[Event "Doeberl Cup 46th"] [Site "Canberra"] [Date "2008.03.22"] [Round "5"] [White "GM Smerdon, David"] [Black "FM Sales, Jesse Noel"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B22"] [WhiteElo "2459"] [BlackElo "2299"] [PlyCount "129"] [EventDate "2008.03.20"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "AUS"] [SourceTitle "CBM 123 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2008.05.06"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2008.05.06"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,129,19,38,40,6,21,14,14,20,18,20,11,30,35,32,30,6,5,-32,-36,-19,-28,-28,-32,-53,9,-56,-52,-48,88,33,14,16,40,34,15,-5,-8,-12,-12,-23,-11,-9,19,27,36,35,35,-2,29,42,37,42,42,42,42,42,43,35,41,39,50,42,38,39,23,27,23,16,59,16,35,6,34,25,33,-83,13,9,4,1,1,2,0,0,0,0,0,143,150,148,148,126,129,129,129,132,138,139,139,148,148,148,148,148,148,148,148,148,148,148,148,148,147,145,145,145,143,143,143,134,135,134,407,407,416,416,416,416,416,0]} 1. e4 c5 2. c3 {[#] The Alapin variation vs the Sicilian Defense} Nf6 ({Other line:} 2... d5 3. exd5 Nf6 4. Bc4 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 e6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Qg4 Qc7) 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 ({Other line:} 5. c4 {[#]} Qa5+ 6. Bd2 Ndb4 7. a3 cxd4 8. Nf3 e6 9. Qb3 d3) 5... cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bc4 Nb6 8. Bb3 ({Other line:} 8. Bb5 dxe5 9. Nxe5 Bd7 10. Nxd7 Qxd7 11. Nc3 e6) 8... dxe5 9. d5 Na5 10. Nc3 Nxb3 11. Qxb3 e6 12. Nxe5 exd5 13. Be3 Bd6 14. Qb5+ Nd7 15. Nxd7 ({Other line:} 15. Nxf7 {[#]} Kxf7 16. Qxd5+ Ke7 17. O-O-O Nf6 18. Qg5 Kf7 19. Nb5 h6 20. Qh4 Be6 21. Nxd6+ Kg8) 15... Qxd7 16. Qxd5 Be7 17. Rd1 Qc6 18. Nb5 {Pretty complicated game, GM Smerdon's style of play is aggressive yet exciting to watch} Bb4+ 19. Kf1 {White decided the king to side step because sooner, queens will swap, therefore, white's king is better placed towards the endgame.} O-O 20. Qxc6 bxc6 21. Nxa7 Ba6+ {However, this check puts the king further away causing congestion. Black's position is better despite pawn down.} 22. Kg1 Rfd8 23. Rxd8+ Rxd8 {Now, the knight in an awkward position, exchanging rooks is a good idea.} 24. h4 Rd1+ 25. Kh2 Bd6+ 26. g3 Rxh1+ 27. Kxh1 Bb7 {[#] The knight is trapped, black's king must move to d5 square if possible, to control the game.} 28. Kg1 Kf8 29. Kf1 Ke7 30. Ke2 Kd7 ({Other Line:} 30... Ba6+ {[#]} 31. Kd2 Bb4+ 32. Kc2 Kd6 33. a3 Bc5 34. a4 Bxe3 35. fxe3 Kc7 36. b4 Kb6 37. Nxc6 Kxc6 38. b5+ Bxb5 39. axb5+ Kxb5) 31. Bb6 Bc7 32. Bd4 Kd6 33. b4 Kd5 34. Kd3 Bb8 35. h5 Ba6+ 36. Ke3 f5 37. a4 g5 38. Nxc6 Kxc6 39. b5+ Bxb5 40. axb5+ Kxb5 {Another phase of the game, interesting endgame position here.} 41. Bf6 g4 42. Kd4 Kc6 43. Bg5 Bd6 44. Bf4 Bc5+ 45. Ke5 Bxf2 46. Kf6 Bd4+ {Preventing the white king to take the h pawn.} 47. Ke6 Bc3 48. Kxf5 Kd7 49. Kxg4 Ke6 50. Kg5 Bg7 {[#]} 51. g4 Bf8 {This is going to be a book draw, where white can't prevent the black king from going to the important g8 square to achieve a drawing position.} 52. Bd2 Bg7 53. Bc1 Kf7 54. Kf5 Bf6 {Enticing white to push the g pawn.} 55. Bf4 Bg7 56. Be5 Bf8 57. g5 Be7 {Black is waiting for GM Smerdon to move h6 then Bxg5 to set-up a fortress or a book draw.} 58. Bd4 Bf8 59. Bf6 Bd6 60. h6 Bf8 61. Bd4 Bxh6 {[#]} 62. gxh6 Kg8 {[#]} 63. Ke6 Kf8 64. Bg7+ Kg8 65. Kf6 {Fantastic game with GM David Smerdon, from opening to the end, playing with a strong Australian GM pushes you to your limits. I thank GM Smerdon for the opportunity to play him, cheers mate.} 1/2-1/2