[Event "Sochi"] [Site "Sochi"] [Date "1982.??.??"] [Round "1"] [White "Panchenko, Alexander N"] [Black "Speelman, Jonathan S"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B17"] [WhiteElo "2480"] [BlackElo "2575"] [Annotator "Martin"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "1982.12.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "URS"] [EventCategory "11"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ne2 Ndf6 6. N2g3 Nxe4 7. Nxe4 Bf5 8. Ng3 Bg6 9. h4 h6 10. Be3 e6 11. h5 Bh7 12. Bd3 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Nf6 14. O-O-O Qa5 15. Kb1 O-O-O 16. f3 Be7 17. Ne2 Rd7 18. g4 Rhd8 19. c4 c5 20. Qc2 Qb6 21. dxc5 Bxc5 22. Bf4 {We have reached the diagram position. The key features are (i) White has a little more space (ii) Black has better development (iii) White's bishop is a thorn in Black's position as it exerts unwanted pressure against Black's king. Indeed, it is this latter feature that Black must try and eliminate. Hence Option E is considered to be the best positional move with } Be3 $1 {If White's powerfully placed bishop is not removed Black cannot really hope for any advantage (see Option C for possible consequences).} ({ Option A -} 22... Ba3 $2 {This is one of two weak (losing) moves and if played, Black would have missed a tactical trick as after} 23. Rxd7 Rxd7 (23... Nxd7 24. c5 $1 {is still good.} Bxc5 25. Rc1 {The key point is that the black king cannot move to get out of the pin due to White's powerful bishop.} Qc6 26. Qc3 e5 27. Be3 Bxe3 28. Qxe3 $18) 24. c5 $1 Bxc5 (24... Qb5 25. Bd6 Ne8 26. Nd4 Qb4 27. Nb3 {and there is no defence to bxa3.}) 25. Rc1 {the bishop on c5 is lost.} ) ({Option B -} 22... Ng8 {Whilst the idea makes sense, on an open board Black probably does not have time to play this move. After} 23. Rxd7 Rxd7 24. Rd1 Ne7 (24... Rxd1+ 25. Qxd1 Ne7 26. Nc3 Nc6 27. Ne4 {when White's minor pieces are slightly better placed although there isn't much in it}) 25. Rxd7 Kxd7 26. Be5 f6 27. Bc3 Nc6 {and now} 28. Qh7 {is a little awkward to meet.}) ({Option C -} 22... Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 24. Qxd1 Be3 25. Bg3 Bf2 26. Bh2 Qe3 $2 {might have been Black's idea but overlooking} (26... Qc6 {is better.} 27. Qd6 Qxd6 28. Bxd6 {when White's pieces are slightly better coordinated.}) 27. Qd6 $1 Qb6 28. Qb8+ Kd7 29. Qf8 {when White's queen has got into Black's position.}) ({ Option D -} 22... Qc6 {This is a good alternative move.} 23. Rxd7 Rxd7 24. Rf1 Bd6 25. Nd4 Qb6 26. Bxd6 Qxd6 27. Nb5 Qc5 {when Black's major pieces are better placed although the knight on f6 is still a bystander. Most players would probably prefer to take Black.}) ({Option F -} 22... Bd6 $2 {Although a sound positional idea (to try and exchange off White's strong bishop), this fails tactically and is the other weak move as it drops a piece after} 23. Rxd6 $1 Rxd6 24. c5 $18) 23. Rxd7 ({If White tries to avoid the exchange of bishops with} 23. Bg3 $2 {then this allows} Rd2 24. Rxd2 Rxd2 $19 {when the White knight drops.}) (23. Rhe1 Bxf4 24. Nxf4 Qe3 $1 25. Rxe3 Rxd1+ 26. Qc1 Rxc1+ 27. Kxc1 Rd4 {netting a pawn with good chances of winning the endgame.}) 23... Rxd7 24. c5 {Seeking counterplay and a move which Speelman had to consider as potentially it could win a piece for White.} (24. Rd1 {looks natural but fails to} Bxf4 25. Nxf4 Qe3 26. Rxd7 Nxd7 27. Qe4 Qxe4+ 28. fxe4 Ne5 {This is the endgame Speelman would have been aiming for. White's pawns are simply too weak. }) (24. Qc3 {Is probably safest but after} Bxf4 25. Nxf4 Qd6 {Black has a pleasant pull}) 24... Qc6 $1 {This is the move Speelman saw when calculating his 22nd move.} (24... Bxc5 $2 {loses to} 25. Rc1 $18) (24... Qxc5 $2 {loses to } 25. Bxe3) 25. Bxe3 (25. Rf1 {would have been slightly better not allowing the Black queen in but after} Rd2 26. Qb3 Rxe2 27. Bxe3 Nxg4 $1 28. fxg4 Qe4+ 29. Kc1 Rxe3 {Black has good winning chances.}) 25... Qxf3 26. Rc1 Qxe3 27. c6 {This looks dangerous but Speelman has everything under control.} bxc6 28. Qxc6+ Kd8 {I suspect Speelman saw all this when he played his 22nd move. He correctly assesses that White's attack has no venom, and, as a result of the exchanges, White's kingside pawns are very vulnerable and will soon fall prey to the black knight on f6. Black's advantage is so great that the game only lasts another 9 more moves.} 29. Nc3 Nxg4 30. Na4 Ne5 31. Qc8+ Ke7 32. Nc5 Rd5 33. Qb7+ Nd7 34. b4 a5 35. Qc7 axb4 36. Nb3 Qe4+ 37. Rc2 Rxh5 {And as if by magic, all White's kingside pawns have all disappeared! White resigned.} 0-1