Sergey Klimov,
international master

Other possible ways - 15. Na2 and 15. Ne2 .

More popular is 15...Qc7 with possible continuations:

  A) 16. Nb1 Ba4 17. b3 Bxb3 18. Bd3 Bxd2+ 19. Kxd2 Bd5 ( 19...Bxc2 20. Bxc2 Nd7 21. Rc1 Nc5 , J.De La Villa - A.Huzman, San Sebastian, 1993) 20. exf6 Qf4+ 21. Ke2 Bxf3+ 22. gxf3 Qe3+ 23. Kf1 Qxf3+ 24. Qf2 Qxd1+ 25. Kg2 Qg4+ 26. Qg3 Qxg3+ 27. hxg3 gxf6 , and Black has a material advantage, I.Nikolaidis - S.Atalik, Ankara, 1995.

  B) 16. Nb5 Bxd2+ 17. Qxd2 ( 17. Rxd2 axb5 18. exf6 b4 19. Rxd4 bxa3 20. bxa3 gxf6 , Strand - T.Kokkila, corr., 1996) 17...Qxe5 18. Re1 Ne4 (quite good is also 18...Qb8 19. Nd4 O-O 20. Nxc6 bxc6 21. Re3 Nd5 22. Rd3 a5 23. g3 Ra7 24. Be2 Rb7 - pressure on the b- file compensates Black some weakness of his pawns on the queenside, P.Svidler - K.Lerner, St.Petersburg, 1993) 19. Nxd4 Nxd2 20. Rxe5 Nxf1 21. Nxc6 bxc6 22. Rxf1 O-O-O 23. Rd1 Kc7 =, Black doesn't let White to occupy the d- file and looks forward optimistically, T.Luther - K.Lerner, Kukschafen, 1993.

  C) 16. Ne2 Bxd2+ 17. Qxd2 Qxe5 18. Nxd4 O-O ( 18...Bd7 19. Bc4 O-O 20. Bb3 Qc7 21. h4 Rad8 22. Qe3 Rfe8 23. Ne2 Bc6 24. g4 , S.Tiviakov - V.Tukmakov, Rostov-na-Donu, 1993) 19. Nxc6 bxc6 20. Qd4 Qc7 21. Qd6 Qb6 22. Qe5 Rfd8 23. Bc4 a5 24. Rhe1 a4 =, V.Kotronias - S.Atalik, Kardica, 1994.

  D) 16. exf6 dxc3 17. Bxc3 Bxc3 18. Qxc3 Qf4+ 19. Rd2 Qxf6 20. Qxf6 gxf6 =, L.Yudasin - K.Lerner, Moscow, 1992; J.De La Villa - V.Kramnik, Pamplona, 1993.

Bad is 16. Ne4 Bxd2+ 17. Rxd2 Nxe5 18. Qg3 Qd5 19. Qxg7 O-O-O

17. Qxd2 d3!? ( 17...Nxe5 18. Nxd4 O-O 19. f4 Ng6 20. Nxc6 Qxd2+ 21. Rxd2 bxc6 22. g3 , K.Edvardsson - J.Vidarsson, Rejkjavik, 1994) 18. Qxd3 Nxe5 19. Qc3 ( 19. Qe3 Qc7 ) 19...Qf6 20. Nd4 Bd5 .

18. f4 , for instance, 18...Nd7 19. f5 e5 20. Nxd4 Qf6 21. Nxc6 Qxc6 22. h4 O-O 23. Rh3 Nf6 24. Rc3 , P.Wollf - M.Dlugy, New York, 1991.

More exact is 20. Qe4 , preventing queenside castling.

Stronger is 20... O-O-O , gaining a tempo in the struggle for the file d . For example, 21. Be4 Qf4 =; 21. Qe2 Rd7 22. Rhd1 Rhd8 =

21...g6 is worse because of 22. Qe3 Kg7 23. Be4 .

Black approaches his king closer to the center, bearing the possible ending in mind. Besides, he withdraws it out of check, which would have prevented the doubling of black rooks on the d- file: 22...Rd5?? 23. Qh7+ Kf8 24. Qh8+ Ke7 25. Qxa8 . 22...Rab8!? with the same idea also deserved attention.

In principle, the queen trade is disadvantageous for Black, but the weakness of the square b6 and the exposed position of the king f8 (that is the shortcoming of the 22th move!) don't let him to avoid the trade.

White shouldn't have refused the favourable trade, leading to the ending with a little advantage: 24. Qxd4 Rxd4 25. Be4 Rxd2 26. Rxd2 Ke7 27. Rd3 Rc8 28. Rb3 b5 29. Rc3 ( 29. a4 Na5 30. Rb4 f5 31. Bd3 Nc6 ) 29...Kd6 / = But the launched by him attack needs too serious concession of the center.

26...Rd4 27. Qe3 Rad8 28. g4 ( 28. c3 R4d5 29. Qxc5+ Rxc5 30. Be4 Ke7 ); 26...Qd5 27. Qxd5 Rxd5 28. Be4 Rxd2 29. Rxd2 Ke7

32. g5?! hxg5 33. fxg5 Qxf3 34. Rxf3 f5

The pawn sacrifice is forced: 33...Kg7 34. g5 ; 33...Qg7 34. g5 and 35. f5 .

Black places his pieces unappropriately. Right was 34...Ke7 : 35. Qh3 ( 35. g5 Qf5 and e4-e3 ) 35...Nd4

  A) 36. Qe3 Nxc2 37. Qxe4+ Kf8 38. Qe5 ( 38. Qxb7 Nxa3+ 39. bxa3 [ 39. Ka2 Nb5 ] 39...Qd6 ) 38...Nxa3+ 39. Ka2 ( 39. bxa3 Qb6+ ) 39...Qb6 40. Kxa3 R8d3+ 41. Bxd3 ( 41. Ka2 Qb3+ 42. Kb1 Rd1+ =) 41...Rxd3 42. Ka2 Qb3+ 43. Kb1 Rd1+ 44. Rxd1 Qxd1+ with a perpetual check.

  B) 36. Bd1 Rxf2 37. Rxf2 Ne6 38. Be2 Rd2 39. f5 Qd4 40. Qf1 ( 40. f6+ Kd7 41. Qf1 e3 42. Rf3 Qe4 43. Bd3 e2 ) 40...Qc5 41. Qc1 Qxf2 42. Qxd2 gxf5 .

35. Qxg7+ Kxg7 36. Bc4 b5

39. Qf1?! Qd4 40. f5 e3 41. Rf3 Qc5 42. Bd3 ( 42. c3 Qb6 43. b4 Ng5 ) 42...e2 .

39...Rxe2? 40. Rxe2 Nf4 41. f6!

Also bad is 40...Rxe2 41. Rxe2 Nf4 42. Qh4 Qg1+ ( 42...Nxe2 43. Qd8# ) 43. Re1

Weaker is 42. Qxg5 Rxe2 43. Rxe2 Qd1+ 44. Ka2 Qxe2 45. Qd8+ Kg7 46. Qd4+ Kh7 =

42...Nh7 43. Qb8+ Qd8 44. Qxb7 Nxf6 ( 44...e3 45. Bc4! ) 45. Bc4 is unsufficient too.

This move deprives Black of his main threat Re2 , and in some variations the rook d2 finds itself under attack.

Now it's completely clear that Black has just a bad position as "compensation" for being a pawn down.

It gives Black additional chances, for the position of the white king becomes weak and the number of pawns decreases. 48. h4 deserved attention.

Better was to attack an alien pawn, in lieu of giving up the own one: 53...Rh5 54. h3 Rh4 ; 54. Rf6 Qxh2 .

54...Qxb4 Bb3+

56...Qxh2 57. Qc5+ Ke8 58. Ba4+ Kf7 59. Qd5

A blunder. 57. Qc5+ was the simplest way to win.

Now win is hardly possible, if possible at all, for in the case of the queen trade Black is enough to give a knight and a pawn b away for the white pawn c and to reach the square h8 with the king. Otherwise, the unsufficient white king's cover adversely affects.