The playoff quickly became a two-horse race after both Jakovenko and myself beat Alekseev in the first round and drew our game. Dmitry then won a wild game against Evgeny, putting additional pressure on my black game against Alekseev. However, this time I did not manage to get a complex position from the opening, and offered a draw, which was accepted without hesitation. In a way, I welcomed the resulting equation - yet again, I had to win the final game.
1.e4
I briefly considered playing 1.c4 or 1.Nf3 - but I after a surprisingly easy victory over Alekseev in some English Opening in Rd2 of the playoff I felt I probably exhausted my credit with completely unknown positions.
1...e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Bb5
a6
4.Ba4
Nf6
5.0-0
Be7
6.d3
Still, playing some forced Marshall line did not seem to fit the occasion. However, 6.d3 can no longer surprise people these days.
6...b5
7.Bb3
d6
8.a4
Bd7
9.c3
[9.Bd2
Bg4
10.c3
0-0
11.h3
Bd7
as in T.Kosintseva-Shen Yang, Russia v China 2007, is an example of how perverse modern opening theory has become. However, the text move abandons all pretense White is aiming for anything more than a position with 32 pieces still on the board.]
9...0-0
10.Nbd2
Na5
11.Ba2
In most cases it will not be very clear what this bishop is doing there - but after 11.Bc2 c5 White is simply playing a Chigorin a tempo down.
11...c5
12.Re1
A turning point of the game. After a normal move like 12...Qc7, planning 13...c4, or even 12...Qb8 with b5-b4 ideas, which Dmitry considered, Black would have a very comfortable position, with very few surprises possible. However, he chose
12...h6
, giving me a glimmer of a target.
13.Nh4!
The evaluation does not change - but suddenly Black has to switch off the auto-pilot.
13...Kh7
[13...Nxe4
14.Ng6
Nxd2
15.Nxf8
is the tactical justification for 13.Nh4 - even if Black might well hold the position after 15...Ndb3!
16.Bxb3
Nxb3
17.Qxb3
Bxf8
; while 13...Re8
14.Ng6!
Be6
15.Nxe7+
Qxe7
16.Bb1
does not save the dark-sqaured bishop, and does not trade the other one, so the text move is probably correct.]
14.Nf5
Bxf5?!
But this is a concession. [After 14...Be6!?
15.Nf3
(15.Nxe7
Bxa2!
) 15...c4!?
Black could start immediate counterplay, and his postion would remain perfectly fine. However, after missing 13.Nh4, Black made a series of very passive moves which allowed White to develop a very dangerous initiative.]
15.exf5
Nc6
Also not the best - I would serioulsy consider [15...Qc7
, aiming to fence in the monster on a2 as soon as possible.]
16.g4
The tournament situation, and the rapid time control, made this decision extremely easy.
16...Kg8
[After 16...d5
17.h4
White's attack is very unpleasant - but the attempt to stop it by conceding the d5 square also backfires.]
17.h4
Nh7
18.Bd5
Rc8
19.axb5
axb5
20.Qf3
White's domination is obvious - he controls the whole board now.
20...Nb8
[20...Qd7
would be met with 21.Ne4
(21.g5
hxg5
22.Ne4
gxh4
23.Kh1
looks very threatening, but after the precise 23...Bf6
(23...Nf6?
24.Rg1
Nxd5
25.Rxg7+
would be a mistake) 24.Rg1
Ne7
Black has every chance of weathering the storm) 21...Bxh4
22.Ra6!
Ne7
(22...Kh8
23.Nxc5
dxc5
24.Bxc6+/-
) 23.Nxd6
Nxd5
24.Qxd5
Bf6
25.Be3
Ng5
26.Rea1
, and White is better. However, after the text White begins a direct assault.]
21.g5!
hxg5
22.Ne4
Nd7
[22...gxh4
23.Kh1
Nf6
(23...Nd7
24.Rg1
is too slow) 24.Nxf6+
Bxf6
25.Rg1
, and the two pawns will hardly compensate the attack along the h-file.; 22...Nf6
is not an improvement, either: 23.Nxf6+
Bxf6
24.Kh1!
Nd7
25.Rg1
, and White is almost winning]
23.hxg5
Nxg5
24.Bxg5
Bxg5
25.Ra6
I got a bit carried away here. It was much simpler to play [25.Nxd6
, and Black will lose a lot of material to the threats of 26.Nxc8 and 26.Qh5]
25...Qe7?
The final mistake. [25...Rb8
would lose spectacularly after 26.Rxd6
Be7
27.Kg2!!
Bxd6
28.Rh1
; But after 25...Nf6
I would have to find 26.Rxd6
(stronger than the planned 26.Bxf7+
Rxf7
27.Nxg5
Re7
28.Kg2
Qd7
29.Rh1
Qb7
30.Qxb7
Rxb7
31.Rxd6
Rd7
, and Black retains some hope in the endgame) 26...Qe7
(26...Qc7
27.Nxf6+
Bxf6
28.Rxf6
) 27.Bxf7+
Rxf7
28.Re6
, and White is winning.]
26.Ra7
Now Black is completely tied up, and White will break through.
26...Rfd8
[26...Rcd8
27.Kg2
is completely hopeless as well.]
27.Qh5
Bh6
28.Kh1
Not a mistake as such, but it was cleaner to play [28.f6
Qf8
29.Kh1
, and Black is completely defenseless - in fact, the machine says it is mate in 14! The text move does not spoil anything - but White will be forced to calculate, at least a little bit.]
28...Kh8
29.Rg1
Nf6
I forgot this was possible, but luckily for me, I still had a couple of minutes left - enough to figure out what to do.
30.Nxf6
Qxa7
31.Ng4
Mate in 8, apparently.
31...Kh7
[31...f6
32.Nxh6
gxh6
33.Bf7!
would not have helped either.]
32.Nxh6
gxh6
33.f6
Rg8
34.Be4+
Rg6
35.Rxg6
And Black resigned. 1-0