Whiteout

Viorel Antonovich Bologan – Ilya Yulievich Smirin
17th Poikovsky Karpov Chess Tournament; Poikovsky, July 26, 2016
English Opening A15

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. b4 Bg7 4. Bb2 0-0 5. g3 d6 6. Bg2 e5 7. 0-0 a5 8. a3 e4!? This is apparently a new idea, and appears to be a good one. 9. Ng5 Re8 10. d3 exd3 11. exd3 Bg4 12. f3 Bf5 13. Qd2 d5 14. g4 Bc8 15. b5 Nbd7 16. Nc3? Very careless – in any way. After 16. cxd5 Nc5! Black’s game is easier to play, but nothing irreversible has happened yet. 16. ... h6 17. Nh3 dxc4 18. dxc4

18. ... Ne5! Devastating. White must cede a clear Pawn in order to avoid more disastrous consequences. 19. Qxd8 Rxd8 20. Rad1 Be6 21. Nd5 Nxd5 22. cxd5 Rxd5 23. a4. Losing another Pawn, but there were not good moves for White. 23. ... Rxd1 24. Rxd1 Bb3 0 : 1. For after 25. Ra1 Nxf3+ 26. Bxf3 Bxb2 27. Rb1 Bd4+ 28. Kg2 Bxa4 it’s skin and bones.

Ilya Yulievich Smirin
Photo: Chess-News.ru