[Event "32nd ECC Open 2016"]
[Site "Novi Sad SRB"]
[Date "2016.11.08"]
[Round "3.31"]
[White "Powell, Ll"]
[Black "Fioramonti, H."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C43"]
[WhiteElo "2072"]
[BlackElo "2325"]
[PlyCount "85"]
[EventDate "2016.11.06"]
[WhiteTeam "Abergavenny"]
[BlackTeam "Club d'Echecs de Geneve"]

1. d4 Nc6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 Bg4 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Bb4 6. Be2 Nge7 7. O-O O-O 8. Qb3
dxc4 9. Qxc4 Nd5 10. Rd1 Bh5 11. e4 Nb6 12. Qb3 a5 13. Bg5 Be7 14. Be3 a4 15.
Qc2 a3 16. b3 Qc8 17. Rac1 Nb4 18. Qd2 Rd8 19. Nb5 c6 20. d5 $1 N6xd5 $1 {
Facing material loss Black finds much the best move which keeps him in the
game.} 21. exd5 Rxd5 22. Nfd4 $1 Bxe2 23. Qxe2 e5 24. Nc3 $1 exd4 25. Nxd5 Nxd5
26. Bxd4 Qd7 27. h3 Bb4 28. Qg4 {Black has a pawn for the exchange and a solid
position, with hopes of counterplay against the pawn on a2. But from now on
his play become unnecessarily desperate. Probably best here is simply to
exchange queens.} f5 29. Qf3 Re8 30. Bc5 Bxc5 31. Rxc5 g6 32. Rcc1 Qe7 33. Kf1
Qg5 34. Re1 Re4 35. Rcd1 Rf4 36. Qe2 Qg3 37. Kg1 Qg5 38. Rxd5 $1 {With his
queen and rook decentralised Black's N was holding his position together. Its
summary removal inaugurates a crushing attack.} cxd5 39. Qe8+ Kg7 40. Re7+ Qxe7
41. Qxe7+ Kh6 42. Qxb7 d4 43. f3 1-0

[Event "Skopje"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.04.02"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Strugnell, Carl"]
[Black "Drenchev, P."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B67"]
[WhiteElo "2193"]
[BlackElo "2480"]
[Annotator "Carl Strugnell"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]

{That afternoon I encountered a Bulgarian GM. I don't want to extend on the
details but just wish to show you, the reader, to what extent chess does
actually rely on luck, or maybe we should call it an X factor.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3
Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 {I happen to play that with Black and
have been wanting to change for ages, on top of having good results on the
White side - let's see what he has in store} 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Bd7 (
{I'm more of a} 8... Be7 {person, myself}) 9. f4 b5 {A line associated with GM
Kozul who was playing the tournament, some even call it "Kozul's dustbin"!} 10.
Nxc6 $6 {First imprecision,} ({the move order} 10. Bxf6 $1 {is best as} gxf6 ({
as on} 10... Qxf6 {there is a long forced line} 11. e5 $1 dxe5 (11... Qe7 12.
Bxb5 axb5 13. Ndxb5 Qd8 14. exd6 $16) 12. Ndxb5 Qd8 13. Nd6+ Bxd6 14. Qxd6 exf4
15. Bxa6 Rxa6 16. Nb5 Ra7 17. Nxa7 Nxa7 18. Qd4 $16) 11. Kb1 $1 {and I've
secured the desired structure, now for example} Qb6 12. Nxc6 Bxc6 13. Qe1 Be7 (
13... Ra7 $5 {this I believe is the real "Kozul Dustbin" tabiyat. Between 1993
and 2003 he played it no less than 22 times, with 12 wins, 7 losses and 3
draws, against a field of top players, ranging up to 2700.}) 14. Bd3 {would be
one way to get back to the game}) 10... Bxc6 11. Qe1 Be7 12. Bxf6 {I re-sorted
myself to take anyway} ({as} 12. e5 {doesn't really work} Nd5 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14.
Ne4 dxe5 15. fxe5 O-O 16. Bd3 Nf4 $1 17. Rf1 Ng6 18. Qg3 Qh4 $132 {0-1 (34)
Gafner,E (2296)-Khismatullin,D (2662) Olginka 2011}) 12... gxf6 {A bit of a
relief to be honest!} (12... Bxf6 $1 13. Nd5 (13. e5 Be7 $15) 13... O-O 14.
Nxf6+ Qxf6 {Black needn't worry about anything here}) 13. Bd3 Qb6 14. Kb1 Qc5
15. f5 {Now I knew I was back on track} Qe5 {This seemed strong and I had no
recollection of this move, so I started to worry again. I quickly decided on} (
15... b4 16. Ne2 a5 (16... e5 $5 17. Ng3 a5 $13) 17. fxe6 fxe6 18. Nf4 Qe5 $13
{is the theory}) 16. Qh4 $5 (16. Qf2 $5) (16. Qe3 $5 $146 {the computer's
choice}) 16... h5 17. Rhe1 $1 {My opponent already had spent a lot of time in
the opening, and here he spent some more. I had been going on gut feeling, and
had spent only 10 minutes or so. In the knowledge that} Kf8 ({after} 17...
O-O-O {which I believed was his intention, there was the strong} 18. Nd5 $1 $36
{I also had a full tank of confidence}) 18. Ne2 {logically going to where
things are happening} a5 $1 {the only counterplay} 19. Nf4 $16 Rg8 (19... a4 {
if the worse came to the worse, I knew I could defend myself by} 20. Bf1 a3 21.
Nd3 Qd4 22. c3 Qa7 23. b3 $14) 20. Be2 $5 {an odd decision but I stick by it}
a4 (20... Bxe4 21. Bxh5 $1 {which would be winning if not for} Bxc2+ {I was
not aware of this sacrificial possibility but it is very speculative, the
computer goes for it by elimination.} 22. Kxc2 Qxf5+ 23. Nd3 Rxg2+ 24. Be2 Rc8+
25. Kb1 d5 $13) 21. fxe6 {Here it is almost unfair to compare with computer
precision but according to Houdini 4 we always go wrong} (21. Bxh5 {was best
when after} a3 22. Nd3 Qd4 23. c3 Qc4 {leaves Black's attack a little numb} 24.
Bxf7 $1 {starting my own franchise} Kxf7 25. b3 Qxc3 26. Qh7+ Kf8 27. fxe6 {
and will win in the long run, when the e1 Rook come into action}) 21... fxe6 $2
{I also believed this was the correct move for him} (21... a3 $1 22. Nd3 Qxe6
23. Qxh5 Bxe4 {this is what I thought was great, computer says =(0.00)}) 22.
Bxh5 a3 {Now with only 1 min on his clock, and 30 sec a move until the 40th, I
examined carefully the options, to end up playing nothing more than a trick,
all other lines were superior} 23. Rd4 (23. Nd3 Qd4 24. Qh3 $1 $16 Bd7 $2 25.
e5 $3 $18) (23. bxa3 $1 $18 Be8 24. Rd5 $3 exd5 25. exd5 {quite a horrifying
scenario}) 23... Ra4 $4 {This of course was timely, I knew exactly what to do}
(23... Be8 $8 24. Bxe8 Kxe8 25. c3 (25. Red1 {this was my idea, I imagined
having a stable plus and much easier position to deal with}) 25... Kf7 26. Nd3
Qg5 27. Qxg5 Rxg5 28. g3 axb2 29. Kxb2 $14) 24. Ng6+ {and he resigned;
somewhat prematurely actually} (24. Ng6+ Rxg6 25. Bxg6 {I'm threatening mate
which seems unstoppable} f5 $8 26. Qh6+ Qg7 27. Qxg7+ Kxg7 28. Rxa4 bxa4 29.
exf5 e5 {this is +3 but it's still a headache! No doubt I prefer my chances
but having to win it demands precision. This sort of feat, usually accompanied
by a sensation of awe, had no such effect, the GM had basically beat himself
by overthinking...Still, I went for a few pints to celebrate.}) 1-0

[Event "Llucmajor op 5th"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.05.13"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Strugnell, Carl"]
[Black "Santos Ruiz, M."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B48"]
[WhiteElo "2194"]
[BlackElo "2427"]
[Annotator "Strugnell,Carl"]
[PlyCount "99"]
[EventDate "2016.05.20"]

{"Where are you off to this time? questioned my cousin - Mallorca! - Oh! Sunny
Spain, you don't half get around - Ah you know, I'm stuck in a room playing
chess, it's not everyone's idea of a good time, I prefer when it rains to be
honest, at least I don't regret missing out" By my attempt to downplay the
part-time jetset lifestyle of a chess fanatic, I brought it on myself. From
Swansea to London it was approaching the 80s in early May, and I left
optimistic, only to bump through the clouds, landing on a wet and windy Island.
Sod's law, I'll have to live up to my word and focus on chess, I thought to
myself. The tournament was a good standard, with a host of titled players 
(both 20-odd GMs and IMs) most of those I spoke to being regulars on their
third or fourth visit. From the UK, IM Lawrence Trent made an appearance,
taking off of his managerial cap to glide through the rounds on the top boards
until the end, finishing with a 2530 performance.} 1. e4 {Yours truly did
pretty well, partly regaining the stack of elo I have lost over the past year
or so. Pictures are better than words, so let's get to it. A few rounds before,
an Englishman, John Hall, had beaten my opponent, a promising Spanish youth,
so it was up to me to traumatize him of everything British.} c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4
cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 ({The immediate} 6... Nf6 {has always
prompted} 7. f4 $1 {as an answer} Bb4 8. Ndb5 Qa5 9. e5 Ne4 ({or} 9... Nd5 10.
Bd2) 10. Qd3) 7. Qd2 Be7 $1 {The rounds ere at 20:30 every evening, so my
room-mate GM Thal Abergel and I, adopted a crazy rhythm, a healthy mix of
nightclubs and lay-ins; we always kept the tournament in mind as our priority
though so limited the boozed to Sangria. When it came to prep-ing for the
round that day, I decided to limit it, to get an extra nap in, just in case. I
finally opened my computer an hour before kick-off to discover with horror my
opponent played a line that could practically bear his name. I'd never seen it
before and didn't have enough time to truly understand the point. The young
seventeen year old, already over 2400 had not only played it more than anyone
else, he had an almost perfect score with it, drawing a GM and beating
everyone else. If you're looking for something under the radar, this will be
your best bet at something really tackling, but of course it will take some
work, I would hardly call it an SOS line.} (7... Nf6 {is the more usual means
of development. Now} 8. f4 {has only been given the official stamp of
worthiness relatively recently; the point is to avoid the î Pb4 line, which is
a theoretical headache, instead favouring to weather the storm and seek
favourable queenless middlegames - in a nutshell. My opponent's move order
denies me the right to this variation, so we are supposed to go offbeat or
settle for the Brazilian or Morozevich lines mentionedabove} (8. O-O-O {
is the Main line, when} Be7 (8... Bb4 {is principled}) 9. f3 O-O 10. g4 b5 11.
g5 {and here there are two ideas} Ne8 {a move favoured by Morozevich (the
Knight sometimes bounces back by the d6 square)} ({and} 11... Nh5 {named the
'Brazilian' Taimanov for a reason that eludes me}))) 8. O-O-O (8. Be2 $5 b5 9.
Nxc6 dxc6 10. e5 Bb7 11. Bf4 $13 {1/2-1/2 (18) Perez Candelario,M (2562)
-Santos Ruiz,M (2416) La Roda 2016}) (8. f4 {without a î .. to target is less
flaunting} b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10. Bf3 Na5 $1 11. Qd3 Nc4 $132 {0-1 (30) Silva
Rodriguez,J (2281)-Santos Ruiz,M (2416) La Roda 2016}) 8... Nf6 9. f4 {
Critical!} (9. f3 {would go towards the mainstream, and he would have forced
me into it!}) (9. h3 b5 10. Nxc6 Qxc6 11. e5 b4 12. exf6 bxc3 13. Qxc3 Qxc3 14.
bxc3 Bxf6 15. Bd4 Bb7 16. Rg1 Bd5 $15 {0-1 (55) Jarque Megias,J (2107)-Santos
Ruiz,M (2416) La Roda 2016}) 9... b5 $1 10. e5 b4 11. exf6 {I finally opted
for this line, the only one he hadn't played up til then. I reasoned that it
was a) better to draw with White than lose with White, then search for a
solution in the comfort of my home for next time. b) by directly threatening
to go towards a known draw line there was a good probability he'd feel forced
to play a wild card at some point. c) It is not impossible that in practice if
not in theory White could have an easier time and play on a bit.} (11. Na4 Nd5)
({The alternative} 11. Ncb5 {is a long forced line} axb5 12. Nxb5 Qa5 13. exf6
gxf6 14. Nd6+ Bxd6 15. Qxd6 Qxa2 16. Rd3 {Black has minimum a draw but my
opponent had improved on Richard Rapport's game with Grischuk to give White
some extra difficulties} Qa1+ (16... Qa5 17. Bc5 Qd8 18. Rh3 Ra1+ 19. Kd2 Ba6
20. Rxh7 Rg8 21. Rg7 Rh8 22. Rh7 Rg8 23. Rg7 Rh8 24. Rh7 Rg8 25. Rg7 {1/2-1/2 
(25) Grischuk,A (2750)-Rapport,R (2693) Reykjavik 2015}) 17. Kd2 Ra2 18. Rb3
Qb1 $5 $146 {this actually gives Black an advantage} 19. Bb5 $4 (19. Rg1 Rxb2
20. Bd3 Qa2 21. Rxb2 Qxb2 $15) 19... Qxh1 20. Bxc6 dxc6 21. Bc5 Qxg2+ 22. Ke3
Ra7 23. Rd3 Rd7 $19 {0-1 (29) Jones,S (2211)-Santos Ruiz,M (2422) London 2016})
11... bxc3 12. Qxc3 Bxf6 13. g4 h6 $1 {Objectively the best but this also
means he is not buying into my blackmail} (13... Qb7 14. Rg1 Nb4) (13... Bb7 {
is a riskier try, and has seen a lot of catastrophes, even at a high level.}
14. g5 Bxd4 15. Rxd4 Rc8 16. Ra4 O-O 17. Rg1 d5 18. Kb1 d4 $1 (18... Rfd8 19.
Bd3 d4 20. Bxd4 Rxd4 21. Rxd4 Qb6 $4 (21... Nxd4 22. Qxd4 $14) 22. Bxh7+ Kxh7
23. g6+ $3 fxg6 24. Qh3+ Kg8 25. Qxe6+ Kf8 $18 {1-0 (33) Yu,Y (2675)-Svidler,P
(2753) Dubai 2014}) 19. Bxd4 Qxf4 20. Qg3 Qxg3 21. Rxg3 Rfd8 (21... Nxd4 22.
Rxd4 $11) 22. Rd3 a5 $2 23. Bb6 Rxd3 24. Bxd3 Nb4 25. Rxa5 Nxd3 26. cxd3 h6 27.
gxh6 gxh6 28. a4 $16 {1-0 (42) Yu,Y (2675)-Ganguly,S (2619) Dubai 2014}) 14. h4
Bb7 15. Rh2 $1 Rc8 {f4 is now under attack} (15... Qd6 {had already been
played from this move order, but given the small amount of time I had to
prepare I was not aware of it. This would have been a much better bet for some
imbalanced position} 16. Qd2 Nxd4 17. Bxd4 Bf3 $13) 16. Qd2 Qd6 $5 {It's
alive! The game is on} (16... Nxd4 $1 $11 {is the usual suspect} 17. Bxd4 Bxd4
18. Qxd4 {now we understand why î Rh2!} O-O 19. g5 h5 $1 20. Rf2 d5 {Although
Ivan Saric did beat Yu, proving even 2700 can go wrong here, it stands to
reason Black has equalized, or at least is close to having done so. The latter,
by the way, adopted the line for White 5 months later, with the wins over
Ganguly and Svidler (above)! It's a shame we didn't get to see if he had an
improvement on the 13...h6 line but we can only imagine so...(I guess)} 21. Re1
({but White can also opt out if he so pleases} 21. Bd3 $5 g6 22. a3 a5 23. Re1
Bc6 24. Qf6 Bb5 25. Bxb5 Qb6 26. Ree2 Qxb5 27. Rxe6 fxe6 28. Qxg6+ $11 {
1/2-1/2 (32) Guseinov,G (2613)-Macieja,B (2594) Istanbul 2012}) 21... g6 22.
Re3 a5 23. Rb3 a4 24. Qxa4 Qc5 25. Rg2 Ra8 26. Qb4 Qxb4 27. Rxb4 Rxa2 28. Be2
Ba6 29. Bd1 Ra8 30. Rg3 Bc4 31. Kd2 Ra1 32. Rc3 Kg7 33. Bf3 R8a2 34. b3 $1 Ba6
$2 {the î Rs can't get back home!} (34... Bf1) 35. Rc7 $1 $18 Ra5 36. f5 $1
exf5 37. Rd4 (37. Rb6 $1 {then to f6}) 37... Bb5 38. Rxd5 Rf1 39. Rd8 Ba6 40.
Bd5 Rf2+ 41. Kc3 {1-0 (41) Saric,I (2637)-Yu,Y (2677) Wijk aan Zee 2014}) 17.
Nb3 $1 (17. Nxc6 $5 Qxd2+ 18. Rhxd2 Bxc6 $11) 17... Qxd2+ 18. Rhxd2 (18. Nxd2
$5) (18. Rdxd2) 18... Nb4 $1 19. Bc5 Nd5 $1 20. g5 hxg5 21. hxg5 {Second big
decision for him, where to go?} Be7 (21... Bd8 22. Bxa6 {a true shame this
doesn't quite work out} (22. c4 $2 {with the idea} Bc7 ({falls upon} 22... Nxf4
$1 $19 23. Rxd7 Bf3) 23. Rxd5 $1 exd5 24. Re1+ Kd8 25. Be7+ $11) (22. Bg2 $1
Bc7 23. Rf1 $13 {is a mess, and I wouldn't have been either scared nor
confident}) 22... Bxa6 23. Rxd5 Be2 $1 24. Re1 Bc4 $1 25. Rf5 Bc7 26. Bd4 O-O
27. Rc5 Bxf4+) 22. Bxe7 Kxe7 (22... Nxe7 23. Rxd7 Bf3 24. Bxa6 Bxd1 25. Rxd1
$13 Ra8 26. Bb5+ Kf8 27. a4 {and it's hard to tell who's better}) 23. Na5 $1
Ba8 24. Bxa6 Rc7 (24... Rc5 {it was looking into this line that a first saw
the mating net which will come in handy later on} 25. b4 $5 (25. Nb3) 25...
Nxb4 $4 (25... Rc7) 26. Rxd7+ Ke8 27. Rd8+ Ke7 28. R1d7#) 25. Bb5 $8 Bc6 $6 {
I really wasn't impressed by this and rightly so. From now on the pressure is
on me to get the full point} (25... Ra7 26. Nb3 Rxa2 27. c4 $13) 26. Bxc6 dxc6
27. a3 $3 {With hindsight this is just common sense but I'm so proud of this
move, it hits the spot!} ({The tempting} 27. c4 {falls upon} Ra8 $1 (27... Nxf4
28. Nxc6+ $1 Rxc6 29. Rd7+ Ke8 30. Rd8+ Ke7 31. R1d7#) 28. cxd5 cxd5+ $1 {
In most lines if the N was on b1 my life would had been much easier}) 27... Ra8
28. Nc4 Nxf4 29. Ne5 $5 Nd5 (29... Ra5 $4 30. Nxc6+ $18) ({I wondered if his
best try wasn't} 29... Ng6 30. Nxg6+ fxg6 {and even though his structure is
crippled it will be extremely difficult to improve. Of course my opponent
wasn't looking for a defensive strategy so I needn't had worried.}) 30. c4 f6
31. Ng4 Nf4 (31... Nb6 32. gxf6+ gxf6 33. Rh2 Rf8 34. b3 $14) 32. gxf6+ gxf6
33. Rh1 Rf8 $8 34. Rh7+ $6 (34. b4 $14) 34... Rf7 35. Rdh2 Kd6 $6 (35... Rc8 $1
$11) 36. R7h6 $1 (36. Nxf6 $5 Rxh7 (36... Rxf6 37. c5+ $1) 37. Rxh7 Rxh7 38.
Nxh7 {and the î N's activity compensates the loss}) 36... f5 (36... Kc5 37.
Nxf6 Kxc4 38. Kc2) 37. Rd2+ Kc5 38. Ne5 Rh7 39. b4+ Kb6 40. Rxh7 Rxh7 41. Rd6
Rh1+ $2 {Cooperative chess} (41... Rc7 42. Kd2) (41... Rh2 $1 {must be the
best try, and a very good position to try your technical capacities over the
board with a friend}) 42. Kc2 Re1 43. Nxc6 (43. Rxc6+ Kb7 44. Rc5) 43... Kc7
44. c5 $18 e5 45. b5 Re2+ 46. Kd1 Rb2 47. b6+ $1 Kb7 ({Carefully calculating} 
47... Rxb6 48. cxb6+ Kxd6 49. b7 Kc7 50. b8=Q+) 48. Nb4 $1 e4 49. Rd7+ Kc8 50.
c6 {and he resigned} 1-0

[Event "42nd Olympiad 2016"]
[Site "Baku AZE"]
[Date "2016.09.09"]
[Round "7.85"]
[White "Strugnell, Carl"]
[Black "Obodchuk, A."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B43"]
[WhiteElo "2239"]
[BlackElo "2402"]
[PlyCount "137"]
[EventDate "2016.09.02"]
[WhiteTeam "Wales"]
[BlackTeam "IPCA"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "NNN"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qc7 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Nxc6 Qxc6 8.
O-O b5 9. e5 f5 10. Be2 Qc7 11. Bf3 Rb8 12. Re1 Bc5 13. Be3 Bxe3 14. Rxe3 Nh6
15. Qd4 O-O 16. b4 Bb7 17. Bxb7 Rxb7 18. a4 Rc8 19. axb5 axb5 20. h3 Nf7 21.
Ra5 Qc4 (21... Nxe5 $1) 22. Qxc4 bxc4 23. b5 Kf8 24. f4 Ke7 25. Ra6 g5 26. fxg5
Rc5 27. h4 Nxe5 28. b6 Nc6 29. Na4 Rb5 30. Rg3 Kf7 31. h5 Ne5 32. Ra3 Kg7 33.
g3 Nf7 34. Ra2 d5 35. Ra8 d4 36. h6+ Kg6 37. Rg8+ Kh5 38. Rg7 Rd5 39. Kf2 Nd6
40. Ra1 Ne4+ 41. Kg2 Rxg7 42. hxg7 Rd8 43. Rb1 d3 44. cxd3 cxd3 45. b7 d2 46.
Nb6 Nc5 47. Nc8 Nxb7 48. Ne7 Nd6 49. Rd1 Nc4 50. Kf3 Kxg5 51. g8=Q+ Rxg8 52.
Nxg8 e5 53. Ke2 e4 54. Rb1 e3 55. Rb7 Kg4 56. Nh6+ Kg5 57. Nf7+ Kg4 58. Rb4
Kxg3 59. Rxc4 f4 60. Ne5 h5 61. Rc7 f3+ 62. Nxf3 d1=Q+ 63. Kxd1 Kxf3 64. Rf7+
Kg2 65. Ke2 h4 66. Rg7+ Kh2 67. Kxe3 h3 68. Kf2 Kh1 69. Kg3 1-0

[Event "32nd Cappelle Open 2016"]
[Site "Cappelle la Grande FRA"]
[Date "2016.02.13"]
[Round "1.76"]
[White "Strugnell, Carl"]
[Black "Naumkin, I."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2215"]
[BlackElo "2413"]
[Annotator ",Microsoft"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventDate "2016.02.13"]
[EventType "swiss"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8. Qd2 b5
9. a3 Bb7 10. Bd3 cxd4 ({Black should have been in no hurry to release the
tension in this way; now White can reinforce his control of d4 by Nc3-e2
without losing his bishop to c5-c4. Better is} 10... Qb6 11. Bf2 Be7 12. O-O
O-O) 11. Nxd4 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 Bc5 13. Ne2 O-O {The computer thinks Black should
endeavour to minimise the disadvantage caused by giving up the fight for the
d4 square too easily by having his queen make a nuisance of herself on the
kingside with 14...Qh4+. and if 14 g3 then 14...Bxd4 15 Nxd4 Qh3.} 14. Qe3 Rc8
{The second and last chance to play Qh4+. Now White has a free hand to soften
up Black's kingside.} 15. Qh3 h6 16. c3 Qe7 17. g4 $1 f6 18. exf6 Nxf6 19. g5
Ne4 20. gxh6 Bxd4 21. Nxd4 Rxf4 22. Rg1 $1 {Perceiving that he can allow the
bishop to be captured with check.} Nf2 23. Qxe6+ $1 (23. Qg3 Nxd3+ 24. Qxd3
Qh4+ 25. Qg3 Re4+ 26. Kd1 Qxh6 {is winning for Black.}) 23... Qxe6+ 24. Nxe6
Nxd3+ 25. Kd2 {Black's win of material is short-lived the Knight, Rook and
Bishop (after Rxg7+) are all threatened.} Rf3 $2 ({His last chance was} 25...
Rf6 26. Kxd3 Rxe6 27. Rxg7+ Kh8 28. Rxb7 Rxh6 {but with Black's king cut off
on the back rank White can preserve a winning advantage in a number of ways:
28 a4, 28 Rd1, and even the passive looking 28 Rh1 are all very good.}) 26.
Rxg7+ Kh8 27. Ng5 $1 Ne5 28. Nxf3 Nxf3+ 29. Ke2 $1 {Winning the exchange and
effectively the game. Note that 29 Ke3? d4+ enables Black to retain the bishop.
} Bc6 30. Kxf3 d4+ 31. Ke2 dxc3 32. bxc3 Re8+ 33. Kd2 Re6 34. Rag1 $1 {Now
Black can't grab the front h pawn because of the mate in two.} Rd6+ 35. Ke3
Re6+ 36. Kd4 Re4+ 37. Kc5 Rc4+ 38. Kb6 Bd5 39. R1g6 Rh4 40. Rd7 Bc4 41. Rc6
Rxh2 42. Rc8+ Bg8 43. h7 {An elegant simplification.} Rxh7 44. Rxg8+ 1-0

