[Event "Superstars Hotel Bali"]
[Site "Benidorm ESP"]
[Date "2002.11.29"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Black "Karpov, Anatoly"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[BlackElo "2688"]
[ECO "C42"]
[EventDate "2002.11.29"]
[PlyCount "149"]
[WhiteElo "2527"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 { If Karpov wanted to make a point and try to win with Black against the 12-year old then this probably isn't the best try. However, it has been his opening of choice recently, so he's sticking to the it. } 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 { Karjakin copies Shirov, who beat Karpov, and hopes for the same result. It will be interesting to see what improvement (s) Karpov has in mind. } 5... Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Bf4 O-O 8. Qd2 Nd7 9. O-O-O Re8 { This small change doesn't necessarily mean much, though it does allow ...Nd7-f8 to keep Ph7 safer and to leave the queen-side pawns less blocked. Perhaps he'll advance on the queen-side this time. } ( 9... Nc5 { was played in Shirov-Karpov } ) 10. Bc4 ( 10. h4 $5 { begins the pawn advances and delays the development of Bf1 until it's very clear where it can best be used } ) 10... Nb6 { It's not exactly easy to criticize this move, but after Bc4-d3 then what is Nb6 doing? Does he intend to invade at c4 after ...Bc8-e6? } 11. Bd3 Be6 12. Ng5 ( 12. Kb1 ) 12... Bxg5 13. Bxg5 { Now White has f4 for his queen, so ...f6 might be good, though it's not like Karpov to voluntarily weaken his king's position even for a useful tempo. } 13... Qd7 14. Kb1 Nc4 15. Qc1 ( 15. Qf4 { prevents ...Be6-f5 and threatens Bxc4, but doesn't really meet ...Qd7-b5 very well } ) 15... a5 { Here come the pawns. } 16. Rhe1 a4 17. Bf6 { Wow! Can this really be good? } 17... Qb5 ( 17... gxf6 18. Qh6 $11 ) 18. Bxc4 Qxc4 19. Qg5 Qg4 { Karpov forces a queen trade to gain equality, but with little hope of actually winning. } 20. f3 Qxg5 21. Bxg5 { Quickly, after the queen trade we're in an ending and Black's better pawns are good, but not nearly enough to convey an advantage. The opposite color bishops don't mean much at this point. If one side was to build up an attack it could be extra useful, but more likely the position will lead to simplifying rook trades and the bishops will make it even more drawish. } 21... f6 22. Bc1 ( 22. Bf4 { is more active and doesn't cramp Kb1 } ) ( 22. Bd2 { also doesn't cramp Kb1 and controls e3 & e1, so White can aim to double rooks on the e-file } ) 22... Kf7 23. Re3 b5 24. Rde1 h5 25. h4 Ra6 26. R3e2 Rc6 27. Bd2 { arriving at the better square anyway } ( 27. Be3 $5 Bc4 28. Rd2 Rc5 $1 29. b3 Bf1 30. Bf2 Rxe1+ 31. Bxe1 Re5 32. Bg3 Re3 { is risky for Black because Bf1 is a bit stranded } ( 32... Re2 33. Rxe2 Bxe2 34. bxa4 bxa4 35. Bf2 Bf1 36. g3 Be2 37. f4 Ke6 38. Kb2 Kd5 39. Ka3 Bc4 40. Kxa4 Bxa2 $17 { because Black's king can attack Pg3 and Bf2 while Black's queen-side is pretty much invulnerable: Black plays ...d5 and Bc4 holds it solidly together. Black probably has to play Bf2-a7-b8 to counter-attack and hope to eliminate enough pawns to avoid defeat. } ) ) 27... Rc5 28. b3 Re5 { White's dominance of the e-file just evaporated! } 29. Bf4 Rxe2 30. Rxe2 { White has several weak spots (Pa2, Pc2, Pg2, Ph4) , but they're difficult for White to get to. Black has several weak spots also (Pa4, Pb5, Pc7 and Ph5) , but they're equally inacessible. Perhaps Pa4 is the most exposed for Black. } 30... Ra8 { defending the weakest spot } 31. Kb2 Bd5 { preventing Re2-e4 } 32. Bg3 Bc6 33. Be1 g5 34. Kc1 { White won't capture Pg5 because hxg5 ...fxg5 gives Black a better chance to produce a passed h-file pawn. Similarly, Black won't capture Pb3 because ...axb3 and cxb3 gives White a chance to produce an a-file passed pawn by a2-a4. } 34... Rg8 35. Kd2 Bd7 36. Ke3 Bf5 { threatening ...Rd8+ to trade rooks and then win Pc2 } 37. Kd2 Be6 38. Bf2 Ke7 39. Bg3 Kd7 40. Bf2 g4 41. Ke3 ( 41. f4 $4 g3 { leaves Ph4 without defense } 42. Be1 Rg4 43. bxa4 ( 43. Re3 Rxh4 44. Bxg3 Rg4 { and Pg2 is still likely to fall } ) 43... bxa4 44. Re4 Bxa2 45. Rxa4 Bd5 46. Rd4 Bxg2 47. Rd3 Rxh4 48. Bxg3 Rh1 $17 ) 41... gxf3 42. gxf3 ( 42. Kxf3 Bg4+ $19 ) 42... c5 43. Kf4 Rg2 44. Rd2 Kc6 45. Be3 Rg8 { Black's rook can't get to the eighth rank to swing around and get at Pa2 or Ph4. } 46. Rd1 Bf7 47. Rd2 Re8 { This is an interesting example of the old axiom that whomever is attacking with opposite-color bishops has, in effect, an extra piece; because the attacking bishop isn't so easily opposed. } 48. Rg2 Re5 49. Bd2 Be6 50. Rf2 Bg8 ( 50... Bf5 ) 51. Be3 Bh7 52. Rd2 Rf5+ 53. Kg3 { an obvious move, but crucial nonetheless } ( 53. Ke4 $4 Rd5+ 54. Kf4 Rxd2 55. Bxd2 Bxc2 56. bxa4 bxa4 { White's king and bishop need to trade places and can't easily do that. } 57. Ke3 ( 57. c4 Bd3 ) 57... Kd5 58. Ke2 Kc4 59. Bh6 ( 59. Bf4 d5 60. Bd6 Kxc3 61. Bxc5 d4 $19 ) 59... Kxc3 60. Bg7 d5 61. Bxf6+ d4 62. a3 Bb3 63. Be7 Kc2 64. Bg5 c4 $19 ) 53... Rd5 { Black has found a way to force a rook trade when Pc2 will fall. Be3 and Kg3 look like spectators at this point. } 54. Rxd5 Kxd5 55. bxa4 bxa4 56. Bf4 { tying-up Black's king by threatening Pd6 } 56... Bxc2 57. a3 Kc6 { the long way around } 58. Kf2 Bd1 59. Ke3 d5 60. Bh6 Kb5 61. Bf8 Kc4 62. f4 f5 63. Kd2 { and White barely gets into place just in time to hold the draw } 63... Bf3 64. Ke3 Bh1 ( 64... Kxc3 $4 65. Bxc5 $1 $11 ( 65. Kxf3 c4 66. Ke2 d4 67. Kd1 Kb3 68. Bc5 d3 69. Kd2 ) ) 65. Kd2 Bg2 66. Be7 d4 67. cxd4 cxd4 { Now we have the drawish bishop & pawn ending where White's weak spots are conveniently defensible. } 68. Bd6 Kd5 69. Be7 Ke4 70. Bg5 Bf1 71. Bh6 Bb5 72. Bg5 Kf3 73. Bh6 Kg3 74. Bg5 Kg4 75. Ke1 { Black's Bb5 and Pd4 can't beat Ke1 and Black's Kg4 can't beat White's Bg5 and pawns. But, mostly Black can't force White's king away, so Kg4 can quickly sweep in and assist Pd4 to advance further. } 1/2-1/2