 Qa4 23. Be3 Rac8 24. Rc1 Rxc1 25. Rxc1 Rc8 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.11"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Black "Timofeev, Artyom"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B36"]
[WhiteElo "2640"]
[BlackElo "2670"]
[PlyCount "37"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. e4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Nxd4 7. Qxd4 d6 8.
Be3 Bg7 9. f3 Be6 10. Rc1 Qa5 11. Qd2 O-O 12. Be2 Rfc8 13. b3 a6 14. Nd5 Qxd2+
15. Kxd2 Nxd5 16. cxd5 Bd7 17. Rxc8+ Rxc8 18. Rc1 Rxc1 19. Kxc1 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.14"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Black "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E32"]
[WhiteElo "2640"]
[BlackElo "2715"]
[PlyCount "118"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 d6 7. Nf3 b6 8. g3
Bb7 9. Bg2 Nbd7 10. O-O Qe7 11. b3 c5 12. Bb2 Rac8 13. d5 Rfe8 14. dxe6 fxe6
15. Qd2 d5 16. Ne1 Bc6 17. Nd3 dxc4 18. bxc4 Bxg2 19. Kxg2 e5 20. Qc2 Qd6 21.
Rad1 Nb8 22. f3 Qc7 23. Nf2 Nc6 24. e3 Rcd8 25. Ne4 Na5 26. Nxf6+ gxf6 27. Rd5
Rxd5 28. cxd5 b5 29. e4 Nc4 30. Bc1 Nd6 31. Be3 Rc8 32. f4 Qg7 33. fxe5 fxe5
34. Bc1 Qg4 35. Re1 Rf8 36. Qe2 Qxe2+ 37. Rxe2 a5 38. Bb2 Nc4 39. Bc1 b4 40.
Rc2 Nd6 41. Rxc5 b3 42. Kh3 a4 43. Bb2 Nxe4 44. Rc7 Nf2+ 45. Kh4 Nd3 46. Bc3
Rd8 47. Kg5 Rxd5 48. Kf6 Rd6+ 49. Kf5 Rb6 50. Rc8+ Kf7 51. Rc7+ Kf8 52. Ke4 b2
53. Bxb2 Nxb2 54. Rxh7 Nc4 55. Ra7 Rd6 56. Kf5 Rd4 57. Kf6 Ke8 58. h4 e4 59. h5
e3 0-1

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.03"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Black "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D85"]
[WhiteElo "2640"]
[BlackElo "2787"]
[Annotator "Ftacnik,L"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2010"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Be3 c5 8.
Qd2 Qa5 9. Nf3 O-O 10. Rc1 Nd7 11. d5 Nf6 12. Bd3 {Sakaev was not interested
to find out, which move his opponent considers to be the best after the
theoretical 12.c4.} (12. c4 Qc7 (12... Qxd2+ 13. Nxd2 b6 14. f3 e6 15. Be2 Ba6
16. e5 Ne8 17. dxe6 f6 18. Ne4 fxe5 19. Rd1 Nf6 20. Nd6 Ne8 21. e7 Nxd6 22.
exf8=Q+ Bxf8 23. Bh6 {1-0 Yermolinsky,A (2610)-Mikhalevski,V (2500)/Groningen
1996 (53)}) (12... Qa3 13. Bd3 e6 14. h3 exd5 15. cxd5 b6 16. O-O Re8 17. Qc2
Ba6 18. Bxa6 Qxa6 19. Nd2 Rac8 20. Rfe1 c4 21. Bd4 b5 22. Nf3 Qb7 23. Qb2 Nh5
24. Bxg7 Nxg7 25. Ne5 f5 26. Nxc4 $18 {1/2 Potapov,A (2500)-Chadaev,N (2383)/
Kaluga 2003 (61)}) 13. Bd3 e5 14. Bh6 Bxh6 15. Qxh6 Ng4 16. Qd2 f5 17. O-O Nf6
18. Qc2 f4 19. Qb2 Re8 20. Rb1 Rb8 21. Bc2 Bd7 22. Rfe1 {1/2 Kachiani
Gersinska,K (2374)-Baramidze,D (2551)/Bad Koenigshofen 2007 (26)}) 12... c4 13.
Bb1 (13. Bxc4 $2 Nxe4 $17) 13... Ng4 14. Bd4 (14. O-O Nxe3 15. Qxe3 Bg4 16. Nd4
Rad8 $11) 14... e5 15. dxe6 f6 $5 {Morozevich has an exceptionally original
perspective on chess problems. The saving of the dark squared bishop at the
cost of a tempo creates an unpleasant threat Bh6.} (15... Bxe6 16. Bxg7 Kxg7
17. O-O Rad8 18. Nd4 Ne5 $11) 16. e7 Re8 17. Qe2 (17. O-O Bh6 18. Qe2 Bxc1 19.
Qxc4+ Kg7 20. Rxc1 Rxe7 $15) 17... Be6 18. Nd2 (18. O-O Rxe7 19. Nd2 Ne5 20. f4
Nc6 21. Nxc4 Qa4 22. Ne3 Nxd4 23. cxd4 Qxd4 $11) 18... b5 19. f4 Rxe7 {The
position is aproximatelly equal, black pieces work harmoniously enough.} 20.
O-O (20. h3 Nh6 21. O-O Nf7 $11) 20... Qc7 21. h3 (21. a4 a6 22. h3 Nh6 23. Bc2
Nf7 24. Qf2 $14) 21... Nh6 22. Qf2 f5 (22... Nf7 23. Bc2 Bd7 $11) 23. Bxg7 Kxg7
24. Rfe1 Rae8 $6 {From the perspective of the further developments an
innacuracy. More sense seems to be offered by the immediate occupying of the d
file.} (24... Rd8 25. e5 Bd5 $11) 25. e5 Bd5 26. Nf1 Rd8 27. Ne3 Qb6 (27... a6
28. Qh4 $1 Be6 29. Nc2 Nf7 30. Nd4 $16) 28. Rcd1 Red7 29. Nxd5 $2 {[%mdl 16384]
The art of proper exchange of pieces is a tough nut even for the very strong
grandmasters. Sakaev could not hold himself and he swapped far reaching bishop.
Instead, the best idea of transfering the knight to d4 square would offer him
some advantage.} (29. Nc2 $1 Ng8 30. Qxb6 axb6 31. a3 Ne7 32. Nd4 $14) 29...
Rxd5 30. Qxb6 axb6 31. Rxd5 (31. Bc2 Ng8 32. a4 bxa4 33. Bxa4 Ne7 34. Rb1 Rd3
35. Rxb6 Rxc3 $11) 31... Rxd5 32. Kf2 Ng8 33. g4 Ne7 (33... fxg4 $2 34. hxg4
Rd2+ 35. Re2 $16) 34. gxf5 gxf5 35. Rg1+ Kf7 36. Ke2 Rd8 {The position is a
bit tricky for white, since the theoretically strong bishop is actually a
modest statist due to the pawn structure restrictions.} (36... Ke6 37. Bc2 Rd8
38. Rg7 Rh8 39. h4 Nd5 40. Kf3 Nxc3 41. Rc7 h5 $15) 37. Bc2 (37. Rg5 h6 (37...
Ke6 38. Rh5 b4 39. cxb4 Rd4 40. Rh6+ Ng6 $11) 38. Rg1 Ke6 39. Rg7 b4 40. cxb4
Rd4 $15) 37... Ra8 38. Rb1 $2 (38. Bb1 Ra3 39. Kd2 b4 $1 40. cxb4 Ke6 $17)
38... Nd5 $1 {Sakaev somehow forgott, that the knight can do lot of demage
with clever jumps. Morozevich's pieces will dominate the position.} (38... Rxa2
39. Kd2 Nd5 40. Rxb5 Ke6 $17) 39. Kd2 (39. Kf3 Nxc3 40. Rg1 Ne4 41. Bxe4 Ra3+
42. Ke2 fxe4 43. f5 Rxa2+ 44. Ke3 c3 45. Kxe4 b4 46. Kd3 Rf2 $19) 39... b4 $1
40. Bxf5 (40. cxb4 Rxa2 41. b5 Ke6 42. Kc1 h6 $19) 40... Rxa2+ 41. Ke1 b3 {
The defender is helpless, since his two proud connected passed pawns represent
no danger.} 42. Rd1 (42. e6+ Kf6 43. Bxh7 Nxc3 44. Rc1 Re2+ 45. Kf1 Re3 $19)
42... Ne3 (42... Ne3 43. Rd7+ Ke8 44. Be6 b2 $19) 0-1

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.09"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Black "Svidler, Peter"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A16"]
[WhiteElo "2640"]
[BlackElo "2727"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qh4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 Bg7
8. Rb1 Bc6 9. e4 e6 10. Qxd8+ Kxd8 11. Bd3 Nd7 12. Bc2 Nc5 13. e5 f5 14. exf6
Bxf6 15. Ba3 Nd7 16. O-O Nb6 17. Rfe1 Re8 18. Bc5 Bxf3 19. gxf3 c6 20. Re4 Kc7
21. Reb4 Be7 22. Bxb6+ axb6 23. Rxb6 Reb8 24. Be4 Rxa2 25. d4 Ra6 26. Rxa6 bxa6
27. Rxb8 Kxb8 28. Bxc6 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.08"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Black "Tomashevsky, Evgeny"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E18"]
[WhiteElo "2640"]
[BlackElo "2646"]
[PlyCount "105"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Bd2
d5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Rc1 Nd7 11. Bf4 c5 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Nd2 f5 14. Nc4 Nf6 15.
dxc5 Bxc5 16. Bd6 Bxd6 17. Nxd6 Qd7 18. Nxb7 Qxb7 19. Qb3+ Kh8 20. Rfd1 Qe7 21.
Qb5 g6 22. e3 Rad8 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. h3 Kg7 25. Bf1 Rd7 26. Rc6 Rc7 27. Qc4
Rxc6 28. Qxc6 Qd7 29. Qc3 Qd6 30. Qc8 Qf8 31. Qc6 Qe7 32. a3 Qd8 33. Qe6 Qe8
34. Qd6 Qd7 35. Qe5 Qe8 36. Qd4 Qd7 37. Qe5 Qe8 38. Qc3 Qe7 39. Qc8 Qe8 40. Qc3
Qe7 41. Qc8 Qe8 42. Qc7+ Qd7 43. Qb8 Qe7 44. Bc4 Ne8 45. Bb3 Kh6 46. Qf4+ Kg7
47. Qb8 Kh6 48. Kg2 Kg7 49. Bd5 Kh6 50. Qf4+ Kg7 51. Qb8 Kh6 52. Bc6 Nd6 53.
Bd5 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.05"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Black "Lastin, Alexander"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D12"]
[WhiteElo "2640"]
[BlackElo "2651"]
[PlyCount "128"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Be4 7. f3 Bg6 8. Qb3
Qc7 9. Bd2 Be7 10. Rc1 Nbd7 11. g3 Nb6 12. cxd5 Nfxd5 13. Nxg6 hxg6 14. Kf2 Bf6
15. Ne2 Rd8 16. e4 Ne7 17. Be3 e5 18. Rd1 exd4 19. Nxd4 g5 20. Be2 Nd7 21. Nc2
O-O 22. Qa3 Ng6 23. b3 Rfe8 24. h3 a5 25. Qc1 Nde5 26. Bxg5 Bxg5 27. Qxg5 a4
28. Qe3 axb3 29. axb3 Qa5 30. b4 Qa2 31. Qc3 Qe6 32. Kg2 Qf6 33. h4 Rxd1 34.
Rxd1 Ra8 35. Ra1 Rd8 36. Rd1 Ra8 37. h5 Nf8 38. Ra1 Rd8 39. Rd1 Ra8 40. f4 Ned7
41. e5 Qe7 42. Nd4 Nb6 43. Bf3 Ra4 44. b5 cxb5 45. Nxb5 Rc4 46. Qe3 Rc2+ 47.
Kh3 Qe6+ 48. g4 Rb2 49. Nd6 Qa2 50. Kg3 Qa4 51. Rd2 Rb3 52. Rd3 Rb2 53. Rd2 Rb3
54. Rd3 Rb2 55. Rc3 Qa2 56. Rc1 Rb4 57. f5 Nd5 58. Qc5 Qd2 59. Qxd5 Qxc1 60.
Qxf7+ Kh7 61. Ne4 Qe1+ 62. Kh3 Rxe4 63. Bxe4 Qxe4 64. Qxf8 Qf3+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.08"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Svidler, Peter"]
[Black "Maslak, Konstantin"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B92"]
[WhiteElo "2727"]
[BlackElo "2544"]
[PlyCount "125"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. O-O
O-O 9. a4 Be6 10. Bf3 Nbd7 11. a5 Rc8 12. Re1 Qc7 13. Be3 Rfd8 14. Nd2 h6 15.
Nf1 Nh7 16. Ng3 Bg5 17. Nf5 Bxe3 18. Nxe3 Nhf6 19. Qd2 Nc5 20. Ncd5 Bxd5 21.
exd5 Ncd7 22. c4 g6 23. b4 Kg7 24. Ra3 Qb8 25. h4 Qa7 26. Rd1 h5 27. g3 Rc7 28.
Kg2 Re8 29. Rc1 Qd4 30. Rd3 Qa7 31. Rdc3 Qd4 32. Qc2 Rb8 33. Rd1 Qa7 34. c5
dxc5 35. d6 Rcc8 36. Rc1 c4 37. Nxc4 Re8 38. Qd2 Rbc8 39. Qe3 Qb8 40. Qg5 e4
41. Be2 Rcd8 42. Rb1 b5 43. axb6 Nxb6 44. Ne3 Nh7 45. Qa5 Qxd6 46. Rd1 Qf6 47.
Rxd8 Rxd8 48. Rc2 Nf8 49. Bxa6 Ne6 50. Bb7 Nd4 51. Ra2 Re8 52. Qc5 Re6 53. Qc3
Re7 54. Rd2 Rxb7 55. Qxd4 Rd7 56. Qxf6+ Kxf6 57. Rc2 Ke6 58. b5 Rb7 59. Rc6+
Kd7 60. Rc5 Kd6 61. Rc6+ Kd7 62. Rc5 Kd6 63. Rc6+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.14"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Svidler, Peter"]
[Black "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C92"]
[WhiteElo "2727"]
[BlackElo "2737"]
[PlyCount "61"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3
Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. c3 Na5 11. Bc2 c5 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. Nf1 h6 14. d4 cxd4 15. cxd4
exd4 16. Nxd4 Bf8 17. Ng3 Rc8 18. b3 d5 19. e5 Ne4 20. Nxe4 dxe4 21. Bxe4 Bxe4
22. Rxe4 Nc6 23. Bb2 Rxe5 24. Rxe5 Nxe5 25. Qe2 Ng6 26. Qe4 Qd7 27. Re1 Rd8 28.
Nc6 Rc8 29. Nd4 Rd8 30. Nc6 Rc8 31. Nd4 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.05"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Svidler, Peter"]
[Black "Riazantsev, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2727"]
[BlackElo "2656"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Qd2
O-O 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. O-O-O Qa5 11. Bxc5 Nxc5 12. h4 Bd7 13. h5 Rab8 14. h6 g6
15. Qe3 Na4 16. Nxa4 Qxa4 17. Kb1 Rfc8 18. Rd2 Nb4 19. a3 Rxc2 20. axb4 Rc1+
21. Kxc1 Qa1+ 22. Kc2 Rc8+ 23. Qc3 Rxc3+ 24. Kxc3 Bb5 25. Kd4 Bxf1 26. Rf2 Qc1
27. Rfxf1 Qxf4+ 28. Kd3 Qe4+ 29. Kd2 Qxb4+ 30. Ke3 Qb6+ 31. Kf4 f6 32. exf6
Qxb2 33. Kg4 Qxg2+ 34. Kh4 Qb2 35. Rhg1 Qxf6+ 36. Ng5 Qb2 37. Kh3 a5 38. Nxe6
1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.11"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Svidler, Peter"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D45"]
[WhiteElo "2727"]
[BlackElo "2638"]
[PlyCount "134"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 a6 5. e3 e6 6. c5 b6 7. cxb6 Nbd7 8. Bd3 c5
9. b3 Nxb6 10. O-O Bb7 11. Bb2 cxd4 12. exd4 Be7 13. Rc1 O-O 14. Qe2 a5 15. a4
Nc8 16. Ne5 Na7 17. Nb5 Nxb5 18. Bxb5 Qb6 19. Rc2 Rfc8 20. Rfc1 Rxc2 21. Rxc2
Bd6 22. Qe1 Qd8 23. Qc1 Qe7 24. Bc3 h6 25. h3 Ne4 26. Be1 Qd8 27. Nd7 Ra7 28.
Ne5 Ra8 29. Nd3 Qe7 30. f3 Ng3 31. Bxg3 Bxg3 32. f4 Ba6 33. Bxa6 Rxa6 34. Rc8+
Kh7 35. Rc7 Qf6 36. Qe3 Bh4 37. Ne5 Qf5 38. Rxf7 Qe4 39. Qc3 Qe1+ 40. Qxe1 Bxe1
41. g4 Bc3 42. Nf3 Rb6 43. Re7 Rxb3 44. Kf2 Rb6 45. h4 Bb4 46. Re8 g6 47. Ne5
Kg7 48. Kf3 Ba3 49. Ra8 Bb2 50. Ra7+ Kg8 51. Rxa5 Bxd4 52. Rb5 Ra6 53. Rb8+ Kg7
54. Rb7+ Kg8 55. Nxg6 Rxa4 56. g5 h5 57. f5 exf5 58. Kf4 Ra7 59. Rb8+ Kg7 60.
Ne5 Bxe5+ 61. Kxe5 Rd7 62. Kxf5 d4 63. Ke6 Rf7 64. Rd8 d3 65. Rxd3 Rf4 66. Ke5
Rxh4 67. Kf5 Ra4 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.03"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Svidler, Peter"]
[Black "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D46"]
[WhiteElo "2727"]
[BlackElo "2669"]
[Annotator "Ftacnik,L"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2010"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3
Bd6 9. O-O O-O {This position is currently a hot opening issue and a topic of
an intense scrutiny. It represents the modern form of Semislav opening.} 10. e4
e5 11. Ne2 a6 (11... Re8 12. Qc2 (12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 exd4 14. Nexd4 Bb7 15. Nf5
Bf8 16. Re1 Nc5 17. Re3 Ncxe4 18. Rxe4 Rxe4 19. Bxf6 Qxf6 20. Bxe4 Qxb2 21. Qd4
Qxd4 22. N5xd4 Rc8 23. Rc1 {1-0 Korotylev,A (2615)-Sedlak,N (2561)/Moscow 2007
(29)}) 12... Bb7 13. dxe5 (13. Bg5 h6 14. Bh4 Qb6 15. a4 a6 16. Rad1 Rac8 17.
dxe5 Nxe5 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Nh4 c5 20. Nc3 c4 21. Be2 bxa4 22. Nxa4 Qb4 23. Nc3
{1-0 Van Wely,L (2680)-Andriasian,Z (2546)/Hoogeveen 2007 (53)}) 13... Nxe5 14.
Nxe5 Bxe5 15. f4 Bd4+ 16. Kh1 c5 17. e5 c4 18. Bf5 g6 19. Nxd4 Qxd4 20. Bh3 Ne4
21. Qe2 f5 22. Be3 Qd5 23. Rfd1 Qc6 {1/2 Kozul,Z (2597)-Graf,A (2646)/Plovdiv
2003 (44)}) (11... Bb7 12. Bg5 Re8 13. Rc1 Rc8 (13... a6 14. Kh1 (14. Bb1 Rc8
15. Ng3 exd4 16. Nxd4 h6 17. Be3 Bf8 18. Ndf5 Ne5 19. Qe2 c5 20. Rfd1 Qb6 21.
f3 Nc4 22. Bf2 Nd5 23. Qc2 Nf4 24. Ne3 Nxe3 25. Bxe3 Qc7 {1/2 Bruzon Bautista,
L (2607)-Vescovi,G (2617)/Linares 2008 (30)}) 14... exd4 15. Nfxd4 Nc5 16. f3
Nxd3 17. Qxd3 Bf8 18. Qc2 c5 19. Nf5 Qb6 20. Neg3 Nd7 21. Rfd1 Ne5 22. Be3 Rad8
23. b4 Nc4 24. Bxc5 Bxc5 25. bxc5 Qxc5 26. Nh5 {1-0 Malakhatko,V (2543)
-Kharitonov,A (2461)/Sozina 2004 (29)}) 14. Kh1 exd4 15. Nexd4 g6 16. Qd2 Bf8
17. Rfe1 Qb6 18. h3 a6 19. e5 c5 20. Nf5 Nh5 21. N5h4 Bg7 22. Bxg6 hxg6 23.
Qxd7 {1/2 Korotylev,A (2546)-Beshukov,S (2507)/Biel 2003 (31)}) 12. b3 Re8 13.
Bb2 Bb7 14. Rc1 {[%mdl 4] Both sides engage merrily in mobilisation of the
reserves. Svidler is indirectly admitting, that he does not know the method,
how to punish black for the sensible set up.} (14. Ng3 g6 15. dxe5 Nxe5 16.
Nxe5 Bxe5 17. Bxe5 Rxe5 18. f4 Rc5 (18... Re7 19. e5 Rd7 20. exf6 Rxd3 21. Qc2
Qd4+ $15) 19. Qe2 Qe7 20. Rae1 Re8 21. e5 {1-0 Guthrie,D (2110)-Turner,M/New
Zeeland 1996 (29)}) (14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Bxe5 16. Bxe5 Rxe5 17. Qc2 Qb6 18.
Kh1 Re7 19. Ng3 Rd8 20. Rad1 g6 21. h3 c5 22. Rfe1 {1/2 Horvath,C (2517)
-Markus,R (2478)/Hungary 2003}) 14... exd4 $5 (14... Rc8 15. dxe5 Nxe5 16. Nxe5
Bxe5 17. Bxe5 Rxe5 18. f3 c5 $11) 15. Nexd4 c5 (15... Nxe4 16. Bxe4 Rxe4 17.
Nxc6 Bxc6 (17... Qf8 18. Na5 $18) 18. Qxd6 Re6 19. Qd4 Qf8 20. Ng5 (20. Rxc6
Rxc6 21. Qxd7 Rc2 22. Be5 $16) 20... Rd6 21. Qf4 $16) 16. Nf5 Bf8 {Inarkiev
was the first to provoke the direct confrontation. He must have deemed the
position promissing due to the pressure against the e4 square.} 17. e5 (17. Nd2
g6 (17... Nxe4 18. Nxe4 Bxe4 19. Bxe4 Rxe4 20. Qf3 Re8 21. Rfd1 $14) 18. Ne3
Bg7 $15) 17... Ng4 (17... Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Nxe5 19. Bxe5 Rxe5 20. Qg3 Rxf5 (20...
Qc7 $2 21. Nh6+ Kh8 22. Qxe5 $18) 21. Bxf5 g6 22. Bb1 $14) 18. Nd6 Bxf3 (18...
Bxd6 19. exd6 g6 20. Qd2 Re6 (20... Bxf3 21. gxf3 Nge5 22. Be4 Rb8 23. f4 Nc4
24. bxc4 Rxe4 25. Rfe1 $16) 21. Be2 Ndf6 22. h3 Ne4 23. Qf4 Ngf6 24. Ne5 g5 25.
Qf5 Rxd6 26. Bd3 Qe7 27. Rfe1 $14) 19. Qxf3 Ngxe5 $2 {Not even in fairy tales
the roads are splitting into several possibilities without a deeper meaning.
Black had to take back on e5 with one of the knights, but unfortunatelly he
touched the wrong one to his peril.} (19... Ndxe5 $1 20. Bxh7+ Kxh7 21. Qh3+
Kg8 22. Nxe8 Qb6 (22... Qxe8 23. f4 Nc4 $1 24. bxc4 Qe3+ 25. Qxe3 Nxe3 26. Rfe1
Nxc4 27. Bc3 $14) 23. Bxe5 Nxe5 24. Rce1 Rxe8 25. f4 c4+ 26. Kh1 Bd6 27. fxe5
Bxe5 $14) 20. Bxh7+ Kxh7 21. Qf5+ $1 Kg8 (21... g6 22. Qh3+ Kg8 23. Nxe8 Qxe8
24. f4 $16) 22. Nxe8 Qxe8 23. Rce1 $1 {The fate of the knight e5 is sealed and
black will have virtually no compensation for the missing exchange.} g6 24. Qe4
Bg7 (24... c4 25. Bxe5 Nxe5 26. bxc4 bxc4 27. Qxe5 Qxe5 28. Rxe5 $16) 25. f4
Rb8 26. Qd5 (26. fxe5 Qe6 27. Re3 Re8 28. Rfe1 $16) 26... Rb6 (26... Nb6 27.
Qd6 Nf3+ 28. gxf3 Qf8 29. Qxf8+ Bxf8 30. f5 gxf5 31. Kh1 $16) 27. fxe5 Re6 28.
Rd1 (28. Kh1 $5 c4 29. Re3 cxb3 30. axb3 Bxe5 31. Bxe5 Nxe5 32. Rfe1 f6 33. Rc3
$16) 28... Nxe5 29. Qxc5 Nf3+ $1 {Willingly or not black simply has to choose
this exchange combination if he wants to prolong the resistance.} (29... Re7
30. Bc3 $18) 30. Rxf3 Bxb2 31. Qd5 Bf6 32. Rdf1 (32. Qd7 Re1+ 33. Rf1 Rxf1+ 34.
Kxf1 Qe5 35. Qd6 $18) 32... Qe7 33. g3 {The days of second player are numbered,
since he is sitting without the exchange. On the other hand the realisation is
requiring certain level of patience, since the defense is very compact.} (33.
Qa8+ Kg7 34. Rh3 Bh4 35. Qc8 $16) 33... Kg7 (33... Rd6 34. Qa8+ Kg7 35. Kg2 $16
) 34. Kh1 Rd6 35. Qa8 b4 (35... Qd7 36. Kg2 Rc6 37. R1f2 $16) 36. Rf4 Bc3 37.
Re4 $1 {Svidler elegantly avoided the devilish temting of the queen grab after
the exchanges on the square f7. The win will be much easier with the help of
an attack along the 8th rank.} (37. Rxf7+ Qxf7 38. Rxf7+ Kxf7 39. a4 $2 bxa3
40. Qb7+ Kg8 41. Qc8+ Kh7 42. Qxc3 Rd1+ 43. Kg2 a2 44. Qc7+ $11) 37... Qc7 38.
Rh4 Rd8 (38... Qc6+ 39. Qxc6 Rxc6 40. Rc4 $18) 39. Qxa6 f5 40. Rc4 Qe7 41. Qc6
Kh6 42. Qf3 {The time trouble is over and the black defense was broken.} 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Svidler, Peter"]
[Black "Tomashevsky, Evgeny"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C88"]
[WhiteElo "2727"]
[BlackElo "2646"]
[PlyCount "112"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bb7 7. d3 Be7 8. a4
O-O 9. Re1 d6 10. Nbd2 Na5 11. Ba2 c5 12. Nf1 Re8 13. Ng3 g6 14. Ng5 c4 15. Bd2
d5 16. exd5 Nxd5 17. Rxe5 Nc6 18. Re1 Ndb4 19. dxc4 Nxa2 20. Rxa2 bxc4 21. Nf3
Nb4 22. Ra1 Rb8 23. Bc3 Qxd1 24. Raxd1 Nd5 25. Be5 Rbc8 26. Ne4 Red8 27. Nc3 f6
28. Nxd5 Rxd5 29. Bc3 Kf7 30. h3 Rxd1 31. Rxd1 Bc6 32. Nd4 Rd8 33. b3 Bc5 34.
Rd2 Bxd4 35. Bxd4 cxb3 36. cxb3 Be4 37. f3 Bf5 38. Kf2 Be6 39. b4 Bc4 40. g4
Rd7 41. h4 h5 42. Ke3 Re7+ 43. Kf4 Rd7 44. g5 fxg5+ 45. Kxg5 Rd6 46. Kf4 Bb3
47. a5 Bc4 48. Ke4 Bb5 49. Rc2 Rc6 50. Bc5 Re6+ 51. Kf4 Rf6+ 52. Kg3 Bc6 53.
Rc3 Bb5 54. Rc2 Bc6 55. Rc3 Bb5 56. Rc2 Bc6 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.13"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Timofeev, Artyom"]
[Black "Svidler, Peter"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E54"]
[WhiteElo "2670"]
[BlackElo "2727"]
[Annotator "Ftacnik,L"]
[PlyCount "37"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2010"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. Bd3 dxc4 8.
Bxc4 O-O 9. O-O b6 10. Bg5 Bb7 11. Re1 Nbd7 12. Rc1 Rc8 13. Qb3 Bxc3 {Black
players are not enjoying an easy life in this variation, since the white's
initiative is very dangerous. The examples are proving, that not even the
retreat to e7 is promissing equality.} (13... Be7 14. Bxf6 Nxf6 (14... Bxf6 15.
Nb5 Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Bg5 17. Rc2 a6 18. Nd6 Rc7 19. Nxf7 Qe7 20. Nxg5 Rxf3 21.
Rxe6 Rxc4 22. Rxe7 Rxc2 23. gxf3 {1-0 Aleksandrov,A (2630)-Perunovic,M (2559)/
Vrnjacka Banja 2005/ (56)}) 15. Bxe6 fxe6 16. Qxe6+ Kh8 17. Qxe7 Bxf3 18. gxf3
Qxd4 19. Nb5 Qxb2 20. Rxc8 Rxc8 21. Nd6 Rb8 22. Nf7+ Kg8 23. Qe6 Rf8 24. Nd8+
Kh8 25. Qe7 {1-0 Kramnik,V (2770)-Kasparov,G (2849)/London 2000/}) 14. Rxc3 Rc7
$6 {Svidler is preparing the transfer of the queen to a8, but this will prove
to have been an exceptionally unfortunate solution. It seems that only the
very exact attacking of the bishop g5 can offer chances for the successful
defense.} (14... h6 $1 15. Bh4 Qe8 16. Ne5 (16. Nd2 Nd5 17. Rcc1 f5 (17... N7f6
18. Bf1 Rxc1 19. Rxc1 Qb8 20. Bg3 Nf4 21. f3 Rd8 22. Qe3 N6d5 23. Qe1 Nf6 24.
Bf2 Rc8 25. a3 Rxc1 26. Qxc1 e5 27. Qe1 exd4 28. Bxd4 {1/2 Zvjaginsev,V (2631)
-Ramesh,R (2467)/Linares 2001 (77)}) 18. f3 a6 19. a4 Qg6 20. Bg3 Qf6 21. Qd3
f4 22. Bf2 Qe7 23. Qe2 Nc7 24. Ne4 {1/2 Timofeev,A (2663)-Grigoriants,S (2592)/
Moscow 2007 (69)}) 16... Nxe5 17. dxe5 Ne4 18. Bb5 Rxc3 19. bxc3 Qa8 20. f3 Nc5
21. Qb4 Ba6 22. Bxa6 Nxa6 23. Qb5 Qc8 {1/2 Pelletier,Y (2604)-Bologan,V (2673)/
Pamplona 2003 (47)}) (14... Qe8 $6 15. Nd2 h6 16. Bxh6 $1 gxh6 17. Rh3 Rxc4 18.
Nxc4 Kg7 19. Qg3+ Kh7 20. Qd3+ Kg7 21. Nd6 Qb8 22. Rxe6 fxe6 23. Rg3+ Ng4 24.
Rxg4+ Kf6 25. Qh7 {1-0 Onischuk,A (2641)-Vescovi,G (2611)/Poikovsky 2002}) 15.
Ne5 Kh8 $2 {[%mdl 128] The retreat of the king smacks of alibism and will only
make the defenders plight worse. The only chance for resistance was connected
with the queen move to e7 squre.} (15... Qa8 16. Bxe6 Rxc3 17. Bxf7+ Kh8 18.
bxc3 Bxg2 19. Bxf6 gxf6 (19... Nxf6 20. c4 Bf3 21. c5 Bd5 22. Bxd5 Qxd5 23.
Qxd5 Nxd5 24. c6 $18) 20. Nxd7 Bh3 21. Qd5 Qxd5 22. Bxd5 Bxd7 23. Re7 {1-0
Alsina Leal,D-Vilar Lopez,M (2130)/Lisbon 2001 (35)}) (15... Nxe5 16. dxe5 Qd4
17. exf6 Qg4 18. g3 Qxg5 19. Bxe6 $1 Qa5 (19... Rxc3 20. Bxf7+ Kh8 21. Qxc3 $16
) 20. Rd1 $16) (15... Qe7 $1 16. Bh4 $5 Rfc8 17. Nxf7 Rxc4 18. Nh6+ gxh6 19.
Rxc4 $14) 16. Rh3 $1 (16. Qa3 Qa8 17. Qe7 Nxe5 18. Qxc7 Nxc4 19. Bxf6 gxf6 20.
Rxc4 Rg8 (20... Bxg2 21. Qe7 $18) 21. g3 Bh1 22. f3 Qxf3 23. Rc2 $16) 16... Qa8
(16... Kg8 17. Qg3 Qe7 18. Bd3 $18) 17. Nxd7 Rxd7 (17... Nxd7 18. Bd3 g6 19. f3
Bd5 20. Qb4 Kg8 21. Bf4 $16) 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Rxh7+ $1 {The charming decision
that is very painful for black. Svidler stopped the clock as he is not able to
avoid mate.} (19. Rxh7+ $1 Kxh7 20. Qh3+ Kg7 21. Qg4+ Kh6 22. Re3 Bxg2 23. Qh4+
Kg6 24. Rg3+ Kf5 25. Qg4#) (19. Qd3 f5 20. Qe3 Rg8 21. Qe5+ Rg7 22. Rg3 $16)
1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.15"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Timofeev, Artyom"]
[Black "Tomashevsky, Evgeny"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C88"]
[WhiteElo "2670"]
[BlackElo "2646"]
[PlyCount "116"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bb7 7. d3 Be7 8. Re1
O-O 9. Nbd2 Re8 10. Nf1 Bf8 11. c3 Na5 12. Bc2 d5 13. exd5 Qxd5 14. Bg5 Qd6 15.
Ng3 c5 16. Qe2 Nc6 17. a4 Rab8 18. axb5 axb5 19. Bb3 Nd5 20. Qe4 Nb6 21. Qh4
Qg6 22. Re4 Kh8 23. Rae1 Na5 24. Bc2 Bxe4 25. Rxe4 Nc6 26. Re2 f5 27. Qh3 Ra8
28. Re1 Be7 29. Bc1 Qg4 30. Nxf5 Qxh3 31. gxh3 Ra1 32. Nd2 c4 33. dxc4 bxc4 34.
Nxe7 Nxe7 35. Kf1 Ned5 36. Ne4 Nf4 37. Nd6 Rf8 38. Be3 Rxe1+ 39. Kxe1 Ng2+ 40.
Ke2 Nxe3 41. fxe3 g6 42. b3 cxb3 43. Bxb3 Kg7 44. c4 Nd7 45. Ne4 Rc8 46. Kd3
Nc5+ 47. Nxc5 Rxc5 48. Kc3 Kf6 49. Kb4 Rc8 50. c5 Ke7 51. h4 Rf8 52. h5 gxh5
53. Kc4 Rf2 54. h4 Rb2 55. e4 Rd2 56. Kb5 Rh2 57. Bg8 Rxh4 58. Bxh7 Rh2 0-1

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.05"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Timofeev, Artyom"]
[Black "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C92"]
[WhiteElo "2670"]
[BlackElo "2669"]
[Annotator "Ftacnik,L"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2010"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3
Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. c3 Na5 11. Bc2 c5 12. Nbd2 Nd7 13. Nf1 Bf6 14. Ne3 g6 15. b4 {
With the help of a subtle move order white has manage to ovoid the unpleasant
Marshall counter attack connected with the sacrifice of the pawn after 8.c3 d5.
He paid the heavy price, since black could develop his pieces without
hindrance.} (15. Ng4 Bg7 16. Nh6+ Kh8 17. b4 Nc6 18. Bb3 Qe7 19. Bd2 Nb6 20. g4
Rad8 21. Be3 Na8 22. Qd2 Nc7 23. a4 Ne6 24. g5 f5 25. gxf6 Rxf6 {0-1 Bousmaha,
A (2205)-Lin Ta (2300)/Luzern 1985 (44)}) (15. d4 exd4 16. cxd4 cxd4 17. Nxd4
Rc8 18. Ng4 Bg7 19. Bh6 Ne5 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. Ne3 Qf6 22. Rb1 Nac4 23. Nxc4
Rxc4 {0-1 Jamison,C (1979)-Tuvshintugs,B (2278)/Tulsa 2008 (41)}) 15... Nc6 16.
Nd5 Bg7 17. Bg5 {The new move that is hoping to instill some tension into the
enemy defensive build up.} (17. Bb3 Kh8 18. a4 Ne7 19. Ne3 h6 20. axb5 axb5 21.
Bb2 f5 22. Bc2 Rc8 23. bxc5 Nxc5 24. Nf1 Ne6 25. d4 fxe4 26. Bxe4 d5 27. Bc2 e4
28. N3h2 Qc7 {0-1 Kalugin,S (2355)-Lastin,A (2558)/Novgorod 1999 (37)}) 17...
f6 18. Be3 Kh8 $6 {The alibistic retreat of the king is not solving any
problem and is losing a tempo.} (18... Ne7 19. Nxe7+ Qxe7 20. Bb3+ Kh8 21. Qd2
$14) 19. bxc5 dxc5 (19... Nxc5 20. d4 exd4 21. cxd4 Ne6 22. a4 $16) 20. d4 Rc8
$6 (20... cxd4 21. cxd4 Nxd4 22. Nxd4 exd4 23. Bxd4 Rc8 24. a4 Re8 $14) 21. a4
{The annotator assisted with the modern technique is hard pressed to explain,
why both players are ignoring the problem of the c5 pawn grab.} (21. dxc5 $5
Na5 22. Nb6 Nxb6 23. cxb6 Rxc3 24. Bd2 Rxc2 25. Qxc2 Qxb6 26. Be3 $16) 21...
cxd4 22. cxd4 Re8 (22... exd4 23. Nxd4 Nxd4 24. Bxd4 Re8 $14) 23. axb5 axb5 24.
Re2 Re6 $2 {[%mdl 256] Inarkiev is an excellent chessplayer with sufficient
feeling for position able to detect problems after the exchanges on the d4
square. Despite that his ambitious solution with the transfer of the rook to
d6 square is not sufficient.} (24... exd4 25. Nxd4 Nxd4 26. Bxd4 Nc5 27. Ra7 $1
Nxe4 28. Rxb7 Qxd5 29. Rxg7 Kxg7 30. Bxe4 Qc4 (30... Rxe4 31. Bxf6+ Kxf6 32.
Qxd5 Rxe2 33. Qf3+ $18) 31. Rc2 Qe6 32. Be3 $16) 25. Rd2 Rd6 (25... Qe8 26.
dxe5 Ndxe5 27. Nxe5 fxe5 28. Nb6 Rd8 29. Rxd8 Qxd8 30. Qd5 Rd6 31. Qxb5 $16)
26. Nc3 $1 {The kingdom for the horse! should be rephrased to: The kingdom for
tempo! Black's grand concept is failing, since the time and initiative belong
to Timofeev.} Nb6 (26... Nxd4 27. Nxd4 exd4 (27... Rxc3 28. Ne6 $1 Rxd2 (28...
Rxe6 29. Rxd7 $18) 29. Bxd2 $18) 28. Nxb5 Ra6 (28... Rd5 $5 29. Nxd4 Rd6 30.
Ne6 Rxd2 31. Qxd2 Qe7 32. Ra7 $16) 29. Rxa6 Bxa6 30. Nd6 $16) 27. Nxb5 Rd7 28.
Bb3 exd4 (28... Na8 29. dxe5 Rxd2 30. Qxd2 Qxd2 31. Nxd2 Nxe5 32. Nd6 $18) 29.
Nfxd4 Ne5 $2 {It is difficult to accuse black for the unwillingness to play
the sorry position after the exchanges on the d4 square. Keeping more pieces
on the board will open white the scope for winning with the help of
combination.} (29... Nxd4 30. Rxd4 Rxd4 (30... Bxe4 $2 31. Nd6 $18) 31. Qxd4
Qxd4 32. Bxd4 Nc4 33. f3 $16) 30. Ne6 $1 Rxd2 31. Nxd8 Rdxd8 (31... Rxd1+ 32.
Rxd1 Ba6 33. Na7 Rc3 (33... Rb8 34. Ndc6 $18) 34. Nf7+ Nxf7 35. Bxf7 $18) 32.
Nd6 $5 (32. Qe2 Nbc4 33. Bd4 $18) 32... Bf8 (32... Rc6 33. Nxb7 Rxd1+ 34. Rxd1
$18) 33. Nxc8 Rxd1+ 34. Rxd1 Nxc8 35. Rd8 {From the point of higher chess
justice it seems sympatethic, that white is scoring in the end with the help
of combinatory battle along the d file.} Kg7 36. f4 Nf7 (36... Nc6 37. Rd7+ $18
) 37. Rd7 Ncd6 38. Bxf7 {The game is over, witty black's defense was seriously
punished.} Bc6 (38... Nxf7 39. Rxb7 $18) 39. Rc7 Bxe4 40. Be6+ Kh6 41. Bc5 (41.
Bc5 g5 42. Rd7 $18) 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.08"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Timofeev, Artyom"]
[Black "Riazantsev, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "2670"]
[BlackElo "2656"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Nge2 Ne7 6. Be3 O-O 7. Qd2 Nd7 8. a3
Ba5 9. Ng3 f5 10. exf5 Nxf5 11. Nxf5 exf5 12. Bd3 Nf6 13. O-O Nh5 14. Bg5 Qd6
15. Rae1 Be6 16. Qf2 h6 17. Bd2 Bc7 18. Qh4 Bf7 19. Bxf5 g5 20. Qh3 Qf6 21. Ne2
Ng7 22. Bd3 h5 23. g4 Bg6 24. f4 hxg4 25. Qxg4 Bxd3 26. cxd3 gxf4 27. Bxf4 Bxf4
28. Rxf4 Qe7 29. Ref1 Qe3+ 30. Kh1 Qxd3 31. Rg1 Qh7 32. Qg2 Rae8 33. Rg4 Rf7
34. Nf4 Qh6 35. Rg6 Qh7 36. Nh5 Ree7 37. Qg4 Kf8 38. Nxg7 Rxg7 39. Qf5+ Rgf7
40. Qc8+ Re8 41. Rg8+ 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.03"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Timofeev, Artyom"]
[Black "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C88"]
[WhiteElo "2670"]
[BlackElo "2737"]
[PlyCount "105"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3
Bb7 9. d3 d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxe5 Nd4 12. Nc3 Nb4 13. Ne4 Nxb3 14. axb3 f5
15. Nd2 Bf6 16. Ndf3 Re8 17. Bd2 c5 18. d4 Bxe5 19. Nxe5 Qxd4 20. Bxb4 Qxd1 21.
Raxd1 cxb4 22. Nd3 Rxe1+ 23. Rxe1 Rc8 24. Re2 Be4 25. Nxb4 a5 26. Nd3 Bxd3 27.
cxd3 Rc1+ 28. Kh2 Rd1 29. Re8+ Kf7 30. Re5 Kf6 31. Rxb5 Rxd3 32. b4 a4 33. Ra5
Rd2 34. f4 Rxb2 35. Ra6+ Kf7 36. Rxa4 h5 37. Kg3 h4+ 38. Kxh4 Rxg2 39. b5 Rb2
40. Ra7+ Kg6 41. Ra6+ Kf7 42. Rb6 g6 43. Kg3 Rb3+ 44. Kg2 Rb2+ 45. Kf3 Rb3+ 46.
Ke2 Rxh3 47. Rc6 Rb3 48. b6 g5 49. fxg5 f4 50. Kf2 Kg7 51. Rf6 Kh7 52. Rxf4
Rxb6 53. Ke3 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Timofeev, Artyom"]
[Black "Maslak, Konstantin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A38"]
[WhiteElo "2670"]
[BlackElo "2544"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 c5 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. O-O O-O 7. d4 cxd4 8.
Nxd4 d6 9. Nc2 a6 10. b3 Qa5 11. Nd5 Be6 12. Bd2 Qd8 13. Rc1 Rc8 14. Nce3 Re8
15. Bc3 Ng4 16. Nxg4 Bxg4 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Qd2 Bd7 19. Rfd1 b6 20. b4 e5 21.
Qe3 Rb8 22. b5 axb5 23. cxb5 Nd4 24. Rxd4 exd4 25. Qxd4+ f6 26. e3 Rf8 27. a4
Be8 28. h4 Rf7 29. Bh3 Bd7 30. Bxd7 Rxd7 31. Rc6 Rc8 32. Rxc8 Qxc8 33. Nxf6
Qc1+ 34. Kg2 Rf7 35. Ng4+ 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.04"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Tomashevsky, Evgeny"]
[Black "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D11"]
[WhiteElo "2646"]
[BlackElo "2737"]
[PlyCount "62"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. d4 Bg4 5. h3 Bxf3 6. Qxf3 e6 7. Nc3 Nbd7 8. Bd3
Bb4 9. O-O O-O 10. Qd1 dxc4 11. Bxc4 c5 12. Qb3 cxd4 13. exd4 Qa5 14. Be3 Nb6
15. Bd3 Nbd5 16. Rac1 h6 17. Nxd5 Nxd5 18. Be4 Nxe3 19. fxe3 Rad8 20. Rc4 Bd6
21. Ra4 Qg5 22. Rxa7 Rd7 23. Rxb7 Rxb7 24. Bxb7 Rb8 25. Qc3 Rxb7 26. Qc8+ Kh7
27. Qxb7 Qxe3+ 28. Kh1 Qg3 29. Kg1 Qe3+ 30. Kh1 Qg3 31. Kg1 Qe3+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.14"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Tomashevsky, Evgeny"]
[Black "Riazantsev, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D37"]
[WhiteElo "2646"]
[BlackElo "2656"]
[Annotator "Ftacnik,L"]
[PlyCount "71"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2010"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. c5 c6 8. h3 b6
9. b4 a5 10. a3 Ba6 11. Bxa6 Rxa6 12. b5 cxb5 13. c6 Qc8 14. c7 b4 15. Nb5 a4 {
The fight in this sharp variation is dancing around the question, which
advancing pawn is a heavier burden for the opponent. The praxis shows, that
black must immediatelly activate his pieces.} (15... bxa3 16. O-O a4 (16... Ra8
17. Qc2 Ne4 18. Qc6 h6 19. Rfc1 Bb4 20. Rc2 Kh7 21. Ne1 Ndf6 $2 22. f3 Nd2 23.
Rxd2 Bxd2 24. Qc2+ $18 {Gustafsson,J-Oms Pallise,J/Andorra 2002}) 17. Qc2 Ne4
18. Rfc1 h6 19. Bh2 g6 20. Ne1 Ra8 21. f3 Qa6 22. Rab1 Nef6 23. Bd6 {1-0
Schandorff,L (2546)-Iordachescu,V (2567)/Bled 2002 (67)}) 16. Rc1 (16. axb4
Bxb4+ 17. Ke2 Ra5 18. Qd3 Ne4 19. Rhc1 Qa6 $1 (19... Qb7 $2 20. Rab1 Be7 21.
Nd2 Rc8 22. Nxe4 dxe4 23. Qc4 $44 {Sokolov,I-Bologan,V/Pamplona 2002}) 20. Nd6
Qxd3+ 21. Kxd3 Bxd6 22. c8=Q Rxc8 23. Rxc8+ Bf8 $11) 16... Ne4 (16... Ne8 17.
Qc2 b3 18. Qc6 Nc5 19. Ne5 Nf6 20. O-O Nb7 21. f3 Re8 22. Bg5 Na5 23. Qc3 Bf8
24. e4 Ra8 25. Bxf6 gxf6 26. Ng4 {1-0 Farago,I (2504)-Cigan,S (2367)/Austria
2007 (40)}) (16... b3 $2 17. Bd6 $16) 17. Nd2 Ndf6 {Due to the failure of the
black's defense in this game it can be presumed, that the future will belong
to the knight jump to c3.} (17... Nc3 $5 18. Nxc3 bxc3 19. Rxc3 b5 20. Qe2 Qb7
(20... b4 21. axb4 Bxb4 22. Rc2 Nb6 (22... Ra7 23. O-O e5 24. dxe5 Rxc7 25.
Rxc7 Qxc7 26. e6 Ne5 27. exf7+ Rxf7 28. Rb1 $14) 23. O-O {1-0 Miton,K (2530)
-Vaganian,R (2623)/Belgium 2004 (51)}) 21. O-O Rc8 22. Rb1 Rb6 23. Nf3 b4 24.
axb4 Bxb4 25. Rc2 Bd6 26. Rxb6 Qxb6 27. Bxd6 Qxd6 28. Qb5 Rxc7 29. Qxa4 {
1/2 Van Wely,L (2676)-Jussupow,A (2600)/Wolvega 2006}) 18. f3 Ra5 19. Nxe4 $1 {
Very important moment for the result of the fight. Tomashevsky sees the
importance of changing all knights, as then the difference in impact of
darksquared bishops can become visible.} (19. fxe4 $2 Rxb5 20. Bg5 b3 $1 (20...
dxe4 21. Bxf6 gxf6 22. Nxe4 b3 $17) 21. e5 b2 $4 (21... Bxa3 $1 22. Ra1 (22.
exf6 Bxc1 23. Qxc1 b2 $19) (22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. exf6 Kh8 $19) 22... Ne4 23. Nxe4
Bb4+ 24. Nd2 a3 $19) 22. Rc2 $18 {1-0 Leitao,R (2573)-Milos,G (2601)/Sao Paulo
2004/ (30)}) 19... Nxe4 20. fxe4 (20. Qe2 Bh4+ (20... Qd7 21. fxe4 Rc8 22. exd5
exd5 23. Nc3 bxc3 24. Rxc3 $11) 21. Kf1 Ng3+ 22. Bxg3 Bxg3 23. axb4 Ra8 24. f4
a3 25. h4 $11) 20... Rxb5 21. Qxa4 Ra5 22. Qc6 bxa3 (22... dxe4 23. a4 f5 24.
O-O $16) 23. exd5 Rxd5 (23... exd5 24. O-O a2 25. Qxb6 Ra6 26. Qb3 Qe6 27. Ra1
$16) 24. Qxb6 Qd7 25. O-O Rc8 26. Rc6 $1 {[%mdl 4] White is improving on the
Bundesliga game, which saw black's win after the less precise play by white.
Now black pieces are failing to cope with enemy's activity, since the pawn on
c7 is very restrictive.} (26. Qa6 Rb5 27. Rb1 Rb2 28. Rxb2 axb2 29. Qb7 Ba3 30.
Rd1 g5 31. Bg3 Kg7 {0-1 Gyimesi,Z (2616)-Vaganian,R (2587)/Germany 2006 (78)})
26... h6 (26... Bf6 27. Rfc1 e5 (27... Rxd4 28. Qa6 Rb4 29. Qxa3 $16) 28. dxe5
Rd1+ 29. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 30. Kh2 Be7 31. Rd6 $1 Bxd6 32. exd6 Qa4 33. Qb7 Qd7 34.
Qa6 $18) 27. Rfc1 Kh7 28. Qa6 Rf5 (28... g6 29. R1c4 h5 30. Be5 $16) 29. Bd6 $1
{It seems the moment is perfect for elimination of the bishops and thus also
dangerous a3 pawn.} Bh4 (29... Bxd6 30. Rxd6 Qe8 31. Qxc8 Qxc8 32. Rd8 $18) 30.
Qxa3 Bf2+ 31. Kh1 Rd5 32. Bf4 f5 33. Qc3 {Riazantsev has no counterplay for
the pawn c7, which the enemy now sports for free. After the transfer of the
white rook to b8 the defense will simply collapse.} Bh4 (33... g5 34. Bh2 g4
35. hxg4 $18) 34. Rb6 Bg5 35. Be5 (35. Bxg5 hxg5 36. Rb8 Rb5 37. Rxc8 Qxc8 38.
Qa3 $18) 35... Bd8 36. Rb8 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.06"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Tomashevsky, Evgeny"]
[Black "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A30"]
[WhiteElo "2646"]
[BlackElo "2715"]
[PlyCount "60"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. g3 Qb6 6. Nb5 Ne5 7. Bf4 d6 8. Nd2
a6 9. Nc3 Bd7 10. Bg2 Bc6 11. Bxc6+ Qxc6 12. O-O Ng6 13. Be3 Nf6 14. Bd4 Be7
15. e4 O-O 16. Qe2 Nd7 17. Rac1 Bf6 18. Nf3 Nge5 19. Nxe5 Nxe5 20. Rfd1 Rfd8
21. b3 Nd7 22. Bxf6 Nxf6 23. Rd4 Rd7 24. Rcd1 Rad8 25. Qf3 h6 26. Kg2 Kf8 27.
R1d2 Kg8 28. Rd1 Kf8 29. R1d2 Kg8 30. Rd1 Kf8 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.09"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Tomashevsky, Evgeny"]
[Black "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A65"]
[WhiteElo "2646"]
[BlackElo "2669"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 c5 7. Nge2 Nc6 8. d5
Ne5 9. Ng3 e6 10. Be2 exd5 11. cxd5 a6 12. a4 Bd7 13. h3 b5 14. f4 Nc4 15. Bxc4
bxc4 16. O-O Rb8 17. e5 Ne8 18. Qd2 Qc8 19. Rae1 dxe5 20. fxe5 Bxe5 21. Nge4 f5
22. Nxc5 Rf7 23. Bf2 Bd6 24. Ne6 Nf6 25. Bd4 Nh5 26. Rf3 Qb7 27. g4 Ng3 28. Qh6
Re8 29. Bf2 Bxe6 30. Rxe6 Rxe6 31. dxe6 Qxf3 32. exf7+ Kxf7 33. Qxh7+ Kf8 34.
Qh8+ Kf7 35. Qh7+ Kf6 36. Qh8+ Kf7 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.11"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Tomashevsky, Evgeny"]
[Black "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E42"]
[WhiteElo "2646"]
[BlackElo "2787"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Nge2 d6 6. g3 d5 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. Nxc3
cxd4 9. exd4 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nc6 11. Be3 O-O 12. O-O b6 13. Be2 Bb7 14. Bf3 h6
15. Bf4 Na5 16. Bxb7 Nxb7 17. Qf3 Na5 18. d5 Nxd5 19. Rad1 Qf6 20. Nxd5 exd5
21. b4 Nc4 22. Qxd5 Rac8 23. a4 Qb2 24. Qb5 Qb3 25. Rd7 a6 26. Qxa6 g5 27. Bc7
Ra8 28. Qb5 Qxa4 29. Qxa4 Rxa4 30. b5 Rc8 31. Re1 Rb4 32. Ree7 Rf8 33. Re4 Rb1+
34. Kg2 Na5 35. Rd5 Rc8 36. Bxb6 Nc4 37. Bd4 Kh7 38. h4 Kg6 39. hxg5 hxg5 40.
g4 Rb8 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D17"]
[WhiteElo "2638"]
[BlackElo "2640"]
[PlyCount "112"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. c4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Nb6 8.
Ne5 a5 9. e3 h6 10. g3 e6 11. Bg2 Bb4 12. O-O O-O 13. Qe2 Bh7 14. Rd1 Nfd7 15.
e4 Qe7 16. Be3 Nxe5 17. dxe5 Nd7 18. f4 Kh8 19. h3 f6 20. exf6 Nxf6 21. Bd4 Nd7
22. Bf2 e5 23. f5 Rad8 24. Kh2 Bg8 25. g4 Nc5 26. h4 Nb3 27. Rxd8 Rxd8 28. Rd1
Bf7 29. Rxd8+ Qxd8 30. Bg3 Bc5 31. g5 hxg5 32. Qg4 Be3 33. Bxe5 Qe7 34. Qg3
Qxe5 35. Qxe5 Bf4+ 36. Qxf4 gxf4 37. Bf3 Nd2 38. Be2 Bc4 39. e5 Bxe2 40. Nxe2
Nf3+ 41. Kh3 Nxe5 42. Nxf4 b5 43. Ne6 Nd3 44. b3 b4 45. Kg3 c5 46. Kf3 c4 47.
Ke3 Ne1 48. Nc5 c3 49. Ke2 Ng2 50. Nb7 Nxh4 51. Nxa5 Nf3 52. Kd3 Nd4 53. Nc4
Nxb3 54. Ne3 Na5 55. Nd5 Nc6 56. a5 Nxa5 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.08"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Lastin, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E20"]
[WhiteElo "2638"]
[BlackElo "2651"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 cxd4 7. Nxd4 d5 8. O-O
dxc4 9. Qa4 Na6 10. Ndb5 Nd5 11. Rd1 Qe7 12. Nxd5 exd5 13. Bxd5 Bg4 14. a3 Bc5
15. Nc3 Nc7 16. Qxc4 Bf5 17. Bg5 Qxg5 18. Qxc5 Na6 19. Qd6 Rad8 20. h4 Qg4 21.
Qe7 Rd7 22. Qe3 b6 23. Bf3 Qg6 24. Rxd7 Bxd7 25. Rd1 Bc6 26. h5 Qf6 27. Bxc6
Qxc6 28. Qe7 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.05"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D85"]
[WhiteElo "2638"]
[BlackElo "2787"]
[PlyCount "111"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8.
Rb1 O-O 9. Be2 b6 10. O-O Bb7 11. d5 Bxc3 12. Bc4 Bg7 13. Qe2 Qc8 14. Bb2 Bxb2
15. Rxb2 Ba6 16. e5 Bxc4 17. Qxc4 e6 18. d6 Nd7 19. h4 h6 20. Re1 Qc6 21. Nh2
Kg7 22. h5 Qd5 23. Qc3 Qd4 24. Qxd4 cxd4 25. hxg6 f6 26. Nf3 d3 27. Rd2 Nc5 28.
exf6+ Rxf6 29. Ne5 Rd8 30. d7 Rxg6 31. Nxg6 Kxg6 32. Re5 Rxd7 33. f3 h5 34. Kf2
h4 35. Ke3 Rh7 36. Kf4 Kf6 37. Re1 Rd7 38. Ke3 e5 39. g3 hxg3 40. Rg1 Ke6 41.
Rxg3 Kd5 42. Rg4 Rh7 43. Rdg2 Ne6 44. Kxd3 Nf4+ 45. Rxf4 exf4 46. Rg5+ Ke6 47.
a4 Kf6 48. Rb5 Re7 49. Kd4 Re3 50. a5 bxa5 51. Rxa5 a6 52. Rxa6+ Kg5 53. Ra8
Kh4 54. Rg8 Kh3 55. Rg7 Rxf3 56. Ke4 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.13"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Tomashevsky, Evgeny"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E08"]
[WhiteElo "2638"]
[BlackElo "2646"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2
b6 9. Bf4 Nbd7 10. Rd1 Ba6 11. Ne5 Nxe5 12. dxe5 Nd7 13. cxd5 cxd5 14. e4 Rc8
15. Nc3 d4 16. Rxd4 Qc7 17. Rad1 Rfd8 18. h4 h6 19. h5 Bc5 20. R4d2 Be7 21. a3
Kf8 22. Rd4 Bc5 23. R4d2 Be7 24. Rd4 Bc5 25. R4d2 Be7 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.03"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A32"]
[WhiteElo "2638"]
[BlackElo "2715"]
[Annotator "Vitiugov,N"]
[PlyCount "168"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

{This game was played in the first round. In the previous two superfinals I
had started with losses with White. And now again the first round, and again
White.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 {A new move for me.} c5 4. Nf3 (4. d5 {
leads to different structures.}) 4... cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qc7 {Next comes a gambit
variation.} ({There are quieter positions after} 5... d5) 6. Nc3 a6 7. Bg2 Qxc4
8. O-O Nc6 9. Nb3 d5 10. Bf4 Be7 (10... Qb4 {is also possible}) 11. a3 a5 12.
Rc1 Qa6 13. a4 O-O 14. Nb5 {It is still all theory.} Qb6 $1 {A strong new move}
(14... Ne8 {is too passive} 15. e4 $44) 15. Bc7 Qa6 16. Bf4 Qb6 17. Bc7 Qa6 18.
Nc5 {White continues the struggle, though accepting the draw was more
reasonable} Bxc5 19. Rxc5 Bd7 20. Bd6 Nb4 $1 21. Bxf8 Rxf8 $44 {Now Black has
good enough compensation for equality.} 22. Qd4 {Ambitious reaction.} ({
I think, that it was right was to play without innovating:} 22. Nd4 $5 e5 23.
Nf3) 22... Bc6 (22... b6 23. Rc7 Bxb5 24. axb5 Qxb5 25. Rfc1 Na6 26. Rc8 Nc5
27. Rxf8+ Kxf8 28. Bf1 {Looks normal for both sides.}) 23. e4 $2 {It is
difficult to comment on such moves. But it worked!} e5 $6 {Any taking of the
pawn was better.} (23... Nxe4 24. Bxe4 dxe4 25. Rd1 Nd3 26. Rg5 (26. Rxd3 exd3
27. Rg5 e5 28. Qxe5 g6 $1) 26... e5) (23... dxe4 24. Rg5 (24. Rd1 Nd3) 24... h6
25. Nc7 Qd3 26. Qxd3 Nxd3 27. Rxa5 Nxb2) 24. Qd2 (24. Qc3 $5 {will be not bad.}
d4 25. Qd2 Nd7 26. Rcc1 Bxb5 27. axb5 Qxb5 28. f4) 24... Qb6 25. Rxd5 {There
is no alternative.} Nbxd5 (25... Nfxd5 26. exd5 Bxb5 27. axb5 Qxb5 28. d6 $36)
26. exd5 Rd8 ({I was afraid of} 26... Bxb5 27. axb5 Qxb5 28. Re1 Re8 29. d6 {
, but here White has good compensation, because} e4 $2 {is impossible} 30. Bxe4
$1) 27. Nc3 Bd7 28. Re1 Re8 29. d6 Qd4 30. Qxd4 $2 $138 {A fantastic mistake.}
({I hadn't seen that, after} 30. Rd1 Bg4 31. Qxd4 exd4 32. Rxd4 Re1+ 33. Bf1
Bh3 {, White has the only, but winning reply:} 34. Rd1 $1) 30... exd4 31. Rxe8+
Nxe8 32. Ne4 b6 33. b3 ({Beforehand I forgot, that after} 33. Bf1 f5 34. Bb5
fxe4 35. Bxd7 {Black can play simply} Nxd6 $1 $19) 33... f5 (33... h6 {gives
no advantage:} 34. Bf1 f5 35. Nd2 Nxd6 36. Nf3 Kf7 37. Nxd4 Kf6 38. f4 $11) 34.
Ng5 Nxd6 35. Bd5+ Kf8 ({Passive strategy would be hardly good.} 35... Kh8 36.
Nf3 d3 37. Kf1 b5 38. axb5 Bxb5 39. Ke1 Ne4 40. Nd4) 36. Nxh7+ Ke7 37. Ng5 b5
$1 {An uncertain, but strong decision. Now White is forced to play a series of
only moves.} 38. axb5 Nxb5 39. Kf1 Kd6 40. Bg8 Nc3 41. Ke1 Ne4 42. Nf3 Kc5 43.
Ne5 Bb5 44. f3 Nf6 45. Be6 $1 {A brave and strong move.} Kd6 46. Bc4 Be8 ({
The position is drawish after} 46... Kxe5 47. Bxb5) 47. Nd3 ({May be more
strong was} 47. f4 $5) 47... Nd5 48. Bxd5 $5 {A hard decision, after which
White is forced to defend passively.} ({But} 48. h4 {was not better} Ne3 49.
Bg8 Bc6 50. Ke2 Bb5 51. Bf7 Ke7 $17) 48... Kxd5 49. Kd2 Kd6 50. h4 Bh5 ({
The position seems to be drawish, but there were more chances after} 50... Bf7
$5 51. Nc1 Kc5 52. Nd3+ Kb5 53. Kc2 Bd5 54. Nf4 Bxf3 55. Ne6 Be4+ 56. Kb2 Kc6
57. Nxg7 $11) 51. Ne1 Bf7 52. Nc2 Kc5 (52... Bxb3 {changes nothing:} 53. Nxd4
Be6) 53. Kd3 f4 {An interesting resource.} 54. gxf4 ({Maybe} 54. g4 $5 {
was more technical} Bxb3 55. Nxd4 Bd5 56. Kc3 a4 57. g5 Kd6 58. h5 Ke5 $11)
54... Bg6+ 55. Kd2 Bh7 (55... Bf5 56. Ne1 Kb4 57. Nc2+ Kc5 58. Ne1 $11) 56. h5
$1 Bf5 57. Ne1 Be6 58. Nd3+ Kd6 59. Kc2 $6 {White shouldn't play actively} (59.
Nc1 $11) 59... Bf7 60. Ne5 Bxh5 61. Nc4+ Kd5 62. Nxa5 Bxf3 63. Kd3 Bg2 {
It seemed to me, that the position was absolutely drawish. It is really so,
but it's hard to make the right moves in time trouble.} 64. Ke2 (64. b4 $5 Bf1+
65. Kd2 Bb5 66. Nb7 $11) 64... Ke4 65. Nc6 Bh3 66. b4 Be6 67. Kd2 Bc4 68. Na5
$2 {White was very lucky that after this move he could find a draw.} (68. f5 $5
) 68... Bb5 69. Nb7 Kxf4 70. Nd6 Bf1 71. b5 Ke5 (71... g5 72. b6 Ba6 73. b7
Bxb7 74. Nxb7 g4 75. Nc5 g3 76. Ke2 $11) 72. Nf7+ Kd5 73. b6 Ba6 74. Nd8 g5 75.
b7 Bxb7 76. Nxb7 g4 77. Na5 g3 78. Ke1 $1 $11 {The most important detail,
which at last gave me half a point in the first round. After this move I was
very happy.} (78. Ke2 $4 d3+ $1 $19) 78... d3 79. Nb3 Kc4 80. Nd2+ Kc3 81. Ne4+
Kc2 82. Kf1 g2+ 83. Kxg2 d2 84. Nxd2 Kxd2 1/2-1/2

[Event "RUS-ch Superfinal 61st"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2008.10.14"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Timofeev, Artyom"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A85"]
[WhiteElo "2638"]
[BlackElo "2670"]
[PlyCount "127"]
[EventDate "2008.10.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 127"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2008.11.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 e6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 Bd6 5. Nc3 f5 6. Ne5 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O b6
9. Qc2 Ba6 10. f4 Qe7 11. b3 Bb7 12. a3 Nbd7 13. b4 c5 14. bxc5 bxc5 15. Rb1
Nb6 16. Nb5 Bxe5 17. dxe5 Ne4 18. cxd5 Bxd5 19. a4 Bc6 20. Bf3 Nxa4 21. Ba3
Rfb8 22. Bxe4 Bxe4 23. Qxa4 Bxb1 24. Rxb1 Qd7 25. Rd1 Qc6 26. Nc3 Qxa4 27. Nxa4
c4 28. Nc5 Rb6 29. Kf2 Rc8 30. Rc1 Kf7 31. Ke2 Rb5 32. Rxc4 Ra5 33. Nb7 Rxc4
34. Nd6+ Kg6 35. Nxc4 Rb5 36. Nd2 Ra5 37. Nc4 Rb5 38. Kd2 Rb1 39. Bc1 h6 40.
Kc2 Rb4 41. Na5 Kf7 42. Bd2 Rb8 43. Nb3 g5 44. Nd4 gxf4 45. exf4 h5 46. g3 Rb6
47. Ba5 Rb8 48. Bc3 Rb6 49. Nb3 Rb5 50. Nd2 Rc5 51. Kb3 Ke8 52. Kb4 Rd5 53. Kc4
Kd7 54. Bd4 Ra5 55. Bc3 Rd5 56. h4 Ke8 57. Nf3 Rd8 58. Ng5 Rc8+ 59. Kd3 Ke7 60.
Bb4+ Kd7 61. Nh7 Kc6 62. Nf8 a5 63. Bd6 Kd5 64. Ng6 1-0

