Yuniesky Quezada v Alexander Morozevich

Beersheva 2005 (round 1)

Sicilian Defence - English Attack

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 5 Nc3 d6 6 Be3 Nf6 7 f3 Be7 8 Qd2 0-0 9 0-0-0 a6 From a Taimanov move order (2...e6 and 4...Nc6) they've now transposed into one of the main lines of the 'English Attack', a system in which White castles long and then goes for the opponent's throat.

10 g4 Nd7 11 h4 Nde5 12 Qg2 The older and perhaps slightly more common move is 12 Qf2 and indeed Peter Leko did so against Morozevich in the recent FIDE World Championship tournament in San Luis in a battle which eventually ended in a draw. As for 12 Qg2, it was introduced by Morozevich himself, this time as White, against Nigel Short in Sarajevo 1999. After 12...b5 13 Nxc6 Nxc6 14 g5 Qa5 15 Kb1 b4 16 Ne2 e5 17 f4 f5?! 18 gxf6 Bxf6 19 f5 Morozevich had a nice advantage and went on to win.

12...Nxd4 13 Bxd4 Nc6 14 Be3 b5 15 Kb1 Qa5 16 g5 b4 17 Ne2 17...d5!? A very interesting novelty. Previously Black had played 17...e5 (which transposes back into Morozevich v Short) with little success.

18 exd5 b3! Sacrificing a pawn to free the b4 square for the knight.

19 cxb3 If 19 axb3 Nb4 also gives good compensation.

19...Nb4 20 Nc1 exd5 Preparing to bring the bishop out to f5. The most natural way to meet this is Bh3 but on g2 the queen blocks it

21 Bd3!? This simplifies but to a position quite to Black's liking. Instead the more combative 21 a3 Bf5+ 22 Nd3 was interesting. After 22...Nc6 23 Qd2 Qb5 24 Ka2 d4 25 Bf4 Be6 26 Nc1 Black has plenty of play but White does still retain the extra pawn.

21...Nxd3 22 Nxd3 Qb5 For just a single pawn Black has two good bishops and attacking chances against the White king.

23 Ka1 a5 24 Bd4 a4 25 b4 a3 26 b3 Bf5 27 Qg3?! The idea of this is that if 27...Bxd3? 28 Qe5. However the threat is easily parried and the White queen then looks slightly offside so perhaps 27 Qd2 was better.

27...Rfe8 28 Ne5 If 28 Qe5 Bf6 29 Qxf5 Bxd4+ 30 Kb1 White's king could easily get into serious trouble.

28...Bd6 29 Qf4 g6 30 h5 Qxb4 31 hxg6 fxg6

32 Nc6!? After this things start to clarify in Morozevich's favour. Instead 32 Qh4 Qb7 33 Ng4 Bxg4 34 Qxg4 Re2 also looks uncomfortable though Black does have to watch his own king so the vulnerability of the White monarch may not amount to too much.

32...Bxf4 33 Nxb4 Re5! Very much Morozevich this ergonomic move defends the d pawn while preparing to mobile the other rook.

34 Nc6?! This loses time after which Black's advantage solidifies.

34...Re6 35 Nb4 Trying to repeat but with his rook now covering f6 Morozevich initiates further action.

35...Bxg5 36 Nxd5 Rd8 37 Bc3 Rc8 38 Bb4 A final error in time trouble after which Black breaks through.

38...Rc2 39 Rhe1 Rxe1 40 Rxe1 Be6! Hitting the knight which doesn't want to move since it guards f6.