1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4
Usually I play 4.Nxd4 , but this time I needed a draw and I
wanted to avoid any risk. As you will see I "could" fulfill my "great idea"
in a full volume... :o).
4...Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.c4
I never played this variation before. The main line is
7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Bg5 e6 9.0-0-0 Be7, but it seemed to me too sharp.
7...Nf6
It’s very interesting (and new for me) here 7...f5!?
Before and during the game I did not even know about the existence of such a
possibility. And now it's very interesting for me to know how I would
react to this move. I do ask myself and the answers are: well...
well...maybe... or maybe...Please, no more questions! I don't know!
:o) At least I doubt whether I could find anything like this – 8.Nc3
(8.exf5 Qa5+ 9.Nc3 Qxf5 10.Nd5 Bxd5 (10...e5 11.Qd1 Rc8 12.0-0 Nf6÷)
11.cxd5 Nf6 and Black is better - theory) 8...fxe4 (8...e5!?) 9.Ng5!?
(alternative is 9.Nxe4 ) 9...e5 10.Qe3 Nf6 11.0-0 Be7 (or 11...Qc8
12.Ngxe4 Bxe4 13.Nxe4 Qxc4 14.Nxf6+ gxf6 15.Qf3 Qf7 16.Rd1 unclear, Dzhumaev
- Gallego Jimenez, Ubeda 2000) 12.Ngxe4 (12.Ne6? Qd7 13.Nxg7+ Kf7-+)
12...Nxe4 13.Nxe4 0-0 14.b3 Qe8 15.Ba3 Qg6 16.f3 Rf4 – with unclear
play, Dzhumaev - Laxman, Chennai 2004.
8.Nc3 g6
Another set up is 8...e6 - in a "Hedgehog" style. 9.0-0 Be7
10.Qd3 0-0 11.Nd4 Qc7 12.f3 Rfc8 13.Be3 a6 14.Rac1 Be8 15.b3 Nd7 16.Qe2 Bf6
17.Rfd1 White looks better, but it's not sufficient to get any real
advantage (Kristiansen - Salov, Stary Smokovec 1984); risky from the
positional point of view 8...e5. For example 9.Qd3 h6 (9...Be7 10.0-0 0-0
11.Bg5 Qc7 12.Rfd1 Rfd8 13.Rac1 a6 14.b4 Dolezal - Manelli, Villa Ballester
1999) 10.0-0 Be7 11.b4!? White has a stable position in the center and
initiative on the Q-side. (Grischuk - Mukhametov, Moscow 1996).
9.0-0
White can try to use the pinning on the big diagonal - 9.Nd5
this move seen in the practice of Robert Fischer and of course he won -
9...Bg7 10.Bg5 0-0 11.Qd3 (11.Bxf6 exf6 12.0-0 f5) 11...Bxd5 12.exd5
Nd7 13.Qd2 Rc8 14.Rc1 b5! with initiative, Blau - Fischer, Varna 1962.
9...Bg7 10.Qd3
The Queen feels not so good on the big
diagonal, and besides, White frees the d4-square for his Knight.
10...0-0
10...Nd7 11.Be3 Nc5 12.Qc2 0-0 13.Bd4 White is trying to
exchange the dark-colored Bishops - one of his main ideas in this variation.
13...Bh6 14.Rfd1 White is better, Kosteniuk - Kudrin, Port Erin 1999.
11.Nd4 Nd7
Deserving attention is the concrete 11...Qb6!? - Black is trying to
use his advantage in development immediately. But White has also a concrete
reply - 12.Be3!? (12.Ndb5?! Bxb5 13.Nxb5 Qc6 14.f3 Rfc8 15.Na3 Nd7 and Black
seized an initiative, Turov - Onoprienko, Krasnodar 1997; 12.Rd1 Ng4 13.Qd2
(13.h3? Nxf2 14.Kxf2 e5) 13...Rac8 14.h3 Nf6 15.Qe3 Bxe4!? It seems
very unexpectedly! Although the position is full of combinational motives.
16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Qxe4 Rxc4 18.Be3 e5 19.Qd3 exd4 20.Qxc4 dxe3 and again Black
has got an initiative, De la Villa Garcia - Ubilava, San Sebastian 1992)
12...Ng4 (12...Qxb2 13.Nd5! and Black’s Queen is in a danger) 13.Nxc6
Qxc6 14.Nd5 Rfe8 (14...Ne5?! 15.Nxe7+ Kh8 16.Nxc6 Nxd3 17.Nxa7 Nxb2
18.Rac1 White has an extra-pawn, although it's not so easily to realize it,
(Lakos - Madl, Medulin 1997)) 15.Bd4 Bxd4 16.Qxd4 Ne5 17.b3 a6 18.Rac1
Rac8 19.Rfd1 and White has got a slightly better position, which he can play
for a win as long as he wishes. (Benko - Grefe, Lone Pine 1977).
12.Be3
12.... Re8
It's not so easy to find a concrete plan for Black (for
White as well) in the position with a such pawn structure. So, Black is just
waiting for the actions from White and prevents possible
dark-colored Bishops exchange (one of my dreams in this game) by means of a manoeuvre Qd2 and Bh6, in other words we see a deep prophylaxis.
12...Rc8 13.Qd2 Re8 14.f3 a6 15.Rac1 Qa5 16.Rfd1 Hasangatin - Harikrishna,
Abu Dhabi 2003; 12...Ne5 13.Qe2; 12...Nc5 13.Qc2; possible was the immediate
12...Qa5 13.Qd2 Rfc8.
13.Rac1 Qa5 14.Qe2
The idea Qd2, Bh6 does not work anymore, so I am occupied
with a deep prophylaxis too, prophylaxis of possible Qh5 or Ne5. Although it
was possible simple 14.Rfd1!?
14...Nc5 15.f3 Rac8 16.Rfd1
16…Na4
By this exchange Black clears a space for his two
Bishops.
17.Nxa4
Probably was better 17.Nxc6, but I did not like the
following 17...Nxc3 (17...Rxc6 18.Nxa4 Qxa4 19.b3=; 17...bxc6
18.Nxa4 Qxa4 19.b3=) 18.Rxc3 Rxc6 19.Ra3 Qc7 20.Rxa7 Rxc4= Maybe
it's equal, but I did not like the position of the Rook a7 and
besides the "c"-file is in the hands of Black.
17...Bxa4 18.Qd2
More natural 18.b3, but I wanted to exchange active
Black's Queen as well.
18...Qxd2 19.Rxd2 a6 20.Ne2
The very politics of the total exchange - I prepare
the square d4 for my Bishop.
20...Bc6 21.Kf2 Rf8 22.Bd4 f5
Typical active plan in such positions.
23.Bxg7 Kxg7 24.exf5 Rxf5
In case of 24...gxf5 25.Nf4 Rfe8 26.c5 White has a
sufficient counter-play.
25.Nd4 Re5
I thought then: "Yes, the Rook is very active,
therefore the next move is.."
26.Re2?!
One may ask me - "But why not 26.Nxc6! Rxc6 27.Re2=
?" My answer is - "I did not see the following reply of
Black..."
26...Bd5! 27.Rec2
Why not 27.b3? Well, only here I have
discovered that despite it's activity the e5-Rook has no good squares
on the board. And I have decided to catch it somehow.
And at this moment I have started to dream to win this game!
Illusions, illusions... Which by the way, could bring me to
success! 27.b3 was solid and better.
27...Bf7 28.b4
I control the "e"-file and now I am trying to take
the 5th rank under control as well. And then... What's “then” I did
not know, but the e5-Rook seemed to me so tasty.
28...Rh5 29.h3 b6
By 29...Rh4 Black could win a pawn, but after 30.g4!
Rxh3 31.Kg2 Rh6 do you like the Rook h6? I don't. After immediate
32.c5 White has a sufficient counter-play.
30.a3 Kf6
Again 30...Rh4 gives nothing - 31.g4! Rxh3 32.Kg2
Rh6 33.c5 (33.f4!?).
31.Rc3 Re5
32.R1c2?!
More logical was 32.h4!? But then I had time trouble
already - I lost so much time to find the way to catch the Rook,
that's why I did not want to weaken my position by pawn moves.
Besides, it was not so easy for me to understand to which pawn
structure I need to aspire.
32...g5 33.Rc1 h5!?
Another active possibility is 33...a5!? In general
Black has a better position, only he can think of activity.
34.R1c2 g4 35.h4!?
I have played 35.h4 from the positional point of
view. I did not even consider 35.hxg4 hxg4 36.fxg4 Re4 37.Rf3+ Kg6
38.Nf5 Bxc4 although Black had some tactical chances there.
35...gxf3 36.gxf3 Bg8!?
Position looks absolutely equal, but it's not so.
For Black it's easier here to find a useful move.
37.Rc1 Bh7 38.Ne2
In case of 38.Rg1 White has to take into account
38...b5; but deserving of attention is 38.Nb3!? with a following c5.
38...a5 39.Nf4?!
Much better was 39.Nd4! I did not like 39...axb4 but
after 40.axb4 Ra8 (40...Rg8 41.Ra1) 41.Rg1 Ra2+ 42.Kg3 and
how can Black improve his position? He has not 42...Rd2 (doesn't
work and 42...Rb2 43.Ra1 Rxb4 44.Nc6; 42...Bg6!?) 43.f4 Re4
44.Nf3.
39...Bg8 40.Nd3 Rf5 41.Ke3
Deserving attention 41.c5!? , but I thought my
position ok and it was my mistake, as you see I saved many mistakes
for this game.
41...axb4 42.axb4 b5!
Only here I understood that I already have serious
and concrete problems. At this moment I have fallen into deep and
long think and from now till the end of the game I was in Zeitnot -
I had 5 minutes and Ilmars 25. No wonder there were too many
mistakes.
43.c5
43.cxb5 Rxc3 44.Rxc3 Rxb5 and Black has a stable advantage.
43...Bd5
Now the game has a forced character. But better was
43...Bc4! - simple Bxd3 threatens. I saw this move during the game
and I was going to play 44. Nf2. But probably the best (especially
from the practical point of view) chance here is 44.Rxc4!? (badly
to play 44.Nb2 dxc5; the planned move 44.Nf2 is not so good as I
thought during the game - 44...Ke5 45.Nd3+ (45.Rg1 Rcf8)
45...Ke6 46.Nf4+ Kf6 and unpleasant for White position appears. It's
seen very well that the Bishop is stronger than Knight here.; to
open the position by 44.cxd6 exd6 is not good for White too, the
reason is the same as in the preceding variation.) 44...bxc4 45.Rxc4
and White has real chances for a draw due to his active pieces and a
strong position at the center.
44.cxd6! Rxf3+
If 44...Rxc3 then White has a strong reply - 45.d7!
, after which a desirable for me draw on the board - (45.Rxc3
exd6 46.f4 Bc4) 45...Rxf3+ (45...Rxc1? 46.Nxc1 Rxf3+
47.Ke2+-; 45...Rxd3+ 46.Kxd3+-) 46.Ke2 Rcxd3 (46...Rfxd3
47.Rxc3) 47.d8Q Rfe3+ (47...Bc4 48.Qf8+) 48.Kf2 Rf3+
49.Ke2 (49.Kg1 Rg3+ 50.Kf2 Rgf3+=) 49...Rfe3+= (49...Kf7
50.Qh8)
45.Kd4?!
Brave King! But much stronger was simple 45.Ke2! and
if Black wishes to continue the game then he has to play 45...Rd8!?
(variation 45...Rxc3 46.d7! Rcxd3 47.d8Q Rfe3+= we have already
seen) 46.d7 Rh3 (46...Rxd7? 47.Nc5!+-) 47.Nf4 Bc4+ 48.Kf2
Rxh4 49.Rf3 and despite of the lost pawn White has a good
counter-play against Black's King.
45...Rc4+?!
This move looks so effective! But again better was
45...Bc4! 46.Nb2 (46.d7 Rd8 47.Nc5 e5+ 48.Ke4 Rf4+ 49.Ke3 Rxh4;
46.dxe7 Kxe7 (46...Rh3 47.Nf4 Rxh4 48.Rf3 Kxe7 49.Ke5 Kd7 50.Rg1
Re8+ 51.Kf5 Rf8+ 52.Ke5 Rf7 53.Ra1 Kc6 54.Ra6+ Kb7 55.Rh6 Rh1)
47.Ke5 (47.Nc5 Rf4+ 48.Ke5 Rcf8-+) 47...Re8 48.Nc5; 46.Nc5
e5+ 47.Ke4 Rf4+ 48.Ke3 Rg8 49.R1c2 (49.d7? Rg3+ 50.Kd2 Rg2+-+)
49...Kf5!) 46...Rxc3 47.Rxc3 e5+ 48.Ke3 (48.Ke4 Bd5+ 49.Kd3
Rxc3+ 50.Kxc3 Ke6) 48...Ke6 and Black has real chances to win
the game.
46.Rxc4
I would get a nice checkmate in the event of
46.Kxd5?? e6#.
46...Bxc4 47.Nb2!
The only and a strong move. Now the draw on
the board, but the game is not finished yet...
47...Be6
47...Rf4+?! 48.Ke3 e5 (48...Rxh4 49.d7)
49.Nxc4 Rxc4 (49...bxc4 50.Rd1) 50.Rd1±; 47...exd6 48.Nxc4
bxc4 49.b5 Rf4+ 50.Kd5 Rf5+ 51.Kxd6 Rxb5 52.Rxc4=.
48.dxe7 Kxe7 49.Nd3! Rh3
Maybe better 49...Kd6!? 50.Rc6+ Kxc6 51.Ne5+ Kd6
52.Nxf3=
50.Nf4 Rxh4 51.Ke5
Yes, Black has won the pawn, but now all the White's
pieces are so active, moreover, checkmate motives opportunities soar
in the air. Ilmars was so astonished by this transformation
and followed
51...Kf7??
Ilmars wanted to play Bf7, but instead of Bishop he
touched the King... After right 51...Bf7! 52.Rc7+ Kf8 53.Rb7
White has some initiative, but Black has to make the draw.
52.Rc7+ Kg8 53.Nxe6 Rxb4 54.Kf6
54.Nf4 h4 55.Nd5 Rc4 56.Nf6+ Kf8 57.Rh7 Rc1=
54...Rc4 55.Rb7 Rc8
55...b4? 56.Rb8+ Kh7 57.Ng5+ Kh6 58.Rh8#
56.Rxb5 Ra8 57.Rxh5 Ra6 58.Rd5 Ra8 59.Rd7
And we have a theoretically won position, which is
present in almost all endings manuals... Of course I
understood that I have to transfer my Knight to f6, but I did not
know how. I could not find the right way myself - I had only
one minute 'till the end of the game.
59...Ra6 60.Rg7+ Kh8 61.Re7 Ra8 62.Kg6?
The right way is 62.Rc7! Kg8 (62...Rb8 63.Kg6 Kg8
64.Rc6) 63.Kg6 Re8 64.Rc6 Ra8 65.Ng5 Kh8 66.Nh7! (this manoeuvre
I could not find) 66...Rg8+ 67.Kh6 Ra8 68.Nf6 Rf8 69.Kg6 Ra8
70.Rc7+-
62...Rb8 63.Rf7
It was not too late to play 63.Rc7 Rb6 64.Kf6 Ra6
65.Re7 Rb6 66.Kg6 Rb8 67.Rc7+-
63...Kg8 64.Rf6?
Why?
64...Ra8
Here I looked at my clock and played...
65.Nf4??
65.Rf7+-
65...Rf8=
The end. The draw! Yes, the draw...
1/2-1/2
Hello dear chess friends! Let me introduce myself, my name
is Ilya Manakov, I am from Russia, Saint-Petersburg, I am a web-master of
the site "Russian chess" - 
