Game of the Day Round 1

The game of the day, in my opinion was Sutovki’s win in a rare line of the French Defense. Former European Champion showed excellent preparation and most probably retired a whole line:
Sutovski,E - Vavrak,P [C06]
EICC Plovdiv, 21.04.2008
[Bojkov, Dejan]1.e4 Sutovski's superb preparation (or well known improvisation) makes this game the pearl of round one. 1...e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Be7 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bd3 c5 7.c3 Nc6 8.0–0 a5 9.Re1 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qb6 11.Nb1 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 13.Nc3

13...Bc5 More common is: [13...Qb6 for example: 14.Qg4 Kf8 15.Nb5 Nc5 16.Be3 Bd7 17.Nd6N Bxd6 18.exd6 Qxd6 19.Qg3 with tremendous superiority on the dark squares...1–0 Rublevsky,S (2670)-Lputian,S (2638)/Poikovsky 2003/CBM 095/(26)] 14.Nb5 [14.Be3 is the alternative, but Sutovski is well prepared and goes for the principled line.] 14...Qxf2+ 15.Kh1 0–0 16.Bg5 White takes away the h4 square for the queen, while developing his pieces. 17.Re2 is a treat. 16...Bb4 Probably critical is: [16...h6 after which sample line goes: 17.Qh5 f5 only move (17...Qxb2 the queen lives the king and attack is unstoppable: 18.Rab1 Qxa2 19.Bxh6 something similar will happen in the game. 19...gxh6 20.Qxh6 f5 21.exf6 Rxf6 22.Qh7+ Kf8 23.Nc7 and mate is coming very soon.) 18.Bxh6 Be7 (18...gxh6 19.Qg6+ Kh8 20.Qxh6+ Kg8 21.Re2+-) 19.g3! Much stronger than :(19.Nc7 Qh4! Black should sacrifice some material to stop the attack. 20.Qg6 Qxh6 21.Qxh6 gxh6 22.Nxa8 Nc5 and Black is fine in the endgame. But could Vavrak know what will follow?) ] 17.Rf1!N

A novelty that might put this line into the archive. The stem game went: [17.Re3 there are altogether 5 games into this line in my megabase. 17...g6 18.Rf3 Qxb2 19.Bf4 Nc5 20.Bc2 Bd7 21.Nd6 Ba4 22.Bxa4 Nxa4 23.Rb3 Qf2 24.Rf3 Qb2 ½–½ Vuckovic,B (2427)-Solak,D (2515)/Belgrade 2000/CBM 076] 17...Qxb2 18.a3 Bc5 Probably slightly more stubborn is: [18...Nxe5 19.Rb1 Qa2 (19...Nxd3 20.Rxb2 Nxb2 21.Qb3 Nc4 22.axb4 and White is basically winning) 20.axb4 Nxd3 21.Qxd3± Black has four pawns for a minor piece, but his pieces all his pieces are misplaced.] 19.Bf4! Difficult move to find. The bishop is leaving voluntarily it's active position, but with cruel intentions... 19...Nxe5 20.Bxh7+ Lasker's idea back in life! 20...Kxh7 21.Qh5+ Kg8 22.Bxe5 Qxb5

White mates now, but nothing could be done already: [22...Qc2 23.Nc7 (23.Rfc1 Qf2 24.Rf1=) 23...Rb8 a) 23...f6 24.Rfc1 Qd3 25.Rc3 Qd2 26.Rxc5 fxe5 27.Nxa8+-; b) 23...Ra7 24.Bxg7! Kxg7

25.Ne8+!! Kg8 (25...Rxe8 26.Qxf7+ Kh8 27.Qxe8+ is mate in seven.) 26.Rf6 and Qg5 and Rh6 is coming.; 24.Rfc1 or: (24.Bxg7 Qh7 (24...Kxg7 25.Ne8+ is similar to the line above.) 25.Qxh7+ Kxh7 26.Bxf8 Bxf8 27.Rxf7+ which wins as well.) 24...Qh7 25.Qxh7+ Kxh7 26.Rxc5±] 23.Bxg7! f5 [23...Kxg7 24.Qg4+ Kh8 25.Rf3 is mate as well.] 24.Be5 Again the best move. Black is helpless. 24...Rd8 25.Rf3 Kf8 26.Rg3 1–0