The tournament approaches to finish. Pressure of the struggle has increased and the weariness starts to affect. No wonder, that participants showing the most interesting plans, also supposed some errors which have deformed a logical course of many duels in the 7th round games.
In this connection the game Tiviakov - Vaganian, having spent in good tournament style, deserves to be noted. Having had a small debut advantage, White distructed countergame of the opponent as much as possible and methodically used defects of Black pawn structure. 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3

4... g6 In Alekhin defence Black selects a rare system of development (comparing to 4. Bg4). 5. Bc4
[An idea is clear in thу variation 5. Be2 Bg7 6. c4 Nb6 7. ed cd 8. h3 O-O 9. O-O Nc6 10. Nc3 Bf5 11. Bf4 h6 12. Rc1 e5! With a countergame, Karpov - Vaganian (Leningrad, 1969).]
5... c6 6. ed
6. O-O de 7. Ne5 Nd7 8. Nc3 Ne5 9. de Be6 10. Ne4 Bg7 11. Ng5 Qd7 12. Re1 O-O =, Karpov - Vaganian (Moscow, 1991)] White define the pawn structure in the centre, being guided on an establishment of the control over е5. 6... Qd6 6... еd would be unsatisfactory, since at line opening "е" line Black would have had not time to prepare short castling.  7. O-O Bg7 8. h3 Directed on restriction of Bс8. [Short - Vaganian (Lvov, 1984) played 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. Bb3 Bg4 10. c3 Nd7 11. h3 Bf3 12. Qf3 b5 13. Re1 e6 14. Ne4 Qc7, Black is quite good.]
8... O-O

9. Nbd2 White knight takes a position from which it can pass on е4 or go on a route d2-c4-e5. 9... Nd7 10. Bb3 b6 11. Ne4 Qc7 12. Bg5 N7f6 13. Re1 Ba6 14. Qd2 Rad8

Black are ready for releasing advancement c6-c5, therefore White discharges a situation. 15. Nf6! ef Going on to double pawns, Black have an opportunity to control important central fields on a vertical "e", but suppose formation of practically "superfluous" pawn on queen side for the opponent. Later it does for them undesirable simplification of a position.
16. Bh4 Ne7 Transfer of a knight on f5 will help to advance с6-с5. 17. Bg3 Qb7 18. c3 Nf5 19. Bf4

19... c5 Otherwise it would be difficult to start any activity. 20. Bc2 Nd6
[20... cd 21. Bf5 dc 22. Qc3 gf 23. Nd4 Rd5 24. Rac1 Qd7 25. Nc6! Rc5 26. Qg3, looks rather unattractive for Black.]

21. dc! Nc4 22. Qc1 bc 23. b3 Nd6 24. c4 Fixing the pawn on с5. 24... Qb6 25. Re7 f5

26. Bh6 Consistently following a policy on position simplification. 26... Bf6 27. Bf8 Rf8 28. Re1 Ba1 29. Qa1 Bb7 30. Ne5 Qc7

31. f3! The typical reception, practically "killing" Black activity. Now becomes obvious, that the destiny of battle will be solved by the weakness of a pawn с5. 31... Rd8
[31... Re8 32. Nd3]
32. Nd3 a5 33. Qf6 Re8 34. Re5 Qb8 35. Re8 Ne8 36. Qe7 Ng7

37. Ne5 Forcing Queen exchange, that deprives Black even of theoretical chances of rescue. 37... Qe8 38. Qe8 Ne8 39. Nd3 [1:0]

February 07, 2009
GM Alexander Kalinin