W. Spoelman (2414) - I. Rogers (2529) [B00]

TCh-NED 2006-7/Netherlands NED (6) 2007


White is clearly better; a4 is weak and the white knights can jump into Black's position. But Ian is a tough guy!

33... g6 34. Nf3 Perhaps it was better to start with 34. Rb4 followed by Nf3-d4. That's not very comfortable for Black. 34... gxh5 35. Nd4 Qb6 36. gxh5 Rdg8 On Schakers.info, mistakenly the move 36...Rhg8 was entered here, which after 37.Qh3 Be4 38.Nxe4 dxe4 39.Qc3 Rd7 40.Kb1 Rd5 leads back to the game. But then most probably Black would have found 39...Rxd4. 37. Qh3 Be4 38. Nxe4 dxe4 39. Qc3 Rd8 40. Kb1 Rd5 41. Ka2 Kb7 42. Ne2 Rhd8 43. Ng3?! Allows the following combination. 43... Nd3 44. cxd3 Rxd3 45. Qb4 45. Qc1 Qb3+ 46. Ka1 Rd1 47. Nxe4 Rxc1+ 48. Rxc1 Qe3 is Black's pointe. 45... Qxb4 46. axb4 Rxg3 47. Rxe4 Black is better in the rook ending but he has only very small winning chances. 47... Rd2 48. Ref4 Rb3 49. Rb1 Re2 50. Rf7?! Easier would have been 50. Rf6 Rxe5 51. Rxh6 Rxb4 52. Rg6= 50... Kb6?! Here 50... Rxe5 51. Rc1 Kb6 52. Rfxc7 Rxb4 53. Rc8 Rbe4! was a better chance. 51. Rf6 Rxe5 52. Rxh6 Rh3 53. Rh8 Rhxh5 54. Ra8 Re2 55. Rxa4 Rh4 56. Ka3 Rh3+ 57. Ka2 e5 58. Ra5 Rh4 59. Ka3 Re3+ 60. b3 Re2 61. Rg1 Rhh2 62. Ra1 c6 63. Ra8 Rh7 64. Rc1 e4 65. Rg1 e3 66. Rgg8 Re1 67. Rab8+ Rb7 68. Rxb7+ Kxb7 69. Re8 Kc7 70. b5 c5 71. b4 c4 72. Re4 Kb6 73. Re5 e2 74. Kb2 Rd1 75. Rxe2 Kxb5 and with barely time left on the clock, and the match already being decided, both players had enough. 1/2-1/2