|
(11) ODonnell,T - Christiansen,L
can op, 2001
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3 h5!? Afterwards Christiansen was extolling the virtues of this old line. 7.d3 Qf6 8.Nbd2 Ne7! 9.Re1 It is always too dangerous to take the Bishop. 9...Ng6 10.d4 Nf4 11.c3 This natural move is actually a theoretical novelty. Other moves have been played, but with less than successful results. [11.Kf1!?; 11.dxe5 Qg6!? 12.Nh4 Bxd1 13.Nxg6 Nxg6 14.Rxd1 0-0-0 15.Re1 Nxe5 16.Nf3 Nxf3+ 17.gxf3 Bb4 As in some Shirov-Topalov game.; 11.hxg4 hxg4 12.Nh2 (12.g3!? most popular here) 12...Nxg2÷] 11...Be7!? [11...Rd8!?] 12.Re3 exd4 13.cxd4 Qg6?! [13...Rd8!? Christiansen was later saying that this line is almost winning for Black. I leave it to the readers to make up their own mind. In anycase, Black is definitely worse in the game continuation.] 14.hxg4 Now Tom has no choice but to take the Bishop. The position becomes razor sharp, but Tom proves himself up to the challenge. 14...hxg4 15.Nh2 Rxh2 what else? [15...Qh5 16.Ndf1 g3 17.Qxh5 gxh2+ 18.Qxh2] 16.Kxh2 0-0-0 bringing up the flank 17.Rg3! Rh8+ 18.Kg1 f5 At all costs Black must avoid the exchange of queens [18...Qh6 19.Qxg4+ Kb8 20.Rh3!] 19.Nf1 [19.exf5?? Qh6] 19...Qh6 20.f3 Bh4 21.Bxf4 Qxf4 22.Qe1 Cool headed. 22...g5 23.fxg4 fxg4 24.Qe3 Bxg3 25.Qxg3 Qxe4 So the smoke has cleared and Tom has an extra piece. That he fails to win can be explained by three things: 1.lack of time; 2.A resourceful opponent; 3.bad luck 26.Rd1 Kb8 27.Nh2 Rh4 28.Qe5 Qc2 29.Rf1 Qxb2 30.Qc5 b6 31.Qe5 Qxa2 32.Qxg5 Rh8 33.Nxg4 Rg8 34.Qf4 a5 35.Qe4 Kb7 36.Ne5 Qe6 37.Rc1 Qd5 38.Qxd5 cxd5 It is not clear that white can win anymore. The qeen side pawns are very dangerous 39.Kf2 a4 40.g4 b5 41.Ke3 Kb6! 42.Kd3 a3 43.Kc3 c5! 44.Nd7+ Ka5 45.Nxc5 b4+ 46.Kb3 Rxg4 47.Nb7+ [47.Ne6 Rg3+ 48.Ka2 Ka4] 47...Kb6 48.Kxb4 Rxd4+ 49.Kxa3 Kxb7 50.Kb3 Kb6 51.Rc8 The ending is a dead draw. What to say of the game other than the spectators got their money's worth! 1/2-1/2
|
