[Event "45th Mid-South Open"]
[Site "Memphis"]
[Date "2005.11.26"]
[Round "1"]
[White "York, Johnny"]
[Black "Stepp, Robert"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B01"]
[WhiteElo "1219"]
[BlackElo "1847"]
[Annotator "Fritz 9 (30s)"]
[PlyCount "71"]
[EventDate "2005.??.??"]
{B01: Scandinavian Defence} 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Nc3 {last book move} Bg4 4.
Be2 Bxe2 5. Ngxe2 (5. Qxe2 $5 Qd7 6. Qc4 $16) 5... Nxd5 $11 6. O-O e6 {
Controls d5} 7. Nxd5 Qxd5 8. Nc3 {White threatens to win material: Nc3xd5} Qf5
9. d3 Nc6 10. Be3 O-O-O 11. Ne4 h5 12. a3 {Prevents intrusion on b4} Ne5 (12...
Be7 13. b4 $11) 13. Bxa7 (13. Qe1 Nc6 $11) 13... b6 14. f3 $2 {Consolidates g4}
(14. a4 $142 $5 {would allow White to play on} Kb7 15. a5 Qxe4 16. dxe4 Rxd1
17. Rfxd1 Kxa7 18. Rd8 $15) 14... Kb7 15. Bxb6 cxb6 ({Inferior is} 15... Kxb6
16. b4 $15) 16. d4 Ng4 (16... Qf4 $142 $5 17. c3 Nc6 $17) 17. Qd3 $15 Nf6 18.
a4 Nxe4 $4 {gives the opponent new chances} (18... Qd5 $142 {and Black hangs on
} 19. c3 h4 $11) 19. fxe4 $18 Qa5 $4 {Black has lost his nerve...
understandable when you consider his position} (19... Qg6 $142 20. c3 Bd6 $16)
20. c3 (20. Rxf7+ $142 $5 {and White can already relax} Kb8 21. Qc4 Bd6 $18)
20... Bd6 $4 (20... Rd7 21. Rf4 $14) 21. Rfe1 {White prepares the advance e5.
Loses material} (21. b4 Bxb4 22. Rxf7+ Kb8 23. cxb4 Qxb4 24. Rd1 Qxa4 25. Qg3+
e5 26. Qxe5+ Ka8 27. Rff1 $18) 21... Qg5 $4 {a transit from better to worse} (
21... e5 $142 {is the best option Black has} 22. Rf1 Rhf8 $15) 22. e5 $18 Bxe5
$2 (22... Bc7 $142 23. Qf3+ Kb8 $18) 23. Rxe5 (23. Qf3+ $142 {and White has
prevailed} Rd5 24. Rxe5 $18 (24. dxe5 $6 Qf5 $18)) 23... Qxe5 $1 $19 {
Eliminates the defender e5} 24. a5 (24. dxe5 {Exploits the pin} Rxd3) 24...
bxa5 25. Qf3+ (25. dxe5 $4 {a fat bite, but...} Rxd3 26. Rxa5 Rd1+ 27. Kf2 Rd2+
28. Kf3 Rxb2 $19) 25... Qd5 26. Qxf7+ Rd7 27. Qf1 Rhd8 (27... e5 {keeps an
even firmer grip} 28. dxe5 Qc5+ 29. Qf2 Qxf2+ 30. Kxf2 $19) 28. b4 (28. h3 {
does not win a prize} Kb8 $19) 28... Ra8 29. bxa5 Rxa5 30. Rb1+ Kc6 (30... Ka7
{might be the shorter path} 31. Re1 $19) 31. Qf8 Ra2 (31... Rb5 $142 {secures
victory} 32. Qc8+ Kb6 $19) 32. Qc8+ $17 Rc7 33. Qe8+ Rd7 {Black has a mate
threat} (33... Qd7 34. d5+ {Theme: Clearance for d1-d7} Kd6 35. Qf8+ Qe7 $19)
34. Qc8+ $11 {Twofold repetition} Kd6 {Black has a mate threat} 35. Qf8+ Kc7 $4
{forfeits the clear win} (35... Kc6 $142 {had to be tried to avoid defeat} 36.
Qc8+ $11) 36. Qb8+ 1/2-1/2