1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.O-OBe76.d3b57.Bb3d68.a4Rb89.c3O-O10.Nbd2d511.axb5axb512.Re1Bb713.exd5Nxd514.Ne4Nf614...b4is thematic, and perhaps more accurate.15.Qe2h616.Bd2bxc317.bxc3Nf6with good play on the a-, b-, and d-files to compensate for White's impending kingside play.15.Qe2Ra8?!15...Nxe416.dxe4b417.Rd1may have troubled Black, with pressure on the d-file, but even the passive-lookingBd6leaves Black with a decent position and opportunities to improve on the queenside.16.Rxa8Qxa8Black's idea to create problems along the open long diagonal is very logical. This position is very textbook "Mickey," though, in the sense that he has allowed Black to make hard choices
on how to navigate the position. The idea Black came up with looks too concrete to force any advantage in such a level position, and now Adams plays more natural moves to fortify his center.17.Bg5!Nxe417...Nd718.Bxe7Nxe719.Neg5allows White to attack the kingside and the e-pawn.18.dxe4Bxg519.Nxg5...So much for the open diagonal! It's instructive to see how Adams refuted Black's strategic plan.19....Nd819...h620.Nxf7Rxf721.Qxb5is also winning, with the second pawn tipping the material scales in White's favor.20.h3...20.Qxb5I'm not sure what was wrong with this pawn!Ba621.Qxe520....c5!?20...Qa6!was Black's most testing defense, intending21.Qh5Qg6when22.Qxg6hxg623.Ra1Re8gets close to untangling. White must be very accurate to keep an edge.24.Ra5!(24.Ra7Re7!25.Kf1(25.Ra5!again is the best try.c626.c4⩲)Kf8equalizes.)c625.c4bxc426.Bxc4Kf827.Nf3turning pressure to the e-pawn!f628.Nh4keeps Black's kingside miserable. The worst part about this variation is that, for most players, we could shrug and say, "but White would never find all of these moves." But, in this case, he really might have! Still, it's instructive to see how much harder White would have to work after the queen trade.21.Qxb5h6Energetic defense from Black. Opening up the center by exchanging e-pawns should favor White due to the superior development, but it still creates a lot of uncertainty in a position that White would prefer to keep under control.22.Nf3Bxe423.Re3!?...Whether this is an error or a practical decision is a matter of great debate.23.Nxe5!was accurate. But the player with the advantage wants to avoid sharp lines that require calculation. Indeed, this has always been one of the biggest points of praise and critique of Adams' style, so it's unsurprising to see him eschew this move
here.Bxg2and now Black has serious counterplay via mate threats on the g2-square after ... Bg2-h3, so why would White allow this? Well, here's two reasons:24.Qd3!is the strongest move. Black's bishop has nowhere meaningful to go, but the knight and rook are frozen until the bishop moves!(24.Ng6is also charming. AfterBxh325.Bd5!, the mate threat is taken care of, and White again wins material.)Qb725.Nd7!wins material. These are not impossible moves to find, but players who are too eager to rush into calculating such variations tend to waste lots of time and energy on calculation in positions where such resources are not there or not necessary. Adams determines that he still has an advantage without capturing the e5-pawn. While his task will be more arduous in terms of game length and conversion, he might never have to work as hard as he would to find these resources.23....Ne623...Bxf324.Rxf3Qb7was Black's best try.25.Qa4(25.Qxb7?!Nxb726.Re3Re827.Ba4Re7)Qc6allows White to keep queens on with26.Qg4but at least the g6-square is now covered, so Black can untangle withg6and make White prove that the static plusses are sufficient to convert.24.Bxe6Bxf325.Rxf3fxe626.Rxf8+Qxf8Black's pawns are too weak to hold this endgame.27.b4...The principle of two weaknesses! By creating an outside passed pawn, White now dares Black to both guard the b-pawn and the two weak e-pawns.27....cxb428.cxb4Qd629.Qc5Qd1+30.Kh2...The b-pawn is fatal, and trading queens won't change that.30....Qd431.Qxd4exd432.Kg3Kf733.f4g534.fxg5hxg535.Kf3e536.Ke4Ke637.g3!A precise end to a well-played game. Belakovskaia certainly held her own against a legendary GM!1-0