[Event "Nice"] [Site "Nice"] [Date "1973.02.??"] [Round "9"] [White "Karpov, Anatoly"] [Black "Kuzmin, Gennadi"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B93"] [WhiteElo "2660"] [BlackElo "2575"] [Annotator "Martin"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "1974.06.06"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 Qc7 7. a4 g6 8. Nf3 Bg4 9. Bd3 Nc6 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Bg7 12. O-O O-O 13. Bd2 e6 14. Ne2 Rac8 15. Kh1 e5 16. Nc3 exf4 17. Bxf4 Nb4 18. Bd2 Nd7 19. Qg3 Qc6 20. Bg5 Rce8 21. Rad1 Ne5 22. Qh4 Nexd3 23. cxd3 Qd7 24. Bf6 a5 25. d4 Re6 {The test diagram position has been reached after Black's 25th move. Black is seeking to evict the White bishop on f6 therefore the positionally correct move for White is to maintain a strong grip on f6 which is Option B.} 26. e5 $1 {This ensures that if Black ever captures on f6, White can recapture with a pawn when Black has to deal with mating possibilities on g7 (following Qh6).} ({Option A} 26. d5 $2 {This is positionally weak as it forces Black to play a move he had intended and it reduces the scope of the White knight whilst also offering the strong e5 square for the black knight if it can get there.. e.g.} Rxf6 27. Rxf6 Qd8 28. Rdf1 {and now} Nd3 {threatening the b2 pawn as well returning to the commanding e5 square as mentioned earlier. Black's position is to be preferred. }) ({Option C} 26. Bxg7 {Whilst not a bad move it does surrender some of White's advantage (the grip on the f6 square)} Kxg7 27. Nb5 {Only this move is the correct follow up to either put pressure on the d6 square or (more likely) look to play Rc1 & Rc7.} h6 {looks best.} (27... Qd8 {allows} 28. Rxf7+ $1 Kxf7 29. Qxh7+ Kf6 30. e5+ $18) 28. Rc1 Na6 29. Rf4 (29. Rf2 Qd8 30. Qxd8 Rxd8 31. Rfc2 Rxe4 {leads nowhere.}) 29... Qd8 30. Qxd8 (30. Qf2 {is probably better.}) 30... Rxd8 31. Nc7 Nxc7 32. Rxc7 Rf6 33. Rxf6 Kxf6 34. Rxb7 Re8 35. Rd7 Rxe4 36. Rxd6+ Ke7 {White is a pawn up but Black's rook is active and should be good enough to draw.}) ({Option D} 26. Qg4 {Black can easily repel White's threat to play d5 by simply playing} h5 27. Qg5 Rxf6 28. Rxf6 Qd8 29. Rdf1 Bxf6 30. Qxf6 Qxf6 31. Rxf6 Nd3 32. b3 Nc1 {when Black has got over most of his problems.}) ({Option E} 26. g4 {This move does not seem to achieve very much.} Bxf6 27. Rxf6 Rxf6 28. Qxf6 Qe6 29. Qxe6 fxe6 {when the position looks symmetrical and about equal.}) 26... d5 ({If} 26... Bxf6 $2 27. exf6 h5 { Qh6 has to be prevented but after} 28. g4 $1 {Black cannot hope to survive. e. g.} Nc2 29. gxh5 Ne3 30. hxg6 fxg6 31. Qh6 Nxf1 32. Qxg6+ Kh8 33. Qh6+ Kg8 34. Rxf1 {when Black's position has been ripped open.}) 27. Bxg7 Kxg7 28. Rf6 h6 { A very understandable move to prevent any future Qh6 and shore up the dark squares but after White's next move it is clear only White can win the game.} 29. Rdf1 Rxf6 30. Rxf6 (30. Qxf6+ {may be even stronger.}) 30... Re8 31. Ne2 Nc6 32. Rd6 Qf5 33. Ng3 Qd3 (33... Qg5 {might have been better but Black probably felt the rook + knight ending a pawn down after the capture on d5 would be difficult to hold.}) 34. Rxd5 Re6 (34... Qc4 35. Qf6+ Kg8 36. Rd7 { does not look any better.}) 35. Qf4 $6 $16 (35. Qg4 $18 {looks better threatening Nf5+ and if} Kf8 {only then} 36. Qf4 {with a gain in time as the h6 pawn is threatened.}) 35... Re7 $2 {It seems strange to play 34...Re6 to then play 35...Re7. Maybe Black was worried about Rd7 with an attack on f7.} ( 35... Qc4 $1 {Now that the rook on e6 is covering f6 this move is now possible e.g.} 36. Qe4 $16 (36. Rd7 $2 Nxe5 $1 $11 {Perhaps this is the move that Black had missed in this variation.}) 36... Qxa4 {when White is better but may not be winning.}) 36. Kh2 Kg8 {This loses the h-pawn and game but Black is stuck for moves.} ({If} 36... Qc4 37. Qf6+ Kg8 38. Qf3 Nxd4 $2 39. Rd8+ Kh7 40. Qf6 $18) 37. Qxh6 Qc4 38. Ne4 1-0