E. l'Ami - N. Ninov
Bethune open (9) 2006
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 Bb4 6. Bg5 c5
My opponent had also tried 6... b5 but a recent game by Ivanchuk showed that this line is under some pressure: 7. a4 c6 8. e5 h6 9. exf6 hxg5 10. fxg7 Rg8 11. g3 Bb7 12. Bg2 c5 13.
This is very seldomly played. Many White players didn't get an advantage after 7... cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Qa5
8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9.
In comparison with the Semi-Tarrasch (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 c5 7.Nf3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 O-O) White has a very favourable version, so I was very happy with the outcome of the opening.
But White keeps the advantage after 14. Rad1 here, to aswer 14... Nc6 with 15. Nd7 and thus slowing down the development of Black's queen's knight.
But after 14. Rad1 Black has Qf4! is strong, preventing the march of White's f-pawn and making Nc6 possible 15. Rfe1 Nc6 with equality.
Also after 15... Nxe5 16. dxe5 Qe7 (16... Qh4 17. f5! Qxe4 18. Qxe4 Bxe4 19. fxe6 fxe6 20. Bxe6+ Kh7 21. Bd7 and the e-pawn decides) 17. Rd6 White keeps the initiative.
The f of forward!
17... exf5
During the game I was expecting 17... e5 18. d5 Bd7 when 19. Ba6 is bad because of 19... b5!
but White keeps the advantage after 17... e5 18. d5 Bd7 19. Bb5 when after the exchange of bishops, the protected passed pawn on d5 is even more annoying for Black.
By the way 17... e5 18. dxe5 Qxe5 19. Bxf7+ Kh8 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 is something White should avoid.
Because 18... Qh4 runs into 19. Rxf7! Rxf7 20. Bxf7+ Kxf7 21. Qc4+ Ke7 22. Qxc6 Rxd4 23. Qc7+ Kf8 24. Qc8+ Ke7 25. Rf1 with a winning attack.
With a draw offer. But I was very content with my position and furthermore, only a win would suffice for the tournament victory. After the game my opponent told me a draw would have been enough to score a GM norm.
20. Rg4 Kg7 21. e5 Bd5 22. Bxd5 Rxd5 23. Rf1!
Prevents Black to hit upon the centre with ...f6.
23... Rfd8!
The best defense.
On 23... Qd7 I was planning 24. h4! and now: 24... f6 (24... Rxd4 25. e6! Qd6 (25... fxe6 26. Qe5+) 26. Qb2 and the rook drops.) (24... f5 25. hxg5! fxg4 26. gxh6+ Kg8 27. h7+ Kxh7 (27... Qxh7 28. Qxg4+ Qg7 29. Qe6+ winning) 28. Rxf8 Rxd4 29. Qf2 with a big initiative.) 25. hxg5 fxg5 26. Rxf8 Kxf8 27. e6 with a big advantage.
24. Qf2?!
Surprisingly strong is 24. Qe3! Qd7 (24... Qe6 25. Re4 Qd7 26. e6!) 25. Rff4! and now White has consolidated his position, he can start the attack on the next move with h4, for example 25... Kh7 26. Qe4+ Kg8 27. h4 Qe6 28. Qf3 and wins.
The computer very much likes 25. Rg3 but the position after 25... Rxd4 (25... Qe6 26. Rf3!) 26. Qf6+ Kh7 27. Rh3 Rh4 28. Rxh4 gxh4 29. Qxh4 Re8! seems to me, although better for White, not very clear.
25... Kg8
Surprisingly strong is 25... Kh7! with the idea 26. Qxf7+ Qxf7 27. Rxf7+ Kg6 28. Rf6+ Kg7 29. Rff4 Kh7! 30. Re4 Kg6 31. h4 Kf5 followed by 32...Ra5 and Black is OK.
Instead, 25... Kh7 26. Rg3 Rxd4 would be a transposition into the line I gave at White's last move.
Perhas White's best option is 25... Kh7 26. Re4 Qe6 (26... Rxd4 27. e6! fxe6 28. Rxe6 with a mating attack) 27. Qxf7+ Qxf7 28. Rxf7+ Kg6 29. Rxa7 Rxd4 will probably still draw.
26. Rg3
26. Rxg5+ hxg5 27. Qxg5+ Kf8 isn't more than perpetual.
Again the best defense, the rook ending after 27... Rxd4 28. hxg5 Qxf6 29. gxf6+ Kf8 30. Rh3! Ke8 31. e6! looks lost for Black.
It's understandable that Black likes to exchange a pair of rooks, although not very nice-looking, also 29... hxg5 30. Rxg5+ Kf8 31. e6 Ke7 32. Rxf7+ Kxe6 33. Rxa7 gives good drawing chances.
Now the problems are getting serious. Probably still drawing is 31... Re3 32. h7+ (32. e6? Rxe6 33. Rxe6 fxe6 34. g4 b5 35. Kf2 a5 36. Ke3 a4 37. Kd4 b4 38. Kc4 b3! 39. axb3 a3 wins for Black) 32... Kxh7 33. Rxf7+ Kg6 34. Rxa7 Rxe5
32. e6! fxe6 33. Kf2! Rxa2+ 34. Kf3
An interesting idea: White suddenly is a pawn down but does have connected passed pawns (of which one is already at h6) and an active king.
After 35... Ra1 White can even enter the pawn ending; 36. g5 Rf1+ 37. Ke4 Rxf6 38. gxf6 b4 39. Ke5 b3 40. Kxe6 b2 41. f7+ Kh7 42. f8=Q and Black promotes just one move too late.
Black has to stop the march of the pawn; 36... b3 37. g6 b2 38. Rf7 is no solution.
37. Rxe6?
Gives Black the chance to get back into the game. As an excuse I'll share with you that the rate of play was 1,5 hours plus 30 seconds a move and both my opponent and me rather needed that extra half minute! With some more time, I might have found the subtle win: 37. Rg6+! Kh8 and only now, after the back king is chased to a worse square, 38. Rxe6! b3 39. Kg4 b2 40. Re8+ Kh7 41. Re7+ Kh8 42. Rb7 a5 43. Kf5 Rf2+ 44. Kg6 Rf8 45. h7 and Kh7 and g6-g7 mate decide.
37. Rg6+ Kf8 38. Rg7! a5 39. Ra7 Kg8 (forced, 39... b3 40. h7 b2 41. g6 is mate soon.) 40. Kg4 b3 41. Rxa5 b2 42. Rb5 Kh7 43. Rb7+ Kg8 44. Kg3 and wins. In the game Black gets a chance to reach a theoretically drawn rook ending.
37... b3
37... Kf7 38. Rf6+ Kg8 (38... Ke7 39. Ra6 b3 40. Rxa7+ Ke6 41. g6! Rxh6 42. g7 Rg6 43. Ra6+ en wint) 39. Ra6 Kh7 40. Kf4 (40. Rxa7+ Kg6 41. Rg7+ Kf5 42. h7 b3 43. g6 b2 and Black is just in time to hold the draw.) 40... Rf2+ 41. Kg3 and wins.
The best try.
40. Kg4 a4 41. Kf5 a3 42. Kf6? Rxh6+! 43. gxh6 a2 even wins for Black.
40... Rh5?
The decisive move.
40... Rh1 41. Rxb2 Kh7 42. Rb6 (42. Rb7+ Kg6 43. Rg7+ Kf5 and Black draws again by pushing his a-pawn) 42... a4 43. Ra6 Rg1+ 44. Kf4 Rf1+ and I can't see how White can escape from the checks.
41. Kg4
Now it's easy.
41... Rh2 42. Kf5 a4 43. Kf6 Rf2+
43... a3 44. Rb8+ Kh7 45. g6+ Kxh6 46. Rh8#
44. Kg6 Rf8 45. h7+ Kh8 46. Kh6
and resigned, g6-g7 will follow.
1-0 [l'Ami, Erwin]