Pullin, M - Davlatov, A
EvanstonChess Bi-Level (EvanstonChess)
Round 2

1.e3 The seldom-used Van 't Kruijs opening. 1...g6 2.f4 d5 3.Nf3 c5 4.Bb5+ Bd7 5.a4 Bg7 6.O-O Nf6 I prefer 6...Nh6, but this move is fine too. 7.d3 O-O 8.Bxd7 Forced. 8.Nc3 Bc8! and to meet the threat of ...a6 White must lose a pawn. 8...Nbxd7 I think 8... Nfxd7, bringing the QN to c6, makes more sense. 9.Qe1 Qc7 10.Nc3 Rac8 10...d4 11.Nb5! followed by e4 and bringing the QN to c4. The Queen on c7 makes this possible. 11.e4 dxe4 11...d4 12.Nb5! 12.dxe4 e5 Black has serious positional difficulties after this move. The problem is Black's forces are pointing at e5, and if that pawn never moves, he'll be inactive. So the correct reaction for White must be: 13.f5 a6 13...gxf5 14.Nh4! fxe4 15.Nf5 +- 14.a5 c4 15.Kh1 Nc5 16.Bg5 h6 Black should probably admit his mistake and play Ncd7! Now White gains control of d5. 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Nd5 Qc6 ?? 18...Qd6 is the only chance. 19.fxg6 19.Nxe5!! is incredibly strong. I incorrectly assumed this would be there next move, but Black correctly sacrifices a pawn to escape this tactic. 19...Qe6 20.gxf7+ Rxf7 21.Nh4 Rcf8 22.Nf5 Bg5 23.g4 I didn't want to have to play this, but I realized when I got here that ...Nxe4 is a threat. For instance 23.Ra3 Nxe4 24.Qxe4 Rxf5 25.Rxf5 Rxf5 26.Qxf5?? Qxf5 and Ne7+ is not possible, as the bishop covers e7. 23...h5 24.h4 Bd8 25.Qe3 hxg4 26.Qxc5 Played in mutual time trouble. I thought 26.Nh6+ Qxh6 27.Qxh6 Rxf1+ would be too messy. 26...Rxf5 27.exf5 Qh6 28.Kg2 ! The only move. Now Black has no compensation for the rook. 28...Qxh4 29.Rh1 Qg5 The only safe square for the queen, but White has a forced mate in 7. 30.Rh8+ Kxh8 31.Qxf8+ Qg8 31...Kh7 32.Rh1+ Qh4 33.Nf6+ Bxf6 34.Qf7+ Kh8 35.Qxf6+ Kg8 36.Rxh4 any 37.Rh8# 32.Rh1+ 1-0