Round 4: Martirosov-Glickman 1-0

Black pulls an opening surprise and achieves a relatively equal queenless middle game. However, White consistently outplays his opponent and secures a winning minor piece ending.

[Event "BCC Championship"]
[Site "Somerville, MA USA"]
[Date "2004.09.29"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Martirosov, Vadim"]
[Black "Glickman, David”]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteUSCF "2198"]
[BlackUSCF "1937"]
[ECO "C00"]
[Opening "French Defense"]
[Variation "King’s Indian Attack"]

1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 Bc5!?

["I have to admit that not so long ago when I first noticed a game with this move I thought it a very irregular one. But my database has over 110 games with 4...Bc5 and they don't show me any convincing reason not to recommend it. The idea is a provocative one: to lure White's central pawns forward in order to undermine them. Barring that, the bishop will be an aggressively placed piece on c5." John Watson, Play The French 3rd edition]

5.d4

[“5.d4 is almost never played ...” Watson]

5...dxe4

[5...Be7 transposes to the 3...Be7 line vs. the Tarrasch]

6.dxc5 exf3 7.Nxf3

[A new move, only 7.Qxf3 can be found in the database, e.g., 7...Nc6 (7...Qd5= Fritz) 8.Ne4 (8.Nb3 Martirosov 8...e5 9.Bg5 Qd5 10.Qxd5 Nxd5 =) 8...Nxe4 9.Qxe4 0-0 10.Be2 e5 11.0-0 Be6 = Watson]

7...Qxd1+ 8.Kxd1 Nc6

[8...Nbd7 may be a better choice]

9.Bf4 Ne4 10.Be3 e5

[10…Bd7 with the idea of O-O-O (Martirosov)]

11.Bb5 Bg4 12.Ke1 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Nf6 14.Rd1 Rd8 15.Rxd8+ Kxd8 16.Rg1 Rg8

[In spite of the dark square weaknesses, Fritz actually considers 16...g6 playable, e.g., 17.Bg5 Ke7 18.Bxc6 bxc6 19.f4 h6 20.fxe5 hxg5 21.exf6+ Kxf6=]

17.Ke2 Ke7 18.Bc4 Nb4 19.c3 Nbd5 20.Rg5 Nf4+ 21.Bxf4 exf4 22.Re5+ Kd8 23.Bxf7 Rf8 24.Bc4

24...Re8?

[Trading the rooks is hopeless for black. 24...Nd7 25.Rd5 c6 26.Rd4 Kc7 leaves white with a better game, but also a challenge to find a winning plan]

25.Rxe8+ Kxe8 26.Kd3 Ke7 27.Kd4 c6?!

[27...Nd7!? +/= Fritz]

28.b4 Nd7 29.Ke4 g5 30.Kf5

[Resigning after any white move from here on in would not have been premature]

30...h6 31.Be6 Nf8 32.Bc8 b6 33.cxb6 axb6 34.a4 Kd8 35.Be6 Ke7 36.Bb3 Kd6 37.Kf6 Nd7+ 38.Kg7 Ne5 39.Bd1 h5 40.Kh6 g4 41.Kxh5 gxf3 42.Kg5 Nd3 43.h4 Nb2 44.Bc2 1-0