Commentary – Round 7

(1) Wojtaszek,Radoslaw (2713) – Motylev,Alexander (2656) [D47]
(7.1)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3Nbd7 6.Bd3 [In the 2009 game between this two grandmasters Wojtaszek tried the Anti-Meran variation, but didn’t get any advantage. 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.b3 0-0 8.Bb2 Qe7 9.Be2 b6 10.0-0Bb7 11.Rfe1 Rfe8 12.Rad1 Rad8 13.g3 a614.Bf1 Bb4 15.Bg2 Ne4 16.Rc1 f5 17.Nd2 Nxd218.Qxd2 Nf6 19.cxd5 cxd5 20.Qd3 Rc8 21.Re2Ne4 22.Nxe4 Rxc1+ 23.Bxc1 dxe4 24.Qd1 Rc8Wojtaszek-Motylev 2009.]

6…dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 Motylev chooses Meran variation of Slav Defense.This is a well known and deeply analyzed variation.

8.Bd3 b4 [8…a6 9.e4 c5 10.e5 cxd4 11.Nxb5is also very popular. There are many forced variations here.The position is double edged.]

9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Bxe4 Bb7 11.0-0 Bd612.a3 bxa3 13.Nd2 axb2 [13…Qc7 14.Nc4Be7 15.b4 Ba6 16.Bd3 Bxb4 17.Ne5 Bb518.Qc2 Rc8 19.Nxd7 Qxd7 20.Bxa3 Bxa321.Rxa3 Bxd3 Aronian-Mamedyarov, with equal chances]

14.Bxb2 0-0 15.Bf3 [15.Qc2 Nf6 16.Ba3 a517.Rfb1 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 Qc7 19.Bf3 Rfb820.Rba1 c5 21.Qxc5 Qxc5 22.dxc5 Bxf3 23.gxf3Rb5 Riazantsev-Jakovenko iazantsev-Jakovenko 1/2-1/2 2011]

15…Qc7 16.Nc4 Bb4 [16…Bxh2+ 17.Kh1Nb6 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.g3 Rxa1 20.Bxa1 Bxg321.fxg3 Qxg3 Black has 4 pawns for the bishop,but probably white is better.Motylev prefers to play safe.]

17.Qb3 It took some time for white to make this move.I think they were expecting 16…B:h2+.

17…a5 18.Bc3 White is active but is still a pawn dawn.Usually this kind of initiative compensates the pawn disadvatage but not more than that.

18…Bxc3 Black decides to give up the pawn and trade all bishops with no problems at all. [18…Rfb8 19.Bxb4 axb4 20.Qxb4 c5 21.Qc3Bxf3 22.gxf3 cxd4 23.Qxd4 Nf8 was also quite possible.]

19.Qxc3 c5 20.Bxb7 Qxb7 21.Nxa5 Qd522.dxc5 Players will have reach to move 40 or find a threefold repetition to agree to a draw.

22…Qxc5 23.Qxc5 Nxc5 24.Nc4 g6 25.g3We have a simmetrical position on the board like in the beginning of the game .It’s black to move now and they have won a tempo:))

25…Rfd8 26.Ne5 Rxa1 27.Rxa1 Rd528.Nf3 Ne4 29.Ra4 Nf6 30.Kg2 Kg731.Rd4 Rxd4 32.Nxd4 h5 33.h3 Ne434.Kf3 Ng5+ 35.Kg2 Ne4 36.Kf3 Ng5+37.Kg2 Ne4 38.Kf3 1/2-1/2