556 The British Chess Magazine
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After six rounds in this year’ s Dortmund the race for the title was neck and neck between Michael Adams and Vladimir Kramnik, both on 5 / 6 and two points ahead of the field. Round 7 proved to be decisive, as Kramnik slipped up, losing as Black against Dmitry Andreikin. This allowed Adams to open up a gap with the following nicely controlled win over Igor Khenkin.
G M Adams O I Khenkin
Dortmund, 2013 Caro-Kann, Classical B18 [ Rendle ]
1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 �d2 d × e4 4 � × e4 �f5 5 �g3 �g6 6 h4 h6 7 �f3 �f6
Slightly unusual from Khenkin. Black normally plays 7 … �d7 to prevent the knight from entering e5.
8 �e5 �h7 9 �d3 �bd7 10 � × h7
10 f4 had previously been played by Adams but it didn’ t turn out to be quite as testing after 10 … e6 11 � × h7 � × h7 12 �e3 �e7 13 �f3 �a5 + 14 c3 �hf6, and Black had equalised; M Adams – S Mamedyarov, London, 2012.
10 … � × e5 11 d × e5 �a5 +
11 … � × d1 + 12 � × d1 � × h7 13 �e2 would have given Adams just the kind of endgame advantage he craves. White is better due to his space advantage and the awkward placement of Black’ s knight on h7.
12 �f1 � × h7 13 e6
A very standard idea from Adams, breaking up Black’ s kingside pawn structure.
13 �e2 e6 may be a little better for White, but Black is very solid so it’ s a tough position for White to make progress from.
13 … �d5
After 13 … f × e6 14 �e2 it’ s unlikely that Black will hold on to e6 for long.
14 e × f7 + � × f7 15 �e4
XIIIIIIIIY 9r +- + kvl-tr0 9zpp +-zpqzpn0 9- + p +- +-zp0 9 +- +- +- +-0 9- +- + N +-zP0 9 +- +- +- +-0 9PzPP +-zPP + 0 9tR-vLQ + K + R0 xiiiiiiiiy The first new move comes from Mickey, and although Black may be able to equalise here it will take some very accurate play.
15 �f3?! was a rather unambitious choice in V Kovalev – A Dreev, Legnica, 2013, and after 15 … � × f3 16 g × f3 e6 17 �f4 �e7 18 �e5 0 – 0 19 f4 �ad8 Black was already slightly better and went on to grind out a win.
15 … �f6 16 � × f6 + � × f6?!
Khenkin makes his first mistake and it leads to a rather unpleasant middlegame for Black.
16 … e × f6! was the right way to recapture. After 17 �h3 �e7 Black is going to castle into safety. Black’ s kingside pawn structure isn’ t ideal, but with rooks coming to the centre very quickly he should be OK here.
17 �h3!
An unconventional, if obvious, way to bring the rook into the game quickly highlights the problems of Black’ s last move – the queen on f6 is a clear target here.
17 … e6 18 �e3 �e7?!
18 … �d8 19 �h5 + �f7! was a better defensive try for Black although the ending after( 19 … g6?! 20 �f3! g × h5 21 � × f6 �e7 22 �f4 and �lack is in a lot of trouble) 20 � × f7 + � × f7 21 �f3 + �e8 22 � × a7 �e7 and obviously White has good winning chances here.
19 �d4 �g6?!
This loses a pawn immediately but Black’ s position was already much worse.
20 �g3 �f5 21 � × g7 �f8 22 �g4