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(17) Cummings,D - Miles,T
Can open, 2001
1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 c6 3.Bg2 d5 4.Nf3 dxc4!? This is a well known line. White often does not win back the pawn, but gets compensation in the form of either space or initiative. The whole line is complex and is not to everyone's taste. A pawn is a pawn is a pawn... 5.Qc2 This is not considered to be the very best, but is quite logical anyway. [5.Na3!?; 5.a4!?; 5.0-0!?] 5...Qd5 According to my database, black has scored very well in practice from this position. 6.Nc3 Qf5 most of the time the queen goes to h5 directly 7.e4 Qa5! this must be new. And it appears quite logical. [7...Qh5?! 8.Ne2 e5?! 9.h3! and the black queen is being hunted] 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.b3!? a pragmatic decision [9.Ne2 Nb6] 9...cxb3 10.Qxb3 e6 11.d4 Be7 12.Bd2 I don't like this. I think the way I would play this position (assuming I had to play it) is Bb2 followed by placing the two rooks on the e and d lines. I would try to play for d5 at some point. But does white have enough comp? [12.Bb2!] 12...Qd8 13.e5 Also a controversial decision. The white centre becomes blocked and the nature of white's compensation becomes very subjective. 13...Nd5 14.Ne4 0-0 15.Rac1 [15.h4!? f5 16.Neg5 N7b6 17.a4 a5 18.Rfc1; 15.Bg5!? f6 16.exf6 gxf6 17.Bh6] 15...f5!? I wouldn't play this move. It creates weaknesses that white might have a shot at later. After all, what else can white do but wait for opportunities? [15...Re8 16.Rfe1 Nf8] 16.exf6 gxf6 17.Rfe1 Rf7 18.Bh3 [18.Re2!? Nf8 19.Rce1 b6 20.Nc3 Bb7 21.h4] 18...Nf8 19.Nc5?! David loses patience. I think that it would be better to avoid this exchange until later. The dark square bishop does nothing, and the white knight might be good at exploiting the weaknesses around the king later. 19...Bxc5 20.Rxc5 Qd6 21.Rc2 a5 The difficulty for white is to get play. 22.Bh6 Nb4 23.Rce2 Qd5! a neat move, well calculated and very forceful. The ensuing simplifications favour black. 24.Bxf8 Qxb3 25.axb3 Kxf8 26.Bxe6 Bxe6 27.Rxe6 Nd5 The ending is favourable to Miles. 28.Ra1 Re7 29.Rd6?! Kf7 30.Rc1 Nc7 Now the white rook is in trouble. David has to jettison a pawn to salvage it 31.d5 Nb5! 32.Re6 Rxe6 33.dxe6+ Kxe6 34.Rc5 Rd8 35.Rh5 Rd3 36.Kg2 Rd7 [36...Rxb3 37.Rxh7 b6 38.Rb7 and white is fighting; then h4] 37.g4 b6 38.g5 fxg5 39.Nxg5+ Kd6 40.Rh6+ Kc5 41.Ne4+ [41.Rxh7 Rxh7 42.Nxh7 Nd4 And the Black pawns are much faster than white's counterparts, as the reader can easily verify] 41...Kd4 42.f3 Rc7 43.Kf2 Kd3 Miles play is very simple. There appears to be way to prevent black from gobbling up the b pawn 44.Ng5 Kc3 45.Ne6 Rd7 46.f4 Kxb3 47.f5 a4 0-1
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