My games from Cannes, Part 2/3

This is the position from the sixth round in Cannes chess festival.
I played with black pieces against Russian International Master, Anastasia Savina.
She played Makagonov variation of The King´s Indian and I faced some problems from the beginning.
This game can show how big is the importance of knowledge of opening theory.
I thought that I am improvising with a pawn sacrifice, but today's theory is so developed that this position is not new.
It is played on my level....


Round 6:  IM Savina Anastasia E2339 - IM Bejtovic Jasmin E2382

I played....

16...Bxd4?!

The right move was 16...Ne5 and Black has full compensation for the sacrificed pawn.
During the game me and my opponent was not impressed by this pawn sacrificed.

17. Qxd4, Ne5
18. Bg2 ?!

Right was 18. Qe3 with slight advantage.

18...Qf6

I could play 18...f5! instead, and Black has full compensation according to Anastasia, me and Houdini 3.

19. Ne2, Nf3+
20. Bxf3, Qxf3

The point of my play was that now is not possible 21. 0-0 because of 21...h5!.

21. Ng3, Re8

Compared with the game development maybe I could play 21...Bd7 with a tempo up. However there is no guaranty that the game should develop the same.

22. Qe3, Qxe3?

I should play 22...Qg2 and go for the variation which was pointed out by Anastasia.
I have to admit that I saw:

22...Qg2 

...but I missed that after:

23. Ke2, f5
24. Qf3, Qxf3+
25. Kxf3

I have ....

25...fxg4+
26. hxg4, Rf8+

....winning a pawn.
She thought that she is better after:

27. Ke3, Bxg4
28. f4

The computer does not confirms this.
However, I think that she has right.
She is better, but not much.

Instead, after:

23. fxe3, Bd7
24. Kf2, Ra8
25. Kf3

She was just better in the endgame.

We reached this position.
She already missed her best chance (she could be one or two tempo ahead), but still she has a good winning chances.

36. Nc6+?

She should play 36. Kf4 when her idea is e4-e5. The computer gives her just 0.50 but it is actually much more.
I guess that White is close to winning.

36...bxc6
37. dxc6, Rc4
38. Rxd7+, Ke6
39. Rc7, Rc5
40. Rc8, Ke7

...and we passed the time control, and she lost all her advantage.
Couple of moves later we agreed on the draw.


Round 5: IM Bejtovic Jasmin E2382 - GM Morganzini Roberto E2507

This is the game from the fifth round.
I was white and I played The Botvinnik System, as many times before.
He made a positional mistake by playing a6-a5 (He don´t have any counterplay on the queen side).
I played Rb1-Rb2-Rd2  which was overprotecting but slightly too cautious.
However, I was better when I decided to accept his draw offer.
This was my biggest mistake in this tournament.
The readers can see what I get for that in the sixth round against Anastasia Savina.
I was pressed a big time, and escaped by miracle.


To be continued...