Looking back at games from this spring, I was really intrigued by a game in the French Tarrasch from the Toronto Closed where White's daring pawn play was not rewarded. His early pawn sacrifice in a somewhat theoretical line just didn't turn out well at all. Try to find out where it all goes wrong!
[Event "Toronto Closed"]
[Site "Toronto CAN"]
[Date "2013.04.15"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Sapozhnikov, Roman"]
[Black "Humphreys, Michael"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C06"]
[WhiteElo "2388"]
[BlackElo "2286"]
[Annotator "MacKinnon,Keith"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "2013.04.15"]
[EventRounds "7"]
[EventCountry "CAN"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 {French Tarrasch} Nf6 4. Bd3 (4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6.
c3 {is the usual way of reaching the game}) 4... c5 5. e5 Nfd7 6. c3 Nc6 7.
Ngf3 {The aggressive way of playing this line. White prepares to sacrifice a
pawn in exchange for strong compensation} (7. Ne2 cxd4 (7... Qb6 8. Nf3 cxd4 9.
cxd4) 8. cxd4 f6 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. O-O Bd6 11. Nf3) 7... Qb6 8. O-O cxd4 9. cxd4
a5 {a strong move which seems to ask White how he will continue} (9... Nxd4 10.
Nxd4 Qxd4 11. Nf3 Qb6 12. Qa4 Qb4 13. Qc2 Qc5 14. Qe2 $40) 10. Re1 Be7 11. Nb1
$1 {Now that b5 is available for the knight, the White knight will get there
via c3} Nxd4 12. Nxd4 Qxd4 13. Nc3 {This is a good time to take stock. Black
is up a pawn, but his position has some holes. He is not yet castled, and his
position could fall apart fast. On the other hand, White is down a clear
central pawn and if he is unable to make anything of his initiative, his pawn
disadvantage will tell.} Qb6 14. Qg4 Kf8 15. Nb5 Nc5 16. Be3 Bd7 17. a4 $6 {
This has been played in the past but without success} (17. Nd6 Bxd6 18. exd6
Qxd6 19. Qg3 Qc6 20. Rac1 b6 21. Rc3 h5 22. h4 Rc8 23. Bd4 f6 24. Bg6 Re8 25.
Rf3 Ke7 26. Rxf6 {1-0 Rublevsky,S (2670)-Lputian,S (2638)/Poikovsky 2003/CBM
095/[Ftacnik,L]}) 17... Qd8 18. Bf1 Bxb5 19. Bxb5 h5 20. Qh3 {It's tough to
justify White's opening at this point. 17.a4 is the only move that I see as
being a possible error} Nb3 $15 21. Rad1 Rc8 22. f4 $2 {White needed to bear
down and try and save his position. This halfhearted attack won't work} g6 23.
Rf1 Bc5 $17 {Roman realized that his position was in big trouble and lashed
out. I guess he figured this was his best chance.} 24. g4 $2 Kg8 (24... Qb6 25.
Bf2 Bxf2+ 26. Rxf2 Rc2 27. Rdf1 Rxb2 $19) 25. Bxc5 Nxc5 26. f5 (26. g5 {The
computer tells me that this is White's best chance, but it seems like a true
admission of defeat.}) 26... hxg4 27. Qxg4 exf5 28. Rxf5 Ne4 29. Qg2 Qb6+ 30.
Kf1 Qe6 {and it's really over} 31. Rf3 Qxe5 32. Rh3 Rxh3 33. Qxh3 Rc2 34. Bd3
Qf4+ 35. Kg1 Rc1 0-1
