Pittsburgh Player in FIDE World Championship

Alex Shabalov won his match against Gregory Kaidanov in the first round of
the FIDE World Championship, but then was stopped by Khalifman, the winner
of the 1999 event.

The finalists are Ivanchuk, who upset Anand in the last round, and Ponomariov,
who beat Svidler.  Both finalists are from the Ukraine.  They will play off
in late January.

White:  Alex Shabalov
Black:  Alex Khalifman
FIDE World Championship knock-out tournament, Moscow
Round 2, Game 2, November 2001
Queen's Gambit Declined

 1. d4 Nf6
 2. Nf3 e6
 3. c4 d5
 4. Nc3 Be7
 5. Qc2 O-O
 6. cxd5 Nxd5
 7. a3 Nxc3
 8. bxc3 c5
 9. e3

    White doesn't have time for 9. e4:  9. ... Nc6 10. Be3 cxd4 11. cxd4 Qa5+!
    and now:  12. Qd2? Bb4, or 12. Bd2 Bb4 13. Bxb4? Nxb4 14 Qd2 Nc2+, or in
    this last variation 12. Bd2 Bb4 13. Bd3 Rd8, or 13. d5 exd5 14. exd5 Re8+,
    with a big advantage for Black in each case.

    White must lose this tempo and another (at move 13) to get the attacking
    formation he has in mind.  In spite of this he might have had an attractive
    game (see note at move 15), and perhaps the novel move order at moves 5
    through 7 must be taken seriously.

 9. ... Nd7
10. Bd3 h6
11. O-O b6
12. e4 Qc7

    This threatens 13. ... cxd4 forcing the exchange of queens.  Also, it
    prevents 13. Bf4, which looked attractive.  So it is more accurate than
    12. ... Bb7.

13. Qe2 Bb7
14. a4 a6
15. Be3

    In hindsight, we may say that this move allows the subsequent tactics,
    which interrupt the smooth flow of White's buildup.  If there is any way
    to keep the initiative of the first move, it must be by 15. Bd2.

15. ... b5!

    If White takes this pawn, his king pawn is hanging, thanks to his previous
    move.

16. Rfb1 Bc6
17. Nd2 bxa4

    And now 18. Bxa6 is answered by 18. ... Qa5.

18. e5 cxd4
19. cxd4 Bb5
20. Nc4 Rfc8
21. Rc1 Nb6!

    Black continues to force the pace, even at the cost of his queen.

22. Nd6 Bxd6
23. Rxc7 Bxc7
24. Bxb5 axb5
25. Qxb5 Rcb8
26. Qc6 Nd5
27. Bc1 Rc8
28. Qd7

    If instead 28. Rxa4 Rxa4 (28. ... Ba5 is not as good:  29. Rxa5 Rxc6
    30. Rxa8+ Kh7 31. Ra1) 29. Qxa4 Bxe5, and White has no way to play for
    a win.

Drawn

White:  Alex Shabalov
Black:  Alex Khalifman
FIDE World Championship knock-out tournament, Moscow
Round 2, Game 4, November 2001
Irregular Indian Defense

Shabalov needed to win this game, because Khalifman had won the previous game,
and the two games were a sudden-death playoff.

 1. d4 Nf6
 2. c4 g6
 3. g3 c6
 4. d5

   White is trying to avoid neo-Gruenfeld variations such as 4. Nf3 d5, which
   are notoriously solid.  I haven't seen the text move in the books, but I
   would not be surprised if both players were prepared for it.

 4. ... Bg7
 5. Bg2 O-O
 6. Nh3 cxd5
 7. cxd5 d6
 8. Nf4 Na6
 9. O-O Nc5
10. Nc3 Bf5
11. Be3 Rc8
12. Bd4 a5

    With his long diagonal covered, White was ready to play 13. b4, which Black
    therefore prevents.  But there was another threat ...

13. e4!

    The pawn is immune:  13. ... Ncxe4 14. Nxe4 Nxe4 15. Bxg7 Kxg7
    16. Bxe4 Bxe4 17. Qd4+, or 13. ... Ncxe4 14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Bxf6 Bxg2
    15. Bxg7, etc.

13. ... Bd7
14. e5!??

    Playing over the game for the first time, I was surprised by this move.
    Isn't there a way to consolidate the gain from White's last move?

    One possibility is 14. Nd3.  This exchanges Black's best piece for White's
    awkward knight.  The bishop on d4 is temporarily hanging, but I do not see
    a way to take advantage of this:  14. ... Nxd5? 15. Bxg7, or 14. ... Bg4
    15. f3 Nxd5? 16. Bxg7 Ne3 17. Qc1!, and no matter how he wiggles, Black
    will not regain the whole piece.

    If White wants to keep all the minor pieces on, he should instead play
    14. a4, since otherwise Black's counterplay by ... b5, ... b4, and ... Bb5
    would be dangerous.

14. ... dxe5
15. Bxe5 Bg4!

    This is more accurate than 15. ... Bf5, after which White might keep some
    advantage by 16. Re1; for instance, 16. ... Re8 17. d6 exd6 18. Qxd6.
    Black can blockade the d-pawn by 15. ... Ne8, and he might defend this
    position successfully, but could not expect more.

16. Qe1?

    Either 16. f3 or 16. Bf3 was necessary, but either way White would have
    no more than equality.

16. ... g5
17. Bxf6

    If 17. Nh3 h6, threatening both 17. ... Qd7 and 17. ... Nd3.

17. ... Bxf6
18. Nfe2 Nd3
19. Qd2 Nxb2
20. Qxb2 Bxe2
21. Qxe2 Rxc3

    White was fortunate to escape with the loss of no more than a pawn.

22. Rab1 Qc7
23. Qh5 Kg7
24. Be4 h6
25. Rfe1 b6
26. Rbd1 Qd6
27. Qg4 Rh8
28. Bb1 h5
29. Qf5 h4
30. Kg2 Rc7
31. Qg4 b5
32. Re3 Rc4
33. Qf5 Qc5
34. Re6?

    It was necessary to hang in there and hope that at some point Black's
    progress could be stopped.

34. ... hxg3
35. hxg3 fxe6

    Now 36. Qg6+ Kf8 37. dxe6 threatens two mates in one, but Black answers
    37. ... Rh2+! 38. Kxh2 Qxf2+ 39. Kh1 (if 39. Kh3 g4+) 39. ... Qf3+
    40. Kh2 Qe2+, then picks up the rook with check, and then checks until he
    can capture the e-pawn, and it's all over.

White Resigns