1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 O-O 7.O-O b6 8.b3 Bb7 9.Bb2 c5 10.Qe2 a6 (10...Bd6 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Ba6 Bc6 is the book continuation ) 11.Rac1 dxc4 From now I started worrying about losing control of the d5 square  12.bxc4 Qc7 13.Ng5 h6 14.Nge4 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Nf6 Not the best, I move it back next go  16.f3 Nd7 ( I was concerned about 16...Rad8 17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 18.dxc5? Bxb2 19.cxb6 Qxb6? (19...Qe5! ) 20.Rb1 but black does not have to take on b6 ) 17.Bb1 f5 An ugly move, weakening several squares around the king, but I felt I had to remove that knight  18.Nc3 Bf6 19.Rfd1 Rfe8 20.Qd3 moving the queen away from the same file as the rook and hoping to set up some threats along the diagonal to the king, but d5 may have been better  20...Rad8 21.Ne2

understandable, but Alan had not seen my next move.  21...Bxf3! I thought a long time about this. In the end I just did it because it is the "principled" move, as they say. It has the advantage of making white have to think.  22.gxf3 Ne5 23.dxe5 ( White understandably chooses not to go for 23.Qc2 Nxf3+ 24.Kf2 Qxh2+ 25.Kxf3 g5 when he is in a lot of trouble, e.g.   26.Rg1 g4+ 27.Rxg4+ fxg4+ 28.Ke4 Qh5 29.Kd3 cxd4 30.exd4 Qh3+ 31.Kd2 Bg5+ +- etc ) 23...Rxd3 24.Rxd3 Bxe5 25.Bxe5 Qxe5

So after the dust has settled, material is theoretically even, but I like my position because of my nicely placed queen, the lack of coordination of white's pieces, and the slightly exposed position of his king.  26.Rcd1 g5 (26...b5 to improve the safety of the queenside pawns is also a good plan ) 27.Ng3?! (27.a4! puts up a decent fight ) 27...Kf7 28.Kf2 Re7 ( A bit of a waste of time -  28...b5 is better ) ( or  28...h5 ) 29.R3d2 h5 30.Bd3 (30.h4! ) 30...h4 now white is getting squashed  31.Nf1 Rd7 32.Be2 Rxd2 I was very happy not to be facing 2 rooks working together.  33.Rxd2 Ke7 White sort of seems to give up at this point, shuffling his rook around and not achieving anything, rather than trying to activate his pieces.  34.Rd1 Qb2 35.Rd2 Qb4 36.Rd1 Qa5 37.Rd2 b5 finally!  38.cxb5 axb5 39.Rb2 c4 the correct pawn advance  40.Bd1 b4 41.Rc2 white is in serious trouble now  41...b3 42.axb3 cxb3 43.Re2 (43.Rb2 Qa2! ) 43...Qc3 44.Nd2 b2 45.Nb1 Qc1 46.Bc2 And now there is new target to attack  46...Qh1 47.Bd3 Qxh2+ 48.Ke1? Mate in 2, but white was lost anyway (48.Kf1 Qh1+ 49.Kf2 g4 50.fxg4 fxg4 ) 48...Qg1+ 49.Kd2 Qc1# 0-1

1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 dxc4 4.Qa4+ Of course, Black has no problems in this opening, but I figured that Brian would be just the sort of player to take the pawn and hold on to it for dear life, so I decided to get it back straight away.   4...Bd7 5.Qxc4 Bc6 6.Nf3 Nd7 7.d3 Bd6 8.Nc3 White should just castle or move the Queen here.   8...Ne5 9.Qb3 A gutless move, the result of closed thinking. White should go in for 9. Nxe5 Bxg2 10.Rg1 Bd5 11.Qa4+ c6 12.Nc4 where White is at least fighting. The text just hands the advantage to Black.   9...Ne7 10.O-O Nxf3+ 11.exf3 Here taking on f3 with the Bishop limited some damage, but I wanted my g2 Bishop...perhaps too much?   11...O-O 12.Ne4 Nf5

Of course. d4 is a gaping hole. The software says that Be3 is not bad, but all I could see after that were a lot of weak pawns.   13.Qc3 Be7 14.Bf4 Nd4 Obviously Black has the advantage here and this move is tempting, but I was expecting Qd5 followed by a Rook on d8, followed some time afterwards by shaking Brian's hand after a slow death!  15.Rfe1 Bf6 Another move that is tempting but I thought a little 'fishy.' Again, something like Qd7 may be better.   16.Qd2 Rc8 Wow, I didn't expect that. Obviously there were some tactics around Nxf6 and then taking the c7 pawn, but in the meantime Black takes on f3 and starts to look at my King. Finally I felt I could take a breath.   17.Rac1 e5 Yep, he's really worried about that, but the software says White is ok now.   18.Be3 Be7 19.Bxd4 Oh dear. Having shown a bit of fight, I now again make a move that results from negative thinking. 19.f4, 19.Qc3 or even 19.Qa5 were possible, but all I could think was that that knight had to go.   19...exd4 Surely he had to take with the Queen. For the first real time in the game, I thought I had a chance to battle.   20.Nc5 There may be better moves, but this knight becomes rather annoying.   20...Re8 21.Nb3 h6 22.Na5 Bd5 23.Nc4 Bf6 I was expecting 23...b5.   24.b3 Qd7 25.Qd1

I'm quite proud of finding this move, which is an attempt to get to f1 and maybe on a good day get some light-squared play after a bishop exchange.   25...Rxe1+ 26.Qxe1 Re8 27.Qf1 Be7 Again, 27...b5 is the move here. When Brian played this I sensed that the worst was behind me. The clocks of both players became a significant factor.   28.f4 Bd8 Well, I've been given my chance, and with less than 3 minutes on my clock I take it.   29.Ne5 Qd6 30.Bxd5 Qxd5 31.Nc4 c6 32.Re1 Rxe1 33.Qxe1 Bf6 The third time in the game that Black has played this move, and this time it presented White with his one clear-cut chance in the game. After 34.Qxe8+ Kh7 35.Qe4+! White is actually better, as his King covers the d pawn and his knight is very good. But...but....short of time, I saw a path to a draw...and took it.   34.Qe8+ Kh7 35.Ne5 Bxe5 36.fxe5 c5 37.f4 h5 38.Qe7 a5 39.Qg5 Qf3 40.Qf5+ Kg8 41.Qc8+ Kh7 42.Qf5+ Kg8 43.Qc8+ Kh7 1/2-1/2

1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 c5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.e5 Ng4 8.e6 Bxb5 9.exf7+ Kd7 10.Nxb5 Qa5+ 11.Nc3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Qxd4 Nc6 14.Qc4 Qb6 15.Qe2 h5 16.h3 Nh6

17.Be3! Bill: This looks like some brilliant home-prep by Ian, Bd2 is invariably played here, both in master practice and by Welly club members trying to take Anthony down in this hackneyed line that he willingly plays. The point is that the comp loves both bishop moves, but Anthony has heaps of experience dealing with only one of them   17...Qxb2 18.Kd2 Nb4?? 19.Qb5+ Ke6 20.Rhc1 Rhc8 21.Bd4 Nf5 8 points up :(  22.Rab1? (22.f8=Q! Rxf8 23.Rab1 Nxd4 (23...Qa3 24.Rxb4 ) 24.Qc4+ ) 22...Nxd4 23.Qxb4 Qxb4 24.Rxb4 Nc6 25.Rxb7 Kxf7 26.Ne4 Kf8 27.Rf1 Na5 28.Rb4 Nc4+ 29.Kd3 d5 30.Ng5 Rc6 31.f5 Rac8 32.Ne6+ Kg8 33.Nd4 Rf6 34.Rb7? e5 35.Nb3? ( After the game Russell and Nic took great pleasure in pointing out  35.fxg6! Rxf1 36.Ne6 which is a forced draw in every variation! I have to admit it's pretty nifty! ) 35...gxf5 36.Rxa7 f4 37.Na5 Ne3 38.Rf2 Nf5 39.c4 e4+ 40.Kc2 Ne3+ white resigns 0-1

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nh3 Nf6 8.Bc4 e6 9.Nf4 Bh7 10.O-O Bd6 11.Ngh5 O-O 12.Re1 Nxh5 13.Nxh5 Qxh4 14.g3 Qe7

This has all been played before, and White has scored well from here in a small number of games that all started with 15.Qg4  15.Kg2 This is a novelty but interestingly the computer prefers it to Qg4, although only after thinking for quite a while. It this all part of Scott's preparation? It's a definite possibility!  15...Bg6 16.Qg4 Nd7 17.Bxh6! Fireworks begin  17...gxh6 18.Rxe6! An essential link in the chain  18...fxe6 19.Qxg6+ Kh8 20.Qxh6+ Qh7 21.Qe3?  (21.Qxe6! Rae8 22.Qxd6 Qxh5 23.Qxd7 Qf3+ and a perpetual is a computer line ) 21...Nb6!? (21...Qxh5 22.Rh1 and now the Queen on e3 prevents Rxf2+ (presumably the idea of Qe3) but  22...Qxh1+ 23.Kxh1 Rf6 and Black is doing well ) 22.Bd3 Nd5

23.Qd2? Allowing a winning combo (23.Qe2 Qh6 24.Rh1 Bxg3! is good for Black too ) (23.Qxe6! Looks crazy but is best apparently ) 23...Qxh5 24.Rh1 Nf4+!! The star move  25.Kg1 Nh3+ 26.Kf1 Bxg3 27.Bg6 Qh4 Completing an impressively absolute defence to attack turnaround 0-1

1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 How to explain this move? Well, I had spent the previous weekend celebrating my 50th birthday, and on the day of this game I got a present from family in Denmark, namely a Doctor Who chess set! Maybe this was on my mind as I play an opening named after chess's great Dane, Bent Larsen.   2...c5 3.e3 3.Bb2 was played in the famous 6th game of the Petrosian-Fischer Candidates Final 1971. Fischer, as Black, won this game through sheer will power. I play the move recommended by commentators on that game. [Ed: Ewen Green explained to me how I had repeating one of the classic opening mistakes in the postmortem to Forster-Green NZ Champs 2013 - I had played 3.Bb2, and Ewen followed Fischer with 3...f6! after which White cannot contest square e5. 3.e3 is a much better move for that reason]   3...Nc6 4.Bb2 Bg4 Now I had a bit of a think. I could play 4.Be2 and go in to a slow, hedgehog type of game. But instead I made the more ambitious decision to treat this opening like a reversed Nimzo-Indian.   5.Bb5 a6 6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.h3 Bh5 8.g4 Bg6 9.d3 9.Nh4 ans 9.h4 were possible, but with Black still needing to make important decsions about development, I felt I could take some time for mine.   9...f6 10.Nbd2 e5 11.Nh4 Bf7 12.Qf3 Nh6 The software thinks this move is good, but it's an unhappy place for the knight.   13.c4 The aforementined software doesn't like this and now thinks Black is slightly better, but I was still following my reversed Nimzo strategy, as well as wanting to force a decision in the centre.   13...Bd6 14.e4 d4 This can't be good. I was expecting Black to either castle or play ...Bc7. Now White has a clear way ahead...as for Black's Bishops...   15.Nf5 Nxf5 16.exf5 Kd7 I understood this move, as Black doesn't want to defend c6 with a major piece. The software thinks Black should just castle and sacrifice the pawn. Either way, I was really starting to like my position.   17.Ne4

At some point later in the game, I remembered the ending of the famous Humphrey Bogart film, The Maltese Falcon. Someone asks Bogey what the statue is. He famously replies 'the stuff that dreams are made of.' I thought that about this Knight, which comes to dominate the position.  17...Qa5+ This move is ineffectual. Black really had to create some play with plans around either ...a5 or ...g6.   18.Ke2 Be7 19.h4 h6 20.Bc1 Qd8 I could sense that Yogesh wasn't happy. White is on top now and Black cannot initiate anything. White is threatening g5 but I don't have to hurry this, but can just improve my position.   21.Bd2 Here I was expecting ...a5.   21...g5 But instead Black makes a bad mistake after which he is lost.   22.hxg5 hxg5 23.Rxh8 Qxh8 24.Rh1 Qg7 25.Qh3 I did consider playing 25.Bxg5 here, but I felt the move played was good as well, and there was no need to change the character of the position.   25...Rf8 26.Qh6 Qxh6 27.Rxh6 Be8 28.Ba5 Of course, White is going to win material here, but just look at that Knight...even Petrosian or Nimzowitch might be proud of it.  28...Rf7 29.Bb6

29...Bf8 This might be considered a mistake, but the c5 and f6 pawns are dropping no matter what Black does.   30.Rxf6 Rxf6 31.Nxf6+ Ke7 32.Ne4 Bh6 33.Bxc5+ Kd8 34.f6 34.Bd6 was a little better, but it makes no difference.   34...Bg6 35.Be7+ Ke8 36.Kf3 Here Yogesh resigned. How fitting that White offers his Maltese Falcon, but like in the film, the price would be too high.  1-0

1.d4 c5 2.e3 g6 3.c3 b6 4.Qf3 Nc6 5.h4 Nf6 6.Bb5 Bb7 7.Qh3 Bg7 8.Nf3 h5 9.Nbd2 Qc7 10.O-O O-O 11.Re1 Ng4 12.Nf1 d6 13.Ng5 e5 14.d5 Ne7 15.f3 Nf6 16.e4 Nh7 17.Bd3 Bc8 18.Qg3 Bd7 19.a4 Kh8 20.Kh2 Qc8 21.Be3 f6 22.Nxh7 Kxh7 23.Nd2 Qc7 24.Rec1 Bh6 25.Bxh6 Kxh6 26.Nc4 a6 27.a5 b5 28.Nb6 Rad8 29.f4 Bg4 30.b4 c4 31.Bc2 Rf7 32.Bd1 Bxd1 33.Rxd1 Rg8 34.Rf1 Nc8 35.fxe5 fxe5 36.Qg5+ Kh7 37.Nxc8 Rxc8 38.Rf6 Rxf6 39.Qxf6 Qd8 (39...Rg8 40.Rf1 Rg7 41.Kg3 Qd7 42.Qe6 !  42...Qxe6 (42...Qa7 43.Qxd6 Qe3+ 44.Kh2 Qxe4 45.Qd8 g5 46.hxg5 Qh4+ 47.Kg1 Qg3 48.Qf6 Rxg5 49.Rf2 Rg7 50.d6 Qd3 51.Qxe5 ) 43.dxe6 Re7 44.Rf8 Rxe6 45.Rf7+ Kh6 46.Ra7 d5 47.exd5 Rf6 (47...Rd6 48.Kf3 ) 48.Re7 ) 40.Rf1 Qxf6 41.Rxf6 Rd8 42.Rf7+ Kh6 43.g3

43...g5 Bill: I considered resigning hereabouts, both my king and rook are impotent and White can win both 'a' and 'd' pawns if I try to activate them. He can win the 'a' pawn even if I defend passively. So this was pure desperation  44.hxg5+?? (44.Rf6+ Kg7 45.hxg5 is an easy win for White ) (44.Ra7 [similar, but superior, to the game]  44...Rf8 45.Rxa6 Rf2+ 46.Kg1 Rf3 47.Rxd6+ Kg7 48.a6 Rxg3+ 49.Kf2 Rxc3 50.hxg5 h4 51.Rc6 ) 44...Kxg5 45.Rg7+ Kf6 46.Ra7 Kg5 47.Rxa6? (47.Kh3 ! ) 47...Kg4 48.Kg2 h4 49.gxh4 Kf4 50.Rb6 Kxe4 51.Rxb5 Kd3 52.a6 e4 53.a7? (53.Ra5 e3 54.b5 Rg8+ 55.Kh2 e2 56.Ra1 Ke3 57.b6 Kf2 = ) 53...e3? (53...Rg8+ Bill: To be honest I never considered this move, I assumed it would push White's king back into the game. After the game Brian suggested this idea though, he saw immediately that centralising the White king wasn't an option as Black gets mating opportunities then. However in the postmortem we wrongly concluded that this wouldn't work - I think we missed the idea of combining it with ...Ra8 next  54.Kh3 Ra8 55.Rb6 Rxa7 56.Rxd6 Kxc3 57.Re6 Kd3 58.d6 Rd7 [Black wins] ) 54.Rb8 e2 55.Rxd8 e1=Q 56.a8=Q Qe4+ 57.Kg3 Qg6+ 58.Kh2 Qg4 59.Qc8 Qf4+ 60.Kg2 Qe4+ 61.Kg3 Qe5+ 62.Kg4 Qg7+ 63.Kh3 Qg1 64.Qf5+ 1-0

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 The Maccutcheon variation, used most famously by Petrosian against Fisher in the 1962 Candidates.   5.e5 h6 6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.bxc3 Fisher playes Bxc3 and lost, although it wasn't really because of doing that.   7...Ne4 8.Qg4 g6 9.Bd3 h5 9...Nxd2 10.Kxd2 and then either 10...c5 or 10...Qxg5+ give Black no problems.   10.Qf4 Nxd2 11.Kxd2 c5 12.Nf3 Nc6 Not so good. 12...b6 or 12...Qe7 were moves I also considered, which I think are better. White should just take the pawn now, although I didn't much like the move he played.  13.Ng5 Qe7 14.h4 I remember my last game against Arthur, where I barely got out of the blocks. I was having that feeling again, although his last move is not the best. He should still just take the pawn.   14...cxd4 Again I miss 14...b6, after which, contrary to my pessimisn, Black is doing alright.   15.cxd4 O-O

Yes I know...castling in to it. But what is Black to do if he wants to get any development? I knew that White was significantly better but at least Black can do something.   16.Nf3 Kg7 17.c3 A careful move, but I thought 17.g4 was better, as does the software...Black would be close to busted then.   17...Bd7 18.Rag1 It funny what you think during a game. Here I was remembering a story about the Karpov-Korchnoi match in 1978. After Karpov won Game 8 he was presented with a cake that had the final position on it. Naturally, he cut off the piece that had the Black King on it! I looked up at Arthur and I could see he was wanting to do the same to my King!   18...Na5 This is an outright blunder, after which White should be winning. 18...f5 or 18...f6, which I considered, were better. But a reluctance to make more weakening pawn moves prevented me.   19.g4 Rh8 20.gxh5 Rxh5

Here I really was worried. The software says 21.Ng5 followed by Be2 and h5 is winning. I thought White might play 21.Qg4 with possibilities of smashing throught on g6, although that may not quite work.   21.Rg5 White is still much better after this move, but I have to say I relaxed a little. I started to wonder...is White playing for an endgame?  21...Rah8 22.Rhg1 Nc4+ Here I was expecting 23.Ke1, as 23.Ke2 allows Nb2 and Bb5+ when Black has some play.  23.Bxc4 another memory occurred to me. I was watchin one of the BBC Master Games from the 1980's, in one game Bent Larsen suddenly realised that the game was turning in his favour, and he said with a Danish accent 'What's Happening? What's Happening?' I was thinking this now...surely White does not want to exchange this Bishop off...surely I'm not surviving this?  23...dxc4 24.Rxh5 Rxh5 25.Rg5 Yes, I am surviving this!  25...Rxg5 26.Nxg5 I understood this, as capturing with the Queen or pawn gives White nothing, but Arthur thought he could get a favourable endgame.  26...Bc6

As a player of the French Defence, I always take a particular satisfaction when the light-squared Bishop comes in to play...important to keep the Knight out of e4.   27.Ke3 Bd5 28.Nh3 Bg2 29.Ng5 Bd5 30.f3 b5 The position is now level, and Black finally gets some play, reminding White that he can make do so.   31.Nh3 a5 32.Nf2 White should have played 32.a3. This move is an error. Black should now play 32...b4 where there is a significant advantage. But, short of time, and relieved to have come through unscathed, I saw a way to force a draw, and took it.   32...f5 33.exf6+ Qxf6 34.Qc7+ Here Arthur offered me a draw which I accepted after a few seconds. Good defence is very rewarding. 1/2-1/2

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.Bc4 e6 4.Qf3 Nb6 5.Bb3 Nc6 6.Ne2 Nxe5 7.Qc3 Ng6 8.O-O d6 9.d3 d5 10.Nf4 d4 11.Qa5 Bd6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.h3 f6 14.Re1 g5 15.Bxe6 Bxe6 16.Rxe6+ Kf7 17.Re4 Qd7 18.Nd2

18...Rxh3!! 19.Kf1 (19.gxh3 Qxh3 20.Nf1 Rh8 and that's that ) 19...Rh1+ Black finishes off with some powerful play  20.Ke2 Re8 21.Nf3 Rxe4+ 22.dxe4 Qe6 23.Qf5

23...Qc4+! 24.Kd2 Bf4+ a pretty final picture 0-1

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 3.cxd5 Bf5 4.Nc3 Nxd5 5.Nf3 c6 6.Ne5 Nd7 7.Nxd7 Qxd7 8.f3 Bg6 9.e4 Nc7 10.Be3 e6 11.Qb3 Be7 12.O-O-O b5 13.d5 O-O

14.d6! A neat tactic to win a piece, however...  14...Bxd6 15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.exd6 Rfc8+ 18.Kd2 Bc2 Black gets some serious comp  19.Qxb5? And after this move all the lines open up and Black is actually winning  19...Qxd6 20.Rc1 Rab8 21.Qa5 d4 22.Bg5 d3 23.Be3 Rxb2 24.Ke1 Rd8 25.Bf4? Qd4

White is in a truly piteous state with hardly a playable move  26.a3 Ba4 27.Bd2 Rb5! ( I was watching and convinced that 27...Rd5?? introducing the other rook to the attack was the more precise finishing touch. Unfortunately Black is the one who gets finished off - I missed   28.Rc8+ and mates. Embarrassing, especially as I made the mistake of speaking up after the game. ) 28.Qxd8+ Qxd8 29.Bxd3 Rd5 30.Ba6 Rxd2 (30...Rxd2 31.Rc8 Qxc8 32.Bxc8 Rd1+ ) 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.c3 a6 3.d4 e6 4.Nf3 d5 5.e5 Bd7 6.Na3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Qa5+ 8.Bd2 Qb6 9.Bc3 Ne7 10.Qd2 Nf5 11.Ba5 Qa7 12.Rc1 Nc6 13.Bc3 Be7 14.Nc2 b5 15.a3 O-O 16.Bd3 Rfb8 17.b4 (17.Bxf5 exf5 18.Nb4 a5!? 19.Nxc6 (19.Nxd5 Bf8 20.Qg5 Kh8 21.Qh4 (21.Qh5 Be8 22.Qxf5 b4 ) 21...Be6 ) 19...Bxc6 20.Bxa5 Qxa5 21.Qxa5 Rxa5 22.Rxc6 b4 23.O-O bxa3 24.bxa3 Rxa3 25.h4 ) 17...Rc8 18.O-O Rc7 19.Ne3 Nxe3

20.Qxe3 (20.fxe3 Rac8 = ) 20...Rac8 21.Bb2 Nd8 22.Rxc7 Rxc7 23.Rc1 a5 24.Rxc7 Qxc7 25.bxa5 Qxa5 =  26.g3 Nc6 27.Nd2 g6 28.Bf1 Qa4 29.Qb3 Qa7 !?  30.Qe3 (30.Qxb5 Nxe5 ) (30.Bxb5 Nxd4 31.Bxd4 Qxd4 32.Bxd7 Qxd2 33.Kg2 Bc5 34.Qf3 Qg5 35.Qc3 Qe7 ) 30...Na5 31.Nb1 Nc4 32.Bxc4 ?!  32...dxc4 33.Qc3 Bc6 34.f3 Bg5 35.Kf2 Qd7 (35...Qa8 36.h4 Bh6 37.h5 Bd5 38.Ke2 (38.f4 Bh1 ! ) 38...Be4 !  39.Nd2 Bxd2 40.Kxd2 Bxf3 ) 36.Nd2 Qb7 37.f4 ?!  37...Be7 38.Ke2 (38.a4 bxa4 39.Nxc4 Bh1 ) 38...Bd5 39.Nf3 ??  39...Qa6 (39...b4 !  40.axb4 Bxb4 41.Qe3 Ba5 42.Ba3 (42.Bc3 Bxf3+ ) 42...c3 ) 40.Ne1 Bb7 41.Qe3 ?? (41.Kf2 Be4 ) 41...b4 42.Ba1 c3+ 43.Qd3 Qxa3 44.Nc2 Qa2 45.Kd1 ??  45...Ba6 46.Qe4 (46.Qe3 Qb1+ 47.Qc1 Be2+ ) 46...Qb1# 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5 5.b3 Nc6 6.O-O Qc7 7.a3 Bd6 8.Bb2 O-O 9.Nc3 a6 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.e4 d4 12.Ne2 Rd8 13.Ng3 e5 14.Qe2 Ne7 15.Nh4 Ng6 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Rfc1 Qe7 18.b4 Ba7 19.h3 Be6 20.Bc4 Bxc4 21.Qxc4 Rac8 22.Qd3 Qe6 23.Rd1 Rd7 24.Ne2 Qc6 25.f3

White's c2 pawn has been increasingly looking like a broken tooth, now it is infected  25...Qa4 The treatment is removal of the infection  26.Rd2? The patient is not cooperative  26...Rc3! And he ends up suffering more as a result 0-1

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.cxd5 Bg7 7.Be2 O-O 8.Bf3 Na6 9.Qb3 Nc7 10.Bf4 Nfe8 11.Nge2 Nd6 12.Rc1 a5 13.O-O Ra6 14.Na4 Bf5 15.Ng3 Bd7 16.Rfe1 Re8 17.Be2 b5 18.Nc3 Qa8 19.a4 bxa4 20.Nxa4 Rb8 21.Qa2 Nxd5 22.Bf3 Nb4 23.Qa1

This is the high point for Black  23...Qa7 ( The comp recommends 23...Bc6! for example  24.Bxc6 Rxc6 25.Rxe7 Nd3 26.Rxc6 Qxc6 27.Be3 Qc2 recovering the pawn with initiative ) 24.Nc5 Forcing Black to sac the exchange (maybe this is a synonym for 'winning the exchange')  24...Bxd4 (24...Rab6? 25.Rxe7 is fatal ) 25.Nxa6 Bxf2+ 26.Kh1

26...Nd3? Adding fuel to the fire looks very plausible but ultimately costs Black material. Trying to calculate in this insane position where everything is mutually en-prise is impossible ( but apparently 26...Bxe1 is best ) 27.Rxe7! Qxa6 28.Be2 Bb5 29.Bxd3 Bxd3 30.Qa3 Rd8 31.Rd1 During this phase Black's problem is that he has too many loose pieces. White has easy play as he can keep making threats for free  31...Nc4 32.Qb3 Qf6

33.Rxd3! Rxd3 (33...Qxe7 34.Rxd8+ Qxd8 35.Qxc4 and White is covering f1 ) 34.Re8+ Kg7 35.Qxd3 Qxf4 36.Qc3+ Kh6 Desperation ( but 36...Qd4 37.Qxd4+ Bxd4 38.Re4 ) 37.Re4 Qd2 38.Rh4+ ( I was watching and predicting moves and at this stage I was expecting 38.Qxd2+ Nxd2 39.Re2 which doesn't work because now simply  39...Bxg3 This is one of the many reasons I am not playing on the top boards I guess ) 38...Kg5 39.Ne4+ I thought White was winning the Queen and didn't notice it is also mate next move (39.Ne4+ Kf5 40.Qf6# is pretty ) ( or more obviously 39.Ne4+ Kxh4 40.Qh3# ) 1-0

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 a6 4.Bxc4 e6 5.Nf3 b5 6.Bd3 Bb7 7.O-O Nc6 8.Nc3 Bd6 9.Ne4 Nf6 10.Nxd6+ cxd6 11.a3 O-O 12.b4 Qb6 13.Bb2 Rfe8 14.e4 e5 15.d5 Ne7 16.Nd2 Ng6 17.g3 Bc8 18.Kg2 Bg4 19.f3 Bd7 20.Nb3 Rec8 21.Qe2 Rc7 22.Rac1 Rac8 23.Rxc7 Rxc7 24.Rc1 Nh5 25.Qd2 h6 (25...Nhf4+ !?  26.gxf4 Nxf4+ 27.Kh1 (27.Kg3 ??  27...Rxc1 28.Qxc1 (28.Nxc1 Qg1+ 29.Kh4 g5# ) 28...Nxd3 ) 27...Rxc1+ 28.Bxc1 (28.Nxc1 ??  28...Bh3 29.Bf1 Bxf1 30.Bd4 Qxd4 31.Qxd4 exd4 ) (28.Qxc1 ??  28...Qf2 29.Qf1 Qxb2 ) 28...Bh3 29.Bb1 (29.Qe3 Qd8 ! (29...Qxe3 30.Bxe3 Nxd3 ) 30.Qg1 !?  30...Nxd3 (30...Bg2+ 31.Qxg2 Nxg2 32.Kxg2 ) ) 29...Bg2+ 30.Qxg2 Nxg2 31.Kxg2 Qc7 32.Bb2

Houdini says Black is better, but I have my doubts ) 26.Rxc7 Qxc7 27.Nc1 (27.Qc2 Qb6 28.Bc1 ) 27...Qc8 28.Ne2 f5 29.Qc3 (29.Qc2 fxe4 30.Qxc8+ Bxc8 31.fxe4 Kf7 32.a4 bxa4 33.Kf2 ) 29...Qf8 !? (29...Qxc3 30.Bxc3 fxe4 31.fxe4 Nf6 ) 30.exf5 ?! (30.Qc7 fxe4 31.Bxe4 Bf5 32.Bxf5 Qxf5 33.Qxd6 Kh7 34.Qc5 (34.Qxa6 Qc2 35.Qxb5 Qxb2 ) 34...Qb1 ) 30...Bxf5 31.Bc1 Ne7 32.Bxf5 Qxf5 33.g4 Qg6 34.Kf2 Nf6 35.Ng3 ?! (35.Qc7 Nexd5 36.Qc8+ Kh7 ) 35...Nfxd5 36.Qb3 Kh7 37.Ne4 Nf6 38.Qd3 (38.Nxd6 Nxg4+ 39.fxg4 Qxd6 ) 38...d5 39.Nc5 e4 40.fxe4 ?! (40.Qe3 ) 40...dxe4 41.Qg3 Nxg4+ 42.Ke1 Nf5 43.Qf4 Nf6 44.Nxa6 ? (44.Nxe4 Nxe4 45.Qxe4 Qg1+ 46.Ke2 Qxh2+ ) 44...Nd4 45.Be3 Nd5 46.Qf2 Nxe3 0-1