1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nc3 The Berlin is considered as one of the safest opening variations in modern theory. But it’s not only safe, sometimes it becomes very dangerous. 9... Ke8 The idea of this move is to keep the king in the center to be able to attack later white’s e5 pawn sometimes becomes very weak. 9... Bd7 10. h3 Kc8 is another main line, which is more often played at the highest level 10. h3 Be7 11. Bg5 The most dangerous line for Black. After other moves, Black has no problem at all. 11. Bf4 (11. b3 (11. Re1 Nh4 12. Nxh4 Bxh4 13. Ne4 h5 14. Bg5 Bxg5 15. Nxg5 Ke7 16. Rad1 Bf5) 11... Nh4 12. Nxh4 Bxh4 13. Ba3 Bf5 14. Rac1 h5) 11... Nh4 12. Nxh4 Bxh4 13. Ne4 (13. Ne2 Be7 14. Rad1 Bc5 15. Nd4 Bxd4 16. Rxd4 h6 17. Rfd1 Bf5) 13... Be7 14. Rad1 Be6 15. Rfe1 h6 11... Bxg5 12. Nxg5 h6 13. Nge4 13. Nf3 is also playable. However, Black has a good play after 13... h5 14. Rad1 Ke7 13... b6 14. Rad1?! 14. Rfd1 seems to be more logical to avoid Black’s quick development 14... Ke7 15. Kh2 h5 16. Rd2 Re8! 14... Ba6 15. Rfe1 Ke7 16. g4 16. f4 h5 and Black will play h4, eliminating White’s advantage on the kingside. 16... Nh4 17. Re3 g5! This move looks horrible, but in fact it is very strong. Now it’s clear to see that White has problems with his pawn on e5. After a rook exchange on the d-file (it’s not possible to avoid it) Black’s king becomes very active. The weakness of the f6 square on the contrary is not much of importance - the knight looks beautiful there but doesn’t do anything! 18. Ng3 Rad8 19. Rde1! A good trap but... 19... Bc8! The most important thing in this position is to prevent e6 and not allow White to get strong counter-play. The d-file is safely in Black’s hands. 19... Rd2?! is a mistake which leads to a draw 20. e6! (20. Nf5+ Nxf5 21. gxf5 Rxc2 22. e6 f6 23. Rd1 Bc8 is good for Black.) 20... fxe6! (20... Rxc2? (20... f6 21. Rc1!?) 21. exf7+ Kxf7 22. Re7+ Kf8 23. Re8+ Kg7 24. Nh5+ Kg6 25. R1e6+ Kf7 26. R6e7+ Kg6 27. Rg7#) 21. Rxe6+ Kd7 22. Rf6! (22. Re7+ Kd8 23. Rf7 Bc4!) 22... Rxc2 23. Rf7+ Kc8 24. Ree7 Kb8 25. Rxc7 Nf3+ 26. Kg2! 20. Nce4 Be6 21. f3 Rd5! Black makes White move the knight from e4, so that Black’s rook can come onto the 2nd rank. 22. Nc3 Rd2 23. R1e2 Rxe2 23... Rhd8 also looks good 24. Kf2 Bc4 25. Nge4 Rxe2+ 26. Nxe2 Ng6 and Black has a slight advantage. 24. Ngxe2 Rd8 Now there is no defense against Rd2 25. f4 gxf4 26. Nxf4 Rd2 27. Re2 27. Nxe6 Kxe6 28. Re2 Rxe2 29. Nxe2 Kxe5 30. Kf2 c5 It is not only the pawn, but also Black’s centralized king that secures Black’s advantage. 27... Rxe2 28. Ncxe2 Bxa2! In my opinion it is much more important to capture this pawn, and not the one on e5. The e5 pawn is weak anyway, and by capturing it Black improves the position of White king. 29. Kf2 29. Nd4 (29. b3 Bb1 30. Nd4 c5 31. Nc6+ Ke8 32. c3 a5 is winning for Black) 29... Kd7 (29... c5? 30. Nf5+ Nxf5 31. gxf5 Bb1 32. f6+ Kd7 33. c3 a5 34. Kf2 and it is not clear at all if Black can win this endgame!) 30. Nh5 Bd5 31. Nf6+ Ke7 leaves Black a clear pawn ahead. 29... Bb1 30. c3 c5 Now it seems to be over - Black wants to play Ng6, and after that attack the e5 pawn with his king. 31. Nd5+ Ke6 32. Nxc7+ Kxe5 33. Ke3 Ng2+ 34. Kf2 Be4 35. Ng3 Bc6 36. Nb5 Nf4 36... Bxb5 37. Kxg2 Bd3 38. Kf3 a5 39. Ke3 Bg6 must also be won, but the move played seems to be easier. 37. Nxa7 Nxh3+ 38. Ke3 Bd7 39. Nf5 h5! 39... Bxf5? 40. gxf5 Kxf5 41. Nc8 Nf4 42. Nxb6 and suddenly white has some chances to draw because of his b-pawn. 40. Nh6 Kf6 41. gxh5 Kg7 42. Nxf7 Kxf7 This endgame is won, although it is not so easy. In fact Black had to play move by move to accomplish his goal. 43. h6 Ng5 44. b4 cxb4 45. cxb4 Ke6 46. Kd4 Kd6 47. Kc4 Ke5 48. Nb5 Nf7 49. Nc7 White can try giving up the h-pawn but all lines seem to be winning for Black. 49. h7 Bf5 50. Na3 (50. h8=Q+ Nxh8 51. Nc3 Bd7 52. Nd5 (52. b5 Nf7) 52... Be6) 50... Nd6+ 51. Kc3 Bxh7 52. Nc4+ Nxc4 53. Kxc4 Kd6 54. Kb5 Kc7 49... Nxh6 50. Na8 b5+ 51. Kc5 Nf5 52. Nb6 Be8 53. Nd5 Nd6 54. Ne3 54. Nb6 Ne4# is a funny picture! 54... Ne4+ 55. Kb6 Nc3 The rest is technique. 56. Nc2 Bg6 57. Na3 Bd3 58. Kc5 Ke4 59. Kc6 Ke3 60. Kc5 Kd2 61. Kd4 Na4 62. Kd5 Kc3 63. Kc6 Kxb4 64. Nxb5 Bxb5+ 65. Kd5 Nb6+ 66. Kd6 Kc4 67. Ke5 Bc6 68. Kd6 Bd5 69. Ke5 Kc5 70. Kf4 Kd4 71. Kf5 Nd7 72. Kg5 Ke4 73. Kg4 Be6+ 74. Kg5 Bf5 75. Kh6 Ke5 76. Kg7 Ke6 77. Kh8 Kf6 78. Kg8 Be6+ 79. Kh7 Ne5 80. Kh8 Ng6+ 81. Kh7 Bd5 82. Kh6 Bg8 83. Kh5 Ne5 84. Kh4 Kf5 85. Kg3 Ng4 86. Kg2 Bc4 87. Kf3 Bd3 88. Kg3 Be2 89. Kh4 Nf6 90. Kg3 Ne4+ 91. Kh4 Kf4 92. Kh3 Kg5 93. Kh2 Bf1 94. Kg1 Bh3 95. Kh2 Kg4 96. Kh1 Kg3 97. Kg1 Ng5 0-1