Leko – Ivanchuk, Linares 2006

White:
Peter Leko (2740)
Black:
Vassily Ivanchuk (2729)
Opening
Ruy Lopez: Anti-Marshall
Tournament
Linares 2006, Moerlia/Linares, Round 4
Date
22/02/2006
ECO Code
C88
Result
1-0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4
Leko’s favoured anti-Marshall attack. Although he’s tried the Black side of this against Shirov and Kasparov, losing both.
8… Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. Nbd2 Na5 11. Ba2 c5 12. Nf1 Bc8
A new move from the ever-inventive Ivanchuk. Black regroups his bishop towards the kingside where he hopes it will have better options. A downside is ceding the d5-square to White. Other continuations:

  • 12… b4 13. Ne3 Bc8 14. Nd2 Rb8 15. Ndc4 Nc6 16. Bd2 Be6 17. a5 Rb5 18. Bb3 Nxa5 19. Nxa5 Rxa5 20. Bxe6 fxe6 21. Nc4 Rxa1 22. Qxa1 Qc8 23. Qa2 Qc6 24. Na5 Qd7 25. Nc4 Qc6 26. Na5 Qd7 27. Nc4 Milos – Adams, Istanbul 2000 2001, 1/2 (27)
  • 12… Re8 13. Ne3 h6 14. Bd2 c4 15. Bc3 Qb6 16. Nd2 Nc6 17. Nd5 Nxd5 18. exd5 Na5 19. Bxa5 Qxa5 20. dxc4 Qxa4 21. c5 Qb4 22. Ne4 Qxb2 23. cxd6 Bf8 24. c3 f5 25. d7 Red8 26. d6+ Kh8 27. Nc5 Bc6 28. Nd3 Qxc3 29. Nxe5 Be4 30. Nf7+ Kh7 31. Ng5+ Kh8 32. Nxe4 fxe4 33. Qd5 Kh7 34. Qg8+ Kg6 35. Bf7+ Kf6 36. Bd5 Kasparov – Leko, Linares 2001, 1-0 (36)
13. c3
Shredder 7: 13. axb5 axb5 14. Bd2 Ra7 15. Ne3 Nc6 16. c3 Be6 17. Bxe6 fxe6 18. Qb3 Qd7 19. Rxa7 Nxa7 20. Nf5 Kh8 21. Nxe7 Qxe7 [eval 0.34/16]
13… Bd7 14. Ne3 Qc7 15. axb5 axb5 16. b4
This thrust holds back Black’s typical queenside counterplay. Leko is solidly removing Ivanchuk’s options.
16… Nb7 17. Bd2 Nd8?!
Another inventive move, trying to regroup his pieces and take a firm hold over the e6-square, but Ivanchuk doesn’t have the time for this manoeuvre. The knight can head for …f4 from here, hitting some key White squares.
18. Bb3
While Black can’t contest the a-file.
18… Rxa1 19. Qxa1 Re8 20. bxc5 Qxc5 21. Qa2
White has taken firm hold of the a2-f7 diagonal, which throws a spanner into Black’s plan of strongpointing the e6-square. Its White’s dominance of the d5-square that proves to be a bigger advantage.
21… h6 22. h3 Ne6 23. Nd5 Nxd5 24. Bxd5 +/-
Position after 24.Bxd5. With a strong advantage, Leko gets stuck into increasing it.24. exd5?! Ng5 25. Nh2 Bd8 =
24… Qc8 25. d4 Bf6 26. Qb3 Bc6 27. Qb4
Hitting the vulnerable d6-pawn. Also, White has some insidious pressure down the e-file.
27… exd4 28. cxd4 Bxd5 29. exd5 Ng5 30. Rxe8+ Qxe8 31. Bxg5 hxg5 32. Qxd6 Qe2 33. Qc5 Qc4?
In a difficult position, Ivanchuk hurries up the inevitable result.33… Qb2 34. d6 b4 +-
34. Qxc4 bxc4 35. Kf1 Kf8 36. d6 Ke8 37. Ne5 Bxe5
37… Bd8 38. Nxc4 Kd7 +-
38. dxe5 Kd7 39. g3
39. g3 f6 40. f4 +-
1-0
This entry was posted in Analysis, Anti-Marshall, Chess, Ivanchuk, Leko, Morelia/Linares, Ruy Lopez. Bookmark the permalink.

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