Notes by the winner. This game was the decisive encounter in the 2006 Club Championship
1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
e6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nc6
5.g3
The idea was to put pressure on the d5 square with the bishop on g2 and the pawn on c4. I wanted to prevent d5 and try to exploit the pawn weakness on d6.
5...a6
6.Bg2
Nf6
7.0-0
Bc5
8.Nb3
Be7
9.c4
d6
10.Nc3
Ne5
11.Qe2
Qc7
12.Nd2
h5
This made castling on either side for Black look unlikely. So my plan now was to attack down the centre. I had to prevent h5 with Nf3, but first I wanted extra pawns in the centre to launch a counter-attack.
13.f4!
Neg4
14.Nf3
Qc5+
15.Kh1
Nd7
16.Na4
It's not usually a good idea to move knights to the edge of the board. However, the queen's rook and bishop need developing and the subsequent black queen moves allowed this.
16...Qa5
17.b3
Bf6
18.Bd2
Qc7
19.Rad1
With control of the d-, e- and f-files, White is ready to launch an attack down the centre.
19...b5
20.e5
[Not 20.cxb5?
axb5
21.Qxb5
Ba6
and the f-rook falls.]
20...bxa4
[If 20...dxe5
21.fxe5
Ngxe5
22.Nxe5
Bb7?
23.Nxd7
Qxd7
24.Bb4
Bxg2+
25.Qxg2
Qa7
(25...Qc8
26.Nb6
and White wins) 26.Qc6+
and White wins.]
21.exf6
Ngxf6
22.f5
Nc5
[If 22...e5
then Nxe5, with a discovered attack on rook on a8 and threatening discovered check.]
23.fxe6
Nxe6
24.Bb4
Now the pawn on d6 falls to the bishop, which becomes extremely strong
24...Qb6
25.Bxd6
axb3
26.c5
Qb5
27.Nd4!
Swapping off the queens was fine. All White's pieces are in powerful attacking positions, while Black's rooks and bishop are undeveloped.
27...Qxe2
28.Nxe2
Ra7
29.axb3
Ng4
30.Rd3
h4
31.h3
hxg3
32.Rxg3
Nf6
[If 32...Ng5
33.Kg1
and one of the knights falls.]
33.b4
strengthening c5, but also allowing Ra3 and b5 after swapping off the white-squared bishops with Bc6+.
33...Nh5
34.Ra3
Ng5
35.Nd4
supporting b5 but also attacking c6 and e6
35...Bxh3?
[No better is 35...Nxh3
36.Bxh3
Bxh3
37.Rxh3
Ng3+
38.Kg2
Rxh3
39.Re1+
Kd7
40.Kxh3
, which also loses as the rook or knight also falls.]
36.Bxh3
Nxh3
37.Re3+!
Kd7
If Kd8, Nc6+ forking king and rook.
38.Rxf7+
Kc8
39.Rxa7
Nf6
40.Ra8+
[40.Rc7+
Kb8
(40...Kd8
41.Nc6#
) 41.Nc6+
Ka8
42.Ra7#
] 1-0