This game is extremely tactical and instructive. Both players played a fair amount of good moves, but also quite a lot of mistakes (but that is to be expected in such positions!). I am convinced everybody will love going through it as much as I did.
The game is from the 100th BC Championship, which Jason Cao won recently.
[Event "BC ch 100th"]
[Site "Surrey"]
[Date "2015.10.11"]
[Round "5.2"]
[White "Cao, Jason"]
[Black "Pechisker, Alfred"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B80"]
[WhiteElo "2402"]
[BlackElo "2258"]
[PlyCount "105"]
[EventDate "2015.10.09"]
[EventRounds "1"]
[EventCountry "CAN"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 {Black opts for the
Najdorf variation of the Sicilian Defense, which should already hint us that
the game is going to be interesting!} 6. Be3 {White had 3 main other options :}
(6. Bg5) (6. Bc4) (6. Be2) 6... Nc6 $5 {It is not the first time this move has
been played, but it is often considered somewhat inferior to the main lines
where the knight instead goes in d7. However, Black may have wanted to
surprise his opponent.} 7. f3 Qc7 8. Qd2 e6 9. g4 {So far the position is
quite typical for a Sicilian, although one may still argue that the knight
could be better in d7.} h6 $6 {This move is quite weakening. Black's plan at
this point is probably to keep the king in the center, or even to castle
queenside, but h6 seems hardly justified.} (9... Be7 10. O-O-O b5 11. g5 Nd7
12. h4 {Would be the most typical continuation.}) 10. O-O-O Ne5 11. h4 {White
has the advantage of having a very easy plan, whereas Black will have to play
very carefully.} Nfd7 {It's really not clear what is Black's objective now...}
({It would be time for Black to start his own attack :} 11... b5) 12. Kb1 b5
13. Be2 {While this move may not seem bad at first, it loses some momentum for
White} (13. g5 hxg5 14. Bxg5 Nc4 15. Bxc4 bxc4 16. h5 {Seems like a very
interesting way for White to continue the game.}) 13... Nb6 14. f4 $2 {If
White's plan was to chase the e5 knight, why do it now that the c4 square is
supported by another knight?} Nec4 15. Bxc4 Nxc4 16. Qd3 b4 17. Nce2 {Black is
suddenly doing much better than a few moves ago. Obviously, the position is
extremely sharp and no one could predict the outcome of the game, but any
improvement is good to take!} Nxe3 18. Qxe3 Bb7 $2 {Missing a nice move} (18...
e5 $1 {A thematic move in Sicilians.} 19. Nf5 g6 20. Nfg3 Bxg4) 19. Ng3 Be7 (
19... Rc8 {Would have been best, indirectly protecting e6 by attacking c2.})
20. f5 $5 {This only works if White has seen the complicated lines that follow}
(20. Qb3 $1 {And White is starting to have a lot of pressure on the center.})
20... e5 21. Nb3 $2 {The whole point of f5 was that White could gain a nice
advantage :} (21. f6 $1 exd4 (21... Bxf6 22. Ndf5) 22. fxg7 Rg8 23. Qxh6) 21...
f6 (21... a5 $1 {Seems very strong for Black}) 22. Nd2 d5 23. exd5 Bxd5 24.
Nde4 O-O-O 25. Rd2 Kb7 (25... Qa5 26. b3 Bc5 27. Qf3 {And Black may be better,
although both players have to be extremely careful.}) 26. Rhd1 Bc4 27. g5 $2 (
27. Nc5+ Bxc5 28. Qe4+ Ka7 29. Qxc4 {And the position is pretty much equal.})
27... hxg5 28. hxg5 fxg5 (28... Rxd2 29. Nxd2 Rd8 {And again Black has quite a
lot of pressure.}) 29. Nxg5 Rxd2 30. Rxd2 Bxg5 31. Qxg5 e4 (31... Bb5 {And the
position is unbalanced, both roughly equal.}) 32. b3 Bb5 33. Qe3 Bc6 34. Rd4 a5
{It only took a few moves for Black to get into serious trouble. This is a
common problem when you have a good position for the moment, but long-term
challenges like an exposed king.} 35. Nxe4 Kb8 36. Nc5 Bb5 37. Rd7 Qc6 (37...
Bxd7 $4 38. Na6+) 38. Qe5+ Ka8 39. Qxg7 (39. Rd6 Qh1+ 40. Kb2 Qf3 41. Ne4 {And
it's time to resign.}) 39... Qh1+ 40. Kb2 Bxd7 41. Qxd7 {Although White didn't
manage to convert the advantage as easily at it should have, Black should
still be lost.} Qf3 42. Na4 Qb7 43. Qd4 Re8 44. Nb6+ Kb8 45. Nc4 $2 (45. f6 $1
Qc7 46. Nd7+ Kc8 47. f7) 45... Qc7 $2 (45... Qa7 $1 46. Qh4 Qc5 {And it's not
so easy for White to find a winning continuation.}) 46. a3 Rd8 47. Qf6 Ka7 $2 (
47... bxa3+ 48. Nxa3 Qd6 $11) 48. axb4 axb4 49. Qe6 Qc5 50. f6 Rd1 $4 (50...
Kb8 $1 {And there's nothing White can do to win the game anymore.}) 51. Qe7+ $1
Qxe7 52. fxe7 Re1 53. Nd6 1-0
