Peter Svidler vs Boris Gelfand (2009)

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Peter Svidler vs Boris Gelfand
ACP World Rapid Cup (2009) (rapid), Odessa UKR, rd 4, May-24
English Opening: King's English. Four Knights Variation Quiet Line (A28) · 0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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May-24-09		sharkbenjamin: I don't believe it! Gelfand was down two whole connected passed pawns and the bishop pair and he found a way to win!!! Wow! Never give up!

May-24-09		luzhin: Yes, 57.Kh2 Ng3 is the end.

May-24-09		aspiringwriter: Svidler just blundered the mate with 56. Bd5, taking the wrong piece. He would still retain a large advantage with 56. Kh1.

May-24-09		notyetagm: <aspiringwriter: ... He would still retain a large advantage with 56. Kh1.> Monokroussos says Svidler (White) would have an easy win. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/pos... MONOKROUSSOS: 55 ... ♖e3x♙a3 click for larger view <Black has just played 55...Re3xa3; what should White do? The obvious move is 56.Kxh1, but why be a pawn up when you can have an extra piece? <<<True, the ending after 56...Bxc4 57.Rxc4 Rxa5 58.Rb4 is a straightforward win>>>, but Svidler apparently thought he was getting something for nothing with 56.Bxd5??. It does win a piece, but there's a much bigger problem: 56...Ra1+ and White resigned, because after 57.Kh2 Ng3 mate on h1 is inevitable. A most unfortunate end for Svidler, who dominated the games and would surely have made it to an Armageddon game with 56.Kxh1. <<< Here's a possible continuation: 58...Ra7 59.b6 Rb7 60.Kg1 (rushing the king to the queenside) 60...Kg6 61.Kf2 Kf5 62.Ke3 Ke6 63.f5+! and now Black must give ground one way or the other. If he takes the pawn, then White's king gets to the queenside: 63...Kxf5 64.Kd4 Ke6 65.Kc5 Kd7 66.Rd4+ with an easy win. Or if Black declines the offer, then White's king switches gears and starts snacking on the kingside: 63...Kd6 64.Kf4 Kc5 65.Rb1 followed by Kg4 and Kxh4. Black can't afford to win the b-pawn at the cost of trading rooks, but if he attempts to stay in place the inevitable formation of a second passed pawn on the kingside will break his defenses.>>> None of this, after 56.Kxh1, is at all complicated for Svidler - it's a routine ending I'd expect a 2200 to win against a grandmaster at least nine and probably ten times out of ten. Svidler just thought he had found a simpler way, and as a result of nerves or exhaustion or a lapse of attention he just blundered. Even the great ones are human!>

May-24-09		notyetagm: http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/pos... (VAR) 63 f4-f5+! click for larger view <* Here's a possible continuation: 58...Ra7 59.b6 Rb7 60.Kg1 (rushing the king to the queenside) 60...Kg6 61.Kf2 Kf5 62.Ke3 Ke6 <<<63.f5+! and now Black must give ground one way or the other.>>> If he takes the pawn, then White's king gets to the queenside: 63...Kxf5 64.Kd4 Ke6 65.Kc5 Kd7 66.Rd4+ with an easy win. Or if Black declines the offer, then White's king switches gears and starts snacking on the kingside: 63...Kd6 64.Kf4 Kc5 65.Rb1 followed by Kg4 and Kxh4. Black can't afford to win the b-pawn at the cost of trading rooks, but if he attempts to stay in place the inevitable formation of a second passed pawn on the kingside will break his defenses.>

May-24-09		notyetagm: 56 ? click for larger view 56 ♗c4x♗d5?? click for larger view 56 ... ♖a3-a1+! 0-1 <arabian mate> click for larger view MONOKROUSSOS: <but Svidler apparently thought he was getting something for nothing with 56.Bxd5??. It does win a piece, but there's a much bigger problem: 56...Ra1+ and White resigned, because after 57.Kh2 Ng3 mate on h1 is inevitable.> And once again a master-strength player overlooks an <ARABIAN MATE>. (CONTINUATION) 57 ♔g1-h2 ♘h1-g3 Δ 58 ... ♖a1-h1# click for larger view I've said it before, the <ARABIAN MATE> must be the most overlooked mating pattern. Here a 2700(!!)-rated player (Svidler!) overlooks a simple <ARABIAN MATE> that begins with a <CHECK>!

May-25-09		waustad: As I mentioned in the Cafe, this is a lovely mating net.

Mar-20-15		ChessCoachClark: One continuation leads to a Hook Mate: 57. Kh2 Ng3 58. Bd2 Rh1#

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