[Event "Sharjah Grand Prix 2017"]  [Site "Sharjah UAE"]  [Date "2017.02.25"]  [Round "7.9"]  [White "Salem, A.R. Saleh"]  [Black "Riazantsev, Alexander"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B12"]  [WhiteElo "2656"]  [BlackElo "2671"]  [PlyCount "63"]  [EventDate "2017.02.18"]   1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Ne7 6. O-O Bg6 7. c3 h6 8. Na3 Nf5  9. b3 Be7 10. g4 Nh4 11. Nxh4 Bxh4 12. f4 O-O 13. f5 Bh7 14. Bd3 Nd7 15. f6  gxf6 16. Bxh6 Bg5 17. Bxh7+ Kxh7 18. Bxf8 Qxf8 19. Nc2 fxe5 20. Ne1 e4 21. Ng2  Qe7 22. Qe1 Bh6 23. Qf2 Rf8 24. Kh1 f5 25. gxf5 exf5 26. Qg3 Qf7 27. Rf2 e3 28.  Nxe3 f4 29. Qh3 Nb6 30. Rg1 Qe7 31. Ng4 Qe4+ 32. Rf3 1-0

[Event "Sharjah Grand Prix 2017"]  [Site "Sharjah UAE"]  [Date "2017.02.25"]  [Round "7.7"]  [White "Li, Chao b"]  [Black "Eljanov, Pavel"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "E12"]  [WhiteElo "2720"]  [BlackElo "2759"]  [PlyCount "97"]  [EventDate "2017.02.18"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 {The game starts with the Queen's Indian} 4. a3 {  This variation is known as the Petrosian - Kasparov system. Petrosian was the  first who prevented Bb4 in response to Nc3, and Kasparov's brilliant victories  with this line have made it even more famous.} Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. e3  {[pgndiagram] The main tabiya of the Kasparov- Petrosian variation nowadays.} (  7. Qc2 {Is another variation, which I believe is now considered harmless for  Black.}) 7... Be7 {A rare and old move, featured in many Kasparov games} (7...  g6 {Was made famous because with the help of this move Korchnoi managed to  score his only victory in the career against Kasparov, in their 1983  Candidates match} 8. h4 {This move, first played by Polugayevski against  Korchnoi, and revived in the 21st century by efforts of the ever creative  Morozevich is a modern way of casting doubts on early g6. But still, g6 is by  far the most common move}) 8. Bb5+ c6 9. Bd3 c5 {[pgndiagram] In his book, The  Revolution of the 70s, Garry Kasparov claimed that this move is bad. But it  seems like modern players have their own opinions} (9... O-O {Is recommended  instead}) 10. O-O {This move is slightly mysterious to me, to be honest.} (10.  Nxd5 Qxd5 11. dxc5 Qxc5 (11... O-O {Is also possible}) 12. Bd2 {Petrosian -  Smyslov, Moscow, 1961}) 10... cxd4 11. exd4 {Now by transposition an isolated  queen pawn position has been reached. I don't believe that this one is that  bad for Black, but then again..} Nd7 (11... Nc6 {Is one alternative}) (11...  O-O {Is another}) (11... Nxc3 {Is what computer wants to do, and play against  the hanging pawns} 12. bxc3) 12. Qe2 (12. Nxd5 {Removing the possibility of  Nxc3 is computer's suggestion, but exchanging pieces with the isolani is not  something people do gladly.}) 12... O-O (12... Nxc3) 13. Ne4 $6 {Not sure  where this knight is headed, though. One idea is g5-e6 sacrifice, but this  shouldn't be dangerous} (13. Nxd5) 13... N5f6 (13... Qc7 {Asking White to show  a threat, was interesting} 14. Neg5 h6 15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. Qxe6+ Rf7 (16... Kh8  17. Bxh6 Rf6 18. Bxg7+ Kxg7 19. Qg4+ {Is equal}) 17. Bg6 Raf8 {And Black is  better}) (13... h6 {Was also possible}) 14. Nc3 {Admitting that the knight  jump wasn't the best} Qc7 $6 {Black is the first to deviate from the  repetition. But queen is slightly vulnerable on this square} (14... Nd5) (14...  a6 {Expansion on the queenside came into consideration}) 15. Bg5 h6 16. Bh4 {  [pgndiagram] This is slightly unpleasant for Black, since the bishop is coming  to g3 with tempo.} Qf4 {The old principle of playing with a plan instead of  playing without a plan doesn't hold. Nowadays it is better to admit one's  mistake} (16... Rfc8 17. Bg3 Qd8 {Was better nevertheless}) 17. Bg3 Qg4 {The  queen is slightly out of play here} 18. Ba6 {Exchanging the dangerous piece}  Bxa6 (18... Bxf3 {Perhaps Eljanov missjudged the endgame resulting from this  exchange} 19. Qxf3 Qxf3 20. gxf3 Nh5 21. Bc7 {And White's bishops cover many  squares. White is better}) 19. Qxa6 Qf5 $6 {Another queen move and once again  not the best} (19... Ne4 {Exchanging a piece would have eased Black's life  slightly} 20. Qb7 Nxg3 21. hxg3 Rfd8) 20. Rac1 $6 (20. Qb7 Rfd8 21. Rac1 {Was  better}) 20... Qa5 $6 (20... Nd5 {Is very nice} 21. Nb5 Qd3 {And this  computerish move equalizes} 22. Qa4 (22. Rfd1 Rac8 {Tacticaly, this works in  Black's favour}) 22... a6 23. Nc7 b5 24. Qd1 Qxd1 25. Rfxd1) 21. Qb7 {  [pgndiagram] From this moment White snatches the initiative and doesn't let it  untill the end of the game} Rfe8 22. Nd2 Bf8 23. h3 Qf5 24. Nc4 {Black's  pieces are lacking breathing space} a6 25. Rfd1 {[pgndiagram] Bringing the  last piece into play.} (25. Nxb6 {Would be too naive} Rab8 26. Bxb8 Rxb8 27.  Qxa6 Nxb6) 25... b5 {Forcing the White knight to go where he wanted to go, but  it is hard to suggest a move for Black} 26. Ne3 Qh5 27. Bc7 {[pgndiagram] Too  be honest, I am not at all certain about the point of this move // Okay, it  took me a while to realize that White wants to control a5 square as a  preparation for b4} (27. b4 a5) (27. d5 {Calls to be played, but it unleashed  the c5 square. Therefore White wants to go b4, but first he wants to go Bc7 to  cover a5} Nc5 28. Qc7 Rac8 29. Qf4 e5 {And sudenly Black is better}) 27... Qg6  (27... Rec8 28. b4 Re8 29. d5) 28. b4 Nh5 {Black is getting outplayed  positionaly, and seeks tactical counter chances} (28... Be7 {White is ready  for d5} 29. d5 Nxd5 30. Ncxd5 exd5 31. Nxd5 Bg5 32. Rc6 Qh5 33. f3) 29. Ne2 $6  {[pgndiagram] Playing it too safe} (29. d5 {Was very good all the same} exd5 (  29... e5 {Black can't create anything on the kingside.} 30. Qc6 Ndf6 31. d6 {  And there is no attack}) 30. Nexd5) 29... Ndf6 $2 {The final nail in the  Black's coffin} (29... Nhf6 {Was still the best, going back to the positions  already examined} 30. Nc3) 30. Rc6 $1 {Black probably missed this move, which  makes the d5 idea even stronger, as the Queen is under the x-ray of the rook.  Additionaly, a6 is also threatened} Qg5 (30... Rac8 31. d5 exd5 (31... e5 32.  d6) 32. Nc3 {Is immensly strong for White}) 31. Be5 $2 {[pgndiagram] Allowing  a5} (31. Nc3 {Not sure what was wrong with this move} a5 32. Bxa5 Nf4 33. Qxb5  Nxh3+ 34. Kf1 {And Black has no attack}) 31... a5 32. Qxb5 axb4 33. axb4 {  [pgndiagram] Suddenly, Black has gained some counterchances, and his pieces  finally breathe} Ra2 $2 (33... Reb8 {I am not sure if Black missed that the  bishop on e5 is pinned, or missevaluated the consequences of g4} 34. Qd3 Rxb4  35. g4 Nd7 36. f4 Nxe5 37. fxg5 Nxd3 38. Rxd3 Rb5 39. gxh5 Rxg5+ 40. Kf2 Rxh5 {  And here Black has pretty reasonable chances to hold}) 34. Rc2 {Now White is  again clearly better} Rea8 35. Rxa2 Rxa2 $2 {[pgndiagram] It is now White's  turn to go wrong} 36. Qc4 {Trying to hold to the material is logical, but  computers point out the different way of handling the position} (36. Nc3 Rb2  37. g3 Rxb4 38. Qc6 {Was strong, Black can again hardly move} Nh7 (38... Kh7  39. Qc8 Be7 40. Qc7)) 36... Rb2 37. b5 Nd5 $2 {[pgndiagram] Decisive and final  mistake of this game} (37... Nd7 {Would win the d or the b pawn, and with it  the game would be saved} 38. Ng4 Nb6 39. Qc6 Nd5 40. Nc3 (40. Ng3 Nxg3 41. Bxg3  Ne7) 40... Nxc3 41. Qxc3 Rxb5) 38. Nxd5 exd5 {Now there is no hope for Black  and the game is over} 39. Qd3 Qg6 40. Qxg6 fxg6 41. Nc3 Rb3 42. Rc1 Ba3 $2 {  Missing tactics in a lost endgame} (42... Nf6 43. Bxf6 gxf6 44. Nxd5 Rxb5 45.  Nxf6+ Kf7 {Is also technically lost, but the game lasts longer}) 43. Rb1 $1 {  [pgndiagram] A very attractive tactical finish to the game} Rxc3 44. b6 Nf6 45.  b7 Nd7 46. Rb5 $1 {[pgndiagram] Here Eljanov resigned. At first I didn't  realize why, but there is no defence against Rxd5} Kf7 47. Rxd5 Nb8 48. Rd8 Rb3  49. Rxb8 {A very rich and interesting game, although both players commited  mistakes. Alas, Eljanov's one turned out to be the last} 1-0