P. Svidler (2738) - D. Jakovenko (2709) [C84]

ch-RUS Playoff/Moscow RUS (6) 2008


1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 Bd7 9. c3 O-O 10. Nbd2 Na5 11. Ba2 c5 12. Re1 h6 13. Nh4 Kh7 14. Nf5! Bxf5 15. exf5 Nc6 16. g4 In a must-win situation, Svidler starts a pawn storm. 16... Kg8 The classical answer would have been 16... d5 but after 17. h4 White still has a strong initiative. 17. h4 Nh7?! This way White also wins the fight for square d5. 17... d5 18. g5 hxg5 19. hxg5 Nh7 20. g6 Nf6 18. Bd5 Rc8 19. axb5 axb5 20. Qf3 Nb8 21. g5 hxg5 22. Ne4 A nice manoeuvre - White's minor pieces are beautifully centralized. 22... Nd7 23. hxg5 Nxg5? From hindsight it seems that this is already the losing move. Black probably had to try 23... Bxg5 24. Bxg5 Bxg5 25. Ra6 Qe7?! 25... Be7 26. Qh3 Nb6 (26... Nf6 27. Ng5) 27. Rxb6 Qxb6 28. f6 26. Ra7 Rfd8 27. Qh5 Bh6 28. Kh1! White has enough time to get his last piece into the attack, with devastating effect. 28... Kh8 29. Rg1 Nf6 30. Nxf6 Qxa7 31. Ng4 Kh7 32. Nxh6 gxh6 33. f6 Rg8 34. Be4+ Rg6 35. Rxg6 Black resigned - he's getting mated. 1-0