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Good day everyone, welcome to the Chessdom live coverage of the World Cup. First game of the final match ended in a draw. Today, Gata Kamsky is playing with white pieces and he can open with both 1.e4 and 2.d4. Shirov is blind for colors and he will try to employ one of the sharp lines. Enjoy!
1.e4 c5 Shirov allowed Ruy Lopez against Sergey Karjakin in the semifinals.
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Shirov likes to use Sveshnikov Sicilian, even if Kamsky beat him in this line at the World Blitz Championship. But Kamsky is avoiding it this time.
3... e5 4.Bc4 This line was very popular over the last few years. Topalov played it against Kasparov in his last game before retirement.
4... Be7 5.d3 d6 6.Nd2 Bg5 White is going to reroute his Knight over f3-d2-f1-e3 to increase the control over d5 and f5. Black is using this opportunity to exchange the dark-squared Bishop, which is generally his worst piece.
7.Qh5 Once again, Kamsky is choosing rare continuation in the early phase. Only Svidler and Kovalov played this move on several occasions. ( Kasparov and Shirov himself preferred 7.h4) ( while Kramnik liked 7.Nf1)
7... Nh6 (7... g6 8.Qf3 was played in three games.)
8.h3 Threat was Bg4. In this position, Ilya Smirin played 8...Nd4 against Peter Svidler.
8... Nd4 9.O-O! ( Novelty! Svidler played 9.Bb5+)
9... O-O ( Shirov quickly replied with castle, probably he wasn't impressed with Qh5. 9... Nxc2 10.Bb5+ Kf8 11.Nb3 Bxc1 12.Raxc1 Nd4)
10.Nb3 Bxc1 11.Raxc1 Ne6 ( Alternative was 11... Be6 12.Nd5 (12.Bd5!?) (12.f4!? Bxc4 13.dxc4 f5!?) 12... f5)
12.Ne2 Qf6 Players are fighting for control over f4 square. Nh6 is still a bit misplaced, but there is no White Knight on d5, so we can say that Black has solved opening problems and reached equality. Of course, Kamsky is still dangerous because he is always playing with same determination.
13.Nd2 (13.Bd5 Rb8 14.Na5!? looked more active.)
13... Kh8 Always useful move when Bishop is on a2-g8 diagonal (13... b5 14.Bxb5 Rb8 15.a4 a6 16.Bc6! Rxb2 17.Nc4 might be little over-optimistic) (13... Bd7 was perfectly decent.)
14.c3 (14.Bd5 with idea Nc4 was interesting, but maybe Kamsky wants to prevent Nd4 first, then continue with this plan.)
14... g5 Shirov is first to ask for fight. Kamsky can choose between 15. Be6, 15. Nf3 with idea d4, or even 15. b4!?
15.d4 Kamsky is accepting the challenge and strikes back in the center. 15....cxd4 16. cxd4 Nxd4! (to open diagonal for Bc8) 17. Nxd4 exd4 looking unclear. ( Other moves were 15.Nf3 Rg8 16.d4 (16.Rcd1 Nf4) 16... exd4 17.cxd4 Nxd4 18.Nfxd4 cxd4 with next g4) (15.Bxe6 Bxe6 is tame)
15... Rg8 (15... exd4 16.cxd4 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 cxd4 18.Qf3 Qe5 19.Qd3 f5 with good chances for Black)
16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Nf3 Good reaction, keeping eye on e5 pawn and white can also take possession of the d-file. 17...g4 is still playable 18. Qxe5 Qxe5 19. Nxe5 gxh3 20. g3 but White is better.
17... Rg6 (17... Bd7!? 18.Rcd1 Bc6 19.Bd5 Rad8)
18.h4! Weakening black pawns e5 and g5. Now 18...Qg7 would allow 19. Bxe6 and 18...Nf4 breaks against 19. hxg5! Nxh5 20. gxf6 and 21. Nxe5. Maybe 18...gxh4 is worth of try, but White is better in any case.
18... Qg7 Now 19. Bxe6 Bxe6 20. hxg5 f6! allows Black to complicate matters. ( Interesting was 18... gxh4 19.Nxe5 Rg7 20.Rcd1 h3 21.g3 h2+!? 22.Qxh2 (22.Kxh2 Qxe5 23.Qxh6 (23.Qxe5? Ng4+) 23... Qxe4 24.Bd3) 22... Qxe5 23.Qxh6 Qxe4 24.b3)
19.Bxe6 Bxe6 20.hxg5 Kamsky accepted to enter the short forced line.
20... f6! 21.gxf6 (21.gxh6? Rxh6 and Queen is trapped)
21... Rxg2+ 22.Kh1 Qxf6!? (22... Qg4 looks safer 23.Qxg4 (23.Qxh6? Qxf3 wins) 23... Rxg4 24.Ng3 Nf7 and position is around equal.)
23.Qxe5 Qxe5?! (23... Rh2+!? 24.Qxh2 (24.Kxh2? Ng4+) ( Only move would be 24.Kg1 Rg8+ 25.Ng3 Qxe5 26.Nxe5 Rh5) 24... Qxf3+ 25.Qg2 Qxe2)
24.Nxe5 Rg5 25.f4 Rh5+ 26.Kg1 Rg8+ 27.Kf2 Rh2+ Black has solid counterplay for the pawn
28.Ke3 Rgg2 29.Ng1 Rxb2 30.f5 30...Bxa2 looking like only move, but Black might be in trouble after White pawns start rolling....
30... Bxa2 31.Rcd1! Rbc2 32.Rd8+ Ng8 33.Ngf3 Rxc3+ 34.Kf4 Rh6 35.Rg1 This appears to be decisive.
35... Rf6 36.Ng5 h6 37.Ngf7+ and Shirov resigned because after 37...Bxf7 38. Nxf7+ Rxf7 39. Rgxg8+ Kh7 40. Ke5! there is no way to prevent checkmate. Great finish by Kamsky! Thank you everyone for following Chessdom live commentary, see you again tomorrow at 11 CET/5 EST.
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