This next game also features Nazi Paikidze, who this time as Black plays an interesting and relatively new idea in the Classical Caro-Kann (11...a5!?). One of the benefits of doing these commentary game analyses is getting exposure to current master-level ideas, in the process obtaining a deeper understanding of how they vary from the standard plans. Most important to understand is why the idea is different and what it means for the position. This also provides further insight into more familiar plans, by contrasting the different evolutions of the position.
Here the main idea is to get a head start on Black's queenside expansion and also to provide a weakening pawn move (13. c3) - although analysis shows that this response is not necessarily automatic or best on White's part. The trade-off is slightly slower development for Black and a somewhat scary-looking (albeit manageable) kingside attack for White. Caro-Kann players need to look hard at the White ideas and Black defensive responses in these position types, for example the variations around move 21. The rest of the game also provides some useful lessons, including from Black's perspective on the importance of centralized queen activity and why it's important not to give up when down material, instead posing as many problems as possible for your opponent.
Contemporary commentary on the game can be seen
here on the ChessBase news site, with analysis by GM Josh Freidel.
[Event "ch-USA w 2015"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2015.04.09"]
[Round "8.3"]
[White "Abrahamyan, Tatev"]
[Black "Paikidze, Nazi"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B19"]
[WhiteElo "2322"]
[BlackElo "2333"]
[Annotator "ChessAdmin/Komodo 8"]
[PlyCount "133"]
[EventDate "2015.04.01"]
[SourceDate "2015.02.07"]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 {entering the "Main Line" Caro-Kann, although these
days it's the Advance Variation (3. e5) that is most played at the
professional level.} dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 {the Classical Caro-Kann.} 5. Ng3 Bg6 6.
h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bd2 {the standard
position in this line. Now Black varies, however.} a5 $5 {this appears to be a
new idea. Very little played, but with some recent high-level games where
Black scores well.} (11... Ngf6 {is normally played here.}) 12. O-O-O {this
seems to be an almost reflexive choice by White and scores 40 percent in the
database (the alternative c4 scores 0 percent). The logic is that Black no
longer can castle queenside safely, so by default must have the king stay in
the center or castle kingside. White therefore castles queenside and keeps the
rook on the h-file, for future attacking possibilities. This does in part play
into Black's main idea, however, which is to gain space on the queenside and
play there.} Bb4 {this provokes White's next move, which however is not forced.
The move is universally played in the database, an indication that it is
considered the obvious follow-up idea and the reason for playing ...a5 in the
first place.} 13. c3 (13. Ne4 $5 {ignoring the bishop sortie and spending the
tempo on mobilizing the knight is another option.}) 13... Be7 {having done its
job, the bishop returns to its standard square. Now White's king is less
secure, since the c3 pawn is a possible target for a future pawn lever.} 14.
Qe2 Ngf6 {at this point we have a standard position, but with c3 and a5 thrown
in. Structurally this has to favor Black a little, but this may be offset by
the tempo invested in the pawn move, unless it is put to further good use.} 15.
Ne5 {a standard attacking formation by White, seizing the central square and
freeing up the space in front of the f-pawn.} O-O {while it will take good
defensive (or counter-offensive) skills to protect the Black king, it's still
far better off castled than sitting on the e-file.} 16. f4 Re8 {this is a
standard defensive rook move in this line. While at first glance it may seem
unnecessary, the e6 pawn can become a serious weak point and tactical focus
for White, so the Re8 will help with that, as well as leaving the f8 square
potentially open for a bishop retreat.} 17. Kb1 {this proactively gets the
king off the c-file and protects the a2 pawn.} (17. f5 {is played in the only
other game in the database, but Black is able to neutralize this more
aggressive approach.} Bd6 18. fxe6 Rxe6 19. Nf5 Bxe5 20. dxe5 Rxe5 21. Qf3 Qf8
22. g4 Qc5 23. Be3 Qc4 24. Bd4 Qe2 25. Qxe2 Rxe2 26. g5 Ng4 27. Rdg1 c5 28.
Rxg4 cxd4 29. Rxd4 Nc5 30. gxh6 gxh6 31. Nxh6+ Kh7 32. Ng4 a4 33. Rf1 Kg8 34.
Nf6+ Kh8 35. Rd2 Re6 36. Kc2 b5 37. Rf5 Rc8 38. h6 Rec6 39. h7 Ne6 40. Rxb5 a3
41. Rf5 axb2 42. Kxb2 Rxc3 43. Rg2 Ng7 44. a4 R3c6 45. Rf3 Rb6+ 46. Ka3 Rc1 47.
Rb2 Ra1+ 48. Ra2 Rab1 49. Rc2 Ra1+ 50. Ra2 Rab1 {1/2-1/2 (50) Bobras,P (2535)
-Socko,B (2611) Germany 2015}) 17... a4 {Black normally would be looking to
play the ...c5 break around this time, and this would still be a viable way to
play. However, with the advanced a-pawn and White's king on the queenside, the
text move is natural.} 18. Nf1 {this seems like it just wastes time. Although
it frees up the space in front of the g-pawn, so would the alternative Ne4.
Perhaps White was reluctant to let Black exchange a pair of minor pieces on e4,
fearing it would harm her attacking possibilities.} (18. Ne4 Nxe4 19. Qxe4 Nxe5
20. fxe5 a3 21. b3 Bg5 $11 {does look OK for Black, for example.}) 18... a3 19.
b3 c5 $15 {in contrast with the variation above, White's pieces are
uncoordinated and Black's look well placed to follow up on the ...c5 break.}
20. g4 cxd4 21. g5 {the point of White's very aggressive play. Black now
chooses the wrong path.} dxc3 $6 (21... hxg5 {this is a difficult move to play
at the board, since it seems that White can now crash through on the kingside
in a typical attack. However, this is not the case.} 22. h6 {for example is a
typical move that normally threatens to break everything open.} (22. Nxd7 Nxd7
23. h6 g6 24. fxg5 Bxg5 $15 {is the best the engine can come up with, but
Black is fine.}) 22... Nxe5 23. h7+ {looks most threatening} (23. fxe5 Qd5 $17)
23... Kh8 24. fxe5 d3 $19 {and White has nowhere to go on the h-file, thanks
to his own h7 pawn.}) 22. gxf6 c2+ (22... cxd2 {is similar:} 23. fxe7 Qxe7 24.
Nxd2 $16) 23. Kxc2 Nxf6 $16 {Black has sacrificed a piece for two pawns and an
attack - which is always tempting, but only profitable if the attack lasts.
Here, White's king appears open, but after a few moves she is able to
consolidate her position.} 24. Kb1 {playing it safe, which allows Black the
chance for compensation.} (24. Ng3 Rc8+ (24... Qc7+ 25. Kb1 Rac8 26. Rc1 $16)
25. Kb1 Nd5 26. Qb5 $16) 24... Rc8 $6 {this looks like an obvious follow-up,
but is not threatening enough.} (24... Qd4 {threatening mate on b2 appears to
be Black's best chance for compensation. It's well worth remembering that
Black often needs to have a centrally-placed queen in order to do well (or
even sometimes survive) in the Classical Caro-Kann.} 25. Bc1 Ne4 $1 {a hard
move to spot, since it leaves the queen hanging. Black will regain the
material after forking on c3.} 26. Rxd4 Nc3+ 27. Ka1 Nxe2 28. Rc4 b5 29. Rc6
Rac8 {looks close to equal.}) 25. Ng3 {White has the time to redevelop the
knight, heading for e4.} Nd5 26. Rhe1 {this is too slow.} (26. Ne4) 26... Qb6
27. Ne4 f5 28. Nf2 {now Black can equalize, but she instead goes for a tactic
on e3 that does not fully work.} Rc3 $6 {here the rook cannot be captured, but
the maneuver Nf2-d3 gives White the advantage, unlike in the ...Bh4 variation
where Black would get the exchange in compensation.} (28... Bh4 29. Nfd3 Bxe1
30. Rxe1 Rc3 $11) (28... Qd4 {remains a good idea as well.}) 29. Nfd3 Rec8 30.
Rc1 Rxc1+ 31. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 32. Kxc1 {the exchanges can only benefit White, due
to the material balance.} Qg1+ 33. Kc2 (33. Qe1 $5) 33... Qa1 34. Nc1 $14 {
although White's king is more exposed, this is not sufficient compensation for
the material, since Black cannot put together sufficient threats against it.}
Bf6 $2 {overlooking White's threat on the e-file, although White immediately
returns the favor.} (34... Qb2+ 35. Kd1 Qd4 $16 {would keep the queen active
and centralized, while making the most of White's king in the center.}) 35.
Ned3 $6 (35. Ng6 Qb2+ 36. Kd1 $18 {and either the e6 or b7 pawn will fall to
White's queen.}) 35... Nc7 (35... Kf7 {would protect e6 less awkwardly and
keep the centralized Nd5.}) 36. Bb4 Bb2 37. Bd6 Bxc1 38. Nxc1 Qb2+ 39. Kd1 $16
{White has covered all her bases and the reduced material makes her advantage
more clear.} Qd4+ {exchanging on e2 would of course just give Black an
obviously lost endgame.} 40. Qd2 Qg1+ 41. Kc2 Nd5 42. Bxa3 {an obvious move,
but threatening the e6 pawn again with the queen (Qe2) might be more
advantageous, as the a3 pawn isn't going anywhere.} Qh1 43. Nd3 Qxh5 {Black is
still fighting hard and looking for imbalances - in this case kingside pawns
to match White's queenside pawn threat - that can give her drawing chances.}
44. Bb2 Qf3 45. a4 h5 46. Bd4 h4 47. Qf2 Qh5 48. Qg1 Qf7 $6 {Black gives up
the queen's activity, which has served her so well up to this point.} (48...
Qe2+) (48... Qh6 {would alternatively maintain support for the h-pawn while
pressuring f4.}) 49. Kb2 Nf6 50. Qg5 {White in contrast now muscles in with
her queen.} h3 {it's looking desperate for Black now.} 51. Nf2 $19 (51. Qg3 {
is simpler and better, guaranteeing the loss of the h-pawn.}) 51... h2 52. Qh4
{this allows Black to start making threats again.} (52. Qg2 {interestingly is
the only move that retains White's significant advantage, again due to forcing
the issue with the h-pawn. Black unlike in the game cannot play ...Qf7 in
response, as then the response would simply be Bxf6, with the g-pawn pinned.})
52... Qd7 53. Bxf6 $6 {White (perhaps in time trouble) seems to want to
simplify, even at the cost of material.} (53. Bc3 $5) 53... Qd2+ $1 {this
intermediate move equalizes, as opposes to simply recapturing on f6
immediately.} 54. Ka3 Qd6+ $2 {unfortunately, the recapture was now necessary
for Black to get back in the game.} (54... gxf6 {and now whatever White does,
Black will be able to get a perpetual after playing ...Qc1+}) 55. b4 gxf6 56.
Qxh2 $18 {in contrast with the above variation, Black's queen is now out of
position and has to spend a tempo, giving White time to act.} Qd4 57. Qg3+ Kh8
58. Nd3 (58. a5 $5 {passed pawns must be pushed!}) 58... Qc3+ 59. Ka2 b6 60.
Qe3 Kh7 61. Qe2 Kg6 62. Qd1 e5 {to Black's credit, she continues to fight,
taking whatever space White will give her.} 63. Qg1+ Kf7 64. Qd1 Kg6 65. Qg1+
Kf7 66. Qd1 Kg6 67. Qg1+ {and White takes the draw, evidently not seeing a way
to make progress.} 1/2-1/2
