The duel Ryazantsev - Zubarev is deserved to be noted among 8th round games. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 One of main possibilities, also as 4...0-0 и 4...d5, after 4.Qc2. 5. dc O-O 6. a3 Bc5 7. Nf3

7... b6
[7... d5 8.cd ed 9.Bg5 Be6 10.Rd1 Nbd7 11.e3 +/= (Ivanchuk - Graf, Merida, 2008) resulted to a position with an isolated pawn. 9. Bd3 d6 10. b4 Nbd7 11. Bb2 a6 12. g4!? Qc6 13. Ke2 g6 14. h4 With sharp game, Beliavsky - Shaposhnikov (Moscow, 2005).] ]
8. Bf4 Alternative is 8.Bg5. Bb7 9. Rd1 Nc6 10. e3 Be7 11. Be2 Rc8 12. O-O [12. Nb5 d5 13. Qb1 a6 14. Nc3 Na5! 15. cd ed 16. Be5 Nc4 17. Bd4 Qc7 18. Bd3 h6 19. O-O b5 =, Kharitonov - Sokolov (Ermioni, 2006).] a6

13. e4 Na5 14. Nd2 Temporary deviation - having strengthened a pawn с4, White then will push Nа5 aside by b2-b4. 14... d6
[Game opening by 14... d5 it is possible not to consider seriously because of 15. b4 Nc6 16. Nf3.]
15. b4 Nc6 16. Nf3

The opening has brought some benefit to White. The main problems of Black is the Queen which can not feel good neither on a vertical "d", nor on a diagonal h2-b8. 16... Qc7 17. Rd2 Focusing actions of Rooks on a vertical "d". Pawn d6 is possible to protect, but White Rooks will possess the big potential. 17... Ng4 18. Rfd1 Rfd8 19. Na4

19... Nge5 After that Black pieces should take passive positions. [19... Nce5 20. Ne5 Ne5 is better]
20. Be3 Nd7 21. Qb1 Ba8 Black prepares queen deviation on b8, but unexpectedly it appeares the Bishop has risen on the "mined" field а8.

22. e5! An effective break in, apparently, most strengthened point of defence of Black. 22... Nce5
[22... de 23. Rd7 Rd7 24. Rd7 Qd7 25. Nb6 Qb7 26. Nc8 Qc8±]
23. Ne5

23... Ne5? Now White reach the position advantage [At the disposal Black there was an unexpected tactical resource 23... de 24. Rd7 Qc6! (24... Rd7 25. Rd7 Qd7 26. Nb6 Qc6 27. Bf3±) 25. Bf1 (25. Rd8 Bd8 26. f3 Qa4 27. Qd3 Qe8; 25. f3 Rd7 26. Rd7 Qd7 27. Nb6 Qa7; 25. Kf1 Qg2! 26. Ke1 Qh1 27. Bf1 Be4 with a compensation.) 25... Qa4 26. Qd3, And for the offered pawn the white keep an initiative on Queen side.]
24. Nb6 Rb8 25. Na8 Ra8

Two active Bishops and the pawn superiority on queen side provide White with the obvious position advantage. 26. Rc1 Rab8 27. f4 Nd7

28. f5! Loosening defence of Black and in the centre 28... a5 29. fe fe 30. Bg4 Nc5 31. Rf2 Bf6 32. Rcf1 ab 33. ab Qe7 34. Kh1 Re8 35. Re2 Qb7 36. Bc5! dc 37. b5

White successfully transformed two Bishops advantage to a powerful pawn b5 and the weakness white fields. 37... Qb6 38. Qe4 Re7 39. Ra2! Kh8 40. Ra6 Qd8 41. Re6 Re6 42. Be6 Rb6 43. Bd5 Bd4 44. Bc6 Rb8 45. Qf4 g6 46. Re1 Qg8 47. Bd5 Re8 48. Rb1 Qg7 49. b6 Rf8 50. Qd6 Be5 51. Qc5 Qf6 52. g3 Qf5 53. Re1 Bg3 54. Qd4 Rf6 55. b7
[55. Re8 Kg7 56. hg Qh3 (56... Kh6 57. Qd2; 56... Qf1 57. Kh2) 57. Kg1 Qg3 58. Bg2 could win immeditely]
55... Kg7 56. Bg2 Qh5 57. Re7 Kh6 58. Qe3 Bf4 59. Qh3 Qh3 60. Bh3 Rb6 61. Be6 Kg5 62. Bd5 h5 63. Kg2 Rb2 64. Kf3 Rb3 65. Ke2 Bh2 66. Kd2 Bg1 67. Kc2 Rb6 68. Re6 Rb4 69. Kc3 Bc5 70. Re8 [1:0]

February 08, 2009
GM Alexander Kalinin