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We had better expectations for the rezults of both Aronian and Morozevich. This game will show whether we were right for at least one of them. Knowing their aggressive style, we are in for a beautiful game...
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.Nc3 Ne4 7.Bd2 f5 More common is Bf6. The game move is considered bad because of d5! But this is Moro, we can expect anything from him right from the start.
8.d5 Bf6 White conquered a lot of space in the center and black should be very carefull.
9.Qc2 Na6 A rare move, that leaves the black center not very well protected. White has scored heavily in this position after Nxe4
10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.Qxe4 Nc5 12.Qe3 has been played so far, but Qg4!? is interesting.
12.Qe3 Moro will probably castle and opt for compensation, instead of capturing on b2
12... O-O 13.dxe6 After Re8 black has a nice initiative
13... Re8 14.Qa3 14...Qe7! and taking on e6 with queen is a smart idea.
14... Qe7 15.Be3 Qxe6 16.Rc1 Ne4 Moro doesn't have full compensation, but in his hands such a position is very dangerous.
17.O-O Nd6 18.Bd4 An excellent positional move! The Bf6 was the strongest black piece.
18... Be7 Moro is trying to keep the important bishop...
19.c5?! Ne4 c5 was not very good, the position will equalize now.
20.Nd2!? bc5 is best now
20... Nxd2? a mistake
21.Bxb7 Rab8 22.Rfd1 Moro will be a pawn down once again...
22... Rxb7 23.Rxd2 Reb8 24.Qe3! bxc5 25.Qxe6+ dxe6 26.Bxc5 Bxc5 27.Rxc5 Rxb2 28.Rd7 Black is on the verge of defeat - too many pawn islands and white is already on the seventh rank.
28... Rc8 29.a4 And now the Rc8 is very passive.
29... Rxe2 30.Rcxc7 Rxc7 31.Rxc7 The endgame should be drawn, but with very accurate play from black.
31... a6 32.Ra7 Ra2 33.Rxa6 e5 34.a5 e4 35.Ra7 h5 Now the white king cannot enter the game without sacrifising at least a pawn. But after the pawn reaches a7 it can and Moro is in trouble again.
36.h4 Kh7 37.a6 Ra1+ 38.Kg2 Ra2 39.Kf1 Kg6 40.Ra8 Kh7 41.a7 Aronian's only chance... The ending is very similar to Anand - Kramnik, but may be lost, beacuse of the weak e4 pawn. The same plan Kramnik played, opting for a rook exchange is stronger here...
41... g6 42.Ke1 Kg7 43.Kd1 Ra1+ 44.Kc2 Ra2+ 45.Kb3 Ra1 46.Kc4 Ra2 47.Kd4 Ra1 Moro claims he doesn't need the e4 pawn to draw. And indeed white must make a passed f-pawn in order to win... stil it looks possible, the white king goes to h3 and after a timed g4 and Kxg4, white pushes the h-pawn and makes a passed f-pawn. But I think the black rook can cope with this plan well enough by controlling the g4 square.
48.Kxe4 Ra4+ 49.Kf3 Ra3+ 50.Kg2 Ra2 51.Kh3 Ra3 It's a draw after 52.f3 Ra4...
52.f3 Kh7 53.Kg2 Ra2+ 54.Kf1 Ra1+ Draw. Moro escaped once again...
55.Ke2 Ra2+ 56.Kd3 Kg7 57.Kc4 Ra1 58.Kc5 Rc1+ 59.Kd6 Rd1+ 60.Ke5 Ra1 61.Kf4 Ra4+ 62.Ke5 Ra1 63.f4 Ra2 64.f5 gxf5 65.Kf4 Ra5 It looks like enough to convince Aronian it's a dead draw...
66.Re8 Rxa7 67.Kxf5 Rf7+ 68.Ke4 Rf1 69.Re5 Kg6 It's time for the draw to be agreed. In this game Aronian put Morozevich under constant pressure, but as usual Moro found defensive resourses and survived into an endgame, where despite the two extra pawns it was impossible for Aronian to win. Both players remain at the lower side of the crosstable.
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