English Chess Forum

Hi
Why in
5r2/4k3/2bppp2/2q3rp/1p2PR2/1B1Q2P1/P1P4P/1K1R4 w - - 0 30
30.e5 was played?

Thanks in advance

soheil_hooshdaran wrote: 30.e5 was played?

I would imagine that White calculated that all ways of capturing the e5 pawn gave White an advantage and that either exd6, exf6 or Qxd6 were strong if the pawn wasn't captured. Games where this type of idea is played find themselves published, so players will be familiar with the theme even if only the best calculators would have worked out every single line.

That's Karjakin-Caruana from earlier this year, no?

Indeed it was. I would say the quick answer is to open lines, particularly for the white queen to reach h7, where is could cause mayhem.

Also he only needed a drew so had to stop himself freezing up, going passive, and getting ground at.
(Especially given the position of course ).

Opening lines with, importantly, the King in the centre. White would quickly calculate that Black's only sensible response is Re5 after which Graham's Qh7 is a nuisance followed after Rf7 by Qg8 or h8. The other reason for the e5 break is that if White doesn't play it and waits with, for example, Rd2, Black may well play Re5 and block the square after which it is Black who looks a little better since he can start to improve his position and White's position looks a little inflexible to me. Might not be much worse but might be quite difficult to play.

Ah good to hear its from a recognized game. I was looking at it and thinking 30. e5 is not a bad move at all and just what I would play, as it opens the 4th rank for the rook and offers a new diagonal for the queen. Rc4 is one of many nasty threats.

As Matt says it was Karjakin-Caruana from earlier this year: actually from the last round of the Candidates in Moscow. At stake was the prize of a World Championship match against Magnus Carlsen and Caruana (Black) needed to win the game and Karjakin needed only to draw. Caruana played the Sicilian which isn't something he usually does but it enabled him to keep the game complex with mutual chances. Until Karjakin came up with 30 e5!

Matt Mackenzie wrote:That's Karjakin-Caruana from earlier this year, no?

Exactly

Just saw a strange combination.I don't understand the reason for the forst move. Analyses are mine:
[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "?"] [Black "?"] [Result "*"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "knb4r/1r2q1pp/4p3/pP2Pp2/P1p2P2/2P2B2/2K2BPP/Q2R4 w - - 0 1"] 1. Rd6 (1. Qc1 Nd7 2. Qe3 Kb8 3. Bxb7 Bxb7 4. Qa7+ Kc8 $19) 1... g5 (1... Nd7 2. Qd1 Kb8 3. Bxb7 Kxb7 4. Qd4 Kc7 5. Rxd7+ Bxd7 6. Qb6+ Kc8 7. Qa6+ Kb8 8. Ba7+ Kc7 9. Bb6+ Kb8) 2. fxg5 Qg7 3. Qa3 Qc7 4. b6 Qe7 5. Qc5 Na6 6. Qb5 *

Rd6 just takes any risk out of the position - the black Q can then never get in so white will win in short order.

soheil_hooshdaran wrote:Just saw a strange combination.I don't understand the reason for the forst move.

After 1.Rd6, White threatens Qa3-c5-a7 mating, and has the alternative plan of Qd1-d4-a7, also mating.

Ian Thompson wrote:

soheil_hooshdaran wrote:Just saw a strange combination.I don't understand the reason for the forst move.

After 1.Rd6, White threatens Qa3-c5-a7 mating, and has the alternative plan of Qd1-d4-a7, also mating.

But My initial Qc1 was also with the same plan. Why didn't it work?

soheil_hooshdaran wrote:

Ian Thompson wrote:After 1.Rd6, White threatens Qa3-c5-a7 mating, and has the alternative plan of Qd1-d4-a7, also mating.

But My initial Qc1 was also with the same plan. Why didn't it work?

Your own analysis says Qc1 doesn't win for White (and says Rd6 does win).

How would one come across 1.g4 in:
2r3k1/p1q3pp/1p2pn2/4N3/2PQ2P1/P7/5P1P/3R2K1 b - - 0 25