Out of the opening my Kg2!, engaging Black head on, was very intuitive: the alternative Bc5 would have led to a very wild position where Black has great counterchances. The result was a very nice game where Black tried hard but never quite managed to catch up!
To avoid ...Bg4 in reply to Nf3.
6... O-O 7. Nf3 e6 8. Bd3 Na6A rare idea. Black wants to hold the pressure in the centre to have both exd and e5 possibilities open.
10. Bg5 e5?! 11. Qd2Now Black looks much worse because White is controlling the critical h6 square.
11... Qe8 12. a3Preparing a queen-side attack with b4.
12... Nh5 13. g4!White liquidates any possible king-side play by Black.
13... f6!A strong reply. Black finds a great practical chance.
14. Be3 f5The idea of the previous move. Black sacrifices his knight to regain a piece with f4.
15. gxh5 f4 16. Kg2!A very intuitive choice.
16... g5!Black opens the e8-5 diagonal for his queen. The position becomes very sharp.
17. Rh1White defends the h3 pawn and opens an escape road for the king.
17... Qxh5 18. Bxc5A couple moves late, but still good.
18... g4!A great in-between move.
19. hxg4Preparing a trap...
21... dxc5?,,,and Black falls for it!
The move Black put his hopes on when playing 21...dxc.
23. Qc2!After this, Black's queen is trapped.
23... Qd4A very accurate move.
Trying to complicate the position.
25. Rd1 bxc4 26. d6!White finds a way to orce Black to capture on d1.
26... Ne6 27. Nb5 Qe3Black decides to give his queen a couple more moves of life.
28. Qxc4Now there is no defense against Rd3.
28... Kh8 29. Rd3 Ng5 30. Rxe3Here it would be fine to stop the game, but Black played on and eventually got a great chance...
30... fxe3 31. Kg2 Rb8 32. Qxc5 a6 33. Qxe3 Ne6 34. Qa7! Nf4+ 35. Kf2 Be6 36. Nc7 Rxb2 37. Nxe6 Nxe6 38. Qe7?!an inaccuracy in time pressure, underestimating Black's reply.
38... Nd4!Now Black is close to a perpetual.
39. Ke3!Overestimating his position, Black decides to play for mate.
Defending the rook on h2 and ending Black's illusions.
40... h6 41. d7 Nc6 42. Qg5 R8b3+ 43. Kf2 Rxe2+ 44. Kxe2 Rb2+ 45. Kd1 Rxh2 46. Qg6 Rh1+ 47. Kd2 Rh2+ 48. Kd3A very sharp game with brilliant play on both sides. The decisive error was probably Black's little slip at move 21.
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