Autoplay:
Autoplay:
Alexander Grischuk is currently leading at the Baku Grand Prix, but still anything can happen in the last three rounds. I believe he won't be risking too much as long as he's holding this half point advantage ahead of others. On the other hand, Magnus Carlsen will play sharp as usual. It would be nice to see Volga Gambit in action. Live blog will launch one hour after the round start.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6!? Interesting, how often does Magnus play Slav defence? Database says last time against Ruslan Ponomariov at 2007 Corus.
3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Still keeping the open doors for Anti-Moscow. 4. e3 would allow Carlsen to choose between e6 Meran and Bf5. Perhaps black wants to play Chebanenko Slav with a6, this is a very popular defence nowadays.
4... dxc4!? 5.a4 (5.e4 b5 6.e5 Nd5 7.a4 is extremely sharp variation, named after Russian Grandmaster Tolush. Black have found good defending patters against this attack and Grischuk doesn't want to risk more than necessary.)
5... Bf5 6.Ne5 (6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 was main variation for a long time, but Kramnik's success with 6. Ne5 encouraged others to start using it as well. Over the last few years, this line has developed a lot of theory.)
6... Nbd7 ( The main branch includes piece sacrifice for three pawns after 6... e6 7.f3 Bb4 8.e4 Bxe4 9.fxe4 Nxe4 10.Bd2 Qxd4 11.Nxe4 Qxe4+ 12.Qe2 Bxd2+ 13.Kxd2 Qd5+ 14.Kc2 Kramnik scored many fine wins from this position. Lately, the attention has turned to 6....Nbd7.)
7.Nxc4 Nb6 (7... Qc7 is Morozevich's favorite, then continues 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Bf4 Nfd7 11.Bg2 f6 12.O-O)
8.Ne5 ( The tame 8.e3 e6 didn't bring much success after the various moves that White tried from here.)
8... a5 8...e6 has also been tried, but best way is to immediately prevent white's possible a5-a6.
9.Bg5 ( Most popular is 9.f3 Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.e4 Bg6 but black score well here, for example 12.Be3 Qb6 13.Qd2 e5!)
9... g6 ( Chinese players Wang and Bu are experts for 9... h6 10.Bh4 ( nobody takes on f6 10.Bxf6 exf6 because white Knight is losing all outposts. ) 10... e6)
10.e3 Bg7 11.Bd3 Be6 12.Be2!? Interesting maneuver, introduced by GM Gabriel Sargissian. White played Bd3 only to force black Bishop step away from f5, and now he is cleaning d3 square for Ne5 retreat should black play Nfd7 or Nfd5.
12... Nbd5 13.Bh4!? Moving away from the fork after 13...Nxc3 14. bxc3 Ne4.
13... O-O 14.O-O This is exactly the position that Grischuk wanted before the game. Typical microscopic advantage in the Slav defence, but first of all safe. Of course, still anything can happen, particularly since all pieces are still on the board. We all know how little space Carlsen needs to impose big problems to the opposition.
14... c5!? Carlsen is not wasting time, this is a typical Slav undermining of white's center and shaking the Ne5 outpost. 14. dxc5?! Nxc3! 15. bxc3 Qc7 is probably not the best idea because white pawns are left separated and weak. 14. Nxd5 Nxd5 comes to mind, but white won't be able to keep the extra pawn if he takes on c5 after.
15.Nb5 Intending to recapture with the Knight should black continues with cxd4.
15... Ne4!? This square was left without control after white played Nb5, so why not take it? If white Bishop attacks Ne4, black will support it with f5, without being afraid of the doubled pawns after eventual exchange.
16.Bf3 Besides f5 , black can also continue with 16...cxd4 17. Bxe4 Bxe5, which is looking good.
16... cxd4!? Now probably 17. Bxe4, but 17. Qxd4 should also be counted upon. Then, the pin from Bg7 would make me nervous, but it all depends on the concrete calculation. (16... f5 17.Bxe4 fxe4 looked like fun...)
17.Bxe4 Bxe5 18.Nxd4 All this is nice, but black doesn't have to move his Be6 away :) Doubled pawns wouldn't be such a great weakness, because white can't attack them with enough force. Also, Nd5 would be strengthened up.
18... Bxd4!? Unusual picture, Carlsen seeking for simplifications... (18... Qd6 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Bg3 Rac8 black is fine.)
19.Qxd4 Nf6 20.Bxb7!? Now black can trade Queens and b-pawns with 20...Qxd4 21. exd4 Rab8 and Rxb2. Another possibility 20...Rb8 with 21...Rb4 has more life, hopefully Carlsen will play it. (20.Bxf6 exf6 21.Rfd1)
20... Qxd4 Nope, he's going for safer option.
21.exd4 Rab8 22.Bc6!? Rfd8! Precise! ( Immediate 22... Rxb2 23.Bxf6 exf6 24.d5 can turn to be very unpleasant.)
23.Bb5 Rfd1 or Rfc1 (with idea Rc5 later) was much more challenging. Grischuk is probably trying to encompass a5 pawn, but black will have Bd7 in the right moment.
23... Bd7!? ( Also good was 23... Rxd4 24.Bg3 Rc8 25.Be5 Rd5 26.Bc3 Bd7! and black make it on time.)
24.Rfe1 Not troubling black, 24...Bxb5 25. axb5 Rxd4 and Rb4 is completely equal...
24... Kf8!? 25.Bg3 (25.Re5 Bxb5 26.Rxb5 Rxb5 27.axb5 Rxd4 28.Bxf6 exf6 black earns important tempo thanks to the weakness of white's back rank.)
25... Rb7 The only good move, Rook has to keep an eye on b5.
26.Re5!? This is now similar to the above mentioned line, only with another pair of light pieces on the board.
26... Bxb5 27.Rxb5 Rxb5 I am sorry that we won't have live blog today, my ISP is having problems with routing and I can't activate this tool.
28.axb5 Rxd4 29.h3!? This is now similar to the above mentioned line, only with another pair of light pieces on the board. Grischuk's intentions are clear. While holding a draw in his hands, we wants to keep the possibility of advancing queenside pawn, supported by long-range Bishop. Black pieces should be able to coordinate for sufficient counterplay. Bg3 is eyeing b8, the promotion square... this could be important in some event...
30.Be5 Rb4 31.Bc3 Rxb5 32.Rxa4 Black is able to hold this endgame as long as Rooks are on the board.
32... Ne8 but not 32...Nd5 33. Ra8 checkmate :)
33.Kf1 f6 34.Rb4 Rd5 35.Ke2 Nd6 36.Rd4 Rb5 37.Rb4 Rd5 38.Rd4 Rb5 39.Rb4 draw signed after moves repetition. White can hardly make any progress as long as black avoids Rooks exchange. I was surprised that Carlsen didn't play sharper, but perhaps he wanted to save his energy after the match with a current leader. Thank you everyone for following Chessdom live coverage of Baku Grand Prix. Report will follow later today.
1/2-1/2