White was lost at one point but a series of inaccurate moves in a complicated position did Sebag in.
GM Stefanova (2550) – IM Sebag (2529) [D12]
North Urals Cup, 01.08.2008
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Bg6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Bd2 Nbd7 9.g3 Bb4 10.Qb3 a5 11.Bg2 Nb6 12.c5 Nc4 13.Bc1 b6 14.a3 Bxc3+ 15.Qxc3 a4 16.cxb6 Qxb6 17.Rb1 Rb8 18.0–0 Qb5 19.Bf3 Ne4 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.f3 Nd6 22.Qc2 f5 23.Qc5 Kd7 24.Qe5 Rh7 25.Bd2? exf3?? (25…Qd3! wins for Black) 26.Bb4 Ne4 27.Qxb5 cxb5 28.Rxf3 Rbh8 29.h4 g5 30.d5 gxh4 31.g4 exd5 32.Rxf5 Ke6 33.Rc1 g6? 34.Rc6+ Kd7 35.Rxg6 h3 36.Kh2 Kc7 37.Rxd5 Rf7 38.Rf5 Rhh7 39.Rxf7+ Rxf7 40.Kxh3 Rf3+ 41.Kh4 Rxe3 42.g5 Nf2 43.Rg7+ Kc6 44.Kh5 Rh3+ 45.Kg6 Nd1 46.Rh7 Rb3 47.Rh6 Nxb2 48.Kh7+ Kd5 49.g6 Rg3 50.g7 White wins 1–0
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Good morning, Susan,
At first thought, I see 25.Qd3 clearly winning. Then, trying to follow after 26. Bg4, Qxe3+; 27. Kh1, Rxh2+; 28. Kxh2, Rh8+, I didn’t succeed (without a computer, of course) to find mate before white achieves at least a perpetual check.
Besides, what I really didn’t understand about this game was 30. gxh4 instead of 30. g4; 31. dxe6+, Kxe6; 32.R move, g4.
Rail
By move 25 I think both players were in time trouble. The time control (G/90 + 30 sec) makes a scramble likely.