Воронеж (Voronezh)

Semen Lomasov – Ivan Bukavshin
19th International Chess Festival; Voronezh, June 12, 2015
Sicilian Defence B44

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Bd3 Nf6 7. 0-0 d5 8. Nd2 Be7 9. Re1 0-0 10. c3 a5 11. e5 Nd7 12. Nf3 c5. For 12. ... Re8 13. Bc2 see Sanz Alonso – Vallejo Pons, Ponferrada 1997. 13. Bf4 Ba6 14. Bc2 Rb8 15. Qd2 Re8 16. h4!? Striving for the initiative. 16. ... d4. On 16. ... Bxh4 17. Nxh4 Qxh4 18. Bg5 Qc4 20. b3 Qb5?! (safer is 20. ... Qg4 21. Bd1 Qf5 22. Bc2 Qg4=) 21. Re3 White’s attacking prospects may compensate for the Pawn. 17. cxd4 cxd4 18. Bg5 f6? Black’s Awful Judgment Day. Correct was 18. ... Bxg5 19. Nxg5 Nf8 in order to defend and plug his own weak points. 19. exf6 gxf6 20. Bh6! Take a walk on the wild side! 20. ... e5

21. Re4 Kh8?! More stubborn is 21. ... Bf8, although after 22. Bxf8 Rxf8 (22. ... Nxf8 23. Rg4+ Kh8 24. Qh6 Qe7 25. Bb3 is any better) 23. Qh6 (23. Nxd4 exd4 24. Rxd4 Bc8 25. Bf5 is also good) 23. ... Rf7 24. Bb3 Black must give up the Exchange for no compensation. 22. Nxd4!? More straightforward was 22. Bg7+! Kxg7 23. Rg4+ Kf7 24. Qh6 Ke6 25. Ng5+ Kd5 26. Be4+ and White wins the Queen. 22. ... exd4? A crucial mistake! After 22. ... Bb4 23. Bg7+! Kxg7 24. Rg4+ Kh8 25. Qh6 Re7 26. Nc6 Qf8 27. Qxf8+ Rxf8 28. Rxb4! axb4 29. Nxe7 Black has no compensation for the Pawn, but he succeeded in avoiding checkmate. 23. Rxd4 Rb7 24. Bg7+! A combination of deflection. 24. ... Kxg7 25. Rg4+ Kf8. Or 25. ... Kh8 26. Qh6 and mate next move. 26. Qd5 1 : 0. For if 26. ... Bc5 there follows mate in three by 27. Rg8+ Ke7 28. Rg7+ Kf8 29. Qf7 mate.

Semen Lomasov
Photo: chessmoscow.ru