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Hikaru Nakamura Flashback
Alexander Stripunsky , vs . Hikaru Nakamura
Marshall Chess Club 2 / 19 / 1998 Here is a game that grabbed national attention for Hikaru
1 . e4 c5 2 . Nf3 e6 3 . c3 d5 4 . exd5 exd5 5 . d4 Nc6 6 . Be3 cxd4 7 . Nxd4 Nf6 8 . Be2 Be7 9 . O-O O-O 10 . Nd2 I don ' t know whether Hikaru was familiar with the previous tries in this position , which were played long before he was born ! 10 ... Be6 . 10 ... Re8 11 . Re1 Bd7 ( 11 ... h6 12 . h3 Bd6 13 . Bf1 a6 14 . Rc1 was agreed drawn in a game between Vlastimil Hort and World Champion Anatoly Karpov , at Tilburg 1977 .) 12 . h3 Ne4 13 . Nxc6 Bxc6 14 . Nxe4 dxe4 gave Bolack a good game in Mueller vs . Paehtz , from the 1974 East German Championship in Potsdam .
11 . N2b3 11 . Qc2 Rc8 12 . N2f3 Ne4 13 . Rad1 was a bit better for White in Hausmann vs . Heymann , Halle ( Germany ) 1993 11 ... Qd7 12 . Re1 Rfd8 Black has protected the isolated pawn with three pieces . White cannot increase the pressure enough , so he captures the bishop at e6 .
13 . Nxe6 fxe6 14 . Bg5 e5 15 . Bf1 h6 16 . Bh4 a6 17 . Qc2 Rac8 18 . Rad1 b5 Black ' s position has a few holes . White clearly has the better game , since Black is reduced to passive defense . 19 . Qg6 Qe6 20 . Rd3 Qf7 The kingside attack is repulsed , but at the cost of going into an endgame where Black ' s pawns are weak . 21 . Qf5 Ne8 22 . Qxf7 + Kxf7 23 . Bxe7 Kxe7 Black ' s position is a little suspect . There are three groups of pawns , known as pawn islands , compared to two for White . In general , the fewer islands , the better . The pawns are under attack from rooks on open files , and White can infiltrate with Nc5 . All in all , a tough defense awaits Black . 24 . Nc5 Ra8 25 . h4 Nf6 26 . f3 g5 27 . hxg5 hxg5 28 . Rde3 Re8 29 . b4 Kd6 30 . Rd1 a5 !? The best practical chance . Black ' s position is under pressure and only by opening up lines can Hikaru get into the game . Understanding that his rooks are inactive , he gives up the pawn at b5 to open up the a-file . 31 . Bxb5 axb4 32 . cxb4 Rxa2 ! The point . Not 32 ... Nxb4 33 . Nb7 + Kc7 34 . Bxe8 Rxe8 35 . Rc3 + Kxb7 36 . Rb1 and Black is the exchange down .
33 . Rc3 Wrong move order ! 33 . Nb7 +! would have won material . 33 ... Kc7 34 . Rc3 Re6 35 . Na5 piles on the pin , and Black would have been forced to play 35 ... Rxa5 36 . bxa5 d4 37 . Rxc6 + Rxc6 38 . Bxc6 Kxc6 39 . Rb1 Black would go down to defeat . 33 ... Nd4 Because White played Rc3 before Nf7 , Black has time to react and climb back into the game . 34 . Nb7 + Ke6 Hikaru ' s bold play reaps its rewards . The rook on e8 is hanging , but if the bishop takes it , then the Black knight jumps to e2 , forking the king and rook , and creating additional threats . White can ' t easily avoid losing material . 35 . Rxd4 35 . Bxe8 Ne2 + 36 . Kh2 Nxc3 37 . Rc1 Nxe8 38 . Rxc3 d4 is a horrid endgame for White .; 35 . Nc5 + Kf5 36 . Bxe8 Ne2 + 37 . Kh2 Nxc3 38 . Rd3 Nxe8 39 . Rxc3 d4 is not much of an improvement . 35 ... exd4 36 . Rc6 + Ke5 Black ' s king is in the middle of the board but it is in no danger . 37 . Nc5 !? 37 . Rxf6 Kxf6 38 . Bxe8 wins material but the d- pawn flies . 38 ... d3 39 . Bb5 d2 40 . Be2 allows Black to win the bishop by promoting the pawn and pinning along the first rank , but picking off the b-pawn first is even stronger . 40 ... Rb2 41 . Nc5 Rxb4 42 . Kf2 Rb1 43 . Ke3 d1 = Q 44 . Bxd1 Rxd1 45 . Nd3 Ke6 should win for Black in the long run ..
37 ... Re7 White is in serious trouble . 38 . Nd3 + 38 . g4 !? would have allowed Black to infiltrate . 38 ... Kf4 !! 39 . Rxf6 + Kg3 and the White king is doomed . 40 . Re6 Ra1 + 41 . Bf1 Rh7 with mate in four , the immediate threat being ... Rh1 + and ... Rxf1 . 38 ... Kf5 39 . Nc1 This is a very awkward defense . It allows Hikaru to make the most of the rooks .
39 ... Re1 +! 40 . Kh2 Ra1 41 . Ne2 Rh1 + 42 . Kg3 Nh5 + White resigned , because of [...] 43 . Kf2 Rhf1 #