World championship match 2013 round 6

In the game with normal time controls Schwarzman didn't give his opponent an inch. But in the rapid game he admitted to a very interesting classical middle game.

Georgiev - Schwarzman 2-0

13-18 22.35-30! 9-13 23.30-25 4-9 24.47-42 20-24 25.43-39 18-23 26.31-27 17-21 27.45-40 21-26 28.40-35 This type of classical position with pieces on 36 and 15 is often more complicated than it looks. A nice illustration of this is a game between Golovin and Baliakin in which exactly the same position appeared with the colors swapped.

Golovin - Baliakin 0-2 (1983)

29.38-33 7-11 30.43-38 14-20 31.25x14 9x20 32.37-31 26x37 33.42x31 20-25 34.31-26 1-6 The position is symmetrical. 35.40-34? This move looks quite normal, but in fact it is losing. 11-17! 36.48-43 15-20! White can not afford to reply with 37.36-31, since after 3-8 38.45-40 black has the last move with 6-11. So he was forced to play 37.27-21 16x27 38.32x21 23x32 39.38x27 25-30! 40.34x23 18x49 41.21-16 49x21 42.16x27 6-11! The material is still in balance, but the inactive piece on 36 is what makes the difference. 43.39-33 11-16 44.45-40 12-18! 45.40-34 18-23 46.35-30 24x35 and white resigned.

14-20 29.25x14 9x20 30.44-40 3-9 31.40-34 20-25 32.37-31 26x37 33.42x31 12-17 34.31-26 17-21 35.26x17 11x31 36.36x27 6-11

diagram 1

Black has a disadvantage now because of the weak piece on 15. 37.27-22! Georgiev does not allow his opponent to take control of the left wing using 11-17 followed by 17-21. 11-17! This is better than 16-21(?) 38.48-42! 9-14 39.35-30! 24x35 40.33-29 21-27 41.29x20 27x18 42.20-14 19x10 with advantage for white. 38.22x11 16x7 39.28-22 9-14(?) It was slightly more accurate to play 8-12 40.48-43 9-14, since then 41.35-30? 24x35 42.33-29 is prevented by 12-17 43.29x20 17x37 B+ 40.35-30! 24x35 41.33-29 23-28 42.22x33 White has a long term advantage now, due to the inactive black corner pieces on the right side of the board. 8-12 43.32-27 13-18 44.27-22 18x27 45.29-23 19x28 46.33x31 14-19 47.31-27 15-20 48.27-22 7-11 49.38-33 11-16 50.33-28 12-17 51.22x11 16x7 52.28-22 7-12 53.39-33 20-24 54.33-28

diagram 2

Schwarzman has to make some difficult decisions now. Due to the white defenders on 48 and 50 an easy draw is not available. 24-30! An alternative way to make a draw was 12-18 55.22x13 19x8 56.28-22 8-12 57.48-43 35-40 58.34x45 24-29 59.43-39 25-30 60.45-40 30-34 61.39x30 29-33 etc. But Schwarzman's move looks safer. 55.34-29 30-34! Here 19-24?! 56.29x20 25x14 57.28-23 30-34 58.22-18 12-17 59.18-13 34-39 60.13-8 35-40 61.8-3 40-44!! 62.3x43 44-49 was possible too, but such a variant is only recommended for people with nerves of steel. 56.29x40 35x44 57.50x39 25-30?? Now that a draw is within reach with 19-24!, Schwarzman collapses under the pressure. This is remarkable, since he had more than 2 minutes left on the clock, and the white win after this move is rather straightforward. 58.48-43! 30-35 Here 19-24 59.39-33! is also losing. 59.39-34 19-24 60.34-29! and black resigned because of the double opposition after 24x33 61.28x39 35-40 62.39-34 40x29 63.43-39. And so for the first time in the match Georgiev has taken the lead.