GM Mikhail Golubev  annotates games

Round 4

Nisipeanu - Rublevsky

The Sicilian Taimanov has transformed into a rare subline of the Scheveningen. On the 13th move Nisipeanu deviated from the game Anand-Polugaevsky, Reggio Emilia 1991 and played 13.Bd3 (instead of 13.Bf2). This move was somewhat dubious: after 13...d5! Black had a good game. Still, after 17.b4! (instead of 17.f5?), what was suggested by Rublevsky, White probably could get an acceptable position. When Nisipeanu played 17.f5? he, possibly, missed that after 17...exf5 18.Rxf5 dxe3 does not work for White 19.Qh5 g6 20.Qh6 because of 20...f6! (but not 20...gxf5?? 21.Nf6+! and White wins). 0-1

Volokitin – Bologan

In the Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann Defence, Bologan played the rare line with 5...Ne7 6.0-0 c5 7.c4 dxc4 (instead of 7...Nbc6) - what, as it seems, somehow surprised his opponent. Bologan played this line as White back in 1992, against Adianto at the Manila Olympiad. (Note that the move 8.Na3, made by Bologan against Adianto, and also by Volokitin, was assessed as dubious by Bologan in the INFORMATOR). On the 12th move Volokitin, finally, deviated from the game Bologan-Adianto, and played 12.b3. White obtained the advantage. In the time trouble Volokitin spoiled good winning chances. (Thus, instead of 35.Bxd5 deserved attention 35.Bc8 followed by d6-d7). 0.5-0.5

Ponomariov – Shirov

In the Slav Defence, Ponomariov opted for a solid 4.e3 (avoiding the Botvinnik Variation, which occurred in his game with Shirov in Wijk aan Zee, 2003). Later White sacrificed the c4 pawn, in accordance with the theory. On the 11th move Shirov deviated from his rapid game versus Sasikiran and played 11...Bb4 (instead of 11...Be7). After 12.a3, Shirov’s move 12...Ba5!? was, probably, new. (Earlier Black tried 12...Be7 a couple of times.) After the Ponomariov’s 15th move the draw was agreed. In Ruslan’s opinion, Black solved his opening problems and was not worse. 0.5-0.5

Karjakin – Areshchenko

A side line of the Sicilian with 2.Ne2. After 9.d5 White is slightly better. 9...Nb4 appears to be new, but the position after 9.d5 was previously tested only in a few games. In the further manoeuvres Karjakin has "managed" to spoil three tempis (11.Qb3?!; 15.Qd3?!). After that and until the end of the game White was slightly worse. After 32 moves Areshchenko was somewhat short of time and proposed a draw. 0.5-0.5

Mamedyarov – Ivanchuk

In the Anti-Meran Mamedyarov made a rare move 10.Ne4 (instead of the usual 10.Re1). The position after 13...Nxe5 seems to be approximately equal. But the move 14.Nd4?! was not so good: after 14...c5! Black grabbed the initiative. Ivanchuk played very energetically; he won the pawn, and later the game. The transfer of the king to h4 is very impressive. It is really difficult to say with confidence where White has made his final mistake. 0-1

Harikrishna – Grischuk

The Nimzo-Indian Defence. А line with 4.Nf3 0-0 5.g3 (instead of the most common 5.Bg5) 5...b6 is rare; it can also arise via the Queen’s Indian move order. Gradually, Black got a good play. White's performance in this game, generally, can be called uninspiring. His last chance, possibly, was 17.Ne7+!? Kg7 18.Bg2, as suggested by Grischuk. 0-1