Down to Earth

Alessio Valsecchi – Pier Luigi Basso
11th Dolomiti International Chess Open; Forni di Sopra, October 1, 2020
Caro-Kann Defence B15

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 c6 4. h3 d5 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bd3 Nxc3 8. bxc3 c5 9. 0-0 c4 10. Be2 Qa5 11. Bd2 Qa4 12. Qc1!?TN (12. Nh4 Nc6 13. f4 e6 14. g4 Ne7 15. Kh2⩲↑ Nozdrachev – V. Borisenko, 7th World Rapid Chess Championship, Saint Petersburg 2018) 12. ... Na6 13. Bd1 Nc7 14. Nh4 h5 15. Rb1 b6 16. Re1 Be6 17. Bg5 Kd7 18. Qb2 Rae8 19. Bc1 Bh6 20. Bxh6 Rxh6 21. Nf3 Rhh8 22. Ng5 Ref8 23. Re3 Bf5 24. Nf3 Rhg8 25. Qb4 Qxb4 26. cxb4 g5 27. Rb2 g4 28. Nh4 Be6 29. hxg4 hxg4 30. a4 f5 31. exf6 exf6 32. c3 f5 33. f4 gxf3 34. Nxf3 f4 35. Re5 Kd6 36. Rbe2 Bg4 37. Re1 Re8 38. Kf2 Bxf3 39. Bxf3 Rxe5 40. Rxe5

40. ... Rh8? The curse of the 40th move strikes again. Correct was 40. ... Re8 in order to answer 41. Rf5 by 41. ... Re3= with equality. 41. Rf5? Maybe the only inaccuracy by Valsecchi. Best is 41. Rg5! as after 41. ... Rh1 42. b5!+− White wins in all lines; for instance: 42. ... Rc1 43. Rg6+ Ke7 44. Rg7+ Kd8 45. Bg4! a6 46. a5! and finis. 41. ... Rh4? Apparently, Black missed here his last saving chance: 41. ... Rh1! 42. Rxf4 Rc1 43. Rf6+ Ke7 44. Rc6 Kd8 45. Bg4 Rxc3 46. Rd6+ Ke8 47. Rd7 Na6 48. b5 Nb4 49. Rxa7 Ra3 with a draw coming soon. 42. Rf6+ Ke7 43. Rc6 Kd7 44. b5+− Kd8 45. Rg6 Rh7 46. Rd6+ Ke7 47. Rc6 Kd8 48. Bg4 Ne8 49. Rc8+ Ke7 50. Ra8 Nf6 51. Bf5 Rh5 52. Rxa7+ Kd8 53. Bc2 Ne4+ 54. Bxe4 dxe4 55. Rf7 Rh4 56. Rf6 Kd7 57. d5 f3 58. gxf3 exf3 59. Rxb6 Rh2+ 60. Kxf3 Rc2 61. Ke4 Rxc3 62. Rc6 1 : 0.