[Event "MCC Norm Invitational"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/OH3is8Ig/VX0i9CRz"] [Date "2012.02.12"] [White "Ostrovskiy, Aleksandr"] [Black "Herman, Matthew"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Anatol'evich,Alex"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B20"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/OH3is8Ig/VX0i9CRz"] [Orientation "white"] { In the final round of the Marshall Chess Club Invitational, I faced Matthew Herman, who needed a win for his final IM norm. I was having a subpar event with 3/8, and looked for a chance to get a fighting game. } 1. e4 c5 2. Ne2!? { An interesting move. White preserves the option to transpose to regular open sicillians, but can also choose other set ups. I chose this move for the game for psychological reasons as well, I wanted to avoid my opponents possible opening preparation and perhaps get him in territory where he would not be comfortable. } 2... d6 3. g3 { No open sicillian today! Vallejo prefered this set up in many of his games, with good results. } 3... Nc6 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. O-O g6 6. c3 Bg7 7. d4 Qb6 { A rare move. ...cxd4 is the most played option. } (7... cxd4) 8. d5 $146 { The position appears to be a strange Benoni. } 8... Nb8 9. f4 Nbd7 10. h3 O-O 11. Nd2 { Since my pawn is not on c4 as is normal in these structures, I was toying with the idea of utilizing the c4 square for my knight. } 11... Qc7 12. a4 { Preventing b5 and keeping flexibility with the c4 square. } (12. c4 { The immediate c4 did not appeal to me because of b5!?, in the style of the Benko Benko gambit(d4 nf6 c4 c5 d5 b5) } 12... b5) 12... Rb8 13. c4 { I thought that the resulting benoni position was very favourable for me, since black would have extreme difficulties breaking with b5, and his Queen and d7 knight are clumsy. Saying that, I am no expert on these positions as I have never played them with either color! In fact there are some lines where black chooses to place his queen and knight on c7/d7, and also from white's perspective, his knights are a bit strange (although they can easily go to f3 and c3), and he has commited his f pawn. However my opponent always plays his queen's pawn 2 steps forward in reply to 1.d4, so he was not comfortable with this unfamiliar positon. With the space advantage and simple development, it is certainly easier to play with white. } (13. Nc4 { was a perfectly valid set-up, after which white is slightly better. }) 13... b6 14. Nc3 a6 15. Re1 { My objective was clear, force e4-e5! } 15... Nh5 { Not a particularly impressive move, as the attack on g3 is no disturbance to white and the g-pawn can move with tempo if neccesary. } 16. Nf1 { Here I came up with the plan to purposefully relocate my bishop to the h2-b8 diagonal with Be3, g3-g4 and Be3-f2-g3. After the maneuver is completed, my f1 knight can enter back into the fray with Nf1-d2. Very academic, but it was stronger to follow with Kh2-Nf3, white can play the same plan, but with his knight better placed. } (16. Kh2 Bb7 17. Nf3 { and black is in serious danger of getting rolled over following g4-e5. Perhaps his hand is forced with e5. } 17... e5 18. f5) 16... Bb7 17. Be3 e6 { Having his e pawn still on e6, black always retained the option of advancing 2 squares forward, but I felt that following f5, black would be in a very cramped unpleasant situation. } (17... e5 18. f5 { White has an easy buildup with Bg2-f3, Qd2-g4, etc. Black has no play and is in complete passivity. Taking the f pawn is never an option, as after exf5, white will play g4 and Ng3, take e4 under control, roll his pawns, and force resignation! }) 18. g4 exd5 19. cxd5 Nhf6 20. Nd2 { White's knight heads for the powerful c4 square, from where it would exert pressure on d6, and support e5. Even though white's c pawn has been exchange, his center is under complete control and black's counterplay with b5 is still stymied. } 20... Ba8?! { Black tries to play b5, but just ends up losing time. } 21. Qe2 { Of course, developing the queen, preventing b5, support e5, and attacking a6. } 21... Bb7 22. Bf2 { The bishop is clearly most powerful on the h2-b6 diagonal where it supports e5 and x-rays the queen and rook. } 22... Rfe8 23. Qd3 Nf8 24. Nc4 N6d7 25. Bg3 Bd4+ 26. Kh2 Ba8 (26... Rbd8) 27. Nd2? { Preventive measures againt b5, but it was time for some action. } (27. e5! { White has placed his pieces optimally so it's time to break with e5. } 27... dxe5 28. fxe5 Qd8 29. Qf1 { White's position is extremely powerful, with 2 center pawns and complete control of them. Black is lost. }) 27... Bb7 28. Re2? { Not only was it best to repeat back with Nc4, but also black gets a chance to confuse matters. } (28. g5) (28. Nc4) 28... Bxc3? { It was understandable the black did not want to sit and wait for white's eventually pawn storm, but giving up the dark squared bishop even at the expense of pushing b5 is faulty. Furthermore, he had an excellent source of counterplay on the other side of the board with g5! } (28... g5! { This move was always at the back of my head, but somehow I assumed that it was never possible! Well I would have been for a nasty shock had my opponent slammed it onto the board. } 29. Nc4 (29. fxg5 { Black aims to gain control of dark squares and e5, so it seems white might as well grab the pawn. } 29... Ne5 30. Qc2 Qe7 31. Nf3 Nxf3+ 32. Bxf3 Ng6 33. Qd2 Be5 { Black is better. He has excellent control over e5 and dark squares, and moreover he is about to push b5 as well. The minute material deficit is irrelevant }) 29... Ng6 30. fxg5 Nde5 31. Nxe5 Nxe5 32. Qd2 { The position is complicated and certainly seems very dirty from white's persepective. }) 29. bxc3 b5 30. c4 { I wanted to completely kill off black's queenside play, such as the dream bxc4 Nxc4 w/a5, or b4 nb3. However black can still somewhat squirm, and better yet, I once again had a chance to play e5! It seems that I was very timid this game. } (30. e5 c4 (30... dxe5?! 31. fxe5 Nxe5?? 32. Rxe5 Rxe5 33. d6) 31. Qd4 Qc5 32. Bf2 Qxd4 33. Bxd4) 30... bxa4 31. Nf3 (31. e5 { Yet again I could have pushed forward. }) 31... Bc8 32. Rxa4 Rb4 { It looks like black now has counterplay. } 33. Ra3 (33. Raa2 { was stronger, but I had visions that black plays qb8 and then rb3 attacks my queen which is of course very scary.... } 33... Qb8 34. e5 Rb3 35. Qc2 Qb4 36. exd6 { Black's position is hopeless. }) 33... Nb6 34. Rc2 Qe7 35. e5 { Finally I have the courage to play this move. It is not as strong as it was before, but still, better late than never. } 35... Nfd7 { I was expecting... } (35... h5 { after which I had planned to play } 36. f5 { but after } (36. Bh4 { with the idea of Ng5-e4. All in all, the position has a "plus-minus table" for me, but I felt a bit frusturated since I expected the win to be quite simple. }) 36... hxg4 37. hxg4 gxf5 38. gxf5 dxe5 39. Nxe5 Qf6 40. Ng4 Qg5 41. Bh3 { The position is of course still favourable for me, but perhaps not as clear cut. Saying that, transporting my rook to g2 after something like Bc7 does seem strong. }) 36. Ra1! { The rook goes to support the e pawn. } 36... Qf8 37. Re1 a5 38. e6 fxe6 39. dxe6 Nf6 40. f5 { The time control has been reached, and with two powerful raking bishops, a protected passed pawn on e6 and the insecurity of black's king, white is winning. } 40... d5 41. cxd5 (41. fxg6) 41... Nfxd5 (41... c4 { Black had to remove the queen from the b1-h7 diagonal. } 42. Qd4 Nfxd5 43. Ng5 c3 44. Qe5 { is still pretty hopeless. }) 42. fxg6 Nf4 (42... h6 43. Qf5!) 43. gxh7+ Kg7 44. Qc3+ Kxh7 45. Ng5+ Kg6 46. Be4+ Rxe4 (46... Kxg5 47. Qe5+) 47. Nxe4 Nbd5 48. Qe5 Rxe6 49. Qg5+ Kh7 50. Rf2 Rg6 51. Rxf4 { Qxd5 was a free piece, but who can see such brilliancies? } (51. Qxd5) 51... Nxf4 52. Qxf4 Qg7 53. Qc7 Bd7 54. Qxc5 Bxg4 55. hxg4 Rh6+ 56. Kg2 Qxg4 57. Ng5+ { 1-0 White wins. } 1-0