[Event "World op 28th"] [Site "Philadelphia"] [Date "2000.07.04"] [Round "8"] [White "Sales, Jesse Noel"] [Black "Yermolinsky, Alex"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A57"] [WhiteElo "2334"] [BlackElo "2601"] [PlyCount "109"] [EventDate "2000.06.28"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "USA"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2001"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2000.11.22"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2000.11.22"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,109,19,31,25,27,48,35,61,43,101,84,83,31,65,31,73,39,92,-7,20,22,45,29,44,52,64,60,55,14,0,3,28,26,31,16,26,-12,-14,-37,-28,-6,-6,-39,-13,-43,-36,-46,-34,-31,-15,-9,-6,11,62,80,78,40,65,67,97,82,118,98,114,134,134,112,108,108,138,136,190,102,115,0,0,-255,34,105,105,4,0,0,0,-56,-62,-102,-103,-103,-103,-133,-112,-120,-99,-77,-43,-42,-40,-10,-2,-46,-42,-79,-73,-153,-96,-69,-10,-126,-68,-31]} {I played with the US Champion at the 2000 World Open in Philadelphia USA, yet, I was not prepared for his opening repertoire.} 1. d4 {Yes, I decided to play 1. d4 hoping the game will favour a solid and quiet set-up against a very strong grandmaster.} Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 {After this move, I was expecting a complicated game with either a Benoni or Benko Gambit to play against.} 3. d5 g6 4. c4 b5 {After this move, I was expecting a complicated game with either a Benoni or Benko Gambit to play against a US Champion.} 5. cxb5 a6 6. b6 {[#] Yes, this variation I had chosen, a not so complicated line for white. The idea behind this line is to create an isolated pawn at the same time penetrate the a6 pawn as a target point.} Bg7 7. Nc3 O-O 8. e4 d6 9. Nd2 Nfd7 10. a4 Qxb6 11. Be2 Qc7 12. O-O Bb7 13. Nc4 Nb6 14. a5 Nxc4 15. Bxc4 Re8 16. Bf4 {Denying 16...e5, the d6 pawn hangs.} Nd7 17. Qd2 Ne5 {This knight post causes problems, I must exchange my bishop at f4.} 18. Bxe5 {Reasonable, play the way you want it with ease...} Bxe5 19. Na4 {Yes, the knight starts crawling and keeping black a bit cramped.} e6 20. Nb6 Rab8 {Rad8 is better.} 21. Kh1 {With the idea of f4 avoiding an extra move if there will be a check later.} Bd4 22. Rae1 exd5 23. exd5 Rbd8 24. b3 Re7 25. Rxe7 Qxe7 26. Qd3 {[#]} Qh4 {Threatening Bf2, but it is harmless after 27. Ba6 Ba6 28. Qa6 Bf2 29. Qc4 is ok for white} 27. Bxa6 Bxa6 28. Qxa6 Be5 29. g3 ({Not this line} 29. h3 Qf4 30. g3 Qe4+ 31. Kh2 h5) 29... Qb4 30. Nc4 Qxb3 31. Qb6 Qf3+ 32. Kg1 Bf6 33. Ne3 ({Other option is:} 33. a6 Qxd5 34. a7) 33... Re8 34. Qxd6 Bd4 35. Nc2 h5 36. h4 ({I like this better...} 36. Qd7 Re2 37. Nxd4 cxd4 38. a6) 36... Be5 37. Qxc5 Bxg3 38. Qa3 {Bad move..} ({Better for white is} 38. Ne1 Qg4 39. fxg3 Qxg3+ 40. Ng2 Re2 41. Rf2 Re1+ 42. Rf1 Re2) 38... Qxa3 ({Black's correct move..} 38... Bxf2+ 39. Rxf2 Re1+ 40. Nxe1 Qxa3) 39. Nxa3 Bxh4 40. Rc1 Re2 41. Rc8+ Kg7 42. Rc2 Bxf2+ 43. Kg2 Rxc2 44. Nxc2 {[#]} Bc5 {Interesting endgame here...} 45. a6 Kf6 46. Nb4 Ke7 47. Nd3 Ba7 48. Ne5 {[#] The drawing move} Kd6 49. Nxf7+ Kxd5 50. Kf3 Bb8 51. Ng5 Kc6 52. Ke4 Kb6 53. Kd5 Bf4 54. Nh3 Be3 55. Ke5 {If 54...g5 simply 55. Nxg5 leads to a book draw. I was happy about this result playing US Champion Alex Yermolinsky, a legend and well respected US GM. Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year 2024...} 1/2-1/2