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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4
cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nc6 7.Qd2 e6
8.0–0–0 Bd7 9.f4 b5 10.Nxc6 Bxc6 11.Qe3 Be7
12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.e5 Be7 14.exd6 Bxd6 15.Ne4
Bxe4 16.Qxe4 0–0
Caption: HOW NOT TO PREPARE
I had prepared this system
a year before, and whatever theory I had access
to at that time had promised me good chances
with 17.Bd3 g6 18.h4. Indeed, it looks dangerous
for Black, but as I sat there wondering why my
opponent exuded an air of confidence, I decided
to take a deep look at the position for the first
time (Mindlessly memorizing book, and exploring
a variation seriously, are two very different
things!). Sure enough, after pondering the situation
for a long while I realized that White didn't
have anything at all! It occurred to me that
after 18…Qf6 19.Rdf1 Rfd8 20.h5 Bf8 21.hxg6 hxg6
22.g4 Bg7 my opponent's Bishop would be very
happy on g7 where it would defend the Black King
while simultaneously eyeing my monarch in a lecherous
state of rut.
Caption: KILLER BISHOP
ON g7
(Years later the position
after 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.g4 Bg7 did indeed occur,
with this result: 23.c3 b4 24.f5 exf5 25.gxf5
g5, 0-1, Santo Roman - Palac, Cannes 2000.).
[[RULE ONE: Opposite colored
Bishops are wonderful attacking weapons in the
middlegame (or in endgames with many pieces remaining)
since one Bishop can attack something that the
other can't defend.]]
Whatever the truth about
this line might be, during the game I began to
panic, and this led to a “cowardly” act on my
part:
17.Qd4 Bc7 18.Qxd8 Raxd8
19.Rxd8 Rxd8 20.g3
Yes, I renounced my manhood
and shamelessly played for a draw! After the
further
20…h5 21.Be2 h4 22.Rd1
[[RULE TWO: Bishops of opposite
colors often give the defender serious drawing
chances in the endgame even if he's one or two
pawns behind!]]
Since leaving too many pieces
on would conflict with RULE NUMBER ONE, I made
sure to exchange everything that wasn't nailed
down.
22…Rxd1+ 23.Kxd1 g5 24.fxg5
hxg3 25.hxg3 we arrived at the following
situation.
Caption: IS BLACK GETTING
SOMETHING?
My opponent was getting
a bit excited, no doubt due to the fact that
both my g-pawns were doomed. This would lead
to two black connected passed pawns marching
down the board. Was it time for me to get hysterical?
Not at all! Why? Because I knew that the following
position (a true worst case scenario) was dead
drawn.
Caption: DEAD DRAW!
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