(1) Artemiev,Vladislav (2621) – Khismatullin,Denis (2714)
(3.1)

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 b5 3.Bg2 Bb7 4.0-0 e65.d3 Be7 6.e4 0-0 7.c4 An interesting move.The idea is to play 8.e5 if black chooses to capture on c4. 7. Nbd2 and 7.e5 are the main lines. [7.e5 Ne8 8.d4 c5 9.dxc5 Na610.Nd4 Bxg2 11.Kxg2 Nec7 12.Qg4 f6 13.exf6Bxf6 14.a4 b4 15.Nb3 Petrosian T.L.-Turov 2011]

7…b4 8.e5 Ne8 9.d4 d6 10.Qc2 Nd7 [10…dxe5?? 11.Ng5! ]

11.Ng5 Bxg5 12.Bxb7 Rb8 13.Bxg5 Qxg514.Bc6 Rd8 15.f4 Qe7 16.Kg2 This is a preventive move against 16…de17.de Qc5+, but it looks a bit slow. [16.Nd2 dxe5 17.fxe5was quite possible.]

16…dxe5 17.dxe5 f6! Even though this move creates a weak pawn on e6 it has other advantages.The main one is that the e8 knight is back in game.

18.exf6 Nexf6 19.Nd2 Ng4 20.Rae1 [20.Rae1 Qc5 21.Bxd7 (21.Qe4!? ) 21…Ne3+22.Rxe3 Qxe3 23.Rf3 Qe1 24.Rf1 Qe3 with draw.]

20…Qc5 21.Qe4 White is demonstrating a fighting spirit.

21…Nde5! [21…Qd6 22.Nb3 Nc5 23.Nxc5Qxc5 24.Qxe6+ Kh8 25.Bd7 Nf6 26.Ba4 ]

22.Nb3 Qxc6 23.fxe5 Nxe5 24.Qxc6 Nxc625.Rxe6 Nd4 26.Rxf8+ Kxf8 27.Nc5!?Refusing draw one more time. The position remains equal but both sides have to be more attentive now.Black is probably calculating the pawn ending.Engines don’t see any advantage for white.

27…c6 28.Re4 Kf7 29.Kf2 g5 30.h4 h631.hxg5 hxg5 32.g4 Rd6 33.Re5 Kf634.Re8 White is getting closer to the a7 pawn. Black meanwhile is in time trouble.

34…Kf7 35.Ra8 Rf6+ 36.Ke3 Ne637.Rxa7+ Kg6 38.Nd3 Nf4 39.Ne5+ Kh640.Ra6 Ng2+ Time control is over and white is winning.Probably 27.Nc5 was a surprise for black and being in time trouble they didn’t find a clear plan of equalizing.

41.Ke2 Rf4 42.Rxc6+ Kh7 43.Rc5 A well deserved victory. 1-0