Alisher Suleymenov vs Maxim Matlakov: game review

39.cxb5! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Takes the pawn on b5.
• Leaves Black with an isolated pawn on a7: a long-term weakness.
• The next best move, 39.c5, would drop White's winning chances from 49% to 34% (−1.80).
• 39.cxb5 trades pawns and leaves Black with an isolated pawn on a7.
• Trades pawns.
• The pawn on b5 can be taken by the knight on d4.

46…Kh7 is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 48% to 18%.

• White answers 47.h4, which attacks the knight on g5.
• Better was 46…Ra2 (+0.27): the rook reaches the seventh rank, where 1 pawn sits and the king is cut off on the back rank.

Better: 46…Ra2 wins a pawn, picking it up with 47…Rxa4, and threatens …Rxe2, winning the queen and a pawn. After 47.Qd3 Rxa4 48.Qd8+ Kh7 49.Ne7 f6, Black comes out a pawn up (+0.27).

47.Qh5 is a blunder: White's winning chances go from 82% to 49%.

• Black answers 47…Rxa4, which takes the pawn on a4.
• After Rxa4, Black wins 1 point of material within 2 moves.
• Better was 47.h4 (+4.13), which attacks the knight on g5.

Better: 47.h4 stops …Rxa4. After 47…Ra2 48.Qd1 Nxe4 49.Qg4 Ng5 50.hxg5 Qd5+, White comes out two pawns up (+4.13).

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 9…Ne7: 18 moves in all, 9 by White and 9 by Black.
• Theory runs out after 9…Ne7: too few games between strong players reached this position to go further.