There were many exciting games in this round, and they require a lot more attention that our brief report may provide. I will only show the most important ones. The Round 4 review by GM Konstantin Landa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Y. Zherebukh — D. Navara

 

Yaroslav Zherebukh is the main sensation of this World Cup. The 18-year-old Ukrainian already knocked out several superstars. However, in this match David Navara proved his opening knowledge still being superior. Before the match everybody was wondering how Caissa will react to Navara's actions in his previous match with Moiseenko. The 2−0 score gave us a definite answer. Here is Navara's first win.

 

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 d6 7.0−0 Nf6 8.Be3 Be7 9.f4 0−0 10.Qe1

10.a4 deserved attention, but this would be a different story.

 

 

10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 b5 12.a3 Bb7 13.Qg3 g6!

An important prophylactic move. Black gets rid of the mating threat on g7 forever.

 

 

14.Bf3 a5!

This is one of the advantages of developing the bishop to b7 — Black immediately begins to bother White on the queenside.

15.Nxb5

On 15.b4 Black equalizes by 15...d5.

15...Nxe4 16.Qe1 f5 17.Nc3 d5 18.Qe3 Bf6 19.Be2 Ba6 20.Bd3

It seems the bishop stands well on d3, but David finds a nice way to win the game.

20...Bxd4!

The best move order. First David calculated 20...Bxd3 21.Bxf6 Rxf6 22.cxd3 d4 23.Qe2 dxc3 24.dxe4 Qb6+ 25.Rf2 fxe4 — Black has a decent advantage, but the position is not won yet. Then he thought about inverting the moves...

21.Qxd4 Bxd3 22.cxd3

22.Qxd3 Qb6+ 23.Kh1 Nf2+ does not bring White any fruit.

22...Nd2

The enemy is at the gate!

23.Rae1

After 23.Rfe1 Nb3 24.Qe5 (24.Qe3 Qd7! 25.Rad1 d4) Black gives a check first 24...Qb6+, and after 25.Kh1 scores a goal: 25...Nxa1!

23...Nxf1 24.Rxe6

24.Kxf1 Qf6 is also hopeless for White.

24...Nd2 25.Nxd5 Nb3?!

Even stronger is 25...Rf7! 26.Qe5 Rc8 27.Ne7+ Rxe7 28.Rxe7 Qb6+ 29.d4 Rc1+ 30.Kf2 Ne4+ with checkmate.

26.Qe5 Ra7 27.Kf1?

Surprisingly, the most tenacious reply is 27.Rd6, and Black still has to find 27...Qc8! (27...Rd7 28.Qe6+; 27...Qh4 28.Nf6+ Rxf6 29.Rxf6 Ra8 30.Qe6+ Kh8 31.Rf7!) 28.Nf6+ Rxf6 29.Qxf6 Qc5+ 30.Kf1 Rf7 31.Rd8+ Rf8 32.Qe6+ Kg7 33.Rd7+ Kh6.

27...Raf7 28.h4 a4 29.h5 gxh5

Now it's over. White has no attacking ideas, and Black easily converts his extra rook.

30.g3 Qb8 31.Rd6 Qb7 32.Rh6 Rd8 33.Nf6+ Rxf6 34.Rxf6 Nd2+ 35.Kf2 Qf3+

White resigns, because he gets mated in a few moves.

 

T. Radjabov — D. Jakovenko

 

In this clash of two closely matched players the Azeri grandmaster's technique proved superior.

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2

Radjabov decided to avoid the main lines of the Queen's Gambit or the Slav, as his opponent knows them too well.

3...g6 4.b3 Bg7 5.Bb2 0−0 6.c4 dxc4 7.bxc4 c5 8.0−0 Nc6 9.d3 Bf5 10.Nc3 Qd7 11.Re1 Rac8 12.Rb1 b6 13.Nb5 Bh3

Driving away the b5-knight is self-destructing: 13...a6 14.Nc3, and Black's queenside becomes weak.

14.Bh1

14...Ne8

A true King's Indian devotee would rather cut his hand than trade this bishop! But Dmitry doesn't normally develop his bishop on g7, and here he pays the price. However, it is not easy to find a good reply. For example, 14...Qf5 leads nowhere — 15.Qa4 Qh5 16.Nxa7. More interesting is 14...Bh6!? 15.Qa4 (15.Ne5 Nxe5 16.Bxe5 a6 17.Nc3 Ng4! or 17.Bxf6 axb5!) 15...Ng4!, and Black seizes a very important square e5.

15.Bxg7 Nxg7 16.Ng5

A strong maneuver — the knight goes to d5.

16...Bg4 17.Qd2 h6 18.Ne4 Kh7 19.Nec3 f5 20.f3 Bh5 21.f4 e6 22.Bg2 Rfd8 23.Kh1 Qe7 24.Qe3 Ne8 25.h3 Nd6 26.Nxd6 Rxd6 27.Kh2

White could consolidate his advantage by 27.Bxc6! Rdxc6 28.Qe5!? Qg7 29.Rg1 g5 30.Kh2 Qxe5 31.fxe5 Rf8 32.a4.

27...Rd7 28.Rg1 g5?

28...Nd4! is correct.

 

29.g4! gxf4 30.Qxf4 Bg6 31.gxf5 exf5

31...Bxf5? is even worse: 32.Bxc6 Rxc6 33.e4 Bg6 34.Rxg6! Kxg6 35.e5 Rcc7 36.Rg1+ Kh7 37.Ne4, and White wins.

32.Nd5 Qd6 33.Rbf1 Kh8 34.h4 Bh7 35.Bh3 Re8 36.e4 Nb4??

36...Nd4! was necessary! 37.Qxd6 Rxd6 38.exf5 Re2+ 39.Rg2 Rxg2+ 40.Kxg2 Bg8! (the key move) with good drawing chances.

37.Qxd6 Rxd6 38.Bxf5 Nxd5 39.cxd5 Bxf5 40.Rxf5 c4 41.Rf4

Black is completely hopeless.

41...c3

Or 41...cxd3 42.Rd1, and the connected passed pawns win the game.

42.Rf7 Rc8 43.Rgg7 Rdd8 44.Rh7+ Kg8 45.Rfg7+ Kf8 46.Rxa7 Kg8 47.Rag7+ Kf8 48.Rd7

Black resigns due to 48...Rxd7 49.Rh8+ Kg7 50.Rxc8.

 

L. Dominguez — J. Polgar

 

This was the most tense and incredible game of the tournament. Judit lost the first game as White, and faced the impossible task: beating a 2700+ player with Black pieces on demand. But there is nothing impossible for Judit! I can't tell how excited we were to watch this game.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6 5.Nb3 Nf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Qf3 Be7 9.Qg3 d6 10.0−0−0 0−0 11.Kb1 Rd8 12.f4 Qc7 13.Bd3 b5 14.Qh4 h6 15.Bxh6 gxh6

The computer recommends 15...Nxe4 16.Bg5 Bxg5 17.fxg5 Nxc3+ 18.bxc3 g6, but for a human it is obvious that White gets the enemy king first.

16.Qxh6 Ne8

17.e5?!

This is wrong. White creates a very strong attack by 17.Nd5! exd5 18.exd5 f5! (bad is 18...Nf6? 19.dxc6 Qxc6 20.Rhe1 Re8 21.Re3, but after 18...Bf6 19.Bh7+ Kh8 20.dxc6 (20.Bg6+ Kg8 21.Bh7+ gives Black the needed draw) 20...Bg7 21.Qh4 Bf6 22.Qh5 White is just slightly better) 19.dxc6 Bf6 20.Rhe1 Qg7 21.Qh5 Qf7 22.Qh3 Ng7 23.g4!

17...f5 18.Bxf5 exf5 19.Nd5 Bf8 20.Nxc7 Bxh6 21.Nxa8 Bxf4 22.exd6 Bxd6 23.Nb6 Be6 24.Nd5 Kf7

The situation remains balanced, and it's still everyone's game.

25.Ne3 Nf6 26.g3 Ng4 27.Nxg4 fxg4 28.Nd4 Nxd4 29.Rxd4 Bc7 30.Rf1+ Ke7

31.Re4?

White had to play 31.Rxd8!, because making a draw without rooks is much easier! If Dominguez knew how this game ends, he would definitely trade the rooks.

31...Rg8 32.a4 Bd6 33.axb5 axb5 34.Rf5 b4 35.Rh5 Rg6 36.h3 gxh3 37.Rxh3 Kd7 38.Rh7+ Kc6 39.b3 Bd5 40.Re3 Bxg3 41.Ra7

Winning this position seems impossible, but not for Judit...

41...Rg4 42.Ra4 Bf4 43.Re1 Bd2 44.Rd1 Bc3 45.Ra6+ Kb7 46.Ra5 Be4 47.Ra4 Rg2 48.Ra2 Kb6 49.Rd6+ Kb5 50.Rd1 Bf3 51.Rf1 Kc5 52.Ra7 Be4 53.Rc1 Kb6 54.Ra2 Rg3 55.Rf1 Bg7 56.Kc1 Rg2 57.Kb1 Rd2 58.Kc1 Rh2 59.Kb1 Bc3 60.Rd1 Bf3 61.Rf1 Kc5 62.Ra7 Be4 63.Rc1 Kd4 64.Rd7+ Ke3!

Black finds the right plan! The king breaks closer to the с2-pawn.

65.Re7 Rh6 66.Ra7 Bd2 67.Rg1 Kf2 68.Rd1 Ke2 69.Rg1 Be3 70.Re7 Rh4 71.Rg8 Bd4 72.Ka2 Kd2 73.Rd7 Bxc2

74.Rh8

The last chance.

74...Rxh8?

This move nearly cost the Hungarian player her promotion! She could win immediately by 74...Kc1! 75.Rxh4 (75.Rc8 Rh6) 75...Bb1#; this would be an incredible conclusion!

75.Rxd4+ Bd3 76.Rxb4 Kc3 77.Ra4 Rh2+?

The Nalimov base shows that Black mates in 23 by 77...Rb8.

78.Ka3 Rb2 79.Rg4??

Dominguez could create a nice study: after 79.Rb4 Rb1 80.Ka2 Kxb4 there is a stalemate!

79...Rxb3+ 80.Ka4 Rb1 81.Ka5 Rb5+ 82.Ka4 Rf5

This is the Philidor position, in which Black wins by force, but Judit was very tired and couldn't show the right way. At some point we weren't even sure that she can finish White off.

83.Rg3 Rf4+ 84.Ka3 Rf1 85.Rg2 Rh1

85...Rb1! 86.Rh2 Bf1 wins easily.

86.Rb2 Ra1+ 87.Ra2 Rb1 88.Rg2 Rb3+ 89.Ka4 Rb4+ 90.Ka3 Rb6 91.Rg4 Ra6+ 92.Ra4 Rb6 93.Rg4 Rb7 94.Rh4 Rb1 95.Rh2 Rb6 96.Rh4 Bf1 97.Rg4 Rb5 98.Rg3+ Bd3 99.Rg4 Rb1 100.Rg2 Rb3+ 101.Ka4 Rb5 102.Rg4 Rf5 103.Ka3 Rf1 104.Rg2 Rb1!

Finally! We really wanted Judit to equalize the match score.

105.Rh2 Bf5 106.Rg2 Bd3 107.Rh2 Bf1 108.Rf2 Bc4 109.Rf3+ Bd3 110.Rf2 Rb3+ 111.Ka2 Rb6 112.Ka1 Rg6

White resigns. After the game Polgar was shocked: «I made a grandmaster norm by winning the Philidor position, I always knew how to win it, but here I had some sort of a blackout! Fortunately, in the end I found the right setup!»

Well, playing under such pressure is surely tough, but Judit managed to calm her nerves. Well done!

 

G. Kamsky — P. Svidler

1.e4

This match will be remembered for unusual opposition of Russian and American national champions, and for the outstanding winning move in this game.

Gata needed a win in order to proceed to tie-breaks.

1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0−0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5

Peter selected this opening because «Gata never showed deep preparation in the main lines».

7.a4 Rb8 8.axb5 axb5

9.c3

Peter was obviously prepared for 9.Nxe5 Nxe5 10.d4 Bxd4 11.Qxd4 d6 12.f4 Nc6 13.Qc3 Ne7 14.e5 Ne4 15.Qe1 Nc5 16.Ba2 0−0 17.Be3!?, Kamsky-Kasimdzhanov, Khanty-Mansiysk 2011.

9...d6 10.d4 Bb6 11.Be3 0−0 12.Nbd2 h6 13.h3 Re8

14.Qc2!?

«A very poisonous move» (Svidler). After 14.Re1 Bb7 15.d5 Bxe3 16.dxc6 Bxd2 17.cxb7 the е1-rook is attacked.

14...exd4

White's idea works after 14...Bb7 15.d5! Bxe3 16.dxc6 Bxd2 17.cxb7, and there is nothing to capture on е1!

15.cxd4 Na5?!

Missing White's main point. Black has a good game after 15...Bb7 16.d5 Nb4 17.Qc3 Bxe3 18.fxe3 c5 19.dxc6 Nxc6 20.Nh4 Ne5.

16.Ba2 Bb7 17.e5!

17...Nd5 18.Bb1

Black must defend against checkmate.

18...g6 19.Bxh6 Nc6

20.exd6?!

20.Qe4! is clearly stronger. Gata examined 20...Nxd4 (20…dxe5, suggested by Peter after the game, it too dangerous: 21.dxe5 Nf6 22.Qh4 Nxe5 23.Bg5 etc), but White stands better here: 21.Nxd4 Rxe5 22.Qg4 Rh5 (22...Nf6 23.Qg3 Bxd4 24.Bxg6 Kh8 25.Bxf7 Nh5 26.Qg4 Qf6 27.Qxd4 also favors White) 23.Bxg6 Rxh6 24.Be4+ Kf8 25.Nf5 Rg6 26.Qf3.

20...Qxd6 21.Ne4

Looks strong, but Black can defend.

21...Qb4 22.Ba2

After 22.Neg5 Qc4 (bad is 22...Nxd4 23.Nxd4 Qxd4 24.Nxf7 Qf6 25.Ng5 Nf4 26.Ba2+ Kh8 27.Rad1) 23.Qd1 White has a minimal advantage.

22...Nxd4

The only defense.

23.Nf6+ Kh8 24.Nxd4

24.Nxd5 Nxf3+ 25.gxf3 Bxd5 26.Bxd5 Qh4 leads to a spectacular draw:

27.Be3 Bxe3 28.fxe3 Qg5+.

24...Nxf6 25.Nc6 Qh4 26.Nxb8

Bravo for cooperation in creating a masterpiece!

26...Re2!!

Unbelievable! Black, instead of regaining material, gives up another rook! This is the move of the tournament!

27.Qc3

After 27.Qxe2 Qg3 Black gives mate on g2!

27...Rxf2 28.Nc6 Rxf1+

White resigns. The Russian champion advanced to the Quarter-final, where he meets the one and only Judit Polgar. This is going to be a thrilling match, and we are all looking forward to it!