Gelfand (2761) – Gashimov (2759) [A61]
Linares (Round 1), 13.02.2010
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.Bf4 Bg7 8.Qa4+ Bd7 9.Qb3 b5 10.Bxd6 Qb6 11.Be5 0–0 12.e3 b4 13.Nb1 a5 14.a4 Bg4 15.Nbd2 Nbd7 16.Bb5 Rfd8 17.Bg3 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Qa7 19.0–0 Nxd5 20.Bc6 c4 21.Nxc4 Nc5 22.Qc2 Rac8 23.Bxd5 Rxd5 24.Nd6 Rc6 25.Rad1 Rxd1 26.Rxd1 Qa6 27.Nb5 Ne6 28.Qb3 h5 29.h4 Bf6 30.Rd6 Rxd6 31.Nxd6 Qc6 32.Qc4 Qxf3 33.Qc8+ Nf8 34.Qc2 Be7 35.Nc4 Qd5 36.b3 Ne6 37.Qd2 Qxd2 38.Nxd2 Bd8 39.Kf1 Nc5 40.Ke2 f5 41.Bd6 Nb7 42.Bg3 Kf7 43.e4 fxe4 44.Nxe4 Ke6 45.Kd3 Kd5 46.f3 Be7 47.Bf2 Nd8 48.Bb6 Nc6 49.Bf2 Ne5+ 50.Ke2 Bd8 51.Nd2 Nc6 52.Kd3 Ne5+ 53.Ke2 Nc6 54.Kd3 Game drawn ½–½
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Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
At one point I thought Gashimov was dead.
Excellent and entertaining analysis on their game by GM Giri on chessbase
( http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6125 )
Gashimov should have been dead, in my opinion. Losing the pawn on d5 really killed Gelfand’s advantage to my eye. I think Gelfand must have missed something in the line after 20. …c4- eventually allows the attacked rook to c8 protecting everything and from losing another pawn. However, who knows. If Gelfand doesn’t castle, maybe there was something even worse in store than a draw.
Gashimov is the best player on earth. It’s a pitty he’s the only one knowing it.