[Event "12th ECC final"]
[Site "Budapest HUN"]
[Date "1996.11.21"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Sermek, Drazen MROS"]
[Black "Yemelin, Vasily SPET"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2550"]
[BlackElo "2460"]
[ECO "C55"]
[EventDate "1996.??.??"]
[Annotator "Atlas,V"]
[PlyCount "45"]

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 h6 5.O-O d6 6.a4 $5 {This continuation, 
popular in the line with 6...Be7, proves to be an interesting undertaking.
White's idea is to win the space at the queenside and then open up the 
game in the centre.} 6...g6 7.a5 Bg7 8.Re1 
    ( 8.c3 {/\Qb3 also deserves attention, since after} 8...d5 9.exd5 
        ( 9.Bb5 {is also quite strong} )
    9...Nxd5 10.Qb3 {White is clearly better.} )
8...O-O 
    ( 8...d5 $2 9.exd5 
        ( 9.Bb5 $5 )
    9...Nxd5 10.Bb5 $16 )
9.c3 Kh8 10.Qb3 
    ( 10.b4 {/\Qb3, /\b5 was an interesting alternative.} )
10...Qe8 11.d4 {The pivotal link in White's plan.} 11...Nd7 12.Bd5 $1 {
Threatening a5-a6.} 12...Rb8 13.Qc4 f5 14.dxe5 Ndxe5 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 $6 
    ( {A commital move. Black hopes to create threats against the enemy 
    king. If this fails, White retains the decisive advantage.} 15...dxe5 
    {was to be preferred, although after} 16.a6 {White has better 
    perspectives.} )
16.Qxc7 Bd7 
    ( {This is a mistake.} 16...Be6 {yielded Black some coumterchances:} 
    17.Qxd6 $140 Bxd5 18.Qxd5 fxe4 
        ( 18...Rd8 $5 19.Qxb7 Nd3 )
    19.Qxe4 Nd3 20.Qxe8 Rbxe8 )
17.Nd2 $1 
    ( {A consistent and strong move.} 17.Qxd6 $2 {yields Black excellent 
    compensation after} 17...Nd3 18.Rd1 fxe4 
        ( 18...Be5 19.Bf7 Rxf7 20.Qxd3 fxe4 $44 )
    19.Be3 Be5 )
17...Qe7 18.Nc4 $1 {The strongest continuation, signifying the total 
failure of Black's strategy.} 18...Nd3 
    ( 18...Nxc4 19.Qxc4 $16 )
19.Re3 Nxf2 $2 
    ( {A desperate attempt to complicate matters; yet, after} 19...Nxc1 
    20.Rxc1 {White must win.} )
20.Qxd6 Qh4 21.Ne5 $1 {This decides the game.} 21...Qxh2+ $4 {A terrible 
blunder. However, all other continuations would just prolong Black's 
agony.} 22.Kxh2 Bxe5+ 23.Qxe5+ {Now black king is checked, hence 23.. .Ng4
is impossible.} 1-0

