Game is commented by IM Vladimir Barsky

E.Najer – V.Shinkevich
Round 4

Sharp theoretical duel in one of actual lines in Slav Defence became the most effective in the 4th round.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4
The first Antimoscow visitor of Moscow festival, - at least, among those games which get to online.

7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bd6
It is a key variant position for today. White has more than a sufficient compensation for a pawn: they control the centre and prevent to Black finish the development.

13...e5
13...a6 is more popular, but the last time White was more successful here: 14.a4 e5 15.Bg4 exd4 16.e5 c5 17.Re1 (17.f4 dxc3 18.bxc3 Bf8 19.Qe2  Bacrot – Aronian, Novi Sad 2009) 17...Nxe5 18.Bxe5 0-0 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Ne2 f5 21.Bh5 f4 22.Nxd4 cxd4 23.Re6 Bc8 (Anand offered 23...Rf6) 24.Rg6+ Kh7 25.axb5 White is better, Anand – Leko, Moscow 2009.

14.Bg4 exd4
After 14...h5 15.Bxd7+ Qxd7 16.dxe5 Qe6 17.Qd4 g4 18.f4 gxf3 19.Rxf3 White much better, Izoria – Riazantsev, Corsico 2005.

15.e5!
Effectively and strongly!

15...Nxe5
Single shot. The capture on е5 is a novelty which was, obviously, thought up behind a board and has not affected a position estimation. Earlier met 15...h5 16.Bxd7+ Qxd7 17.Qxd4 Qg4 18.Qc5 Rh6 19.Rad1± Kurukin – Matsenko, Rybinsk 2007.

Badly to take a Knight because of such a beautiful variant: 15...dxc3 16.e6 Ne5 (16...fxe6 17.Bh5!#; 16...Nf6 17.Bh5 Nxh5 18.Qxh5 Qxd6 19.Qxf7+ Kd8 20.Qxg7 etc.)

17.e7! Qb6 18.Bxe5 Bxe5 19.Qd7#.

16.Qxd4 h5
Not better16...Nxg4 17.Rae1+ Kd7 18.Be5+ Kc8 19.Qxg4+ or 16...Qb6 17.Qxb6 axb6 18.Rfe1 f6 19.Rad1 h5 20.Bf5 etc.

17.Rfe1

17...f6
After 17...hxg4 18.Rxe5+! Bxe5 19.Qxe5+ Kd7 the King escapes on Queen side, but receives: 20.Ne4! Kc8 21.Nc5 Re8 22.Qf5+ Re6 23.Qxf7 with solving threats.

18.Bxe5 fxe5 19.Rxe5+ Bxe5
Nothing changed 19...Kf8 20.Qc5+ Kf7 21.Be6+ Kg6 22.Rd1.

20.Qxe5+ Kf7 21.Be6+ Kg6 22.Rd1 Qf6

23.Bf5+!