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Good day everyone and welcome to the Chessdom live coverage of the World Chess Cup. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov walked through the first two round without sweating too much, but today he is facing a serious opponent. Young and ambitious Ivan Cheparinov steadily raised his level while working with Veselin Topalov and is set to break 2700 barrier on the next FIDE list. They have have played two games back in 2004-2005 and exchanged one win each. Enjoy!
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 Mamedyarov admitted during the Mtel Masters that opening preparation is his weakest point. Let's see what Cheparinov has prepared.
3.d4 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 Ragozin defence, not a stranger in Mamedyarov's games. Other top players, like Morozevich, Aronian and Radjabov also employed this variation.
5.cxd5 First crossroad. Most popular is 5. Bg5 with interesting fight in the center after black prepares c5 and Qa5. 5. Qa4 Nc6 was also played, idea is to block black's c-pawn with his own Knight and thus slow down counterplay in the center. Cheparinov's move can still transpose into Bg5 lines.
5... exd5 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.e3 c5 8.Qc2 Qa5 9.Bd3 c4 10.Bf5 O-O Very popular setup in the last few years and top players seems to trust it.
11.O-O Re8 12.Nd2 g6 13.Bxd7 ( Equal alternative, preferred by Karpov and Grischuk, was 13.Bh3 where white is inviting for Bxc4 and Ne4)
13... Nxd7 14.h4!? ( Trying to losen up king's shelter now that dark bishop is on the other side of the board. 14.Rae1 preparing central break e4. 14. f3 would be serving same purpose.)
14... Nb6 15.f3 Bf8 Good idea to return bishop and cover some of the weak squares around the king. Probably 16. e4 Bg7 will follow.
16.e4 Bg7 17.Be3 More flexible than immediate 17. e5 that would give white solid space, but on the other hand, black gets nice f5 square for light bishop.
17... Be6 The most practical solution. It is not advisable for white to move anything in the center, so probably Cheparinov will follow with 18. Rae1 or 18. h5!?
18.a4 Bd7!? After white has played a4, Mamedyarov is taking eye on the pawn, hoping to have Cheparinov's pieces tied in the future.
19.h5!? Since he can't achieve much in the center and queenside, h5 is natural choice for Cheparinov.
19... Rac8 Mamedyarov is not reacting to the h5 assault, he's completing his development instead.
20.Rfe1!? Now it is good moment to wonder if 18. a4 was good. Naturally, white would want rook from a1 to e1, but a4 needs protection.
20... Bc6 Slowly increasing pressure on white's e4. Rc7 and Rce7 might follow.
21.hxg6 hxg6 22.e5 Cheparinov decided to clarify situation in the center, now that Bc6 is few moves away from desired f5 square. 22...Bd7 23. g4!?
22... Na8 Aiming for the d3 or e6.
23.Nf1 Maybe Cheparinov is preparing g4, Qh2 and attack over the h-file?
23... Nc7 24.f4 Bd7 25.Ng3 Qb6 Cheparinov was all preparing to push f5, so Mamedyarov is bringing some reserves. Qb6 is eying b2, d4 and controlling important 6th rank. 26. a5 and then 27. f5 looks promising.
26.a5! Qe6 27.f5 gxf5 28.Nh5 (28.Rf1 Qg6 29.Nxf5 Be6 30.Rf2 with Raf1)
28... Qg6 29.Nxg7?! ( It only helps black. Now rook will reach h-file faster. 29.Nf4! with strong pressure was expected)
29... Kxg7 30.Bf4 Black can easily block e6 square and start building conterplay over the h-file.
30... Ne6 (30... Rh8 31.Re3 Rh4 looks faster)
31.Qf2 (31.Nxd5? Bc6! and black wins)
31... Rh8? ( A mistake as now white can take on d5. 31... Bc6 is a must 32.Re3 Kf8)
32.Re3 (32.Nxd5! Bc6 33.Ra3! main difference compared to the actual game as rook steps away from the 1st rank checks 33... Rh5 34.Rg3 Bxd5 (34... Rch8 35.Rxg6+ fxg6 36.Qf3 Nxf4 37.Qxf4 Bxd5 38.e6) 35.Rxg6+)
32... Rh5 Now a forced line will follow
33.Rg3 Rch8 34.Rxg6+ fxg6 35.Qf3 Rh1+ 36.Kf2 Rxa1 37.Qxd5 Mamedyarov has two rooks for the Queen, but white's Queen and Knight will be ragging inside the black camp.
37... Bc8 38.Ne2 (38.Bd2! is better as Knight can be used to jump on d5)
38... g5 39.Bc1 f4 Mamedyarov is struggling, but white has winning position
40.Qxc4 b6 41.d5! Cheparinov carefully examined position after the time control and decided to go with pawn avalanche.
41... Nc5 42.e6! Ra4 43.Qc3+! Kg8 (43... Kh7 44.Qh3+ Kg7 45.Qf5 and everything is over)
44.Kg1! This quiet move is stepping away from nasty Ne4 checks, and white is ready to finish the game with next Qf6
44... Re4 and Mamedyarov resigned at the same time as there is no way to defend after 45. Qf6. Excellent effort by young Bulgarian! Mamedyarov will be forced to play for a win with white pieces tomorrow. Chessdom will provide live commentary on this game, see you there!
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