[Event "Portoroz"]
[Site "Portoroz"]
[Date "2001.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Sermek, Drazen"]
[Black "Gelfand, Boris"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Hathaway, Mark"]
[BlackElo "2704"]
[ECO "B22"]
[WhiteElo "2570"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 { Black attacks Pe4 when it's a little inconvenient for White to defend that pawn. Whether the advance e4-e5 makes the pawn weaker is a key question to be answered by the following play. In any event Black figures he'll have gained development (Ng8-f6) . } ( 2... d5 ) 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 { This is preferred to 3. d4 cxd4 4. cxd4 Qa5+ when White has to play the awkward Bc1-d2 or Nb1-d2 (if he's to avoid a simplifying queen trade) . It has become the "normal" move. Being a good piece development it can't be bad, but d2-d4 is still quite likely to be played, and soon. } 4... Nc6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 d5 { This converts the position quite dramatically (presuming White doesn't capture it en passant) to something akin to a French Defense or Caro-Kann Defense pawn structure. Black has the freedom to move ...Bc8-f5 or ...Bc8-g4 rather than locking it in behind the pawns with ...e7-e6. The location of Bb3 is also odd, but not necessarily bad. That bishop could move to c2 and be on the desirable b1-h7 diagonal. One curious development is that Nb6 is a little awkward. So, despite some similarities to other openings, this one has it's own particulars and must not be confused with those other openings. } 7. exd6 { Well, that changes it back to an open (or semi-open) center, where the better piece activity will generally be of primary importance. Just straight-forward counting of development moves would seem to indicate Black is o.k. } 7... Qxd6 8. O-O Be6 $5 { I've not seen this before. It directly challenges White's light-square bishop and avoids the "obvious" pinning of Nf3, which is an error met quickly by 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Ng5+. } 9. Na3 { This is pretty common in this opening, though usually after d2-d4 has been played. In this position the two sides are fighting over the light squares. If Black can get rid of Bb3 he might occupy square d3, which would prevent the easy development of Bc1 and Ra1. How does Na3 prevent that? } ( 9. Bxe6 Qxe6 10. d4 ) 9... Bxb3 10. Qxb3 Qd3 11. Qb5 O-O-O { There is an obvious weakness at f7, so I'd presume Gelfand has given this careful thought. If he can tactically support O-O-O then he'll have a clear advantage -- already. } 12. Ng5 ( 12. Qxd3 Rxd3 13. Ne1 Rd7 14. d3 e5 ) 12... c4 13. Nxf7 Rd5 { Qb5 is trapped and the following trades will give Black a tremendous opportunity to win material quickly. White's pieces are on the periphery and inactive. } 14. Nxh8 e5 15. b3 Rxb5 16. Nxb5 cxb3 17. Na3 bxa2 18. Rxa2 Qd5 19. Ra1 Qg8 20. f4 e4 { Black prefers to restrain Pd2, keeping Bc1 undeveloped. } 21. Re1 Bc5+ 22. Kh1 Qxh8 23. Rxe4 { After the forcing variation Black is ahead materially, though d2-d4 would give White some chance to block Black's minor pieces. } 23... Qd8 24. d4 Qd5 { The queen has been very active and White hasn't done much to oppose it. } 25. Re2 Bd6 26. Rb1 Qf5 27. Re1 ( 27. Rb5 Qd3 28. Re1 Qxc3 ) 27... Qd3 28. Bb2 Na4 29. Red1 Qa6 { Black keeps control of b5 & c4 to restrain Na3 and this leaves White helpless. The big pawn at b2 is the cornerstone of White's position (remarkably) and it's about to disappear. This was a rather amazing game in that White avoided the obviouly necessary d2-d4 and was punished severely. } 0-1