So, the first round of the European Club Cup and, as top board for a side seeded just under half way, I was expecting a tough pairing. And I wasn't disappointed - my opponent was one of over 20 players rated over 2700 and had just jointly won the Russian championships. I knew I was in trouble when one of the first games I saw on my database was a win with black against Kramnik! So, time to try out a new opening...
1.d4
Nf6
2.Nf3
e6
3.c4
b6
4.a3
This is a line popularised by Kasparov. White is happy to spend a tempo getting th knight to c3 securely. The fight is over e4 and d5.
4...Ba6
5.Qc2
Bb7
This looks like a loss of time, but distracting the queen means that black's c5 can't be met with d5.
6.Nc3
c5
7.dxc5
bxc5
8.Bf4
A fairly rare line, but I was still in my morning's preparation. I'd just decided that it looked OK and I would have a decent fight. The next few moves confirm that - it's pretty even, maybe white is a tiny bit better.
8...d6
9.Rd1
Qb6
10.e3
Be7
11.Be2
0-0
12.0-0
Rd8
13.Rd2
Nbd7
14.Rfd1
Nf8
15.h3
h6
16.e4
This allows black to change the character of the game, so it might have been better to continue making sensible moves and see what black is going to do.
16...e5
17.Be3
Ne6
18.Nd5
Nxd5
19.exd5
Nd4
20.Bxd4
cxd4
So, the pawn structure has changed and although there aren't immediate tactics it's quite a strategically complex position. Both sides have to be wary of advancing their pawns too quickly. I thought I had chances of a king side attack and over the next few moves, white seems to have a slight initiative.
21.Qe4
Prbably a good move but I spent a lot of time calculating lines after g6. I looked at Nxd4 Bg5 Ne6! with a draw after fxg6 h4!. Likewise, I am planning to meet g6 and f5 with a piece sacrifice.
21...Qc7
22.Bd3
g6
23.Qg4
Kg7
24.Qg3
a5
A very good move although at the time I wasn't sure he had time for such luxuries on th queenside. Black plays to fix the queenside pawns reckoning he can hold off my kingside play and get his own play on the queenside.
25.h4
Bf6
26.Re1
Bc8
27.h5
g5
28.Rc2
Having fixed the black kingside and doomed his f6 bishop to be bad, I spent a lot of time looking at moves like Nh4. But, the calm Rc2 is better and it may be that white should be planning to use d2 for the knight. White is still a bit better according to fritz and I thought so at the time - though was starting to get low on time.
28...Rb8
29.Rec1
Bd7
30.c5
Very commital, but consistent with my previous moves. The weakening of the d-pawn is a big drawback, but it's still fairly level.
30...Ba4
31.cxd6
Rd2 is possible instead when dc is met by the pretty Nxd4.
31...Qxd6
32.Nh4
Bd7
33.Rc5
A serious mistake following from the careless Nh4 but with time running low, I completely underestimated my opponent's next move.
33...Rb3
34.Rxa5
White is losing but I saw the chance for a huge swindle.
34...Kf8
35.Qf3
gxh4
36.Ra6
Qxa6
37.Rc6
Played instantly for effect. I'm not sure he'd seen it, but it is, sadly, completely unsound.
37...Qxd3
38.Qxf6
With virtually no time left, I saw that Bxc6 dxc6 threatens both the R on d8 and a perpetual with Qh8 - but there are lots of wins for black.
38...Qb1+
[38...Bxc6
39.dxc6
]
39.Kh2
Qf5
40.Qxd8+
Kg7
41.Rc7
Qf4+
0-1