Leko vs Gelfand

(1) Gelfand,Boris - Leko,Peter [D43] Miskolc Rapid, 29.08.2010 [Berkes/Meszaros] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.h4 g4 11.Ne5 Rg8 12.Bxg4 Nbd7 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Bf3 c5 15.dxc5 b4!N Novelty. In the first game 16...Qxd1 happened with mutual chances. 16.Qxd7+ Nxd7 17.Nb5 17...Rc8! The key point of Black's plan. It's a very nice prophylactical move, after that White has no real threats. 18.0-0-0 [18.a3 Rxg3! 19.fxg3 Rxc5 20.Nd4 b3 ; 18.Nc7+ Kd8 ; 18.Nxa7 Rxc5 ; 18.Nd6+ Bxd6 19.cxd6 Nc5 ] 18...Nxc5 19.Nc7+ Ke7 20.Bd6+ Kf6 21.Bxc5?! [21.e5+ Kg6 22.Rh3 was a better continuation.] 21...Bxc5 22.Rd7 22...Ke5! It's a beatiful idea: Black sacrifices a pawn for the domination. The white kingside is completely paralysed. 23.Nxe6 [23.Rxf7 Rgf8 ] 23...fxe6 24.Rxb7 24...Bb6?! In the critical moment Leko didn't find the best positional plan. [24...Rb8 25.Rxb8 (25.Rc7 Rgc8 ) 25...Rxb8 26.Be2 (26.Rf1 b3! 27.axb3 Rxb3 28.Be2 Rb4 29.f3 Bd4 ) 26...Bxf2 27.Bxc4 Rc8 28.b3 Rg8!=/+ Leko missed this move in his earlier calculation.] 25.Rd1 c3 26.Rd3! Solves all problems! 26...Rgd8 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.bxc3 bxc3 1/2-1/2

(2) Leko,Peter - Gelfand,Boris [D43] Miskolc Rapid, 29.08.2010 [Berkes/Meszaros] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Ne5 Bb7 10.h4 Bg7 11.hxg5 hxg5 12.Rxh8+ Bxh8 13.Bxc4 In the last round Leko chooses the sharpest variation, one in which Gelfand won a beautiful game against Grischuk some months earlier. The reason is very logical: in their match Gelfand leads 4-3! 13...bxc4 14.Nxc4 Kf8 15.Nd6 [15.e5 Ne8 16.Qh5 Bg7 17.Ne4 Qe7 18.0-0-0 Nd7 19.Nxg5 c5 20.Qg4 cxd4 21.Rxd4 Bd5 22.Nd6 f5 23.Nxf5 Qc5+ 24.Kd1 exf5 25.Qxf5+ Nef6 26.Rd2 Rc8 27.b3 Kg8 28.Ne6 Qc1+ 29.Ke2 Ne4 30.Rxd5 Nc3+ 31.Kf3 Nxd5 32.Bf4 Nxf4 0-1 Grischuk-Gelfand, Dagomys 2010.4] 15...Qe7 16.e5 Ne8 17.Nce4 Nxd6 18.exd6 Qe8 After this move Leko started to think for a long time. 19.Be5?! In our opinion White has better attacking chances after 19.Qb3. Black has problems because of his b7 bishop, and White can take his rook into the action. [19.Qh5 Bg7 20.Nc5 Bc8 21.Qxg5 f6 22.Qe3 a5 ; 19.Qb3 Bc8 (19...Ba6 20.Be5 Bg7 21.Nxg5 Nd7 22.Nh7+ Kg8 23.Qg3 f6 24.Nxf6+ Nxf6 25.Bxf6 Qf7 26.Be5-> Bc4 27.0-0-0 Bd5 28.Rh1 Be4 29.Rh6+- ) 20.Be5 f5 21.Nc5© Qh5 22.Rd1 Bxe5 23.dxe5 Qh1+ 24.Kd2 Qxg2 25.Kc1 ] 19...f6 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Nxf6 Qg6 22.Qb3 [22.Qf3 Qf5 23.Kd2 Kf7 The computer thinks that White is OK, but by the classical rules Black must be better!] 22...Bc8 23.Ng4? Immediatly loses. After [23.Qf3 Qf5 24.0-0-0 Qxf3 25.gxf3 Nd7 26.Nh7+! In this very special position White has good drawing chances.] 23...Qe4+ 24.Ne3 Qxd4 25.Rd1 Qe5 26.Qc2 Nd7 27.Kf1 c5 28.Qh7 Qg7 29.Qe4 Ba6+ 30.Kg1 Re8 31.Ng4 31...Kg8?! [31...Qxb2-/+ was better.] 32.Re1 Bc8 33.Re3 Nf6? [33...Qh7!-/+ is controlling the important diagonal.] 34.Qc6? [34.Nxf6+ Qxf6 35.Rg3 Kg7 (35...e5 36.Qh4! ) 36.Qe3 Kg6 37.d7 Bxd7 38.Qd3+ Qf5 39.Qxd7 Qb1+ 40.Kh2 Rh8+ 41.Rh3 Rxh3+ 42.gxh3= ] 34...Rf8 35.Ne5 Nd7 36.Ng4 Nf6 [36...Qd4 37.Rg3 Kg7-+ ] 37.Ne5 Nd7 Gelfand had no reason to avoid repeating moves, because with this draw he won the match! Objectivly speaking Black's position is still winning. 1/2-1/2