[Event "Superstars Hotel Bali"]
[Site "Benidorm ESP"]
[Date "2002.11.30"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Polgar, Judit"]
[Black "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[BlackElo "2527"]
[ECO "B87"]
[EventDate "2002.11.29"]
[PlyCount "140"]
[WhiteElo "2685"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb3 b5 8. O-O ( 8. Qf3 { is a primary alternative } ) 8... Be7 9. Qf3 Qc7 { preparing to meet e4-e5 with ...Bc8-b7, protecting Ra8 and threatening Qg3 } 10. Qg3 O-O 11. Bh6 { This forces ...Nf6-e8 which removes pressure from Pe4. } 11... Ne8 12. Rad1 ( 12. Nce2 Kh8 13. Be3 ) 12... Bd7 13. Nce2 { probably heading to h5 } 13... Bf6 { This defends Pg7 and is well positioned to threaten White's queen-side, but it leaves Ne8 very awkward. White shouldn't try to force things now. Aiming to trade bishops and play against the weakened Pd6 might be effective. } 14. Nf3 { questionable, but not easily proven } ( 14. Nf4 $6 Be5 ( 14... e5 15. Nh5 ) ) ( 14. Bg5 $5 ) 14... Nc6 { Karjakin goes with the tried-and-true answer, develop pieces to fight with. } ( 14... Bxb2 15. Nf4 $6 ( 15. c3 b4 ) 15... Kh8 ) 15. c3 e5 { preventing Ne2-f5, but opening the b3-g8 diagonal; whom does this favor most? } 16. Bg5 { preparing Nf3-h4-f5 } 16... Be6 17. Qh4 { preparing Ne2-g3-h5 } ( 17. Bd5 ) 17... h6 ( 17... Bxb3 18. axb3 b4 { blocks Pb3, making it a permanent weakness } 19. Ng3 Bxg5 20. Nxg5 Nf6 ) 18. Bxf6 Nxf6 19. Ng3 { Black is developed and his king is safe, but now he has to continue fighting White's immediate plan. A nice looking position doesn't win the day, a good plan and a good move is important. } 19... Bg4 $2 { This is bad because Nf3 isn't the main threat, Bb3 or Ng3 is much more dangerous. } ( 19... Rad8 { seems to be the consistent follow-up } ) 20. Nf5 ( 20. Rd3 { waits for Black to capture Nf3 before committing to Ng3-f5 } ) 20... Bxf5 21. exf5 Na5 22. Bd5 Rad8 23. Rfe1 Rfe8 24. h3 Nc6 { Black threatens ...Nc6-e7xf5. } 25. Bxc6 Qxc6 26. Rd2 Rd7 27. Red1 a5 28. a3 Rb8 29. Nh2 d5 30. Ng4 Nxg4 31. Qxg4 Rbd8 ( 31... f6 $15 ) 32. Qe2 Re7 ( 32... Qc4 { offers the queen trade, so Qxc4 ...bxc4 exposes the weaker Pb2 to threats } ) 33. Rd3 ( 33. f6 gxf6 34. Rd3 { gives White a chance to threaten Kg8, but at the cost of a pawn } ) 33... Kf8 34. Qd2 Red7 35. Qe3 ( 35. f6 $4 Qxf6 36. Rxd5 Rxd5 $19 ) 35... f6 36. R3d2 Qb7 ( 36... d4 $4 37. cxd4 Rxd4 38. Rxd4 Rxd4 39. Rxd4 exd4 40. Qxd4 $17 ) ( 36... Qc7 { aiming for ...Rd6, ...Qd7 to threaten Pf5 and possibly play ...d4 } ) 37. Qc5+ Kf7 38. a4 { I suppose Polgar was looking for a chance to win and was willing to take a small chance. } 38... bxa4 39. Qxa5 Qc6 40. Qb4 Rb7 41. Qg4 $6 ( 41. Qa3 { prevents Black from playing ...a4-a3 to break up White's queen-side pawns } ) 41... Kf8 { White's threats to Pd5 and Pa4 is all that prevents Black from forcing a clear advantage. But, how can Black ever hope to get away from those threats? } 42. Qf3 Rbd7 43. Ra1 Qc4 44. Rad1 ( 44. Qd1 Ra8 45. Ra3 ) 44... d4 45. Qe4 a3 46. bxa3 Qxc3 $17 { Pa3 is weak and in any simplified ending Black's central pawns would naturally dominate. White needs to use f2-f4xe5 to weaken Black's pawns and king. } 47. Rd3 Qc4 48. f4 Qd5 49. Re1 Qxe4 50. Rxe4 Rd5 51. Kf2 { If Black defends Pe5 with ...Kd6 then Pa3 might fall. But, bringing the king to the center is somewhat risky. } 51... Rc8 ( 51... Ke7 52. fxe5 fxe5 53. g4 Kd6 54. Kf3 Ra8 $17 ) 52. fxe5 fxe5 53. Kf3 Kf7 54. Re2 Rb5 { preventing either of White's rooks from becoming active on the b- or c-files } 55. Ke4 Rc1 { Black appears to be encircling Pa3, so White can't defend it from any direction. He still needs to over-protect Pe5 with his king. } 56. a4 Ra5 57. Rb3 Rc4 ( 57... Rxa4 58. Kxe5 Rc5+ 59. Ke4 d3+ 60. Kxd3 Rxf5 $11 ) 58. Rb7+ Kg8 ( { More productive, but complicated, is } 58... Kf6 59. Rb6+ Kg5 60. Rg6+ Kh4 61. Rg4+ Kh5 62. Rxg7 Rcxa4 63. f6 d3+ 64. Kxd3 Rf4 65. f7 Ra3+ 66. Kd2 e4 $13 ) 59. Ra2 Rc3 { threatening ...Re3# and generally supporting the advance of his central pawns } ( 59... d3+ 60. Kxd3 Rcxa4 61. Rxa4 Rxa4 62. Ke3 Rf4 63. g4 h5 $11 ) 60. Rb5 Re3+ ( 60... Rxb5 61. axb5 Rb3 62. Kxe5 Rxb5+ 63. Kxd4 Rxf5 $11 ) 61. Kd5 Ra7 { Is White's king better or out of place to stop the Black pawns as they advance? } 62. a5 d3 { Whose pawn is better? White's king is much more active, so it's likely Black's forces are just split apart and will be beaten. } 63. a6 Re2 ( 63... d2 64. Rxd2 Rd7+ 65. Ke6 Rxd2 66. Rb8+ Kh7 67. a7 Ra3 68. a8=Q Rxa8 69. Rxa8 e4 70. Ra3 Rd3 71. Ra2 e3 72. Re2 $11 ) 64. Rxe2 dxe2 65. Rb1 Rxa6 ( 65... Rd7+ $4 66. Ke6 Rd1 67. a7 Rxb1 68. a8=Q+ Kh7 69. Kf7 Rb7+ 70. Qxb7 e1=Q 71. Qc8 $18 { forces mate } ) 66. Re1 ( 66. Kxe5 Ra8 67. Re1 Re8+ 68. Kf4 Kf7 69. g4 Kf6 70. h4 Re7 71. g5+ hxg5+ 72. hxg5+ Kf7 $11 ) 66... Kf7 67. Kxe5 Ra2 68. g4 Ra5+ 69. Kf4 Ra4+ 70. Kf3 Ra3+ { Neither side stepped too far over the line, but also, they were far from perfect. } 1/2-1/2