(1) Bacrot,Etienne (2613) - Svidler,Peter (2689) [A16]
FIDE-Wch k.o. New Delhi/Teheran (2.1), 30.11.2000

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Qa4+ Bd7 6.Qh4 Nxc3 7.dxc3 Nc6 8.e4 e5 9.Bg5 Be7 10.Bc4 h5 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.0-0-0 Qxh4 13.Nxh4 Rf8 14.Rd2 0-0-0 15.Rhd1 1/2-1/2

(2) Svidler,Peter (2689) - Bacrot,Etienne (2613) [C95]
FIDE-Wch k.o. New Delhi/Teheran (2.2), 01.12.2000

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7 10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.Bc2 Nb8 13.a4 Nbd7 14.Bd3 c6 15.Nf1 d5 16.Bg5 dxe4 17.Rxe4 Be7 18.Re2 exd4 19.Nxd4 g6 20.axb5 cxb5 21.Bc2 Nd5 22.Qd2 Bxg5 23.Rxe8+ Qxe8 24.Qxg5 Qe5 25.Qxe5 Nxe5 26.Nd2 Rd8 27.Be4 b4 28.cxb4 1/2-1/2

(3) Svidler,Peter (2689) - Bacrot,Etienne (2613) [C95]
FIDE-Wch k.o. New Delhi/Teheran (2.3), 02.12.2000

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7 10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.Bc2 Nb8 13.b3 Nbd7 14.d5 c6 15.c4 Rc8 16.a4 b4 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.Nf1 a5 19.Ng3 Nc5 20.Nh2 g6 21.Ra2 h5 22.Nf3 Qc7 23.Bb1 Qb7 24.Rae2 Be7 25.Bc2 Nh7 26.Nf1 Nf8 27.Ng5 Bxg5 28.Bxg5 Nfe6 29.Bc1 Nd4 30.Re3 Nce6 31.Bb2 Rcd8 32.f3 h4 33.Rd3 Qe7 34.Qd2 Nxc2 35.Qxc2 Rd7 36.Ne3 Qg5 37.Kh1 Red8 38.Bc1 Qh5 39.Ng4 Kg7 40.Bh6+ Kh8 41.Be3 Kg7 42.Bb6 Rb8 43.Bxa5 f5 44.exf5 gxf5 45.Nxe5 dxe5 46.Rxe5 Qg6 47.Rxd7+ Bxd7 48.Qd2 Rb7 49.Bxb4 Kh7 50.Bc3 Bc8 51.b4 Rg7 52.Ra5 Rd7 53.Rd5 Rf7 54.Be5 f4 55.Qd3 Rf5 56.b5 Ng5 57.Rd8 Nf7 58.Rxc8 Nxe5 59.Qd8 Nf7 60.Qxh4+ Nh6 61.Rc6 Qg7 62.b6 Rf7 63.a5 Re7 64.Rxh6+ 1-0

(4) Bacrot,Etienne (2613) - Svidler,Peter (2689) [A23]
FIDE-Wch k.o. New Delhi/Teheran (2.4), 02.12.2000

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.g3 c6 4.Nf3 e4 5.Nd4 Qb6 6.Nc2 d5 7.Bg2 dxc4 8.0-0 Be6 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.Bxe4 Nd7 11.Ne3 Nf6 12.Bf5 Bxf5 13.Nxf5 Qb5 14.Qc2 0-0-0 15.Ne3 Re8 16.Re1 Re4 17.b3 Qh5 18.Bb2 Ng4 19.Nxg4 Rxg4 20.bxc4 Bd6 21.e4 Re8 22.d4 Re6 23.e5 Bb4 24.f3 Rf4 25.Rf1 Rxf3 26.Qe4 Rh6 27.Qh4 Rxf1+ 28.Rxf1 Qe2 29.Rf2 Qe1+ 0-1

(5) Svidler,Peter (2735) - Bacrot,Etienne (2715) [C93]
Poikovsky Karpov 6th Poikovsky (5), 03.03.2005

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7 10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.a3 h6 13.Bc2 Nb8 14.b4 Nbd7 15.Bb2 g6 16.c4 exd4 17.cxb5 axb5 18.Nxd4 c6 19.a4 d5 20.N4f3 bxa4 21.e5 a3 22.Rxa3 Rxa3 23.Bxa3 Nh5 24.e6 Rxe6 25.Rxe6 fxe6 26.Bxg6 Nf4 27.Bb1 Qf6 28.Kh2 Bg7 29.Qa4 Nf8 30.Qa7 Qf7 31.Qb8 Ne2 32.b5 Qf4+ 33.Qxf4 Nxf4 34.Bd6 Ne2 35.bxc6 1/2-1/2

(6) Bacrot,Etienne (2729) - Svidler,Peter (2738) [A40]
Dortmund Dortmund (3), 10.07.2005
[Stohl]

1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.e4 Nc6 4.Nf3 d6 5.h3 [After a bad start Bacrot doesn't display his usual ambitions and spurns the more enterprising alternative, which had already ocurred in his practice: 5.d5 Ne5 (5...Nb8 6.h3 e5 (6...c6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 a6 10.Be3+/= () 10...b5?! 11.cxb5 cxb5 12.b4 a5 13.Rb1 axb4 14.Rxb4 Bd7 15.Bxb5 Na6 16.Rb3 Qa5 17.Bd4 e5 18.dxe6 Bxe6 19.Rb1 Nb4 20.a4 Rfc8 Fridman,D-Appel,R/Essen/2001/ 21.Re1+/- ) 7.g4 c5?! 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Be3 0-0 10.Be2 Ne8 11.a3 a5 12.Qd2 Na6 13.0-0-0 Bd7 14.Rdg1 f6 15.h4 Rf7 16.Qd1 Nec7 17.g5 f5 18.h5 f4 19.Bd2 Bf8 20.Rh4 Rb8 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.Rgh1 Bg7 23.R1h2 Rf8 24.Qh1+- ->,Bacrot,E-Istratescu,A/FRA-chT/2003/) 6.Nxe5 Bxe5 7.Bd3 c5 8.0-0 /\Nd2-f3+/=] 5...Nf6 [More in the spirit of the line is 5...e5!? 6.d5 Nd4~~ , for example after (6...Nb8 7.g4 -5.d5; 6...Nce7!? 7.Be2 f5~~ ) 7.Be3 Nxf3+ 8.Qxf3 Black can develop his N more effectively to e7.] 6.d5!?N [6.Nc3 -E90 transposes to normal King's Indian lines.] 6...Ne5 [6...Nb8 7.Nc3+/= , now 7...c6 transposes to Fridman-Appel.] 7.Nxe5 dxe5 8.Nc3 0-0 9.Be3 e6 10.Bc5!? With this White prevents the Ne8-d6 manoeuvre, on the other hand Black gains an important tempo develop his Bc8 and free his position. [10.Be2 exd5 11.cxd5 (11.exd5!? ()) 11...Ne8 12.h4!?+/= (12.0-0 Nd6 /\f5<=>) ] 10...Re8 11.Be2 b6 12.Be3 Bb7 13.0-0 exd5 [13...c6 14.dxc6 Bxc6 15.Qc2+/= ] 14.cxd5 [14.exd5 c6 15.dxc6 (15.d6?! c5 16.Nb5 Re6 /\a6,Ne8,><d6) 15...Bxc6= ] 14...c6 15.dxc6[] [15.d6? Re6-/+ ; 15.Bc4?! cxd5 16.exd5 Rc8|^ ] 15...Bxc6 16.Qxd8 [16.Qc2!? also gives hite some chances to claim an edge, as Black still has to activate his Bg7.] 16...Rexd8 17.f3+/= Despite the symmetrical nature of the position, Black must still be very careful, as White's pieces are trained on his vulnerable <<. 17...Bf8! 18.Rfd1 [18.Bg5 Kg7= /\ 19.f4 Bc5+ 20.Kh1 Bd4 ] 18...Bb7 19.Kf2 Kg7 20.a4! Rxd1?! [20...Bb4 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Nb5|^ ; >=20...Bc5!?+/= /=] 21.Rxd1 Rc8 22.g4 [22.Nb5!|^ /\ 22...Bc5 23.Bxc5 Rxc5 24.Nd6 Bc8 (24...Bc6 25.b4 Rc2 26.b5 Bd7 (26...Be8 27.f4! Rc5 28.fxe5 Rxe5 29.Ke3+/- /\ 29...Nxe4 30.Kd4! ) 27.Nc4 Be6 28.Nxe5 Bb3 29.Rd4 Ra2 30.Nc6+/- ) 25.Bc4 Be6 26.Bxe6 fxe6 27.Ke3+/= /+/-] 22...h6 23.h4 Be7 24.Nb5 Bc5 25.Rd2?! [25.Bxc5 Rxc5 (25...bxc5 26.Rc1!+/- ) 26.Nd6|^ ] 25...Bb4 26.Rd3 Rc2!<=> 27.Rb3 [27.Nxa7 Rxb2 (27...Bxe4!? 28.fxe4 Nxe4+ 29.Kf3 Nf6~~ ) 28.Bxb6 Ra2= ; 27.g5 hxg5 28.hxg5 Nh5 29.Rd7 (29.Nxa7 Ba6 30.Nb5 Nf4= ) 29...Bc6 30.Rxa7 Bxb5 31.axb5 Nf4© ] 27...a5 28.Kf1? [28.Bxb6 Nd7 29.Be3 Nc5 30.Bxc5 Bxc5+© ] 28...Nd7|^ 29.Na3 Rc8 30.Nc4 Bc6=/+ 31.Rd3 [31.Nxb6 Nxb6 32.Bxb6 Bxa4 33.Rd3 Rc1+-/+ ] 31...Bxa4 32.b3!? White is already forced to sacrifice a pawn to face the growing pressure. 32...Bb5 33.Rd5 Bc6 34.Rd1 Rb8 [34...b5 35.Nd6 Bxd6 (35...Rb8 36.Rc1<=> ) 36.Rxd6© ^^] 35.Rc1 Bb5 36.Kf2 /\Nb6 36...Bxc4 37.Bxc4 Bc5 38.Rd1 Bxe3+ [38...Bxe3+ 39.Kxe3 Nc5 40.Rd5 Rc8 (40...f6 41.g5=/+ /<=>) 41.g5 (41.Rd6? b5 42.Bxb5 Nxb3-/+ ; 41.Rxe5 Nxb3!-/+ ) 41...Rc7!?=/+ ] 1/2-1/2

(7) Svidler,Peter (2738) - Bacrot,Etienne (2729) [C91]
EU-chT 15th Gothenburg (3), 01.08.2005
[Erenburg]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.d4 Another theoretical possibility is [9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7 1-0 Leko,P-Adams,M/Miskolc 2005/CBM 108_01/[Erenburg] (44)] 9...Bg4 10.Be3 White has two main principled attempts to fight for an advantage. Another one is: [10.d5 Na5 11.Bc2 1-0 Comp Hydra-Adams,M/London 2005/CBM 108_01/[Erenburg] (28)] 10...exd4 11.cxd4 Na5 attacking the light-squared bishops, and, preparing to carry out c7-c5. 12.Bc2 c5 Another theoretical possibility is [12...Nc4 13.Bc1 c5 1/2-1/2 Kramnik,V-Adams,M/Dortmund 2005/CBM 108_01/[Erenburg] (58)] 13.h3 White forces black immediately to define the location of his light-squared bishop. Other continuations are: [13.dxc5 dxc5 14.Nc3 Nc4 15.e5 1-0 Nisipeanu,L-Ivanov,A/Moscow 2005/CBM 106/[Wedberg] (26); 13.Nbd2 cxd4 14.Bxd4 Nc6 15.Be3 d5 0-1 Ivanovic,B-Smejkal,J/Zagreb 1985/MCL/[Kharitonov] (43)] 13...Bxf3 giving white a pair of bishops. Black can keep his light-squared bishop on the board as well: [13...cxd4 14.Bxd4 Bh5 15.g4 Bg6 16.Nc3 Rc8 17.Rc1 Nc6 18.Be3 1/2-1/2 Kasimdzhanov,R-Adams,M/Tripoli 2004/CBM 102/[Ftacnik] (44)] 14.Qxf3 cxd4 opening the "c" file for the rook. [Black faced some problems after 14...Nc4 15.dxc5 dxc5 16.Nc3 Nd7 1-0 Grischuk,A-Socko,B/Istanbul 2003/CBM 096/[Wedberg] (50)] 15.Bxd4 Rc8 Black allowed white to get a pair of bishops and superior pawn structure. But, black can compensate it by development advantage. [15...Nc6 1-0 Dominguez,L-Morovic Fernandez,I/Havana 2004/CBM 101/[Wedberg] (40)] 16.Bb3 White is ready to change one of his bishops in order to stabilize the position and to keep a superior pawn structure. White has the following alternatives: [16.Qd1N Nd7 17.Nc3 Bf6 18.Re2 1/2-1/2 Gelfand,B-Bacrot,E/Gothenburg 2005/CBM 109_01/[Erenburg] (30); 16.Qd3 Nc6 17.Bc3 g6 18.Bb3 Nd7 19.a3 Nc5 20.Qd5 Nxb3 21.Qxb3 Bf6 22.Qd5 Bxc3 23.Nxc3 Qf6 24.Rad1+/= 1-0 Lanc,A-Mrva,V/SVK 1997/EXT 98 (52). (51)] 16...Nc6 17.Qd1 White cannot move away the bishop from the central position. Otherwise, black's c6 knight will get some important spots: [17.Be3 Ne5=/+ ; 17.Bc3 b4 18.Bd2 Nd4 19.Qd3 Nxb3 20.Qxb3 d5= ] 17...d5!N Black is sacrificing a pawn, but he will get a control over the dark squares. It looks like a serious improvement in comparison to the previous games, where black haven't equalized: Other continuations are not better: [17...a5 18.Nc3 a4 19.Bd5 Nxd4 20.Qxd4 Qa5 21.a3! Nd7 22.Qb4+/- 1-0 Grischuk,A-Tkachiev,V/France 2003/CBM 95/[Wedberg] (59); 17...Nxd4 18.Qxd4 Nh5 19.Nc3 Bf6 20.Qd2 Bg5 21.Qe2 Nf4 22.Qf3 Ng6 23.Red1 Bf6 24.Rac1+/= 1/2-1/2 Ivanchuk,V-Romanishin,O/73rd ch-UKR, Kharkiv UKR (2.2) 2004 (93)] 18.exd5 [18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.exd5 Bxb2 20.dxc6 Bxa1-+ ; 18.Bxd5 Nxd5 19.exd5 Qxd5 20.Nc3 Qf5=/+ (20...Qxd4 21.Qxd4 Nxd4 22.Rxe7= ) ] 18...Nxd4 19.Qxd4 Bc5 If we compare the locations of white's light-squared bishop, that is limitted by his d5 pawn, and black's dark-squared bishop, that is extremely active on a7-g1 diagonal, it is easy to understand, that black has a sufficient compensation. 20.Qd3 [Doesn't promise too much: 20.Qd2 b4 preventing from white to complete the development. 21.Qd3 (21.a3 Qb6© ) 21...Qb6 22.Qf3 (22.Qf5 Bd4 23.Nd2 Bxb2 24.Nc4 Rxc4 25.Bxc4 Bxa1 26.Rxa1 Qd4= ) 22...Bd4 23.Nd2 Bxb2 24.Nc4 Rxc4 25.Bxc4 Bxa1 26.Rxa1 Rc8= (26...Qd4 27.Rc1 Rc8 28.d6~~ ) ] 20...Qb6 21.Qf3 a5© Black has got a full compensation for a sacrificed pawn. White faces some problems to complete the development, and his pieces are passive in comparison to black's ones. 22.Nc3 [22.Nc3 Bd4 (22...a4 23.Bc2 a3 24.Bf5 axb2 25.Rab1 Bxf2+ 26.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 27.Kxf2 Rxc3 28.Rxb2 Rc5 29.Bd3 Nxd5 30.Bxb5 Nc3 31.Bd3+/= ) 23.Rad1 Bxc3 24.bxc3 a4 25.Bc2 Qd6© ; 22.Nd2?! a4 23.Bd1 Rfd8=/+ ] 1/2-1/2

(8) Svidler,P (2765) - Bacrot,E (2717) [C42]
Morelia/Linares XXIII SuperGM Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP (4), 22.02.2006

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Bf4 0-0 8.Qd2 Nd7 9.0-0-0 Nc5 10.Be3 Re8 11.Bc4 Be6 12.Bxe6 Nxe6 13.h4 Qd7 14.Qd3 Qa4 15.Ng5 Nf8 16.Qd5 Bxg5 17.hxg5 Qe4 18.c4 Qxd5 19.cxd5 Nd7 20.Rd3 f6 21.Rc3 Rac8 22.Rh4 Re7 23.Rhc4 Nb6 24.Bxb6 axb6 25.gxf6 gxf6 26.a4 Kf8 27.Kd2 Rg7 28.g3 Ke8 29.Rf3 Rg6 30.Rh4 h6 31.Re4+ Kd7 32.Re6 Rf8 33.c4 h5 34.Rf5 Rg4 35.b3 h4 36.gxh4 Rxh4 37.Rfxf6 Rxf6 38.Rxf6 Ke7 39.Re6+ Kf7 40.Re3 Rh1 41.Rf3+ Ke7 42.Ke3 Re1+ 43.Kf4 Kf6 44.Rh3 Re2 45.Rh7 Rxf2+ 46.Ke3 Rb2 47.Rxc7 Rxb3+ 48.Kd4 Rb4 49.Rd7 Rxa4 50.Rxd6+ Ke7 51.Rxb6 Ra7 52.c5 Kd8 53.Ke5 Kc7 54.Rh6 Ra5 55.Rh7+ Kb8 56.Rh8+ Ka7 57.d6 Rxc5+ 58.Ke6 Rc6 59.Ke7 1-0

(9) Bacrot,E (2717) - Svidler,P (2765) [D11]
Morelia/Linares XXIII SuperGM Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP (11), 07.03.2006

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 5.Nc3 Bf5 6.Bd3 Bxd3 7.Qxd3 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.e4 0-0 10.Be3 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Qxe4 Nd7 13.Rad1 Qa5 14.a3 Rad8 15.Rfe1 Rfe8 16.h3 Nf8 17.Qc2 Ng6 18.Bd2 Qh5 19.Bc3 Rd7 20.Qe4 Red8 21.Rd3 Bf6 22.g4 Qh6 23.Bd2 Qxh3 24.Ng5 Qxd3 25.Qxd3 Rxd4 26.Qh3 Rxd2 27.Qxh7+ Kf8 28.Nxe6+ fxe6 29.Qxg6 Bd4 30.Rf1 Ke7 31.Qg5+ Bf6 32.Qc5+ Kf7 33.g5 Bxb2 34.Rb1 R8d3 35.Qb6 Bd4 36.Qxb7+ Kg6 37.Rf1 Rg3+ 38.Kh2 Rxg5 39.Qxc6 Kf6 40.Kh3 Rh5+ 41.Kg4 Rg5+ 42.Kh3 Rh5+ 1/2-1/2