Tal Memorial: Gelfand Stopped Unsuccessful Chain of Losses

Boris Gelfand – Peter Svidler decided to finish their game peacefully in the 4^th round of Tal Memorial. Black grabbed initiative in the middle of the game by gaining quite enough compensation for a pawn, which means draw can be considered as Svidler’s success. Thus, Gelfand stopped unsuccessful chain of losses.

At the press-conference Svidler criticized his choice 12.Rd1, which allowed pawn sacrifice 12...c5.

After 17...Rb8! Svidler had already “understood everything” and was concerned “not to lose quickly”. 

[Event "6th Tal Memorial"] [Site "Moscow RUS"] [Date "2011.11.19"] [Round "4"] [White "Svidler, Peter"] [Black "Gelfand, Boris"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A13"] [WhiteElo "2755"] [BlackElo "2744"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2011.??.??"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. g3 dxc4 4. Qa4+ c6 5. Qxc4 b5 6. Qc2 Bb7 7. Bg2 Nd7 8. a4 a6 9. O-O Ngf6 10. Nc3 Be7 11. d4 O-O 12. Rd1 c5 13. axb5 axb5 14. Rxa8 Qxa8 15. Nxb5 Be4 16. Qd2 cxd4 17. Nbxd4 Rb8 18. Nh4 Bc5 19. Qe1 h6 20. Bxe4 Nxe4 21. Be3 Ndf6 22. Nc2 Rxb2 23. Bxc5 Rxc2 24. Bd4 Qa6 25. Kf1 Nd5 26. f3 Nd6 27. Rc1 Qc4 28. Rxc2 Qxc2 29. Ng2 Nc4 30. Qa1 Nd2+ 31. Kf2 Nb3 32. Qb2 Nxd4 33. Qxd4 Qc3 34. Qxc3 Nxc3 35. Nf4 Kf8 36. Nd3 Ke7 37. e4 Kd6 38. Ke3 e5 39. Kd2 Nb5 40. Ke3 Nc7 1/2-1/2