Ivan Saric Campeón de Europa 2018

[Event "19th EICC 2018"] [Site "Batumi"] [Date "2018.03.28"] [Round "11"] [White "Saric, Ivan"] [Black "Navara, David"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B39"] [WhiteElo "2657"] [BlackElo "2737"] [Annotator "Albert Silver"] [PlyCount "133"] [EventDate "2018.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bg7 5. c4 Nc6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Ng4 8. Qxg4 Nxd4 9. Qd1 e5 10. Bd3 d6 11. O-O O-O 12. a4 Be6 {So far, so theory in this well-trodden line in the Maroczy.} ({Black has also tried to prevent White's idea by playing} 12... a5 {himself, but this just left too many concessions on the light squares.} 13. Nb5 Bd7 14. Bxd4 Bxb5 15. Be3 Bc6 16. f3 f5 17. Qc2 Qf6 18. Rad1 Qe6 19. Rd2 Kh8 20. Rfd1 {1-0 (35) Van Wely,L (2663) -Edouard,R (2640) Chartres 2017}) 13. a5 $146 Qd7 {[#] If you ask the engines, there are plenty of choices here. Personally 13...f5 seemed like the natural choice.} 14. Qa4 {An interesting choice. White clearly feels the endgame favors him enough to invite it. This was by no means an unspoken draw offer.} Qxa4 {White is slightly better.} 15. Rxa4 Rfc8 16. Nd5 Bxd5 17. exd5 $5 { White's plan is now made clear: he wishes to use his rook and bishop pair to push forth his new 4 vs 3 pawn majority on the queenside.} Re8 18. Re1 f5 19. Kf1 Kf7 20. b4 Rac8 21. Rc1 e4 22. Be2 Be5 23. g3 {Though there is nothing decisive yet, Black is having trouble drumming up counterplay. His logical means would be to push his own center and kingside pawns, but they are all tied down due to threats.} Rc7 {[#] Black overlooks white's next shot.} 24. c5 $1 Rec8 (24... dxc5 {is just a disaster for Black.} 25. bxc5 Nxe2 (25... Nb3 $2 26. Rcc4 {and instead of becoming a threat, the knight has become a liability.} ) 26. Kxe2 Rd8 27. d6 Rcd7 28. Rb4 {followed by Rcb1 is decisive.}) 25. Bxd4 Bxd4 26. c6 {A clever move that becomes clear with White's follow-up.} bxc6 27. b5 $1 c5 ({Black's best chance was to grab as many pawns with} 27... Bxf2 $5 28. Kxf2 cxb5 29. Rxc7+ Rxc7 30. Bxb5 Rc2+ 31. Be2 Kf6 $14 32. Rc4 Rxc4 33. Bxc4 Ke5 34. Ke3 g5 {and Black can hold since the White's bishop alone cannot create a passed pawn, and Black's two passers, supported by his king, are too strong for just the king or just the bishop.} 35. Bb3 f4+ 36. gxf4+ gxf4+ 37. Ke2 Kd4 38. a6 Ke5 39. h3 Kd4 40. Kf2 Kd3 41. Ba4 $11) 28. b6 axb6 29. axb6 Rb7 $1 {The point of White's line: the Bd4 will be lost.} 30. Rxd4 $1 cxd4 31. Rxc8 Rxb6 {This endgame is better for White, bu not at all obvious to covert.} 32. Ke1 g5 33. Bd1 Rb1 {[#]} 34. g4 $1 $16 {Attacking Black's pawns, since the rook is on the 8th, trying to keep White's bishop pinned, which leaves White's rook free rein.} fxg4 (34... f4 35. Rc4 Kf6 36. Rxd4) 35. Rc4 $1 Kf6 36. Rxd4 Ke5 37. Ra4 h5 38. Kd2 Kxd5 $2 39. Bc2 $2 (39. Ra5+ {and the rest is easy.} Kd4 40. Rxg5) 39... Rg1 $2 (39... Rf1 $16 {was necessary.}) 40. Ra5+ $1 $18 ({ Less strong is} 40. Bxe4+ Ke5 $16) ({Also, if} 40. Rxe4 $2 Rh1 $11) 40... Kd4 41. Bb3 e3+ 42. fxe3+ Ke4 43. Bc2+ Kf3 {intending ...Rg2+.} 44. Rf5+ Kg2 45. Rxg5 Kxh2 46. Rxh5+ Kg3 47. Bd1 Rg2+ 48. Be2 Rf2 49. Ke1 Rg2 50. Rd5 Rg1+ 51. Kd2 Ra1 52. Rd4 Ra2+ 53. Ke1 $1 Ra1+ {[#]} 54. Bd1 $1 Kh3 55. Rxd6 g3 56. Kf1 g2+ 57. Kg1 Rb1 58. Rd2 Rc1 59. e4 Kg3 {[#]} 60. e5 $1 Rc6 61. Rd4 Rc5 62. Rg4+ Kh3 63. Re4 Rc3 64. e6 Rd3 65. Re1 Rd4 66. e7 Rh4 67. Re3# 1-0