Rapport-Dominguez Perez: a stunning move

Today’s Wijk aan Zee Masters game between Richard Rapport (2691) and Leinier Dominguez Perez (2754) was fantastic. Rapport played an outlandish opening, with an early g4, and it was very instructive to see how Leinier responded: quietly, but soon seeking to exploit the luft on the king side caused by white’s pawns advances.

However, what made the game special was black’s move in the position below.

CJS Purdy tells his readers to examine all biffs, and so I would have seen Be2; but chickened out from playing it, not being able to fathom the uncertainty. Leinier could, and my brief analysis, in the attached game file, shows that he was right to do so.

Humbling, really, how good the elite players are.

http://www.viewchess.com/cbreader/2014/1/17/Game1201605875.html