1.d4
d5
2.c4
c6
3.Nf3
Nf6
4.Nc3
e6
5.Bg5
h6
6.Bxf6
Qxf6
7.a3
dxc4
8.Ne5
Nd7?!
[I have known for almost 25 years that 8...c5
equalizes easily.]
9.Nxc4
e5?
Nobody had thought of this move before. [9...Nb6
10.e3
Nxc4
11.Bxc4
Bd6
12.Ne4
Qe7
13.Nxd6+
Qxd6
14.Qh5+/=
; Interesting is Van Wely's 9...Qd8!?
/\10.g3
(10.b4!?
) 10...b5
11.Ne3
Bb7
12.Bg2
Qb6
]
10.d5
Be7
11.g3
[I looked at everything else: 11.d6
Bd8
12.e3
b5
(12...0-0
) 13.Ne4
Qe6
14.Ncd2
f5
15.Ng3
Nf6
16.Nb3
Bb6
; 11.e3
0-0
12.Be2
Rd8
; and finally, 11.dxc6
Qxc6
12.Nd5
Qxc4
13.Rc1
Qa2!
14.Nc7+
Kd8
15.Nxa8
Qxb2
I figured all these lines, particularly the last one, should favor Black.]
11...Nb6
12.Nxb6
I had a feeling I took an easy road here. [>=12.Ne3
0-0
13.Bg2
Rd8
14.0-0
and keep the tension!]
12...axb6
13.Bg2
0-0
14.0-0
[14.Qb3
b5
15.Rc1
Rd8
16.0-0
Bf5
17.Ne4
Qg6
18.Nc5
e4<=>
]
14...Bf5
15.Qb3
b5
16.Rac1
Qg6
17.Nd1
Bg5!
[17...Rfc8
18.Ne3
Bd7
19.Rfd1+/=
]
18.Ne3
Be4
19.Bxe4
Qxe4
20.dxc6
bxc6
21.Rc3
Rfd8
22.Rfc1
This looks anemic. [>=22.Qc2
Qxc2
23.Nxc2
Rd2
24.Rxc6
Rxe2
25.Rd1
Rd8
26.Rxd8+
Bxd8
27.Kf1
Rd2
28.Ke1
Rd7
29.Ne3+/=
]
22...Rd2
23.h4
Bxe3
24.Rxe3
Qd4
25.Rc2
Rd1+
Encouraged by his seamless recovery from a suspicious opening, Vinay started pushing for a win. In retrospect it was a very bad idea. [>=25...Re8
26.Rd3
Rxd3
27.Qxd3
Re6=
]
26.Kg2
Rb1
Another overly optimistic move. I guess lately in his European travels Vinay has seen too many weak players. [26...Rc8
]
27.Rd3
Qe4+
28.Rf3
[He obviously counted on 28.f3
Qg6
29.Rcd2
Rg1+
leading to perpetual.]
28...Ra7
[28...Qg6
29.Rd2+/=
; By the way, I set up a nice little trap: 28...Rxa3?
29.Qxf7+
Kh7
30.bxa3
Qxc2
31.Rd3!
; 28...Rf8
29.Qd3
Qa4
(>=29...Qxd3
30.Rxd3+/-
) 30.b4!
(I looked at 30.Rd2
but it allows a tactic: 30...Rxb2
31.Rxb2
e4=
) 30...Qa8
31.Rc5
winning an important pawn.]
29.Qd3
Qg4?
[Like it or not, he had to accept a tough defensive task in the rook ending. 29...Qxd3
30.Rxd3
Ra4
31.Rdd2
Ra6
32.h5+/-
]
30.Rxc6
Rxb2
31.Qd8+
Kh7
32.Rc8
Rxe2??
Vinay immediately cracks under the pressure. [32...Rd7
33.Qg8+
Kg6
34.Rc6+
Kh5
35.Qh7
g6
36.Rcf6
Qe4
37.Kh3
Qg4+
38.Kh2+-
; 32...e4
33.Qg8+
Kg6
34.Rc6+
Kh5
35.Rc5+
g5
36.Rff5+-
; The only chance was the surprising 32...Kg6
the move I saw and feared. In the approaching time trouble I'd have to control my ambitions and find something not necessarily winning right away, but just good and solid. 33.Rc5
is one option. (Another one is 33.Qb6+
Kh7
(33...f6
34.h5+
Kxh5
35.Qxa7
Qxc8
36.Qf7+
g6
37.Qxf6+-
) 34.Qxa7
Qxc8
35.Rxf7
Qc6+
36.Kh2
Qg6
37.e4
/\Ra2
38.Rf8!
Qxe4
39.Qb8
) 33...Rd7
(33...Qe6
loses spectacularly to 34.h5+!
Kxh5
35.Qd4
Rxe2
36.Qd3
Ra2
37.Rf5+
g5
38.g4+
) 34.Qb6+
Kh7
35.Rxe5
f6
36.Re8
Qd4
37.Qb8
continuing the attack with a healthy extra pawn to boot.]
33.h5
1-0