Jonny Hector - Zigurds Lanka
Hamburg (5), 06.06.2001
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 d6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.f4 This is a move I have played the last couple of years. White gives black another chance to choose line. For instance can black now enter the grounds of the Dragon by 6..g6 or he can go 6..e6.
e5 After this move the line got a theory by its own. Myself I believe that the other moves I suggested are to prefer on blacks part.
7.Nf3 Be7 8.f5 Now, we are only following my own theory book. When other players tried their luck in this line they usually go 8.Bc4 and only after 8..0-0 9.f5. My way is a bit more ambitious.
0–0 9.Bg5 a6 10.Qd2 b5 11.0–0–0 ! I had the very same position in my game against Baklan in the Olympiad last year. There I played 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.a4. After the game our strongest player, Ulf Andersson, told me he preferred the Queenscastle. During that game I did not like this because of the move Lanka plays, but since I found myself with the same position I remembered the masters piece of advice and had a look at it again. This time I managed to calculate correctly.
b4 12.Bxf6 Because the Queen will attack the Knight on c6 white can play this way and so obtain a much superior position.
bxc3 13.Qxc3 Bb7 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Qd2 Rfc8 16.Qxd6 Qxd6 17.Rxd6 Nb4 Here my opponent offered a draw. That black gives a pawn or two in the Sicilian is quite common and in return he will have a good initiative. So also here - but this time he might get his pawns back but it will cost him dearly in lack of co-ordination of his pieces.
18.c3 Bxe4 19.Nxe5 Nxa2+ The knight on a2 will be just as bad as knights on a2 often are.
20.Kd2 Rc5 21.Nd7 Rxf5 22.Bc4! That the Bishop attacks the knight is good, but its main interest is the week spot on f7.
Rf2+ 23.Ke3 Time for black to choose which piece to say goodbye to.
Rxb2 24.Kxe4 Nxc3+ 25.Kf3 g5?! A better way to fight started with 25..Rf2+. If I would have taken the Rook, black manages to exchange my active Rook and his Knight arrives in the defensive camp, so instead I would have to give up a pawn with 26.Ke3 but then black can start to hope of survival.
26.Re1 Rb4 27.Rd4 Defending the Bishop and at the same time the threat of Bxf7+ forces the black King to an unpleasant square.
Kh8 28.Ne5 f6 29.Nf7+ Kg7 30.Rd7 My pieces co-operate very well together now and it is time to look for the kill.
Kg6 31.Nd6 g4+ 32.Kg3 h5 33.Bd3+ Kg5 34.Rg7+?! 1–0. Lanka played on a few moves to allow me the nice checkmate 34.Nf7, and I did not see it! Well, I had found a mate in two with Nf5 to follow in the game and defend myself with the fact that it is of course much more difficult to find a mate in two moves instead of one.