Post by NightWalker on Aug 9, 2011 5:44:01 GMT -5
This game was played between me and Jaan Ehlvest (a bit below 2600 ELO) on the Liepajas Rokade 2011 Team Tournament. We both faced each other on our teams' first desks. My current national rating is about 2100 and I was put on the 1st desk just in order to fight for draw, while other desks (even 4th desk of ours was stronger than me) would get points.
In this game I was white. Time control - 13min +2sec per move.
1. e4 c5
2. c3 ... - I've read Evgeny's Sveshnikov's book "Win against French defense" where he recommended this move in order to turn Sicilian defense into French. He also tells, that the best moves for black here are Nf6, a bit worse but good to fight for equal position is d5. Though, Jaan has chosen different second move.
2. ... g6
3. d4 cd
4. cd d5 - this is the first time someone played d5 against me in this position. I didn't want to stay with isolated pawn on d4 as I did 1 game before, playing Normunds Miezis, so I decided to play e5, though it would be better if black had a pawn on e6 already, so their bishop would be locked.
5. e5 Nc6
6. Nc3 Bg7
7. Be3 ... - I do not hurry to move my light square bishop, because I want to see first what his light bishop would do. I want everything but not to trade them off. Even more, I don't want his bishop to take my knight, so I do not hurry with kingside knight either.
7. ... Nh6 - looks a bit strange to see the world-wide known grandmaster to move his knight far from center, but anyway - this knight will go to f5 sooner or later, where he will stand good. Other idea - e6 and Nge7 - would lock the bishop and weaken the dark squares completely.
8. Bb5 ... - I couldn't find a better job for my bishop. Although, it moves on b3 where he stands really nice.
8. ... Nf5
9. Nf3 ... - I can play this now, while knight locks the bishop on c8. Of course, he can play ... Nxe3 10. fe Bg4 11. 0-0 0-0 and I am not afraid of bishop taking the knight because I would possess a strong F line.
9. ... 0-0
10. 0-0 e6 - locks the bishop. Though, I can't find my plan yet so I just improve my pieces' positions...
11. Rc1 Bd7 - makes the possibilities for future tactical strikes on e5, so I move back under the queen's protection.
12. Ba4 Nxe3
13. fe f6 - Jaan opens up the F file and the game, too. And this is the moment where it all becomes clear to me, my plan that is, and his plan, too. His decisive move will be e5, mine - e4, and then we will clash in open fight in the center of board. But now - each of us is getting prepared for this.
14. ef Qxf6
15. a3 Rad8
16. Qe2 Qe7
17. Bb3 Kh8
18. Rcd1 Be8
19. Rfe1 Qc7
20. Kh1 ... - preventing the possible checks on b6-g1 diagonail
20. ... Bf7
21. Ba2 ... - final preparation move, now all my pieces are ready to fight.
21. ... Bg8
22. e4 de - I played my decisive move first and now we each have weaknesses - d4 and e6.
23. Qxe4 Rf4 - it may seem here that I am losing a pawn. But tactical fork with knight on b5 actually saves it. Finally, I can take e6 anytime, thus restoring the equilibria.
24. Qe3 Rdf8
25. d5 ... - if you said "A", you must say "B", too.
25. ... ed
26. Nxd5 ?! ... - it seems to me that Bxd5 was better, because now I lose a useful knight, taking back just his useless bishop. Of course, there are many possibilities after Bxd5, but I couldn't find a way for black to get any sort of advantage... Tell me if you did ...
26. ... Bxd5
27. Bxd5 Nd4?! - not sure if that is a good move, because black now automatically get into the trap.
28. Nxd4 Bxd4 - of course I can't take the bishop because of check on f1 by rook, thus losing my queen.
29. Qb3 b6? - in terms of future events and taking into consideration the tournament's situation (Jaan had to win to guarantee the 1st place for their team) - big mistake, though the position is still drawn.
30. g3! ... - there will be no checkmate on the 1st line now, and at the same time, his rook must keep protecting the bishop. He though for a while here and I managed to spot that I have less than a minute left to think. I calculate the possible quality sacrifices and also see that Rg4 is bad because of Bf3.
30. ... Rg4! - only move, as it turned out in analysis
31. g3 Rxg3!! - this forces the draw actually, but this is the move only grandmaster could've done. And I'm not speaking about the actual its strenght, I am speaking about psychological side of it: I had less than a minute to think, he made this move really quick, he thought a lot on Rg4 while there were other opportunities, I was playing a world-wide known grandmaster who was at least 400 points higher and now he makes a dangerous move. After the game I asked Jaan what would happen if it took this rook? - he answered there was nothing. Though, he lied a bit - now after 32. hg Qxg3 33. Rxd4 (he was threatening with Qh3X, if 33. Bd5 then 33... Qh4+ 34. Kg2 Rf2+ 35. Kg1 Qh2X; as well as Rxf3 which now shouldn't work due to checkmate attack I start on his king) and now his best option is repetual check, 33... Qh3+ 34. Kg1 Qg3+ 35. Kh1 Qh3+ etc., because 33... Qxe1+ 34. Kg2 Rc8 (has to prevent cehck on c3) and now white have some good options of exchanging the queens threatening to lead a checkmate attack then winning the pawns on queen side and promoting their own into queen so this would be a win.
32. Rxd4 Rgxf3 - and after some moves I managed to exchange queens, we went into 4 rook endgame, but I lost by time, though I could handle the draw even without a pawn. Well, thank you for your time and bye till next time
In this game I was white. Time control - 13min +2sec per move.
1. e4 c5
2. c3 ... - I've read Evgeny's Sveshnikov's book "Win against French defense" where he recommended this move in order to turn Sicilian defense into French. He also tells, that the best moves for black here are Nf6, a bit worse but good to fight for equal position is d5. Though, Jaan has chosen different second move.
2. ... g6
3. d4 cd
4. cd d5 - this is the first time someone played d5 against me in this position. I didn't want to stay with isolated pawn on d4 as I did 1 game before, playing Normunds Miezis, so I decided to play e5, though it would be better if black had a pawn on e6 already, so their bishop would be locked.
5. e5 Nc6
6. Nc3 Bg7
7. Be3 ... - I do not hurry to move my light square bishop, because I want to see first what his light bishop would do. I want everything but not to trade them off. Even more, I don't want his bishop to take my knight, so I do not hurry with kingside knight either.
7. ... Nh6 - looks a bit strange to see the world-wide known grandmaster to move his knight far from center, but anyway - this knight will go to f5 sooner or later, where he will stand good. Other idea - e6 and Nge7 - would lock the bishop and weaken the dark squares completely.
8. Bb5 ... - I couldn't find a better job for my bishop. Although, it moves on b3 where he stands really nice.
8. ... Nf5
9. Nf3 ... - I can play this now, while knight locks the bishop on c8. Of course, he can play ... Nxe3 10. fe Bg4 11. 0-0 0-0 and I am not afraid of bishop taking the knight because I would possess a strong F line.
9. ... 0-0
10. 0-0 e6 - locks the bishop. Though, I can't find my plan yet so I just improve my pieces' positions...
11. Rc1 Bd7 - makes the possibilities for future tactical strikes on e5, so I move back under the queen's protection.
12. Ba4 Nxe3
13. fe f6 - Jaan opens up the F file and the game, too. And this is the moment where it all becomes clear to me, my plan that is, and his plan, too. His decisive move will be e5, mine - e4, and then we will clash in open fight in the center of board. But now - each of us is getting prepared for this.
14. ef Qxf6
15. a3 Rad8
16. Qe2 Qe7
17. Bb3 Kh8
18. Rcd1 Be8
19. Rfe1 Qc7
20. Kh1 ... - preventing the possible checks on b6-g1 diagonail
20. ... Bf7
21. Ba2 ... - final preparation move, now all my pieces are ready to fight.
21. ... Bg8
22. e4 de - I played my decisive move first and now we each have weaknesses - d4 and e6.
23. Qxe4 Rf4 - it may seem here that I am losing a pawn. But tactical fork with knight on b5 actually saves it. Finally, I can take e6 anytime, thus restoring the equilibria.
24. Qe3 Rdf8
25. d5 ... - if you said "A", you must say "B", too.
25. ... ed
26. Nxd5 ?! ... - it seems to me that Bxd5 was better, because now I lose a useful knight, taking back just his useless bishop. Of course, there are many possibilities after Bxd5, but I couldn't find a way for black to get any sort of advantage... Tell me if you did ...
26. ... Bxd5
27. Bxd5 Nd4?! - not sure if that is a good move, because black now automatically get into the trap.
28. Nxd4 Bxd4 - of course I can't take the bishop because of check on f1 by rook, thus losing my queen.
29. Qb3 b6? - in terms of future events and taking into consideration the tournament's situation (Jaan had to win to guarantee the 1st place for their team) - big mistake, though the position is still drawn.
30. g3! ... - there will be no checkmate on the 1st line now, and at the same time, his rook must keep protecting the bishop. He though for a while here and I managed to spot that I have less than a minute left to think. I calculate the possible quality sacrifices and also see that Rg4 is bad because of Bf3.
30. ... Rg4! - only move, as it turned out in analysis
31. g3 Rxg3!! - this forces the draw actually, but this is the move only grandmaster could've done. And I'm not speaking about the actual its strenght, I am speaking about psychological side of it: I had less than a minute to think, he made this move really quick, he thought a lot on Rg4 while there were other opportunities, I was playing a world-wide known grandmaster who was at least 400 points higher and now he makes a dangerous move. After the game I asked Jaan what would happen if it took this rook? - he answered there was nothing. Though, he lied a bit - now after 32. hg Qxg3 33. Rxd4 (he was threatening with Qh3X, if 33. Bd5 then 33... Qh4+ 34. Kg2 Rf2+ 35. Kg1 Qh2X; as well as Rxf3 which now shouldn't work due to checkmate attack I start on his king) and now his best option is repetual check, 33... Qh3+ 34. Kg1 Qg3+ 35. Kh1 Qh3+ etc., because 33... Qxe1+ 34. Kg2 Rc8 (has to prevent cehck on c3) and now white have some good options of exchanging the queens threatening to lead a checkmate attack then winning the pawns on queen side and promoting their own into queen so this would be a win.
32. Rxd4 Rgxf3 - and after some moves I managed to exchange queens, we went into 4 rook endgame, but I lost by time, though I could handle the draw even without a pawn. Well, thank you for your time and bye till next time