From the Earth to the Moon

Magnus Carlsen – Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev

2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship Group B; match game 1; time control: 25 minutes for the first 30 moves, plus 5 minutes for the rest of the game, plus 5 seconds per move starting from move 31; Reykjavík, October 25, 2022

rnbbkqrn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBBKQRN w GAga - 0 1

Position #629

1. d4 c5 2. d5 e6 3. e4 Qd6? In fact, here is a big mistake leading to immediate trouble. 3. ... exd5 4. exd5 Qe7+ seems playable.
4. Nc3 Ng6 5. f4 Ba5 6. Qf2! exd5

7. 0-0! d4? Of course, this only makes things worse. But Black had no particularly attractive options — for example: 7. ... Bxc3 8. bxc3 dxe4 9. f5 Ne5 10. Qg3! with great advantage to White.
8. e5 Qe7 9. Ne4 0-0 10. Nhg3 Bc7

11. Nf5 Qd8 12. Nfd6 Bxd6 13. Nxd6 Nc6 14. Be2 f6 15. Qg3 Qe7 16. Bc4+ Kh8

17. Rf3! With the fatal threat of Qg3xg6 followed by Rf3-h3#.
17. ... b5 18. Bd5. 18. Qxg6 bxc4 19. Rh3 wins as well, but by now it is a matter of taste.
18. ... fxe5 19. Qxg6 Rf6 20. Qe8+ Qxe8 21. Nxe8 e4 22. Nxf6 exf3 23. Ne4 c4 24. Bd2 Rb8 25. Re1 1 : 0.

Going Alien

The victory in the Qualifier 1 of the 2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship gave Russian Grandmaster Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev a date for the Grand Finale at Reykjavík in October. Yet, as he himself said in the interview afterwards, it was anything but easy for him to extricate himself from the “going alien”. “Fischerandom is the game you cannot control. It’s absolutely impossible”, Fedoseev said. “Positions during this tournament were so crazy that it was impossible to judge them correctly. Because of this, I mostly feel like an idiot who tries to find solutions in an absolutely different world. That’s why I stayed calm in any trouble and was ready to play any hopeless position”.

King Without a Castle

Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev – Benjamin Bok

2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship Qualifier 1; Quarterfinal match game 1; time control: 15 minutes plus 2 seconds per move; chess.com, August 23, 2022

bnqbrnkr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/BNQBRNKR w HEhe - 0 1

Position #113

1. e4 c5 2. b3 b6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Bxd4 Ne6 5. Bb2 0-0 6. Ng3 Bc7 7. Bg4 Bf4 8. Qd1 Nc6 9. Nc3 Be5 10. Nge2 Qb8. White has not yet castled, and Black does not intend to allow him to do it. 11. Bc1? White doesn’t succeed in solving his development issue(s) and soon falls into an uncomfortable pattern. Probably best was 11. h4! b5 12. Rh3 (developing and pseudo-castling) 12. ... b4 13. Na4 with an interesting game in true hypermodern style. 11. ... Ncd4 12. Nd5 Nxe2+ 13. Bxe2 Nc5 14. f3 e6 15. Ne3 d5 16. exd5 exd5 17. Ng4 Bc3 18. Bd2 Bd4+ 19. Nf2

Black has already an appreciable advantage in his much better development, but that does not seem enough for Bok, who, quite adventurously, does not hesitate to sacrifice a Knight for the sake of preventing White from castling h-side: 19. ... Ne4?! 20. fxe4 dxe4 21. c3 Bxf2+ 22. Kxf2 f5 23. Be3 f4 24. Bd4 f3? Now it is consistent, but too hasty. In fact by allowing White to get the two Bishops against Black’s castle cannot but bring disgrace on the defender. Correct was 24. ... b5! 25. Rhf1 (or 24. Bg4 e3+ 25. K~ b4!) 24. ... f3! with interesting compensation. 25. Bc4+ Kh8 26. g3 b5 27. Bf1 b4 28. Qd2 Rd8 29. Qe3 Qc7 30. Bc4 Qa5 31. Ra1 bxc3 32. Bxc3 Qf5 33. Rhd1 Rd7 34. Rxd7 Qxd7

35. Rd1! Qe7. The Rook is taboo, for if 35. ... Qxd1 then 36. Bxg7+! Kxg7 37. Qg5+ Kh8 38. Qe5+ followed by mate. In any event, what follows is only a cat and mouse affair, which Fedoseev handles with merciless coolness. 36. h4 Bc6 37. Qg5 Qc7 38. Be5 Qb6+ 39. Bd4 Qc7 40. Be3 Qc8 41. Bf1 a6 42. Qc5 Rg8 43. Rc1 Qd7 44. Qxc6 Qe7 45. Qc5 Qe6 46. Qc4 Qe5 47. Qd4 Qe6 48. Rc7 a5 49. Qd7 Qe5 50. Bd4 e3+ 51. Bxe3 Qb2+ 52. Qd2 Qe5 53. Rc5 Qe6 54. Qd4 a4 55. Qxa4 Qf6 56. Qd4 Qe6 57. Rc7 Qf5

58. g4! A beautiful deflection. Nevertheless, 58. Rxg7! would force mate in a few moves. 58. ... Qb1 59. Qxg7+! Rxg7 60. Rc8+ Rg8 61. Bd4# 1 : 0.

Bric-a-brac

Alexei Dmitrievich Shirov – Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev
FIDE Grand Prix 2022; 2nd stage; Pool C; Belgrade, March 6, 2022
Sicilian Defence B33

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Ne7 9. c4 Nf5 10. Bd3 g6 11. 0-0 a6 12. Nc3 Bg7 13. Bxf5 (13. b3 0-0 14. Ne4 Qc7 15. Ba3 Rd8 16. Rc1 b6 17. Re1 Nh6 18. Qd2 f5 19. Ng5 Ng4 20. b4 h6 21. Ne6 Bxe6 22. dxe6 Qe7 23. f3 Nf6 24. Qe3 Rab8 25. Bc2 Kh7 26. Bb3 Ne8 27. c5 d5 28. cxb6 d4 29. Qd3 Rxb6 30. Rc5 Nd6 31. Rcxe5 Bxe5 32. Rxe5 Nb5 33. Bc1 Nc7 34. Qd2 Qg7 35. e7 Re8 36. Re1 Rd6 37. b5 Nxb5 38. a4 Nc3 39. Ba3 Rb6 40. Bc2 Nd5 41. a5 Rb7 42. h4 Ne3 43. h5 gxh5 44. Rxe3 dxe3 45. Bxf5+ Kh8 46. Qxe3 Qf6 47. Be4 Rexe7 48. Bxe7 Rxe7 49. Qc5 h4 50. Bd3 h3 51. gxh3 Qa1+ 52. Bf1 Qe1 53. Qc8+ Re8 54. Qxa6 Qg3+ 55. Kh1 Qxf3+ 56. Kh2 Qf4+ 57. Kh1 Rg8 58. Qd3 Rg3 59. Qd8+ Rg8 60. Qd3 Rg3 61. Qd8+ Rg8 ½ : ½ Inarkiev – Fedoseev, 35th European Chess Club Cup, Ulcinj 2019) 13. ... Bxf5 14. Be3 0-0. The alternative is 14. ... Rc8 15. Qa4+ Qd7 16. Qxd7+ Bxd7 17. Ne4 Bf8 18. f4 f5 19. Nf6+ Ke7 20. fxe5 dxe5 21. Nxd7 Kxd7 22. Rac1 Bg7? (⌓ 22. ... Bc5! 23. Bxc5 Rxc5 24. b4 Rc7 25. c5 b6!) 23. b4 f4 24. Bb6 Rhf8 25. c5 e4 26. c6+ bxc6 27. dxc6+ Ke6 28. Rfd1 e3 29. c7 Bf6 30. a4 Rfe8 31. Kf1 Kf5 32. Ke2 Re4 33. Ba5 Be7 34. Kf3 Re6 35. Rd5+ Re5 36. Rxe5+ Kxe5 37. b5 Kd5 1 : 0 Maghsoodloo – Fawzy, 4th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship, Sharjah 2021. 15. Qb3!? A sharp novelty by Shirov. Non-relational database theory says 15. Rc1 Rc8 16. Qe2 Qh4 17. b3 Bd7 18. g3 Qh3 19. Ne4 f5 20. Ng5 Qg4?? (⌓ 20. ... Qh6 Δ 21. Ne6 f4∞) 21. Qxg4 fxg4 22. Ne4+− H. Franco – R. S. Freitas, 13th Campeonato Brasileiro Aberto, Jundiai 1998.

15. ... Bd3 16. Rfc1 e4 17. c5 f5 18. cxd6 f4!? 18. ... b5 was a sound continuation, but Fedoseev aims at a more rewarding goal. 19. Bb6

19. ... Qg5? Consistently Black plays heavily on his possibility of a mating attack, which however turns out to be a chimera. A plausible continuation might be 19. ... Qxd6! 20. Bc7! Qxc7 21. Nxe4 Qxc1+ 22. Rxc1 Bxe4 23. Rc7 b5 with an unbalanced equilibrium, but an easier play for Black. 20. d7! f3 21. d6+! Clearing the d5-square for the Knight. 21. ... Kh8 22. g3 Qf5 23. Nd5 Qh3 24. Ne3. So Back’s attack came to a dead end. 24. ... Qxd7. Restoring material equality, but only temporarily, because now it is White who can afford to give up a Pawn for the sake of a direct attack on the King.

25. Rc7! Qxd6 26. Rac1. Threatening 27. Rxg7! Kxg7 28. Rc7+ Kh8 (28. ... Kh6 29. Ng4!+−) 29. Qc3!+− with mate in a few moves. 26. ... Rg8

27. Ba5! Heading for the a1-h8 diagonal. 27. ... Bb5 28. Rxb7 Rac8? That is to prevent Rc1-c7, but it costs Black as much if not more. On the other hand 28. ... Qd3 is only apparently more resilient, for after 29. Bc3! Bxc3 30. bxc3 Black would be also helpless. 29. Rxc8 Rxc8 30. Bc3! 1 : 0.

Summing up one could say that Shirov was in his best attacking style. Photo: Mark Livshitz/Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE).

Things Usually Left Unsaid

Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev – Alexei Dmitrievich Shirov
FIDE Grand Prix 2022; 2nd stage; Pool C; Belgrade, March 3, 2022
Semi-Slav Defence D43

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Qd3 b6 6. cxd5 Ba6!?TN (6. ... cxd5 7. Bg5 Be7 8. Rc1 0-0 9. Qb1 Ba6 10. e3 Bxf1 11. Kxf1 Nc6 12. Ke2 Qd7 13. Rhd1 Qb7 14. Kf1 Rac8= Speelman – Wells, 14th “Lloyds Bank Masters” International Open Tournament, London 1990) 7. Qc2 cxd5 8. Bf4 Nbd7 9. Qa4 Qc8 10. Ne5

10. ... b5?! A Pawn pseudo-sac whose only effect is to weaken dangerously Black’s position. Black’s best seems to be 10. ... Qb7 actually threatening ... b6-b5. 11. Qa5! b4 12. Nb5 Bxb5 13. Qxb5 Qc2

14. Nd3! Qc4 15. Qa4! Alea iacta est: White will win the Exchange — at the cost of a Pawn. 15. ... Qxd4 16. Qc6 Rd8 17. Bc7 Rc8 18. Qb7 Rxc7 19. Qxc7 Be7 20. e3 Qe4

21. Qxa7. Another line of play was 21. Qc8+ Bd8 22. Nc5 Qc2 (if 22. ... Nxc5? then 23. Qxc5+− Nd7 24. Bb5 Qxg2?? 25. Qd6! Qxh1+ 26. Ke2 Qxa1 27. Bxd7#) 23. Nb7! forcing the exchange of Queens and remaining the Exchange ahead. 21. ... 0-0 22. Rc1 b3?! Seeking counterplay along the b-file. But... 23. axb3 Rb8? But this move is weak for at least two reasons: first, on b8 the Rook is half hanging; and second, the Rook cannot leave the back rank. After the comparatively better 23. ... e5 24. f3 Qg6 25. g3 h5 26. Be2± it is considerably more difficult for White to cash in on his material advantage. 24. f3! Qh4+ 25. g3 Qh6 26. Be2 g6. This allows a forced win, but 26. ... Bd6 27. 0-0 leaves Black with insufficient compensation anyway.

27. Ne5+− Rxb3 28. Nxd7 Nxd7 29. Qxd7 Bb4+ 30. Kf1 Qxe3 31. Rc7 1 : 0.

Fedoseev and Shirov sitting in the blue, both lost in their own thoughts. Photo: Mark Livshitz/Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE).

Floating the White River

Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 18, 2021
English Opening A11

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Qc2 g6 5. b3 Bg7 6. Bb2 0-0 7. d3 b6 8. Nbd2 Bb7 9. g3 Nbd7 10. Bg2 Re8 11. d4 c5 12. 0-0 cxd4 13. exd4 Rc8 14. Rac1 Rc7 15. Rfe1 Qa8 16. Ba3 dxc4 17. bxc4. Hanging Pawns can be a strength or a weakness, depending on the position. 17. ... e6 18. Qd1 Rcc8 19. Bb2 Nb8 20. Re3 Rcd8 21. Qe2 Nc6 22. Bh3 h6 23. Nb3 g5 24. Ne1?! A bit too passive. 24. Ne5! was a strategic imperative, forcing the trade of the Knights and thus changing the morphology of the position from that of a hanging Pawns formation to that of a dynamic isolani with c4-c5 coming soon. 24. ... h5! 25. f3 a5 26. Rd1?! White’s centre is creaking. But if 26. a4 Nb4 was not so unpleasant, it was certainly not pleasant either. 26. ... a4 27. Na1

27. ... Nh7. Goryachkina seems undecided whether to play hot or cool. Perhaps she should have attacked White’s hanging Pawns with 27. ... Na5! followed by ... Bc8-a6. 28. Nac2 Ne7 29. Ba3 Ng6 30. Red3 f5 31. f4 g4 32. Bg2 Nf6 33. Bxb7 Qxb7 34. Rb1 h4! Fast and furious. 35. Ng2 hxg3 36. hxg3 Ne4

Black has a dominant position, both strategically and dynamically. Fedoseev must try something. 37. Bc5 Rb8 38. Re3. If 38. Rxb6 then 38. ... Qc7 39. Rb5 e5! decisively breaking through White’s defences. 38. ... Qc6. Probably simpler is 38. ... Nxc5 39. dxc5 Bf8 40. Rxb6 Qh7 with with great advantage to Black.

39. Rxe4! The best practical chance. White gives up the Exchange and manages to exchange Queens, weakening Black’s Pawns and taking a little relief. 39. ... Qxe4 40. Qxe4 fxe4 41. Bd6 Rbc8 (⌓ 41. ... Rbd8! 42. Rxb6 Ne7) 42. Nge3 Rc6 43. c5 bxc5 44. dxc5 Bf8 (44. ... Ne7) 45. Bxf8 (⌓ 45. Nc4) 45. ... Nxf8 (⌓ 45. ... Kxf8!) 46. Nxg4 Nh7 47. Rb7 (⌓ 47. Nd4 Rxc5 48. Rb7=) 47. ... Rxc5. Goryachkina has had enough and is content with a draw. With 47. ... Rd8! she might still insist on her goal. 48. Nh6+ Kh8 49. Nf7+ Kg8 50. Nh6+ ½ : ½.

Just like a High Noon showdown with no winner and no loser. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Behind the Throne

Magnus Carlsen – Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev
9th Chess World Cup; match game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, August 5, 2021
3q2kr/1p1r1pp1/pb1Pp2p/2p1P2P/2B3Q1/PP6/3B2P1/5RK1 w - - 0 36

Position after 35. ... a7-a6

Fedoseev, still shocked with his game yesterday, forgot today to jump his Rook over the King, and Carlsen, of course, did not let slip the chance to take advantage of such a lead in development: 36. Rxf7! Kxf7 (36. ... Rxf7 37. Qxe6 Qf8 38. d7+−) 37. Qxe6+ Kf8 38. Qf5+ Ke8 39. Qg6+ Kf8 40. Qf5+ Ke8 41. Qg6+ Kf8 42. e6 Qf6 43. exd7 Qxg6 44. hxg6 Bd8 45. Be6! As Grandmaster Jonathan Speelman says, “[Carlsen] especially likes playing with the two Bishops”. 45. ... h5 46. Kf2 h4 47. Bg4 b5 48. Kf3 b4 49. axb4 cxb4 50. Ke4 1 : 0.

Probably Carlsen had dreamed higher goals, but, as he said, “I am nevertheless happy with my progress in the tournament, and also getting great practice for later this year”. Photo © David Llada.

Jammin’

Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev – Magnus Carlsen
9th Chess World Cup; match game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, August 4, 2021
King’s Indian Defence E60

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. h4!? An anti-Grünfeld move disguised as a bayonet attack. 3. ... Bg7 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 Nc6 6. d5 Ne5 7. Be2 h5 8. Bf4TN 0-0 9. Nf3 Nxf3+ 10. gxf3 c6 11. Qd2 cxd5 12. cxd5 Kh7 13. a4 Nd7 14. a5

14. ... f5! 15. Ra3 Ne5 16. Be3 f4! Carlsen offers a Pawn to open the f-file leaving his opponent entangled in it. 17. Bxf4 Bd7 18. Nd1

18. ... Rxf4! A purely positional Exchange sacrifice which gives Black great play on dark squares. 19. Qxf4 Bh6 20. Qg3 Qf8 21. Ne3 Bf4 22. Qg2 Rc8 23. Rc3 Rxc3 24. bxc3 Qc8 25. c4 b5! Playing on the whole board. 26. axb6 axb6

27. Qg1? Losing a crucial tempo as the Black Queen penetrates the Queenside in two moves. If Fedoseev was reluctant to give back both the Exchange and a Pawn with 27. 0-0 Bh3, at least he should have hurried to escape the bind with 27. Kf1! b5 (now 27. ... Qa8 is simply answered by 28. Kg1 Qa2 29. Qf1) 28. Kg1 bxc4 29. Kg2 Qc5 — Black has excellent compensation for the Exchange but yet no easy way to win. 27. ... Qa8! 27. ... Qa6! was a “dual”. 28. Kf1 Qa2! 29. Ng2 Qa1+. 29. ... Qb1+ 30. Ne1 b5 might have been even stronger. 30. Ne1 Qb2 31. Ng2? ⌓ 31. Nd3 was more tenacious, but then 31. ... Nxd3 32. Bxd3 Qc3! 33. Be2 Qd2 also maintains the upper hand. 31. ... Qc1+ 32. Ne1 Qd2! Now White is completely paralysed.

33. Qg2 Kg7 34. Rg1 Kf8 35. Qh1 e6! 36. Rg3. Desperation. 36. ... exd5 37. exd5 Bf5 38. Rg1 Kf7 39. Rg3 Nd7 40. Rg5 Bxg5 41. hxg5 Ne5 0 : 1.

“It’s very rare that you get to play games where your opponent just cannot move any pieces, so in that sense it was very pleasing”, Carlsen finally said. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

Between the Lines

Fabiano Caruana – Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev
1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019; Santon, October 15, 2019
Sicilian Defence B31

Today’s victory of Caruana undoubtedly had much to do with opening theory. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. 0-0 Bg7 5. c3 e5 6. d4 cxd4 (6. ... exd4 7. cxd4 Nxd4 8. Nxd4 Bxd4?! 9. Nc3 Ne7 10. Bh6!) 7. cxd4 exd4 8. Bf4 Nge7 9. Bd6! 0-0 10. Nbd2. “White has excellent development and his occupation of the key square d6 definitely sets Black some problems in bringing out his remaining pieces”, John Emms, Richard Palliser, and Peter Wells wrote in their book “Dangerous Weapons: Anti-Sicilians”, Everyman Chess, London, 2009, p. 95. 10. ... a6 11. Qa4 Ra7 12. Bd3 b5 13. Qc2!?TN (13. Qd1 Bb7 14. a4 bxa4 15. Qxa4 a5 16. Rfd1 h6 17. Nb3 Re8 18. Nbxd4 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 Qb6 20. Nb5 Bc6 21. Qa3 Bxb5 22. Bc5 Qb7 23. Bxb5 Raa8 24. Qa4 Nc6 25. Be3 Rab8 26. Bxc6 Qxc6 ½ : ½ Ruck – Ivić, 28th Croatian Team Chess Championship, Mali Lošinj 2019) 13. ... Bb7 14. a4 bxa4 15. Rxa4 a5

16. h4 Ba6. The engines give the Exchange sacrifice 16. ... Nc8 as an interesting option for Black, but the eventual compensation of a Pawn and the Bishop pair would not probably be enough to change the story’s ending. 17. Bxa6 Rxa6 18. b4 Na7 19. Qc5. 19. Bc5!? may be even stronger for White, according to the engines. 19. ... Nac8 20. Bc7 Qe8 21. b5 d6 22. Qc4 d5? 22. ... Nb6 23. Bxb6 Rxb6 24. Rxa5 is somewhat better for White, but probably still tenable for Black. After the text, Black’s game falls apart beyond repair. 23. Qc5 dxe4 24. Nxe4 d3 25. Ra3 Re6 26. Nfg5 Nf5 27. Nxe6 Qxe6 28. Ra4 Re8 29. b6 Qd7 30. Qxa5 Nxb6 31. Bxb6 Qc6 32. f3 d2 33. Bf2 Bh6 34. Ra3 Qc2 35. Qd5 Qc1 36. Ra7 Rf8 37. Ra1 Ne3 38. Bxe3 Bxe3+ 39. Kh1 Qc7 40. Qd3 Bh6 41. Qd4 Rd8 42. Nf6+ Kh8 43. Nd5+ Kg8 44. Ra8 1 : 0.

So far — and once again — Caruana is confirming himself as the most competitive challenger to Magnus Carlsen. Photo credit: John Saunders.

Golden Fleece

Wesley So – Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev
7th Chess World Cup; match game 2; Tbilisi, September 16, 2017
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. Nbd2 Bf5 9. Re1 Nxd2 10. Qxd2 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 0-0 12. c3 Qd7 13. Bf4 a6 14. Re2. Or 14. Re3 Rae8 15. Rae1 Bd8 16. h3 Rxe3 17. Rxe3 (17. Qxe3 Qf5!) 17. ... f6 18. Re2 Rf7 19. Nd2! with a very slight plus for White, Kasparov – Karpov, Tournament of the Stars, Moscow 1981. 14. ... Rae8 15. Rae1 Bd8 16. Nd2 Rxe2 17. Qxe2 a5!? The older try is 17. ... Be7 18. Nb3 Rb8 19. h3 h6 20. Qg4 Qxg4 21. hxg4 Bd6 22. Bxd6 cxd6 23. Nc1 Kf8 24. Kf1 b5 25. a3 Re8 26. Rxe8+ Kxe8 27. Nd3 ½ : ½ Brkić – Jovanić, 13th Open, Zadar 2016. 18. Nb3 b6 19. Nc1 f6. This is not wrong in itself, but Fedoseev is following a wrong idea. 20. a4 Ne7 21. Nd3 g5? This super-ambitious strategy will immediately show its intrinsic weakness. After 21. ... Rf7 followed by ... Ne7-g6 Black’s position is just a little cramped, but apparently tenable. 22. Bc1 Ng6 23. b3 Be7

24. h4! This straight blow has a demolishing effect on Black’s position. 24. ... gxh4. Fedoseev has apparently no choice because of the threat h4-h5. If 24. ... Rf7 there might follow 25. h5 Nf8 26. f4! with sad consequences for Black. 25. Nf4 Rf7 26. Qe6! Qxe6 27. Rxe6 Nxf4 28. Bxf4 Bd8 29. b4 Kg7. If 29. ... axb4 then 30. cxb4 Kg7 31. Rc6! Be7 32. a5! Bxb4 33. a6 and White, in spite of being (temporarily) two Pawns down, should win. 30. bxa5 bxa5 31. Ra6 c6 32. Rxc6. White has finally won back his Pawn and is dominating the board. Despite a strenuous defence by Fedoseev, as usual So performs his technical execution in the most effortless and elegant way. 32. ... Kg6 33. Rc5 Rd7 34. f3 Kf5 35. Bd2 Ke6 36. Rc6+ Kf5 37. Be1 Kg5 38. Rc5 f5 39. Kh2 Kh5 40. Bf2 Rd6 41. Be3 Bb6 42. Rb5 Bd8 43. Bf4 Rd7 44. Be5 Kg5 45. Rc5 f4 46. Rc6 Kf5 47. Ra6 Kg5 48. Kh3 Kf5 49. Rc6 Kg5 50. Re6 Be7 51. Rc6 Bd8 52. Bd6 Kf5 53. Kh2 Rg7 54. Be5 Rd7 55. Rd6 Rxd6 56. Bxd6 Kg5 57. Kg1 Kf5 58. Kf2 Kg5 59. Kf1 Kf5 60. Ba3 Ke6 61. Ke2 Kf5 62. Bc1 Kg5 63. Kf1 Bc7 64. Bd2 Bd8 65. Be1 Kf5 66. Ke2 Ke6 67. Kd3 Kd7 68. c4 Kc6 69. Bc3 Bb6 70. Bb2 Bd8 71. Bc1 Bc7 72. Bd2 h5 73. Bc3 Bb6 74. Bb2 Bc7 75. Ba3 Bd8 76. Bf8 Bg5 77. Bg7 Kd6 78. Be5+ Kc6 79. Kc3 Bh6 80. Bf6 Bf8 81. Kd3 h3 82. gxh3 Bd6 83. Be5 1 : 0.