Svidler-Leko with analyses of IM Perunovic

IM Miodrag Perunovic is good friend of mine. He is WCN Site Pro and he's also writing column on openings theory for "Chess Chronicle" magazine. Miodrag will be sending analysed games occasionally.


1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6

Svidler was a little surprise on the tournament in Argentina. Of course, he was very popular and strong player all these years and his results were very good especially in 2002/2003 season , but no one could expect such a good result of him! On the other hand, we have Leko one of the strongest player nowadays , but on this tourney he was big disappointment! With poor start, unrecognized style of playing during the entire tournament and unsatisfactory result at the end , we must admit this wasn't his tournament!

3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3

With 8.h3 white avoids Marshall attack where black has sufficient compensation for the sacrificed pawn. Another attempt would be c3 which was seen in few games on this tourney as well mainly played by Adams

8... Bb7 9. d3 Re8

Re8 is just one of the possibilities here. Black wants to strengthen up e5 pawn by playing Re8 and also wants to play Bf8 or Bc5 in the right moment.

10. a4 h6

An important intermediate move which prevents Ng5 or Bg5 in some moments. For example if ... (10... d6 11. Ng5 Rf8 12. f4 Nd4 13. Ba2 Qd7 14. c3 Ne6 15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. Qb3 Bc8 17. f5 Strong initiative could arise from this order of moves, with a pretty odd position)

11. Nc3 b4 12. Nd5 Na5 13. Ba2 Bc5 14. Bd2

Very strong move which attacks pawn on b4 and in the same time prepares easily c3.

14... Bxd5

(14... Nxd5 Quite logical attempt to keep the pair of bishops on the board wouldn't be such a good continuation 15. exd5 bishop on b7 would be very limited 15... Qf6 16. Re4)

15. Bxd5 Nxd5 16. exd5 Qf6 17. c3 bxc3 18. Bxc3 Qb6 19. Rxe5 Bxf2+ 20. Kh1

Up to this move Leko played very nice. All of a sudden with few suspicious moves he led his position to easily lost game! Definitely he wasn't in good shape in
Argentina! Pity for a player who has such an enormous talent!


20... d6

(20... f6 21. Re4 Nb7 Aiming for Nd6 22. a5 Qb5 23. Nd2 Nc5 24. Qg4 Kf8)

21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. b4 Nb7 23. Ra2

Nice manoeuvre! Idea is Re2 and Nd4 with Qg4 later...Will he manage that....

23... Bg3 24. Re2 Rd8 25. Nd4

With only few strong moves Svidler easily transposed game to a winning one. Nd4 is just one of them in a row. Idea is a5, Nc6 , Re7 and Qg7

25... a5 26. Nc6 Rf8 27. Bd4 Qa6 28. b5 Qa8 29. Re7

Poor position for Leko who was one of the top seeds for WC title on this tournament.

29... Be5 30. Nxe5 dxe5 31. Bxe5 1-0