Clyde Kapinos submits his draw from the recent simultaneous by Pittsburgh's
own GM, Alex Shabalov. In the November 1996 issue of En Passant, I
annotated another draw with Shabalov from a simul, submitted by Bruce
Linderman. Interestingly, both Clyde and Bruce played the same opening.
White: GM Alex Shabalov
Black: Clyde Kapinos
Simultaneous exhibition
May, 1999
Sicilian Defense, Accelerated Dragon variation
1 e4 c5
2 Nf3 Nc6
3 d4 cxd4
4 Nxd4 g6
This move marks the Accelerated Dragon variation. Clyde had been
studying two videos about this opening, by Roman Dzindzichashvili
("The Roman Forum"): "The Dragon's Accelerated Battle Over the
Maroczy Bind", and "The Dragon's Accelerated Return".
5 c4
White's pawn formation is called the "Maroczy bind". Black will
find it difficult to enforce ... d5, which is the natural equalizing
move in other, related, variations of the Sicilian Defense. But
he can sometimes get counterplay with ... b5 or even ... f5. Against
Linderman, Shabalov had played 5 Nc3.
5 ... Nf6
6 Nc3 d6
7 Be2 Nxd4
8 Qxd4 Bg7
9 Bg5 O-O
10 O-O Be6
Black is now threatening 11 ... Nd5, so White must move the queen.
11 Qe3 Qb6!?
Recommended by Dzindzi. The obvious 12 Qxb6 axb6 apparently gives
White no advantage.
12 Qd2
It seems that White has lost a tempo with his queen, but Black's queen
will likewise have to move again.
12 ... Rfc8
13 b3 Nxe4?
White's beautiful minor pieces are easily a match for Black's rook and
pawn. Instead of this losing mistake, 13 ... a6 or 13 ... Qa5 or
13 ... Qd8 would make strategic sense.
14 Nxe4 Bxa1
15 Rxa1 f6
16 Be3 Qd8
17 Rd1 b6
18 h4 Qe8
19 Bd4
This threatens 20 Bxf6, after which 20 ... Bf5 would not win material,
but only simplify to a bad endgame: 21 Bf3 Bxe4 22 Bxe4 exf6
23 Bxa8 Rxa8 24 Qxd6.
19 ... Qf7
20 Bb2
White can still play 20 Bxf6, which simplifies to a pawn-ahead endgame
after 20 ... exf6 21 Nxd6, or after 20 ... Bf5 21 Bf3. But his position
is so strong, it's not necessary to cash in immediately.
20 ... Rc7
21 Qd4
Threatening 22 Ng5.
21 ... h6
22 a4 Rac8
23 Nc3 Rc5
24 Bf3 a6
Black was afraid of Nb5, but now his b-pawn is hopelessly weak.
25 Bd5 Bxd5
26 Nxd5 R8c6
27 Ba3
The rook is trapped. If 27 ... Ra5, either 28 Bb4 or 28 Nxb6 is
good.
27 ... e5
28 Qe3 Kg7
29 Bxc5 bxc5
30 f4 Qd7
31 Rf1 Qg4!
Black can't defend against the attack, but he correctly sticks
his queen as close as possible to the enemy king.
32 fxe5 dxe5
33 Qf2 f5
34 Re1 e4
35 Qb2+ Kf7
36 Qh8 Qxh4
37 Rd1 Rd6
38 Qh7+ Kf8
39 Qc7 Rd8
40 Qxc5+ Kf7
41 Qc7+ Kf8
42 c5?
Necessary was 42 g3 Qg5, and now not 43 c5? Rxd5 with perpetual check,
but 43 Kg2 with the strong threat of 44 Nf4.
42 ... e3!
Diagram: 3r1k2/2Q5/p5pp/2PN1p2/P6q/1P2p3/6P1/3R2K1
43 g3
If 43 Nxe3 Rxd1+ 44 Nxd1 Qe1+ with at least a perpetual. But the move
played likewise leaves White fighting to draw.
43 ... e2!
44 Re1 Qd4+
45 Kg2 Qxd5+
46 Kh3 Qd2
46 ... Qd7 has been suggested as a winning attempt, but White can hold
the rook endgame: 47 Qxd7 Rxd7 48 Rxe2 Kf7 (to prevent 49 Re6)
49 Rc2, and now if 49 ... Ke7 50 c6 Rc7 51 b4 (but not 50 b4? Rd4).
If 46 ... Qd1, White can play either 47 Qe5 (which was also possible in
the game), or the tricky 47 Rxe2 Qf1+ 48 Rg2 Rd2 49 Qc8+ Kf7
50 Qc7+ Kf6 51 Qc6+ Kg5 52 Kh2.
47 Rxe2 Qxe2
48 Qxd8+ Kf7
49 Qd5+ Kf6
50 c6 Qg4+
51 Kh2 Qe2+
52 Qg2 Qxg2+
53 Kxg2 Ke6
54 b4 Kd6
55 b5 axb5
56 axb5 g5
57 Kf3 h5
The moves after about this point have been reconstructed, because
Clyde stopped keeping score.
58 Ke3 Kc7
59 Kd4 h4
60 gxh4 gxh4
61 Ke3 h3
62 Kf3 f4
Agreed drawn.