(1) Bologan,V (2679) - Timman,J (2578) [C00]
GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (5), 15.01.2004



1.e4 e6 2.d3
Not ambitious. d4 is the normal choice, though Fischer often favored a King's Indian-type formation here with d3 and g3, Bg2

2...d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 b6
To activate the light-squared B at b7 or a6. Normally in the French, the Bc8 gets locked in. In this variation, the bishop has a future influencing the pressure in the center.

5.c3 Be7 6.Be2 Bb7 7.Qa4+ Nfd7
Preserving the possibility of 0-0, c7-c5, and Nc6

8.0-0 0-0 9.Re1 c5 10.Nf1 c4
Attacking the white pawn chain (d3 and e4) at its base.

11.Be3 cxd3 12.Bxd3 Qc7
Black has fully equalized

13.e5
But this is too ambitious.

13...Nc5
[ 13...Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qxe5 15.Bxb6? axb6 16.Qxa8 Qxe1 17.Qxb7 Qxa1 18.Qxe7-+ ]

14.Bxc5 bxc5 15.Qg4
Black has an adequate defense

15...Nd7 16.Ng3 d4! 17.Ng5 Bxg5 18.Qxg5 h6 19.Qh5 c4! 20.Bf1
[ 20.Be4 d3! 21.Bxb7? Qxb7 22.Re4 Qxb2 ]

20...d3 21.Rad1
[ 21.b3 ]

21...Rad8 22.Re3 Bd5 23.b3
White cannot long live with the c4-d3 pawn chain.

23...cxb3 24.axb3 Bxb3 25.Rdxd3 Bc2
Defending the kingside, and showing off his outside passer.

26.Rd4 Bg6 27.Qh4 Nb6 28.c4 a5 29.Ra3 a4
Diagram

30.c5
Played quickly in acute time trouble. Is this a saving move?

30...Qxc5 31.Raxa4
[ 31.Rxd8 Qxa3 32.Rxf8+ Qxf8-+ ( 32...Kxf8?? 33.Qd8# ) ]

31...Rxd4 32.Rxd4 Qxe5
Emerging a clear pawn ahead.

33.Rd8 Qc7
Covering the d8-square, and aiming for exchanges in this favorable endgame

34.Rxf8+ Kxf8 35.Qb4+ Kg8 36.h4
This becomes an additional target in many lines. Better just to sit tight.

36...Nd5 37.Qa3 Qe5
Centralizing his pieces

38.Be2 Nc3
A surprise. I expected Nf4

39.Qa8+ Kh7 40.Qf3 f5
Giving the Bg6 room to breath after h5, and threatening f4 and Nxe2

41.Bc4 f4 42.Ne2 Nxe2+ 43.Qxe2
Forcing the exchange of Qs, but black has an easy win.

43...Qxe2 44.Bxe2 Be4 45.g3 Kg6
Welcoming gxf4 Kf5

46.Bg4 e5 47.gxf4 exf4 48.Kh2 Kf6 49.Bc8 Ke5 50.Bg4 Kd4 51.Bc8 Bf3
Isolating the white king, and with the idea of bring the Black K to e2 or e1

52.Bd7 Kd3 53.Bb5+ Kd2 54.Kg1 Ke1
Simple Nimzovitch. Identify the weakness (f2), fix it, attack it with your pieces, force your opponent to defend it, and then (and only then) attack it with a pawn.

55.Be8 g5 56.hxg5 hxg5 57.Bf7 Be4 58.Be6 f3
And now, g5-4-3 gets a pawn to f2.

59.Bd7 Bg6
Timman wins easily with Bh5, g4-g3 [ 59...Bg6 60.Bg4 Ke2 61.Bh3 Bh5 62.Bf1+ Ke1 63.Bh3 g4 64.Bf1 g3 65.fxg3 f2+ 66.Kg2 Be2 ] 0-1