My games

[Event "Novgorod "] [Site "?"] [Date "1999.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Goloshchapov, Aleksander"] [Black "Akopian, Vladimir"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B80"] [WhiteElo "2446"] [BlackElo "2640"] [Annotator "Goloshchapov,A"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "1999.??.??"] {In this game I was able to defeat the ELO-favorite of the tournament, and that's twice as nice - the future finalist of the FIDE Knock-Out World Chess Championship that took place in the same year in Las Vegas.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 b5 7. Qd2 Bb7 8. f3 Nf6 {The game has suddenly transposed from the very positional Kan system to the English attack that is very sharp.} 9. g4 Nfd7 10. O-O-O Nb6 11. Bd3 {This natural move from general considerations enables Black to get his set-up comfortably.} ({As the further practice showed White has a stronger continuation} 11. Bg5 $1 {this strong idea, that poses Black some problems, first was applied by Morozevich just half a year before my game with Akopian but I was not aware of it during the game.} Be7 {quite passive, but probably the most solid and reliable here} ( 11... Qc7 $6 {DIAGRAM} 12. Ndxb5 $1 axb5 13. Nxb5 Qc6 14. Nxd6+ Bxd6 15. Qxd6 Qxd6 16. Rxd6 N6d7 17. Kb1 {with excellent compensation and advantage for White in the game Morozevich,A-Shipov,S 1998}) ({after} 11... Qc8 12. Bd3 N8d7 13. Kb1 {it is not easy for Black to complete the development of his kingside}) 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Nb3 $1 {and Black has to switch to the passive defence} Nc8 14. h4 {with the initiative and some advantage for White}) 11... N8d7 12. Kb1 Rc8 13. h4 Ne5 14. Qf2 {I didn't really understand the subtleties of the sharp Open Sicilian then, and it is not surprising that an experienced opponent managed to get an interesting position with good counterchances.} Rxc3 $1 {A typical and definitely correct positional exchange sacrifice. Black obtains a long-term compensation, although White has sufficient resources to consolidate his queenside.} (14... Nbc4 $5) 15. bxc3 Na4 (15... Nbc4 16. Bc1) 16. Ne2 $1 Qc7 17. Bd4 Nc4 ({It is dangerous for Black to open the center being behind in development} 17... d5 $2 18. exd5 Bxd5 19. Bxe5 $1 Qxe5 20. Be4 $1 Bc5 $5 ( 20... Bxe4 21. fxe4 Nxc3+ (21... Qxe4 22. Qa7 $1 Nxc3+ $1 23. Ka1 $1 Nd5 24. Qb8+ Kd7 25. Nc3 $1 $16 {->}) 22. Nxc3 Qxc3 23. Rh3 $3 Qxh3 24. Qd4 $18) 21. Qh2 $1) ({It would have been probably better for Black to complete his development first as White's attack on the kingside is not that fast and dangerous} 17... Be7 $1 18. h5 ({Deserves attention} 18. f4 $5 Nxg4 19. Qg3 h5 20. Bxg7 {depriving Black's king from castling} Rg8 21. Bd4 {DIAGRAM} f5 $1 ( 21... Nc5 22. Qf3 {[%csl Rh5][%cal Ge2g3]}) 22. exf5 Bxh1 23. Rxh1 e5 $1 {with a very sharp play, where, despite the centralized e8-king, it is Black who has the initiative} 24. fxe5 dxe5 25. Be3 (25. Rf1 Bf6) 25... Qd6 {[%cal Gg4f6]} ( 25... Qb7 26. Re1)) 18... O-O 19. g5 (19. f4 Nc4 $36) 19... Nc4 {and Black's attack on the queenside is not less dangerous} 20. Bxc4 (20. g6 h6 $1 21. gxf7+ Rxf7 22. Rhg1 Bg5) 20... Qxc4 21. Qh2 $1 {a subtle prophylaxis move in an attack!} (21. g6 e5 $1) 21... b4 (21... e5 {DIAGRAM} 22. h6 $1 exd4 $1 ({after } 22... g6 $2 {White has very strong} 23. Bxe5 $1 {an we can see the point of 21.Qh2!} dxe5 24. Qxe5 f6 25. Qxe7 $18) 23. hxg7 Nxc3+ $1 {and Black escapes for a draw with perpetual check} 24. Nxc3 Qb4+ 25. Kc1 Qa3+ 26. Kb1 (26. Kd2 Qxc3+ 27. Ke2 $2 Qe3+ 28. Kf1 Qxf3+) 26... Qb4+ 27. Kc1 Qa3+ {and White cannot avoid the checks.}) 22. Rd3 $1 a5 (22... Rb8 23. cxb4 $1 {[%cal Gd3b3]}) 23. Ka1) 18. Bxc4 Qxc4 19. Rd3 $1 e5 {DIAGRAM} (19... d5 $6 20. Rhd1 $1) 20. Bb6 $1 {The bishop is heading to b4, from where it will perfectly combine both defensive and attacking functions.} Be7 (20... d5 $5 21. Rhd1 Ba3 22. Qe3 $1 ( 22. exd5 $4 Bxd5 23. Rxd5 Nxc3+ 24. Nxc3 Qb4+) 22... Nb2 (22... O-O 23. exd5 { the passed pawn "d" is very strong}) 23. exd5 f6 24. R1d2 Nxd3 25. Qxd3 Qxd3 26. Rxd3 Bd6 27. Ng3 Kd7 28. Ba5 {with some edge for White}) 21. Rhd1 O-O 22. Ba5 $1 Nc5 (22... Bc8 23. Nc1 Be6 24. Nb3) 23. R3d2 ({There was a very interesting oppotunity to break through with the return exchange sacrifice} 23. Rxd6 $5 Bxd6 24. Rxd6 {the point is that after the strongest} Bxe4 $1 {White has a very strong counterblow, that I probably missed during the game} 25. Bb4 $1 {and Black has to sacrifice a piece} (25. fxe4 $2 Nxe4 $19 {[%csl Rd6,Re2]}) 25... Bxc2+ 26. Kxc2 {the resulting complications look in White's favour, as Black's compensation is not that obvious, but he has an accurate way to equalize} Qxa2+ 27. Kd1 Qb1+ 28. Nc1 Na4 29. Rd2 Rc8 30. Qa7 {DIAGRAM} h5 $1 { [%csl Rc1][%cal Gg8h7,Ga4c3] The active prophylaxis!} 31. Qxa6 Nxc3+ 32. Bxc3 Rxc3 33. Qa8+ Kh7 34. Qe4+ Qxe4 35. fxe4 hxg4 {and the game should end in a draw.}) 23... Bc8 24. Nc1 $1 Nb7 $6 {DIAGRAM} ({There was no need for Black to hurry. He could have got quite a good play with natural} 24... Be6 25. Nb3 (25. Bb4 a5 26. Bxa5 Qa4) 25... Rc8 26. g5 g6 {Black preserves compensation in dynamically balanced position with about equal chances.}) 25. Qa7 $1 {An excellent counter attacking resource which, apparently, was underestimated by Black. I take over the intiative and Vladimir had to make a responsible decision.} (25. Bb4 a5 $1 26. Bxd6 Nxd6 27. Rxd6 Bxd6 28. Rxd6 Be6 {Black has the initiative}) 25... Nxa5 $2 {Oddly enough, it is practically a decisive mistake! Vladimir was in a hurry to bring his knight to its ideal c4-outpost square, but underestimated the strong defensive resource.} ({После} 25... Bxh4 26. Bb4 (26. Qxa6 $2 Qa4 $1 27. Nb3 Bd8) 26... Qc6 27. Bxd6 Nxd6 28. Rxd6 Qxc3 29. Nd3 Be6 30. Qc5 Qa5 31. Rxe6 $1 fxe6 32. Qxe5 Qb6 33. Nc5 {with some advantage and initiative for White}) ({The least of evils is} 25... Qc6 26. Bb4 Be6 27. Nb3 {with just a slight edge for White}) 26. Qxe7 Qxc3 27. Rd3 Qb4+ 28. Rb3 $1 {Exactly this move turned out to be a cold shower to my opponent!} ({ Black was hoping for} 28. Nb3 Nc4 {with very good compensation.}) 28... Nxb3 29. axb3 {Just 5 moves have changed the situation on the board dramatically: all Black's active pieces were exchanged and White's pawn structure on the queenside regained healthy outlines! The wrong dynamic operation started with the move 25...Nb7?! unexpectedly led to disastrous consequences for Black: White dominates while Black remained without any real counterplay.} h6 {It is hard to recommend something better. Do not help any other continuations.} ( 29... f6 30. Rxd6 Qc3 31. Nd3 a5 (31... h6 32. g5 hxg5 33. hxg5 fxg5 34. Nxe5 $1) 32. Rd8 Rxd8 33. Qxd8+ Kf7 34. Qd5+ Be6 35. Qxb5 {and White should convert his extra pawn.}) (29... Be6 30. Rxd6 Qa5 (30... a5 31. Nd3 Qa3 32. Rxe6) 31. Nd3 {with the decisive adavantage}) 30. Rxd6 Qc3 31. Rd3 $1 Qc6 32. Qxe5 a5 33. Rd6 Qb7 34. Nd3 a4 35. b4 $1 {All counter attacking attempts must be nipped in the bud!} a3 $138 (35... Be6 36. g5 hxg5 37. hxg5 Qa7 38. Nc5 Bc4 39. g6) 36. Nc5 Qa7 37. Ka2 $1 {The а3-pawn is a great defender of White's king! Black has almost no moves!} Be6+ {What else?!} 38. Nxe6 fxe6 39. Qxe6+ (39. Qxb5 $1 Rxf3 40. Qe8+ Rf8 41. Qxe6+) 39... Kh7 $6 ({No better} 39... Kh8 40. g5 $1 Qa4 41. Qb3 $1 {the most technical!} Qxb3+ 42. cxb3 Rxf3 43. gxh6 {with the absolutely winning endgame.}) 40. e5 $6 ({A bit more accurate} 40. g5 $1 { playing to expose Black's king.}) 40... Qf2 (40... Qe3 $142 41. Rd3 Qc1 42. Qb3 Re8 (42... Rc8 43. Rc3) 43. h5 $1 Rxe5 44. Rd8 $18) 41. Qg6+ Kh8 42. Rd7 Rg8 43. Qd3 Qxh4 (43... Qe1 44. Rd8 $5 Qxe5 45. Rxg8+ Kxg8 46. Qxa3 $18) 44. Qxb5 Qe1 45. Qc5 $1 Re8 46. Qd4 Qe2 47. Qe4 $1 {Queen is enjoying its domination! A very nice move in mutual time trouble, when it is important not to give the opponent any counterchances.} Qf1 48. Ra7 $1 (48. Ra7 Qc1 49. Rxa3 {[%cal Ga3a8]}) 1-0