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Sergey Karjakin vs Teimour Radjabov
"How to Train Your Dragon" (game of the day Jan-10-2011)
Sochi Grand Prix (2008), Sochi RUS, rd 13, Aug-14
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation. Yugoslav Attack Old Line (B78)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Aug-18-08  arsen387: Unbelievable, but in this report
http://www.chesspro.ru/_events/2008... is written that the final (maybe not exactly the final, but after 43..Kxc7)position was a draw. Computer found an amazing drawing line. Unfortunately that line isn't written there. Does anyone know that line?
Aug-18-08  najdorfman: arsen387:

The drawing line starts on move 46.
46. Rxe4 f5 47. Re1 f4 48. Rg1 Ke6 49. Kb2 Kf5 50. Kc2 Kg4 51. Kd2 f3 (51...Kf3 52. Rf1 Kg4 53. Rg1=) 52. Ke3 f2 53. Ra1 Kh3 54. Ke2.

White just sits and waits. Black cannot make any progress. Okay?

Aug-18-08  Ulhumbrus: <najdorfman: arsen387:

The drawing line starts on move 46.
46. Rxe4 f5 47. Re1 f4 48. Rg1 Ke6 49. Kb2 Kf5 50. Kc2 Kg4 51. Kd2 f3 (51...Kf3 52. Rf1 Kg4 53. Rg1=) 52. Ke3 f2 53. Ra1 Kh3 54. Ke2.

White just sits and waits. Black cannot make any progress. Okay?>

The variation which you have given
suggests that following 46 Rxe4 White can draw after with a Rook against the two connected Black passed pawns on the third rank if his King reaches the d file, because the two Kings are not of equal value. White's King is more valuable than Black's King.

Black's King cannot make up for the work done by White's King.

Thus after ...f2 White's King can attack the f2 pawn whereas Black's King cannot defend it, and this prevents ...g2. Or after ....g2 White's King can control f2 but Black's King cannot attack it.

An instructive lesson in the end-game.

Aug-19-08  arsen387: <najdorfman> yeah, thanks. cool, 4 passers can't beat a R (of course only because 2 pawns are doubled)! This is really a good lesson
Aug-19-08  ughaibu: If there are only four pawns and two of these are doubled, then there are not four passed pawns, there are only three.
Aug-25-08  dabearsrock1010: <bobsterman> haha yeah i know that all too well. <cannibal> You are almost certainly correct, I guess I was looking at the position superficially, but white is in tons of trouble no matter how he moves.
Jun-26-10  Jafar219: Wonderful game.The difference between Radjabov and cheater Carlsen is that Radjabov`s play is natural and all ideas are produced by himself.
Jun-26-10  Rolfo: Jafar219, you don't make Radjabov any good by your wording, on the contrary I would think.. Radjabov deserves better than followers like you
Jun-28-10  Jafar219: <Radjabov deserves better than followers like you> Rolfo, my english is too bad so i cant express my thoughts with this language.That`s why I seem bad and agressive.But you can be sure that my chess knowledge is enough and I think noone can be better Radjabov fan than me.
Jan-10-11  Blunderdome: <thathwamasi: Radja's immortal.>

What about Shirov vs Radjabov, 2007?

Jan-10-11  sevenseaman: This is torture on the rack. Karjakin has been taken out as though he were a mere kid.
Jan-10-11  Humbertopt: The drawin line could be:
45.Rxe4 f5 46.Rh4 a3+ 47.Kxa3 Ke6 48.Rh6+ Ke5 49.Rxa6 f4 50.Rg6 Kf5 51.Rg7 Ke4 52.Kb4 Kf3 53.Kc4 Kf2 54.Kd3 g2 55.Ke4 f3 56.Kf4 g1=Q 57.Rxg1 Kxg1 58.Kxf3
Jan-10-11  kellmano: I have never seen this game before. Absolutely astinishing from start to finish.
Jan-10-11  popzags: After giving props to Radjabov, I must say that Karjakin was probably shaken by turn of events; he played the ensuing endgame rather aimlessly. For example, I don't understand the purpose of 23. Bc4. Is this Bishop really that bad?

White opted for 33. Reh2. What about 33. Rc3?

What if White held his nerves and used King to capture a-pawns -> support 'c' pawn march while his Rook will eye g1 from d1: 40. Ka4?

Lots of 'what ifs' here.

Jan-10-11  kevin86: It will be the f-pawn that will win the game!!

The pun refers to the dragon bishop at g7-in the Sicilian Defense-tuned to the square c3,along with the rook.

Fancy ending:black wins at three pawns for the exchange and four pawns for the rook.

Jan-10-11  kevin86: Remember Spassky-Fischer,where Spassky held off five pawns successfully until he blundered late?

With best play,here as well,a draw can be obtained,but it was not to be.

Jan-10-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  Fusilli: <Blunderdome: <thathwamasi: Radja's immortal.> What about Shirov vs Radjabov, 2007?>

That's an exciting game, but I think this one is superior. In the Shirov game Shirov went wrong more clearly than Karjakin in this one. This game shows great understanding of a dynamic position and piece activity all the way through the endgame. The Shirov game is more about direct defense and attack. Not so profound as this one, in my opinion.

Jan-10-11  ardarel: Outstanding!
Jan-10-11  Judah: The exact title of the movie notwithstanding, I submit that this pun would be better as "How to Tame Your Dragon"
Jan-10-11  Eyal: The position reached after 22.bxc3 e6! (limiting the scope of White’s bishop) is very instructive with respect to conventional judgments about the value of pieces – White is two exchanges up (minus two pawns) and yet Black has the advantage, because White’s rooks can’t find any open file to operate on efficiently, his pawn structure is badly damaged and disabled for any serious use, and Black doesn’t have any real weaknesses.

<White opted for 33. Reh2. What about 33. Rc3?> Seems to be losing to 33…Nxe2 34.Rxc4 f5 and the white rook is badly placed compared to the game – 35.Rxa4?? is unplayable, of course, because of 35…Nc3+.

Karjakin defended the tough endgame very well up to move 46, where – as already pointed out – he could have drawn with 46.Rxe4! and then putting the rook on g1 with the king arriving to the K-side just in time to stop the black pawns, whereas in the game he’s a tempo short of the draw, as Black advances his passed pawn to g2 and cuts off the white king with Kg3.

Jan-10-11  hstevens129: What is wrong with 46.Rxe4?
Jan-10-11  technical draw: <What is wrong with 46.Rxe4?> If 46. Rxe4 then black will have unstoppable connected passed pawns. As it turns out the rook takes the knight a move later and is still unable to stop the pawns.
Jan-10-11  Eyal: <If 46. Rxe4 then black will have unstoppable connected passed pawns.>

No, he won't. It's already been pointed out several times in the kibitzing here that 46.Rxe4! leads to a draw: 46...f5 47.Re1 f4 48.Rg1! Ke6 49.Kb2! Kf5 (49...a3+ 50.Kc3!) 50.Kc3 Kg4 (50…Ke4 51.Kd2 Kf3 52.Rf1+!) 51.Kd2 f3 52.Ke3 f2 53.Ra1 Kh3 54.Kf3 Kh2 55.Ke2. (Original analysis by Shipov - http://sochi2008.fide.com/images/bu...)

Jan-10-11  technical draw: <Eyal> This is very confusing. Since (according to Shipov) 46.Rxe4 leads to a draw then that is the move that has to be made. So it's not the "wrong" move, but the right one. So to answer the question, "what is wrong with 46. Rxe4?" then the answer is "nothing".

(I guess putting a question mark at the end makes it look like a bad move!)

Jan-10-11  WhiteRook48: white should have played 46 Rxe4
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