Candidates Matches 3rd - 27th May 2011

[Ben Purton]

Rd8 , Bf3 now has potential for a pep draw !

[AustinElliott]

19... Rd8 from Grischuk, rather than capturing on h4

Possible "prophylaxis" against a white e4 by targetting the d4 pawn?

You would think that if White ever manages e4 and f5 then Grischuk will be in danger of getting crushed onto the back three rows.

[AustinElliott]

56 min left for Gelfand (thinking), only 24 for Grischuk...

Rd8 , Bf3 now has potential for a pep draw !

Nooooo! Don't tempt fate... surely they can't bail out in this position?

It surely can't be in Gelfand's interest to take a draw, with a blitz play-off to come... he must have to play this one out and hope Grischuk possibly trips up in time trouble.

* Crosses fingers for a result*

[AustinElliott]

20 Qf2 from Gelfand... protecting d4 and (indirectly) h4

Grischuk now has 20 min left, so it is a move a minute for him.

Shipov was analysing a White f5, which seems less likely with the White Q on f2. He suggests Qf2 was a waiting move, and that Gelfand is using the waiting / keeping tension moves to get Grischuk to re-calculate everything each move and thus burn all his time.

Grischuk plays:

20 ...Bh4:
21 gh: Nd5

Aiming for tactics or for mass minor piece exchanges on d5?

Shipov does not like the exchange on h4 - he says the White Black-squared B now becomes potentially powerful without having moved, and that Black is vulnerable to a future White central pawn-roller. He thinks Grischuk could have played ...Nd5 without first exchanging on h4.

[Peter Roberson]

Seems that 19...Bxh4 20.gxh4 Rxh4 is met by 21.Kg3! threatening the rook and d5. Now 20.Bf3 Ra5 21.Qg2 seems like a sensible reorganizing, but the computer thinks black is okay after 21...Ra8(!). Weird game.

[Ben Purton]

After Qf2, theres probs something massively stupid with my plan but Na5?! , I know its the rook square, thats the problem but maybe Na5 Bf3 Rxh4 c5?!

[Ben Purton]

Nd5 Ne4?

[AustinElliott]

A long think by Gellers, who is now down below 40 min on the clock (39 min to Grischuk's 19).

22. Nd5: Rhd5:

Grischuk offers the exchange by capturing on d5 with the Rook from h5 rather than with the Be6!

Will Gellers accept w Bd5: Bd5: - which would leave him the exchange ahead but make the Black QB ruler of the light squares?

ANS: No - 23 Bb2 from him.

[Jonathan Rogers]

how about 23...f5 (and changing his name to Petrosian)?

[AustinElliott]

23...Rb5 from Grischuk.

The White b-pawn looks doomed.

Does White have tactics based on either of the pawn pushes d5 or e4, potentially opening the a1-h8 diagonal to the Black King position?

how about 23...f5 (and changing his name to Petrosian)?

I reckon Gelfand has more of Tigran about him than Grischuk. A player strong in exact calculation complications. but who seems to prefer to avoid trouble rather than to mix it...

Actually, at times in the last game I had the feeling they were both channeling the Spirit of Petrosian. Or perhaps I could have imagined the game 5 being played between Petrosian and Korchnoi.

[Peter Roberson]

Interesting attempted exchange sac by Grischuk, but 23.Bb2 looks like a very good move - after 23...f5 grabbing the exchange intending to chip away with h5 is a rather improved version for white, after after 23...Rb5 (played) 24.e4 is rather complicated but looks like a very good pawn sac.

[AustinElliott]

Interesting attempted exchange sac by Grischuk, but 23.Bb2 looks like a very good move - after 23...f5 grabbing the exchange intending to chip away with h5 is a rather improved version for white, after after 23...Rb5 (played) 24.e4 is rather complicated but looks like a very good pawn sac.

Shipov says that after 23...f5 White would:

"have another juicy target to attack: 24. h5! Kf7 25. Qh4 - here Black's in trouble."

24 Qe2 from Gelfand, rejecting immediate pawn breaks with e4 or d5 and attacking the Black R on b4.

Now can Grischuk play ...Rb3: ...?

24...Rh5

He doesn't - the R is back to its favourite h5 square.

25 e4 (finally...)
25 ....Bb3:
26 Rdc1

So Grischuk has a Pawn, and the White h4 pawn is hanging. But Gelfand has the centre, two Bishops, open lines, and the Bb2 pointing down a1-h8 at Grischuk's King.

Plus, of course, Grischuk is down below 10 minutes on time. He prefers playing rapid chess even at normal time limits...!

Now down to six minutes...

[Phil Neatherway]

Surely White will win. As soon as he gets his queen on the a1-h8 diagonal, Black is doomed.

[Peter Roberson]

Can't see even Grischuk squirming his way out of this one, though I'd have said that about some of his earlier games...

[AustinElliott]

Shipov:

[Rdc1] threatens d4-d5, the b3-bishop is badly placed and there’s no serious counterplay visible. I’m ready to give an honest evaluation of the situation – it’s bad for Black!

..and one has the impression that was an understatement.

If Gris gets out of this it will be one SERIOUS piece of escapology...

26 ...Na5

Another Black piece heads for the edge of the board! Hypermodern, or Kamikaze?

27 d5 b6

Can White simply play Qd2 or e3 heading for the a1-h8 diagonal, as per Phil's suggestion? 28 Qe3 Nc4 29 Rc4: Bc4: 30 Qd4 winning back the Bishop, or similar?