Moscow Open 2014 Men's Premier Russian Cup
A. Moiseenko – K. Alekseenko
Queen's Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4
[The Central Variation. The classic continuation of the Queen's Gambit 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 leads to well-known dispute over the strength and weakness of the isolated pawn on d4.]
3... Nf6
[A Popular alternative is the gambit variation 3... e5 4. Nf3 exd4 5. Bxc4 and so on. The text move brings into the game the element of blockade, and the arising situation brings to mind certain lines in the Alekhine Defense.]
4. e5 Nd5 5. Bxc4 Nb6 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Bg4 8. Be3 Qd7 9. Nbc3 O-O-O The fight revolves around white pawn center, which has already lost its elasticity (the hole on d5) and comes under pressure of the intruding piece. At the same time, the pawns d4 and e5 significantly cramp black's position.
10. O-O This position came into Moiseenko's practice at the end of last year in the game with S. Ganguly, Jakarta 2013. The sacrificing the pawn, white aims to quickly and harmoniously mobilize his pieces.
[The diagrammed position has before been played by K. Alekseenko:10. Be4 Bf5 11. O-O Bxe4 12. Nxe4 e6 13. a3 Be7 14. b4 f6 15. exf6 gxf6 16. Rc1 a6 17. Qb3 Rhg8 18. g3 Nd5 with chances for each sides, S.Volkov – K. Alekseenko, Plovdiv 2012]
10... Nxe5 An accute refutation.
[In the source game there followed 10... e6 11. a4 a6 12. Be4 Nb4 13. Qb3 N6d5 14. Rfc1 f6 15. h3 Bh5 16. exf6 gxf6 17. Nf4 Bf7 18. Ncxd5 Nxd5 19. Bxd5! exd5 20. Nd3 with advantagef or white, S. Ganguly, Jakarta 2013]
11. Bb5 Qe6
[In case of 11... Nc6 white can up the tension with 12. Rc1]
12. Qc1
12... Bxe2 The retreat 12...Nс6 or 12...Nс4 is unsuccessful due to 13.Nf4, and now 12...Ng6 is followed by 13.f3. However, the text move also leads black to difficulties.
[The computer gives one of its characteristic sacrifices 12... Nf3+! 13. gxf3 (13. Кh1 is met by by 13... g5 (with the idea 14...Qh6) 14. Bxg5 Nxg5 15. Qxg5 Bh6 with good play for black) 13... Bxf3 14. Rd1 Qh3 (or 14... Qg4+ 15. Ng3 h5) 15. Nf4 Qg4+ 16. Кf1 g5 17. Nfe2 e5 with an attack for the sacrificed piece.]
13. Bxe2 Nc6
[In case of 13... Nec4 white gets an advantage following 14. d5 Qd7 15. a4 Nxe3 16. Qxe3 etc.]
14. Rd1
White has an obvious strategic initiative, more than enough to compensate for the pawn. Especially dangerous is white's light-squared bishop, without its opposing counterpart.14... Nb4 Attempting to set up a blockade on the key d5 square, black returns his extra pawn, but the disappearance of his pawn on a7 leads to the weakening of his king's position. 15. Nb5 N4d5 16. Nxa7+ Кb8 17. Nb5 Rd7 18. Rd3! A crude, yet extremely useful move, increasing the functional possibilities of the white rook. 18... Qc6 19. Nc3 Of course trading the queens would provide white with transition to the better endgame, but he's playing for the direct attack! 19... e6
Black has managed to secure the d5 square, but this is not enough to compensate for the oncoming queenside attack. 20. a4! This pawn thrust of the edge pawn threatens to ram through the defensive structure of the black king. 20... Bb4
[It's possible that black should have resorted to the tactic of simplifying 20... Nxe3 21. fxe3 Nd5 22. Qf1!, but it hasn't stopped the position from being favorable to white.]
21. a5 Nc8
[21... Nc4 makes possible 22. Nxd5 exd5 23. Rb3 Bxa5 24. Bxc4 dxc4 25. Rba3 b6 26. Ra4, and black is in trouble.]
22. Bd2 Be7 23. a6 b6 24. Qd1 Providing the c3 knight freedom to maneuver. 24... Na7
25. Nxd5 exd5 26. Bg4 Rdd8 27. Bf4 The white bishops enter the fight with decisive effect. The white attack seems to develop on its own. 27... Qf6 28. Be5 Qh6 29. Qf3 Rhf8 30. Rc3 Nb5 31. Rac1 Rd6 32. g3 Nc3x 33. Qxc3 Bd8 34. a7+ Кa8
35. Ra1 Now any check will be mate! The immediate threat is the maneuver Bg4-c8-b7+. 35... f5 36. Bf3 Rd7
37. Bxg7! A brilliant finishing blow! Black is overwhelmed by the many threats. 1-0