Title: An Intricate Road To Follow! - Wojtaszek vs Svidler | Fide Grand Prix 2019 Moscow Opening: Anti Gruenfeld
Hello Chess Friends and Welcome to the Channel. In today's video another great game from the Fide Grand Prix 2019. Wojtaszek with the white pieces against Peter Svidler with Black. Since the opening there is much to talk about this game, so let's get started.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 {It seems a King's Indian Defence but because we know that
Svidler is an expert of the Gruenfeld with almost 250 match played with it, If
White continues with Nc3, Black can also enter the Gruenfeld with d5. To avoid
the Gruenfeld Wojtaszek continues with} 3. f3 {a move that is rarely played
but that is a sort of anti-gruenfeld. If d5 now} e6 {out of the main lines but
this type of positions have a lot of transpositions} (3... d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5.
e4 Nb6 {almost 2000 games in database with this position. For Stockfish the
game is almost equal but practical results greatly favour white}) 4. e4 {
the Seamisch pawn structure} c5 5. d5 d6 {the most played move} 6. Nc3 Bg7 7.
Nge2 {In fact Svidler already played this position in 2017 against Aronian. In
that game he played exd5 and the game ended in a draw. Yesterday he played
something different but still good} O-O {the game just transposed to a popular
line. More than one thousand games in database} 8. Ng3 exd5 9. cxd5 a6 10. a4 {
preventing b5} h5 11. Bg5 Qe8 {breaks the pin and put a lot of pressure on the
e-file with the white king still in the center} 12. Bd3 Nh7 {don't like this
idea if later you don't want to push with f5. And in this position f5 is not
possible yet} 13. Bf4 Qe7 {not only protecting d6 but now also f6 and g5 are
possible} 14. Nge2 {clears g3 for the bishop} Nd7 15. O-O Ne5 {attacking
white's bishop and clearing d7 for his bishop} 16. Bc2 Rb8 {again ready to
push b5 but Wojtaszek continues with} 17. a5 {the game is original and with a5
white was able to ruin and slow down Black's plans for the queenside pawns} b5
18. axb6 Rxb6 19. Bc1 h4 {Svidler is playing on both wings. Unfortunately this
effort won't create a clear plan. I don't like much h4. I prefer the Knight
maneuver} (19... Nf6 20. h3 Ne8 21. Ra2 {that like in the actual game gives
freedom to the bishop} Nc7 {and two possible continuations for white} 22. Na4 (
22. f4 Nd7 23. Bd2 Re8 {with a really complicated game where white seems
better and easier to play. f5 sooner or later will come and looks scary}) 22...
Rb8 23. b3 Nb5) 20. f4 Ng4 21. h3 {stops h3 with tempo against the knight} Ngf6
22. Ra2 Bd7 23. Qe1 Nh5 {another knight on the rim to protect the h4 pawn} 24.
Be3 Rfb8 {doubling the rooks on the b-file} (24... Bb5 {would be fantastic.
The idea is to force White to capture on b5 to create a couple of connected
passed pawns. but it doesn't work, not only because after} 25. Nxb5 axb5 26. b4
{there is a pin but also because of the terrible position of the two knights
that are completely out of play. and the queen is protecting h4} N5f6 27. bxc5
dxc5 28. Qxh4 {white is winning}) 25. b3 Rxb3 26. Bxb3 Rxb3 27. Bd2 {an
inaccurancy. now Bb5 is possible and it's a good move} Bd4+ {a move that he
severely criticized after the game} (27... Bb5 {pinning the knight. There is
also Bc4 in the cards with a terrible discovered attack against the rook on a2}
28. Nxb5 axb5 {a couple of connected and passed pawns. and really the quality
sacrifice is bearing some fruits. Instead of Bb5, Svidler plays}) 28. Kh2 {
stronger than Knight captures on d4. (The simple rook to b6 is the best move)}
N7f6 {Svidler doesn't defend the pawn and tries to go for the King} (28... Bb5
{now doesn't work anymore} 29. Nxb5 axb5 30. Nxd4 cxd4 {goodbye connected
passed pawns.}) 29. Rf3 {Rxa6 is even better} Rb4 {another mistake} 30. Rxa6
Rc4 31. Ra7 {pinning the bishop} Qd8 32. Qa1 {there was no time for Black for
a kingside attack. Black can move the queen to e7 but White is winning. There
is no compensation for the lost quality. Svidler tries to solve the problem
tactically but it doesn't work} Nxe4 33. Ra8 Bc8 34. Qa6 {in case of} Nxd2 (
34... Bxa6 35. Rxd8+ Kg7 36. Nxe4 {white is a piece and the quality up}) 35.
Rxc8 Nxf3+ 36. gxf3 Qxc8 37. Qxc8+ Kg7 38. Nxd4 Rxd4 39. Qd8 Rd2+ 40. Kg1 Nxf4
41. Qxd6 Nxh3+ 42. Kf1 {Svidler resigns. It's plus 8. Queen vs rook with a
strong passed pawn on d5 and white king that doesn't risk anything.} 1-0
It was a great win for Wojtaszek, also a difficult game, at least for me , to digest. The quality sacrifice was a great idea but after that you must play precisely or everything is lost. I hope that you liked the game and if you did, please subscribe to the channel because I'll keep following this tournament. I thank you very much for watching and see you soon.
Photo Credits:
Photos by Niki Riga
Chess Arbiter and Photographer
You can Follow her on Twitter
@riga_niki
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