ELISTA round 11

In the frozen North, Elista to be precise, they are hard at it: one of the Grand Prix tournaments is taking place with 14 players taking part.

Carlsen has opted out of the circuit, and I can't blame him. Fide is mucking top players about yet again.

Not too charmed to have to follow another player, but chess is chess and I am having a look at the famous Wang today and see how he copes as White against Radjabov, who is the highest rated player in this G.P.as well as joint leader with Grischuk and Jakovenko.

They started again with with E92, K.I. Petrosian, and at the minute, Move 18, it looks like White has the upper hand.

However, Radja is following a game he played as Black against Onischuk (1/2) in 2004, where he hasn't deviated yet.



But now Radja plays 18.Re1 Qe7 rather than Ng8 as in the 2004 game.
Now we are in uncharted territory.



after Move 21.a3 axb4 22.axb4 *

Eval.+0.64 and 1 hr 47 vs 1 hr 28 mins



I walked 2 miles, whipped some cream, made coffee and dished out apple pie, while they executed all of two moves each. Mind you, Grischuk is still on move 16.

Don't care much for the configuration, with White's back rank being so full.
Move 25.Bb1 seemed timid. Would have preferred to see the LSB go to Bf1. But maybe Wang was afraid that it would get hemmed in? By the Queen?

and yes, 26.Qe2

Now it is time for Black to continue his attack, so finely started with 22...Ra3. Here the Knight wants to get into the action and then the black Queen via =d5= to the QS.

26....Rfa8??? NO no no, that's not the way to go.
Once again Radja doesn't hear me.

There was a fine line with 26....Nf5 27.Qxg4 Qf7 28.Ng5 Qxd5 29.Rcd1 Qb3 most moves forced.

Ah well, 26... Rfa8 it is then, but I do not think that this is much good for Black. Wang needs to make a mistake, and I don't think he goes in for mistakes.

Having said that........
It turns out that this is the story about the chap who wouldn't exchange on =d6= until it was too late.....and then they drew.