The British Chess Magazine 559
15 �a4 was best and has been played a few times. 15 … � × f3 16 g × f3 �d5 17 �b6 � × b6 18 � × b6 �c4 gives Black the‘ better side of equality’. For example, 19 �b1 �fd8 20 �b7 g6 21 �b6 �b8 22 �a7 �a8 23 �b7 �ab8 =.
15 … b × c3
Astonishingly, another grandmaster has lost in exactly the same way!
16 f × e7
16 � × c3? � × c3 17 f × e7( 17 b × c3 �a3 + 18 �b1 � × f3 19 g × f3 �b8 +–+) 17 … � × e3 18 e × f8� + � × f8 19 � × b7 �b8 20 �f3 � × f4 J Hector – P Cramling, Valby, 1991( 0 – 1).
16 … c × d2 + 17 � × d2 �fe8 18 � × b7 � × b7 19 � × d7 � × e7 20 � × b7 � × b7
The ending may not look so bad for White as he has one pawn for the exchange and a passed c-pawn. In reality, the rooks make life very difficult for him, and at super-grandmaster level the defender will have to suffer for a long time. Moreover, Vallejo must have been in a bad place, having likely felt hard done by for his opening mistake.
21 �d6 �bc7 22 c3 �c6 23 �d7
In general, when an exchange down in an ending more chances of saving the game are kept by leaving a pair of rooks on to create counterplay.
23 … f6 24 �c2 �8c7 25 �d8 + �f7
Good technique. He first of all prevents the advance of White’ s queenside majority and improves the position of his king.
26 a4
Psychology is very important in technical endings – the defender must stay focused and convince himself of the need to make his opponent really labour for the win.
26 … e5 27 f × e5
27 g3 was more stubborn, as in the game Black gains a passed pawn and the c6 rook quickly becomes active on the third rank. After 27 … e × f4 28 � × f4 �e7 29 �d3 �ce6, planning to penetrate via the e-file, there is still work to do.
27 … f × e5
27 … �e7!? 28 �d3 � × e5 was also possible if Black prefers to play less committally.
28 a5 e4?!
It is better to delay this push, which takes a lot of flexibility out of Black’ s position. The e4 square was really a great spot for the king to occupy. 28 … �e6 was better.
29 �d4?
XIIIIIIIIY 9- +-tR- +- + 0 9 +-tr- + kzpp0 9p + r +- +- + 0 9zP- +- +- +-0 9- +-vLp +- + 0 9 +-zP- +- +-0 9-zPK +- + PzP0 9 +- +- +- +-0 xiiiiiiiiy White’ s second and final error of the game. Vallejo loses focus, or maybe he was already feeling too pessimistic. 29 �d2 was better, preventing the game’ s decisive rook swing. Of course, Black will use the activity of his rooks to push for a long time, but there is nothing concrete yet. 29 … �g6 30 g3 �e6 31 �e2 �d7 32 �h8 h6( 32 … �d5? Black can’ t just force the position 33 � × h7 � × a5 34 �h4 =) 33 �c8, with an advantage, but White is still playing.
29 … �h6 30 h3 �g6 31 g4 �h6
Black’ s rook decisively loosens up White’ s defence.
32 b4 �e7! 33 �c5 �ee6 34 c4
34 �d7 + �e8( 34 … �g6? 35 �d4) 35 � × g7 e3 is still winning.
34 … e3 35 b5 e2 36 �f8 + �g6 37 �b4 e1� 38 � × e1 � × e1 39 �d2 �a1 40 �f2
Negi did very well to punish White’ s play from move 15, but overall it seemed more a case of Vallejo losing the game than Negi winning it.
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