[Event "English Thematic"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1997.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Enev, Zlatko"]
[Black "Lupini, S.."]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Enev, Z."]
[BlackElo "1750"]
[ECO "A35"]
[EventDate "1997.??.??"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[WhiteElo "2420"]

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 dxc4 7. Nxc6 Qxd1+ 8. Nxd1 { Straight out of the opening the game is heading into an endgame. A
fashionable variation of the four knights symmetrical english is been played. } 8... bxc6 9. Bg2 Nd5 10. Ne3 e6 ( 10... Ba6 { Is the other main line here. The
difficulties, however, remian the same: black has the unpleasant task of
playing an endgame with an isolani on the c-line. An example follows: } 11. Nxd5 cxd5 12. Bxd5 Rc8 13. Bd2 e6 14. Bf3 Bc5 15. Bc3 O-O 16. O-O Bb5 17. Rfd1 Rfd8 18. Rxd8+ Rxd8 19. e3 f6 20. Be2 Rb8 21. a4 Ba6 22. Rd1 Bb4 23. Bf3 Bb7 24. Bxb7 Rxb7 25. Rd8+ Kf7 26. Rc8 Bxc3 27. bxc3 Ke7 28. Rxc4 Kd6 29. Kf1 Rc7 30. Rd4+ Ke7 31. Rb4 Kd6 32. Rb3 Kd5 33. Ke2 Kc4 34. Rb1 Rd7 35. h4 Kxc3 36. Rb5 Kc4 37. h5 h6 38. g4 Kc3 { Xu Jun-Alterman,B/32nd ol, Yerevan ARM (11) 1996/1-0 (72) } ) 11. Nxc4 Ba6 12. b3 Bb4+ 13. Bd2 Bxd2+ 14. Nxd2 ( 14. Kxd2 O-O-O 15. Kc2 Kc7 { is also often played } ) 14... Nb4 15. Kd1 ( 15. Be4 { seemed to me less convincing because of the following game: } 15... Ke7 16. a3 Nd5 17. Rc1 Rhc8 18. f4 c5 19. Kf2 Rab8 20. Rc2 Nf6 21. Bf3 Rd8 22. Rhc1 Bb7 23. Ke3 Bxf3 24. exf3 Nd7 25. Rc3 Rb5 26. Ke2 h5 27. a4 Rb4 28. Nc4 h4 29. Na5 Rc8 30. Rc4 Rxc4 31. Rxc4 hxg3 32. hxg3 a6 33. Rc1 Rh8 { - Gulko,B-Topalov,V/Novgorod (07) ;TUR95 1995 } ) 15... Ke7 { The first original
move played in this game. Very typical for modern correspondence play:
everybody has a big collection of games and it is nothing unusual to replay
known games till late in the endgame. } ( 15... Rb8 { the following game shows a
convincing plan for realizing the white advantage. I followed a similar plan
for the next several moves. } 16. a3 Nd5 17. Rc1 Rb6 18. Bf3 Ke7 19. Rc5 Rc8 20. Kc1 Rb5 21. Rc2 c5 22. Kb2 Rb7 23. Rhc1 Rbc7 24. Ne4 c4 25. b4 Bb5 26. Nc3 Bc6 27. Bxd5 exd5 28. Rd2 Rd7 29. Rcd1 Ke6 30. e4 dxe4 31. Rxd7 Bxd7 32. Nxe4 Bc6 33. Nc5+ Ke5 34. Kc3 Bd5 35. f4+ Kd6 36. Ne4+ Ke6 37. Ng5+ Kd6 38. Nxf7+ Kc6 39. Ne5+ Kd6 40. Rd4 { 1-0 Gulko,B-Jelen,Ig/2nd op, Nova Gorica SLO (07) 1997 } ) 16. a3 { The plan looks like follows: White sequres his weak e2-pawn, then
moves the king on the queen side where he is sure from enemy atacks. Next
thing rooks are being doubled on the c-line and the pawns on the king side are
being pushed in order to restrain the mobility of the black pieces. All of
this time black is forced to think about defending the c-pawn and has little
or no counterchances. I do not know if this variation is to be improved for
black but I pretty sure would not like to try it. } 16... Nd5 17. Rc1 Rac8 18. Rc5 ( 18. Ne4 { And this game shows what white can make wrong here. In fact B.
Gelfand could not find a winning plan against P. Leko. } 18... c5 19. Nxc5 Rhd8 20. Ke1 Nb6 21. f4 Nd7 22. b4 Nxc5 23. bxc5 Rc7 24. c6 Bb5 25. Rc5 a6 26. Kf2 Rdc8 27. Rb1 Bxc6 28. Bxc6 Rxc6 29. Rb7+ Kf8 30. Ra5 Rd6 31. Ra7 Rcc6 32. h4 h6 33. Ra8+ Ke7 34. Ra7+ Kf8 35. a4 g6 36. h5 Kg7 37. hxg6 Kxg6 38. g4 Rb6 39. Ra8 Kg7 40. Ra7 Kg6 41. e3 Rdc6 42. Kf3 Kg7 43. Ra8 Rd6 44. Rc5 Rbc6 45. Rxc6 Rxc6 46. a5 Kg6 47. Ra7 Kf6 48. Ke2 Rd6 49. Ra8 Kg6 50. e4 h5 51. gxh5+ Kxh5 52. Ke3 Rc6 53. Ra7 f5 54. e5 Rc3+ 55. Kd4 Ra3 56. Rxa6 Kg4 57. Kc5 Kxf4 58. Kd6 Rd3+ 59. Kxe6 Re3 { - Gelfand,B-Leko,P/It Vienna AUT (1) 1996 } ) 18... Rhd8 19. Bf3 { to defend the e2-pawn } 19... Bb5 20. Kc1 Rc7 21. Kb2 Nf6 ( 21... Ne3 { is very interesting but insufficient by correct play from white, e. g.: } 22. Ne4 ( 22. fxe3 Rxd2+ ) 22... Nd1+ 23. Kc1 Rcd7 24. a4 f5 25. e3 ( 25. axb5 { ? } 25... fxe4 26. Bxe4 Nxf2 27. bxc6 ( 27. Bxc6 Nxh1 { - + } ) 27... Nxe4 28. Rc4 Rd4 29. Rxd4 Rxd4 30. Kb1 { - + } ) 25... Bd3 ( 25... fxe4 26. Bxd1 ) 26. Rxd1 fxe4 27. Bg4 { and white keeps his advantage } ) 22. Rc2 c5 23. Rhc1 ( 23. a4 { I think white should not hurry to move the pawns on the kingside since this
only gives black counterchances. White's plan is to fix the kingside pawns
first. } 23... Bc6 24. Bxc6 Rxc6 25. b4 Rb8 { and black suddenly has gotten chances on the b-line } ) ( 23. Ne4 { I cannot say
exactly why but I did not like the idea of exchanging knights. Somehow I felt
all of the time I should try to exchange bishops but keep the knights on the
board. A better player could explain it; I remain by my intuition. } 23... Nxe4 24. Bxe4 h6 ( 24... f5 25. Bf3 c4 26. Rhc1 Rdc8 27. e4 Kf6 28. exf5 Kxf5 29. Rc3 Kg6 { +/= } ) 25. a4 Rd4 26. Bf3 Ba6 27. Rhc1 Kd6 { and it still looks like thousand miles away from victory } ) 23... Bc6 ( 23... Rcc8 24. Ne4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 f5 { looks unklear } ) 24. Bxc6 ( 24. Nc4 { ? } 24... Bxf3 25. exf3 Rd3 26. Ne5 Rd5 27. f4 Nd7 28. Nxd7 Kxd7 29. f3 { with at least equality for black } ) 24... Rxc6 25. Nc4 { Now the plan starts
looking more clear: white will try to push his e-pawn till e5, then establish
the knight on that square from where he threatens pawns on both sides. Of
course I did not see the complete way to victory but I liked the idea of
having a strong point at d6. } 25... Rd5 ( 25... Rcc8 26. Ne5 Rd5 27. f4 Ne4 28. Rc4 Rd2+ 29. R1c2 Rxc2+ 30. Kxc2 Nd6 31. Ra4 Nb5 { +/- } ) 26. f3 Nd7 27. e4 Rd3 { Now for the rest of the white plan: another important goal is to
exchange a pair of rooks (but only one since a knight endgame gives black
additional changes). This means one of the white rooks has to be moved to the
d-line when possible. Here a few variants: } ( 27... Rd4 28. Rd2 ( 28. e5 { looks prematured here; first a pair of rooks has to be exchanged } 28... Rc8 29. f4 h5 30. Ka2 Rb8 { with chances along the b-line } ) 28... Rxd2+ ( 28... Nb6 29. Rxd4 { ! Looks stupid, doesn't it: white removes himself the main black
weakness. Nevertheless the move is very strong: } 29... cxd4 30. Ne5 { ! } 30... Rxc1 31. Kxc1 Kf6 32. Nc6 e5 33. Nxa7 ( 33. f4 { ! } 33... Nd7 34. b4 { And with tw
o weaknesses - at a7 and e5 - black has a lot of difficulties, e. g.: } 34... a6 ( 34... exf4 35. gxf4 { and d4 is lost } ) 35. Kc2 g5 36. fxe5+ Nxe5 37. Nxd4 { +/- } ) 33... Nd7 34. Kd2 Ke6 35. b4 Nb6 { is also winning } ) 29. Nxd2 Rd6 30. Nc4 Rd3 31. Rc3 Rd4 32. Rc2 Rd3 33. Rf2 { is probably a better solution } ( 33. Rd2 { ? the second pair of rooks must be kept on the board. In this version of
the endgame it looks very difficult to win: } 33... Rxd2+ ( 33... Rxf3 { ?? } 34. Rxd7+ ) 34. Nxd2 g6 ( 34... Ne5 { ?! } 35. f4 Ng4 { ? } 36. Nf3 Nf2 37. e5 Ne4 38. Kc2 Nf2 39. Kc3 h6 40. Nd2 f5 41. Kc4 g5 42. fxg5 hxg5 43. Kxc5 Nd3+ 44. Kd4 { +/- } ) 35. Nc4 f6 36. Kc3 e5 37. f4 exf4 38. gxf4 Nb6 39. Kd3 Ke6 { and I do not see a winning plan for white } ) 33... Kf6 34. f4 Ke7 35. e5 h6 { +/= } ) 28. Rc3 Rd4 ( 28... Rxc3 { was completely possible here } 29. Kxc3 e5 30. Rd1 f6 { I do not see much of an advantage for white } ) 29. e5 Rc8 30. f4 f6 31. exf6+ gxf6 32. R3c2 h6 33. Rd2 Nb6 { ? The decisive mistake.
White now has a straightforward win. Of course, it is not very obvious but,
hey, this is correspondence chess. } ( 33... Rxd2+ 34. Nxd2 Nb6 35. Kc3 e5 36. Re1 Kd6 37. fxe5+ fxe5 { +/- } ) ( 33... e5 34. Re2 ( 34. Rxd4 { ? this time it loses } 34... cxd4 35. fxe5 fxe5 36. Na5 Rxc1 37. Kxc1 Kd6 38. Kd2 e4 { -/+ } ) 34... Ke6 35. fxe5 fxe5 36. Rce1 Rd5 37. g4 { still with advantage but far from winning } ) 34. Rxd4 cxd4 35. Nxb6 Rxc1 36. Kxc1 axb6 { it is easy to see that all this is absolutely forced } 37. Kd2 Kd6 { Now, why is this position won for white? The answer is that the two
pairs of pawns at the sides of the board are much stronger than the connected
central pawns of black. This is the case because the white king is very well
posted and the black pawns cannot queen without support from their king
whereas the white ones can move on their own: one of the pairs is going to
queen and there is no way to stop it. Let's look at the variants now: } ( 37... e5 38. fxe5 fxe5 39. Kd3 Ke6 40. Ke4 { + - } ) 38. g4 { ! } ( 38. a4 { ? would have been a mistake } 38... e5 39. fxe5+ fxe5 40. g4 e4 41. h4 Ke5 42. b4 e3+ 43. Ke1 d3 44. a5 bxa5 45. bxa5 Kf4 46. a6 Kf3 47. a7 d2+ 48. Kd1 e2+ 49. Kxd2 Kf2 50. a8=Q e1=Q+ 51. Kc2 Kg3 { it is very questionable if that endgame is to be won } ) 38... e5 ( 38... Kd5 39. a4 ( 39. h4 Ke4 40. g5 fxg5 41. hxg5 hxg5 42. fxg5 Kf5 43. a4 e5 44. b4 e4 { with a position similar to the actual game } ) 39... Ke4 40. b4 { and the king has already to hurry back in order to stop the a-pawn } 40... Kd5 ) 39. fxe5+ fxe5 ( 39... Kxe5 40. a4 Kd5 41. b4 Kc4 42. a5 bxa5 43. bxa5 Kb5 44. Kd3 { + - } ) 40. h4 { It is surprising how much precision this position requires.
For example, 40. a4 would again have been wrong here: } ( 40. a4 { ? } 40... e4 41. b4 Ke5 42. h4 Kf4 43. a5 e3+ 44. Ke2 bxa5 45. bxa5 d3+ 46. Kxd3 Kf3 47. a6 e2 48. a7 e1=Q 49. a8=Q+ Kxg4 { = } ) 40... e4 ( 40... Kd5 41. a4 Ke4 42. g5 hxg5 43. hxg5 Kf5 44. b4 Kxg5 45. a5 ) 41. g5 { ! the fastest way to victory; other continuations are less precise: } ( 41. a4 Ke5 { ! } ( 41... e3+ { ? } 42. Ke2 { ! White must at any rate prevent the
penetration of the black king on the seventh rank } ( 42. Kd3 { ? } 42... Ke5 43. g5 hxg5 44. hxg5 Kf4 45. g6 Kf3 46. g7 e2 47. g8=Q e1=Q 48. Qd5+ Kg3 49. Qxd4 Qa5 { +/ - White is still probably winning but the endgame requires a lot
of further precision } ) 42... Ke5 43. Kf3 Kd5 44. g5 hxg5 45. hxg5 Ke6 { + - } ) 42. b4 e3+ 43. Ke1 d3 44. g5 Kf4 45. gxh6 Kf3 46. h7 d2+ 47. Kd1 Kf2 48. h8=Q e2+ 49. Kxd2 e1=Q+ 50. Kd3 Qd1+ 51. Ke4 Qxa4 { with a difficult queen endgame ahead } ) 41... hxg5 ( 41... e3+ 42. Kd3 ( 42. Ke1 hxg5 43. hxg5 d3 44. a4 e2 45. b4 Ke5 46. g6 Kf6 47. a5 bxa5 48. bxa5 Kxg6 { + } ) 42... hxg5 43. hxg5 Ke5 44. g6 Kf6 ( 44... Kf4 45. g7 Kf3 46. g8=Q { + } ) 45. a4 Kxg6 46. b4 Kf5 { + - } ) 42. hxg5 ( 42. hxg5 e3+ ( 42... Ke5 43. a4 d3 44. g6 Kf6 { + - } ) 43. Ke1 Ke5 44. a4 d3 45. g6 Kf6 46. b4 Kxg6 47. a5 bxa5 48. bxa5 { + - } ) 1-0