Beliavsky,A (2625) - Golubev,M (2467) [E97]

Pivdenny Bank Geller Mem Odessa UKR (5), 03.07.2006 [Mikhail Golubev] (Notes from Chess Today, Issue 2067).

Alexander Beliavsky has impressive statistics in his "White" games against the King's Indian. He wins most of the games. At the Odessa rapid tournament, he scored one more win: against me. At least, it was an interesting game, and the outcome remained unclear for a long time. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Nd2 Nd7!? 10.b4 f5 11.f3 Nf6 12.c5 This line may also arise via 9.b4 Ne8, etc. 12...f4 13.Nc4 g5 14.Ba3 Ng6 15.b5 dxc5 16.Bxc5 Rf7 17.Kh1 More often White plays 17.a4 (Tishin-Golubev, Alushta 2006, CT-2046).17...h5 18.d6!?N This advance was prepared by White's previous move. Now White is not afraid of ...Bf8. 18...Be6 19.Nd5 cxd6 20.Nxf6+ Critical was 20.Nxd6!. Beliavsky was not sure that after this move he would not lose a piece on the d-file. But in fact the position is complex and deserves serious study. 20...Qxf6 21.Nxd6 Here I felt Black should have sufficient (at least for equality) counterchances. 21...Rc7!? 22.Bb4 Bf8 23.Qa4 Bxd6 At this stage, there were many alternatives for both sides, especially for Black. In principle I wished to prevent Nf5. 24.Bxd6 Rd7 25.Bc5 Rc8!? I hoped that this pawn sacrifice would help me to activate pieces. After the immediate 25...Rd2 White has 26.Bc4. 26.Qxa7 Rd2 27.Rfe1 g4 28.Rad1 Rc2 29.Bg1 g3 30.Qb6 Nh4 Black's attacking chances have become very real. 31.Bf1 After 31.Rd6 Black has 31...Bh3! and if 32.Bf1 (32.Rxf6? Bxg2#) then, most likely, 32...Qg5!. If 31.h3, then 31...Nxg2! seems to be very strong. The idea is 32.Kxg2 R2c6! 33.bxc6 Qh4 and after 34.Rd8+ Rxd8 35.Qxd8+ Qxd8 36.cxb7 Qh4 37.b8Q+ Kh7 Black wins. 31...Nxg2! 32.Re2 Not 32.Bxg2? Rxg2 33.Kxg2 Rc2+. After 32.Rd6 the paradoxical 32...Nh4 is probably strongest (I planned 32...gxh2?! which is parried by 33.Bd4 or 33.Bc5), with the idea 33.Rxe6 Qg5. 32...Rxe2 33.Bxe2 Nh4? Missing White's next. After 33...Rc2! Black would have been better. 34.Bc5! Ng6 Again missing White's next. But there hardly was any good alternative. 35.Bc4! Nf8 36.Bb3 Also possible was 36.Bd5!?. 36...Qf7 37.Bxf8?! Stronger was 37.Rd8! Rxd8 38.Qxd8 Bxb3 39.axb3 with an advantage to White. 37...Bxb3 38.axb3 Rxf8 39.Rd6 Kh7 40.Qc5?! Ra8? A final blunder in mutual time trouble. 40...Qg7! was very good for Black. 41.Qxe5 +- The a1 square is under White's control. 41...Rc8 42.hxg3 fxg3 43.Rf6 g2+ 44.Kxg2 Rc2+ 45.Kh3 Qd7+ 46.Qf5+ Qxf5+ 47.Rxf5 Kg6 48.Kg3 Rb2 49.Kf4 Rxb3 50.Rg5+ Kh6 (and White won after a few more moves) 1-0.

The game can be viewed at:
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1424074