43. f5! The fireworks starts. 43... Nxf5! The other captures lose: 43... gxf5 44. Nf4 Nd8 45. Rch1 Qg7 46. Nh5 Qg6 47. Nf6 43... exf5 44. Nf4 Nxe5 (it's too late for 44... Nd8 45. Rch1 Qg7 46. Bd3! followed by 47.Ke3! and 48.Qh2) 45. Nge6 Bxe6 46. Nxe6 Rxc1 47. Nxf8 Ng4+ 48. Kg2 Rxb1 49. Qe2! Nf6 50. Qxe7 Rc2+ 51. Kg3 Rg1+ 52. Kf4 44. Nf4 Qe8?! Black's best chance was 44... Nfxd4! 45. Kg2! Qxb4 46. Nxg6+ (46. Qf2?! Nf5 47. Nxg6+ Kg7 48. Bxf5 hxg6 49. Bxe6 Rf8) 46... Kg7 and now 47. Qf4! seems best: 47... Nf5 48. Bxf5 Qxf4 49. Nxf4 exf5 50. Nge6+ Bxe6 51. Nxe6+ Kg8 52. Nxc7 Rxc7 53. Rc5 with good drawing chances for Black. 45. Bxf5 exf5 46. Rc5 Look at that! Two pawns down but how strong are all White's pieces! 46... Rd8 47. Qe3 h5? This is losing. 47... Rg7 looks more solid. 48. e6 Re7 49. Rxc6! bxc6 49... Qxc6 50. Qe5+ Rg7 51. Nxg6# 50. Qe5+ Rg7 51. Qf6?! 51. Rg3! threatens the unavoidable 52.Nxh5 gxh5 53.Nf7+ 51... Rb8 52. e7 Bh7 53. Re3 Kg8 54. Qe6+ Kh8 55. Qf6 Kg8 56. Qe6+ Kh8 57. Qd6 Ra8? Necessary was 57... Rb7 to prevent the White queen from penetrating any further. 58. Qd8 is then answered by 58... Rg8 58. Qc7 Rg8?! 58... Bg8 59. Re5! and Black can do very little against 60.Qb7 and 61.Qxa8. 59. Nfe6 Now after 59. Nfe6 the only way to prevent mate is 59... Rg7 60. Nxg7 Kxg7 61. Qe5+ Kg8 62. Qf6 but this is clearly lost so Black resigned. 1-0

30... Nc3?? 30... Ra8 31. Rxa8+ Bxa8 32. Bxb4 Nxb4 33. Bxa8 exf5 and Black is very close to drawing. 31. Bxb7 Rxb7 31... Nxb7 32. Nc6 loses material but now Black gets mated. 32. Ra8+ Kg7 33. f6+ Kg6 34. Rg8+ Kh5 35. Rg5+ Kh6 36. Rg7+ Kh5 37. Rxh7+ Kg4 38. Kg2 1-0

27... Nh3+! 28. gxh3 gxh3+ 29. Kh1 Qh4 30. Qc3 Qxf2 31. Bxh3 Rg7 31... Ba6! 32. Rxc6 Rd7! 33. Rxa6 Rdg7 should be winning even after 34. Rxa7 Qxa7 32. Rf1 Rdg8 33. Qc1 Qh4 34. Qe3 Ba6 35. Rcc1? The saying "you'll always get one more chance" was very true here for White: 35. Nxf5! exf5 36. Bxf5+ Kh8 37. Rxc6 Bb7 38. Be4 35... Bxf1 36. Rxf1 Rg3! 37. Bxf5+ exf5 38. Qxa7+ R3g7 39. Qe3 Rg2 40. h3 R2g3 41. Qa7+ R8g7 0-1

Not much commentary is necessary. White avoids theory and opts for a modest opening set-up, but gets crushed completely. A model game for Black.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Nc6 5. c3 g6 6. O-O Bg7 7. h3 O-O 8. Bb3 e5 9. Be3 h6 10. Nbd2 Ne8 11. Nh2 Na5 12. Ba4 Bd7 13. Bxd7 Qxd7 14. Nc4 Nc6 15. a4 d5 16. exd5 Qxd5 17. Qb3 Rb8 18. a5 Nc7 19. Rfd1 Rfd8 20. Nd2 Qxb3 21. Nxb3 b6 22. axb6 axb6 23. Kf1 Rd7 24. Ke2 Rbd8 25. Nf3 f5 26. g3 Ne6 27. Ne1 f4 28. Bd2

28... e4! 29. dxe4 c4 30. Nc1 fxg3 31. fxg3 Nc5 32. Nf3 Nxe4 33. g4 Re8 34. Kf1 Rf7 35. Kg2 Ref8 36. Rf1 Ne5 0-1

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 g6 7. Bxf6 exf6 8. Bb5 Bd7 9. Bc4! Bg7 10. Nxc6! Bxc6 11. Qd3 This might well be the refutation of the whole line with 6...g6. 11... f5 12. exf5 Qg5 13. Nd5 Bxb2 14. Rb1 Qxg2 15. Rf1 Bg7 16. f6 Bf8 17. Nc7+ Kd7 18. Bd5 Bxd5 19. Nxd5 Re8+ 20. Kd1 b6 21. Rxb6! Re4 21... axb6 22. Qb5+ Kd8 (22... Ke6 23. Nc7+! Kxf6 24. Nxe8+ Ke7 25. Re1+) 23. Qxb6+ Kd7 24. Qc7+ Ke6 25. Nf4+ 22. Rb7+ Ke6 23. f3 Rd4 24. Qxd4 Qxf1+ 25. Kd2 Qg2+ 26. Kc1 Bh6+ 27. Nf4+ Bxf4+ 28. Qxf4 Qg1+ 29. Kb2 Kd5 30. c4+ 1-0

29... Ne8 30. Nc8 Nef6 31. Nd6 Ne8 32. Nxe8! Qxe8 33. Bd3 Qc8 34. Bxg6 fxg6 35. Re7 Nc5 36. b4 Ne6 37. Qe4 Re8 38. Qb7 Nd4?! 38... g5 39. Bg3 Nf4 40. Qxc8 Rxc8 41. Rxa7 39. Bf6! Nf5 40. Rxg7 Qxb7 41. Rxb7+ Kg8 42. Rxa7 Rc8 43. c5 bxc5 44. b5 Nd6 45. a4 1-0

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. e3 Bf5 7. Bb5 e6 8. Qa4 Qb6 9. Nf3 Be7 10. Ne5 O-O 11. Bxc6 Rfc8 12. O-O A novelty. It doesn't look too dangerous. 12. Bb5 a6 13. O-O axb5 14. Qxb5 Qxb5 15. Nxb5 Rc2 16. Rfb1 Ne4 Vera-Hector, Istanbul 2000 12... bxc6 After 12... Qxb2?! 13. e4! looks strong. 13. Rfc1 c5 14. dxc5 Rxc5 15. b4 Rcc8 16. a3 d4?! Black should prefer 16... Ng4 or 16... Nh5 17. exd4 Qxd4 18. Nc6 Qd7 19. b5! White has an edge and in the Exchange Slav an edge can be pretty annoying. Within a few moves Black collapses under the growing pressure. 19... Bf8 20. Qa6 Bc5 20... Qd3!? 21. Rd1 Bd3 22. Bg3! Ng4 23. Qa4 f5 24. h3 f4 25. Bh4 Nh6 26. Ne4 Bf8 27. Qb3 1-0

This ending can be added to the textbooks. White has a slight edge because of the control over de open file and the weak pawn on d5.

24. b4 b6 25. Rc7 a5 26. b5! Re8 27. Re1 Rxe1 28. Kxe1 Bf5 29. g4! In such endings it's better to put the pawns on the squares of the bishop's colour - this way the black bishop is restricted. 29... Bd7 30. Bd3 Be8 31. Kf2 Bd7 32. Rb7 Be8 33. Kg3 Re6 34. Kf2 Kf8 35. h3 Rf6 36. Rc7 Re6 37. Rc1 Rf6 38. b4 axb4 39. Rb1 h5 40. Rxb4 hxg4 41. hxg4 Bd7 42. Ke3 Re6+ 43. Kd2 Rf6 44. Be2 Rh6 45. Ra4 Be8 46. Ra7 Rf6 47. Ke3 Re6+ 48. Kf2 Rf6 49. Bd3 Rh6 Black fights like a lion but eventually he can't hold it. 50. Rb7 Re6 51. Rc7 Rh6 52. Kg3 Re6 53. Rb7 Rf6 54. Kf2 Re6 55. Bf1 Rh6 56. Kg3 Rf6 57. Bd3 Re6 58. Bf5 Rd6 59. f4 f6 60. Bd3 Re6 61. Kf3 Rd6 62. Rh7 Bf7 63. Rh6 Ke7 64. Bf5 Be8 65. Rh7+ Kf8 66. Rh8+ Ke7 67. fxg5 fxg5 68. Rg8 Bxb5 69. Rxg5 Be8 70. Kf4 b5 71. Rg7+ Bf7 72. g5 Kf8 73. Rh7 Rb6 74. g6 Bg8 75. Ra7 Be6 76. Bc2 Rc6 77. Bd3 b4 78. Ke5 Rb6 79. Bc2 Bg4 80. Kxd5 b3 81. Bb1 Rf6 82. Ra8+ Kg7 83. Rb8 Bd1 84. Rb7+ Kg8 85. Ke5 Rf8 86. Bf5 Kramnik would have been proud. 1-0

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Qxd4 7. Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8. Be2 Na6 9. Bd6 Qxg2 10. Qd2 Nf6 11. Bf3 Qg6 12. O-O-O e5 13. Bxe5 Be6 13... O-O 14. Ne2 Qf5 15. Bd6 Rd8 16. Qc3 Ne8 17. Rhg1 Be6 18. b3 Qf6 19. Be5 Rxd1+ 20. Rxd1 Qg5+ Leitao-Shulman, Khanty-Mansiysk 2007 14. Ne2 Qf5 15. Qe3? This looks wrong. 15. Qc3 15... Nb4! 16. Nd4 Nxa2+ 17. Kd2 O-O-O 18. Ke1 Rxd4! 19. Rxd4 Nb4 20. Bd1 Re8 21. Rg1?! Bxc4 22. f4 Nbd5 Black is winning already. 23. Rxd5 Nxd5 24. Qxa7 Rxe5+! 25. fxe5 Qxe5+ 26. Kf2 Qxh2+ 27. Rg2 Qh4+ 28. Rg3 Qf6+ 29. Bf3 Qxb2+ 30. Kg1 g6 31. Qa8+ Kd7 32. Rg4 Qb3 33. Bg2 Qb6+ 34. Kh2 Ne3 35. Re4 Be6 36. Bh3 Qb2+ 37. Kg3 Qb3 38. Bxe6+ fxe6 39. Qf8 Nf5+ 0-1

36... Nf5? 37. Bxf5 Qg5 38. f4! Qxf4 39. Rh3 Rxf5 40. Qxf5 Rd1+ 41. Rxd1 Qxf5 42. Re3 Qd5+ 43. Kg1 Qg5+ 44. Rg3 Qf6 45. Re1 Qxd4+ 46. Rge3 Qg4+ 47. Kh1 Qh5 48. e7 Qe8 49. Rf1 1-0

30. Bxa6! Rc7 31. Bxb7+! Rxb7 32. Rxb7 32. Rxb7 Kxb7 33. Qb6+ Ka8 34. Qa6+ Kb8 35. Rb5+ 1-0

The sixth win in a row. Unbelievable!

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3 Nbd7 9. g4 Nb6 10. g5 Nh5 11. Qd2 Rc8 12. O-O-O Be7 13. Kb1 O-O 14. Rg1 g6 15. h4 Qc7 16. Rg2 f6 16... Kh8 17. Qf2 Nc4 18. Bxc4 Qxc4 19. Qg1 b5 20. Rgd2 Qc7 21. Qg2 f5 22. Nd5 Bxd5 23. exd5 Qc4 24. Qf2 Bd8 25. Bb6 Nf4 26. Na5 1/2, Lupulescu-Spoelman, Hengelo 2005 17. Qf2 Nc4 18. Bxc4 Bxc4 19. Bb6 Qd7 20. Nc5 Qc6 21. Nd3 White decides to play on, but after this the position just seems better for Black. 21. Nb3 21... Bxd3! 22. cxd3 22. Rxd3 Nf4 23. Nd5 Nxd5 24. exd5 Qb5 22... Nf4 23. Rg4 fxg5 24. hxg5 Bxg5! Perhaps Svidler had missed this move. 25. Rh1?! A better chance seems 25. Rxg5 Nh3 26. Rxg6+! hxg6 27. Qg3 Nf4 28. Be3 d5 (28... Qe8 29. Bxf4 exf4 30. Qg4 Rc7 31. Nd5 also gives good compensation) 29. Bxf4 exf4 30. Qh2 25... Ne6 26. Qh2 Qd7 Nu Black is just a pawn up... 27. Qh3 Rf7? ...but this allows White to escape. 27... Qf7 prevents White's idea. 28. Be3! A nice trick that forces a draw. 28... Rxc3!? The best practical chance for more than a draw. 28... Bxe3 is also a draw: 29. Rxg6+ Kf8 (29... Kh8 30. Qxe6) 30. Rxe6 Rxc3! 31. bxc3 Qb5+ 32. Kc2 Qa4+= 29. bxc3 Qb5+ 30. Kc2 Nd4+ 31. Bxd4 31. cxd4? Rc7+ and White gets mated. 31... exd4

32. c4? Now White loses anyway. 32. Rg2! brings the rook into defence and the queen back into the game (via c8 and e6). Either White or Black will soon give perpetual check. 32... Qa4+ 33. Kb1 Qb4+ 34. Ka1 Qc3+ 35. Kb1 Qxd3+ 36. Ka1 Qc3+ 37. Kb1 Qb4+ 38. Ka1 Bf6 0-1