Annotated by GM Alexander Kalinin
In the 5th round, «the masters' rebellion» was suppressed and the leading positions were occupied by grandmasters. Now there is a sole leader – Yuri Eliseev from Moscow. But GM Denis Khismatullin from Ufa has become, in our opinion, the creative hero of the round.
The Knight’s feat
A white knight did a huge amount of work in this game. Having galloped along the route g1-f3-h4-g2-f4-d5-f4-d5-f4, it then struck a smashing blow on the g6-point. The brave knight died but brought victory to his army.
Khismatullin, Denis – Savitskiy, Sergey
Russia Cup Stage 2016
1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 0–0 5.d4 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.0–0 Bf5
Recently, this unique combination of the Yugoslav system ideas with developing a bishop on f5 has become quite popular.
8.d5 Na5
9.Nh4
More often continuations are 9.Nd2 c6 10.b4 Nxc4 with sharp play or 9.Nd4 Bd7 10.b3 c5 11.Nc2. The GM from Ufa, however, seems to have a passion for the move 9.Nh4
9...Bd7 10.Qd3 c5 11.b3 a6 12.Bd2 Rb8 13.Rab1 b5
The main struggle is around c4- and d5-squares. It’s necessary for Black to undermine the opponent's pawn chain – otherwise the a5-knight will be serious disadvantage of his position.
14.Ne4 Nxe4 15.Bxe4
15...e5
This move forces White to open up the center. In the game D.Khismatullin – M.Iskandarov (Nakhichevan 2013) Black chose more restrained 15...Qc7 16.Ng2 Rb7 17.Bc3 bxc4 18.bxc4 Bxc3 19.Qxc3 Rfb8 20.Rxb7 Rxb7 21.Ne3 Bh3 22.Rc1 Bd7 23.f4 Qb6 24.Rb1 Qc7 25.Rxb7 Nxb7 26.Kf2 Qb6 27.a3 f6 28.Bc2 Nd8 29.h4 Nf7 30.h5 Kg7 31.g4 and found himself under strong positional pressure.
16.dxe6 Bxe6 17.Bd5 Re8 18.Bxe6 Rxe6
Recapturing with the f7-pawn would significantly weaken the black king’s cover.
Black has managed to activate his a5-knight and open lines for his pieces, but White has stable initiative because of the weak d5-square. Computer programs, however, assess the position as equal?!
19.Ng2! Nc6 20.Nf4 Re8 21.Rfd1 Nd4
22.e3!
Played without prejudice – the black knight is being dislodged from the center while weakness of f3-square doesn’t play significant role.
22…Nf3+ 23.Kg2 Nxd2
After this exchange the position becomes quite clear. The move 23...Ne5 leads to more complicated game but White still has better chances.
24.Rxd2 Qa5 25.Rbd1 Be5 26.Nd5 Bg7
White's advantage is obvious – his knight is very strong while the g7-bishop is «shooting into nowhere».
27.Qe2 Re4 28.Nf4 bxc4 29.bxc4 Bf8 30.Nd5 Bg7 31.Qd3 Ree8 32.h4!
The rook pawn movement significantly loosens up Black’s kingside.
32…h5 33.Nf4 Bc3
34.Nxg6!
A nice blow, which misses advantage according to engines! Nevertheless, the commentator decided to put here an exclamation mark. The sacrifice on g6 is the culmination of White's strategy, yet it would be better to fulfil it in the less showy way - 34.Rc2 Be5 35.Nxg6! fxg6 36.Qxg6+ Bg7 37.Rxd6, and Black’s position is undefendable.
34...fxg6
Following the common sense, Black decides to keep the bishop for defense, which loses the game. A computers points out amazing 34...Bxd2 35.Rxd2 d5!!. After 36.Nf4 (or 36.Qxd5 Rbd8 37.Qxh5 fxg6 38.Qxg6+; 36.cxd5 fxg6 37.Qxg6+ Kf8, and White has to be satisfied with perpetual check as his rook can’t be activated) 36...dxc4 White has nothing but a draw.
35.Qxg6+ Bg7 36.Rxd6 Re7 37.R1d5 Qc7 38.Rxh5 Qb7+ 39.Rdd5
The black king has lost all the covering pawns and is now absolutely undefended.
39...Rf7 40.Qh7+ Kf8 41.e4 Re8 42.Rhf5 Ree7 43.Rd8+ Re8 44.Rxe8+ Kxe8 45.Qg8+ Bf8 46.Qxf7+
The simplest way of converting the advantage. In the ending, a lonely black bishop can do nothing against four (!) connected passed pawns. 1–0