This was a second game of a 2-game rapid match used as a tiebreaker to see who would get the coveted spot in the semifinals. After holding an easy draw with black in game 1, I was feeling particularly ambitious.
1.d4
Nf6
2.c4
e6
3.Nc3
Hopefully a surprise, I only played this move once before.
3...Bb4
4.f3
And I've never played this move before! However, my opponent did not flinch as he had clearly done his homework on this highly topical line.
4...d5
5.a3
Bxc3+
6.bxc3
c5
7.cxd5
Nxd5
8.dxc5
Qa5
9.e4
Deviating from his previous games where he played Ne7, perhaps because of the Nd4 novelty in the Anand-Wang Hao game.
9...Nf6
10.Be3
0-0
11.Qb3
Nfd7
12.a4
Qc7
13.Qa3
b6
14.a5
Bb7!
15.Ne2N
the first independant move of the game
15...Nxc5?!
In my notes I gave bxc5 as best
16.Nd4+/=
White has an edge due to his bishop pair, slightly more central control, and the annoying pressure on the black queenside, although the long-term structural weaknesses on the c4 and c5 squares cannot be overlooked.
16...Nbd7
17.Be2
Ba6
18.Bxa6
Trading the bishops felt to be more in the spirit of the position than the ugly 18. c4, but the latter was not bad either. [18.c4!?
Ne5
(18...f5!?
19.exf5
exf5
20.0-0+/=
) 19.0-0
Rac8
(19...Bxc4
20.axb6
Qxb6
21.Rfb1
Qc7
22.Rc1+-
) 20.axb6
axb6
21.Nxe6
fxe6
22.Bxc5
Qxc5+
23.Qxc5
Rxc5
24.Rxa6
Nxc4
25.Bxc4
Rxc4
26.Rxb6+/-
Black should hold a draw in this endgame, but it will be anything but pleasant, particularly in a rapid game]
18...Nxa6
19.0-0
Qc8?!
Intending Ne5-c4, but it seems awfully passive [19...Ne5?
20.Bf4+/-
; 19...Rfc8
May be the best 20.Nb5
Qc6
21.Rfb1+/=
]
20.Nb5!
Looking to penetrate into d6 and putting pressure on the a7 pawn. [20.Rfd1
Ne5
21.axb6
axb6=
Black puts a knight on c4 and solves his problems]
20...Nac5
21.Qb4
[21.Rfd1
The most natural move fails to bxa5 21...bxa5
22.Nd6
(22.Qxa5?
Nb3-/+
) 22...Qc6=
]
21...Nd3?
Black starts an aggressive operation that is of dubious objective value
22.Qd4
N7c5
23.Rfb1?
And here I let him off the hook. After the correct 23. e5! intending on installing my knight on d6, white has a clear advantage. [23.e5
Qc6
24.Nd6
f6
(24...Rfd8
25.c4!
Controlling the b2 square to threaten Rfd1 (25.f4
Rab8
White's position looks nice, but he has no plan.; 25.Rfd1
Nb2
The dual threats of Nxd1 and Nb3 are hard to meet) 25...Nxe5
(25...Rab8
26.Rfd1
) 26.axb6
axb6
(26...Rxd6
27.Qxc5+-
) 27.Rxa8
Rxa8
(27...Qxa8
28.Qxe5
) 28.Qxe5
) 25.exf6
Rxf6
26.axb6
axb6
(26...Qxb6
27.Qxd3
) 27.Rxa8+
Qxa8
28.Ne4
Nxe4
29.Qxd3+/-
]
23...Rd8
24.Qc4
a6
25.axb6[]
White sacrifices a piece for active play and a dangerous passed bpawn [25.Na7?
Rxa7
26.axb6
Rad7!-/+
(26...Rb7??
27.Ra5+-
; 26...Ra8
27.b7
Nxb7
28.Qxc8
Raxc8
29.Rxb7
Rxc3
30.Rxa6=
) ; 25.Nd4??
b5
26.Qa2
Na4
White is strategically lost]
25...axb5
26.Qxb5
Rxa1
27.Rxa1
Nb7
28.Bd4
e5
[28...Nf4
29.g3
Ng6
30.Ra7©
; 28...Ndc5
29.Ra7©
]
29.Qxd3
exd4
30.cxd4=
Oddly enough, this dynamic sequence has led to an equal position
30...Rd6
31.Rb1
Rc6?!
Not a terrible move, but a step in the wrong direction. Black was overestimating his position and thought he could play for an advantage. [31...Qd8
32.Qa6
Rxd4
33.Qxb7
Rd1+
34.Rxd1
Qxd1+
35.Kf2
Qd2+
36.Kg3
Qg5+=
]
32.Qe3
Rc3
33.Qf4
h6
34.h4
Rc2
35.d5
Qc5+
36.Kh2
Qf2
37.Qb8+
Kh7
38.Qg3
Qd4
39.Qf4
Black is unable to make progress without trading queens, but as we will see that is a very risky decision to make.
39...Kg8
40.Qb8+
Kh7
41.Qf4
f6
[41...Kg8
42.Qb8+=
]
42.h5
Qe5?
43.Qxe5+/-
Black must have badly misjudged this endgame
43...fxe5
44.Kh3
g6
45.Ra1!
Rb2
46.Rc1
[46.Ra7!
Was even stronger 46...Rxb6
47.d6
Kg7
48.hxg6
Kxg6
49.d7
Nd8
50.Ra8
Nf7
51.d8Q
Nxd8
52.Rxd8+/-
/+- Black will face a very long struggle to make a draw, and likely an unsuccessful one.]
46...Rxb6
47.Rc7+
Kg8
48.hxg6
Na5
49.Rc5
Nb3??
The black knight is going in the wrong direction [49...Nb7[]
50.Rc8+
(50.Rc6
Rxc6
51.dxc6
Nd6
52.Kg4
Kg7
53.Kh5
Ne8=
) 50...Kg7
51.Rb8
Rb5
52.Re8+/-
Leads to a position similar to the game. Black is in trouble, but still breathing.]
50.Rc6
Rb7
[50...Rb8
51.Kh4
Nd4
52.Rc7
Rb1
(52...Ra8
53.Kh5
) 53.Rc8+
Kg7
54.d6
]
51.Re6??
White repays the favor- the ensuing time scramble was riddled with errors, but even after this error with the white pawns rolling down the board black faced a very difficult defense. [51.d6!+-
Rd7
(51...Nd4
52.Rc8+
Kg7
53.Rc7+
) 52.Rc8+
Kg7
53.Rc7
Nc5
54.Rxc5
Rxd6
55.Rxe5
With an easily won game]
51...Nd4
52.Rxe5+/-
Kg7
53.Re8
Kxg6
54.f4
Rb3+
55.Kh4
Rd3
56.d6
Ne2
57.f5+
Kf7
58.Re7+
Kf6
59.Re6+
Kf7
60.Rxh6
Rd4
61.Re6
Nf4?
The final nail in black's coffin [61...Nc3
62.d7
Rxd7
(62...Nxe4
63.d8Q
Rxd8
64.Rxe4+-
) 63.g4
Black still has some chances to hold on]
62.Re7+
Kf8
[62...Kf6
63.Kg4
Nxg2
(63...Rxd6
64.e5+
) 64.Re6+
Kf7
65.Kg5+-
]
63.Kg5
Nd3
[63...Rxd6
Would have prolonged the suffering, but not for long 64.e5
(64.Ra7
Nxg2
65.e5
Rb6
66.e6
Ne3
67.Kf6
(67.e7+
Kf7=
) 67...Ng4+
) 64...Ra6
(64...Rd2
65.Ra7
Nd5
66.g4+-
) 65.Rh7
Nxg2
(65...Nd5
66.g4
) 66.e6
Ne3
(66...Ke8
67.Kf6
Kd8
68.Rd7+
Ke8
(68...Kc8
69.Kf7
) 69.Rg7
) 67.e7+
Ke8
68.f6
]
64.e5
Nf4
65.g4
Nd5
66.Ra7
Ne3
67.Kf6
Nxg4+
68.Ke6
Re4
69.d7
Rxe5+
70.Kd6
Despite a few obvious mistakes from both sides (it was a rapid game after all) I was very happy with my play and of course thrilled to beat such a powerful player as GM Onischuk to make it into the Semifinals. 1-0