Game is commented by IM Vladimir Barsky

Alexander Motylev – Mikhail Ulibin
French Defense

On the first table a top-seed Alexander Motylev (Ekaterinburg) has won the good game against Michael Ulybin – the big expert on French Defence.

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 b6
Not the main line. Black postpone blasting c7-c5 and want to exchange white-square Bishops at first.

5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qd7
Taking care about Pg7.

7.Qg4 f5 8.Qg3 Ba6 9.Bxa6 Nxa6
Certainly, this exchange is favorable for Black, but they should spend some rates for finding a place for Knight а6.

10.Ne2 Kf7

11.h4
This move was applied by Anand in his recent blitz-game against Ivanchuk. Earlier was played 11.a4. Further it is possible 11…c5 (11...Ne7 12.h4 c5 13.Qd3 Qb7 14.Bg5 cxd4 15.Bxe7 Kxe7 16.cxd4 Kf7 17.c3 Rhf8 18.Nf4 Nc7 19.h5 White is better, Sveshnikov – Gulko, Moscow 1976) 12.h4 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nb4 14.Qb3 Nc6 15.Bd2 Nge7 16.0-0 Rhc8 17.Qg3 Na5 18.Bxa5 bxa5 19.c3 Rab8, Black has achieved the equality, Shashikant – Ulibin, Gurgaon 2009.

11...c5
11...Qa4 12.Qd3 c5 13.Rb1 Ne7 14.h5 Rhc8 15.Rb2 Kg8 16.Nf4 Rc6 17.0-0 Rac8 18.Qg3 Rf8?! (Better 18...h6 19.Ng6 Nxg6 20.Qxg6 cxd4 21.Bxh6 R8c7 with mutual chances) 19.h6 g6 20.Nh5 cxd4 21.Qh4 Rf7 22.Nf6+ Kh8? (Decisive error, it was necessary 22...Kf8! 23.cxd4 Rc4) 23.Ne8 Ng8 24.Nd6 Rf8

25.Qd8! (Effective distracting sacrifice) 25…Rc8 26.Qxc8!, Black resigns, Anand – Ivanchuk, Moscow 2009.

12.h5 Rc8 13.h6 g6 14.Qh4!
An excellent field for Queen: Black can not deduce Knight on е7 because of the deadly check on f6, and on 14 … Qе7 is unpleasant 15.Bg5 with the subsequent Bf6. Thus, Black’s King side "is frozen".

14...cxd4 15.cxd4 Rxc2 16.Rh3 Qb5
Attempt to complicate the game. For example:
16...Qe7 17.Bg5 Qc7 18.Rd1! (слабее 18.Bf6 Qc4! 19.Re3 Rxe2+ 20.Rxe2 Qc3+) 18...Ne7 19.Nc3! Qd7 (19...Rxc3 20.Rxc3 Qxc3+ 21.Bd2, with idea Qf6) 20.Rdd3, and White wins.

17.Nc3 Qc4 18.Bd2

18...Nb8?
Certainly, it would be desirable to recover Nа6, but Black have no time. It was necessary 18... Ke8!, though here again after 19.Rb1 Ne7 20.Kd1 Rxd2 + 21.Kxd2 Nc6 22.Nb5 White is much better.

19.Rb1 Nc6 20.Nb5 Qa2 21.Nd6+ Kf8 22.Rd1 Qb2 23.Rd3
But Motylev chooses the most reliable line. Pay attention: Qh4 and Nd6 have tightly held down four enemy pieces! Black there is nothing to do.

23...Rxd2
Despair sacrifice.

24.R3xd2 Qxa3 25.Rc2
Black resigned.