Collins, Sam (2408) — Ivanisevic, Ivan (2611)

Arctic Chess Challenge 2010, Tromso NOR, 2010, 1-0

Annotator: Collins, Sam

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My opponent in this game is a strong GM who has been rated over 2650. I remembered him from the Dresden Olympiad, when Alex Baburin beat him after Ivanisevic made an unbelievably ambitious winning attempt, holding onto an extra pawn while allowing Alex a passed d-pawn, which was guided to the eighth rank with skill and conviction. 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 g6 The last time he had used this against the c3-Sicilian was a couple of years ago, so I hadn't looked at it, which was a definite mistake on my part. I have noted in various books and articles that the fianchetto lines are a good choice for playing for a win in this line, since the positions become unbalanced and less simplified than some of the main lines. ( GM Normunds Miezis chose 4... e6 against me in round 5. After 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. a3 Be7 7. Be3 Ng4 8. Nbd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Qd8 10. O-O cxd4 11. cxd4 O-O 12. Rc1 Nxe3 13. fxe3 he went for a very ambitious and (to my mind) dubious plan: 13... Qb6 14. b4 e5?! . After 15. Qb3! exd4 16. Bxf7+ Kh8 ( 16... Rxf7? 17. Ng5 wins ) 17. Nc4 ( 17. Bd5 is also strong ) 17... Qd8 18. b5 Na5 ( 18... Rxf7 19. bxc6 leaves White with a huge advantage ) 19. Nxa5 Qxa5 ( 19... dxe3!! was a great resource, equalising ) 20. exd4 Qxa3 21. Ne5 g6 I could have maintained my clear advantage with 22. Rc7! , but instead selected 22.g4?! and drew after further adventures. ) 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Na3 Looks a bit odd, but this is a common square for the queen's knight in the c3-Sicilian. Here it prepares Bc4 and looks at the b5-square. 6...  cxd4 7. Bc4 Qe4+ 8. Be3 Nh6! The best square for the knight, since it can come to f5 or g4. ( 8... dxe3?? 9. Bxf7+ Kf8 10. Qd8+ Kxf7 11. Ng5+ ) 9. cxd4 In our brief conversation after the game, Ivan indicated that he thought he should have a good position after I took on d4 with my pawn. I think this must be correct, though the move I played is the most popular in the position. ( 9. Nb5 O-O 10. Nbxd4 doesn't offer White anything after 10...Ng4. ) 9...  O-O 10. Qb3 It looks a little strange to play this rather than 10.Bd3, but the idea is to take the d5-square away from the black queen. The white pieces are quite harmoniously placed. 10...  Nc6 11. Bd3 Qg4 12. h3 ( 12. O-O Nf5 is better for Black. ) 12...  Qh5 ( 12... Qxg2!? seemed off-limits in view of 13. Ke2 , but in fact Black has 13... Ng4! . After 14. Nh4 Nxe3 15. Nxg2 Nxg2 16. Nc2 Black has only two pieces and some change for the queen, but his pieces could co-ordinate very effectively. After 16... Be6 17. Qxb7 Bd5 18. Qa6 Rab8 it will take some skill to hold the white position together. ) 13. Rc1 For the moment, I can't castle, so I complete my development on the queenside. 13...  Ng4?! Played with a little frustration, I thought. ( 13... Qa5+ 14. Bd2 Qb6 looks safest, when Black is fine. ) 14. Rc5! ( My initial intention had been 14. hxg4 Qxh1+ 15. Ke2 , but in addition to taking on g2 and giving up the queen for the remaining white rook, with excellent compensation, the computer points out 15... Nxd4+! 16. Nxd4 ( 16. Bxd4? leaves the rook unprotected ) 16... Qxg2 ) 14...  e5 Like in my game with Miezis from the same tournament, Black is very weak on the a2-g8 diagonal. 15. Bd2! I was quite proud of this quiet retreat. ( 15. Bf4 seems more aggressive, but I rejected it in view of the simple 15... b6! 16. Rxc6 exf4 where Black has no cause for complaint. ) 15...  Nf6 16. dxe5 About 30 seconds after playing this I saw his resource on move 17, and started kicking myself. Actually my real mistake only comes on move 18. ( 16. Nc4 was the move I had wanted to play, but rejected because the immediate capture appeared more forcing. Black is losing a pawn in the centre, though he has some compensation since his pieces are so active, for instance 16... Bg4 17. Nfxe5 Nxd4 18. Qxb7 Be6 19. O-O! and White stays on top. ) 16...  Nd7 Played quickly. ( 16... Re8 leaves White with a risk-free advantage after 17. O-O Nxe5 18. Nxe5 Rxe5 19. Rxe5 Qxe5 20. Re1 . Generally speaking, I don't think positions with pawn free centres can be defended when significantly behind in development, and Black will struggle to get out of this one. ) 17. Rxc6 Nxe5! Of course. ( 17... bxc6 18. g4 was the line which made me decide on 16.dxe5. ) 18. Rc2? After making a mistake (or what you think is a mistake), it's vital to calm yourself and soberly reassess the situation. ( 18. Rc4! Nxf3+ ( 18... Be6 19. Nxe5 Qxe5+ 20. Be3 doesn't give Black enough compensation either ) 19. gxf3 Qxf3 20. Be4 Qxb3 21. axb3 and White remains a piece up. ) 18...  Nxf3+ 19. gxf3 Qxf3 20. O-O Bxh3 21. Be4 Now Black has a pleasant choice of which bishop to exchange (no pun intended) for my rook. 21...  Qg4+ 22. Qg3 Qxg3+ 23. fxg3 Bd4+ A very seductive move, keeping maximum tension in the position. ( 23... Bxf1 24. Kxf1 Rac8! was what worried me, since I can't avoid an exchange of rooks. When playing an exchange up, or with a rook against two minor pieces, it's almost always a good idea to trade a pair of rooks since it leaves you with the strongest piece on the board and reduces duplication. This position is about equal since I can probably prevent his rook from getting too active. ) 24. Rf2 Frankly, after he took on g3 I was frightened that I would lose a whole rook after 24.Kh2, but fortunately rooks can move up. I should note that we were both approaching time trouble, having spent a lot of time in the opening. 24...  Rfe8 25. Bxb7! Trying to shoot my way out of trouble. ( 25. Bf3 is passive. ) 25...  Rab8 26. Bd5! Bxf2+ ( 26... Re2?? , which looked scary from a distance, loses to 27. Bxf7+ Kh8 (otherwise Bh6 comes with check) 28. Bc3 ) 27. Kxf2 Rbd8 Again, in our mutual time pressure, I thought I might be losing my bishop on d2 after ...Bf5. Fortunately my light-squared bishop can keep generating threats. 28. Bc6 Re6? A real mistake. ( 28... Bf5! was the best move, for reasons outlined at move 23. 29. Bxe8 Bxc2 30. Be3 Rxe8 31. Nxc2 and Black should be able to make a draw. ) 29. Bf4 Now I keep my rook on the board, and Black's position becomes critical. 29...  Rd1 A typical time pressure move with a cheap threat of mate in one, but not helpful. ( 29... Bf5 30. Rc1 Rc8 manages to exchange a pair of rooks, but after 31. Bd5 Rxc1 32. Bxc1 Black still has a tough time since my bishop pair is very powerful. ) 30. Bg2 Bxg2 31. Kxg2 Kg7?! ( 31... Ra1! 32. b4 Rae1! is better, continuing to threaten an exchange of rooks. 33. Kf2 R1e4 ( 33... Rh1 34. Rc8+ Kg7 35. Kg2 Ra1 36. Rc2 keeps the rooks on ) 34. b5 a6 35. bxa6 Rxa6 and Black should make a draw. ) 32. Nb5 h6?! ( 32... Re7 was best. The position is very complicated though, notwithstanding the strength of my opponent, White's position has to be preferable. ) 33. Nxa7 g5 ( It's possible that my opponent was counting on 33... Ra6 34. Nb5 Rxa2 , missing the simple 35. Nc3 ) 34. Bc7! From now on my pieces control a lot of squares, making it difficult for the black rooks to generate enough counterplay. 34...  Ree1? Makes it easy. ( 34... Ra6! 35. Nb5 Rd5! and, if I want to maintain my queenside pawns, my knight has to retreat to the bad a3-square.Iit was a big ask to see this in time trouble though, and White is still better after 36. Nd6!? Rxa2 (I don't think the rook endgame is playable for Black) 37. Ne8+ with an attack. ) 35. Bb6! Not strictly necessary, but it was very comforting in time trouble to bring my bishop to f2 and my knight to c3, since they are perfectly placed defensively and I can start pusing my pawns. 35...  f5 ( 35... Rc1 36. Rd2 Rcd1 is more tenacious, since to avoid a rook trade I have to play the slightly awkward 37.Rf2. 37. Rxd1 Rxd1 38. a4! is stronger, when the pawns should be decisive. ) 36. Bf2 Re4 ( I was expecting 36... Rc1 , though after 37. Rd2 Red1 38. Re2 I avoid the rook exchange. ) 37. Nb5 This knight has many attractive routes, but I chose the safest. 37...  Rd3 38. Nc3 Re6 39. a4! At last! 39...  Kg6 40. a5?! I didn't want to destablise my knight, but this might have been a mistake. ( 40. b4 looks easier. ) 40...  f4? ( 40... Rc6! would stop my pawns for a moment, though after 41. Re2 h5 42. Re8 I can play my rook to a8 to get them going again. ) 41. gxf4 gxf4 42. b4 Now it's straightforward. 42...  f3+ 43. Kg1 Ra6 44. Bb6 Kf5 45. b5 Ra8 46. a6 Rd6 47. Bf2 Rg6+ 48. Kf1 Rg2 This counterplay isn't really threatening, but I found a nice way to finish. 49. Nd5! Threatening 50.Ne3+. 49...  Rh2 50. Ne7+ Ke6 51. Nc8 The a8-rook is boxed in. 51...  Rh5 52. Rc6+! A very useful intermezzo I had seen when playing 49.Nd5. The black king is forced to f7, but then my b-pawn is immune. 52...  Kf7 53. a7 Rd5 54. b6 Rd1+ 55. Be1 Rb1 56. Rc7+ Ke6 57. b7 Rxa7 58. Nxa7 h5 59. Kf2 Kd6 60. Rh7 I should probably take this opportunity for a brief advertising plug. I'm planning to take on a couple more students - email samcollins1@gmail.com for details if you're interested! 1-0

Thanks to Chess Tempo for the Pgn Game player.

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