This week, I present to you one of Victor Plotkin's games from the recently concluded Gibraltar Chess Festival. This game was important en route to scoring an IM norm.
[Event "Tradewise Gibraltar Masters"]
[Site "Gibraltar"]
[Date "2015.01.30"]
[Round "4.21"]
[White "Plotkin, Victor"]
[Black "Mareco, Sandro"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B22"]
[WhiteElo "2306"]
[BlackElo "2583"]
[Annotator "Kleinman,M"]
[PlyCount "122"]
[EventDate "2015.01.27"]
[EventRounds "10"]
[EventCountry "GGB"]
[TimeControl "6600+950"]
1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nf3 e6 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. O-O
Be7 9. Nc3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 dxe5 11. dxe5 {In this position, White has a spatial
advantage which could lead to a kingside attack, however has weakened his pawn
structure.} Qc7 12. Qe2 b6 13. Re1 h6 (13... Bb7 {This move seems more logical
to me. I assume Black did not like Ng5} 14. Ng5 h6 $5 (14... Rd8 {seems solid})
15. Qh5 g6 16. Qh3 {where Black faces an unpleasant position}) 14. Nd2 Na5 {
I'm still a little unsure why Black is delaying developing his bishop} 15. Nb3
Bb7 16. Nxa5 bxa5 17. Rb1 {White has emerged with a comfortable position} Rd8
18. Be3 O-O (18... Bc6 {keeps the pawn, but White still stands better} 19. Bd4
O-O $14) 19. Bxa7 Qc6 20. Be4 (20. f3 $16 {It's probably better to keep light
squared bishops. Note that} Bc5+ 21. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 22. Qe3 Qxc3 $4 23. Bh7+ $18)
20... Qxe4 21. Qxe4 Bxe4 22. Rxe4 Rd2 23. Ra4 Rfd8 24. g3 R8d5 25. Rb8+ {With
the next sequence of moves, White simplified the position, but traded too many
pieces to keep reasonable winning chances. I can't find any ways to pose
serious problems though.} Kh7 26. Rb7 Bc5 27. Bxc5 Rxc5 28. Rxf7 Rxe5 29. Rg4
Rg5 30. Rxg5 hxg5 31. Re7 Rxa2 32. Rxe6 Rc2 33. Re5 Kg6 34. Rxa5 Rxc3 {Even
with the doubled pawns, White cannot seriously try to win this game, though
White should definitely exhaust all his options.} 35. Ra4 Kf5 36. h3 Kf6 37.
Kg2 Rb3 38. Re4 Kf5 39. Re3 Rb2 40. Kf3 Ra2 41. Rb3 Kf6 42. Rb6+ Kf7 43. Rd6
Rb2 44. Ra6 Rc2 45. Rd6 Ra2 46. Ke3 Rb2 47. Rd2 Rb4 48. f3 Ke6 49. Rc2 Rb3+ 50.
Ke4 Rb4+ 51. Kd3 Rb3+ 52. Rc3 Rb1 53. Rc6+ Kf5 54. Rc5+ Kf6 55. h4 Rb3+ 56. Ke2
Rb2+ 57. Kf1 gxh4 58. gxh4 g6 59. Rc4 Kf5 60. Rg4 Ra2 61. Kg1 Rb2 1/2-1/2
