1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 O-O 5. e4 d5 6. e5 Nfd7 7. cxd5 7. a3? allows 7... Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nxe5 10. dxe5 Qh4+ and black is up a pawn. 7... exd5 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 f6 10. exf6 Careless 10. f4 runs into the unpleasant 10... fxe5 11. dxe5 Nxe5 and Black is already winning. 10... Qxf6 Taking the pawn with the knight seems more natural, but Black has other plans for the knight. 11. Bd3 11. Ne2!? 11... Nb6 Now it becomes clear that Black wants to exchange light-squared bishops, after which the knight will find a comfortable home on c4. 12. Ne2 Bf5 13. Bf4 Attacking the c7-pawn White wins a tempo and places a bishop on e5. 13... Rf7 14. Be5 Qg5 15. Bxf5 Qxf5 16. Ng3 Qd7 17. O-O Both sides have achieved what they wanted. White has a centralized bishop and good prospects of a kingside attack. Black plans to get advantage of the light squares, the a3 weakness and his queenside pawn majority. During the game I was quite optimistic about my chances, since I was playing for an attack while all Black's efforts were concentrated on winning a measly pawn. But things are far from clear - White's attack is not easy to develop and the pawn on a3 is not easy to protect. 17... Nc6 18. f4 Nc4 19. Qd3?! I remember I made this move almost automatically but now I am not sure it was such a good idea. Maybe 19. Rf3 would be more efficient, since the queen is not any better placed on d3 any better than on d1. 19... b5 20. Rf3 a5 21. h3 Now White has run out of obvious moves and needs to come up with a coherent attacking plan. The consistent 21. Nh5 is refuted by the simple 21... Qf5 underlining the poor location of the White queen. Instead, White is playing for a slow regrouping, planning to put the queen on e2 and taking the g4 square under control. 21... Qe7 22. Nf5 Qe6 23. Ng3 a4 Black is very consistent in his desire to round up the White pawn, but he allows an unpleasant pawn push. 24. f5 Qd7 24... Qe7? loses immediately after 25. Bxg7! 25. Bf4 Re8 26. Bg5 The Bishop is back in action supporting f5-f6 and after possible g7-g6 white has ideas of h3-h4-h5 pawn push. Black, however, reacts very calmly. 26... N6a5 27. Raf1 Nd6! 27... Nxa3 leaves both knights out of play and white launches powerful kingside attack: 28. f6 g6 29. h4 and if 29... Qg4 then 30. Rf4 (with the knight still on c4 Black would have ideas involving Re8-e3!) 28. f6 Ne4 29. h4 g6 30. h5! Nc4 The highlight of the whole game (well, the real highlight is still ahead...). White sacrifices a whole rook in exchange for a direct knockout and Black declines the sacrifice almost without thinking. 30... Nxg5 31. hxg6 Nxf3+ 32. Rxf3 hxg6 33. Qxg6+ Kh8 (33... Kf8? 34. Nh5 Re1+ (34... Re4 35. Qg7+ Rxg7 36. fxg7+ Kg8 37. Rf8+ Kh7 38. g8=Q+) 35. Kh2 Qd6+ 36. Rg3) 34. Nf5 Rg8 35. Rh3+ Rh7 36. f7! Rxg6 37. f8=Q+ Rg8 38. Qf6+ Rgg7 39. Qf8+= 31. hxg6 hxg6 32. Rf4 Ncd6 33. Nxe4 Rybka likes the idea of 33. Rh4 leaving the bishop hanging for another several moves. A human, naturally, is trying to simplify the position, especially with the time-trouble approaching. 33... Rxe4 34. Rh4 Rh7 35. Rxh7 Kxh7 35... Qxh7? allows 36. f7+ Nxf7 37. Qxb5! winning for White since Black cannot play 37... Nxg5 due to 38. Qb8+ Kg7 39. Qf8# 36. Bf4 Nf7! 37. Qg3 c6 Black is still holding the position, however it seems like his defense is just about to be penetrated. However, this perception is deceptive and I am not sure if White can convert his advantage. Unfortunately, in a time scramble, White went for direct assault, making a miscalculation. 38. Qh4+ Kg8 39. Qg3 Kh7 40. Rf3 Qe6 41. Qh4+? 41. Bd2! Re2 (Computers will point out that 41... g5 is the best defense, but this is still good for White 42. Bxg5 Rg4 43. Qh3+ Kg6 44. Bd2) 42. Qb8! threatening Qf8 and Rh3+ 42... Qe8 43. Rh3+ Kg8 44. Qg3 and the queen returns to where she came from with devastating effect. 41... Kg8 42. Qg3 Now White realized that his main threat 42. Rg3 is hardly a threat at all, since Black has the simple 42... Qf5 With the clock counting down the last minute, White opted for a sheepish queen retreat, which just hangs the f6-pawn. 42... Qxf6 43. Bd2 Qe6 44. Qb8+ Kg7 45. Qg3 Re2 46. Bf4 Re1+ 47. Kh2 Re4 48. Kg1 Re2 49. Kh2 Qe8 50. Bg5? That's too overbearing. The only hope for Black to win this position is to exchange pieces, and White generously helps him out, offering the only piece exchange Black won't ever be able to force! Oddly enough, during the game I didn't think I was in any danger of losing, on the contrary I still kept chasing the win, like I knew what was going to happen... 50... Qh8+?! Mutual time-trouble. Stronger is 50... Nxg5 51. Kg1 Re6 52. Qc7? During the game I saw, that 52. Rxf7+ forces a perpetual check, which somehow didn't seem to be enough for me. 52... Qe8 53. Qf4 Qe7?? Touche. After defending all the game Black made a tragic mouse-slip in a position where he had a shot for a win. After 53... Nxg5 54. Qxg5 Qe7 Black is clearly better, although exposed his king gives White some hopes for perpetual check. In any case, this endgame clearly favors Black. Instead, Black made a mistake, ironically, the only serious mistake in the game, as opposed to White, who can count half dozen... 54. Bxe7 1-0 [Shmelov]