Grischuk, Alexander (2671) - Khalifman, Alexander (2688)
Corus (Wijk aan Zee), 01/26/2002

Round 12 [Ftacnik]


1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be2 a6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Be3 Be7 9.f4 d6 10.Kh1 O-O 11.a4 Re8 12.Bf3 Bf8 13.g4 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 e5 15.Bg1 exf4 16.g5 Nd7 17.Nd5 Qd8 18.Bg2 Re5 19.Qd2 The positional compensation for the pawn is quite obvious, Khalifam will struggle just to finish the piece development.
19...Rxg5
[19...Qxg5 20.Nc7 Rb8 21.Ba7+ / =]
20.Qxf4 f6 21.Ra3! Ne5
[21...Nc5 22.b4 Rg4 23.Qe3 Ne6 24.Qe2 Rg6 25.Be3Initiative]
22.Bb6 Qd7 23.Rg3 Rg6
[23...Rxg3 24.Qxg3 Kh8 25.Qc3 Nc6 26.b4+ / =]
[23...Rg4 24.Rxg4 Nxg4 25.Qg3+ / =]
24.Rc3 Qg4
[24...Qxa4? 25.Nc7 Rb8 26.Ba7 Nc6 27.Bxb8 Nxb8 28.Nxa6+ / -]
[24...Nc6 25.a5Initiative]
25.Qd2 Bd7 26.Nf4 Bc6? The exchange sacrifice is seemingly building a very compact position, but black was certainly not forced to make it.
[26...Rh6 27.Qd5+ Kh8 28.Qxb7 Rc8 29.Rxc8 Bxc8 30.Qb8+ / =]
27.Rg3 Qd7
[27...Qh4 28.Nxg6 Nxg6 29.Bf2+ / -]
28.Nxg6 hxg6
[28...Nxg6 29.b3+ / =]
29.b3 Re8
[29...g5 30.c4 Re8 31.Bd4 Qe6
(31...Ng6 32.Bxf6 gxf6 33.Rxf6+ -)
32.a5+ / =]
30.h4! Qf7 31.Bd4 Nd7 32.Qf4 Nc5
[32...d5 33.exd5 Bxd5 34.c4 Bxg2+ 35.Rxg2+ / -]
33.Bxc5 dxc5 34.e5! Black's unpenetrable castle will fall apart due to the spirited attack.
34...Re6
[34...Bxg2+ 35.Rxg2 Rxe5
(35...Re6 36.h5! Rxe5 37.Qxe5 fxe5 38.Rxf7 Kxf7 39.Rxg6+ -)
36.Qxe5 fxe5 37.Rxf7 Kxf7 38.Rf2+ Ke8 39.Rd2+ / -]
35.Bxc6 Rxc6 36.c4
[36.Qe4 f5! 37.Rgf3 Qe6+ / =]
36...Re6
[36...f5 37.h5 gxh5 38.Qxf5+ / -]
37.Rgf3 f5 38.h5 Be7
[38...gxh5 39.Qxf5 Qxf5 40.Rxf5 Be7 41.Rxh5 g6 42.Rg1+ -]
39.hxg6 Qxg6 40.Qxf5 Qxf5 41.Rxf5 g6 42.Rg1 Kh7 43.Rf7+ Kg8 44.Rf3

1-0

PGN...

Created with PGNtoJS