GAME 026 - Richard McMaster

McMaster,Richard (158) - Davies,Edward (113) Portsmouth Club Champ Rd4, 16.01.2008

1.c4 c6 2.Nc3 Nf6 [2...d5 3.cxd5 (3.d4 main line slav 3...Nf6 4.Nf3 main line slav position from Bill Partridge game 2 2008 4...Bf5 Very much a sideline; there are several much more common moves. a) 4...e6 interesting, in the latest "world championship" tournament in 2007 there were eight games played in this variation including a variety of different players, and black didn't lose any games with it, drawing six and winning two; I think this displays that it is very solid at the top level 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Ne5 (9.Be2 Bb7 10.h4 g4 11.Ne5 Rg8 12.Nxg4 Nxg4 13.Bxg4 b4 14.Na4 c5 15.d5 exd5 16.exd5 Qxd5 17.Qxd5 Bxd5 18.0–0–0 Rxg4 19.Rxd5 Nd7 20.Re1+ Kd8 21.Red1 Rd4 22.R1xd4 cxd4 23.Rxd4 Rc8 24.Bd6 Ke8 25.Re4+ Kd8 26.Bxf8 Nxf8 ... eventually a draw; Grischuk 2726 - Anand 2792) 9...h5 10.h4 g4 11.Be2 Bb7 12.0–0 Nbd7 13.Qc2 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Bg7 15.Rad1 0–0 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.f3 c5 18.dxc5 Qe7 19.Kh1 a6 20.a4 Bc6 21.Nd5 exd5 22.exd5 Be5 23.f4 Bg7 24.dxc6 Nxc5 25.Rd5 Ne4 26.Be1 Qe6 27.Rxh5 f5 28.Kh2 Rac8 29.Bb4 Rfe8 30.axb5 axb5 31.Re1 Qf7 32.Rg5 Nxg5 33.fxg5 Rxc6 34.Bf1 Rxe1 35.Bxe1 ... 0–1; Arionian 2750 - Anand 2792; b) 4...dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 (6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0–0 Nbd7 9.Qe2 Bg6 10.e4 0–0 11.Bd3 Bh5 12.e5 Nd5 13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.Qe3 Bg6 15.Ng5 Re8 16.f4 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 f5 18.Be3 Nf8 19.Kh1 Rc8 20.g4 Qd7 21.Rg1 Be7 22.Nf3 Rc4 23.Rg2 fxg4 24.Rxg4 Rxa4 25.Rag1 g6 26.h4 Rb4 27.h5 Qb5 28.Qc2 Rxb2 29.hxg6 h5 30.g7 hxg4 31.gxf8Q+ Bxf8 32.Qg6+ Bg7 33.f5 Re7 34.f6 Qe2 35.Qxg4 Rf7 36.Rc1 Rc2 37.Rxc2 Qd1+ 38.Kg2 Qxc2+ 39.Kg3 Qe4 40.Bf4 Qf5 41.Qxf5 exf5 42.Bg5 a5 43.Kf4 a4 44.Kxf5 a3 45.Bc1 Bf8 46.e6 Rc7 47.Bxa3 Bxa3 48.Ke5 Rc1 49.Ng5 Rf1 50.e7 Re1+ 51.Kxd5 Bxe7 52.fxe7 Rxe7 53.Kd6 Re1 54.d5 Kf8 55.Ne6+ Ke8 56.Nc7+ Kd8 57.Ne6+ Kc8 58.Ke7 Rh1 59.Ng5 b5 60.d6 Rd1 61.Ne6 b4 62.Nc5 Re1+ 63.Kf6 Re3 0–1; Topalov 2813 - Kramnik 2743; world championship game 2006) 6...Na6 (6...e6 7.f3 c5 8.e4 Bg6 9.Be3 cxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Bxd4 Nfd7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bxc4 a6 14.h4 Rc8 15.Ba2 h6 16.Rc1 Rg8 17.Ke2 Bc5 18.Bxc5 Rxc5 19.Nb1 Ke7 20.Rxc5 Nxc5 21.h5 Bh7 22.Rc1 Nd7 23.Nd2 g6 24.hxg6 Rxg6 25.Kf2 Rg5 26.Rc7 b5 27.a5 Rc5 28.Rxc5 Nxc5 29.Ke3 Kd6 30.b4 Nd7 31.Nb3 e5 32.Nc1 f5 33.Nd3 fxe4 34.fxe4 Nf6 35.Nc5 Bg6 36.Bb3 Ng4+ 37.Kd2 Nf6 38.Bc2 Kc6 39.Bd3 Nd7 40.Nxa6 Bf7 41.Be2 h5 42.g3 Bg6 43.Ke3 Bf7 44.Kd2 Bg6 ... 1–0; Aronian 2759 - Kramnik 2772) 7.f3 Nd7 8.Nxc4 e5 9.e4 exd4 10.Nb5 Bb4+ 11.Bd2 0–0 12.Nxd4 Bxe4 13.Bxb4 Nxb4 14.fxe4 Qh4+ 15.Kd2 Qxe4 16.Kc3 Nd5+ 17.Kb3 Nc5+ 18.Ka3 Rad8 19.Qd2 Nf4 20.Rd1 Nfe6 21.Nxe6 Rxd2 22.Nxc5 Qe7 23.Rxd2 Qxc5+ 24.Ka2 Qb4 25.Rc2 Qxa4+ 26.Kb1 b5 27.Nd2 c5 28.Be2 c4 29.Rhc1 Qb4 30.Bf3 a5 31.Ka1 Rd8 32.Nb1 g6 33.Na3 Qc5 34.Kb1 a4 35.h3 Rd3 36.Rc3 Rxc3 37.Rxc3 Qf5+ 38.Nc2 b4 39.Rxc4 b3 40.Kc1 Qg5+ 41.Kb1 bxc2+ 42.Kxc2 Qb5 43.Rc3 h5 44.g4 h4 45.Bd1 Kg7 46.Kc1 Qf1 47.Rf3 Qg1 48.Ra3 Qh1 49.Kd2 Qd5+ 50.Kc1 Qc4+ 51.Kb1 Qf1 52.Kc1 Kh6 53.Rf3 Qc4+ 54.Rc3 Qf4+ 55.Kb1 Qf1 56.Kc1 Kg5 57.Rf3 Qc4+ 58.Kb1 Qd5 59.Rc3 Qxd1+ 0–1; Radjabov 2729 - Kramnik 2766; blindfold rapid; c) 4...a6 5.cxd5 (5.e3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.0–0 0–0 8.a4 Be6 9.Ng5 Bc8 10.Qb3 b6 11.Bd2 e6 12.Nf3 Nbd7 13.cxd5 exd5 14.a5 b5 15.Rfd1 Re8 16.Rac1 Bf8 17.Na2 Bb7 18.Bb4 Bh6 19.Rc2 Ne4 20.Nc1 Re6 21.Nd3 Qf6 22.Nfe5 Nxe5 23.dxe5 Rxe5 24.Nxe5 Qxe5 25.Bf3 Re8 26.Bxe4 Qxe4 27.Bc5 Bg5 28.Qd3 Qe6 29.Bd4 Be7 30.Rdc1 h5 31.Qd2 Bd6 32.b4 f6 33.Qd3 Kf7 34.Bc5 Bb8 35.f3 Bc8 36.Re2 h4 37.Qc3 h3 38.g3 Bd7 ... draw; Gelfand 2733 - Kamsky 2705) 5...cxd5 6.Qb3 Nc6 7.Bg5 e6 8.e3 h6 9.Bxf6 Qxf6 10.Bd3 Bd6 11.0–0 0–0 12.Rac1 b5 13.Bb1 Bd7 14.Qc2 g6 15.Qd2 Rac8 16.Rfd1 Rc7 17.Qe1 b4 18.Ne2 a5 19.Qd2 Rfc8 20.Ne1 a4 21.Nd3 Na5 22.Rxc7 Rxc7 23.Rc1 Nc4 24.Qe1 Qd8 25.g3 Bb5 26.h4 g5 27.hxg5 hxg5 28.Kg2 Qc8 29.Ng1 f6 30.Qd1 Be8 31.Nf3 Bh5 32.Rc2 Bg6 33.Re2 g4 34.Nh4 Be4+ 35.Kh2 f5 36.Ne1 Nxe3 37.Rxe3 Rc1 38.Qd2 Rxb1 39.Rxe4 dxe4 40.Qg5+ Kf7 0–1; Ivanchuk 2729 - Topalov 2801; d) 4...g6 much less popular at the top level 5.e3 Bg7 6.Be2 0–0 7.0–0 Nbd7 8.b3 a6 9.Bb2 b5 10.Ne5 Bb7 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Nd3 Ne4 13.f3 Nd6 14.Qd2 Rc8 15.Rac1 Qb6 16.Kh1 Rfe8 17.Nf4 e6 18.Bd3 Rc7 19.Nce2 Rec8 20.Rxc7 Rxc7 21.Bc3 Qa7 22.Bb4 Bf8 23.Bb1 Ne8 24.Bxf8 Nxf8 25.Nd3 Qb6 26.Nc5 Nd7 27.b4 Nd6 28.Bd3 Nb8 29.e4 Nc6 30.a3 Ne7 31.Qf4 Bc8 32.Nc3 Ne8 33.Re1 Qd6 34.e5 Qb6 35.h4 Ng7 36.g4 Ra7 37.h5 Qd8 38.Kg2 Nc6 39.Rh1 g5 40.Qe3 h6 41.f4 f6 42.exf6 Qxf6 43.fxg5 hxg5 44.h6 Qxd4 45.Qxd4 Nxd4 46.hxg7 Rxg7 47.Re1 Rf7 48.Rf1 Nc6 49.Rxf7 Kxf7 50.Kf2 Ke7 51.Ne2 e5 52.Bf5 Bxf5 53.gxf5 a5 54.Nc3 axb4 55.Nxd5+ Kf7 56.axb4 Nxb4 57.Nxb4 Kf6 58.Ne4+ Kxf5 A remarkable position 59.Ke3 g4 60.Nd3 Ke6 61.Nb4 Kf5 62.Nd5 Ke6 63.Nc7+ Kd7 64.Nxb5 Kc6 65.Nbc3 Kb6 66.Kf2 Ka5 67.Nd5 Kb5 68.Ne3 Kb4 69.Kg3 Kb5 70.Kxg4 Kb4 71.Kf5 Kb5 72.Ke6 Kc6 73.Ke7 Kc7 74.Ke8 Kc8 75.Nd5 Kb7 76.Kd7 Ka6 77.Kc6 Ka5 78.Kc5 Ka6 79.Kc6 Ka5 80.Ne3 Kb4 81.Kb6 Ka4 82.Nd5 Kb3 83.Kb5 Kc2 84.Kc4 Kd1 85.Kd3 Ke1 86.Ndc3 Kf1 87.Nd1 Kg2 88.Ndf2 Kf3 89.Nh1 Kg4 90.Nhg3 Kf3 91.Kd2 Kf4 92.Ke2 Kg4 93.Ke3 Kh3 94.Nf5 Kg4 95.Ng7 Kh3 96.Nh5 Kg4 97.Nhg3 Kh3 98.Kf3 Kh4 99.Nf5+ Kh5 100.Ne7 Kh4 101.Nd5 Kh5 102.Kg3 Kh6 103.Kh4 Kg6 104.Kg4 Kh6 105.Ne7 Kg7 106.Kf5 Kh6 107.Ng8+ Kg7 108.Ngf6 Kf7 109.Nd5 Kg7 110.Ke6 Kh6 111.Kf6 getting dangerously close to the 50 moves rule; no pawn moves or piece trades since move 70 111...Kh5 112.Ne3 Kh6 113.Ng3 Kh7 114.Nef5 Kg8 115.Ke7 e4 finally 116.Nh5 e3 117.Nf6+ Kh8 118.Kf7 black resigns, with to follow: 118...e2 119.Ne7 e1Q 120.Ng6# an amazing display of technique (although I have no idea if it was efficient or not by super-gm standards); 5.cxd5 (5.e3 e6 6.Nh4 Be4 7.f3 Bg6 8.Qb3 Qb6 9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.Bd2 Bd6 11.0–0–0 Qxb3 12.axb3 Nbd7 13.h3 a6 14.Kb1 0–0–0 15.g4 Bc7 16.Bg2 Ne8 17.cxd5 cxd5 18.e4 dxe4 19.fxe4 e5 20.Nd5 exd4 21.Rhf1 Ne5 22.Bf4 f6 23.Rxd4 Nc6 24.Rc4 g5 25.Bxc7 Nxc7 26.Rfc1 Rd6 27.Ne7+ Kd7 28.e5 fxe5 29.Nf5 Rf6 30.Rd1+ Nd4 31.Nxd4 exd4 32.Rcxd4+ Kc8 33.Rd7 Rg8 34.Be4 Kb8 35.Rd8+ Rxd8 36.Rxd8+ Ka7 37.Rd7 Kb6 38.Rxg7 Re6 39.Bf5 Re1+ 40.Kc2 Re2+ 41.Kc1 Rh2 42.Rg6+ Kc5 43.Be4 b5 44.Bb7 Kb4 45.Rxg5 Rxh3 46.Re5 Rg3 47.Kc2 Ka5 48.g5 Kb6 49.Be4 b4 50.g6 Nb5 51.Rd5 Kc7 52.Rd2 a5 53.Rg2 Nd4+ 54.Kd1 Rxg2 55.Bxg2 Ne6 56.Kd2 Kd6 57.Kd3 Nf4+ 58.Kc4 Nxg6 59.Kb5 draw; Sasikiran 2642 - Hector 2513) 5...Nxd5 6.Qb3 (6.e3 e6 7.Bc4 Nd7 8.0–0 Be7 9.Qe2 Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.Bb3 0–0 12.e4 Nxc3 13.bxc3 ... draw; Ivanisevic 2563 - Radibratovic 2328) 6...Qb6 (6...Nxc3 7.bxc3 Qb6 8.Nd2 Nd7 9.e4 Qxb3 10.axb3 Bg6 11.f4 e6 12.Bd3 f6 13.0–0 a6 14.f5 Bf7 15.fxe6 Bxe6 16.Nc4 Bxc4 17.Bxc4 Bd6 18.b4 0–0–0 19.Ra2 Rhe8 20.Re2 Re7 21.Bd3 h6 22.Rf3 Kc7 23.Bd2 b5 24.Be1 Ra8 25.Ra2 Kb7 26.Bh4 g5 27.Bg3 Bxg3 28.hxg3 Kb6 29.g4 Ree8 30.Rh3 Rh8 31.Kf2 ... draw; Stocek 2566 - Vokac 2506) 7.Qxb6 Nxb6 8.e4 Bg6 9.Bf4 e6 10.Bd3 Be7 ... 1–0; Bill Partridge - Edward Davies; 2008) 3...cxd5 4.e3 (4.d4 another main line transposition) ] 3.e4 d6 [3...d5; 3...e5] 4.d4 e5 5.d5 c5 [5...Be7; 5...cxd5] 6.f3 Be7 7.Be3 0–0 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.g4 a6 10.Bd3 Ne8 11.Nge2 Nc7 12.Ng3 Bh4 13.0–0–0 Rb8 14.Nf5 Be7 15.h4 b5 16.h5 bxc4 17.Bxc4 Nb6 18.Bd3 Nb5 19.Nxb5 axb5 20.Rdg1 Ra8 21.Bh6 gxh6 22.Nxe7+ Qxe7 23.g5 hxg5 24.Rxg5+ Kh8 25.Rhg1 f6 26.Rg7 Qxg7 27.Rxg7 Kxg7 28.Bxb5 Bd7 29.Bxd7 Nxd7 30.f4 Rxa2 31.Kb1 Rfa8 32.fxe5 Nxe5 33.h6+ Kf7 34.Qg2 Ra1+ 35.Kc2 Rg8 36.Qh3 Ng4 ½–½ Black is technically winning here (with 2 rooks and a knight for the queen) but as much as I wanted to, I was unable to play on to win this in the mutual time trouble, as my opponent had some dangerous checks (possible winning a rook if I'm not careful) and even some potential mating threats. If there were a 40 move time control for example, black would win easily, however if there were a longer time control my opponent may not have played the sacrifice so hastily for example.