Judit Polgar – E. Bareev [B19] (Game 1)

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Be3 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qc7 13.0–0–0 0–0–0 14.Ne4 Ngf6 15.g3 Nxe4 16.Qxe4 Nf6 17.Qe2 Rd5 18.Ne5 (In this position, there are 2 other moves that have been played: 18.c4 Rxh5 19. Rxh5 Nxh5 20. Qe5 Qxe5 21. Nxe5 f5 =, and 18. Bf4)

18…Rxd4 19.Bf4 Re4 (This is the best response. Another option would be 19…Rxd1 but it is not as good.)

20. Qd3 (20. Qc3 is another playable option.)

20…Bc5 =+ 21. Ng6 Rxf4 (22. Nxh8 Rd4 23. Qc3Ne4 24. Qf3 f5 25. Qb3 Black does have some compensation in this line.)

22. Nxf4 Qa5 (22…Bxf2 is also fine) =+

23. f3 (Another option and probably safer would be 23. Kb1)

23…Qxa2 24. c3 (Judit did not want to give up the f2 pawn. She rather gives up the a2 pawn and then try to do something with the a file. Black is better in this position. Another line that I looked at was 24.c4)

24…Bb6 (24…Bf2 is also good)

25. Kc2 Qa5 26. Kb1 Qg5 (Black is better here. I think Judit has no choice but to defend the pawn with Ne2)

27.Ne2 Rd8 28. Qc2 Rxd1+ 29. Rxd1 Qxh5 30. g4 (It is basically Bishop and 3 pawns versus a Rook. Advantage Black.)

30…Qc5 (30…Qe5 would be another good choice and probably my preference. 30…Qc5 is fine as well.)

31. Qd2 Qd5 32. Kc2 (Black is clearly better. However, it is not an easy task for Black. I am hopeful that she can hold this.)

32…Qxd3+ 33. Kxd3 h5 (I do not like this move at all. White does not have any open file for the Rook. Why create one for White? I prefer the quiet move 33…Bc7)

34. gxh5 Nxh5 35. b4 (Black still maintains his edge.)

35…a6 36. c4 Bc7 37. Rh1 g6 38.c5 a5 (This is another move that I do not get. I would prefer either 38…Kd7 or 38…e5 to clear the e6 square for the King.)

39. bxa5 Bxa5 40. Ra1 (Judit safely made the time control. This is one of the perfect positions for you to learn how to play. As White, you work on holding this game. As Black, you work on closing it out. I would play 40…Bd8 here. This would stop White from playing Ra8+ then swing the Rook to the other side.)

40…Bc7 (This is very surprising. Bareev spent a lot of time for this move. It is OK but Bd8 would be my preference.)

41. Kc4 Nf6 42. Rh1 b6 43. cxb6 Bxb6 44. Nc3 Kd7 45. Rh8 Kd6 46. Kd3 Ba5 (Black is much better. But the process to march forward will be slow. This is a good endgame to learn to play.)

47. Ne4+ Nxe4 48. Kxe4 (This will be a hard position for White to hold but it is not over. Black actually helped White by opening up the a and h files.)

48…Bb4 49. Rb8 Ba3 50. Rd8+ Ke7 51. Ra8 Bc5 52. Rb8 f6 (This is not a fun position for White trying to hold but it is doable.)

53. 53.Rb7+ Kd8 54.f4 Be7 55.Ra7 Ke8 56.Rc7 c5 57.Rb7 Kf8 58.Rb8+ Kf7 59.Rb7 Kf8 60.Rb8+ Kg7 61.Rb6 Kf7 62.Rb7 Ke8 63.Rb6 Game drawn 1/2-1/2

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