Final Review

The final duel between V. Anand and A. Shirov did not require a tie-break. The subject of this micro match bears a strong resemblance with the quarter-final match between the same opponents in the FIDE World Championship 1997.

Anand - Shirov, [C11]
(rapid m/1)

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Nce2

A very elastic way to struggle for an advantage. White wants to rescue his pawn chain from a break that would be inevitable in the line with 5. f4 after 5... c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 cxd4 8. Nxd4. Not long ago there was played a curious game between the present opponents that developed as follows: 8... Bc5 9. Qd2 O-O 10. O-O-O a6 11. Nce2 Na5 12. Ng3 b5 13. b3 Bb7 (Anand - Shirov, Monaco (active), 2000).

5... c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. f4 b5 8. a3

Intended against the possible advance b5-b4.

8... cxd4 9. Nxd4 Nxd4 10.cxd4

Another capture 10. Qxd4?! is much weaker. After 10... Bc5 11. Qd3 O-O 12. Nf3 f6! 13. Nd4 Nxe5! 14. dxe5 fxe5 15. Nc2 Bf2+ 16.Kd1 e4 Black had an intense attack in the game ( Shirov - Bareev, Hastings, 1991/92).

10... b4 11. a4

The more closed the pawn chain is, the more evident White's space advantage becomes.

11... Qa5

If 11... Nb6, then 12. Nf3 Be7 13. b3 a5 14. Bb5+ Nd7 15. O-O Ba6 16. Bxa6 Rxa6 follows, and with 17.f5!? White could have still a sufficient initiative like in the game ( Shirov - Korchnoi, Luzern, 1993).

12. Bd2 Be7 13. Nf3 O-O 14. Bb5 Nb6 15. b3

A prophylactic move. The square c4 should be supported. After 15. Qe2 Nc4 16. Bxc4 dxc4 17. Qxc4 Ba6 Black would get an excellent compensation for the sacrificed pawn.

15... Ba6

Black's light-squared bishop usually is passive in the French Defence, that is why Black decides to get rid of it.

16. Bxa6 Qxa6 17. a5

An immediate exchange of the queens after 17. Qe2 Qxe2+ 18. Kxe2 would let Black to keep united his pawn chain on the queenside with the help of 18... a5.

17... Nd7 18. Qe2 Nb8

Black tries to activate his knight, sparing a tempo from the postponement of the queens' exchange, because now White has to make a useless move with the king in order to join his rooks.

19. Kf2 Qxe2+ 20. Kxe2 Nc6 21. Rhc1 Rfc8 22. Ra2

White begins to struggle for the c-file. The fact that White's supporting square c1 is controlled by a piece (the bishop d2) in addition to the rooks, while Black's corresponding square c8 is deprived of such a support, can become very important now.

22... Rc7

There is no time for 22... a6, because White's heavy pieces began their intrusion into Black's camp after 23. Rac2 Na7 24. Rc7.

23. Rac2 Rac8 24. a6

Otherwise Black would play a7-a6 himself.

24... Kf8?!

The centralisation of the king proves to be untimely. First of all Black should have tried to get rid of the opposition of the heavy pieces on the c-file. This could be achieved with 24... Bd8 25. g4 Nb8 26. Rxc7 Rxc7 27. Rxc7 Bxc7 28. Bxb4 Nxa6, and now if 29. Bc5 Bb6 30. b4 Bxc5 31. bxc5 Kf8, then Black has a good chance to defend an unpleasant knight endgame.

25. g4 Ke8 26. f5 Kd7 27. Bf4!

A subtle move: the white bishop has made an ambush now.

27... g5

Black has somewhat weakened his position on the queenside, but it's hard to advise him anything. The white bishop, waiting on the f4, can play his part after 27... Na5 28. Rxc7+ Rxc7 29. Rxc7+ Kxc7 30. f6!

28. Be3 h6 29. f6 Bf8 30. Kd3 Na5 31. Rxc7+ Rxc7 32. Rxc7+ Kxc7

33. Nxg5!

This is a move of a human being, not of a machine. No computer program is able to size up such a move yet. Now White's pawns will begin an inevitable winning voyage to the eighth horizontal. It should be noted that 33. Bxg5 is weaker because of 33... Nxb3.

33... hxg5 34. Bxg5 Nxb3 35. h4 Na1

This move is neither better nor weaker than any other. There is no defence against the advance of White's passed pawns.

36. Bc1 Nb3

Black's passed b-pawn will not manage to advance any far. White's king and bishop can catch it at any moment, for instance 36... b3 37. g5 Nc2 38. h5 Bb4 39. g6 fxg6 40. hxg6 Ba3 41. Bxa3 Nxa3 42. Kc3.

37. Be3 Na5 38. g5 Nc4 39. Bc1 (1-0) Black resigned. Black's win is evident. For 39... b3 there is 40. h5 b2 41. Bxb2 Nxb2+ 42. Kc2 Nc4 43 h6, and the white h-pawn is out of reach.

In the second game the Petroff Defence was played, just as it had been in the above mentioned match in the year 1997. White's pieces were a bit more active during the whole game, and that was all.

Shirov - Anand, [C42]
(rapid m/2)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Bd3

Probably, A. Shirov decided to reserve the main line move 5. d4 for more important events, besides, his game with A. Morozevich in the Sarajevo tournament that has just ended should be still fresh in his memory.

5... Nf6

The above mentioned game developed in a slightly different way. After 5... d5 6. Qe2 Qe7 7. O-O Nc5 8. Re1 Be6 9. Bb5+ c6 10. d4 cxb5 11. dxc5 Nc6 12. Be3 a6 13. a4 Black encountered some problems (Morozevich - Shirov, Sarajevo, 2000).

6. O-O Be7 7. h3 O-O 8. c3 d5

The most logical move. In the game Romero Holmes - Kroeze (Wijk aan Zee, 1998) Black felt uneasy after 8... Nbd7 9. Bc2 b6 10. Nd4 Bb7 11. Ba4 Nc5 12. Nc6.

9. Bc2 Re8 10. d4 Bd6 11. Bg5 Nbd7 12. Nbd2 Nf8 13. Re1 Rxe1+ 14. Qxe1 h6 15. Bh4 Ng6 16. Bg3

Now it's obvious that the black pieces have been rearranged well. So, Black has no problems after 16. Bxg6 fxg6 17. Ne5 g5, and if 16. Bxf6 Qxf6 17. Qe8+ Nf8 18. Re1 b6, then the active white queen has to leave the eighth horizontal.

16... Bxg3 17. fxg3 Nf8 18. g4 N6h7 19. Qe3 c6 20. Ne5 Be6 21. Ndf3 Qe7 22. Re1 Re8 23. h4

23... g5!

A timely move. White is not going to let Black gain a space advantage on the queenside.

24. hxg5 hxg5 25. Nd3 Qd8 26. Nc5 b6

Black seeks to exchange his bishop for White's knight, as then inevitable exchange of the rooks brings the game closer to a draw.

27. Nxe6 Rxe6 28. Qd2 Qe7 29. Rxe6 Nxe6 30. Qd3 Nhf8 31. g3 f6 32. Kg2 Nc7 33. Nd2 Ne8

V. Anand demonstrates his flexibility. After the exchange of the queens 33... Qh7 34. Qxh7+ Nxh7 White can continue 35. Ba4 b5 36. Bc2 and torture his opponent long enough owing to the potential weakness of the queenside pawns.

34. Nf1 Nd6 35. Ne3 Kf7 36. Kf3 Ke8 37. Qa6 Qc7 38. Nf5 Nxf5 39. Bxf5

White decides that the open diagonal b1-b7 for the bishop is more important than the improvement of the pawn structure with 39. gxf5.

39... Kf7 40. a4 Ne6 41. Bxe6+

Having exchanged the bishop, White loses practically all chances to gain an advantage. It would be more logical to keep the pressure, for example, with 41.Qe2. Still, even then any real advantage for White is out of the question.

41... Kxe6 42. Qd3 Qe7 43. b4 Kd6 44. b5 Qe1

The rather open position of the white king and the active black queen are enough to bring the game to a draw quickly.

45. Kg2 Qe6 46. Kh3 Kc7 47. Qh7+ Qd7 48. Qh8 cxb5 49. axb5 Qxb5 50. Qxf6 a5 51. Qxg5 (1/2-1/2) Draw. After 51... Qf1+ White has to agree to the perpetual check 52. Kh2 Qf2+ or be mated 52.Kh4?? Qh1#.

Semi-final Review

A not quite usual event took place in the Spanish Ciudad de Leon, with the participation of V. Anand, A. Shirov, J. Polgar and M. Illescas Cordoba. The uncommonness of this tournament consisted in the admission to use computer when playing a game. A. Shirov and M. Illescas Cordoba met in the first semi-final of two games. Shirov's success in the first game was decisive for the result of the whole micro match.

Shirov - Illescas Cordoba, B12
(m/1, rapid)  

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. c3 

A couple of years ago the opponents played another line of the Caro-Kann Defence at the Spain championship: 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 c5 6. Be3 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Ne7 8. c4 Nbc6 9. Qa4 dxc4 10. Na3 Qa5+ 11. Qxa5 Nxa5 12. Nxc4 Nxc4 13. Bxc4 a6 14.Rc1 Be4 with a complicated play (Shirov-Illescas Cordoba, Salamanca, 1998).

4... e6 5. Be3 Qb6 6. Qb3 Nd7 

In the seventh round of the tournament in Sarajevo which has just ended White managed to get an advantage after 6...h5 by playing 7. Nd2 Nh6 8. Be2 h4 9. h3 Be7 10. Ngf3 Nd7 11. O-O Bg6 12. Bg5 Nf5 13. Bxe7 Nxe7 14. Qa3! in the game Shirov -Bareev, Sarajevo, 2000. This game is available on our site commented by our experts.

7. Nd2 Ne7 8. f4 Qc7 

There is still no planned move 8... c5? because of 9. dxc5. The exchange 8... Qxb3 9. axb3 would be a certain positional concession to White.

9. Ngf3 c5? 

Like on the previous move, this advance, connected with a pawn sacrifice, proves to be unfortunate. Temporising continuations like 9... h6 or 9... h5 would agree better with the position.

10. dxc5 Nc6 11. Qa3

After White has got a present of a pawn from his opponent, he is not going to lose it.

11... b6 12. b4 

Another way to keep the extra pawn is 12. Nb3. 

12... bxc5 13. bxc5 Rb8 

Black prevents a lunge of the white bishop to b5 that would be possible, after 13... Na5, for example.

14. Nb3 Be7 15. Nfd4 Bh4+ 

Black wants to get at least some compensation for the lost pawn, disabling the white king from castling on the kingside and keeping, at the same time, two bishops. After 15... O-O 16. Nxf5 exf5 17. Rd1 Black's problems in developing an initiative would stay.

16. g3  Be4 17. Rg1  Be7

18. Qa4! 

White implies that Black's king in the centre can become a source of problems, too, and that his pressure on the diagonal a4-e8 can be rather noticeable.

18... Nxd4 

Normalising White's pawn structure, but, as A. Shirov points out, if 18... Nd8 19. Nb5,  then 19. c6! Nb6 20.Nb5 Nxa4 21. Nxc7+ Kf8 22. Na6 Rc8 23. c7 is very strong, while after 18... Rc8 there is an unpleasant move 19. Ba6.

19. cxd4 f6 

After 19... O-O 20. Bb5 Rfd8 Black would still have serious problems because of 21. Bd2!

20. Bb5 fxe5 

If 20... Rd8, then 21. Bd2 is strong: Black has no compensation for the piece after 21... O-O 22. Ba5 Nb6 23. cxb6 axb6 24. Rc1 Qb8 25. Bd2. 

21. fxe5  Rxb5 

The pressure on the diagonal a4-e8 has its effect. Black loses by an exchange. What else can he do? There is no castle on account of the loss of the knight.

22. Qxb5 O-O 23. Qa6 Bf5 24. g4 Bh4+ 25. Kd2 Bg6 26. Qxe6+ Bf7 

After 26... Kh8 a simple 27. Raf1 is possible.

27. Qd6 Qb7 28. c6  Qb5 29. cxd7 Bg6 30. Kc3 1-0

Black resigned. There is no trace of a compensation for the lost rook. White is to win after 30... Qd3+ 31. Kb2 ( 31... Qc2+ 32. Ka3 ) 31... Qxe3 32. g5.

Having won the first game, A. Shirov decided not to stay in a defensive position in the second game, but chose a venturesome play.

Illescas Cordoba - Shirov,  D48
(m/2, rapid)

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7

Merano Variation of Slav Defence is popular in the modern tournaments.

9. O-O a6 10. e4 c5 11. d5 Qc7 12. dxe6 fxe6 13. Bc2 Bd6 

Illescas Cordoba himself has preferred to develop his bishop to a less pretentious position in one of the games of the Moscow Chess Olympiad 1994: 13... Be7.

14. Ng5 Nf8 15. f4 O-O-O 16. Qe1 e5 17. f5 

As the game Saddler - Dreev (Groningen 1997) has shown, Black has an excellent play in the case 17. a4?! b4 18. Ne2  h6. 

17... h6 18. Nf3 N8d7 19. Bd2 

White wants to start playing on the queenside as soon as possible. After 19. Kh1 c4 20. Bd2 Qc6 21. Rc1 Nc5  Black is OK (Wilhelmi - Pavasovic, Lippstadt 1998). 

19... c4 20. Rc1 Qc6 21. a4 Nc5 

In comparison with the above cited game White has spared a tempo without the king's move. Now he has to use it properly.

22. axb5 axb5 23. Be3 b4 24. Nd5

White sacrifices a pawn and now he can attack Black's weakened queenside as a compensation.

  Nxd5 25. exd5 Qxd5 26. Qe2 Kb8

It is desirable that Black gets out his king from the half-open c-file. So, if 26... e4 27. Nd2 Nd3 28. Bxd3 exd3 29. Qg4, then Black has problems with the c-pawn.

27. Bb1?

This move blends badly with the game design. After 27. Rfd1 Nd3 (there is no 27... Qf7? because of 28. Rxd6, and the move 27... Qc6 can be met with the simple 28. Qxc4)  28. Bxd3 cxd3 29. Rxd3 Qb5 30. Qd2 there would be a complicated struggle with mutual chances. 

27... Nd3 28. Bxd3 cxd3 29. Qf2 Rc8 30. Ba7+ Ka8 31. Ra1 Rc6! 

Black begins to build defensive structures against the pieces of his opponents on the white squares.

32. Rfe1 Ba6 33. Be3 Kb7 34. Qg3  g5 

A very timely blow.

35. Qh3 

35... Rhc8! 

Continuing the realisation of the fine idea which has begun with the previous move.

36. Nd2 

There is no 36. Qxh6 because of 36... d2! 37. Nxd2 (37. Red1 doesn't help, followed with 37... Qb3 38. Qxg5 Rc1 39. Raxc1 dxc1=Q 40. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 41. Bxc1 Bc5+, and Black wins) 37... Bc5 38. Qg7+ R8c7 39. Qxg5 Qxd2, and Black wins a piece.

36... Bc5 37. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 38. Kh1 Qf2 39. Red1 Kb8  40. Nb3 e4 41. Rf1 Qxb2 42. Qg3+ Ka8 43. Nc5 Rxc5 

This is enough to win the game, yet there was another tactical way to Black's win: 43... Qxa1! 44. Rxa1 Rxc5 45. Rxa6+ Kb7, and the weakness of the first line decides in Black's favour.

44. Rxa6+ Kb7 45. Qd6 R5c6 46. Rxc6 Rxc6 47. Qe7+ Kb6 

Black's king begins his voyage to the opposite side of the board, where he, curiously enough, will be safer.

48. Qd8+ Kc5 49. h4 d2 50. Qe7+ Kb6 51. Qd8+ Kb5 52. Qd5+ Rc5 53. Qb7+ Ka4 54. Qa8+ Kb3 ( 0-1) White resigned.

In the second semi-final match between V. Anand and J. Polgar there was a more stubborn struggle.

Anand - Polgar, [B42]
(m/1, rapid)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Qb6 6. c3 Nc6 7. Nxc6 Qxc6 8. O-O d6 9. c4 Nf6 10. Qe2 Be7 11. Nc3 Nd7 12. f4 O-O
13. Be3 b6 14. Rf3

Positions of such kind are called "hedgehog" in the chess world owing to their specific pawn structure. With his last move White uses the circumstance that the e4-pawn is underattacked, so he brings his rook closer to the opponent's king.

14... Bb7 15. Rh3 Rfe8 16. Rf1 Rac8 

17. Nd5!

A tactical blow, conditioned with the advanced position of the black queen and the activity of the white rook.

17... Bd8 

Black cannot take the knight. After 17...exd5 18. exd5 Qc7 19. Bxh7+ Kf8 20. Bf5 g6 21. Bxd7 Qxd7 22. f5 White has a critical attack, and if 22... Bg5 23. Bxg5 Rxe2 24. Bf6, then he mates, not counting his material losses.

18. Qh5 Nf8 

White's knight is untouchable again. After 18... exd5 19. Qxh7+ Kf8 20. exd5 Qa4 21. Bd4 Bf6 22. Qh8+ Ke7 23. Re1+ Ne5 24. fxe5 Rxh8 25. exf6+ Kd8 26. Bxb6+  White mates the black king soon.

19.Bd4 f6 

Once again, there is no 19... exd5 because of a mate threat: 20. exd5 Qc7 21. Bxh7+ Nxh7 22. Qxh7+ Kf8 23. Qh8+ Ke7 24. Re3+ Kd7 25. Qxe8#.

20. e5!

Another blow at Black's position.

20... f5 

20... exd5 is bad in view of 21. Bxh7+ Nxh7 22. Qxh7+ Kf7 23. Qh5+ Kf8 24. e6 Rxe6 25. Qh8+ Kf7 26. Rh7, and the square g7 cannot be defended. 

21. exd6 Qd7 

One cannot take the pawn because the rook is lost then, nor the knight (21... exd5) because of the variant 22.Bxf5 g6 23. Qh6.

22. Rg3 g6 23. Qh6 Rc6 

White's knight is still untouchable. After 23... exd5 24. Bxf5 Ne6 there is a simple solution: 25. Rxg6+! hxg6 26. Bxe6+ Rxe6 27. Qh8+ Kf7 28. Qg7+ Ke8 29. Qg8#.

24. Re1 Rxd6 

25. Bxf5!

White's attack intensifies with every move, it's hard to believe that Black should succeed in drawing the game.

25... Qf7 26. Bxg6 Nxg6 27. f5  e5 28. Bxe5 Bxd5 

At last Black has managed to do away with the troublesome white knight.

29. cxd5 Rxe5 30. Rxe5 Rf6

Black makes now some counterthreats.

31. Rg5 Be7 32. g3

White prepares a path to evacuate his king.

32... Bf8 33. Qh4 Bg7 34. fxg6 Rf1+ 35. Kg2 Rf2+ 36. Kh3 hxg6 

After 36... Rxh2+ 37. Kxh2 Qf2+ 38. Kh3 Qf1+ 39. Kg4 Qd1+ 40. Kf5 Qc2+  there is no perpetual check because of 41. Qe4. 

37. Re1?! 

37. Re6?  is bad because of 37... Rxh2+! 38. Kxh2 Qf2+ 39. Kh3 Qf1+ 40. Kg4 Qd1+ 41. Kf4 Qf1+ 42. Ke3  Qe1+, and the white king is in perpetual check. Still, White had another interesting opportunity: 37. Qe4. After 37... Bxe5 38. Rxe5 Qd7+ (if 38... Qh7+ , then 39. Kg4 Qd7+ 40. Re6) 39. Re6 Qh7+ 40. Qh4 Qxh4+ 41. Kxh4 Rxh2+ 42. Kg5 Rxb2 43. Kxg6 Kf8 44. a4  White would have nice chances to achieve with the extra pawn.

37... Bf6 38. Qh6 Bxg5 39. Qxg5

39... Qf5+!

A reasonable move. Black proceeds to a rook endgame which White cannot win notwithstanding the two extra pawns.

40. Qxf5 gxf5  41. Re6  41... Rxb2 42. d6 Rd2 43. d7 Rxd7 44. Rxb6 Rd2 45. Rxa6 Kf7 46. a4 Ra2 47. a5 Ke7 48. Kh4

White has to sacrifice one of the pawns in order to make his king more active.

48... Rxh2+ 49. Kg5 Rg2 50. Kf4 Rf2+ 51. Ke5 Rf3 52. Ra7+ Kd8 53. Rg7 Kc8 54. Kd6 Rd3+ 55. Kc6 Rc3+ 56. Kb6 Rb3+ 57. Ka7 Kd8 58. a6 Kc8 59. Rf7 Rxg3 60. Rxf5 Rb3 (1/2-1/2) Draw. 

In the second game there was practically no struggle.

Polgar - Anand, [B85]
(m/2, rapid)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. Be2 Qc7 8. a4 Nc6 9. O-O Be7 10. f4 O-O 11. Kh1 Re8 12. Bd3 Nb4 13. a5 Bd714. Nf3 Rac8 15. Bb6 Qb8 16. e5 

V. Anand is acquainted with this position very well. After 16. Bd4 Bc6 17. Qd2 Nxd3 18. cxd3 Nd7 19. Bg1 Qc7 20. Nd4 the opponents have agreed to draw in the game Kasparov-Anand, New York (m/16).

16... dxe5 17. fxe5 Nfd5 18. Nxd5 exd5 19. Re1  h6 20. c3 Nxd3 21. Qxd3 Bc5 23. Qd2 Bxb6 24. axb6 Rc6 25. Qf2 1/2-1/2 Draw.

Let us remind you that in the New York match between Kasparov and Anand a draw has followed after 25. Ra4  Rxb6   (Anand - Kasparov, New York, (m/7) 1995).

The first blitz game was rather quiet and ended with a draw.

Polgar - Anand, [C11]
(m/3, blitz)

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Nbd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Nxf6+ Nxf6 8. Bd2 c5 9. c3

White leaves the theoretical path first and decides to make a separated pawn.

9... cxd4 10. cxd4 Be7 11. Bd3 Bd7 12. Ne5 Bc6 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. Bc3 Nd5 15. Qa4 O-O 16. O-O c5 17. Be4 Nxc3 18. bxc3 Rc8 19. Qxa7 cxd4 20. cxd4 Bf6 21. Rad1 Rc4 22. Qa6 Rxd4 23. Rxd4 Qxd4 24. Qd3 Qxd3 25. Bxd3 

The different colours of the bishops guarantee a draw in the game.

25... Ra8 26. Bc4 Kf8 27. Rd1 Ke7 28. Kf1 Be5 29. g3 g5 30. h3 Ra7 31. Ke2 Kf6 32. Rd3 Ke7 33. Ke3 Bd6 34. Ke2 1/2-1/2

Draw. In the second blitz game Anand managed to reap the fruits of his insistence.

Anand - Polgar, [E91]
(m/4, blitz)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 Na6 7. O-O Qe8 8. Re1 e5 9. Be3 Ng4 10. Bg5 exd4 11. Nxd4 Qe5 12. Nf3 Qc5 13. Bh4 Ne5 14. Nxe5 dxe5 

Only 14... Qxe5 15. Rc1 has encountered previously.

15. Rc1  Be6 

15... c6 is safer.

16. Nd5!

White gains the initiative.

16... f6 17. a3 c6 18. b4 Qd4 19. Qxd4 exd4 20. Nf4 Bf7 21. Bg3 Rfe8 22. Bf1 Rac8 23. Nd3 h5 24. f3 Bh6 25. Rc2 Nb8 26. Bf2 Rcd8 27. Rd1

27... Be3? 

Now the central black pawn has left the other Black's forces too far behind. The move 27... b6 appears to be more solid.

28. Bxe3 dxe3 29.Re1 Rd4 30. Nc5 Rd2 

If 30... b6, then 31. Nb3. 

31. Rxd2 exd2 32. Rd1 b6 33. Nb3 b5 34. Na5 Rd8 35. Kf2 bxc4 36. Nxc4 Bxc4 37. Bxc4+ Kf8 38. Ke3 Ke7 39. Rxd2

White's material advantage will affect the situation inevitably.

39... Nd7 40.Rc2 Rb8 41. Be2 Kd6 42. f4 a5 43. Rd2+ Kc7 44. bxa5 Rb3+ 45. Rd3 Rb2 46. Bf3 Nc5 47. Rc3 Na4 48. Rc4 Rb3+ 49. Kd2 Rxa3 50. e5 fxe5 51. Rxc6+ Kd7 52. fxe5 g5 53. e6+ Ke7 54. a6 Ra2+ 55. Rc2 Ra3 56. a7 Nb6 57. Rc6 Ra2+ 58. Kc1 Na8 59. Rc8 Ra1+ 60. Kb2 Rxa7 61. Rxa8 Rxa8 62. Bxa8 Kxe6 63. Kc3 h4 64. Kd4 Kf5 65. Bd5 g4 66. Ke3 Ke5 67. Bc6 Kf5 68. Bd7+ (1-0) Black resigned.