[Event "SuperGM"]
[Site "Linares ESP"]
[Date "2002.02.25"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Vallejo Pons, Francisco"]
[Black "Ivanchuk, Vassily"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Hathaway, Mark"]
[BlackElo "2717"]
[ECO "C26"]
[WhiteElo "2629"]

1. e4 Nf6 { Wow! This is interesting. None of the top GMs plays anything this provocative. It is, of course, played by many people at all levels of chess, except at the top. Why does Ivanchuk choose it for this game? One possibility is that he saw Vallejo Pons playing rather solid positions and "offered" a possibility of something more unbalanced and tactical. } 2. Nc3 { And already White flinches from the main contest (2. e5) . With this I suspect both players are on their own (out of book) . With Nc3 White isn't able to support a d2-d4 with c2-c3, so f2-f4 is more likely. In that case the game could resemble a King's Gambit more than an Italian or Spanish Game. } 2... e5 ( 2... d5 { is a more typical Alekhine's Defense response; continuing to force Pe4 to move or be removed. } ) 3. Nf3 { After Black's first-move provocation Vallejo Pons is proceeding very cautiously, perhaps even more than he might normally. Can Ivanchuk play aggressively to exploit that over-caution? How would he go about it? Oftentimes when one player doesn't use pawns much the other can overwhelm him with pawns. But, it depends upon the opening. Too much use of pawns in some openings just leads to difficulties. } ( 3. f4 ) 3... Nc6 4. g3 { After this it's quite possible Black will aim for ...Bh3 to trade-off Bg2, thereby weakening all the light squares on the king-side. Opening the center with ...d7-d5 would be unwise because it opens the diagonal for Bg2, making it stronger. } ( 4. Bb5 ) ( 4. d4 ) 4... Bc5 5. Bg2 d6 6. d3 { By defending Pe4 White is now free to play Nc3-a4xc5. This would get rid of the bishop, but at the cost of opening the d-file for Black. Still it might be good. } 6... a6 { Ivanchuk clearly wants to keep Bc5 to keep control of d4 and perhaps to have a piece which reaches all the way to f2 (or g1) to threaten White's king. This extra pawn move seems justified. } 7. h3 { White clearly has an idea of how to coordinate his king-side, to avoid damage. But, such a passive position might still allow Black chances. } 7... O-O $6 { The king-side seems the natural place for active play (for both White or Black) , so removing the king to the queen-side, where it's adequately defended by Bc5 and Nc6, should be safer and enables freer offensive actions on the king-side. } ( { More adventurous is } 7... h6 8. O-O Be6 9. Kh2 Qd7 { planning ...g7-g5-g4 and general king-side line opening combined with ...O-O-O } ) 8. O-O b5 { This is an interesting plan. Black shows he had something more in mind when he played 6...a6. } 9. a3 ( 9. Bg5 $2 h6 10. Bxf6 Qxf6 11. Nd5 Qg6 { and Pg3 is as weak as Pc7, so Black's queen gets into position for king-side offensive play at no cost } 12. Kh2 Qh5 { prepares ...Nc6-d4 and ...c7-c6 to enable ...Ra8-a7 when all Black's pieces are on their way to the king-side } ( 12... f5 $6 { Allowing White to open the g2-a8 diagonal bears a cost. } 13. Nh4 Qg5 14. Nxf5 Bxf5 15. exf5 Qxf5 ( 15... Rxf5 16. Nc3 ) 16. Nxc7 Ra7 17. Bxc6 Rxc7 18. Bd5+ Kh8 ) ) 9... Rb8 10. Kh1 { White is interested in prosecuting his offensive plan on his terms. He'd rather not be pushed into something by ... b5-b4. } 10... a5 11. Bg5 ( 11. Nh4 $6 b4 12. axb4 axb4 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. exd5 Ne7 { and Black might be able to counter-attack at Pd5 with ...Bc8-b7xd5 } ) 11... h6 12. Bh4 $5 { This is certainly intersting and puts in question 7...O-O. How does Black continue on both wings when his king wouldn't be safe after ...g7-g5? } 12... Be6 13. Nd5 { How else could White proceed? } ( 13. Nh2 $4 g5 ( 13... b4 $2 14. axb4 axb4 15. Nd5 Bxd5 16. exd5 Nd4 17. Ng4 g5 $4 18. Nxh6+ Kg7 19. Bxg5 ) ) ( 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Nh4 $13 ) 13... Bxd5 { Black is forced to give up one of his valuable bishops and Pd5, though doubled, will be well supported by Bg2. } 14. exd5 Nd4 15. Nxd4 exd4 ( 15... Bxd4 $2 16. c3 Bb6 17. f4 { and the f-file can open to White's advantage } ) 16. g4 { idea: to give Bh4 a retreat square and possibly to break up Black's king-side (with g4-g5) when White has both bishops in that area of the board (for both offensive and defensive uses) , but Black has Bc5 stuck on the other side of the board } 16... Re8 17. Re1 ( { premature is } 17. g5 $2 Nh7 ) ( 17. Qd2 { Unlike the game move this avoids the rook trade and seeks a more full-blooded fight. It also aims to resolve the queen-side possibilities without too much damage being done there. On the king-side White has to recognize also that if he uses f2-f4 Black could respond with ...Re8-e3, mucking up the whole operation. Whether 17...Ne4 is of much consequence is hard to say. } ) 17... Rxe1+ 18. Qxe1 b4 19. axb4 Bxb4 ( 19... axb4 20. b3 { and Bc5 isn't much more than a tall pawn } ) 20. Qc1 { This is a multi-purpose move: it defends Pb2, prevents ...Bb4-d2 and aims at Black's king-side where g4-g5 might be played. } ( 20. c3 $1 Bc5 21. Qd2 { produces a tense situation where either side could go awry very easily. I think it favors White, but that's not easily provable. } ) 20... Rb5 { Here's where Black tries to exploit the exposed Pd5. } 21. c3 ( 21. g5 Nxd5 22. Be4 { is complicated, but it seems a bit premature to gambit the pawn. Ra1 and Qc1 aren't able to quickly switch to the king-side offense. } ) 21... Bc5 22. c4 ( { Resolving the confusion on the queen-side might be to White's advantage. The following pawn sacrifice leads to a late middle-game position where opposite-color bishops and a very active White queen make it difficult for Black to do more than stay safe. } 22. b4 axb4 23. cxb4 Bxb4 ( 23... Rxb4 24. Bxf6 ( 24. g5 $2 Nh7 { challenges Pg5 straight-away } ( 24... Nd7 $2 25. Qf4 hxg5 26. Bxg5 ) 25. gxh6 Qxh4 26. Ra8+ Nf8 27. hxg7 Kxg7 ) 24... Qxf6 25. Ra8+ Kh7 26. Be4+ g6 { might still be fine for Black because Kh1 is a little more exposed than before } ) 24. Qc4 Rb8 ( 24... Bc3 25. Qxb5 Bxa1 26. Bxf6 Qxf6 27. Qb8+ Kh7 28. Be4+ g6 29. Kg2 Qe7 30. Qc8 ) 25. Qxd4 g5 26. Bg3 Bc5 27. Qc3 ) 22... Rb3 23. Rxa5 g5 24. Bg3 Qb8 ( 24... Rxd3 $4 25. Qc2 { traps Rd3 } 25... Rxg3 26. fxg3 $16 ) 25. Bf1 ( 25. Ra2 $4 Rxd3 { and suddenly Black's pieces seem pretty useful while White's bishops aren't going anywhere! } ) 25... Rxb2 26. Ra8 Qxa8 27. Qxb2 { At this point both sides have negated the other's primary advantages. White has no more king-side attack (it appears this would weaken his own king's safety too much) and Black's queen-side demonstration has quieted. } 27... Nd7 28. Bg2 Qa3 29. Qe2 Qc1+ 30. Kh2 Ne5 { At first glance I thought this game was "remarkably equal throughout", but upon further study I realized there was a gradual shift to Black in the opening, then back to White in the middle-game and with Black's queen-side action (which White apparently didn't handle properly) the balance was restored. Though there wasn't any direct attack on a king there wasn't a static balance throughout. } 1/2-1/2