[Event "14th ECC final"]
[Site "Belgrade YUG"]
[Date "1999.01.11"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Mikhalevski, Victor BESH"]
[Black "Solozhenkin, Evgeny SPET"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2528"]
[BlackElo "2545"]
[ECO "A62"]
[EventDate "1998.??.??"]
[Annotator "Mikhalevski,V"]
[PlyCount "77"]

1.d4 {Stohl} 1...Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Bg2 
Bg7 8.Nf3 O-O 9.O-O Na6 10.Nd2 Nc7 11.Nc4 Nfe8 12.Bf4! {Full survey of 
this line you can find in CBM64 (Mikhalevski,V-Sakaev,K Beer-Sheva-St. 
Petersburg, 1998) Stohl: 'A very direct and agressive approach, which 
aspires for the direct refutation of the 9...Na6 line. '} 
    ( 12.e4 {Stohl} 12...b6 
        ( 12...b5 $142 !? ~ )
    13.a4 Ba6 14.Qb3 Qd7 15.f4 Bxc4 16.Qxc4 a6 17.Qe2 Rb8 18.e5 b5 19.axb5
    axb5 20.Ra7 Kh8 21.Be3 dxe5 22.fxe5 b4 23.Na4 Bxe5 24.Bxc5 Bd6 25.Bd4+
    Kg8 26.Nb6 $36 {Pons,S-Suba,M/Cala Galdana/1994/} )
    ( {The main alternative is the quiet positional} 12.a4 {Stohl} 12...b6
    13.Qd2!? += {/\b3} )
12...b5 
    ( 12...f5 {is another option.} )
    ( {Apart from the logical text move Black has tried to gain more 
    influence in the [+] and prevent Ne4 by} 12...f5 {Stohl} 13.Qd2!? 
        ( 13.a4 b6 
            ( 13...g5 14.Bd2 b6 15.Rc1 
                ( 15.Qc1 h6 16.e4 Ba6 17.b3 f4 18.gxf4 gxf4 19.f3 Qh4 20.
                Ra2 Bxc4 21.bxc4 Be5 22.Ne2 Ng7 23.Qe1 Qh5 24.Nc1 Rf6 25.
                Nd3 Kh7 26.a5 Rg8 27.Nxe5 dxe5 28.axb6 axb6 29.Bc3 Nge8 ~ 
                {Cosma,I-Suba,M/ROM-chT/1992/} )
            15...h6 16.e4 Ba6 17.b3 Bxc4 18.bxc4 f4 19.f3 Be5 20.Ne2 Ng7 
            21.Bh3 Rf6 22.Kh1 Nh5 23.Bg4 Qe8 24.Qe1 Qf7 25.Bxh5 Qxh5 26.
            gxf4 gxf4 27.Qf2 Kh7 28.Rg1 += {><f4,<->g,Cosma, 
            I-Ionescu,C/ROM-chT/1992/} )
        14.Rc1 Ba6 15.b3 b5 16.axb5 Nxb5 17.Nxb5 Bxb5 18.e4 fxe4 19.Bxe4 
        a5 20.Re1 a4 21.bxa4 Rxa4 22.Bd3 Bd4 23.Re2 Ng7 24.Be3 Bxc4 25.
        Bxc4 Bxe3 26.Rxe3 Qf6 $132 {Kaidanov,G-Shabalov,A/USA-ch 
        Parsippany/ 1996/} )
    13...b5 14.Na5 b4 15.Na4 Nb5 16.Nc6 Qd7 17.Rac1! Nf6 18.Qd3! 
        ( 18.Rxc5 dxc5 19.Nxc5 Qe8 20.Qxb4 a6 21.d6 Ne4 22.Nxe4 fxe4 23.
        Bxe4 Kh8 24.Ne7 Bd7 25.Be3 
            ( 25.Rd1! += )
        25...a5 26.Qd2 Ra6 27.Bc5 Rf6 28.Bxg6 hxg6 29.Qg5 Rf5 30.Nxf5 Bxf5
        31.Qe7 Nxd6 32.Bxd6 Qxe7 33.Bxe7 Re6 34.Bd8 Rxe2 35.Bxa5 Rxb2 36.
        Rc1 Bh3 $138 {0-1,Mikhalevski,V-Sakaev,K/ Beersheva/1998/} )
    18...Qb7 19.a3 $36 {as suggested by Mikhalevski, gives White a 
    dangerous initiative, he can sacrifice on c5 with greater effect later
    on.} )
    ( {A possible, albeit risky (><>>) improvement for Black might be} 
    12...g5!? {Stohl} 13.Bd2 f5 14.Qc1 h6 15.e4?! 
        ( 15.a4 $142 {-12...f5 13.a4} )
    15...b5 16.Ne3 
        ( 16.Na5 b4 17.Nd1 fxe4 18.Bxe4 Nf6 =+ {><d5} )
    16...f4 17.Nf5 Bxf5 18.exf5 Rxf5 19.gxf4 gxf4 20.Bxf4 Qf6 $36 )
13.Na5 b4 
    ( 13...Bd7? {loses a pawn after} 14.Nb7 Qe7 15.Nxc5! b4 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 
    17.Qa4! +/- {1-0 Mikhalevski,V-Anastasian,A/Erevan 1997 (47)} )
14.Ne4 
    ( 14.Nc6 {Stohl} 14...Qd7 15.Na4 Ba6! $36 {/\} 16.Nxc5? dxc5 17.d6 Ne6
    ! 18.Ne7+ Kh8 19.Bxa8 Nxf4 20.gxf4 Nxd6 -+ )
14...Nb5 N {Looks natural,but falls to unexpected White's idea.} 
    ( {In two preceding games Black tried:} 14...Ba6 15.Nc6 Qd7 16.Qd2 Bb5
    17.a4! bxa3 18.Rxa3 Bc4 
        ( 18...Nxd5 19.Nxc5! dxc5 
            ( 19...Qxc6? 20.Bxd5 Qxc5 21.Bxa8 )
        20.Qxd5 Qxd5 
            ( 20...Qxc6? 21.Qb3! )
        21.Bxd5 
            ( 21.Ne7+!? Kh8 22.Bxd5 )
        21...Bxc6 22.Bxc6 +/- )
    19.Nc3 a6? 
        ( 19...Nb5 $142 )
    20.Na4! +- Nb5 21.Re3 Qb7 22.b3 Na3 23.Qa2 {1-0 Kinsman,A-Schulte,O/ 
    London 1985/MCL (23)} )
    ( {and} 14...Bxb2!? {The critical move which leads to the big 
    complications.} 15.Nc6 
        ( 15.Nxc5!? Bxa1 16.Nc6 Qf6 17.Ne4 $36 )
    15...Qd7 16.Rb1 {'!?' Stohl.} 
        ( 16.Nxc5!? {Stohl} 16...dxc5 17.d6 $36 {/\} 17...Bxa1 18.Qxa1 
        Nxd6 19.Qf6! Re8 $8 20.Bxd6 Qe6 21.Ne7+ Rxe7 22.Qxe7 Qxe7 23.Bxe7 
        Rb8 24.Bd6 +/- )
    16...Bg7 17.Nxc5 dxc5 18.d6 Ne6 19.Ne7+ Kh8 20.Bc6 
        ( 20.Bxa8!? )
        ( 20.Bxa8 Nxf4 21.Nxc8 Nh3+ 22.Kg2 Qxc8 23.Bf3 Qd7 -+ )
    20...Qd8 21.Bxa8 Nxf4 22.gxf4 Bh3 23.Bg2 Bxg2 24.Kxg2 Nxd6 ~= {1/2-1/2
    Alburt, L-Gurevich,D/New York 1986/EXT 97 (43) '=/+'} )
15.Nc6 Qd7 16.a3!! {'!' Stohl. The point of White's play. I was very happy
to find this idea during the game. White opens the position and obtains a 
positional advantage as all his pieces are much more active than of his 
opponents. Stohl: 'White sacrifices an exchange to break up Black's << 
pawn chain. His pieces are very active and he will have more than 
sufficient compensation.'} 16...bxa3 
    ( 16...Bxb2 {Stohl} 17.axb4 cxb4 
        ( 17...Bxa1 18.Qxa1 {/\Bh6,bc5+/-} )
    18.Rb1 Nc3 19.Nxc3 Bxc3 $142 
        ( 19...bxc3 20.Qd4!? +/- 
            ( 20.Bc1 $36 )
        )
    20.Nxb4 a5 21.Nc6 a4 += )
17.bxa3 Nf6 {Accepting of an exchange looks at least dangerous. Black's 
king remains alone and White gets more than enough compensation.} 18.a4! 
    ( 18.Nxf6+!? Bxf6 19.a4! Nd4! 
        ( 19...Bxa1 20.Qxa1 Nd4 21.Nxd4 cxd4 22.Qxd4 ~= )
        ( 19...Nc3 20.Qd3! 
            ( 20.Qc2 Ba6 )
        20...a5 
            ( 20...Re8 21.e4! )
        21.Bd2! {During the game I didn't see this brilliant idea and 
        decided to go for 18. a4! and I think I was right as Black can 
        meet 19.a4 with 19...Nd4. The position in the game looks stronger.
        } 21...Ba6 22.Bxc3! Bxd3 23.Bxf6 Rfe8 
            ( 23...Bxe2 24.Ne7+ Qxe7 25.Bxe7 Bxf1 26.Kxf1 +- 
                ( 26.Bxf8? Bxg2 = )
            )
        24.exd3 +/- )
    20.e3 Nf5 21.Rc1 += )
18...Nxe4 19.axb5! {Now the position of knight on c6 is even more 
reliable, the a-file is open for White's pieces, the a7-pawn requires 
permanent control. The only compensation is an extra exchange which is 
absolutely not essential in the current circumstances.} 
    ( {Certainly not} 19.Bxe4? Nc3 )
19...Re8! {This is better than the immediate 19...B: a1. Black is 
threatening 20...Nc3 and White has to leave his rook on a1 for one more 
move.} 20.Qd3! {Stohl: 'White finally forces his opponent to accept the 
sacrifice.'} 
    ( 20.Bxe4 {Stohl} 20...Rxe4! ~ )
20...Bxa1 {If Black doesn't accept the sacrifice now the question "What is
he suffering for?" can be asked.} 
    ( 20...f5 {Stohl} 21.Ra3 +/- )
21.Rxa1 f5 $8 {Otherwise White's pawns come to the motion.} 22.f3 Nf6 23.
Bc1! {Stohl: '><>>,Kg8' Another strong idea. White's bishop is not useful 
on f4 and he brings it to the big diagonal using the fact that its 
colleage has gone.} 23...Bb7 24.Bb2 Rf8 25.f4! {'(.)' Stohl. White opens 
his bishop and preparing an attack on king side by Bf3, Kg2, h3 and 
finally g4. It's very difficult for Black to oppose something to this 
plan. I think he should find a moment to take on c6.} 
    ( 25.e4!? {but I wanted to open my g2 bishop to support its friend on 
    b2.} )
25...h5 {Black is trying to prevent g4, but in fact he is weakening the 
king side even more. Stohl: 'Black has practically no useful moves. The 
Ra8 must protect ><Pa7, the Q can't stray too far from the >>, Nf6 must 
cover the terribly weakened /^ a1-h8. White has enough time to prepare a 
>> attack and dismember Black's compromised posirtion.'} 26.h3 Kh7 
    ( 26...Bxc6 {Stohl} 27.dxc6 Qc7 
        ( 27...Qe6 28.c7 +- )
    28.g4! +- {->} )
27.Bf3 Rf7 28.Kg2 Qc8 29.g4?! {I saw that my opponent was very short of 
time and I played this move without checking the capture on g4 properly. 
After a long analyse it becomes clear that White doesn't have a straight 
attack and has to be very resourceful to continue the fight.} 
    ( 29.Rh1!? {preparing g4.} 29...a6 30.b6! 
        ( 30.g4!? )
    )
29...a6? {Too slow. Despite I can't say that Black is winning after the 
capture on g4 he should play it.} 
    ( {Here are the examplary variations.} 29...fxg4 30.hxg4 Nxg4 
        ( 30...hxg4? 31.Be4! 
            ( 31.Rh1+ {Stohl} 31...Kg7 32.Be4 $40 )
        31...Nxe4 $140 ?? 32.Rh1+ Kg8 33.Rh8# )
    31.Be4 
        ( 31.Rh1!? Kh6 
            ( 31...Qf5 32.Be4 Ne3+ 33.Qxe3 Qg4+ 
                ( 33...Re8? 34.Bxf5 Rxe3 35.Rxh5+ Kg8 36.Rh8# )
            34.Kf2 Rxf4+ 
                ( 34...Qxf4+? 35.Qxf4 Rxf4+ 36.Ke3 +- )
            35.Bf3 {'+-' Stohl. Stohl: '/+/-'} 35...Raf8 36.Ke1 ~ )
            ( 31...Rxf4 {Stohl} 32.Rxh5+ Nh6 33.Bc1 Qf8 34.Ne7! +- )
        32.Bc1!? {see 31.Be4} )
    31...Qg8! 
        ( 31...c4 32.Bxg6+ Kh6 33.Qe4 Nf6! 
            ( 33...Qe8 34.Qxe8 Rxe8 35.Bxf7 Rxe2+ = )
        34.Qe6 Qxe6 35.dxe6 Rc7 
            ( 35...Kxg6 36.f5+! ~= )
        36.f5 a6 37.Bxf6 axb5 38.Rg1 $132 )
    32.Rh1! Kh6! {Black has to be very careful as all White's pieces take 
    part in the attack.} 
        ( 32...Nf6? 33.Ne7! Rxe7 34.Bxf6 Rxe4 35.Qxe4 Kh6 
            ( 35...Bxd5?? 36.Rxh5# )
            ( 35...Qxd5? 36.Rxh5+! Qxh5 37.Qxb7+ )
        36.Qe7 Qxd5+ 37.Kf2 Qg2+ 38.Ke3 Qg3+ 39.Kd2 Qxf4+ 40.e3 Qb4+ 41.
        Kc1 Qc4+ 42.Kd2 Qa2+ 43.Kc1 = )
    33.Bf3! 
        ( 33.f5 gxf5 34.Bc1+ Ne3+ 35.Kh2 f4 36.Rg1 Ng4+ -+ )
        ( 33.Qf3? Qe8! 34.Bxg6 Kxg6 35.Rxh5 Rxf4! 36.Qxf4 Kxh5 37.Qf5+ Kh4
        -+ )
    33...Qc8!? 
        ( 33...Rxf4? 34.Bc1 g5 35.Ne7! Qf7 36.Bxf4 Qxe7 
            ( 36...gxf4 37.Bxg4 +- )
            ( 36...Qxf4 37.Qg6# )
        37.Bxg4 Kg7 38.Rxh5 +- )
        ( 33...Nf6 34.e4! $36 g5 $140 ?? 35.Bxf6! gxf4+ 36.Kf1 Rxf6 37.
        Rxh5+ Kg7 38.Rg5+ Rg6 39.Rxg6+ Kxg6 40.Ne7+ +- )
        ( 33...Bc8 34.Bc1 $36 )
    34.Bc1! Kg7 
        ( 34...Nf6 35.f5+ Kg7 36.fxg6 Rf8 37.Qe3 $40 )
    35.Bb2+ 
        ( 35.e4!? $40 )
    35...Kh6 
        ( 35...Nf6 36.e4 $40 )
    36.Bc1 = )
30.gxh5 Nxh5? {After this careless move White wins by force.} 
    ( 30...gxh5 {was necessary.} 31.b6!? $40 
        ( 31.Kh2 axb5 32.Rg1 )
    )
31.Bxh5 gxh5 32.Qf3 +- Kh6 
    ( 32...Qg8+ 33.Kh2 Qg6 34.Rg1 Qh6 35.Rg5 +- )
33.Kh2?! {Probably White is still winning, but 33.Kf2 was much stronger.} 
    ( {After} 33.Kf2! {the e2-pawn is defended and Black has no 
    counterplay along the e-file.} 33...Qe8 34.Rg1 Rc7 
        ( 34...Bxc6 35.dxc6! +- )
    35.Qg3 Qf7 36.Qg5+ Kh7 37.Bf6! 
        ( 37.b6!? )
    37...Rg8 
        ( 37...Bc8 38.Nd8! Qe8 39.Bg7! )
    )
33...axb5? {Now the limit of mistake is exhausted and White wins.} 
    ( 33...Rf8? 34.Rg1 Rg8 35.Rg5! Qe8 
        ( 35...Rxg5 36.fxg5+ Kxg5 
            ( 36...Kg6 37.Ne7+ )
        37.Qg3+ )
    36.Ne7! Rf8 37.Qg3! Qxe7 38.Rg6+ Kh7 39.Rg7+ )
    ( 33...Qe8! {[]} 34.Rg1 Bxc6! 
        ( 34...Rc7 35.Qg3 Qf7 36.Qg5+ Kh7 37.Bf6! Bc8 38.b6! Rb7 39.Nd8 
        Qe8 40.Nxb7 )
    35.dxc6 
        ( 35.Qg2 Qg8 36.Qxg8 Rxg8 37.Rxg8 Bxb5 =+ )
    35...Re7 {That's why 33.Kf2 was better.} 36.Rg2! axb5 
        ( 36...Re3 37.Qf2!! axb5 38.Qh4 Qf7 39.Qg5+ Kh7 40.Bf6! )
    37.Qg3 Kh7 38.Qg5 Raa7 
        ( 38...Qf7 39.Bf6! )
    39.Qxf5+ Kh6 40.e4! $40 )
34.Rg1 {Black is defenceless.} 34...Qg8?! 
    ( 34...Rc7 $8 35.Qg3 $140 Qg8 36.Qxg8 Rxg8 37.Rxg8 Bxc6 38.dxc6 Rxc6 {
    was the very last chance.} )
35.Rg5! Qxg5 36.fxg5+ Kxg5 
    ( {or} 36...Kg6 37.Qf4 )
37.Qg3+ Kh6 38.Qxd6+ 
    ( 38.Ne7! {wins even faster.} )
38...Kh7 39.Nd8! {An interesting game with a big ammount of mistakes on 
its final stage.} 1-0

