📘 14.Bd2
A logical retreat in an isolated queen pawn structure to avoid the exchange of bishops. The value of the white's central pawn, which has given spatial advantage to white is in the middlegame.
A logical retreat in an isolated queen pawn structure to avoid the exchange of bishops. The value of the white's central pawn, which has given spatial advantage to white is in the middlegame.
📘 24...Nxc3?
A favor from black!
25.Be3?
which is returned by white! He could simply take the piece: 25.Qxc3 Bb4 26.Qa1+-
25...Nd5? Another one! 25...Qe6 should have been played.
26.Rxf7!+-
A favor from black!
25.Be3?
which is returned by white! He could simply take the piece: 25.Qxc3 Bb4 26.Qa1+-
25...Nd5? Another one! 25...Qe6 should have been played.
26.Rxf7!+-
📘 27.R×g7?
The game move can be defended:
27...K×g7 28.Bh6+ Kg8 29.Qd7 Re7 30.Q×c6 Rae8=
The winning variation was
27.Qd7 Bf8 28.Ng4! (R×h7? Nf6) Qa3 29.R×h7 +-
The game move can be defended:
27...K×g7 28.Bh6+ Kg8 29.Qd7 Re7 30.Q×c6 Rae8=
The winning variation was
27.Qd7 Bf8 28.Ng4! (R×h7? Nf6) Qa3 29.R×h7 +-
📘 20...Raf8?! 21.Be3+/- prevents Bc5, defends f2, and threatens to take e5.
Black should have changed the move order and started with 20...Bc5.
Black should have changed the move order and started with 20...Bc5.
📘 5.Qa4 is one of the anti-grunfeld lines in this position. Main alternatives are 5.d4 to transpose to Grunfeld, and 5.e4 Nxc3 6.dxc3 which is another anti-grunfeld line and a favorite of Ulf Andersson who loves strategic endgames!
📘 Critical moments of a game are the moments, inwhich the difference between the first and second best choices are substantial. In this position white continued with:
27.Nf3? Rbd8+ 28.Ke1 Nd3!+ 29.c×d3 Q×c3+ with a double-edged position.
He should have played 27.f.g7!e.d4?? (Kg8 was also losing 28.Bf1!+- with the idea of Bc4+) 28.g8=Q+! A move that Alireza may have missed
28... R×g8 29.Rf1+ Kg7 30.h6+ and mate follows.
27.Nf3? Rbd8+ 28.Ke1 Nd3!+ 29.c×d3 Q×c3+ with a double-edged position.
He should have played 27.f.g7!e.d4?? (Kg8 was also losing 28.Bf1!+- with the idea of Bc4+) 28.g8=Q+! A move that Alireza may have missed
28... R×g8 29.Rf1+ Kg7 30.h6+ and mate follows.
9...Qc7 has been played with the idea of transfering the queen to its typical square in Maroczy bind, a5.
The more common variation is 9...0-0 and now:
A)10.0-0 Rc8! 11.b3 d5! which is a creative idea from Ivanchuk and we had covered it in our strategy multiple choice at unitychess channel few weeks ago.
B) 10.Be3 Rc8 11.b3 a6 planning b5.
The more common variation is 9...0-0 and now:
A)10.0-0 Rc8! 11.b3 d5! which is a creative idea from Ivanchuk and we had covered it in our strategy multiple choice at unitychess channel few weeks ago.
B) 10.Be3 Rc8 11.b3 a6 planning b5.
📘10.Qe2
By playing Qe2 white is trying to deviate from the common 10.b3.
10...Nc6 11.Be3 0-0
And white can hardly claim any advantage here.
By playing Qe2 white is trying to deviate from the common 10.b3.
10...Nc6 11.Be3 0-0
And white can hardly claim any advantage here.