[Event "RUS-ch 62nd"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2009.12.24"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Jakovenko, Dmitrij"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D12"]
[WhiteElo "2736"]
[BlackElo "2694"]
[PlyCount "128"]
[EventDate "2009.12.20"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "18"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 134"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.01.18"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.01.18"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Be4 7. f3 Bg6 8. Qb3
Qc7 9. Bd2 Be7 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Rc1 Nc6 12. Nxg6 hxg6 13. Na4 Nd7 14. Bd3 Rb8
15. f4 g5 16. O-O gxf4 17. e4 dxe4 18. Bxe4 Bf6 19. Bxf4 Bxd4+ 20. Kh1 Be5 21.
Qg3 Bxf4 22. Rxf4 Nf6 23. Bf3 Nh5 24. Bxh5 Rxh5 25. Rcf1 g5 26. Qg4 Rxh2+ 27.
Kxh2 Qe5 28. g3 gxf4 29. Rxf4 Ke7 30. Qh4+ Kd6 31. Rf6 Nd4 32. Kh3 Rg8 33. Nc3
Nf5 34. Qb4+ Kc6 35. Qe4+ Qxe4 36. Nxe4 Ne3 37. Rh6 f5 38. Nf6 Rd8 39. Nh5 Kd7
40. Ng7 e5 41. Kh4 Rg8 42. Rh7 Kc6 43. Nh5 Rg4+ 44. Kh3 Rd4 45. Re7 e4 46. Kh4
Rd2 47. Kg5 Rxb2 48. Re6+ Kd7 49. Kf6 Rxa2 50. Kf7 Nd5 51. Ng7 e3 52. Nxf5 Rf2
53. Re5 e2 54. Kg6 Nc3 55. Nd4 Kd6 56. Re3 Kd5 57. Nc2 Kc4 58. g4 b5 59. Na3+
Kb4 60. Nc2+ Kb3 61. Ne1 b4 62. g5 Kc4 63. Kh5 Rf1 64. Nd3 Kd4 0-1

[Event "Poikovsky Karpov 11th"]
[Site "Poikovsky"]
[Date "2010.06.06"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E55"]
[WhiteElo "2707"]
[BlackElo "2739"]
[Annotator "Vitiugov,N"]
[PlyCount "137"]
[EventDate "2010.06.02"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "18"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 137"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.07.15"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.07.15"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

{It was very easy to predict Karjakin's choise in the opening in this game -
he has had a draw and a win in the Nimzowitsch against me.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 c5 6. Nf3 d5 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 Nbd7 9. a3 {
I prepared some ideas in this line before the tournament.} ({Our previous game
in the Nimzo Rubinstein was played on the ECC -} 9. Qe2 b6 10. dxc5 Bxc3 11. c6
Bb4 12. cxd7 Qxd7 13. Rd1 Qc7 14. a3 Be7 15. Bd2 Bb7 16. Rac1 Rad8 17. Bxe6
Bxf3 18. gxf3 Qe5 19. Bc4 Qxb2 20. a4 Qa3 21. a5 Bb4 {1/2 Vitiugov,N (2681)
-Karjakin,S (2722)/Ohrid 2009/CBM 133}) 9... cxd4 10. axb4 dxc3 11. bxc3 Qc7
12. Be2 Qxc3 {Perhaps a small inaccuracy.} ({An alternative is} 12... Nd5 $5
13. Ba3 Qxc3 14. Qb1) 13. Rb1 $5 {A rare continuation, which was not expected
by Black.} (13. Ba3 Nd5 14. Qb1 $13) 13... Qc7 14. Bb2 e5 $2 {A serious
mistake.} (14... a5 $5 15. Rc1 Qd8 16. b5 b6 17. Ba3 Nc5 {- the key idea,
which Sergey couldn't find at the board.} 18. Ne5 Bb7 19. Nc4 Nfd7 20. Qd6 Qg5
21. Qg3 Qxg3 22. hxg3 Bd5 23. Nxb6 Nxb6 24. Rxc5 $14 {1-0 Korobov,A (2565)
-Miroshnichenko,E (2615)/Kharkov 2004/CBM 103 (47)}) 15. Qb3 {A logical move -
now the f7-pawn becomes Black's main weakness.} ({I refrained from} 15. Rc1 Qb8
(15... Qb6 16. Nxe5 Qxb4 17. Nc4 Qe7 18. Ba3 Nc5 19. Bf3 Be6 20. Ne5 $16) 16.
Qb3 {because of} b5 $5 17. Rfd1 a6 {and White has very good compensation, but
perhaps no more.}) 15... a5 ({It's hard to recommend} 15... e4 16. Rbc1 Qd6 17.
Rfd1 Qe7 18. Ng5 $36) 16. Rbc1 $6 {I felt, this move might be a mistake, but
couldn't find the correct desicion.} (16. Rfc1 Qb6 17. Ra1 $1 {and Black is
completely paralysed.}) 16... Qb8 $2 {Now Black is almost lost.} ({The more
principled move was} 16... Qb6 17. Bc4 a4 18. Qa2 h6 19. b5 e4 20. Nd2 (20. Nh4
Ng4 $5) 20... a3 21. Bxa3 Ne5 22. Qb2 Re8 $14) 17. bxa5 Rxa5 (17... e4 18. Ng5
Ne5 19. Rc5 Neg4 20. g3 $16) 18. Ba3 Rxa3 {What else?} (18... e4 19. Bxf8 exf3
20. Bd6 $18) 19. Qxa3 b6 20. Rfd1 Nc5 21. Qb2 Bg4 22. h3 e4 ({Probably Black
would have more chances for a draw after} 22... Bxf3 $5 23. Bxf3 Qc7 $16 {/+-})
23. hxg4 Nxg4 24. Rd4 (24. Rxc5 exf3 25. Rh5 $5 (25. Bxf3 Qh2+ 26. Kf1 Nxe3+
27. fxe3 bxc5 {and I couldn't estimate Black's drawing chances here}) 25...
fxe2 26. Qxe2 Nf6 27. Rb5 {It's hard to explain, why White refrained from this.
}) 24... f5 25. g3 exf3 26. Bxf3 h5 {Now Black has some chances again.} 27. Rb4
$6 (27. Bxg4 $5 fxg4 28. Rb4) 27... Qd8 ({There was a nice trick here -} 27...
Nxf2 $1 28. Bd5+ Kh7 29. Qxf2 Nd3 30. Qf3 g6 $1 {and it won't be very easy to
win this game.}) 28. Rd1 (28. Bxg4 $5 fxg4 29. Rxb6 Ne4 30. Rb7 Qf6 31. Qxf6
Rxf6 {perhaps is also winning for White.}) 28... Qg5 29. Qd4 Qg6 30. Qd6 Qxd6
31. Rxd6 Ne4 32. Bxe4 fxe4 33. Rd2 Nf6 34. Rxb6 {The endgame is simply lost
for Black.} Kh7 35. Kg2 Kh6 36. Rd5 g6 37. Rdd6 Kg5 38. Re6 Kf5 39. Re7 Kg5 40.
Rbb7 Ra8 41. Rb5+ Kh6 42. Re6 Rf8 43. Rbb6 Kg5 44. Ra6 Rf7 45. f4+ exf3+ 46.
Kxf3 Ng4+ 47. Ke2 Rg7 48. e4 Rg8 49. Kd3 Nf2+ 50. Ke3 Ng4+ 51. Kd4 Nf2 52. Ke3
Ng4+ 53. Ke2 Nh6 54. Kf3 Ng4 55. Ra5+ Kh6 56. e5 Kg5 57. Ke4 ({Probably White
had an easier way to win:} 57. Rb6 $1 Kf5 58. e6+ Ne5+ 59. Ke3 Re8 60. Kd4 $18)
57... Nf2+ 58. Kd5 Nh1 59. Ra3 Kg4 60. Rb6 Nxg3 61. Rb4+ Kh3 62. e6 g5 63. e7
g4 64. Ke6 Kg2 65. Rb2+ Kh3 66. Kf7 Rh8 67. e8=Q Rxe8 68. Kxe8 h4 69. Rb4 1-0

[Event "Poikovsky Karpov 11th"]
[Site "Poikovsky"]
[Date "2010.06.11"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Rublevsky, Sergei"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D21"]
[WhiteElo "2707"]
[BlackElo "2704"]
[Annotator "Vitiugov,N"]
[PlyCount "45"]
[EventDate "2010.06.02"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "18"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 137"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.07.15"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.07.15"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

{My opponent in this game, Sergey Rublevsky, has a narrow, but very solid and
deeply researched opening repertoire. I decided to verify a rare continuation
against the expert in the QGA.} 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 dxc4 4. e3 c5 5. Bxc4
a6 6. d5 b5 ({The last game in this line was played two years ago -} 6... Nf6
7. dxe6 Qxd1+ 8. Kxd1 Bxe6 9. Bxe6 fxe6 10. a4 b6 11. Nbd2 Bd6 12. b3 Nc6 13.
Bb2 O-O-O 14. Ke2 Rd7 15. Ng5 Re8 16. Nc4 $14 {Vitiugov - Yakovich, Serpukhov
2008.}) 7. Bb3 exd5 8. Bxd5 {A novelty, but I can't believe it was a surprise
for Rublevsky.} ({Black has a comfortable game after} 8. Qxd5 Qxd5 9. Bxd5 Ra7
10. e4 Nf6 11. O-O Nxd5 12. exd5 f6 13. Nc3 Kf7 14. Bf4 Nd7 15. Rfd1 Bb7 16.
Rac1 Ra8 17. a4 b4 18. Ne4 Re8 19. Nd6+ {1/2 Kramnik - Anand, Linares 1999.})
8... Ra7 9. e4 Nf6 10. Nc3 Nxd5 $2 {Mistake.} ({White's idea was} 10... b4 11.
Qa4+ Bd7 12. Qb3 $5 bxc3 $2 (12... Bc6 $5) 13. Bxf7+ Ke7 14. e5 $16) ({
Probably, Black should play the solid} 10... Be7 $5) 11. Nxd5 Nc6 $6 {Very
ambitious - Black plays only on the queenside.} (11... Bd6 $5 12. Be3 Rd7 {
looks very artificial, but anyway it was better.} 13. Rc1 (13. b4 $6 c4 14. Bb6
Bxb4+ 15. Ke2 Rxd5 $1 16. Bxd8 Rxd1 17. Rhxd1 Bb7 $132) 13... O-O 14. Bxc5 Bxc5
15. Rxc5 Re8 16. O-O Rxe4 17. Qc2 Re8 $11) 12. O-O Be6 13. a4 Be7 $2 {The
third and final mistake.} (13... Rd7 $2 14. axb5 axb5 15. Qe2 Qb8 16. Ra6 $1
$18) ({The best way was} 13... Bd6 $5 14. Bg5 Qb8 15. axb5 axb5 16. Rxa7 Nxa7
17. e5 $40 {with a terrible position.}) 14. axb5 axb5 15. Ne5 $1 $18 {Now the
game is over.} Na5 (15... Rxa1 16. Nxc6 Qd6 17. Ncxe7 Bxd5 18. Nxd5 O-O 19. Bf4
Rxd1 20. Bxd6 Rxf1+ 21. Kxf1 $18) 16. b4 $1 Bxd5 17. exd5 ({Black's last trap
was} 17. Qxd5 $2 Qxd5 18. exd5 f6 $1) 17... cxb4 18. Rxa5 Qxa5 19. Nc6 Qa4 (
19... Qb6 20. Re1 O-O 21. Nxe7+ Kh8 22. Be3 $18) 20. Qd4 Bf6 21. Qe3+ Kd7 22.
Nxa7 b3 23. Qb6 1-0

[Event "FIDE World Cup"]
[Site "Khanty-Mansiysk"]
[Date "2011.08.31"]
[Round "2.1"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Korobov, Anton"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D43"]
[WhiteElo "2733"]
[BlackElo "2671"]
[Annotator "Ftacnik,L"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[EventDate "2011.08.28"]
[EventType "k.o."]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 145"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2011.11.11"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2011.11.11"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5
{The Moscow Variation of the Semi-Slav is a child of a new era of computers
and exceptional solutions. The adherents of classical chess would have in the
past derided the weakening of both flanks as a somewhat obscene form of
courage.} 9. Be2 Bb7 10. Qc2 Nbd7 11. Rd1 Nh5 $6 {It is very difficult to set
an evaluation for this position due to the experience in the whole complicated
complex. Black experiences a lot of freedom in the choice of piece development
according to his own preference. The knight move to h5 is in my opinion most
likely second rate. It neglects the development and enables White to take
advantage of his relative development advantage for the beginning of active
opearations.} (11... Bb4 12. Ne5 (12. O-O O-O 13. Ne5 Nh7 14. f4 Nxe5 15. fxe5
Qe7 16. Rf2 Ba5 17. Bh5 Bb6 18. Ne2 Rad8 19. Kh1 c5 20. d5 exd5 21. exd5 Bxd5
22. Nc3 $16 {1/2-1/2 Vitiugov,N (2709)-Motylev,A (2694)/Plovdiv 2010 (78)}) (
12. h4 g4 13. Ne5 Rg8 14. Bf4 h5 15. O-O Nxe5 16. Bxe5 Qe7 17. a4 a6 18. Ra1
Rd8 19. Rfe1 g3 20. fxg3 Nd7 21. Bf4 e5 22. dxe5 Nxe5 $11 {1/2-1/2 Feller,S 
(2649)-Spiess,G (2429)/Germany 2010 (54)}) 12... Qe7 13. O-O Nxe5 14. Bxe5 O-O
15. Bxf6 Qxf6 16. f4 Qg7 17. e5 c5 18. Nxb5 cxd4 19. Qxc4 a5 20. Kh1 Rac8 21.
Qxd4 gxf4 $15 {1/2-1/2 Anand,V (2783)-Kramnik,V (2772)/Bonn 2008 (45)}) (11...
Be7 12. O-O Qb6 13. b3 cxb3 14. Qxb3 a6 15. Ne5 O-O 16. Nxd7 Nxd7 17. e5 Rad8
18. Bf3 b4 19. Na4 Qb5 20. Qc2 c5 21. Bxb7 Qxb7 22. Nxc5 Nxc5 23. dxc5 Rxd1 24.
Qxd1 Rc8 25. Qh5 Rxc5 26. Qxh6 Qc6 $15 {0-1 Sargissian,G (2630)-Anastasian,A 
(2574)/Yerevan 2005 (42)}) (11... Qb6 12. O-O (12. h4 g4 13. Ne5 Rg8 14. Nxd7
Nxd7 15. O-O Bg7 16. e5 O-O-O 17. Ne4 c5 18. Nd6+ Kb8 19. Nxb7 Kxb7 20. dxc5
Nxc5 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. Qh7 $14 {0-1 Fontaine,R (2517)-Markus,R (2470)/Belgrade
2002 (53)}) 12... Nh5 13. d5 Nxg3 14. hxg3 O-O-O 15. b3 cxb3 16. axb3 a6 17.
dxe6 fxe6 18. e5 Bb4 19. Ne4 $11 {1-0 Chernin,A (2620)-Pavasovic,D (2495)/
Feldbach 1997 (44)}) 12. d5 $1 Nxg3 13. hxg3 Bg7 {Shirov must have smelled a
rat in the game against Anand, but even the counterplay along a7-g1 diagonal
did not solve the problems.} (13... Qb6 14. dxe6 fxe6 15. Nxg5 Bc5 16. Bh5+ Ke7
17. Nxe6 Ne5 18. Nxc5 Qxc5 19. Be2 Raf8 20. O-O Rhg8 21. b4 Qxb4 22. Qd2 Qc5
23. Qxh6 $16 {1-0 Anand,V (2817)-Shirov,A (2709)/Leon 2011 (34)}) 14. dxe6 fxe6
15. e5 $1 Qe7 {Korobov has probably realised, that his gifted opponent will
try to uexploit his attacking potential to a maximum. In this unpleasant
position the defender had a chance to complicate the enemy task with the
rather unseemly move 15...Kf7!?} (15... Kf7 $5 16. Ne4 Rb8 17. Nd6+ Kg8 18. Qg6
Qe7 19. O-O Nf8 20. Qe4 $16) 16. Qg6+ Kf8 (16... Kd8 17. Nd4 Bxe5 18. Nxe6+ Kc8
19. Qf5 $16) 17. Ne4 $1 {[%mdl 128] Vitiugov does not need any outside advice
in order to find the squares for his attacking pieces. White will get the
chance to attack with all his pieces.} Nxe5 (17... Rd8 18. Nfxg5 hxg5 19. Rxh8+
Bxh8 20. Nxg5 Bg7 21. Nxe6+ Kg8 22. Bg4 Re8 23. Rxd7 Qxd7 24. Bf5 $18) 18. Nxe5
Bxe5 19. Rxh6 Rxh6 (19... Rg8 20. Qh5 $1 c5 (20... Qf7 21. Qxf7+ Kxf7 22. Rd7+
Kf8 23. Bh5 $18) 21. Nxc5 Qxc5 22. Rd7 $18) 20. Qxh6+ Bg7 (20... Qg7 21. Qxe6
Re8 22. Qf5+ Qf7 (22... Kg8 23. Rd7 $18) 23. Qxf7+ Kxf7 24. Bh5+ $18) 21. Qg6
c5 {Black should be seeking compensation for the opponent's attack in the form
of one pawn. But the necessity to defend the sensitive e6-square seems to have
a much higher priority in his mind..} (21... Qe8 22. Qxg5 Qe7 23. Qg6 Qe8 24.
Qxe8+ Rxe8 25. Nc5 Bc8 26. Bh5 Bxb2 27. Bxe8 Kxe8 28. Rd6 $16) (21... Rd8 22.
Rxd8+ Qxd8 23. Nxg5 Qe7 24. Bg4 Bc8 25. Bxe6 Bxe6 26. Nxe6+ $18) 22. Nxg5 Bd5
23. Bg4 Re8 24. Kf1 {Vitiugov must have sensed that the decisive moment was
not far away and that the desperate black defence would not be sufficient. His
pieces are so nicely coordinated, that not even the presence of the white king
on e1 would have saved the defender.} (24. Rxd5 $1 exd5+ 25. Ne6+ Kg8 26. Bf5
Rf8 27. Qh7+ Kf7 28. Qxg7+ Ke8 29. Qxf8+ Qxf8 30. Nxf8 Kxf8 31. Bd7 $18) 24...
c3 25. bxc3 (25. Rxd5 exd5 (25... c2 26. Rxc5 $18) 26. Ne6+ Kg8 27. Bf5 $18)
25... Bc4+ 26. Kg1 Kg8 {Korobov is beyond hope, as he is not able to improve
his position and the decisive blow is coming.} (26... b4 27. Nh7+ Kg8 28. Rd7
$18) 27. Re1 Qd7 (27... Bd3 28. Bxe6+ Qxe6 29. Qxe8+ Qxe8 30. Rxe8+ Bf8 31. Ne6
$18) 28. Re4 (28. Re4 Bd3 (28... Bd5 29. Rf4 $18) 29. Bxe6+ Rxe6 30. Qh7+ Kf8
31. Rf4+ $18) 1-0

[Event "St Petersburg-Moscow m 22nd"]
[Site "St Petersburg"]
[Date "2011.09.18"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D44"]
[WhiteElo "2726"]
[BlackElo "2737"]
[PlyCount "93"]
[EventDate "2011.09.17"]
[EventType "team"]
[EventRounds "2"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 144 Extra"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2011.10.28"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2011.10.28"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "St Petersburg"]
[BlackTeam "Moscow"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "RUS"]
[BlackTeamCountry "RUS"]

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5
9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5 Be7 11. exf6 Bxf6 12. Be3 Bb7 13. Be2 Na6 14. a4 Nb4 15.
O-O a6 16. Ne4 Be7 17. b3 cxb3 18. Qxb3 Qd5 19. Qb1 f5 20. Nd2 Qd6 21. Nf3 Nd5
22. Bd2 Bf6 23. Re1 Kf7 24. Qd3 Rag8 25. g3 f4 26. Bf1 fxg3 27. hxg3 c5 28. Bg2
c4 29. Qe4 Bc6 30. axb5 Bxb5 31. Ne5+ Bxe5 32. dxe5 Qc7 33. Ra3 Rg7 34. Qd4 Rd8
35. Ba5 Qe7 36. Rf3+ Ke8 37. Bxd8 Qxd8 38. Bh3 Re7 39. Qh4 Kd7 40. Rd1 Qa8 41.
Rf6 Kc7 42. Rxe6 Rxe6 43. Bxe6 Nc3 44. Qe7+ Kb6 45. Qd6+ Ka5 46. Qd2 Qf3 47.
Ra1+ 1-0

[Event "EU-Cup 27th"]
[Site "Rogaska Slatina"]
[Date "2011.09.29"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Motylev, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A20"]
[WhiteElo "2726"]
[BlackElo "2690"]
[Annotator "Vitiugov,N"]
[PlyCount "111"]
[EventDate "2011.09.25"]
[EventType "team-swiss"]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "SLO"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 145"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2011.11.11"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2011.11.11"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "St Petersburg"]
[BlackTeam "Tomsk 400"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "RUS"]
[BlackTeamCountry "RUS"]

1. c4 {My opponent is a very famous expert in the Slav Defence, so I decided
to play another kind of position.} e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3
Nc6 6. O-O Be7 7. d4 e4 8. Ne5 f5 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Nd2 {To use fresh ideas
from elsewhere is a big pleasure - in the previous round Wang Hao defeated
Rublevsky with this move.} O-O 11. Nb3 Bd6 $1 {Strong novelty.} ({Sergey
played too optimistically:} 11... Qd6 $6 12. Qc2 Qg6 13. Bd2 f4 14. Rfc1 Rf6
15. Na5 $1 f3 16. exf3 exf3 17. Qxg6 hxg6 18. Bf1 Bd7 19. a3 Re8 20. b4 Bf8 21.
Bg5 Rf5 22. h4 $18 {Wang Hao-Rublevsky, Rogaska Slatina 2011}) 12. Bd2 Qe8 13.
e3 $6 {White wants to play long game.} (13. Rc1 f4 $1 (13... e3 14. fxe3 Nxe3
15. Bxe3 Qxe3+ 16. Rf2 $14)) ({The most principled move is} 13. Qc2 e3 14. fxe3
Nxe3 15. Bxe3 Qxe3+ 16. Rf2 (16. Kh1 Bd7) 16... f4 17. Qc1 Be6 $5 {and
probably, Black holds. For example} 18. Qxe3 fxe3 19. Rxf8+ Rxf8 20. Bxc6 Rf2
21. Bf3 Bc4 22. Rf1 Rxf1+ 23. Kxf1 Bxb3 $11) 13... Be6 (13... Ba6 $5 {was more
active:} 14. Re1 Rb8 15. Rc1 Kh8 {and in my opinion, Black is a little bit
better.}) 14. Rc1 Ne7 15. Na5 Bd5 16. b3 $6 {Too slow.} (16. Nc4) 16... Rf6 17.
Qe2 h5 $1 18. h4 $2 {I thought 20 minutes about this move. Of course, it looks
very dangerous for White, but I didn't see how Black could take advabntage of
it.} ({The correct way is} 18. f4 exf3 19. Bxf3 h4 20. gxh4 {with a
complicated position.}) 18... Qg6 {The answer was very easy - ...Qg6-h6 and
then ...g5 with a strong attack.} 19. Nc4 Re8 $2 (19... Qh6 $1 {and White had
to play} 20. Nxd6 cxd6 21. f4 a5 $15 (21... exf3 22. Bxf3 $11)) 20. Ne5 {
Now the situation changes.} Bxe5 (20... Qh7 21. f4 exf3 22. Bxf3 $36) 21. dxe5
Re6 22. Bc3 (22. Ba5 $2 Qh6 23. Bxc7 g5 $40) 22... Qh6 23. f4 exf3 24. Bxf3 Rg6
25. Kh2 Bxf3 {Unfortunately, Black has to exchange his strong bishop.} (25...
Rg4 $6 26. Bxg4 hxg4 27. Kg1 g5 28. e4 Bxe4 29. Bd2 $16) 26. Rxf3 Rg4 27. Qd3
g5 $6 {Trying to find counterplay.} (27... Qe6 28. Bd4 $14) 28. Qd7 Qg6 29.
hxg5 h4 30. Be1 hxg3+ (30... Rxg5 $6 31. Rc4 hxg3+ 32. Bxg3 $16) 31. Bxg3 ({
The alternative was} 31. Rxg3 $6 Rh4+ 32. Kg2 f4 33. exf4 Rxf4 {with some
chances for Black.}) 31... Kf7 (31... Rxg5 32. Rc4 Kf7 33. Rh4 $16) 32. Rcf1 ({
After} 32. Rc4 {Black has a check:} Rh8+ $1 33. Kg2 {and then} Rxg5) 32... Rh8+
33. Kg2 Rxg5 34. e4 Rhh5 35. exf5 $2 $138 {Stupid mistake, after which the
position became drawish very soon.} ({Of course, I saw the correct} 35. Qxc7
Qh7 {and here I forgot about} 36. Rxf5+ $1 Rxf5 37. exf5 Rxf5 38. e6+ $18)
35... Rxf5 36. Qxc7 Qg4 37. Rxf5+ Rxf5 38. Rxf5+ (38. e6+ Kg6 39. Qxe7 Qe2+ 40.
Rf2 Qe4+ 41. Kf1 Qb1+ $11) 38... Qxf5 39. Qxa7 Qe4+ 40. Kh2 Qh7+ {The score in
the match was equal, and we had two excellent positions, except mine, so I
didn't worry too much about the result of my game. It was depending on Alex's
play, not mine.} 41. Kg1 Qb1+ 42. Kf2 Qf5+ 43. Ke1 Qb1+ 44. Ke2 Ke6 $6 ({
The easiest way was the most strong} 44... Qc2+ 45. Kf3 Qf5+ 46. Ke3 Qg5+ 47.
Kf2 Qf5+ 48. Ke1 Qb1+ 49. Kd2 Qb2+ 50. Ke3 Qc3+ {etc.}) 45. Qa6 $1 Qe4+ 46. Kf2
Qd4+ 47. Kg2 Qd5+ 48. Kh2 Qd2+ 49. Kh3 Qh6+ 50. Kg4 Qg6+ 51. Kf3 Qf5+ 52. Ke3
Nd5+ $2 ({During the game, I guessed the endgame after} 52... Qg4 53. Qc4+ (53.
Kf2 Qd4+ $11) 53... Nd5+ 54. Kf2 Qxc4 55. bxc4 {is winning for me, but really
it is drawn:} Nc3 56. a3 (56. Ke3 Nxa2 57. Kd4 Nc1 58. Kc5 Kd7 $11) 56... Ne4+
$1 57. Kg2 Nd2 58. c5 Nc4 59. a4 Kd5 60. Kf3 Nxe5+ 61. Bxe5 Kxc5 $11) 53. Kd4
Qg4+ $2 $138 ({It looks impossible, but even here Black had very good chances
for a draw:} 53... Qc2 54. Qc8+ Kf7 55. e6+ Kg6 56. Qg8+ Kh5 {and to make
progress for White is quite difficult. For example} 57. Ke5 Qc3+ 58. Kd6 Qb4+
$11) 54. Kc5 $18 Qb4+ 55. Kxc6 Qe7 56. Qc8+ 1-0

[Event "Saratov Governor's Cup"]
[Site "Saratov"]
[Date "2011.10.13"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Andreikin, Dmitry"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C15"]
[WhiteElo "2705"]
[BlackElo "2726"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "2011.10.08"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "19"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 145"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2011.11.11"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2011.11.11"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 dxe4 6. Qg4 Nf6 7. Qxg7 Rg8 8.
Qh6 Nbd7 9. Ne2 c5 10. a4 Qc7 11. dxc5 Qxc5 12. Qd2 Nb6 13. a5 Nbd5 14. c4 Ne7
15. Ba3 Qe5 16. Qc3 Qxc3+ 17. Nxc3 a6 18. g3 Bd7 19. Bg2 Bc6 20. O-O Nf5 21.
Rae1 Nd4 22. Nxe4 Nxe4 23. Bxe4 Bxe4 24. Rxe4 Nf3+ 25. Kg2 Nd2 26. Rh4 Nxf1 27.
Kxf1 Rd8 28. c5 Rd2 29. Rb4 Rg5 30. Rxb7 Rxc2 31. c6 Rxc6 32. Re7+ Kd8 33. Rxf7
Rxa5 34. Bb4 Rf5 35. Ra7 Rc2 36. Be1 Rc1 37. f4 Ra5 0-1

[Event "Reggio Emilia 54th"]
[Site "Reggio Emilia"]
[Date "2012.01.03"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Ivanchuk, Vassily"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E20"]
[WhiteElo "2729"]
[BlackElo "2775"]
[Annotator "RR"]
[PlyCount "61"]
[EventDate "2011.12.27"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "10"]
[EventCountry "ITA"]
[EventCategory "20"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 146"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2012.01.18"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2012.01.18"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Ne4 7. Bd2 Nxd2 8.
Qxd2 cxd4 9. Nxd4 O-O 10. a3 Be7 11. O-O Ne5 12. b3 a6 13. Rfd1 Qc7 14. Ne4 f5
15. Nc3 Rb8 16. e4 fxe4 17. Nxe4 b6 18. Qe2 Bb7 19. f4 Nc6 20. Nf3 Na5 21. Rd3
Bxe4 22. Qxe4 Nb7 23. b4 Nd6 24. Qe2 Nf7 25. Qd2 Rfd8 26. Re1 a5 27. Qc3 axb4
28. axb4 Rbc8 29. Nd2 Nd6 30. Rc1 Nxc4 $2 (30... Bf6 31. Qb3 Nb5 $11) 31. Nxc4
$18 1-0

[Event "Reggio Emilia 54th"]
[Site "Reggio Emilia"]
[Date "2012.01.06"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A16"]
[WhiteElo "2729"]
[BlackElo "2762"]
[Annotator "RR"]
[PlyCount "133"]
[EventDate "2011.12.27"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "10"]
[EventCountry "ITA"]
[EventCategory "20"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 146"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2012.01.18"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2012.01.18"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. g3 Nxc3 5. bxc3 g6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. Rb1 Nc6 8.
h4 h6 9. Nf3 O-O 10. O-O e5 11. d3 Kh7 12. Nd2 f5 13. Ba3 Rf6 14. Qc2 Qe8 15.
e3 b6 16. d4 Ba6 17. Rfe1 e4 18. c4 Rc8 19. Qa4 Nb8 20. Qxe8 Rxe8 21. Rec1 Nd7
22. Nb3 Rf7 23. Bb4 c5 24. Bd2 g5 25. hxg5 hxg5 26. a4 cxd4 27. exd4 f4 28. a5
f3 29. Bf1 Kg6 30. axb6 Bf6 31. Re1 Rh8 32. Rxe4 Rfh7 33. Rh4 gxh4 34. Bd3+ Kg7
35. Bxh7 Kxh7 36. Ra1 Bxc4 37. Rxa7 Bxb3 $2 (37... Rd8 38. Na5 Bd5 $19) 38.
Rxd7+ $14 Kg6 39. Bf4 hxg3 40. Bxg3 Ba4 41. Rd6 Rg8 42. b7 Kf5 43. Ra6 Bxd4 44.
b8=Q Rxb8 45. Bxb8 Bc2 46. Kh2 Bd3 $2 (46... Ke4 47. Kg3 Bb3 $16) 47. Ra4 $18
Be5+ 48. Bxe5 Kxe5 49. Kg3 Be2 50. Kg4 Kf6 51. Kf4 Bd1 52. Ra6+ Kf7 53. Ke5 Be2
54. Rf6+ Kg7 55. Kf5 Bd3+ 56. Kg5 Be2 57. Rf4 Kg8 58. Kh6 Bd1 59. Rd4 Be2 60.
Rd7 Kf8 61. Kg5 Ke8 62. Ra7 Kf8 63. Kf4 Kg8 64. Ra3 Kf7 65. Rxf3 Bxf3 66. Kxf3
Kf6 67. Kf4 1-0

[Event "RUS-chT 20th"]
[Site "Loo"]
[Date "2013.04.08"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Vachier Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D90"]
[WhiteElo "2712"]
[BlackElo "2722"]
[PlyCount "141"]
[EventDate "2013.04.07"]
[EventType "team-swiss"]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 154"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2013.05.15"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2013.05.15"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Sankt Petersburg Chess Fed"]
[BlackTeam "Belorechensk 	Universitet"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "RUS"]
[BlackTeamCountry "RUS"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qb3 dxc4 7. Qxc4 O-O 8.
Bf4 Bc6 9. Rd1 e6 10. Bg5 Bxf3 11. gxf3 c6 12. e4 Qa5 13. Bd2 Qh5 14. h4 c5 15.
Qxc5 Nc6 16. Qxh5 Nxh5 17. Be3 Rfd8 18. e5 f6 19. Bc4 fxe5 20. Bxe6+ Kh8 21. d5
Nd4 22. Bxd4 exd4 23. Ne2 Rd6 24. O-O Rf8 25. Nxd4 Bxd4 26. Rxd4 Rxf3 27. Rc1
Nf4 28. Re4 Nxd5 29. Bxd5 Rxd5 30. Rc7 Rf8 31. Ree7 Rh5 32. Rxb7 a5 33. Re4
Rhf5 34. Ree7 Rh5 35. Ra7 Rxh4 36. Rxa5 Rg4+ 37. Kf1 Rgf4 38. Re2 R8f7 39. Rae5
h5 40. R5e4 Rf3 41. b4 Ra3 42. b5 Rb7 43. Re8+ Kg7 44. R8e7+ Rxe7 45. Rxe7+ Kf6
46. Re2 Ra8 47. Kg2 Kf5 48. b6 Rb8 49. Rb2 Ke6 50. a4 Kd7 51. a5 Kc6 52. Re2
Kb5 53. Re5+ Ka6 54. Rg5 Rg8 55. Kg3 Rf8 56. f4 h4+ 57. Kg4 h3 58. Rxg6 Rh8 59.
b7+ Kxb7 60. Rb6+ Kc7 61. Rb1 h2 62. Rh1 Kd7 63. Kg3 Ra8 64. Rxh2 Rxa5 65. Re2
Ra8 66. Kg4 Rg8+ 67. Kh5 Rf8 68. Kg5 Rg8+ 69. Kh6 Rf8 70. Re4 Kd6 71. Kg7 1-0

[Event "Alekhine Memorial"]
[Site "Paris/St Petersburg"]
[Date "2013.04.30"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Vachier Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "2722"]
[BlackElo "2712"]
[Annotator "Sumets,A"]
[PlyCount "96"]
[EventDate "2013.04.21"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "FRA"]
[EventCategory "20"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 154"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2013.05.15"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2013.05.15"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 h5 5. c4 e6 6. Nc3 Ne7 7. Nge2 (7. Bg5 {
is another white option. Nowadays 7.Ne2 is more popular. However some players
still use this old weapon.} dxc4 8. Bxc4 Nd7 9. Nge2 f6 10. exf6 gxf6 11. Bf4
$1 {looks stronger than Be3 -} (11. Be3 Nb6 12. Bd3 (12. Bb3 Ned5 13. O-O Qd7
14. Ng3 Bg4 15. Qd2 O-O-O 16. f3 Bf5 $13) 12... Qd7 13. Nf4 $6 O-O-O 14. Be2 $6
Ned5 15. Nfxd5 Nxd5 16. O-O Bd6 17. Nxd5 exd5 18. Qd2 Rde8 19. Rfe1 Rhg8 $17 {
0-1 Nunn,J-Karpov,A Monte Carlo 1995 0-1 (49)}) 11... Nb6 12. Bb3 Ned5 13. O-O
Bd6 14. Bxd6 Qxd6 15. Ng3 Bg6 16. Nce4 Bxe4 17. Nxe4 Qf4 18. Re1 $16 {Lenic,
L-Solak,D 18-th European Teams Porto Carras GRE 2011 1-0 (45)}) 7... Nd7 8. Ng3
Bg6 9. cxd5 Nxd5 {Another capture is also playable but leads to a passive
position. Vachier Lagrave proved it in his game against L'Ami:} (9... cxd5 10.
Bg5 Qb6 11. Bb5 Nc6 12. O-O Rc8 13. Rc1 a6 14. Bxc6 Rxc6 15. Nce2 Qxb2 16. Rxc6
bxc6 17. Nf4 Qc2 18. Qf3 Be4 $6 (18... Bb4 19. Nxg6 Qxg6 20. Rc1 c5 21. a3 Ba5
22. dxc5 Nxe5 23. Qf4 Nc6 24. Qd6 e5 25. Qxd5 $16) 19. Nxe4 Qxe4 20. Qh3 Qf5
21. Qxf5 exf5 22. Rc1 $18 f6 23. Ng6 Rg8 24. e6 fxg5 25. Rxc6 {1-0 Vachier
Lagrave,M - L'Ami,E Reykjavik ISL 2013}) 10. Be2 (10. Nxd5 {It seems to me
that this line leads to an equal game.} cxd5 11. Bd2 Be7 12. Be2 Bxh4 13. Nxh5
Bxh5 14. Bxh5 Bg5 $11 {The game was dramatic so let's see it till the end.} 15.
f4 Bxf4 16. Bxf4 g6 17. Qg4 Rxh5 18. Rxh5 gxh5 19. Qxh5 Qa5+ 20. Bd2 Qa4 21.
Bc3 Rc8 22. Kf1 b5 23. Kg1 b4 24. b3 Qa3 25. Be1 Qb2 (25... Rc1 26. Rxc1 Qxc1
27. Qe2 a5 $15) 26. Rd1 Rc1 27. Bxb4 $4 Qxd4+ 28. Kh2 Rxd1 $4 (28... Qxb4 29.
Rxc1 Qf4+ $19) 29. Qh8+ Nf8 30. Qxf8+ Kd7 31. Qd6+ Kc8 32. Qc6+ Kd8 33. Ba5+
Ke7 34. Qd6+ {1-0 Zherebukh,Y-Eljanov,P Khanty-Mansiysk 2011}) 10... Qa5 $146 (
10... Bb4 11. Bd2 Qb6 12. Nxd5 cxd5 13. Bxb4 Qxb4+ 14. Qd2 Qxd2+ 15. Kxd2 Rc8
16. Rac1 Rxc1 17. Rxc1 Kd8 18. a4 f6 19. f4 f5 20. a5 Nb8 21. b4 $16 {Vachier
Lagrave,M - Laznicka,V San Sebastian ESP 2012 1-0 (60)}) 11. Bd2 O-O-O {
Black's new plan 0-0-0 is simple and logical. I don't see how White can get
some advantage and after several moves he will find himself in a bad position.}
12. O-O (12. Nxh5 {At least White' chances here aren't worse than after 0-0}
Qb6 (12... Nb4 $5 13. O-O Nc2 14. Ne4 (14. Nf4 $5 Nxa1 15. Nxg6 fxg6 16. Bg5
Re8 17. Bd3 $44) 14... Qd5 15. Qxc2 Bxe4 16. Qa4 Bxg2 $5 (16... Rxh5 17. Bxh5
Bxg2 18. Qb3 Qxb3 19. axb3 Bxf1 20. Kxf1 g6 21. Be2 Nxe5 $6 22. Rxa7) 17. Nf4
Bxf1 18. Nxd5 Bxe2 19. Nf4 Bf3 $44 20. h5 $6 g5) 13. Bg5 Ne7 $1 14. Nxg7 (14.
Nf4 Nxe5 15. Nxg6 N5xg6 16. Qc2 Rxd4 17. Be3 Nf5 $44) 14... Qxb2 15. Rh3 Nb6
16. Qc1 Qxc1+ 17. Rxc1 Bxg7 18. Bxe7 Rxd4 19. Nb5 Ra4 (19... Rd5 $5 20. Nxa7+
Kb8 21. Nxc6+ bxc6 22. h5 Nc8 (22... Bf5 23. Rb3 $16) 23. Rxc6 Rd7 24. Rxc8+
Kxc8 25. Rc3+ Rc7 26. Ba6+ Kd7 27. Bb5+ Kc8 28. Ba6+) 20. Nc3 Rd4 $11) (12.
Nxd5 Qxd5 13. Bc3 {It is not dangerous at all.} Qxg2 $4 (13... Be7 14. Bf3 Qc4
15. Be2 $11) 14. Bf3 $18) 12... Be7 13. Nce4 Qc7 (13... Qb6 $6 14. Qa4 Bb4 15.
Bxb4 Nxb4 16. Nd6+ Kb8 17. Nc4 $16) 14. Ng5 (14. Qb3 {It is unlikely that
White will get enough compensation for the pawn.} Bxh4 15. Nd6+ Kb8 16. Ba6 Qb6
17. Qxb6 (17. Bxb7 Bxg3 $1 18. fxg3 Qxd4+ 19. Rf2 Nc5 $19) 17... axb6 18. Bxb7
Nxe5 19. dxe5 Rxd6 20. exd6 Kxb7 $15 {Black will get 2 pawns for the exchange
and his chances are better.}) 14... Bxg5 (14... Qb6 $1 {I don't see how White
can get an equal game.} 15. Qa4 (15. Bc1 Nb4 $1 (15... Bxg5 16. Bxg5 f6 17.
exf6 gxf6 18. Bc1 e5 $13) 16. Bf4 Nf8 $15 (16... Nb8 $5)) 15... Qxb2 16. N5e4
Qa3 $15) 15. Bxg5 f6 16. exf6 gxf6 17. Bd2 Nf4 {It should be noted that the
opening result is not satisfying for White. Obviously Vitiugov was better
prepared.} 18. Re1 (18. Bf3 Nb6 19. Qb3 Rxd4 20. Bxf4 Rxf4 21. Qxe6+ Kb8 22.
Rfe1 Bf7 23. Qe7 Qxe7 24. Rxe7 Bd5 $11) 18... Nb6 19. Qb3 e5 20. Bxf4 exf4 21.
Ne4 Rxd4 22. Bf3 Bxe4 23. Bxe4 Kb8 24. Bf3 $6 (24. Rad1 $1 {White is a pawn
dawn but due to the opponent's pawn structure he could get even better chances
in the endgame.} Rxd1 25. Qxd1 Nd7 26. Qf3 Nc5 27. Bg6 $44) 24... Nc4 25. Qc3
Rhd8 (25... Qd8 $5 26. Re4 (26. Re7 Ne5 27. Rg7 Qd6) 26... Rxe4 27. Bxe4 Ne5
$15 {White will have to fight for a draw.}) 26. Rad1 $6 (26. Re8 $1 Ne5 27.
Rxd8+ Rxd8 28. Rd1 (28. Bxh5 $2 Rh8 29. Be2 Rxh4 $17) 28... a6 29. Rxd8+ Qxd8
30. Bxh5 Qh8 31. Be2 Qxh4 32. Qb4 {with good chances to draw.}) 26... Rxd1 $2 (
26... Nd2 27. Bxh5 Qd7 28. Be2 f3 29. Rxd2 Rxd2 30. Bxf3 {Black's position is
better. He has to decide to trade queens or not to trade.} Qd4 (30... Qd6 31.
h5 f5) 31. Qxd4 R8xd4 $15) 27. Rxd1 Ne5 28. Rxd8+ Qxd8 29. Bxh5 $11 Qh8 30. Qd2
Kc8 31. Bd1 $6 (31. Qd1 f3 32. Bxf3 Qxh4 33. Be2 $11) 31... Qxh4 32. Qd6 {
It seems to me that White would have enough compensation to draw if he played
Bb3.} (32. Bb3 $1 Qg5 33. Be6+ Kc7 34. Qb4 Ng6 35. Qd4 Nf8 36. Bh3) 32... Qg5
33. Qe6+ Kc7 34. Qe7+ Nd7 35. Qh7 Kd6 36. b4 Qe5 $17 37. Qd3+ {If you would
play White and didn't want to lose such kind of position you should play like
Houdini.} Qd5 38. Qe2 Ne5 39. a4 a6 40. Qe1 Qd3 41. Be2 Qc2 42. Bf1 f3 43. Qa1
Qd2 $19 44. b5 c5 45. Qa3 fxg2 46. Bxg2 Nd3 47. Bxb7 Qxf2+ 48. Kh1 Qg3 {
Vitiugov's idea needs to be checked in future games. Maxime Lagrave wasn't
able to put problem to Black.} 0-1

[Event "RUS-ch 66th"]
[Site "Nizhnij Novgorod"]
[Date "2013.10.06"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Motylev, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D12"]
[WhiteElo "2729"]
[BlackElo "2676"]
[PlyCount "137"]
[EventDate "2013.10.05"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "18"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 157"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2013.11.12"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2013.11.12"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Nxg6 hxg6 8. Bd3
Nbd7 9. Bd2 Bd6 10. h3 Qe7 11. Qb3 Rb8 12. Qc2 a6 13. a3 e5 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15.
cxd5 cxd5 16. Ne2 O-O 17. Bc3 Rbc8 18. Rd1 Rfd8 19. O-O Bb8 20. Qb1 Nc4 21. g3
Ne4 22. Bxe4 Qxe4 23. Qxe4 dxe4 24. Rxd8+ Rxd8 25. Rc1 Be5 26. Bxe5 Nxe5 27.
Nd4 Nf3+ 28. Nxf3 exf3 29. g4 Rd2 30. b4 Ra2 31. Rc8+ Kh7 32. Rc7 f6 33. g5 f5
34. Rxb7 Rxa3 35. Kh2 a5 36. b5 Rb3 37. Kg3 a4 38. Kxf3 a3 39. b6 a2 40. Ra7
Rxb6 41. Rxa2 Rb1 42. Kg2 Kg8 43. Ra8+ Kf7 44. Ra7+ Kf8 45. Ra4 Re1 46. Ra3 Rb1
47. Ra4 Re1 48. h4 Rb1 49. f3 Rb3 50. Kf2 Kf7 51. Ra7+ Kf8 52. Ra5 Kg8 53. Re5
Rb1 54. Kg2 Kf7 55. h5 gxh5 56. Rxf5+ Kg6 57. Re5 h4 58. Re7 Rb3 59. f4 Kh5 60.
Kf3 Rb1 61. Rxg7 Rf1+ 62. Ke2 Ra1 63. Kf3 Rf1+ 64. Ke2 Ra1 65. g6 Rh1 66. f5
Kg5 67. Rf7 Rg1 68. g7 Kh6 69. f6 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch 66th"]
[Site "Nizhnij Novgorod"]
[Date "2013.10.14"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Andreikin, Dmitry"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E39"]
[WhiteElo "2729"]
[BlackElo "2706"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventDate "2013.10.05"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "18"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 157"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2013.11.12"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2013.11.12"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. Nf3 c5 6. dxc5 Na6 7. g3 Nxc5 8.
Bg2 b6 9. O-O Bxc3 10. Qxc3 Bb7 11. b3 d5 12. cxd5 Nxd5 13. Qd4 Qe7 14. Ba3
Rfd8 15. Rac1 Rac8 16. Bxc5 Rxc5 17. Rxc5 bxc5 18. Qb2 Nb4 19. Rc1 Qd6 20. h4
h6 21. a3 Na6 22. Qc3 Rb8 23. Nd2 Bxg2 24. Kxg2 Nc7 25. Qe3 Nd5 26. Qxc5 Nf4+
27. gxf4 Qxd2 28. Qe5 Rxb3 29. Rc8+ Kh7 30. Qe4+ g6 31. Rc7 Kg8 32. h5 Qd6 33.
Qc2 Rb7 34. Rxb7 Qd5+ 35. f3 Qxb7 36. hxg6 Kg7 37. gxf7 Qxf7 38. Qe4 Kg8 39. a4
Qg7+ 40. Kh2 Qf7 41. a5 Qh5+ 42. Kg2 Qxa5 43. Qxe6+ Kg7 44. f5 1-0

[Event "WchT 9th"]
[Site "Antalya"]
[Date "2013.11.30"]
[Round "5.4"]
[White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B84"]
[WhiteElo "2727"]
[BlackElo "2741"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "2013.11.26"]
[EventType "team-tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "TUR"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 158"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2014.01.16"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2014.01.16"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Germany"]
[BlackTeam "Russia"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "GER"]
[BlackTeamCountry "RUS"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 Qc7 7. O-O Nf6 8.
Kh1 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Qd3 d5 12. e5 Nd7 13. Na4 a5 14. c4 Ba6 15.
b3 g6 16. Be3 c5 17. Bf2 d4 18. Qh3 Bb7 19. Bh4 Bxh4 20. Qxh4 h5 21. Bf3 Bxf3
22. Rxf3 Qd8 23. Qe1 Qc7 24. Nb2 Kf8 25. Nd3 Qc6 26. a4 Kg7 27. Nf2 Nb6 28. Nh3
Qc7 29. Qh4 Qd8 30. Ng5 Nc8 31. f5 exf5 32. e6 Nd6 33. exf7 Qe7 34. Raf1 Nxf7
35. Rg3 Ra6 36. Qf4 Nxg5 37. Rxg5 Rf8 38. h4 Re6 39. Qf3 Kh7 40. g4 hxg4 0-1

[Event "RUS-ch 67th"]
[Site "Kazan"]
[Date "2014.12.07"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C18"]
[WhiteElo "2714"]
[BlackElo "2738"]
[Annotator "CB"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2014.11.28"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "19"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 164"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2015.01.15"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2015.01.15"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 cxd4 8.
Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 Qc7 10. Ne2 Nbc6 11. f4 dxc3 {Nothing like a good old
poisoned pawn Winawer French to add some drama in Vitiugov's games.} 12. h4 {
A line that some sources say is the most dangerous way to play nowadays,
though it is far from the most popular. The line is sharp and Vitiugov is a
well known theoretician in these waters.} Bd7 13. Qd3 d4 14. h5 O-O-O 15. Rb1
Kb8 {So far we have been following a Palac-Berg game, which Berg mentioned was
dangerous to him. Nepomniachtchi however is the first to deviate.} 16. g3 (16.
Ng3 {was played before.}) 16... Bc8 17. Bg2 b6 {The typical retransfer of the
bishop gives Black good play here. Relative to other variations Black's pieces
have good hope of activating well.} 18. Bf3 Bb7 19. g4 Na5 {Already it is
clear that Black's coordination will be a headache for White. His pawns are
not so far advanced on the kingside yet where they would become a headache,
and right now they are a bit of a target.} 20. Rh3 Bxf3 21. Qxf3 Nb7 22. h6 Nc5
23. h7 Rh8 $17 {The pawn made it to h7, but now it is blockaded. Meanwhile
there is the looming threat of a d3 break in the center. Black is much better.}
24. Qg2 Qd7 25. f5 d3 {Black crashes through.} 26. Nxc3 Qd4 27. Kd2 (27. Bd2
dxc2 {is curtains.}) 27... Nd5 28. Nxd5 Ne4+ 29. Kd1 Qxd5 (29... Rxd5 {was
more precise, but the move in the game is good enough.} 30. Rb4 Qf2 $1 {
is the pretty point.}) 30. Ke1 Qa2 31. Rxb6+ axb6 32. Qxe4 Qb1 33. cxd3 Qxc1+
34. Ke2 {The rook is a nice amount of material to have, but also the fact that
White is getting mated is important.} Rc8 35. Kf3 Rc2 36. Kg3 Qg1+ 37. Kf4 Rf2+
38. Kg5 exf5 39. Rh1 fxe4 0-1

[Event "RUS-chT 23rd"]
[Site "Sochi"]
[Date "2016.05.01"]
[Round "1.1"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Najer, Evgeniy"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D77"]
[WhiteElo "2721"]
[BlackElo "2681"]
[PlyCount "107"]
[EventDate "2016.05.01"]
[EventType "team-tourn"]
[EventRounds "10"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 173"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2016.07.12"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2016.07.12"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "St Petersburg Bronze Horseman"]
[BlackTeam "Moscow Legacy Square"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "RUS"]
[BlackTeamCountry "RUS"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 Nf6 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 dxc4 7. Na3 c3 8. bxc3
c5 9. Ne5 Nd5 10. Bd2 Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Nc4 Ba6 13. Ne5 Qc7 14. Re1 Bxe5
15. dxe5 Qxe5 16. Qc1 Rfd8 17. Qa3 Bb5 18. c4 Bxc4 19. Qxc5 Qd6 20. Qxc4 Nb6
21. Qxc6 Qxc6 22. Bxc6 Rac8 23. Bb4 Rxc6 24. Bxe7 Rd2 25. Bg5 Rb2 26. Kf1 f6
27. Bc1 Rbc2 28. Be3 Kf7 29. Red1 g5 30. Ke1 Ke6 31. Rdc1 h5 32. Rxc2 Rxc2 33.
a4 Rc7 34. Bxb6 axb6 35. Rb1 Rc6 36. Kd2 Kd5 37. Kd3 Rd6 38. Rb4 Kc6+ 39. Rd4
Re6 40. Re4 Rd6+ 41. Kc4 Kb7 42. f4 Rd1 43. Re6 Rh1 44. h4 gxh4 45. gxh4 Rxh4
46. Rxf6 Rg4 47. e3 Rg1 48. Rh6 Ra1 49. Kd5 Rxa4 50. f5 Ra5+ 51. Ke6 Ra8 52.
Rh7+ Kc6 53. f6 Re8+ 54. Re7 1-0

[Event "EU-Cup 32nd"]
[Site "Novi Sad"]
[Date "2016.11.09"]
[Round "4.2"]
[White "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C84"]
[WhiteElo "2683"]
[BlackElo "2718"]
[Annotator "Pavlovic,M"]
[PlyCount "126"]
[EventDate "2016.11.06"]
[EventType "team-swiss"]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "SRB"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 176"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2017.01.17"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.01.17"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Sveti Nikolaj Srpski"]
[BlackTeam "Mednyi Vsadnik"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "SRB"]
[BlackTeamCountry "RUS"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 {
In the recently finished match Carlsen-Karjakin we saw Karjakin trying to get
the advantage with 8.a3, but without success.} Bd7 9. c3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4
Qb8 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. axb5 {This line should be closely compared to
games given here but without taking on b5:} (14. dxc5 dxc5 15. Qd5 Qc8 (15...
Nb7 16. axb5 Be6 17. Qc6+ Bd7 18. Qd5 Be6 19. Qd1 axb5 20. Rxa8 Qxa8 21. Na3
Qa5 22. Nxb5 Bc4 23. Nd6+ Nxd6 24. Qxd6 Bxf1 25. Kxf1 $44 {1-0 (61) Navara,D 
(2703)-Caruana,F (2779) Rhodes 2013}) 16. Nxe5 Be6 17. Qd6 b4 $5 ({A possible
improvement over} 17... Be7 18. Qd1 Qc7 19. axb5 axb5 20. Nf3 O-O 21. Nbd2 Rad8
22. Qe2 Nc4 23. e5 g6 24. Rfe1 Rfe8 25. Nxc4 Bxc4 26. Qe3 $16 {1-0 (59)
Khairullin,I (2629)-Gustafsson,J (2629) Bangkok 2016. White is simply better.})
18. Nd2 (18. Nd3 $5 {looks a bit artificial though}) 18... Qd8 19. Qxd8+ Rxd8
20. Ndf3 Bxe5 21. Nxe5 b3 22. Bd1 Nc4 23. Nxc4 Bxc4 24. Re1 Rd2 {Black is
slightly better.}) 14... axb5 15. dxc5 dxc5 16. Qd5 Qc8 17. b4 (17. Nxe5 Be6
18. Qd6 Ra6 $1 {That is a key difference from the game above - taking on b5
allows these tactics.}) 17... Be6 18. Qxc5 Qxc5 19. bxc5 Kd7 20. Na3 Kc6 21.
Rab1 Rhb8 {The entire position is already OK for Black and in such situations
it is now not an easy task for White to find equalising moves. After all Black
has the bishop pair, and as we will see that can never be taken lightly.} 22.
Rfd1 (22. Bd3 Nc4 23. Nc2 Kxc5 {is fine for Black.}) 22... Nc4 23. Nxc4 bxc4
24. Rxb8 Rxb8 25. Ra1 Rb2 26. Bd1 Kxc5 27. Kf1 Bg4 $1 {Black is slightly
better, but it is not easy to attack the f2- or c3-pawn, so therefore Black
must use little tricks:} 28. Ra5+ (28. h3 Bxf3 29. gxf3 Bh4 $15) 28... Kb6 29.
Ra8 Kb7 30. Ra4 Bd7 31. Ra1 Bc6 32. Be2 Bb5 33. Bd1 $6 (33. Ke1 $1 Rc2 34. h4
Rxc3 35. Kd2 Rb3 36. Kc2 {It seems that Black can't progress from here. Of
course such ideas are not easy to evaluate in the game.}) 33... Kb6 34. Ke1 Be7
$1 35. Be2 Rc2 36. Nxe5 Bf6 37. Nxc4+ Kc5 38. Ra7 Bxc3+ 39. Kd1 Rxe2 40. Kxe2
Bxc4+ 41. Kf3 Kd6 42. g3 {Well I saw this game live actually and I thought
that Moroz would save it but I was wrong. Let's see...} Be6 43. Kg2 Ke5 44. f3
g5 45. Rc7 Bd4 46. Rb7 Bc5 47. Rb5 Kd4 48. h3 h5 49. h4 (49. g4 h4 50. Ra5 {
The only winning attempt would be to get the black king to g3, but I don't see
it there.}) 49... Bc4 50. Rb8 g4 51. f4 (51. fxg4 hxg4 52. h5 Bd3 53. Rd8+ Ke3
54. e5 Bf5 55. Rg8 Be4+ 56. Kh2 Kf3 57. Rg7 Bd5 58. h6 Bf2 59. h7 Bxg3+ 60. Kg1
{Another draw.}) 51... Bd3 52. e5 Be4+ 53. Kh2 Ke3 54. Rb5 Bd4 55. Rb3+ Ke2 56.
Rb4 Kd3 57. Rb3+ Ke2 58. Rb4 Ke3 59. Rb3+ Bd3 60. Rb4 Bc5 61. Rb2 Kf3 62. Rb3
Ke2 63. Rb2+ $4 (63. Rc3 Bd4 64. Ra3 Bf2 65. Rb3 {Just waiting would secure
the draw.}) 63... Kf1 $1 {With mate to follow.} 0-1

[Event "Moscow Aeroflot op-A 16th"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "2017.02.26"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E18"]
[WhiteElo "2724"]
[BlackElo "2723"]
[PlyCount "113"]
[EventDate "2017.02.21"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 177"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2017.03.16"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.03.16"]
[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
Bf6 9. Be1 d5 10. Qc2 Nxc3 11. Bxc3 Nd7 12. cxd5 exd5 13. b4 c5 14. dxc5 bxc5
15. Bxf6 Qxf6 16. Bh3 Rfd8 17. bxc5 Rac8 18. Qa4 Nxc5 19. Qxa7 Rc6 20. Rab1 Qd6
21. Qa3 d4 22. Bg2 Ra6 23. Qb2 Bxf3 24. Bxf3 Na4 25. Qd2 Nc3 26. Rb2 g6 27. Rc1
Ra3 28. Kg2 Kg7 29. Rcc2 Qe6 30. Qg5 Rc8 31. Qf4 Ra4 32. Qd2 Rc5 33. h4 h6 34.
Qd3 Qe5 35. Rb7 Qe6 36. e3 Qf6 37. Rd7 dxe3 38. Qxe3 Rac4 39. Rcd2 Re5 40. Qd3
Rcc5 41. Rb2 Nb5 42. a4 Rc3 43. Qd1 Rf5 44. axb5 Rfxf3 45. Qd4 Kf8 46. Qxf6
Rxf6 47. b6 Rc8 48. b7 Rb8 49. Rc7 Re6 50. Rc8+ Re8 51. Rxb8 Rxb8 52. Kf3 Ke7
53. Ke4 Kd6 54. Kd4 h5 55. Ke4 f6 56. Rb6+ Kc5 57. Rxf6 1-0

[Event "Karlsruhe Grenke op"]
[Site "Karlsruhe"]
[Date "2017.04.17"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Fedoseev, Vladimir1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E06"]
[WhiteElo "2729"]
[BlackElo "2684"]
[PlyCount "109"]
[EventDate "2017.04.13"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 177 Extra"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2017.04.27"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.04.27"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Qc2 a6 7. Bf4 dxc4 8. Qxc4
Bd6 9. Ne5 Nd5 10. Nc3 Nxf4 11. gxf4 Nd7 12. e3 Nb6 13. Qb3 f5 14. h4 a5 15. a3
c6 16. h5 a4 17. Qc2 Bd7 18. Bf3 Be8 19. Rh3 Qe7 20. O-O-O Rc8 21. Kb1 c5 22.
d5 Kh8 23. Ng6+ Bxg6 24. hxg6 h6 25. dxe6 Qxe6 26. Rg3 Be7 27. Nd5 Bf6 28. Nxf6
Qxf6 29. Rgg1 Rfd8 30. Bxb7 Rxd1+ 31. Rxd1 Rb8 32. Qxc5 Rxb7 33. Rd6 Qe7 34.
Qe5 Qf8 35. Qd4 Rb8 36. Rxb6 Rxb6 37. Qxb6 Qe8 38. Kc1 h5 39. e4 h4 40. Kd2 h3
41. Qe3 Qd7+ 42. Ke1 fxe4 43. Qxe4 Qc8 44. f5 Kg8 45. Qd5+ Kh8 46. Kd2 Qe8 47.
Qd3 h2 48. Qh3+ Kg8 49. Qxh2 Qd7+ 50. Ke1 Qe8+ 51. Kf1 Qb5+ 52. Kg1 Qxf5 53.
Qb8+ Qf8 54. Qxf8+ Kxf8 55. Kf1 1-0

[Event "WchT 11th"]
[Site "Khanty-Mansiysk"]
[Date "2017.06.26"]
[Round "9.2"]
[White "Onischuk, Alexander"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E11"]
[WhiteElo "2685"]
[BlackElo "2720"]
[PlyCount "112"]
[EventDate "2017.06.17"]
[EventType "team-tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 179"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2017.07.12"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.07.12"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "US of America"]
[BlackTeam "Russia"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "USA"]
[BlackTeamCountry "RUS"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Bxd2+ 5. Qxd2 d5 6. Nc3 O-O 7. e3 Qe7 8.
cxd5 exd5 9. Bd3 b6 10. O-O Bb7 11. Ne5 c5 12. Rac1 c4 13. Bb1 a6 14. a4 Nc6
15. f4 Nb4 16. Rce1 Rac8 17. Qe2 Rc7 18. g4 Ne4 19. g5 f6 20. gxf6 gxf6 21. Nf3
Kh8 22. Kh1 Qg7 23. Rg1 Qh6 24. Rg2 Qh5 25. Rf1 Bc8 26. Bxe4 dxe4 27. Nd2 Qxe2
28. Rxe2 Bg4 29. Rg2 Bh3 30. Ndxe4 Re7 31. Rf3 Bxg2+ 32. Kxg2 Nd3 33. Nd6 Ne1+
34. Kf2 Nxf3 35. Kxf3 f5 36. Nxc4 Re6 37. d5 Rh6 38. d6 Rxh2 39. e4 b5 40. axb5
axb5 41. Nxb5 fxe4+ 42. Kxe4 Rh4 43. Ne5 Rhxf4+ 44. Kd5 Kg8 45. d7 Rf1 46. Nd4
Rd1 47. Nec6 h5 48. d8=Q Rxd8+ 49. Nxd8 h4 50. N8c6 h3 51. Ne7+ Kf7 52. Nef5
Kg6 53. Ng3 Kg5 54. Ke4 Kg4 55. Nde2 Re1 56. Ke3 Rxe2+ 0-1

[Event "RUS-ch 70th"]
[Site "St Petersburg"]
[Date "2017.12.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Fedoseev, Vladimir1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D15"]
[WhiteElo "2722"]
[BlackElo "2718"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[EventDate "2017.12.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "18"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 182"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2018.01.17"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2018.01.17"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 a6 5. Nf3 Bf5 6. Qb3 Ra7 7. Nh4 Bc8 8. Qc2
e6 9. Nf3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 c5 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. e4 Nc6 13. O-O Nb4 14. Qe2 b5 15.
a3 Nc6 16. Ba2 O-O 17. e5 Nd5 18. Nxd5 exd5 19. Bb1 Qb6 20. Qc2 f5 21. exf6 g6
22. Ba2 Bf5 23. Bxd5+ Kh8 24. Qe2 Rd7 25. Bxc6 Qxc6 26. Bh6 Bd3 27. Qe5 Bd6 28.
Bg7+ 1-0

[Event "Shenzhen Du Te Cup 2nd"]
[Site "Shenzhen"]
[Date "2018.11.11"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Wojtaszek, Radoslaw"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D32"]
[WhiteElo "2709"]
[BlackElo "2749"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "2018.11.04"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "10"]
[EventCountry "CHN"]
[EventCategory "21"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 187 Extra"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2018.11.04"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2018.11.04"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Bd6 5. b3 c5 6. Bb2 Nc6 7. cxd5 exd5 8. d4
cxd4 9. Nxd4 O-O 10. Be2 Re8 11. O-O Nxd4 12. Qxd4 Be5 13. Qd2 d4 14. exd4 Qxd4
15. Qxd4 Bxd4 16. Bf3 Be6 17. Rad1 Bxc3 18. Bxc3 Rac8 19. Bd4 b6 20. Rd2 Bf5
21. Be3 Be4 22. Bxe4 Rxe4 23. Rfd1 Kf8 24. h3 Re6 25. Rd4 h6 26. Ra4 Re7 27.
Rdd4 Ke8 28. g4 Rd8 29. Rxd8+ Kxd8 30. g5 Ng8 31. Bxb6+ axb6 32. Ra8+ Kd7 33.
Rxg8 hxg5 34. Rxg7 1-0

[Event "Bundesliga 1819"]
[Site "Germany"]
[Date "2018.12.15"]
[Round "5.2"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Ragger, Markus"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C67"]
[WhiteElo "2709"]
[BlackElo "2701"]
[PlyCount "121"]
[EventDate "2018.11.10"]
[EventType "team-tourn"]
[EventRounds "15"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 187 Extra"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2018.11.04"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2018.11.04"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Hockenheim"]
[BlackTeam "Solingen"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "GER"]
[BlackTeamCountry "GER"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5
8. Rxe5 O-O 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re2 b6 11. Re1 Bb7 12. Bf4 Ne4 13. c3 Bg5 14. Qc1
Bxf4 15. Qxf4 Qf6 16. Qxf6 Nxf6 17. f3 Rfe8 18. Rxe8+ Nxe8 19. Kf2 d5 20. a4 a5
21. Nd2 Kf8 22. Bd3 Nd6 23. b4 Bc6 24. b5 Bd7 25. Nf1 Bf5 26. Bxf5 Nxf5 27. g4
Ne7 28. Ne3 Rd8 29. h4 Rd6 30. h5 Rd7 31. Rb1 h6 32. f4 g6 33. Kf3 Rd6 34. Rc1
Rd7 35. Ke2 Kg7 36. Kd3 Ng8 37. hxg6 Kxg6 38. c4 dxc4+ 39. Nxc4 f6 40. Ne3 Ne7
41. Ke4 Kf7 42. d5 Kf8 43. Rc2 Kg8 44. Rc3 Kf8 45. Nf5 Nxf5 46. Kxf5 Rxd5+ 47.
Kxf6 Rd4 48. f5 Rxg4 49. Rxc7 Ke8 50. Rb7 h5 51. Rxb6 h4 52. Rb7 Rxa4 53. Rh7
Rb4 54. Ke6 Re4+ 55. Kd5 Rb4 56. Kc5 Kf8 57. f6 Kg8 58. f7+ Kf8 59. b6 Rb1 60.
Rxh4 Kxf7 61. Re4 1-0

[Event "Prague Masters 1st"]
[Site "Prague"]
[Date "2019.03.07"]
[Round "2.3"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Harikrishna, Pentala"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C67"]
[WhiteElo "2726"]
[BlackElo "2730"]
[Annotator "Vitiugov,N"]
[PlyCount "59"]
[EventDate "2019.03.06"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "CZE"]
[EventCategory "19"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 189"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2019.04.29"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2019.04.29"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

{This game was played in the second round. I had an idea in the Berlin Defence,
and I thought it was a good moment to try it. Diese Partie wurde in der
zweiten Runde gespielt. Ich hatte eine Idee in der Berliner Verteidigung und
fand, es wäre ein guter Moment, sie auszuprobieren.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.
Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. dxe5 Nxb5 7. a4 {Back in 2003, I played a
training game. My opponent surprised me with a sideline (for me) in the Ruy
Lopez (I mean 3...Nf6). Mostly I chose 1.d4 at that time and I had to find
something over the board. I was very proud of myself after coming up with 6.
dxe5 Nxb5 7.a4!, and only later on I realized it was just a way to deal with
Berlin, playable, but not the greatest. Damals im Jahr 2003 trug ich eine
Trainingspartie aus. Mein Gegner erwischte mich mit einer (für mich) seltenen
Variante im Spanier auf dem falschen Fuß (ich meine 3...Sf6). Seinerzeit
spielte ich überwiegend 1.d4 und musste am Brett improvisieren. Ich war sehr
stolz auf mich selbst, 6.dxe5 Sxb5 7.a4! gefunden zu haben, und stellte erst
hinterher fest, dass es einfach nur ein Weg war, die Berliner Verteidigung zu
behandeln, spielbar, aber nichts Besonderes.} Nbd4 ({There are several ways to
get in trouble. Like Es gibt diverse Wege, in Schwierigkeiten zu geraten. Etwa
} 7... d6 $6 8. e6 $1 fxe6 9. axb5 Ne7 10. Nc3 Nf5 11. Nd4 Qf6 12. b6 $1 cxb6
13. Ndb5 Qd8 14. g4 $36 {Sarana - Khismatullin, Yaroslavl 2018 Sarana -
Khismatullin, Yaroslavl 2018}) ({Or Oder} 7... Nd6 $2 8. Bg5 f6 9. Re1 Nxe5 10.
Nxe5 Be7 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Qh5+ Kf8 13. Ng6+ $18 {Guseinov - Deac, Batumi 2018
Guseinov - Deac, Batumi 2018}) 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 ({After Nach} 8... d5 {Naiditsch 
(an expert in this line) recently played two games against Kryvoruchko.
Without great success. spielte Naiditsch (ein Experte in dieser Variante)
unlängst zwei Partien gegen Kryvoruchko. Ohne großen Erfolg.} 9. Nxc6 bxc6
10. Nd2 Rb8 11. b3 ({Probably, an improvement. At least, it was their second
game. Wahrscheinlich eine Verbesserung. Zumindest war es ihre zweite Partie.} 
11. Qf3 c5 12. Rd1 Be6 13. Nf1 Qd7 14. h3 Be7 15. Qg3 g6 16. Bh6 Rxb2 17. Rab1
Rxb1 18. Rxb1 Qxa4 19. Rb8+ Bd8 $17 {1/2-1/2 (53) Naiditsch,A (2736)
-Kryvoruchko,Y (2698) Hungary HUN 2018 1/2-1/2 (53) Naiditsch,A (2736)
-Kryvoruchko,Y (2698) Hungary HUN 2018}) 11... Bf5 12. Re1 Bb4 13. Ba3 Bxa3 14.
Rxa3 O-O 15. Nf1 c5 16. Ng3 Be6 17. Qd2 Rb4 $11 {0-1 (86) Naiditsch,A (2721)
-Kryvoruchko,Y (2695) Batumi 2018 0-1 (86) Naiditsch,A (2721)-Kryvoruchko,Y 
(2695) Batumi 2018}) (8... d6 {is a bit passive: ist ein wenig passiv:} 9. Nxc6
bxc6 10. Re1 dxe5 11. Rxe5+ Be6 12. Qf3 Qd7 13. Nc3 Bd6 14. Re2 O-O 15. h3 Bc4
16. Re1 Rfe8 17. Bf4 Rad8 18. Rxe8+ Qxe8 19. Rd1 f6 20. Bxd6 Rxd6 21. Qf4 $14 {
1-0 (36) Naiditsch,A (2710)-Adams,M (2708) Astana KAZ 2019 1-0 (36) Naiditsch,
A (2710)-Adams,M (2708) Astana KAZ 2019}) 9. Qxd4 d5 10. Qd3 c6 11. a5 {
Nothing new so far. The move a5 is always useful to prevent b6 or to disturb
Black's queenside with a6. Bislang nichts Neues. Der Zug a5 ist immer
nützlich, um b6 zu verhindern oder mit a6 den schwarzen Damenflügel zu
behelligen.} Be6 {This move was played by Peter Leko, which means a very
simple thing - it is the best, or at least the most solid in this position. Of
course, I checked it before the game. Dieser Zug wurde von Peter Leko gespielt,
was etwas sehr Einfaches heißt - es ist der beste oder zumindest der
solideste in dieser Stellung. Natürlich hatte ich ihn vor der Partie geprüft.
} (11... Qd7 12. f4 (12. Be3 $5) 12... Qf5 13. Qc3 Bd7 14. Qb3 $6 Bc5+ 15. Be3
Bxe3+ 16. Qxe3 Qxc2 17. Qa3 Bf5 18. Qb4 Qe4 19. Qc5 Qc4 $15 {Grischuk -
Nakamura, Leuven 2018 Grischuk - Nakamura, Leuven 2018}) 12. Nc3 (12. f4 g6 13.
Nd2 c5 14. Nf3 Qd7 15. Be3 Be7 16. Bf2 Bf5 17. Qd2 Be4 {and Black has a very
comfortable position, Lomasov,S (2553)-Leko,P (2669), Moscow 2018. und Schwarz
hat eine sehr bequeme Stellung, Lomasov,S (2553)-Leko,P (2669), Moskau 2018.})
12... Qd7 13. Ne2 Bf5 14. Qc3 Be7 {Black is reacting in a very natural way.
But... Schwarz reagiert auf sehr natürliche Weise. Aber...} 15. Bh6 $1 {
Nice, but of course it was found during the prep. From this moment on the
black king is not comfortable anymore. Hübsch, wurde aber natürlich bei der
Vorbereitung entdeckt. Von diesem Moment an fühlt sich der schwarze König
nicht mehr wohl.} d4 $2 {It is very difficult to play against a prepared
opponent in a complex position. Hari is seeking for simplifications, but
that's not the way to go. In einer komplexen Stellung gegen einen
vorbereiteten Gegner zu spielen, ist äußert schwierig. Hari strebt
Vereinfachungen an, aber das ist nicht der angezeigte Weg.} ({Nothing critical
has happened - Noch ist nichts Kritisches passiert -} 15... Rg8 {and White has
a choice: , und Weiß hat die Wahl:} 16. Bxg7 ({or oder} 16. Bd2 c5 17. b4 cxb4
18. Qe3 Rc8 19. Nd4 $13) 16... Rxg7 17. e6 Rxg2+ 18. Kxg2 fxe6 $44) 16. Nxd4
gxh6 17. e6 Bxe6 18. Nxe6 Rg8 19. Nf4 (19. Ng7+ $6 {is just wasting time: ist
nur Zeitverschwendung:} Kf8 20. Nh5 Rd8 $14) 19... Qf5 ({Maybe Vielleicht war} 
19... O-O-O {was better, but after besser, aber nach} 20. a6 b5 21. g3 Bd6 22.
Rad1 Qc7 23. Nd3 {Black's position is very bad, practically lost. ist die
schwarze Stellung sehr schlecht, praktisch verloren.}) 20. Ra4 $1 {Energetic
play, a6 is coming. Energisches Spiel, a6 wird kommen.} Qf6 21. Qd3 ({The good
alternative was Die gute Alternative war} 21. Qe3 $5) 21... Rd8 22. Qxh7 {
Just in case, if White fails to win on the spot, it is gonna be a good
endgame! Sicherheitshalber; falls Weiß es nicht schafft, sofort zu gewinnen,
wird es ein gutes Endspiel sein!} Rg7 (22... Kd7 $5) 23. Qe4 Qxb2 $6 {All
moves are bad in a bad position, but now it is definitely over. In einer
schlechten Stellung sind alle Züge schlecht, aber jetzt ist es definitiv
vorbei.} 24. Re1 Rd7 25. a6 $1 {There were other ways, but I liked this. As
the great Russian writer Chekhov said once, if in the beginning of the play
the gun hangs on the wall, then (by the end of the play) it should shoot. Es
gab andere Wege, aber dies gefiel mir. Wie der große russische Schriftsteller
Tschechow einmal sagte, wenn zu Beginn des Stücks das Gewehr an der Wand
hängt, dann sollte es (am Ende des Stücks) auch schießen.} Rg5 {The last
trap. Die letzte Falle.} (25... b5 26. Qxc6 bxa4 27. Nd5 $18) 26. h4 ({The
idea was Die Idee war} 26. axb7 Re5 $1 {but, surprisingly, even here White is
winning: , aber überraschenderweise gewinnt Weiß selbst hier:} 27. Rb4 Rxe4
28. b8=Q+ Rd8 29. Qxd8+ Kxd8 30. Rd1+ $1 $18) 26... Rb5 27. axb7 {That's it.
Das war's.} Rbxb7 28. Qxc6 Kf8 29. Qxh6+ Qg7 30. Ne6+ 1-0

[Event "Prague Masters 1st"]
[Site "Prague"]
[Date "2019.03.13"]
[Round "7.5"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Duda, Jan Krzysztof"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2726"]
[BlackElo "2731"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2019.03.06"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "CZE"]
[EventCategory "19"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 189"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2019.04.29"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2019.04.29"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 g6 7. Be2 Bg7 8. Be3
Nc6 9. O-O O-O 10. Qd2 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Be6 12. a5 Rc8 13. Ra4 Rc6 14. f4 Qd7 15.
Rb4 Rfc8 16. Bd3 Bc4 17. h3 Bxd3 18. Qxd3 e5 19. Be3 exf4 20. Bxf4 Qc7 21. Kh1
b5 22. axb6 Rxb6 23. Rxb6 Qxb6 24. Bxd6 Qxb2 25. Nd5 Rxc2 26. Ba3 Qb5 27. Nxf6+
Bxf6 28. Qxb5 axb5 29. Rxf6 b4 30. Bxb4 Rc1+ 31. Kh2 Rc4 32. Rb6 Rxe4 33. Bc3
Re8 34. Bf6 h6 35. h4 Kh7 36. Rd6 Re4 37. g3 Re2+ 38. Kg1 Re3 39. Rd8 g5 40. h5
Rxg3+ 41. Kf2 g4 42. Rh8# 1-0

[Event "RUS-chT"]
[Site "Sochi"]
[Date "2019.05.02"]
[Round "2.1"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Inarkiev, Ernesto"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A20"]
[WhiteElo "2734"]
[BlackElo "2691"]
[PlyCount "97"]
[EventDate "2019.05.01"]
[EventType "team-tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 190 Extra"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2019.07.15"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2019.07.15"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "St Petersburg Bronze Horseman"]
[BlackTeam "Moscow Legacy Square"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "RUS"]
[BlackTeamCountry "RUS"]

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. e4 d5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. exd5 Nxd5 7. Nf3 Nc6 8.
O-O Bg4 9. Qa4 Qd7 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Qe4 O-O-O 12. Qxe5 Nb4 13. d4 Bd6 14. Qa5
Kb8 15. Nc3 Rhe8 16. Nb5 b6 17. Qxb4 Bxb4 18. Bf4+ Bd6 19. Bxd6+ Qxd6 20. Nxd6
Rxd6 21. d5 Rd7 22. h3 Bh5 23. g4 Bg6 24. Rfd1 f6 25. a4 Rd6 26. a5 Re7 27. Rd4
bxa5 28. Rxa5 Rb7 29. Rd2 Rdb6 30. d6 Rxb2 31. Rxb2 Rxb2 32. d7 Kc7 33. Rxa7+
Kd8 34. Bc6 Rb8 35. f4 h5 36. Kf2 hxg4 37. hxg4 Bd3 38. Ra3 Bc4 39. Re3 Kc7 40.
Re8 Rd8 41. Kg3 Rxd7 42. Bxd7 Kxd7 43. Re1 Bf7 44. Kh4 Kd6 45. g5 Kd7 46. Kg4
Be6+ 47. f5 Bc4 48. gxf6 gxf6 49. Kh5 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch 72nd"]
[Site "Izhevsk"]
[Date "2019.08.16"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Artemiev, Vladislav"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C48"]
[WhiteElo "2757"]
[BlackElo "2728"]
[Annotator "Vitiugov,N"]
[PlyCount "132"]
[EventDate "2019.08.10"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "18"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 192"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2019.10.31"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2019.10.31"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

{This game was played in the sixth round. In the previous game, Vladislav
dramatically lost to Dreev, having blundered a rook in a very good position.
Looking back, it seems that this game was one of the crucial ones in the
tournament. But this is just hindsight. Before this very game, Artemiev hadn't
lost with white more that a year.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 {
The main answer. In general, the line is considered to be harmless for Black.}
5. Bc4 Bc5 6. O-O ({Vladislav is used to play} 6. d3 d6 7. h3 ({the main
position arises after} 7. Na4 b5 8. Nxd4 bxc4 9. Nf5 Bxf5 10. exf5 cxd3 11.
Nxc5 dxc5 {etc.}) 7... h6 (7... c6 8. Nxd4 Bxd4 9. Qf3 Be6 10. Ne2 Bb6 11. Ng3
Qd7 12. Bg5 Bd8 13. O-O h6 14. Be3 Bb6 15. Rad1 Rd8 16. Bb3 Qe7 17. Bxb6 axb6
18. Qe3 c5 19. f4 $14 {1-0 (42) Artemiev,V (2703)-Bocharov,I (2565)
Cheliabinsk 2018}) 8. Nxd4 Bxd4 9. Qf3 Qe7 10. Ne2 Bb6 11. Ng3 c6 12. O-O g6
13. c3 Be6 14. Bb3 Nd7 15. Be3 h5 16. d4 {1-0 (36) Artemiev,V (2706)-Oparin,G 
(2624) Sochi RUS 2018}) 6... d6 7. Nxd4 Bxd4 8. d3 Be6 {The most natural.} (
8... O-O 9. h3 Be6 10. Bb3 h6 11. Qf3 Bxc3 12. bxc3 c5 13. Bxe6 fxe6 14. c4 Qd7
15. a4 Rf7 16. a5 {and despite white eventually won,I don't think black is in
troubles Kryvoruchko,Y (2678)-Adams,M (2740) Tromsoe 2013}) 9. Ne2 Bb6 10. Ng3
O-O (10... h5 $5 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. h3 $13) 11. Bb3 a5 $6 {Wrong move order.} ({
Better was} 11... h6 12. c3 ({and if} 12. h3 a5) 12... d5) 12. c3 h6 13. h3 ({
White had an extra option:} 13. d4 $5 Bxb3 14. axb3 exd4 15. cxd4 Re8 16. Re1 {
with some chances for pressure.}) (13. Bc2 d5) (13. Be3 $6 Bxe3 14. fxe3 Bd7 $1
15. Nf5 $2 a4 16. Bc2 g6 $1 {and Black is better.}) 13... d5 14. Qf3 a4 15. Bc2
Re8 16. Rd1 $6 ({I think the logical} 16. Nf5 Bxf5 17. Qxf5 c6 {led to a
balanced position.}) (16. d4 $2 dxe4 17. Nxe4 exd4 18. Nxf6+ Qxf6 19. Qxf6 gxf6
20. Bxh6 a3 $17) 16... d4 {Now White is obviously worse.} 17. c4 $2 {I don't
like this move at all.} ({Better was} 17. Bd2) ({Or even} 17. Rf1 $5) 17... c6
{More flexible than ...c5 - now the knight may come to c5 and there is an
option with ...b5.} 18. Qe2 Nd7 19. Bd2 Ba5 20. b4 axb3 21. axb3 Bxd2 22. Qxd2
Qb6 {Preparing to conquer the line by ...Ra6.} ({Another way was} 22... b5 23.
cxb5 cxb5 24. b4 Qc7) 23. Qe1 $1 {Not so difficult, but good.} c5 24. Rdb1 Qd6
25. Qc1 Kh7 26. Ra3 Reb8 ({During the game I wasn't sure what was better - the
way I played or trying to create some pressure on the kingside with more
pieces on the board. But after for example} 26... g6 $5 27. Rba1 Rab8 28. Bd1
Rg8 29. Nf1 f5 30. exf5 gxf5 31. Ng3 Nf6 32. Bf3 {Black has nothing special.})
27. Rba1 Rxa3 28. Rxa3 g6 29. Ra7 Kg7 30. Kh2 Nf6 {A good manoeuvre - the
knight is going to c6.} 31. Bd1 Ng8 32. Be2 ({White could have swapped bishops,
but I am not sure it gives any relief:} 32. Bg4 Bxg4 33. hxg4 Qe6 34. f3 Ne7
$15) 32... Ne7 33. h4 $6 {Probably not so bad, but not necessary.} Nc6 34. Ra3
Qd8 35. h5 Ra8 {Now Black has two ways to disturb the opponent - the a-file
and some squares on the kingside.} 36. hxg6 fxg6 37. Rxa8 Qxa8 38. Kg1 Qa5 $1
39. f4 $6 {An active move, but now definitely the wrong one.} exf4 40. Qxf4 Qd8
{Just in time - Black controls all the black squares!} 41. Nf1 Qb8 42. Qh4 Qe5
43. Nh2 Qf6 44. Qg3 Qe5 45. Qh4 h5 {Now Black's got two options to improve the
position - the bishop goes to g4 and the king to h6.} ({Another way was also
good, but h5 is just stronger:} 45... g5 46. Qf2 Qf4 47. Qxf4 gxf4 $15) 46. Nf3
Qf6 47. Qg3 Bg4 48. Kf2 Kh6 49. Qc7 h4 50. Qxb7 Bxf3 $6 ({Stronger was} 50...
Ne5 $1 51. Qb8 Bxf3 52. gxf3 h3 {and the winning way being simple but nice:}
53. Kg3 Kg5 54. Qc8 Qf4+ 55. Kxh3 Qh4+ 56. Kg2 Kf4 57. Qh3 Qxh3+ 58. Kxh3 Ke3
$19) 51. gxf3 Qd6 ({Now after} 51... Ne5 {White has} 52. Qc8) 52. e5 $1 Nxe5
53. f4 (53. Qe4 g5 54. f4 Ng6 {The queens' exchange is coming with an easily
winning endgame for Black.}) 53... Nd7 54. Bf3 Nf6 {We were playing mainly on
the increment. Of course, it was very difficult for White to find the toughest
defensive moves.} 55. Qf7 ({After the game Vladislav suggested that} 55. Qc8 {
was the way, but after} g5 56. Qh8+ Kg6 57. fxg5 Qg3+ 58. Ke2 Qxg5 59. Be4+
Nxe4 60. Qe8+ Kg7 61. dxe4 {White is lost.}) 55... h3 56. Kg3 h2 57. Kxh2 $2 {
Loses on the spot.} ({However, the only path to continue the game was} 57. Kh3
$1 Nh5 58. Kg4 $1 {which is almost impossible to find on seconds.}) 57... Qxf4+
58. Kg2 Nh5 $1 59. Qd5 ({Not helping was} 59. Qxf4+ Nxf4+ 60. Kg3 Kg5 ({
Some chances might be there after} 60... Nxd3 61. Be4 Nb4 62. Kf4 {but even
here Black is winning.}) 61. Be4 Ne2+ 62. Kf3 Nc1 63. Bc6 Nxd3 $19) 59... Qd2+
60. Kg1 Qe1+ 61. Kh2 Qf2+ 62. Bg2 Nf4 {The pawn endgame is coming, White is
lost.} 63. Qa8 Qxg2+ 64. Qxg2 Nxg2 65. Kxg2 Kg5 66. Kg3 Kf5 0-1

[Event "FIDE World Cup"]
[Site "Khanty-Mansiysk"]
[Date "2019.09.16"]
[Round "3.1"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C65"]
[WhiteElo "2732"]
[BlackElo "2760"]
[PlyCount "105"]
[EventDate "2019.09.10"]
[EventType "k.o."]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 192"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2019.10.31"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2019.10.31"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. Nbd2 O-O 7. Qe2 Nd7 8.
Nc4 Re8 9. Bd2 b5 10. Ne3 Nf8 11. h4 a5 12. a4 Bb6 13. h5 Ne6 14. Qd1 Nd4 15.
h6 g6 16. Nxd4 Qxd4 17. axb5 cxb5 18. Qf3 Qd8 19. Nd5 f5 20. Nxb6 cxb6 21. exf5
Bxf5 22. Qb7 Re7 23. Qc6 Bd7 24. Qd5+ Re6 25. O-O Qe8 26. Rae1 Bc6 27. Qa2 Qf7
28. Re3 Rae8 29. Rfe1 R6e7 30. b3 b4 31. Qa1 Qf6 32. R1e2 Bd5 33. Qe1 Re6 34.
Bc1 Qh4 35. Bb2 Bc6 36. Rh3 Qg5 37. Rg3 Qxh6 38. Bxe5 Qh4 39. Ree3 Qe7 40. Bd4
b5 41. Bb6 Qd6 42. Rxe6 Rxe6 43. Re3 Rxe3 44. Qxe3 a4 45. Bc5 Qd5 46. f3 axb3
47. cxb3 Qxb3 48. Qe5 Qf7 49. Bd4 Kf8 50. Bc5+ Kg8 51. Bd4 Kf8 52. Kf2 Qd5 53.
Bc5+ 1-0

[Event "FIDE World Cup"]
[Site "Khanty-Mansiysk"]
[Date "2019.09.20"]
[Round "4.1"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "So, Wesley"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C43"]
[WhiteElo "2732"]
[BlackElo "2767"]
[PlyCount "119"]
[EventDate "2019.09.10"]
[EventType "k.o."]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 192"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2019.10.31"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2019.10.31"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Nd7 6. Nc3 Nxe5 7. dxe5 Nxc3
8. bxc3 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. f4 f5 11. Be3 Be6 12. a4 Qd7 13. Qf3 Rfd8 14. Rfd1
c5 15. Kh1 g6 16. h3 Qc7 17. Qf2 b6 18. Qe1 Kh8 19. Be2 Rg8 20. Bf3 Rad8 21. a5
b5 22. a6 Rd7 23. Rdb1 Rb8 24. Bf2 Rdd8 25. Qe2 Qb6 26. Rb2 Rd7 27. Qf1 Rc7 28.
Be2 Bd7 29. Qd1 Qe6 30. Ra5 Kg7 31. Qa1 g5 32. Bxb5 Rxb5 33. Raxb5 Bxb5 34.
Rxb5 gxf4 35. Qa5 Qxe5 36. Rb7 Rxb7 37. axb7 f3 38. gxf3 Bd6 39. Kg2 Qh2+ 40.
Kf1 Qxh3+ 41. Ke2 Qh2 42. Qxa7 Kf6 43. Qb6 Ke7 44. Qc6 Kd8 45. Qc8+ Ke7 46.
Qxf5 Kd8 47. Kf1 Qh1+ 48. Bg1 Bh2 49. Qg4 Bd6 50. Ke2 Ke7 51. Bxc5 Qh2+ 52. Bf2
h5 53. Qf5 Kd8 54. Qc8+ Ke7 55. Qf5 Kd8 56. Qf7 h4 57. Qg8+ Kd7 58. Qg4+ Kc6
59. Qc8+ Kb5 60. b8=Q+ 1-0

[Event "FIDE World Cup"]
[Site "Khanty-Mansiysk"]
[Date "2019.09.25"]
[Round "5.6"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Yu, Yangyi"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C43"]
[WhiteElo "2732"]
[BlackElo "2763"]
[PlyCount "149"]
[EventDate "2019.09.10"]
[EventType "k.o."]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 192"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2019.10.31"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2019.10.31"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. e5 Ne4 5. Qxd4 d5 6. exd6 Nxd6 7. Nc3 Nc6 8.
Qf4 Nf5 9. Nb5 Bb4+ 10. c3 Ba5 11. Be2 O-O 12. O-O a6 13. Na3 Bb6 14. Nc4 Ba7
15. Rd1 Qe7 16. Bd3 Rd8 17. Re1 Qf6 18. Bc2 Be6 19. Ncd2 Qh6 20. Nf1 Qxf4 21.
Bxf4 Bb6 22. Ng5 Bd7 23. g4 h6 24. Nxf7 Kxf7 25. gxf5 Ne7 26. Bb3+ Kf8 27. f6
Ng6 28. fxg7+ Kxg7 29. Bg3 h5 30. h4 Bh3 31. Ne3 Rd3 32. Kh2 Bxe3 33. Rxe3 Rxe3
34. fxe3 Bg4 35. Rf1 Rd8 36. Rf7+ Kh6 37. Kg1 Rd3 38. Bc2 Rd7 39. Rf6 Rg7 40.
Bxc7 Kh7 41. Bd6 Bd7 42. Kf2 Be8 43. Rf8 Rf7+ 44. Rxf7+ Bxf7 45. b3 Kg7 46. Kg3
Kf6 47. Be4 Ke6 48. Bf4 b6 49. Bd3 b5 50. c4 Ne7 51. cxb5 axb5 52. Bxb5 Nf5+
53. Kh3 Ke7 54. e4 Nd4 55. Bd3 Be6+ 56. Kg3 Kd7 57. Be3 Nc6 58. Kf4 Nb4 59. Bb1
Kc6 60. Bd2 Na6 61. Ke5 Bg4 62. Bd3 Nc5 63. Bc4 Nd7+ 64. Kd4 Nf8 65. Bd5+ Kd7
66. a4 Ne6+ 67. Ke5 Nc5 68. a5 Kc7 69. b4 Nd7+ 70. Kd4 Be2 71. Bf4+ Kd8 72. Bc6
Nf8 73. Bd6 Ng6 74. b5 Nxh4 75. a6 1-0

[Event "EU-chT 22nd"]
[Site "Batumi"]
[Date "2019.11.01"]
[Round "8.2"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "McShane, Luke J"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E11"]
[WhiteElo "2732"]
[BlackElo "2682"]
[Annotator "Vitiugov,N"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "2019.10.24"]
[EventType "team-swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "GEO"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 193"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2019.12.31"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2019.12.31"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Russia"]
[BlackTeam "England"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "RUS"]
[BlackTeamCountry "ENG"]

{The day before I lost to Nisipeanu, we drew with Germany not without luck,
and were leading by 1 point ahead of 3 teams. In team competitions the
pressure is higher when you have White. Add to this endless autumn chess
marathon, yesterday's loss and the crucial moment of the tournament, and you
get my mood before this game.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ {Recently Luke
started to play Bogoljubov, so I wasn't sure what to expect in the opening.} 4.
Bd2 c5 5. Bxb4 cxb4 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 d6 8. O-O {White goes for the safest line
with some positional pressure.} b6 ({Another set up} 8... Nc6 {and then e5.})
9. a3 bxa3 10. Nxa3 Bb7 (10... a5 11. e4 $1 {and White is better.}) 11. Nb5 ({
The alternative was} 11. b4) 11... a5 12. Ne1 $6 {Overcreative.} ({Somehow, I
didn't want to play in a natural way} 12. Re1 Na6 13. e4 Nb4 14. Rc1 $14 {
, thinking that Black gets a lot of counterplay. But White is just better here.
}) 12... Na6 13. Nc2 Qe7 {Here I started to realize that I am not so much
better as I thought.} 14. Qe2 (14. Re1 {isn't better because of} d5) 14... d5
$1 {Smart move. Black doesn't hesitate to lose a tempo.} 15. Nc3 dxc4 (15...
Nb4 {equalized comfortably for Black:} 16. Nxb4 axb4 17. Rxa8 Rxa8 18. Nb1 e5
$1 19. Nd2 dxc4 20. Bxc4 exd4 21. exd4 Qxe2 22. Bxe2 Rd8 $11) 16. Bxc4 Rfc8 17.
Rfd1 Nb4 18. Na3 {White's structure is better, and the more pieces on the
board the better for him.} Ne4 19. Nxe4 Bxe4 20. Rac1 {I liked my position,
but black is doing absolutely ok} Qg5 21. f3 Bd5 {The first step in the wrong
direction. Why give an extra tempo?} (21... Bc6 $13) 22. e4 Bc6 23. Qd2 $1 {
A cultured move. All tactical ideas are cut off, and White secures the better
endgame.} Qxd2 24. Rxd2 $14 Kf8 25. Rc3 Rc7 $6 {Shaky move. I had a strong
feeling that White has some ideas now.} 26. Bf1 {I wasn't sure about this, but
Lyla approves it, and what might be better!} Rac8 27. Nc4 Be8 $2 {Luke was in
time trouble and played this tempting move quickly.} (27... Rb8 $1) 28. d5 {
Now Black is in big trouble.} exd5 29. exd5 Rb8 $6 {Chess is a very
complicated game. Two moves before this was a good move, but now it is a
losing one.} (29... Rd8 $8 30. Nxb6 Rb7 31. Rc8 $16) 30. d6 Rcb7 31. Ne5 $18
Rd8 32. d7 Bxd7 33. Bb5 $1 Bxb5 34. Rxd8+ Ke7 35. Rd1 f6 36. Re3 g5 ({I hoped
for} 36... Nc2 37. Ng6+ Kf7 38. Nh8+ Kg8 39. Rd8+ Be8 40. Rdxe8# {but my
opponent decided to lose prosaically.}) 37. Nc4+ Kf8 38. Rd8+ Kg7 39. Nd6 1-0

[Event "Prague Masters 2nd"]
[Site "Prague"]
[Date "2020.02.12"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Anton Guijarro, David"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B31"]
[WhiteElo "2731"]
[BlackElo "2697"]
[Annotator "Vitiugov,N"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventDate "2020.02.12"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "CZE"]
[EventCategory "19"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 195"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2020.04.30"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2020.04.30"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

{We came to this game in different moods. David just won B group in
Wijk-an-Zee and got a spot in the Masters for next year, while I couldn't win
a single game in this Masters. But new place, new tournament always gives you
a chance for a fresh start!} 1. e4 c5 {Small surprise. My opponents has a very
good stat in Open Ruy Lopez, but following modern trends (or not?) he also
plays other lines from time to time.} 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 ({I am not sure what
would have come up after} 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 {In the last round in Wijk he
preferred} e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be6 7. N5c3 g6 8. Be2 Bg7 9. Be3 Nge7 10. Nd5 O-O
11. Nbc3 Nd4 {and Black is ok, Van Foreest,L (2523)-Anton Guijarro,D (2694)
Wijk aan Zee 2020.}) 3... g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. c3 ({Several times I played} 5. Nc3
{here, but you can't be so predictable.}) 5... Nf6 (5... e5 {would be great,
if it weren't for} 6. d4 cxd4 7. cxd4 exd4 8. Bf4 Nge7 9. Bd6 O-O 10. Nbd2 a6
11. Qa4 Ra7 12. Bd3 b5 13. Qc2 Bb7 14. a4 $36 {1-0 (44) Caruana,F (2812)
-Fedoseev,V (2664) Douglas ENG 2019}) 6. Re1 O-O 7. d4 a6 $1 {Good move.} ({
The main line is} 7... d5 8. e5 Ne4 9. Be3 Qb6 10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. Qc1 Rb8 12. b3
Qa5 13. dxc5 Rxb3 14. axb3 Qxa1 15. b4 Qa4 16. Nd4 Bxe5 17. f3 Nf6 18. Qa3 $44
{1-0 (79) Caruana,F (2822)-Dubov,D (2683) Wijk aan Zee NED 2020}) 8. Bxc6 {
Usually, White plays this without being provoked, so now it at least deserves
attention.} ({Later David repeated the line and this time with success:} 8. Bd3
d5 9. e5 Ne4 (9... Ne8 {Playable, but definitely not the best.} 10. dxc5 Bg4
11. Be2 Nc7 12. Nbd2 a5 13. h3 Bc8 14. Bd3 Ne6 15. Nb3 a4 16. Nbd4 Nxc5 17. Bc2
Qa5 18. Bd2 Rd8 {1/2-1/2 (54) Anand,V (2758)-Carlsen,M (2872) Wijk aan Zee NED
2020}) 10. Be3 Qb6 11. Qc2 cxd4 12. cxd4 Bf5 13. Nc3 Nxc3 14. bxc3 Bxd3 15.
Qxd3 Na5 16. h4 Qe6 $13 {0-1 (67) Grandelius,N (2659)-Anton Guijarro,D (2697)
Prague CZE 2020}) 8... dxc6 9. h3 ({I also considered} 9. Qc2 cxd4 10. cxd4 Bg4
11. Nbd2 {, but wasn't sure how I am gonna proceed.} {Another problem is Black
should be just fine after} Nd7 12. h3 Bxf3 13. Nxf3 e5) 9... cxd4 10. cxd4 c5
11. d5 b5 12. Qc2 {I was thinking how to mix a4 and Qc2 ideas, but it is just
not the way.} ({It doesn't seem obviously to me, but the computer thinks White
should go} 12. Nc3 Bb7 13. Bf4) 12... c4 {Not bad, but slow.} ({I like} 12...
Bb7 {and White probably has to take on c5 - otherwise, he just has lost an
important tempo.} 13. Qxc5 Nxe4 14. Rxe4 Rc8 15. Qe3 Bxd5 (15... Qxd5 $2 16.
Nbd2 $1 {- only, but enough.}) 16. Nc3 Bxe4 17. Qxe4 Bxc3 18. bxc3 Qd1+ 19. Ne1
Rfd8 $11) 13. a4 Bb7 14. Bd2 Qd7 $6 {I was right thinking this isn't the best
option, but what I've learnt in Prague for sure - knowing the opponent has
made a mistake and coming up with a refutation is two very different things.} (
14... Re8 {is the correct move:} 15. axb5 axb5 16. Rxa8 Qxa8 (16... Bxa8 {
is even stronger -} 17. Na3 e6 $1) 17. Na3 Qa6 18. Nd4 Nxd5 19. Ndxb5 c3 20.
bxc3 Nf6 21. c4 Rc8 $44 {, but at least White is pawn up.}) 15. axb5 $6 {
Not now.} (15. Bc3 {and if} e6 16. d6 $1) 15... axb5 16. Rxa8 Rxa8 17. Bb4 {
Logical, but too smart to be strong.} Nh5 18. Qd2 $6 {Of course, I saw the
next move, but сouldn't evaluate it correctly.} e5 $1 {A very dynamic move,
despite the fact that Black kills the bishop on b7 with it. The mix of White's
awkard placed pieces, the superb f4 square and the coming f5 breakthrough
guarantee excellent play for Black.} 19. Rd1 Nf4 {Again, too conservative.} (
19... f5 $1 20. exf5 Nf4 {was not easy to find, but Black is much better here.}
) 20. Ne1 f5 21. f3 Bf8 {We were in mutual time-trouble, so here mistakes come.
} (21... fxe4 $5 22. fxe4 g5 $36) 22. Kh2 $6 {Now, after an eventual Bc8,
after Nxg2 or Nxh3 sacs h3 will be hanging with check.} (22. Bxf8 Rxf8 23. Nc3
fxe4 24. fxe4 Bc8 25. d6 Bb7 $13) 22... fxe4 23. fxe4 Bxb4 (23... g5 $5) 24.
Qxb4 Rf8 25. Nd2 $1 {Well played. The pawn on e5 is more important than the
one on b5.} (25. Nc3 Nxh3 26. gxh3 Bc8 27. Ng2 Qxh3+ 28. Kg1 Qg3 29. Rd2 {
and White holds, but nothing more.}) 25... Bc8 26. Qc3 Qa7 {For a second I
thought I was lost, but it isn't the case.} 27. Ndf3 Bxh3 28. Qxe5 $6 {Very
natural and fine, but White is already better and could play for more.} (28. d6
$1) 28... Bg4 $6 {Missing the chance.} (28... Nxg2 29. Kxh3 Nxe1 30. Nxe1 (30.
Qe6+ Kg7 31. Qe5+ $11) 30... Qg1 31. Qh2 Qe3+ 32. Qg3 Qe2 33. Qg4 Qe3+ $11) 29.
d6 Qf7 30. Rd2 Bd7 ({After the game we agreed, that} 30... Bxf3 31. Nxf3 Nd3 {
was significantly better, but connected pawns are very strong!} 32. Qg3 Qe6 33.
e5 Rf5 34. Kg1 $14) 31. Ng5 Qg7 32. Qxg7+ Kxg7 33. g3 $6 {Again - White is
better!} (33. e5 $1) 33... Ne6 34. Nxe6+ Bxe6 35. Nc2 Bd7 (35... Kf6 36. Rf2+
Kg7 37. Rd2 $11 (37. Rxf8 Kxf8 38. Nd4 Bd7 {and only White may be worse.})) 36.
Nb4 (36. e5 Re8 37. Rd5 $1) 36... Rf3 $2 {Black is making the last mistake in
the game.} 37. Kg2 Re3 38. Na6 $1 $18 {Now it is over.} Rd3 39. Rxd3 cxd3 40.
Kf2 Kf6 41. Nc5 Bg4 42. Ke3 h5 43. Kxd3 g5 44. Ke3 1-0

[Event "PNWCC Super m"]
[Site "Chess.com INT"]
[Date "2020.06.19"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Xiong, Jeffery"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C85"]
[WhiteElo "2709"]
[BlackElo "2722"]
[PlyCount "62"]
[EventDate "2020.06.16"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "4"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 197 Extra"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2020.09.30"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2020.09.30"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Nd7 8.
Nbd2 f6 9. Nc4 Nc5 10. Nh4 g6 11. Bh6 Be6 12. Qe2 Bxc4 13. dxc4 Qd4 14. Rfe1
Qxb2 15. Rad1 Qxa2 16. f4 Bf8 17. Bxf8 Rxf8 18. fxe5 fxe5 19. Nf3 Rd8 20. Ng5
h6 21. Nf3 Rd6 22. Nxe5 Qb2 23. Rxd6 cxd6 24. Nxg6 Qd4+ 25. Kh1 Rf6 26. Qg4 Qd2
27. Rg1 Qg5 28. Qc8+ Kf7 29. e5 Rxg6 30. Rf1+ Kg7 31. g3 Qxe5 0-1

[Event "RUS-chT"]
[Site "Sochi"]
[Date "2021.05.03"]
[Round "3.1"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Predke, Alexandr"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E49"]
[WhiteElo "2715"]
[BlackElo "2690"]
[PlyCount "85"]
[EventDate "2021.05.01"]
[EventType "team-tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 202"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2021.05.27"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2021.05.27"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "St Petersburg Bronze Horseman"]
[BlackTeam "Moscow Chess Team"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "RUS"]
[BlackTeamCountry "RUS"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 dxc4 8.
Bxc4 c5 9. Ne2 Qc7 10. Ba2 b6 11. O-O Rd8 12. Ng3 Bb7 13. Bb2 Nbd7 14. Qe2 Nf8
15. e4 Ng6 16. f3 Rac8 17. Rad1 h5 18. Qe3 h4 19. Ne2 Bxe4 20. fxe4 Qxh2+ 21.
Kxh2 Ng4+ 22. Kg1 Nxe3 23. Rc1 Nxf1 24. Kxf1 b5 25. Kf2 Ne7 26. Bb1 cxd4 27.
cxd4 Rxc1 28. Nxc1 Nc8 29. Nb3 Nb6 30. Bc3 Nc4 31. Bb4 Rc8 32. d5 Rd8 33. Na5
Nxa5 34. Bxa5 Rd7 35. Ba2 exd5 36. exd5 Kf8 37. d6 Ke8 38. Bc7 a5 39. Kf3 Rxc7
40. dxc7 Kd7 41. Bxf7 Kxc7 42. Kg4 Kd6 43. Kxh4 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch 74th"]
[Site "Ufa"]
[Date "2021.10.11"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Fedoseev, Vladimir1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E94"]
[WhiteElo "2727"]
[BlackElo "2704"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2021.10.09"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "18"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2022"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2021.10.06"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2021.10.06"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O b6 8. Re1
exd4 9. Nxd4 Bb7 10. f3 Ne8 11. Be3 c5 12. Nc2 Be5 13. Bf1 f5 14. exf5 gxf5 15.
Bh6 Bxh2+ 16. Kxh2 Qh4+ 17. Kg1 Qxh6 18. Re7 Bc6 19. b4 Qg5 20. Qe2 Ng7 21. Nd5
Nd7 22. f4 Qh6 23. Nce3 Bxd5 24. Nxd5 Rae8 25. Re1 Nf6 26. Qf3 cxb4 27. Rxe8
Nfxe8 28. Re7 a5 29. Nxb6 Nf6 30. Nd5 Kh8 31. Nxf6 Qxf6 32. Ra7 d5 33. cxd5
Qd4+ 34. Qf2 Qxd5 35. Qb6 Ra8 36. Bc4 Qd1+ 37. Kh2 Qh5+ 38. Kg1 Rxa7 39. Qxa7
Qd1+ 40. Kh2 Qd8 41. g3 h5 42. Qa6 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch 74th"]
[Site "Ufa"]
[Date "2021.10.13"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Andreikin, Dmitry"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E20"]
[WhiteElo "2727"]
[BlackElo "2728"]
[PlyCount "76"]
[EventDate "2021.10.09"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "18"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2022"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2021.10.06"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2021.10.06"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Bg2 dxc4 7. O-O Nc6 8.
Re1 Be7 9. e4 Nb4 10. Ne5 c5 11. d5 exd5 12. exd5 Bf5 13. Nxc4 Nc2 14. Re5 Bg6
15. d6 Bxd6 16. Nxd6 Nxa1 17. Bg5 Nc2 18. Nd5 Kh8 19. Ne4 Qb8 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21.
Re7 Nb4 22. Nxb4 cxb4 23. Qd4 Qd8 24. Qxf6+ Kg8 25. Nd6 Rc8 26. Nxc8 Qd1+ 27.
Bf1 Rxc8 28. Rxb7 a5 29. h4 Qd8 30. Qe5 h5 31. Be2 Qf8 32. Bf3 Rc5 33. Bd5 Kh7
34. Rd7 Qc8 35. Qe7 Rc1+ 36. Kg2 Qa6 37. Bxf7 Qf1+ 38. Kf3 Qh1+ 1-0

[Event "RUS-ch 74th"]
[Site "Ufa"]
[Date "2021.10.17"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Alekseenko, Kirill"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C77"]
[WhiteElo "2710"]
[BlackElo "2727"]
[PlyCount "120"]
[EventDate "2021.10.09"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "18"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2022"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2021.10.06"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2021.10.06"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. O-O O-O 7. Bxc6 dxc6 8.
d3 Nd7 9. Be3 Bd6 10. Ne2 Re8 11. Nd2 Nf8 12. f3 Ne6 13. Qe1 c5 14. Qf2 Rf8 15.
Kh1 b6 16. a4 Bb7 17. Nc4 f6 18. Qg3 Qd7 19. Bd2 Rae8 20. b3 Kh8 21. Qe1 Bc6
22. Ne3 Qf7 23. Nf5 Bd7 24. c4 a5 25. Qg3 Nd8 26. Nxd6 cxd6 27. f4 Nc6 28. Rf2
Qg6 29. Qe3 f5 30. Raf1 Kg8 31. Ng3 Nd4 32. Bc3 fxe4 33. dxe4 Qh6 34. Bxd4 exd4
35. Qd3 Bc6 36. f5 Rf7 37. Rf4 Qf6 38. Rg4 Qe5 39. Rff4 Kh8 40. Qd2 Ref8 41. h3
Bd7 42. Nh5 Be8 43. Rf3 Bc6 44. Rff4 Rg8 45. Rh4 Qe7 46. Qf2 Qg5 47. Ng3 Re8
48. Qf3 Kg8 49. Kh2 Bb7 50. Nh5 Kh8 51. Qd1 Bc6 52. Rfg4 Qe3 53. Rg3 Qh6 54.
Rgg4 Qe3 55. Rg3 Qh6 56. Qd3 Re5 57. Rgg4 Qc1 58. Nf4 Kg8 59. Rxh7 Bxe4 60.
Rgh4 Qxf4+ 0-1

