1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 Bg5 12. Nc2 O-O 13. a4 bxa4 14. Rxa4 a5 15. Bc4 Rb8 16. b3 Kh8 17. Nce3 g6 18. h4 Bxh4 19. g3 Bg5 20. Qe2 A new version of a well-known idea 20. f4 exf4 21. gxf4 Bh4+ 22. Kd2 (22. Kf1 has also been played) 22... f5 (22... Ne7 23. Kc1 Nxd5 24. Nxd5 Be6 25. Qd4+ Kg8 26. Ra2 Bxd5 27. Qxd5 Qf6 28. Qd2 Bg3 29. Rf1 Topalov-Leko, Linares 2005) 23. Bd3 Ne7 24. Rxh4 Nxd5 25. Qh1 Nf6 26. exf5 gxf5 27. Nxf5 Bxf5 28. Bxf5 Qc7 29. Bc2 Rb5 30. Rc4 Rc5 31. Rxc5 1/2, Ponomariov-Van Wely, San Sebastian 2006 20... f5 21. f4 exf4 22. gxf4 Bh4+ 23. Kd1 White's main idea: he found a third square for the king in this line! 23... Rb7 24. Qh2 g5

24... Bf6 25. exf5 gxf5 (25... Bxf5 26. Nxf5 gxf5 27. Bb5 is similar) 26. Bb5 Na7 27. Bd3 25. Ba6 25. Nxf5!? 25... Rxb3 26. Kc2?! Bxa6! 27. Kxb3 fxe4 28. fxg5?! After this White has to fight for the draw. 28... Qb8+! 29. Rb4? Directly losing is 29. Ka3? Rf2 The only move was 29. Nb4! Nxb4 ( or 29... axb4 30. Qxh4 Qb7 31. Qxh7+ Qxh7 32. Rxh7+ Kxh7 33. Rxa6 Rf3 34. Nd5 Ne5=) 30. Qxh4 (30. cxb4 Rf2 31. Qxh4 Qg8+ and White gets mated) 30... Nd3+ 31. Rb4 Qa7 32. g6 axb4 33. Qxh7+ Qxh7 34. Rxh7+ Kg8 35. Ng4 and White th reatens mate but Black escapes with a draw because White cannot allow the rook on f8 to leave its square with check: 35... Nc5+ 36. Kb2 (36. Kxb4? Rb8+) (36. Ka2? Bc4+) (Also possible is 36. Kc2 Bd3+ 37. Kb2 Rf2+! 38. Nxf2 e3 39. Nxd3 (39. Ng4 Bxg6 40. Rh2 Nd3+ 41. Ka1 bxc3 42. Nxe3=) 39... Nxd3+ 40. Kb3 e2 41. Rh1 e1=Q 42. Rxe1 Nxe1 43. cxb4=) 36... Nd3+ 37. Kb3 Nc5+= 29... axb4 30. Qxh4 bxc3+ 31. Kxc3 Qa7 32. Qxe4 Ne5 33. g6 Bd3 34. Rxh7+ A funny try is 34. Qa4!? but Black simply answers 34... Qc5+ (34... Qxa4 35. Rxh7+ Kg8 36. Ne7#) 35. Kd2 Bxg6 34... Qxh7 35. Qxe5+ dxe5 36. gxh7 Bxh7 37. Ng4 Rc8+ 38. Kb4 e4 39. Ngf6 This ending must be winning for Black of course, but White escapes with a draw. 39... Bf5 A computer with tablebases inmmediately gives away the pawn to reach a tablebase position: 39... e3 40. Nf4 e2 41. Ng2 e1=Q+ 42. Nxe1 and with 42... Bf5 Black gives mate in 180 moves!! An example of this ending can be found down this article. 40. Nh5 Bg4 41. Ng3 Bf3 42. Nf5 Rc1 43. Nc3 Kh7 44. Kc4 Rc2 45. Kd4 Kg6 46. Ne3 Rd2+ 47. Ke5 Rd3 48. Ned5 Rd2 Easily winning is 48... Kg5 and White is in Zugzwang. 49. Nxe4

49... Ra2! According to the tablebase the best move, which leads to mate in "only" 208 moves! An example of this ending can be found down this article. 50. Nf4+ Kh6 51. Ne6 Ra5+ 52. Kf4 Bd1 53. Nd4 Kg6 54. Nc3 Bh5 55. Ne4 Rd5 56. Ke3 Rd8 57. Nc6 Re8 58. Kd4 Ra8 59. Ne5+ Kg7 60. Nd6 Kf6 61. Ne4+ Ke6 62. Nc5+ Kf5 63. Nc6 Re8 64. Nb4 Rd8+ 65. Ke3 Be8 66. Nbd3 Bb5 67. Nb4 Rh8 68. Nbd3 Rh3+ 69. Kd4 Rh4+ 70. Ke3 Rc4 71. Nb3 Re4+ 72. Kd2 Rh4 73. Kc3 Ke4 74. Nd2+ Kd5 75. Nb4+ Kd6 76. Nc2 Rh3+ 77. Kb2 Kd5 78. Na3 Ba4 79. Nc2 Kc5 80. Kc1 Rd3 81. Ne1 Rc3+ 82. Kb2 Kb4 83. Nb1 Rb3+ 84. Kc1 Rh3 85. Nc2+ Kc4 86. Ne1 Rh1 87. Kd2 Rh2+ 88. Ke3 Bd1 89. Nd2+ Kd5 90. Nef3 Re2+ 91. Kf4 Re8 92. Kg3 Rf8 93. Kg2 Bxf3+? Because of the digital boards players can probably claim a draw based on the fifty-moves rule. So Black had to take something. The tablebase gives 93... Re8 94. Nf1 Ke4 95. Ng5+ Kd4 96. Nf3+ Kd3 97. N1h2 Ke3 98. Nf1+ Ke2 99. Ng3+ Kd3 100. Nh4 Ra8 101. Ng6 Ra2+ 102. Kh3 Ra5 103. Ne7 Ra6 104. Nd5 Kd4 105. Nf4 Bf3 106. Nf1 Ke4 107. Kg3 Ra2 108. Ne6 Be2 109. Nh2 Ra3+ 110. Kh4 Ra8 111. Kg3 Rg8+ 112. Kf2 Bc4 113. Nc5+ Kd4 114. Nd7 Bd5 115. Nf3+ Bxf3 116. Kxf3 Rd8 117. Nb6 Rb8 118. Nd7 Rb7 119. Nc5 Kxc5 and mate in 12. 94. Nxf3 Ke4 95. Nd2+ Kd3 96. Nf1 Rf6 97. Ng3 Rf4 98. Nh5 Rf8 99. Ng3 Ke3 100. Nf1+ Ke2 101. Ng3+ Ke1 102. Ne4 Rf7 103. Ng3 1/2-1/2

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d3 Bd6 13. Re1 Bf5 14. Qf3 Qh4 15. g3 Qh3 16. Bxd5 cxd5 17. Qxd5 Rad8 18. Qg2 Qxg2+ It's surprising that Black goes for this line, since White gets and ending with a pawn up. Karjakin probably had good faith in the bishop pair. 18... Qh5 19. Be3 Bxd3 20. Nd2 Bf5 21. Qc6 Be6 22. Qxa6 Qd5 23. Qb6 Bh3 24. f3 f5 25. Qd4 Qc6 26. Qh4 Bc5 27. Bd4 Bxd4+ 28. cxd4 Qc2 29. Red1 Qxb2 30. Qxh3 Qxd4+ 31. Kh1 Rd5 32. Qf1 Rfd8 33. Rac1 Qd3 34. Qe1 h6 35. Kg2 Qa3 36. Nb1 Qxa2+ 37. Kh3 b4 38. Qe6+ Kh7 39. Rc7 f4 40. Qe4+ Kh8 41. Rxd5 Qxd5 42. Qxd5 Rxd5 43. Rc2 1-0, Shirov-Jakovenko, Khanty-Mansiysk 2007 19. Kxg2 Bxd3 20. Be3 Rfe8 21. Nd2 f6 22. Bb6 Rb8 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. Nb3 Bc4 25. Rd1 Bf8 26. Be3 Kf7 It seems that Black has enough compensation if not... # 27. Na5! ...White had this move. 27... Be6 The idea was of course 27... Bxa2 28. b3 but it's actually not so easy as it looks: 28... Rc8 29. Ra1 Bxb3 30. Nxb3 Rxc3 31. Nd4 Ba3! 32. Kf3 b4 33. Ke4 Rc5 / 28. a3 Rc8 29. f3 Rc7 30. Rd8 Rc8 31. Nb7!

31... Rc7? After 31... Kg6 it's not easy for White to make progress. 32. Nd6+! Bxd6 33. Rxd6 With rooks on the board, the opposite-coloured bishops aren't that drawish. 33... Bc8 34. Kf2 Ke7 35. Rb6 Kd7 36. g4 Rc6 37. Rb8 g6 38. Ra8 Ke6 39. Bd4 h5 40. h4 Ke7 41. Ra7+ Bd7 42. Kg3 Re6 43. Kf4 Ke8 44. gxh5 gxh5 45. Kf5! Shirov is kn own as a tactical player who loves wild positions, but his endings are also more than OK. See for example his famous ...Bh3!! against Topalov. 45... Rd6+ 46. Kg6 Bc6 47. f4 Be4+ 48. Kxh5 White is winning. 48... Rd5+ 49. Kh6 Rf5 50. Be3 Bf3 51. Kg6 Be4 52. Kg7 Rh5 53. Kxf6 Bd3 54. Ra8+ Kd7 55. Ra7+ Kc6 55... Ke8 56. Re7+ Kf8 57. Rd7 Rh6+ 58. Kg5 Rg6+ 59. Kh5 Bc2 60. Bc5+ Ke8 61. Rd6 56. Rxa6+ Kd5 57. Ra8 Rxh4 58. Rd8+ Ke4 59. Kg5 Rh2 60. Bc5 Rg2+ 61. Kf6 Bc4 62. Rd4+ Kf3 63. a4! Rxb2 64. a5 Ra2 65. Bb4 Re2 66. f5 Re8

67. Rxc4! bxc4 68. Kg7 Re4 69. f6 Rg4+ 70. Kf8 1-0

1. Ne7+ Kh5 2. Nd5 Ra4 3. Nc5 Rc4 4. Nd7 Kg5 5. N7f6 Rh4 6. Nc7 Kg6 7. Ncd5 Ra4 8. Nc3 Ra8 9. Ncd5 Kf7 10. Nc3 Bb7 11. Nfe4 Ra5+ 12. Kd4 Ba8 13. Nc5 Ra1 14. Ke5 Rh1 15. Nd3 Rh3 16. Kd4 Rh8 17. Nf4 Rd8+ 18. Ke5 Re8+ 19. Kf5 Bb7 20. Nd3 Re3 21. Ne5+ Ke7 22. Nb5 Re1 23. Ng6+ Kd8 24. Ne5 Rd1 25. Nd6 Bh1 26. Nec4 Ke7 27. Ne4 Rd5+ 28. Kf4 Rd4 29. Ncd2 Ke6 30. Ke3 Rd8 31. Nf2 Bc6 32. Nd3 Kf5 33. Nb3 Re8+ 34. Kd4 Rb8 35. Ndc5 Rg8 36. Nd3 Bb5 37. Nf2 Ba4 38. Nc5 Bc6 39. Ncd3 Re8 40. Nd1 Rd8+ 41. Ke3 Bb5 42. N3f2 Rc8 43. Nb2 Bd7 44. Kd4 Be6 45. Ne4 Rd8+ 46. Ke3 Bg8 47. Nd2 Re8+ 48. Kd4 Re7 49. Nd3 Re2 50. Kc3 Rh2 51. Nc5 Bh7 52. Nc4 Rh4 53. Nd7 Rh1 54. Ndb6 Bg8 55. Kd3 Kf4 56. Nd2 Be6 57. Nbc4 Rh8 58. Kc3 Rd8 59. Na3 Bf5 60. Nac4 Bg6 61. Kb4 Rd5 62. Kc3 Kg3 63. Ne3 Rd8 64. Kc4 Bf7+ 65. Kc5 Rd3 66. Kb4 Ba2 67. Kc5 Kf4 68. Nec4 Kf5 69. Nd6+ Ke6 70. N6c4 Rd7 71. Kb5 Rd4 72. Kc5 Rd3 73. Nf1 Rd5+ 74. Kb4 Rd7 75. Nfd2 Rc7 76. Na5 Bd5 77. Nac4 Bb7 78. Kb5 Kd5 79. Nb6+ Ke5 80. Ka5 Kd6 81. Kb5 Bc6+ 82. Kb4 Be8 83. Nbc4+ Kd5 84. Nb6+ Kc6 85. Nbc4 Re7 86. Nb3 Kd5 87. Nb6+ Ke4 88. Nc4 Bh5 89. Kc5 Rc7+ 90. Kd6 Rh7 91. Kc5 Bd1 92. Kb4 Rh4 93. Kc5 Rh3 94. Nbd2+ Kd3 95. Nb1 Rh5+ 96. Kb4 Be2 97. Nba3 Rg5 98. Nb5 Rg4 99. Nbd6 Bf3 100. Kc5 Rg5+ 101. Kb4 Bc6 102. Na3 Bd5 103. Nc8 Rg4+ 104. Kc5 Bc4 105. Nd6 Rg5+ 106. Kb4 Bg8 107. Nb7 Rg7 108. Nc5+ Ke2 109. Kb5 Kd2 110. Nc4+ Kc3 111. Na4+ Kd4 112. Na5 Rg5+ 113. Kb4 Rg6 114. Nb3+ Ke3 115. Na5 Rg4+ 116. Kb5 Bf7 117. Nb2 Kd4 118. Kb4 Rh4 119. Nb3+ Kd5+ 120. Kc3 Rh3+ 121. Kb4 Bh5 122. Na5 Be2 123. Nb3 Rh8 124. Kc3 Rc8+ 125. Kd2 Ba6 126. Nd1 Ke4 127. Nc3+ Ke5 128. Na4 Bc4 129. Nc1 Ke4 130. Nb2 Bf1 131. Na4 Bh3 132. Nb3 Bf5 133. Nc3+ Ke5 134. Nc1 Rd8+ 135. Ke3 Rd4 136. Kf2 Bg6 137. Ke3 Bh7 138. Kf2 Rh4 139. Ke3 Rh3+ 140. Kd2 Kd4 141. N1e2+ Kc4 142. Nd1 Rd3+ 143. Ke1 Rd8 144. Nf2 Bg8 145. Ng1 Bf7 146. Ke2 Rg8 147. Nfh3 Bd5 148. Nf3 Re8+ 149. Kf2 Rf8 150. Nhg5 Kd3 151. Kg3 Ke3 152. Nh2 Rf5 153. Nh3 Bb7 154. Ng4+ Kd4 155. Nhf2 Rf3+ 156. Kh4 Kd5 157. Nh3 Bc6 158. Ng5 Rb3 159. Nf7 Ba8 160. Kh5 Rb4 161. Ng5 Bb7 162. Nf6+ Ke5 163. Ng4+ Kf5 164. Nh6+ Kf4 165. Ne6+ Ke5 166. Nd8 Bd5 167. Kg6 Rb6+ 168. Kg7 Bc4 169. Nhf7+ Kf5 170. Nh6+ Ke4 171. Ndf7 Bd3 172. Ng4 Kf5 173. Nge5 Be2 174. Nd7 Rg6+ 175. Kf8 Ke6 176. Nc5+ Kd5 177. Nd7 Bb5 178. Nde5 Ra6 179. Ng4 Ke6 180. Ngh6 Ra8+ 181. Kg7 Ra7 182. Kf8 Rd7 183. Ng5+ Kf6 184. Ngf7 Be2 185. Ng8+ Ke6 186. Ng5+ Kf5 187. Nf7 Bh5 188. Ne7+ Kf6 189. Ng8+ Ke6 190. Ng5+ Kf5 191. Nh3 Rf7+ 192. Ke8 Ke5 193. Ne7 Rf3+ 194. Kd7 Bg4+ 195. Kc7 Rxh3 196. Nc6+ Kd5 197. Nb4+ Kc4 198. Na6 Rd3 199. Kb7 Bf3+ 200. Kc8 Kb5 201. Nb8 Bg4+ 202. Kc7 Rd2 203. Nc6 Rd7+ 204. Kc8 Kxc6 205. Kb8 Kb5 206. Ka8 Kb6 207. Kb8 Rd8# 0-1 [Tablebase] See also Tim Krabbé's Open Chess Diary for a statistical analysis of this ending.