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(note: the main line is in bold, variations are in red, and subvariations are in violet)
This game comes from a recent online tournament which was won by Shipov, a very strong Russian Grandmaster. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 The Slav Defence of the Queen's Gambit Declined. Black's initial aim in lines like these is to control the square e4 and stop White from establishing an ideal pawn center; that is why he declines the initial pawn offer (2. c4). [Black had other options, such as 2...e6 which leads to the more classical lines of the QGD; or 2...dxc4 which is a counter-attacking line known as the Queen's Gambit Accepted. It immediately allows White control of e4 if he wants it, but with an open center Black's development is more comfortable than in many QGD lines.] 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 So far, development has been normal. But why does Black choose to exchange his strong central pawn? The answer is a little complicated. Though it may not be immediately evident, one of Black's biggest goals is to make a central break with an eventual ...c5 or ...e5. His hope is that by freeing the center, his pieces will become less cramped and he can generate some counterplay. However, after both of these moves, the pawn on d5 is inevitably weakened and in fact, White can make central exchanges himself that serve two goals: (1) He opens the center for his own pieces, and (2) he gives Black what is known as an IQP or Isolated Queen's Pawn, which is a pawn on the d-file that cannot be supported by either the e-pawn or the c-pawn. This can be an asset, but it usually means a weakness for the second player. That is why Black gives up his central pawn, so that it won't become isolated after his eventual central breaks. 5.a4 While this might seem unorthodox, White is simply trying to stop Black's ...b5, which would protect the loose pawn on c4. Now White can easily recapture with a later e3 or e4. [For instance, after 5.e3 attacking the c4 pawn, Black can throw in 5...b5 with a slight positional advantage and material superiority.] 5...Bf5 Black wants to get his light-squared Bishop out of the way so that he can play ...e6 and allow for the development of his dark-squared Bishop. If he had played ...e6 first, then the Bishop would have had an unhappy life on the back-rank. He also begins to attack the all-important square e4. These last two moves (5. a4 Bf5) are the current theoretical main line of the Slav Defense, and according to theoreticians, Black's best try for equality. [5...e6 6.e3 Bd6 7.Bxc4+/=; 5...Qa5!?N is an interesting try for the initiative. This move prepares ...b5 by pinning the pawn against the rook on a1.] 6.Nh4!? A fairly rare sideline, but the fact that Shipov plays it shows that it has gained theoretical prominence. White's idea here is to challenge Black's attempt to control e4 and to also take away the potentially dangerous Bishop-pair; now White loses tempo if he retreats the Bishop. 6...e6! staying with the plan. Black does not want to give into White's wishes, and accepts the theoretical weaknesses of doubled-pawns (on f7 and f5) as well as cession of the Bishop pair. What does he get for his trade? Heightened control of e4 with the pawn on f5! 7.Nxf5 exf5 Even though Black's pawn-structure is slightly damaged, it is by no means weak. 8.Bg5 Be7?!N The novelty of the game, or the move that departs from the previous "stem" game. In other words, after 8...Be7 a position is on the board that has never been played before. I think that the theoretical recomendation 8...Bb4 (see below) is probably stronger, but Rychagov may have been aware of the game played last year between the strong GMs Tregubov and Kasimdzhanov, which led to a murky and sharp position. This move 8...Be7 is probably more solid but seems passive to some degree. [8...Bb4 a more active try, aiming to augment control of e4. 9.e3 Qa5 (9...h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Bxc4 a5 12.0-0 0-0 13.Qh5 Qg5 Ekstroem-Pelletier, Pula 2000) 10.Bxf6 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Qxc3+ 12.Ke2 gxf6 13.g3 Na6 14.Kf3 was unclear in Tregubov-Kasimdzhanov, New Delhi 2000; The other try is the more passive 8...Nbd7 9.e3 Qa5 10.Bxf6 Nxf6 11.Bxc4 Bd6 and White had a slight advantage in Umansky-Kuporosov, Gorky 1989] 9.e3 9...0-0 10.Bxc4+/=
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The critical position of the opening. White has an advantage due to his central presence and slightly improved development, in addition to the Bishop-pair, though Black is in good shape due to his ability to put a piece on e4 and later achieve an equalizing ...c5 break. 10...Ne4! an advantage of the move ...Be7. Now the position is similar to the drawish lines of the Orthodox QGD. 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 By trading off minor pieces, White's (slight) space advantage becomes even less important. Black can practically consider himself equal here, especially since his dream of occupying e4 has become, for the time being, a reality. On the other hand, White wants to prove the strength of his bishop, which lacks a black counterpart. 12.0-0 [another idea is 12.Qc2 intending an eventual Rc1 with pressure along the half-open file 12...Nd7 13.0-0 Rfe8 14.a5 Rad8 15.Rac1 and White still has a slight edge, though, again, Black's nice rooks on half-open files and his advanced Knight are nothing to be upset about.] 12...Nd7 13.a5 gaining valuable queenside space and keeping Black's Knight out of b6 where it gains tempo against the loose c4 Bishop. 13...Ndf6 14.a6 b6
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[14...bxa6 15.Rxa6 c5 +/=. I estimate that a draw is the probable result of continuations like this, because White's initiative will eventually fizzle out. (15...Qd7 16.Qc2 Rfe8 17.Nxe4 fxe4 18.Rxc6 with a clear advantage due to the extra material, passed central pawn, strong bishop, and c-file dominance. Note that Black cannot capture the c6 rook due to the discovered attack against the queen that would follow, with Bxf7+.) ] 15.Rc1 Rac8 16.Qe2 Qb4?! It is unclear whether this is a useful placement of Black's queen. The idea is to pressure the pawn and Bishop, but White's queen on e2 holds the position easily. [16...c5! 17.Rfd1 Rfd8 18.d5 Nxc3 19.Rxc3 is equal] 17.Rfd1 Rfd8 18.Bd3 See how opening goals (control of central squares) are still alive right into the middlegame. 18...Qe7
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And now it seems that Black's 16th move was useless, since now the Queen moves back to e7 as to cover the all-important e4 square. 19.Qf3! Attacking both e4 and the hanging f5 pawn; White's advantage is starting to solidify. 19...g6 It is necessary to protect the pawn or else White's advantage becomes overwhelming. [probably better was 19...Qe6 20.Qh3! pinning the e4-protecting f5 pawn 20...c5 21.Nxe4 Nxe4 22.Bxe4 (22.Bc4 Qf6 23.Bd3 Rc6 24.f3 looks equal.) 22...Qxe4 23.dxc5 bxc5 with a slight advantage in White's favor.] 20.h3 [20.Rc2 with the idea of doubling on the c-file is also fine.] 20...c5
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Let us pause for a more thorough evaluation of the ideas of this position. Keep in mind that I want to avoid alot of concrete variations, so that the reader may find and analyze them. Black has just played ...c5, which solves his most important opening goals: (1) a central break that undermines White's space advantage there, and (2) the occupation of e4. White, on the other hand, has a slight advantage for two main reasons: he owns an unopposed bishop in a more-or-less open position, and the light squares on Black's queenside are very weak and open to invasion by White's superior minor pieces. White also dreams of establishing a strong Knight on the queenside after advancing his b-pawn to support his a-pawn. The fact that the rooks are opposed on half-open files suggests the strong potential for a minor-piece endgame. In situations like these, the side with the superior pieces normally has the advantage, though sometimes that advantage is difficult to realize. 21.Nb5 cxd4?± See above to understand the scope of this mistake. It does not lose, but it gives White the initiative and makes his plan of invading the queenside with a prepatory b2-b4-b5 much easier. Black probably felt that he had the best chances for a draw after the exchange of rooks. [much better for Black was 21...Nd5 22.dxc5 bxc5 (22...Rxc5 23.Rxc5 bxc5 24.Bc4 Nb6 25.Ba2 Rxd1+ 26.Qxd1 c4! and Black should secure the draw) 23.Bc4 Nb6 24.Ba2 Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1 Rd8 26.Rxd8+ Qxd8 lines like these look fine for Black, since White's primary advantage (the bishop vs. knight) is difficult to realize.] 22.Nxd4 Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Qd6 White was threatening 24. Nc6, winning easily 24.Rd1 Qc7 25.b4 Qc3?
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Black is trying to complicate matters, though this is inaccurate. Nd5 may have held on to the position. 26.b5 was forced 26...Nd2 27.Qe2 Nb3 Black now loses by tactical means, demonstrating the force of his error, ...Qc3. 28.Nc6! beginning the clearance of the d-file and demonstrating the superiority of White's rook. 28...Rd7 29.Qc2 Nd5 [29...Qxc2 30.Bxc2 Rxd1+ 31.Bxd1 Nc5 32.Nxa7 Nd5 33.Nc8 Nc7 34.a7 Na8 is without a doubt winning for White.] 30.Bxf5!
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Taking advantage of the undefended rook on d7. White's threat is to capture the queen, forcing the Black knight off of d5 when the d7 rook is lost. 30...Nxe3 [30...gxf5? 31.Qxc3 Nxc3 32.Rxd7] 31.fxe3 Black enters a forced tactical sequence, or else he is just down a piece and loses easily. It has turned out that the tactical complications he initiated with ...Qc3 were completely unfavorable for him. 31...Qxe3+ Taking care of White's first threat, which was to capture on c3. 32.Kh1 [32.Qf2?? is obviously bad, since it leaves the d1 rook undefended, but it actually leads to mate in 8 for Black: the nightmare of all players, to have a positionally won game and throw it away like this! 32...Rxd1+ 33.Kh2 Qxf2 34.Ne7+ Kg7 35.Nxg6 hxg6 36.Be4 Qf4+ 37.g3 Qf2+ 38.Bg2 Qg1#] 32...Rxd1+ Taking care of White's second threat, which was to capture the hanging rook on d7. Now Black can safely recapture the f5 bishop, but after the dust settles, things are looking grim. 33.Qxd1 gxf5 34.Nxa7+-
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34...Nd2? [better was 34...Nd4 35.Nc8 Nxb5 36.a7 Nxa7 37.Nxa7 Qc5+- Black can probably keep playing for a draw, though it would not be a very happy defense.] 35.Nc6 Ne4? Technically, Black was already lost, but this crushes any hopes he had for a draw. The threat of ...Nf2+, picking up the queen, is attractive, but White is one tempo ahead and is the one who nabs his opponent's queen. 36.Ne7+!
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[36.Ne7+ Kg7 (36...Kh8 37.Qd8+ Kg7 38.Nxf5+) 37.Nxf5+] 1-0
Summary: Shipov played very accurately and committed no life-threatening mistakes during this game that quickly turned tactical with a sharp sequence initiated by the defender Rychagov. Unfortunately this forced variation turned out to be very unfavorable for Black and Shipov ended all hopes for a draw with the nice shot 36. Ne7+. Rychagov's play turned out to be too inaccurate, and ultimately not active enough, though he came out of the opening just fine. This game just goes to show that you may be doing quite well having accomplished your opening goals, but if you do not continue to play actively and find a good middlegame plan, you may eventually succumb to your opponents wishes.