1.Nf3
Nf6
2.c4
g6
3.Nc3
d5
4.Qa4+
The downside of playing the same openings all your life - people can pinpoint the trouble areas without much difficulty. I've had some problems with various Qa4 Anti-Grunfelds in the last few years.
4...Bd7
5.Qb3
dxc4
6.Qxc4
a6
[ 6...Nc6
7.d4
a6
8.Bg5
did not end well in Timman-Svidler, Tallinn rapid 2001]
7.d4
[ 7.e4
b5
8.Qe2!?
, the line Boris Gelfand introduced against me in Haifa in 2000, is a whole different kettle of fish.]
7...b5
8.Qd3!?
A very interesting novelty. Loeky played [ 8.Qb3
here against me in a Warsaw rapid 2000. After 8...c5
9.dxc5
Bg7
Black hopes to get some sort of Qb3-Grunfeld, with reasonable success. After 8.Qd3, White is much better equipped for such play, since the very important tempo - Be6 - is no longer available.]
8...Bg7
After some thought, I realized that this move is necessary. Bad is [ 8...b4
9.Ne4
Nxe4
10.Qxe4
Bc6
11.Qe5
, and Black is serious trouble.]
9.Bf4?!
But this is inconsistent, and therefore not very good. Critical is [ 9.e4
, trying to make the most of Black's relative dis-coordination. 9...b4
( 9...c5
10.e5
Ng4
is met by 11.Qe4
Nc6
12.e6
) 10.Ne2!?
( 10.e5
is a safer try, but Black might just be able to hold on here: 10...Bf5!
A finesse I missed during the game - it is easy to forget that after 11.exf6, which in similar situations gives White the edge even when Black has castled, here is bad because the c3 knight still hangs. ( 10...bxc3
11.exf6
Bxf6
12.Qxc3
( 12.bxc3
c5
) 12...0-0
13.Bh6
Re8
14.Bd3
looks rather unpleasant for Black since 14...Bb5
is well met by 15.Be4
) 11.Qc4
bxc3
12.exf6
Bxf6
13.Qxc3
( 13.bxc3
0-0
14.Bh6
Re8
15.Be2
Nd7
16.0-0
Nb6
17.Qb3
Qd6
is nothing tragic for Black) 13...0-0
14.Bh6
( 14.Be2
Qd6
15.0-0
Nc6
16.Be3
Be4~~
) 14...Re8
15.Be2
, and here, with the Bishop on f5, Black can even try 15...c5!?
16.Qxc5
Nd7
17.Qa3
e5
with good counterplay) 10...Bb5
11.Qc2
, and now Black has to act fast: 11...c5!?
( 11...0-0
12.Nf4
Bxf1
13.Kxf1
seems good for White ( 13.Rxf1
with the bolder idea of 14.Be3 and 15.0-0-0 also looks interesting) ) 12.e5
( 12.dxc5
Bd3
13.Qa4+
Qd7
gives Black good counterplay) 12...Nfd7
( 12...Nd5
13.Qxc5
0-0
14.Nf4+/-
) However, White has an important resource here: 13.Nf4!
( 13.e6
fxe6
14.dxc5
Qa5!
is very unclear ( 14...Nc6
15.Nf4
) ) 13...Bxf1
( 13...cxd4
14.e6+/-
) 14.Kxf1
e6
15.Qe4
Ra7
16.Be3
(or even 16.d5!?), and Black is still seaching for equality.; The quiet 9.g3
also deserved some attention.]
9...0-0
I breathed a huge sigh of relief here - the worst is over. In fact, as will be seen in the game, 9.Bf4 is even a bit counter-productive - White will regret leaving the b2 pawn unprotected soon.
10.Rc1
[ 10.e4
b4
is now much less inviting.] White has tried to prevent the typical break, but here it comes anyway:
10...c5!?
11.dxc5
b4
12.Nd1
Here my opponent trusted me a bit too much. Of course, Walerij intended to play [ 12.Nd5
here, but then decided it was too risky. Still, it had to be tried: 12...Nxd5
13.Qxd5
Bxb2!
14.Qxa8
( 14.Rc2?
Bc3+
( 14...Ba4
is also very good here - but the line I've seen is just as effective) 15.Rxc3
bxc3
16.Qxa8
Bc6
17.Qxb8
( 17.Qa7
c2
18.Bd2
Qa5!
) 17...Qxb8
18.Bxb8
Rxb8
, and the pawn queens - 19.Nd2
Rb1+
20.Nxb1
c2
) 14...Ba4!
( 14...Bxc1
is unconvincing: 15.Bxc1
Qa5
( 15...Bc6
16.Qa7
Qa5
17.Qb6
) 16.Qd5!
( 16.Nd2
Bc6
17.Qa7
Qxa2-/+
) 16...b3+
( 16...Be6
17.Qd2
( 17.Qd4
Nc6
18.Qb2
b3+
19.Bd2
Qxa2
20.Bc3
) ) 17.Qd2
Qxd2+
18.Kxd2
bxa2
19.Bb2
Nc6
20.e4
Rb8
21.Kc3
) 15.Rb1
Bc2
, and now White has 16.Nd2!
( 16.Qb7
is worse: 16...Bc3+!
( 16...Bxb1
17.Qxb4
Bc2
18.Bd2
Bg7
19.e3
Qd7©
) 17.Bd2
Bxb1
18.Bxc3
bxc3
19.Qxb1
Qa5
20.Qc2
Nc6
21.e3
Rb8
22.Bc4
Rb1+
, and Black wins material) 16...Bxb1
17.Nxb1
Qa5
18.Qe4
( 18.Bd2
Qxa2
19.Qe4
Nd7
20.c6
Nc5
21.Qc2
b3
22.Qd1
Ne4
) 18...Qxa2
( 18...b3+
19.Bd2
Qxa2
20.e3
Nd7
21.Bd3
Nxc5
22.Qc4
Nxd3+
23.Qxd3
) 19.e3
( 19.Bd2
Nd7
transposes) 19...Bc3+!
( 19...Nd7
20.Bc4
) 20.Nxc3
bxc3
21.Qd3
c2
22.Kd2
Nc6
23.Qxc2
Rd8+
24.Bd6!
Qd5+
( 24...Qa5+
25.Qc3
Nb4
26.Bc4
exd6
27.cxd6
Rxd6+
28.Ke2
, and White will survive.) 25.Qd3
Qe6
26.Qc4
Qf6
, and Black continues to exert pressure. However, finding all this at the board could be problematic, while in the game Black's initiative develops by itself. Of course, White still has some defensive resources.]
12...Nc6
Getting the last piece out. Now Black is ready to start attacking the weak Q-side pawns
13.Nd4!?
Looks rather strange - White is behind in development already, yet he makes two more moves with his knight. But the problem with the a2 pawn had to be addressed. [ 13.Ne5
Nxe5
14.Bxe5
Qa5
is unpleasant: 15.Bxf6?
Bxf6
16.Qxd7
Rfd8
17.Qh3
b3+
]
13...Qa5
[ The natural 13...Nd5
is also possible: 14.Nxc6
Bxc6
15.Bd2
Qc7!
16.e4
( 16.e3
Rfd8
17.Qc2
Qe5
looks nasty) 16...Qe5!
17.Be2
Nf4
18.Bxf4
Qxf4
with good play - but I felt that the text move promises more.]
14.Nb3
Qa4
15.e4
White has to prevent 16...Bf5
15...Be6
16.Qc2
A bit too greedy. I think [ 16.Qb1
was stronger, but after the planned 16...Rfd8
17.Be2
( 17.Bc4
Bxc4
18.Rxc4
Qb5
19.Qc2
Ng4
) 17...Bxb3
18.axb3
Qxb3
19.0-0
Qe6
Black enjoys a nice plus. My opponent's problems were by this point aggravated by severe time-trouble.]
16...Rfd8
17.Bg3?
Zeitnot, pure and simple - but White's task was difficult anyway. [ 17.Bc4
runs into 17...Nh5!
( 17...Bxc4
18.Qxc4
Ng4
19.0-0
Nge5
20.Bxe5
Nxe5
21.Qc2
( 21.Nc3
Qd7
22.Qxb4
Nd3
) 21...Nd3
22.Rb1
is also possible, but Black lacks a final blow here.) , and now White has to play the ugly 18.g3
to avoid immediate loss: ( 18.Bc7
Bxc4
19.Bxd8
Rxd8
20.Qxc4
Ne5
21.Qc2
Nd3+
22.Kf1
Nxc1
23.Qxc1
Nf4
; 18.Bxe6
Nxf4
19.Bd5
Nxg2+
20.Kf1
Nf4
) 18...Nxf4
19.gxf4
Bxc4
20.Qxc4
White is holding on - but after the possible 20...Nd4!?
21.Nxd4
Rxd4
22.Qe2
Qc6
23.f3
Rad8
24.Ne3
e6
Black holds all the trumps - it will be very hard to White to disentangle himself.; 17.Be2
was an interesting try, but I still like Black: 17...Nd7!?
( 17...Qxa2
18.Bc4
Bxc4
19.Qxc4
is less clear) 18.Qb1
( 18.0-0
Qxa2
19.Bc4
Bxc4
20.Qxc4
Nde5
21.Bxe5
Nxe5
22.Qc2
Rd3
) 18...Nde5
19.Ne3
Bxb3
20.axb3
Qxb3
, and Black is still on top]
17...Ng4
[ I could see that 17...Bh6
18.f4
Nh5
won the pawn back - 19.Bc4
Bxf4
20.Bxf4
Bxc4
21.Qxc4
Nxf4
22.0-0
Ne5
with an edge, but by this time I wanted more.]
18.Qb1
Only move - the threat of Qxa2 had to be parried [ 18.Ra1
Na5
is bad]
18...Bh6
19.Rc2?
This is the final mistake, but even after [ 19.f4
Bxb3
20.axb3
Qxb3
Black is better: 21.Be2
( 21.Qc2?
Rxd1+
22.Qxd1
Qe3+
23.Be2
Bxf4
) 21...Ne3
22.Kf2!
I must admit I missed this resource during the game - but it does not change the evaluation 22...e5!
23.Bh4
exf4
24.Bxd8
Rxd8
, and the levee has broken down.]
19...Na5
Stronger than [ 19...Nd4
20.Nxd4
Bxa2
21.b3!
Bxb1
22.bxa4
Rxd4
23.Rb2
, and Black still has to be precise.]
20.f4
What else? [ 20.Nxa5
Bxa2
; 20.Nc1
Bxa2
21.Nxa2
b3
; 20.c6
Nxb3
21.c7
Bd2+
]
20...Nxb3
21.axb3
Bxb3
22.Rc1
Qd7
A very picturesque final position. With less than 20 seconds left on the clock, and almost no moves, my opponent resigned. 0-1