1.e4
c5
2.Sf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Sxd4
Sf6
5.Sc3
g6
The Sicilian Dragon. In the "old" days a feared weapon amongst white players, nowadays it's black who struggles theoretically
6.Le3
Lg7
7.f3
0-0
8.Dd2
Sc6
9.0-0-0
deviating from the main line which is 9.Bc4
9...d5
10.exd5
Sxd5
11.Sxc6
bxc6
12.Ld4
e5?!
Perhaps a little harsh to call this move doubtful. After all, it is the main move in this line. But, I'm convinced that 12...Bxd4 is clearly the safer option for black. However, for a dragon player it's not always easy to give up the fragon bishop!
13.Lc5
Le6
14.Se4
The white pieces go to nice central squares and, for now, we see little of the classical dangerous dragon attack against the white king
14...Te8
15.h4
Sf4
[alternatively, 15...h6
planning to meet h4 with g5 to close the kingside 16.h5
g5
]
16.De1
[16.g3
the alternative line 16...Dxd2+
17.Txd2
Sh5
18.g4
Sf4
19.h5
has been played many times in correspondence, and with good results for white. But I was not too happy to trade off queens at this point]
16...Ld5
17.h5
[tempting to play 17.c4
but black has a ressource 17...Dc7!
now white cannot take the bishop because black the has a double attack on white's bishop and knight on the next move 18.cxd5
cxd5
]
17...f5
[17...Sxh5?
18.c4!
now the bishop on d5 is lost - no Qc7 trick available for black now]
18.hxg6
it's evident by now that the game is being played completely on white's premises. Objectively, the advantage may not be that big, but black really struggles to establish counterplay
18...hxg6
19.Sd6
Te6
[clearly, the alternative was 19...Dg5
20.Kb1
Ted8
The rook is better placed on d8 than on e6]
20.g3
Txd6?!
[I was expecting 20...Sh5
21.Sxf5
Dg5+!
22.Se3
Tb8
after which black starts creating some counterplay. The position is very complex and difficult to evaluate]
21.gxf4
Td7
22.fxe5
Lxf3
with this move, black apparaently wins back the pawn immediately AND wins an exchange,but...
23.Lc4+!
showcases the vulnerability of the black king
23...Ld5
this position had been reached a couple of times OTB and in correspondence when I played the game. They all continued with 24.Bxd5. So my next move was a novelty
24.e6!N
Tb7
forced move, and comes with a nice threat on b2. So obviously my move 24.e6 was backed up by computer analysis, because now comes the crazy looking
25.e7!
[25.Lb3?
Df6=
]
25...Lxb2+
26.Kb1
Lf6+
27.Lb3
De8
time to evaluate. Black has an extra pawn. As compensation white has the more active rooks and, most importantly, the more active queen. King safety is a problem for both sides
28.Dg3
Kg7
[28...Lxe7??
29.Dc3!
]
29.Th3
Txe7
[again, black cannot leave the long diagonal 29...Lxe7
30.Ld4+
Lf6
31.Dh4!
]
30.Lxe7
Dxe7
31.Tg1
De8
32.Th5
threatening Rxf5
32...Td8
33.Txf5
white has only R for B+P and now the bishop helps defending g6
33...Le4
only problem for black is that the bishop is soon pinned to the queen after
34.Txf6!
Kxf6
35.Df4+
Kg7
36.Te1
Lxc2+
37.Kxc2
Dxe1
38.Dc7+
Kh6
39.Dxd8
after a series of forced moves it has boiled down to this endgame which is easily won if white can get the queens off the board. In fact, black cannot really avoid a queen exchange
39...Kh5
40.Dd1+
the game is resignable for black, but he did play on for a few moves
40...Dxd1+
41.Kxd1
Kg4
42.Ke2
Kf4
43.Kd3
g5
44.Kd4
g4
45.La4
I can always give my bishop for his g-pawn and his king qill be too far away to lock me up in the a file when I take his a-pawn 1-0