El Khalif's Miniature

Before moving on from Khalifman, there's another game I'd like to share, just for yucks. The theme in these games seems to be eccentric opening play by Khalifman followed by a sudden, almost imperceptible collapse by his opponents. One imagines this style wouldn't hold up all that well against sterner opposition, though his opponent here is a tough strong player.

Khalifman-Bareev
Wijk aan Zee 2002
Round 11

1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. Nc3 dxe4
4. Nxe4 Nd7



And we have the ever-resilient Rubinstein French. Supposedly, white's space and mobility are worth something in there positions, but I've certainly never been able to demonstrate it (and I've had a lot of games in this variation on the Internet). Black plays a quiet, very solid game.

5. Bd3 Ngf6
6. Qe2

This move seems a little odd. More typical would be Bg5. There is a cute point though, black cannot reply 6. ... Nxe4 7. Bxe4 Nf6, due to 8. Bxb7!

6. ... c5
7. Nxf6+ Nxf6
8. dxc5 Bxc5
9. Bd2 0-0
10. 0-0-0?!



Khalifman has insisted on queenside castling, seemingly having overlooked black's rejoinder. The simple 10. Nf3 was much more in line with the position, resulting in something close to equality. The computer seems to prefer black slightly ever here, interestingly, but nothing close to what happens after:

10. ... Qd5!

Oops. Now white loses a pawn.

11. Kb1 Qxg2
12. Nf3 Qxf2

And sheds another!

13. Qe5



So, white has gained open files and a development advantage at the cost of two pawns. It shouldn't really be enough, especially against such a resourceful defender as Evgeny Bareev...

13. ... Be7
14. Rdf1 Qc5
15. Qg3 Nh5
16. Qh3 g6
17. Rhg1



Now white's mobilization is beginning to look intimidating, which the machine grudgingly acknowledges by conceding that black's advantage is somewhat less than a full pawn's worth. Some uncomfortable wriggling was in order. The computer suggests 17. ... Bf6!? 18. Ng5 Qb6 19. b3 e5 20. Qf3 Bxg5, but this feels like a tightrope act, and I imagine that few humans would feel comfortable with the bishop on f6. My immediate candidate move seems to hold though: 17. ... Ng7 18. Ng5 Bxg5 19. Rxg5 Nf5 20. Bc3 f6. Defense tends to get ugly like that when I'm in charge--utilitarian and entirely unfancy, but black should be able to hold onto some advantage and weather the storm. Instead, Bareev played the crazy looking:

17. ... Nf4??

Seemingly under the impression that he was picking up a piece. Alas!

18. Bxf4 e5
19. Qh6 exf4
20. Rg5!



And this incredible shot decides the game! If 20. ... Bxg5 21. Nxg5 wins. If the black queen moves, say 20. ... Qb6 21. Rh5! wins.

1-0

Chalk another one up to the unking.