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D31 Yevseev Denis (RUS) - Matlakov Maxim (RUS) St. Petersburg (Russia) 2. 4.2004

[11...¦d8 12.¥d3 ¤f8 13.h4 ¥d7 14.h5 b6 ...1/2-1/2, Brunner Nicolas 2259 - Sermier Alain 2157 , France 2003 Ch France (team) 2003;

11...£e7 12.¥d3 b5 13.c5 ¤f6 14.¤g5 £c7 ...1-0, Shishkin Vadim 2430 - Jasny Stanislav 2190 , Litomysl 1996 It (open);

11...c5 12.h4 (12.¥e2 b6 13.d5 ed 14.¦d5 £c6 ...1/2-1/2, Vaulin Alexander 2550 - Kulikov Aleksandr 2410 , Nizhnij Novgorod 1998 Cup Russia) 12...cd 13.¦d4 ¤c5 14.¤e5 a5 ...1-0, Murdzia Piotr 2410 - Lamprecht Frank 2410 , Hamburg 1997 Ch Hamburg (open)]

12.¥d3 ¥b7?!

[12...£e7 13.g4 ¥b7 14.g5 £d6 15.¥e4 a5 16.h4 ¥a6 -0.06|d11 Tiger 15.0]

13.¤g5 g6 14.¤e4 £e7 15.c5 ¦ad8 16.¤d6 ¥a8 17.¥c4 ¤f6 18.£g5 ¢g7 19.h4 ¤g8 20.£e3+= h6 21.f4 ¦d7

Black is in trouble. His only chance is sacrificing the exchange on d6 in order to liberate the a8-bishop. 22.g4 This move suggests itself; however, it gives Black some respite.

[After the simple 22.h5! g5 (22...£f6 23.hg) 23.f5 all of Black's illusions would have been dispelled.]

22...¤f6! Black's best chance. 23.g5

[¹ Stronger is 23.h5! ¤g4 24.£g3white stands better‚ and again Black's position is just bad.]

23...¤g4 24.£g3 h5 25.¥e2 ¦d6 This is Black's last opportunity to break free. 26.cd £d6 27.¥g4 hgwhite stands better

Of course, White is winning but his opponent manages to find some counterplay. 28.h5 c5 The black bishop is activated. 29.d5 This seems to be a forced continuation; all the alternatives are worse. 29...¥d5 30.hg

[White would have experienced serious technical problems after 30.h6 ¢h7 31.£g4 ; there seems to be no forced win for him.]

30...fg 31.£c3 ¢f7 32.£f6 ¢e8 33.£g6 ¢d7 34.£g7

[Instead, White should play 34.¦h7 ¢c6 35.¦f7 g3! Then, after an almost forced variation 36.¦f8 £f8 37.£f6 £f6 38.gf ¢d7 39.¦d3 g2 40.¦g3 ¢e8 41.¦g7 ¥a2 42.¦g2 ¢f7 43.¦g7 ¢f6 44.¦a7 ¥d5 45.¢d2 e5 Black must achieve draw.]

34...¢c6

35.¦d5? -2.01 Perhaps, it was a time trouble. However, Black also has some potential after White's other continuations, in connection with his passed g-pawn.

[¹35.¦hf1 ¦f4 36.£a7 g3 37.¦g1 +1.00]

35...£d5 36.¦d1 £c4 37.¢b1 £e4 38.¢c1 £f4 39.¢b1

39...£e4 40.¢c1 £f4 41.¢b1 £f5 42.¢c1 £f7 43.£f7 ¦f7black stands better White is lost. The rest is a matter of technique and Maxim confidently realizes his advantage. 44.¦g1 ¢d5 45.¦g4 ¢e5 46.¢d2 ¢f5 47.¦g1 ¦g7 48.¦f1 ¢g5 49.¢e3 ¢g6 50.a4 ¦f7 51.¦b1 ¢f6 52.b4 ¦c7 53.a5 b5 54.a6 ¢e7 55.¢d3 ¢d6 56.¢c3 ¦c6 57.¦d1 ¢c7 58.bc ¦c5 59.¢b4 ¢b6 60.¦d8 ¦c4 61.¢b3 ¦c6-+ [...] White resigned. [0:1]