H. Hamdouchi (2513) - A. Baburin (2591)

Open Saint Vincent (5), 16.02.2000

1 e4 Nf6 2 e5 Nd5 3 d4 d6 4 Nf3 Bg4 5 Be2 e6 6 h3 Bh5 7 c4 Nb6 8 exd6 cxd6 9 Nc3 Be7 10 d5 e5 11 g4 Bg6 12 h4 h5 13 g5 N8d7 14 Be3 Rc8 15 b3 Nc5 16 Rg1 Nbd7 17 b4 e4 18 Nd2 Nd3+ 19 Kf1 Nxb4 20 Ndxe4 0-0 21 Bd4 Re8 22 a3 Na6 23 Bxh5 Rxc4 24 Be2 Qc8 25 h5 Bf5 26 Rg3 Bf8 27 Re3 Nb6? 28 Bxb6 Rcxe4 29 Nxe4 Bxe4 30 Bxa7 Qf5 31 Qd4 Nc5 32 Rg3 Bxd5 33 Bg4 Qxg5 34 Bf3 (D)

This tense position arose in a time trouble. White (reasonably) expected here 34...Qe5 35 Qxe5 Rxe5 36 Bxc5 dxc5 37 Bxd5 Rxd5 38 Rb1, where he would have good winning chances. Unfortunately for him, I simply did not see 34...Qe5, so my next move was had a strong psychological effect on him. Sometimes now seeing obvious moves can help! :-)

34...Qxg3!? 35 fxg3 Bxf3 36 Bxc5 dxc5 37 Qf4? Bxh5 38 Re1 Rxe1+ 39 Kxe1 Bg6 40 a4 Bd3 41 a5 Bb5 42 Qc7 Ba6 43 g4 g6 44 g5 c4 45 Kd2 Bb4+ 46 Kc2 Kg7 47 Qd8 Kh7 48 Qf6 Kg8 (D) ¸-¸

The final position is very curious. It’s a fortress - all Black needs to do is to ward off White's king from the f6-square. This he can achieve. Black's c4-pawn acts as a useful shelter for his bishop.