[Event "Elista ol (Men) 33rd"] [Site "Elista"] [Date "1998.10.01"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Moussa, Othman"] [Black "Aikhoje, Odion"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2335"] [WhiteTeam "United Arab Emirates"] [BlackElo "2285"] [BlackTeam "Nigeria"] [Annotator "Beukes, Dante"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A57"] [Opening "Benko Gambit Declined: Main Line"] [StudyName "African Chess Greats: From Russia with Gold"] [ChapterName "Moussa, Othman - Aikhoje, Odion"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/X2bYvVFE/ztaOvCtW"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 { The Benko Gambit, but, as we will see, a very original way of handling this opening is shown by Aikhoje. } 4. Nf3 (4. cxb5 { accepting the gambit is the main line with thousands of games played here. }) 4... d6 (4... g6 { is the normal way of playing, but Aikhoje has other ideas in mind }) 5. Qc2 Bg4 { Black opts for this way of development presumably to try and inhibit White's development scheme with the constant threat of ruining the pawn structure } 6. Nbd2 (6. cxb5 { although Black's idea is quite original, it also neglected the development of his kingside. The following variation shows this fact pretty well: } 6... Nxd5 7. Qe4 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Nc7 9. Bd2! Nd7 10. Ba5 Nb6 11. e4 e6 (11... g6 { is not that good now because of } 12. Bc3 e5 $16 { and Black's bishop is a pretty sad piece }) 12. Nd2 Be7 13. Bd3 O-O 14. b3 Bf6 15. Rc1 $16 { and White has a pleasant edge }) 6... Qa5 7. e4 Bxf3 8. gxf3 { Black has achieved his plan, but at the cost of his development } 8... a6? (8... bxc4 { would have been better, although White can still gain the initiative after } 9. Bg2 g6 10. O-O Bg7 11. e5! { It is well-known that when your opponent is lagging in development you should try to open up the position } 11... dxe5 12. f4! e4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 $36) 9. a4?! (9. cxb5 axb5 10. b4! { would have been a nice retort to Black's whole set-up } 10... cxb4 (10... Qxb4 11. Rb1 Qa5 12. Bxb5+ $18 { White's pieces will start to invade Black's position } 12... Nbd7 13. O-O g6 14. Nc4 Qc7 (14... Qxa2 15. Qxa2 Rxa2 16. Bc6 Kd8 17. Rb7 $18) 15. Bc6 $40) 11. Nb3 Qd8 12. Bxb5+ Nbd7 13. Nd4 { and once again, White's pieces invade Black's position. Black is suffering }) 9... bxc4 (9... b4 { normally when you are lagging in development it is best to keep the position closed, although Black's troubles are far from over here } 10. f4 Nbd7 11. Bg2 g6 12. Nb3 Qd8 13. Be3 $16) 10. Bxc4? { This is quite a big mistake as the knight would ideally like to recapture on c4 } (10. Bg2 g6 11. O-O Bg7 12. Nxc4 Qd8 13. f4 O-O 14. Ra3 $18 { and White has an extremely pleasant position }) 10... Nh5?! (10... g6 11. O-O Bg7 12. f4 O-O { and here White would really love to play Nc4 and e4, but unfortunately the bishop is in the way }) 11. O-O g6 12. e5 Bg7 13. exd6 exd6 14. Qe4+?! (14. Re1+ { developing the rook with check made more sense } 14... Kf8 15. b4!? (15. Bf1 { putting the knight on c4 is another plan }) 15... cxb4 (15... Qxb4 16. Rb1 Qa5 17. Rb7 $18) 16. Bb5! Bxa1 (16... axb5 17. Qc8+ $18) 17. Nc4 Qd8 18. Bh6+ Bg7 19. Re8+ Qxe8 20. Bxe8 Bxh6 21. Nxd6 { and we have a very interesting material imbalance. A knight and two rooks for a queen! Normally that would be a favourable for the side with the pieces, but here Black's coordination is awful and White is better }) 14... Kf8 15. Re1 Qd8 16. Bf1 { White realises his mistake and retreats the bishop, but this waste of tempo gives Black time to consolidate his position } 16... Nd7 17. Nc4 Ne5! 18. Nxe5 Bxe5 19. Bh6+ Bg7 20. Qe3 Kg8 21. Rab1?! (21. a5! { a typical move to gain space. White was understandably afraid of } 21... Bxb2 22. Rab1 Be5 { but he has some nice ideas now } 23. Qc1!? Qh4 24. Rxe5 dxe5 25. Qb2 { threatening mate on b8 } 25... Re8 26. Qxe5 Nf6 27. Qf4 Qxf4 28. Bxf4 Kg7 (28... Nxd5 29. Bh6 $18 { would be very bad for Black }) 29. Bc4 $44 { with a very interesting endgame. White is doing quite well here }) 21... a5 22. Bb5 Qf8 (22... Bxh6 { Black could gain equalise and even gain an edge with } 23. Qxh6 Qf6 { but this is not so obvious: } 24. Re3 Qf4 25. Qxf4 Nxf4 26. Re7 Kg7 27. Rd7 Rhd8 28. Rb7 g5 29. Re1 Kf6 30. Ree7 Rf8 31. Red7 Rad8 32. Rxd8 Rxd8 33. Ra7 Nxd5 34. Rxa5 (34. Bc4 Ke5 35. Rxf7 Kd4 $19) 34... Nf4 $17) 23. Bg5 h6 24. Be7 Qb8 25. f4 Ra7 26. f5 Be5 27. Bh4 Qc8 (27... g5 28. Qf3 (28. Bg3 Nxg3 29. hxg3 Qd8 30. Qf3 Qf6 $40 { and Black will start pushing his kingside pawns }) 28... Nf4 29. Bg3 Qd8) 28. fxg6 Qg4+ 29. Bg3 Nxg3 30. hxg3 (30. gxf7+?? Rxf7 31. hxg3 Bd4 $19) 30... fxg6 31. Qe4 Qg5 32. Kg2 Rf7 33. Be8? (33. Qe3 { was more accurate } 33... Bd4 34. f4 Qxd5+ 35. Qe4 Qxe4+ 36. Rxe4 d5 37. Re6 $132 { and the active rook gives White some counterplay }) 33... Rf6 34. Rf1?? (34. Qe3 { was still possible although there is an important difference } 34... Bd4 35. f4 (35. Qxg5 Rxf2+ 36. Kh3 hxg5+ $17) 35... Qxd5+ 36. Qe4 Qxe4+ 37. Rxe4 d5 { the rook cannot infiltrate Black's position as } 38. Re7 { can be met with } 38... Rh7 $15) 34... Kg7 35. f4 (35. Bb5 Rhf8 $19) 35... Rxf4! 36. Rxf4 Bxf4 37. Qxg6+ Qxg6 38. Bxg6 Kxg6 39. gxf4 Kf5 40. Kg3 Rg8+ { and the rook endgame is easily winning. Black will grab all the pawns } 0-1