Candidates Matches 3rd - 27th May 2011

[Mick Norris]

I don't understand why Black played 9. ...h6 when White has no pieces that can go to g5.

Shipov:
"It seems as though Grischuk is constructing a simple tactical trap for his opponent. If 10. b4 there would follow the reply 10…e4! with the idea of 11. Ncxe4 f5! – and it’s precisely here that it’s important that the g5-square isn’t available to White. At the same time Sasha is intending to expand on the kingside – in future."

[Phil Neatherway]

For Warren:-

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. d3 Nge7 7. a3 d6 8. Nd2 O-O 9. Rb1 h6 10. O-O a5
11. Nd5

[Simon Ansell]

He doesn't want to commit to ...a5 yet and 9...h6 is a useful move in general holding up b4, because of 10. b4 e4!? when if 11. N(x)e4 Black has 11...f5 winning a piece. Although this line might be somehow playable for White with a piece sac starting 12. bc5, but it will be hugely complicated.

Edit: above is to explain 9...h6

[Phil Neatherway]

Although he did play a5 in the end.

[Simon Ansell]

Yeah he has played ...a5 now, but if he had done so immediately perhaps White could switch plans somehow, say Nf1-e3-d5 before castling. Maybe there's a reason that ...h6 is better than ...a5 against that manoevure. It's a bit subtle for my understanding, I admit, but there is probably something behind it.

[Thomas Rendle]

Black's position looks planless to me as without a knight on f6 a plan of f5, g5 etc. won't be very dangerous.

I think the battle today will be Gelfand pressing and Grischuk trying to hold a worse position. I don't see Gelfand losing today.

[Phil Neatherway]

Well, since he has played h6, he can now play f5

I assume White wants to re-route his N to d5.

[Thomas Rendle]

Yes, but f5 is just weakening if there is no kingside play. Obviously if the pawn was on f5 earlier White wouldn't have the plan of Ne4-c3-d5.
Once that happens White will aim to open up with b4 and eventually win the b7 pawn.

The opening has definitely gone wrong somewhat for Black and it will be a long day at the office for Grischuk.

[Phil Neatherway]

11. ...Be6 12. Nxe7 Qxe7 13. Ne4 Kh8 14. Nc3 Qd7 15. Bd2 Rab8

[Phil Neatherway]

Thomas, where would you say Black could have improved?

[AustinElliott]

The two things that strike me are:

(i) the general 'old=fashioned'-ness of the opening; I can easily imagine this position in a game between Smyslov (as White) and A.N.Other from the 40s or early 50s

(ii) How much time both players have already used... e.g. only 36 min left for Grischuk for the next 25 moves. If the position DOES break open and get tactical then time shortage seems odds-on to be a factor. Not obvious where and from whom a "break" is going to come, though.

[Thomas Rendle]

I didn't like 9...h6. It just seemed to be setting a trap that Gelfand was never going to fall for. 9...f5 and 9..Be6 both looked more natural.

Having said that I guess White is only slightly better so no major mistakes from either side yet.

[Thomas Rendle]

White has just played 16.Qc1 - probably the idea is that after say Kh7 17.Nd5 has the threat of Bxh6! (due to Nf6+)

[Ben Purton]

I like Ne4 here after h5, but I don't have a computer !

[Thomas Rendle]

is there a plan after Ne4 f6?

White should be playing on the Queenside here.