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Good day everyone, welcome to the Chessdom live coverage of 2008 Morelia Linares. Magnus Carlsen and Alexei Shirov are entering today's round with different feelings. Carlsen fought from being weaker against Ivanchuk to win the game, while Shirov couldn't solve problems when faced with Anand's novelty in Sveshnikov Sicilian. Both are inspired attackers and we expect to see some good fight today. Enjoy!
1.e4 e5 Shirov is avoiding Sveshnikov Sicilian after the painful defeat in yesterday's round. It will take some time before fans of this opening find an antidote for Anand's 18. Qe2.
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Shirov already allowed Ruy Lopez against Carlsen, but it cost him a loss in Breyer variation.
3... a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 Shirov decides to use Arhangelsk variation. It was very a popular defence in the late 90s and early 21st century. He likes this line and plays it from time to time, particularly in quick events. But Carlsen beat him few months ago at the World Blitz Championship after 7. c3 d6 etc...7. a4 and 7. d3 are also popular. The playing hall in Teatro Cervantes is nicely arranged as yesterday, but it is probably not the best place for chess. Its acoustics do not let the sound to go out of the room and even intensify it. Players are obviously bothered at some occasions. Especially disturbing is the wooden floor that makes every footstep sound loud.
7.a4 This move is adding pressure on b5 pawn, which will most likely be sacrificed by black for faster development and increased pressure on the d4 pawn.
7... Rb8 8.c3 d6 9.d4 Bb6 10.Na3 O-O 11.axb5 axb5 12.Nxb5 Bg4 This position was already seen in some 200 games, many of them on the top Grandmaster level. Now we have first important crossroad, where Shirov himself and young GM Karjakin liked to play 13. d5, while Topalov and Leko preferred 13. Bc2. Anand and GM De Firmian played 13. Re1. The main problem for white is how to hold the d4 pawn, but at the same time pawn structure on the kingside might end broken and Nb5 (even Bb3) could be hanging in some lines.
13.Bc2 Bxf3 (13... d5!? 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 exd4 16.Bg5 dxc3 17.Nxc3 ended with a draw in Ivanchuk-Shirov, 2006.)
14.gxf3 (14.Qxf3!? with idea to give the pawn back for the pin on Nf6 was tried once by Judit Polgar, but Shirov held it to an easy draw. 14... exd4 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bh4 dxc3 17.bxc3 Ne5)
14... Nh5 15.f4!? Practically, the only try. Otherwise black would establish strong bind on the weak squares in white's camp. The playing hall in Teatro Cervantes has more people than yesterday, when it was celebrated local holiday
15... Nxf4 16.Bxf4 exf4 17.Qg4 Qf6 18.Ra6 Idea is 19. Nxc7...
18... Ne7 The knight can perfectly nest on g6.
19.Na3 Knight has nothing left to do on b5, and Carlsen moves it to a more convenient location, probably c4... Now 19...Ra8 20. Rxa8 Rxa8 21. Nc4 Ng6 should be roughly equal. We have just received information that Ivan Cheparinov will play in the Grand Prix series. Magnus Carlsen eliminated Cheparinov from the World Chess Cup couple of months ago. It is hard to believe that Shirov is taking this long to make a move in a regular position. Probably the board relay from Linares is experiencing problems. We hope everything will be fine soon...
19... c6 20.Nc4 Bc7 Shirov avoided exchange of one pair of rooks, but now Carlsen can double on a-file, immediately, or after 21. Ra7 first...
21.Ra7! He's not missing the chance to make it unpleasant for Shirov, who now probably has to play Rfc8. According to unofficial ratings (updated after each game), Anand is ranked first with 2803, while Carlsen is 6th with 2760 and Shirov 7th with 2757.
21... Rbc8 Carlsen can build up the pressure with 22. Re1 or be more brutal with 22. e5 dxe5 23. dxe5 with 24. Rd1 next (23....Bxe5 loses to 24. Qh5! Ng6 25. Nxe5 Qxe5 26. Bxg6)
22.e5! (22.Re1 Ng6 23.e5! dxe5 24.dxe5 Qe7 25.e6!)
22... dxe5 23.dxe5 Qh6 24.Rd1! with nasty threat of Rd7. 24...Nd5 looks like the only move, but white is still better after 25. Be4.
24... Nd5 25.Be4! Shirov is facing many problems as consequence of the careless c6-Bc7. His pieces are shaking and it's hard to prevent white from breaking to the 7th rank. Another possible idea is rook lift Rd1-d3-h3...
25... Rfd8?! Shirov is down to only 17 minutes to reach the time control, and he already played an inaccurate move. With 26. Rd3! (threat Rh3, but not 26. Bxd5 cxd5 27. Rxd5 Qc6! when 6th rank is not covered) 26...g6 27. Bxd5 cxd5 28. Rxd5 white has clear advantage. (25... Rce8!? 26.Bxd5 cxd5 27.Rxc7 dxc4 28.Rd6 g6)
26.Rd3! Excellent! Shirov is in big trouble now.
26... g6 The only move, but it's cutting the queen off from operating on the 6th rank. 27. Bxd5 now...
27.Bxd5 cxd5 28.Rxd5 28...Rxd5 29. Qxc8+ Bd8 would call for temporal defensive with 30. Qg4, otherwise black could launch deadly assault with R+Q battery and there is also f4-f3 check at some moment. After Qg4, white is better and has everything under control. 9th round report will be posted about one hour after the games are over, search for it on the Chessdom.com homepage.
28... Rxd5 29.Qxc8+ Kg7? This is probably decisive mistake... 30. Rxc7 Qg5+ 31. Kf1 and there is no checkmate. But Magnus should carefully review all the lines. The best chance for Shirov was after 29...Bd8 30. Qg4 Rd3 with idea f4-f3...
30.Qg4?! It looks like the bluff worked well. Carlsen couldn't be 100% sure there is no checkmate after Rxc7 and opted for safer Qg4. Black gets some play now, but white should still be better.
30... Bxe5 31.h4 Necessary, because Shirov has Rg5 after bishop moves somewhere...
31... Bb8 32.Rb7 Rd8 White is slightly better, but the real question if whether Shirov will hold against the pressure while in severe time trouble.
33.Kg2 Shirov is down to 2 minutes for 8 moves
33... Kg8 34.Qg5!? Qf8 (34... Qxg5+ 35.hxg5 is probably winning endgame for white. His passed pawns will be faster and black bishop had limited scope.)
35.Qf6 Re8 36.b4!? (36.Rd7!? Re6 37.Qd8 Re8 38.Qg5)
36... Re6 37.Qd4 Qc8 Better was to offer rooks exchange on e7, or continue with Re8. Now 38. Rd7 with idea Rd8 looks reasonably strong. White would love to trade the queens and kill black's counterplay, while wants to trade the rooks and eliminate nasty pressure on the 7th rank.
38.Rd7! Qc6+ 39.Qd5! Qxd5+ 40.Rxd5 Rc6 Time control has passed and Shirov managed to survive the scramble. Carlsen, however, fulfilled important strategical idea of trading the queens and this endgame is now much easier for him. Both 41. Na5 and 41. Nd2 are giving significant advantage.
41.Nd2 f3+!? Interesting idea, Shirov obviously wants to increase the number of squares for his bishop. Still, pawn is a pawn...
42.Nxf3 Kg7 43. Rd3 Rc4!? blocks white pawn mass for some time. Carlsen should also take care of h4 pawn...43. Rc5 on the other hand, is interesting, 43...Rxc5 44. bxc5 with Nd4 next looks very nice.
43.Rd8!? (43.Rc5 Rxc5 44.bxc5 Kf8 45.Nd4 Ba7 46.c6 Ke7 47.Nb5)
43... Bc7 Carlsen probably won't go back to d3 after already playing Rd8, so 44. Rd7 with idea Nf3-g5 comes to mind.
44.Rd7 Rxc3 45.Ng5 45...Rc4 or 45...Kg8. Kf6 would be a bit too adventurous... 45...Kf6 46. Rxf7+ Ke5 47. Rxh7 Rc2 48. Re7+
45... Kg8 Idea is to meet 46. Rxf7 with h6, then 47. Ne4 Kxf7 48. Nxc3 Ke6 and king is quickly centralising. Black would have chances to make a draw because white pawns on the kingside are weak. So, Carlsen can choose between 46. Nxf7 and 47. Ne4!?, both of which are looking equally good.
46.Ne4 (46.Nxf7 Rc4 47.b5 Bb6 48.Kg3!? Rc3+ 49.f3 Rc5 50.Ng5)
46... Rc4 maybe 46...Rc2!?, because then Bb6 would earn precious tempo in some lines...
47.Nf6+ Kf8 (47... Kh8? 48.Rxf7 mate threat on h7 48... Rxh4 49.Rxc7)
48.Nxh7+ Ke8 49.Nf6+ Kf8 Now 50. Nd5 and 51. b5 looks like decisive advantage.
50.Nd5! Be5 51.b5 Rxh4 (51... Rc2 52.b6 Bd4 53.b7 Rxf2+ 54.Kg3 (54.Kh3 Be5 55.b8=Q+ Bxb8 56.Rd8+ Kg7 57.Rxb8 g5!? with good chances to earn a draw) 54... Rb2 55.Kf3 Be5 might have been better for black)
52.b6 Still not easy to convert the advantage. Shirov will give his bishop for b-pawn at some moment. Good news for Carlsen is that his pawn is on f2 (and not on h4 as in above comment) and it makes it much harder for black to achieve a trade.
52... Rd4 53.Kf3 Idea probably Ke3 and then think if f4 is necessary (53.b7 Kg7 54.f4!? Bb8 55.Kf3 was alternative, but pawn on f4 might be easier for black to trade. Carlsen prefers to have it on f2 for the time of being...)
53... Kg7 54.Ke3 Ra4!? 55.b7 Ra3+ Allowing white king to advance might be dangerous in some lines. Shirov wants to put his rook behind the pawn with Rb3. 56. Ke2 g5 is too tame, so probably 56. Ke4 Bb8 (or Bh2)
56.Ke4 Bh2 57.Nc7! Maybe the best practical chance... still refraining from playing f4. Ne6+ is coming.
57... Rb3 58.Ne6+ Kf6 59.Nd8 g5 Now that white wins another pawn, it will be easier to avoid the trade of his last f2-pawn... assuming that he promotes on b8 and black sacrifices a bishop...
60.Rxf7+ Kg6 61.Rd7 g4!? trying to make f2 pawn be easier target (61... Rb4+ 62.Kd3!?)
62.Ne6 g3! 63.fxg3 Bxg3 Winning chances are greatly reduced now, Shirov will probably be able to sacrifice bishop for a pawn and reach the theoretical R+N vs R draw
64.Kd5 (64.Rg7+ Kf6 65.Rxg3 Rxb7 is only a draw of course, and position for which was Shirov fighting over the last 20 moves or so...)
64... Rb1 65.Kc6 Rc1+ 66.Nc5 Bb8 67.Rd5 Rook move on the c-file or bishop somewhere on the diagonal should be good enough
67... Ba7!? 68.Kd7 Bb8 69.Ne6 Idea is Rc5 to build a bridge for the king, and continue with Kc8 trying to prevent bishop sacrifice after the promotion. However, 69...Kf6, having an eye on Ne6, is still holding for black.
69... Kf6 70.Rc5 Rb1 (70... Rd1+? loses after 71.Kc8 Kxe6 (71... Ba7 72.Rc6) 72.Kxb8 Kd7 73.Ra5)
71.Nd8 Bh2 72.Rc6+ Ke5 (72... Kf5!?)
73.Rc1!? Rb3 74. b8Q+ Rxb8 75. Nc6+ Ke4 76. Nxb8 Bxb8 is another theoretical draw.
74.Rc2!? Bf4 Only move (74... Bg3? loses to 75.Rc3!)
75.Kc6 Kf5 76.Rc5+ Kf6 77.Kd7 One idea could be Kc8 and then try to shift the knight to c7 and cover bishop's diagonal. In such case, Shirov will probably move his rook to h8 for checks over the 7th and 8th rank.
77... Rb1 78.Kc8 Bh2 79.Rc6+ Ke5?? Horrible blunder!! (79... Kf5 80.Ne6 Rg1 switching to 8th rank check... there is no progress for white yet)
80.b8=Q+ Black has to give his rook and position is lost. What a crazy game!! Shirov was close to escape, just like in the Morelia game, and eventually blundered when being so close to draw, but alas in time trouble. Thank you everyone for following Chessdom live coverage, see you again tomorrow at 10:00 EST / 16:00 CET.
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