29 Instructive Games

Thomas Hartwig

Compiled by
Special Thanks to:

Chessdaddy1
And

kingfisher6
 Alapin, Semyon
Rubinstein, Akiba
Prague (11)
1908 0-1 C30 (Hartwig,Th)
Id like to start with an old game by one of the
deepest positional players ever, Rubinstein.
This game is not exactly unknown, but I will
propose a new perspective on this game that
seems helpful. It seems to me that the key to
understanding what is going on in this game is
to think about black as playing noncommittal,
solid moves, and most importantly REACT-
ING to mistakes by white. This game em-
phasizes the negative side of pawn moves and
in many cases Rubinsteins key moves come
AFTER pawn moves by white have weakened
his position in some way. And before we get
into the game I would also tentatively suggest
that it makes a good "solitaire chess" exercise
if youre up for it. I havent awarded points
for each move or anything like that, but if you
configure your program so you cant see the
moves and make a quick run through with the
arrow keys, comparing your guesses to Ru-
binstein before you look at my notes, I think
it would make the game and notes that much
more valuable.
B N
1.e4 e5 2.f4 c5 3. f3 d6 4. c3 c6 N N
B
5. b5!? The first four moves might be out
of fashion, but this move is the first to seem
slightly odd. Clearly the bishop is best on c4;
because white can, and eventually will prob-
ably exchange on e5, the bishop will support
the rook on the open f-file bearing down on
f7 (although it is a complication that white
cannot castle to do this), and the bishop can-
not be challenged by ...d5. Instead of playing
the most natural move, Alapin pursues a more
B N R
concrete, but one-dimensional idea. 5... g4
N
6.d3 e7! There are many ways to look at
this move, which seems to be clearly best if
less obvious than 6...Nf6. I would like to
see it as blacks first "reaction" move, against
1
the slightly odd 5.Bb5. After black castles
and eradicates the pin, this bishop essentially
stops contributing to the fight for the center,
since Bxc6 can be met with a recapture by the
B Q
knight. 7.h3 xf3 8. xf3 OO 9.f5?! In this
game, it seems that every time white moves a
pawn, it causes him trouble. Here he returns
the bishop pair (although it wasnt easy to see
what to do with it) and takes the pressure off
of the center, making it easier for black to play
N Q N N
...d5. 9... d4 10. g3 xb5 11. xb5
11.Bh6 Ng6! 12.fxg6 fxg6
11...f6! 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Qxe3 d5!
14.OO?!
Q N
14. f2 _ c6 15. c3 =
+
N
14...c6! 15. a3 This is a very ugly knight.
Besides that, the crux of blacks advantage is
that he has the lever to open the d-file WHEN
HE IS READY TO DO SO, by way of which
Q
he takes over the game. 15... b6!? 16. xb6Q
axb6 17.c3 This creates a serious weakness on
d3. One implication is that now exd5, trying
to liquidate into a slightly worse position, be-
comes impossible as black recaptures with a
rook and puts too much pressure on the weak
pawn. Less obvious is that after black ex-
changes d-pawns, the square remains weak,
and in fact whites entire queenside, especially
the a4 and c4 squares. This is because, with
c2-c3 already played, b2-b3 creates further
weaknesses. Nonetheless, it was already dif-
ficult for white, and the idea to get his knight
into play seemed reasonable.
N R
17. b1 dxe4!? ( 17... fd8 18. c3 N
N
dxe4 19. xe4 ) 18.dxe4 fd8R
R
19. c3 d2! ( 19... d4 20. ad1 R
R R
) 20. f2 d4 also seems very good
for black.
R
17... fd8! Of course the a8-rook, since it is
doing something where it is, should be the last
 R R
to move. 18. f2 d7! And this is the key; counterplay, but this also weakens his own
black is able to take over the d-file because R R K
defenses. 36... d1 37. b6+ d7 38. e2 N
N R
of his pawn lever. 19. c2 ad8 20. e1 R The knight is clumsy on this square and no
N
dxe4 21.dxe4 c8! And this can be seen as longer controls d3, so now white has to hope
the second "reaction move". Because 17.c3 that his counterplay with the rook will come
created weaknesses on a4 and c4, black pre- K
to something. 38... c7! An excellent tacti-
pares to bring his knight within reach of those cal finnesse which forces the rook to give up
R N N
squares. 22. fe2 b5 23. a1 b6 24. b3 N ground. 39. b4R
N K R
a4! 25. f2 c5 26. c2 g6!! Everything
was going nicely on the queenside; black has R
39. xf6?? R K Nxe4+
d3+ 40. f2
a grip on the d-file and a very bothersome K N
41. g1 xf6 +

39...Rd3+ 40.Kf2 Nxe4+ The first fruit fi-

knight while whites pieces just look jumbled

nally falls. 41.Ke1 Nd6 42.Ra4 Kc6 43.Ra8

up, and suddenly Rubinstein makes a move
on the side of the board we had forgotten all
about. It seemed he wasnt interested in play- Kd5 44.h4
44.Rf8 Ke6 +
ing out ...c4 Nc1 on the board yet since it
gives white information before black is ready
to strike. Instead, its time to calmly improve 44...Nf5! 45.Rf8 Ne3! 46.Rg8
matters some more, waiting for white to make
more concessions before black REACTS. And 46.Rxf6 Rd1+ 47.Kf2 Ng4+
...g6 fxg6 does improve matters because now 48.Kg3 Nxf6 +
black can create a passer at any moment with
...f5. 27.fxg6 46.g3 Rd1+ 47.Kf2 Ke4 +
27.g4 was critical but: 27...c4 28.
Nc1 Rd1 29.Ree2 ( 29.Rxd1 Rxd1 N
46... xg2+ 47. f2 K N R K
xh4 48. d8+ e4
30.b3 cxb3 31.axb3 Nc5 32.Kf3 N K N K
49. g3+ f4 50. e2+ g4 51. c8 f3+ R R
Rf1+ 33.Ke3 Rh1 The weaknesses White is quite clearly lost, but a couple of vari-
of h3 and e4 are too much to sus- ations are required to conclude that 51...Rf3+
tain, proving that 26...g6 was specif- was actually the most precise finish. This was
ically justified by blacks control of a tremendous game by black in every phase.
and possible entry on the d-file. )
R
29... h1 + (Razuvaev) R K K N
51... f3+ 52. g1 ( 52. e1 g2+
K R K R K
53. d1 f1+ 54. d2 f2 55. d1
N
27...hxg6 28. c1 c4 Now 29.b3 is met by N K K R
e3+ 56. d2 f3 + ) 52... h3!
K K R R
29...Nc5. 29. e3 f7 30. f1 d1! Ru- R K R K
53. xc4+ ( 53. f2 h2+ 54. f1
binstein seems to remove all of whites good K N K R R
f3 55. g1+ e3 56. xc4 f2+
pieces, while maintaining just enough mate- K N K K
57. e1 g2+ 58. d1 d3 + )
rial to win. Now white has no chances to dou- K N R K
53... f3 54. c1 g3+ 55. h2 g5
R R K R
ble on f6. 31. xd1 xd1 32. e2 d8 Even N R K K R
56. d3 g2+ 57. h1 g3 58. b4
now, the weaknesses of the queenside and the R xa2 +
e4-square prevent white from challenging the
K N
d-file for several moves. 33. e3 c5 34.b3 0-1
K R
e6 35.bxc4 bxc4 36. b2!? White goes for

2
 Nisipeanu, Liviu Dieter (2596)
Halkias, Stelios (2491)
European Championship (1.41)
Ohrid
2001.06.01 1-0 B33 (Hartwig,Th)
The following recent game by Nisipeanu, who
made an amazing run in the World Champi-
onship in Vegas a couple of years ago, shows,
at the same time, some good solid chess, and
the ability to break out of normal patterns
when it is advantageous to.
N N
1.e4 c5 2. f3 c6 3.d4 cxd4 4. xd4 f6 N N
N N B
5. c3 e5 6. db5 d6 7. g5 a6 8. a3 b5 N whites advantage can be expected to grow as
N B B B
9. d5 e7 10. xf6 xf6 11.c3 e7!? I N more pieces are exchanged, because his pawn
have to admit that Im not well-versed in the
theory of this variation with 9.Nd5 instead
of 9.Bxf6, but I know enough that this move
causes me to sit up and pay attention. The
idea of the 9.Nd5 line, as I understand it, is
that black cannot get away with challenging
the knight this easily. Presumably the king-
side weaknesses are too much if black is also
without his dark-squared bishop. But black
N B
says: "show me". 12. xf6+ gxf6 13. d3 The
bishop often stays put for a long time in these
lines, so this isnt an obvious case of "finish
development, get castled",... especially if you
see how white continues! Regarding develop-
ment of the bishop to d3 in general - it is meant
to be prophylactic, I think, against ...d5 and
...f5, but white has to show some care in that
the bishop can find itself misplaced if black
gets an opportunity to play ...f5 as a sac and
then start rolling the center.
N
13. c2 seemed more flexible, but
white will still have to decide what
to do at some point.
B Q
13... b7 14. e2 Keeping his castling op-
tions open, but soon he will have to choose
and he will certainly go kingside... 14...d5
15.OOO!? Well Ill be damned! Actually,
looking over this game a second time around,
3
this seems very logical. If you read my notes
to last weeks game, you might even agree that
this is a "reaction" move agaist 14...d5, the
possibility of which white has cleverly kept
open, but, but... the Na3 is supposed to go
to the center, white is supposed to play a4
to activate the a1-rook, etc. Patterns can be
useful, but they can be limiting as well. Ap-
parently Nisipeanu is less susceptible to be-
ing limited by patterns than I am. 15... c7 Q
N
16. c2 OOO 17.exd5 Opening the center
and preparing some exchanges. In general,
structure is better. One possible modification
to note, however, is that if white keeps the
knights on the board, this may prove useful
to tickle the weak a6 and c6 squares around
K B R
blacks king. 17... b8 18. e4 f5 19.d6 xd6
B K R Q R Q
20. xb7 xb7 21. xd6 xd6 22. d1 e6
N R
23. b4 c8
23...Nc6!? 24.Nxc6 Kxc6 might
come into consideration, reasoning
along the same lines as we did
above, that keeping knights on the
board is in whites favor. White
is clearly somewhat better here too,
but it looks to me that his advan-
tage can be kept within bounds. One
complication is that most pure pawn
endings are probably winning for
white, but I dont see how white can
force this.
Q
24. d3 e4 I dont like this move. Black al-
most forces white to penetrate into the posi-
tion, which he was probably intending any-
way. In blacks defense, it takes some calcula-
tion to see how bad this actually is.
N
24... c6 would be my choice again,
Q
but it isnt a panacea. 25. d7+
R Q Q
c7 26. xe6 ( 26. d5! is the
 machines (Hiarcs) suggestion, and
looks very hard to meet, for ex-
Q
ample: 26... xd5 27. xd5 d7N R 49.Re1 White can afford to sack
N R K
28. f6 xd1+ 29. xd1 h6 30.
N N
g8 h5 31. h6 ) 26...fxe6 27. xc6 N
K xc6 and black is OK in this line.
25.Qd7+ Rc7 26.Qxe6 fxe6 27.Rd6 a5
28.Na6! The second move from white in this
game to take me completely by surprise. The
a6-square seems remote and unlikely, not least
because the knight is nearly trapped there. For
these reasons I would be tempted not to look at
it at all. But after you see it, it becomes clear
that 28. Na6 is the winning move, since in
this case whites rook penetrates and becomes
unanswerable after the slightly tricky knight
exchange.
N
28. c2 also looks pretty good, how-
ever, due to the following line:
R R R
28... c6 29. d7+ c7 30. xc7+ R 2001.06.26
K N
xc7 31. d4 and white wins a
pawn.
R R
28... c6 29. d7+ Kxa6 30.Rxe7 b4
30...h6 31.Rh7 e5 32.Re7 proves
that black must lose a pawn.
K R
31. c2 a4 32. xh7 And now it is merely a
"matter of technique". 32...a3 33. h3 f4 R plicit), the opening features an original rook
K K
34. b3 axb2 35. xb2 bxc3+ 36. xc3 d6 R R
K K
37. c2 b5 38.h4 e5 39.h5 d8 Nothing R
helped.
R
39... h6 40. h3 R K
c4 41.g4!?
It is regrettable to allow black
some counterplay, so maybe white
could do something more refined.
Nonetheless, this does seem to win
easily enough. 41...fxg3 42.fxg3
K R
d4 43.g4 e3 ( 43... a6 44.h6
R K R
xa2+ 45. b3 a8 46.h7 h8 R ample the Torre (3.Bg5) or the Zukertort (3.e3,
K
47.g5 e3 48. c2 wins. ) 44.g5
4
Ra6 45.h6 Rxa2+ 46.Kb3 e2 (
46...Ra8 47.g6 e2 48.Rh1 Rf8
because his two passers are worth
much more than blacks rook, so
this move calmly awaits ... Kd3-d2.
K
49... d3 50.g7 R b8+ 51. a4K
K R
c4 52. c1+ stops the mate and
R Q
wins. ) 47. h1 e1= ( 47... a8 R
R R K
48.g6 f8 49. e1 d3 50.g7 )
R R
48. xe1 R h2 49. g1 e4 50.g6
R R K R
xh6 51.g7 b6+ 52. c2 b8
QR
53.g8= R xg8 54. xg8 and white
is easily stopping the pawn.
40.h6 1-0
Hebden, Mark (2560)
Degraeve, Jean-Marc (2589)
Clichy (2)
1-0 A43 (Hartwig,Th)
The following game is hard-fought, and,
please bear in mind that I will get a lot of
things wrong in a hard-fought game between
GMs, especially since I havent used anyone
elses notes as a benchmark. Nonetheless,
hopefully my impressions are interesting, if
only for their mistakes... Regarding the game
(from now on the caveat "as I see it" is im-
maneuvre which leads to crushing pressure on
the queenside. His opponent puts every obsta-
cle in the way, offering a pawn to organize his
pieces. White declines the pawn on the first
pass and black gets a barely playable game,
but after black misses his chance to break out,
white goes into "technical mode" and achieves
a pleasant win.
N N
1.d4 f6 2. f3!? This could be just a move-
order trick, or a signal that white is going to
play one of the systems without c2-c4, for ex-
4. Bd3, 5. b3,...). As a generality, if white is
just going to play c4 later, I think this move
loses more flexibility than it gains. However,
once you know your own and your opponents
repertoire this may not be the case. For ex-
ample black cannot get a Benko proper now
if white doesnt want to co-operate. This may
have been what black had in mind, because
he isnt happy to let white transpose to one of
various standard openings, so the game goes
down a relatively original path. 2...c5
2...d5!? 3.c4 e6 This is an impor-
tant nuance to be aware of. By going
into the QGD after white has played
Nf3, black more or less avoids the
Exchange variation, for example:
N B B
4.cxd5 exd5 5. c3 c6 6. g5 e7
B
7.e3 f5! and black has equalized.
Black is never able to get in ...Bf5
so painlessly in the QGD Exchange
proper.
3.d5 b5!? Bravo! This is the "Im not going to
let you get back into a normal opening" move.
N
3...d6 4.c4 e6 5. c3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6
was also possible, and would be an-
other of the lines that aims to "pun-
ish" white for an early Nf3. At the
moment, the most dangerous line
against the Benoni involves an early
f2-f4.
B N B B Q
4. g5 e4 5. f4 b7 6.a4 a5+? A the-
matic looking idea which doesnt work, but
Hebdens continuation was not so easy to fore-
see. It takes a lot of courage to explore these
variations that are off the beaten track, and for
that Degraeve gets my respect. I remember
annotating some of my own games a couple
years ago that reached distinctly messy posi-
tions, and it was incredible to me how many
mistakes and outright blunders were made in
such games. Even 450 points up the rating lad-
der, I suspect that it isnt easy.
5
N
6... f6!? looks bizarre but it is
probably the right move. The
"point" is that 7.Nc3 b4 is not pos-
sible for white.
N B Q R
7. bd2 xd5 8.axb5 d8 9. a4! This is
the sting. Without this move, black is behind
in development, but had good prospects with
a grip on the center, and a better pawn struc-
ture. Now he is losing the fight in the cen-
ter, coming under pressure on the queenside,
falls further begind in development (e4 hit-
ting the bishop), and is fighting to stay alive.
N
9... xd2
9...f5 can only be justified if black
keeps the knight in the center, so
B N N
10.e3 e6 11. d3 xd2 12. xd2 is
B
good for white: 12... xg2? 13. g1 R
B Q
b7 14. h5+
10.Nxd2 d6 11.e4 Bb7 12.Qa1 There is no
way to defend a7, so white has a big advan-
tage after only 12 moves. Impressive, but now
black digs in. 12...e5
Q N
12... b6 doesnt help after 13. c4
B
13. g5!? A very nice shot, but 13. Be3 was
also strong, when there remains nothing for
black to do to avoid 14. Rxa7.
B N
13. e3 d7 ( 13...f5!? 14.exf5
R N
d5 15. xa7 d7 might be an idea,
but it looks pretty desperate af-
R B
ter: 16. xa8 xa8 17. e2 d6 B B
B B
( 17...d4 18. h5+ ) 18. g5 and
R
white must be winning. ) 14. xa7
B B N
e7 15. d3 b6 is a similar idea
to the game, when black can put up
some resistance.
B
13... e7
Q
13... xg5 has a clearcut refutation:
R B
14. xa7 xe4 15.b6! ( 15. xe4? N
 Rxa7 16.Qxa7 Qc1+ ) 15...Bc6 (
15...Bxg2 16.Rg1 ) 16.Rxa8 Bxa8
17.Qxa8 Qd8 18.Bb5+ is winning
for white.
B K
14. xe7 xe7! Both sides splay some orig-
inality this game. In this case it all comes
to a disappointment for black, but 14...Kxe7,
increasing co-ordination along the back rank,
is nonetheless a nice motif to remember.
14...Qxe7 15.Rxa7 was simply losing, but now
he is ready to meet 15.Rxa7 with 15...Nd7
and 16...Nb6. Of course white is still much
better here and black doesnt have any ac-
tive compensation for the pawn, but the ex-
tra pawn is on the queenside where black has
a sturdy blockade, and he just might be able
B N
to hold. 15. d3 d7 16.OO? An interest-
ing moment, which brings up the point that it
doesnt always pay to be super-sophisticated.
Instead of taking the pawn, white prefers to
triple pieces on the a-file and simply maintain
the pressure. In some ways leaving blacks
pawn on the board doesnt make his position
any easier to play, but I wonder nonetheless,
did Hebden just assume he could triple pieces
and pick up the a7-pawn at his leisure? It turns
out this isnt the case.
It seems like black should have a chance to re-
cover after white shunned the a-pawn, and this
looks like that one chance.
Q B
24...c4! 25. f3 xd5 26.exd5 g8 K
and it looks like white is only a little
better.
K
25.exd5 g8 26. c4! N N R R c8 27. a6 b8
N R N R R R
28. a5 b6 29. c6 xa6 30. xa6 f8
N
31. xa7! Finally white takes the pawn.
N Q R R
31... xa7 32.b6 b7 33.bxa7 a8 34. xd6
Having seen the conclusion of the game, I
can state here with relative confidence that
white is winning, due to the d-pawn and
the weakness of blacks king. But Im not
sure that, given this position to look at, I
would know anything beyond "white is bet-
ter". What about you? Anyway, the rest
of the game makes a lot of sense to me,
which is not to diminish the fact that Heb-
den played it well, so the final commentary
Q Q K
will be sparse. 34... xb2 35.g3 a1+ 36. g2
Q Q Q R Q R R
xa7 37. f5 e7 38. d7 e8 39. c7 d8
R Q R R Q K
40. xc5 e7 41. c8 xc8 42. xc8+ h7
Q Q Q
43.c4 g6 44.c5 e4 45.d6 f6 46. g4 d4
Q Q Q K K
47. f4 d5 48. e3 g5 49.h3 f5 50. h2 g6
Q Q K K
51. c1 d4 52. g1 f7 53.c6!! The begin-

R
ning of a nicely calculated finale. In queen
16. xa7 looks better, just to point endings, as a general rule, general rules do not
out the obvious. suffice, and in order to win white has to give
Q Q N R Q
16... b8 17. a2 b6 18. a5 c7 19. a1 R his opponent some play, which presumably
R B
hd8 20. c4! It isnt possible for white to Hebden had seen through to the end. 53...e3
just win the pawn, for tactical reasons. There- 54.c7
fore he uses his pressure to regroup.
54.fxe3?? Q
xd6 55.c7? Qxg3+
R
20. xa7?? Rxa7 21.Qxa7 Ra8 K Q
56. f1 xh3+ 57. e2 K Qh2+
K Q
58. d3 d6+ is a draw.
K
20... f8 21.c3! The purpose of this move is
not so easy to guess, even after you have seen 54...Qd2 55.Qc4+ Kf6 56.fxe3 Qxe3+
Q
it. What do you think? 21...h6 22. b1 Aha! 57.Kg2 Qd2+ 58.Kf1 Qd1+ 59.Kf2 Qd2+
B Q B B B
22... c8 23. d3 e6 24. d5 xd5? Af- 60.Qe2 Qd4+ 61.Kf1 Qa1+ 62.Kg2 Qa8+
ter this move white completes the regrouping 63.Kh2 Ahhh 63...Qc8 64.Qb2+ Kf7
and gets his strong queenside pressure back. 65.Qb3+!

6
 Q Q
65. b8 e6 66.c8= ?? Q Qe2+ still but that kind of cutting-edge theory rarely fil-
is not so easy. ters down to affect my games. Basically I had
played this for a long time, and I had never
K Q
65... f6 66. c3+ gotten burnt, so I didnt see any reason to fix
Q
66. c3+ K K
e6 ( 66... g6 67.d7
it. For all I know however, this is the losing
Q
Q Q Q
xd7 68.c8= ) 67. c6 wins.
blunder according to Deeper Blue. 15. a3
B
15. d4 is a much happier mem-
1-0 ory, and led to some good 9...d5
B B
propoganda: 15... f5 16. c3!? (
Schneider, Igor
Q
16. c3 looks best, and actually
might be an interesting line to con-
Hartwig, Thomas
fuse a booked up Dragonophile on
World Open U2200 (4)
the black side, if 15.Qa3 werent
Philadelphia
looking so good. R
16... fc8 (
2001.07 1-0 B76 (Hartwig,Th)
B K R
16... h6+ 17. b1 fc8 18. c4 B
After not playing too many tournaments in a
B Q
e6 19. b3! ) 17. xg7 xc3B R
while, I spent last week playing in the World
B
18. xc3 Unclear. ) 16... fc8 R
Open U2200 Section in Philadelphia. My re-
sult, 4.5/9, was disappointing given that last
Q R Q
17. b5 xc3!! 18. xb7?? This
leads to the finale that seemed so
year I scored 6.5/9 in the same section, but the
spectacular at the time: ( 18.bxc3
games were very interesting and will give me
B K Q Q
h6+ 19. b1 xb5+ ( 19... c7
a lot to think about. I will start analysing the
Q R K Q Q
20. c4 b8+ 21. a1 b6 22. b3
fun games next week, but first I want to get the
Q Q B
c7 23. c4 draw. ) 20. xb5
following debacle off my chest. It is dedicated
R b8 21.a4 a6 22.c4 axb5 23.cxb5
to all interesting players who have given in to
R K R K
c8 24. a2 xc2+ 25. b3 is still
playing "boring" openings, therefore sparing
R K
unclear. ) 18... xc2+ 19. b1
themselves from such a game. After losing
this game I definitely felt like I should be an
R xb2+ 0-1 Perez-Hartwig, World
Open U2000, 1996.
1.e4 c6 man.
N
1.e4 c5 2. f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. xd4 f6N N B
15... f5
N B B
5. c3 g6 6. e3 g7 7.f3 OO 8. d2 c6 Q N 15...a5!? seems to be less heavily
9.OOO d5!? What to say? Nine moves of explored, but Im not sure theres
"book" so far, and we aint even got started real compensation in this line.
yet. I dont know if anybody still bothers to
think about these things conceptually, but it B
16. d3
has always helped me to remind myself at this B Q Q Q
16. a6 c7 17. c5 b6 18. xb6 Q
point why I am sacking a pawn. Right, it B
axb6 19. d3 used to be the main
clears the b and c files and the h8-a1, h7- line. By tacit agreement and by
b1 diagonals, all of which lead to whites king. knowing mounds of theory, both
N N
Sounds good. .. 10. xc6 bxc6 11.exd5 xd5 sides co-operated to reach a dull
N Q Q
12. xd5 cxd5 13. xd5 c7 14. c5 b7!?Q Q endgame with even material, after
14.. .Qb8 is also interesting. 14...Qb7 had which they could call it a good fight
been scoring badly at the top level recently, and go home.

7
 R R
16... ab8 17.b3 fc8? So far we had both
used something like a minute, but I am al-
most sure that after this move black has inad-
equate compensation. Sloppy preparation and
sloppy form at the board (I should have slowed
Q
22. xa5! Believe it or not, I had focused so
much energy on 22.Qd6 that I completely for-
got about this move. Now I realized 22...Ra8
23.Qd5 was not promising so I completely fell
apart.

Q Q B B
down and at least considered 17. ..Bxd3 at this
22. d6 a8 23. xe5 xe5
Q R
point) cost me the game.
24. xe5 a4 25. d3 axb3 26.axb3
B R R
17... xd3 18. xd3 fc8 19. hd1 R Q Q R
a2 27. c3 xc4 had been the
B B
( 19. d4? e5 20. b2 e4! 21.fxe4 product of my half-hour think,
Q Q
xe4 is good for black. ) 19... c7 although even here the position is
20.c4 Q Q
xh2 21. xe7 Qxg2 not resolved. Fritz will show you
R R R
22. d8+ xd8 23. xd8+ xd8 R a few problems with this line, but
Q B B
24. xd8+ f8 25. c5 looks very in this case, since they arent too
good for white. relevant to the objective point that
B
18. xf5!
22.Qxa5 is much better, I think
I dont want to input all of these
Q B R
18. xa7 xd3! 19. xd3 c6 wasQ moves and cloud the point that this
the prepared "point", but even this is what I actually saw at the board,
looks good for white after 20.c4 and why I thought 21...a5 was OK.

B
18...gxf5 19. d4 e5? Here I rushed past an- R
22... b5?? Desparation, but black was los-
other critical point. It seemed to me that I R R Q
ing anyway. 23. d8+ xd8 24. xd8+ f8 B
had to force c2-c4 to have a chance attack- B R B Q
25. a3 c5 26. xc5 xc5 27. g5+ g7 Q B
ing whites king, so I assumed that 19...Qc6 R
28. d1 1-0
20.Qb2 was good for white.

Q Q
19... c6 20.c4 ( 20. b2? My Hartwig, Tom
B R
move is bad. 20... e5 21. xa7 a8 Thomas, Rodney
B B K B Q
22. e3 f8 23. b1 a3 24. xe5 World Open U2200 (7)
Q K R Q R
xc2+ 25. a1 a6 26. g3+ g6 Philadelphia
Q R B R
27. e5 xg2 28. d2 d8 wins, 2001.07 1-0 B33 (Hartwig,Th)
B
courtesy of Fritz. ) 20... xd4!? 1.e4 I had actually prepared 1.d4 for the tour-
R Q
21. xd4 K Q
h6+ 22. b1 e3 nament, but I backed out in every (!) game
R
23. hd1 also seems good for white for various different reasons. In this case it
was because things were in such a rut I would
anyway. This line is in trouble.
only be cheered by winning in crushing style.
B Q
20. b2 c6 21.c4 So I had forced c2-c4, Thankfully it worked! N N
1...c5 2. f3 c6
developed my pieces, now what to do? If N N N N
3.d4 cxd4 4. xd4 f6 5. c3 e5 6. db5 d6
things went ideally, now I would buckle down B N B
7. g5 a6 8. a3 b5 9. xf6 gxf6 Everyone
and find the winning combination. Instead "knows" this move, of course, but is it under-
my 30 minute think produced nothing at all. standing or rote? Generally I like to quickly
This is the most depressing kind of loss, when play through in my head, every time, why
you dont even get a chance to play. 21...a5 9...Qxf6 is bad, and I think this helps me to

8
get my mind running as we approach the point K N
14... d8 15. xa8 Qxg2 16.Rf1 Ba6 17.Ne3
where theory stops. Q xh2
Q N
9... xf6 10. d5 Q
d8 11.c4! Q
17... h3 would be met in a similar
Q B
b4 12. a4 d7 13. b5! axb5N way: 18. a4Q B xf1 19. xc6 Q
Q
14. xa8 Q xa8 15. c7+ N d8K B Q K
d3 20. c7+ e8 21. b8+ d7 Q K
N
16. xa8 is the relavent line. The N K K
22. b6+ c6 ( 22... e6 23. c8+ Q
knight escapes via b6, so white is Q
) 23. a8+! K
xb6 24. d5+ N
winning. K K
c5 25.b4+ b5 26. b7+ a4 Q K
N Q
27. a7+ K
b5 28. b6+ Q c4 K
10. d5 f5 11.c3 11.exf5 first is also possible,
but this move sets a trap. Already I had played Q
29. c6#

18.Qa4
the white side of this position three times, and
no-one had taken on e4. My opponent was
thinking. Dared I hope he might not know 18.Qb3 was also winning:
the trap? 11...fxe4?? He falls for it. On the 18...Bxf1 19.Qb6+ Kd7 20.Qb7+!
one hand the refutation is not trivial, in fact I Ke6 21.Nc7+! Kf6 22.Ng4+
had some trouble remembering it. However, I
was still very surprised as it is something one 18...Bxf1 19.Qxc6! I did see 19.Nxf1 but I
should know if they are going to play the Pe- decided to win more devastatingly by leaving
B N
likan. 12. xb5! axb5 13. xb5 g5 Def- Q the knight in play for a direct attack. 19...Bh3
initely the most resiliant. My memory did
not serve here so we were both on our own, 19...Bd3 20.Qc7+ Ke8 21.Qc8+
but I used the process of elimination to guide Ke7 22.Nd5#
me through the next couple moves, knowing
the resulting position should be winning for 20.OOO! Not only threatening to sack the
white. rook, but also to take d6 with the queen if I
B
entice his majesty to e7. 20... d7? Black as-
Q
13... a5 14.a4!? ( 14. f6+ d8N K sumes I want to sack the rook and accidentally
N
15. xd6 also looks very strong. ) amplifies my main threat, denying me a pret-
R N K
14... a7 15. f6+ d8 16.b4 and tier finish.
the queenside pawns become ex-
tremely dangerous. Q RQ
20... xf2 21. c7+ ( 21. xd6+ is
Q B
R
also possible: 21... xd6 22. xd6+
13... a7 just loses thanks to the in- B Q B Q K
N
d7 23. b8+ c8 24. c7+ e8
terpolation of 11. c3 fxe4: 14. xa7 Q K N K
N Q
25. xc8+ e7 26. d5+ d6
xa7 15. a4+ Q K
27. a6+ N K
xd5 28. c7+ c5
R K Q K
29.b4# ) 21... e8 22. b8+ d7
13... a5 loses for the same reason:
N K Q N K K Q
23. b6+ c6 ( 23... e6 24. c8+
14. bc7+ d7 15. g4+
K Q Q
f6 25. xh3 ) 24. a8+! The key
N
14. bc7+ idea, which might have been a more
K N
fitting finish: 24... xb6 25. d5+
N
14. dc7+K d8 15. xa8 N xg2 Q K K
c5 26.b4+ K b5 27.c4+ xc4
R B
16. f1 h3 is much less good. Q
28. a6#

9
 Q K Q
21. b6+ e8 22. b8+ After black resigned N
1.e4 c5 2. f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. xd4 f6 N N
a spectator, who had been playing his own N B B N
5. c3 g6 6. e3 g7 7.f3 c6 8. d2 OO Q
game one board down, shook my hand. I was B B
9. c4 d7 10.OOO Qa5 11.h4 N
e5
quite cheered up, but still I had to wonder, B R
12. b3 fc8 13.g4!? b5?! The standard
with the advanced state of theory these days, move 13...Nc4, or possibly 13...Rc4!, is prob-
if this whole game might not have been played ably better, unless my 22... Ne8 idea actually
before by someone else. N B
holds up. 14.h5! c4 15. xc4 bxc4 16. h6 B
1-0 B N R
h8 17. f5! e8

Nunn, John 17...Bxf5? is a very interesting

Ward, Chris alternative which is apparently
4NCL not correct: 18.exf5 ( 18.gxf5
Birmingham N R
xh5 19. xh5 B xc3 20. xc3Q
1998 1-0 B79 (Hartwig,Th) Q R
xc3 21.bxc3 gxh5 22. g1+ h8 K
I decided not to show any of my other games B R
23. g7+ ) 18... ab8 19.hxg6
from the World Open because frankly, on Q b4!? ( 19...fxg6 is the only move
closer inspection, they werent as interesting given by Nunn: Q20. e3 e5 Q
as I had originally thought. Instead, I want to Q
21. xe5 dxe5 ) 20.gxf7+ xf7 K
look at a very complicated win by John Nunn. Q Q K
21. e3 xb2+ 22. d2 Originally
The hardest part of annotating this game is I just thought this position was very
to avoid just copying the excellent analysis unclear and, being lazy, I wanted to
that has already been written by Nunn him- leave it at that. However, a closer
self, which I have access to in _Understanding look reveals that white is probably
Chess Move by Move_. Fortunately I saved winning by force. 22... b4 TheQ
some independent analysis done with Fritz af- best try. ( 22...a6? reveals whites
ter I had first seen the game and before I saw R
threat if black waits: 23. he1! (
any notes, which contained several ideas that Q K Q
23. e6+ e8 24.g5?? xc3+ wins
didnt exactly follow Nunn. It is doubtful I Q
for black. ) 23... b7 ( 23... c7 R
could have been as open-minded if I had seen R Q K
24. b1 ) 24. e6+ e8 25.g5 h5 N
his analysis first. In terms of possibly signif- 26.f6! and there is almost nothing
icant differences between the two analyses, I to be done about 27.f7, 27.f8=Q!
can point out 17...Bxf5 followed by 19...Qb4, K N
) ( 22... e8 23.g5 g8 24.f6! is
where I went into greater detail but ultimately winning. Blacks minor pieces are
agreed with Nunn, and 22...Ne8, which I think shut out and he is helpless against
is a possible improvement. By the way, my B
25.Qe6 or 25.Rhe1. ) 23. g5! Only
intention in presenting this game is not to top- this seems to work. 24. Rxh7+ is
ple Nunns analysis, which I think would be the main threat, and also the crucial
quite hard. Instead it is an attempt to expand response to just about everything.
his work that considers some lines he might N Q K
( 23.g5 d5! 24. e6+ e8 leads
have just been strong enough to dismiss off- N K
to nothing. ) 23... d5 ( 23... g8
hand, and most importantly it is just an excuse R
24. xh7!! Q K
xc3+! ( 24... xh7
to introduce an awesome game to anyone who R K Q
25. h1+ g8 26. e6+ is mate in
hasnt seen it already. N Q Q
four. ) ( 24... e4+ 25. xe4 xc3+

10
 K
26. e2 is also winning for white. Q
18... b6 Ducking 19. Nxe7+, watching g1,
Q K
) 25. xc3 ( 25. xc3?? N
e4# ) and setting up ... Rab8, ... Qxb2+. This move
N B
25... e4+ 26.fxe4 xc3+ 27. xc3 K B
is clearly the best try. 19.hxg6 fxg6 20. g7!!
K B
xh7 28. xe7 and the white The key idea, as it is very hard to mate black
passers easily win. ) 24. xh7+ R without getting rid of his dark-squared bishop.
B Q
g7 25. e6+ K
e8 26. xd5! Q Incidentally, I read a commentary by Ward (I
Q K
xc3+ 27. e2! For some reason, think; it was a while ago) that he had expected
whites attack simply works now the tempting 20. Nxe7+, which loses.
and blacks goes nowhere. After
N
20. xe7+? R N N
xe7 21. d5 xd5
27...Qxc2+ 28.Rd2, for example,
Q R Q
22. xd5+ e6! 23. xa8+ e8 R
black is out of checks and 29.Qg8+
Q B Q
24. d5+ e6 25. xd6 ( 25. g5 Q
is coming.
B K Q B
xb2+ 26. d2 f2# ) 25... xb2+
Q
18. g5! Nunn plays correctly, using the tem- K Q
26. b1 b7 +
porary threat of 19. Nxe7+ to set up 19. Bg7. 20...Bxg7 Whites simple threat was 21.Bxh8
The immediate 18.Bg7 was also tempting, but and 22.Nxe7. This move seems forced.
wouldnt have worked.
R B K
20... ab8 21. xh8 xh8 22. xe7 N
B
18. g7? Similar to whites idea Q K R
xb2+ 23. d2 xe7 24. xf6+Q
in the game, but there is a prob- R R
g7 25. b1 +
lem with this move. 18...gxf5! ( 21.Nxg7 Reb8 21...Kxg7 is a critical try, but
B N
18... xg7?! 19. xg7 ( 19.hxg6?
B R K
xf5 + ) 19... eb8 ( 19... xg7?
it loses.
Q K
20.hxg6 fxg6 21. h6+ f7 22.g5 K Q
21... xg7 22. h6+ I noticed Nunn
R N R
h8 ( 22... h5?! 23. xh5 gxh5 gives 22.Nd5 which no doubt wins
Q K R Q
24. xh7+ f8 25. d5 b6 26.g6 also, but I dont think theres any
K
+ ) 23.gxf6 exf6 ( 23... xf6 problem with my old analysis.
K R
24.e5+ f7 25.exd6 exd6 26. xd6 K N
22... f7 23. d5! Q Q
c5 ( 23... b7
looks very good for white. ) Not all of the following variations
R B
24. xd6 e6 25.f4 should be good are so hard to find, or even the
enough for white to be clear that only way to win, but they are
black has better moves. ) 20.hxg6 fun in the sense that we get to
Q
fxg6 21.g5 ( 21. h6?? The queen see blacks king running up the
should have stayed on d2 as long as board to get mated, just like in
R K
possible. 21... xb2 22. xb2 b8+ R N
the nineteenth century! 24. xf6
K Q
23. c1 xc3 24.g5 b2 25. h2 R R Q K
exf6 ( 24...c3 25. xh7+ xf6
R xa2 wins for black. ) ( 21. h5 N K Q K
26.e5+ xe5 27. g7+ ) ( 24... xf6
Q
gxh5 ) 21... b6 22.b3 and the po- K Q K
25.g5+ e6 26. h3+ e5 27.f4+
sition is messy but probably favors K Q K
xf4 28. h2+Q xe4 29. f2 )
Q Q Q Q
white. ( 22. h2 e3+ 23. d2 b6 Q K K R
25. xh7+ e6 ( 25... f8 26. xd6
Q
) ) 19. g5 ( 19.h6 fxg4 ) 19...h6!! R K Q
) 26.f4 h8 27.f5+ e5 28. e7+
B N R
( 19... xg7? 20.h6 h5 21. d5 f6 K Q K
f4 29. xd6+Q g5 30. d2+
Q B K
22. xh5 + ) 20. xh6+ h7 N
mates in a couple. ) ( 23... xd5

11
 Q
24. xh7+K K
e6 25.exd5+ e5 Q K N
29. xd7 gxf3+ 30. xf3 g7 )
Q K
26. g7+ Q K
f4 27. h6+ xf3 ( B N B Q
23... c6 24. d5 xd5 25. xd5+
K Q B R
27... e5 28. g5+ f5 29. he1+ K K Q N
f8 ( 25... h8 26. f7 ) 26. f4
R K R K
) 28. hf1+ g2 29. d2+ xf1 Q Q Q
e3+ 27. d2 Rxd2+ 28. xd2
Q
30. h3+ and wins in very nine- cxb3 29.axb3 K R g8 30. dh2 e5
teenth century style. ) 24.g5 N R
31. d5 b7 and blacks position is
R N R R
h8 ( 24... h5 25. xh5 h8 less pleasant but I dont think that he
Q K
( 25...gxh5 26. xh7+ f8 27.g6 should be lost here.
B R B R
e6 28.g7+ ) 26. h4 a4 27. f4+
B
K K Q Q
e6 ( 27... e8 28. g7 ) 28. h3+ 23.gxh5 e8 The best try. Throwing in 23...
K R K R K
e5 29. f5+ e6 30. f6+ e5 Qxb2+ gives up control of g1.
Q N Q
31. e6# ) ( 24... xd5 25. xh7+ Q K B
K e6 26.exd5+ is devastating. )
23... xb2+ 24. d2 e8 25.hxg6
B R K R
Q Q
25.gxf6 exf6 26. h4! g5 27. h5+ K
xg6 26. xh7
Q
xh7 27. h1+
K B
K K Q Q
e6 ( 27... f8 28. h6+ ) 28. g4+
g7 28. xe7+
R Q
g8 ( 28... f7
29. g1+ ) 29. f6 +
+
N
22. h5! Black is invited to capture b2 on
24.b3! Simply threatening 25. Nd5, to which
there is no acceptable defense.
every move, but somewhat surprisingly there
is no follow-up, while blacks king is get- B
24.hxg6 xg6 25. xh7? R Kxh7
ting murdered in his bed. Furthermore, in R
26. h1+ K
g7 27. xe7+ Q Bf7
some variations the capture helps white, as the Q
28. g5+ g6B
queen is out of play and Rb1 becomes possi-
N
ble. 22... xh5? Here maybe I have a real 24...cxb3 25.axb3 Qc5
improvement. The following analysis is def-
Q
25...e6 26. f6 d5 27.hxg6 xg6 B
initely not exhaustive, but nonetheless after
22... Ne8, which is not mentioned by Nunn,
R
28. dg1 and 29.Rxg6+ will win.
I cannot find a win for white. Certainly it 26.Nd5 Rb7 27.Nxe7+ The rest is just a for-
is logical to consider not exchanging knights, mality. 27...Rxe7 28.Qxe7 Rc8 29.Rh2 gxh5
which changes the pawn-formation and solves 30.Rg2+ Bg6 31.Rxd6 Qe3+ 32.Rgd2 Rf8
whites possible congestion on the h-file. Af- 33. Rd8 Rxd8 34.Qxd8+ Kg7 35.Qd4+
ter the game move I am fairly certain that Qxd4 36.Rxd4 h4 37.Kd2 h3 38.Ke3 Kh6
black is dead. 39.Kf4 From the 14th move on, white appar-
N N Q
22... e8 23.b3 ( 23. d5 xb2+ ently played perfectly in a complex tactical
K Q Q R
24. d2 e5 ) ( 23. xe7 b7 position. A terrific achievement.
N Q
24. d5 xb2+ This is an impor- 1-0
tant theme. When ...Qxb2+ fol-
lows Nd5 it is a totally differ- Shirov, Alexei
ent scenario than if the knight re- Eingorn, Viacheslav
mained on c3, as the queen is very Stockholm
helpful for defense along the long Stockholm
K
diagonal. 25. d2 gxh5 26. b1 R 1989 1-0 E20 (Hartwig,Th)
Q K R R
d4+ 27. e2 xb1 28. xb1 hxg4 The following game can best be described as

12
"mind-blowing", and it has been among my B
7...exd5 8.dxc5 xc5 9.e5 This is probably
favorites for a long time. Therefore, one of the the best way to grab a pawn. I think it is
first games I intended to present as a "Game very revealing to see the ways 9.exd5 and
of the Week" was this one. The only thing that 9.Nxd5 get punished. Then one realizes that,
has held me back is that it proved incredibly assuming he had seen blacks idea, he proba-
hard to produce competent annotations. One bly would have played it too.
of the problems is the same one I mentioned
B
9. g5!? is also interesting: 9...
last week; that I cant just reproduce Shirovs
B Q Q B
e7 ( 9... b6 10. c2! xg1?
notes from _Fire on Board_ so I have to di-
N B R
11. xd5 ) ( 9... xg1 10. xg1 (
verge or improve on them. Of course diverg-
B
10. xf6 Q N Q
xf6 11. xd5 xb2
ing is easier! In most cases, my independent
R B B
12. xg1 ) ) 10. xf6 xf6
silicon-assisted notes (written as a first draft)
B
11. b5+ B Q
d7 12. xd5N c6
emphasized slightly different points, and yet
were accurate enough to keep, at least as a
N
13. ge2 and I dont see the
compensation.
framework. However, at some critical mo-
ments only Shirovs notes approached what 9.exd5? Qb6 10.Na4 Bf2+ 11.Ke2
was really going on in the position. You will Q d4 =
+
see how I dealt with the dilemma on blacks
twentieth move; hope you find it to be a rea- 9.Nxd5? Nxd5 10.Qxd5 ( 10.exd5
sonable solution. Anyway, enjoy the game. Qb6 11.Qa4+ ( 11.Ne2 Bf2+
B N N
1.d4 e6 2.c4 b4+ 3. c3 f6 4.f3 d5 5.a3 12.Kd2 Qe3+ 13.Kc2 Bf5+ )
B e7!? Very ambitious. On the one hand 5.a3 11...Bd7 12.Qe4+ Kf8 13.Ne2
is a free move for white, but black is going to Bf2+ 14.Kd1 Qb3+ 15.Kd2
sack a pawn and try to demonstrate that 4.f3 is too awkward, for example:
weakened whites king. 6.e4 c5 15...Na6 16.Nd4 Qb6 17.Bxa6
Bxd4 18.Bc4 Re8 19.Qc2 Rc8
6...c6 was safer, but it isnt in agree- 20.Qb3 Qa5+ 21.Kd3 Qc5 22.g4
ment with blacks idea outlined at b5 and something finally drops. )
move five. 10...Qb6 11.Qe5+ ( 11.Ne2 Bf2+
12.Kd2 Be6 ) 11...Be6 12.Qxg7
7.cxd5
Essentially forced or else black gets
7.dxc5!? also looks viable, but at an improved version of the game
best its just going to transpose. where Nc3-a4 isnt hanging over his
B
7... xc5 ( 7...d4 8. b5 N c6 N head, but now black gets a winning
N B
9.b4 a6 10. d6+ xd6 11.cxd6 attack by shutting out the queen:
Q B
xd6 12. d3 followed by 13.Ne2, B B
12... d4! K 13.e5 f2+ 14. e2
14.Bf4, 15.O-O looks comfy for R N B K Q
f8 15. h3 c4+ 16. d2 d4+
white. ) 8.cxd5 exd5 transposes. K B R Q
17. c2 xf1 18. xf1 c4+ and
Q
N B
( 8... b6 9. a4 f2+ 10. e2 K wins.
Q Q B
d4 11. xd4 xd4 12.dxe6 xe6 B N Q
B N
13. e3 B c6 14. xd4 N
xd4+
9... fd7 10. xd5 OO
K
15. f2 and black probably doesnt Q N
10... b6? is too direct: 11. e4 (
have enough for the pawn. ) B B N
11. c4 ) 11... xg1? 12. d6+

13
11.f4 B
with an excellent game. 21... b7
R B
N Q Q N
22.e6 fxe6 23.fxe6 e7 24. f4
11. e4 a5+ ( 11... b6? 12. xc5 B B R K
N B Q B
xa8 25. xb8 xe6+ 26. d2
xc5 13. e3 xb2 14. d4 ) B R B B
Q B B Q
d5 27.a4 e8 28. g3 b4+
12. d2 ( 12. d2 f2+ ) 12... b6 K R K R
N N
29. c2 c8+ 30. b1 c3 black is
13. xc5 xc5 looks acceptable for still being as annoying as possible,
black because the light squares on but white is still a piece up.
the queenside are horribly weak.
Q B
16... b3 17. d2
Q N Bf2+ 13.Ke2 Nc5! 14.b4!
11... b6 12. f3
17.Na4 Qd1#
14.Kxf2 Rd8! ( 14...Ne4+ 15.Ke1
Qf2+ 16.Kd1 is nothing for black. ) 17...Rxd2+ 18.Kxd2

14...Rd8! The pawn becomes a piece as 18.Nxd2 Qxc3 19.Rb1 ( 19.Rd1

black struggles to keep the initiative. How-
ever, 14...Rd8 is very dangerous and could
have easily won the game against inferior de-
fense.
14...Be6? is less good: 15.bxc5
Bxc5 16.Qe4 ( 16.Qd3 Rd8
17.Qb5 Qc7 ( 17...Qxb5+ 18.Nxb5
Bc4+ 19.Ke1 ) ) 16...Qb3 17.Kd2
Rd8+ 18.Bd3 and black has
nothing for the piece.
B Q
15.bxc5 xc5 16. e4!? Im not sure exactly
why Shirov didnt play 16.Rb1. Did he un-
derstand that it was an objectively bad move,
see some deep tactical refutation, or just pre-
fer to return material over passive defense. It
seems clear that black gets prolonged play for
the piece, but I dont see how he can convert
Bf5 ) 19...Nc6 and the ideas of
...Nd4, . ..Bf5, and ...Rd8 are too
strong: 20.Ke1 ( 20.Qd3 Qxd3+
21.Kxd3 Bf5+ 22.Ne4 Rd8+ )
20...Bf5! 21.Qxf5 Rd8 wins for
black.
Q K Q
18... b2+ 19. d3 xa1 20.e6!! This move
really "made the game" for me. Theres
something about the wide open space around
whites centralized monarch that makes it
seem odd that white is the one attacking the
opponents king. Thus, the sheer audacity of
the move is immediately compelling. Unfor-
tunately the logical reasons for the move are
not so easy to explain without getting into de-
tailed variations, but I find this is often the
case with Shirovs games; rarely could he be
accused of playing transparently!

N N Q
it to something before the material tells. An-
other issue is that whites position could be 20. g5 c6! 21. xh7+ ( 21.e6? is
very fun to play after 16.Qe4. a less effective move order as now
black can ignore it: 21...g6!! (Shi-
16.Rb1 Qa5 ( 16...Qc7 17.Qb3 Q
rov) 22.exf7+ ( 22. d5 is also given
Nc6 18.Be3 Na5 19.Nb5! Qc6 by Shirov as winning for black.
20.Qc3 Bf5 21.Qxc5 Bxb1 K Q B K
) 22... g7 23. e8 f5+ 24. c4
22.Qxc6 is clearly better for white. K Q K R
b5+ 25. xb5 b2+ 26. xc6 c8+
) 17.Rb5 Qxb5+ 18.Nxb5 Rxd5 Q Q K B
27. xc8 b6+ 28. d5 xc8 wins
19.Nc7 Rd7 20.Nxa8 b6 21.f5! K Q K
for black. ) 21... f8 22. h8+ e7
otherwise black recovers the piece N K Q
23. d5+ d7 24. h3+ only leads

14
 to perpetual check according to Shi- Qxg2+ 28.Kc3 Qf3+ 29. Bd3
rov. Nc6 30.Nf6+ + ) 25.Qc7+ Bd7
26.Ng5+ Ke8 27.Nge4 Bxc3
20...fxe6? It turns out that this is probably the 28.Nd6+ Ke7 29.Nc8+ Ke8
losing mistake. 30.Nd6+ draws.
B N
20... xe6 21. g5 is extremely 24...Ke8? Desperation.
complex and also the correct line
for black, which Shirov analyses to 24...Kxe6 would have led to a
a draw. However Im not going more thematic finish: 25.Kc2 Qxa3
to crib Shirovs detailed notes here, 26.Bb5! ( 26.Bc4+ Kd7 27.Rd1+
and I dont think I can improve on Kc6 ) 26...Nc6 27.Bc4+ Kd7
them, so if youre really interested 28.Rd1+ winning blacks queen.
25.Nc7+ Kd8
youll have to buy the book _Fire on
Board_ or check it out of the library.
In my opinion it is just as interest- 25...Kd7 26.Qd4+
ing to see how white breaks through
against blacks plausible defense in 26.Qh8+! The most precise, as blacks king is
the game. badly placed on d7.
N B
26. xa8 also looked OK: 26... f5+
20...g6? is not possible as 20.Ng5
Nc6 has not been included:
K
27. e3 Q K
c1+ 28. f3 ends the
K Q
21.exf7+ g7 22. e5+ +
checks.
K
26... d7
N
20... c6? also loses: 21.exf7+
K N K Q
xf7 22. g5+ f8 23. d5 + B
26... f8 can probably be refuted in
a few ways; the following line is
21.Ng5 g6 22.Qe5 Be7 23.Nxe6 Kf7? Q
long but straightforward: 27. xf8+

23...Bf8 turns out to be a much

K N
xc7 28. d5+K Q
d7 29. e7+

better try although with: 24.Nxf8

K N
c6 30. b4+ K Q
b6 31. d8+

Nc6 25.Qf6 Qxa3! 26.Kd2! With K Q K

c5 32. f8+ b6 33. Nd5+

the threat of 27.Bc4+ 26...Qb2+

K N
c6 34. e7+K Q
d7 35. xc8+

27.Ke1 Qc1+ 28.Ke2! ( 28.Kf2

K Q
xe7 36. xb7+N Q
d7 37. xa8

Qd2+ 29.Be2 Qd4+ ) 28...Qb2+ Q K Q

xa3+ 38. e2 K
b2+ 39. f3

29.Kf3 Qb4 30.Nxg6! (Shirov)

Q K Q
c3+ 40. f2 d4+ 41. g3 e3+ K Q
30...hxg6 31.Qxg6+ Kf8 32.Nb5
Q Q K
42. f3 e1+ 43. h3 e6+ 44.g4Q
and black is not in good shape a
white gets a winning position. rook down and out of checks.
Q
24. g7+!! N
27. xa8 Qxa3 28.Kc2 1-0
K
24. c2? is sensible but takes the
back seat to the winning game Plaskett, James
B B
move. 24... f6 ( 24... xe6 25. c4B Shipov, Sergei
Q Q
xh1 26. xe6+ K
e8 27. d5 N Hastings (8)

15
1999.01 1-0 B23 (Hartwig,Th) R
22. ae1 Rd7 23.Rxf6!
23.Bxf6?? Rxg2
This week I have to apologise for not provid-
ing the sort of in-depth annotations you may
be used to on this site. My excuse is that 23...exf6
Im very busy playing chess at the U.S. Open!
However, hopefully I have made up for it by B Q
23... xf6 24. h5+ Rg6 25.Qxh7
choosing an excellent game, so it will still be +
worth your time to take a look.
N
1.e4 c5 2. c3! Certainly an annoying move N K N B
24. xc5+ d8 25. cxd7 xd7 26. e7+ Q
N
order against Najdorf junkies. 2...d6 3.f4 c6 K N
c7 27. d5+ A very nice game. Black was
N B
4. f3 g6 5. b5!? made to look like a complete beginner.

B
5. c4 + N K K
27. d5+ c8 ( 27... c6 28. c1+R
=
R B N
+ ) 28. c1+ c6 29. b6#
B B B
5... d7 6.OO g7 7.d3 a6 8. xc6 xc6 B
K Q Q
9. h1 d7 10. e2 f5? 10... Nh6 was proba- 1-0
bly better. Far from stopping whites kingside
play, this weakens e6, forming the basis for Timman, Jan
some nice knight maneuvers in the next few Kortchnoi, Viktor
N R N
moves. 11. d5 d8 12. g5! The knights SWIFT
are homing in on the weak e6 and b6 squares. Brussels
N
12... f6 1987 1-0 C11 (Hartwig,Th)
12...h6?? 13.Ne6 Rb8 14.exf5!
There are different reasons a game grabs ones
Bxd5 15.Qg4 Bxe6 16.fxe6 Qa4 eye. It might be especially well-played. Or,
17.Qxg6+ +
it might be especially instructive as regards
an opening variation, for example; a so-called
13.Nb6! "model game". This game is both. By the way,
the reader might get the impression that I am
13.Ne6 Bxd5 14.exd5 Nxd5 picking on Whitelys annotations to the game,
15.Nxg7+ Kf7 which I have cited at several points, because
I think they are poor. This is not the case,
13...Qc7 14.Nc4 fxe4 15.Ne6 Qc8 16.f5! rather the reason they got cited so much is be-
Rg8 cause they were extremely relevant and a time
16...gxf5? 17.Nxg7+ Kf7 18.Nxf5
saving starting point for me to attempt to dig
deeper.
+
N N N
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3. c3 f6 4.e5 fd7 5.f4
N
17. b6! exd3 18.cxd3 Qb8 19.fxg6 Bh8 N N B Q N Q
c5 6. f3 c6 7. e3 b6 8. a4 a5+ 9.c3
N B
cxd4 10.b4 xb4 11.cxb4 xb4+ 12. d2 B
19...hxg6 20.Nxg7+ Rxg7 21.Rxf6 B N B B
xd2+ 13. xd2 b6 14. d3 a6 15. N b2
+ B xd3

20.g7! Bxg7 21.Bg5 Bh8 15...Qc3 16.Bxa6 Qxb2 17.OO

21...Qa7 22.Qh5+ + 16.Nxd3 Nc5

16
 Q K N N
16... c3 17. e2 c5 18. f3 OO Q
21... a4 Apparently the best defensive try.
R N
19. c1 Q
e4 20. b3 (Whitely) The queen wants to help the defense via c2.
Q Q N
20... a5 21. b2 c3+ 22. f2 K R N N R
Q Q N R N
xa2 23. xa2 xa2 24. c2 c3 21... c4!? 22. g4 e4 23. ae1
R N
N N
25. xd4 e4+ 26. e3 +K
=
f5 ( 23...d3 24. xe4 dxe4 25. g5
N Q
h6 26. xh6+ gxh6 27. xh6 +
17.Nf2! It seems that this move allows white R
) 24.exf6 gxf6 25. xe4 dxe4
to consolidate in relative peace. The knight N
26. xf6+R Q Q
xf6 27. xf6 f5
eventually looks nice on g4 too. Q Q Q K
28. d8+ f8 29. xf8+ xf8
N
Q Q
30. d2 is given as winning by
17. c2?? c3 A typical idea in
Q N
Whitely. While that may be the
this line. 18. xc3 dxc3 19. xc5
K
case, it is very easy for white to
cxd2+ 20. xd2 bxc5 + go wrong. I was unable to find a
N
17. xc5?! bxc5
clear, simple winning line. 30...
R N R R R
c2 31. xe4 xa2 32. d1 a4
N N K N
33. g5 e7 34. f3!? d3 35.g3
17... a4
R N R R
a3 36. e5 a5 37. xd3 xd3
17...Ne4 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.OO N K
38. xd3 a4 39. f2 a3 40. b4 N
Qd5 20.Re1 e3 21.Nb3 Rd8 K K N
d6 41.g4 c5 42. a2 b5 43.f5
22.Qd3 (Whitely) 22...g5 23.fxg5 K K
exf5 44.gxf5 b4 ( 44... d6 45. f3
Qxe5 24. Rad1 Qxg5 25.Nxd4 K K
e5 46. g4 h6 47. b4 N K f6
Rg8 26.Re2 K K K N
48. f4 f7 49. e5 + ) 45. c1!?
K N K
( 45.f6 d6 46. xb4 e6 47. f3 K
18.OO Nc3 K K K K K
xf6 48. f4 g6 49. g4 h6 (
18...OO 19.Nb3 +
K K
49...h5+?? 50. f4 f6 51.h4 g6K
K K K K
52. e5 h6 53. f6 h7 54. g5 K
19.Qg4 OO K K K
g7 55. xh5 g8 56. h6! K K h8
K K K
57. g6 g8 58.h5 h8 59.h6 g8 K
I doubt that 19...g6 helps much, al- K N
60. h7+ h8 61. d3 a2 62. e5 N
Q
though Whitelys 20. h4?? e2+ N Q N
a1= 63. f7# is whites idea, but if
K Q
21. h1 xd2 + is hardly the the h7-P stays put, it doesnt work.
right way to attack the weakened K N K
) 50.h4 g6 51. a2 h6 52.h5
dark squares. K K K N K
g7 53. g5 f7 54. b4 g7 )
N Rac8 21.Qh4 K K K K
45... c4 ( 45... d5 46. f3 e5
20. f3 K K K
47. g4 d5 48.f6 e6 49. g5 K
21.Nxd4 is also reasonable. K K N
f7 50. f5 + ) 46.f6 a2 47. xa2
I
N N K
b3 48. b4 b2 49. c2 d5 50. a3N
think white just preferred to attack.
21...Rc4!? (Whitely) 22.Nb3 ( K K K
e6 51. e3 xf6
22.Nf3? Rxf4 is Whitelys rather 22.Ng4 Ne2+
co-operative line. Even here I dont
know how to evaluate the position, 22...Qc2 is worth considering, as
but black has at least recovered his taking on d4 may cost too much
Q N
pawn. ) 22... a4 23. d3 + = time. Still... 23.Nxd4 Qe4 24.Nf3

17
 N K N
e2+ 25. h1 xf4 26. ae1 g6 R Q 1-0
N Q
27. f6+ gxf6 28. xf4 looks
bright and happy for white. The Hartwig, Thomas (2060)
pawns will not become an issue for Malutich, Michael (1600)
some time, while white has excel- U.S. Open (1)
lent chances to use his extra piece Framingham
against blacks weakened king. 2001.08.04 1-0 C18 (Hartwig,Th)
K Q R
23. h1 c2 24. ae1 d3? Kortchnoi was de- I am pleased to announce that the quality of
pending on a diversion with ... d3-d2, but this my annotated games will be going down for
doesnt pan out and his queen is out of the de- a couple of weeks! You see, I have actu-
fense. ally played in a tournament, and done rather
well (6/9 in the U.S. Open). Therefore, we
24...h6 seems a better try when 25. must dwell on my great success (-: Actu-
N
f5!? (Whitely) 25...exf5 26. xh6+ ally, in the first round which we are looking at
Q R
gxh6 27. xh6 c6 ( 27...f4 this week, I already had a tough job beating
N N R Q N
28. g5 c3 29. xf4 g6 30. xf7 a 1600. However, sometimes this works well
Q N K
xh6 31. xh6+ N h7 32. f5 as it gets the juices flowing early. Whatever
N R K N
xa2 33. h4+ g6 34. e7+ + doubts I had about annotating this game were
Q R N R
) 28. h4 g6 29. g5 g7 30.e6 absolved by a feeling that this is chess as it
N R
f6 31. f7 N Kh7 32. h6+ h8 is really played at my level, and it may be of
R Q N R
33. xf5 xf5 34. xf5 xh4 interest in that respect.
N R
35. xh4 c8 36.e7 d3 may in N B N
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3. c3 b4 4.e5 e7 5.a3
fact be very good for white, but it B Q Q B
xc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7. g4 c7 8. d3! This
would take a mountain of analysis is not a particularly great move from the ob-
to prove this. jective point of view. However, subjectively I
R N
25. d1! h6 26. xh6+! gxh6 27. xh6 Q think it is right. This avoids all of the well-
R N
f6 28.exf6 c7 29. e5?! Perhaps the only
traveled theory after 8.Qxg7 which, despite
his rating, my opponent could easily look up.
blemish on an otherwise fine model game for
Here, even if my opponent knows to take the
this whole variation.
pawn, the position will become unbalanced
Q K N R
29. g6+ h8 30. e5 h7 31.f7 and unfamiliar (to him). In such a position the
+ was a much cleaner move order. likelihood of him playing timidly and badly is
N N
high. 8...cxd4 9. e2 bc6? There it is.
R
29... h7?!
9...dxc3 is consistent and cor-
N
29... g3+ 30.hxg3 R
h7 31.f7+ rect, however after: Q
10. xg7
R N R
fxf7 32. xf7 xh6+ 33. xh6+ N R Q N B B
g8 11. xh7 bc6 12. f4 d7
still seems good for white, but he B
13.OO OOO 14. g3 there
has to munch a lot of pawns. remains a game to be played. White
Q
30. g6+ loses a pawn but gets something
rare for the Winawer, well-placed
Q
30. g6+ Kh8 31.f7 + And Qf6+ pieces and a safe king. Further, the
wins. h-pawn may become a menace. The

18
 game could continue: 14... xe5 N
R N N
15. fe1 7c6 16. xc3 a6
10.cxd4 Now white simply has more space,
and has whatever chances exist on both sides
N B
of the board. 10... g6 11. e3
11.h4 h5 12.Qg3 Nxd4 13.Bxg6
Nxe2 14.Kxe2 fxg6 15.Qxg6+ Qf7
probably correctly.
11.OO is possibly better, simply
refusing to be baited by the g6-
knight. Then the bishop goes to a3.
position is not yet so good that I didnt hope to
take advantage of my opponents time trouble.
Therefore, since he was not impressed by my
rook maneuvers, I decided to do something on
the kingside. There is also a chess case for this
move in terms of the "principle of two weak-
K K R
nesses". 25... a8 26. h2 dc7 27.g4 hxg4
N
28.fxg4 c4! Bold and good. 29. xc4 Al- B
ready with the following move in mind. How-
ever, as I mentioned white has to be very exact
about when to strike. This is not the right mo-
ment.
R
29. f2!?

B Q N
11... d7 12.h4 h5 13. g5 ce7 14.OO 29.Kg3!? intending 30.Bf6,
N
OOO 15. f4!? There are other plans, but 31.Kf4!?, 32.h5, etc. is very
this works excellently in the game. After interesting.
17...g6 black has no hopes of kingside coun-
N B N
terplay. 15... xf4 16. xf4 c6 17.c3 g6 29...dxc4 30.a5?? I played the tempting (es-
pecially in view of the clock), but completely
17...Na5 18.Qxg7 Ba4 19.Bg5 and wrong continuation. I was lucky to get out
black probably has no compensa- B R
alive. 30... e4 31. a1 This is the follow-up,
tion. even if it loses. 31.Qb2 is technically "better"
B
but has no point. 31... xc2 32.axb6 a6?? A
R
17... dg8!? narrow escape.

N Q
18.a4 a5 I was hoping to see this! 19. e7 Q
32... f3 33.bxc7 Qf2+ K
34. h3
B Q B R
c6 20. b4 b6 21. g5 d7 22. fc1 b7 R Q B e4 wins for black.
R
23. ab1 So far everything has gone excel-
Q R
33.bxc7 xb4 34.cxb4 xc7 35. xa6+ NowR
lently for white on the board and on the clock.
I felt fine about my winning chances. How-
Now, however, white has to be very precise.
ever black, no doubt rattled, compounded his
My great advantage is that black is tied, so I
error before the time control. 35... b7 K
can choose when and where to strike. This
would be no advantage if I strike at the wrong
R K
36. a5 b6? 37. d8 1-0B
moment and simply release blacks pieces.
There is a phase where the momentum tem- Hartwig, Thomas
porarily shifts in a chess game and the pres- Rensch, Daniel
sure is on the attacker to find the right contin- U.S. Open (5)
K
uation. This is it. 23... b8! Black defends Framingham
well for the next few moves and doesnt get 2001.08.08 0-1 B96 (Hartwig,Th)
spooked. For example, I was hoping he might The following game was an important break-
be nervous to play this after I had plonked my through for me. If you check your d atabase,
R R
rook onto the b-file. 24. c2 c8 25.f3!? My you will reach the conclusion that I played

19
twenty moves of theory, and then my first in-
dependent move was a timid mistake that lost.
However, "cross my heart and hope to die",
I was playing on my own after move seven!
When my opponent informed me after the
game that it was all theory, I was shocked and
somewhat annoyed, but, I wont lie to you, my
overwhelming feeling was excitement. Wow,
I had created all of these moves at the board!
And this is why the game is a breakthrough,
because now I know that, at least when all of
the conditions are right, I can play chess at a
high level. I think this confidence had some-
thing to do with my strong finish in the tour-
nament.
N
1.e4 c5 2. f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. xd4 f6 N N but first I have to be willing to look at the
N B N
5. c3 a6 6. g5 e6 7.f4 c6 This was a sur-
prise, although I learned later that the move
has recently become popular. At the time I
thought it might be one of those nearly un-
sound but dangerous side variations, some-
thing like the Sicilian Pin Variation (2...e6
3.d4 cd 4. Nd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4). After some
calculation I felt sure that I had found the crit-
N
ical line, so... 8. xc6
Q
8. d2 leads to a Richter-Rauzer,
and probably would have been more
pragmatic.
8.e5 !? first is another important
move-order that I had completely ig-
nored during the game.
B
8...bxc6 9.e5 h6 10. h4 g5 11.fxg5 d5 N
N Q
12. e4 b6 ! This was the first surprise af-
ter my analysis at move seven, where I only
expected 12...Qa5+, but I couldnt figure out
blacks idea. 12...Qb6 came very quickly of
course, and I started to get that nervous feel-
ing. The main ideas include 13...Qxb2, and
13/14...Qb4+ which may pick up a loose piece
B
along the fourth rank. 13. d3 hxg5 14. xg5 B
20
B
14. g3 is, it turns out, the approved
main line. Suffice to say that I con-
sidered it at the board, but my calcu-
lations were completely inadequate
to make a decision and I had to go
with my gut. And I still was hoping
that in a few moves it would become
clear how to refute my opponents
obscure choice, so I went with the
most aggressive choice.
Q
14... xb2 15.c4 ! I finally resorted to this
after rejecting the intended 15.O-O Qxe5
16.Nf6+ Nxf6 17.Bxf6 due to 17...Qxh2. The
idea is simply to make blacks knight move,
position after 15...Qxg2. I decided, rightly
it turns out, that there is nothing else and
that the position at least remains unclear af-
Q B
ter 16.Rf1. 15... xe5 16.cxd5 g7 ! Very
strong. If I move the rook then black has sim-
ply 17...cxd5. So eventually I realized that
my next move, bizarre as it looks, is forced.
Q K
17.OO ! 17... xh2+ 18. f2 f5
B K
18... d4+ 19. e1 This variation
is very pleasing from the aes-
thetic/paradoxical point of view,
given that white has just castled!
From the chess viewpoint, there are
no more checks and whites attack is
very dangerous.
Q
19. a4 ! Everything is attacked! 19...OO
N
20. g3 ?
N
20. f6+ !! is correct, as quoted
in the bulletin. The main reason
I hadnt looked at this move was
that I thought my position would be
okay after 22.Bxf4 in the game, and
time trouble was already looming as
well. Now play could continue, for
B B R
example: 20... xf6 21. xf6 xf6
 22.Rh1 Qe5 23.Qh4 Rf7 24.Rae1 and a friend - not all submissions will be pub-
Qb2+ ! ( 24...Qf6 25.dxe6 Qxh4+ lished!). My comments are in-between under-
26.Rxh4 Rf6 27.Reh1 Rxe6 scores, but they are maybe not too substantive,
28.Bxf5 ) 25.Re2 Qf6 26.dxe6 as I consider this my week off. Enjoy!_
Qxh4+ 27.Rxh4 Rf6 28.e7 Bd7 N
1.e4 c5 2. f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. xd4 f6N N
29.Kg3 Re8 30.Kf4 Re6 31.Rxe6 N
5. c3 a6 _Apparently black was unaware
Bxe6 32.Bxf5 Rxe7 33.Bxe6+ that this opening is Andys "bread and but-
Rxe6 34.Kf5 Re5+ 35.Kf6 and ter". Now his survival chances are minimal!
although white is a pawn down the Seriously, opening choice plays a big part
position is still unclear. of success in chess, but of course if black
didnt know his opponent, which is the usual
N
20...f4 21. f5 ? I had already seen the prob- case in US swisses anyway, then he was just
lem with this move, but didnt think there was B N B
unlucky._ 6. e3 g4 7. g5 h6 8. h4 g5 B
anything better. In fact 21.Bxf4 is still messy. B B B B
9. g3 g7 10. e2 h5 11. xg4 hxg4
B Q N
21. xf4 h4 ( 21...e5 22. f5 ) ( 11...Bxg4 _was played in the
B R Q R
21... e5 22. h1 xh1 23. xh1 very important heavyweight game
R Q B
xf4+ 24. xf4 xf4 25.dxc6 Anand-Kasparov, Frankfurt, 1998.
K B
) 22. g1 N B
xa1 23. e2 g7 In my (Hartwigs) opinion, the
Q R Q B
24. xc6 a7 25. xd6 e5 26. xe5 game is an excellent model of how
R K B
xf1+ 27. xf1Q xe5 28. xe5 to handle of how to handle this
R K
f7+ 29. g1 and white is still alternative line. In fact, I may be
breathing. posting it to my site one of these
weeks with notes!_ 12.f3 B d7
N
21. e2 ? 21...f3 just loses. B N Q N
13. f2 c6 14. d2 e5 15.b3 e6
N R B
16. de2 c8 17. d4 b5 18. d1 N
B Q
21...exf5 22. xf4 h4+ This pin is the killer R N
g8 19. e3 a5 20.OOO a4
K
that I had missed. 23. g1 c5 K R
21. b1 axb3 22.cxb3 a8 23. c3 B
R N B
a6 24. c2 N f8 25. b4 R a8
B
23... xa1 also wins. N B R Q
26. d4 e7 27. he1 c8 28. b2 B
Q N N
Qh3
b7 29. dc2 f6 30. d4 h4 31.g3
24.g3 0-1 N N
g4 32.f4 f3 33. xf3 gxf3 34.f5
R Q R
hxg3 35.hxg3 xg3 36. h2 g5
Samuelson, Andy
B R Q R Q
37. c1 g7 38. h5+ f7 39. xf3
1-0; _Yeah, its probably a bit early
MacArthur, John
to toss it in, but Kasparovs position
?
is definitely unappealing. White
2001 1-0 B90 (Samuelson,A)
gets the d5-square and blacks
_I know you are very anxious to see my next
pawn structure has no dynamism
U.S. Open game, but I must admonish: pa-
left. Compare with blacks late
tience, patience! We are going to have a break
resignation in the text game!_
this week with a guest annotator, who sub-
mitted a very interesting game to me with Q
12. d2!? 12.0-0 first is more common.
notes (and who is also a strong chessplayer Q
12... b6?!

21
 N N Be6 14.Rd1
12... c6 13. b3 Q Q Q
20. d4 a5 21. b4 _Im not certain if this is

N
13. b3!?
13.OOO is also possible and may
be stronger. _Andy discussed this
possibility with me when he showed
me the game. At first I was of the
opinion that it is obviously correct,
and in fact makes 12...Qb6 look a bit
silly. Compare, for example, to the
Poisoned pawn - black plays 7...Qb6
before O-O-O is possible in order
to force 8.Nb3. However, returning
to the game, we reached the con-
clusion that 13.O-O-O Nc6 leaves
nothing better than 14.Nb3 anyway.
Therefore 12...Qb6 looks reason-
able and whites response is also
not clearly worse than 13.O-O-O._
N N Q
13... c6 14. d5 xd4 15. N c7+
K Q B N
d8 16. xd4 xd4 17. xa8 e6 B to find, just to calculate to the correct con-
_This is the variation we had found
if white tries to avoid 14.Nb3 which,
in any case, is fine for black._
the best move - the queen seemed well-placed
in the center. However, it is associated with
a very clear tactical idea. White wanted to
clear the d-file for a rook and consider sacks
on d6.21...Qxb4 might even be worth consid-
Q
ering although it is pretty desperate._ 21... a6
R
22. fd1 With the idea of 23.Nxe7! Kxe7
24.Rxd6 +- winning the Black Queen. 22...f6
R N R
23. d4 c5?! 24. xd6?!
24.Bxd6 exd6 25.Nxd6+ + but I
was worried about leaving h2 hang-
ing.
N
24...exd6 25. xd6+ K Q
d7 26. xc5 Q c6
Q K Q K
27. d4 e7 28.e5 f5 29. b4 e6 30. d1 R
R Q R
d8 31. f4 h5 32.c4!? With the idea of
33.Qd2 and 34.Qd5+. _By the way, this type
of move is a lot harder to find than the rou-
tine central sack earlier in the game (not hard
clusion). And in my opinion it is probably
Q
the strongest idea._ 32... e4? This allows
white to force a good endgame. Q
33. d2

Q Q Q Q
c6 34. d5+ xd5 35.cxd5+ e7 36. b1K R
13...a5?! 14. xg5 K R R R R
f8 37. b4 h7 38. xa4 c7 39. c4 c5 R
14.OOO is again possible, but I B
40. h4? This allows Black to win the c-
decided to grab a pawn. pawn after sacking on d6. _The full ? might
be a little harsh but he is correct that 40.Bh4
B
14... xc3+ is probably not the most precise. Instead

K
14... f8? Q
15. xe7+! Kxe7 Fritz gives 40. e6, which looks devastating._
R B K R
N
16. d5+ K
d8 17. xb6 N Ra6 40... xd6 41.exd6 b5 42. e7+ e8 43. a7
R
N
18. xc8 +
xc4

Forced, as 43...bxc4 44.d7+! wins.

15.bxc3 a4? _By the way, blacks idea is
...Ra5-h5, which is realized in the game. How- B B
44.h4 gxh3 45.gxh3 f4 46. f6 xh3? This
ever, it turns out to be useless because h2 is loses the bishop. 46...Bd7 was more prudent.
extremely solid._ R
47. e7+ f8K
Q Q
15... c6 16. e3 +
= K R
If 47... d8 48. h7+ wins the

16.Nd4 Ra5 17.Qd2 Nd7 18.OO Rah5?!

Bishop.

The rook has no future here. 19.Nf5! R5h7 48.d7 Bxd7

22
 R
Black should at least try 48... c1+ 11.h3? was what white tried in the
K B R
49. h2 xd7 50. xd7 c2 win- R early days, but it isnt too good:
ning a pawn back. _I disagree. B
11...h4 12.hxg4 ( 12. xg4 hxg3
Black should resign._ B
13. xc8 ( 13.fxg3?? B
xg4 + )
13...gxf2+ =
+ ) 12...hxg3 13. R
xh8+
R R
49. xd7 a4 50. b7 R Rxa2 51.d6 Rd2 B xh8 14.fxg3 N N
c6 15. f5 (
52.d7 1-0 N B
15. xc6 bxc6 ) 15... e5 16. d3 Q
K Q
( 16. f2 b6+ ) 16...e6

Anand, Vishy
Kasparov, Garry
Frankfurt Giants
Frankfurt
1998 1-0 B90 (Hartwig,Th)
The last round I played at the US Open will
only be annotated for Michigan Chess. Sorry
about misleading you but I hadnt thought ev-
erything through myself... instead you will see
a much higher quality game (-: This is the
game I referred to in last weeks notes. It is, I
think, an excellent model of how to play this
opening from the white side, if that interests
you. Otherwise just enjoy some very sophisti-
cated chess!
N
1.e4 c5 2. f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. xd4 f6 N N 26...Bg7 27.Ndc2 Bf8 28.Ne3
N B N B
5. c3 a6 6. e3 g4 7. g5 h6 8. h4 g5 B
!? Very suspicious looking at first sight, but
black will not necessarily castle kingside, and
he hopes to control the dark-squares and keep
the initiative. The f8-bishop is prepared to
fianchetto without losing time. By the way,
these are just my observations and, be as they
may, the opening has gone respectable in the
B B
last few years. 9. g3 g7 10. e2 B
N
10.h3!? e5 11.f3 is actually inter-
esting too, but obviously involves an
undesirable loss of time.
B
10...h5 11. xg4! Instead of trying to detonate
the position, white has found an efficient way
to deploy his pieces based on challenging the
a1-h8 diagonal with a gain of time.
B
11... xg4 Remember that in last weeks game
black played 11...hxg4. The bishop recap-
ture certainly appears more natural, however,
and I think that you have to know this game
to understand why someone would take with
B B N Q
the pawn. 12.f3! d7 13. f2 c6 14. d2
N N
e5 15.b3 e6 16. de2! R B
c8 17. d4! b5
N
18. d1! Notice that white deliberately de-
layed queenside castling for this manuever.
R N
18... g8 19. e3 a5 20.OOO a4 21. b1 K
R B R
axb3 22.cxb3 a8 23. c3 a6 24. c2 In- N
B
tending 25. Nb4. 24... f8 This one must have
really hurt to play, as blacks position depends
on active pieces to compensate for the struc-
N R N B
tural weaknesses. 25. b4 a8 26. d4 e7
27.Rhe1 Qc8 28.Bb2 Qb7 29.Ndc2 f6?! Fi-
nally giving white a fresh complex of pawn
weaknesses, which he latches onto within the
next few moves. N
30. d4! h4 31.g3!
N N
g4 32.f4 f3 33. xf3 gxf3 34.f5! Excel-
lent. White grabs control of d5, and com-
pletely destroys the potential of blacks center
pawns. By the way I like this move for another
reason... it fits in with my reaction theory
(which is just an expanded version of some-
thing Motwani describes in S.T.A.R. Chess) -
see the first Rubinstein game I annotated for
details. Basically this is a reaction to 29...
R
f6. 34...hxg3 35.hxg3 xg3 36. h2 g5 Q R
B R Q R Q
37. c1 g7 38. h5+ f7 39. xf3! Black
resigned. 39... Bf8, while objectively tough-
est, would have been very dismal, while 39...

23
exf5 goes down in flames. Normally, one admirable prescience. 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6
would play either line out, but this just wasnt N B B
6. c3 g6 7.e4 g7 8. e2 OO 9.OO a6 N
Kasparovs day. This is a very typical maneuver in the Benoni

Q B N
before a6, b5, although 9...a6 isnt a mistake.
39. xf3 f8 ( 39...exf5 40. d5
R B R R
The knight can be well-placed on c7 in con-
fxe4 41. xe4 c6 42. xe7+ xe7
N K K B
junction with ...b5, even as a sack. Also, un-
43. xf6+ d8 ( 43... f8 44. h6+
K Q K R
like on d7, it doesnt get in the way from that
f7 45. h5+ e6 46. e1+ + N
R K Q K
square. 10. d2 Also a weird-looking move
) 44. xd6+ c7 45. f4 c8
Q B N R
but you wont even glance twice if youve
46. f5+ d7 47. xd7 xd7
Q Q R
played through a lot of Benoni games. Play-
48. e6 c7 49. c6 + Some or ing the knight to c4 puts pressure on d6 and
all of this line is from notes in New R
frees the path for the f-pawn. 10... e8 11.f3
In Chess. Unfortunately I dont N c7 12.a4 b6 This might seem inconsistent
have the issue in front of me now, with what I said earlier about ...b5, but black
but anyway the credit is not mine. )
Q Q
isnt changing his plans. Rather, he is just
40. h3 exf5 ( 40...e5 41. h8 )
K B
going to play ...Ba6 and exchange it off for
41.exf5+ d8 42. f4 N B
something first. 13. c4 a6 14. g5 d7 B Q
1-0
R B B
15. b1 xc4 16. xc4 a6 17.b4 b5 By the
way, all of this, so far as I know, is still
playable theory, and it may continue to be
Beliavsky, A. (2630) so for a few moves although Im not certain.
Portisch, L. (2615) Usually today it arises from the move-order
FIDE (36) (14) B B
9...Re8. 18. d3 c4 19. c2 NOW! Think
Szirak izt about the position and try to guess what Por-
1987.07 0-1 A79 (Hartwig,Th) tisch played. 19...bxa4!! So far I have empha-
1.d4 This game fascinated me for two reasons. sized that blacks play is thematic and typical.
For one thing, because black appears to pro- This move, on the other hand, is shocking and
ceed so smoothly towards a completely domi- brilliant. I am not a strong enough player to
nating position around move 30. Usually this guaranantee to you the moves objective value,
indicates a big understanding difference be- but I can tell you this. Creativity, and keeping
tween the opponents, but Beliavsky is a strong your opponent off balance, wins games. Out-
GM. What happened?... and this brings us playing a strong opponent like Beliavsky as
to the second reason. There is one move by completely as we shall see later is not possible
black in this game that does not quite fit the if he can predict all of your moves. So, from
"smooth" mold; it is absolutely dynamite. If a pragmatic point of view, completely sound
you are using Chessbase Reader to look at this or not, look for something like this in all of
game or something similar, put it into train- your games, as it can be absolutely devastat-
ing mode. I will warn you before the move B N
ing. 20. xa4 b5 This is the point. By
N
you should try to guess. 1... f6 2.c4 e6 3. f3N corrupting his pawn structure black brings the
c5 This move-order is used almost exclusively knight (which was doing nothing on c7) into
today to avoid the variations with f2-f4. In K Q B
the game. 21. h1 b7 22. xb5? This com-
Portischs case it would have been a stylis- pletely vindicates blacks plan. Now he has a
tic preference, but one which demonstrated good structure back and he has made signifi-

24
cant progress. The a-file is open and the for-
merly useless c7-knight has been exchanged.
B
22. d2 seemed better with unclear
play.
B N
22...axb5 23. e3 g4! Black wants to ex-
change pieces, which breaks down whites
blockade and brings him closer to a posi-
tion where the passed c-pawn is a real trump.
B N B B
24. d4 e3 25. xe3 xc3 26. d4 xd4 B B
Q Q Q Q
27. xd4 a7 28. c3 e7 29. a1 White R
must co-operate. Otherwise black continues
with, for example, ...Ra6, Qa7, Rea8, etc.
R Q R R Q Q
29... xa1 30. xa1 c8 31. c1 c7 32. c3
32.Rc3 Qb6 with the idea of ...Qd4
or ...Qf2. Inevitably black pene-
trates the position: 33.Rc2 Qe3
32...Ra8 33.f4 Qa7 34.Qd2 Qa2 35.Qe1
Qb2 36.Rb1 c3!! The final touch! Blacks c-
pawn has already become devastating, and the
queen can remain on offer for a few moves.
R Q R Q
37.h3 a2 38. f1 c2 39. c1 xb4 40.e5
R Q Q K Q
b2 41. f2 e4 42. h2 xd5 And white
resigned not a moment too early. As a sort
of post-script, I want to add that this game is
an interesting lesson about the way opening
theory is developed. After I had completed
my notes, I got a copy of Ftacniks notes for
the Informator. He basically had two inter-
esting things to say. One was regarding the
move 21.Kh1, which he thinks is a mistake.
I have to admit that I dont really understand
his analysis, as he seems to be assuming that
in any case white must play Ba4xb5, which
I didnt agree with. The second thing that
was really interesting was the suggestion of
19.Be2... What do you think is the idea of that
move? Thats right, to prevent 19... bxa4! Af-
ter the brilliant 19...bxa4 has been discovered,
somebody finds 19.Be2, invents a logical ex-
planation which is condensed to one sentence
25
(if youre lucky) in the opening monographs
to save space, and theory moves on. No won-
der it is so hard to understand! The lesson is to
look for the games behind the moves, and be
reluctant to just accept that one-sentence ex-
planation and be denied the pleasure of dis-
covering what is really, actually going on with
19. Bc2.
0-1
Christiansen, Larry
Gheorghiu, Florin
Torremolinos
Torremolinos
1977 1-0 D42 (Hartwig,Th)
The following game has been nicely annotated
in various sources as a model attacking game
with the IQP. It is instructive in that regard,
and I will point out a few of the typical maneu-
vers. However, my main interest is in the po-
sition before blacks 28th move. According to
all of the sources, white has played in perfect
model fashion and a couple of blacks moves
are mistakes... so I am very curious as to why
I cant find a win for white after 28...h4. (!)
Feel free to e-mail me your analytical sugges-
tions. I will appreciate them although I may
not be able to reply as I am getting bogged
down with studying for college.
N N N
1.c4 c5 2. f3 f6 3. c3 e6 4.e3 d5 5.cxd5
N B
xd5 6.d4 cxd4 7.exd4 e7 8. d3 c6 B N
R N
9.OO OO 10. e1 f6 11.a3 b6 12. c2 B
B Q
b7 13. d3 The thematic plan. White in-
tends Bg5, which threatens Bxf6 and would
force a weakness. 13...g6 Supposed mistake
number one. 13...Rc8 should be better.
R
13... c8 would appear to save a full
B
tempo: 14. g5 g6 15. h6!? ( B
15.d5? doesnt work: 15... xd5 (N
R Q
15...exd5 16. xe7 xe7 17. xd5 ) N
B N
16. xe7 dxe7 )
 B R R R
14. h6 e8 15. ad1 c8 16. b3 This isB variations over generalities, and they tena-
still completely in line with the classical plan. ciously find resources for the material grabber.
After ...g6 the white bishop switches to a Chess thought is already being re-evaluated
N B N
more active diagonal. 16... a5 17. a2 d5 in many variations (like the Poisoned Pawn,
N R N B
18. e4 c7 19. e5 f8!? Supposed mis- where white can no longer just "say" he has
take number two. Now black gets into trou- compensation), and this may be one more ex-
ble because of the f6-square. 20. g5 e7B B ample.
B R
R Q Q
21. xe7 exe7!? Supposed mistake num-
28...h4 29. g4 ( 29. f3 h6
N Q Q Q
ber three. Black blatantly ignores the weak
30. g6+ xg6 + ) ( 29. f5 h6
Q R R R Q
dark squares and especially f6.21...Qxe7 was
30. g4 ( 30. f1 e6 31. h5 f6
R R R
the obvious move.
) ( 30. h5 c1 + ) 30... e6
Q
21... xe7 R K Q Q
31. g8+ e7 32. f5 f6 )
R Q
29... xe5 30.dxe5 xe5!! This
B
22. xd5!? Starting a very tempting attack. is the powerful resource which I sus-
The next five moves or so usually get a flurry pect most human analysts missed.
of exclams, and they fully deserve them, if
N
the attack works... 22...exd5 23. f6+ g7 K Q N K N
29. xe6 fxe6 30. g6+ g7 31. xh8+ xh8 K
Q
24. h3 R
32. xh5+ Now the endgame is very favorable
to white. Firstly, because of the three king-
N
24. fg4 was the last chance to side passers, and secondly, the Rs have lots
chicken out, and it may have been K N R
of open lines. 32... g7 33.h4 c6 34. xe6
best. N R K R R N
xd4 35. g5+ h7 36. d6 f7 37.f3 f5?
R R R K R R
38. xf5 xf5 39. d7+ g6 40. xb7 f4
24...h5 R
41. xa7 1-0

K N K K
24... xf6 25. g4+ f5 ( 25... g7
Q
26. h6+ K N
h8 27. f6 + ) Bengston, Matt
Q
26. f3+ Kg5 27.h4+ Kh5 ( Hartwig, Thomas
K K Q
27... xh4 28.g3+ h5 29. h1+ UMBC Open (4)
K Q
xg4 30. h4+ + ) 28. xe7 R UMBC
R Q
xe7 29. f4 + 2001.09 1/2-1/2 E42 (Hartwig,Th)
1.d4 This game was played in the recent
25.Nxh5+ Here we go! 25...gxh5 26.Rd3 UMBC Open tournament. UMBC players
Qh8 27.Rg3+ Kf8 28.Rg5 Re6?? Now tend to despise this event because of the high
white wins smoothly. The question posed by entry fee and the fact that it is required to be
my computer is this: how to win after 28...h4. considered for team selection. Nonetheless,
Moreover, how to equalize?? Well, white there is also a positive aspect to playing ba-
has played all of the right moves and, fur- sically "at home", and I did well this year.
ther, black has two pieces marooned on the My fourth round game was probably the best.
queenside while his king is exposed. There- N N B
1... f6 2.c4 e6 3. c3 b4 4.e3 c5 5. e2 AN
fore, at first I naturally assumed that white had perfectly well-known system, of course. How-
something. But I cant find it! The comput- ever, one of my weak points is that I have
ers are very powerful advocates for concrete never really settled on a single main defense

26
against 1.d4, and therefore I was already on
somewhat unfamiliar ground. The last time
I had faced this move was almost a year ago
against Ilye Figler, when I got crushed. How-
ever, even after that game I had not prepared
fully. 5...cxd4 6.exd4 d5 Bengston mentioned
after the game that this line is out of fashion,
but it was the only one I (sort of) knew. 7.c5
An ambitious move - also, not to be mislead-
ing, the normal move in this position. Any-
way the idea is that if black wants to keep
the bishop then white will gain valuable tempi
for queenside expansion. In the game against
Figler I had basically ignored whites idea
with 7...O-O; this time I knew basically one
more move... by the way, this is not the rec-
ommended way to learn theory, one move at a
N B B
time! 7... e4 8. d2 xc3
N
It turns out that 8... xd2 is more
highly recommended. The follow-
Q
ing is a sample line: 9. xd2 a5! An
important strategic idea that never
crossed my mind at the time. 10.a3
B N B
xc3 11. xc3 a4 12. d3 b6 and
black appears to be making a fair
fight of it on the queenside.
N N
9. xc3 xd2?! This basically just hands
white a pleasant position. After I became dis-
illusioned with 9... Nxc3 I didnt see anything
else, but the situation actually should not be
considered so desperate.
N B
9... xc3 10. xc3! Leads to an in-
teresting position. My impression
during the game was that white is
just better here, not so much directly
due to the bishop pair as due to his
queenside wedge. The c3-bishop
looms large, however, if black tries
to chip away the wedge by ...b6, or
pulverize it by ...e5. After the game
UMBCs chess coach, Igor Epshtein
27
disagreed, opining that ...e5 is not
crucial and black can play around
the wedge, and since the bishop is
not doing that much then black is
happy enough to have a knight...
okay, verdict? I dunno. ( 10.bxc3
b6!? This is what I was origi-
nally thinking about when I played
8...Bxc3, although it is also possible
to play 10...O-O first. )
9...OO Is another approach, which
seems to have theorys stamp of ap-
proval. Black says he likes the
e4-knight and doesnt want to ex-
hange it for nothing. Since 10.Bd3
could be met simply by 10...f5,
the critical question is who benefits
from changing the pawn structure.
N B B
10. xe4 dxe4 11. f4 ( 11. c3
Q N
g5 is interesting. ) 11... c6
B R Q
12. d6 e8 13. d2 e5 14.dxe5
N xe5 and black appears to be fine.
10.Qxd2 OO 11.Be2 b6 This appears to be
almost the only way for black to play. The
idea is to play 12...bc and to gain the c6-square
if white re-captures with the b-pawn. If white
takes with the d-pawn, as in the game, then
black gets a central majority. 12.b4 bxc5
12...a5 13.b5 is terrible.
13.dxc5 The ambitious decision, which was
easy to predict. My opponent outrated me by
about 200 points and so far he has every indi-
cation that things will go his way. After all,
I have taken a long time to play moves which
are inferior to established theory. Nonetheless
13.bc was worth a thought.
B
13.bxc5 d7 This was my inten-
tion during the game. The follow-
ing line is not forced, but it proves
 that whites idea has teeth. 14.OO
B R N
c6 15. ab1 d7 16. b3 c7 R Q
Otherwise 17.Bb5 will be awkward.
N B B
17. b5! xb5 18. xb5 And white
is clearly better.
N
13... c6! This was the crux of my idea, and
it seems to be the best try. The knight goes
to e7 so it can support the center. 14.b5 Of
course nothing could be more natural, and I
was counting on this. Nonetheless, 14.Rb1
should be considered for reasons that I will ex-
N
plain in a moment. 14... e7 The obvious idea
is ...e5, but there is another threat that white
has so generously helped me to create with his
last move... 15.OO
B
15. f3 a6! This is the point.
Whites pawns are suddenly crip-
pled in this line. Therefore he is not
able to stop ...e5.
15...e5 16.f4 After the game white explained
that he had been relying on this move, which
attempts to break apart my center. Now enor-
Q
mous complications erupt. 16... c7! 17.c6
N Q
d4! 18. e4 b6! I apologize for giving my-
self three exclams in a row... the idea isnt
quite that brilliant, and I am not even certain if
it is sound. However, each move is an integral
part of blacks plan. If I didnt have 18...Qb6 I
wouldnt be able to gain the necessary tempo
to protect d4 so I can push in the center, and
K
the center would collapse. 19. h1
N
19. f2 e4! is a pretty side variation.
19.Bd3! is more critical: 19...f5!?
20.fxe5 fxe4 21.Bc4+ Be6
22.Bxe6+ Kh8 and the central
pawns look very imposing, but a
pawn is a pawn and whites position
is very active. I suspect that if you
analysed deeply enough it might
transpire that white is just winning
here.
28
B N
19... f5 20. d6
N
20. g3 is more stable but probably
better for black after 20...e4. White
has a more challenging idea.
20...e4 21.g4! This move definitely keeps
the position from growing stale! Seriously,
the next few moves are highly critical - will
blacks center collapse or will he be able to
make something of it? 21...e3 Apparently
Q
forced. 22. b4?! This is the most active
square for the queen. It is true that it allows
22...Nxc6, but then the queen can retreat and
everything hangs. It appears that ultimately
this doesnt work, but I admit that I have not
had time to analyse this position completely,
as it is clearly rich with possibilities.
Q B
22. c1 e6 is very hard to assess,
but probably gets preference since
the game should be good for black.
N
22... xc6!
The calm treatment with 22... e6 B
N Q
23. c4 c7 is also possible, and
it is also hard to evaluate. After
my choice in the game the position
becomes incredibly sharp but then
reaches a fast resolution, which was
easier on my nerves. So after a quick
check that I hadnt missed anything
obvious, I crossed my fingers and
played it. It turns out that it is also
best!
Q B N
23. a3 d3 Forced. 24. f3 d4?! There
are three main ideas behind my sack. First,
the pawns are going to try to net at least a
rook. Second, ...Nc2xa1 can pick up a stray
exchange with tempo. Finally, as Tal said
once, white can only take one piece at a time.
However, these reasons are just some attempt
to make conceptual sense of a random looking
position. If you really want to know whats Qd5+ 33.Qg2 A sorry move, although my op-
going on, then the variations must speak for ponent explained that he had simply missed
themselves, and it turns out that there was a 34...Qd5. However it isnt clear that he had
better move. better.

B K
33. g1 Q xf5 34. e3Q R
d6!
24... xg4! is even stronger. Black
simply gives up a single piece, and Q
35. xa7 ( 35.b6 is better, but
then white loses his pawns and the
leaves white to deal with the multi-
R
king remains exposed. 35... g6+
ple threats including ...Nc2, a loose
K K Q
36. h1 ( 36. f2 c2+ ) 36...axb6
knight, and of course the passers.
B N Q Q Q K
37.axb6 b5 ) 35... g6+ 36. f2
25. xg4 d4 26. xd3 There is
N Q
nothing better. ( 26. c4 b7+ R K R Q
d2+ 37. e1 a2 38.f5 f6 and
K Q
27. g1 e4! and black has too mates.
Q
many threats. ) 26... xd6 With ad- Q
33... xb5 34. g1R Qd5 This is what
vantage to black. Bengston had missed. Now I had an excellent

N
25. xf5
chance to win the game. 35.f6 xg2+?! Q
After 35...g6 I probably could have won the
B
25. xa8 Nc2 endgame.
Q
35...g6 36. xd5 Otherwise white
B
25...e2 26. xa8 can do nothing, but this helps black

White can also insert 26. e7+ N by bringing the rook into play.
R R R
36... xd5 37. c1 d6! 38. c8+ R
which may be better. How-
ever, black gets equal play in any
K R R R
h7 39. c7 xf6 40. xa7 xf4 R
K B
case. 26... h8 27. xa8 exf1= + Q It isnt immediately clear that this

R R
28. xf1 Q Q
xa8 29. xd3 b7+
position is a win, but analysis with

N K N N
30. c6 ( 30. g1 xb5 ) 30... xc6
Epshtein revealed that white is hard

Q Q R
31.bxc6 xc6+ 32. f3 c8 and
pressed to meet blacks simple, me-
K K
thodical advance. 41. g2 g7 42.
black is comfortable because of
Q R R
the line 33. xc6 xc6 34. b1 h6
R R R R
a8 a4 43. a7 g5 44. a6 f6 etc.

R R
35. b7 a6
26...exf1=Q+ 27.Rxf1 Nxf5 28.gxf5 Rxa8
29.Qxd3 Rd8 This is the position I had antic-
ipated with 24...Nd4, and I thought it should
be fine because whites king is weak. In the
game white even gets into a bit of trouble.
Q
30. e2 h6 An important move in any case,
so this seems a good moment to get it in.
31.a4 Possibly the next two moves are too
time-consuming... in any case white soon gets
into trouble. 31.Rg1 might be better although,
Q
frankly, I prefer black here. 31... d4 32.a5
36.Kxg2 gxf6? Again 36... g6 was correct.
This move is somewhat inexplicable in that
now 36... g6 seems more or less obvious to
me. However, during the game I became dis-
tracted analysing what happens after 36... g6
if I go for the a-pawn instead of the f-pawn,
when things are less clear. I guess I didnt ap-
preciate the full range of possibilities. Now
the position can even become dangerous to
black because whites king is more active. The
finish is played at a low level and its a shame
for such a full-blooded middle game to end as
K K K K
this does. 37. f3+ f8 38. e4 e7?

29
 R
38... d2 was much simpler. 9...Ne4 looks silly as white can push through
R
39. b1 f5+? This line is at best barely draw-
N
f2-f3, etc. with tempo. 11... df6
ing. My only excuse is that I couldnt belive 11...Nxc3?! 12.Bxh7+ Kh8
I was in any trouble after the nice play ear- 13.Nxc3 g6 14.Bxg6 fxg6 15.Qxg6
lier, i.e., I thought I should be fine through in- is very ugly for black.
K K R
ertia. 40. e5 f6+ 41. xf5 d5+ 42. g6 K
R R K K
xa5 43. e1+ f8 44. xf6? I was just start- 12.f3 Nxc3 13.bxc3! Bd6 14.Bxd6 Qxd6
ing to appreciate how precarious my position 15.e4 Nh5?! Blacks N is badly misplaced on
was when this move appeared on the board. h5.
Instead, after 44. f5 white could have made
me sweat. Although I dont see a win, neither
N
Better was 15... d7 when white
nonetheless has a very pleasant
do I see a clear way for black to a draw.
edge.
R
44.f5 a2 45.h4 g2+ 46. xf6R K Q Q
R R
g4 47. b1 is a starting point for 16.e5 h6 17. d2!! It might seem unnatural
to exchange queens, since whites main idea
analysis. Again I have to admit that
Im not ready to give an opinion. is a pawn advanve en masse on the kingside.
Hopefully you can forgive me and The main point is to keep the initiative by har-
the game provides enough food for rasing blacks knight. Meanwhile, white con-
nects rooks and increases his lead in develop-
thought as it is.
Q K
ment. 17... xd2+ 18. xd2 g4 is a threat,
R
44... a6+ And white accepted the draw. All N
winning a piece. 18...g6 19.g4 g7 20.h4 h6
in all, neither of us probably deserved less... To keep the kingside closed as long as possi-
or more. ble. 21. af1R
1/2-1/2
21.h5 g5
Petrosian, Tigran B R
21... d7 22. hg1 b5 23.f4 a5 24.f5 Every-
Corral, Humberto thing has been well prepared, and besides the
Montevideo obvious 25.fxg6 white also threatens 25.e6
Montevideo fxe6 26. f6. Black is basically forced to com-
1954 1-0 D35 (Hartwig,Th) mit suicide by opening the g-file. 24...gxf5
I offer my sincere apologies that this weeks K
25.gxf5 h8 26.e6!! White has prepared a
game is late... of course, this is a free ser- very nice final blow. 26...fxe6 27.f6 f5 N
vice, but I want to make sure it is clear that B
28. xf5 exf5 29. g7 R
I intend to keep maintaining it and you should
keep coming back. In fact, there are a couple Black resigned in view of 29. g7 R
of new sections for my page in the works, ex- R N B
ed8 30. f4 e8 31. e1 + R
panding on the theme of "one game per week"
1-0
Enjoy!
N N
1.d4 f6 2.c4 e6 3. c3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5
B N B B
5. g5 bd7 6.e3 e7 7. d3 OO! 8. ge2 N Capablanca, Jose
R Q N
e8 9. c2 c6 10.h3!? e4?! 11. f4! Re-B Vidmar, Milan
fusing to exchange pieces on blacks terms. New York

30
New York B
29... d7?! B
30. b6 B B
e6 31. xe6 fxe6
1927 1-0 C98 (Hartwig,Th) R
32. d8+ Nice. White exchanges off rooks
I do not present the following game as if my since otherwise black would develop coun-
annotations to it were a revelation... of course terplay with ...Rc8-c2 (that was blacks idea
I never do that anyway (-; Instead, I want to behind exchanging bishops). R
32... xd8
bring a beautifully simple positional game to B N B N
33. xd8 d7 34. xa5 c5 35.b3 xb3 N
your attention; one which, for the most part, B N
36. xb4 d4 37.a5 The extra passed a-pawn
speaks for itself. For a game like this I would wins easily.
like to remind you what is far and away the 1-0
best way to get something out of this type
of game ... TRY TO GUESS THE MOVES
YOURSELF FIRST. Any chess program fa- Hartwig, Thomas
cilitates this easily. Of course, if you prefer Carl, Kevin
your own methods, I think you can still enjoy Mini Swiss (2)
the game. Lansing
N N B
1.e4 e5 2. f3 c6 3. b5 a6 4. a4 f6 B N 1999.07.11 0-1 B98 (Hartwig,Th)
B R B
5.OO e7 6. e1 b5 7. b3 d6 8.c3 a5 N The idea behind showing the following game
B Q N
9. c2 c5 10.d4 c7 11. bd2 OO 12.h3 is to set the stage for next week. I want to
N N
c6 13.d5 d8 14.a4 b4 Weakening c4 and show how, under ideal circumstances, it is
allowing the ensuing play. 14...Bb7 is also possible to truly learn from ones losses. This
nice for white since the bishop has nothing to game, like most losses, was very painful at the
do there. time, but more than two years later I have no
problem showing it. However, it was much
R
14... b8 _ +
= closer to the time of the game when I discov-

N
15. c4 a5
ered the game I will show next week. It is hard
to describe the feeling of excitement I got, be-
N
15... e8 16.a5 +
=
cause I immediately saw that it could help me
to understand something that, by my failure
N
16. fxe5! This little combination opens to understand it, had been responsible for my
up the center so white can exploit his po- loss in the present game.
sitional advantages, particularly on the light N
1.e4 c5 2. f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. xd4 f6N N
squares. Otherwise black would be fine af- N B
5. c3 a6 6. g5 I have to make another ob-
B
ter 16...Ne8. 16... a6!? 17. b3 dxe5 B servation here. I started playing 6.Bg5 here
B Q Q
18.d6 xd6 19. xd6 xd6 20. xd6 b7 N N when I was less than 1400 rated, and my rea-
N B
21. xb7 xb7 22.cxb4 cxb4 23.f3 Cement- sons for choosing it had nothing to do with the
ing whites advantage. Both of his mi- considerations that might be relavent to me to-
nor pieces are better than their counterparts, day. However for a very long time I persisted
and blacks queenside pawns are also weak. in playing it exclusively, because it became
R B R
23... fd8 24. e3 h6 25. ed1 c6 26. ac1B R the only line that I knew, and the disparity
B K R R R
e8 27. f2 xd1 28. xd1 c8 29.g4 With grew with every game that I played it again.
the idea 30.h4, 31.g5, 32.Rd5, etc. I think that this is a common problem in the
way that amateurs choose their opening reper-
B
29. b6?! Nd7 30.Bxa5 Nc5 += B Q Q
toire. 6...e6 7.f4 e7 8. f3 a5! This turned

31
out to be a very astute choice as I was much Q K B B
15... b6+ 16. h1 hxg5 17. g3 d7 18.a4
N
better prepared for the main line. 9. b3?! R Q K N N
c8 19.a5 c7 20. g1 f6 21. d2 With the
idea of Nd2-f3. White appears to have made
9.OOO is a better option. I N B
some progress. 21... h5 22. xe5? I seri-
not only did not know the specific ously underestimated the effectiveness of the
theory at the time of the game, ensuing pawn structure for black.
but I wasnt at all sure which side
I wanted to castle on in general. B
22. h2 =
+ was better.
B B
Nonetheless: 9... d7 10. h4 Part
22...dxe5 23. f3 Q B c5+ 24. h1K f4N
of an slow but extremely sensible
N B N K
25. e2 c6 26. xf4 gxf4 27.c3 e7 28.b4
plan which brought me fair success
N N
in later games. 10... c6 11. b3!
B R
a7 29.c4 cg8 30.b5!? A last desperate
fling? It might have been, except in fact I
Only now, when black has been
R Q R
just missed 31... Re3. 30... g3 31. e2 e3
forced to adopt a particular queen-
Q Q R Q K
32. g4 xd3 33. g5+ e8 34.b6 xb6 B
side configuration. 11... c7 12.g4
B
h6 13. g3 OOO 14.h4 +
Q
35.axb6 d6!
=
35...Qxb6?!
9...Qc7 10.Bd3 Nbd7 11.OO h6!
is OK, but after:
36. Qxe5 Qd4 37.Nf3 Qxe5
38.Nxe5 Bxe4 39.Nxd3 Rxh3+
11...b5 12.e5 Bb7 13.exd6 Bxf3?!
40.Kg1 Rxd3 41.Rxf4 offers
14.dxc7 was Hartwig - Triplett,
white better chances than he de-
Ann Arbor, 1998.
serves.
B
12. h4 g5 13.fxg5? 36.Qg7 Rhxh3+ 37.gxh3 Rxh3+ 38.Kg2
Rg3+ 39.Qxg3 fxg3 40.Rad1 Qd3 41. Nf3
13.e5 I actually saw the move 13.e5
during the game but rejected it be-
Qxe4 42.Kxg3 Qf4+ 43.Kg2 Qxc4
cause I didnt want to go down 43...Qg4+ would have won immedi-
a pawn so early. Nonetheless it ately: 44.Kh2 Bxf3 +
44.Kh3 f5 45.Nxe5 Qc3+ 46.Nd3 Be4
is the best move, since it actually

47.Rfe1 Bxd3 48.Re3 Bf1+ 0-1

fights for the e5-square. 13...gxh4
14.exf6 N N
xf6 15.f5 e5 16. d5
N Q Q B Q
xd5 17. xd5 c6 18. c4 xd5
B
19. xd5 With the idea of Nd2-e4, Ziatdinov, Rashid
white has certain compensation. Schweizer, Robert

N Q
13... e5 14. e2
Bern (1)
Bern
14.Qf4 Nfg4 =
1994 1-0 B99 (Hartwig,Th)
+ In case you hadnt remembered, the "point"
14...Nfg4 15.h3? This fails to even remove of this game is to compare it with last weeks
the g4-knight, but it does further weaken my loss. I think it is an ideal illustration of the
dark squares. type of model game you want to look for to
provide an appropriate foil to your own mis-
B
15. g3 =
+ is better. handling of typical positions. Again, here is

32
the idea - you take your own loss, and go back more direct way to fight for the e5-
and look at games that reached similar posi- square.
tions which were played at GM level. This
B
17... d7 18.h4! OOO 19.hxg5 Big
game, in comparison to the game last week,
will hopefully demonstrate what I am talking
B K
progress. 19... xg5+ 20. b1!
about better than words can. N B
20.f4 xd3+ 21.cxd3 f6 is too
N N N
1.e4 c5 2. f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. xd4 f6 rushed. White intends to play f4
N B B Q Q
5. c3 a6 6. g5 e6 7.f4 e7 8. f3 c7 when he needs to, but it is loosening
N B B
9.OOO bd7 10. d3!? h6 11. h4 g5 A and he needs to time it carefully.
N
very typical and well regarded idea in the Na-
jdorf. The position is not the same, but the 20... xd3? I think this may be blacks only
basic outline in both cases is - we are dealing mistake in the whole game. Apparently, it
with a fight for the e5-square. What is inter- gets out of the way of the coming f4-fork and
esting in this case is that white is successful would have to be played anyway. Further-
and in a convincing way. Admittedly there is a more, I think it might have been hard for black
concrete mistake around move 20 by black be- to imagine how he could possibly be worse in
fore he can be overcome, but you have to real- the resulting position. But he is a lot worse
ize that HE LOST PLAYING COMPLETELY and thats why the game is so interesting.
PLAUSIBLE MOVES. I.e., the only mistake B R
20... f6 _ (Nunn) 21. xh8 (
he made was only a mistake because of the so- N B
21.f4 xd3 22.cxd3 xc3 23.bxc3
phisticated way white punished it in this game. R R
( 23. c1?? Q
xh1 ) 23... xc3!
You cant ask for more than that! 12.fxg5 R Q R
24. xh8 b4+ ) 21... xh8 22.f4
N Q N N
e5 13. e2 fg4 14. f3! This is the correct N N
xd3 ( 22... c4?! 23.e5 dxe5
plan - to put every resource towards overcom- B Q
24. xc4 xc4 25.fxe5 ) 23.cxd3
N
ing the e5-square. 14... xf3 +
=
14...hxg5 is a very interesting alter- K R B
21.cxd3 b8 22. hg1 e7 How can white
native but it involves a sacrifice as be better?! The only thing to choose between
the following line doesnt work for is the minors; whites g3-B is active, but black
B B N
black. 15. xg5 xg5+ 16. xg5 R Q Q
has the two Bs... 23. c1 a5 24. e3!! Aha!
R R N
xh2? 17. xh2 xh2 18. h5 Q Blacks king is also slightly weak, and the
N N B Q
hg4 19. xe6 xe6 20. h8+ simple idea of Bf2 will create more weak-
15.gxf3! hxg5 16.Bg3 Ne5 17.Qf2! A very
nesses. 5... a6 is coming back to haunt him.
B K
24...b6 25. f2 b7 26.a3 Threatening b2-
classical, straightforward approach to the po-
Q Q Q
b4. 26... c5 27.d4 a5 28.d5 c5 29. d2 Q
sition. White is going to play h4 which opens
Q K B B
a5 30. a2 f6 31.b4 xc3 32. xc3 b5Q Q
the h-file (benefitting him because he has a
lead in development and can swing his rooks
Q K B
33. c7+ a8 34. xb6 An extremely pleas-
ant riposte to the positional agony of last
across the first rank) and, more importantly
weeks game.
fights for e5 by knocking out the props from
1-0
under it. After the g5-pawn goes then f3-f4 is
coming.
Hartwig, Thomas
17.h4!? gxh4 18.f4 is an even Meyer, John

33
MD Free State Chess League (1) B Q N
13... xd2 14. xd2 f5 15. b5! This is the
2001.11 1/2-1/2 E97 (Hartwig,Th) idea that enticed me to play 13. Nd2. There is
1.d4 I have just recently started using this al- a pretty tactic that allows me to take the initia-
most exclusively, so that I can get a feel for R
tive on the queenside. 15... a8

R B Rxa1
it and ultimately broaden my repertoire. This
15... xa4 16. xd6!
B R B Qe8
was the strongest opponent I had since the
N N 17. xc7 xf1+ 18. xf1
N
switch (about 2350). 1... f6 2.c4 g6 3. c3
Before the game I had made friendly conver- 19. d6 is the point.
sation with my opponent and he mentioned a
16.f4? Very interesting, but I passed up a big
win in the Gruenfeld, so there was a psycho-
chance here. In fact I wanted to play 16.c5
logical twist. Should I play 3.Nc3? And when
very much as it seems like the thematic move,
I did, he would have to consider that I must
B
not be afraid of the Gruenfeld,... 3... g7!?
but I missed the critical follow-up 19.Qb2.
I have no idea if he plays both lines regularly N
16.c5 xc5 ( 16...dxc5 17.d6 cxd6
or if these considerations actually came into Q
18. xd6 gives white huge activ-
play, since I had to leave immediately after the ity and did not trouble me during
N B
game. 4.e4 d6 5. f3 OO 6. e2 e5 7.OO the game, nonetheless it is prob-
N N
c6 8.d5 e7 9.b4 This is the first time I R B
ably best: 18... xa4 19. xc5!?
have had the white side of this position. 9...a5 R xa1 20. R N B
xa1 xc5 21. c4+
R
10.bxa5 xa5 11.a4 d7 N K Q R Q
g7 22. xe5+ f6 23. xc5 fxe4
11...c5 is considered standard as far
B B K
) 17. xc5 dxc5 18. c4 g7 Black
gets out of the discovery but sets
as I know. Now I was on my own.
himself up for other problems.
B
12. a3 Q
19. b2

N
12. d2 also seems highly logical. I
wanted to keep open the possibility
of meeting ...f5 with Ng5, but there
is also another consideration.
B
12... h6 This seems like a good plan. First of
all it prepares ...f5. The other point is that on
Nd2 he can take it now. I realized this, but I
was lured to play it anyway because I saw a
pretty tactic that would be nice to get on the
N
board! 13. d2!?
B B N
13. c1 g7 14. d2 seems like the
more "orthodox" choice. Not in the
classical sense of course - white is
retreating a piece to avoid trading a
bishop for knight. But from some
kind of schematic point of view it is
more expected to keep the knight.
16...b6! Very calm. Black is apparently under
a lot of pressure but he still wants to let me
release the central tension. I think I justified
his choice in the game.
B
16...exf4 17. b2 Defends a4 and
switches to a nice diagonal so black
will regret ...Bxd2. It is unlikely
white will experience any nervous-
ness about being a pawn down until
black can mend his position.
17.fxe5
B
17. b2 seems better now. Instead I
acted typically of the weaker player
in a high pressure game and tried
to simplify things, making conces-
sions.

34
 N B B
17... xe5 18. b2 d7 This is the big differ- K
24... f8 25.c5 ( 25.exf5! is best,
ence - it turns out that now black has more and improves on the game for
breathing space. Nonetheless I could have white: 25...gxf5 26.g4 ) 25... e7 K
played better and maintained a completely ( 25...bxc5 26.d6 cxd6 27.b6 )
B
healthy position. 19. xe5 Not forced but not 26.cxb6 cxb6 and white has to tread
Q
bad if I follow it up right. 19...dxe5 20. g5 carefully.
Q
20. b2!? This was the main alter- 25.exf5 gxf5 26.g4 f4
native I considered during the game.
The main idea is to re-capture on
N
26... d6 looked more disconcert-
ing at the time but was not neces-
b5 with the queen, avoiding the
R
sarily better: 27. a7 ( 27. xf8+ R
ugly static endgame that arises in
the game because of my suddenly
K K
xf8 28.gxf5 e7 29. f2 f6 is K K
clearly better for black but I dont
weak dark squares and a case of bad
B
B vs good N. 20... xb5 21. xb5 Q know if its a win or the sunny side
R
R K
fxe4 22. xf8+ xf8 I was afraid I
of a draw. ) 27... f7 ( 27...f4?
This worried me most at the time
might not have enough comp for the
but it isnt sound as the pawns arent
pawn here, but for one thing I can
nearly fast enough to create threats
regain the sacked material immedi-
Q
ately. 23. b1!?
before whites rook comes a knock-
R R
ing: 28. xc7 e4 29. c6 f3 30. f1 B
20.c5! is sharp and completely log- B
( 30. xf3 also defuses the idea.
ical (suggested by Judah Brown- R
) 30...e3 31. xd6 e2 32. f2 e8 K R
stein). I considered it at vari- R
33. e6 and white is winning easily.
ous points, but not here as far as ) 28.gxf5
I recall, for reasons I dont un- B N
B
27. d3 d6 A "sack". However it is more or
derstand now. 20... xb5 21.axb5
R R Q
less the only winning try and hardly puts black
xa1 22. xa1 bxc5 23. c3 fxe4 (
Q R B N
in danger of losing.
23... d6 24. a6 ) 24. c4 xd5?
R
25. d1 27...h6 gives white time to set up a
K N
blockade: 28. f2 d6 29. xf8+ R
B
20... xb5 21.axb5 Rxa1 22.Rxa1 Nc8 K K
xf8 30. f3 Im pretty certain this
Q Q
22... d6 23. e3 fxe4 is more ambi-
is a draw. White plays h4 and shuf-
fles his bishop on the f1, d3 squares.
tious and also worth consideration.
Black cannot find a way to guard f4
This worried me during the game
so he can never push through ...e4.
slightly more than the line played.
Q R B K R
28. xh7+ g7 29. xf8 xf8 30. d3 e4K B
23. xd8 xd8 Because of my feeble play
I am worse now. However, it isnt clear to
B K K
31. c2 g7 32.h4 f6 33. f2 g6 BlackK K
was down to his last ten minutes and decides
me whether black is actually ever winning.
R R
24. a8 f8 This is correct, but not for the
to repeat. Frankly I think the position was
drawn anyway.
reasons I thought at the time. In fact 24...Kf8
is best met the same way as in the game K
33... e5 is the winning try. Black
whereas I had intended 25.c5. cant allow both of my pawns free

35
 rein but he needs to let them advance
a bit to get at them. Actually even
if he wanted to play this 33...Kg6
first makes sense because it allows
K
me to err with 34.Bxe4. 34.h5 f6
K K
35.h6 g6 36.g5 h7 37. e2 g6K K
K
38. f2 and I think there is nothing
more for black to try.
B
34. b1
B
34. xe4+ doesnt quite work and in
fact loses. Nonetheless I looked at
it for a while because if it worked
it would quell my fears of whether
he might play 35...Ke5 on the next
go. KN
34... xe4+ 35. f3 d2+ N
K N K
36. xf4 xc4 37.h5+ h6 38. f5 K N
N K N K
d6+ 39. e6 xb5 40. d7 g5 K and is in my opinion better because it chal-
K N N
41. c6 d4+ ( 41... c3 42. xc7 K
N K
xd5+ 43. c6 draws ) 42. xc7 K
N
b5 43.d6 b4 44.d7 e6+ 45. d6 K timated. When one side has lots of space to
N K N
d8 46. c7 f7 and white is in
bad shape.
K B Kg6 Agreed drawn.
34... f6 35. c2
1/2-1/2
Brogan, Dave
Newton, Frank
? his opponents pieces and hand over the ad-
???? 0-1 C06 (Hartwig,Th)
This week you will notice a new section on
my site which contains an attempt to mix hu-
mour and chess. Definitely check it out and
see if I was successful! One of the highlights
is this game, which is annotated there by Dave
Brogan. Here I will offer my opinions.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 He mentions at this point that
the French is the refutation to 1.e4,... and you
might be wondering where the hell that state-
ment could be coming from. Well I would
just like to point out that, in serious tourna-
ment games, he has played 1.e3 e5 2.d3 d5
N N
3.d4 many times. 3. d2 f6
36
3...c5 4.dxc5 This is an attempt by
white to force the IQP structure, but
it is too direct and shouldnt worry
black for a few reasons. 4... xc5 B
N Q
( 4... f6 5.exd5 xd5 is the sim-
plest way to equalize in my opinion.
N B
) 5. b3 b6 6.exd5 exd5 And here
I think black is more or less happy
anyway. True, white has forced the
IQP (which wouldnt have been pos-
sible after 4.ed5 Qd5!?), but this is a
good version compared to the lines
where black has to play ...Be7xc5 as
two moves.
N B N
4.e5 fd7 5. d3 c5 6.c3 c6 7. e2 cxd4 N
8.cxd4 b6!? 8...f6 is the normal main line
lenges the center. However, blacks idea in
the game should not be completely underes-
maneuver it is typically thought that he has
an "easier position to play" which is not true.
What is true is that he has an objective ad-
vantage because he can decide when to strike.
However, he has to make the decision over the
board and this can be a very hard call to make.
If he strikes at the wrong moment he will free
vantage along with a complete psychological
B
reversal. 9.OO e7 10.f4 g6 11.a3 11.Nf3
looks better as it isnt clear yet that ...Nb4 will
be a problem. 11...a5 12.b3! I agree that this
is a good move for more or less the same rea-
sons as Brogan states in his notes. 12... d7 B
13.g4!? This looks OK to me. True, white will
have to be patient before a direct assault with
f4-f5 is going to work. However, this stakes
out some space and prevents ...h5, so I dont
Q B
see a problem. 13... c7 14. b2 f5! Black
finds a strong defensive resource. This imme-
diately neutralizes whites kingside play. This
is what puts question to whites early g4.
 14...OO?! I think ultimately this N B Q Q
21. c3 xd3 22. xd3 d7 23. h4 xh4 B B
is just wrong. However it will be N R
24. xh4 ac8 25. g2 N N N
c4 26. b1!?
extremely hard to prove it against a 26.Ne3! is better. However the position
tactically accurate defense. See my is quiet enough that, surprisingly, black
comment to move 8. proves unable to use the extra two moves for

R
14...h5 15.g5 c8?! ( 15...OOO
anything useful. Check out the move 29...Re6
R
if you dont believe me. 26... c6 27. e3 N
looks like a better plan when Im
not certain that white has anything.
R N
fc8 28. c3 A good move even if it does

R R
) 16. c1 OO 17. c3 Now this
involve admitting 26.Nb1 was a waste of time.
N Q R
28... xe3 29. xe3 e6 This is depressing
looks very shaky as a sack on h5 is for black because it admits that there was
hanging over blacks head and can nothing constructive to do with the two extra
drop at any moment. tempi.
15.gxf5!? 29...b5!?
15.exf6 is the more classical option Q R
30. f3 d8 31. c2 R K R
g7 32. fc1 c6 R
followed by Nf3 when white has a
grip on the center because of the
Q R
33. d3 dc8 34.b5 Im not so enthusiastic
about this move. In my opinion the position
backward pawn. is roughly even now (the last great chance for
15...exf5? This is a huge decision, and I think white was 19.Kf2), and this is asking for trou-
that 15...gf5 would have been more natural. ble. Of course such a move may be justified,

K N
for instance in time trouble when you need to
15...gxf5 16. h1 OOO 17. c3
R N Q R
produce a decisive result. Even if it doesnt
dg8 18. b5 d8 19. c1 In my work and you become slightly worse, it may
opinion this position is roughly actually improve your winning chances by
equal. giving your opponent an obligation to avoid
N R Q
16. f3 a4 17.b4 OO 18. c1 d8 19. c3? B the draw! Nonetheless, from the chess point
A natural move but the wrong one. This is of view white should avoid weakening him-
actually an extremely interesting position that self.
Dave and I analysed at some length. I think the
correct plan is Kf2!! (which he mentions), fol-
N
34. e2
lowed by Ke3, h4-h5 etc. The move he played R
34... c4 35.b6 Nb5 36.Nxa4?
in the game is completely natural but it simply
N
36. xb5 Qxb5 37.Rxc4 dxc4
doesnt work. This was hard enough to see in
hindsight, and I envy the player that could see Q
38. e2 is a better chance.
N B B
it at the board! 19... a7 20. e1 b5? R
36... xd4?
N
20... b5 is correct, after which N
36... xd4 is simply strong for
black starts to take over the game. black, as Dave pointed out:
The main idea is simply to threaten R
37. xc4 dxc4 38. d1 Q
d5 Q
the a3-pawn, but it proves extremely
unpleasant for white to defend it.
N Q
39. c3 c5
B R R B
21. xb5 ( 21. a1 c8 ) 21... xb5 Q
37. xd4!?

37
 Q
37. b3 also isnt stupid and de-
served attention although it may not
be as flashy as 37.Qxd4. Further-
more it is somewhat incredible that
37.Qxd4 doesnt lose for white, a
point that hinges on some tactical
features that almost seem to be "ac-
cidental".
N R K R R
37... xd4 38. c7
K R N R
h6 39. xd7
K
40. f2 c4 41. b2 c2+ 42. e3 To illus-
xc1+
trate my point that it seems "accidental" that
this works for white just consider that if the
f5-pawn wasnt on the board then 42...Nf5+
N N
would win on the spot. 42... e6 43. d1
R
43. d6!? This was extremely hard
for me to understand, although the
computers all seem to go for it. Why
not 43.Re7? The reason is that it
gets in the way of the e-pawn. Any-
way see Daves analysis for details.
K Ra2 45.Rxb7??
43...d4+ 44. d3
R
45. e7
N
45... c5+ 0-1
Samuelson, Andy
Gukhvat, Peter
? have to see why the other moves do allow
???? 1/2-1/2 B06 (Samuelson,A -
Hartwig,Th)
_This is the second game of the week with
"guest annotations" by Andy Samuelson. As
before, my notes are in underscores. (TH)_
This game was played in the last round of the
Northern Virginia Open. I had 3.5/5 and was
half a point ahead of the next highest B player
in the tournament for the Class B prize. I had
also played 3 FIDE rated players and needed
to play a fourth to get a FIDE rateable perfor-
mance. Luckily, I got paired against a FIDE
expert in the last round.
38
B
1.e4 g6 2.d4 g7 Ive never felt comfortable
playing against the Modern Defense, so I was
not happy to see this in an important last round
N B
game! 3. c3 d6 4. e3 a6 I was unfamil-
iar with this move, so from here on I was on
Q B
my own. 5. d2 b5 6.a3 b7 7.OOO d7 N
8.f4 Very aggressive, but in retrospect proba-
bly not correct. F3 followed by g4 and h4 was
N N
more consistent. 8...c5 9. f3 gf6 10.e5 g4 N
B
11. g1? This drops a pawn, but white was
probably overextended anyway. Black ap-
B
pears to be at least equal. 11...cxd4 12. xd4
B
dxe5 13.fxe5 xf3?! After the game my op-
ponent was of the opinion that Black is eas-
ily winning after Bh6, but Fritz disagrees. _It
seems to me that his opponent was right. After
13...Bh6 14.Ng5 Ngxe5 besides the fact that
black is up a pawn, the pin is extremely an-
noying. If white breaks it with 15.Be3 he also
takes the pressure off of blacks center and he
is more or less just a pawn down for nothing
after 15...O-O. If white plays 15. Kb1 f6 16.
Ne6 Bxd2 etc. forces an effective queen ex-
change. However we shouldnt be too smug
about the fact that white made the wrong move
here. One of the hardest things is when you
have the advantage, to choose between several
attractive lines and find the one which doesnt
allow any counterplay, because first of all you
counterplay!_
N Q Qc7
13... gxe5 14. e3
14.gxf3 Ngxe5 15.Qe3 Qc7 White has certain
compensation here due to pressure on e5 and
the ideas of Bh3 and Nd5. 16.Bh3 Nc4 _??
Andy sort of implies that this is a fatal blunder,
but I dont want to leave any doubt!_
R
16... d8 _It seems to me that white
also has 17.f4 and 18.Qxe7+ here._
N Q N
17. d5 d6 18. b4 OO 19. c3 B
Q c5 =
+
 Q
17. xe7+ White misses a chance with Qe4 R B
31. a7 a5 32. d7+ Kd5 33.Bxb5
here. Instead, I opted to sack my queen. A +
very odd decision in hindsight. On the other
hand, white wins back the pawn this way too. N K K K N
31... ce5 32. g2 d5 33. g3 f4 With
_The only reason whites move doesnt get threats of Ne2+ and Nc4. The activity of the
two question marks too is that his move is black knights makes it hard for white to make
shocking and pretty. Objectively it is a mis- progress. 31. Ra7 was probably the last good
take._ B K R
winning try. 34. xe5 xe5 35. e7+ d5 K
R
36. e4 g5 37.a4?! This allows the exchange
17.Qe4 OO ( 17...Bh6+ 18.Kb1 of the queenside pawns, after which blacks
Rc8 19.Nd5 Qd6 20.Bxh8 + ) defense becomes easier. During the game, I
18.Nd5 + was worried that the queenside pawns would
be weak if I didnt trade them off.
17...Kxe7 18.Nd5+ Kd6 19.Nxc7 Kxc7
20.Bxg7 Rhd8 + = 21.Rhe1 Nc5 22.Re7+ K
37.h4 gxh4+ 38. xh4 Ng6+
Kc6 23.Rxf7 Rxd1+ 24.Kxd1 Rd8+ 25.Ke1 K N R K
39. g5 e5 40. d4+ c5
It appears as though white should be easily
winning now, with an extra pawn and the 37...bxa4 38.Rxa4 Ne2+ 39.Kf2 Nxc3
bishop pair. However, the black knights are 40.Rxa6 Ke5 41.Rc6 Ne4+ 42.Ke3 Nf6
very active and it is not easy to keep the pawn. 43.h3 Allowing a rook endgame where white
has no win, but it was most likely drawn any-
K Ne3 26.Rf6+
25. c1 way.

N
25... e3 _25...Rd2 looks better with the tac- R K R R
43. e6+ d5 44. e7 a8 45. g7 R
tical justification 26. b3 Rxh2._ 26.c3 c4 N Ra3+ 46. f2K N xg4+ 47.fxg4
B
27. d4!? White has to give up one of the Ra2+ 48. e3K R a3+ 49. d2 K
queenside pawns. But which one? Centraliz- K K R K R
d4 50. c2 a2+ 51. b3 xh2
ing the bishop appealed during the game, but R R K
52. xg5 h3+ 53. a4 +=
may not be best. _To me this is a very weird
decision, and 27.b4 keeping a healthier pawn 43...Nxg4+ 44.hxg4 Rg8 45.Ra6
structure looks obvious. However it is inter-
esting that another decent player (who I can 45.Rc5+ Kf6 46.f4 Re8+ 47.Kf3
promise you will not be Class B much longer gxf4 48.Kxf4 Re6 49.g5+ Kg6
(-; ) valued piece activity more and reasoned
along nearly opposite lines. Apparently there 45...Rg7 46.Ra5+ Kf6 47.Rf5+ Kg6 48.Ke4
is a lot of room for stylistic differences below, Ra7 49.Ke5
49.Rd5 This is whites last try for
say, the master level._

Nd3+ 28.Kf1 Nxa3 +=

27.b4 a win. 49...Ra4+ ( 49...Rf7
50.Rd6+ ( 50.Rd8 Re7+ 51.Kd5
27...Nd3+ 28.Kf1 Ncxb2 29.Rxh7 Rf8 Kf7 ) 50...Kg7 And white has no
30.Bg4 Nc4 31.Rg7?! White misses his way to make progress. But not )
chance. Fritz points out that Ra7! is very 50.Rd4 Ra5 51.Rd6+ Kf7 52.Rd5
strong. Ra3 53.Rxg5 +
39
 R K R K
49... a5+ 50. e6 a6+ 51. e7 At this point
I had learned that one of the B players with 3/5
had won to tie me for the class B prize. _With
the flitting exception of a temporary queen
sack, this was a "gritty" game, where blacks
determination to draw eventually prevailed al-
but it is whites turn and he demonstrates the
idea behind 8.Bb5+. 12...Qc6 would have pre-
vented whites next but leads to great compli-
cations after 13. Ne5. Still, I cant find any-
thing concrete so perhaps white was just bluff-
ing after all.

12...Qc6!? 13.Ne5 Qxg2 14.Bxf6!

though white pushed hard. I would suggest
that this is the type of game a player should
Bxf6! ( 14...Qxh1+ 15.Rd1
work on if they are going to improve, because
Qg2 ( 15...Qxh2 16.Qb5+ Kf8
17.Bxe7+ Kxe7 18.Qd7+ Kf6
it will tend to bring a lot of the players weak-

19.Ng4+ + ) 16.Qb5+ Kf8

nesses to the fore: boredom, impatience, lack

17.Bxe7+ Kxe7 18.Qd7+ Kf6

of consistency, etc. White did good work an-

19.Qxf7+ Kxe5 20.f4+ Ke4 21.

notating this game and if you dont see where
Im coming from it might help to go through
Qxb7+ + ) ( 14...gxf6 15.Qb5+
the game a second time and try to take away
Kf8 16.Nd7+ Kg7 17.Qxb7!? Qg6
( 17...Qxb7 18.Rg1+ Kh6 19.Rh4#
a certain self-critical method that could be ap-

) 18.Rd3 Qh6+ 19.Kb1 Rhd8

plied to your own games._

20.Rg1+ Kh8 21.Ne5 looks more

1/2-1/2

or less winning. ) 15.Qb5+ Kf8

16.Nd7+ Kg8 ( 16...Ke7 17.Qb4+
Mikhalchishin, Adrian
Chernin, Alexander
Ke8 18.Nxf6+ gxf6 19.Rhd1 with
an unstoppable attack. ) 17.Nxf6+
Cienfuegos

gxf6 18.Rdd1 Qg5+ 19.Qxg5+

1981 1-0 C10 (Hartwig,Th)

fxg5 20.Rhg1 h6 21.Rd7 Rb8

In the beginning, we learn simple concepts in

22.h4 f6 23.Rgd1 ( 23.f4 Rh7 )

chess, like that doubled pawns and isolated

23...gxh4 ( 23...h5 24.Re7 Rh6

pawns are bad. Then, as we develop, we learn

25.Rxe6 ) 24.Rg1+ Kf8 25.Rgg7

so many exceptions to these rules, that we may

h3 26.Rgf7+ and the fireworks pe-

tend to forget them. The following game is, on
the one hand, simple, and on the other hand in-
credible because white managed to control the ter out to a draw.
game to such a great extent that he won on ac-
count of blacks pawn weaknesses created in
Q Q Q
13. b5+! c6 14. xc6+ Gaining a huge ad-
vantage. You have to keep in mind that this
the opening.
N N
1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3. c3 f6 4. g5 dxe4 B structure is not always so bad for black - for

N N N N
5. xe4 bd7 6. xf6+ xf6 7. f3 c5 8. N instance in many Sicilians, so that is why I was

B b5+! This appears harmless, because it ex-

so impressed with how convincingly white
takes it from here. It is true that compared
changes blacks bad bishop. However, as we to other lines whites rooks are very good
will see, white is trying to make use of the a4- here, and blacks bishop is passive. 14...bxc6
e8 diagonal to inflict serious damage before
B B
black gets castled. 8... d7 9. xd7+ xd7 Q R
15. c4 c5

Q B
10. e2 cxd4 11.OOO e7 12. xd4 c7 R Q It appears that trying to keep
If black had one more move to get castled the knight doesnt help: 15... d5N
then the game could be abandoned for a draw, B
16. xe7 Nxe7 17. d1R R
b8 (

40
 R Rfe8 19.Ne5 )
17...OO 18. d7 11...OO?? B
12. xh7+ Kxh7
N
18. e5 N K Q
13. g5+ g8 14. xg4 +

B R Rb8
16. xf6 gxf6 17. d1 12.h3 Bh5 13.Be3 OO 14.Bxb6 Qxb6
17...Rd8 18.Rxd8+ Kxd8 19.Ra4 15.Qe2 Rfd8 16.Rad1 a5 17.Bb1!? This
+ sacks a pawn by ignoring blacks threat.
However white gets extremely dangerous
R
18. d3 The position now begins to look very B Q
compensation. 17... xf3 18. xf3 a4 19. d4 N
dominating for white, which was hard to fore- Q N
xb2 20. xc6! N Q
xc6 21. f5! g6 22. f6 Q
see even a couple of moves ago. The criti- R B
Threatening Bxg6. 22... d7 23. f5!! The
cal feature is still the excellent placement of idea is to shatter blacks pawn structure with-
whites rooks. c4 cant be touched and white out clearing the second rank, as Bxg6 would,
threatens to tickle the a-pawn. Complicating for defense. It is unclear if it is winning, but
blacks problems further, ...O-O is always met its definitely the correct way to proceed at
by Rd7. R N
18... b4 19. d2! R g8 20.g3 R
this point. 23... e7?! This may have been
R N R
xc4 21. xc4 g4 22.f4! Even on g4 black too pessimistic. Black opts to exchange some
hasnt managed to activate his rook at all, and pieces in hopes of a draw.
now the fact that his king is cut off begins
K
to become evident as well. 22...h5 23. d2 After 23...gxf5 white wins accord-
K R R R
h4 24. e2 hxg3 25.hxg3 g6 26. a3 h6 R
ing to Karpov, but... 24. d3 f4
K R
27. f3 h1 Q Q R Q
25. xf4 f6! 26. xf6 g7 27. e6+
27...Rh2 28.c3 +
K Q K Q K
h7 28. f5+ h8 29. f6 h7
Q
30. f5+ (Junior 5.0) looks like just
28.Rxa7 A beautifully simple game. a draw.
1-0
R N B N
24. xe7 xe7 25. d3 f5 26. xf5 gxf5 B
Karpov, Anatoly
R
27. e1 With the idea of Re1-e3-g3+, and
this also stops escape along the e-file in some
Vaganian, Robert cases.
Skopje
Skopje
1976.02 1-0 C08 (Hartwig,Th)
R
27. d3?? Qb1+ K Qxd3
28. h2
+
Im not going to bother with a big intro this
week... suffice to say the following game is
simply excellent. Karpov starts with a creative
Q Q
27... xa2 28. xh6 a3 It isnt hard to see
why black was attracted to this position; he
attack and finishes off with great technical pre- is putting his faith in the a-P. Karpov must
cision.
N N Q K
be very accurate. 29. g5+ f8 30. f6 g8 Q K
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3. d2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 5. gf3
a6 6.dxc5
Q
31. xf5! First off, black cannot move the Q
from a2 with check.
B
6. d3?! c4
R R Q K
31. e3?! f4 32. e5 b1+ 33. h2
6...Bxc5 7.Nb3 Bb6 8.Bd3 Ne7 9.OO Q R R
g6 34. g5 a2 35. xg6+ fxg6
Nbc6 10.Re1 Bg4 11.c3 h6 Q K Q K
36. xg6+ h8 37. h6+ g8

41
 Q R
31... d2 32. e7! Secondly, blacks R must Bh6 12.Ne2 White decides he would like to
spend a tempo coming to the passive f8- be a pawn ahead, but in doing so he spends
R Q K R Q
square. 32... f8 33. g4+ h7 34. e5 h6 precious time and fails to solve the problem
R R Q K R K
35. h5 a8 36. f5+! g7 37. xh6 xh6 of exactly how to develop. Furthermore, now
Q K Q K Q
38. f6+! h7 39. xf7+! h8 40. xb7! if the c1-bishop ever moves the b2-pawn will
Karpovs precise play yields big dividends. hang.
Black cannot even keep his R on the a-file. Va-
ganian resigned.
B
12. e2 simply developing the
bishop doesnt solve everything:
Q
40. xb7 R
a4 Q
41. c8+ Kg7 N B R
12... d7 13. xg4 xg4 This is
Q
42. d7+ + good for black. He has lost the
g4-pawn, but in return he has fine
1-0 play on the g-file.
B
12. e3 is a creative approach to the
Nunn, John N B N
position: 12... d7 13. d4 e5
Timman, Jan B B
14. e2 OOO 15. xg4+ xg4 R
Amsterdam With all of the trouble white has
Amsterdam gone to castling on either side re-
1995 0-1 C39 (Hartwig,Th) mains a bad idea, so his position is
1.e4 The following game is, I think, a very in- not comfortable at all.
structive and thematic example of what black N N
12... d7 13. xf4 OOO 14.g3 Qe5
is playing for in the Kings Gambit with 3...g5. B
15. g2
All of blacks strategy is based around keep-
ing the "weakling" pawn on f4 alive, because Q
15. xa7 appears too greedy. How-
from a dynamic point of view it is incredibly ever, maybe it was the best way to
annoying. Therefore, it is also a nice illustra- make black sweat. The following
tion of modern chess. 1...e5 2.f4 exf4 3. f3 N analysis is not exhaustive but it
N
g5 4.h4 g4 5. e5 d6! This is not necessarily is interesting food for thought:
15... B R B
f3 16. g1 f5 17. h3
better than 5...Nf6, but, to the extent that it is
B
fxe4 18. xd7+ R Q
xd7 19. a8+
the beginning of a thematic plan black imple-
K Q
c7 20. xg8 exd3+ 21. K f2
ments very nicely in this game, it deserves an
B Q K B
xf4 22.gxf4 e2+ 23. g3 d5
exclam. Black has to choose between stay-
Q Q Q
24. g5 h6 25. g4 ( 25. g6?
ing a pawn ahead and keeping the easy to
Q K R R R
f3+ 26. h2 e7 27. g2 e2
protect g4-pawn, or allowing white to equal-
B Q K
) 25... f3 ( 25... xg4+ 26. xg4
ize material while the weak f4-pawn contin-
R K R
g7+ 27. h5 xg1 28.cxd3 )
ues its precarious existence. He makes the dy-
Q B
26. g6 Q Q
e4 27. g4 xg4+!?
namic choice because the f4-pawn is a great
K R
28. xg4 K R
g7+ 29. h5 xg1
nuisance for white, blocking the f-file and the
N N N B
30.cxd3 xd3 31. K Rxh6 h1
dark-squared bishop. 6. xg4 f6 7. xf6+
Q N Q
xf6 8. c3 c6 9. f3 This move carries be- K R K R
32. g5 g1+ 33. h6 h1
hind it the devious threat of 10.g4. If white 15...f5 16.OO fxe4 17.Bd2?! White ap-
could get that in it would stem blacks counter- proaches the position thus; the b2-pawn is im-
R Q B
play on the g-file. 9... g8 10. f2 g4 11.d3 mune because of Qxa7 in conjunction with

42
Rb1, so its time to finish development by N
1.e4 e6 2. f3 !? I played this quickly but
mobilizing his rooks, and to get out of dan- I had been thinking about whether or not to
ger. Apparently it was better to be greedy do it ever since I found out who my oppo-
with 17. Bxe4 or even 17.dxe4. The main nent was, i.e. about five minutes before the
idea would be to stop blacks next, but it is game. The point is that against the Winawer I
hard to imagine white ever exploiting his ex- play a slightly offbeat line, and pretty success-
tra pawn on the kingside since he is under so fully, but I was afraid that it wouldnt hold up
B
much pressure there. 17... f3! After this the against a GM. This line is less ambitious, but it
g-file looks much more sensitive, and black makes him think about how to make the game
can use the g4 square for his operations as N N
interesting. 2...d5 3. c3 f6 This is what I
R R B
well. 18. ae1 df8 19.dxe4 xg2 20. xg2 K wanted, and now I can go back into d4 lines.
R K R R
B
g4! 21. h3 fg8 22. g1 Does white play
the Kings Gambit to come out like this, curled 3... b4 is also interesting, in my
opinion: 4.e5 ( 4.a3 is a thought
B
up into a miserable shell? Blacks strategy has
too, but black is fine: 4... xc3
Q K N
been wholly successful, but he still needs to
Q Q N 5.dxc3 dxe4 6. xd8+ xd8 7. g5
K N N N
find a way to cash in. 22... f6 23. f3 e7!
e8 8. xe4 ) 4...c5 5. e2 c6
B N
Subtle. He wants to take the knight without
R B B Q
allowing gxf4. 24. g2 xf4 25. xf4 e6 6.c3 a5 7.d4 cxd4 8. exd4 The
K N R R R N
26. h2 h5 27. ee2 f8 28. ef2 xf4 Its position is very lively but it does
time. Whites position suddenly flops undra- not resemble a Winawer. 3...Nf6 is
matically, obscuring the fine play that brought much more popular as people prefer
us to this point. R
29.gxf4 xh4+ 30. g1 K to stick to what they know.
Q xa2 Oops. 0-1, set em up for the next game
Nfd7 5.d4 c5 6.dxc5 Bxc5
Q Q R R
now... 31. g3 b1+ 32. f1 h1+ 33. xh1 K 4.e5
Q R Q Q K
xf1+ 34. g1 xf4 35. h3+ b8 36. xh7 Q 6...Nc6 is "theory". The point is that
R Q
a6 37. g8 c1+ 0-1 on Bd3 black can then take with the
knight.

Hartwig, Tom B Nc6 8.Bf4

7. d3

Kaminski, Marcin
Pan-Am Intercollegiate
2001 1/2-1/2 C11 (Hartwig,Th)
The Pan-Ams, held December 26-29, couldnt
have gone much better in my opinion. My
college, UMBC, became co-champions again!
They also took the title on tie-breaks this time.
I was on their second team which took fourth
place in the event, and the highlight of my
tournament was the following game which is
the first time I have drawn a GM. A some-
what surprising feature is that the game con-
tains many mistakes, despite my opponents
title and high rating.
8.Qe2 is possible
now, whereas
the game transposes into variations
from 6...Nc6. By the way, we
were both on our own as I usually
play 2.d4 and meet 3...Nf6 with the
Steinitz (5.f4).
8...f6
8...OO is a blunder. Of course
there was no thought in my mind
that a GM would allow this, but
it is worth knowing this is why
8... O-O is bad, in case you

43
 hadnt seen it before. 9.Bxh7+
Kxh7 10.Ng5+ Kg6 ( 10...Kg8
11.Qh5 ) 11.Qd3+ f5 12.Nxe6
Ndxe5 13.Qg3+ Ng4 14.Nxd8
( 14.Nxc5 Qe7+ is messy. ) one more move and let black decide what to
14...Bxf2+ 15.Qxf2 Nxf2 16.Kxf2
Rxd8 17.Rad1 and whites position
is much better.
Q
9. e2 !? I was aware that black can prob-
ably equalize immediately now with 9... fe
10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Bxe5 Nxe5 12. Qxe5 Qf6.
However I was also fairly confident that I
would give him a hell of a time trying to beat
me in the endgame, where I felt more confi-
dent of my abilities than in French-style com-
plications that he is probably very familiar
with. So this is a decision based mainly on
off-the-board considerations.
Q B
9.exf6 xf6 10. g3 is clearly cor-
rect, from the point of view of fight-
ing for the advantage.
9.OO doesnt work at all, but I
spent more time rejecting this than
perhaps I ought to have. 9...fxe5
N B
10. g5 ( 10. xe5 ?? doesnt
N N N
work: 10... dxe5 11. xe5 xe5
Q N N
12. h5+ f7 ) 10... f6 ( 10...exf4
N N
11. xe6 ) 11. xh7 exf4
9...fxe5 10.Nxe5 Ndxe5 11.Bxe5 Nxe5
Q
12. xe5 OO He doesnt want to play the
endgame either. Good.
Q Q
12... f6 13. xf6 gxf6 is of course
playable. The following line is not
forced at all but shows more or less
how I was intending to position my
B B
pieces. 14.f4 d7 ( 14... b4 15.a3
B B
!? 15... xc3+ 16.bxc3 d7 17.c4 )
K K R K N
15. d2 e7 16. ae1 d6 17. e2
R B R
hg8 18.g3 c6 19. hf1 c3 and
Nd4 is coming next.
44
R
13. f1 ? This cost me a lot of time. I saw the
more obvious 13.O-O-O first, but I didnt feel
there was enough for the pawn yet. Then it hit
me that it might be best to keep the pawn for
do in the mean time. Nonetheless, the move
is a mistake because in actual fact I do not get
enough for the pawn even after 14. O-O-O.
13.OO is normal but I preferred the
more active plan.
13...g6 ! Definitely a creative response. Im
still not sure exactly what blacks idea is, but I
have a couple of guesses. One is that he wants
to play ...Bd6 with tempo since I will not be
able to reply Qh5. There is also an idea that,
strangely, he did not try to implement in the
game. In rough form it is to play ...Bxf2, Bc5,
Bxf8, Bg7, etc. In any case, it seems to me
that this is one of the more relavent things he
can do with his time, compared to 13...a6, for
B
example. 14.OOO xf2 15. b1 K
B
15. c4 fails miserably as its too
early: R
15... f5 ( 15... f6 )Q
R Q
16. xd5 g5+
B
15... d7 ??
B
15... c5 seems stronger, and I had
worried about it during the game. A
glance at the position suggests that
white should have a strong attack,
but I couldnt find it. Given that
this seemed to be the idea behind
13...g6, I honestly dont have a clue
why he changed his mind.
N
16. e4 ?? This was my original idea and an
interesting one. Unfortunately here I missed a
straghtforward chance to beat a GM...
N
16. xd5 ! 16...exd5 17. xd5+ Q
K R
g7 18. d2 ! Blacks resources
 are stretched defending f2, d7, and
B B
his king. 18... b6 ( 18... c6 is
a better defense but its less criti-
cal since white obviously gets back
Q Q Q
the piece. 19. e5+ f6 20. xf6+
R R R K
xf6 21. dxf2 ) 19. xf8 xf8
B
20. c4 and white is winning.
16...dxe4 ? He played this quickly, presum-
ably happy because in the ending he is not
likely to lose, i.e. the old "playing for two re-
sults"... yet Fritz found another spoiler.
R Q Q
16... f5 ! 17. d6 ( 17. c3
B R
dxe4 18. xe4 f4 19. d3 c7 )Q Q
B
17...dxe4 ( 17... d4 this is actually
the line that had worried me most
R
during the game. 18. xf5 gxf5
B B B
19. b5 ) 18. xe4 c5 !! and black
is winning.
B
17. c4 !
B R
17. b5 ?? 17... f5 is no good.
Q
17... f6
Q R
17... e7 18. xd7
18.Qxf6 Rxf6 19.Rxd7 Reaching an interest-
ing endgame. White can try to take advan-
tage of his active rook to recover material, but
I chose another plan. Basically it consists of
playing like a pansy and holding the fort at e2.
Since blacks extra pawn is crippled, I think
this offers excellent chances of getting a draw.
19...e3
R B
19... b8 20. xe6+
20.c3 ?! Sticking to the plan. I wasnt even in-
terested in surrendering the d-file for a pawn.
R R B R
20. xb7 c8 21. e2 d8 22. c1 K am stronger than that and I will get them all
R R B
d2 ( 22... f7 ) 23. c4 is nonethe-
less objectively better, as I realized
later during the game. Black has no
way to arrange ...e2 because then his
rook will hang.
R B R R K
20... c8 21. e2 f7 22. xf7 xf7 23. c2 K
K R R
e7 24. d1 c5 Blacks winning idea is to
encourage me to move my pawns. For ex-
ample after g3 he can think about ...h7-h5-h4,
while h3 might allow something like .. .Kg3
...Rxf3 (presumably I will put my bishop on
f3). Another point is that I can probably afford
pawn moves on one side if my king stays on
B K
that side. 25. f3 ! 25...b5 26. d3 ! Plan A
is to put the king on e2 and avoid moving my
queenside pawns, which will become feasible
K
if I can get in a3 and Rd4. 26... f6 27.a3
K
27. e2 b4
27...a5 28.b4 Plan B. The queenside pawns
move after all, and my king returns to its post
on c2. The rook ends up miserably defending
b5 so my kingside is safe. 28...axb4 29.axb4
R K K B R
c7 30. c2 e5 31. e2 b7 He offered a
draw here. Only white can play to win, but
if I do so with, for example, Ra1, then ...Rd7
gives black chances too.
1/2-1/2
Hartwig, Thomas
Singhal, Sachin
Catonsville Action (2)
2002.04.13 0-1 B17 (Hartwig,Th)
Wow. it feels like a whole lifetime since I was
last updating my site. Since the last game was
from the Pan-Ams, I suppose it was actually
just a few months. Anyway, I had lost energy
for it for a while, and didnt see any point in
putting out material unless I had something to
say. Recently I have hit a really nasty streak in
my chess, losing something like 50 - 75 points
over a few tournaments, I think. Im sure I
back, but I still have to try to discover what
happened. So I decided to try to annotate some
of these losses... the first game I will look at is
the most recent one which really sticks out in
my mind right now.

45
 N
1. c3 This already bodes badly for my men-
tal state. The point is I didnt play 1. e4 be-
cause my opponent does really well with the
Caro-Kann. However, this just allows him to
reach a Caro anyway and only if he wants to!
There were better offbeat things for this occa-
sion. 1...d5 2.e4 I realized the problem, but
the only other move is 2. d4 which I didnt
like either... 2...dxe4!
N N
2...d4 3. ce2 ( 3. b1!? is not
ridiculous and I once lost a game
against it which made quite an im-
pression. The thing is that the
bishop goes to c4 and now d7-d5 is
N N
not possible. ) 3...e5 4. f3 c6
N N B
5. g3 f6 6. c4 is basically what
white dreams of in this line.
N
3. xe4 c6!? He makes no attempt to pun-
ish me and so we have a Caro after all. 4.d4
N B
d7 5. c4 I was still trying to diverge from
some earlier games with 5. Ng5, in which I
got nothing from the opening. However the
problem is that I hardly knew anything about
N N N
this move. 5... gf6 6. g5 e6 7. 1f3
Q
7. e2 is "book". First of all note
that 7... h6 is not possible im-
mediately, but the main idea is a
bit more sophisticated. White actu-
ally wants to leave f3 for the knight
on g5, and he will typically com-
plete the maneuver Ng5-f3-e5, Ng1-
f3. The justification for losing all
of these tempi is that black first has
to play a bit awkwardly himself to
stop Nxf7. In other words, take a
N
look at the following line. 7... b6
B B
8. d3 h6 ( 8... e7!? makes sense
to me, because white is not go-
ing to want to play Ng5-f3 until
he sees ...h6. However it seems to
N
almost never played. 9. 1f3 h6
46
N N
10. e4 ) 9. 5f3 c5 10.dxc5 xc5 B
N N N
11. e5 bd7 12. gf3 This some-
what bizarre looking sequence has
been repeated in hundreds of games.
N
7...h6 8. h3 g5!? I was supposing that this
knight placement wasnt so disastrous because
at least 8... Bd6 9. Bf4 looks sort of promis-
ing. Sachin played more ambitiously. Actu-
ally at the same time I had two feelings. One
was that black was probably taking over the
initiative and I shouldnt be so delighted. The
other was that, well, at least this was not go-
ing to resemble our last game where I was
desperately trying to find a way to unbalance
things to create winning chances. It is defi-
nitely possible that black can overplay or un-
derplay his hand now, and the weak kingside
N
will come back to haunt him. 9. hg1 The
knights journey has already been quite re-
B N Q
markable! 9... d6 10. e2 b6 11. d3 I ba-
sically intended to play Be3 and castle queen-
side, but also hoped that he would spend some
time and energy worrying about 12. Bxe6. In
fact he played the next two moves instantly,
which turned out to be OK but seems a bit
risky... I mean it cant be that obvious that
B B
Bxe6 doesnt work, can it? 11... b7 12. e3
12.Bxe6 fxe6 13.Qg6+ Kf8 14.h4
( 14.Bxg5 hxg5 15.Nxg5 Qe8 )
14...c5! 15.hxg5 Be4!
12...Qc7 13.OOO
13.Bxe6 looks scarier on this move
but still insufficient. 13...fxe6
14.Qg6+ Kd8 15.Bxg5 hxg5
16.Nxg5 Re8
13...OOO 14.Rhe1 Nd5 15.Nc3? This
game was played at active time controls
(G/30) and so I dont feel too bad that I failed
to spot the problem with this move, which is
not totally obvious. Nonetheless, 15. Kb1 is
 N
better. 15... f4! This is excellent if followed
B B K B
up right. 16. xf4 xf4+ 17. b1 d6?
17...g4! 18.Nd2 Ne5! is good
for black. The problem is that a
few moves ago the d-file was full
of pieces, so this was not that easy
to see. What black plays in the
game is not energetic enough to fol-
low after 15...Nf4. After all, from a
strategical point of view I was quite
happy to trade off my bad bishop,
so black should have tried to prove
something. Now I think I am a bit
better.
Q R N N R
18. e2 hf8 19. e5 f6 20. d3?! This is a
bit clumsy, as the rook becomes exposed to all
sorts of tactics from blacks bishops. 20. Qf3
N R
was more reasonable. 20... d5 21. f3?
B R R
21. xd5! is best. I had noticed
it during the game but was reluc-
tant to give up two minor exchanges.
I remembered the saying that even
the worst bishops are better than the
best knights, which is not always
true but can be very true when the
relative merits of the knights and
bishops are temporary, i.e. when the
knight outposts are not stable, and
the bishops can find a longwinded
way to finally come to life. Anyway,
here there is a specific problem with
what I played so all of these con-
siderations are secondary. 21...exd5
R
22. e3
N
21... f4?
N
21... xc3+ 22.bxc3 is very good for
R B
black. ( 22. xc3 b4 )
Q K
22. f1 b8 This move is directed against g3,
Nxf7, and Bxe6+ in some permutation.
47
N
22...c5 23. b5 Qb8 24. xd6+N
Q B
xd6 25. a6 is fine for white,
since he threatens g3 and Nxf7.
N
23.g3 d5 Black continues to play very sen-
sibly, although never to be energetic and take
over the initiative. However, now the worst is
over for white and he finally obtains a normal
position with a slight advantage since he gets
control of the e-file.
B N
23... xe5 24.dxe5 g6 would have
R
kept up the pressure. 25. fe3 b5!
B B
26. d3 ( 26. b3 seems like the
wrong direction, and black could
even consider 26... a6, 27... b5 here.
N
) 26...b4! 27. d1 A very awkward
square but it is the only way to hold
Q
the e-pawn. 27...c5 28. e2 ( 28.f4
R B B
gxf4 29.gxf4 d4 ) ( 28. e4 xe4
N
29. xe4 d2 ) 28... e7 29. c4 B
N R N R R
d5 30. d3 b6 31. xd8+ xd8
32.f4 gxf4 33.gxf4 With just a mo-
ment to play Nd1-e3 white would
be in decent shape... 33... xc4 N
Q Q N Q
34. xc4 d7 35. e3 d2 36. e2 Q
R d4 and whites position is really
creaking.
N B Rde8 26.Bxb7 Kxb7
24. xd5 exd5 25. a6
R B
27. fe3 b4
27...Bxe5 28.dxe5 is also somewhat
better for white.
28.c3Bd6 29.Qe2 f6
29...Bxe5 30.f4! ( 30.dxe5 Qd7
31.Qc2 also gives white some slight
chances to play for a win. Things
like Qh7, e6, or f4-f5 come to mind
depending on what black does. )
Q R
30...f6 31. d3! f7 32.dxe5 fxe5
R R R
33. xe5 xe5 34.fxe5 e7 35.e6 is
 not so easy because h6 will be a tar-
get. However I had not noticed 30.
f4.
N Q K R
30. g4 h7+ 31. c1 xe3 32. xe3 f5 Q http://www.itsyourturn.com
Q B Q
33. e6 xg3 34.hxg3 fxg4 35. d6 This is
extremely fragile for black although he can
survive it a la Fritz. I think, however, that the
last thing that should happen is for black to
win... unfortunately the time I had spent vac-
illating in the opening was beginning to catch
R R R
up with me. 35... f7 36. e8 c7 37. f8 Q spend about a month beating some players
c5? A fairly "normal" attempt to block the di-
agonal, but losing.
K
37... a6!! forces a draw. The
miraculous point is that if Rb8
doesnt come with tempo then white
Q R Q
cant do it. 38. a3+ ( 38. b8 e7
K Q K
) 38... b7 39. f8 a6
38.dxc5! Very strong. Black doesnt want to
R K
open the sixth rank... 38...bxc5 39. b8+ a6
39...Kc6
I had of course noticed
Q
40. f6+
Q
40. e8?? In a sense this is completely inex-
plicable. I got so close, even had deliberately
opened up the third rank, and yet somehow I
missed 40. Qd6 with an almost instant mate.
On the other hand I think it was not completely
accidental I missed it. If I had taken control
of the game earlier or not wasted most of my
time in the opening, I would have been in bet-
ter shape now to see the shot.
Q
40. d6+ K
a5 41.b4+ cxb4 (
K Q Q
41... a4 42. a6# ) 42. xb4+
Q Q
40... d7 41. e2+ c4 At this point the game
becomes unclear again. Since I had about two
minutes left, this was devastating, and I even-
tually lost.
0-1
48
echecetmat
Horton, W R
April 2002 Fast #1 Tournament (2)
2002.06.03 1/2-1/2 C80 (Hartwig,Th)
In April, mainly out of boredom playing
the same opponents over and over in regu-
lar chess, sometimes losing to them, I de-
cided to try "internet correspondence" on it-
syourturn.com. At the beginning I had to
who probably played about 1200 OTB level,
but in the second round things are already
getting more interesting, as in the following
game.
N N B B N
1.e4 e5 2. f3 c6 3. b5 a6 4. a4 f6
N B B
5.OO xe4 6.d4 b5 7. b3 d5 8.dxe5 e6
N N N B N
9. bd2 c5 10.c3 d4 11. g5 d5 12. xf7
It was only here that I looked up the theory and
learned that 12.Nxf7 was a move... it seemed
more interesting than any of the alternatives
so I just played it. I figured that since Svidler
had played it once against Anand it couldnt
be too bad, so I would just go where the cur-
rents took me and figure things out as I went.
It turned out that this led to a very interesting
K Q K N
struggle. 12... xf7 13. f3+ e6 14. e4 Be-
fore I played this I had got around to studying
the position myself and I decided I liked this
move better than Svidlers approach. 14.Ne4
is natural; it clears the way for the c1-bishop,
the f-pawn, and it has some less obvious points
as well.
Q K
14. g4+ e7 15.e6!? was the con-
tinuation in the extremely interest-
ing game Svidler-Anand, Dos Her-
manos, 1999. White intends to keep
open the e-file and attack at any cost.
B
15... xe6 16. e1 R
N Q
14... xe4! 15. xe4 Since the c1-bishop is
unleashed black cannot meet 16. Qg4+ any-
more with 16...Ke7. Therefore, the main
threat is Qg4+, Qf5+, and e5-e6, when there 19...bxc4! Playing this before ...Qc6 avoids
is a mate threat to f7 and the bishop on d5 cxb5.
suddenly hangs. Blacks move 15...Ne7 seems
Q
19... c6 20.cxb5 axb5 21.e6+
like the only way to meet this threat tactically,
K R Q
e8 22. xa8+ xa8 23. xe7 B
but since it involves backing up, burying the
Q Q
( 23. xd4 Q d5 24. a7 Q
xe6
f8-bishop and leaving the king in the center,
I ought to have good compensation for the Q
25. xc7 is also tempting since
N
piece. 15... e7! blacks pieces look idiotic, but I
dont see a clear way to win some
15...Be7 16.Qg4+ Kf7 17.Qf5+ material back or force mate. )
Kg8 18.e6 B Q Q
23... xe7 24. xd4 c6 25. xg7 Q
R Q Q Q K
15...dxc3 16.Qg4+ Kf7 17.Qf5+
f8 26. xh7 xe6 27. h5+ d8
Q
Kg8 ( 17...Ke8 18.e6 Ne5
28. xb5 and white is probably a

19.Qh5+! g6 20.Qxe5 is also

good for white although of course
a bit more resiliant than 17...Kg8. )
Q
18. e6+!!
16.Bg5 Bxb3 17.Qg4+! This is an important
intermezzo that might not be so easy to spot
over the board. I didnt see what would hap-
pen but I saw that I had to play it or else I
would lose my compensation for the piece, so
I was still flowing with the current...
Q Q
17.axb3 d5 18. g4+ f5! is an N
important option that black does not
have in the game. This is why I
played the queen check first.
K Q
17... f7 18.axb3 d5 19.c4 19.f4 immedi-
ately might be possible, but it seemed obvious
to play this first. The tactical idea is just that if
black leaves the diagonal then Qf3+ picks up
a rook. c6 is apparently a worse square for the
queen because she is actually well-placed in a
centralised position; for example f4-f5 is met
by just ...Qxe5. However in the game there
is another important consideration that comes
out; from c6 the queen makes a defense pos-
sible with ...Ng6, so 19.c4 may have actually
helped black.
19.f4 deserves analysis
49
lot better, since a queen trade is
no longer an escape for black with
three menacing passers.
Q
20.bxc4 c6 21.f4 Frankly this was the only
move I considered since it seemed position-
ally sound to push the passers ahead. Black
has some serious problems to unravel before I
play f5-f6 or else he will be losing ... frankly
I didnt see how he could do it. If I had appre-
ciated the strength of ...Ng6 then I might have
considered grabbing another pawn here with
21.Qxd4. 21...h6! Black has a well thought
out defense. This move gains a tempo because
B
of my 24th move. 22. h4 h5 23. h3 g6!Q N
Nice, intending to meet f4-f5 with ...Nxe5.
Qf5+ seems like it ought to be disruptive but it
doesnt do anything and gets in the way of my
B B
pawns. 24. g5 c5? During the game I was
more worried about how to get compensation
after 24...Be7, and probably justifiably. Al-
though 24...Bc5 seems logical, it is probably
a mistake if black cannot find any improve-
ments on the game and 38. Rf5 is as strong as
it appears.
B K
24... e7 25.e6+ g8 and although I
examined five seperate moves none
were too convincing... 26. d3 Q
B N
( 26. xe7 xe7 27.f5 h6 ) ( R
Q Q
26. g3 h4 27. g4 h3 28.gxh3 c5 B
 R B
) ( 26. ae1 xg5 27.fxg5 ) ( N B
34.f6 xf6 35. xf6 ) 34.f6 xf6 N
Q Q B R
26. f5 e8 27. xe7 ( 27. fd1 B
35. xf6 gxf6 36. exf6+ R xf6 B
B N Q R
c5 28. xe7 xe7 29. xc5 h6 R K R
37. xf6+ e7 38. f7+ d8 39. K
N Q R
) 27... xe7 28. c5 h6 29.f5 Q R K
f6+ e7 ( 39... c8 40. xa6+ Q
R Q R Q
f6 30. xd4 xf5 ) 26... xe6 K Q
d8 41. a8+ Q
c8 42. d5+ ) Q
R Q
27.f5 ( 27. fe1 B
c6 28. xe7 Q Q R
40. xh8+ e8 41. f8 wins.
Q N N
xg2+ ) 27... e5 28.fxe6 xd3
B R N B
29. xe7 h6 ( 29... xb2 30. c5 31.Re6 Bd6 Forced, to gain control of the g3-
B N
d3 31. d4 R R
xc4 32. f7 h7 square.
R R N R
33. xc7 ) 30. fd1 xb2 31. xd4
R B
xe6 32. a3 Q B
31... b7? 32. xf6 gxf6? 33. g3+Q
25.e6+ Kg8 26.f5 Nf8 27.Rae1 Nh7 28.Bh4 32.c5! Opening the a2-g8 diagonal with
Rf8 29.e7 Re8 30.Qd3! It was only in this Q R
tempo. 32... xc5 33. xf6! This is what I
position that I finally found some tactical ways had seen at move thirty, which had convinced
to get back the material... I was ecstatic, surely me I was finally winning. But, black doesnt
this must mean I am winning? If I can get take the rook and his position turns out to be
back material, and retain my attack?! 30.Qd3 very resiliant.
is not the most obviously agressive move but
it threatens f5-f6 and Qg6, and stops defenses B
33. xf6 gxf6
based on d4-d3+.
Q
33... b5
R
30. e6 is much less effective 30...
K NQ
d3+ 31. h1 d7 32.f6 xf6 ( Q
33...gxf6 loses outright. 34. b3+
RQ
32...gxf6 33. g3+ ) 33. exf6 ( K B K
g7 35. xf6+ xf6 ( 35... h6 K
B R
Q R
33. xf6 d2 34. d1 ( 34. g3 h7 Q R B K
36. e6! hg8?! 37. g7+! xg7
B Q K
35. xg7 ) 34...gxf6 35. g3+ f7 Q K Q
38. g6+ h8 39. h6# ) 36. e6+ Q
K Q R
( 35... h7 ) ) 33... xh3 34. f8+ K Q K Q K
g5 37. g6+ h4 38. f6+ g4
K R K
h7 35. xh8+ xh8 36.gxh3 K
39.h3+ g3 40. g5#Q
B B R R K
xe7 37. xe7 xe7 38. f8+ h7
R R K K
39. d8 e3 40. g2 g6 41.h4 34.Qe4 This is the obvious move; white keeps
K K R
f6 42. f2 e2+ and white prob- the attack going. The next several moves of
ably wont manage to scrape up a black are forced.

Q R
draw.
34. xb5 axb5 35. xd6 cxd6
N
30... f6! This seems like the best defense 36. d1R R
c8 37. xd4 R K
f7
from black yet again, although it returns the R
38. xd6 R
he8 is probably just
material. better for black.

K
30... f7 is the other idea; instead of R R Rf7
34... xe7 35. e6
preventing f5-f6 black controls the
R Q
g6 square. 31. e6 d7 32. g3 Q 35...Rxe6 36.Qxe6+ Kh7 37.Qg6+
B K
xe7 ( 32...d3+ 33. h1 doesnt Kg8 38.f6 Qd7 39.fxg7 Qxg7
Q K
help. ) 33. g6+ f8 ( 33... g8 K 40.Qe6+ Kh7 41.Rf7

50
36.f6 d3! Absolutely forced. The d-pawn R R Re7
39. f2 gxf6 40. xd3
is a diversion to whites attack as it starts
threatening to promote. Equally importantly, 39.Rxd3 Qxb2 40.Bg5 Rh7
black gets the simple defense to 38.Qe6+ of 41.Rdf3 ( 41.Be3 gxf6 42.Bd4
38...Qb6+. Qb5 ) 41...Qb4 ( 41...gxf6 42.Bxf6
) ( 41...a5 42.fxg7 Rhxg7 43.Qc4
Q R B
36... xb2 37. e8+ Qf8 38. e6 Qe5 44.Rf5 Qd6 45.Bh6 ) 42.Qa8
R B
gxf6 ( 38...g6 39. xf8+ ) 39. xf6 c6 ( 42...gxf6 43.Bxf6 ) ( 42...a5
R R K Q
h6 40. xf8+ xf8 41. c8# 43.fxg7 Rxf3 44.Qxf3 ) 43.Qe8
37.Re8+ Bf8 38.Rd8? Only after the game, ( 43.fxg7 Rxf3 44.gxf8=Q+ (
analysing with Fritz, I finally found what is 44.Rxf3 Rxg7 ) 44...Qxf8 )
apparently the winning continuation, 38.Rf5. 43...Qd4+ 44.Kh1 ( 44.Be3 Qd7 )
44...Qd6 ( 44...Qd7 45.Qxd7 Rxd7
Q Qb6+
38. e6 46.f7+ Kh8 47.Rb3 g6 48.Rb8
38.Rf5 The idea is simply to Kg7 49.Bf6+ Kxf7 50.Bg5+ )
39...Rxf1+ 40.Kxf1 d2+ 41.Kf2 Kxg7 Now
force blacks queen away from its
best defensive post. 38...d2 (
Q B Q
38... b6+ 39. f2 xb2 40. xf8+ R white is completely safe because he recov-
R Q R
xf8 41. e6+ ) 39. d8 d1= + Q ers the d-pawn, but there was nothing better.
Q K Q Q
42. d4+ g8 43. xd2 f5+ 44. g1 d6 K R
This is forced because black has
to get a reprieve from the threat
Q
45. g5+ Here I offered a draw which was
accepted. This allowed me to focus on an-
of Rxf8+, but unfortunately black
other game against the same opponent, where
squanders his pawn and places
I was a pawn down but yet seemed completely
the rook in a good defensive
position. R Q
40. xd1 b6+
defensible as long as my approach was well
B Q Q R
41. f2 b4 42. e6 gxf6 43. d7
thought out. I am happy to report I succeeded
R R B R R
h7 44. xf6 e7 45. g6+ g7
in drawing it.
R K
46. xg7+ B K
xg7 47. d4+ f8
1/2-1/2
Q K
48. e5 R e8 49. xc7 although
black has survived the immediate
onslought he is a pawn down in ad-
dition to the attack so he should be
lost.

R
38... h6 39.fxg7!? Intuitively it seems com-
pletely wrong to expose my king to discovery
and let black take over the initiative. How-
ever, my investigations of 39.Rxd3 did not re-
veal any clear way to play for the win without
running the risk of just being down material.
Therefore I looked more closely at 39.fxg7,
and when I decided that black only had a draw,
I just played it.

51