Years Ago

Sergei Mushegovich Movsesian – 侯逸凡 (Hóu​ Yì​fán)
4th Chess World Cup; match game 1; Khanty-Mansiysk, August 28, 2011
Sicilian Defence B66

Notes by Jesús María de la Villa Garcia and Max Illingworth, “Dismantling the Sicilian: A Complete Modern Repertoire for White”, New In Chess, Alkmaar, 2017, pp. 242-243.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. 0-0-0 Be7 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. f4 Bd7 11. Kb1 b5 12. Nxc6 Bxc6 13. Bd3± b4. White’s plan for light-square domination is demonstrated in the line 13. ... Qb6 14. f5 0-0-0 15. Rhe1 Rde8 16. Ne2 Kb8 17. Nf4 e5 18. Nd5 Bxd5 19. exd5± when Re1-e4/a2-a4 will be dangerous. 14. Ne2 Qb6

15. f5! e5 16. Ng3 h5. Other moves make it easy for White to construct his ideal set-up, e.g. 16. ... d5 17. exd5 Bxd5 18. Be4 Bxe4 19. Nxe4± or 16. ... a5 17. Bc4 a4 18. Qe2±. 17. Qe2. 17. h4!? would mark the h5-Pawn for death. 17. ... h4 18. Nh5. This is fine but more demanding, whereas after 18. Nf1 a5 19. Bc4 Qc5 20. Qd3 a4 21. Ne3 the position plays itself due to White’s firm central grip. 18. ... Qc5. 18. ... Kd8!? 19. Bc4 Bb5 20. g4 hxg3 21. hxg3↑. 19. g4 hxg3 20. hxg3 Kd7 21. g4 Kc7 22. Rh3? 22. Rc1! and c2-c3 is necessary before Black breaks out with ... d6-d5; if 22. ... Rab8 23. Bc4±. 22. ... Rhg8? 22. ... d5! 23. exd5 Qxd5 24. Bxa6 Qg2 25. Rg3 Qxe2 26. Bxe2 Kg8=/∞. 23. Ng3 Rh8 24. Nh5 (24. Rxh8 Rxh8 25. Bxa6±) 24. ... Rhg8 25. Rdh1 (25. Rc1!) 25. ... a5 26. Bc4 a4? Black could destabilise White’s light-squared hold with 26. ... Rxg4! 27. Qxg4 Rxc4 28. Ng3 a4=. 27. Bxf7 a3

28. Rd1? 28. Bxg8 Rxg8 29. bxa3 bxa3 30. Rb3 Ba4 31. Rc1!+− and c2xb3 is the trick perhaps missed by both players. 28. ... axb2 (28. ... Rg5) 29. Bxg8 Rxg8 30. Rb3. 30. Kxb2 Bb5 31. Qe3 Qxe3 32. Rxe3 Rxg4 would give Black fighting chances were it not for 33. Rg3! Rxe4 34. Rg7 with crushing threats. 30. ... Bb5 31. Qf3 Bc4 32. Rxb2 Qa5 33. Ng3 Ra8 34. Kc1 (34. Nf1) 34. ... Qc5 35. Nf1 Ra3 36. Qg2 Bxa2 37. Nd2 Bg8 (37. ... d5!) 38. Qg1 Ra1+ 39. Nb1 d5 40. exd5 Qxg1 41. Rxg1 Bxd5. It’s not so unusual for the Bishop pair to match the Rook and Knight, but Black later went astray in the second time control. 42. Rg3 e4 43. c4 Bd6 44. Rgb3 Bf7 45. Re2 e3? (Ed. Note: 45. ... Bf4+! 46. Kd1 e3 47. Rxb4 Kc6 48. Reb2 Kc5 49. Ke2 Bxc4+ 50. Kf3 Bg5=) 46. Rbxe3+− Kc6 47. Kb2 Ra8 48. Nd2 Rg8 49. Re4 Be5+ 50. Kb3 Bd6 51. Nf3 Ra8 52. Ra2 Rh8 53. Ra7 Rh3 54. Re3 Rh7 55. Ra6+ Kc5 56. Nd2 Bf4 57. Rd3 Bxd2 58. Ra5+ Kb6 59. Rb5+ Kc6 60. Rxd2 Rh4 61. Kxb4 1 : 0.