This was a make-up game from round three.
1.e4 c5
For many months prior to this game, I had been experimenting with 1...e5 which led to many counter gambits (Philidor and Falkbeer).
2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3
This move proved to be a wise psychological choice. Not only was my Sicilian Najdorf a bit rusty from lack of over-the-board play, but no one had used 6.h3 against me in many years. I began to wish that I had played 1...e5 after all.
6...g6 7.Be3
Again I was unpleasantly surprised. I was familiar with 7.g4 Bg7 8.g5 h5 9.Be2 e5 10.Nb3 Nf4 from Fischer's games, both as White and as Black.
7...Bg7 8.Be2 O-O 9.f4 Nbd7 10.Bf3 Qc7 11.Qd2
11...e5?!
A better try was 11...Rb8, threatening 12...b5. And, if 12.a4, then White might find it risky to castle queenside as in the game.
12.Nde2 b5 13.O-O-O Ne8?!
Passive play like this can't be good. Worthy of consideration was 12...Qa5 13.Kb1 (13.a3 Rb8) exf4 14.Bxf4 Ne5 15.Qxd6?! Nc4!.
14.Nd5 Qd8 15.fxe5 Nxe5 16.b3 Bb7 17.Bg5! f6 18.Be3
This bishop maneuver has created a gaping hole in Black's position at e6.
18...Rf7 19.Nd4 Bxd5
I played this move reluctantly, since White's pawn on d5 will only strengthen his grip on the e6 square. But at least now Black's backward d-pawn is safe from frontal attack.
20.exd5 Nxf3 21.gxf3 Qd7 22.Ne6 f5 23.Nxg7?!
After having gone to great lengths to post a knight on e6, White exchanges it for Black's inferior bishop. Instead, 23.Bd4! would have left White with a big positional advantage.
23...Nxg7 24.Rde1?!
Another innacuracy. Correct was 24.Rdg1!, gaining a tempo on the game continuation.
24...a5 25.a3 a4 26.b4
Understandably White wanted to prevent the opening of the a-file, but now Black has a square at c4.
26...Rc8 27.h4 Qc7 28.h5 Qc4 29.hxg6 hxg6 30.Reg1 Qa2
Thanks to White's wasted tempo at move 24, Black gets a counterattack just in the nick of time.
31.Bd4! Rfc7
Too slow is 31...Qxa3+? 32.Bb2 Qxf3 33.Rh6 with 34.Rhxg6 to follow.
32.c3 Qb3
The pawn grab 32...Qxa3+ was also possible, after which 33.Qb2? loses to 33...Rxc3+ 34.Bxc3 Rxc3+ 35.Kb1 Rb3. But I was worried about 33.Kd1.
33.Qb2 Qxd5 34.Kb1
Black was threatening 34...Qxd4.
34...Qxf3 35.Rh6 Rxc3!? 36.Bxg7?
Black has nothing better than perpetual check after 36.Bxc3 Rxc3 37.Rgxg6! Qd3+ (37...Kf7 38.Rg2) 38.Ka2 Qc4+ 39.Kb1 Qd3+, etc.
36...Qd3+ 37.Ka2 Kxg7 38.Rhxg6+?
White's last chance was to try for perpetual check with 38.Rgxg6+ Kf7 39.Rf6+ (39.Rxd6? Qc4+) Ke7 40.Re6+ Kd7 41.Rxd6+ Qxd6 42.Rxd6+ Kxd6 43.Qd2+ or 43.Qh2+. Now I get my first win of the futurity but after a shaky performance.
38...Kf7 39.Rg7+ Ke6 40.R1g6+ Kd5 41.Qg2+ Qe4 42.Rxd6+ Kxd6 43.Qh2+ Kd5 44.Rd7+ Kc4 45.Rc7+ Rxc7 46.Qxc7+ Kd4, White resigns.
{This article originally appeared in Atlantic Chess News in 1992}
