1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 Bf5 4.f3
Another idea is 4.Bxf6 gxf6 5.e3 with 6.Bd3 to follow.
4...Nbd7 5.Nxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 h6 7.Bh4 N7b6!
One week earlier, I tried 7...Ne3 against Les but stood slightly worse after 8.Qd3 Nxc2+ 9.Qxc2 Bh7 10.Bc4 Nb6 11.Ne2 Qd6 12.Bb3 e6 13.O-O c6 14.a4 Be7 15.Bg3.
8.exf5 Ne3 9.Qd3 Qxd4! 10.Bf2 Qxd3!
After the game, Les told me that the book on the Veresov says that Black is "supposed to" play 10...Qxb2. To which I replied that it's a good thing I don't have the book! After 10...Qxb2 11.Qb5+ Qxb5 12.Bxb5+ c6 13.Bxc6+ bxc6 14.Bxe3, the white pawn on f5 makes it difficult for Black to develop his kingside without allowing weak pawns.
11.Bxd3
Of course, White must not play 11.cxd3? Nc2+.
11...Nxg2+ 12.Kf1 Nf4
Here too the f5 pawn is a nuisance, but Black has an extra pawn.
13.Be4 c6?!
Later we analyzed 13...O-O-O as Black's best, after which White can fight to draw with 14.Bxb6 axb6 15.Ne2 Nxe2 16.Kxe2 because of the opposite-colored bishops. So if Black wants to preserve any winning chances, he has to answer 15.Ne2 with 15...Nh5.
14.a4 Nc4 15.Rd1 Rd8 16.Rxd8+ Kxd8 17.b3 Nd2+ 18.Ke1 Nxe4 19.fxe4 a6 20.Nf3 e6 21.Bg3 Bb4+!
It is important for Black to develop his pieces, after which his extra pawn must win.
22.Kf1 Nh5 23.fxe6 Nxg3+ 24.hxg3 fxe6 25.Kg2 Ke7 26.Rd1 Rd8 27.Rxd8 Kxd8 28.g4 Ke7?!
The correct move is 28...Kc7, threatening to bring the king into the game via d6 or b6.
29.Kg3?
On 29.e5!, the black king will have difficulty in penetrating into White's position, giving White real drawing chances.
29...Kd6 30.Kf4 Bc3 31.Ke3 Kc5 32.Kd3 Kb4 33.Nh4 b5 34.Ng6
No better is 34.axb5 cxb5, allowing Black to create a passed a-pawn.
34...bxa4 35.bxa4 c5 36.Nf4 c4+ 37.Ke2 Kxa4 38.Nxe6 a5
Now Black has a passed a-pawn anyway.
39.Nc7 Be5 40.Nd5 Kb5 41.Kd1 a4 42.Kc1 g6 43.Ne7 g5 44.Nf5 Kc5!
If White plays 45.Nxh6, the black king penetrates decisively with 45...Kd4.
45.Kb1 h5!
This pawn sacrifice wins because, with passed pawns on both sides of the board, the far-ranging bishop is vastly superior to the knight.
46.gxh5 g4 47.Ka2 g3 48.Nh4 Kd4 49.h6 Kxe4 50.Ka3 Ke3 52.Kxa4 c3
Black avoids 52...Kf2 53.c3 Bxc3 54.Kb5.
53.Kb4 Kf2, White resigns.
{This article originally appeared in Atlantic Chess News in 1989}
