Leuven 11th Open Nov 99

S Berry 2275

A Kogan GM 2518

Sicilian Defence

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. O-O Ne7 6. d3 Ng6 7. Ng5

  White wants to play 8 f4 with a flexible position. Black's next stops this
e5 8. Qh5
  So that 8 … h6 9 Nxf7 Kxf7 10 f4 would be strong for White.
Qf6 9. Nxh7

  I am really not certain if I would risk this move again. It takes a long time to win the trapped knight, but Black seems to possess plenty of this most valuable of all commodities.
Qd6 10. Nc3 Ba6

  In view of what happens later, 10 … Bb7 may be an important improvement here.
11. f4 exf4 12. Ne2 O-O-O 13. Nxf4 Nxf4 14. Bxf4 Qd4+ 15. Kh1 g6 16. Qh4 Qg7

  Kogan had flicked out all his moves at blitz-clip. It was only after my next that he really began to think. Too late!
17. Qe1!

  The threat of 18 Qa5 saves the day threatening mate and the bishop on a6. The bishop on f4 handily prevents mate on h2.
Kb7 18. Ng5 c4

  A blunder which makes White's task easier. After 19 Qa5 White has an additional threat of 19 Be5.

19. Qa5 Be7 20. Nxf7 Qxf7 21. Qc7+ Ka8 22. Be3 Rxh2+ 23. Kxh2 Qh7+ 24. Kg1 Bb7 25. Rf3 c5 26. Raf1 Qh4
  Black struggles on. White was actually threatening to win on the spot with 27 Rf8!
27. Bxc5 Rc8 28. Bxe7 Qxe7 29. Qa5
  This drags out the game. Simply 29 Rf7 would be quicker
29 ... a6 30. Rf7 Qd6 31. Qc3 cxd3 32. Qxd3 Qb6+ 33. R1f2 Bc6 34. c3 Re8 35. Qd4 Qb8 36. Rxd7
  In time trouble White transposes into an easily won rook ending. Kogan drags it on to the very death, but that is his prerogative.
Bxd7 37. Qxd7 Qb5 38. Qxb5 axb5 39. Re2 Kb7 40. Kf2 Kc6 41. Ke3 Kc5 42. Rd2 Ra8 43. a3 Re8 44. Rd4 Rf8 45. a4 bxa4 46. Rxa4 Rf1 47. Ra5+ Kc4 48. Rg5 Rb1 49. Rxg6 Rxb2 50. g4 Rg2 51. g5 Kxc3 52. Rc6+ Kb4 53. Kf4 Kb5 54. Rc1 Kb6 55. Kf5 Rf2+ 56. Ke6 Rg2 57. Kf6 Rf2+ 58. Kg7 Re2 59. g6 Rxe4 60. Kg8 Rg4 61. g7 Rg2 62. Rh1 Kc7 63. Kh7 Rh2+ 64. Rxh2 *

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