Round 1: Chase-Martirosov 1/2

This is one of those slow maneuvering games that I really don't understand. It looks to me as though black was somewhat better throughout, though Fritz suggests a strong alternative for white at move 20. The fireworks started just prior to adjournment; while black emerged up a pawn in the endgame, it was not enough to win.

[Event "BCC Championship"]
[Site "Somerville, MA USA"]
[Date "2004.09.08"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Chase, Chris"]
[Black "Martirosov, Vadim"]
[Result "1/2"]
[WhiteUSCF "2289"]
[BlackUSCF "2198"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Opening "Sicilian"]
[Variation "Rossolimo Variation"]
[Sub-Variation "Lines without ...g6"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.0-0 Nge7 5.c3 a6 6.Ba4 b5 7.Bc2 Bb7 8.Re1 d5 9.a3 d4 10.d3 Ng6 11.Nbd2 Bd6 12.cxd4 cxd4 13.Nb3 e5 14.Nbd2 Nf4 15.Nf1 Ne6 16.Bb3 Nc5 17.Ba2 0-0 18.Ng3 Ne7 19.Nh5 Bc8

20.Bg5

[Fritz suggests 20.Bh6! Ne6 (20...gxh6? 21.Qd2 +-) 21.Qd2 with an advantage for white]

20...Bg4 21.Ng3 Qd7 22.Bxe7 Qxe7 23.h3 Be6 24.Nf5 Bxf5 25.exf5 Qf6 26.g4 g6 27.Bd5 Rac8 28.fxg6 hxg6 29.Nd2 Qf4 30.Ne4 Nxe4 31.Rxe4 Qg5 32.Qf3 Kg7 33.Qg3 Rc2 34.h4 Qf6

[34...Qd2!? 35.Kg2 Rxb2 36.h5 Qg5 -+ Fritz]

35.g5 Qf5 36.Rb1 f6 37.Rg4 e4 38.dxe4 Bxg3 39.exf5 Bxf2+ 40.Kf1 fxg5 41.Rxg5 Rxf5 42.Be4

[sealed move]

42...Rf6

[42...Rxg5 43.hxg5 Rd2 44.Rc1 with the idea of Rc6 is sufficient to draw (Martirosov via Riordan)]

43.Rxg6+ Rxg6 44.Bxc2 Rf6 45.Ke2!

[Martirosov via Riordan]

45...Bxh4 46.Be4

[46.Rg1+ draws immediately (Martirosov via Riordan)]

46...Rf2+ 47.Kd3 Bf6 48.Bb7 a5 49.Bc6 Rf5 50.Rc1 Rg5 51.Rf1 a4 52.Be4 Kf7 53.Rf5 Rxf5 54.Bxf5 Ke7 55.Kc2 Kd6 56.b3 b4 57.bxa4 bxa3 58.Kb3 Kd5 59.Bd3 ½-½