Under the Bridge

Anton Sergeyevich Korobov – Andrei Aleksandrovich Volokitin
85th Ukrainian Chess Championship; Rivne, December 7, 2016
English Opening A34

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. d4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 g6 7. e3 Bg7 8. Bb5+ Nd7 9. a4 0-0 10. 0-0 b6 11. a5 Bb7 12. a6!? Apparently a new idea. For 12. axb6 axb6 13. Rxa8 Bxa8 14. Ba3 Qc7 15. Qe2 Bc6 see Polugaevsky – Ivanchuk, 2nd Amber Rapid Chess Tournament, Monte Carlo 1993. 12. ... Be4 13. Ng5 Nf6 14. Nxe4 Nxe4 15. Bb2 Rc8 16. Bd3 Nd6 17. Qe2 c4 18. Bc2 f5 19. Ba3 Qd7 20. f3 e5?? A serious mistake, which opens up the game to White’s great benefit and profit. Black ought to play 20. ... Rfd8! (Stockfish) with quite a tenable position. 21. dxe5 Bxe5 22. Rad1. That was the simple point. Black is in deep trouble. 22. ... Rf6 23. Rd5 Qe6 (23. ... Bxc3?? 24. Rfd1+-) 24. Rfd1 Rc6 25. Qd2 Nf7

26. Rd8+! 26. Ba4 was also very good, but a tactical player such as Korobov doesn’t miss the chance to aim for checkmate. 26. ... Nxd8? Also after 26. ... Kg7 27. Bf8+ Kh8 28. Be7+ Nxd8 29. Qxd8+ Qg8 30. Bxf6+ Bxf6 31. Qd7! Black is doomed. 27. Qxd8+ Kg7 28. Rd7+ Kh6 29. Bf8+ Kg5 30. h4+! 1 : 0. Because of 30. ... Kxh4 31. Rxh7+ Kg5 (31. ... Kg3 32. Rh3 mate) 32. Bh6+ Kh4 33. Bf4 mate.