[#] 1.e4 c5 2.f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.xd4 f6 5.c3 g6 6.e3 g7 7.f3 c6 8.d2 O-O 9.c4 d7 [I have learned this variation recently. Despite its bad reputation it is not easy for White to find the advantage here. In both of the games in this line played by me so far, I managed to get fine positions.] 10.O-O-O b6 11.b3 a5 12.d3

[Being surprised in the opening, Sulskis deviates from the main theoretical line. Black reaches a comfortable position only to spoil it by mistakes on move 27 and 28. 12.g5N d7 13.b1 c8 (13...bc4!? ; 13...ac4!? ) 14.e1 (14.h4 ) 14...h6 15.c1 bc4 16.f4 (16.h4 ; 16.g4 ) 16...e5 17.fxe5 xb3 (17...xe5› ) 18.cxb3 xe5 19.db5 xb5 20.xb5 b6 21.e2 (21.xd6 c6 ) 21...a6 22.c3 (22.xd6 c6 23.c4 xc4 24.bxc4 fc8³ ) 22...fe8 23.hf1 e6= 24.e3 d8 25.d5 c6 26.f3 e8 27.g4 e7!³ (27...a5? 28.c1 a4 29.bxa4 e5 30.d1 xc1 31.xc1 c6 32.b3 e8 33.b2 d7 34.h3 d8 35.e2 h4 36.b5 f8 37.xe5 xe5 38.d3 g7 39.b6 e7 40.c4 e8 41.d5 g3 42.f3 h2 43.b2 c8 44.f2 g3 45.f3 h2 46.b1 c5 47.d3 g8 48.f1 e5 49.xe5 xe5 50.f3 c7 51.d1 h2 52.d3 c6 53.a3 e5 54.d4 g3 55.d3 e5 56.c1 xc1 57.xc1 a1 58.c2 a2 59.c3 xa3 60.d5 c1 61.b4 c7 62.b5 c3 63.b6 b4 64.c7 b6 65.d7 c3 66.h4 g7 67.h5 g3 68.e8 f4 69.b4 gxh5 70.gxh5 g8 71.a5 bxa5 72.bxa5 f1 73.f5 a6 74.xf7 h8 75.f6 h7 76.g6 h8 77.xh6 g8 78.e6 g7 79.h6 h7 80.f7 a7 81.f6 d4 82.e5 h4 83.f7 f4 84.e7 dxe5 85.a6 a4 86.f7 f4 87.e8 h8 88.a7 a4 89.d7 1-0 Sulskis,S-Tiviakov,S/Catalan Bay (Gibraltar) 2003/The Week in Chess 430 (89)) …28.f4 c6 ]

12...d7 13.b1 c8 14.g4?!

[14.h4 is a main theoretcial continuation. 14.g4 is worse because it weakens the pawn f3, giving Black some extra possibilities.]

14...ac4!?N

[14...bc4 is alternative to the text. 15.c1 xb3 (15...b5„ with counterplay is better) 16.cxb3 e5 17.e2 c6 18.e3± b4 19.d2 e8 20.h4 e5 21.de2 d5 22.xd5 xd5 23.xd5 c6 24.xd8 cxd8 25.xa7 f6 26.h5 g5 27.b6 c8 28.c3 e6 29.f2 f6 30.d3 e8 31.g3 e6 32.d5 f6 33.f1 f4 34.xf4 exf4 35.fd1 gxh5 36.xh5 c6 37.dh1 h6 38.xh6 xh6 39.xh6 g7 40.h5 g6 41.f5 h8 42.a4 h1 43.a2 d7 44.xf4 e6 45.e5 f1 46.e4 e1 47.f6 g7 48.g5 b6 49.g6 e3 50.c3 xe5 51.gxf7 xf7 52.xb6 f5 53.b7 xf3 54.e4 f4 1-0 Santacruz,C-Chaudry,A/Dubai 1986/TD (54)]

15.h4

[After 15.c1 e5 16.e3 (Not 16.e2 a5! (16...xc3© ) …17.a4 xc3 ) 16...bc4 (16...a5 17.a4 e8 18.db5 ) 17.e2 Black is able to develop a strong attack on the queen's side after 17...a3!? 18.a1 xc3 19.bxc3 a5© ‚]

15...e5? [A serious mistake. I underestimated the danger of the piece sacrifice which took place in the game. After the correct

[15...xe3 16.xe3› ;

¹or even better 15...a5 Black doesn't have much to worry about. His position is OK, although White still retains the compensation for the piece after 16.h5 a4 17.hxg6 (17.xc4 xc4ƒ ) 17...axb3 18.gxh7 h8 19.cxb3 xe3 20.xe3© ]

16.e2 a5?

[And this mistake becomes fatal. After the correct 16...xc3 17.bxc3 c7© Black has the compensation for the exchange]

17.h5!

[17.a4 xc3 18.bxc3 xa4µ is bad for White.]

17...a4

[17...xc3 18.bxc3 a4 19.hxg6 axb3 20.gxh7 h8 21.cxb3± is bad for Black quite similar to the game.]

18.hxg6!

[not 18.d5 xc3 (18...e6!? ) 19.bxc3 xd5‚ ]

18...axb3 19.gxh7!

[19.h2 fxg6 20.xh7 f7 21.h6 bxc2 22.xc2 g8 ]

19...h8 20.cxb3± [Normally this type of structure and the material balance is in Black's favour. But due to the threat of d4-f5, exchanging one of the bishops, and the cut off position of the knight b6, White has much better position and Black is not able to regroup his pieces.] 20...e6 21.f4!

[After 21.db5 xb5 22.xb5 d5› Black has the square d7 for the knight to retreat. …23.f4 ed7 ]

21...c6

[This move loses almost by force. 21...g6 22.f5 e5 23.g5!?± is not much better.;

21...ec4!? offered by Shirov, was, probably, the most stubborn defence. Althought still after 22.bxc4 xc4 23.b3± White is much better. …23...xb2 24.xb2 xc3 25.d4 ]

22.db5 d5™ 23.f2 a8™ 24.c5 e7™ 25.f5 f6™ 26.exd5� [White wins easily.] 26...e5

[26...exd5 27.he1 ;

26...exf5 27.he1 xc5 28.xc5 g6 29.gxf5 ;

26...xb5 27.xb5 exd5 28.he1� ]

27.d6 c7 28.de4 c8 29.d6 c6 30.d5 f7 31.g5 d4 32.xd4 exd4 33.gxf6 xf6 34.exf6 xf6 35.xd4 xf5 36.a1 [1:0]