Alexander Georgiev - Nikolai Gulyaev 2-0

After Georgiev was prevented to play a match for the world championship against Boomstra, he did not play very much. But in the Russian Championship 2023 he made a spectacular come-back. With 3 points more than the number two he won the tournament, after winning it before in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2019. This is a phenomenal record, given that the Russian Championship is usually one of the strongest tournaments of the year. In the fifth round he won a very important game against Gulyaev.

1.32-28 19-23 2.28x19 14x23 3.35-30 10-14 4.40-35 13-19 5.30-25 8-13 6.34-30 17-21 7.30-24 20x29 8.33x24 19x30 9.25x34 14-19 10.35-30 2-8 11.30-24 19x30 12.34x25

diagram 1

21-26

This is an invitation for white to start a half-open classical strategy. Of course black had to neutralize the threat 25-20 15x24 31-27 21x32 37x30. But in this situation I would prefer 13-19 followed by 9-13 and 11-17.

13.31-27!

A problem for black is now that the natural development 11-17? is no longer possible. So black can only develop his right wing using 12-17, but this move is clearly in the wrong direction.

5-10 14.45-40 10-14 15.40-34 14-19 16.39-33 9-14 17.34-30 12-17 18.30-24!

With this exchange the black left wing is weakened, as it is recommended in half-open classical play.

19x30 19.25x34 7-12 20.44-40 4-9 21.50-44 14-19 22.40-35 9-14 23.44-39 3-9 24.34-30 17-21

diagram 2

25.38-32!

Georgiev closes the position, which is the most ambitious plan. The black position is very tricky now due to the missing piece on square 3. Had the piece on square 1 been on square 3, then the black position would be totally fine.

15-20 26.42-38 20-24 27.39-34 11-17 28.47-42 6-11

diagram 3

29.33-29! 24x33 30.38x29

With this typical exchange the black left wing is further dismantled.

17-22 31.43-39 22x31 32.36x27

diagram 4

23-28

Black had to make a very difficult decision here. This attack through the center is very risky, but that was also the case for other moves. If black plays 11-17 33.39-33 1-7, then white has several attractive options, although none of them seem to be winning.

First of all white can play 34.41-36 17-22 35.46-41 22x31 36.36x27 Now the only move for black is the temporary piece sacrifice 23-28 37.33x22 18-23 38.29x18 12x23. Surprisingly, white cannot take advantage of this situation. For example 39.32-28 21x32 40.49-43 leads to an equal position after 16-21 41.30-25 7-11 42.34-30 21-27 43.22x31 23-29.

Second, white can play 34.30-25 17-22 35.41-36 22x31 36.36x27 12-17 Now after 37.46-41!? the only move for black is 17-22, which allows white to make a king using 38.35-30 22x31 39.30-24 19x28 40.49-44 23x34 41.32x1 31-36 42.1x45 36x38 43.45-29. But this only leads to a draw after 13-18! 44.29x3 38-42. A better opportunity for white is therefore 37.49-43!, as was indicated by Ben Provoost. Now 17-22? is actually losing due to 38.35-30 22x31 39.30-24 19x28 40.43-38 23x34 41.32x1. But with the very hard to find 7-12! 38.46-41 17-22 39.41-36 22x31 40.36x27 12-17 41.33-28 17-22 42.28x17 21x12 43.43-38 23-28! 44.32x23 19x28 45.29-24 28-33! 46.38x29 12-17 47.24-20 18-23 48.29x18 13x31 49.20-15 8-13! 50.25-20 14x25 51.15-10 13-18 52.34-29 31-36 black can also survive this situation.

33.32x23 19x28 34.30-24!

This is much more aggressive than the plan suggested by the computer: 34.39-33 28x39 35.34x43 21x32 36.37x28 11-17 37.29-24.

21x32 35.42-38 32x43 36.49x38 26-31

It was absolutely necessary to immediately return the piece.

37.37x26

diagram 5

28-32!?

An easier defense was 1-7. Then 38.41-37? doesn't work due to the exchange 28-32! etc. A logical plan for white is therefore 38.38-32 28x37 39.41x32 and now 11-17! 40.34-30 17-21! 41.26x17 12x21 and black can hold the position.

38.38x27 11-17 39.34-30! 1-7?

The decisive mistake. Black should have played 17-21 40.26x17 12x32 41.39-33 14-19 42.30-25 19x30 43.35x24 9-14. Then black is just in time to counter the white attack after 44.24-20 1-7 45.20x9 13x4 and now for example 46.25-20 8-12! 47.29-24 18-23 48.20-15 23-29 49.24-19 29x38 50.19-14 16-21 51.14-10 21-27 52.41-37 32x41 53.46x37 38-42! 54.37-31 27x36 55.48x37 12-17! 56.10-5 17-21 57.5-19 21-27 with a draw.

40.26-21!

Using a beautiful double sacrifice Georgiev decides the game.

17x26 41.27-22!! 18x27 42.29-23 13-18 43.24-19 18x29 44.19x10 26-31 45.30-25 31-36 46.41-37 12-18 47.25-20 18-23 48.39-34 29x40 49.35x44 23-28 50.44-39 8-12 51.39-34 12-18 52.37-31 18-22 53.10-4 16-21 54.4x1 21-26 55.1-29 26x37 56.29-24 27-32 57.24-13 22-27 58.13x42 36-41 59.46x37 32x41 60.20-15 41-46 61.42-24 46-32 62.15-10 32-16 63.10-4 16-2 64.24-47 28-32 65.4-31 2-19