RU en

ChessBase по-русски

Войти

Создать аккаунт

Новый пользователь? Создайте свой аккаунт и вы сможете покупать продукты ChessBase, видеть ваши заказы, получать новости и участвовать в жизни сайта.

Корзина

0 позиций
на сумму 0

Главная страница Справка Коды ЭШД C00 - C99 C97

Коды ЭШД

C94 C95 C96

C97

C98 C99 D00

C97

Код энциклопедии шахматных дебютов (ЭШД)

Описание

RU: Испанская партия (отклонения от системы Чигорина / Вариант Панова)
EN: Closed Ruy Lopez: Chigorin Defence: 11 d4 Qc7, sidelines

Ходы

1. e4 e5 2. Кf3 Кc6 3. Сb5 a6 4. Сa4 Кf6 5. 0-0 Сe7 6. Лe1 b5 7. Сb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Кa5 10. Сc2 c5 11. d4 Фc7

Дебюты

Дебют королевского коня , Испанская партия , Система Чигорина

[Event "Goodricke op 12th"]
[Site "Kolkata"]
[Date "2001.02.12"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Bakre, Tejas"]
[Black "Vladimirov, Yevgeniy"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2401"]
[BlackElo "2612"]
[Annotator "Atlas,V"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2001.02.06"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 082"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2001.05.17"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2001.05.17"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3
d6 9. c3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Rd8 13. d5 c4 14. Nf1 Nb7 15. g4 h5
16. N3h2 hxg4 17. Nxg4 Bxg4 18. hxg4 Nh7 19. Re3 Bg5 20. Rh3 Bxc1 21. Qxc1 Qe7
22. Ng3 Qg5 23. Qxg5 Nxg5 24. Rh1 g6 25. Kg2 Nc5 26. b4 cxb3 27. axb3 Ra7 28.
b4 Nd7 29. Bd3 Rc7 30. Rxa6 Rxc3 31. Bxb5 Nf6 32. Bc6 Nxg4 33. Rha1 Kg7 34.
R6a2 Rh8 35. Bd7 $2 ({This natural moves allows for an elegant refutation.} 35.
Rh1 {or 35.Nf1 was to be preferred.}) 35... Rh2+ 36. Kf1 (36. Kg1 {fails to}
Rxg3+ $1 ({Appealing} 36... Nf3+ {would be a wrong choice, as after} 37. Kf1
Rxf2+ $4 38. Rxf2 Ne3+ {White has} 39. Ke2 $18) 37. fxg3 Nf3+ 38. Kf1 Ne3#) {
[%tqu "En","How can Black use the superior activity of his pieces?","Target
the enemy king!","Use your cavalry!","c3g3","That's it! The rook sacrifice
immediately decides the game.",4]} 36... Rxg3 (36... Rxg3 {, and White
resigned in view of the line} 37. fxg3 Ne3+ 38. Ke1 (38. Kg1 Nf3#) 38... Nf3#)
0-1

[Event "Amsterdam ACT op 2nd"]
[Site "Amsterdam"]
[Date "2005.07.22"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Megaranto, Susanto"]
[Black "Avrukh, Boris"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2499"]
[BlackElo "2652"]
[Annotator "Avrukh,B"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "2005.07.16"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "NED"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 107 Extra"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2005.09.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2005.09.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 $5 {Until this game, my young opponent has been playing a great
tournament, he managed to make four draws with very strong GM's (Erenburg,
Khenkin, Akopian and Kharlov) and scored two victories against weaker
opponents. During my preparation I have noticed that Susanto likes to play
very active chess, with a lot of tactical tricks. I was in a very bad shape
during the Amsterdam open and I had no intention to check my opponent's
tactical skills, that's why I actually opted for a solid opening, instead of
my favourite 1...c5.} 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7.
Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 {A fashionable choice,
which lately became very popular.} Bd7 {A very calm move, which in my opinion
should be Black's best option in this line.} 13. Nbd2 {In my opinion a slight
inaccuracy, which allows Black to activate his knight.} ({White should have
played} 13. b3 {with a very complex game, for example:} Rfe8 14. Nbd2 g6 15.
Nf1 Nh5 16. Be3 Nb7 17. Qd2 c4 18. b4 a5 19. g4 Ng7 20. a3 Ra6 21. Ng3 Rea8
$132 {1/2-1/2 Ponomariov,R-Sasikiran,K/Calvia ESP 2004/The Week in Chess 520 
(37)}) 13... c4 $1 {[%cal Ga5b7,Gb7c5] The point, now White cannot play 14 b4
since c3-pawn is unprotected.} ({Another well-known idea would be transfering
the knight from a5 to f7, but this looks rather passive.} 13... g6 14. Nf1 Nh5
15. b3 Nb7 16. Bh6 Ng7 17. Qd2 f6 18. g4 Nd8 19. Ng3 Nf7 20. Be3 a5 21. a4 bxa4
22. bxa4 Rab8 23. Reb1 Rxb1+ 24. Rxb1 Rb8 25. Qd1 Bd8 26. Nd2 Rb7 27. Nc4 $14 {
1/2-1/2 Karjakin,S-Harikrishna,P/Dos Hermanas ESP 2005/The Week in Chess 544 
(84)}) 14. Nf1 Nb7 15. g4 {White definitely needs this move to grab more space
on the kingside.} ({After} 15. Ng3 Nc5 {Black doesn't experience any problems,
for example:} 16. Nh2 a5 17. f4 (17. Qf3 $5) 17... b4 18. fxe5 dxe5 19. Bg5
Nxd5 20. exd5 Bxg5 21. Qh5 h6 $17 {0-1 Sanchez Raboso,V-Janev,E/La Roda ESP
2005/The Week in Chess 543 (41)}) 15... h5 {This risky move should be the
critical continuation.} ({The alternative would be} 15... Ne8 16. Ng3 g6 17.
Bh6 Ng7 18. Qd2 {and though White has some advantage, Black's position remains
solid.}) 16. N3h2 $6 {This is too slow, the tempting and critical position
would arise after:} (16. gxh5 $1 Bxh3 17. N3h2 {[%cal Gd1f3]} (17. h6 Qd7 18.
Ng3 Bg4 {looks pretty Ok for Black.}) {During the game my intention was to
continue with} 17... g6 $1 18. Ng3 {with very complicated battle} (18. Bh6 $140
Nxh5 19. Bxf8 Rxf8 {and Black has an excellent compensation for the exchange.})
{The model line might be} 18... Kg7 19. Qf3 Qd7 {with idea :} (19... Nc5 20.
Be3) 20. Nf5+ gxf5 21. Qxh3 Nc5 22. exf5 Rg8 {[%csl Gd5] with excellent
compensation.}) 16... g6 $5 $146 ({Black doesn't experience any difficulties
also after} 16... hxg4 17. hxg4 Nh7 $1 (17... Qc8 $143 18. Ne3 (18. g5 $142 $1
Nh7 19. Qh5 $132) 18... g6 19. Kg2 Kg7 20. f3 Rh8 21. Nhf1 Nh7 22. Ng3 Ng5 $15
{1/2-1/2 Keres,P-Friedemann,G/Tallinn 1935/EXT 2001 (55) but why I should open
the h-file?}) 18. Ng3 Bg5 19. Bxg5 Nxg5 20. Kg2 f6 (20... g6 $1) 21. Rh1 Nd8
22. Nf5 g6 23. Ne3 Ndf7 $11 {0-1 Kosasih,C-De Guzman,R/Singapore 1995/CBM 050
ext (60)}) 17. Bh6 Rfe8 {The best square for my rook, in case of possible f4
break it will be very good-placed on e-file.} 18. Qf3 Qd8 $1 19. Ne3 $2 {
A clear inaccuracy, which allows Black to close the position on the kingside.}
({The correct decision would be:} 19. gxh5 Nxh5 20. Ng3 (20. Ng4 $143 Bg5)
20... Nf4 $1 21. Bxf4 exf4 22. Qxf4 Bg5 23. Qf3 Kg7 24. Ng4 Rh8 25. Kg2 (25. e5
dxe5 26. Nxe5 Nd6 $15) 25... Rh4 $44) ({Also} 19. g5 Nh7 20. h4 Bf8 21. Bxf8
Rxf8 22. Qg3 f6 {clearly favours Black.}) 19... h4 $1 {The right moment to
close the position on the kingside.} (19... Nc5 $143 20. gxh5 Nxh5 21. Nf5 $132
) 20. Kh1 ({During the game I was concerned about the immediate sacrifice with
} 20. Nf5 gxf5 ({in worse case I could go for:} 20... Bf8 21. Bxf8 Rxf8 22.
Nxh4 Nxd5) 21. gxf5 Kh7 22. Bd2 {with idea Qe3-h6} {but then I managed to
discover} Qb6 $1 {[%csl Ge3]} (22... Rg8+ 23. Kh1 Nc5 24. Qe3 Qf8 25. Rg1 {
and White has some play.}) 23. Kh1 Rg8 24. Rg1 Rxg1+ 25. Rxg1 Rg8 26. Ng4 Kh8
$1 {and Black's extra piece should decide the outcome.}) 20... Nh7 21. Nf5 $6 {
Certainly undestandable decision from practical point of view, but definitely
incorrect piece sacrifice, my opponent simply, didn't like the position after}
(21. Qg2 Bg5 22. Bxg5 Nxg5 23. Nf3 Nc5 $15 {but obviously it was less evil for
him.}) 21... Bg5 $1 ({Certainly not} 21... gxf5 $2 22. gxf5 Bf6 23. Rg1+ Kh8
24. Rg4 $1 Qe7 25. Rag1 Rg8 26. Qg2 {with a very strong attack}) 22. Rg1 f6 $1
({It would be premature to capture the knight} 22... gxf5 23. gxf5 f6 {since
after} (23... Kh8 24. Bxg5 Nxg5 25. Qh5+ Nh7 26. Nf3 $18) 24. Qh5 Kh8 25. Nf3
$36) 23. Bxg5 Nxg5 (23... fxg5 $143 24. Ne3 Rf8 25. Qe2 Qf6 26. Rgf1 Nc5 27. b4
$11) 24. Qe3 gxf5 25. gxf5 Kf7 $1 {Obviously Black's position is winning, but
it's still requres some accuracy.} 26. Nf3 ({The alternative} 26. Ng4 Rh8 27.
Nxf6 Qxf6 28. Rxg5 Rag8 29. Rag1 Rxg5 30. Rxg5 Rg8 31. Rxg8 Kxg8 {and Black's
extra piece should decide the issue.}) 26... Rg8 27. Nxh4 Rh8 28. Rg4 Rh5 {
Threatening 29...Qh8.} 29. Kg2 Qc7 {[%cal Ga8h8]} 30. Rh1 Rg8 31. Qg3 ({
More stubborn would be} 31. Ng6 Rxg6 32. fxg6+ Kg7 33. Rg3 Rh4 $17) 31... Nc5
32. Ng6 $2 {Simply a tactical blunder, but anyway White's position was lost
even after the best} (32. f3 {[%csl Ge4]} Rh6 $1 33. Ng6 Rhxg6 34. fxg6+ Rxg6
35. Rh4 Rg7 $19 {[%csl Gg2,Gg3]}) 32... Ncxe4 $1 33. Bxe4 Nxe4 (33... Nxe4 34.
Rxe4 Bxf5 {and White cannot avoid the huge material losses.}) 0-1

[Event "Dortmund SuperGM 23rd"]
[Site "Dortmund"]
[Date "1995.07.17"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Short, Nigel D"]
[Black "Bareev, Evgeny"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2645"]
[BlackElo "2650"]
[Annotator "Bareev,E"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "1995.07.14"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 048"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1995.10.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1995.10.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 {Wedberg Hansen,LB} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1
b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 {This should not
pose Black any problems.Compared to the Romanishin-variation 11.-,Bb7 Black
saves several tempi.} (12. Nbd2 $142 {Wedberg Hansen,LB}) 12... Nc4 (12... c4
13. Nbd2 (13. b4 cxb3 14. axb3 g6 (14... Nb7 {Wedberg} 15. b4 Bd7 16. Bd2 g6
17. Na3 Nh5 18. Bd3 $14 {Sion Castro,M-Glimbrant,T/Sevilla op/1993}) 15. Bd2
Bd7 16. Qc1 Nh5 17. Qa3 Bd8 18. Bh6 $14 {Polaczek,R-Karlolyi jr,T/London/1989})
13... Nb7 14. Nf1 Nc5 15. g4 Re8 16. Ng3 Kh8 17. Kh2 a5 18. Rg1 b4 19. Be3 Ba6
20. Nd2 Rab8 21. Rb1 Rb7 $13 {Antunes,A-Sisniega,M/Novi Sad ol/1990}) (12...
Ne8 13. b3 Nb7 14. Nbd2 g6 15. a4 Rb8 16. axb5 axb5 17. Nf1 Ng7 18. Bh6 Nd8 19.
b4 f6 20. Ra3 Nf7 {Hansen,LB} 21. Bxg7 Kxg7 22. Ng3 Bd8 $1 23. Qe2 c4 $1 $17 {
/\ Qd7,Bb6 >< /^ g1-a7/Sion Castro,M-Beliavsky,A/Leon/1994/}) 13. a4 (13. b3 {
Wedberg Hansen,LB} Nb6 14. Be3 Bd7 15. Nbd2 Rfb8 $5 16. a4 c4 17. a5 Nc8 18. b4
Qd8 $14 {Kuhn,D-Moors,H/Wuppertal/1986/}) 13... Bd7 (13... Nb6 {Wedberg} 14.
axb5 axb5 15. Rxa8 Nxa8 16. Nbd2 Bd7 17. Nf1 Nb6 18. Ng3 Ra8 19. Nf5 Bxf5 20.
exf5 Ra1 $15 {Yurenko,K-Gavrilov,A/St Petersburg op/1994/}) 14. b3 Nb6 (14...
Na5 $14) (14... Na5 15. axb5 (15. b4 {Wedberg Hansen,LB} Nc4 16. Nbd2 cxb4 17.
cxb4 Rfc8 $10 {Ioseliani,N-Liu She Lan/Velden/1983/}) 15... axb5 16. Nbd2 (16.
Be3 {Wedberg} Nb7 17. Nbd2 Ra5 18. Qb1 Rfa8 19. Qb2 Ne8 20. Bd3 g6 $10 {
Kuijf,M-Van der Sterren,P/Budel zt/1987/}) 16... Nb7 17. Bb2 Rfb8 (17... g6 {
Wedberg} 18. c4 Nh5 19. cxb5 Bxb5 20. Nc4 f6 21. Qd2 $14 {Kasparov,G-Kuzmin,G/
Tbilisi/1978/}) 18. c4 Ne8 $13 {Dobosz-Luczak/Lodz/1980}) 15. a5 {>< a5} Nc8
16. Nbd2 (16. Nh2 {Wedberg} g6 17. f4 exf4 18. Bxf4 Nh5 19. Bh6 Re8 $132) 16...
g6 17. Nf1 Ne8 18. Bh6 (18. g4 Ng7 19. Ng3 $14) 18... Ng7 19. g4 (19. b4 $5) (
19. N3h2 $5) 19... Bd8 20. Ng3 Ne7 {A typical manouvre in this line.} 21. c4 $6
(21. Nd2 Kh8 22. f4 Ng8) (21. b4 $142 {Wedberg}) 21... Kh8 22. Kh2 Ng8 23. Be3
bxc4 (23... b4 $5) 24. bxc4 f5 25. exf5 gxf5 26. gxf5 Bxf5 (26... Nxf5 $1 27.
Qd3 Bc8 $1) 27. Nd2 $1 (27. Nxf5 Nxf5 {>< <-> f} 28. Bxf5 Rxf5 29. Nd2 Bg5 30.
Ne4 $2 (30. Bxg5 Rxg5 31. Ne4 Rf5 $15) 30... Bxe3 (30... Bf4+ $15 {Wedberg})
31. Rxe3 Nf6 $17) 27... Bc8 $2 28. Rg1 $1 Qd7 29. Rg2 $1 Ne7 (29... Qxh3+ {
Wedberg} 30. Kg1 {/\Rh2, ><h7 /\ Rh2<=>}) 30. Kg1 Nef5 31. Nxf5 Nxf5 32. Qg4 $4
(32. Bxf5 $1 Qxf5 33. Bh6 Rg8 34. Rxg8+ Kxg8 35. Ra3 Bh4 $8 (35... Bf6 36. Rf3
$18) (35... Kh8 36. Rg3 (36. Kh1 Qg6) 36... Ra7 (36... Bf6 37. Qg4 Qxg4 38.
hxg4 $16) 37. Qg4 (37. Qe2 Rf7 38. Ne4 Be7 39. Qg4 Qxg4 40. hxg4 $16) 37...
Qxg4 38. hxg4 $16 Bxa5 39. Rf3) 36. Qf1 Qg6+ 37. Qg2 Bf5 38. Rf3 (38. Rb3 Qxg2+
39. Kxg2 Ra7 40. Rb6 Be7 $14) 38... Qxg2+ 39. Kxg2 Bg6) 32... Qf7 $17 33. Qe2
Rb8 34. Be4 $138 Rb2 35. Qd3 Nxe3 36. Qxe3 (36. fxe3 Bxh3 37. Rh2 Bh4 $1 38.
Rxh3 Qf2+ 39. Kh1 Rxd2 40. Qxd2 Qxd2 41. Rxh4 Rf7 $19) 36... Qf4 37. Nf1 (37.
Qxf4 {Wedberg Hansen,LB} Rxf4 38. f3 $8 Bxh3 39. Rh2 Bf5 $19) 37... Rf7 38. Ra3
Bh4 39. Qxf4 exf4 {^^,<-> b,>< Nf1} 40. Nh2 Re7 $19 41. f3 (41. Nf3 Rxe4 42.
Nxh4 Re1+ 43. Kh2 Rbb1 44. Rg5 Rh1+ 45. Kg2 Rhg1+ $19) 41... Rg7 $1 (41... Rg7
{Hansen,LB} 42. Ng4 (42. Rxg7 Kxg7 43. Ra1 Bxh3 $19) 42... Rxg2+ 43. Kxg2 h5
44. Rb3 hxg4 45. fxg4 Rb7 $19) 0-1

[Event "Alekhine Memorial"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "1963.11.17"]
[Round "14"]
[White "Tal, Mihail"]
[Black "Matanovic, Aleksandar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "Belov,I"]
[PlyCount "59"]
[EventDate "1963.10.29"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "15"]
[EventCountry "URS"]
[SourceTitle "MCL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 14. b3 g6 15. Bg5
Nh5 (15... Bc6 $5 16. Ng3 Kh8 17. d5 Bd7 18. a4 Ng8 $14) 16. Bxe7 Rxe7 17. Ne3
Nf6 (17... Nf4 $2 18. g3 Nxh3+ 19. Kg2 $18) 18. Ng5 (18. Rc1 $5 Nb7 19. b4 c4
20. a4 Rae8 21. axb5 axb5 22. Ra1 Bc6 23. Ra6 Qc8 24. d5 Bd7 25. Nh2 Kg7 26.
Qf3 Rf8 27. Rea1 $16 {Stein,L-Matanovic,A/Tel Aviv olm/1964/}) 18... cxd4 19.
cxd4 Rc8 (19... Nc6 $5 20. dxe5 dxe5 21. Nd5 Nxd5 22. exd5 Nd4 $13) 20. Rc1 h6
$6 (20... Qb8 $14 21. d5 (21. Qd2 Nc6) 21... Kg7 $14) 21. dxe5 dxe5 (21... Rxe5
22. Nf3 Re7 23. Qd4 $16) 22. Nd5 $1 Nxd5 23. exd5 Nb7 $2 (23... Qb6 $142 24. d6
Ree8 25. Ne4 Kg7) (23... hxg5 24. d6 $18) 24. Nxf7 $1 Rxf7 25. Bxg6 Qd6 26.
Bxf7+ Kxf7 27. Rxc8 Bxc8 28. Qc2 $18 Bd7 29. Qh7+ Kf8 30. Re3 1-0

[Event "URS-ch46 First League"]
[Site "Ashkhabad"]
[Date "1978.??.??"]
[Round "15"]
[White "Timoscenko, Gennadij A"]
[Black "Kakageldyev, Amanmurad"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2530"]
[BlackElo "2415"]
[Annotator "Bulletin"]
[PlyCount "95"]
[EventDate "1978.10.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "17"]
[EventCountry "URS"]
[EventCategory "10"]
[SourceTitle "MCL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 (13... Nc4) 14.
b3 $1 (14. dxe5) (14. Ne3) 14... g6 15. Bh6 $6 (15. Bg5 Nh5 16. Bxe7 Rxe7 17.
Ne3 Nf6 18. Rc1 Nb7 19. b4 c4 20. a4 $16 {Stein,L-Matanovic,M/Tel Aviv ol/1964/
}) 15... Bf8 16. Bg5 Bg7 17. Ne3 exd4 18. cxd4 Bc6 19. d5 Bd7 20. Nd2 h6 21.
Bh4 c4 $15 22. bxc4 bxc4 23. f3 c3 $6 (23... Nh5 {/\ Sf4-d3}) 24. Nb3 Rec8 (
24... Rac8) 25. Bf2 Ba4 26. Qc1 Nxb3 27. axb3 Bb5 28. Qa3 Nd7 29. Rad1 a5 30.
f4 Ra6 31. e5 $1 $14 dxe5 32. d6 Qb8 33. Nd5 (33. f5) 33... Kh7 34. Ne7 Re8 35.
f5 $16 gxf5 36. Nxf5 Kh8 37. b4 Re6 (37... axb4 38. Qxb4 {/\ Qg4,/\Qh4}) 38.
bxa5 Bf8 39. Qxc3 $18 Qd8 40. Ra1 Bxd6 41. Qb3 Rc6 42. Qxb5 Rxc2 43. Nxd6 Rxd6
44. Red1 Qf6 45. Bg3 Rcc6 46. Kh2 Ra6 47. Rxd6 Qxd6 48. Rd1 1-0

[Event "Zuerich"]
[Site "Zuerich"]
[Date "1959.05.28"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Fischer, Robert James"]
[Black "Unzicker, Wolfgang"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "Bulletin"]
[PlyCount "129"]
[EventDate "1959.05.19"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "15"]
[EventCountry "SUI"]
[SourceTitle "MCL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 (10... c6 11. d4 Qc7 {Rossolimo,N}) 11. d4 Qc7 12.
Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 14. Ne3 (14. b3 g6 15. Bg5 {Tal,M; Geller,E}) 14... g6
15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Nh2 Rad8 17. Qf3 Be6 18. Nhg4 Nxg4 19. hxg4 (19. Nxg4 Bxg4
20. hxg4 c4 21. g3 Nb7 22. Kg2 Nc5 23. Rh1 f6 $10 {Fischer,R-Matanovic,A
Portoroz izt 1958}) 19... Qc6 $2 {Gligoric} (19... Nc4 20. Nd5 Bxd5 21. exd5
$13) 20. g5 $5 {! Gligoric} Nc4 (20... Bxg5 21. Nd5 Be7 (21... Bxc1 22. Nf6+
$16) 22. Nxe7+ Rxe7 23. Bg5 $16 {Gligoric}) 21. Ng4 Bxg4 22. Qxg4 f6 (22... Nb6
$1 {Fischer,R-Shocron,G Mar del Plata 1959}) 23. gxf6 {>< e5} Bxf6 24. a4 $1 {
Fischer/Gligoric} Nb6 25. axb5 axb5 26. Be3 $16 {^^} Ra8 (26... Nc4 27. Bb3)
27. Red1 Kh8 28. b3 Bg7 (28... Rxa1 $142 29. Rxa1 Ra8 30. Rxa8+ Nxa8 31. Qd1 $1
$16 {/\ Qd1-a1-a~}) 29. Qh4 Bf6 30. Bg5 $1 Bxg5 31. Qxg5 Rxa1 32. Rxa1 Nd7 33.
Bd1 $1 (33. Ra7 Qd6) 33... Nf6 (33... Qxe4 34. Bf3 Qf4 (34... Qc2 35. Ra7 $18 {
->}) 35. Qxf4 exf4 36. Bc6 Re7 (36... Rd8 37. Rd1 $18) 37. Ra8+ $1 Kg7 38. Ra7
$18) 34. Ra7 Qd6 (34... Nxe4 35. Qh6 $18) 35. Be2 $1 Re7 (35... b4 $2 36. Ra6
Nxe4 37. Qh4 Qd5 38. Bf3 Qd3 39. Ra7 $18) (35... Nxe4 $2 36. Qh6 Re7 37. Qf8#)
(35... Qc6 36. Rf7 Ng8 37. Qh4 h6 38. Qg4 Rd8 39. Bxb5 $1 $18) (35... Rb8 36.
Rf7 Ng8 37. Rd7 $1 Qf6 (37... Qxd7 38. Qxe5+ Qg7 39. Qxb8 Qxc3 40. Qxb5 $18)
38. Qe3 Qc6 39. Rd5 $18) 36. Rxe7 Qxe7 37. Bxb5 Kg7 38. Be2 Qc7 39. Qe3 Qa5 40.
g3 Qa3 (40... Qc7 $142) 41. Kg2 Qa5 (41... Qxb3 42. Qxc5 Nxe4 (42... Qe6 43.
Bc4 $18 {Gligoric}) 43. Qxe5+ Nf6 44. c4 $18) 42. Qd3 Qb6 43. Qc4 Qc6 44. Bd3 (
44. f3 $2 {>< e3, a2-g2}) 44... Qb6 45. b4 cxb4 46. cxb4 Ng4 47. Qc5 Qxc5 $8 (
47... Qd8 48. Be2) 48. bxc5 Kf7 49. f4 $1 {Gligoric} Ke7 50. Kf3 Nf6 (50... h5
51. Bc4 Kd7 $2 52. Bf7) 51. Bb5 (51. fxe5 Nd7 $10) 51... Ke6 52. Bc4+ Ke7 53.
c6 $1 Ne8 (53... exf4 {>=} 54. gxf4 Ne8 55. e5 Nc7 56. Ke4 Ne8 (56... h5 57.
Kf3) 57. Bg8 Kf8 58. Bxh7 Kg7 59. Bxg6 Kxg6 60. f5+ Kg5 61. f6 Kg6 62. Kd5 Kf7
63. Kc5 Ke6 64. Kb6 $18) (53... Kd6 $2 54. fxe5+ Kxe5 55. c7 $18) 54. fxe5 h6
55. Ke3 Nc7 56. Kd4 h5 57. Ke3 $1 g5 58. Be2 h4 (58... Ke6 59. Kd4 h4 60. gxh4
gxh4 61. Bg4+ $18 {Gligoric}) 59. gxh4 gxh4 60. Bc4 Ne8 61. Kf4 Kd8 62. Kg4 Kc7
63. Bf7 Ng7 64. Kxh4 Kxc6 65. Kg5 (65. Kg5 Kd7 66. Kf6 Ne8+ 67. Bxe8+ $18) 1-0

[Event "Bled 30th Anniversary"]
[Site "Bled"]
[Date "1961.09.14"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Fischer, Robert James"]
[Black "Matanovic, Aleksandar"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "Bulletin"]
[PlyCount "113"]
[EventDate "1961.09.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "19"]
[EventCountry "YUG"]
[SourceTitle "MCL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 14. Ne3 g6 15.
Bd2 $6 (15. dxe5) (15. b4) (15. a4) 15... Bf8 16. b4 cxb4 17. cxb4 Nc4 18. Nxc4
bxc4 19. Rc1 (19. Bc3 Bh6) 19... exd4 20. Nxd4 d5 21. exd5 Rxe1+ (21... Nxd5
22. Be4) 22. Bxe1 (22. Qxe1 Re8 23. Qd1 Nxd5) 22... Qd6 (22... Nxd5 23. Be4)
23. Ne2 (23. Nf3 $1 Qxd5 (23... Nxd5 24. Be4) (23... Re8 24. Qd4) (23... Bh6
24. Rb1) 24. Bc3) 23... Re8 24. Nc3 $2 (24. Ng3 Qxd5 25. Bc3 Bc6 26. Qf1) 24...
Qe5 $1 {/\Bf8-d6, Bf8xb4} 25. Ba4 Bxa4 (25... Bxb4 $1 {/\26...Qxe1+} 26. Bxd7
Nxd7 27. Qa4 Nc5 $1 28. Qxb4 Nd3 $17) 26. Qxa4 (26. Nxa4 $142) 26... Bd6 27. g3
Qg5 $1 28. Qc2 (28. a3 Bxg3 29. fxg3 Rxe1+ 30. Rxe1 Qxg3+ 31. Kf1 Qxh3+ 32. Kg1
Qxc3 $17) (28. Qd1 $1 Bxb4 29. h4 Qf5 30. Qd4) 28... Bxb4 29. Bd2 Qh5 30. Qa4
Qxh3 $1 {/\31...Ng4, 31...Bc5} 31. Re1 $1 Rxe1+ (31... Rb8 32. Qd1 $1 Ng4 33.
Qf3) 32. Bxe1 Bc5 33. Qxc4 Qxg3+ 34. Kf1 Qh3+ (34... Qd6) 35. Ke2 Qh5+ (35...
Qg4+ 36. Qxg4 Nxg4 $15) 36. Kf1 Qh1+ 37. Ke2 Qh5+ 38. Kf1 Bf8 39. Qxa6 Nxd5 (
39... Qf3 $1 40. Kg1 Qg4+ 41. Kf1 Nh5) 40. Nxd5 Qxd5 41. a4 f5 42. Bc3 f4 43.
Qf6 Qh1+ 44. Ke2 Qe4+ 45. Kd2 f3 46. Qh8+ Kf7 47. Qf6+ $1 (47. Qxh7+ Ke8 $19)
47... Ke8 48. Qe5+ Qxe5 49. Bxe5 Bc5 50. Kd3 g5 (50... Bxf2 51. Ke4) 51. Ke4 g4
52. Bg3 h5 53. a5 (53. Kf5 Be7) 53... Kd7 54. Kd5 Ba7 55. Ke4 Kc8 (55... Ke6
56. a6) 56. Kf5 $1 Bb8 57. Kg5 (57. Kg5 Bxg3 58. Kxh5 $1 Bxf2 59. Kxg4) 1/2-1/2

[Event "Bled 30th Anniversary"]
[Site "Bled"]
[Date "1961.09.14"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Keres, Paul"]
[Black "Ivkov, Borislav"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "Bulletin"]
[PlyCount "65"]
[EventDate "1961.09.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "19"]
[EventCountry "YUG"]
[SourceTitle "MCL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 14. Ng3 (14. Ne3
{Fischer,R-Matanovic,A/Bled/1961/1/2-1/2/}) 14... g6 15. Bg5 Kg7 $1 16. a4 (16.
dxe5 dxe5 17. Nxe5 Qxe5 18. Bxf6+ Bxf6 19. Qxd7 Rad8 20. Qg4 h5 21. Qe2 Nc4 $44
) 16... Be6 17. Qe2 Bc4 (17... h6) 18. Qe3 Bb3 19. Bxb3 Nxb3 20. Ra3 Na5 $2 (
20... c4 $142) 21. Qe2 $1 b4 (21... Nc4 22. Ra2 {/\23.Rea1, 24.b3}) 22. cxb4
cxb4 23. Rd3 Nc6 24. Qd2 Qb7 25. Rd1 {/\26.de5 de5 27.Bf6 Bf6 28.Rd7 Qb6 29.Qd5
} Ng8 (25... Rad8 26. d5 (26. Nh4)) 26. dxe5 $1 dxe5 (26... Nxe5 27. Bxe7 Nxd3
28. Bxd6) 27. Rd7 Qb6 28. Bxe7 (28. Be3 $1 Bc5 (28... Qa5 29. Qc2 {/\30.R1d5})
(28... Qb8 29. Qd5) 29. Qd5 $18) 28... Rxe7 29. Rxe7 Ncxe7 (29... Ngxe7 30. Qg5
Rd8 31. Nh5+ Kg8 32. Nf6+ Kg7 33. Nd7 Qc7 34. Qf6+ Kg8 35. Ng5 $18) 30. Nxe5
Qa5 31. Qd4 f6 32. Nc4 Qc7 (32... Qxa4 33. Nb6) 33. e5 $22 1-0

[Event "Bled 30th Anniversary"]
[Site "Bled"]
[Date "1961.09.20"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Keres, Paul"]
[Black "Matanovic, Aleksandar"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "Bulletin"]
[PlyCount "165"]
[EventDate "1961.09.03"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "19"]
[EventCountry "YUG"]
[SourceTitle "MCL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 14. Ne3 (14. Ng3
{Keres,P-Ivkov,B/Bled/1961/1-0/}) 14... g6 15. dxe5 (15. Bd2 {Fischer,
R-Matanovic,A/Bled/1961/1/2-1/2/}) 15... dxe5 16. Nh2 Rad8 17. Qf3 Be6 18. Nhg4
$1 Nxg4 19. hxg4 Nc4 20. Nd5 Bxd5 21. exd5 Nb6 22. Rd1 $1 Rd6 (22... Rd7 23. a4
Red8 24. axb5 axb5 25. Be4 c4 26. Ra6 Qb7 27. Ra5 $14 {Gligoric,S-Geller,E/
Bled/1961/}) 23. a4 Red8 24. axb5 axb5 25. Be4 {/\26.b3} c4 26. Be3 Na4 27. Bc2
Nc5 28. g3 (28. Ra2 R6d7 29. Be4 Na4 30. Bc2 {Parma,B-Matanovic,A/Bled/1961/1/
2-1/2/}) 28... R6d7 29. Kg2 Bf8 30. Ra2 Qb7 31. Ra5 Qb6 (31... Rxd5 32. Bxc5
Bxc5 33. Be4) 32. Raa1 (32. Rda1 Rxd5 33. b4 cxb3 34. Bxb3 e4 $1) 32... Qb7 33.
Ra5 Qb6 34. Raa1 Qb7 35. Ra2 Re8 36. Be4 Red8 37. Bc2 Re8 38. Be4 Red8 39. Bg5
Ra8 40. Rxa8 Qxa8 41. Bf6 (41. Qe3 {/\42.Bf6}) 41... Bg7 42. Bxg7 Kxg7 43. Qe3
Qf8 $1 (43... Nxe4 44. Qxe4 f6 45. g5 Qf8 46. gxf6+ Qxf6 47. Re1) (43... Qc8
44. d6) 44. f3 (44. d6 Rxd6 45. Rh1 Rd8 $1 46. Qh6+ Kf6) 44... Kg8 45. Rh1 f6
46. Ra1 Na4 (46... g5) 47. Bc2 (47. g5 f5 48. Bc2) 47... Qc5 $1 (47... Nxb2 48.
Rb1) (47... Rxd5 48. Bxa4) 48. Qxc5 Nxc5 49. Ra8+ $2 (49. Kf2 Rxd5 50. Ke3)
49... Kg7 50. Be4 (50. Kf2 Rxd5 51. Ke3) 50... Na4 51. Ra5 Nxb2 52. Rxb5 Nd1 $1
53. Rc5 $2 (53. Kg1 {Now 53...f5 doesn't work.} Nxc3 54. Rc5 $10) 53... f5 $1 (
53... Nxc3 54. Kf2) 54. gxf5 gxf5 55. d6 $1 (55. Bc2 $2 Ne3+) (55. Bb1 Rb7 $1
56. d6 Rxb1 57. d7 Rb2+ 58. Kf1 Rd2 $19) 55... Rxd6 (55... fxe4 56. Rc7 exf3+
57. Kh2 $1 Rf7 58. d7 $18) (55... Kf6 56. Bd5 Rxd6 57. Bxc4) 56. Bb7 Kf6 57.
Kf1 Rb6 (57... Rd3 58. Rxc4 (58. Rc6+ $1 Kg5 59. Rc5 Kf6 60. Rc6+ Ke7 61. Rc5
Ke6 62. Rc6+ $10) 58... Rxf3+ 59. Bxf3 Ne3+ 60. Ke2 Nxc4) 58. Ke1 (58. Bc6 Rb1
(58... Ne3+ 59. Ke2 f4 60. gxf4 exf4 61. Bb5 $10) 59. Ke2 Nxc3+ 60. Kd2) 58...
Nb2 (58... Rxb7 59. Kxd1 Rg7 60. Rc6+) (58... Ne3 59. Ke2 f4 60. gxf4 exf4 61.
Be4 Rb2+ 62. Ke1 $10) 59. Rc6+ $2 (59. Rc7 Nd3+ 60. Kf1 (60. Kd2 $2 Rb2+ 61.
Ke3 f4+ 62. gxf4 Nxf4 63. Rxc4 Re2#) 60... f4 61. g4) 59... Rxc6 60. Bxc6 h5
61. Bd5 (61. Ke2 Kg5 62. Ke3 f4+ 63. gxf4+ exf4+) 61... Kg5 62. Bf7 f4 $1 63.
gxf4+ Kxf4 64. Kf2 $1 h4 65. Be6 $1 Nd3+ $2 (65... Nd1+ $1 66. Kg2 h3+ 67. Kxh3
(67. Bxh3 Nxc3 68. Be6 (68. Kf2 Nb5 $1 69. Ke2 c3 70. Kd3 Kxf3 71. Bd7 (71. Bf5
c2 $1) 71... e4+ 72. Kc2 Nd4+ 73. Kxc3 e3 74. Be8 Kf2 75. Bh5 Nf3 $19) 68...
Nd1 $19 {/\69...Nd1-e3+}) 67... Ne3 $19) 66. Kg2 Ke3 67. Bxc4 Nf4+ 68. Kh2 Kxf3
69. Bb5 Ke3 (69... e4 70. c4 e3 (70... Nd3 71. Bc6) 71. c5) 70. Ba6 e4 (70...
Ke4 71. Kg1 $1 Kd5 72. Kf2 Kc5 73. Kf3 h3 74. Kg3 Kb6 75. Bf1 Ka5 76. Bxh3 Nxh3
77. Kxh3 $10) 71. Bb5 Kd2 (71... Nd3 72. Bc6) (71... Kf3 72. c4) (71... Kf2 72.
c4 Nd3 73. c5 Nxc5 74. Kh3 $10) 72. c4 Nd3 (72... e3 73. c5 Nd3 74. Bxd3 $1
Kxd3 75. c6 $10 e2 76. c7 e1=Q 77. c8=Q) 73. Bc6 $1 (73. c5 Nxc5 74. Kh3 Nd3 $1
75. Bc6 e3 76. Bf3 Ne5 77. Bh5 Ng6 $19) 73... e3 74. Bf3 Ke1 (74... Ne5 75. Bh5
Nxc4 76. Kh3 $10) 75. Kh3 Ne5 (75... Kf2 76. Bd1 Nb2 77. Bh5 $10) 76. Bh5 Kf2
77. Bd1 Nxc4 78. Kxh4 Nb2 79. Bh5 Nd3 80. Kg5 Nc1 81. Kf4 Ne2+ 82. Ke5 Ng1 83.
Ke4 1/2-1/2

[Event "Dublin Clock sim"]
[Site "Dublin"]
[Date "2011.10.03"]
[Round "1.2"]
[White "Topalov, Veselin"]
[Black "Collins, Sam E"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2768"]
[BlackElo "2436"]
[Annotator "CB"]
[PlyCount "102"]
[EventDate "2011.10.03"]
[EventType "simul"]
[EventRounds "1"]
[EventCountry "IRL"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 144 Extra"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2011.10.28"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2011.10.28"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 Bd7 13. b3 Rfb8 14. Nbd2 Nb7 15. c4
Ne8 16. Nf1 Nd8 17. Ne3 g6 18. Ng4 f6 19. Nh6+ Kh8 20. Nh2 a5 21. cxb5 Bxb5 22.
Bd2 Bd7 23. N2g4 Bf8 24. Rc1 Bc8 25. h4 Nf7 26. Nxf7+ Qxf7 27. Ne3 Be7 28. Nc4
Bd8 29. f4 Qe7 30. Rf1 Ba6 31. h5 a4 32. hxg6 axb3 33. Bxb3 hxg6 34. Rc3 Bxc4
35. Bxc4 Ba5 36. Rh3+ Kg7 37. Bc1 $2 (37. Bxa5 {wins more quickly for White.})
37... exf4 38. Bxf4 Rb2 39. e5 f5 40. Qc1 (40. g4 {would have settled the
matter in White's favour.}) 40... Rab8 41. Bb3 Re2 42. exd6 Qe4 43. Rh2 Bd2 44.
Bxd2 (44. Qb2+ Qd4+ 45. Qxd4+ cxd4 46. d7 Bxf4 47. dxe8=N+ $1 Rbxe8 48. Rxf4 {
White is a piece up and should win the game.}) 44... Qd4+ 45. Kh1 Rxd2 46. Qe1
Nxd6 47. Qe7+ Nf7 48. Qc7 {Now Black is suddenly better, but he decides to
force a draw} Rh8 49. Rxh8 Kxh8 50. Qxf7 {and now Black takes the perpetual:}
Qh4+ 51. Kg1 Qd4+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "Interzonal-15"]
[Site "Manila"]
[Date "1990.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Dolmatov, Sergey"]
[Black "Huebner, Robert"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2615"]
[BlackElo "2585"]
[Annotator "ChessBase"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[EventDate "1990.06.29"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "PHI"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 019"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1990.12.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1990.12.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3
d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Nc4 14. Ng3 g6 $5 (
14... Rfe8) 15. d5 Ne8 16. a4 Ng7 17. b3 Na5 18. axb5 axb5 19. Bh6 Nb7 20. Qd2
Rfb8 21. b4 f6 22. Nh2 Nd8 23. Be3 Nf7 $10 24. Ne2 Qc8 25. Bb3 c4 26. Bc2 Rxa1
27. Rxa1 Ra8 28. Qe1 Ra6 29. f4 Qa8 30. Rd1 Ra2 31. Bb1 Ra1 32. Nf3 f5 33. exf5
Nxf5 34. Bf2 Bf6 35. fxe5 Nxe5 36. Be4 Rxd1 37. Qxd1 Nxf3+ 38. Bxf3 Be5 39. g4
Ne7 40. Qd2 Qf8 41. Kg2 Qf7 42. Bg3 Qf6 43. Qe3 g5 44. Bxe5 Qxe5 1/2-1/2

[Event "Match Keres-Unzicker +4-0=4"]
[Site "Hamburg"]
[Date "1956.05.23"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Keres, Paul"]
[Black "Unzicker, Wolfgang"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "ChessBase"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "1956.05.20"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "8"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[SourceTitle "MCL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bb7 13. a4 (13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Nh2
(14. Nf1 c4 {Unzicker,W-Keres,P (1)/Hamburg m/1956/1/2-1/2/27/}) 14... Rad8 15.
Qf3 Bc8 16. Ndf1 Nc4 17. Ng3 g6 18. b3 Na5 19. Bh6 $14 {Stein,L-Bannik/URS-ch/
1961/}) (13. d5 $5 Bc8 14. Nf1 Bd7 15. g4 Rfb8 16. Ng3 g6 17. b3 c4 18. b4 Nb7
19. Nh2 Ne8 20. f4 $16 {Balashov,Y-Gereben/Bath/1973/}) 13... cxd4 14. cxd4 b4
(14... Rac8 15. Bb1 Nh5 $5 16. Nxe5 dxe5 17. Qxh5 Bb4 $44 {Suetin}) 15. b3 {
/\Bb2} Rac8 16. Bb1 (16. Bd3 $2 Qc3 17. Ra2 Qxd3 18. Re3 Qc3 19. Rxc3 bxc3 20.
Nf1 Bxe4 $15) 16... d5 $1 (16... Qc3 $2 17. Ra2) 17. dxe5 Nxe4 18. Nxe4 dxe4
19. Bxe4 Rfd8 20. Bd2 Bxe4 21. Rxe4 Qc6 (21... Qb7 $1 22. Rg4 Rd3 23. Rb1 (23.
Nd4 Rd8 $1) 23... Qd5 24. Qe1 Nc6 $44) 22. Rg4 Qe6 (22... Rd3 23. Nd4 $1 {
Balabanov} Qd7 (23... Qd5 $2 24. Rxg7+ Kxg7 25. Qg4+ Kh8 26. Qxc8+ $18) 24.
Rxg7+ $1 Kxg7 (24... Kf8 25. Rxf7+) (24... Kh8 25. Rxf7 Qxd4 26. Qh5 $18) 25.
Bh6+ Kxh6 26. Qxd3 $18 {/\Nf5+}) 23. Rb1 h5 (23... Rd3 24. Qe2 $1 {Keres, /
\Qd3,Bb4.} (24. Nd4 $6 {Balabanov} Qxe5 25. Rxg7+ Kh8 $1 $17 {Keres} (25...
Qxg7 26. Nf5 Qf6 27. Nxe7+ Qxe7 28. Qg4+ Kh8 29. Qxc8+ $18) (25... Kxg7 26.
Qg4+ Kf6 27. Bh6 $18)) 24... Rxb3 25. Rxb3 Qxb3 (25... Nxb3 26. Bxb4 $16) 26.
Qxa6 $16) 24. Re4 Qg6 25. Qe1 $1 Rd3 {/\Rf3} (25... Nc6 26. Rc1 $16) 26. Kh1
Rxb3 27. Bxb4 $1 $16 (27. Rxb3 $2 Nxb3 28. Bxb4 Rc1 $19) 27... Rc4 $1 (27...
Rxb1 28. Qxb1 Rc4 29. Bxe7 $1 $18 Qxe4 30. Qb8+ Kh7 31. Ng5+) (27... Bxb4 28.
Rxb4) 28. Rxb3 (28. Rxc4 $2 Rxb1 29. Rc1 Bxb4 $1 $19) 28... Rxe4 29. Qb1 $1
Nxb3 (29... Bxb4 30. Rxb4 Rxb4 31. Qxb4 $18) 30. Bxe7 Rxa4 (30... Nd4 31. Qb8+
Kh7 32. Ng5+ $18) (30... Qe6 31. Qxe4 $18) 31. Qxb3 Ra1+ 32. Kh2 Qf5 33. e6 $1
f6 (33... fxe6 34. Qb8+ Kh7 (34... Kf7 35. Qf8+ Kg6 36. Nh4+ $18) 35. Ng5+ Kg6
36. Qe8+ $18) (33... Qxe6 34. Qb8+ Kh7 35. Ng5+ Kg6 36. Nxe6 $18) 34. Bxf6 $1 (
34. Bxf6 Rb1 35. e7+ Rxb3 36. e8=Q+ Kh7 37. Ng5+ Kh6 38. Qh8+ Kg6 39. Qxg7#)
1-0

[Event "Reykjavik International-01"]
[Site "Reykjavik"]
[Date "1964.01.18"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Tal, Mihail"]
[Black "Gligoric, Svetozar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "ChessBase"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "1964.01.14"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "ISL"]
[SourceTitle "MCD"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 (13... Rac8) (
13... Nc4) (13... cxd4 14. cxd4 Rac8 15. Re2 Nc6 16. a3) 14. b3 cxd4 (14... c4)
(14... g6) 15. cxd4 Nc6 16. Bb2 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 exd4 18. Rc1 Qd8 19. Qxd4 Bf8 20.
Rcd1 Rc8 21. Bb1 Bc6 22. Ng3 d5 23. Qe3 (23. e5 Ne4 24. Nxe4 dxe4 25. Bxe4 Qxd4
26. Rxd4 Bxe4 27. Rdxe4 Rc2 28. R1e2 $14) 23... Nd7 (23... g6) 24. Nf5 f6 (
24... dxe4 25. Qg3 g6 26. Qf4 (26. Qc3 Qf6 $11) (26. Nd6 Bxd6 27. Rxd6 $16)
26... Qc7 27. Nh6+ Bxh6 28. Qxh6 Ne5) 25. Qg3 Qc7 26. Qg4 (26. Qxc7 Rxc7 27.
exd5 Rxe1+ 28. Rxe1 Bxd5 29. Ne7+ Bxe7 30. Rxe7 $16) 26... Ne5 (26... dxe4 27.
Bxe4 h5 $3 {Von Tal nicht angegeben} (27... Bxe4 28. Nh6+ Kh8 29. Rxd7 Qc2 {
Von Tal nicht angegeben} 30. Nf7+ Kg8 31. Nh6+ $11)) 27. Bxe5 Rxe5 28. Nh6+ (
28. exd5 Rxe1+ 29. Rxe1 Bxd5 30. Re7 (30. Nh6+ Kh8 31. Qf5 gxh6) (30. Ne7+ {
Von Tal nicht angegeben} Bxe7 31. Rxe7 Qxe7 32. Qxc8+ Kf7 (32... Qf8 33. Bxh7+)
33. Bxh7 Qe1+ 34. Kh2 Qe5+ 35. g3 g5 36. Qg8+ Ke7 37. Qg7+ Kd6 38. Qa7 $16)
30... Qc1+ 31. Kh2 Qg5) 28... Kh8 29. Nf7+ Qxf7 30. Qxc8 Bb7 31. Qc3 b4 32. Qc1
dxe4 33. Rd8 g5 34. Qd2 Bc6 35. Qd6 Be8 36. Qb8 Kg7 37. Rxe4 Rb5 38. Qa8 Bd7
39. Bd3 Rd5 40. Rxf8 1-0

[Event "Moscow International"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "1982.05.14"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Tal, Mihail"]
[Black "Unzicker, Wolfgang"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2605"]
[BlackElo "2510"]
[Annotator "ChessBase"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "1982.05.09"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "URS"]
[EventCategory "10"]
[SourceTitle "MCL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 14. b3 g6 15. Bg5
Nh5 16. Bxe7 Rxe7 17. Ne3 Nf6 18. Qd2 Rae8 19. Rad1 Nb7 20. b4 {[#]} c4 (20...
exd4 21. cxd4 cxd4 22. Qxd4 Nxe4 23. Nd5 $18) (20... cxb4 21. cxb4 $16) 21. Nh4
(21. a4) 21... Kh8 22. Qe2 (22. Nd5 Nxd5 23. exd5 e4 24. Qh6 Kg8 25. g4 $14)
22... Bc6 23. Qf3 Ng8 24. dxe5 dxe5 25. Nd5 Bxd5 26. Rxd5 Re6 27. Qe3 Nf6 28.
Rd2 Qb6 29. Qxb6 Rxb6 30. a4 a5 31. bxa5 Nxa5 {[#]} 32. axb5 (32. Rb1 Reb8 33.
Rb4 Kg7 $11) 32... Nb3 $15 33. Bxb3 cxb3 34. c4 Rc8 35. Rd3 Rxc4 36. Rxb3 Rc5
1/2-1/2

[Event "Staunton Memorial"]
[Site "Groningen"]
[Date "1946.08.21"]
[Round "7"]
[White "O'Kelly de Galway, Alberic"]
[Black "Steiner, Herman"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "ChessBase"]
[PlyCount "96"]
[EventDate "1946.08.13"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "19"]
[EventCountry "NED"]
[SourceTitle "MCL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3
d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. dxc5 dxc5 14. Nf1 Nc4 15.
Ng3 (15. b3 Nb6 16. a4 {Boleslavsky-Smyslov (5)}) 15... Rad8 16. Qe2 Rfe8 17.
b3 Nb6 18. a4 Bf8 19. Bg5 Qc6 20. a5 Nc8 21. Nf5 Qe6 22. Nh2 h6 23. Bh4 Ne7 24.
Qf3 {[P 25. xh6+]} g5 25. Bg3 Ng6 26. h4 $2 (26. Ng4 $14) 26... Bc6 27. Nf1 Nf4
$1 {[P 28... xf5]} 28. hxg5 hxg5 29. Bxf4 exf4 30. Qh3 Qe5 31. Nh2 Bd7 32. Red1
(32. Nf3 Bxf5) 32... Bxf5 33. exf5 Rxd1+ 34. Rxd1 Qe2 35. Qd3 c4 $1 $17 36.
bxc4 bxc4 37. Qxe2 Rxe2 38. Bb1 Bc5 39. Nf3 (39. Rf1 g4 {P 40...g3 -+}) 39...
Rxf2 40. Nd4 Ng4 41. Be4 Rb2 42. Re1 Kg7 43. Kf1 Rf2+ 44. Kg1 Rd2 45. Bb7 Bxd4+
46. cxd4 c3 47. Rc1 c2 48. Bf3 Ne3 0-1

[Event "URS-ch25 Final"]
[Site "Riga"]
[Date "1958.01.23"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Tal, Mihail"]
[Black "Petrosian, Tigran V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "ChessBase/Baranov/Mikenas"]
[PlyCount "145"]
[EventDate "1958.01.13"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "19"]
[EventCountry "URS"]
[SourceTitle "URS-ch"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3
d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Nc4 14. Ne3 (14. b3 Nb6
) 14... Nxe3 15. Bxe3 Be6 16. Nd2 {(/\ 17.f4)} Rfe8 17. f4 Rad8 $14 18. fxe5
dxe5 19. d5 Bd7 20. c4 Rb8 21. a4 b4 22. a5 $1 Rf8 23. Ba4 Bxa4 24. Rxa4 Rbd8
25. Qf3 Rd6 26. Nb3 Nd7 27. Raa1 Rg6 28. Rf1 Bd6 29. h4 Qd8 30. h5 Rf6 31. Qg4
{[#]} Rf4 $5 {Petrosians famous exchange sacrifice} 32. Bxf4 (32. Rxf4 $142
exf4 33. Bxf4) 32... exf4 33. Nd2 (33. Rxf4 $1 Ne5 34. Qh4 Nxc4 35. Qxd8 Rxd8
36. Rf2 $14) 33... Ne5 34. Qxf4 Nxc4 35. e5 Nxe5 36. Ne4 h6 37. Rae1 Bb8 $1 38.
Rd1 c4 39. d6 Nd3 40. Qg4 Ba7+ 41. Kh1 f5 {[#]} 42. Nf6+ $8 (42. Rxf5 Rxf5 43.
Qxf5 Qh4+ 44. Qh3 Qxe4 $17) 42... Kh8 (42... Qxf6 43. Qxc4+) 43. Qxc4 Nxb2 44.
Qxa6 Nxd1 45. Qxa7 Qxd6 (45... Nc3 46. Qe7 $1 gxf6 47. Rxf5 (47. Qe3 $15)) 46.
Qd7 Qxf6 47. Qxd1 Rb8 $1 48. Rf3 Ra8 $2 49. Qe1 Rxa5 50. Qxb4 Re5 $10 51. Qf4
Kh7 52. Kh2 Rd5 53. Rf1 Qg5 54. Qf3 Re5 55. Kg1 Rc5 56. Qf2 Re5 57. Qf3 Ra5 58.
Kh2 Kh8 59. Kg1 Ra2 60. Qd5 Rc2 61. Qa8+ Kh7 62. Qf3 Rc1 63. Rxc1 Qxc1+ 64. Kh2
Qc7+ 65. Kh3 Qe5 66. g4 fxg4+ 67. Kxg4 Qg5+ 68. Kh3 Qf6 69. Qe4+ Kg8 70. Qe8+
Qf8 71. Qxf8+ Kxf8 72. Kg4 Kf7 73. Kf5 1/2-1/2

[Event "URS-ch25 Final"]
[Site "Riga"]
[Date "1958.02.01"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Kortschnoj, Viktor Lvovich"]
[Black "Geller, Efim P"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "ChessBase/Kortschnoj"]
[PlyCount "73"]
[EventDate "1958.01.13"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "19"]
[EventCountry "URS"]
[SourceTitle "URS-ch"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 {1) Kortschnoj and Lyublinskogo in the tournament bulletin no.12, p.4-5.}
e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9.
h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 14. Ne3 g6 15. Bd2 Bf8
16. b4 exd4 17. cxd4 cxd4 18. Nxd4 Nc4 19. Nxc4 Qxc4 20. Bg5 Bg7 {[#]} 21. Rb1
$1 Nxe4 22. Bxe4 Rac8 23. Nxb5 Qxb5 24. Bf4 Bc3 25. Bd2 Bxd2 26. Qxd2 Rxe4 27.
Rxe4 Bf5 28. Rbe1 Bxe4 29. Rxe4 Qc6 (29... d5 30. Rd4 Rc4 $11) 30. Qd3 {[#]}
Qc1+ $2 (30... Rd8 31. Rd4 $14) (30... d5 $1 31. Rd4 Qf6 32. Rxd5 Rc1+ 33. Kh2
Qxf2 $11) 31. Kh2 Qc6 32. Rd4 Rd8 33. Rd5 h5 34. f4 Qc1 35. Qd4 Qc6 36. f5 Qd7
37. Qd3 1-0

[Event "Dubai op"]
[Site "Dubai"]
[Date "2000.04.29"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Ermenkov, Evgenij"]
[Black "Ibragimov, Ildar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2449"]
[BlackElo "2611"]
[Annotator "Ermenkov,E"]
[PlyCount "99"]
[EventDate "2000.04.28"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "UAE"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2001"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2000.11.22"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2000.11.22"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 {Up to now nothing remarkable
- good old Ruy-Lopez. This is one of the oldest moves favoured by Botvinnik,
Geller and Smyslov among others, nowadays by Piket. I like to play the same
position with Black but usually I prefer 12...Rd8. The point is Ibragimov
likes 12...Rd8 as well. In that game he probably decided to stick to the old
lines. One recent example of 12...Rd8 is the game Al. Modaihki-F. Eid, match,
Beirut, 2000, which continued:} (12... Rd8 13. d5 c4 14. Nf1 Nb7 15. Bd2 Bd7
16. b4 a5 17. a3 Ra6 18. g4 Rda8 19. Rc1 axb4 {and Black can be quite happy
with his position after the opening. Later Fadi Eid won the exchange but
failed to press it home in the endgame and only drew...}) 13. Nf1 Nc4 {
Preventing 14.Ne3. As the Ruy-Lopez players know - the f1 Knight is watching
closely the white-squared Bishop of Black - on Bb7 the Knight usually goes to
g3, while if the Bishop remains on the "c8-h3" diagonal the Knight feels very
comfortable on e3 eyeing both d5 and f5 squares.} (13... cxd4 14. cxd4 Rac8 {
or 14....Rfc8.}) 14. Ng3 ({White can block the center immediately with} 14. d5)
14... Rfe8 15. d5 Nb6 16. Nh2 c4 {In positions of this type White has three
attacking plans. First to play g4, Ng3, Kh2, Rg1, Nf5, etc.,(like A-Modaikhi
in the game above...) which is out of question now , since White's Knight is
on g3 in front of the pawn already. By the way this old plan is completely out
of fashion now and I think it is definitely the worst for White. Second - Ng4,
Qf3 trying to force Black to exchange the Knight on g4, and then after hg, Nf5
followed by g3, Kg2, Rh1, etc. About plan three I would like to tell an
amusing story. Back in 1972 in a tournament in Polanitza in Poland I met an
interesting character named Bernard Zuckerman from USA. He told me that he had
discussed a lot of chess positions with Bobby Fischer who was a real legend
then. Bernard asserted that Bobby considered positions with Black pawn chain
of a6-b5-c4, particularly if the queen-side is blocked by White with pawns on
c3-b4-a5, to be leading to winning middle-games for White because of the d4
square for the Knight. I was more than impressed with that since chess was not
so developed then. The attacking scheme for White is almost banal nowadays but
in this game I tried to attack without even touching the queen-side.} 17. f4 $1
exf4 18. Bxf4 Na4 19. Rb1 Nc5 20. Nf3 Qb6 21. Nd4 {Bobby's rampant horse -
vintage 1972...} b4 22. Kh2 a5 (22... Rab8 {was also possible.}) 23. Qf3 (23.
Rf1 {deserved attention.}) 23... b3 24. axb3 cxb3 25. Bd3 {I felt really sorry
for my beautiful bishop but it was not too active in this position with pawns
on e4 and d5.} a4 (25... Nxd3 26. Qxd3 {followed by Ngf5 and Qg3 with attack.})
26. Ndf5 {I preferred this to 26.Ngf5 keeping the option of Nh5 eventually.}
Bf8 27. Bg5 Bxf5 {practically forced, because of the threats 28.Nh6+ or 28.B:
f6.} 28. Nxf5 Nfd7 29. Bf1 {I had in mind a wonderful future career of this
beautiful piece...} Ne5 30. Qg3 Ncd7 31. Nd4 $1 {The thorough-bred returns
threatening to support Bf1 to play Ruy-Lopez once again, i. e. 32.Bb5...} Ra5
32. h4 {It was obvious that Black intended to play g6 and Bg7, so I decided to
bring one more attacker.} (32. Be2 $5 {was also interesting with intention of
33.Rf1and even double the rooks on the "f" file.}) 32... g6 ({Of course not} 
32... h5 $2 33. Be2 g6 34. Bxh5) 33. h5 Bg7 34. hxg6 hxg6 35. Re3 {I intended
simply Qh4 and Rh3 so Black decided to try something like a counter-attack
exchanging the black-squared bishops in the process. This idea however is
bound to backfire because of the space advantage of White on the king-side.} f6
$6 36. Bf4 Kf7 37. Be2 Rh8+ 38. Kg1 Bh6 39. Bg4 $1 {This move refutes Black's
idea because of the weakness on e6.} Bxf4 40. Qxf4 Nc5 41. Rf1 {Now White's
attack is irresistible.} Qd8 42. Be6+ Ke8 (42... Kg7 43. Rg3 {with the
unavoidable threat of} Z0 44. Nf5+ Kf8 45. Nxd6) 43. Rh3 $1 ({Winning a pawn
with} 43. Qxf6 Qxf6 44. Rxf6 {leads to disaster after} a3 {White has to win
this game by attacking and the solution is very simple. Black's King has but
one defender Rh8. White has to exchange it, then White's Queen penetrates and
end of story.}) 43... Rxh3 (43... Rf8 44. Rh7 {descides.}) 44. Bxh3 Qe7 {
Black is trying to run away with the King via c7, but it's too late.} 45. Qh4
a3 {This was supposed to be the counter-play but the ship is already sinking.}
46. bxa3 Rxa3 47. Nb5 ({Of course not falling into the trap of} 47. Rxf6 Nf7 $1
{and White's attacking pieces are dangerously pinned, while the b3 pawn is two
steps away from the Olympic gold. 48.Ne6 or 48.Be6 might be winning there also
but I saw something better. After the move in the game Black's Rook cannot
defend both the d6 pawn and the c7 square after the check on h8 with the Queen.
}) 47... Ra5 48. Qh8+ Kf7 (48... Qf8 49. Nxd6+ Ke7 50. Nc8+ Ke8 51. Qh7 {
followed by 52.Qc7.}) 49. Nd4 (49. Nc7 {was also winning but it was
unnecessarily flashy and besides I wanted to accentuate Bobby Fischer's
wonderful understanding of the importance of His Majesty - Nd4 - the
cornerstone of White's strategy in this game... Thank you, Bobby!}) 49... Qe8 {
Defending against 50.Be6+.} 50. Qh7+ {Here everything wins but I saw a
beautiful mate:} (50. Qh7+ Kf8 51. Rxf6+ Nf7 52. Be6 Ra7 53. Nc6 Z0 54. Qh6+ {
Ildar disappointed me by resigning instead.  That game was played in round 2
and with it I became a leader in a tournament in which I started as an
absolute outsider being ? 27 in the ranking at the beginning. The quality of
the game as well as the result was an enormous boost for me and as I mentioned
already - Bobby Fischer deserves most of the credit.}) 1-0

[Event "Olympiad-31"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "1994.12.15"]
[Round "14.4"]
[White "Leko, Peter"]
[Black "Frolov, Artur"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2555"]
[BlackElo "2540"]
[Annotator "Ernst,T"]
[PlyCount "76"]
[EventDate "1994.12.01"]
[EventType "team-swiss"]
[EventRounds "14"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 045"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1995.04.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1995.04.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Hungary"]
[BlackTeam "Ukraine"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "HUN"]
[BlackTeamCountry "UKR"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Nc4 {[#] Unzicker} 14.
d5 (14. Ng3) (14. Ne3 $142 $14) (14. b3) 14... a5 $5 $146 (14... g6 15. Bd3 Nb6
16. Bh6 Rfb8 17. g4 $13 {Dolmatov,S-Huebner,R/Dortmund/1992 0,5 (57)/ Inf 54/
(345)}) (14... Nb6 15. g4 h5 16. gxh5 Bxh3 17. N3h2 $14 {Kasparov,G-Petrosian,
T/Banjaluka/1979 0,5 (23)/ Inf 27/324}) (14... Rfb8 15. N3h2 a5 16. Ne3 $14 {
Claesen,J-Gordon,A/Duisburg/1992 1-0 (60)}) 15. a4 Nb6 16. axb5 Bxb5 17. Ng3 g6
18. Nh2 Rfe8 19. Ng4 Nxg4 20. hxg4 Qd8 $1 21. Nf1 Bxf1 22. Rxf1 Bg5 23. Ba4
Nxa4 24. Qxa4 Bxc1 25. Rfxc1 Qg5 26. Qc6 $5 (26. Qd1 $10) 26... Red8 27. Qc7
Qxg4 28. Rxa5 Rac8 29. Qe7 Qxe4 30. c4 $44 Qf5 31. Ra7 Kg7 32. Rc3 Ra8 $1 $8 (
32... e4 $2 33. Re3) 33. Rxa8 Rxa8 34. Rf3 Ra1+ 35. Kh2 Qh5+ 36. Kg3 (36. Rh3
Qf5 37. Rf3 $10) 36... g5 37. Qf6+ Kg8 38. Qd8+ Kg7 1/2-1/2

[Event "Hoogovens"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee"]
[Date "1995.01.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Brodsky, Michail"]
[Black "Piket, Jeroen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2545"]
[BlackElo "2640"]
[Annotator "Ernst,T"]
[PlyCount "96"]
[EventDate "1995.01.??"]
[EventType "k.o."]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "NED"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 045"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1995.04.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1995.04.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Rd8 {[#] Keres} 13. b3 (13. Nf1
cxd4 14. cxd4 exd4 (14... d5 $6 15. Nxe5 dxe4 16. Ng3 $1 $16 {Tal,
M-Gudmundsson/Reykjavik/1964}) 15. Nxd4 $14 {Brodskij,M-Aleksandrov,A/URS-ch58/
1991 1-0(49)}) 13... Bd7 $146 (13... cxd4 14. cxd4 Nc6 15. Bb2 exd4 16. Nxd4
Nxd4 17. Bxd4 Be6 (17... Bb7 18. Rc1 Qa5 19. Bb1 $14 {Dolmatov,S-Polgar,Zs/New
York/1989 1-0 (61)/ Inf 47/446}) 18. Rc1 Qa5 19. Bb1 {Ernst,T-Wedberg,T/Lugano
op/1989 1-0 (43)/ Inf 47/(446)}) 14. d5 $5 (14. Nf1) 14... g6 15. Nf1 c4 16. b4
Nb7 17. Bg5 $6 {>< a3.} (17. a4 a5 $1) 17... a5 18. a3 Ra6 19. Ng3 Rda8 20. Rc1
axb4 21. axb4 Qd8 22. Be3 Ne8 23. Bb1 Ng7 24. Qd2 h5 25. Ne2 f6 26. Ng3 Qe8 27.
Nh2 h4 28. Ngf1 g5 29. Ng4 Qg6 30. Qd1 Nd8 31. Bd2 Nf7 32. Qf3 Bd8 33. Nfe3 Nh5
34. g3 Bb6 35. Kh2 hxg3+ 36. fxg3 Kg7 37. Re2 Rh8 38. Rf1 Bxe3 39. Bxe3 {[#]}
Nf4 40. gxf4 gxf4 41. Rg2 Ng5 42. Qe2 Rxh3+ 43. Kg1 Bxg4 44. Qxg4 Rxe3 45. Qd7+
Qf7 46. Qxb5 Qa7 47. Kh1 Rxc3 48. Rh2 Raa3 0-1

[Event "Donner Memorial-B"]
[Site "Amsterdam"]
[Date "1994.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Velimirovic, Dragoljub"]
[Black "Unzicker, Wolfgang"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2525"]
[BlackElo "2430"]
[Annotator "Ernst,T"]
[PlyCount "95"]
[EventDate "1994.08.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "NED"]
[EventCategory "8"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 043"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1994.12.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1994.12.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Nc4 14. Ng3 Rfe8 15.
d5 (15. b3 Nb6 16. Be3 h6 17. Nd2 c4 18. Rc1 a5 $14 {De Firmian-Duric/1983/})
15... Bf8 16. a4 bxa4 17. Bxa4 Reb8 18. Bxd7 Qxd7 19. b3 Nb6 20. Bg5 Ne8 21.
Ra5 Nc7 22. c4 Qe8 23. Bd2 Rb7 24. Qc2 $14 Nd7 25. Ra3 g6 26. Rb1 Qc8 27. Ne1
Ne8 28. Nd3 Be7 29. b4 Bd8 30. Rba1 cxb4 31. Bxb4 Rab8 32. Ba5 Bxa5 33. Rxa5
Rc7 34. Rc1 Nc5 35. Nxc5 Rxc5 36. Qa4 Rxa5 37. Qxa5 Rb5 $1 38. Qa4 Rc5 39. Nf1
Nf6 40. Nd2 Nd7 41. Rb1 Rc7 42. Qa3 Nc5 $10 43. Rb6 Qd8 44. Qb4 h5 45. Rb8 Rc8
46. Rxc8 Qxc8 47. Qb6 Qd7 48. f3 1/2-1/2

[Event "Capablanca Memorial-B"]
[Site "Matanzas"]
[Date "1994.??.??"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Rodriguez Cespedes, Amador"]
[Black "Servat, Roberto"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2470"]
[BlackElo "2445"]
[Annotator "Ernst,T"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "1994.??.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "CUB"]
[EventCategory "8"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 043"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1994.12.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1994.12.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Nc4 14. Ng3 g6 15. b3
$1 (15. d5 Ne8 16. a4 Ng7 17. b3 Na5 18. axb5 axb5 19. Bh6 Nb7 $10 {
Dolmatov-Huebner/Manila(izt)/1990/}) 15... Nb6 16. Bh6 Rfc8 (16... Rfe8 $1 $10
{Keres}) 17. Rc1 a5 18. Bb1 c4 19. Be3 Rab8 20. Nd2 cxb3 21. axb3 a4 22. b4
exd4 23. Bxd4 Bc6 24. f4 $16 Nbd7 25. Nf3 Bf8 26. Ba2 Re8 27. Qc2 Re7 28. Re3
Rbe8 29. Rce1 Qb7 30. Bb1 Bg7 31. Nh2 Nf8 32. R3e2 Ne6 33. Be3 Rc8 34. Kh1 Rce8
35. f5 Nf8 36. Bf4 d5 37. e5 $18 d4 38. exf6 Bxg2+ 39. Kg1 1-0

[Event "Interzonal-16"]
[Site "Biel"]
[Date "1993.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Topalov, Veselin"]
[Black "Frolov, Artur"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2650"]
[BlackElo "2535"]
[Annotator "Ernst,T"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "1993.07.16"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "SUI"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 037"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1993.12.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1993.12.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Nc4 14. Qe2 Rfe8 (
14... Nb6 $6 15. d5 $1 c4 16. g4 $14) 15. b3 Nb6 16. dxe5 dxe5 17. c4 Nh5 $1 (
17... bxc4 18. bxc4 Na4 19. Bxa4 Bxa4 20. Ne3 $14) (17... Bc6) 18. Bd2 (18. Ne3
Nf4 19. Qf1 Bd6 $5 20. Nd5 Nfxd5 21. exd5 f5 $15) 18... Rab8 $1 19. a4 (19.
Rad1 bxc4 20. bxc4 Na4 $1 $15) 19... bxc4 20. bxc4 Bd6 $6 (20... Nc8 21. Ne3
Nf4 22. Qf1 Ne6 $13) 21. a5 $6 (21. g4 $1 Nf6 (21... Nf4 22. Bxf4 exf4 23. e5
$16) 22. Ne3 $14) 21... Nc8 22. Ba4 (22. g4 Nf6 23. Ne3 Ne7 24. Ba4 Bxa4 25.
Rxa4 Nc6 26. Nd5 Qd8 $10) 22... Bxa4 23. Rxa4 Na7 24. g3 (24. Ne3 $142 $10)
24... Nf6 $1 25. Ra2 {><a4, e4, h3} Nc6 26. Bg5 Nd7 27. Nh4 (27. Ne3 Nd4 {/\}
28. Qd1 $2 Rb1 $19) 27... Nd4 28. Qg4 Qc6 $15 29. Ne3 h5 $1 (29... f6 30. Bh6
Bf8 31. Nd5 $5 (31. Nef5 Nxf5 32. Nxf5 g6 33. Bxf8 Nxf8 $10) 31... Rb3 $13) 30.
Qxh5 f6 $6 (30... Qxe4 31. Qd1 $1 Qh7 $1 32. Nd5 e4 $15) 31. Bh6 $1 Bf8 $2 (
31... Qxe4 32. Bxg7 $1 Qh7 33. Bh6 $18) (31... gxh6 $8 32. Nef5 Re7 $8 33.
Nxh6+ Kf8 34. Ng6+ Kg7 $13) 32. Nef5 $18 Nxf5 (32... gxh6 33. Qg6+ Kh8 34. Qf7
{/\ Ng6#}) 33. Nxf5 gxh6 34. Qg6+ Kh8 35. Rd2 Qe6 36. Red1 Rbd8 37. h4 Re7 38.
Nxe7 Bxe7 39. Rxd7 1-0

[Event "Budapest FS03 GM"]
[Site "Budapest"]
[Date "1993.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Szalanczy, Emil"]
[Black "Lukacs, Peter"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2365"]
[BlackElo "2480"]
[Annotator "Ernst,T"]
[PlyCount "144"]
[EventDate "1993.03.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "HUN"]
[EventCategory "8"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 037"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1993.12.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1993.12.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Nc4 14. Ng3 (14. Ne3
$14) 14... g6 $1 15. b3 (15. d5 Ne8 16. a4 Ng7 17. b3 Na5 18. axb5 axb5 19. Bh6
Nb7 $10 {Dolmatov-Huebner/Manila(izt)/1990/}) 15... Nb6 16. Bh6 Rfe8 {=Keres/}
17. Rc1 Bf8 18. Qd2 Bg7 19. Qg5 Kh8 20. dxe5 dxe5 21. Rcd1 Bxh6 22. Qxh6 Ng8
23. Qd2 f6 24. Qd6 Rac8 25. Nf1 Kg7 26. Ne3 Nh6 27. a4 Nf7 28. Qxc7 Rxc7 29. a5
Nc8 30. Nd5 Rb7 31. b4 c4 $14 32. Rd2 Be6 33. Red1 Bxd5 34. Rxd5 Ree7 $1 35. h4
Rec7 36. Kf1 Ne7 37. R5d2 Nc6 38. Ke2 Nb8 39. Nh2 Rd7 40. Ng4 Rxd2+ 41. Rxd2
Nc6 42. Ne3 Ne7 43. Nd5 Nxd5 44. Rxd5 Rc7 45. Ke3 Kf8 46. Bd1 Ke7 47. Bg4 Nd6
48. Bh3 h6 49. g3 g5 50. hxg5 hxg5 51. Bg4 (51. f4 Nf7 52. fxe5 Nxe5 53. Bf5
$10) 51... Nf7 52. Rd1 Nh6 53. Be2 Rd7 54. Rh1 Nf7 55. Rh7 Kf8 56. Bh5 Rd3+ 57.
Ke2 Nd6 58. Rd7 Nxe4 59. Rxd3 cxd3+ 60. Kxd3 Nd6 (60... Nxf2+ $2 61. Ke3 Nh1
62. Kf3 $16) 61. Bf3 f5 62. Bd5 Ke7 63. c4 bxc4+ 64. Bxc4 e4+ 65. Kd4 Nxc4 66.
Kxc4 f4 67. gxf4 gxf4 68. Kd4 e3 69. fxe3 fxe3 70. Kxe3 Kd6 71. Kd4 Kc6 72. Kc4
Kd6 (72... Kd6 73. Kd4 Kc6 74. Ke5 Kb5 $10) 1/2-1/2

[Event "Leon"]
[Site "Leon"]
[Date "1994.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Sion Castro, Marcelino"]
[Black "Beliavsky, Alexander G"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2380"]
[BlackElo "2650"]
[Annotator "Franco"]
[PlyCount "114"]
[EventDate "1994.05.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "ESP"]
[EventCategory "12"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 042"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1994.10.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1994.10.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. Re1 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 Ne8 {/\ g6-f5} 13. b3 Nb7 {/\ g6,
Ng7, Nd8 Rubinstein} 14. Nbd2 g6 15. a4 Rb8 16. axb5 axb5 17. Nf1 Ng7 18. Bh6 (
18. g4 $5) 18... Nd8 19. b4 $2 (19. g4 $5) 19... f6 20. Ra3 Nf7 21. Bxg7 (21.
Be3 f5) 21... Kxg7 22. Ng3 Bd8 $1 23. Qe2 c4 $1 {/^ a7-g1} 24. Rea1 Qd7 25. Ra7
Rb7 26. Ra8 Bb6 27. Nh2 Ra7 $1 28. R8xa7 Bxa7 29. Bd1 Bb6 30. Qg4 Qb7 31. Qe2
f5 $6 (31... h5 $5 {Beliavsky}) 32. exf5 Qxd5 33. Bc2 Ng5 34. Rd1 Qc6 35. Ne4 (
35. Qg4 Bb7 36. Nh5+ gxh5 37. Qxg5+ Kh8 38. f6 $2 Rg8 39. f7 Qxg2+ $1 $19)
35... Nxe4 36. Qxe4 Qxe4 37. Bxe4 Bxf5 38. Bxf5 Rxf5 39. Ng4 Bc7 40. Ne3 Rf8
41. Ra1 Bb6 42. Ra6 Bxe3 43. fxe3 Kf6 $1 44. e4 (44. Rxd6+ Kf5 45. Kf2 Ke4+ 46.
Ke2 Ra8 47. Rd2 Ra3 48. Rc2 g5 $17) 44... Ke6 45. Ra5 Rf4 46. Rxb5 Rxe4 47. Kf2
Rf4+ 48. Ke2 Rf8 49. Ra5 h5 50. Ra7 Kd5 51. Ra6 g5 52. Ra7 Ke4 53. Rg7 d5 54.
Rxg5 d4 55. cxd4 exd4 56. Rxh5 d3+ 57. Ke1 c3 0-1

[Event "DEN-ch"]
[Site "Odense"]
[Date "1994.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Mortensen, Erling"]
[Black "Nielsen, Peter Heine"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2470"]
[BlackElo "2475"]
[Annotator "Ftacnik,L"]
[PlyCount "126"]
[EventDate "1994.07.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "DEN"]
[EventCategory "10"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 041"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1994.08.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1994.08.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 (12... cxd4 13. cxd4 Bb7) 13.
dxe5 dxe5 14. Nh2 (14. Nf1 Nc4 15. b3 Nb6) 14... Rad8 (14... Be6) 15. Qf3 Rfe8
16. Nhf1 (16. Ndf1) 16... Be6 17. Ne3 c4 (17... g6 $5) 18. Nf5 Bf8 $6 (18...
Nb7 19. Nf1 Nc5 {xd3}) 19. Nf1 Nd7 20. N1e3 Nc5 21. Nd5 Bxd5 22. exd5 Qb7 23.
Qg4 f6 (23... Qxd5 24. Nh6+ Kh8 25. Qf5 g6 26. Qxf7 $14) 24. Be3 g6 (24... Nd3
25. b4 $1 Nxe1 26. Rxe1 $16) 25. Nh6+ Bxh6 26. Bxc5 $1 (26. Bxh6 Qf7 $1 27.
Rad1 f5 $17) 26... Bg7 (26... Rxd5 27. Be4 f5 28. Bxd5+ Qxd5 29. Qh4 $16) 27.
Bb4 Qb6 28. a4 Nb7 29. axb5 axb5 30. b3 f5 $2 (30... Rxd5 31. bxc4 Rd2 32. Re2
f5 33. Qf3 e4 34. Bb3 Kh8 35. Qe3) 31. Qe2 cxb3 32. Bxb3 Nc5 $2 (32... Bf8 $13)
33. Qe3 Rc8 34. d6+ Kh8 35. Bxc5 Rxc5 (35... Qxc5 $2 36. d7 $1 $18) 36. Ra6
Qxa6 37. Qxc5 Rd8 $2 (37... e4 $142) 38. Rxe5 h5 39. Re6 Qa1+ 40. Kh2 Qxc3 41.
Qb6 Rf8 (41... Be5+ 42. g3 Rxd6 43. Qb8+ Kg7 44. Re7+ Kh6 45. Qf8+ Kg5 46. Rxe5
$1 $18) 42. Qxb5 Qd4 43. Kg1 Kh7 44. d7 $5 (44. Qd5 $16) 44... Ra8 45. g3 h4
46. gxh4 Ra1+ 47. Kg2 Qxh4 48. Qd3 $2 (48. Qb8 $1 Bd4 49. Qg8+ $1 Kxg8 50. Re7+
Kf8 51. d8=Q#) 48... Bd4 49. Qd2 (49. Qg3 Rg1+ $1 50. Kxg1 Qxg3+) 49... f4 50.
Qe2 $2 (50. Qc2) 50... Rg1+ $1 (50... Rh1 51. Qg4 Qxf2+ 52. Kxh1 $18) 51. Kxg1
(51. Kh2 Qg3+ 52. fxg3 fxg3#) 51... Qg3+ 52. Kf1 Qxh3+ 53. Ke1 Qc3+ 54. Qd2 (
54. Kd1 Qa1+ 55. Kd2 Qc3+ $10) 54... Bxf2+ 55. Kd1 Qxb3+ 56. Qc2 $2 (56. Ke2
Qxe6+ 57. Kxf2 Qb6+ 58. Kf3 Qd8 $10) 56... Qxe6 57. Qxf2 $2 (57. Qc7 $1 Bb6 58.
d8=Q+ $1 (58. d8=N+ $2 Bxc7 59. Nxe6 Bd6 60. Ke2 Kh6 61. Kf3 Kh5 $1) 58... Bxc7
59. Qxc7+ Kh6 60. Qxf4+ g5 $17) 57... Qxd7+ 58. Ke2 Qg4+ 59. Kf1 Qh3+ 60. Ke2
Qg4+ 61. Kf1 Kh6 62. Qh2+ Kg5 63. Kf2 Qh4+ 0-1

[Event "Lvov Cup of Galychina"]
[Site "Lvov"]
[Date "2001.12.24"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Firman, Nazar"]
[Black "Golod, Vitali"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2494"]
[BlackElo "2517"]
[Annotator "Golod,V"]
[PlyCount "73"]
[EventDate "2001.12.18"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "UKR"]
[EventCategory "11"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 087"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2002.03.21"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2002.03.21"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 {For the first time, in my
practice, I refuse from open variant of the Spanish party.} 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6
8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 ({Less logically to play
right away:} 12. d5 {-it is better to wait for the following move of black:})
12... Rd8 {This plan of game is popular in nowadays.} 13. d5 $5 ({Also it
deserves attention:} 13. b3 {You can see comments to Brodsky,M-Piket,J/Wijk
aan Zee,1995/CBM 45(0-1)(Ernst)(48)}) ({In this tournament,there was one more
game on this variant:} 13. Nf1 cxd4 14. cxd4 exd4 15. Nxd4 d5 16. e5 Ne4 17.
Bf4 Bc5 18. Ne3 Qb6 $36 {De Vreugt,D-Levin,F/Lvov,2001(1-0) (36)}) 13... c4 14.
Nf1 $5 ({Interestingly:} 14. Re3 Bd7 15. b4 Nb7 16. a4 a5 17. axb5 Bxb5 18. Nb1
Be8 $1 {[%cal Gf6d7,Gd7b6]} 19. Re1 Nd7 20. Be3 Nb6 21. bxa5 Nxa5 22. Na3 Rdb8
23. Nd2 Nb3 $1 24. Nxb3 cxb3 25. Bxb3 Qxc3 26. Bd2 Qd4 $11 {Leko,
P-Kasimdzhanov,R/Yerevan,2001 (1/2-1/2)(33)}) 14... Nb7 15. g4 $1 {It is more
unpleasant for black,than:} (15. Ng3 {See comments to Kindermann,S-Jussupow,A/
Hamburg,1991/CBM 24(0-1) (Jussupow,A)(41)}) 15... h5 $5 {The basic decision!
Differently,after:} (15... Nc5 16. Ng3 {the pressure on king side becomes very
strong.}) 16. N3h2 ({Dubiously:} 16. gxh5 Bxh3 {[%csl Rg1,Rh5]}) 16... hxg4 17.
hxg4 (17. Nxg4 $143 Bxg4 18. hxg4 Nh7 {[%cal Ge7g5]} 19. Re3 Bg5 20. Rh3 Bxc1
21. Qxc1 Qe7 22. Ng3 Qg5 23. Qxg5 Nxg5 24. Rh1 g6 $11 {Bakre,T-Vladimirov,E/
Calcutta,2001(0-1) (36)}) 17... Nh7 18. f4 $1 $146 {[%mdl 8]} ({Was checked in
the previous game:} 18. Kg2 Bg5 19. Bxg5 Nxg5 20. Qd2 Qe7 21. Ng3 g6 22. Rh1
Kg7 23. Nf3 f6 24. Rh4 Bd7 25. Rah1 Rh8 26. Rxh8 Rxh8 27. Rxh8 Kxh8 28. Nxg5
fxg5 $11 {Rytshagov,M-Voiska,M/Cappelle la Grande,1993(1-0)(86)}) 18... exf4
19. Bxf4 Bg5 20. Qd2 {Up to this moment,contenders play is rather logically.}
Qe7 {[%mdl 256]} ({Much worse is:} 20... Bxf4 21. Qxf4 Re8 22. Nf3 $14) 21. Nf3
({Leads to equality:} 21. e5 $6 Bxf4 (21... dxe5 $4 22. Bxh7+ Kxh7 23. Bxg5 $18
) 22. Qxf4 dxe5 23. Bxh7+ (23. Rxe5 Qf6 $11) 23... Kxh7 24. Rxe5 Qf6 25. Qxf6
gxf6 26. Rh5+ Kg7 $11) 21... Bxf4 22. Qxf4 Qf6 23. Qxf6 $6 (23. Qg3 $142 {
It is necessary to keep queens for attack.}) 23... Nxf6 {+/=/=} (23... gxf6 $6
24. Ne3 Ng5 $140 25. Nxg5 $1 (25. Nd4 $143 Nc5 $14) 25... fxg5 26. Kf2 {
[%cal Ge1h1,Gh1h5]}) 24. g5 Ng4 25. Ne3 Re8 $1 {[%mdl 256] <->e;><e5} ({
It is not necessary to hasten to take away of the knight "e3":} 25... Nxe3 26.
Rxe3 $14) 26. Nd4 Ne5 (26... Bd7 $6 27. Nxg4 Bxg4 28. b4 $1 $14 {[%cal Ga2a4]})
27. b4 cxb3 {This only correct positional decision!} 28. axb3 Bd7 29. b4 ({
Weakly:} 29. Ra3 {in view of:} a5 30. Rea1 $140 $2 Rac8 $1 {[%csl Rc3]} 31. b4
axb4 32. cxb4 Nc4 $1 {=/+/-/+}) 29... a5 30. Kf2 ({Can be recommended:} 30. Ra3
$5) 30... g6 $1 {/\Kg7,Rh8<->h;עf2} 31. Ra3 Kg7 ({I had other interesting
alternative:} 31... axb4 32. Rxa8 Rxa8 33. cxb4 Kg7 {/\Nd8,f6 and Ndf7 with
idea to enter the second knight in game.} (33... Ra2 $143 {[%cal Ge5d3]} 34.
Ke2 {[%csl Ye2]})) 32. Rea1 Rh8 $132 {[%csl Rf2][%cal Gh8h2]} 33. bxa5 Rh2+ 34.
Kg1 ({Pretty dubiously:} 34. Ke1 {because of:} Nc5 $36 {[%csl Re1]}) 34... Rh3
$1 {[%csl Re3]} ({Leads to bad position:} 34... Rah8 $2 35. a6 $1 (35. Nf1 $143
R2h5 36. a6 Rxg5+ 37. Kf2 Nc5 38. a7 Ra8 $14) 35... Nc5 36. a7 Rh1+ 37. Kf2
R1h2+ 38. Ng2 $16) 35. Kf2 {This move is much better,than:} (35. Nf1 $2 Nc4 36.
a6 Nc5 37. R3a2 Rxc3 $17) (35. a6 $6 Nc5 36. c4 {[%csl Ga3,Gd4,Ge3,Rh3][%cal
Ge3f5]} Nf3+ $5 (36... Ned3 $5 {[%csl Re3] עg1}) 37. Nxf3 $140 b4 $36 {
[%csl Ra3,Rf3]}) 35... Rh2+ (35... Ra6 $5 {(an interesting idea which was
mentioned by Firman,N after the game).} 36. R3a2 $13) 36. Kg1 Rh3 {After a
long defence I should be glad to repeat the moves.} 37. Kf2 1/2-1/2

[Event "ISR-chT"]
[Site "Israel"]
[Date "2002.04.12"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Gruenfeld, Yehuda"]
[Black "Golod, Vitali"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2481"]
[BlackElo "2535"]
[Annotator "Golod,V"]
[PlyCount "99"]
[EventDate "2002.01.10"]
[EventType "team"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "ISR"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 089"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2002.08.12"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2002.08.12"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 {I beforehand have decided
to avoid an open variant of the Spanish party.} 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O
9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Rd8 13. a4 $5 {[%mdl 4] Up to this
moment my contender played rather quickly.} (13. d5 $5 {You can see my
comments to Firman,N-Golod,V/Lvov,2001/CBM 87(1/2-1/2)(37)}) 13... cxd4 ({
After:} 13... Bd7 {it is possible to receive the same position as in the game:}
14. Nf1 (14. d5 $6 c4 $11 {[%cal Ga5b7,Gb7c5]}) 14... cxd4 15. cxd4 Nc6) 14.
cxd4 Bd7 $1 {[%csl Yd7][%cal Yd7b5,Yd7e8] Now bishop should work on this
diagonal.} (14... b4 $6 15. b3 Nh5 16. Bb2 Bf6 17. Rc1 Nf4 18. Nf1 Qb6 19. Ne3
$14 {Bannik,A-Tarasov,V/Riga,1954(1/2-1/2)(43)}) (14... Bb7 $143 15. axb5 $6 (
15. Bd3 $142) 15... axb5 16. d5 {[%csl Rb7]} Nd7 17. Nf1 Nc4 18. Rxa8 Rxa8 19.
Ne3 Ra1 $11 {Unzicker,W-Pachman,L/Amsterdam,1954(1/2-1/2)(26)}) 15. Nf1 Nc6 {
[%csl Rc2][%cal Gc6b4]} ({Also was checked in the preceding game:} 15... Rdc8
16. Ne3 Nc6 17. Bb3 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 exd4 19. Nf5 $14 {Walther,E-Hecht,H/Vienna,
1953(1-0)(34)}) 16. Ne3 Nb4 17. Bb1 $1 $146 {[%mdl 8]} ({Much worse is:} 17.
Bb3 {because of:} bxa4 $1 18. Bxa4 $140 Nxe4 19. Bxd7 Qxd7 (19... Rxd7 $5) 20.
dxe5 Rac8 21. Qb3 d5 $15 {Dominguez,L-Kasimdzhanov,R/Yerevan,2001(0-1)(50)})
17... bxa4 18. Bd2 $1 (18. Nf5 $143 Bxf5 19. exf5 Qb7 $1 $11 {[%csl Rd1][%cal
Ge5e4]} (19... e4 $2 20. Bxe4 Nxe4 21. Rxe4 d5 22. Re2 $14)) 18... Qb7 {
This flexible move keeps a additional opportunities.} 19. Bc3 {[%csl Yc3][%cal
Yc3b2,Yc3d4]} (19. dxe5 $143 dxe5 (19... Nxe4 $4 20. Bxe4 Qxe4 21. Bxb4 Qxb4
22. Nd5 $18 {[%csl Rb4,Re7]}) 20. Nxe5 Bb5 (20... Be6 $143 21. Nf5 Bb3 22. Qc1
$36) 21. Nf5 Rac8 $11 {[%csl Rd1]}) 19... a5 $6 {I incorrectly have estimated
all consequences of this continuation!} ({It deserves attention:} 19... Rac8)
20. dxe5 dxe5 21. Nxe5 Bxh3 ({Beforehand I hoped on:} 21... Bc6 $2 {but,it's
badly,in view of:} 22. Qf3 {[%csl Rf7]} Bxe4 23. Bxe4 Qxe4 24. Nf5 $18 {
[%csl Re4,Re7]}) (21... Be6 $143 22. Qf3 Qb5 23. Nf5 $40) 22. Qf3 Be6 23. Rxa4
$14 (23. Nf5 $5) 23... Qb5 24. Ra1 Rac8 ({Pretty dubiously:} 24... Bd6 {
because of:} 25. N5c4 $1 Bxc4 26. Nxc4 Qxc4 27. e5 Bxe5 28. Bxe5 $40 {[%csl
Gb1,Ge5]}) 25. Nf5 Bf8 26. Ng4 $1 {[%csl Rg8]} ({Leads to equality:} 26. Nh6+
$2 gxh6 27. Qxf6 Bg7 28. Rxa5 $1 (28. Qf4 $4 Rxc3 29. bxc3 Qxe5 30. Qxe5 Bxe5 {
[%csl Ra1]} 31. Rxa5 Bxc3 {-/+/-+}) 28... Qxa5 29. Qxg7+ Kxg7 30. Nc6+ Kf8 31.
Nxa5 Nd3 $11) 26... Nxg4 27. Qxg4 Bxf5 $6 (27... g6 $2 28. Qg5 {[%csl Rb5,Rg8]
[%cal Gg5f6,Gf5h6]} Bxf5 29. exf5 $16 Qb6 $140 (29... Bg7 $4 30. Bxg7 Kxg7 31.
f6+ {[%csl Rb5]}) 30. fxg6 hxg6 31. Qe5 Rxc3 32. Qxc3 Bg7 33. Qb3 $16) ({
Can be recommended:} 27... Re8 $5 {[%csl Re1][%cal Ge6f5]}) 28. exf5 Re8 (28...
Nd5 $2 {is refuted by:} 29. Rxa5 Qb6 $140 30. Bxg7 $1 Bxg7 (30... h5 31. Qe4
Qxa5 32. f6 Qxe1+ 33. Qxe1 Bxg7 34. fxg7 $16) 31. Rxd5 Qxb2 (31... Rxd5 $6 32.
f6 Qxf6 33. Qxc8+ Bf8 34. b3) 32. Rxd8+ Rxd8 33. Be4 $16) 29. Rd1 $1 {White
absolutely correctly evade from exchange.} (29. Rxe8 $2 Rxe8 $11 30. Bxg7 $4
Bxg7 31. f6 Re1+ 32. Kh2 Qe5+ $19 {[%csl Rf6,Rh2]}) 29... Rc4 ({After:} 29...
Rcd8 $2 {Yehuda has a tactical impact:} 30. Rxd8 Rxd8 31. Bxg7 $1 h5 (31...
Bxg7 $143 32. f6 {[%csl Rg7]}) 32. Qg3 Rd1+ 33. Kh2 h4 34. Qg4 {[%csl Rd1]}
Bxg7 35. Qxd1 $18) 30. Qf3 Rc7 31. g3 Qc6 32. Qg4 (32. Qxc6 $2 Nxc6 $11 {
[%cal Gf8b4]} 33. Bxa5 $140 $4 Ra7 {[%csl Ra1,Ra5,Ga7]} 34. b4 Bxb4 35. Bxb4
Rxa1 $17) 32... Ra7 33. f6 g6 34. Bf5 $1 {A very successful place for the
bishop. Now Ra1 also can enter to the game.} h5 $6 ({Also dubiously:} 34... Nd5
{in view of:} 35. Qf3 $1 (35. Be4 $143 Qc4 36. Rd4 Nxf6 37. Rxc4 (37. Qf3 $2
Qe6 {[%csl Ye6][%cal Ye6f6]}) 37... Nxg4 38. Rxa5 Rxa5 39. Bxa5 $14 {_|_})
35... gxf5 (35... Nb4 $2 36. Qxc6 Nxc6 37. Bd7 $18 {[%csl Rc6,Re8]}) 36. Rxd5
$16) (34... Qb6 $5) 35. Qf4 $1 Qb5 ({It is impossible to take away the white's
bishop:} 35... gxf5 $4 36. Qg5+ Kh7 37. Qxh5+ Kg8 38. Qg5+ Kh8 39. Bxb4 $1 $18
{[%csl Ra7,Yf8,Rh8]}) (35... Qc5 $4 36. Bd4 {[%csl Ra7,Rc5]}) 36. Be4 Kh7 {
[%cal Gf8h6] A rather unsuccessful idea. On this point my king gets under
direct threats on <->h and /^b1-h7.} (36... a4 $142) 37. Qf3 $16 {/\Kg2,Rh1
and so on ->} Qg5 38. Kg2 Rc7 (38... Qg4 $2 39. Qxg4 hxg4 40. Rh1+ Kg8 41. Rh4
$1 Rxe4 42. Rah1 {[%csl Rg8][%cal Gh4h8]}) 39. Rh1 Kg8 40. Rad1 Rc4 $2 {
This move at once loses the game.} (40... Qg4 $2 41. Qxg4 hxg4 42. Rh4 $1 Rxe4
$140 43. Rdh1 Bg7 $8 44. Rh7 $1 (44. fxg7 $4 Rxc3 45. bxc3 Nd5 {[%csl Rc3,Rg7]}
46. Rh8+ Kxg7 47. R1h7+ Kf6 48. Rf8 Re7 $14) 44... Rxc3 45. Rxg7+ Kf8 46. Rh8#)
(40... Na2 $2 41. Rd5 $18) ({It was a little better:} 40... a4 $5) 41. Bxg6 $3
{[%mdl 64]} Qxg6 $8 (41... fxg6 $4 42. f7+ {[%csl Re8,Gf7,Rg8][%cal Gf7g8,
Gf7e8]}) 42. Rxh5 $18 {[%csl Rg8][%cal Gd1h1]} Rc5 (42... Rxc3 43. bxc3 Nc2 44.
Rh4 $18 {[%csl Rg6,Rg8][%cal Gh4g4]}) 43. Rh4 $1 {[%csl Rg8][%cal Gd1h1]} Bh6
44. Rdh1 Rxc3 45. bxc3 Nc2 (45... Nd3 $144 46. Rg4 Bg5 47. Qd5 {[%csl Rg5]})
46. Qg4 (46. Qd1 $5 {[%csl Rc2,Yd1,Rg8,Rh6]}) 46... Ne1+ 47. Kf1 Nd3 48. Rxh6
$1 Re1+ 49. Kg2 Rg1+ {[%csl Yh1,Rh6] I use the last practical chance in this
game.} 50. Kxg1 {Good achievement of GM Yehuda Gruenfeld!} 1-0

[Event "Mukachevo m"]
[Site "Mukachevo"]
[Date "2010.08.16"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"]
[Black "Efimenko, Zahar"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2684"]
[BlackElo "2689"]
[Annotator "Golubev,M"]
[PlyCount "194"]
[EventDate "2010.08.12"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "6"]
[EventCountry "UKR"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 138"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.09.17"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.09.17"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3
d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 {Thousands of games were played in this
classical Chigorin's system.} 12. d5 ({A more common direction is} 12. Nbd2 {
but the text is also sometimes used by the world's top players.}) 12... Bd7 13.
Nbd2 c4 14. Nf1 Nb7 15. Ng3 a5 16. Nh2 Nc5 17. f4 b4 18. f5 $5 $146 {White
releases the tension in centre, preparing an attack on the kingside. But
Black's counterplay on the queenside should give him good chances.} Rab8 19.
Re3 Kh8 20. Kh1 Bb5 21. Bd2 b3 ({Another obvious idea was} 21... Nd3) 22. axb3
cxb3 23. Bb1 ({After} 23. Bxb3 $6 {Black plays} Bd7 $1 {regaining the pawn.})
23... a4 {White's rook and bishop are blocked on the queenside, but now
Naiditsch finally begins his kingside assault.} 24. Nh5 Nxh5 25. Qxh5 g6 26.
Qh6 Rg8 27. Rf3 ({The immediate} 27. Ng4 $5 {was also possible.}) 27... f6 28.
Ng4 Be2 ({Black also could have tried the less radical} 28... Rbf8) 29. Rg3
Bxg4 30. Rxg4 gxf5 31. Rh4 Rg7 32. exf5 Rbg8 33. Be3 $5 Bd8 $1 34. g4 $2 ({
A wrong, gambling move. Instead, White could have maintained the approximate
equality by} 34. Rg4 Rxg4 35. hxg4 Rxg4 36. Bxc5 Qxc5 {and now} 37. Rxa4 $1 {
regains the pawn, as} Rxa4 $2 {is impossible due to} 38. Qf8#) 34... Qb7 $1 {
Beginning of the sequence, which leads to a big black advantage.} 35. c4 Qb4 $1
36. g5 Qe1+ 37. Bg1 fxg5 $1 38. Rg4 ({After} 38. f6 $2 gxh4 39. fxg7+ Rxg7 {
White loses.}) 38... Qf1 $1 ({Ruslan Ponomariov, who witnessed the game,
proposed another solution:} 38... Nd7 {and if} 39. Qxd6 Nf6) 39. f6 Qf3+ $2 ({
Efimenko had not enough time before the control to calculate accurately the
winning line} 39... Bxf6 40. Be4 {(otherwise White is simply two pawns down)}
Qxa1 41. Bxh7 {and now} Rf8 $1 {[Ponomariov]}) 40. Kh2 Qxf6 $6 ({Not} 40...
Bxf6 {because of} 41. Rg3 $1) ({But} 40... Rf7 $1 {(GM Brodsky) was probably
better than the text.}) 41. Qxf6 Bxf6 42. Bxc5 dxc5 43. Rxa4 ({After} 43. Be4
Ra7 {White's defence is not particularly easy.}) 43... e4 44. Rxe4 Bxb2 45. Ra6
g4 46. Rxg4 $2 {Naiditsch simply misses Black's next move.} ({Correct was} 46.
hxg4 {with all chances for a draw after, e.g.} Rxg4 47. Rxg4 Rxg4 48. Rb6 Be5+
49. Kh3 Rg3+ 50. Kh4) 46... Be5+ $1 47. Kh1 Rxg4 48. hxg4 Rxg4 49. d6 Rd4 50.
Kg2 b2 $2 ({Also wrong is} 50... Bxd6 $2 {because of} 51. Rb6 $1) ({But I do
not understand why Efimenko did not play} 50... Rxd6 $1 {where} 51. Rxd6 Bxd6 {
looks as a winning endgame for Black.}) 51. Ra7 Rxd6 52. Rxh7+ Kg8 53. Rb7 Rf6
54. Rb3 Ra6 55. Kf3 Ra1 56. Bd3 Kf7 57. Ke4 Re1+ 58. Kd5 $1 Bd4 {In the
remaining part of the game Black did not manage to make any progress.} 59. Bh7
Kf6 60. Kc6 Ke5 61. Kb5 Kf4 62. Bg6 Rg1 63. Bh7 Rg7 64. Bc2 Rg2 65. Bb1 Rh2 66.
Bg6 Ke5 67. Bb1 Rh1 68. Bc2 Re1 69. Bg6 Re2 70. Bh7 Be3 71. Bg6 Bf2 72. Bb1 Rd2
73. Ka4 Bd4 74. Kb5 Kf4 75. Bg6 Be3 76. Ka4 Rg2 ({Or} 76... Kf3 77. Ka3 $1 {
disallowing Black to regroup by ...Kf2, ...Bd4.}) 77. Bh7 Rg7 78. Bc2 Bd4 79.
Kb5 Rg1 80. Bh7 Rc1 81. Bg6 Ke5 82. Bh7 Rd1 83. Bg6 Rd2 84. Bh7 Bg1 85. Ka4 Rh2
86. Bb1 Rg2 87. Ka3 Bd4 88. Ka4 Rd2 89. Bg6 Kd6 90. Kb5 Re2 91. Bh7 Re8 92. Bg6
Rb8+ 93. Ka4 Rg8 94. Bh7 Rg7 95. Bf5 Re7 96. Kb5 Re8 97. Bg6 Rb8+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "Bundesliga 8990"]
[Site "Germany"]
[Date "1990.??.??"]
[Round "?.1"]
[White "Huebner, Robert"]
[Black "Unzicker, Wolfgang"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2605"]
[BlackElo "2475"]
[Annotator "Huebner,R"]
[PlyCount "63"]
[EventDate "1989.10.??"]
[EventType "team-tourn"]
[EventRounds "15"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 017"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1990.08.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1990.08.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Bayern Muenchen"]
[BlackTeam "Bamberg"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "GER"]
[BlackTeamCountry "GER"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Nc4 14. Ne3 (14. d5 $6
g6 (14... Nb6 15. g4 h5 16. gxh5 Bxh3 17. N3h2 Bxf1 18. Nxf1 Qd7 19. Ng3 Qh3
20. Qf3 g6 21. Bd1 Rfe8 22. Qg2 Qxg2+ 23. Kxg2 $14 {1/2-1/2 Kasparov,
G-Petrosian,T/Banja Luka/1979/}) 15. b3 (15. g4 h5 16. g5 Nh7 17. h4 f6 $15) (
15. Ng3 Kg7 $15 {/\ Ng8,f5}) 15... Nb6 16. Bh6 Rfc8 17. g4 c4 18. b4 a5 {
mit Gegenspiel am Q-Flьgel}) (14. b3 $6 Nb6 15. Ne3 c4 16. bxc4 Nxc4 17. Nxc4
bxc4 18. Ba3 Rfe8 $10 {Nunn,J-Unzicker,W/BL8889/}) 14... Nxe3 15. Bxe3 {
/\ Nd2,f4} Rfe8 (15... Rfc8 16. Rc1 Bc6 17. Nd2 cxd4 18. cxd4 Qb7 19. Qf3 (19.
d5 $10 {Kasparov,G-Petrosian,T/Mailand/1975/}) 19... d5 20. dxe5 Nxe4 21. Bb3
$14) (15... g6 $1 16. Nd2 Nh5) 16. Nd2 Rac8 (16... Qa7 $6 {/\ Bc8,Nd7 X e5} 17.
d5 Qc7 (17... Bc8 18. b4 $1) 18. f4 exf4 19. Bxf4 Bc8 20. e5 Nxd5 21. exd6 $18)
(16... cxd4 17. cxd4 Qb7 (17... d5 18. dxe5 Qxe5 19. f4 Qxb2 20. e5 d4 $16 21.
Rb1 $1 (21. exf6 $2 dxe3 22. fxe7 exd2 23. Qxd2 Bf5 $1) 21... Qc3 (21... Qxa2
22. Bxd4 Nd5 (22... Qd5 23. Nb3 $18) 23. Bb3 $18) 22. exf6 dxe3 23. Ne4 e2 24.
Rxe2 Bc5+ 25. Kh2 Qc4 (25... Qd4 26. Rd2 $18) 26. Bb3 Qd4 27. Nxc5 Qxc5 28.
Qxd7 $18) 18. Nb3 (18. f4 $6 exf4 $1 (18... exd4 19. Bxd4 $16) (18... Bd8 19.
fxe5 dxe5 20. d5 Bb6 21. b4 $16 {/\ Nd2-b3-c5}) 19. Bxf4 g6 $15) (18. Qf3 $6
Bc6 19. g4 {/\ 20.g5 Nd7 21.d5 +-} d5 20. dxe5 Nxe4 21. Nxe4 (21. Nb3 Bb4) (21.
Bb3 Bb4) 21... dxe4 22. Qf4 Rad8) 18... a5 19. dxe5 dxe5 20. Qd2 a4 21. Nc5 $14
) 17. Rc1 (17. d5 g6 18. f4 exf4 19. Bxf4 Nh5 20. Bh2 Bf6 21. Nf3 c4 $10) 17...
Qa7 $2 (17... cxd4 $1 18. cxd4 Qb7 $10 {vgl. 16...cxd4 (Anmerkung zu 16...Rac8)
}) 18. d5 (18. Nf1 $6 g6 19. Ng3 (19. f4 exf4 20. Bxf4 Nh5 21. Be3 Bh4) 19...
Bd8 20. d5 (20. f4 cxd4 21. cxd4 Bb6) 20... h5 (20... Bb6 $2 21. Qf3 Kg7 22.
Bh6+ $16)) 18... Qc7 (18... g6 19. b4 Qc7 20. bxc5 dxc5 21. c4 Red8 (21... b4
22. Ba4 $16) 22. cxb5 axb5 23. a4 $16 {DrUck gegen P-c5}) 19. f4 exf4 20. Bxf4
{X e5} g6 21. Bh2 Bf8 (21... Nh5 22. Nf3 Bf8 (22... Bf6 23. e5 dxe5 24. d6 Qa7
25. Nxe5 $16 {vgl 27...dxe5 (Anmerkung zu 27...Bf8)}) 23. Qd2 (23. e5 $2 dxe5 {
/\ Bd6}) 23... Bg7 (23... c4 24. g4 Nf6 (24... Ng7 25. Kg2 $18) 25. Qf4 Be7 26.
Nd4 $16) (23... Rcd8 24. g4 Nf6 25. Qf4 Be7 (25... Bg7 26. Qxd6 Qxd6 27. Bxd6
Bxg4 28. hxg4 Rxd6 29. e5 $18) 26. Rf1 $18) 24. e5 {-Partie nach 26.e5}) 22.
Qf3 Bg7 (22... Nh5 $2 23. g4 Ng7 24. Rf1 $18) 23. Qf4 Re5 24. Nf3 Nh5 25. Qd2
Ree8 26. e5 (26. g4 Nf6 27. Qf4 h5 $1 28. g5 (28. Qxd6 Qxd6 29. Bxd6 hxg4 30.
hxg4 Bxg4 $15) 28... Nh7 29. Kg2 (29. h4 Bg4) 29... Rcd8 $10) 26... Bf8 $2 (
26... dxe5 27. d6 Qa7 28. Nxe5 c4+ 29. Kh1 Nf6 (29... Bxe5 $6 30. Bxe5 Bc6 31.
Bf5 (31. Bd1 $2 Rxe5 32. Rxe5 Ng3+ 33. Kh2 Nf1+ $19) 31... Rcd8 (31... Rxe5 32.
Bxc8 $18) 32. Bg4 $18) 30. Nxd7 (30. Qf4 Be6 $10 {/\ Nd7}) 30... Qxd7 (30...
Nxd7 $6 31. Be4) 31. Qf2 $16) 27. Qf2 $6 {/\ Ng5} (27. g4 $1 Ng7 28. Qf2 h6 29.
Rf1 Rcd8 30. Ng5 $18) 27... c4 $6 (27... dxe5 $2 28. Nxe5 Bd6 (28... f5 29.
Nxg6 $18) 29. Qxf7+ Kh8 30. Qxd7 Bxe5 31. Qxc7 $18) (27... h6 $2 28. e6 fxe6
29. Bxg6 $18) (27... Bh6 $5 28. exd6 (28. Rcd1 $2 Bf4 29. Bxf4 Nxf4 30. Ng5
dxe5) 28... Qb7 29. Rcd1 (29. Ne5 $2 Rxe5 30. Bxe5 Bxc1 31. Rxc1 Qxd5) 29...
Rxe1+ 30. Rxe1 Qxd5 31. Ne5 Be6 32. g4 Ng7 33. Be4 Qxa2 34. d7 Rd8 35. Qxc5 $18
) 28. Ng5 (28. g4 $6 dxe5) 28... Qc5 29. Re3 (29. Qxc5 Rxc5 (29... dxc5 30. Ne4
$18 {/\ g4}) 30. Ne4 (30. g4 $2 Bh6) 30... Rxd5 31. g4 dxe5 32. gxh5 Be7 (32...
Kg7 33. h6+ Kxh6 34. Nf6 Bc5+ 35. Kh1 Bc6 36. Be4 $18) (32... Bg7 33. h6 Bh8
34. Rcd1 Rxd1 35. Rxd1 Bxh3 36. Rd6 $18) 33. hxg6 hxg6 34. Rcd1 Rxd1 35. Rxd1
Bxh3 36. Bxe5 $18) 29... f5 (29... Re7 30. Ne4 Qxd5 31. g4 f5 32. exf6 $18) (
29... f6 30. e6 $18) 30. e6 Ra8 (30... Bh6 31. exd7 $18) (30... Rcd8 31. Nf7
$18) 31. Rce1 Bc8 (31... Bh6 32. exd7 Rxe3 33. Rxe3 Bxg5 34. Re8+ Kf7 35. Qxc5
$18) 32. Bxf5 {[Robert Hьbner]} (32. Bxf5 gxf5 (32... Bh6 33. Bxg6) 33. Qxf5
Re7 (33... Ra7 34. Qf7+) 34. Ne4 Bxe6 (34... Ng7 35. Nf6+ Kh8 36. Qxh7#) 35.
Qxh5 $18) 1-0

[Event "Hamburg SKA"]
[Site "Hamburg"]
[Date "1991.06.27"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Kindermann, Stefan"]
[Black "Jussupow, Artur"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2515"]
[BlackElo "2605"]
[Annotator "Jussupow,A"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "1991.06.27"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[EventCategory "11"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 024"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1991.10.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1991.10.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 {Ftacnik} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3
d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Rd8 13. d5 (13. Nf1)
13... c4 $1 14. Nf1 Nb7 15. Ng3 (15. N3h2 $5 Nc5 16. f4 a5 17. f5 $13) 15... a5
(15... Nc5 16. b4 (16. Nh2 {Ftacnik} Re8 17. f4 exf4 18. Bxf4 Bf8 19. Nf3 Nfd7
$10 {Petkevich-Klovan/USSR/1973/}) 16... cxb3 17. axb3 Bd7 $14) 16. Nh2 Nc5 17.
f4 (17. Ng4 Nxg4 18. hxg4 g6 $15) 17... b4 18. Nf3 (18. f5 Ba6 19. Ng4 Nd3 $132
) 18... Rb8 19. cxb4 $6 (19. Kh2 Bd7) (19. Nh1 $5 Ba6 20. Nf2 Rdc8 $15) (19.
Be3 $13 {Ftacnik}) 19... axb4 20. b3 c3 (20... Qa7 21. Kh2 cxb3 22. Bxb3 $10)
21. f5 (21. fxe5 {Ftacnik} dxe5 22. Be3 g6 $13) 21... Ba6 (21... Bd7 {Ra8,Ra7,
Rda8} 22. Re2 $15) 22. Nh1 Rdc8 23. Nf2 Qa7 (23... Qd8 24. g4 (24. Kh2 {g3,h4})
24... h6) 24. g4 $6 (24. Be3 Bd8 25. a3 Bb6 26. axb4 Ncxe4 $44 27. Rxa6 Qxa6
28. Nxe4 Nxe4 29. Bxe4 Bxe3+ 30. Rxe3 Rxb4) 24... Nfxe4 $1 25. Bxe4 (25. Rxe4 {
Ftacnik} Nxe4 26. Bxe4 Bd8 27. Kg2 Bb6 28. Nh1 Rc7 $13) 25... Nxe4 26. Rxe4 c2
(26... Rb5 $5 $44) 27. Qe1 $6 (27. Qd2 Rc3 (27... Qc5 {Ftacnik} 28. a3 Bb7 29.
axb4 Qxd5 $132) 28. Kg2 $13 (28. Re3 Rbc8 29. a3)) 27... Qc5 28. a3 Qxd5 29.
axb4 Bb7 $36 30. Re3 Bd8 (30... Bg5 $2 {Ftacnik} 31. Rd3) 31. Rd3 Qc6 32. b5 (
32. Ra2 {Ftacnik} e4 33. Nd4 Qd5 34. Rd2 e3 $1 $19) 32... Qxb5 33. Nd2 (33.
Rxd6 {Ftacnik} Bxf3 $19) 33... Bb6 $19 34. Re3 (34. Rxd6 {Ftacnik} Rc3 (34...
Rd8 $5) 35. Nde4 Rf3 36. Rd2 Rc8 $17 (36... Re3 37. Qf1 Qxf1+ 38. Kxf1 Bxe4 39.
Nxe4 Rxe4 40. Rxc2 $17)) 34... Bxe3 35. Qxe3 Qc6 36. Kf1 (36. Qe4 {Ftacnik} d5
37. Qxe5 Re8 38. Qg3 Re1+ 39. Kh2 Rbe8 $19) 36... Qg2+ 37. Ke1 (37. Ke2 {
Ftacnik} d5 $19) 37... Qg1+ 38. Ke2 Bg2 39. Qd3 d5 40. Qg3 e4 41. Qe5 Rxb3 (
41... Rxb3 42. Qxd5 (42. Bb2 Bf3+ 43. Nxf3 exf3+ 44. Kd2 Qxf2+ 45. Kc1 Qf1+ 46.
Kd2 Rd3#) (42. Nxb3 Qf1+ 43. Ke3 Qe1+ 44. Kd4 Qc3+ 45. Kxd5 Qc4+ 46. Kd6 Qc6+
47. Ke7 Re8#) 42... Qe1+ 43. Kxe1 Re3#) 0-1

[Event "WchT 5th"]
[Site "Yerevan"]
[Date "2001.10.15"]
[Round "4.1"]
[White "Leko, Peter"]
[Black "Kasimdzhanov, Rustam"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2739"]
[BlackElo "2706"]
[Annotator "Kasimdzhanov,R"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "2001.10.12"]
[EventType "team-tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "ARM"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 086"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2002.02.05"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2002.02.05"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Hungary"]
[BlackTeam "Uzbekistan"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "HUN"]
[BlackTeamCountry "UZB"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Rd8 13. d5 c4 14. Re3 $5 {a very
interesting idea, invented by Enders. The rook protects c3 and can also be, as
we shall see, very usefull on the 3rd rank.} Bd7 $146 {better would be} (14...
Nb7 $142 15. b3 cxb3 16. axb3 a5 $13) 15. b4 Nb7 (15... cxb3 16. axb3 Nb7 17.
Ba3 Nc5 (17... a5 $2 18. Nxe5) (17... Be8 18. c4 a5 19. cxb5 Bxb5 20. Bd3 $14)
18. c4 a5 19. cxb5 Bxb5 20. Rc3 Nfd7 21. Nc4 $14 {is better for White, but not
much. Black's problem are these pawns on d6 and a5, and the way to play it is}
Ra6 22. Bc1 Rda8 23. Be3 h6 24. Nfd2 {and it should be really difficult for
white to make any progress}) 16. a4 a5 17. axb5 Bxb5 18. Nb1 $1 Be8 (18... axb4
$2 19. Rxa8 Rxa8 20. cxb4 Ra1 21. Ra3 Rxa3 22. Bxa3 $16) 19. Re1 $1 {two very
good moves by Leko, and suddenly it is bad for black. The Nb1 prevents ab4,
and white's plan is Be3, Qe2, Rc1, Nfd2 etc. Black will find it much more
difficult to find decent moves.} Nd7 20. Be3 Nb6 21. bxa5 $2 {Now this is
quite amazing. The Nb7 didn't have any squares, and was the only reason why
black had difficulties. The game is equal now.} (21. Qe2 $1 {X Nb7} axb4 (21...
Rdc8 22. Rc1 $1 axb4 23. Rxa8 Rxa8 24. cxb4 Ra2 25. Nc3 Rb2 26. Rb1 Rxb1+ 27.
Bxb1 Na4 28. Qc2 Nxc3 29. Qxc3 Bb5 30. Nd2 $16) (21... f5 22. Nbd2 $16) 22.
Rxa8 Rxa8 23. cxb4 f5 24. Bxb6 Qxb6 25. Qxc4 $16) (21. Nbd2 $2 axb4 22. Rxa8
Rxa8 23. cxb4 c3 24. Nb3 Nc4 $13) 21... Nxa5 22. Na3 Rdb8 23. Nd2 Nb3 $1 24.
Nxb3 cxb3 25. Bxb3 Qxc3 26. Bd2 Qd4 27. Ra2 Na4 28. Nc2 Qc5 29. Qf3 Qb5 30. Nb4
Nc5 31. Rxa8 Rxa8 32. Bc2 h6 33. Rb1 Qc4 $11 {the ending after Qc3 is quite
drawn.} (33... Bg5 34. Bxg5 hxg5 35. Nc6 Qc4 36. Ne7+ Kf8 37. Ng6+ Kg8 38. Ne7+
Kf8 $11) 1/2-1/2

[Event "Match/Nation BLR-HUN"]
[Site "Minsk"]
[Date "1957.10.17"]
[Round "2.1"]
[White "Boleslavsky, Isaak"]
[Black "Barcza, Gedeon"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "Koch,B"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "1957.10.15"]
[EventType "team"]
[EventRounds "2"]
[EventCountry "URS"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2010"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.11.25"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

{SCHACH 22/1957 Seite 342 und 23/1957 Seite 358} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4
Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 14. Ne3 g6 {Diese Variante ist zur Zeit die
groЯe Mode in der geschlossenen Verteidigung der Spanischen Partie.} 15. dxe5 (
{Wiederholt wurde nun mit dem scharfen VorstoЯ} 15. b4 {fortgesetzt.
GroЯmeister Boleslavsky wдhlt einen anderen, gleichfalls schon oft versuchten
Weg.}) 15... dxe5 16. Nh2 Rad8 17. Qf3 Be6 18. Nhg4 Nxg4 19. hxg4 Nc4 20. Nd5
Bxd5 21. exd5 Nb6 22. Rd1 {Dieser neue Zug scheint stдrker zu sein} ({als} 22.
Be4) 22... a5 23. a4 b4 24. cxb4 cxb4 25. Bb3 Qd6 26. Be3 e4 $1 27. Qe2 Nd7 28.
Rac1 Ne5 29. Rd4 Nd3 30. Rcc4 Nc5 {[#] Eine etwas extravagante
Springerwanderung, die hier ein plцtzliches Ende findet.} 31. Rxc5 $1 Qxc5 32.
Rxe4 Qc8 33. Qf3 Qd7 {Kein glьcklicher Verteidigungsgedanke;} ({in Betracht kam
} 33... Bd6) 34. Bc4 $1 Qxa4 35. d6 $1 Qa1+ 36. Kh2 Bxd6+ 37. g3 Rf8 $8 ({auf} 
37... Rxe4 {kдme Matt in zwei Zьgen.}) 38. Qf6 {Gegen die Mattdrohung mittels
Ld4 oder Lh6 hat Schwarz nun keine Verteidigung.} Be5 39. Rxe5 Qxb2 40. Bh6 1-0

[Event "Tata Steel-B 74th"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee"]
[Date "2012.01.14"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Lagno, Kateryna"]
[Black "Ernst, Sipke"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2557"]
[BlackElo "2606"]
[Annotator "Let's Check"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "NED"]
[EventCategory "15"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 147"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2012.03.16"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2012.03.16"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Be6 13. d5 Bd7 14. b3 c4 15. b4
Nb7 16. Nf1 a5 17. a3 Ra6 18. N3h2 Rfa8 19. g4 Ne8 20. Ng3 g6 21. Kh1 Ng7 22.
Rg1 Kh8 23. Qf3 f6 24. Bh6 Rg8 25. h4 Nd8 26. g5 fxg5 27. hxg5 Rf8 $6 (27...
Qb7 28. Rac1 $15) 28. Nf5 $1 $16 gxf5 $2 (28... Nh5 29. Bxf8 Bxf8 $16) 29. exf5
$18 Bxf5 30. Bxf5 Nf7 31. Bxg7+ Kxg7 32. Qh5 Rh8 33. Be6 Bd8 34. g6 Ng5 35.
gxh7 1-0

[Event "Astrakhan FIDE GP"]
[Site "Astrakhan"]
[Date "2010.05.17"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Alekseev, Evgeny V"]
[Black "Akopian, Vladimir Eduardovic"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2700"]
[BlackElo "2694"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "2010.05.10"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
[EventCategory "20"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 137"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.07.15"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.07.15"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 {Abstractly speaking, this is a
premature release of the tension in the centre, offering Black a free hand in
choosing his plan for the next phase of the game.} ({Its concrete purpose is
avoiding the lines with an early opening of the c-file, such as} 12. Nbd2 cxd4
13. cxd4 Nc6 {, which is quite fashionable lately.}) ({In the comments to the
main game and to its deviations, I will frequently refer to the ancient
Rubinstein setup. I will give here a draft line of it, in order to have some
reference point to rely on:} 12. Nbd2 Nc6 13. d5 Nd8 14. Nf1 Ne8 15. g4 g6 16.
Bh6 Ng7 17. Ng3 f6 18. Qd2 Nf7 19. Be3 Bd7) 12... Bd7 {The most flexible move.}
({With the c3-pawn well defended,} 12... c4 {is considered to be premature
because of} 13. b4 $1 cxb3 14. axb3 {In Astrakhan, a game was played which may
revive the whole line for Black.} Bd7 15. Bd3 Rfb8 16. Re2 Nb7 17. b4 Qc8 18.
Rea2 Nd8 19. Ra3 Ne8 20. Nbd2 g6 {So far, both sides have regrouped
consequently. The reader surely has recognized the Rubinstein plan (which
continues with ...Ng7, ...f6 and ...Nf7).} 21. Qe1 {White over defends the
b4-pawn in an X-Ray mode, preparing c3-c4. The drawback of this move is that
it does nothing against the opening of the kingside with ...f5.} ({The natural
} 21. Nf1 {looks like a better attempt to remain in control of the situation.}
f5 22. exf5 gxf5 23. Bc2 Nf7 24. Ng3 {This is the point. Black's pawn break
has slightly weakened the kingside light squares.} Ng7 25. Bd2 Bf6 26. Bb3 Qb7
27. Qb1 Rf8 28. Qa2 Bc8 $13 {Although White's piece placement looks more
harmonious, the position is levelled by Black's superior (more flexible)
structure. A heavy positional battle lies ahead.}) 21... f5 $1 ({With the
queenside about to be opened, there was no time for slow manoeuvring.} 21...
Ng7 22. Nb3 f6 23. Na5 Nf7 24. c4 Bd8 25. Nc6 $16 {The pawn sacrifice is only
temporary. Black's queenside pieces will be left passive, while the light
squares will be weak.}) 22. exf5 gxf5 23. c4 (23. Nxe5 $5 dxe5 24. Qxe5 {
is an interesting positional sacrifice, in the spirit of the Breyer game from
the recent rapid match Polgar-Navarra.}) 23... bxc4 (23... Nf7 $5 24. c5 dxc5
25. Nxe5 cxb4 {leads to a dangerous position for Black, because of his exposed
king and lack of overall harmony. However, his queenside pawns are likely to
become dangerous if the attack is repelled with an acceptable degree of
positional or material concessions.}) 24. Nxc4 Nf7 25. Bf1 Bf6 26. Bd2 Nc7 (
26... e4 $5) 27. Rc1 Qd8 28. Na5 Nxd5 29. Bc4 Nb6 30. Ba2 d5 31. Be3 Qe8 $2 (
31... e4 32. Nd4 Rc8 $13) 32. Bxb6 Rxb6 33. Bxd5 Rab8 34. Nc4 Re6 $16 {
Gashimov,V (2734)-Inarkiev,E (2669)/Astrakhan 2010/CBM 137 (1-0, 49). White
can take the exchange whenever he considers it opportune, without the least
compensation for Black.}) 13. b3 {If compared with the Rubinstein setup, this
is a wasted tempo, but with this concrete move order the move probably is
necessary, speaking a bit against the early blocking of the centre.} (13. Nbd2
{already allows} c4 $1 {[%csl Gc5]} 14. Nf1 Nb7 {I have annotated several
games with this line over the past few years.} 15. g4 (15. N3h2 {Karjakin,S 
(2645)-Aleksandrov,A (2630)/Saint Vincent 2005/CBM 110/[Marin,M] (1/2, 31)})
15... h5 {Sulskis,S (2528)-Efimenko,Z (2620)/Dresden 2007/CBM 118 [Marin] (0-1,
74)} (15... Ne8 {Harikrishna,P (2673)-Fressinet,L (2624)/Pamplona 2005/CBM 111/
[Marin,M] (1-0, 41)})) 13... Nb7 {The knight is heading for d8 on an alternate
route, since c6 is not available already.} ({When facing this variation with
Black, I choose} 13... Rab8 {, in order to discourage the thematic a2-a4. This
may not be necessary and, besides, the rook may be more useful on a8 in many
cases. See Maze,S (2455)-Marin,M (2540)/Moscow 2005/EXT 2006 (1/2, 34),
commented in the notes to Topalov,V (2812)-Ivanchuk,V (2746)/Sofia 2009/CBM
131/[Marin] (1-0, 81).}) (13... c4 $6 {Topalov,V (2812)-Ivanchuk,V (2746)/
Sofia 2009/CBM 131/[Marin] (1-0, 81)}) 14. Nbd2 (14. a4 {remains a critical
move, although in practice is not too frequent.} Rfb8 {Black prepares to
retreat with his knight to the back rank without disconnecting rooks. It may
be best to maintain the control of the a-file.} (14... Rab8 {leaves White free
hands on the a-file.} 15. Nbd2 g6 16. Nf1 $6 ({This looks like a good moment
to take advantage of the control over the a-file.} 16. axb5 axb5 17. Nf1 Nh5
18. Bh6 Rfe8 19. Ra7 Ra8 20. Qa1 Qb8 21. Ra3 Bf8 22. Bd2 Bg7 23. Qa2 Nf4 24.
Ra1 Rxa3 25. Qxa3 {Black has got certain kingside activity, but it remains an
open question whether White's pressure along the a-file will allow him to get
real counterplay.}) 16... Nh5 (16... bxa4 17. bxa4 c4 18. Rb1 Rfc8 $13 {Bruzon}
) 17. Bh6 Ng7 18. axb5 axb5 19. b4 (19. Qd2 Ra8 20. Ne3 Rxa1 21. Rxa1 f5 22.
exf5 gxf5 23. Ng5 $14 {Bruzon}) 19... Rfc8 20. Bd3 Ra8 21. Qe2 c4 22. Bc2 Nd8
23. Red1 Qb7 24. Qe1 Rxa1 25. Rxa1 Ra8 {Black has managed to neutralise the
pressure along the a-file.} 26. Qb1 f6 27. Ra2 Nf7 {And now, he has completed
his regrouping. Since White is far from playing the thematic f2-f4 yet,
Black's position is preferable already.} 28. Bd2 Rxa2 29. Qxa2 f5 30. Ng3 f4
31. Nf1 Bd8 32. Bd1 Bb6 $15 {Mekhitarian,K (2425)-Bruzon Bautista,L (2648)/
Ayamonte 2006/EXT 2007 (0-1, 47)}) 15. Na3 {The possibility of playing this,
without fearing ...c4, is the only constructive aspect of having played b2-b3.}
(15. Nbd2 g6 16. Nf1 Nh5 17. Bh6 Nd8 18. Qd2 f6 19. g4 Ng7 20. Ng3 Nf7 21. Be3
bxa4 22. bxa4 Rb2 $132) 15... Ne8 16. Qe2 Nd8 17. Bd2 g6 18. Nh2 f6 19. c4 bxa4
20. bxa4 Nf7 21. Ng4 Bf8 22. Bc3 Qd8 23. Ne3 Bh6 {A slight deviation from
Rubinstein's plan, made possible by the knight's presence on d2.} 24. Nb1 {
1/2 Hracek,Z (2607)-Nikolic,P (2661)/Selfoss 2002/CBM 092}) 14... g6 15. Nf1
Nh5 16. Bh6 Ng7 {Sticking to the Rubinstein regrouping.} ({It is possible to
choose another way of regrouping, leaving the knight close to the f4-square.} 
16... Rfe8 17. Qd2 Bf6 18. N3h2 Bg7 19. Ng3 Nf4 20. Bxg7 (20. Bxf4 $6 exf4 $15
21. Qxf4 $2 Bxc3 $17) 20... Kxg7 21. Ne2 Nxe2+ 22. Rxe2 c4 23. b4 a5 24. a3
axb4 25. cxb4 Qb6 {Karjakin,S (2661)-Delchev,A (2640)/Turin 2006/CBM 113 (1/2,
34)}) {White has tried several moves here, although they may transpose to each
other.} 17. g4 (17. Qd2 f6 18. g4 Nd8 19. Ng3 Nf7 20. Be3 {Black has completed
his kingside regrouping, but is not ready for further expansion with ...f5. He
can choose between waiting passively the course of events and starting some
plan on the opposite wing.} a5 $5 {[%cal Ga5a4]} ({The standard way of looking
for queenside counterplay is} 20... c4 21. b4 a5 22. a3 Ra6) 21. a4 bxa4 (21...
b4 {is an interesting alternative. It may seem that White can give to the game
a one-sided course with} 22. c4 {, but this is not that clear>} Rfb8 23. Kh2
Kf8 $5 {Taking the king on a long journey to the opposite wing, after which
Black will be ready to play for the initiative on the kingside.} 24. Rg1 Ke8
25. Raf1 Kd8 26. Ne1 Kc8 27. f4 exf4 28. Bxf4 Kb7 29. Nf3 Rh8 $132) 22. bxa4
Rab8 {The position is almost equal, although the weakness of the b5-square may
tell later.} 23. Reb1 Rxb1+ 24. Rxb1 Rb8 25. Qd1 Bd8 26. Nd2 Rb7 27. Nc4 Qb8
28. Ra1 Bc7 29. Kh2 Qe8 30. Qf3 Qd8 31. Rg1 Ng5 32. Bxg5 fxg5 33. Qe3 Qf6 34.
Nf1 h6 35. Nfd2 Qf8 36. Kg2 Qb8 37. f3 Ne8 38. Kf2 Nf6 39. Ke2 Qe8 40. Ra1 Kg7
41. Qg1 Ng8 42. Rb1 Qa8 43. Rxb7 Qxb7 44. Qb1 Qa7 45. Na3 Ne7 46. Nb5 Qb8 47.
Bd3 Bxb5 48. Qxb5 Qxb5 49. Bxb5 $14 {Karjakin,S (2635)-Harikrishna,P (2646)/
Dos Hermanas 2005/CBM 107 (1/2, 84). Despite the presence of opposite-coloured
bishops, White maintains the better chances, The main danger is a kings
invasion through c4-b5.}) (17. N3h2 Nd8 18. a4 Rb8 19. g4 f6 20. Ng3 Nf7 21.
Be3 Qc8 {[%cal Gf6f5]} 22. f4 exf4 23. Bxf4 Ne5 24. a5 $6 {Apparently, White
wanted to keep the queenside blocked, in order to focus on his thematic attack
on the other wing. However, the a5-pawn is very weak now.} b4 25. c4 Qe8 26.
Kh1 Bd8 27. h4 Bc7 28. Rg1 Qc8 29. Ngf1 Qd8 30. Ne3 Bc8 31. Qe2 Bxa5 32. Rg3
Rb7 $15 {Aroshidze,L (2490)-Postny,E (2578)/Kusadasi 2006/CBM 111 ext (0-1, 94)
. Black has won the pawn after thorough regrouping, while White's attack does
not seem so dangerous.}) 17... f6 18. Ng3 Nd8 19. Kh2 Nf7 20. Be3 c4 {Aiming
to take advantage of the slight weakening induced by b2-b3.} ({A possible
continuation in the spirit of the Rubinstein system is} 20... Kh8 21. Nd2 Rae8
22. Rg1 Qc8 {1/2 Istratescu,A (2628)-Schlosser,P (2563)/Differdange 2008/CBM
124 Extra}) 21. Qd2 $5 $146 {An interesting approach. White intends to keep
the queenside under tension.} (21. b4 a5 22. a4 (22. a3 Qb7 23. Rg1 Bd8 24. Qe2
Bb6 $132) 22... axb4 23. cxb4 bxa4 24. Bxa4 Bxa4 25. Rxa4 Qb7 26. Qc2 Rxa4 27.
Qxa4 Rb8 28. Rb1 f5 $15 {Ding Yixin (2292)-Zhao Xue (2523)/Beijing 2008/CBM
124 Extra (0-1, 62). The queenside situation has stabilised and Black gets
counterplay on the other wing, undermining the d5-pawn.}) 21... Ng5 {In
certain cases, this can offer Black kingside play, but here it just spoils his
structure, leaving him with a passive knight on g7.} ({I believe that Black
could have embarked on concrete operations on the opposite wing:} 21... cxb3 $5
22. Bxb3 (22. axb3 Rfc8 23. Ne2 a5 24. Bd3 Qb7 25. Rec1 Bd8 26. c4 b4 $5 27. c5
dxc5 28. Bxc5 Bb6 $132 {[%cal Gf7d6]}) 22... Rfc8 $1 (22... Rac8 23. Rac1 f5
24. gxf5 gxf5 25. exf5 Nxf5 26. Rg1 Kh8 27. Bc2 Nxg3 28. Rxg3 {[%cal Gd2d3,
Gd3h7]} Qxc3 29. Qd1 $36) 23. Rac1 (23. c4 $2 bxc4 24. Rac1 c3 $17) 23... Qb7
24. c4 Bd8 25. c5 dxc5 26. Bxc5 Bb6 27. Ba3 a5 $132 {[%cal Gb5b4,Gf7d6]}) 22.
Nxg5 fxg5 23. bxc4 Qxc4 $6 (23... bxc4 $5) 24. Bb3 Qc8 25. c4 $14 {This is a
much better form of White's main plan than in the lines examined above. There
is no kingside break possible, which leaves the g7-knight quite passive.} bxc4
26. Rec1 h5 27. Bxc4 Qe8 28. Be2 Rf4 {This is a passive sacrifice, as Rudolf
Spielmann would have called it. White is not forced to accept it.} 29. f3 hxg4
30. hxg4 Nh5 {This desperate attempt to generate some play loses too much
material.} 31. gxh5 gxh5 32. Bxf4 exf4 33. Nf5 $18 Bxf5 34. exf5 Bf6 35. Rab1
g4 36. Rb7 Qe5 37. Qd3 Re8 38. Qe4 Qxe4 39. fxe4 Kf8 40. Kg2 1-0

[Event "EU-Cup 21st"]
[Site "Saint Vincent"]
[Date "2005.09.22"]
[Round "5.5"]
[White "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Black "Aleksandrov, Aleksej"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2645"]
[BlackElo "2630"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "62"]
[EventDate "2005.09.18"]
[EventType "team-swiss"]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "ITA"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 110"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2006.01.31"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2006.01.31"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Paris NAO"]
[BlackTeam "Cheliabinsk"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "FRA"]
[BlackTeamCountry "RUS"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 Bd7 {The most natural move,
connecting rooks and completing the development at the same time. The only
drawback of this move is that it postpones solving the problem of the
a5-knight.} 13. Nbd2 {This also looks natural from the point of view of the
development, but it allows Black solve the problem of the knight in the
optimal possible way. However, we should take into account the fact that the
position is relevant for a slightly different move order: 12.Nbd2 Bd7 13.d5.}
c4 $1 {Once the c3-pawn has lost the knight's protection, Black can safely
play this move, clearing the c5-square for the knight and without fearing the
typical reaction based on b4 and if Nb7 then a4 with chances for White of
maintaining the pressure on both wings.} 14. Nf1 Nb7 {Once the knight will get
to c5, the position will strongly ressemble the Breyer system, with the
significant difference that the bishop was developed on d7 instead of b7. This
obviously favours Black, not only from the point of view of the activity of
the bishop, but also for the possible queen side counterplay based on Rb8 and
b4. The fact that the knights do not have communication between them via d7 is
of less significance, since the king's night has the plan Ne8, g6 and Ng7 at
its disposal, ensuring certain safety on the king side. In the meanwhile,
White has to choose a concrete way to carry out his king side attack.} 15. N3h2
{From a general point of view, this is the most flexible move. White cleares
the way of his f-pawn, while maintaining g4 in reserve.} ({The immediate} 15.
g4 {can be met by} h5 {when Black can try to get the control of the slightly
weak dark squares:} 16. N3h2 (16. g5 Nh7 17. h4 g6 {/\f5 or f6, קh4}) 16... g6
17. Bh6 Rfe8 18. Qf3 Qd8 $1 {[%cal Yd8h4] This is one of the moments when it
is a good idea to return with the queen to its initial squares (something I
mentioned in the notes to Lopez-Yegiazarian from this same issue of CBM).
However, we cannot really speak about a loss of time from Black's part (as
would be the situation in the case of Bc8-b7-c8), since the concrete
circumstances (and necessities) have changed in the meanwhile.} 19. Ne3 h4 20.
Kh1 Nh7 {[%csl Yf4,Yg5][%cal Re7g5]} 21. Nf5 $5 {Facing the risk to be
overplayed strategically, White starts a hazarduous attack.} Bg5 {Since the
knight does not threaten anything concrete yet, there is no need to capture it
at once.} 22. Rg1 f6 23. Bxg5 Nxg5 24. Qe3 gxf5 {But now that Black has
consolidated on dark squares, this capture is entirely safe.} 25. gxf5 Kf7 $17
{White has no adequate attack for the sacrificed material. 0-1 Megaranto,S 
(2499)-Avrukh,B (2652)/Amsterdam 2005/CBM 107 ext (33)}) ({The natural} 15. Ng3
{has the significant drawback of blocking the g-pawn, thus somewhat
restricting White's offensive possibilities.} Nc5 16. Nh2 a5 {There is no
reason for Black to postpone the start of his main plan.} ({However, inserting
some prophilactic moves is also entirely possible, for instance} 16... Rfe8 17.
f4 Rab8 18. fxe5 dxe5 19. Rf1 b4 20. Bd2 b3 $5 $132 {0-1 Al Modiahki,M (2570)
-Purnama,T (2337)/Barcelona ESP 2005/TWIC 565 (23)}) 17. Qf3 b4 18. Nf5 $6 ({
A more consistent continuation of the attack is} 18. Ng4 $6) 18... Bxf5 $1 19.
Qxf5 (19. exf5 e4 20. Qd1 Nd3 $17) 19... Rfb8 20. Qf3 Nfd7 {It now becomes
obvious that the exchange on f5 has allowed Black solve his last remaining
problem of coordination: the connection of knights through d7. Now, the
thematic f4 is hardly advisable, since the d7-knight would get the excellent
e5-square.} 21. Nf1 b3 $1 {A thematic move, radically changing the structure
and severely restricting the enemy bishop.} 22. axb3 cxb3 23. Bd1 a4 24. Rb1
Qd8 25. Be2 Bg5 26. Nd2 a3 $36 {Play is rather one sided. Black enjoys a
fantastic position. 0-1 Kozlov,V (2415)-Tseshkovsky,V (2470)/Aktjubinsk 1985/
MCD (50)}) ({White could also try to widen the front of his offensive by
taking preventive measures on the queen side with} 15. Bd2 Nc5 (15... a5 $5 16.
a4 $140 bxa4 17. Bxa4 Nc5 18. Bc2 Rfb8 $132) 16. b4 {for instance} cxb3 17.
axb3 a5 18. Ra3 Rfc8 19. Qe2 Bd8 20. Rea1 Qb7 21. Ng3 g6 $13 {Both sides have
regrouped in optimal way. The situation is balanced. 1/2-1/2 Kalesis,N (2410)
-Frolov,A (2545)/Cappelle la Grande 1995/EXT 97}) 15... a5 {From Black's point
of view, the move order is not essential at this stage of the game.} ({He can
also play first} 15... Nc5 {of course.} 16. f4 exf4 ({Some of the players
prefer to postpone this exchange until White weakens his king's position with
g4. Therefore,} 16... a5 {looks like a worthy alternative, when the critical
continuation is probably} 17. f5) 17. Bxf4 g6 18. Nf3 Nh5 19. Bh2 f6 $6 {
But this is a unnecessary weaknening move. Black was probably afraid of the
central break e5, but it isnot always clear whome would favour most such a
decision. From a static point of view, we can notice that Black would get the
d6-square while the d5 pawn, not supported by Bc2, could become weak.} (19...
a5 $5) 20. Nd4 Rae8 21. Qf3 Ng7 22. Ne3 Nb7 23. Rf1 Nd8 24. Ng4 Kh8 25. Kh1 Qc8
26. Nh6 Nf7 27. Nxf7+ Rxf7 28. g4 $14 {1-0 Vasiukov,E (2500)-Unzicker,W (2480)/
Moscow 1991/CBM 025 (40)}) ({However,} 15... Qb6 $5 {might make some
difference compared to the usual course of the game. Black improves the
position of his queen and causes White some loss of time, because the
immediate Kh1 is not possible.} 16. Be3 Nc5 17. b4 $5 {The decision to change
plans is probably corect.} ({In case of} 17. Kh1 a5 18. f4 exf4 19. Bxf4 b4 {
Black gets the useful move Qc7-b6 for free.}) 17... cxb3 18. axb3 Qc7 {Now
that the circumstances have changed, the queen returns to its previous
location. Even though White might have to return with the bishop to d2, he
would be basically one tempo ahead compared to the game Kalesis-Frolov. It's a
pity that players agreed here to a draw. 1/2-1/2 Ciocaltea,V (2445)-Ivkov,B 
(2540)/Malaga 1981/MCD}) 16. f4 Nc5 $146 {Technically speaking a novelty,
although in principle the game will diverge later from the known course.} (
16... b4 17. g4 Rfb8 $5 {A rather risky decision.} (17... exf4 {looks safer.})
18. g5 Ne8 19. f5 Nc5 20. Kh1 $6 {White plays too slowly.} (20. Ng4 $5 $40 {
[%cal Yf5f6,Yf1g3]}) 20... a4 21. Be3 a3 22. bxa3 Rxa3 23. cxb4 Rxb4 24. Ng4
Nd3 25. Bxd3 Rxd3 26. Qe2 Qb7 27. Rec1 Qb5 28. Rc2 Qa4 29. Rac1 Bb5 $36 {
Black's attack develops clearly faster. 0-1 Jirovsky,P (2315)-Biolek,R (2455)/
Olomouc 1995/EXT 97 (44)}) 17. g4 ({In case of the immediate} 17. f5 {Black
seems to be able to organize effective defence along the h4-d8 diagonal with}
Rfb8 {This looks the most consistent continuation. Black transfers the last
reserves to the queen side, leaving for later the decision regarding the
concrete form of carrying out the attack.} ({the straightforward} 17... b4 18.
g4 b3 19. axb3 cxb3 {is also possible, for instance} 20. Bd3 h6 21. h4 Nh7 22.
Nf3 Qd8) 18. g4 h6 19. h4 Nh7 20. Nf3 Qd8 {and White's attack has reached a
dead end while Black's offensive is just about to start.}) 17... exf4 {But now,
g5 followed by f5 was a serious threat.} ({With the position not blocked yet,} 
17... h6 $2 {is pointless now because of} 18. g5 $1 $40) 18. Bxf4 b4 19. Ng3 (
19. e5 dxe5 20. Bxe5 Qb6 (20... Bd6 $5 21. Bxf6 gxf6 {Black certainly has some
compensation for the king side weaknesses, due to his autoritary control over
dark squares.}) 21. Qd4 Na4 22. Qxb6 Nxb6 23. d6 Bd8 $13 {/\Be6, Nfd7}) 19...
Ne8 {Black reinforces the control over the d6-square in advance, anticipating 
(or aiming to discourage) the central break.} 20. Nf3 b3 21. axb3 cxb3 22. Bxb3
Rb8 23. Bc2 Rxb2 24. Nd4 Bf6 $132 {[%cal Yf6e5,Ye8f6] Black's stability on
dark squares as well as his outside passed pawn compensates for White's active
position in the centre.} 25. Qc1 Rb8 26. Qe3 a4 27. Reb1 Rxb1+ 28. Rxb1 a3 29.
Ra1 Qa5 30. Nge2 Be5 31. Qc1 Nf6 1/2-1/2

[Event "Sofia MTel Masters 5th"]
[Site "Sofia"]
[Date "2009.05.22"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Topalov, Veselin"]
[Black "Ivanchuk, Vassily"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2812"]
[BlackElo "2746"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "161"]
[EventDate "2009.05.13"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "10"]
[EventCountry "BUL"]
[EventCategory "21"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 131"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2009.07.15"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2009.07.15"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 {This move is frequently played,
with the aim of avoiding the lines based on ...cxd4. Personally, I feel that
this release of the tension in the centre is premature.} Bd7 {I consider this
natural developing move to be the best.} ({The immediate attempt to improve
the queen's knight position with} 12... Nc4 {succeeds only partially:} 13. b3
Nb6 14. a4 Bd7 15. a5 Nc8 {I do not feel that the knight is much better placed
here than it was on a5. Besides, White has managed to win much space on the
queenside.} 16. Nbd2 g6 17. Nf1 Nh5 18. Bh6 Re8 19. Qd2 Bf6 20. Ng3 Nxg3 21.
fxg3 Bg7 22. Rf1 f6 23. Be3 Ne7 24. g4 Rf8 25. Kh2 Rae8 26. Nh4 Qc8 27. b4 c4
28. Rf3 Rf7 29. Raf1 Ref8 {Black has managed to regroup, but his position
remains passive.} 30. Bh6 $6 ({Shipov reccomends} 30. Nf5 $5 gxf5 31. gxf5 {
[%cal Gg2g4,Gh3h4] with enduring pressure, despite the big material
disadvantage. In this line, the black knight remains passive all the same.})
30... g5 $1 $11 {Bacrot,E (2728)-Svidler,P (2726)/Nalchik 2009/CBM 131 (1/2,
36)}) (12... c4 $6 {is premature because of} 13. b4 $1 {In this line, it is
important that the c3-pawn is defended.}) 13. b3 {This is the most consistent
continuation, aiming to keep the a5-knight out of play.} (13. Nbd2 {is met by}
c4 $132 {[%cal Ga5b7,Gb7c5]} 14. Nf1 (14. b4 $2 cxb3 $1 {[%csl Gc3]}) 14... Nb7
15. g4 (15. N3h2 {Karjakin,S (2645)-Aleksandrov,A (2630)/Saint Vincent 2005/
CBM 110/[Marin,M] (1/2, 31)}) 15... h5 {Sulskis,S (2528)-Efimenko,Z (2620)/
Dresden 2007/CBM 118 [Marin] (0-1, 74)} (15... Ne8 {Harikrishna,P (2673)
-Fressinet,L (2624)/Pamplona 2005/CBM 111/[Marin,M] (1-0, 41)})) 13... c4 $6 {
I find it hard to justify such an early opening of the queenside.} ({When
facing this position, I played} 13... Rab8 {intending to discourage an
eventual break with a4 and waiting for White to develop his knight in order to
continue with ...g6 and Nh5 without fearing Bh6.} 14. Be3 (14. a4 $6 bxa4 15.
bxa4 {>< b3}) (14. Nbd2 g6 15. Nf1 Nh5) 14... g6 ({As we shall find out from a
further line, it is better to transfer the knight to g7 via h5 rather than with
} 14... Ne8) 15. Nbd2 ({I was slightly worried about} 15. Bh6 $5 {but after}
Rfe8 16. Nbd2 Nh5 {Black would have an extra-tempo compared to the line
starting with 13...g6 below.}) 15... Nh5 16. Bh6 Ng7 ({In fact, even here} 
16... Rfe8 $5 17. Nf1 Bf8 {came into consideration.}) 17. Nf1 Nb7 {The knight
initiates its voyage to f7.} 18. g4 Nd8 19. Ng3 f6 20. Nh2 Nf7 21. Be3 Kh8 (
21... a5 $5) 22. Qd2 (22. f4 f5 $5 $132 {/\ Bh4}) 22... Qc8 (22... a5 $5) 23.
f4 exf4 (23... f5 24. exf5 gxf5 25. g5 $1) 24. Bxf4 Ne5 25. Rf1 a5 $11 {
Maze,S (2455)-Marin,M (2540)/Moscow 2005 (1/2, 34)}) 14. Ba3 $146 {[%cal Gf3e5]
An interesting novelty.} ({In fact, there is nothing wrong with the natural} 
14. b4 Nb7 15. Be3 $6 ({White should start fighting for the a-file with} 15. a4
$1 {since} a5 {fails to equalize after} 16. axb5 axb4 17. Rxa8 Rxa8 18. cxb4
Bxb5 19. Na3 $14 {[%csl Gb7]}) 15... a5 16. a3 axb4 $6 {Black should not help
White clear the c3-square for his knight.} ({Once he has avoided queenside
problems, he should have switched to Rubinstein's old plan} 16... Ne8 17. Nbd2
g6 18. Nf1 Ng7 19. g4 f6 20. Ng3 Nd8 21. Qd2 Nf7 $11 {[%cal Ga8a6,Gf8a8]}) 17.
cxb4 $14 {[%cal Gb1c3]} c3 $6 18. Bg5 h6 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. Re3 $16 {Kasparov,G
(2715)-Comp Meph Experimental/Hamburg 1985/EXT 2002 (1-0, 55)}) 14... Bd8 {
This is the only way to parry the threat.} (14... Rfe8 $2 15. Nxe5 dxe5 16.
Bxe7 Rxe7 17. d6 $18) 15. Nbd2 Ne8 16. Bb4 cxb3 $6 {Opening the a-file leads
to trouble with the a5-knight.} ({Before anything, Black should have continued
his regrouping with} 16... g6 17. Qe2 Ng7) 17. axb3 Nb7 18. Qe2 $1 {White
prepares to put up pressure against the b5-pawn, in order to discourage ...a5.}
Qb8 (18... a5 19. Ba3 Qxc3 20. Bd3 $16 {[%cal Ge1c1,Gd3b5] Black is very
poorly coordinated.}) ({It is too late for} 18... g6 19. c4 a5 20. Ba3 $1 $16 {
[%csl Gc1]} (20. Rec1 Rb8 $1 21. Bc3 b4 22. Bb2 Nc5 $15) 20... Rc8 {[%cal
Gb5b4]} 21. cxb5 $1 Qxc2 22. Rec1 $18) 19. Ba3 $1 {[%csl Gb7][%cal Gb3b4]} (19.
c4 a5 20. Bc3 b4 21. Bb2 Nc5 $15) 19... Bb6 {Black has activated his bishop,
but this is not the highest priority in the Chigorin Ruy Lopez. It is the
knights he should be concerned in the first line. The bishop's activity is
rather sterile, while the knights cause problems of coordination.} (19... Na5
20. b4 $16) 20. b4 Nc7 {This looks ugly, but Black needed to consolidate the
b5-square.} ({It was too late for reaching a harmonious development with} 20...
g6 21. c4 Ng7 22. Bb2 f6 {[%cal Gb7d8,Gd8f7] because of} 23. cxb5 Bxb5 24. Bd3
$16 {and the queenside is vulnerable.}) 21. Bd3 $14 (21. c4 $1 $16 {seems to
pose even bigger problems, because of the permanent threat of c5.}) 21... a5 $1
{Black reduces the damage. He still gets a weak pawn on b5, but at least there
will be no c4-c5 hanging around.} 22. Nf1 axb4 23. cxb4 f6 24. Ne3 g6 25. Bb2
Rxa1 26. Rxa1 Nd8 27. Nd2 Nf7 {The bad knight has been transferred to a
relatively favourable square, but the other (usually good) knight stands
miserably.} 28. Kh2 Qd8 ({Black cannot regroup with} 28... Ba7 29. Rf1 Ne8 30.
Nb1 Ng7 {because of} 31. Na3 $16 {, winning the weak pawn.}) 29. Rf1 Qe7 30.
Bc1 Ra8 31. Nb1 Bd4 32. Nc2 Bb6 33. Nc3 {The b5-pawn is almost doomed, which
forces Black open the other wing.} f5 34. exf5 gxf5 35. f4 $1 $14 {White has
stabilized the position and remains better coordinated. The problem is that
Black cannot release the tension, because this would give White free hands to
grab the b5-pawn.} Rc8 {A slightly mysterious move.} (35... Qf6 {has been
recommended, but White remains in control after} 36. Be3 e4 37. Bxb5 Nxb5 38.
Nxb5 Bxe3 39. Nxe3 Rb8 40. Na3 Rxb4 41. Nac2 Rb3 42. Ra1 $14 {White has the
safer king and the more active minor pieces.}) 36. Be3 Bxe3 37. Qxe3 (37. Nxe3
$5 $14 {comes into consideration, since} exf4 $6 {can be met by} 38. Nxf5 $1 (
38. Rxf4 $2 Qe5) 38... Qxe2 39. Nxe2 Nxd5 40. Nxf4 $16) 37... Ne8 38. Be2 Qf6
39. Qd2 exf4 $6 {Ivanchuk probably thought that this is a good moment to start
his counterattack, overlooking White's 41st move.} 40. Nd4 Qe5 41. Bxb5 $1 {
It appears that the discovered check is not dangerous for White.} ({Black may
have counted with} 41. Kh1 Nf6 $36) 41... f3+ 42. Kg1 Bxb5 43. Ncxb5 fxg2 44.
Rxf5 $16 {White is more active and will be a pawn up soon.} Qe4 45. Nc3 Qh4 46.
Qxg2+ Kh8 47. Nce2 Nf6 48. Rf4 Qh6 49. Nf5 Qf8 50. Ned4 Ne5 51. b5 Qg8 52. Ne7
Rc1+ 53. Kh2 Qxg2+ 54. Kxg2 Nfd7 55. Ndf5 Nc4 56. Rg4 Nf6 57. Rg3 Rc2+ 58. Kg1
Rc1+ 59. Kh2 Rc2+ 60. Rg2 Rxg2+ 61. Kxg2 Ne4 62. Nc8 Nc3 63. Ncxd6 Nb6 64. Ne3
Kg7 65. Kf3 Kf8 66. Kf4 Ke7 67. Ndc4 Nxc4 68. Nxc4 Nxd5+ 69. Kg5 Kd7 70. h4 Ne7
71. Kf6 Ng6 72. Ne5+ Nxe5 73. Kxe5 Kc7 74. h5 Kb6 75. Kf6 Kxb5 76. Kg7 Ka4 77.
Kxh7 Kb3 78. h6 Ka2 79. Kg6 Kb1 80. h7 Kc2 81. h8=Q 1-0

[Event "Qatar Masters op"]
[Site "Doha"]
[Date "2015.12.26"]
[Round "6"]
[White "So, Wesley"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2775"]
[BlackElo "2834"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "2015.12.20"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "QAT"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 170"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2016.01.15"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2016.01.15"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3
d6 9. h3 Na5 {The Chigorin is a rare guest in Carlsen's play.} 10. Bc2 c5 11.
d4 Qc7 {But only this move is "new" for his repertoire.} 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1
Nc4 $5 {This old specialty of Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian is one of the
systems I recommended in "A Spanish Repertoire for Black". Instead of putting
pressure on the white centre with committal moves such as ...Bb7 or ...Na5-c6,
usually met with d4-d5, Black keeps the global harmony of his position.} (13...
Rfe8) (13... cxd4 14. cxd4) 14. b3 (14. Ne3 Nxe3 15. Bxe3 {absolves Black of
the problem of finding a good square for his queen's knight.} Rfc8 {This was
one (and probably the best) choices of Petrosian.} ({The latest game with this
system went} 15... Rfe8 16. d5 {Not really necessary since Black was not
threatening to break open the centre} c4 17. Nh2 a5 18. a3 Rab8 19. Bd2 h6 20.
Nf1 Nh7 21. Ne3 Bg5 $11 {Naroditsky,D (2622)-Glud,J (2531) Helsingor 2015 (1/
2-1/2, 24)}) ({Things did not go well for Petrosian in the following game
which became famous for his trademark exchange sacrifice:} 15... Be6 16. Nd2
Rfe8 17. f4 Rad8 18. fxe5 dxe5 19. d5 Bd7 20. c4 Rb8 21. a4 b4 22. a5 Rf8 23.
Ba4 Bxa4 24. Rxa4 Rbd8 25. Qf3 Rd6 26. Nb3 Nd7 27. Raa1 Rg6 28. Rf1 Bd6 29. h4
Qd8 30. h5 Rf6 31. Qg4 Rf4 $5 {Tal,M-Petrosian,T Riga 1958 URS-ch [ChessBase] 
(1/2-1/2, 73). This position is mentioned by Tal in his foreward to the modern
edition of Nimzowitsch's "My system" in Russian.}) 16. Rc1 Bc6 17. Nd2 cxd4 18.
cxd4 Qb7 19. d5 Be8 20. Qe2 Bd8 {Karpov,A (2705)-Petrosian,T (2645) Milan 1975
(1/2-1/2, 28), with a perfect regrouping for Black.}) ({Against} 14. d5 {
Petrosian designed the paradoxical retreat} Nb6 $5 {The main idea is that in
order to develop his bishop without having to return at once after ...Nb6-c4,
White would need to play b2-b3. In that case Black could speed up his
queenside counterplay with the knight optimally placed.} 15. g4 (15. N3h2 Ne8
16. Ng3 g6 17. Bh6 Ng7 18. Nhf1 Qd8 19. f4 exf4 20. Bxf4 Nc4 21. Qc1 Bf6 22.
Bd3 Ne5 $15 {Palac,M (2591)-Delchev,A (2598) Skopje 2015 (1/2-1/2, 42)}) (15.
b3 a5 {[%cal Gc5c4,Ra5a4]}) 15... h5 $1 16. gxh5 ({In a modern game White
reacted poorly:} 16. N3h2 hxg4 17. hxg4 Nh7 18. Ng3 Bg5 $15 {Dvirnyy,D (2459)
-Vocaturo,D (2480) Brescia 2009 (0-1, 49)}) 16... Bxh3 17. N3h2 Bxf1 18. Nxf1
Qd7 19. Ng3 Qh3 20. Qf3 g6 21. Bd1 Rfe8 22. Qg2 Qxg2+ 23. Kxg2 {Kasparov,
G-Petrosian,T (2610) Banja Luka 1979 (1/2-1/2, 23)}) 14... Nb6 15. Ne3 c4 {
Virtually forced since White was threatening dxe5 followed by c3-c4 and Nd5.}
16. Ba3 Rfe8 17. Qd2 Bf8 {A typical position for this line: White cannot fully
enjoy his advantage in the centre due to Black's queenside pressure.} 18. bxc4
{A rare move. White usually tries increasing the pressure in the centre, but
without any special consequences.} (18. Rad1 a5 19. dxe5 dxe5 20. Bxf8 Kxf8 21.
Nd5 (21. Qd6+ Qxd6 22. Rxd6 cxb3 23. axb3 Nc8 24. Rd2 Nb6 25. c4 bxc4 26. bxc4
Rac8 $11 {The same line with a white rook on a1, resulting after 18.Red1 given
below, would not work since the a5- and e5-pawns would be hanging.}) 21...
Nbxd5 22. exd5 Qd6 $2 (22... cxb3 23. axb3 Rac8 24. Re3 e4 25. Ne1 Qb6 $15) 23.
bxc4 bxc4 24. Qe3 e4 25. Nd2 Nxd5 26. Qd4 $16 {Nijboer,F (2552)-Bosch,J (2456)
Dieren 2009 (1-0, 33)}) (18. Rab1 a5 19. bxc4 Nxc4 20. Nxc4 bxc4 21. d5 Rab8
22. Qe2 {Nijboer,F (2583)-Pruijssers,R (2487) Groningen 2011 (1-0, 59)} Nh5 $5
23. g3 g6) (18. Red1 a5 (18... Bc6 {looks like the best way to take advantage
of the rook's departure from e1.}) 19. dxe5 dxe5 20. Bxf8 Kxf8 21. Qd6+ Qxd6
22. Rxd6 Nc8 23. Rd2 cxb3 24. axb3 Bc6 (24... Nb6 25. c4 $14 {[%cal Ge3d5]})
25. Nd5 (25. c4 $1 bxc4 26. Nxc4 $14) 25... Bxd5 26. exd5 Nd6 $15 {Bildat,J 
(2098)-Wenzel,B (2072) Hamburg 2011 (1/2-1/2, 36)}) 18... Nxc4 19. Nxc4 bxc4
20. Rab1 Rab8 21. Rxb8 (21. Rbd1 Rb6 22. Bb4 {1-0 (51) Bannik,A-Lilienthal,A
Yerevan 1954} Rb7) 21... Rxb8 22. Bb4 {Securing the bishop against the threat .
..Qa5.} h6 23. Rd1 a5 24. Ba3 {The position is about equal. In principle, one
would say that it could only be White who might take a decision in the centre,
but Carlsen thinks differently.} Bc6 $5 ({A waiting move such as} 24... Rb7 {
possibly followed by ...Rb7-b8, would have given White a hard job making any
shadow of progress.}) 25. Qe2 (25. dxe5 $6 dxe5 26. Bxf8 Kxf8 27. Qd6+ $2 Qxd6
28. Rxd6 Bxe4 $17 {[%csl Ga2,Gc3]}) 25... exd4 $5 (25... Bd7 $11) 26. Qxc4 {
Any other capture would be met with ...Bxe4, based on different tactical
nuances.} (26. cxd4 Bxe4 27. Bxe4 Re8 28. Nd2 d5 $17) (26. Rxd4 Bxe4 27. Bxe4
d5 28. Bxf8 Nxe4 29. Bxg7 (29. Ba3 Nxc3 30. Qe3 Rb1+ 31. Ne1 Nb5 $17) 29...
Kxg7 30. Qc2 Qb6 31. Rxd5 Qb1+ 32. Qxb1 Rxb1+ 33. Kh2 Nxc3 34. Rxa5 Nd1 $11 {
[%csl Gf2][%cal Gc4c3]}) (26. Nxd4 Bxe4 27. Bxe4 Nxe4 28. Qxe4 d5 29. Qxd5 Rd8
{It is important to pin the white knight.} (29... Bxa3 $2 30. Nb5 Qe7 31. Nxa3
Qxa3 32. Qxc4 $16) 30. Qb5 Bxa3 $11) 26... dxc3 27. Qxc3 Rc8 28. Qd4 {
Optically, White has the better structure but in fact his e4-pawn is just as
vulnerable as the d6-pawn. Defending it with f2-f3 would create weaknesses on
the dark squares so all in all the position remains balanced.} Bd5 $5 {An
amusing way to anticipate a possible attack along the a2-g8 diagonal..} (28...
Bb7 29. Bd3 Nd7 30. Rc1 Nc5 $11) 29. Bb1 (29. Rc1 $5 Be6 $1 (29... Bxa2 $6 30.
Qa1 Be6 31. e5 dxe5 32. Bh7+ $14) 30. Bb3 Qd7 $11) 29... Be6 {If White does
not create mating threats along the b1-h7 diagonal the bishop risks becoming a
sourece of worries.} 30. Qe3 Rb8 (30... d5 $5 31. Bxf8 Rxf8 32. e5 Ne4 33. Rc1
Qb8 34. Nd4 {The perfect blockade on d4 is compensated for by the queenside
weaknesses.} Qb2 $132 (34... Qxe5 35. f3 Qg5 36. Qxg5 Nxg5 37. Rc5 Ra8 38. Kf2
$44)) 31. Nd4 Bd7 32. Rc1 Qb6 {The game lasts for a few more moves but neither
of the players managed to find a constructive plan to improve his position.}
33. Qd2 Re8 34. Re1 a4 35. Bc2 Qb7 36. Qd3 Qc7 37. Qd2 Qb7 38. Qd3 Qc7 39. Qd2
1/2-1/2

[Event "EU-ch 8th"]
[Site "Dresden"]
[Date "2007.04.05"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Sulskis, Sarunas"]
[Black "Efimenko, Zahar"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2528"]
[BlackElo "2620"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "148"]
[EventDate "2007.04.03"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 118"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2007.05.31"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2007.05.31"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 {In previous issues of the CBM I
have examined this increasingly fashionable move, which, as far as I
understand, is a small concession on White's part.} Bd7 13. Nbd2 c4 14. Nf1 Nb7
15. g4 {The most resolute continuation, which, however, weakens the kingside
before before several of the pieces occupy their best squares.} (15. N3h2 {
Karjakin,S (2645)-Aleksandrov,A (2630)/Saint Vincent 2005/CBM 110/[Marin,M] (1/
2-1/2, 31)}) 15... h5 {And this is the only way to question the viability of
White's last move.} (15... Ne8 {is playable, but does not offer White a reason
not to advance his g-pawn at such an early stage, Harikrishna,P (2673)
-Fressinet,L (2624)/Pamplona 2005/CBM 111/[Marin,M] (1-0, 41)}) 16. gxh5 $146 {
This is probably the only correct way to proceed; at the same time, it is a
novelty!} ({Defending the g4-pawn with} 16. N3h2 {would weaken the control of
the dark squares, offering Black a pleasant position.} g6 (16... hxg4 17. hxg4
Qc8 (17... Nh7 18. Ng3 Bg5 19. Nf5 g6 20. Ne3 Kg7 $15 {Avgousti,P-Ivkov,B 
(2520)/Skopje 1972/EXT 2000 (0-1, 30)}) 18. Ne3 g6 19. Kg2 Kg7 20. f3 Rh8 21.
Nhf1 Nh7 22. Ng3 Ng5 $15 {Keres,P-Friedemann,G/Tallinn 1935/EXT 2001 (1/2-1/2,
55)}) 17. Bh6 Rfe8 18. Qf3 Qd8 19. Ne3 $6 (19. g5 $2 Nh7 20. h4 Bf8 21. Bxf8
Rxf8 22. Qg3 f6 $17 {<-> f Avrukh}) (19. gxh5 Nxh5 20. Ng3 Nf4 $1 21. Bxf4 exf4
22. Qxf4 Bg5 23. Qf3 Kg7 24. Ng4 Rh8 $44 {Avrukh}) 19... h4 20. Kh1 Nh7 $15 {
Megaranto,S (2499)-Avrukh,B (2652)/Amsterdam 2005/CBM 107 ext (0-1, 33)}) (16.
g5 Nh7 17. h4 g6 {/\f5 or f6, קh4}) 16... Bxh3 17. N3h2 Qd7 18. Qf3 Nc5 19. h6
$6 {This move is premature and will allow Black develop an initiative on the
wing on which he is supposed to find himself under attack!} ({White should
have increased his pressure with} 19. Ng3 {and it wold have been Black who
should have had to look for a way to neutralise White's advantage in space and
open files for his rooks with a well-timed ...g6.}) 19... Kh7 20. Bg5 (20. hxg7
Rg8 $36) 20... Rh8 $1 21. Re3 Bxf1 22. Rxf1 Ng8 {This move is OK, becase it
leads to favourable simplifications, but maybe Black could do even better.} ({
True, the over-ambitious} 22... Ng4 $2 {is wrong because of} 23. Bxe7 Nxe3 24.
Qxf7 $1 $18 {[%csl Yg7]}) ({However,} 22... Rag8 $5 {, defending the g7-square
in advance might be better, for instance} 23. Kh1 Ng4 $1 24. Qxg4 (24. Bxe7 $6
Nxe3 $1) 24... Qxg4 25. Nxg4 Bxg5 26. Rf3 f6 27. hxg7 Kxg7+ 28. Kg2 Kf7 $15 {
and Black's stability on dark squares as well as his activity along the only
open files offers him the better chances.}) 23. hxg7 Kxg7 24. Qg2 Bxg5 25.
Qxg5+ Kf8 26. f4 Qe7 27. Qxe7+ Kxe7 28. fxe5 dxe5 $13 {White has managed to
somewhat spoil Black's structure, but not shaken his stability on the dark
squares. Besides, the white king is slightly exposed and passive at the same
time, whereas the black king can be helpful for defensive purposes. The
chances are about even in a rather complicated position.} 29. Ng4 Rh5 30. Ref3
Rg5 31. Rxf7+ Kd6 32. Bd1 Nxe4 33. Rb7 Ne7 34. Rb6+ Kc5 35. Re6 Nxd5 36. Re1
Nef6 37. R1xe5 Rag8 38. Rxg5 Rxg5 39. Re5 Rxg4+ 40. Bxg4 Nxg4 41. Re6 a5 42.
Kf1 b4 43. cxb4+ Nxb4 44. Ke2 Nxa2 45. Ra6 Nc1+ 46. Kd1 Nb3 47. Kc2 Ne3+ 48.
Kb1 Nd5 49. Ra8 Nb6 50. Rb8 Nd4 51. Ka2 Nc6 52. Rb7 Nd5 53. Ka3 Nd4 54. Ka4 Nb3
55. Rb8 Ne3 56. Rd8 Nd5 57. Rc8+ Kd4 58. Kb5 Ne3 59. Rd8+ Ke4 60. Rd7 Kf3 61.
Rd8 Kf4 62. Re8 Kf3 63. Re5 Ke2 64. Rh5 Kd2 65. Rh3 Kd3 66. Ka4 Kd4 67. Kb5 Nf5
68. Rh5 Nd6+ 69. Kc6 Ne4 70. Rd5+ Ke3 71. Kb6 Ke2 72. Rd8 Ned2 73. Kb5 Kd1 74.
Ka4 Kc2 0-1

[Event "Corus-B"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee"]
[Date "2006.01.20"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Stellwagen, Daniel"]
[Black "Motylev, Alexander"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2573"]
[BlackElo "2638"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "40"]
[EventDate "2006.01.14"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "NED"]
[EventCategory "15"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 111"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2006.04.04"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2006.04.04"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. b4 $5 {This not very fashionable move
is an attempt to immediately question the stability of the a5-knight.} Nc4 $146
{A rather risky experiment. Black allows his opponent to obtain a dangerous
king side majority.} ({Usually, Black exchanges on b4 first with} 12... cxb4
13. cxb4 {and only then plays} Nc6 ({In fact,} 13... Nc4 {might be safer. After
} 14. Nbd2 {Black's best reply seems to be} Be6 $1 {reinforcing the knight and
more or less forcing White to release the tension in the centre with} 15. d5
Bd7 16. Nxc4 Qxc4 17. Bd2 Rac8 18. Bb3 Qc7 19. Nh2 Qb6 20. Be3 Qd8 21. Qd3 a5
22. bxa5 Qxa5 23. Bd2 Qa3 24. Nf1 Bd8 {1/2-1/2 Pelletier,Y (2604)-Pinter,J 
(2535)/Noyon 2005/CBM 105 ext}) 14. Bb2 $1 ({Only this move offers chances for
an advantage.} 14. a3 {is a bit too slow:} Nxd4 15. Nxd4 exd4 16. Bb2 Be6 17.
Bxd4 Nd7 18. Nc3 Bf6 19. Ne2 Bc4 $11 {1/2-1/2 Bondarevsky,I-Gligoric,S/
Hastings 1960/MCL (25)}) 14... Nxb4 15. Bb3 Bb7 (15... Nc6 16. Nc3 Nxd4 17.
Nxd4 exd4 18. Qxd4 Be6 19. Nd5 Bxd5 20. Bxd5 Rac8 21. Rac1 Qd7 22. Rcd1 Rfd8 {
0-1 Del Rio Angelis,S (2491)-Graf,A (2646)/Mallorca 2004/CBM 104 (61)} 23. Re3
$1 $40) 16. Nc3 Nc6 17. Rc1 Qd8 18. Nd5 Nxd5 19. Bxd5 Rc8 20. dxe5 dxe5 21.
Nxe5 Nxe5 22. Rxc8 (22. Bxe5 Rxc1 23. Qxc1 Bxd5 24. exd5 Qxd5 25. Bxg7 $14)
22... Qxc8 23. Bxe5 Rd8 24. Qf3 Bxd5 25. exd5 Bf8 (25... Bd6 $2 26. Bxd6 Rxd6
27. Re7 $16) 26. Rd1 Bd6 $1 27. Qg3 Bxe5 28. Qxe5 Qc5 29. Rd3 g6 {1/2-1/2
Vasiukov,E-Milev,Z/Moscow 1959/MCL}) 13. bxc5 dxc5 14. Nbd2 cxd4 15. cxd4 exd4
16. e5 Nd5 {This position looks pretty dangerous for Black. His king side is
slightly vulnerable.} 17. Nxd4 ({White could have maintained his initiative
with} 17. Nxc4 Qxc4 (17... bxc4 18. Qxd4 $14) 18. Bb3 Qc5 19. Bb2 $36) 17...
Bb4 (17... Nxe5 $6 18. Qh5 f5 $8 19. Bb3 $36) 18. Nxc4 Qxc4 19. Re4 {
Practically agreeing to a draw by perpetual.} Nc3 20. Rh4 Nxd1 1/2-1/2

[Event "Pamplona 15th"]
[Site "Pamplona"]
[Date "2005.12.26"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Harikrishna, Pentala"]
[Black "Fressinet, Laurent"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2673"]
[BlackElo "2624"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "2005.12.23"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "ESP"]
[EventCategory "16"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 111"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2006.04.04"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2006.04.04"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 Bd7 13. Nbd2 c4 14. Nf1 Nb7 {
I presented a Survey of this variation in the notes to Karjakin,S (2645)
-Aleksandrov,A (2630)/Saint Vincent 2005/CBM 110/[Marin,M] (31)} 15. g4 ({
That game went} 15. N3h2 {1/2-1/2 Karjakin,S (2645)-Aleksandrov,A (2630)/Saint
Vincent 2005/CBM 110/[Marin,M] (31)}) 15... Ne8 ({The advance of the g-pawn is
considered to be premature because of} 15... h5 {as highlighted in the notes
to the aforementioned game. However, the standard plan of transferring the
knight to g7 looks playable, too, as the present game will show.}) 16. Ng3 g6
17. Nh2 Ng7 18. f4 ({In case of} 18. Bh6 {Black would have to abandon his
initial plan of installing the knight on c5, in order to drive the enemy
bishop away from h6.} Nd8 (18... Nc5 19. Qd2 a5 20. Re2 Rab8 21. Rf1 b4 22. f4
$36) 19. Qd2 f6 20. Re2 Nf7 21. Be3 Rae8 $13) 18... exf4 $146 ({The daring} 
18... f5 {looks playable, too:} 19. gxf5 gxf5 20. Nxf5 (20. exf5 Bh4 21. Qg4
Bxg3 22. Qxg3 e4 $5 23. Bxe4 Nc5 24. Bc2 Bxf5 $44 {[%csl Rc1,Yd3,Rd5,Ye4]})
20... Bxf5 $1 (20... Nxf5 $6 21. exf5 Kh8 22. Qh5 Bf6 23. Ng4 {1-0 Manik,M 
(2460)-Szamos,A (2170)/Hlohovec 1998/EXT 2000 (28)}) 21. exf5 Kh8 22. fxe5 (22.
Qg4 Nxf5 $1 {[%cal Yf8g8,Rg8g1]}) 22... dxe5 23. Qf3 Nd6 $1 24. Rxe5 Ndxf5 25.
Bf4 Bd6 $132) 19. Bxf4 f6 20. Nf3 Nd8 21. Nd4 Nf7 22. Kh1 Kh8 23. Qd2 Ne5 $13 {
/+/= In spite of White superior activity, Black's position is very solid.} 24.
Rf1 Qb7 (24... Rab8 25. Rf2 a5) 25. Rf2 Rg8 26. Nf1 Raf8 27. Ne3 Qc8 28. Raf1
Qc7 29. Ng2 g5 30. Bg3 h5 31. Ne3 h4 32. Bh2 Qb7 33. Nf3 Be8 34. Ng2 Bg6 35.
Nxe5 dxe5 36. d6 Rd8 37. Rxf6 Ne8 38. Bxe5 Bxf6 39. Rxf6 Nxf6 40. Bxf6+ Kh7 41.
Qxg5 1-0

[Event "Hoogeveen Essent Crown"]
[Site "Hoogeveen"]
[Date "2005.10.25"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Sutovsky, Emil"]
[Black "Stefanova, Antoaneta"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2654"]
[BlackElo "2494"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "2005.10.21"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "6"]
[EventCountry "NED"]
[EventCategory "16"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 110"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2006.01.31"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2006.01.31"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 Bd7 13. b3 {This looks like the
most ambitious continuation. White immediately prevents the enemy knight from
switching to a more favourable route with Nc4. The entire plan looks rather
slow: we are as far as the 13th move and White's queen side is completely
undeveloped. Besides, the c3-square is seriously weakened, which could become
important in case of Black's regrouping with g6, Nh5, Re8, Bf8-g7 and, finally
Nf4. I remember that when I faced this position for the first (and, untill now,
the last) time I had the feeling that Black has an inmense choice, being under
no pressure at all. Other players might have felt in similar way, since the
range of moves played in practice is rather wide. Returning to the problem of
the black knight, its only chance of getting into play is to be transferred to
the remote f7-square.} Rfe8 $6 {This is the kind of waiting move that can be
good in many positions but not entirely adequate here, as we shall see.} ({
My choice was} 13... Rab8 {intending to discourage an eventual break with a4
and waiting for White to develop his knight in order to continue with ...g6
and Nh5 without fearing Bh6.} 14. Be3 (14. a4 $6 bxa4 15. bxa4 {>< b3}) (14.
Nbd2 g6 15. Nf1 Nh5) 14... g6 ({As we shall find out from a further line, it
is better to transfer the knight to g7 via h5 rather than with} 14... Ne8) 15.
Nbd2 ({I was slightly worried about} 15. Bh6 $5 {but after} Rfe8 16. Nbd2 Nh5 {
Black would have an extra-tempo compared to the line starting with 13...g6
below.}) 15... Nh5 16. Bh6 Ng7 ({In fact, even here} 16... Rfe8 $5 17. Nf1 Bf8
{came into consideration.}) 17. Nf1 Nb7 {The knight initiates its voyage to f7.
} 18. g4 Nd8 19. Ng3 f6 20. Nh2 Nf7 21. Be3 Kh8 (21... a5 $5) 22. Qd2 (22. f4
f5 $5 $132 {/\ Bh4}) 22... Qc8 (22... a5 $5) 23. f4 exf4 (23... f5 24. exf5
gxf5 25. g5 $1) 24. Bxf4 Ne5 25. Rf1 a5 $11 {1/2-1/2 Maze,S (2455)-Marin,M 
(2540)/Moscow RUS 2005 (34)}) ({It must be said that Black has to be very
careful when keeping balance between play on the opposite wings. In the
following game, he concentrated forces on the queen side, neglecting the
situation on the other wing.} 13... Rfb8 $6 14. Be3 Nb7 15. a4 Nd8 16. Nbd2 Ne8
17. Nh2 f6 18. f4 $14 {1-0 Motylev,A (2680)-Korotylev,A (2605)/Sochi 2005/CBM
107 (62)}) ({As mentioned above, transferring the knight to g7 is best done
via h5.} 13... Ne8 $6 {is inferior, because it fails to control the f4-square,
allowing White more freedom of action while preparing his offensive.} 14. Nbd2
g6 15. Nf1 Ng7 16. Bh6 Nb7 17. Ng3 $1 (17. Qd2 $6 Nd8 (17... a5 18. g4 {
1-0 Bologan,V (2700)-Krnan,T (2372)/Edmonton CAN 2005/TWIC 558 (49)} Nd8 $5 19.
N3h2 f6 $13 {Compared to the line below, after} 20. f4 Nf7 21. Bxg7 Kxg7 22. f5
{Black can consider} g5 {[%cal Yf8g8,Gg7f8,Gf8c8,Gc8b7] since the g4-square is
blocked by the g4-pawn and White has less attacking ideas available.}) 18. g4 (
18. N3h2 f5) 18... f6 19. N3h2 Nf7 20. Be3 f5 $132) 17... f6 18. Nh2 Nd8 19. f4
Nf7 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. f5 $14 {1-0 Livshits,R-Lesiege,A/Canada 1992/EXT 98 (53)
Obviously, now} g5 {is anything but appealing:} 22. Nh5+ Kh8 23. Ng4 Nd8 24. h4
$16 {/+-}) ({I shall not insist on} 13... Nb7 {0-1 Ivanchuk,V (2716)-Radulski,
J (2497)/Antalya 2004/CBM 101/[Wedberg] (29) because it has been analyzed in a
previous issue of CBM.}) ({Contrary to my initial idea,} 13... g6 {is entirely
possible, although not really popular:} 14. Bh6 {(This is supposed to be the
problem, since Black cannot answer with Ng7)} Rfe8 15. Nbd2 Nh5 16. Nf1 Bf8 {
(Since the exchange of dark-squared bishop favours Black on general terms, it
appears that Black can win his time back to regroup.)} 17. Be3 Bg7 $13 {
This is the kind of situation where the weakness of the c3-square (and,
indirectly, of the whole dark-squared diagonal) makes itself felt. 1-0
Zatonskih,A (2445)-Castaneda,N (2288)/Philadelphia 2004/CBM 101 ext (42)}) 14.
Kh2 $1 $146 {This strong novelty underlines the drawbacks of Black's previous
move. White prepares for g4 by preventively defending the h3-pawn and clearing
the g1-square for the rook. In case of, for instance, 13...Rab8 (instead of 13.
..Rfe8) Black could simply continue 14...Ne8 followed by g6 and Ng7, taking
advantage by the fact that the enemy king has taken away the optimal h2-square
to its own knight (compare with Livshits-Lesiege, above). The way it is, the
rook not only abandoned the f-file willingly (making the plan based on ...f5
highly problematic) but it also takes the e8-knight away from the knight.} ({
Previously, the neutral} 14. Nbd2 {had been played (at very high level, I
would mention). Black had no problems regrouping (although it is far from
clear whether Rfe8 was reallly useful):} g6 15. Nf1 (15. g4 $6 {is inefficient
now:} h5 $1 16. g5 Nh7 17. h4 Bg4 {[%cal Yf7f6,Ye8f8,Gf8f3]}) 15... Nh5 16. Be3
Nb7 17. Qd2 c4 18. b4 a5 19. g4 Ng7 20. a3 Ra6 21. Ng3 Rea8 22. Rac1 axb4 23.
axb4 Ra2 24. Nh2 Nd8 25. f4 exf4 26. Bxf4 f6 27. Nf3 Nf7 28. Kh2 Ne5 $13 {
1/2-1/2 Ponomariov,R (2710)-Sasikiran,K (2668)/Mallorca 2004/CBM 104 (38)})
14... g6 15. g4 $1 h5 $6 {As we shall see, White is perfectly well prepared
for this typical reaction.} ({Relatively best would have been} 15... Reb8 {
, admitting her previousmistake, for instance:} 16. Nbd2 Ne8 17. Rg1 Ng7 18.
Nf1 Nb7 19. Bh6 Nd8 {[%cal Yf7f6,Yd8f7,Ya6a5] and Black has chances to fight
on.}) 16. g5 Nh7 17. Rg1 c4 (17... Qd8 18. Be3 {[%cal Yb1d2]}) 18. b4 Nb7 {
[%csl Yb7] Since the break based on f6 is highly problematic now, the black
queen's knight is left with only two squares.} 19. Nbd2 Qc8 20. Rg3 {
Strategically, White has a rather promissing position. He plans to complete
his development and then prepare the opening of the position by means of f4.
Black's intention to change the course of events will fail painfully.} h4 21.
Nxh4 Bxg5 22. Ndf3 Bf6 (22... Bxc1 23. Qxc1 {[%cal Yc1h6] would just
strengthen White's attack.}) 23. Qg1 Qd8 24. Bh6 {White's king side pressure
is obvious. Black tries a diversion on the opposite wing.} a5 ({I do not know
whether she felt the looming danger, but I must admit it wasn't easy to
prevent the following sacrifice. For instance,} 24... Kh8 $2 {would only make
things worse after} 25. Rxg6 fxg6 26. Nxg6+ Kg8 27. Ngxe5+ $18) 25. Rxg6+ fxg6
26. Qxg6+ Kh8 27. Qf7 Rg8 28. Rg1 Qe7 29. Ng6+ Rxg6 30. Qxg6 Rf8 ({There was
no time for} 30... axb4 {becase of} 31. Nh4 {threatening the simple Qg2
followed by Ng6+.}) 31. Nh4 $16 {In spite of the minimal material advantage,
Black is in a critical situation. White is attacking with practically all its
forces.} Be8 32. Qg4 axb4 33. cxb4 Qf7 34. Bxf8 Qxf8 35. Nf5 Bg5 36. h4 Bf6 37.
Nh6 Bg7 38. Nf5 Bf6 39. Rg3 Bd7 40. Ra3 Nd8 41. Ra7 Bxf5 42. Qxf5 Nf7 43. Kg2
Qg7+ 44. Kf1 Nf8 45. Bd1 Ng6 46. Qc8+ Bd8 47. Rxf7 Qxf7 48. Qxd8+ Kh7 49. Bg4
Qf4 50. Bf5 Kh6 51. Qxd6 1-0

[Event "POL-ch 63rd"]
[Site "Krakow"]
[Date "2006.02.26"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Macieja, Bartlomiej"]
[Black "Bartel, Mateusz"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2585"]
[BlackElo "2524"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "2006.02.25"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "POL"]
[EventCategory "12"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 112"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2006.06.07"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2006.06.07"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 {This early blocking of the centre
has become quite popular lately.} Bd7 13. Nbd2 c4 14. Nf1 Rab8 $146 {But this
move has not been tried yet in practice. Black's obvious idea is to open the
b-file as soon as possible, without loss of time, but the drawback of this
plan is that it leaves the a6-pawn undefended, a detail White takes advantage
of immediately.} (14... Nb7 15. g4 {1-0 Harikrishna,P (2673)-Fressinet,L (2624)
/Pamplona 2005/CBM 111/[Marin] (41)} (15. N3h2 {1/2-1/2 Karjakin,S (2645)
-Aleksandrov,A (2630)/Saint Vincent 2005/CBM 110/[Marin,M] (31)})) 15. b4 $5 {
Normally, this generally desirable move is not recomendable because it leaves
the c3-pawn slightly weak. However, the weakness of the a6-pawn can also be
relevant after Black's previous move.} (15. Ng3 b4 $132) 15... Nb7 $6 {After
this passive retreat, Black loses his ideas.} ({He should have tried} 15...
cxb3 16. axb3 Nb7 {[%csl Gc3][%cal Ya6a5]} (16... Qxc3 $4 17. Bd2 $18) 17. Rxa6
Qxc3 18. Bd2 Qc7 {[%cal Yb7c5]} 19. b4 {[%csl Gb7]} Ra8 20. Rxa8 (20. Qa1 Rxa6
21. Qxa6 Qxc2 22. Qxb7 Qc8 $11) 20... Rxa8 {when Black has more or less
equalized.}) 16. a4 $14 bxa4 17. Bxa4 a5 {[%csl Gb7] This pawn break does not
really solve the problem of the b7-knight.} 18. Bg5 {This pseudo-active move
will later give Black the possibility of obtaining king side counterplay.} (18.
Ng3 $1 $14) 18... axb4 19. cxb4 Rfc8 20. Bxd7 Qxd7 21. Qc2 Nh5 22. Bd2 Nf4 $132
23. Bxf4 exf4 24. e5 $13 (24. Nd4 Nd8 $132 {[%cal Ye7f6]}) 24... dxe5 25. Nxe5
Qxd5 26. Rad1 Qb5 27. Nd7 Bxb4 28. Re5 Nc5 29. Nxb8 Qxb8 30. Red5 Ne6 31. Nh2
Bf8 32. Nf3 c3 1/2-1/2

[Event "Biel GM"]
[Site "Biel"]
[Date "2006.07.30"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Black "Bruzon Batista, Lazaro"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2731"]
[BlackElo "2667"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2006.07.24"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "10"]
[EventCountry "SUI"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 114"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2006.10.02"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2006.10.02"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. a3 $5 {An early deviation from the
well-known paths and a consistent move at the same time; something not really
unusual for Morozevich. White prepares to win space on the queen side by means
of b4.} Bd7 {Bruzon continues developing in natural way, relying on the
soundness of his position.} ({The obvious drawback of 12.a3 is that it weakens
the b3-square and Black could take advantage of it by blocking the queen side
with} 12... c4 {On the other hand, this certainly looks like a concession with
respect to the pressure in the centre. However, Black's accurate maneuvering
in the following game determined White block the position with d5 anyway, when
play transposed to an entirely viable for Black structure.} 13. Nbd2 Re8 14.
Nf1 Bf8 15. Bg5 Nd7 16. Ng3 Nc6 17. Qd2 Nd8 18. Rad1 Ne6 19. Be3 f6 {A perfect
square for the knight. It keps an eye on the f4-square, inhibiting the opening
of the king side by means of f4 and is ready to jump to c5 if attacked with d5.
} 20. Nf5 Nb6 21. Nh2 Bb7 22. Ng4 Rad8 {Finally, the pressure of the
blackpieces has become so strong that, fearing the central break ...d5, White
decides to prevent it in radical way.} 23. d5 Nc5 24. f4 $13 {1/2-1/2
Ciocaltea,V-Bisguier,A/Caracas 1970/MCD (65)}) 13. b4 ({The more restratined} 
13. b3 {is also possible. Having taken the c4- and b4-squares under control
and cleared the a2-square for the rook, White induces some differences
compared to the classical lines based on ...Bd7.} Rfe8 ({For instance, after
the standard moves} 13... cxd4 14. cxd4 Rac8 {he can defend the bishop by
developing a piece at the same time with} 15. Ra2 $5 {while} Nc6 {can be met by
} 16. d5 {when the knight has not the plan ...Nb4, ...a5, ...Na6 at his
disposal, being more or less forced to return to a5.}) 14. Nbd2 Bf8 15. d5 g6 {
Black invests some time in regrouping with his bishop, but the higher
emergency seems to be the recycling the a5-knight.} (15... c4 16. b4 Nb7 17. a4
a5 18. Nf1 Reb8 19. Ng3 Nd8 20. Nh2 Ne8 {[%cal Yf7f6,Yg7g6,Yd8f7,Ye8g7] /\f6,
g6, Ng7, Nf7, with a harmonious placement of pieces.}) 16. Nf1 Bg7 17. Ng3 c4
18. b4 Nb7 19. Be3 a5 20. Qd2 ({White should not leave to his opponent free
hands on the queen side.} 20. a4 $1 {would have kept the counterplay under
control, while the problem of the b7-knight would be not solved yet, because
the double exchange of pawns on the queen side would still leave White with a
pawn on b4.}) 20... Ra6 21. Nh4 Rea8 $132 {Now, Black has obtained strong
pressure along the a-file, which restricts White's active possibilities on the
other wing, 1/2-1/2 Ljubojevic,L (2565)-Ivkov,B (2520)/Manila 1973/EXT 98 (35)}
) 13... cxb4 ({This exchange allows White capture towards the centre,
increasing his influence in that area of the board, but the immediate} 13...
Nc4 {would allow} 14. bxc5 dxc5 15. dxe5 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Qxe5 17. f4 {with even
stronger initiative in the centre.}) 14. axb4 Nc4 15. Nbd2 Nb6 {It appears
that White does not enjoy absolute stability on the c4-square.} ({The
immediate opening of the queen side by means of} 15... a5 {would leave White
with the upper hand after} 16. Nxc4 Qxc4 ({Possibly, Black should just forget
about maintaining piece control of this square and accept a slightly worse but
solid position after} 16... bxc4 17. Ba3 $14) 17. bxa5 $1 Qxc3 18. Bd2 Qc7 19.
Bb4 $14 {with strong pressure.}) 16. Ra3 Rfc8 17. Bb2 a5 {By putting pressure
on the c3-pawn, Black has determined his opponent place his queen's rook and
bishop on slightly unnatural squares. Bruzon tries to take advantage of this
by active play. However, the opening of the position in the immediate
neighbourhood of these pieces will help White improve their situation, by
exchanging the rook in order to clear a better square for the bishop. Moreover,
the complications initiated by his last move are difficult to control and
evaluate.} ({A more static approach based on the increase of the control over
the relatively weak c4-square would have had more chances for equality.} 17...
Be6 $5 {planning the return of the knight to c4 would be well suited for this
purpose, since the apparently disturbing} 18. Ng5 {is connected with the loss
of a pawn after} exd4 {for instance} 19. Nxe6 fxe6 20. Bb3 d5 {[%csl Yb4]}) 18.
Rxa5 Rxa5 19. bxa5 Na4 20. Bxa4 bxa4 {Black might have hoped that he would
recuperate the sacrificed pawn soon, when his well defended a4-pawn would
supposedly offer him good play, but things are by far not that easy.} 21. Ba3
$1 {A perfect square for the bishop. It blocks the enemy pawn and puts
pressure along the a3-f8 diagonal.} Qxc3 {Practically forced. Otherwise, White
would consolidate his position with Bb4.} 22. Nb1 $6 {But this move looks too
passive.} (22. Re3 $1 {looks like a better chance for an advantage:} Qxa5 23.
dxe5 Ne8 24. Nf1 $1 {and the pin along the d-file will soon cost Black the
d6-pawn.} ({By refraining from defending the bishop by means of the rook lift,
Morozevich might have feared to weaken his back rank, which would have been a
telling factor in the following variation} 24. exd6 Bxd6 25. Bxd6 Nxd6 26. Rd3
Qa6 27. Nf1 Rc1 $1 28. Rxd6 Rxd1 29. Rxa6 Rxf1+ $1 $11)) 22... Qc6 $1 {The
correct retreat. Black puts the e4-pawn under pressure, thus taking advantage
of the passive character of White's previous move. Capturing the a5-pawn would
have allowed White create a strong pair of connected pawns y means of dxe5xd6
and e5.} 23. dxe5 Nxe4 24. exd6 Bf6 25. Qd3 {The first wave of complications
has passed and time has come to draw some conclusions. White has retained a
small material advantage and his passed pawns keep Black under permanent
pressure. However, the presence of the d6-pawn can have a double edged
influence over the course of the game. Instead of trying to capture it and get
under unpleasant pins, Black can use it as a shelter for his bishops. Besides,
the passivity of his b1-knight considerably restricts his chances for an
advantage, especially that Black's pieces are very active.} Nc5 {The knight is
aiming for the more stable b3-square.} ({The attempt to consolidate it with} 
25... Bf5 $2 {would fail painfully to} 26. Nfd2 Nxd2 27. Qxf5 $1 {when the
strength of the d-pawn is illustrated by the variation} Nxb1 28. d7 Rd8 29. Qd5
$1 $18) 26. Qe3 Nb3 27. Nbd2 Re8 28. Ne4 Bd8 {White has managed to activate
his knight, but his a5-pawn is in danger. Besides, the pin along the e-file is
rather annoying.} 29. Nd4 Nxd4 $6 {The exchange of this knight that has
consumed 4 tempi to reach an active and stable square is an obvious concession.
} ({Black should have maintained the tension with} 29... Qd5 {when after} 30.
Nxb3 Qxb3 31. Qxb3 axb3 {it is a good moment to recall Nimzovitsch'
recomendation according to which an outpost on an open line should be
converted into a passed pawn. It is easy to notice that the white bishop would
lose part of its efficiency, since it would have to split his efforts on two
diagonals already. Bruzon might have feared that after} 32. a6 {he would have
problems control both enemy pawns. If this is true, he must have
underestimated the threats he could create against the enemy king starting with
} Bb6 $1 (32... f5 $2 33. a7 Bc6 34. Nf6+ $1 $18) (32... Bc6 $2 33. Rc1 Bxe4
34. d7 $18) 33. Rb1 Rxe4 34. Rxb3 Bd4 {However,} 35. Bb2 ({The point behind
Black's 32nd move is that after} 35. Rb7 $2 Re1+ ({But not} 35... Bc6 $2 {
when the calm} 36. Kf1 $3 $16 {prevents the attack and leaves Black with
problems fighting against the far advanced pawns; most likely, he would have
to give up a rook for them, which would hardly save the game.}) 36. Kh2 Bc6 $17
{and White has no time to continue advancing his pawns because of the threat ..
.Be5+ followed by mate on h1.}) 35... Bc5 36. Rb8+ Re8 37. a7 {seems to save
the day for WHite:} Bxa7 38. Rb7 Re1+ 39. Kh2 Bxf2 40. Rxd7 f6 $11 {with a
probable draw.}) 30. Qxd4 {As a consequence of Black's mistake, the queen has
been centralized, keeping both enemy wings under pressure. One natural
question is whether there is anything interesting left on the black queen side;
the answer is given by the first line given in the comments to Black's 31st
move.} f6 {Not a very aesthetical move, but Black wants to make the threat
against the a5-pawn real.} (30... Bxa5 $2 {would lose to} 31. Bb2 f6 32. Nxf6+
$1 {which gladly gives up a knight and a rook in order to create decisive
threats:} gxf6 33. Qxf6 Rxe1+ 34. Kh2 $18) 31. Re3 {Although with some delay,
White reaches a perfect coordination of forces. The rook defends the bishop
and is ready to create king side threats. After the exchange of one pair of
knights, the bishop has increased his strength. Besides blocking the enemy
pawn and defending the own, it can eventually offer reliable support to the
own pieces, especially on the c3- and c5-squares.} Bxa5 {This long awaited
capture offers White the possibility of obtaining a very strong attack. Since
Black's regroupment can be considered to a certain extent optimal (giving the
circumstances, of course), the only reasonable alternative would consist of
the activation of the rook along the e-file.} (31... Re6 {can be strongly met
by} 32. Qa7 $1 $16 {when} f5 (32... Rxe4 33. Rxe4 Qxe4 34. Qxd7 $18) {allows
White display impressive piece activity with} 33. Rc3 Qb5 34. Rc5 Qb1+ 35. Rc1
Qb5 36. Nc3 Qc6 37. Ne2 Qb5 38. Nd4 $18 {Being restrained to the short b5-c6
diagonal in order to keep the bishop defended, the queen has been submitted to
6 consecutive attacks, finally leading to material losses.}) (31... Re5 32. Nc5
Rd5 33. Qc4 Kh8 34. Qe2 $18 {reveals the main deffect of the black rook's
activation: the weakness of the back rank.}) 32. Nxf6+ $1 {According to the
classical precepts, the logical conclusion of a strategically well-conducted
game is a sacrificial mating attack. This does not mean that Black is lost
already, but the degree of difficulty of his defensive problems is abruptly
increased now. White could not delay the moment of this action, since on the
next move Black could return with the bishop to d8 and safely defend his king
side.} gxf6 33. Rg3+ Kf7 34. Qh4 {Quiet moves are always difficult to meet
when being submitted to a dangerous attack. The defending part faces not only
a wide choice of moves, but also the difficult task to understand which
threats are real and which just illusory.} Re1+ ({When watching this game live
on my mobile phone, the first defence I could spot for Black was} 34... Bc3 $5
{. Black not only removes the bishop from an exposed square, but also defends
the important f6-square and enables using the bishop as a shelter for the king.
The first reaction of Fritz 9 is that Black is completely lost, but this must
be caused only by the "horizon effect"; things are not that clear in fact.
Indeed, after} 35. Qxh7+ (35. Qh5+ {is more or less similar, so that White
should grab a pawn on the way.}) 35... Ke6 36. Re3+ Be5 ({But not} 36... Kd5 $2
{when with a series of accurate checks White can win the c3-bishop:} 37. Qh5+
Re5 38. Qf3+ $1 $18) 37. f4 {White wins back the bishop, but Black can repel
the first wave of attack and try taking advantage of the weakened position of
the enemy king induced by the last move:} Qb6 38. Kf2 ({After} 38. Qd3 Kf7 39.
fxe5 Rxe5 {it is not easy to defend the rook, preserve the minimal material
advantage, prevent the enemy a-pawn from advancing and avoid the perpetual
check at the same time. It would be too much! For instance:} 40. Bc1 Qc5 41.
Bd2 Ke6 42. Kh2 Qxd6 $11) 38... Qd4 39. fxe5 Qf4+ 40. Rf3 Qd4+ 41. Kg3 Qxe5+ {
and Black has every chance to make a draw.}) 35. Kh2 Qe4 $2 {This
centralization of the queen parries White's main king side threats, but loses
the bishop without managing to generate adequate counterplay.} ({Now that the
white king has been removed from the g1-a7 diagonal,} 35... Bc3 {is not
entirely adequate any more. White could play} 36. Qxh7+ Ke6 37. f4 $5 ({
The point behind this move is not only to take an important square around the
black king under control, but also to cover the h2-b8 diagonal. The immediate} 
37. Rg7 $2 {is bad in view of} Be5+ $1) ({However, Fritz' suggestion} 37. Qe7+
Kf5 38. Qf7 {looks also dangerous for Black.}) 37... Kd5 (37... f5 38. Qg8+ Kf6
39. Rg6#) (37... Bd4 38. Qe7+ $18) (37... Qb6 38. Qe7+ Kd5 39. Rd3+ Kc4 40.
Rxc3+ Kxc3 41. Qxe1+ $18) (37... Be8 38. Rg7 Qc4 39. Qg8+ $18) 38. Qf7+ Be6 39.
Qh5+ f5 40. Qf3+ Re4 41. Qxc3 $16 Qxc3 42. Rxc3 {Black faces a joyless defence
with two pawns down, because} Rxf4 $2 {loses to} 43. Rc5+ $1 Kd4 44. Rc7 $18) (
{Black's last chance for survival consisted of} 35... Bf5 $1 {, covering more
or less the same squares as the game move and indirectly defending his
colleague by obstructing the fifth rank at the same time. For instance:} 36.
Qh5+ Ke6 37. Rg7 Bd8 38. Qf7+ Ke5 39. Rg8 Bg6 40. Qa7 Qb6 41. Qxa4 Qxf2 $14 {
The maximum what White could achieve is to exchange queens and then capture
the d8-bishop, but with the black king close to the passed d-pawn, Black
should be entitled to hope for a draw.}) 36. Qh5+ Ke6 37. Qxa5 $18 Qb1 38. Rg7
Rh1+ 39. Kg3 Qd3+ 40. f3 {Black's counterplay has extinguished rather quickly
and the black king is helpless now.} Qb5 41. Re7+ Kf5 42. Qc7 {Over-attacking
the bishop that is not only blocking the enemy pawn but also covering two
essential diagonals.} (42. Qc7 Bc6 (42... Be6 {shortens the line by one move
in view of} 43. Qc2+) 43. Qc8+ Bd7 44. Qc2+ {with mate to follow soon.}) 1-0

[Event "Stepanakert-B"]
[Site "Stepanakert"]
[Date "2005.10.05"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Lopez Martinez, Josep Manuel"]
[Black "Yegiazarian, Arsen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2505"]
[BlackElo "2537"]
[Annotator "Marin,M"]
[PlyCount "106"]
[EventDate "2005.10.02"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "ARM"]
[EventCategory "11"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 110"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2006.01.31"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2006.01.31"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 {At first sight, this might look
like a slight concession. White is supposed to maintain the tension in the
centre for as long as possible, thus keeping in reserve both dxc5 and d5. The
advance of the d-pawn is the customary reaction against the development of the
black light squared bishop to b7, a solution justified by two elements:
1-Black generally threatens to break the centre with ...d5 (eventually after
exchanges on d4) and 2-once the centre has been blocked, the bishop will have
to lose aditional time to find an active diagonal (most likely by returing to
c8). Strictly speaking, blocking the centre without any obvious necessity
looks like making Black a present of 2 whole tempi. However, the text move has
become quite popular lately (no wonder that we have 3 annotated games on it in
this very issue). Here are two possible reasons for it: First of all, one of
the 2 extra-tempi has been spent on the development of the queen to c7.
Generally, this looks like an useful move, connecting rooks, but in many cases
Black feels safer with the queen closer to the own king (more specifically, on
its initial square). Although the problem is not as acute as in case of ...Bb7
answered by d5, there might be situations when Black will feel like returning
with the queen, thus annihilating the advantage of 2 tempi. At the same time,
in closed positions, the significance of time is lower than in open positions.
The second reason is of subjective, psichological nature. In case of the
approved 12.Nbd2, Black has a wide range of continuations at his disposal,
thus making White's preparation more difficult. With other words, by closing
the centre White plays "his" variation, instead of allowing Black do it.} Nc4 {
This looks like a natural continuation. Very often, Black's knight can become
a problem if stuck on a5. With the text move, Black intends to re-direct it
towards a more favourable network of squares, including d7.} 13. b3 {In view
of the game continuation, this might be not the best move order.} (13. a4 {
might be slightly better. Now, the continuation in the spirit of our main game
would be the voluntary retreat} Nb6 ({The more natural} 13... Bd7 {has the
signifficant drawback that it takes the d7-square away from the own knight.
White has generally been successful with} 14. b3 Nb6 15. a5 $1 Nc8 16. c4 {
when it is questionable whether the knight has really improved its position.
In the past, Wedberg annotated several games where this line wasplayed, for
instance Adams,M (2731)-Kasimdzhanov,R (2652)/Tripoli 2004/CBM 102/[Wedberg]})
14. axb5 axb5 15. Rxa8 Nxa8 {The knight is temporarily placed in the corner of
the board, but it will soon improve its position.} 16. Nbd2 Nb6 17. Nf1 ({
White must have thought that she won a tempo over the lines where an ealrier
b3 is played, but refraining from this move will give Black the possibility of
getting his knight on the dream c5-square. In case of} 17. b3 {play might have
continued} g6 18. Nf1 Nh5 19. Bh6 Ng7 20. g4 c4 21. b4 Nd7 22. Ng3 Kh8 23. Qd2
Nf6 {followed by ...Ng8, when White would have problems preventing the
thematic break ...f5.}) 17... c4 $1 18. N3h2 g6 19. g4 (19. Bh6 $5) 19... h5 $5
({There was nothing wrong with} 19... Ne8) 20. Ng3 h4 21. Ne2 Nh7 22. Bh6 Re8
23. f4 (23. Qd2 Qd8 24. Nf3 Nd7) 23... g5 $5 24. fxg5 (24. f5 Bd8 25. Rf1 Qe7
26. f6 Qa7 $1 {[%cal Ya7g1]} 27. Kg2 Bxf6 {and White is not in time to
generate counterplay along the f-file or against the g5-pawn.}) 24... Nxg5 25.
Qd2 Qd8 (25... f6) 26. Qe3 f6 27. Bxg5 fxg5 28. Nf1 Nd7 29. Qa7 Nc5 30. Ra1 Bb7
31. Ne3 Qd7 $13 {Black's perfect stability on dark squares is compensated by
the weakness of the f5-square. Generally, the blocked character of the
position makes draw a probable result (although this was not the case in the
game).1-0 Kosteniuk,A (2456)-Acs,P (2623)/Wijk aan Zee 2003/CBM 093 (133)})
13... Nb6 14. a4 {The most common continuation.} ({In case of the more neutral
} 14. Nbd2 {Black can try to get a favourable queen side configuration with} c4
{Since the c3-pawn is hanging, White has to take a decision at once.} 15. b4 (
15. bxc4 {This might look like a small concession, but White hopes that Black
is not well enough coordinated to maintain the blockade of the squares that
become available on the queen side.} Nxc4 16. Nxc4 Qxc4 17. Bb2 Bd7 ({The
immediate transfer of the knight to c5 by means of} 17... Nd7 {is met by} 18.
a4 $32) 18. Bd3 Qc7 19. Nd2 Rfc8 20. c4 Be8 {[%csl Yd7][%cal Rf6d7,Rd7c5] Once
his development is complete, Black clears the d7-square for the knight.} 21.
Qe2 b4 $5 {[%cal Yf6d7,Yd7c5]} (21... Rab8 {is slightly inconsequent.} 22. Rec1
Qb6 23. Rab1 g6 24. g3 Nh5 {The knight fails to create any concrete threats,
while the queen side is left with insufficient defenders.} 25. Kg2 Bg5 26. Ba3
$14 {1/2-1/2 Manik,M (2380)-Smejkal,J (2520)/Mlada Boleslav 1995/EXT 97 (41)})
22. c5 $5 ({Otherwise, Black will fulfill his plan unhindered, for instance:} 
22. a3 a5 23. Reb1 Nd7 $132) 22... Qxc5 23. Bxa6 Rxa6 24. Qxa6 Bb5 25. Qb7 (25.
Qa5 $2 Bd8 $19) 25... Rc7 26. Qa8+ Rc8 $11) 15... a5 $1 {Right in time! White
cannot react with the desirable a3 followed by axb4.} 16. Nf1 (16. Ba3 $5 {
fails to consolidate the queen side because of} axb4 17. Bxb4 Nbd7 18. Nf1 Nc5
19. Ng3 Na6 {when White has to either give up the pair of bishops or repeat
moves with} 20. Ba3 Nc5 $11) 16... g6 ({The plan starting with} 16... Ne8 $5 {
[%cal Yg7g6,Ye8g7,Yf7f5] , similarly to the main game, deserved serious
attention, keeping White busy on the king side.}) 17. Ng3 (17. Bh6 $5) 17...
Re8 (17... Ne8) 18. Bg5 axb4 19. cxb4 Ra3 20. Qc1 Qa7 21. Be3 Bd8 {This whole
regroupment looks natural, but is not efficient in this concrete situation.}
22. Ne2 $1 {[%csl Yc3]} Bd7 23. Qb2 Ra6 24. Nc3 Qb7 25. Reb1 Nh5 26. a4 $1 $36
{1/2-1/2 Kuzmin,G (2518)-Obukhov,A (2475)/Alushta 2004/CBM 102 ext (44)}) 14...
Ne8 $5 $146 {A very concrete approach. Black prepares his king side
counterplay, leaving the d7-square available to the knight at the same time.} (
{We already know that the more natural} 14... Bd7 15. a5 Nc8 {has not yield
Black any reasons for joy so far.}) 15. a5 $6 {This move makes little sense
now, since it doesn't bother the knight in any way.} ({However, Black seems to
be doing fine after the more challenging} 15. axb5 {too, for instance} axb5 16.
Rxa8 Nxa8 17. Na3 Qb7 18. Bd3 Nac7 {In order to protect Black's only weakness,
the knight changes its route, but this hardly affects its activity as we shall
see.} 19. Qe2 Bd7 20. Nc2 g6 21. Bh6 Ng7 22. Ne3 Nce8 $1 {A rather a-typical
but none less efficient way of reaching the desired destination.} 23. g4 Kh8 {
/\Nf6-g8, f5}) 15... Nd7 16. Nbd2 g6 17. Nf1 Ng7 18. Bh6 Nf6 {Black's king
side plan develops by itself, while on the queen side White has obviously
nothing.} 19. g4 Kh8 20. Ng3 Ng8 21. Be3 f5 $36 {Having a perfect regroupment
of his minor pieces, Black creates dangerous threats on the king side already.}
22. exf5 gxf5 23. Bg5 fxg4 24. Qd3 Nf5 25. hxg4 c4 26. bxc4 bxc4 27. Qe4 Bxg5
28. gxf5 Bf4 29. Nh4 Bxg3 30. fxg3 Nf6 31. Qe3 Bb7 32. Re2 Bxd5 33. Rd1 Qa7 34.
Qxa7 Rxa7 35. Kf2 Rb7 36. Ke3 Rg8 37. Kf2 Rb2 38. Rb1 Rxb1 39. Bxb1 Rb8 40. Bc2
Rb5 41. Ng2 Bxg2 42. Kxg2 Rxa5 43. Bb1 Kg7 44. Kh3 Nd5 45. Rd2 Nxc3 46. f6+
Kxf6 47. Bxh7 d5 48. Rf2+ Kg7 49. Bf5 Nd1 50. Re2 d4 51. Kh4 e4 52. g4 e3 53.
Rh2 Kf6 0-1

[Event "EU-Cup 25th"]
[Site "Ohrid"]
[Date "2009.10.08"]
[Round "5.3"]
[White "Sutovsky, Emil"]
[Black "Postny, Evgeny"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2676"]
[BlackElo "2651"]
[Annotator "Postny,E"]
[PlyCount "92"]
[EventDate "2009.10.04"]
[EventType "team-swiss"]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "MKD"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 133"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2009.11.19"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2009.11.19"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Ashdod Illit"]
[BlackTeam "Beer Sheva"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "ISR"]
[BlackTeamCountry "ISR"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 Qc7 11. Nbd2 O-O 12. h3 Be6 $5 {Black has a wide choice
here, and I've already tried different moves in this position, but this one I
adopted just recently.} 13. d5 {The most natural reply.} Bd7 {In practice this
position has often appeared with Black's turn to move. In our case Black has
lost a tempo, but in closed positions like thish, this is usually of minor
significance.} 14. Nf1 c4 15. Kh2 ({A week later I played one more game in
this line in the Bundesliga. My opponent Maxime Vachier Lagrave adopted a more
positional plan:} 15. b4 Nb7 (15... cxb3 16. axb3 $14 Qxc3 $4 17. Bd2 $18 {
[%csl Ra5]}) 16. g4 g6 17. Ng3 Ne8 18. a4 Ng7 19. Bh6 Rfb8 20. Qd2 Nd8 21. Ra3
Ra7 22. Rea1 Rab7 23. axb5 axb5 {1/2-1/2 Vachier Lagrave,M (2718)-Postny,E 
(2651)/Eppingen GER 2009/The Week in Chess 780 (63) White is slightly better,
but Black's position proved to be solid enough.}) ({Another plan, connected
with an advance f2-f4 is not so frightening for Black. Here is one recent
example:} 15. g4 g6 16. N3h2 Nb7 17. f4 exf4 18. Bxf4 h5 19. Ng3 hxg4 20. Nxg4
Bxg4 21. hxg4 Nh7 22. Kg2 Bg5 23. Bxg5 Nxg5 24. Rh1 Qe7 25. Qd2 Nc5 26. Raf1
Nd7 $17 {0-1 Robson,R (2465)-Gareev,T (2590)/Philadelphia USA 2009/The Week in
Chess 765 (56)}) 15... Nb7 16. g4 {This is a standard plan of an offensive
against the black king.} g6 17. Ng3 Rfb8 18. Rg1 Nc5 {I believe that after
establishing the knight on c5 Black should be fine. My plan is to push forward
the queenside pawns to open the b-file.} 19. Qe2 a5 20. Bd2 (20. Nf5 $6 gxf5
21. gxf5+ Kf8 $1 22. Qe3 Ke8 23. Qh6 Kd8 $1 (23... Bc8 $2 24. Ng5 $40 {[%csl
Rf7][%cal Gh6g7]}) 24. Bg5 Ncxe4 25. Bxe4 Nxe4 26. f6 Qc5 $1 27. fxe7+ Kc7 28.
Be3 Qxd5 $15) 20... b4 21. Nf5 $2 {Emil is faithful to his creative style, but
this is definitely not one of his best sacrifices. At this moment it's worse
than on the previous move as Black has already pushed ...b5-b4 and is ready to
open the b-file.} ({I spent some time calculating the following lines:} 21.
cxb4 axb4 22. Qxc4 Bb5 23. Qxb4 Be2 (23... Ncxe4 $2 24. Bxe4 Ra4 25. Qc3 Qxc3
26. bxc3 Nxe4 27. Nxe4 Rxe4 28. Rgb1 $16) 24. Qc3 Bxf3 25. Qxf3 Rxb2 26. Qc3
Raxa2 27. Rxa2 Rxa2 $11) (21. g5 Ne8 22. cxb4 axb4 23. Qxc4 Bb5 24. Qxb4 Be2
25. Qc3 Bxf3 26. Qxf3 Rxb2 $11 {is similar to the previous line.}) 21... gxf5
22. gxf5+ Kf8 $1 {During the game this move was pretty obvious to me - to move
the king towards the queenside. Indeed, moving the king to the corner would
lose, engines underestimate White's attack.} (22... Kh8 $2 23. Ng5 Rf8 (23...
Be8 24. Nxh7 $1 Nxh7 25. Qg4 Bg5 26. Bxg5 f6 27. Bh6 Qf7 28. Bg7+ Kg8 29. Bxf6+
Kf8 30. Bg7+ Ke7 31. Qh4+ Nf6 32. Rg6 $18) 24. Rg2 Ba4 (24... bxc3 25. bxc3 Nd3
26. Rag1 Nf4 27. Bxf4 exf4 28. Qf3 $40) 25. Bxa4 Nxa4 26. Rag1 Qc5 27. Nxh7 $1
Nxh7 28. Qg4 Bf6 29. Bh6 $18) 23. Qe3 Ke8 24. Qh6 bxc3 25. bxc3 Ba4 $2 {
This gives White unnecessary chances.} (25... Rb2 $1 26. Bg5 Ncxe4 27. Bxe4
Nxe4 28. Bh4 $1 Bxf5 29. Rg8+ Kd7 30. Rxa8 {I stopped my calculation here, not
realising that Black is just winning.} Nxf2 31. Nxe5+ dxe5 32. Qc6+ Qxc6 33.
dxc6+ Kxc6 34. Bxe7 Ne4+ 35. Kg1 Nd2 $19) 26. Bxa4+ Nxa4 27. Bg5 (27. Ng5 Rb2
28. Qg7 Rxd2 29. Qxf7+ Kd7 30. Qe6+ Kd8 31. Nf7+ Ke8 $19) 27... Nxe4 28. f6 Qc5
$1 {[%csl Rf2] I must give back the piece.} (28... Bf8 $6 29. Qxh7 Naxc3 30.
Bh4 Qc5 (30... Nxf6 $1 31. Bxf6 Nxd5 $17) 31. Rg8 Qxd5 32. Rxf8+ Kd7 33. Rxf7+
Kc6 34. Ra7 $13) 29. Be3 Qxd5 30. fxe7 Naxc3 31. Rg7 Kxe7 32. Rag1 (32. Ng5 $1
{would require some precise calculation from me.} Rf8 33. Nxh7 Rg8 $3 {At
first sight looks like a blunder...} 34. Qh4+ Kd7 35. Qg4+ Kc6 36. Rxg8 f5 37.
Qxe4 Nxe4 38. Rxa8 f4 $19 {White's forces are so uncoordinated that Black wins
easily here.}) 32... Rf8 33. Rxh7 Kd7 34. Qh4 Kc6 $19 {White's attack has
evaporated. Black is a pawn up and has full control over the centre.} 35. Rgg7
Rae8 {In the conditions of time trouble I wanted to play it safe.} 36. a3 Nb5
37. Rg4 Nd4 38. Bxd4 exd4 39. Rh5 f5 40. Rg7 Kb5 41. Rhh7 Ka4 $1 {The king has
reached the safe shelter on the other side of the board.} 42. Ra7 c3 43. Qh6
Qa2 44. Rhg7 Rg8 45. Ne1 Qxf2+ 46. Ng2 Nd2 0-1

[Event "EU-ch 11th"]
[Site "Rijeka"]
[Date "2010.03.17"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Nijboer, Friso"]
[Black "Postny, Evgeny"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2562"]
[BlackElo "2641"]
[Annotator "Postny,E"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "2010.03.06"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "CRO"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 136"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2010.05.18"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2010.05.18"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

{It is a typical situation for the European championships that players who
have no chance to qualify for the World Cup make a short draw in the last
round. My opponent Friso Nijboer and myself were among those players, but the
current game wasn't boring at all.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5.
O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2
Be6 {Recently I have employed this line quite regularly.} 13. Nf1 {My opponent
offered a draw here, but I decided to play on regardless of the colour,
objective evaluation of the position, and lack of motivation.} (13. d5 Bd7 {
leads to a different kind of play. White enjoys some space superiority and
normally tries to create a kingside assault. Black, on his part has some play
on the queenside.}) 13... Nc4 14. b3 (14. d5 Bd7 15. g4 a5 16. Ng3 g6 17. Kh2
Rfb8 18. Rg1 a4 19. Qe2 Nb6 20. Bb1 Qc8 21. Ng5 Qd8 22. Nf5 $2 {Interesting
try, but incorrect. Without this the position would remain balanced.} gxf5 23.
gxf5 Kf8 24. Ne6+ (24. Qh5 Nxh5 25. Nxh7+ Ke8 26. Rg8+ Bf8 27. f6 Nxf6 28.
Rxf8+ Ke7 29. Rxd8 Nxh7 30. Rxb8 Rxb8 $19) 24... Bxe6 25. fxe6 fxe6 26. dxe6
Qc8 27. Qxb5 Ng8 $1 28. Qe2 Qxe6 $19 {0-1 Solodovnichenko,Y (2578)-Postny,E 
(2648)/Nancy FRA 2010/The Week in Chess 799 (43)}) 14... Nb6 15. Ne3 c4 16. Ba3
{[%cal Gd4e5]} Rfd8 17. d5 {White has to close the centre sooner or later.
Just at this moment White exploits the fact that Black's bishop can't retreat
to its natural square d7.} Bc8 $8 (17... Bd7 $4 18. Nxe5 $18 {[%cal Ga3e7]})
18. Qd2 $6 {Not the best square for the queen.} (18. bxc4 Nxc4 19. Nxc4 bxc4
20. Qe2 {would have been logical. The e2-square is more natural for the queen.
White is, perhaps, slightly better.}) 18... a5 19. bxc4 bxc4 20. Rab1 Bf8 21.
Qe2 {Admitting the inaccuracy made on 18th move.} Ba6 $11 22. Nf5 g6 23. Ng3 (
23. Qe3 $5 {I spent some time calculating this.} gxf5 24. Qxb6 Qxb6 25. Rxb6
fxe4 26. Bxe4 Rdb8 27. Rxd6 (27. Rc6 Rd8 $1 {[%cal Ga6b7]} 28. Rb6 $1 Rdb8 $11)
27... Bxd6 (27... Nxe4 $2 28. Rxe4 Bxd6 29. Rg4+ $1 Kh8 30. Bxd6 f6 31. Be7 $18
) 28. Bxd6 Nxe4 29. Bxb8 (29. Rxe4 $2 Rb1+ 30. Kh2 f6 $17) 29... Nxc3 30. Bxe5
Nxd5 $11) 23... Bh6 {Now Black has comfortable position. All his pieces are
well placed.} 24. Nh2 Rdb8 25. f3 {With the idea to put the queen on f2 where
it will cover the diagonal a7-g1.} Nbd7 26. Qf2 Rxb1 27. Rxb1 Rb8 28. Rxb8+
Qxb8 29. Ne2 Ne8 (29... Nc5 {would be great, but White can swap queens.} 30.
Bxc5 dxc5 31. Qe1 (31. Qxc5 $2 Qb2 {is bad for White.}) 31... Qb2 32. Qb1 Qxb1+
33. Bxb1 $11) 30. g3 Bg5 {Transferring the bishop to the other diagonal.} 31.
Kg2 Bd8 32. f4 {Obviously, Friso didn't want to stay in passivity. This is the
only active plan available for White.} Bb6 33. Qf1 exf4 {I was concerned about
allowing the f4-f5 advance, so I decided to take the pawn.} 34. gxf4 (34. Ng4
$5 {was an interesting alternative which we both missed. After} Ne5 35. Nxe5
dxe5 36. gxf4 Bc8 {the consequences are unclear.}) 34... Nef6 35. Ng3 Nc5 {
Strategically Black is doing great, so White must play for an attack.} 36. f5
Bd8 37. e5 $1 Nxd5 38. Ng4 Bg5 (38... Bb7 $2 39. Kh2 {Just helps White.}) 39.
h4 $6 {Trying to distract the bishop.} ({Some spectacular lines could arise
after:} 39. exd6 Nd3 40. Ne4 Qa8 (40... Qb7 41. Nxg5 $3 Ne3+ 42. Kg1 Nxf1 43.
d7 $1 Qb8 44. Nf6+ Kg7 45. Ne8+ Kg8 (45... Kh6 $4 46. Nxf7+ Kh5 47. Ng7+ Kh4
48. d8=Q+ Qxd8 49. Nxd8 $18) 46. Nf6+ $11) 41. Nxg5 $3 Ne3+ 42. Kg1 Nxf1 {
[%tqu "En","Can White save the game without a queen?","","","f5f6","What an
amazing position! Black is a queen up, but can't avoid the perpetual check
even though it is his turn to move!",15,"d6d7","Now it doesn't work as it
would have after 40...Qb7.",0]} 43. f6 $3 {What an amazing position! Black is
a queen up, but can't avoid the perpetual check even though it his turn to
move!} (43. d7 $2 {Now it doesn't work as it would have after 40...Qb7.} Ne3 $1
44. Nf6+ (44. Nxe3 Qd8 $19) 44... Kh8 45. d8=Q+ Qxd8 46. Nxf7+ Kg7 47. Nxd8
Kxf6 $19) 43... h5 44. Nh6+ Kh8 45. Nhxf7+ Kg8 46. Nh6+ Kh8 $11) 39... Ne3+ $2
{This is the most obvious, but wrong. It was important to keep the knight on
d5 to cover the f6-square.} (39... Bxh4 40. fxg6 fxg6 41. exd6 Ne6 (41... Bxg3
42. Nh6+ Kg7 43. Qf7+ Kxh6 44. Bc1+ Bf4 45. Bxf4+ Nxf4+ 46. Qxf4+ Kg7 47. Qe5+
Kf7 48. Qxc5 $11) 42. Ne4 Ndf4+ 43. Kh2 Qf8 44. Bc1 Bb7 $15) (39... Bf4 $1 {
was the strongest reply, but wasn't easy at all to figure it out. All
variations seems to work in Black's favour.} 40. Bxc5 (40. fxg6 hxg6 41. Nf6+ (
41. Ne4 Bb7 $17) 41... Nxf6 42. Qxf4 Nd5 43. Qh6 Bb7 44. Kf1 Qe8 $17) 40...
dxc5 41. Be4 Qb2+ 42. Kg1 Bxg3 43. fxg6 Nf4 44. Nh6+ Kf8 45. g7+ Kxg7 46. Nf5+
Kf8 47. Nxg3 Qd2 $17) 40. Nxe3 Bxe3 41. e6 $1 {Suddenly, white's iniative
became more dangerous than expected.} fxe6 $2 {This is very risky.} (41... Qb7+
42. Kh3 Bb5 $1 {I didn't see this manoeuvre.} 43. Qe2 Bh6 44. e7 Be8 $1 $15 {
The point of 42...Bb5.}) 42. fxg6 Qb7+ 43. Kh2 $1 (43. Kh3 Nd3 44. Bxd6 Nf2+
45. Qxf2 Bxf2 46. gxh7+ Qxh7 47. Bxh7+ Kxh7 $11) 43... Qe7 {[%csl Rh4]} 44.
gxh7+ Kh8 45. Kh3 Nd3 $2 {The decisive mistake, but neither player realised
this.} (45... e5 46. Qf3 Bc8+ 47. Bf5 {would have been the least of the evils
for Black.}) 46. Bxd6 $1 (46. Bxd3 $1 {was also strong.} cxd3 47. Bxd6 $1 Qg7 (
47... Qxd6 $2 48. Qf7 Qd8 49. Nh5 Bh6 50. Nf6 {[%cal Rf7g8] mating.}) 48. Nh5
d2 49. Qxa6 d1=Q (49... Qg4+ 50. Kxg4 d1=Q+ 51. Kg3 Qxh5 52. Qc8+ Kxh7 53. Qd7+
Kh8 54. Qxe6 $18) 50. Qa8+ $1 Kxh7 51. Nxg7 Qxd6 52. Nh5 {and White looks
winning.}) 46... Qxd6 47. Qf6+ Kxh7 48. Qf7+ Kh6 49. Qf6+ (49. h5 $1 Nf2+ 50.
Kg2 Bb7+ 51. Qxb7 Nd3 (51... Qe5 52. Qf7 $18) 52. Qe4 Qd5 53. Bxd3 Qxd3 54.
Qxe6+ {with great winning chances.}) 49... Kh7 50. Qf7+ (50. Nf5 $5 {was
another interesting try.} Nf2+ 51. Kg2 Qd5+ 52. Kf1 Qh1+ 53. Ke2 exf5 54. Bxf5+
Kg8 55. Qxa6 Nd1 $1 {White can't mate the black king, so it's a draw.} 56. Qg6+
Kf8 57. Qf6+ Ke8 58. Qe6+ Kf8 59. Qd6+ Kg8 60. Be6+ Kg7 61. Qe7+ Kg6 62. Qf7+
Kh6 63. Qf6+ Kh5 64. Bf7+ Kg4 65. Qg7+ Kh3 66. Be6+ Kh2 67. Qe5+ Kg1 68. Qg3+
Qg2+ 69. Qxg2+ Kxg2 70. Kxd1 Kg3 71. h5 Kh4 $11) 50... Kh6 51. Qf6+ {Again 51.
h5! was winning, but in mutual time-trouble a draw was agreed. An exciting
finish!} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Rohde op 10th"]
[Site "Sautron"]
[Date "2010.10.29"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Bailet, Pierre"]
[Black "Gonda, Laszlo"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2432"]
[BlackElo "2550"]
[Annotator "Primel,D"]
[PlyCount "56"]
[EventDate "2010.10.23"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "FRA"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2012"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2011.11.24"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2011.11.24"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. Nf1 g6 14. b3 ({RR} 14.
Bg5 Nc4 15. b3 Nb6 16. Ne3 Bb7 17. dxe5 dxe5 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. c4 Bg7 20. a4
bxa4 21. bxa4 a5 22. Qd3 Bh6 23. Ng4 Bg7 24. Ne3 Rab8 25. Qc3 Nc8 26. Red1 Ba8
27. Nd2 Nd6 28. Nb3 Nxe4 {Yu,L (2407)-Gonda,L (2482)/Budapeste 2010/Mega2010
Update 13/0-1 (56)}) 14... Bf8 15. Ng3 Bg7 16. Be3 $146 ({RR} 16. d5 Bd7 17.
Bg5 c4 18. b4 Nb7 19. a4 a5 20. axb5 Bxb5 21. Ba4 Bxa4 22. Qxa4 Rec8 23. Nd2
Nd7 24. Be3 h5 25. Qb5 axb4 26. Qxb4 Nbc5 27. Qxc4 Nb6 28. Qe2 Nca4 29. Ra3
Nxd5 30. exd5 Nxc3 {Kazhgaleyev,M (2604)-Pinter,J (2562)/France 2003/CBM 095/
1-0 (41)}) 16... Bd7 17. Qd2 Nb7 {[%csl Rb7]} 18. Rac1 a5 19. a3 c4 (19... a4)
20. bxc4 bxc4 21. a4 Rab8 22. Rb1 exd4 23. cxd4 c3 24. Qd3 d5 25. e5 Ne4 26.
Bf4 (26. Nxe4 $4 dxe4 27. Qxe4 Bf5) 26... Nxg3 27. Bxg3 Be6 28. Ng5 Bh6 1/2-1/2

[Event "Match/Training Botvinnik-Kan +8-0=8"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "1954.01.30"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Botvinnik, Mikhail"]
[Black "Kan, Ilia Abramovich"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "Primel,D"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "1954.01.22"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "16"]
[EventCountry "URS"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2001"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2000.11.22"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2000.11.22"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 14. Ne3 Bf8 15.
dxe5 (15. Bd2 {Averbakh,Y-Smyslov,V Candidates Tournament 1953 (1) 1/2}) 15...
dxe5 16. Nh2 Rad8 $146 (16... Be6 {Eliskases,E-Ojanen,K Mar del Plata 1953 (15)
1/2}) 17. Qf3 Be6 18. Nhg4 Nxg4 19. hxg4 Nc4 20. Nf5 (20. Nd5 $5) 20... Nd6 21.
g3 $1 {[%csl Rh7][%cal Gg1g2,Ge1h1]} Qb7 22. Kg2 f6 23. Rh1 (23. g5 $5) 23...
Nf7 $1 {[%csl Gg5]} 24. b3 Rd7 25. Qe2 Red8 26. Ne3 c4 27. bxc4 bxc4 28. Rb1
Qc7 29. Nd5 $1 Qa5 (29... Bxd5 30. exd5 g6 31. Be3 $36) 30. a4 Bc5 31. Rd1 Bxd5
32. exd5 g6 $6 33. Qxc4 Nd6 34. Qe2 (34. Qd3 e4) 34... Qxc3 35. g5 Rf7 36. Rb3
Qa5 37. Bb2 Re8 38. gxf6 Rxf6 39. f3 Bd4 40. Bxd4 exd4 41. Qf2 1/2-1/2

[Event "Salamanca"]
[Site "Salamanca"]
[Date "1990.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Sion Castro, Marcelino"]
[Black "Chiburdanidze, Maia"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2365"]
[BlackElo "2470"]
[Annotator "Schussler,H"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "1990.02.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "ESP"]
[EventCategory "9"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 018"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1990.10.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1990.10.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 c4 13. b4 cxb3 14. axb3 Nd7 15. Bd2
Nb7 16. b4 Nb6 17. Na3 Bd7 18. Qe2 Rfc8 19. Rec1 Bd8 20. Bd3 Qb8 21. Be3 Na4
22. Bd2 Nb6 23. Ra2 Na4 24. Qe1 h6 25. Rca1 Qc7 26. c4 bxc4 27. Nxc4 Bb5 28.
Rxa4 Bxc4 29. Qe2 a5 30. bxa5 $2 Bxd3 31. Qxd3 Nc5 32. Qc4 Nxa4 33. Qxa4 Qc4
34. Qe8+ Kh7 35. Qxf7 Qxe4 36. a6 Bb6 37. Be1 Rc7 38. Qh5 Qxd5 39. Rd1 Qc6 40.
Bb4 Bxf2+ {41. Kxf2 Qb6+} 0-1

[Event "Hannover"]
[Site "Hannover"]
[Date "1991.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Wahls, Matthias"]
[Black "Unzicker, Wolfgang"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2560"]
[BlackElo "2480"]
[Annotator "Schussler,H"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "1991.03.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[EventCategory "9"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 022"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1991.06.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1991.06.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Nc4 14. Ne3 Nxe3 15.
Bxe3 Rfc8 16. Rc1 Bc6 17. Nd2 cxd4 18. cxd4 Qb7 19. Qf3 Bd8 20. Bg5 h6 21. Bh4
Be8 22. Bg3 Qe7 23. Qd3 Ba5 24. a3 Nd7 25. Rcd1 Nf8 26. Bb1 Ra7 27. f4 Bb6 28.
Nf3 exd4 29. Kh2 Rc4 30. Ba2 Rac7 31. e5 Rc8 32. f5 d5 33. Bb1 b4 34. f6 Qe6
35. fxg7 Ng6 36. Nh4 bxa3 37. Nf5 axb2 38. Qd2 Rc1 39. Nxh6+ Kxg7 40. Nf5+ {
40. - Kg8 41.Qh6 + -} 1-0

[Event "Bagneux Librairie Saint Germain"]
[Site "Bagneux"]
[Date "1978.07.13"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Seret, Jean Luc"]
[Black "Peters, Jack"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2350"]
[BlackElo "2430"]
[Annotator "Seret,JL/Primel,D"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "1978.07.01"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "FRA"]
[EventCategory "5"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2004"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2003.11.25"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2003.11.25"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. O-O Bd7 5. c3 (5. Re1) 5... Nf6 6. Re1 a6 7.
Ba4 b5 8. Bc2 e5 {Transposition vers l'espagnole?} 9. h3 Be7 10. d4 Qc7 (10...
O-O 11. d5) 11. d5 Na5 12. b3 O-O 13. Nbd2 {[%cal Gd2f1,Gf1g3,Gf1e3] La partie
a transposé d'une Sicilienne Rossolimo vers une Espagnole} Rfc8 $146 (13...
Nb7 {Mukhin,E-Ivanov,I (2420) Hodzhaev Memorial 1977 0-1}) (13... g6) (13... c4
) (13... Rfe8) 14. Nf1 g6 15. Bg5 Qd8 16. Ng3 Nb7 {[%csl Rb7] Il est
compliqué pour les Noirs de trouver une bonne case pour le Nb7} 17. Qd2 a5 18.
Bh6 Ne8 19. Ng5 Nc7 20. f4 $1 {Les Blancs ont un bon avantage d'espace et les
pièces Noires sont mal placées pour défendre l'aile-roi} f6 21. Nf3 (21.
fxe5 $5 fxg5 22. e6 Be8 (22... Nxe6) 23. Rf1 $44) 21... exf4 22. Bxf4 b4 23. c4
a4 $132 24. Rac1 Ne8 25. h4 Ng7 26. Bh6 Bf8 27. h5 Nxh5 $6 (27... axb3 $142 28.
axb3 Ra2 $11) 28. Nxh5 gxh5 29. e5 dxe5 30. Nxe5 $1 $40 axb3 31. axb3 Rc7 (
31... fxe5 32. Qd3 $18 Qe7 33. Rxe5 Qf7 34. Rg5+ Kh8 35. Bg7+ {JL SERET}) 32.
d6 Nxd6 33. Qd5+ Kh8 34. Bxf8 Qxf8 35. Qxd6 Qxd6 36. Nf7+ Kg8 37. Nxd6 Ra6 38.
Rcd1 Bg4 39. Rd5 Ra2 40. Bf5 Rb2 41. Nb5 1-0

[Event "WchT Students 03th final A"]
[Site "Uppsala"]
[Date "1956.04.10"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Tal, Mihail"]
[Black "Ivkov, Borislav"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[Annotator "Tal/Sajtar,J"]
[PlyCount "65"]
[EventDate "1956.04.08"]
[EventType "team-tourn"]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "SWE"]
[SourceTitle "EXT 2016"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2015.10.08"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2015.10.08"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
[WhiteTeam "Soviet Union"]
[BlackTeam "Yugoslavia"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "URS"]
[BlackTeamCountry "YUG"]

1. e4 {1)Tal in Shakmaty v SSSR 1956. 2) Tal:The life and Games of M Tal. Soon
after the soviet Championship, I had my first trip abroad. With the USSR
Student Team I set off the World Championship in Sweden. There were a great
number of new, colourful impressions, plus the the special character of the
"little olympiad" everyone was young good-humoured, and got on well together. 
(The life and Games of M Tal)} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6.
Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 (9... Nb8 $5 {Une idée intéressante du
maitre soviétique Borisenko} 10. a4 Bb7 11. d3 Nbd7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nbd2 Bf8
14. Nf1 c5 $132 {Milic,B-Spassky,B WchT U26 2nd 1955 (1) 0-1}) 10. Bc2 c5 11.
d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Rfe8 14. Ne3 g6 {Tal: Ivkov knew the game
Boleslavsky-Kholmov (14...Bf8).} (14... Bf8 15. b4 cxd4 16. cxd4 Nc6 17. Bb2
Qd8 18. a3 exd4 19. Nxd4 Nxe4 20. Nd5 Qh4 21. Rxe4 Rxe4 22. Nf3 {1-0 (22)
Boleslavsky,I-Kholmov,R Leningrad (Russia) 1956 URS-ch [GJ17Datum]}) 15. b4 $1
{Tal} cxb4 16. cxb4 Nc4 17. Nxc4 bxc4 18. Re3 $5 {[%csl Ra6,Re5][%cal Ge3a3,
Ga3a5] Début d'un plan curieux mais astucieux avec pression indirecte sur le
P"e5" qui va forcer les Noirs à abandonner le centre par la prise ed4} Bf8 (
18... c3 19. Rb1 {[%csl Rc3][%cal Gb1b3] Tal} Rac8 20. Rb3 Qb7 21. Rbxc3 Rxc3
22. Rxc3 Nxe4) (18... Rad8 $5 19. Bb2 (19. Bd2 exd4 20. Nxd4 d5 $132) 19... d5
$132) (18... Rab8 $142 {Tal} 19. Bd2 exd4 20. Nxd4 d5 21. e5 Ne4 22. Bxe4 dxe4
23. Rxe4 Bxb4 24. Bf4 $36 {Tal}) 19. Bb2 $1 {[%csl Gb2,Re5][%cal Gd4e5]} Bh6 $6
{[%csl Rf6,Rg8]} (19... Bg7 $142 {[%csl Re3] Aurait évité le thème tactique
des Blancs après le coup Qd4}) 20. Ra3 {[%csl Re5][%cal Gd4e5,Gd6e5,Ga3a5]
Menace la prise de5} Qb7 $2 {[#] Tal: Starting a combination which failed.} (
20... a5 $132) 21. dxe5 Qxb4 22. Qd4 $1 $18 {[%csl Rf6,Rg8] Tal: Ivkov missed
this winning move.} (22. Rb1 dxe5 23. Bc1 Qf8 24. Bxh6 Qxh6 25. Rb6 Re6 $11 {
This is the variation Ivkov had calculated.}) 22... Nh5 (22... Rab8 23. Rb1
dxe5 24. Nxe5 Qd2 25. Nxd7 $18 {Tal}) (22... Reb8 23. Rb1 Ne8 24. exd6 Bg7 25.
e5 Nxd6 26. Bc1 $18 {Tal}) 23. exd6 (23. e6 $1 Bg7 24. exf7+ Kxf7 25. Ng5+ Kg8
26. Qd5+) 23... Bg7 24. e5 Bc6 $2 (24... Nf4 {[%cal Gf4e6]}) 25. Re3 $18 Bxf3
26. Bc3 Qb5 27. gxf3 Rad8 28. f4 Re6 29. Rb1 Qc6 30. Rb6 Qc8 31. Bd1 Bh6 32.
Bxh5 gxh5 33. f5 1-0

[Event "EU-ch 5th"]
[Site "Antalya"]
[Date "2004.05.15"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Ivanchuk, Vassily"]
[Black "Radulski, Julian"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2716"]
[BlackElo "2497"]
[Annotator "Wedberg,T"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[EventDate "2004.05.15"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "TUR"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 101"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2004.07.27"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2004.07.27"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 Qc7 11. d5 Bd7 12. b3 O-O 13. h3 Nb7 (13... c4 14. b4 Nb7
15. Be3 a5 16. a3 axb4 17. cxb4 c3 18. Bg5 h6 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. Re3 Rfc8 21.
Nxc3 $18 {1-0 Kasparov,G-Comp Meph Experimental/Hamburg 1985/EXT 2002 (55)})
14. c4 (14. Nbd2 g6 (14... a5 15. Nf1 a4 16. Bg5 h6 17. Bd2 axb3 18. axb3 Rfb8
19. g4 $40 {1-0 Kozlov,S-Pokazaniev,N/Smolensk 2001/EXT 2002 (48)}) 15. Nf1 Ne8
16. Bh6 Ng7 17. Ng3 f6 18. Nh2 Nd8 19. f4 Nf7 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. f5 $14 {
1-0 Livshits,R-Lesiege,A/Canada 1992/EXT 98 (53)}) (14. a4 Rfb8 15. Na3 Ne8 16.
Qe2 Nd8 $11 {1/2-1/2 Hracek,Z-Nikolic,P/Selfoss 2002/CBM 92 (24)}) (14. Be3 a5
15. Nbd2 b4 16. c4 a4 17. g4 axb3 18. axb3 Na5 19. Nf1 Ra7 20. g5 $40 {1-0
Berzina,I-Petrovich,I/Paris 1998/EXT 2000 (30)}) (14. c4 b4 15. Nbd2 Ne8 16.
Nf1 g6 17. Bh6 Ng7 18. g4 f6 19. Ng3 {1/2-1/2 Kasparov,G-Matanovic,A/Banja
Luka 1979/EXT 99 (19)}) (14. a4 Rfb8 15. Na3 Ne8 16. Qe2 Nd8 17. Bd2 g6 18. Nh2
f6 19. c4 bxa4 20. bxa4 Nf7 21. Ng4 Bf8 22. Bc3 Qd8 23. Ne3 Bh6 24. Nb1 {
1/2-1/2 Hracek,Z-Nikolic,P/Selfoss 2002/CBM 92 (24)}) 14... Rfe8 (14... b4 15.
Nbd2 Ne8 16. Nf1 g6 17. Bh6 Ng7 18. g4 f6 19. Ng3 {1/2-1/2 Kasparov,
G-Matanovic,A/Banja Luka 1979/EXT 99 (19)}) 15. Nc3 (15. Nbd2 {[%cal Yd2f1,
Yg2g4,Yf1g3] is more standard.}) 15... g6 16. Bd2 Bf8 17. g4 {White starts the
classical K-side attack, but in this game things develop in quite an unusual
fashion. As we will see the combination of Nc3 and g4 works against White here.
} h5 $1 {[%mdl 4]} 18. Nh2 (18. g5 Nh7 {looks drawish.}) 18... b4 $1 19. Na4 {
Without this N on the K-side White's expansion with g4 lacks punch.} hxg4 20.
hxg4 Be7 $1 21. Nb2 Kg7 $1 $15 {[%cal Ye8h8] Black is quick to seize his
chance. As it turns out he gets the benefit of the opened h-file. White is
worse already.} 22. Kg2 Rh8 23. Rh1 Rh4 24. f3 Rah8 25. Qe2 Qc8 26. Rag1 Qg8
27. Be1 (27. Kf1 Qh7 28. Rg2 {no fun, but maybe White can survive by just
protecting h2.}) 27... Rh3 28. Nd1 $2 (28. Kf1 $142) 28... Qh7 29. Bg3 Nxg4 $1
(29... Nxg4 30. fxg4 Rxg3+ 31. Kxg3 Qh3+ 32. Kf2 Bh4+ $19) 0-1

[Event "Hoogovens"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee"]
[Date "1998.01.26"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Shirov, Alexei"]
[Black "Piket, Jeroen"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2710"]
[BlackElo "2575"]
[Annotator "Wedberg,T"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "1998.01.16"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "NED"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 063"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1998.03.26"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1998.03.26"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

{This is a nice model for the White side of this old spanish line. Shirov
brings fresh ideas to the board. Piket tries to hold the defence together but
in the end can't stop White's Q-side invasion.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4
Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Nc4 14. b3 Nb6 15. Ne3 c4 16. Ba3 $146 {A new move,
as far as I know, but the idea is well known. Play soon follows old paths.} (
16. bxc4 Nxc4 17. Nxc4 bxc4 18. Ba3 (18. a4 Rfe8 19. Ba3 a5 20. d5 Bd8 21. Nd2
Bc8 22. Qe2 Ba6 23. Rab1 $14 {Brodsky,M-Kruppa,Y/Kherson 1990/EXT 90/1-0 (62)})
18... Rfe8 19. Qe2 (19. Rb1 g6 20. Nh2 Bc6 21. Qf3 Kg7 22. Qe3 Qa7 23. f4 exd4
24. Qxd4 Bd8 25. Qxa7 Rxa7 26. Bxd6 {1/2-1/2 Wahls,M-Huebner,R/Munich 1992/CBM
30}) 19... Bf8 20. Nd2 Rec8 21. Reb1 Qa5 22. Bb4 Qc7 23. dxe5 dxe5 24. Bxf8
Kxf8 25. Rb4 $14 {1-0 Nunn,J-Unzicker,W/BL8889 1989/BL 80 (41)}) 16... Rfe8 17.
Qd2 a5 {This move looks innocent enough, but it weakens b5 and takes away a5
for the black Q.} 18. bxc4 Nxc4 19. Nxc4 bxc4 20. d5 {One point of not having
played an early a4 for White is the possibility to play Ba4 in some situation.
With the P on d5 there is an added option of anchoring the B on c6.} Bf8 21.
Qe2 g6 22. Nd2 Rec8 23. Kh2 Rab8 24. Rab1 Rb5 25. Rxb5 Bxb5 26. Rb1 Qd7 $6 {
Keeping the Q on c7 to control important squares on the b-file looks safer.} (
26... Ba6 27. Ba4 Nd7 28. Bb5 Bxb5 29. Rxb5 {looks very good for White, but}
Qa7 $1 {holds the fort, since} 30. Nxc4 Qa6 31. Nd2 Rxc3 {is nothing special
for White.}) (26... Rb8 $5) 27. Nf1 Ne8 28. Bc1 h5 29. Be3 Be7 30. Bd1 $1 {
It's all about the b-file now.} Bd8 31. Qb2 Nc7 (31... Rb8 $4 32. a4 $18) 32.
a4 $1 Ba6 (32... Bxa4 33. Bxa4 Qxa4 34. Qb7 Qd7 35. Nd2 $18) 33. Qb6 $16 {
The invasion is well under way. Black feels the need to break out, and falls
on his own sword.} Nxd5 $2 (33... Ra8 34. Qxa5 Bb5 (34... Ne8 35. Qb4 Bc7 36.
a5) 35. Qb6 (35. Qb4 Bxa4 36. Qxc4 $2 Bb5 $17) 35... Bxa4 36. Bxa4 Rxa4 37. Qc6
Qxc6 38. dxc6 $16) 34. Qxa6 Nxc3 35. Rb7 Qe6 36. Bc2 Na2 37. Bd2 $18 Bh4 38. g3
Bg5 $2 39. Bxg5 Nb4 40. Qxa5 Nxc2 41. Re7 1-0

[Event "Sonsbeek SNS"]
[Site "Arnhem"]
[Date "1999.05.06"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Nijboer, Friso"]
[Black "Xie, Jun"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2515"]
[BlackElo "2532"]
[Annotator "Wedberg,T"]
[PlyCount "113"]
[EventDate "1999.05.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "6"]
[EventCountry "NED"]
[EventCategory "14"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 071"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.08.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "1999.08.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13. Nf1 Nc4 14. Ne3 Nxe3 15.
Bxe3 Rfe8 (15... Rfc8 16. Rc1 Bc6 17. Nd2 cxd4 18. cxd4 Qb7 19. d5 $10 {
Kasparov,G-Petrosian,T/Mailand/1975/}) (15... g6 $5 16. Nd2 Nh5 $13 {Huebner,R}
) 16. Nd2 Rac8 (16... Bc6 17. f4 cxd4 18. cxd4 Rac8 19. Rc1 $14 {1/2-1/2 Szabo,
L-Hajtun,J/HUN-ch 1951/MCL (65)}) 17. Rc1 Qa7 (17... cxd4 $1 18. cxd4 Qb7 $10 {
Huebner,R}) 18. d5 $1 g6 (18... Qc7 19. f4 exf4 20. Bxf4 $14 {1-0 Huebner,
R-Unzicker,W/BL8990 1990/CBM 17 (32)}) 19. b4 $1 Qc7 20. bxc5 dxc5 21. c4 b4
22. Nf3 {The P-formation clearly favours White. Blacks potential passed P on
the Q-side is less dangerous than Whiteґs massive overweight in the centre.} (
22. Ba4 $16 {Huebner,R}) 22... Bd6 23. Nh2 Kg7 24. Kh1 a5 25. Ng4 Ng8 26. Qd2
f6 27. f3 a4 28. Nf2 $14 Ne7 29. Nd3 g5 30. h4 h6 31. g3 Ng6 32. Re2 Kf7 33.
Rh2 gxh4 $6 {Principally wrong, even if it should work. Black opens for White
to attack.} (33... Rh8 $142) 34. gxh4 Nf4 35. Bxf4 exf4 36. Rg1 Rg8 37. Rhg2
Qb8 38. e5 $1 $40 {[%mdl 128] A slight investment of a P gives all white
pieces access to the K-side.} fxe5 39. Nxf4 $1 Rxg2 (39... exf4 40. Qd3 Rxg2 (
40... Rg3 41. Qh7+ Ke8 42. Rxg3 fxg3 43. Qg8+ Ke7 44. Re1+ Be5 45. Qxg3 $18)
41. Rxg2 Ke7 42. Qh7+ Kd8 43. Bf5 $1 $18) 40. Qxg2 Rg8 41. Ng6 $18 Rg7 42. Qd2
b3 43. axb3 axb3 44. Be4 Qg8 45. Qxh6 Ke8 46. Ra1 Bc8 47. Ra8 Rc7 48. Rb8 b2
49. Rxb2 Ra7 50. Rb6 Ra6 51. Rb1 Kd8 52. Rg1 Qf7 53. Qg5+ Kc7 54. Nxe5 Qe8 55.
Qg7+ Kb8 56. Nc6+ Ka8 57. Ra1 1-0

[Event "American Continental 2nd"]
[Site "Buenos Aires"]
[Date "2003.08.17"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Milos, Gilberto"]
[Black "Estrada Nieto, Julian"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2592"]
[BlackElo "2332"]
[Annotator "Wedberg,T"]
[PlyCount "119"]
[EventDate "2003.08.17"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "ARG"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 097"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2003.11.11"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2003.11.11"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Rd8 13. d5 c4 14. Nf1 Nb7 15. g4
$5 {This is the classical attacking scheme in the Ruy Lopez with a closed
centre. The alternative is to play for f4 without g4.} (15. Ng3 {[%cal Yf3h2,
Yf2f4]}) 15... Nc5 (15... h5 16. N3h2 hxg4 17. hxg4 Nh7 18. Kg2 Bg5 19. Bxg5
Nxg5 20. Qd2 Qe7 21. Ng3 g6 22. Rh1 Kg7 23. Nf3 f6 24. Rh4 Bd7 25. Rah1 $14 {
1-0 Rytshagov,M-Voiska,M/Cappelle la Grande 1993/TD (86)}) 16. Ng3 a5 ({
An interesting example in this line is} 16... Ne8 $5 17. Nf5 Bf8 18. Kh2 a5 19.
Rg1 b4 20. Bg5 Rd7 {Black avoids weakening P-moves on the K-side and makes it
very hard for White to break the position open.} 21. Nd2 Ba6 22. Ne3 Rb8 23.
Ndxc4 bxc3 24. bxc3 Bxc4 25. Nxc4 Nxe4 26. Bxe4 Qxc4 $13 {1/2-1/2 Barua,
D-Ganguly,S/Qingdao 2002/CBM 91 (40). (40)}) 17. Bd2 Bd7 18. Kh1 Rdb8 19. a3 g6
$6 {This might not be the right course since it doesnґt prevent Nf5 anyway.
Keeping the P:s on the seventh is a more prudent way to play.} 20. Qe2 Kh8 21.
Ng5 Be8 22. f4 $1 exf4 23. Bxf4 Nfd7 24. Rf1 $16 {White has a clear advantage
here due to his excellent attacking chances against the weak black K. Black
has put all his pieces on the Q-side but the focus of play is on the other
side of the board.} f6 25. Nf3 Bf7 26. Nd4 Bf8 27. Be3 Bg7 28. h4 Ne5 29. h5
Qd7 30. hxg6 hxg6 31. Ngf5 $1 {This is a thematic sacrifice in these lines.
White opens lines for the heavy pieces.} gxf5 32. gxf5 Kg8 33. Rg1 Kf8 34. Qh2
Ke7 (34... Bg8 35. Rxg7 $1 Kxg7 36. Qh6+ Kf7 37. Ne6 Qa7 38. Bxc5 dxc5 39. Qg7+
Ke8 40. Nc7+ Kd8 41. d6 $1 $40 {[%cal Yg7g8,Yg7f6]}) 35. Rxg7 $16 Rh8 36. Rh7
Rxh7 37. Qxh7 Rg8 38. Rg1 Qe8 39. Rxg8 Qxg8 40. Qxg8 Bxg8 $18 41. Kg2 Ncd3 42.
Kf1 b4 43. Ke2 Bf7 44. Kd2 b3 45. Nxb3 Nf3+ 46. Ke2 Bh5 47. Bxd3 Ne5+ 48. Kd2
Nxd3 49. Nxa5 Nxb2 50. Nc6+ Kd7 51. Bd4 Bf3 52. Ke3 Bh1 53. Bxf6 Nd1+ 54. Kd4
Nf2 55. e5 dxe5+ 56. Nxe5+ Kc7 57. Be7 Ne4 58. a4 Ng3 59. d6+ Kb7 60. f6 1-0

[Event "FIDE-Wch k.o."]
[Site "Tripoli"]
[Date "2004.07.11"]
[Round "7.5"]
[White "Adams, Michael"]
[Black "Kasimdzhanov, Rustam"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2731"]
[BlackElo "2652"]
[Annotator "Wedberg,T"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[EventDate "2004.06.19"]
[EventType "k.o."]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "LBY"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 102"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2004.09.23"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2004.09.23"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 $5 {This is getting more and more
popular. Maybe it will become the new main line.} ({The alternative} 12. Nbd2 {
gives Black an array of possibilities, many of which give him reasonable
chances for equality.}) 12... Nc4 13. a4 Bd7 14. b3 Nb6 15. a5 Nc8 16. c4 b4 {
In principle this looks wrong. Black closes the Q-side and hopes to withstand
the storm on the other side. But why not keep the option bxc4?} (16... g6 17.
Nc3 Nh5 18. Ne2 Re8 19. Ra2 Bf8 20. g4 Ng7 21. Ng3 f6 22. Nh2 Re7 23. h4 Rf7
24. f4 $16 {1-0 Topalov,V-Shirov,A/Linares ESP 2004 (45)}) 17. Nbd2 g6 18. Nf1
Nh5 19. Bh6 Re8 20. Qd2 Bf8 21. g4 $1 {Deterring Black from exchanging B:s.}
Ng7 (21... Bxh6 {Looks dangerous, but maybe its playable.} 22. Qxh6 Nf6 23. Ne3
Qd8 {[%cal Yd8e7,Ye7f8] Black's position is crowded for sure, but it might
just still be playable.}) 22. N3h2 Qd8 23. f4 $1 {The same plan used by
Topalov in Linares against Shirov. The key point is that the black N:s cannot
reach the "perfect" square e5.} exf4 24. Qxf4 Qe7 25. Nf3 f6 26. Ng3 Rd8 27.
Rf1 Ne8 {Black really wants to untangle, but unfortunately he has no time to
coordinate.} 28. Bxf8 Qxf8 29. e5 $1 $16 {[%csl Gc2][%cal Yc2g6] White
introduces a new player into the game - Bc2. Black gets some degree of freedom
now with the square d6, but only one of his two knights can sit on it.} dxe5
30. Nxe5 Ncd6 31. Rae1 Qg7 32. Nd3 Rac8 33. Qf2 f5 34. Ne5 $1 (34. Nxc5 fxg4
35. Nxa6 gxh3 36. Nxb4 {is Fritz suggestion, but humans dont like to strip
their K:s like that. Adams choice is safe and strong.}) 34... Nf6 35. Nxd7 Rxd7
36. gxf5 $18 g5 37. Re6 Kh8 38. Bd1 g4 39. hxg4 Rg8 40. Qf4 Nxg4 41. Bxg4 Qxg4
42. Qxg4 Rxg4 43. Kh2 h5 44. Kh3 Rd4 45. f6 Nf7 46. Rf5 1-0

[Event "EU-ch 2nd"]
[Site "Ohrid"]
[Date "2001.06.11"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Luther, Thomas"]
[Black "Graf, Alexander"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2568"]
[BlackElo "2649"]
[Annotator "Wedberg,T"]
[PlyCount "115"]
[EventDate "2001.06.01"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "13"]
[EventCountry "YUG"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 084"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2001.09.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2001.09.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Rd8 13. b3 Bd7 $5 {Since White
often gets first to the c-file there is a clear point in leaving it closed.} (
13... cxd4 14. cxd4 Nc6 15. Bb2 exd4 16. Nxd4 Nxd4 17. Bxd4 Be6 18. Rc1 $14 {
in a number of games.}) 14. d5 Rdc8 (14... g6 15. Nf1 c4 16. b4 Nb7 17. Bg5 a5
18. a3 Ra6 19. Rc1 Rda8 $132 {0-1 Berkvens,J-Van der Burght,R/Holland 1996/EXT
2000 (42)}) 15. Bb2 g6 16. Bd3 Nh5 17. Bf1 Nb7 18. a3 Nd8 19. c4 Qb6 20. Bc3 b4
21. Bb2 f6 22. Bd3 a5 23. a4 {With the Q-side closed the fight will be
resolved on the other side. White is more mobile so he has a slight but clear
advantage here.} Nf7 24. Nf1 Kf8 $5 {[%cal Yf8e8,Ye8d8,Yd8c7][%mdl 4] The K
walks away towards safety on the Q-side. A typical strategy for closed
positions.} 25. Ng3 Nf4 (25... Nxg3 26. fxg3 $16 {[%cal Ye1f1,Yf1f7]}) 26. Ne2
Nxd3 27. Qxd3 Ke8 28. Nh2 Kd8 29. f4 Kc7 30. Rf1 Rg8 31. Ng4 Raf8 32. Rf2 Kb7
33. Raf1 Qd8 34. Ng3 Bxg4 35. hxg4 Qd7 36. g5 $6 (36. f5 $5) (36. fxe5 Nxe5 37.
Bxe5 fxe5 $13) 36... exf4 (36... fxg5 37. fxe5 Nxe5 38. Bxe5 dxe5 39. Rf7 $16 {
[%cal Yd5d6,Yf7h7]}) 37. Rxf4 Nxg5 38. Bxf6 Bxf6 39. Rxf6 Rxf6 40. Rxf6 Qe7 $2
(40... Re8 $15) 41. Qf1 $1 Rg7 42. Qf4 Rf7 (42... Nf7 43. Re6 Qd8 44. e5 Nxe5
45. Ne4 $36) 43. e5 $1 dxe5 44. Rxf7 Nxf7 45. Qe3 Kb6 46. Ne4 Nd8 $5 (46... Qc7
47. Qf2 $1 $16 {[%cal Yf2f6]}) 47. d6 (47. Qf2 $5 Nb7 48. Qf6+ Qxf6 49. Nxf6
$16) 47... Qa7 48. Nxc5 $6 (48. Qxc5+ Kb7 49. Qxa7+ Kxa7 50. Kf2 $16) 48... Kc6
49. Qf3+ e4 $1 (49... Kxd6 $2 50. Qf6+ $18) 50. Qxe4+ Kxd6 51. Qd4+ Ke7 52. Kh1
Qc7 53. Qe4+ Kf7 54. Qd5+ Kg7 55. Qd4+ Kg8 56. Qd5+ Kg7 57. Qd4+ Kg8 58. Qd5+
1/2-1/2

[Event "Linares 21st"]
[Site "Linares"]
[Date "2004.02.29"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Topalov, Veselin"]
[Black "Shirov, Alexei"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2736"]
[Annotator "Wedberg,T"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[EventDate "2004.02.19"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "14"]
[EventCountry "ESP"]
[EventCategory "20"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 100"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2004.06.01"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2004.06.01"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 $5 {This natural advance is rather
unusual. The reason for this is probably the highly acclaimed notion that
White should keep the pressure against e5 in the Closed Ruy Lopez - waiting to
see if dxe5, d5 or just waiting yet another move is the best continuation. The
strategy of keeping all options in the centre has the disadvantage that it
gives Black quite a few choices as well, like taking on d4.} Nc4 {The most
popular move at this point. Black avoids the a5-b7-d8-f7 route for his N.} 13.
b3 Nb6 14. a4 Bd7 15. a5 Nc8 16. c4 {[%mdl 8] Remarkably a novelty. Garry the
great has played b4 at this point. I guess one reason for prefering b4 over c4
is to protect a5, thereby freeing Ra1 for action on the K-side. c4 on the
other hand gives added support to d5 - which can be useful later on if Black
tries to free himself with f7-f5 at some point.} (16. b4 c4 17. Nbd2 Bd8 (17...
g6 18. Nf1 Nh5 19. Bh6 Re8 (19... Ng7 20. Ng3 Bd8 21. Qd2 Kh8 22. Rad1 f6 23.
Nh2 Ne7 {1/2-1/2 Reutsky,S-Farakhov,R/Fakel Jamala, Noyabrsk RUS 2003 (23)})
20. Qd2 Bf8 21. Ng3 $5 Nxg3 22. fxg3 Ne7 23. Rf1 $14 {1/2-1/2 Kasparov,
G-Ivanchuk,V/Prague 2002/CBM 89/[Wedberg] (45)}) 18. Nf1 Ne8 19. g4 Ne7 20. Ng3
Kh8 21. Kh2 Ng8 22. Rg1 g6 23. Be3 Ng7 24. Nd2 Bf6 25. Qf3 {1/2-1/2 Fressinet,
L-Sokolov,I/Selfoss 2003/CBM 98 no vc (25)}) 16... g6 {Open b-file with bxc4
or closed Q-side with b4? Black decides to wait with that decision.} 17. Nc3
Nh5 18. Ne2 Re8 (18... f5 {Logical from a structural point of view, but
Blackґs pieces are badly placed to support this type of aggression. Still as a
bid for more space it could be the best option in a cramped situation.} 19. Bh6
Ng7 20. exf5 gxf5 21. Ng5 $36) 19. Ra2 Bf8 20. g4 $1 {White gains even more
space and prepares to go for the black K.} Ng7 21. Ng3 f6 22. Nh2 $1 {[%csl
Rc8,Rg7][%cal Yf2f4] This is a nice idea. White sees that f4 might be a good
option since both Blackґs N:s are light years away from e5.} Re7 23. h4 Rf7 24.
f4 {[%cal Yf4f5,Yg4g5,Yh4h5] Threatening to overwhelm Black with f5, g5 and h5.
} exf4 25. Bxf4 Qd8 26. Rf1 Qe7 27. h5 Ne8 28. Bd3 $1 {[%cal Ya2f2] White
finds simple moves to increase the pressure, while Black struggles to find any
squares at all for his pieces.} Bg7 29. Kg2 Qf8 30. Qc1 bxc4 {Black hopes to
create some counterplay on the Q-side, but again he has no pieces to attack
with.} 31. bxc4 Rb8 32. Raf2 Rb3 33. Rf3 Ne7 34. Bd2 Bc8 35. Qc2 Rb8 {End of
counterplay.} 36. Kh1 gxh5 {This looks really ugly. But waiting to see how
White was going to open the black position wasnґt very nice either.} (36... Bh6
37. Bc3 Rb7 38. e5 $1 $16) 37. Nxh5 Ng6 {One more move (Ne5) and Black would
have something resembling a position.} 38. e5 $3 {[%mdl 144] This line opening
move cuts through Blackґs plans.} dxe5 (38... Nxe5 39. Bxh7+ Kh8 40. Rh3 $18)
39. Bxg6 hxg6 40. Qxg6 e4 41. Rh3 Rfb7 (41... f5 42. Nxg7 Rxg7 43. Qh5 Nf6 44.
Qh8+ Kf7 45. Qxf8+ Kxf8 46. Bh6 $18) 42. Nf4 Rb1 43. Qh7+ Kf7 44. Qh5+ Kg8 45.
Ng6 (45. Ng6 Qd6 46. Bf4 $18) 1-0

[Event "Geneva FIDE GP"]
[Site "Geneva"]
[Date "2017.07.07"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Grischuk, Alexander"]
[Black "Rapport, Richard"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C97"]
[WhiteElo "2761"]
[BlackElo "2694"]
[Annotator "Yermolinsky,A"]
[PlyCount "125"]
[EventDate "2017.07.06"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "SUI"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 180"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2017.09.13"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.09.13"]
[SourceQuality "1"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 Nc4 13. b3 Nb6 14. a4 Bd7 15. a5 Nc8
16. c4 b4 17. Nbd2 Bd8 18. Nf1 Kh8 19. Ra2 Qb8 20. Be3 Ne7 21. Ng3 Qc8 22. Nh4
Neg8 23. Rf1 Ne8 24. Nf3 Bf6 25. Nh2 Ne7 26. Nh5 Ng6 27. Bb1 Qd8 28. Qc1 Kg8
29. Kh1 Bh4 {Classic positional battles in the Closed Ruy Lopez often come to
a head when White finally pushes f2-f4.} 30. f4 {Right here, right now.} exf4
31. Nxf4 Ne5 32. Nd3 $1 Nxd3 33. Bxd3 Nf6 {Rapport is seeking activity -
perhaps a misdirected approach in such positions.} ({The thematic} 33... Bg3 {
keeps an eye on the key e5-square.} 34. Bf4 $1 (34. Bf2 Be5 35. Nf3 f6 {
is what Black has to be content with.}) 34... Bxf4 35. Qxf4 Qf6 36. Qg3 Qe5 37.
Qh4 {White is better here, no doubt about that.}) 34. Bf4 (34. Rf3 Nh5 35. g4
Nf6 36. Bf4 Ne8 37. e5 {would be more clinical.}) 34... Nh5 $1 35. Bxd6 Ng3+
36. Bxg3 Bxg3 37. Nf3 Qc7 38. Re2 f6 {It seems Black might succeed in holding
his dark-square blockade, but Grischuk's next move cuts to the chase.} 39. e5
$3 Bxe5 40. Qc2 h6 41. Bh7+ Kh8 42. Bf5 {Strategically speaking, the battle
has been decided, but White still has to be accurate putting the game away.}
Be8 43. Nxe5 fxe5 44. Rfe1 Qxa5 45. Rxe5 Qc7 46. Qd2 Qd6 47. Re6 Qg3 48. Rxh6+
Kg8 49. Bh7+ Kh8 50. Bf5+ Kg8 51. Bh7+ Kh8 52. Be4+ Kg8 53. d6 $1 Ra7 54. Re6
Raf7 55. Kg1 Rf2 56. Qd1 Bf7 57. Bd5 g6 58. R6e3 Qg5 59. Bf3 Ra2 60. d7 Rd8 61.
Re8+ Kg7 62. Rxd8 Qxd8 63. Qd6 {I don't know what makes this dated system of
defending the Ruy Lopez attractive to Richard, but games like this can make
anybody look bad. See Deep Blue-Kasparov (Game 2), 1997 or Anand-Carlsen,
Norway Chess 2015 among numerous examples. There's simply no way a player of
Grischuk's level would let Black get away with this.} 1-0