Today I would like to present you a game of a good friend of mine, the strong Ukrainian GM Andrey Sumets. This is what he wrote me:
I'd like to comment my 2 games that were played in the last rounds. In both games my opponents tried to play the King's Indian defense and in both cases I played the side lines.
Sumets,A (2618) - Stella,A (2442) [E91]
11th Bergamo Open Elite Bergamo ITA (6.3), 15.07.2012
[Sumets A]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Be2 Na6 7.0–0 e5 8.d5
I believe that this move isn't the strongest one. According to Chessbase, my opponent hadn't played Kings Indian before so I supposed that he might be bad prepared to such kind moves.]
8...Nc5 9.Bg5 [Another side move, perhaps the strongest one in this position is 9.Qc2 a5 10.Bg5 h6 11.Be3 b6 12.Nd2 Bg4 13.Rae1!?
a) 13.h3?! another dubious move 13...Bd7 14.b3 Nh7 15.a3 f5 16.exf5 gxf5 17.f4 exf4 18.Bxf4 Qh4 19.Rae1 Ng5 with strong attack;
b) 13.f3?! Bd7 14.b3 Nh5 15.Rfe1?! Smirin i (15.Rfc1 f5 16.a3 Bf6! 17.Bxh6 Bg5; 15.a3 Nf4) 15...Bf6! diagram 16.Bxh6 (16.g3 Bg5 17.Bf2 Ng7 (17...f5 18.exf5 gxf5 19.f4 Nxf4 20.gxf4 Bxf4 21.Kh1 the compensation for the knight is not enough) 18.Rad1 f5 19.a3 f4 20.Kg2 h5 21.Rh1 Qc8 22.b4 axb4 23.axb4 Bh3+ 24.Kg1 Nd7 black has nothing to worry about Korobov A - Miroshnichenko E 2008) 16...Bg5 17.Bxg5 (17.Bxf8? Be3+ 18.Kh1 Ng3+!! 19.hxg3 Qxf8 20.Nf1 Qh6+ 21.Nh2 Kg7–+ black threats 22...Q:h2 23 K.h2 Rh8 or just simple 22..Rh8. White can't escape.) 17...Qxg5 with good compensation for Black 18.Bf1 (18.Nf1 f5 19.exf5 gxf5 20.a3 a4 21.b4 Nb3µ Smirin, Naumkin I - Smirin I 1995) 18...f5 19.a3 Rf7 20.Rab1 Nf4 21.b4 Ncd3–+ Wukits R - Timoscenko G 2003; 13...Bxe2 14.Rxe2 Ng4 15.Bxc5 bxc5 16.g3 h5 17.Qd3 Qd7 18.f3 Nh6 19.f4 Zilberman J - Kokarev D 2008]
9...h6! [Unfortunately for me, Andrea played quickly and probably he knew this position well. Let's see briefly another opportunities.]
[9...a5?! 10.Nd2 Qe8 11.b3 Nfd7 (11...Kh8!? 12.a3 Ng8 13.b4 Na6 14.c5 dxc5 15.b5 Nb8 16.b6 h6 17.Be3 cxb6 18.Nc4 Qd8 19.Rb1 Nd7 20.d6) 12.a3 f6 (12...f5?! 13.exf5 gxf5? (13...Rxf5 14.Be3) 14.Bh5) 13.Be3 f5 14.f3 f4 15.Bf2 g5 16.b4 axb4 (16...Na6!? 17.c5 dxc5 18.b5 Nab8 19.d6) 17.axb4 Rxa1 18.Qxa1 Na6 19.Qa3± Mohr G - Shengelia D 2010; 9...Qe8 10.Nd2 a5 the transposition to 9....a5]
10.Bxf6 Bxf6 [Perhaps another capture isn't bad but I would recommend this move]
[10...Qxf6 11.b4 Nd7 12.Nd2 (12.Ne1!?) ]
11.b4 Nd7 12.Ne1 Bg5
A strong and logical move. Frankly speaking I wasn't happy with my position. Perhaps]
[12...a5 13.a3 Bg5 even stronger. Let's see what happened in the old game Portisch - Jansa 14.Nd3 f5 15.c5?! Sergey Dolmatov condemns this move in his commentary but who likes to play the position he offered with white?! (15.Bf3 Nf6 16.Qc2 Bd7і S. Dolmatov) 15...Nf6 16.Bf3 axb4 17.Nxb4 (17.axb4 Rxa1 18.Qxa1 Bd2 with the idea 19.exf5? Bxc3 20.Qxc3 e4–+) 17...dxc5 18.Nd3 Nd7 White has nothing for the pawn]
13.Nd3 Qe7 [I don't like this move. Perhaps black should play directly f5]
[13...f5! 14.Bf3 (14.exf5 gxf5 15.f4 Bf6) 14...Nf6 15.Qc2 Bd7 with the same ideas as in the game Portisch - Jansa]
14.Qc2 f5 15.f4 exf4 16.exf5 Qe3+ 17.Kh1 Ne5 18.Nxe5 dxe5
[19.Bd3! Bxf5 20.Bxf5 gxf5 (20...Rxf5 21.d6! cxd6 (21...Qb6 22.c5 Qc6 23.Rad1©; 21...c6 22.Ne4 f3 23.Rae1 Qa3 24.Rb1 Qe3 25.gxf3 Rxf3 26.Nxg5 Rxf1+ 27.Rxf1 Qxg5 28.Rg1 Qh5 29.Rxg6+ Kf7 30.Rg2±) 22.Nd5 Qa3 (22...Qd4?? 23.Rad1+–) 23.Rf3 Qa6 24.Nc7 Qc6 25.Nxa8 e4 26.Ra3 f3 27.gxf3 exf3 28.b5 Qc5 29.Rb3 Qe5 30.Rg1! (30.Rf1? Qe2 31.Qxe2 fxe2 32.Rg1 Rf1 33.Rb1 Rxb1 34.Rxb1 Bh4) 30...f2 31.Rf1+–) 21.c5 e4 22.Nb5 Rac8 23.Rae1 Qd3 24.Qxd3 exd3 25.d6 with slight advantage for White.]
19...Bf5 20.Qb3 e4 [I was going to play 21 Re1 and missed 21...Bh4]
21.Bh5 [21.d6 this opportunity is interesting but perhaps it is not sufficient for the equality 21...Bf6 22.Nd5 Qxe2 23.Rae1 Qh5!? (23...Qd3 24.Rxf4 Qxb3 25.axb3 Bg5 26.Ne7+ Kg7 27.Nxf5+ Kxg6 28.Nh4+ Kh5 29.Rxf8 Rxf8 30.g3=) 24.c5 Kg7 25.Nxf4 (25.Nxc7 Bh4! 26.Qd5 (26.Nxa8 Bg3 27.h3 f3 28.Qb2+ Kxg6 29.Kg1 Bxh3 30.gxh3 f2+–+) 26...Bg3 27.Ne6+ (27.h3 f3+–) 27...Kf6 28.h3 Qh4 29.Nxf8 Rxf8 30.Qxb7 Kxg6 31.Re2 f3 32.gxf3 Rf7 33.Qa8 Kh7–+) 25...Qg5 26.dxc7 Rac8 27.Rxe4 Rxc7 with advantage for Black.]
21...Bf6 22.Rac1
22...f3 [22...Be5!? an unpleasant way for white 23.Ne2 Qxb3 24.axb3 Bd7 25.Rce1 a5і]
23.gxf3 Qg5 24.Bg4 [black had to alt beetween 2 opportunities and he didn't make the best choice.]
24...Bxg4? [24...exf3! It would be very difficult to find the right way 25.Bxf3 Rae8 26.d6! Re3 27.g7! Seems to be the strongest move. All lines are too complicate for human being. (27.Bd5+?! Kg7 28.dxc7 Bxc3 29.Qc2!! diagram (29.Rxc3 Be4+ 30.Bxe4 Rxf1#) 29...Rd3! the only way to get an advantage (29...Bxc2 After queen's capture the position seems to be drawish 30.Rxf8 Re8 (30...Bf5 31.Rf1 (31.Rg1 Kxf8 32.Rxg5 hxg5) 31...Re1 32.Rg8+ Kf6 33.Rxe1 Bxe1 34.Rf8+ Kg7 (34...Ke7 35.g7 Qxg7 (35...Bxb4 36.g8Q Qc1+ 37.Qg1 Qxg1+ 38.Kxg1 Kxf8 39.Bxb7=) 36.Rxf5 Kd7 37.Rf7+=) 35.Rg8+ Kf6 36.Rf8+ Kg7 37.Rg8+=) 31.Rf7+ Kxg6 32.Rg1 Rc8 33.Rxg5+ hxg5 34.Be6 Rh8 35.Rf2 Be4+ 36.Kg1 Bxb4=) 30.Qg2 (30.Qe2 Rd2 31.Rxf5 the only move (31.Qe1 Be4+ 32.Bxe4 Rxf1+ 33.Qxf1 Rxh2+ 34.Kxh2 Be5+ 35.Kh1 Qh4+ 36.Kg2 Qg3+ 37.Kh1 Qh2#) 31...Rxe2 32.Rxg5 hxg5 33.Bf3 (33.Bxb7 Rff2!–+) 33...Rd2! 34.Rxc3 g4 35.c8Q Rxc8 36.Bxg4 Re8 37.Rc1 Rxa2µ) 30...Qe3 31.c8Q Rxc8 (31...Bxc8?? 32.Rf7+ Rxf7 33.gxf7+ Qg5 34.Rg1!+–) 32.Rxc3 Rxc3 33.Rxf5 Rc1+ 34.Rf1 Qc3 35.Qe2 Rxf1+ 36.Qxf1 Rc7µ) 27...Bxg7! (27...Rfe8? 28.Bd5+ Kxg7 29.Rg1 Bg4 30.d7 Rd8 31.Rxg4 Qxg4 32.Rg1 Qxg1+ 33.Kxg1 Rxc3 34.Qd1+–; 27...Kxg7 28.Rg1 Rxf3 29.Rxg5+ hxg5 30.Qd1 Rxc3 31.Rxc3 Bxc3 32.dxc7 Be5 33.Qd8 Bf4 34.Kg2 Be4+ 35.Kh3 Bf5+ 36.Kg2 Be4+=) 28.Bd5+ Kh7 29.dxc7 Be5 30.Qb2 (30.Rxf5 Qxf5 31.Qc2 Qxc2 32.Rxc2 Bxc7 33.Kg2µ) 30...Qh5 31.Qg2 Bxc3 32.Rxc3 Rxc3 33.c8Q Rxc8 34.Be4 Rf8 35.Bxf5+ Rxf5 36.Qxb7+ Kg6 (36...Kg8 37.Qc8+) 37.Qc6+ Kg5 38.Rxf5+ Kxf5 39.Qd5+ Kg6 40.Qg8+ Kf5 41.Qd5+ Kg6=]
25.fxg4 [25.Nxe4 Qf4! or Qe5! with the same consequences (25...Qxg6?! 26.Rg1 (26.Nxf6+?! Rxf6 27.fxg4 Qe4+ 28.Kg1 Qd4+ 29.Kg2 Qd2+ 30.Kh1 (30.Kg3?? Re8–+) 30...Raf8 31.Qb1 Rf2 32.Qg6+ Kh8 33.Rxf2 Rxf2 34.Qe8+ Kh7 35.Qe7+ Kg6 36.Qe4+ Kg7 37.Qe5+ Kg8 38.Ra1 Qd3 39.Qe6+ Kg7 40.Qe7+ Kg8=) 26...h5 27.Qd3 Rae8 28.Nxf6+ Rxf6 29.Qxg6+ Rxg6 30.fxg4) 26.Nxf6+ Rxf6 27.fxg4 Qe4+ 28.Kg1 Qd4+ 29.Kg2 Raf8 30.Rxf6 Qd2+ 31.Kh3 Rxf6 32.Rc2 Qd1 33.Rc3 Qf1+ 34.Kh4 Qe1+ 35.Kh3 Qf1+=]
25...Qxg4 26.Qc2 [Perhaps White could try 26.c5!? Be5 27.d6+ Kh8! when I saw this position I decided that black is OK due to threat Rf3. Computer generally confirms my evaluation but shows some interesting options (27...Kg7?? 28.Rf7+ Kxg6 29.Rcf1+–) 28.Nb5 (28.Rf7?! Qxg6) 28...Qh5 29.g7+! Kxg7 30.Qc2 cxd6 31.Nxd6 Kh8 32.Nxe4 Rxf1+ 33.Rxf1 Rg8 I think black has enough compensation for the pawn]
26...Rae8 27.Qg2 Qxg2+ 28.Kxg2 Bxc3?! [the bishop is stronger that the knight. my opponent had time trouble so he decided to secure himself. He feared that the knight might get on e6. Anyway now black got into troubles.]
[28...e3! 29.Ne2 Kg7=]
29.Rxc3 Rxf1 30.Kxf1 Kg7 31.Rg3 e3 32.Rg4 h5 33.Rd4 e2+ 34.Ke1 Kxg6 35.c5 Kf5 36.Rd2 Rd8 37.h4 Rd7 [37...b6! it looks like that black would save the game if he alted this way 38.Kxe2 (38.d6 cxd6 39.c6 b5 40.Rd5+ Ke4 41.Rxb5 Rc8 42.Rxh5 Rxc6 43.Ra5 Rc2 44.h5 d5 45.h6 d4 46.h7 d3 47.Re5+ Kf3 48.Rf5+ Ke3 49.Re5+ Kf3=) 38...bxc5 39.bxc5 Ke5 40.d6 cxd6 41.Ke3 a5 42.a4 Rd7! 43.cxd6 Rxd6 44.Rxd6 Kxd6 45.Kd4 (45.Kf4 Ke6 46.Kg5 Ke5 47.Kxh5 Kf5 48.Kh6 Kf6 49.h5 Kf7 50.Kg5 Kg7=) 45...Ke6 46.Kc5 Kd7 47.Kb6 Kd6 48.Kxa5 Kc5 49.Ka6 Kc6 50.a5 Kc7 51.Kb5 Kb7=]
38.Kxe2 Ke5
39.d6! [39.Ke3 a5! (39...Rxd5?? 40.Rxd5+ Kxd5 41.Kf4 Kc4 42.Kg5 Kxb4 43.Kxh5 Kxc5 44.Kg6+–) 40.d6 (40.b5 Rxd5 41.Rxd5+ Kxd5 42.Kf4 Kxc5 43.Kg5 Kxb5 44.Kxh5 c5 45.Kg4 c4 46.Kf3 Kb4 47.Ke3 Ka3 48.Kd4 b5 49.Kc3 Kxa2 50.h5 b4+ 51.Kxc4 b3 52.h6 b2 53.h7 b1Q 54.h8Q white has to fight for draw) 40...axb4 41.Rd4 cxd6 42.cxd6 Rxd6 43.Rxd6 Kxd6 44.Kf4 Ke6 45.Kg5 Kf7=]
39...cxd6 40.Ke3 Ke6?? [This move can be explained only by time problem]
[40...d5 41.Rg2 Re7 42.Kd3 white has an excellent chance to win this endgame. For exemple 42...Rh7 (42...Rf7 43.Re2+ Kf6 44.Rf2+ Ke6 45.Rxf7 Kxf7 46.Kd4 Ke6 47.b5+–) 43.Rg5+ Ke6 44.Kd4 Kd7 45.Kxd5+–; 40...Rg7 41.cxd6 Rd7 42.Rd1+–]
41.Rxd6+ Rxd6 42.cxd6 Kxd6 43.Kf4 Ke6 44.Kg5 b5 45.Kxh5 Kf5 46.Kh6 Kf6 47.h5
1–0
An incredibly tense and rich battle! The next game will follow soon.
