Hello chess lovers,
I want to share with you a game that has been mostly overlooked but yet is a masterpiece.Chess is often presented as a game where we can only learn from champions or the elite top ten Grandmasters in the world.Everyday some attacking gem is played online or in a tournament around the world.Today we will look at a clash between two GMs with high pedigree: Ivan Sokolov and Alexey Dreev has they have a go at each other in a manic frenzy of attacking chess.
Here is my account of this magnificent clash.
Sokolov I v Dreev 2001 D43
1.d4d5 2.c4c6 Dreev has been a major exponent of this defense for many years. He has earned a living from developing deeply the theory of the Slav and writing on it.
3.Nf3Nf6 4.Nc3e6
-This is a non verbal challenge to Ivan-come and try Bg5.Dreev has shown a reluctance to play Bc8-f5 because he has been an expert at chasing that bishop from the white side.
5.Bg5h6 the Moscow variation
6.Bh4dc4
Black throws down the gauntlet and takes a pawn while white seeks compensation by taking space in the center.To play such a line as black takes a certain willingness to accept a period of pressure but also a knowledge that his best winning chances may lie in creating imbalances.
7.e4g5 8.Bg3b5 9.Be2Bb7 10.h4
-An idea of Khalifmann's.Rather than give any more information on where his King will reside, white hopes to open more lines.Dreev's response is to attack on the other flank removing the defender of e4.
10...b4 11.Na4Ne4 and now Ivan has to show a return for his investment. 12.Be5Rg8 -One achievement for Sokolov: black's King needs to find a secure address.
13.Qc2!?
After this move the game moves into a vortex of complications literally having an impact on the 4 corners of the boars.
13...c5! Activity is at premium here. 14.Bc4g4 And Sokolov faces a tough choice. Does he meekly retreat the knight or counter with some aggression?
15.Bb5+ (15.Nd2Nd2 16.Qd2Nc6 is very good for black.Development is completed and there is pressure on d4 and e5?
15...Nd7 16.dc5?
This probably the decisive mistake.However it has its logic.Having played Bb5 white wants to go for c5-c6.Its quite probable that Ivan saw nothing else to keep the momentum. Stohl analysed 16.0-0-0gf3 17.dc5fg2 18.Rg1Bd5 19.c6Bd6 20.cd7Ke7 21.f3 as unclear.It is a position worth analysing in depth as it gives rise to fascinating complications.The d7 pawn is white's big asset.
16....b3!! Dreev pinpoints the flaw with white's plan and opens up the a5-e1 diagonal.He is aiming at the white King.This black's most active and threatening move.I believe that in this position Dreev looked at forcing possibilities for both sides.
17.Qd3 It turns out that 17.ab3?gf3 18.Bd7Qd7 19.gf3Nc5 20.Nc5Bc5 21.Qc5Bf3 22.Rf1Rd8 is great for black as d2 is pressured. 17.Qb3Bd5 18.Qd3gf3 19.c6Bb4 20.Nc3Ne5 21.c7Qd7 22.Bd7Kd7 23.Qb5Kc7
is also good for black.Black's king turns out to be safer than his opposite number.
17...gf3 18.c6Bb4 and Dreev shows the skills of an Aikido master on the board.White pushed as far as possible with the c-pawn and then Dreev finds the counter stroke.
19.Bc3Bc3 20.bc3fg2 21.Rg1b2 an amazing position arises: After 21 moves black has two passed pawns on the second rank while the white king is marooned in the center.
22.Rd1Qh4!!Dreev finds the time to attack the white kingside. 23.Qd7Kf8 24.Qd4b1=Q 25.Rb1Rd8 and now black's remaining forces take on active posts with a tempo.
26.cb7Rd4! In one grandmaster game three pawns reach the 7th rank! 27.b7-b8=QReincarnation!! Rd8 28.Qa7Qh2 Now black completes his coup d'etat: 29.Ke2Rd2 30.Ke3Rg3! 31.Ke4Rg4 and white resigned in view of the impending mate.
This has to be one of the most exciting games of the 21st century filled with strokes and counterstrokes.
I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.
John
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