SISILIA MODERN?

(1) Bok,Benjamin (2322) - Li Chao2 (2604) [B56]
Corus C Wijk aan Zee (1), 16.01.2010
[Reeh,Oliver]



1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bd7 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.f3 Be7 9.0-0-0 b5 10.Be3 h5 11.Bd3 g6 12.a3 Qc7 13.Bg5 Qb6 14.Be2 b4 Initiating an amusing sequence pivoting on the square b4.

15.axb4 Qxb4 16.Na2 Attacking the queen.

16...Qb6 17.Qb4?! Attacking it again.

17...Nd5! C) And here we are - this discovered attack against the unprotected Bg5 forces White's queen to retreat.

18.Qd2 B) [18.Qxb6? Bxg5+ 19.Kb1 Nxb6 loses a piece; and 18.exd5 Bxg5+ is certainly not to White's liking either.]

18...Nb4! A) Once again exploiting the unstable position of the white Bg5 - the knight moves onto a twice protected square!

19.Nxb4 [A roughly balanced position would arise 19.Bxe7 Nxa2+ 20.Kb1 Kxe7 21.Kxa2 Nc6 , since the attempt 22.Nf5+? gxf5 23.Qxd6+ Kf6 24.Qxd7 fails to 24...Rhd8 losing the queen.]

19...Qa5! The point - threatening mate on a1, Black wins the white bishop g5. [Instead, 19...Bxg5?! 20.Qxg5 Qxb4 21.Rd2 followed by 22.Rhd1 would be rather unpleasant for Black.]

20.Kb1 Qxg5 21.f4 Qc5 with a balanced position, in which the Elo favourite finally prevailed.

22.f5 a5 23.Na2 a4 24.fxe6 fxe6 25.Nc3 [25.Qc3! ]

25...a3 26.b3 a2+ 27.Ka1 Bf6 28.Rhf1 Be5 29.Bc4 [Better defensive chances were offered by 29.Nxa2 Nc6 30.c3 ]

29...Nc6 30.Nce2 Na5 [30...d5! was also very strong.]

31.c3 Nxc4 32.bxc4 Qxc4 33.Nf3 Qxe2 34.Qxe2 Bxc3+ 35.Qb2 Bxb2+ 36.Kxb2 Ke7 37.e5 d5 38.Nh4 Rhb8+ 39.Ka1 g5 40.Ng6+ Kd8 41.Rf8+ Be8 42.Rf6 Ba4 43.Rf8+ Kd7 44.Rf7+ Kc6 45.Rc1+ Kb5 46.Rfc7 Kb4 47.Ne7 Ra6 48.Kxa2 Bb5+ 49.Kb2 Rba8 50.Nc6+ Bxc6 51.R1xc6 Rxc6 52.Rxc6 Rf8 53.Rxe6 Rf2+ 54.Kc1 Rxg2 55.Rg6 Kc3 56.Kd1 d4 57.Ke1 d3 58.Rc6+ Kd4 59.Kf1 Rxh2 60.e6 Re2 61.Rd6+ Kc3 62.Rc6+ Kd2 63.Ra6 Re5 64.Ra2+ Ke3 65.Ke1 Kf3+ 0-1