Grand Prix to end in May

Soumya Swaminathan (India)-IM Nils Grandelius (Sweden), Corus C, Wijk aan Zee 2010: 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6The Najdorf Sicilian, still highly regarded in spite of White's many recent victories. 6 Be3 e6 A solid alternative to 6 . . . e5 and 6 . . . Ng4. 7 f3 b5 8 Qd2 The English Attack. Nbd7 9 g4 Nb6 10 a4!? Nc4 Black spends a lot of time to eliminate White's harmless Bishop. However, both 10 . . . bxa4 11 Nxa4 and 10 . . . b4 11 Na2 a5 12 c3 give White an uncontested initiative. 11 Bxc4 bxc4 12 a5 Bb7 13 Na4 d5?! Too bold. More sensible is 13 . . . Nd7 14 0-0-0 Qc7 or 13 . . . Rc8 14 Qc3 Bxe4!? 15 fxe4 Nxe4 16 Qb4 Qh4+, as played by Anand. 14 g5 Nd7 15 0-0-0! Much more ambitious than 15 exd5 Bxd5 16 0-0, which settles for a small advantage. dxe4 16 fxe4 Inviting 16 . . . Bxe4, as White will use the e-file. For example, 17 Rhe1 Be7 18 Bf4 Bb7 (or 18 . . . Bd5 19 Nf5!) 19 Qe3 sets up 20 Nxe6. Rb8?! This new attempt will not justify 13 . . . d5. Only 16 . . . Nc5 17 Nb6 Nxe4 18 Qe2 Qc7, welcoming 19 Nxa8 Bxa8, fights for the initiative. However, White should decline the exchange sacrifice and attack by 19 g6! hxg6 20 Nxe6 fxe6 21 Qg4, with at least even chances. 17 Rhe1 Ba8 Now 17. . . Bxe4? 18 Bf4 Rb4 loses to 19 Nb6 Nxb6 20 Rxe4 Nd5 21 Nc6 or 20 . . . Na4 21 Nxe6! Qxd2+ 22 Bxd2 fxe6 23 Bxb4 Bxb4 24 Rxc4. 18 Nf5! The first of three sacrifices that will exploit Black's uncastled King. Bc6 Not 18 . . . exf5 19 exf5 Be7, as 20 f6 gxf6 21 gxf6 Nxf6 22 Qc3 Qc7 23 Bh6! Rg8 24 Qxf6 recovers the piece and keeps attacking. Or, if 18 . . . Bxe4, White wins with 19 Nd6+ Bxd6 20 Qxd6 Bf3 21 Rd4 or, more forcingly, 19 Bf4 Bxf5 20 Bxb8 Be7 21 Bf4 Bg4 22 Nb6 Bxd1 23 Rxd1 Nxb6 24 axb6. 19 Qc3! Bxa4 20 Rxd7! Qxd7 White's main point is that 20 . . . Bxd7 21 Nxg7+ Bxg7 22 Qxg7 Rf8 loses to 23 Bc5. Nor will 22 . . . Qxa5 23 Qxh8+ Ke7 24 Qf6+ Ke8 25 Rf1 save Black. Finally, 20 . . . Kxd7 drops too much material after 21 Rd1+ Ke8 22 Rxd8+ Rxd8 23 Nxg7+ Kd7 24 Nxe6 fxe6 25 Qxh8. 21 Nxg7+ Bxg7 Black returns the Rook but cannot quite stop White's threats. Murkier is 21 . . . Kd8 22 Rd1 Bd6 23 e5, although both 23 . . . Bc7 24 Rxd7+ Bxd7 25 Qxc4 and 23 . . . Kc8 24 Rxd6 Qb5 25 Bb6 (threatening 26 b3 and 26 Rd4) appear winning for White. 22 Qxg7 Qe7 23 Qxh8+ Qf8 24 Qe5 Correctly preferring a middlegame to an opposite-Bishops endgame. Qb4 25 Bd2 Qb5 26 Qh8+ Kd7 White refutes 26 . . . Ke7 most incisively by 27 Qf6+ Ke8 28 Rf1 Rb7 29 g6! hxg6 30 Bg5. 27 Qd4+ Kc8 28 Bf4 Rb7 29 Rd1 As 29. . . Rd7 30 Qh8+ leads to mate. Qd7 30 Qxc4+ Qc6 31 Rd4! No endgame! Bb5 32 Qb4 Qe8 33 Qc5+ Good enough, but the snappiest finish is 33 g6! hxg6 34 Qc5+ Qc6 35 Qf8+ Qe8 36 Rc4+! Kd8 37 Qd6+ Qd7 38 Bg5+ Ke8 39 Qe5. Qc6 34 Qf8+ Qe8 35 Rc4+ Kd7? A blunder, but 35. . . Kd8 36 Qb4 would only prolong the agony. 36 Qd6 mate.