Last round in U2200 section in National Open 2013, Las Vegas, annotated
Lebovitz, Andrew - Zaloznyy, Mike 1/2-1/2
National Open 2013 2013.06.09
THE MONEY ROUND My opponent in this game a very strong expert in his early 30s, a math teacher and bright guy Andrew Lebovitz. We were tied for 1st going into the last round with 4.5/5. We chatted before the game, and my opponent gave a clear indication that there would be no quick last round draw. He deserves a lot of respect for his fighting spirit. I had a couple of hours to prepare before the game, went to my room and did extensive search on my opponent whom I never played against before. I found over 50 games where he played White and played over most of them preparing for the game. I wanted to get a feel for how he plays. I knew he was most likely to play 1.c4 and this is a tough and underrated opening to prepare for.
1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 e6 3.Bg2 d5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.O-O O-O
I am offering to transition into the realm of Catalan opening if White plays d4. In some blitz games, Andrew did exactly that. I had something prepared for this but he surprised me with
6.b3 c5
expanding in the centre and trying to grab control of the central squares
7.e3 Nc6 8.Bb2 d4 9.e3xd4 N6xd4?!
Diagram #1
( I found a lot of games in the database and everyone recaptured with the pawn c5xd4! )
10.Nc3 Nxf3+?!
Diagram #2
( A better move would be a6! not allowing White's Knight to jump onto b5)
11.B2xf3 Qd3
Black is trying to restrict White from playing d2-d4 and seize control of the semi-open d-file. White is somewhat better here due to the fact Black has problems developing light-squared Bishop
12.Qe2 Rd8?!
Diagram #3
( A better move would be to play Q3xe2 13.N3xe2 and then one idea is to play a7-a5 and Ra8-a7 which would allow light-squared bishop to enter the game)
13.Rad1 ( White could have implemented similar idea as in the game 13.Nd5 Qxe2 14.Nxe7+ Kf8 15.Bxe2 Kxe7 16.Rad1 b6 17.d4 Bb7 but Black can get the Bishop into the game. White has an edge due to the advantage of two bishops)
13... Rb8?
Diagram #4
Attempting to play b7-b6 and develop the Bishop. Unfortunately, this move fails tactically
14.Nd5!!
Diagram #5
Time to re-evaluate the situation. I am playing one of the biggest games of my chess career for a big money prize and on move 14, I blundered a tactical shot. It is very tough psychologically, to realize that the best chance after Nd5 is a draw and Black would have to work very hard to achieve it.
14... R8xd5!
Diagram #6
The best defensive resource. Black sacrifices an exchange for a pawn but attempts to build a fortress. The alternative was much worse:
(14... Qxe2 15.Nxe7+ Kf8 16.Bxe2 Kxe7 17.Be5 Ra8 18.Bf3 followed by eventual d2-d4: White Bishops are both in excellent position, Black is tied up and it is difficult to find moves. It is only a matter of time before Black's position collapses completely)
15.c4xd5 Qxe2 16.B3xe2 Nxd5
A nice outpost for the Knight. White has an extra exchange but no open files for his Rooks.
17.d4
A good move. White will get rid of isolated d-pawn and open up the file for his Rook
17... b6 18.dxc5 B7xc5 19.Rc1 Bb7 20.Rfd1 Kf8?!
Diagram #7
( White computer thinks both Kf8 and f6 are roughly equivalent, it is much easier for a human to play f6 and Kf7. The idea is to restrict White's dark squared bishop and improve King's position f6)
21.Be5 Re8 22.Bb5 Rc8?!
Diagram #8
( A more precise is Rd8 23.Bd4 Be7 which allows Black to avoid Bishop's trade.)
23.Bd4 Ke7?
Diagram #9
A purely gambling move but a mistake. It appears on the surface that White cannot take on g7 due to
( g6)
24.Bxc5+?!
Diagram #10
( 24.Bxg7 a6 25.Bf1 ( 25.Be2! )25... Ne3 but that is only an illusion, Black quickly loses to 26.Re1?
Diagram #11
( 26.Rxc5)26... Ng4 In a game for relatively big prize, my opponent chose to not make risky-looking moves and play safer. It is also always very suspicious when somebody hangs a pawn in this manner, my opponent trusted me that I calculated the line to the end, so luckily for me, the gamble worked.)
24... b6xc5 25.a3
White is intending on playing b4, so the only way to stop it is
25... a5 26.Rd2 Kd6 27.Rc4 Ra8
Defending the weakness before it is even attacked. If White doubles on the c-file, Black will play Rc8
28.Rf4 Ke7
It's important to not make any pawn moves without need as that creates weaknesses which White would explore with his own pawn pushes. White has an interest to open up the position by trading a few pawns and pair of rooks. Black must avoid exchanges and keep the lines closed.
29.Rg4 h6!
Diagram #12
Setting a trap. As one of my friend's pointed out: a two thousand dollar move.
30.Rxg7?
Diagram #13
30... Nf6
The Rook is trapped and White must take care to save it.
31.Rh7
The point of White's plan and the reason White went for the trap, hoping to become the trapee.
31... N6xh7?!
Diagram #14
( The most precise is absolutely brilliant defensive resource31... Ba6!! 32.B5xa6 Nxh7 = The difference is White does not get to play Rd7+)
32.Rd7+ Kf6 33.Rxb7 Ng5 34.Rc7 Nf3+ ( Black must be careful not to blunder Ne4??
Diagram #15
35.Bc6)
35.Kg2 Nd4
Black's Knight takes an important outpost in the centre and faciliates all the pawn exchanges on the queenside. Normally, Rook and Bishop are better than Rook and Knight but not here, not after all queenside pawns will be traded
36.Bc4 ( 36.Ba4 Nc2! 37.Rxc5 Nxa3 and Black should draw)
36... a4 37.b3xa4 R8xa4 38.Rxc5
Position simplifies and draw was agreed. A hard fought battle where Black blundered early on and had to fought hard to not lose. This felt like a huge moral victory in the end.
