[Event "GMA, Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2003.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Van Wely,L"]
[Black "Polgar,Ju"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Annotator "Hathaway"]
[BlackElo "2700"]
[ECO "E15"]
[PlyCount "126"]
[WhiteElo "2665"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 { Among the younger top-flite players (perhaps more from Europe) the more hyper-modern defenses like the King's Indian Defense, Benoni and Benko Gambit aren't seen as often (caveat: Polgar played the KID early-on in her career) . In this event Polgar faced 1. d4 four (4) times and played 2...e6 every time. } 3. Nf3 b6 ( 3... c5 { is more adventurous, but Polgar has never played it, AFAIK } ) 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qa4 { White defends Pc4 and tries to force Black to relinquish the pressure, while incidentally pinning Pd7. 5. b3 is the most common alternative. Defending Pc4 with the queen almost always results in Black challenging Pd4 to show that the absence of Qd1 is significant. } 5... Bb7 6. Bg2 c5 ( 6... Be7 { and ...O-O is probably a perfectly good alternative } ) 7. dxc5 Bxc5 { White has the open d-file, but for the moment Black's bishops are terrific and there are enough open squares to complete her development. } 8. O-O O-O ( 8... Bc6 $5 { Fritz7; pretty much prevents White from considering b2-b4 } ) 9. Nc3 ( 9. b4 $5 Be7 10. Bb2 { Fritz7 } ) 9... Be7 ( 9... Qe7 { Fritz7; though the queen and Bc5 are arguably awkwardly placed } ) 10. Rd1 Na6 { probably intending ...Na6-c5-e4 to achieve a trade or two, thereby easing the slight cramp in Black's position caused by her not having extended pawns very much (a common problem for Black) } 11. Bf4 Nc5 12. Qc2 Qc8 $14 { defending Bc8 and possibly preparing to pressure Pc4 or less likely ...Qc8-c6 to control the center directly or somewhat likely ...Bb7-c6 and ...Qc8-b7. Black's position looks a little awkward, but the minor pieces have good squares and there aren't any severe weaknesses except d6. } ( 12... Nce4 $11 { Fritz7 } ) 13. Rac1 Nce4 { She might have considered ...a7-a6, but then Pb6 is just another weakness to guard. } 14. Nd4 Nxc3 ( 14... Nxf2 15. Kxf2 e5 16. Bxe5 Ng4+ 17. Kg1 Nxe5 18. Bxb7 Qxb7 $14 { Fritz7 } ) 15. Qxc3 Bxg2 16. Kxg2 { There was a time when White might aim for such trades in hopes of exploiting a severe weakness at c6 & b7 & a6, but with Pd7 and Qc8 that isn't going to happen in this game. } 16... Qb7+ ( 16... a6 { might be necessary AND defensible } ) ( 16... Nh5 17. Bd2 Nf6 $11 { Fritz7 } ) 17. Qf3 Ne4 { Black could trade queens, but then d6 would be very weak and c7 & d7 completely exposed. Instead she keeps Qb7 on the board and guards d6 again, preparing to support Ne4 with ...f7-f5 if needed. } ( 17... Qxf3+ $6 18. Kxf3 a6 19. e4 { and all Black's central control is gone so that White can finally advance e2-e4 and cramp Black's few remaining pieces } ) 18. Nb5 f5 ( 18... Qc6 19. Bd6 Nxd6 20. Nxd6 $14 ) 19. Bd6 Nxd6 ( 19... Bxd6 20. Nxd6 Nxd6 ( 20... Qc6 $11 { Fritz7 } ) 21. Rxd6 Qxf3+ 22. Kxf3 { can lead to the same kind of problems for Black } ) 20. Nxd6 Qxf3+ ( 20... Qc6 { Fritz7 } ) ( 20... Qc7 { Fritz7 } ) 21. Kxf3 Rab8 { When Nd6 moves to allow Rd1 to threaten Pd7, Black will have ...Rd8 or ...Rb7. } ( 21... Bxd6 $2 22. Rxd6 Rf7 23. Rcd1 Rd8 24. Rxe6 $16 ) 22. Rc3 Rfd8 $16 { according to Fritz7 } 23. Rcd3 Kf8 24. e4 Bxd6 25. Rxd6 fxe4+ 26. Kxe4 Ke7 { All secure! A draw is the likely result. White's advantage now is that Ke4 is more advanced and his rooks are a bit more mobile than Black's. In an ending of this sort, a rook's lateral mobility can be very useful. } 27. f4 { It's important for White to keep the c- and f-files closed to Black's rooks. } 27... Rb7 28. b3 Rc8 $14 { Fritz7 downgrades his estimate of White's advantage! Moving out of the d-file alignment with White's doubled rooks is good and taking to the half-open file is also very good. With ...Rc8-c7 Black can aim for ...b6-b5 to open a favorable file. } 29. a4 Rc5 ( 29... Rc6 $14 { Fritz7 } ) 30. g4 Rbc7 31. R1d3 { How can White win? Rd3-h3 and Ph7 is the second weakness; though Rd6 is exposed and would have to be pulled back a bit. } 31... h5 32. h3 Rb7 { probably preparing for ...Rc5-c8-h8 to utilize the (apparently) soon to open h-file } ( 32... g6 { Fritz7 } ) 33. f5 hxg4 34. hxg4 g6 $6 { Black is aggressively trying to end the pressure before White can make anything from it. But, offering to trade Pg6 for Pf5 makes Pg4 a passer and that's not good for Black. } ( 34... Rbc7 35. Kf4 R5c6 36. Rxc6 Rxc6 37. Rh3 Rc5 $14 { Fritz7 } ) 35. fxe6 ( 35. f6+ Kxf6 36. Rxd7 Rcc7 { and Black's isolated passed Pe6 is no worse than White's extra queen-side pawn } ) ( 35. fxg6 Rg5 36. Kf4 Rxg6 37. g5 e5+ { Does White have an advantage here? } ) 35... dxe6 36. Rd8 Kf6 { clearly taking aim at Pg4, though it's unlikely Pe6 would remain on the board if Pg4 is captured. Still, Pg6 is further away from the queen-side and that might make it a better weapon for Black. Also, if ...Kf6-g5xg4 then Black's king would've outflanked Ke4 and would have some advantage in the effort to support the advance of Pg6. } 37. Kf4 g5+ ( 37... e5+ { I thought the pawn check could be good and Fritz showed is really isn't because White's rooks can hold Pg4 long enough to allow his offense to go through and Black's is stifled. It's not terribly obvious though. } 38. Ke4 Kg5 39. R8d7 $1 ( 39. R8d6 Rg7 40. R3d5 Rcc7 41. Rxe5+ Kxg4 ) 39... Rcc7 40. Rxc7 Rxc7 41. Rd6 Re7 ( 41... Rg7 42. Kxe5 Kxg4 43. Kf6 Rg8 44. Kf7 Rc8 45. Rxg6+ $16 Kf5 ) 42. a5 bxa5 43. c5 Rb7 44. Kxe5 Rxb3 45. Rd4 $16 { Fritz7 } ) ( 37... Rh7 38. Rf8+ Ke7 39. Ra8 Kf6 $11 { Fritz7 } ) 38. Ke4 ( 38. Kg3 { Fritz7 thought this was the only move to keep the advantage, but after it's on the board Fritz7 still says 38...Re5 is equal; go figure! I guess it shows ...g5+ was in fact a good move; much better than I'd thought. } ) 38... Re5+ 39. Kd4 Re1 { This was good for Black's rook, but not so good for Kf6 which is a bit cornered. } 40. Rf3+ Kg7 41. Rff8 Rg1 42. Ke5 Rxg4 43. Kxe6 ( 43. Rg8+ Kh6 44. Rh8+ Rh7 45. Rxh7+ Kxh7 46. Rd7+ Kg6 47. Rxa7 Rg3 48. Rb7 Re3+ 49. Kd4 Rxb3 50. a5 Kf5 51. axb6 $16 { Fritz7 } ) 43... Re4+ ( 43... Rf4 44. Rh8 Rf6+ 45. Ke5 Re7+ 46. Kd5 Rff7 { and Pg5 should be well supported by all the Black pieces, though White's king has improved his position for the advance of his queen-side pawns. It's still about equal. } ) 44. Kd5 Rbe7 { The Fritz7 evaluation shifts to the negative (meaning better for Black) for the first time since forever. } 45. Rg8+ Kh6 { Here Fritz7 gives the evaluation as (0.00) for any of three moves White might try: Rh8+, Rd7 and Rd6+. } 46. Kc6 $15 R4e6+ { Chasing Kc6 toward Pa7 can't be good. } ( 46... g4 { Fritz7 } ) 47. Kb5 Rg6 48. b4 g4 49. c5 bxc5 50. bxc5 a6+ 51. Ka5 Ree6 $11 { according to Fritz7 } 52. Rxg6+ $16 { also according to Fritz7; amazing isn't it? } 52... Kxg6 53. Rd6 Kf5 $1 { I thought Polgar may have missed an opportunity here, but Fritz7 found a slightly better line for White and keeps the advantage. Essentially, both promote their passers and White's king is better placed (near Pa6) for the resulting Q+P ending. The question for Black is where her king belongs, far away or as close to a8 as possible. } ( 53... Rxd6 54. cxd6 Kf7 { preventing Pd6 from promoting without assistance from Ka5 and staying off the d8-h4 diagonal } 55. Kb6 ( 55. Kxa6 $4 $19 Ke6 56. a5 g3 57. Kb7 Kxd6 58. a6 g2 59. a7 g1=Q 60. a8=Q Qb1+ 61. Kc8 Qc2+ ( 61... Qc1+ 62. Kb7 Qb2+ 63. Kc8 Qc3+ 64. Kb7 Qb3+ 65. Kc8 Qc4+ 66. Kb7 Qb5+ 67. Kc8 ( 67. Ka7 Kc7 ) 67... Qd7+ 68. Kb8 Qc7# ) 62. Kb7 Qb3+ 63. Kc8 Qc4+ 64. Kb7 Qb5+ 65. Kc8 Qd7+ 66. Kb8 Qc7# ) 55... Ke6 ( 55... g3 56. d7 g2 57. d8=Q g1=Q+ 58. Kxa6 ) 56. Kc7 g3 57. d7 g2 58. d8=Q g1=Q 59. Qd6+ Kf5 60. Kb7 a5 61. Ka6 Qe1 62. Qd5+ Kg4 63. Qxa5 { produces one of those torturous Q+P endings with about 100 moves to go before it's settled! } ) 54. Rxe6 Kxe6 55. c6 Kd6 56. Kb6 g3 57. c7 g2 58. c8=Q g1=Q+ 59. Kxa6 { This line is possibly better for Black than the longish note after Black's 53rd move because Black's king is very close to a8. Is this a theoretical win for White? I don't know, but rook pawns are the hardest to advance. Ideally the defending king should stand directly in front of the pawn or very far away to avoid cross-checks (where a queen trade is forced) . Perhaps in this case the awkward White king position makes it alright for Black's king to be close to a8. In the case of many queen trades Black's king just walks to a8 and says 'Draw!'. } 59... Qf1+ 60. Ka7 Qf2+ 61. Ka8 Qb6 62. Qc4 ( 62. Qb8+ Qxb8+ 63. Kxb8 Kc6 64. a5 Kb5 $11 ) ( 62. Qf8+ Kc6 63. Qf6+ Kc7 64. Qe5+ Kc6 65. Qe6+ Kc7 $16 { according to Fritz7; again, amazing! } ) 62... Qc6+ 63. Qxc6+ Kxc6 { It was a stressful game I'm sure, but neither player got very far ahead of the other in terms of the position. } 1/2