[Event "Superstars Hotel Bali"]
[Site "Benidorm ESP"]
[Date "2002.11.29"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Ponomariov, Ruslan"]
[Black "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[BlackElo "2527"]
[ECO "B90"]
[EventDate "2002.11.29"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[WhiteElo "2743"]

1. e4 c5 { This is an interesting matchup because Ponomariov was and Karjakin is now the youngest GM in the world, and they come from the same chess club in the Ukraine! They must be feeding the youngsters some kind of super-Wheaties. } 2. Nf3 d6 ( 2... Nc6 { doesn't restrain Pe4 as well, but retains options of how to play the two central pawns } ) 3. d4 ( 3. Bc4 $5 { allows Black to play ...e5 to keep the center closed, but avoids a serious weakening of the a1-h8 diagonal if White wants to avoid the Dragon Variation } ) 3... cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 { The Najdorf Variation prepares ...b5 holds off on moving Pe7 until White shows a bit more of his plan. } ( 5... g6 $5 { The Dragon Variation tries to exploit the weakness of the dark-square diagonal. } ) 6. Be3 { This move was played by the US GM Robert Byrne, but not really popularized until several British GMs began to play it. Now it's known as the English Attack. } ( 6. Bg5 { The anti-Dragon move is well-known. } ) ( 6. Bc4 { The Fischer Variation is also well-known. } ) 6... e5 { 6...e6 is also quite common. } 7. Nb3 Be6 { Black doesn't fear the backward Pd6 and the weak square at d5 if his pieces coordinate to control d-file squares. The dark-square pawns restrain Nb3 and Be3 pretty well and the Nf6 & Be6 contest White's control of e4 & d5. } 8. f3 { White plans g2-g4-g5 to kick Nf6 away and gain control of d5. What's less certain is how Bf1 might come into play. } ( 8. Be2 { guarding g4 and preparing O-O, f2-f4-f5 has been played many times } ) 8... Be7 9. Qd2 h5 { This has been around a few years now and it's holding up pretty well. But, some players still choose ...O-O. } 10. Be2 { I think he must be considering f3-f4 to threaten Ph5 and to open the position while Ke8 isn't as safe as he would normally be. Or, he's still just preparing g2-g4-g5. } 10... Nbd7 11. Nd5 ( 11. g4 $2 hxg4 12. fxg4 Bxg4 ) 11... Nxd5 ( { Another plan is } 11... Bxd5 12. exd5 { when Nf6 remains in place to threaten Pd5 } 12... b5 { preparing ...Nb6 without allowing c2-c4 to support Pd5 } 13. a4 Rb8 14. axb5 axb5 15. O-O $14 ) 12. exd5 Bf5 { It's unclear how well Bf5 coordinates with the other pieces in this position, but retaining the two bishops appeals to many players. } 13. O-O O-O 14. c4 Qc7 { He might have it in mind to play ...Rf8-c8 and ...Qd8, but it's usually a bad idea to commit the queen to one side of the board or the other before absolutely necessary. Pd5 & Pd6 help to divide the board in two and the player who can switch from one side to the other quickly has some advantage. } ( 14... a5 ) 15. f4 $6 { Opening lines on the king-side is desirable, but opening up e5 gives Nd7 a nice square. } ( 15. Bd3 Bxd3 16. Qxd3 { and White is able to play Nb3-d2-e4-g5. That might encourage Black to play ...f7-f5, but every pawn move on that side weakens Kg8 a bit. } ) ( { Although it exposes Kg1, White might consider } 15. g4 hxg4 ( 15... Bg6 16. f4 hxg4 17. f5 Bh7 18. Bxg4 ) 16. fxg4 Bg6 17. Bg5 { preparing h2-h4-h5 } ) 15... exf4 16. Bxf4 ( 16. Rxf4 Bg6 { and Black threatens to get rid of his "bad" Be7 by ...Bg5 } 17. Nd4 Bg5 18. Rf2 Bxe3 19. Qxe3 Rae8 20. Qh3 Re5 ) 16... Bg6 17. Rac1 Qb6+ 18. Be3 $2 ( 18. Kh1 ) 18... Bg5 19. Bxb6 Bxd2 20. Nxd2 Nxb6 { This simplification doesn't end Black's difficulties (White still has the queen-side pawn majority) , but it eases his cramp so the remaining pieces should be able to maneuver without difficulty. } 21. Bf3 Nd7 22. Be4 Ne5 23. Bxg6 Nxg6 24. Ne4 Rad8 25. Ng3 h4 26. Nf5 h3 { I don't know whether to criticize this or not. It doesn't seem to hurt his position much, but a pawn is a pawn (sometimes) . } ( 26... Rfe8 ) 27. gxh3 Ne5 28. Rc3 g6 29. Nh6+ Kg7 30. Ng4 { Black has given up a pawn, but he still has the basic elements of a good position: safe king, open lines for his pieces and no more weak pawns than his opponent. } 30... Rfe8 31. Nf6 Rh8 32. Rb3 Rc8 33. Rxb7 Rxc4 34. Ng4 Nxg4 { Black trades rather than let White force a passed pawn by Nxe5 ...dxe5. } 35. Rfxf7+ Kh6 36. hxg4 Rxg4+ { With double rooks neither king will be completely safe and that helps Black maintain a drawn position. } 37. Kf2 Kg5 38. Rh7 Rf4+ 39. Ke3 Rhf8 40. Rh3 Re8+ 41. Kd3 Re5 42. Rg3+ Kf6 { a fair result chessically and a great result for Karjakin (!) to draw the FIDE champ } 1/2-1/2