Fedorov, A. (2646) - Baburin, A. (2590) [B03] 34th Olympiad, Istanbul (3) 2000
1. e4
Nf6
2. e5
Nd5
3. d4
d6
4. c4
Nb6
5. f4
dxe5
6. fxe5
Nc6
7. Be3
Bf5
8. Nc3
e6
9. Nf3
Bg4
I don't get to play against the Four Pawn Attack too often and so I decided to try a rare line. 10. Qd2
Bb4 Black wants to play .. .Na5 and ...c5. White can chase away this bishop (as he did), but this weakens the b3-square and ...Na5 becomes a real possibility. 11. a3
Be7
12. Ne4
Qd7
13. b4 After 13.Be2 0-0-0 14.0-0-0 Bf5 15.Ng3 Bg6 16.h4 in the game Huebner-Hort, Biel 1987, Black delivered a nice blow - 16...Nb4. He eventually won after 17.b3 Nc2 18.c5 Qc6 19.Bd3 Nxe3 20.Qxe3 Nd5 21.Qf2 Bxd3 22.Rxd3 Qa6 23.Rhd1 Qxa3+. Bxf3
14. gxf3
O-O-ON Apparently, this is a novelty. Previously Black played 14...Rd8 here. I think that my move is better, as Black's king is quite safe on the queenside. 15. Rd1
Bh4+
16. Ng3
f6
17. b5
Ne7
18. Qa5
Kb8
19. Be2
Here Fedorov offered a draw, but I decided to play, despite being short of time. Nf5
20. Bf2
Qf7
21. f4
g5
22. Nxf5
Bxf2+
23. Kxf2
exf5
24. d5
fxe5
25. fxe5
g4
26. Qc3
h5
27. e6
Qe7
28. h3
Rhg8
29. hxg4
hxg4
30. Qd4
f4
31. Bd3 The tension is rising. Here both players were short of time, which partly explains some of the mistakes, which we made. For example, here 31...g3+ was worth considering. Qg5
32. Be4
f3
33. c5
Nc8
34. Rh7
g3+
35. Kxf3
g2
36. Rg1
Rdf8+
37. Ke2? White had to play 37.Rf7! instead. Qg4+
38. Kd3
Rf3+! After 38...Rf1 39.Rxg2 Rf3+ White has an amazing move - 40.Qe3!. He is OK after 40...Rxe3+ 41.Kxe3 Qxe4+ 42.Kxe4 Rxg2. 39. Bxf3 White should have declined the offer by playing 39.Kc4, but it is hard to make the right choice when you are down to your last seconds. Qxf3+
40. Kd2
Rg4! Now White is busted, as his king is too exposed and both his rooks are vulnerable. 41. Qe3
Qxd5+
42. Kc1
Re4
43. Qf2
Qc4+
44. Qc2
Qf1+
45. Qd1
Qf4+
46. Kb1
Qf5
White resigned, as he either loses his h7-rook or gets checkmated after 47...Rb4++. 0-1
Back To Istanbul Diary, Day 2-3
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