Valery Pankratov (RUS) - Peter Leko (HUN) [D85]
ICCF Email Team Tournament, Final, board 1

Annotated by Valery and Aleks Pankratov

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1 0-0 9.Be2 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qxa2 12.0-0

The Grunfeld Defence. Peter Leko is considered to be an expert of this opening in the chess world.
So,we were going to have a very interesting theoretical duel!

12...Nd7 13.Bb4 Nb6 14.Ra1 Qe6 15.Qb1 Bd7 16.Ra5

This variation is estimated to give white advantage in theory. One game for example: Pankratov V.-Kliatskin I., (21st USSR CC Ch - Semifinal 1994-95) 16....f6?! 17.Bc5 Bh6 18.d5 Qf7 19.Qb3 Bf4 20.Rfa1 Rb8 21.Ra7 Nc8 22.Rb7 Rb7 23.Qb7 Bg4 24.Ng5! Bg5 25.Bg4 f5 26.ef gf 27.Bf3 Nd6 28.Qb4 Rc8 29.g3 Bd2 30.Qd2 Rc5 31.Qg5 Kf8 32.Ra7! Qe8 33.Bh5 1:0

16...Nc8 17.d5 Qb6 18.e5 a6 19.Qe4 Na7 20.Raa1 Nb5 21.Qh4 Rfc8!?N

A novelty. In the game Magai V. - Holmsten A. (Russia 1998) after 21... Rfe8 22.Be7 Nc3 23.Bc4 Rac8 24.d6 - white received an advantage.

22.Rfe1!?

An useful move. After 22.Qe7 Bg4!? - it is not yet seen, how white will develop it's initiative.

22...Nc3 23.Bxc3 Rxc3 24.Rab1!

A critical position. How will white play? A dashing attack can't take place: 24.Ng5 h6 25.Nf7 (25.Ne4 g5!?) Kf7 26.e6 Be6 27.Rab1 (27.de Qe6 or 27... Kg8!?) Qd4! 28.de Kf8 29.Qd4 Bd4 - black has a better endgame. All PC programs recommend to play: 24.Qe7, though after 24... Qc7! the white's initiative reached a deadlock.For example: 25.e6 (25.d6 Qd8!) Be6! 26.Qc7 Rc7 27.de Ba1 28.ef Kf7 29.Ra1 - black has a better endgame. After careful "human" analysis it was found a strong move:

24...Qc5?

A serious mistake! 24... Qc7 was the only right continuation and after 25.Ng5 puzzling complications can begin. Approximate variants: 25... h6 (25... Qe5!?) 26.Ne4! (26.Nf7 Kf7 27.e6 Kf8! 28.ed Qd7 29.Bg4 Rc4!) g5 27.Qh5 Ra3 (Other moves: A).27... Rc2 28.Bd3 B).27... Bf5 28.Nc3 Qc3 29.Rbc1 C).27... Qe5 28.Nc3 Qc3 29.Bg4 Bg4 30.Qg4) 28.d6 - with white's initiative. Peter made a move 24... Qc5 and offered a draw,but the game went on...

25.Ng5 Bf5 26.Qxh7+ Kf8 27.Rbd1

It was attracted attention and 27.e6!? f6 28.Nf7 Qd5 (28... Bb1? 29.Nh6!) 29.Nh8! with attack,but move 27.Rbd1 seems more reliable.

27...Rd8

This move loses at once. More persistently 27... Qb4!?, though after 28.e6 fe 29.Ne6 (29.Bf3!?;29.g4!?) Be6 30.de Qf4 31.Qg6 Qf6 32.Qe4 - white has a large advantage.

28.e6!

White begins the decisive attack.

28...f6 29.g4! Black resigned - 1-0

After 29.... fg (29.... Bc2 30.Nf7 g5 31.Q h5 Bd1 32.Nh6) 30. gf gf (30. ... Rd5 31.Rd5 Qd5 32.Qg6 Kg8 33.f6) 31.Bh5! Rc2 32.Qf5 Kg8 (32. .... Bf6 33.Rf1 'with the idea' 34.Qg6) 33.Bf7 Kf8 34.Bg6 and 35.Qc2 - White has an extra rook.

Correspondence chessplayers are invited to send their comments, questions, and recent ICCF games (preferably with a few annotations) by e-mail to Vytas Palciauskas at VytasVP@aol.com.