Splat split

Luca Moroni – Andrea Stella
77th Italian Chess Championship; Cosenza, December 1, 2017
English Opening A33

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. a3 d5 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bg5 Bc5 9. e3 Bxd4 10. exd4 0-0 11. Be2 h6 12. Bh4 Qd6 13. Nb5!? A new move. If 13. Bg3 there might follow 13. ... Qe7 14. 0-0 Ne4 15. Rc1 Nxc3 16. Rxc3 Qf6 17. Rd3 ½ : ½ van Wely – Ivanchuk, 2nd Aerosvit Chess Tournament, Foros 2007. 13. ... Qe7 14. 0-0 g5 15. Bg3 Ne4. As they say, the player with the isolani (for now, both of them) must strive for maximum activity, avoiding (if possible) unnecessary exchanges. 16. Re1 f5!? 16. ... Be6 seems to be much quieter. 17. Be5. White actually threatens Nb5-c7. If 17. Nc7 at once, Black would have likely answered 17. ... f4! 18. Bxf4 gxf4 19. Nxa8 Qg7∞ with very unclear play. 17. ... Nxe5 18. dxe5 a6 19. Nd4. White’s position is structurally superior, and now much will depend on Moroni’s skill (and luck) in handling it. 19. ... Qxe5!? Very Steinitz-like. This temporary gain of Pawn could cost Black something. 20. f3 Nc5 21. Bc4!? Here 21. Bxa6 allowed White to regain his Pawn with a solid positional edge, but Moroni prefers to play for powerful dynamic compensation. 21. Rc1 (Stockfish) was another interesting modus operandi, halfway between matter and soul. 21. ... Qd6 22. Ba2 Bd7 23. Rc1 Rad8 24. Qc2 Rc8(!) 25. Qd2 Na4 26. Rxc8 Rxc8

27. h4! Moroni – a strong attacking player – boldly sacrifices a second Pawn aiming to keep the initiative at all costs. 27. ... gxh4 28. Ne6! Re8! After 28. ... Bxe6 29. Rxe6! Rc1+! 30. Qxc1 Qxe6 31. Qf4! White immediately regains a Pawn and retains a more-than-worthy compensation for the other one. It’s understandable, however, that after yesterday’s lucky marathon game against Daniele Genocchio, Stella weren’t in the mood to strive for a draw by stillicide, and wisely lets his opponent force a (pretty) draw by perpetual check. 29. Bxd5 Bxe6 30. Qxh6 Qxd5 31. Qg6+ Kf8 32. Qf6+ Kg8 33. Qg6+ Kf8 34. Qf6+ Kg8 ½ : ½.