Rhee, W. - Swan, H.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 1

1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bb4 A rare move. 6.. .Bd6 is seen in most GM games. Black should not want to trade the dark squared bishop, as the the black pawns are on white squares.
7.Bd2 Qc7 This is simpl y weird. The black queen does not usually belong on c7. A long time ago, Dutch IM Rini Kuijf played Bb4 and later followed it up with Ba5-c7. Now black is more or less forced to trade the good bishop. 7...0-0 was best.
8.a3 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 Ne4 10.Bd3 Nxc3 11.Qxc3 dxc4 12.Bxc4 O-O 13.b4 Re8 14.Rd1 White delays castling his last couple of moves to try and prevent the usual black counterplay of e5 od c5.
14...a5! Black needs to find play somewhere.
15.O-O Nb6 16.e4 Now black should throw in axb4 somewhere in the next few moves. This activates the a8 rook, and stops white from playing a positionally minded b5 later.
16...Nxc4 17.Qxc4 Qf4 18.Rfe1 Bd7 19.Ne5 Red8 20.bxa5 Bc8? 21.Qb4 f6 22.Qe7 Rf8 23.Nc4 e5 24.Nb6 Rxa5?

[24...Rb8 25.d5]

25.Nxc8 Rxc8? 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.Qxc8#

1-0

Ghiata, G. - Brereton, J.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 1

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be2?! A passive move handing over the initiative to black. 6.Ndb5 and 6.Nxc6 are played often in GM praxis.
6...Bb4! 7.f3?! d5 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.O-O Bxc3 Destroying white's pawn structure permanently has its advantages. Keeping the dark squared bishop is another way of playing. Depends more on style than on which is right. White has some compensation for his passive position and wretched pawns with his two bishops.
10.bxc3 Qb6+ 11.Kh1 dxe4? This is too greedy. White is castled and has his king safely tucked away, whereas black still has his King on e8! Opening the center should be white's priority!
12.Qd6?! This gives black a chance to defend. White had a tremendous opportunity to get a big advantage with the simple 12.fxe4!

[12.fxe4! Nxe4

(12...O-O 13.Rxf6! gxf6 14.Bh6)

13.Bf3 Nxc3 14.Qd6 Bd7 15.Bg5 f6 16.Bh5+ Kd8 17.Rxf6 gxf6 18.Bxf6+ Kc8 19.Bxh8 Ne4 20.Qd4 Qxd4 21.Bxd4]

12...c5! The only move.
13.Qg3! Ba6!?

[13...O-O 14.Bh6 Ne8 15.Rab1 Qc7]

14.c4!? Although this may seem slow, it keeps pieces on the board and keeps the pressure on black.
14...Rg8 Rooks do not belong on g8 in the Sicilian. Is Tom Manion black?
15.fxe4 Bb7??

[15...Nxe4 16.Qh4 Nf6 17.Be3]

16.e5??

[16.Rxf6]

16...Nd7?

[16...O-O-O]

[16...Ne4]

17.Qf4? This throws away some of the advantage.

[17.Bd3]

[17.Bg5]

17...O-O-O 18.Bd3 Qc6 19.Qg3 Nxe5 20.Be2 Qe4 21.Bf3?

[21.Be3]

21...Nxf3 22.gxf3 Qxc4 23.Be3 Qc3 24.Qf2 Rd5 25.Rab1 Rf5 26.Rxb7 Kxb7 27.Rb1+ Kc6 28.Rb3 Qf6 29.Qe2 Kc7??

[29...Qa1+ 30.Kg2 Qxa2]

30.Qb5??

[30.Qa6]

30...Rc8?

[30...Rd5]

31.Qa5+??

[31.Bxc5]

31...Kd7 32.Rb7+ Ke8 33.Qb5+ Kf8 34.Bxc5+ Rfxc5 35.Qxc5+ Rxc5

0-1

Sudharsan, K. - Skidmore, J.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 1

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4 Bb4 GM Yuri Shulman has been playing this move recently. Black has been strugglin in the main line with 4....dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2, and the text move is a solid alternative.
5.e5 c5 6.a3 Ba5 An unusual sideline, once tried by Indian GM Barua. Most GMs trade on c3.
7.cxd5 This is the most solid move. 7.Qg4 is for the more gung-ho (or even Randy Ho?) chess player.
7...exd5 8.Bb5+ Bd7 9.Bxd7+ Qxd7 Here, and the next couple of moves, white can get a slight edge with dxc5, but instead to keep a solid center and not play for complications.
10.Nge2 Nc6 11.Be3 O-O-O?! This is aggression taken too far! Black has little to fear with short castling. Now white should be able to whip up an attack on black's already open queenside.
12.O-O Nge7 13.Nb5! Nf5 14.b4 Not bad, but 14.dxc5 may be even better.

[14.dxc5 Nxe5 15.Qa4 Nxe3 16.fxe3 Bd2 17.Nd6+ Kb8 18.Qf4 f6 19.Rad1 Ba5 20.Rxd5]

14...cxd4 15.Bxd4 Nfxd4 16.Nexd4 Bb6 17.Rc1 Kb8 18.Nxc6+ bxc6 19.Nd4 Rc8 20.a4 Rhe8 21.a5 Bxd4 22.Qxd4 Re6 23.h3 Rg6 24.Qd3 Qb7 25.a6 Qb6 26.Rc5 Re8 27.Rfc1 Rxe5 28.b5 Ree6?

[28...Re1+ 29.Rxe1 Qxc5 30.bxc6]

[28...Rge6 29.Qxh7 Re1+ 30.Kh2 Rxc1 31.Qg8+ Kc7 32.Qxf7+ Kd6 33.Qf8+ Kd7 34.Qxg7+ Re7 35.Qg4+ Kd6 36.Rxc1 Qxb5]

29.bxc6 Kc8

[29...Rxc6 30.Rxc6 Rxc6 31.Rb1]

30.Rb5

[30.Rxd5]

30...Qc7 31.Rb7

[31.Qxd5]

31...Qa5 32.Rxf7

[32.c7]

32...Re1+ 33.Rxe1?

[33.Kh2]

33...Qxe1+ 34.Qf1 Qa5?? 35.Qb1 Qxa6 36.Qf5+ Kb8 37.Qe5+ Ka8 38.Qe8+ Qc8 39.Qxc8#

1-0

West, T. - Brumley, E.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 1

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Na3 Be7 7.Be2 7.Nb5 is the main line, and scores a little higher than the text move.
7...Nc6 Normally, when black plays Be7 early, his idea is to castle quickly! Now white gets to try the tricky Nb5 ideas.
8.O-O cxd4 9.Nb5 Qd8 10.Nbxd4 O-O Most GM games see black trading on d4 first, so as to avoid isolated pawns.
11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Ne5?! This throws away white's advantage. Instead, white should "build up" with Bd3, Qc2, Bg5 or Ng5 and start attacking with all of his pieces. Now to maintain the Ne5, white must compromise his pwn pawn structure with f4, and bury his c1 bishop temporarily.
12...Qc7 13.f4 Bd6 14.Nc4 Bc5+ 15.Kh1 Nd5 16.Rf3 Ba6 17.Qe1 Rae8 17...Rad8 looks a little more natural.
18.Qh4 Be7 19.Qg4 Nb6?! This hands the advantage over to white. Perhaps black missed white's defense of his e2 bishop?
20.Rg3! g6 21.Ne5 Bxe2 22.Qxe2 Bf6 23.Qe4 Rd8 24.Be3 Nd5 25.Bc5 Rfe8 26.Ng4? Bg7 27.Qa4? Nxf4 28.Qxa7? Qxa7 29.Bxa7 Ne2 30.Re3 Rd2 31.Re1 Nf4 32.g3 Nd5 33.R3e2 Rxe2 34.Rxe2 Ra8 35.Bc5 Rxa2 36.c4 Nc7 37.Rd2 h5 38.Nf2 Rxb2 39.Rd8+ Kh7 40.Rd7?

[40.Ne4]

40...Na6 41.Be3 Re2 42.Bb6 Kg8? 43.Rd8+ Kh7 44.Rd7 Kg8 45.Rd8+ Bf8 46.Ra8 Nc7

[46...Ra2 47.Bc5 Nxc5 48.Rxa2]

47.Bxc7 Rxf2 48.Bd6 Rc2 49.c5 Kg7 50.Bxf8+ Kf6 51.Bd6 Kf5 52.Rf8 Kf6 53.Rc8 e5 54.Rxc6 Ke6 55.Bf8+ Kd7 56.Rd6+ Ke8 57.Bg7 Rxc5 58.Bf6 Rc8 59.Rd5 e4 60.Re5+ Kf8 61.Rxe4 Rc6 62.Be7+ Kg7 63.Ba3 Rc2 64.Kg1 f5 65.Re6 Kf7 66.Ra6 Kg7 67.Bd6 h4 68.Bf4 hxg3 69.hxg3 Re2 70.Kf1 Rc2 71.Bg5 Rh2 72.Ra7+ Kg8 73.Bf6 Kf8 74.Rg7 Ke8 75.Bg5 Rh5 76.Rxg6 Kf7 77.Rf6+ Kg7 78.Rxf5 Kg6 79.g4 Rxg5 80.Rxg5+ Kxg5

1/2-1/2

Finegold, K. - Smith, M.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 1

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.g3 Bxa6 7.Bg2 d6 8.Nf3 Bg7 9.Nc3 O-O 10.O-O Nbd7 11.Re1 11.Rb1 is the modern move, and 11.Qc2 was most popular throughout the years. The text move is also fine.
11...Qa5 12.Nd2 This is quite unusual. Sometimes white wants to play Bd2. Best was 12.e4
12...Rfb8 13.Qc2 Black has done pretty well in this position over the years, although the computers prefer white, with the extra pawn. A typical benko position.
13...Ra7 14.e4 Ng4 One of the many standard Benko/Benoni ideas (Ng4-e5-c4/d3). Many white players choose to play h3 early to avoid this maneuver.
15.Nb3 Qc7 16.Qd1 Nge5 17.Re3 Nc4 18.Re2? This allows a winning tactical shot.

[18.Re1]

18...Nxb2! 19.Bxb2 Bxe2 20.Qxe2 c4 21.Nc1 Rab7 22.Na4 Bxb2

0-1

Brumley, R. - Finegold, R.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 2

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.e3 This is a bit meek, but white can still try for an edge in some lines. 6.Nc2 followed by g3 and Bg2 or simply e4 and Be2 is a little more common.
6...Nf6 7.g3 This mixes lines a little, but still okay. 7.Be2 is seen more often.
7...O-O 8.Bg2 e5? This is so anti-positional, as well as white's next (!) that I may have the wrong score here, and have trransposed moves. If this is indeed the CORRECT score, then this is a real lemon, and white has a great game after 9. Ndb5! Let's hope white captured earlier on c6 and black later played e5 (although, to be homest, that also makes little sense).
9.Nxc6? In any kind of position like the one here, white should almost NEVER play Nxc6. This takes away white's powerful grip on d5 and the strength of the Bg2.
9...dxc6! 10.O-O Qe7 11.Qc2 Be6 12.Na4 e4 13.b3

[13.Bxe4? Nxe4! 14.Qxe4 Qb4!]

13...Bf5 13...b5 also retains an advantage.
14.Bb2 h5 15.Bd4 Nd7 This is not very good. Black has good play on the kingside, and trading makes the defense easy for white. Simply 15...b6 and black is better.
16.Qc3 Bxd4?

[16...Ne5]

17.exd4 Rfe8 18.Rfe1 Qf6 19.f3 exf3 20.Bxf3 c5 21.d5

[21.dxc5 Qxc3 22.Nxc3 Nxc5 23.b4 Nd3 24.Rxe8+ Rxe8 25.a3]

21...Ne5?! 22.Bg2?!

[22.Nxc5! I am not sure what both players "saw" but I 'assume' one or both of them thought 22...Nxf3+ 23.Qxf3 Qd4+ wins and 24.Qf2 was overlooked. Or maybe they both had other reasons?]

22...Qd6 23.Re3 f6 24.Qd2 b6 25.Nc3 Ng4 26.Ree1 Kg7 27.h3?! This unneceesarily weakens the white king. Random pawn moves are often the cause of later weaknesses.
27...Nh6!?

[27...Ne5]

28.Qf2 Rad8 For some reason, white has not availed himself all the opportunites to trade rooks. With all the rooks gone, the white king is safer, and the d5 pawn looms large. With lots of pieces, maybe black will get at the white king!
29.Re2

[29.Rxe8 Rxe8 30.Re1]

29...Re5 30.Nb5? Rxe2! Oops! Now black should win.
31.Qxe2

[31.Nxd6?? Rxf2 32.Nxf5+ Rxf5!]

31...Qxg3 32.Qe7+? White should use his queen for defense instead of this pseudo-activity.
32...Nf7 33.Rf1 Bxh3?

[33...Rd7!]

34.Qxf6+ Kh6 35.Qf2 Qg5 36.Kh2 Bf5 37.Nxa7 Ne5! 38.Qf4 Qxf4+ 39.Rxf4 Re8?

[39...Ra8]

40.Nc6? Ng4+ 41.Kg3?? Re3+

[41...Kg5!]

42.Rf3 Re2 43.a4? Be4

[43...h4+! 44.Kh3 Kg5]

44.a5?? Bxf3??

[44...Kg5!]

45.axb6??

[45.Bxf3! Re3! 46.d6 Nf6! 47.a6! Rxb3 48.a7 Ra3]

45...Rxg2+?

[45...Kg5! 46.Bf1

(46.Bh3 Bh1 47.Bxg4 hxg4 48.b7 Rg2#)

(46.Bh1 Bxh1 47.Nd4 cxd4 48.b7 Re3#)

46...Rf2 47.b7 h4+ 48.Kh3 Rh2#]

46.Kf4??

[46.Kxf3 Rf2+! 47.Ke4 Rf7]

46...Bd1

[46...Rf2! 47.b7

(47.Kg3 Kg5 48.b7 h4+ 49.Kh3 Rh2#)

47...g5+ 48.Kg3

(48.Kf5 Bxd5#)

48...h4+ 49.Kh3 Rh2#]

47.b7 Rf2+

[47...g5+!! 48.Ke4

(48.Kf5 Re2!! 49.b8=Q Bc2#)

48...Re2+ 49.Kd3

(49.Kf3 Rf2+ 50.Ke4 (50.Kg3 h4+ 51.Kh3 Rh2#) 50...Bc2#)

49...Nf2+ 50.Kc3 Rc2#]

48.Kg3 Rf8

[48...Rh2!! 49.b8=Q

(49.Nd4! h4+ 50.Kf4 Rf2+ 51.Ke4 Rf8)

49...h4+ 50.Kf4 Rf2+ 51.Ke4 Bc2#]

49.b8=Q Rxb8 50.Nxb8 Bxb3 51.d6 Nf6 52.d7 Nxd7 53.Nxd7 Bxc4 54.Nxc5 g5 55.Nd7 Be6 56.Ne5 h4+ 57.Kf3 Kh5 58.Kg2 g4 59.Nd3 Kg5 60.Kh2 Bd5 61.Kg1 g3 62.Nc1 Kg4

[62...h3]

63.Nd3 h3 64.Nf2+ Kh4 65.Nh1 Bxh1?

[65...h2+ 66.Kf1 g2+]

66.Kxh1 Kg4 67.Kg1 Kf3 68.Kh1 g2+ 69.Kh2

[69.Kg1 h2+ 70.Kxh2 Kf2 71.Kh3 g1=Q 72.Kh4 Qg6 73.Kh3 Qh5#]

69...Kf2 70.Kxh3 g1=Q 71.Kh4 Qg6 72.Kh3 Qg3# Black missed 6-7 forced mates in the ending.

0-1

Brereton, J. - Sudharsan, K.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 2

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.c3 c5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.Nf4 Nxd4 10.Qh5+ Ke7 11.exf6+ Nxf6 12.Ng6+ hxg6 13.Qxh8 Kf7 14.Qh4 e5 15.Nf3 Nxf3+ 16.gxf3 This position was VERY popular in the 1990s and still is today. No less than GMs Morozevich and Timman have had black in this position. Theory states 16...Bf5 is best, with an unclear position. Instead, Krishnan hangs his bishop. :(
16...Bb4+?? Strangely, this was also played before (!!!) in 2000, with the same outcome!

[16...Bf5 17.Bxf5 gxf5 18.Bg5 Qa5+ 19.Kf1 g6 20.Bxf6 Qa6+ 21.Kg2 Qxf6 22.Qa4 Qc6 23.Qb3 Bc5 24.Rac1 b6 25.Rhe1 Kf6 26.Qe3 Qd6 27.Qh6]

17.Qxb4 If only Randy Ho was the commentator.... Oops!!

1-0

Swan, H. - Ghiata, G.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 2

1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 d6 3.e3 Nf6 4.c4 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 a5 7.a3 axb4 8.axb4 Rxa1 9.Bxa1 Black has chosen a very passive way to meet 1.b4 White has a large space advantage on the queenside.
9...c6 10.O-O Na6 11.Qa4 Nc7?! This is too passive. Black should get active with 11...Qb6 or 11...e4
12.Nc3 Nfe8? This is taking passive play too far!
13.d4 exd4 14.Nxd4 d5 15.Rd1! Bd6 16.cxd5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 cxd5 18.Qb3 Qh4 19.Nf3 Qh6?

[19...Qxb4 20.Qxd5]

20.Qxd5! Bxb4?? 21.Be5??

[21.Qc4! FORK! Qa6 22.Qxb4 Qxe2 23.Rd8! Be6 24.Bb2!! The idea is 25.Ba3 and 26.Qxf8 mate!
24...h6 25.h3! Now white wins easily, as there are no back rank tricks, and black will lose either his e8 knight or his f8 rook.]

21...Qc6 22.Qb3 Be7 23.Nd4 Qc5 24.Bg3 Nf6 25.Bf3 b6 26.Rb1

[26.Nc6! Re8 27.Nxe7+ Qxe7 28.Qxb6]

26...Bd8 27.Nb5 Be6 28.Qd1 Be7 29.Nd4 Rd8 30.Rb5? Rxd4! 31.Qa1??

[31.Qf1! Qc3! 32.exd4 Bc4! 33.Be2 Bxb5 34.Bxb5 Qxd4]

31...Qxb5 32.exd4 Qa5 33.Qd1 Nd5 34.h3 b5 35.Qc1 Qb6 36.Bxd5 Bxd5 37.Qf4 h6 38.Qe5 Qb7 39.f3 b4 40.Bf4 b3 41.Bc1 Bf6 42.Qe8+ Kh7 43.Bb2 Qe7 44.Qxe7 Bxe7 45.Kf2 Bg5 46.g3 Bd2 47.Ke2 Bb4 48.Kf2 f5 49.Ke3 Kg6 50.Kf4 Kf6 51.g4 g5+ 52.Ke3 fxg4 53.hxg4 Kg6 54.f4 gxf4+ 55.Kxf4 Bd6+ 56.Ke3 Kg5 57.Kf2 Kxg4 58.Kg1 h5 59.Bc1 h4 60.Bb2 h3 61.Bc1 h2+

[61...Kf3! 62.Kf1 h2 63.Ke1 Bb4+ 64.Bd2 h1=Q#]

62.Kf2 h1=Q 63.Be3 Qf3+ 64.Ke1 Bb4+ 65.Bd2 Qe3+

[65...Bc4! 66.Bxb4 Qe2#]

66.Kf1 Bc4+

[66...Qxd2 67.Kg1 Qg2#]

67.Kg2 Qf3+ 68.Kg1 Bxd2 69.Kh2 Bd5 70.Kg1 Qg2#

0-1

Skidmore, J. - West, T.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 2

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 e6 4.Nf3 d5 5.e5 This is played sometimes, but by far the most populat way to combat e6 and d5 is Bb5.
5...Nge7 6.g3 a6 7.Bg2 b5 8.O-O Bb7 9.Ne2 Nf5 10.c3 Qb6 11.Kh1 d4 12.d3 Rd8 13.Ng5 Be7 14.Ne4 h5 White is building play VERY slowly, and as a result, black has his pieces all on excellent squares. Black is a bit better here.
15.Ng1 h4!?

[15...c4! Taking advantage of the Rd8/Qd1 situatiuon.
16.dxc4 dxc3 17.Qc2 cxb2]

16.g4 h3!? This seems unneceessary. Black is going for a BRILLIANCY!
17.Bxh3?!

[17.Nxh3]

17...Ne3!?

[17...Nh4!]

18.Bxe3 dxe3 19.Bg2 c4 20.d4 Nxd4!! 21.Nd6+!?

[21.cxd4 Rxd4 22.Qb1! Qc6 23.Ne2 Rxe4!

(23...Qxe4? 24.Qxe4 Rxe4 25.Nc3 Rd4 26.Bxb7 Rd2 27.Bg2 Rxb2 28.Rfe1)

24.Qc2?

(24.Rg1 Bg5!! 25.Qf1 Qd5!! 26.Rd1 Bxf4!! 27.Nxf4 Qxe5 28.Bxe4 Bxe4+ 29.Rg2 Bxg2+ 30.Qxg2 (30.Kxg2 g5) 30...Qxf4)

24...Rh4 25.Bf3 Rxg4 26.h3 Rexf4!! 27.Nxf4 Qxf3+! 28.Rxf3 Rxf4!!]

21...Bxd6 22.cxd4 Bxg2+ 23.Kxg2 Bb4 24.Nf3 c3 25.a3 cxb2 26.axb4 bxa1=Q 27.Qxa1 Qc6 28.Qb1 Rxd4 29.Kg3 Rc4 30.Re1 Rc2?

[30...Rh3+! Hiarcs announces mate in 11!
31.Kxh3 Qxf3+ 32.Kh4 Qf2+ 33.Kh3 e2 34.Rg1 Rc3+ 35.Rg3 Qf1+ 36.Qxf1 exf1=Q+ 37.Kh4 Qf2 38.Kh3 Rxg3+ 39.hxg3 g5 40.fxg5 Qg1 41.g6 Qh1#]

31.Rxe3 Rhxh2! 32.Qf1 Rc1 33.Qd3 Rb2 34.Qd4 Qc2 35.f5 Qg2+ 36.Kf4 Rc4 37.fxe6 fxe6 38.Rd3 Rbxb4 39.Kg5 Rxd4 40.Nxd4 Qe4 41.Rc3 Qxe5+ 42.Kh4 Qxd4 43.Rg3 Qf4 44.Rg2 Rb3 45.Kh5 Qh6#

0-1

Smith, M. - Rhee, W.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 2

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 O-O 12.Nc2 Bg5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.b4 This move was played occasionally in the 1990s, but nowadays, everybody is playing 16.b3
16...Bd7 17.Ra1 17.Ra3 was played by Judit Polgar once (against French GM Joel Lautier), although the text move is just as good!
17...axb4 Previously, 17...Kh8 was played.
18.cxb4 Kh8 19.h4 Bh6 20.g4 White goes all out, and wins a pawn, but his king pays a price. Black gets just the type of play he wants in this sharp Sicilian.
20...Bf4!? 21.Nxf4 exf4 22.Qxd6 Qe8 23.Bd5 Ne5 24.g5 Nd3+ 25.Kf1 Bb5 26.Kg1 Qc8 27.Nd4 Rd8 28.Nxb5 Rxd6 29.Nxd6 Qg4+ 30.Kf1 g6 31.Nxf7+ Kg7 32.Nd6 Kf8 33.b5 Qf3 34.Rh2 Ne5 35.Rg2 Ng4 36.Kg1 Ne5 37.Ra7 Qd1+ 38.Kh2 Nf3+ 39.Kh3 Qh1+ 40.Kg4 Qxg2+ 41.Kxf4 and later 0-1

0-1

Rhee, W. - Brereton, J.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 3

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 f5 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Ne5 Bd6 7.f4 This is a ple asant way for white to get a slight edge against the Stonewall (symetrical Stonewall!)
7...O-O 8.Be2 Ne4 9.O-O Nd7 10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.Bd2 Nf6 12.c5! White gains space on the queenside.
12...Bc7 13.b4 Bd7 14.a4 a6 15.Qb3 Be8 16.b5 axb5?

[16...cxb5! This gets rid of the bad black bishop, although white maintains the edge.
17.axb5 Bxb5 18.Bxb5 axb5 19.Qxb5 Bxe5]

17.axb5 cxb5 18.Bxb5 Rxa1 19.Rxa1 b6? Black needs to keep defending passively. Now white is winning.
20.cxb6! Bxe5 21.Bxe8! Bxd4? 22.exd4

[22.b7!]

22...Rxe8! 23.b7 Qd6? The last hope was 23...Nd7. Now it is over.
24.Ra8 Rb8 25.Bb4 Qxf4 26.Rxb8+

[26.Qg3!]

26...Kf7?

[26...Qxb8 27.Bd6 Qxd6 28.b8=Q+ Qxb8 29.Qxb8+ Kf7]

27.Rf8+ Kg6 28.Qg3+ Qxg3 29.hxg3

1-0

West, T. - Sudharsan, K.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 3

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.a3 Nh6 7.b4 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nf5 9.Bb2 Bd7 10.g4 Nfe7 11.Rg1 Unusual. 11.Nc3 is seen often in GM praxis.
11...Rc8 12.Nc3 Na5 13.Qd3?! This gives black the edge. Simply 13.Na4 and it's a complex position.
13...Nc4 14.Bc1 Nc6 15.Rb1 Nxb4!? Speculative, but not that bad.
16.axb4 Bxb4 17.Ke2 17.Nd2 was also fine, then white has Rg3 later.
17...Nxe5?

[17...Qa5! 18.Rxb4! Qxb4 19.Rg3!]

18.Nxe5 Rxc3 19.Nxd7?

[19.Qxc3! Bxc3

(19...Bb5+? 20.Kf3! Bxc3 21.Bxb5+ Kd8 22.Nxf7+ Ke7 23.Nxh8)

20.Rxb6 axb6 21.Ke3]

19...Qa5! 20.Qxc3?

[20.Nc5 Rxd3 21.Nxd3 Bd6 22.Rxb7]

20...Bxc3 21.Ne5 Qa2+ 22.Bb2 Qxb1?!

[22...Bxb2]

23.Bxc3 Qc2+ 24.Bd2 Qe4+ 25.Kd1 Qb1+ 26.Ke2 O-O 27.f3 f6 28.Nd3 Rc8 29.Nc5 b6 30.Nd3 a5 31.Kf2 Rc2 32.Be2 Qa2 33.Nc1 Qb2 34.Be3 a4 35.Re1 a3 36.Nd3 Rxe2+ 37.Rxe2 Qxe2+ 38.Kxe2 a2 39.Nf4 Kf7

0-1

Finegold, R. - Smith, M.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 3

1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.cxd5 Qxd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Nc3 Qd8 7.Bc4 e6 8.O-O Nf6 9.d4 Be7 10.Re1 O-O This is not the best square for the bishop, as it is subject to attack. GMs prefer 11.a3 so as to prepare a later Qd3 (a3 stops Nb4) and perhaps Ba2 if necessary.
11.Bf4 b6 12.d5?! This was played once, by Sveshnikov in 1976, and has not been repeated! Now black has easy equality.
12...Na5 13.d6 Nxc4 14.dxe7 Qxe7 15.b3?! Sveshnikov tried 15. Qe2 Nd6 16.Rad1 and got some compensation, and even won later!
15...Rd8 16.Qe2 Na5 17.Nb5?! Bb7

[17...Ba6]

18.Rac1 Nc6

[18...Qb4!]

19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.Bxe5 Nd5 21.Bg3 Ba6 White is a pawn behind, and stands badly to boot. Black is winning.
22.a4 Rac8 23.Qe5? Losing more material.
23...Bxb5 24.axb5 Qb4 25.h3 Qxb5 26.Bh4 Re8 27.Ra1 a5 28.Ra4 Nc3 29.Qxb5 Nxb5 30.Rg4 f5 31.Rg3 Kf7 32.Rd3 White has 5:42 remaining. At this point, black, who had a very big time edge, thought for over 10 min, to come down to 7:29 secondshimself!
32...h6 Not sure if that was worth a 10 minute think!
33.f3 5:39 remaining.
33...g5 34.Bf2 Rc6 6:17 remaining for black.
35.Rd7+ Kg6? 35...Re7 was still -+ . Now white can fight back! Black now has weak queenside pawns...and less time than white! What a turnaround.
36.Rb7! Nc7?! Played after very long thought. Now black has 1:12 remaining.
37.Bxb6 5:09 Nd5 0:58 38.Bxa5 Rec8 0:57 39.Re2 4:27 Nf4 40.Rd2 4:13 Rc2 41.Rbd7 Rc1+ 42.Kh2 Rb1 43.b4??

[43.Bc7]

43...Rcc1 44.Kg3 Rf1!! 0:17 45.Rd1 Rbxd1 46.Rxd1 Rxd1 And later 0-1

0-1

Swan, H. - Skidmore, J.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 3

1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 f5 3.e3 Nf6 4.b5 Be7 5.Nh3 An unusual position has arisen! The game is level, but fireworks await!
5...b6 6.Nf4 O-O 7.Nh5?! This is too many knight moves for the purpose of simply trading. White needs to develop the other minor pieces. The knight was quite good on f4.
7...Bb7 8.Rg1!? Qe8 9.Be2 d6 10.a4 Nbd7 Black has all her minor pieces developed and has castled. It is still not clear what will will do with her b1 knight and Ke1.
11.c4 e5 12.Nxf6+ Nxf6 It will be difficult to decide what to do with the white king now.
13.Nc3 a6! An excellent move! Now it is difficult to castle queenside, but white gives it a try.
14.Qb3 Qf7 15.O-O-O?! axb5 16.axb5 c6! 17.Na4 cxb5 18.Qxb5?!

[18.Nxb6 Rab8!]

18...Ba6! 19.Qb3 b5! 20.d3?

[20.Nb6 Rab8 21.Nd5 Nxd5 22.cxd5 Rfc8+ 23.Kb1 Bb7]

20...bxa4 White's king never found a safe home.

0-1

Ghiata, G. - Brumley, R.
EFI, 12/02/2007
Round 3

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 A strange move order. White usually plays 5.e4. If white wants to play g3 lines, it is better to leave the Nb1 at home
5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 8.Nf3 Nc6 At the GM level, black does well here. Modern games no longer see this variation.
9.Bb2?! O-O 10.d5? White needs to castle and complete development before starts to do stuff!
10...Qb6 10...Na5 may be even better.
11.Qc2? Nb4! A nice shot that white overlooked.
12.cxb4 Qxb4+ 13.Nd2 Qxb2 14.Qxb2 Bxb2 15.Rb1 Be5 I think black should simply play 15...Bg7.
16.Nc4?! Bc3+! 17.Kf1 Rb8 18.Rb3 Bg7 19.a4 b6 20.f4 Ba6 21.Ne5 Bxe5! 22.fxe5 Rfd8?!

[22...Rbd8! 23.Rc3 e6]

23.Rc3 e6 24.d6 f6 25.Bh3?

[25.Kf2! fxe5 26.Rd1 White needs his h1 rook! Now white MAY be lost, but he is still fighting!]

25...fxe5 26.Bxe6+ Kg7 27.d7 Bb7 28.Rg1 Bc6 29.Ke1 Bxd7

0-1

Created with PGNtoJS

1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bb4 A rare move. 6.. .Bd6 is seen in most GM games. Black should not want to trade the dark squared bishop, as the the black pawns are on white squares. 7.Bd2 Qc7 This is simpl y weird. The black queen does not usually belong on c7. A long time ago, Dutch IM Rini Kuijf played Bb4 and later followed it up with Ba5-c7. Now black is more or less forced to trade the good bishop. 7...0-0 was best. 8.a3 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 Ne4 10.Bd3 Nxc3 11.Qxc3 dxc4 12.Bxc4 O-O 13.b4 Re8 14.Rd1 White delays castling his last couple of moves to try and prevent the usual black counterplay of e5 od c5. 14...a5! Black needs to find play somewhere. 15.O-O Nb6 16.e4 Now black should throw in axb4 somewhere in the next few moves. This activates the a8 rook, and stops white from playing a positionally minded b5 later. 16...Nxc4 17.Qxc4 Qf4 18.Rfe1 Bd7 19.Ne5 Red8 20.bxa5 Bc8? 21.Qb4 f6 22.Qe7 Rf8 23.Nc4 e5 24.Nb6 Rxa5?
	[24...Rb8 25.d5]
25.Nxc8 Rxc8? 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.Qxc8# 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be2?! A passive move handing over the initiative to black. 6.Ndb5 and 6.Nxc6 are played often in GM praxis. 6...Bb4! 7.f3?! d5 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.O-O Bxc3 Destroying white's pawn structure permanently has its advantages. Keeping the dark squared bishop is another way of playing. Depends more on style than on which is right. White has some compensation for his passive position and wretched pawns with his two bishops. 10.bxc3 Qb6+ 11.Kh1 dxe4? This is too greedy. White is castled and has his king safely tucked away, whereas black still has his King on e8! Opening the center should be white's priority! 12.Qd6?! This gives black a chance to defend. White had a tremendous opportunity to get a big advantage with the simple 12.fxe4!
	[12.fxe4! Nxe4
		(12...O-O 13.Rxf6! gxf6 14.Bh6)
	13.Bf3 Nxc3 14.Qd6 Bd7 15.Bg5 f6 16.Bh5+ Kd8 17.Rxf6 gxf6 18.Bxf6+ Kc8 19.Bxh8 Ne4 20.Qd4 Qxd4 21.Bxd4]
12...c5! The only move. 13.Qg3! Ba6!?
	[13...O-O 14.Bh6 Ne8 15.Rab1 Qc7]
14.c4!? Although this may seem slow, it keeps pieces on the board and keeps the pressure on black. 14...Rg8 Rooks do not belong on g8 in the Sicilian. Is Tom Manion black? 15.fxe4 Bb7??
	[15...Nxe4 16.Qh4 Nf6 17.Be3]
16.e5??
	[16.Rxf6]
16...Nd7?
	[16...O-O-O]

	[16...Ne4]
17.Qf4? This throws away some of the advantage.
	[17.Bd3]

	[17.Bg5]
17...O-O-O 18.Bd3 Qc6 19.Qg3 Nxe5 20.Be2 Qe4 21.Bf3?
	[21.Be3]
21...Nxf3 22.gxf3 Qxc4 23.Be3 Qc3 24.Qf2 Rd5 25.Rab1 Rf5 26.Rxb7 Kxb7 27.Rb1+ Kc6 28.Rb3 Qf6 29.Qe2 Kc7??
	[29...Qa1+ 30.Kg2 Qxa2]
30.Qb5??
	[30.Qa6]
30...Rc8?
	[30...Rd5]
31.Qa5+??
	[31.Bxc5]
31...Kd7 32.Rb7+ Ke8 33.Qb5+ Kf8 34.Bxc5+ Rfxc5 35.Qxc5+ Rxc5 0-1

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4 Bb4 GM Yuri Shulman has been playing this move recently. Black has been strugglin in the main line with 4....dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2, and the text move is a solid alternative. 5.e5 c5 6.a3 Ba5 An unusual sideline, once tried by Indian GM Barua. Most GMs trade on c3. 7.cxd5 This is the most solid move. 7.Qg4 is for the more gung-ho (or even Randy Ho?) chess player. 7...exd5 8.Bb5+ Bd7 9.Bxd7+ Qxd7 Here, and the next couple of moves, white can get a slight edge with dxc5, but instead to keep a solid center and not play for complications. 10.Nge2 Nc6 11.Be3 O-O-O?! This is aggression taken too far! Black has little to fear with short castling. Now white should be able to whip up an attack on black's already open queenside. 12.O-O Nge7 13.Nb5! Nf5 14.b4 Not bad, but 14.dxc5 may be even better.
	[14.dxc5 Nxe5 15.Qa4 Nxe3 16.fxe3 Bd2 17.Nd6+ Kb8 18.Qf4 f6 19.Rad1 Ba5 20.Rxd5]
14...cxd4 15.Bxd4 Nfxd4 16.Nexd4 Bb6 17.Rc1 Kb8 18.Nxc6+ bxc6 19.Nd4 Rc8 20.a4 Rhe8 21.a5 Bxd4 22.Qxd4 Re6 23.h3 Rg6 24.Qd3 Qb7 25.a6 Qb6 26.Rc5 Re8 27.Rfc1 Rxe5 28.b5 Ree6?
	[28...Re1+ 29.Rxe1 Qxc5 30.bxc6]

	[28...Rge6 29.Qxh7 Re1+ 30.Kh2 Rxc1 31.Qg8+ Kc7 32.Qxf7+ Kd6 33.Qf8+ Kd7 34.Qxg7+ Re7 35.Qg4+ Kd6 36.Rxc1 Qxb5]
29.bxc6 Kc8
	[29...Rxc6 30.Rxc6 Rxc6 31.Rb1]
30.Rb5
	[30.Rxd5]
30...Qc7 31.Rb7
	[31.Qxd5]
31...Qa5 32.Rxf7
	[32.c7]
32...Re1+ 33.Rxe1?
	[33.Kh2]
33...Qxe1+ 34.Qf1 Qa5?? 35.Qb1 Qxa6 36.Qf5+ Kb8 37.Qe5+ Ka8 38.Qe8+ Qc8 39.Qxc8# 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Na3 Be7 7.Be2 7.Nb5 is the main line, and scores a little higher than the text move. 7...Nc6 Normally, when black plays Be7 early, his idea is to castle quickly! Now white gets to try the tricky Nb5 ideas. 8.O-O cxd4 9.Nb5 Qd8 10.Nbxd4 O-O Most GM games see black trading on d4 first, so as to avoid isolated pawns. 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Ne5?! This throws away white's advantage. Instead, white should "build up" with Bd3, Qc2, Bg5 or Ng5 and start attacking with all of his pieces. Now to maintain the Ne5, white must compromise his pwn pawn structure with f4, and bury his c1 bishop temporarily. 12...Qc7 13.f4 Bd6 14.Nc4 Bc5+ 15.Kh1 Nd5 16.Rf3 Ba6 17.Qe1 Rae8 17...Rad8 looks a little more natural. 18.Qh4 Be7 19.Qg4 Nb6?! This hands the advantage over to white. Perhaps black missed white's defense of his e2 bishop? 20.Rg3! g6 21.Ne5 Bxe2 22.Qxe2 Bf6 23.Qe4 Rd8 24.Be3 Nd5 25.Bc5 Rfe8 26.Ng4? Bg7 27.Qa4? Nxf4 28.Qxa7? Qxa7 29.Bxa7 Ne2 30.Re3 Rd2 31.Re1 Nf4 32.g3 Nd5 33.R3e2 Rxe2 34.Rxe2 Ra8 35.Bc5 Rxa2 36.c4 Nc7 37.Rd2 h5 38.Nf2 Rxb2 39.Rd8+ Kh7 40.Rd7?
	[40.Ne4]
40...Na6 41.Be3 Re2 42.Bb6 Kg8? 43.Rd8+ Kh7 44.Rd7 Kg8 45.Rd8+ Bf8 46.Ra8 Nc7
	[46...Ra2 47.Bc5 Nxc5 48.Rxa2]
47.Bxc7 Rxf2 48.Bd6 Rc2 49.c5 Kg7 50.Bxf8+ Kf6 51.Bd6 Kf5 52.Rf8 Kf6 53.Rc8 e5 54.Rxc6 Ke6 55.Bf8+ Kd7 56.Rd6+ Ke8 57.Bg7 Rxc5 58.Bf6 Rc8 59.Rd5 e4 60.Re5+ Kf8 61.Rxe4 Rc6 62.Be7+ Kg7 63.Ba3 Rc2 64.Kg1 f5 65.Re6 Kf7 66.Ra6 Kg7 67.Bd6 h4 68.Bf4 hxg3 69.hxg3 Re2 70.Kf1 Rc2 71.Bg5 Rh2 72.Ra7+ Kg8 73.Bf6 Kf8 74.Rg7 Ke8 75.Bg5 Rh5 76.Rxg6 Kf7 77.Rf6+ Kg7 78.Rxf5 Kg6 79.g4 Rxg5 80.Rxg5+ Kxg5 1/2-1/2

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.g3 Bxa6 7.Bg2 d6 8.Nf3 Bg7 9.Nc3 O-O 10.O-O Nbd7 11.Re1 11.Rb1 is the modern move, and 11.Qc2 was most popular throughout the years. The text move is also fine. 11...Qa5 12.Nd2 This is quite unusual. Sometimes white wants to play Bd2. Best was 12.e4 12...Rfb8 13.Qc2 Black has done pretty well in this position over the years, although the computers prefer white, with the extra pawn. A typical benko position. 13...Ra7 14.e4 Ng4 One of the many standard Benko/Benoni ideas (Ng4-e5-c4/d3). Many white players choose to play h3 early to avoid this maneuver. 15.Nb3 Qc7 16.Qd1 Nge5 17.Re3 Nc4 18.Re2? This allows a winning tactical shot.
	[18.Re1]
18...Nxb2! 19.Bxb2 Bxe2 20.Qxe2 c4 21.Nc1 Rab7 22.Na4 Bxb2 0-1

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.e3 This is a bit meek, but white can still try for an edge in some lines. 6.Nc2 followed by g3 and Bg2 or simply e4 and Be2 is a little more common. 6...Nf6 7.g3 This mixes lines a little, but still okay. 7.Be2 is seen more often. 7...O-O 8.Bg2 e5? This is so anti-positional, as well as white's next (!) that I may have the wrong score here, and have trransposed moves. If this is indeed the CORRECT score, then this is a real lemon, and white has a great game after 9. Ndb5! Let's hope white captured earlier on c6 and black later played e5 (although, to be homest, that also makes little sense). 9.Nxc6? In any kind of position like the one here, white should almost NEVER play Nxc6. This takes away white's powerful grip on d5 and the strength of the Bg2. 9...dxc6! 10.O-O Qe7 11.Qc2 Be6 12.Na4 e4 13.b3
	[13.Bxe4? Nxe4! 14.Qxe4 Qb4!]
13...Bf5 13...b5 also retains an advantage. 14.Bb2 h5 15.Bd4 Nd7 This is not very good. Black has good play on the kingside, and trading makes the defense easy for white. Simply 15...b6 and black is better. 16.Qc3 Bxd4?
	[16...Ne5]
17.exd4 Rfe8 18.Rfe1 Qf6 19.f3 exf3 20.Bxf3 c5 21.d5
	[21.dxc5 Qxc3 22.Nxc3 Nxc5 23.b4 Nd3 24.Rxe8+ Rxe8 25.a3]
21...Ne5?! 22.Bg2?!
	[22.Nxc5! I am not sure what both players "saw" but I 'assume' one or both of them thought 22...Nxf3+ 23.Qxf3 Qd4+ wins and 24.Qf2 was overlooked. Or maybe they both had other reasons?]
22...Qd6 23.Re3 f6 24.Qd2 b6 25.Nc3 Ng4 26.Ree1 Kg7 27.h3?! This unneceesarily weakens the white king. Random pawn moves are often the cause of later weaknesses. 27...Nh6!?
	[27...Ne5]
28.Qf2 Rad8 For some reason, white has not availed himself all the opportunites to trade rooks. With all the rooks gone, the white king is safer, and the d5 pawn looms large. With lots of pieces, maybe black will get at the white king! 29.Re2
	[29.Rxe8 Rxe8 30.Re1]
29...Re5 30.Nb5? Rxe2! Oops! Now black should win. 31.Qxe2
	[31.Nxd6?? Rxf2 32.Nxf5+ Rxf5!]
31...Qxg3 32.Qe7+? White should use his queen for defense instead of this pseudo-activity. 32...Nf7 33.Rf1 Bxh3?
	[33...Rd7!]
34.Qxf6+ Kh6 35.Qf2 Qg5 36.Kh2 Bf5 37.Nxa7 Ne5! 38.Qf4 Qxf4+ 39.Rxf4 Re8?
	[39...Ra8]
40.Nc6? Ng4+ 41.Kg3?? Re3+
	[41...Kg5!]
42.Rf3 Re2 43.a4? Be4
	[43...h4+! 44.Kh3 Kg5]
44.a5?? Bxf3??
	[44...Kg5!]
45.axb6??
	[45.Bxf3! Re3! 46.d6 Nf6! 47.a6! Rxb3 48.a7 Ra3]
45...Rxg2+?
	[45...Kg5! 46.Bf1
		(46.Bh3 Bh1 47.Bxg4 hxg4 48.b7 Rg2#)

		(46.Bh1 Bxh1 47.Nd4 cxd4 48.b7 Re3#)
	46...Rf2 47.b7 h4+ 48.Kh3 Rh2#]
46.Kf4??
	[46.Kxf3 Rf2+! 47.Ke4 Rf7]
46...Bd1
	[46...Rf2! 47.b7
		(47.Kg3 Kg5 48.b7 h4+ 49.Kh3 Rh2#)
	47...g5+ 48.Kg3
		(48.Kf5 Bxd5#)
	48...h4+ 49.Kh3 Rh2#]
47.b7 Rf2+
	[47...g5+!! 48.Ke4
		(48.Kf5 Re2!! 49.b8=Q Bc2#)
	48...Re2+ 49.Kd3
		(49.Kf3 Rf2+ 50.Ke4 (50.Kg3 h4+ 51.Kh3 Rh2#) 50...Bc2#)
	49...Nf2+ 50.Kc3 Rc2#]
48.Kg3 Rf8
	[48...Rh2!! 49.b8=Q
		(49.Nd4! h4+ 50.Kf4 Rf2+ 51.Ke4 Rf8)
	49...h4+ 50.Kf4 Rf2+ 51.Ke4 Bc2#]
49.b8=Q Rxb8 50.Nxb8 Bxb3 51.d6 Nf6 52.d7 Nxd7 53.Nxd7 Bxc4 54.Nxc5 g5 55.Nd7 Be6 56.Ne5 h4+ 57.Kf3 Kh5 58.Kg2 g4 59.Nd3 Kg5 60.Kh2 Bd5 61.Kg1 g3 62.Nc1 Kg4
	[62...h3]
63.Nd3 h3 64.Nf2+ Kh4 65.Nh1 Bxh1?
	[65...h2+ 66.Kf1 g2+]
66.Kxh1 Kg4 67.Kg1 Kf3 68.Kh1 g2+ 69.Kh2
	[69.Kg1 h2+ 70.Kxh2 Kf2 71.Kh3 g1=Q 72.Kh4 Qg6 73.Kh3 Qh5#]
69...Kf2 70.Kxh3 g1=Q 71.Kh4 Qg6 72.Kh3 Qg3# Black missed 6-7 forced mates in the ending. 0-1

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.c3 c5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.Nf4 Nxd4 10.Qh5+ Ke7 11.exf6+ Nxf6 12.Ng6+ hxg6 13.Qxh8 Kf7 14.Qh4 e5 15.Nf3 Nxf3+ 16.gxf3 This position was VERY popular in the 1990s and still is today. No less than GMs Morozevich and Timman have had black in this position. Theory states 16...Bf5 is best, with an unclear position. Instead, Krishnan hangs his bishop. :( 16...Bb4+?? Strangely, this was also played before (!!!) in 2000, with the same outcome!
	[16...Bf5 17.Bxf5 gxf5 18.Bg5 Qa5+ 19.Kf1 g6 20.Bxf6 Qa6+ 21.Kg2 Qxf6 22.Qa4 Qc6 23.Qb3 Bc5 24.Rac1 b6 25.Rhe1 Kf6 26.Qe3 Qd6 27.Qh6]
17.Qxb4 If only Randy Ho was the commentator.... Oops!! 1-0

1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 d6 3.e3 Nf6 4.c4 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 a5 7.a3 axb4 8.axb4 Rxa1 9.Bxa1 Black has chosen a very passive way to meet 1.b4 White has a large space advantage on the queenside. 9...c6 10.O-O Na6 11.Qa4 Nc7?! This is too passive. Black should get active with 11...Qb6 or 11...e4 12.Nc3 Nfe8? This is taking passive play too far! 13.d4 exd4 14.Nxd4 d5 15.Rd1! Bd6 16.cxd5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 cxd5 18.Qb3 Qh4 19.Nf3 Qh6?
	[19...Qxb4 20.Qxd5]
20.Qxd5! Bxb4?? 21.Be5??
	[21.Qc4! FORK! Qa6 22.Qxb4 Qxe2 23.Rd8! Be6 24.Bb2!! The idea is 25.Ba3 and 26.Qxf8 mate! 24...h6 25.h3! Now white wins easily, as there are no back rank tricks, and black will lose either his e8 knight or his f8 rook.]
21...Qc6 22.Qb3 Be7 23.Nd4 Qc5 24.Bg3 Nf6 25.Bf3 b6 26.Rb1
	[26.Nc6! Re8 27.Nxe7+ Qxe7 28.Qxb6]
26...Bd8 27.Nb5 Be6 28.Qd1 Be7 29.Nd4 Rd8 30.Rb5? Rxd4! 31.Qa1??
	[31.Qf1! Qc3! 32.exd4 Bc4! 33.Be2 Bxb5 34.Bxb5 Qxd4]
31...Qxb5 32.exd4 Qa5 33.Qd1 Nd5 34.h3 b5 35.Qc1 Qb6 36.Bxd5 Bxd5 37.Qf4 h6 38.Qe5 Qb7 39.f3 b4 40.Bf4 b3 41.Bc1 Bf6 42.Qe8+ Kh7 43.Bb2 Qe7 44.Qxe7 Bxe7 45.Kf2 Bg5 46.g3 Bd2 47.Ke2 Bb4 48.Kf2 f5 49.Ke3 Kg6 50.Kf4 Kf6 51.g4 g5+ 52.Ke3 fxg4 53.hxg4 Kg6 54.f4 gxf4+ 55.Kxf4 Bd6+ 56.Ke3 Kg5 57.Kf2 Kxg4 58.Kg1 h5 59.Bc1 h4 60.Bb2 h3 61.Bc1 h2+
	[61...Kf3! 62.Kf1 h2 63.Ke1 Bb4+ 64.Bd2 h1=Q#]
62.Kf2 h1=Q 63.Be3 Qf3+ 64.Ke1 Bb4+ 65.Bd2 Qe3+
	[65...Bc4! 66.Bxb4 Qe2#]
66.Kf1 Bc4+
	[66...Qxd2 67.Kg1 Qg2#]
67.Kg2 Qf3+ 68.Kg1 Bxd2 69.Kh2 Bd5 70.Kg1 Qg2# 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 e6 4.Nf3 d5 5.e5 This is played sometimes, but by far the most populat way to combat e6 and d5 is Bb5. 5...Nge7 6.g3 a6 7.Bg2 b5 8.O-O Bb7 9.Ne2 Nf5 10.c3 Qb6 11.Kh1 d4 12.d3 Rd8 13.Ng5 Be7 14.Ne4 h5 White is building play VERY slowly, and as a result, black has his pieces all on excellent squares. Black is a bit better here. 15.Ng1 h4!?
	[15...c4! Taking advantage of the Rd8/Qd1 situatiuon. 16.dxc4 dxc3 17.Qc2 cxb2]
16.g4 h3!? This seems unneceessary. Black is going for a BRILLIANCY! 17.Bxh3?!
	[17.Nxh3]
17...Ne3!?
	[17...Nh4!]
18.Bxe3 dxe3 19.Bg2 c4 20.d4 Nxd4!! 21.Nd6+!?
	[21.cxd4 Rxd4 22.Qb1! Qc6 23.Ne2 Rxe4!
		(23...Qxe4? 24.Qxe4 Rxe4 25.Nc3 Rd4 26.Bxb7 Rd2 27.Bg2 Rxb2 28.Rfe1)
	24.Qc2?
		(24.Rg1 Bg5!! 25.Qf1 Qd5!! 26.Rd1 Bxf4!! 27.Nxf4 Qxe5 28.Bxe4 Bxe4+ 29.Rg2 Bxg2+ 30.Qxg2 (30.Kxg2 g5) 30...Qxf4)
	24...Rh4 25.Bf3 Rxg4 26.h3 Rexf4!! 27.Nxf4 Qxf3+! 28.Rxf3 Rxf4!!]
21...Bxd6 22.cxd4 Bxg2+ 23.Kxg2 Bb4 24.Nf3 c3 25.a3 cxb2 26.axb4 bxa1=Q 27.Qxa1 Qc6 28.Qb1 Rxd4 29.Kg3 Rc4 30.Re1 Rc2?
	[30...Rh3+! Hiarcs announces mate in 11! 31.Kxh3 Qxf3+ 32.Kh4 Qf2+ 33.Kh3 e2 34.Rg1 Rc3+ 35.Rg3 Qf1+ 36.Qxf1 exf1=Q+ 37.Kh4 Qf2 38.Kh3 Rxg3+ 39.hxg3 g5 40.fxg5 Qg1 41.g6 Qh1#]
31.Rxe3 Rhxh2! 32.Qf1 Rc1 33.Qd3 Rb2 34.Qd4 Qc2 35.f5 Qg2+ 36.Kf4 Rc4 37.fxe6 fxe6 38.Rd3 Rbxb4 39.Kg5 Rxd4 40.Nxd4 Qe4 41.Rc3 Qxe5+ 42.Kh4 Qxd4 43.Rg3 Qf4 44.Rg2 Rb3 45.Kh5 Qh6# 0-1

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 f5 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Ne5 Bd6 7.f4 This is a ple asant way for white to get a slight edge against the Stonewall (symetrical Stonewall!) 7...O-O 8.Be2 Ne4 9.O-O Nd7 10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.Bd2 Nf6 12.c5! White gains space on the queenside. 12...Bc7 13.b4 Bd7 14.a4 a6 15.Qb3 Be8 16.b5 axb5?
	[16...cxb5! This gets rid of the bad black bishop, although white maintains the edge. 17.axb5 Bxb5 18.Bxb5 axb5 19.Qxb5 Bxe5]
17.axb5 cxb5 18.Bxb5 Rxa1 19.Rxa1 b6? Black needs to keep defending passively. Now white is winning. 20.cxb6! Bxe5 21.Bxe8! Bxd4? 22.exd4
	[22.b7!]
22...Rxe8! 23.b7 Qd6? The last hope was 23...Nd7. Now it is over. 24.Ra8 Rb8 25.Bb4 Qxf4 26.Rxb8+
	[26.Qg3!]
26...Kf7?
	[26...Qxb8 27.Bd6 Qxd6 28.b8=Q+ Qxb8 29.Qxb8+ Kf7]
27.Rf8+ Kg6 28.Qg3+ Qxg3 29.hxg3 1-0

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.a3 Nh6 7.b4 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nf5 9.Bb2 Bd7 10.g4 Nfe7 11.Rg1 Unusual. 11.Nc3 is seen often in GM praxis. 11...Rc8 12.Nc3 Na5 13.Qd3?! This gives black the edge. Simply 13.Na4 and it's a complex position. 13...Nc4 14.Bc1 Nc6 15.Rb1 Nxb4!? Speculative, but not that bad. 16.axb4 Bxb4 17.Ke2 17.Nd2 was also fine, then white has Rg3 later. 17...Nxe5?
	[17...Qa5! 18.Rxb4! Qxb4 19.Rg3!]
18.Nxe5 Rxc3 19.Nxd7?
	[19.Qxc3! Bxc3
		(19...Bb5+? 20.Kf3! Bxc3 21.Bxb5+ Kd8 22.Nxf7+ Ke7 23.Nxh8)
	20.Rxb6 axb6 21.Ke3]
19...Qa5! 20.Qxc3?
	[20.Nc5 Rxd3 21.Nxd3 Bd6 22.Rxb7]
20...Bxc3 21.Ne5 Qa2+ 22.Bb2 Qxb1?!
	[22...Bxb2]
23.Bxc3 Qc2+ 24.Bd2 Qe4+ 25.Kd1 Qb1+ 26.Ke2 O-O 27.f3 f6 28.Nd3 Rc8 29.Nc5 b6 30.Nd3 a5 31.Kf2 Rc2 32.Be2 Qa2 33.Nc1 Qb2 34.Be3 a4 35.Re1 a3 36.Nd3 Rxe2+ 37.Rxe2 Qxe2+ 38.Kxe2 a2 39.Nf4 Kf7 0-1

1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.cxd5 Qxd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Nc3 Qd8 7.Bc4 e6 8.O-O Nf6 9.d4 Be7 10.Re1 O-O This is not the best square for the bishop, as it is subject to attack. GMs prefer 11.a3 so as to prepare a later Qd3 (a3 stops Nb4) and perhaps Ba2 if necessary. 11.Bf4 b6 12.d5?! This was played once, by Sveshnikov in 1976, and has not been repeated! Now black has easy equality. 12...Na5 13.d6 Nxc4 14.dxe7 Qxe7 15.b3?! Sveshnikov tried 15. Qe2 Nd6 16.Rad1 and got some compensation, and even won later! 15...Rd8 16.Qe2 Na5 17.Nb5?! Bb7
	[17...Ba6]
18.Rac1 Nc6
	[18...Qb4!]
19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.Bxe5 Nd5 21.Bg3 Ba6 White is a pawn behind, and stands badly to boot. Black is winning. 22.a4 Rac8 23.Qe5? Losing more material. 23...Bxb5 24.axb5 Qb4 25.h3 Qxb5 26.Bh4 Re8 27.Ra1 a5 28.Ra4 Nc3 29.Qxb5 Nxb5 30.Rg4 f5 31.Rg3 Kf7 32.Rd3 White has 5:42 remaining. At this point, black, who had a very big time edge, thought for over 10 min, to come down to 7:29 secondshimself! 32...h6 Not sure if that was worth a 10 minute think! 33.f3 5:39 remaining. 33...g5 34.Bf2 Rc6 6:17 remaining for black. 35.Rd7+ Kg6? 35...Re7 was still -+ . Now white can fight back! Black now has weak queenside pawns...and less time than white! What a turnaround. 36.Rb7! Nc7?! Played after very long thought. Now black has 1:12 remaining. 37.Bxb6 5:09 Nd5 0:58 38.Bxa5 Rec8 0:57 39.Re2 4:27 Nf4 40.Rd2 4:13 Rc2 41.Rbd7 Rc1+ 42.Kh2 Rb1 43.b4??
	[43.Bc7]
43...Rcc1 44.Kg3 Rf1!! 0:17 45.Rd1 Rbxd1 46.Rxd1 Rxd1 And later 0-1 0-1

1.b4 e6 2.Bb2 f5 3.e3 Nf6 4.b5 Be7 5.Nh3 An unusual position has arisen! The game is level, but fireworks await! 5...b6 6.Nf4 O-O 7.Nh5?! This is too many knight moves for the purpose of simply trading. White needs to develop the other minor pieces. The knight was quite good on f4. 7...Bb7 8.Rg1!? Qe8 9.Be2 d6 10.a4 Nbd7 Black has all her minor pieces developed and has castled. It is still not clear what will will do with her b1 knight and Ke1. 11.c4 e5 12.Nxf6+ Nxf6 It will be difficult to decide what to do with the white king now. 13.Nc3 a6! An excellent move! Now it is difficult to castle queenside, but white gives it a try. 14.Qb3 Qf7 15.O-O-O?! axb5 16.axb5 c6! 17.Na4 cxb5 18.Qxb5?!
	[18.Nxb6 Rab8!]
18...Ba6! 19.Qb3 b5! 20.d3?
	[20.Nb6 Rab8 21.Nd5 Nxd5 22.cxd5 Rfc8+ 23.Kb1 Bb7]
20...bxa4 White's king never found a safe home. 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 A strange move order. White usually plays 5.e4. If white wants to play g3 lines, it is better to leave the Nb1 at home 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 8.Nf3 Nc6 At the GM level, black does well here. Modern games no longer see this variation. 9.Bb2?! O-O 10.d5? White needs to castle and complete development before starts to do stuff! 10...Qb6 10...Na5 may be even better. 11.Qc2? Nb4! A nice shot that white overlooked. 12.cxb4 Qxb4+ 13.Nd2 Qxb2 14.Qxb2 Bxb2 15.Rb1 Be5 I think black should simply play 15...Bg7. 16.Nc4?! Bc3+! 17.Kf1 Rb8 18.Rb3 Bg7 19.a4 b6 20.f4 Ba6 21.Ne5 Bxe5! 22.fxe5 Rfd8?!
	[22...Rbd8! 23.Rc3 e6]
23.Rc3 e6 24.d6 f6 25.Bh3?
	[25.Kf2! fxe5 26.Rd1 White needs his h1 rook! Now white MAY be lost, but he is still fighting!]
25...fxe5 26.Bxe6+ Kg7 27.d7 Bb7 28.Rg1 Bc6 29.Ke1 Bxd7 0-1