The Cobweb

David Navara – Baadur Jobava
17th European Individual Chess Championship; Gjakova, May 19, 2016
Sicilian Defence B65

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. 0-0-0 0-0 9. f4 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Bd7 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Qxd6. For 12. e5 Be7 13. exd6 Bf6 14. Qe3 Qb6 15. Qxb6 axb6 16. Ne4 Rxa2 17. Nxf6+ gxf6 18. Bc4 Ra5 see Pruijssers – Abasov, 20th Cultural Village Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2015. 12. ... Bc6 13. Qxd8 Rfxd8 14. Bb5. White immediately returns the extra Pawn for consolidating a slight edge. On 14. e5 Bh4 Black wins back the Pawn under more favourable circumstances. 14. ... Bxc3 15. Bxc6 Bxb2+ 16. Kxb2 bxc6 17. Rxd8+ Rxd8 18. Kc3 Kf8 19. Rb1. Intending Rb1-b7. White’s endgame is undoubtedly more pleasant, but still far from being won. 19. ... Ke7 20. e5 h5 21. a4 Rd5 22. Rb7+ Rd7 23. Rb8 Rd8 24. Rb4 Rd5 25. g3 Rc5+ 26. Kb3 Rd5

27. c4! Rd2? Black should have played 27. ... Rd3+! (keeping at distance the enemy King) 28. Kc2 Kd7 in order to answer 29. a5 by 29. ... c5 when Black’s ending is slightly inferior but probably tenable. 28. a5! Kd8. Not 28. ... Rxh2? 29. Rb7+ Ke8 30. Rxa7 and White must win. 29. Rb8+ Kc7 30. Rf8 Rd7 31. Kb4 a6 32. Kc5. With such a powerful King, White can now regard the game as won. 32. ... g6 33. Ra8 Kb7 34. Rf8 Kc7 35. h3 Kb7 36. g4 hxg4 37. hxg4 Kc7 38. Ra8 Kb7 39. Rh8 Kc7 40. Rh1 Rd2 41. Rh7 Rd7 42. g5! 1 : 0. Black has no defence against the invasion by the White Rook: Rh7-h2-b2-b6. On 42. ... Kb7 43. f5! wins immediately.