[Event "URS-ch FL46"] [Site "Ashkhabad"] [Date "1978.??.??"] [Round "1"] [White "Razuvaev, Yuri S"] [Black "Tseshkovsky, Vitaly"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A75"] [WhiteElo "2465"] [BlackElo "2550"] [Annotator "Martin"] [PlyCount "84"] [EventDate "1978.10.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "17"] [EventCountry "URS"] [EventCategory "10"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 g6 6. e4 d6 7. Bf4 Bg7 8. Bb5+ Bd7 9. Be2 Qe7 10. Qc2 O-O 11. Nf3 Bg4 12. h3 Bxf3 13. Bxf3 Nbd7 14. O-O a6 15. a4 Rab8 16. a5 {and now Option A is correct after} Ne8 $1 {This excellent move (i) opens up the long diagonal for the Black g7 bishop. (ii) overprotects the e5 square which holds up White's main attacking plan to play e5. (iii) looks to re-route the knight to b5 and possibly d4 to support Black's queenside expansion plans. (iv) prepares the b5 strike as Nc7 will protect Black's a-pawn (v) maintains the tension in the position making it easier to play for a win.} ({Option B -} 16... Ne5 {This is a tempting move and we think so many players would probably play it but it drives the bishop back to e2, a square it wants to be on, where it exerts pressure on Black's a-pawn which would make it harder for Black to play b5. It also provides a target and a gain in tempo for a future f4 move accelerating White's e5 attacking move possibilities. An example line may go} 17. Be2 Nfd7 18. Bg3 g5 {to hold up f4.} 19. Nd1 $1 Ng6 20. Ne3 Be5 21. Nf5 {when White is well on top.}) ({Option C -} 16... b5 { This is probably the most aggressive move and we are sure many Black players would play it ... to get on with queenside play. However, it perhaps releases the tension too soon and gives White an easy plan to gang up on the a6 pawn with} 17. axb6 Rxb6 18. Ra2 Rfb8 19. Be2 {when White may be a little better after} Rb4 20. Bxa6 Nxe4 21. Nxe4 Qxe4 (21... Rxe4 22. Bxd6 $1) 22. Qxe4 Rxe4 23. Bxd6 Rxb2 24. Rxb2 Bxb2 25. Rd1 {due to the 2 bishops and the White d-pawn potentially being more dangerous than Black's c-pawn but a draw is the most likely result.}) ({Option D -} 16... c4 {The weakest move. The plan might seem logical (if White had no moves) but the c-pawn will become vulnerable which White can take advantage with} 17. Ra4 $1 Rfc8 18. Be2 {Black is now on the back foot and may have to resort to} Ne5 {which suggests the plan has already gone wrong. After} 19. Rb4 Qd8 20. Ra1 Nfd7 21. Be3 {White is already significantly better and could soon be rounding up Black's c-pawn.}) ({Option E -} 16... Rfe8 {It is not clear if e8 is the rook's best square as White's e-pawn can easily be defended. It also deprives the knight on f6 of its best re-routing square. After} 17. Ra4 {White has a small advantage due to the extra space and control of the position. The plan to play f4 (eventually, maybe after g3) is not being impeded.}) 17. Rfe1 ({White has a lot of options here and maybe the slightly unusual} 17. Bg4 {is the strongest as it seeks to swap off the 'weak' bishop for the dangerous Black knight on d7. Play might continue with} b5 18. axb6 Rxb6 19. Bxd7 Qxd7 20. Rfe1 Qb7 {with an interesting battle ahead and about equal chances.}) 17... Nc7 {Whilst hoping to travel to b5 the knight is now protecting the a6 pawn as mentioned in an earlier note.} 18. Be2 {to inhibit Nb5.} Bd4 $1 {to prevent f4 and/or Be3.} 19. Bf1 b5 {With the a-pawn defended, now seems to be the right time to play this move.} 20. axb6 Rxb6 21. Be3 Rfb8 {[#] Black's pieces have all taken up active posts whereas White's pieces have yet to find their ideal squares. Even though chess engines suggests the position might be about equal, it is Black who has the easier game and White is more likely to go wrong.} 22. Bxd4 {Slight error as Black's d-pawn is not weak and it may indeed become strong.} cxd4 23. Na4 R6b7 24. b3 Qf6 25. Rac1 Ne5 26. Qd2 {preparing f4.} g5 $1 {preventing f4.} 27. Red1 (27. Qxd4 $4 Nf3+ $1 $19) 27... Nb5 28. f3 {Much of the play has switched to the queenside which is to Black's advantage but White's last move now creates some dark square weaknesses.} d3 $1 {An excellent move to use the now vacated d4 square.} 29. Bxd3 Nd4 {threatening N(either)xf3+} 30. Qf2 Rxb3 { It looks as though Black is crashing through and White is very much on the defensive.} 31. Be2 (31. Bxa6 {loses to} Ndxf3+ $1 32. gxf3 Rxf3 33. Qg2 Qf4 { e.g.} 34. Rf1 Qe3+ 35. Kh2 Rb4 36. Rc3 Qf4+ 37. Kg1 Rxf1+ 38. Qxf1 Rxa4 39. Qxf4 gxf4 {when Black's knight and rook are dominant.}) 31... R8b4 32. Ra1 $2 { This should have been losing move.} (32. Rc8+ Kg7 33. Nc3 {had to be tried but after} Rb2 {Black has a powerful initiative.}) (32. Rxd4 $2 Rxd4 33. Qxd4 Nxf3+ $19) 32... Nxe2+ 33. Qxe2 Nd3 $6 {This obvious looking move gives White a chance.} ({Instead} 33... Nxf3+ $1 34. gxf3 Rxf3 35. Rf1 Rg3+ 36. Kh2 Qe5 { wins e.g.} 37. Rf5 Re3+ $1 38. Rxe5 Rxe2+ 39. Kh1 dxe5 $19) 34. Ra2 Qd4+ 35. Kh2 (35. Kf1 $1 {when Black is only slightly better.}) 35... Qe5+ $6 (35... h5 $1 {followed by h4 to maintain dark square dominance.}) 36. Kg1 $2 Nf4 37. Qc2 Kg7 38. Kf1 Nxh3 39. Qc8 (39. gxh3 Rxf3+ {and there are so many ways for Black to win.}) 39... Nf4 40. Qf5 Qxf5 41. exf5 Kf6 42. Kf2 Kxf5 {Black is 2 pawns up with an overwhelming position.} 0-1