Smeets - Nikolic [C02]

Noteboom (5) 2007


1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2 Rc8 7. O-O a6 8. Na3 cxd4 9. cxd4 Bxa3 10. bxa3 Na5 11. Rb1 Bc6 12. Bd3 h6 13. Ne1 Nc4 14. Qg4 Kf8 15. Rb3 Ne7 16. Bb1 Bb5 17. Rf3 Kg8 17... Nxe5 18. dxe5 Bxf1 is answered by 19. Qf4! Nf5 20. Kxf1 18. Nd3 Nf5 19. a4 Bxa4 20. Nf4 Better was 20. Nc5 after which there a many exchange sacrifices: 20... Rxc5! (20... Bd7 21. Nxd7 Qxd7 22. Rxf5!) (20... h5 21. Qf4 g5 22. Rg3! Nxg3 23. Qxg3) 21. dxc5 Bc6 22. Rxf5! exf5 23. Qxf5 20... Qg5 Black should have gone for it, with 20... Nxd4! 21. Nh5 (21. Rg3 Qg5 22. Qh3 Qxe5) 21... Nxf3+ 22. gxf3 g5 23. f4 Bb5! 24. Qg3 Kf8 21. Qxg5 But now 21. Bxf5! Qxf5 22. Qxf5 exf5 23. Nxd5 21... hxg5 22. Nxd5 Rd8 23. Bxf5 Also after 23. Nc3 Black holds things together: 23... Nxd4 24. Rg3 (24. Rd3 Nxe5 25. Re3 Nc4 26. Nxa4 Nxe3 27. Bxe3 Ne2+ 28. Kh1 g4) 24... Bc2 25. Bxg5 Rc8 23... Rxd5 24. Be4 Rxd4 25. Bxb7 Nxe5 26. Rg3 More simple was 26. Rc3 with compensation for the pawn. 26... Bb5 27. Bb2 Rd7 28. Rc1 Nc4 29. Bf3 Rh4 30. Bc3 30. Ba1 f6 31. Bg4 Kf7 32. h3 with the idea a4. 30... f6 31. Bg4 Kf7 32. Re1 Rd6 33. Ba1 Nb6 34. h3 Rh8 35. Rge3 e5 36. Rc3 Nd5 37. Rc5 Rhd8 38. Rec1 Kg6 39. Bf3 Nf4 40. Bc3 Kh6 Also possible is 40... Ne6 41. Ba5 Nxc5 42. Bxd8 Rxd8 43. Rxc5 Rd2 and Black is a healthy pawn up. 41. Ba5 Re8 42. Rc8 e4 43. Bg4 f5 44. Rxe8 Bxe8 45. Rd1 Rf6 46. g3 fxg4 47. gxf4 gxf4 48. Bd8 Also after 48. hxg4 comes 48... Rg6 48... Rg6 49. h4 49. hxg4 Rxg4+ 50. Kh2 Kh5 51. Rg1 g5 52. Rxg4 Kxg4 53. Kg1 e3! also wins. 49... Bb5 50. Rd5 Another exchange sacrifice to end with: 50. Bg5+ Rxg5! 51. hxg5+ Kxg5 and the black pawns cannot be stopped. 50... e3 51. fxe3 f3 52. Bg5+ Kh7 53. Kf2 Rc6 54. Rd2 Rc1 55. e4 Be2 56. Bf4 Rf1+ 57. Ke3 Rg1 58. Be5 g3 59. Rd7 f2 60. Rxg7+ Kh6 0-1