Rechlis-Psakhis 1995

Move

Rechlis, G. (2510) - Psakhis, L. (2625) [B81]
Israeli Team Championship 1995 
[Psakhis and Baburin]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. g4 h6 8. f4 Nc6 9. g5 hxg5 10. fxg5 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Nd7 12. h4 Ne5 13. Qe2!? Be7 14. Qg2 Bd7!? 15. Be2 b5 16. a3 Rb8!? 17. O-O-O b4 18. axb4 Rxb4 19. g6!?
   In a typical Sicilian all-out fight both sides are struggling for the initiative. The text is better than 19 b3, which would let Black the initiative after 19...Nc6!? 20 Bxg7 Rg8 21 Bh6 Qa5 22 Kb2 Bf6!.
Nxg6 20. Bxg7   20 h5? is bad in view of 20...Bg5+! 21 Kb1 Nf4.
Nxh4 21. Qf2 Rg8 22. Bd4    Black was going to meet 22 Bh6 with 22...Qb6!?, and if 23 Be3?, then 23...Bg5!.
Rg2 23. Qf1 Qa5 24. Rxh4?   Being in time-trouble, White errs first. He had to play 24 Kb1! Rg8 25 Bxa6 Bc6 26 Bc4!, with mutual chances. Now his king is forced to take a walk:
Qa1+ 25. Kd2 Rxd4+ 26. Ke3 Rg3+ 27. Kxd4 e5+ 28. Kd5?!   Better was 28 Kc4, although Black still wins with best play: 28...d5+! 29 Kxd5 Qa5+ 30 Nb5 Bxh4 31 b4 Qxb4 32 Nd6+ Kd8 33 Nxf7+ Ke7 34 Kxe5 Qc3+ 35 Rd4 Rg5+! 36 Nxg5 Bg3+.
Qa5+ 29. Bb5 Bxh4 30. Ra1 Bxb5    White lost on time, but after 31 Rxa5 Bxf1 32 Kxd6 Be7+ his position is hopeless anyway. Looking at the final position we may see why the d5-square is not always weak in the Najdorf variation! :-) (A. Baburin).
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