In 2000, Alexander Grischuk reached the semifinals of the world championship cycle, earning a well-deserved reputation as one of the top players in the world. Since then, Grischuk has retained that reputation but has not competed in many tournaments, dividing his time between chess and another high-risk game: poker. But Grischuk participated in the just-concluded world championship qualification matches in Elista, and earned a place in the world-championship tournament itself that will take place this fall in Mexico. Grischuk most impressive contribution at Elista came in his victory over Sergei Rublevsky, which he earned not via bluffing but by playing the right cards.

GRISCHUK VS. RUBLEVSKY

( w h i t e ) ( b l a c k )

Sicilian Defense

1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 d6 7.0-0 Nf6 8. Be3 Bd7 9.a4 Be7 10.f4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Bc6 12.b4! 0-0 13.b5 Be8

This variation was long considered dubious but was revitalized recently by Rublevsky, perhaps only temporarily. Rublevsky discovered the idea behind black’s 14th move, but the problems black can face in this variation are well illustrated in Fishbein-Psakhis 1992, where after 13…Bd7 14.e5 Ne8 15. Ne4 d5 16. Nc5 Bc8 17.c4! white obtained a significant advantage. 14.e5 Qc7! 15.b6 Qc6 16. Bf3! This is a novelty, obviously prepared especially for this game. In 2005 against Rublevsky, Svidler played here 16. exd6 Qxd6 17. Bf3 but after 17…Qb8! black obtained a good position. 16… d5 17. Rae1 Nd7

(See diagram)

The attempt to maintain the tension by playing 17…Rc8 18. exf6 Bxf6 would be met by 19. Nxd5! exd5 20. Qxd5 and because of the weakness on b7, the white pawn on b6 has a bright future. 18. Nxd5! exd5 19. Bxd5 Qc5 Black rushes to simplify the position, but wanders into an unhappy endgame. The attempt to keep the extra piece by 19…Qc8!? 20.f5 (20. a5!? could return the position to the main variation, but gave black the additional opportunity of 20… Kh8!? 21.f5 f6 22.e6 Ne5, which was not so attractive to him.) 20… Bc5 21. Qe4 Bxe3+ 22. Rxe3 Qc5! 23.a5! Rd8 24.c4 Kh8 (24…Qxa5 25.f6 Qxb6 26. Kh1with a decisive attack) 25. Kh1 f6 26. Rh3 h6 27.e6 Ne5 28. Bxb7 promised excellent compensation to white, but left more chances for black because the position would be extraordinarily complicated. A position highly unattractive for black would arise after 19…Qxc2 20. Rc1 Qf5 21. Bxb7 Rb8 22. Be4 Qh5 23.a5 and black can hardly move. 20.e6! Qxd4

Black would be lacking a pawn in the event of 20…fxe6 21. Bxe6+ Kh8 22. Bxd7 Qxd4 23. Bxd4. 21. Bxd4 Nf6 22. Bb3!

It suddenly become clear that black cannot save his e7 bishop. In the resulting endgame, the extra pawn has to bring white victory. Much worse for white was 22. exf7+ Rxf7! 23. Bxb7 Rd8 24.c3 a5! 22… Rd8 23. Bxf6 Bc5+ 24. Kh1 gxf6 25.e7 Bxe7 26. Rxe7 Bc6 27. Rc7!

Preparation for an exchange sacrifice on c6 at the appropriate moment. Black would have reasonable survival chances in the event of 27. Rfe1?! Rd2 28.R7e2 Rfd8. 27… Rd2 28. Re1! Rf2

Of course, black cannot take on g2 with his rook because of 29. Rxc6. There are no chances of escaping via 28…Bxg2+ 29. Kg1 Bc6 30. Ree7 Rfd8 31. Bxf7+ Kh8 32. Bh5! either. 29.h3 Rxf4 30. Ree7 Rf1+ 31. Kh2 Rf2 32. Rxc6! bxc6 33. Rxf7! Rf4

Or 33…Rxf7 34.b7 and the pawn queens. 34.c3!

Preventing 35…Rb4. The white bpawn is unstoppable now. 34… Re4 35. Re7+

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