[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.15"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Bologan,V"]
[Black "Timman,J"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Henderson - Timman"]
[BlackElo "2578"]
[ECO "C00"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[WhiteElo "2679"]

1. e4 { I expected this move, although Bologan played in the first round against Zhong something else, 1.e4 is his normal move. } 1... e6 { I had noticed that Bologan does not score as well against the French as against other replies to 1.e4. } 2. d3 { A surprise, there are many ways for black to play against this system, I choose a classical setup. } 2... d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. Ngf3 b6 5. c3 Be7 6. Be2 Bb7 7. Qa4+ { An interesting move; white wants to develop his queen to c2, but first tries to displace one of black's pieces (Bc6 or Qd7) } 7... Nfd7 8. O-O O-O 9. Re1 c5 10. Nf1 c4 { A bit too optimistic. A normal move like Nc6 was better; however I underestimated white's strong response. } 11. Be3 $1 ( { Ready to give up his bishop to get his attack going } 11. d4 $2 dxe4 12. N3d2 e5 { and black is better } ) 11... cxd3 12. Bxd3 Qc7 13. e5 ( { Bologan had an interesting alternative here: } 13. Rad1 Nc5 14. Bxc5 bxc5 15. exd5 Bxd5 16. Be4 Bxe4 17. Qxe4 { with a slight plus for white } ) 13... Nc5 ( { I dismissed } 13... Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Qxe5 15. Bf4 { as I did not see any good squares for my queen. } ) 14. Bxc5 bxc5 15. Qg4 Nd7 16. Ng3 d4 { This was the critical position } 17. Ng5 $2 ( { White has two alternatives instead of the mistake Ng5: } 17. cxd4 cxd4 ( 17... Bxf3 18. gxf3 { with a healthy extra pawn for white } ) 18. Rac1 Qa5 19. Ng5 Bxg5 ( 19... Qd2 20. Nxe6 ) 20. Qxg5 f5 21. Nh5 Rf7 { with a small advantage for white } ) ( 17. Be4 { and white has a very small edge - though nothing much for me to worry about. } ) 17... Bxg5 18. Qxg5 h6 $1 { Now black has solved all his opening problems } 19. Qh5 $2 ( { Bologan said after the game that he had missed the whole c4 idea. Instead: } 19. Qf4 c4 $2 { doesn't work because of } ( 19... f6 20. cxd4 cxd4 21. Rac1 ) 20. Be4 Bxe4 21. Rxe4 { and the pawn on c4 hangs } ) 19... c4 20. Bf1 d3 21. Rad1 Rad8 22. Re3 Bd5 { Black has to be careful, white would still like to get Nh5 in. Bd5 protects e6 and makes f7-f6 possible. } 23. b3 cxb3 24. axb3 Bxb3 25. Rdxd3 Bc2 26. Rd4 Bg6 27. Qh4 $6 { A bit dubious to say the least. I was more expecting: 27 Qd1= } 27... Nb6 28. c4 a5 { There should be something better for black than a5 (which is just equal), but I could not find it during the game. } 29. Ra3 a4 30. c5 $2 ( { A mistake in severe time trouble for Bologan. After the game, he agreed it would have been much better to exchange first: } 30. Rxd8 Rxd8 31. c5 Nd7 32. Rxa4 { and I have a small advantage. } ) 30... Qxc5 { After either 31 Rxd8 or 31 Qxd8 31...Qxa3 with a very strong a-pawn is winning for me. } 31. Raxa4 Rxd4 32. Rxd4 Qxe5 { Now black is a healthy pawn up, but because they are all on one side it should still be a draw. Of course, I have practical chances because Bologan was down to 48 seconds here. } 33. Rd8 Qc7 34. Rxf8+ Kxf8 35. Qb4+ Kg8 36. h4 { Despite his time trouble, Bologan plays this phase of the game very accurately. } 36... Nd5 37. Qa3 Qe5 38. Be2 Nc3 { An alternative for black is: 38 ..Nf4 but then 39 Qe3 equalizes } 39. Qa8+ $1 { This check and bringing over the queen to f3 is a strong manouvre } 39... Kh7 40. Qf3 f5 { I was not happy with this f5 move, but I did not find any other ways to make progress. } 41. Bc4 $1 { Now exchanging to a drawish bishop ending is inevitable. } 41... f4 42. Ne2 Nxe2+ 43. Qxe2 Qxe2 44. Bxe2 Be4 45. g3 $2 ( 45. Bh5 { Blocking the king is the easiest way to a draw: } 45... Kg8 46. g3 e5 47. gxf4 exf4 48. Kh2 Kf8 49. Kh3 { and black is not in time to save the f-pawn } ) 45... Kg6 46. Bg4 e5 47. gxf4 $2 { 47 Kf1 There is no need to exchange on f4; moving the king to the centre so that black does not have the chance to enter via d2 is another way to draw } 47... exf4 48. Kh2 Kf6 49. Bc8 Ke5 50. Bg4 Kd4 51. Bc8 ( { There was a last chance for white here, but this might already be winning for black } 51. Kg1 Kd3 52. Kf1 Kd2 { with the idea of Bd3 } ) 51... Bf3 { Now it is game over } 52. Bd7 Kd3 53. Bb5+ Kd2 54. Kg1 Ke1 55. Be8 g5 56. hxg5 hxg5 57. Bf7 Be4 58. Be6 f3 59. Bd7 Bg6 { Now he is in zugzwang - the idea is to play Bh5 and g4-g3. } 0-1