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The Kann/Paulsen (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4
4.Nxd4 a6) was also subjected to a severe hammering. In the two games where
this variation was tested, White was able to develop an early initiative on the
queenside. In the first game we're going to examine, Svidler-Milov from round
one, the second player's early innovation was convincingly punished.
Svidler (2689) - Milov (2626)
Biel (1), 2000
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3
b5 6.Bd3 Bb7 7.0-0 Qb6 8.Be3 Bc5 9.Nce2 Nf6?!
The normal continuation is 9...Nc6.
10.b4! Bxd4
Maybe Black should try 10...Bxb4 11.Nf5 Bc5 12.Nxg7+ Ke7 13.Bg5 d6 14.Nh5 Nbd7. His king is slightly exposed, but his sound structure should count for something.
11.Bxd4 Qc7 12.c4! e5 13.Bb2 Nc6
13...bxc4 14.Rc1 d5 15.exd5 Bxd5 16.Bxc4 Bxc4
17.Qc2 Nbd7 18.Qxc4 Qxc4 19.Rxc4 and White has an obvious endgame advantage.
14.cxb5 axb5 15.Nc3 Nd4
A possible improvement was 15...Nxb4 16.Nxb5 Qb8.
16.Bxb5 0-0
16...Nxe4 17.Nxe4 Nxb5 (17...Bxe4 18.Bxd4 exd4 19.Qxd4 and g7 drops.) 18.Qg4 0-0 19.Nf6+ Kh8 20.Qf5! g6 (20...gxf6? 21.Qxf6+ Kg8 22.Bxe5) 21.Qxd7 and White should be winning.
17.Bd3 Rfd8 18.Re1
18...d5
At first glance it may look as though Black has obtained some play for the pawn, but this turns out to be an optical illusion.
19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Nxd5 Rxd5 21.Rc1 Qb7 22.Bc4 Rd7 23.a3 Rad8 24.Qd3 e4 25.Qe3 h6 26.h3 Rd6 27.Bf1
Svidler has spent the last couple of moves consolidating his position. White is now ready to start playing actively on the c-file.
27...Rd5 28.Rc4 Nf5 29.Qc1 R8d6?!
29...Nd4 was probably a better try.
30.Bxf6 Rxf6 31.Rcxe4
With two pawns safely in the bank, the rest should only be a matter of technique - something Svidler has in abundance.
31...Qb6 32.Re5
32...Ng3?
Black desperately tries to create some confusion.
33.Qc8+
33.Rxd5 Qxf2+ 34.Kh2 Nxf1+ 35.Rxf1 Qxf1 36.Qxf1
Rxf1 37.b5 was also winning, of course, but the text bags even more wood.
33...Rd8
Or 33...Kh7 34.Qc2+ g6 35.Rxd5 and White is a
rook up.
34.Qxd8+! resigns. 34.Qxd8+ Qxd8 35.Re8+
Qxe8 36.Rxe8+ Kh7 37.fxg3 and White is a bishop and two pawns up. 1-0
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