This week's game comes from the Grand Pacific Open 2016, which finished last week. In the third round, Robert Sasata sacrificed two pawns on the Black side of a Schliemann against GM Alexandr Fier. He had great compensation though, and White eventually had to give back the material and simplify in a balanced endgame. A very well-played game from both sides.
[Event "Grand Pacific Open 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Fier, Alexandr"]
[Black "Sasata, Robert"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C63"]
[WhiteElo "2620"]
[BlackElo "2367"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[SourceDate "2016.04.06"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 {A courageous choice against a stronger opponent.
The Schliemann gained some followers when Radjabov started using it as one of
his main weapons a few years back, but its popularity in top chess has faded
quite a bit since then.} 4. Nc3 fxe4 5. Nxe4 Nf6 6. Nxf6+ Qxf6 7. Qe2 Be7 8.
Bxc6 bxc6 9. Nxe5 Qe6 10. d4 O-O 11. Qc4 d6 (11... Qxc4 {was played in
Arjapetian-Popov in 2010, where Black obtained decent compensation for the
pawn after} 12. Nxc4 Rb8 13. c3 c5 14. d5 Ba6 15. Ne3 Bf6 16. f3 Rfe8 17. Kf2)
12. Qxe6+ Bxe6 13. Nxc6 Bf6 14. O-O Bd5 15. Nb4 Bc4 16. Rd1 a5 ({Black needs
to act fast. A calm move like} 16... Rfe8 {would give White the time they need
to consolidate, and after} 17. Be3 Rab8 18. b3 $1 Bf7 19. a3 {Black wouldn't
quite have enough compensation for the two pawns.}) 17. Nd3 Bxd4 18. Be3 Bf6
19. c3 a4 $1 {Fixing the weakness on b2 and preparing to attack it with ...Rab8
} 20. Nb4 ({White probably judged that trying to hold on to the extra pawn
would give Black too much activity. After} 20. a3 Rab8 21. Nb4 Rfe8 22. Rd2 Kf7
{Black's bishop pair and the weakness of White's light squares on the
queenside should give Black enough compensation for the pawn.}) 20... a3 21. b3
Bxc3 22. bxc4 Bxb4 23. Rab1 Ra4 ({The more natural} 23... Rfb8 {would also
have been ok for Black:} 24. Kf1 Bc3 25. Rb5 Rxb5 26. cxb5 Rb8 27. b6 cxb6 28.
Rxd6 b5 {but Black probably judged the rook would be better placed on a4, from
where it can later put pressure on c4.}) 24. g3 Re8 25. Rd5 Re4 26. c5 Kf7 27.
h4 Ke6 28. Rg5 g6 29. h5 Kf6 30. Rd5 Ke6 31. Rbd1 Bxc5 32. Bxc5 dxc5 33. Rxc5
Re2 34. Rc6+ Kf5 35. Rd5+ ({White is trying to create a mating net in the
center of the board.} 35. Rxc7 {would be equal, for example} Rxa2 36. Rc5+ Kf6
37. Rc6+ Kg7 38. hxg6 hxg6 39. Rd7+ Kh6 40. Rdd6 Re2 41. Rxg6+ Kh7 42. Rgd6 Ra7
43. Rh6+ Kg7 44. Rcg6+ Kf7 45. Rf6+ Kg7 {etc.}) 35... Ke4 36. Rg5 Rxa2 37. Rxc7
gxh5 38. Rxh5 Ra6 39. Rcc5 Rb2 40. Rcd5 Re6 41. Ra5 a2 42. Kg2 Rf6 ({With the
rook no longer controlling the e-file, White can start giving checks.
Unfortunately, Black doesn't have time to bring his king to support the a-pawn:
} 42... Kd3 43. Ra3+ {and if} Kc2 44. Rh1 {and the a-pawn will fall.}) 43. Rh4+
Kd3 44. Rd5+ Kc3 45. Rc5+ Kb3 46. Rb5+ 1/2-1/2
