CHESSDOM: SLAV; ARONIAN - IVANCHUK

Aronian, Levon - Ivanchuk, Vassily

Mtel Masters 2008
Sofia Round 5
by GM Vladimir Dimitrov

Ivanchuk's performance in this tournament so far is perfect. Now we now that the reason is not the screaming yellow tie he wears every game, as yesterday Cheparinov dressed likewise but to no avail :) . The Ukrainian combines subtle positional understanding with tactical vision and this serves him well. Being in good form he is a formidable opponent and I am curious what approach would Aronian choose against him today. If the Armenian aspires for the top of table he needs to win some games. Would he take risks today going for all or nothing, or should he play solidly to stop Vassily's winning streak. Up to now all Ivanchuk's games were quite entertaining, let's hope that today the audience will be again satisfied with a great chess performance.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 Ivanchuk goes for the Slav Defense.

3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 This modest move enjoys increasing popularity after the Topalov-Kramnik match..

4... Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Bg6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.a3 Nbd7 9.g3 Be7 10.b3 According to the latest fashion of the line. Bf1 is relieved of protecting the 'c4' pawn and goes to 'g2'.

10... e5 Attempting to make use of the fact that White is still undeveloped. (10... Ne4) was an alternative. {Moves like (10... Qc7) let White complete its setup and secure long-lasting slight advantage. It's Aronian's turn to look deeper into the position: should he permit e5-e4 or change the central formation by 11.cxd5 ?

11.cxd5 Nxd5 (11... Nxd5 12.Nxd5 Qa5+ 13.Nc3 Qxc3+ 14.Bd2 Qb2) seems fine for Black, while (11... Nxd5 12.Bb2 Nxc3 13.Bxc3 exd4 14.Bxd4 Bf6) promises no advantage to White.

12.Nxd5 Qa5+ 13.Nc3 The Ukrainian is investing a lot of time, perhaps considering the consequences of complicating the game by (13.Nc3 exd4 14.b4 Bxb4 15.axb4 Qxa1) but this may only lead him into trouble.

13... Qxc3+ 14.Bd2 Qb2 This had already happened in the game Wang Yue - Bobras, Cappelle la Grande 2007. Black soon transfered into a draw endgame, but after an amazing display of bad technique eventually lost. Ivanchuk's Queen finds it quite comfortable being inside opponent's camp.

15.d5 Well, this is a novelty.

15... cxd5 16.Bb5 The very idea behind the pawn sacrifice. (16.Bg2 would be met by 16... Nc5) Ivanchuk may go for (16.Bb5 Rd8) but I believe that in case of (16.Bb5 a6 17.Bxd7+ Kxd7) his King would be perfectly safe.

16... a6 17.Bxd7+ Kxd7 18.O-O (18.O-O e4 planning Qe5 19.Qg4+ f5 20.Qxg6 Qf6 favors the Ukrainian.)

18... e4 19.Bc3 Qxc3 20.Qxd5+ Ke8 21.Rac1 The Armenian sacrificed a piece making his bet on Ivanchuk's inaccuracies in the time trouble as otherwise his position is just worse.

21... Qd3 22.Qxb7 Rd8 Aronian may trade 2 Rooks for the Queen and a couple of pawns but his King would be soon threatened by the 3 Black pieces (two of them Rooks!)

23.Rfd1 Qxd1+ 24.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 25.Kg2 Now the Rh8 is heading (perhaps after a preliminary a6-a5) towards 'f5' - Rh8-h5-f5. Clock readings: 0.39 0.23 . Meanwhile we have the first result for this round - Topalov defeated Bu.

25... a5 26.g4 Creating technical difficulties for Black. Aronian's position is lost but he managed to steal a whole point in Ivanchuk's time trouble this year in Morelia having even worse. Time 0.23 0.09

26... Kf8 27.Qxe4 g5 Securing the Black King. After the inclusion of the Rh8 the rest should be simple.

28.Qf5 Bd8 29.Qc5+ Kg8 30.Qe5 Levon is defending stubbornly in opponent's time trouble. 0.10 0.02

30... g6 31.b4 axb4 32.axb4 Kh7 33.b5 Rf8 34.Qc5 Kg8 Ivanchuk consolidated his position and has to reach the time control only.

35.b6 Desperation

35... Rb1 36.f4 Rb2+ 37.Kg3 gxf4+ 38.exf4 Bxb6 39.Qc3 Rb1 40.f5 Rg1+ 41.Kh3 With the time control passed, Vassily has only to find one of the many ways to win, (41.Kh3 Re8) being the fastest.

41... Re8 42.Qf6 Bf2 43.Qg7+ Kxg7 44.f6+ Kf8 ( Last trick 44... Kxf6 45.g5+ Draw) White resigned. One may just admire the ease Ivanchuk dispatched of his opponent. He was playing Black against one of the strongest players in the world and defeated him as if he were mere club player. So the Ukrainian has the incredible 5 out of 5 before the second half of the event and we await to sea who would finally stop him - if possible at all :)

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