1.b3
e5
2.Bb2
d6
3.e3
g6
4.c4
Bg7
5.g3
Nf6
6.Bg2
0-0
7.Ne2
Nc6
8.Nbc3
[8.0-0
avoids the ..Be6 and ..Qd7 plan.]
8...Be6
An ambitious and provocative move, creating an immediate crisis on the d5 square; I had guessed, from the opening, that White was a positional player, and that it would be better to rock the boat than to play cautiously.
9.d4
exd4
10.exd4
d5
11.c5
[11.Nf4
is very sharp, but positionally speaking, it had to be tried. 11...dxc4
12.Nxe6
fxe6
(12...Re8
13.0-0!
fxe6
14.Bxc6
bxc6
15.bxc4
) 13.Bxc6
bxc6
14.bxc4
c5!
(14...e5
15.dxe5
Qxd1+
16.Nxd1
leaves White clearly better.) 15.dxc5
(15.Ba3
cxd4
16.Bxf8
Qxf8
with good compensation.) 15...Qxd1+
16.Nxd1
Ne4
17.Bxg7
Kxg7=
]
11...Qd7
12.0-0
Bh3
13.Nf4
Bxg2
14.Kxg2
Ne7
A nice maneuver. Black enjoys some positional advantages: his d5-pawn is more solid than White's d4-pawn, his bishop at g7 attacks while White's on b2 defends, and he has prospects for play on the kingside light squares. White is deluded into thinking that the e-file is useful for him. Curiously enough, Black plays everywhere but on the e-file, and the end result is that it falls completely into his own hands!
15.Re1
Nf5
16.Qd3
c6
17.Re2
h5
18.h4?!
I expected him to avoid any critical variations (e.g., with ..h5-h4) but now more light squares come into Black's grubby hands.
18...Ng4
19.Nd1
Unfortunate, but d4 is getting really weak.
19...Rfe8
Now that White is uncoordinated, it is time to take over the file!
20.f3
He wants to give his Nd1 a square, but the weakness of e3 will haunt him.
20...Nf6
21.Nf2
Rxe2
22.Nxe2
Re8
23.Bc1
The desire to protect e3 can be easily understood, but now Black wins by force!
23...Qe7
An impressive show of strength on this file!
24.Nf4
[24.Kf1
Qxe2+!
]
24...Nxd4
25.Bb2
Nf5
26.b4
Qe3
Poor White is a pawn down and Nxh4+ is threatened.
27.N4h3
Qxd3
28.Nxd3
Re2+
29.Nhf2
Ne3+
30.Kg1
Nc4
31.Bd4
Nd7
32.Bxg7
Kxg7
33.Re1
Rxe1+
34.Nxe1
a5
The final blow; now the rest of the queenside falls apart too.
35.b5
Nxc5
36.bxc6
bxc6
37.Nfd3
Nxd3
38.Nxd3
Kf6
39.Kf2
Ke6
40.Nc5+
Ke5
41.Ke2
Kd4
42.Nb7
Kc3
43.Nd8
d4
44.Nxc6
d3+
45.Kf2
d2
46.Ke2
Nb2
0-1