Ruslan had just taken the lead with a fine win in our 3rd game.
1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
Following our 2nd game. Since he dominated the play on the first day, I felt that it wasn't enough to try and come up with some little refinement on our 2nd game. I wanted to go for really sharp lines to try and fight for the initiative in the match.
6.f3
'!' This skips the Ng4 line and takes the play into sharper lines.
6...e6
7.Be3
b5
8.g4
Nfd7
9.Qd2
Bb7
[ 9...Nb6
10.0-0-0
N8d7
Ponomariov has some experience with this position, but earlier this year Grischuk had a famous win against Dvoiris from the Aeroflot open . ( 10...Bb7
Transposing back to the game.) 11.Ndxb5!
]
10.0-0-0
Nb6
11.Nb3
N8d7
12.Na5
Qc7
Of course, Black isn't going to play Bc8.
13.Kb1
Maybe technically a novelty, but simply one of the "useful" moves one makes in the Sicilian - the kingside equivalent is Kh1.
13...Be7
[ 13...b4
14.Ne2
d5
The thematic reaction in the centre. 15.Ng3
Be7
16.Nxb7
Qxb7
17.f4
0-0
( 17...dxe4
18.Nxe4
) 18.Bd3
]
14.h4
Here I already saw the possibility of playing Bg5, but decided to wait a bit. [ 14.Bg5
Bxg5
15.Qxg5
0-0
16.Nxb7
Qxb7
17.Rxd6
Qc7©
]
14...0-0?!
[ 14...Ne5
15.Qd4!
Nbd7
16.Nxb7
Qxb7
17.f4
b4
( 17...Nf3
18.Qd3+/-
( 18.Qxg7
Bf6
19.Qh6
Bxc3
20.bxc3
Qxe4
21.Bc1
) ; 17...Nxg4
18.Qxg7
Nxe3
19.Qxh8+
Nf8
20.Re1+-
) 18.Na4
Nxg4
19.Qxg7
Nxe3
20.Qxh8+
Nf8
21.Re1
Qxe4
22.Bd3
Qxf4
23.Qg8+/-
; 14...b4!
15.Ne2
d5
16.Nd4
( 16.Nxb7
Qxb7
( 16...Nc4
17.Qc1
dxe4
18.Ng3
Nxe3
19.Qxe3
Qxb7
20.Nxe4
0-0
21.g5+/=
) 17.Ng3
0-0~~
) 16...dxe4
17.Nxb7
Qxb7
18.fxe4
0-0=
]
15.Bg5
The point of the previous move. White can recapture with the h-pawn and attack on the h-file.
15...f6
This weakens the e6 square and gives White an easy target. The only thing that concerned me was that White has lost some time. [ 15...Nf6
16.h5!
White just continues his attack. ( 16.Bxf6
Bxf6
( 16...gxf6
17.g5+/-
) 17.Qxd6
Rac8
18.Qxc7
Rxc7
19.Ne2
Black has enough ~/= with his two bishops. ( 19.Nxb7
Rxb7©
) 19...Na4
) ]
16.Be3
Ne5
17.Qf2
Nbc4
18.Nxb7
Qxb7
19.Bd4
[ 19.Ne2
f5!
20.gxf5
exf5
21.Bh3
fxe4
22.Be6+
Kh8
23.Bd5
Qc8
24.Bxa8
Qxa8=/+
]
19...Rac8
20.Ne2
[ 20.Qg3
This stops f5, but White has to take some sacrifices into account. 20...b4
21.Ne2
Na3+!
( 21...Qc6
22.Ka1
) 22.bxa3
bxa3+
At the board, I felt that this was very dangerous and decided to stick to 20.Ne2. Later analysis confirmed this: 23.Kc1
Counter-intuitively, White ambles off to the other side. The obvious tries don't break through. ( 23.Ka1
Rxc2
24.Rb1
Rb2!!
25.Bg2
( 25.Bxb2
Rb8-+
; 25.Rxb2
axb2+
26.Kb1
Nc4-+
) 25...Rb8
26.Qe1
Nc4-/+
) However, an unusual knight retreat keeps Black going. 23...Nc6!
( 23...Rxc2+
24.Kxc2
Rc8+
25.Kd2
; 23...Rc7
24.Ba1
Rfc8
25.Nd4
; 23...Qb4
24.Ba1
Rxc2+
( 24...Rb8
25.Nc3
Rfc8
26.f4
) 25.Kxc2
Rc8+
26.Nc3
) 24.Ba1
( 24.Kd2
d5!
25.Ke1
Nxd4
26.Nxd4
e5
) 24...Nb4
25.Nc3
d5!
A sample variation follows. 26.exd5
Rxc3
27.Bxc3
Nxa2+
28.Kd2
Nxc3
29.Kxc3
Bb4+
30.Kd3
Qxd5+
31.Ke2
Qxd1+!
32.Kxd1
a2
]
20...Nc6
[ 20...f5
21.gxf5
exf5
22.Qg3!
This looks fine for White. ( 22.exf5
Qxf3
23.Qxf3
( 23.Bh3
Nd2+!
24.Ka1
( 24.Rxd2
Qxh1+
) 24...Rxc2-+
) 23...Nxf3
24.Bg2
Rxf5
( 24...Nxd4
25.Nxd4
Ne3
26.Rde1
Bf6
27.Rxe3
Bxd4
28.Ra3
) 25.Bh3
Nxh4
26.Ng3
Rcf8
27.Nxf5
Nxf5
) /\22...fxe4
23.f4
]
21.Be3
[ 21.Bh3
b4
22.g5
This also looked strong, but I wanted to get my knight to f4 and for that I have to move my B.]
21...Nxe3
[ 21...f5
22.exf5
exf5
23.g5
N6e5
24.Nd4+/-
; 21...Nb4
22.Nd4
( 22.c3
Nc6
23.Nf4+/-
) 22...e5
23.Nf5
( 23.Bxc4+
Rxc4
) 23...Nxb2
24.Kxb2
Rxc2+
25.Qxc2
Nxc2
26.Kxc2+/-
]
22.Qxe3
Qa7?
Probably he just missed White's next. However, his position was already difficult. [ 22...Ne5
23.Nd4
Qd7
24.Bh3|^
]
23.Qb3!
d5
[ 23...Qd7
24.Nf4
Kf7
No further commentary is needed.]
24.exd5
Na5
25.Qd3
Nc4
Here I found the simplest way.
26.Nf4
Ne3
27.Nxe6
Nxd1
28.Qxd1!
I couldn't bring myself to calculate Nxf8 since this move wins trivially. White just plays Bd3 and follows up on the kingside - Black is helpless. [ 28.Nxf8
Nc3+!
( 28...Nf2
29.Qxh7+
Kxf8
30.Bd3!
Nxh1
31.Qh8+
Kf7
32.Bg6+
Kxg6
33.Qh5#
) 29.bxc3
Bxf8
30.Qf5+-
]
28...Rfe8
29.Bd3
There is no way for Black to counter White's attack. White just pushes his kingside pawns.
29...Qf2
30.f4
Bd6
31.g5
'!'
31...Rxe6
32.dxe6
Qxf4
33.Rf1
Qe5
34.Re1
Qc5
[ 34...Qf4
35.e7+-
]
35.gxf6
gxf6
36.Qg4+
Kh8
37.Rg1
Qc7
38.e7
1-0