Funnily enough Nadezhda and I had the same starting
numbers last year as we got this year. I got number 4, and
Nadezhda got number 10. Last year and this year we met in the
2nd round and in both games I played Black.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6
That was only the second time in my tournament
practice that I chose the Najdorf variation. Nadezhda was a
little surprised by this choice but played the variation she
normally plays against the Najdorf.
6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Nbd7
Less popular but not less known than 7. .. . b5, if
you want to understand this kind of position better I would suggest
to look at the games of Short - Kasparov 1993 match, where three
games were played with this continuation and several very good
Najdorf-games have been seen as well.
8.f4 Nc5 9.0-0 Be7 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7
11...Nxb3 is another possibility.
12.Qh5 Nf6 13.Qd1 Nfd7
14.Bf4!
The Kosintseva sisters are well known for their
uncompromising chess, they play for a win in any kind of position.
Sometimes this kind of risk plays against them but in many games
their opponents don't sustain such pressure.
14...0-0 15.Qg4
Better was 15.Kh1 with the idea of Qh5.
15...Nxb3
After 15...Nf6 16.Qd1 (16.exf6 Qxd4+ 17.Kh1 Qxf6
18.Bd6 e5 19.Rxf6 Bxg4 20.Bxe7 Nxb3 21.axb3 gxf6=/+) 16...Nfd7
White could have changed his mind and played 17.Kh1.
16.axb3
This move was made surprisingly quickly, I think
better was 16. Nb3 [16.Bh6? Bg5!; >=16.Nxb3 Kh8 17.Rf3 f5 18.Qh5 Qe8
with about an equal endgame.
16...Nf6 17.Qd1 Bc5
17...Nd5 =
18.Be3 Nd5 19.Bf2 Nxc3 20.bxc3 Qd5?!
>=20...Qc7 21.Qh5 b6=
21.Nf3
21... Be7!?
I was trying to keep the two bishops on the board.
22.c4 Qc6 23.Qe2 b6 24.Qe3?!
White is doing too much to exchanging the bishops,
giving away tempi and letting Black intercept the initiative.
24.Nd4 was the easiest way to equalize play and make a draw:
24...Qc7 25.Nb5 Qc6 (it didn't seem that Black has enough pluses to
play for a win, with accurate play White can recapture the
initiative: 25...Qb8 26.Nd6 Bxd6 27.exd6 Qxd6 28.Qe3)
26.Nd4=.
24...Bc5 25.Qf4 Bb7
Now my two bishops are very well placed and White
has to be very careful in order to neutralize the initiative.
If we remember that players use the 90min (+30sec) time control it's
getting clear with every new move White has less time on the clock.
26.Rad1 Rad8 27.Qh4 Bxf2+
After 27...Qc7 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Ng5 I didn't want to
let White to get some initiative, even though it's not so dangerous
for Black 29...h6 30.Nxf7 Rd2 31.Nd6 Bxd6 32.exd6 Qxd6 33.c3 e5 and
Black is still better.
28.Qxf2 h6 29.Rd4 Qc7 30.Rxd8
30.c3 b5 31.Nd2 Qxe5 32.Rxd8 Rxd8 33.Qxf7+ Kh7
34.Qxb7 Rxd2=/+; 30.Rfd1 Bxf3 31.gxf3 Qxe5!-/+
30...Rxd8 31.Qe3 b5 32.cxb5 axb5 33.c3 Qc6 34.h3
Qd5 35.b4 Rc8
Move after move White got into a worse position,
but after the manoeuvre they chose in the game he loses immediately
[35...Ra8]
36.Ra1
36.Rc1 Ra8 37.Qd4 Ra2-/+
36...Rc4 37.Ra7??
White had to stay in one place; after this move he
loses.
37...Qd1+ 38.Kh2 Bxf3 39.Qxf3 Qxf3 40.gxf3 Rxc3
41.Rb7 Rxf3 42.Rxb5
42...Rb3?!
An inaccuracy that didn't spoil anything but
42...g5! finished the game immediately.
43.h4 g6?!
Again Black chooses not the best plan: >=43...h5
with the idea of Kh7-g6, f6 -+
44.Kg2 Kg7 45.Rb8 Re3 46.Rb5 Rb3 47.Rb8 g5
48.h5??
I was very surprised when I saw this move, of
course White should have played 48.hxg5 hxg5. Although the
position is lost, Black will get g- and e-pawns, but he has to be
careful, after all we know "that all rook endings are drawn."
48...Re3
Now Black wins a 3rd pawn on the King's side and
the game is soon over.
49.Rb5 Re4 50.Kf3 Rh4 51.Rb8 Rxh5 52.b5 Rh4
53.b6 Rb4 54.Ke3 h5 0-1
