[Event "Superstars Hotel Bali"]
[Site "Benidorm ESP"]
[Date "2002.11.30"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Polgar, Judit"]
[Black "Paunovic, D."]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "2532"]
[ECO "B42"]
[EventDate "2002.11.29"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[WhiteElo "2685"]

1. e4 c5 { First, I have to say this fellow's name is rather appropriate for chess. It looks to me like it would be prounced "pawn-ovich". But, of course, we also know pawns don't win games as much as pieces. } 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. O-O { now threatening e4-e5 } 6... d6 7. c4 { Again, as in several other games of this tournament, Polgar uses another pawn to restrain her opponent's pieces. This one is recognized as fully appropriate for this position. I'd probably play the same. Black usually challenges Nd4 before this and that fact changes the course of the game to make c2-c4 impossible. } 7... b6 8. Nc3 Bb7 { What is White's plan? Often it's to play a "normal" way and to let Pc4 participate incidentally. The costs of having Pc4 is that it's impossible to pressure Pa6 with the Bd3 and Qd1-e2 and Bd3 is undefended. } 9. f4 g6 { The more blocked d-file makes pressure on Pd6 less significant, but weakening f6 has to be dangerous. } 10. Be3 Bg7 11. Qf3 O-O 12. Rad1 { to defend Bd3, probably Nd4 and minimally to restrain Pd6 and Qd8 } 12... Nbd7 { This is a well-placed piece to limit White's options. If Pf4 advances then ...Nd7-e5 is terrific. However, if White can create a second threat to go along with f4-f5 then White can still make progress. If White does nothing immediate then Black might consider ...Nd7-c5 to pressure Pe4, but he has to be cognizant of the fact White might use b2-b4 at any moment to chase Nc5 away; so, timing is important. To that end people have often played ...Ra8-c8, ...Qd8-c7-b8-a8 to add more pressure to Pe4. The danger of that is to find Qa8 too far from the king-side to assist in any defensive measures. } 13. Bf2 { I'm not certain where she thinks the bishop will be better placed, but it's difficult to marshall the forces better before making a committing move such as f4-f5. } ( { A person should definately consider a direct advance such as } 13. f5 Ne5 ( 13... gxf5 { Most people would think several times before playing such a move, but it does retain central control while removing the dangerous White pawn. } 14. Bg5 Ne5 15. Qg3 Nxd3 16. Rxd3 Nh5 17. Qh4 $13 Bxd4+ 18. Rxd4 f6 19. Bh6 Ng7 20. exf5 e5 21. Rg4 Rf7 22. Rd1 $14 Kh8 23. Bxg7+ Rxg7 24. Rxg7 Kxg7 25. Rd3 Rc8 ( 25... Qe7 26. Ne4 Bxe4 27. Qxe4 Rc8 $14 ) 26. Rh3 Qh8 27. Qh6+ Kg8 28. Rg3+ Kf7 29. Qh5+ Kf8 30. Qd1 $16 ) 14. Qh3 Nxd3 15. Rxd3 ( 15. fxe6 Nc5 16. Bg5 Ncxe4 17. Nxe4 Bxe4 18. Qh4 Bf5 ( 18... Bb7 19. Rxf6 h6 $2 20. exf7+ Rxf7 21. Rxf7 hxg5 22. Rxg7+ Kxg7 23. Ne6+ Kg8 24. Nxd8 $18 gxh4 25. Nxb7 ) 19. Nxf5 gxf5 20. e7 Qxe7 21. Rde1 Qd8 22. Rxf5 $13 ) 15... e5 16. Nf3 $13 ) 13... Qc7 14. Rfe1 Rfe8 15. Nb3 { This probably indicates she wants to move Bf2, but doesn't want to retreat Nd4-e2 where it would block Re1 from defending Pe4. This indicates the difficulty of trying to maintain a static position, rather than carrying out a dynamic plan leading to some positive action. And, after all, what is Nb3 doing? It might have participated in king-side play, but it doesn't seem likely now. Also, without Nd4 the dark-square diagonal is weaker and Bg7 better. } 15... Nc5 16. Nxc5 bxc5 { Black controls more central squares and probably plans ...Nf6-d7, where it's more centrally located and can move to e5 or f8 and it controls e5. } 17. Bc2 Bc6 { opening the b-file and possibly preparing ...Re8-d8, ...Qc7-b7 to continue pressuring Pe4 } 18. Ba4 Rab8 ( 18... Bxa4 19. Nxa4 Rab8 { looks very good for Black } ) 19. b3 Ng4 $5 { threatening ...Nxf2 and trying to divert Qf3, so he can capture Nc3 to "own" the diagonal and, in particular, d4. It's hard to criticize this move because it is done with good intentions, but Polgar's reply does make it appear to be a mistake. It's just terribly unobvious. } ( 19... Bxa4 20. Nxa4 $14 ) 20. Bxc6 Qxc6 21. e5 $1 { This move might be a mistake except for the fact that in the endgame it's alright to trade the king-side pawns for Black's queen-side pawns. The better-formed queen-side pawns, if unblocked, are better. It's a curious thing also that there are times when a rook and knight work better together than a rook and bishop, so Black's Bg7 might be valued highly at the moment, but only a few moves from now the knight could be better! } ( 21. Qxg4 Bxc3 22. Re2 Red8 { could be superior for White because Pd6 is backward and exposed and Black has several pawns on dark squares which might be targets for White's bishop later in the game } ) 21... Qxf3 22. gxf3 Nxf2 23. Kxf2 Red8 ( 23... dxe5 $1 24. fxe5 Red8 25. Ne4 Bxe5 26. Nxc5 Bd4+ 27. Rxd4 Rxd4 28. Nxa6 Ra8 29. Nb4 Rd7 30. Re2 Rb7 31. Nd3 { and it's still terribly complicated } ) 24. Ne4 dxe5 25. Nxc5 exf4 $2 { Which pawn was more important Pf4 or Pa6? } ( 25... Rxd1 26. Rxd1 a5 $14 ) 26. Nxa6 Ra8 $2 ( 26... Rxd1 27. Nxb8 ( 27. Rxd1 Ra8 28. Rd6 Be5 29. Rc6 Rd8 { is probably in White's advantage, despite his pieces being somewhat stuck in front of the pawns, limiting their mobility somewhat (though Pb3 might be well prepared to advance quickly } ) 27... Rd8 28. Nc6 Rd6 29. Nb8 Bd4+ 30. Ke2 Ba7 31. c5 Bxc5 { It would seem White is better if he can trade rooks, but Black's bishop is good and Black's pawns are still mobile. It would be an interesting endgame. } ) 27. Rxd8+ Rxd8 28. b4 ( 28. Nc7 ) ( 28. a4 { is unlikely looking, but pretty good. Na6 prevents ...Rb8 (to threaten Pb3) and Pa4 is now defended by Pb3. That means ...Rd8-d3 is the only way to get at White's pawns and Rb1 can defend that pawn. } ) 28... Rd3 ( 28... Bc3 29. Re4 Rd2+ 30. Re2 Rd4 31. Rc2 Rxc4 32. Ke2 Rxb4 33. Nxb4 Bxb4 34. a4 $18 { Black's pawns are not far enough advanced to do any damage. } ) 29. Re4 $6 { a very awkward place for a rook. It's hard to say whether this gives up the win or if it's still there. Anyway, it costs a pawn and that makes it tougher to win. } ( 29. a4 $18 ) 29... Ra3 30. b5 Rxa2+ 31. Ke1 ( 31. Re2 $2 Bd4+ 32. Kf1 Ra1+ 33. Re1 Ra3 34. Kg2 Rc3 35. c5 Bxc5 36. Nxc5 Rxc5 37. Rb1 Rc7 38. b6 Rb7 { and Black probably wins because Kg8 can help to win Pb6 before advancing other pawns } ) 31... Bc3+ 32. Kd1 Rb2 ( 32... Rxh2 { A computer rogram (Fritz 4) thinks this is winning for Black because there are so many pawns, but White's are further up the board and somewhat supported by pieces. Black's pawns aren't much of a threat yet. } 33. Re2 Rh1+ 34. Kc2 Ba5 35. c5 Ra1 36. c6 Ra3 37. c7 Rc3+ 38. Kb2 Rxc7 39. Nxc7 Bxc7 { This ending will take some care because Black has mobile pawns and White's king isn't well placed to slow them. } 40. Rc2 Be5+ 41. Kb3 Kg7 42. b6 h5 43. b7 h4 ( 43... g5 $4 44. Rc5 ) 44. Ka4 $1 { advancing up the board to support Pb7, but staying off the b-file, so as to NOT block his rook if it should end up on b8 after a trade of the pawn for Black's bishop } 44... h3 { distracting White's rook to gain some time for advancing pawns as safely as possible } ( 44... f5 $2 { weakens Pe6 and actually loses a pawn or two!! } 45. Re2 Bb8 46. Rxe6 Kf7 47. Rc6 g5 48. Rc8 Bd6 49. Rd8 Be5 50. Rd5 Bb8 51. Rxf5+ Kg6 52. Rf8 Be5 53. Kb5 h3 54. Rh8 h2 55. Rxh2 g4 ( 55... Kf5 56. Re2 Bc7 57. Kc6 Bb8 58. Re8 Ba7 59. Ra8 ) 56. fxg4 Kg5 57. Rh5+ Kxg4 58. Rxe5 f3 59. b8=Q f2 60. Qg8+ Kf4 61. Qg5+ Kf3 62. Re3# ) 45. Rh2 g5 46. Rxh3 f5 47. Kb5 Kg6 48. Rh8 g4 49. fxg4 fxg4 50. Kc4 g3 { as far from Kc5 as possible } 51. Kd3 { Retreating the rook just allows both Black pawns to advance. } ( 51. Rh1 $4 g2 52. Re1 Bb8 53. Rxe6+ Kf5 54. Re1 f3 $19 ) 51... g2 52. Rg8+ Bg7 53. b8=Q g1=Q 54. Qxf4 Kh7 { With nearly equal material, an open board and exposed kings it's still very close. } ) 33. Re2 Rb3 34. Kc2 Ra3 35. c5 Ba5 36. Re4 { This time she's aiming to get behind Pc5. } 36... Rc3+ 37. Kb2 Rxf3 38. b6 Rf2+ 39. Ka3 Rf1 40. b7 Rb1 41. Rb4 Rxb4 42. Nxb4 Bc7 43. Na6 Be5 44. c6 { The pawns were unstoppable and Polgar was aiming for this when she played 21. e4-e5! } 1-0