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(19) Miles,T - ODonnel,T [D02]
Can open, 2001
[Aida]
This is a good example of Miles' style. Practical, technical to the extreme, and possessing an unlimited supply of 'sitzflesch'...a very, very difficult opponent to meet on a day when one is less than in excellent shape. 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 This seems to be Miles' latest improvement over his old flame Bg5. 2...Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Nd2 c5 5.Ngf3 Nc6 6.c3 Bd6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Bd3 b6 9.0-0 Bb7 10.Qe2 Bd6 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.e4 dxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 0-0-0 Tom has emerged from the opening with a fully acceptable position. 15.Rad1 h6!? Not so bad, but I would prefer to keep my bishop. [15...Qc7!?] 16.Ba6 Now maybe Miles is a little pleased: black's king will be a little bit of a problem later 16...Qc7 [16...Qxd1?? 17.Qxc6+] 17.Bxb7+ Qxb7 18.Ne5! The exclamation mark is for Miles' practical decision making skills: other moves are completely boring. 18...Nxe5 19.Qxe5 In the heavy piece ending that has appeared, black must play accurately. His King side pawn structure is not very easy to defend. On top of this, Miles will try to get the d line. 19...g6 Diagram
20.Rd4! Qc7 [20...Rxd4 21.Qxh8+ Rd8 22.Qxh6 and for what it is worth, white has an extra pawn.; 20...h5? 21.Rc4+] 21.Qf6 Rhe8 [21...Rxd4 22.Qxh8+ Rd8 23.Qxh6] 22.Rfd1 Rxd4 23.Rxd4 Rd8! Tom defends very accurately 24.h4 Rxd4 25.Qxd4 h5 26.Kf1 Objectively this position is a draw. However, it is not a dead draw. I recall that Keres managed to win a couple of such endings. So did Spassky and Petrosian. White is a little better positioned. But can he make progress? [26.g3!?] 26...Qd7!? forcing the issue. Tom had to be sure that the pawn ending is holdable. [26...Qc6!?] 27.Qxd7+ Kxd7 28.Ke2 Kd6 29.Ke3 Kd5 30.b3 b5 31.Kd3 f6 32.Ke3 I am certain that most other grandmasters would simply offer a draw here. However, white risks nothing playing on. 32...a5 33.Kd3 e5 34.Ke3 f5 35.Kd3 Diagram So Tom should now offer a draw. Instead, he gets a little bit ambitious... 35...b4?! 36.Kc2!? Miles is tempting his opponent. That he actually succeeds in winning this game is extraordinary. [36.c4+ Kc5 37.Ke3 is a dead draw ofcourse.] 36...Ke4?! What did Tom expect from this? [36...bxc3 37.Kxc3 Kc5 38.a3 e4 39.g3 Kb5 40.b4 axb4+ 41.axb4 and black appears to be close to losing...] 37.cxb4 axb4 38.a4! never missing a chance! 38...bxa3 39.b4! Kd4 40.Kb3 e4 41.g3 f4!? probably as good as any at this point. [41...Kd3 42.b5 Ke2 43.b6 Kxf2 44.b7 e3 45.b8Q e2 46.Qf4+ Kg2 47.Qe3 Kf1 48.Qf3+ Ke1 49.Kc2] 42.gxf4 Kd3 43.b5 Ke2 44.b6 Kxf2 45.b7 e3 46.b8Q e2 47.Qb6+ Kf1 48.Qb5 Kf2 49.Qc5+ Kf1 50.Qc4 Kf2 51.Qd4+ Kf1 52.Qd3 Kf2 53.Qd2 [53.Qd2 Kf1 54.f5 gxf5 55.Qf4+ Kg2 56.Qe3 Kf1 57.Qf3+ Ke1 58.Kc2 a2 59.Qg2 a1N+ 60.Kd3] 1-0
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