Nearly Beat IM Virginijus Dambrauskas !

IM Virginijus Dambrauskas

I played a rapid (30 minutes game) against IM Virginijus Dambrauskas in the Internet Chess Club this morning. The game were interesting for me because I managed to get a winning game but unfortunately lost on time. After the game, I search for some information about him and found that Virginijus Dambrausk is an International Master from Lithuania, born on 1962.

Below are the game:

hairulov (2023) - EEJ (IM Virginijus Dambrauskas)(1961)
ICC Internet Chess Club, 22.07.2007 Rapid (30 Minutes)
B60: Sicilian: Richter-Rauzer:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 g6

I have faced this kind of position before. Black offer white to weaken his pawn formation in the centre ( double f pawn and weak d pawn) but he will get the bishop pair and open position that suite nicely for the double bishop. The weak double f pawn were not so serious because black can get rid of it with f5 and open the diagonal for his black bishop on g7. 7.Nxc6 [Fritz suggest 7.Bxf6 exf6 8.Bb5 Bd7 9.Ba4 Nxd4 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Qxd4] 7...bxc6 8.Bxf6 exf6 9.Bc4 Bg7 10.0–0 I was afraid to castle queenside because of the open b file and dangerous attack by black g7 bishop. [Fritz suggest 10.Qd2 f5 11.0–0–0 fxe4 12.Qxd6 Qxd6 13.Rxd6 Bxc3 14.bxc3] 10...0–0 11.Qd2 I spent a huge time on this move thinking what i should reply if black play 11...f5. I decided that i should consistently attack the d6 pawn to justify my plan in the opening. 11...f5 12.Rad1 fxe4 [12...Be5 Is more accurate because it force white to play 13.f4 Bxc3 14.bxc3 fxe4 15.Qxd6 Bg4] 13.Qxd6 Qb6?! [13...Qxd6!? must be considered 14.Rxd6 Be5 15.Rxc6 Bb7=] 14.Nxe4± Qxb2 15.Rb1 [15.Qxc6? leads to nothing 15...Bb7 16.Bxf7+ Rxf7–+] 15...Qxc2
At this stage i'm quiet confident with my position. [15...Qe5!? 16.Qxc6 Bg4²] 16.Qxc6+- Be6 17.Rfc1 [17.Rbc1 Rac8 18.Qxe6 fxe6 19.Rxc2] 17...Rfc8??
leading to a quick end [17...Rac8 18.Qxe6! Demolishes the pawn shield. I failed to find this move in my calculation. 18...Qxb1 (18...fxe6?? 19.Rxc2 Kh8 20.Ng5+-) 19.Rxb1 fxe6 20.Bxe6+ Kh8 21.Bxc8 Rxc8± Winning a pawn.] 18.Qxa8? [18.Qxe6! nails it down 18...Qxc1+ (18...fxe6 19.Rxc2) 19.Rxc1 fxe6 20.Bxe6+ Kf8 21.Bxc8+-] 18...Qxc1+ [18...Rxa8?? a fat bite, but... 19.Rxc2 Bf5 20.Re2+-] 19.Rxc1 Theme: Deflection from b2 19...Rxa8 20.Bxe6 fxe6 21.Rc7 This position that i'm heading for in my calculation. I think white have slight advantage due to his control on the 7th rank. 21...a5 22.g3 a4 23.Nc5 e5 24.h4 a3 25.Ne4 Kf8 26.Ng5 Kg8 27.Ne6 [27.Kg2 h6 (27...Rb8 28.Ra7 Bf8 29.Nxh7 Bg7 30.Ng5) 28.Ne4 h5±] 27...Bh6 28.g4 Re8 29.Nc5 [29.g5! Rxe6 30.gxh6 Ra6 31.Rg7+ Kh8 32.Re7 Kg8 33.Rxe5 Kf7] 29...e4 Black intends e3 30.g5 Bg7 31.Kg2 Bb2 [31...Bb2 32.Kf1 e3=] 32.Nd7 e3 [32...Re7 33.Rc8+ Kg7 34.Nb6=] 33.fxe3 [33.Nf6+ Bxf6 34.gxf6 Kf8 35.fxe3 Rxe3 36.Rxh7 Re2+ 37.Kf3 Rxa2=] 33...Rxe3= 34.Rc8+ [34.Nf6+ Bxf6 35.gxf6 Re2+ 36.Kf3 Rxa2 37.Rg7+ Kh8 38.Ra7= Should be draw.] 34...Kf7 35.Nf8 [35.Rc2 Re4=] 35...Re2+ 36.Kf3 Rh2 37.Nxh7 Rxh4 38.Rc7+ Ke6 [38...Kg8!? is an interesting alternative] 39.Nf8+ Kd6 40.Rd7+ Kc6 41.Ra7 [41.Rd2!? looks like a viable alternative 41...Rh5 42.Rg2= Defending the g5 pawn.] 41...Kb6 42.Rf7 Rh1 43.Kg2? [43.Ke4 Ra1 44.Kd3 Rxa2 45.Nxg6 Ra1µ] 43...Rh5?? letting the wind out of his own sails [43...Ra1 is winning for black. 44.Nxg6 Rxa2–+] 44.Ne6 Bc1 [44...Kc6 45.Ra7] 45.Rg7 [45.Rf6 Rh4 46.Rxg6 Kc6] 45...Kb5 [45...Bxg5 would keep Black alive 46.Rxg6 Rh6 47.Rxh6 Bxh6=] 46.Rxg6± Now the g pawn is protected and a serious threat. 46...Kc4 47.Rg8 [47.Rf6 Kd5 (47...Bxg5? 48.Rf5) 48.g6± Ke5 (48...Bh6 49.Nd8) 49.g7] 47...Kc3 [47...Kd5 would keep Black in the game 48.Nc7+ Kc6=] 48.g6+- Kb2?? an oversight. But Black was lost anyway. [48...Rh6+-] 49.g7 Bh6 [49...Kxa2 there is nothing better in the position 50.Rd8 Bb2+-] 50.Rb8+ Kxa2 51.g8Q
At this point i have about 16 second left but i was confident that i can checkmate him. 51...Ka1 [51...Rd5 cannot change destiny 52.Nd4 Bg7 53.Qxd5+ Ka1 54.Nc2#] 52.Qh8+ [52.Qh7! whould finish him instantly but in time trouble i could not find it. 52...Rh2+ 53.Kxh2 Bf4+ 54.Nxf4 a2 55.Qg7#] 52...Ka2 53.Qc3 [53.Qh7 Rh1 54.Kxh1 Be3 55.Qb1#] 53...Bg7 [53...Rh2+ is no salvation 54.Kxh2 Bf4+ 55.Kg2 Bxb8 56.Qc2+ Ka1 57.Nc5 a2 58.Nb3#] 54.Qc2+? [54.Qb3+ Would have finish the game nicely. 54...Ka1 55.Qxa3#] 54...Bb2 Now black can last a few move (second) longer. 55.Qc4+ [55.Qb3+ Ka1 56.Rd8 Rh2+ 57.Kxh2 Be5+ 58.Kg2 Bd4 59.Rxd4 a2 60.Rd1#] 55...Kb1 56.Qf1+ [56.Rd8 Bd4 57.Qb3+ Kc1 58.Rxd4 Rh2+ 59.Kxh2 a2 60.Rd1#] 56...Ka2+- 57.Nd4! a forceful and devastating end 57...Rg5+ [57...Bxd4 58.Qc4 Theme: Double Attack] 58.Kh3 Rh5+ Unfortunely i lost on time here.[58...Rh5+ 59.Kg4 Rc5 60.Nb5 Rc8 61.Rxc8 Bf6 62.Qc4+ Kb2 63.Qc1+ Ka2 64.Qxa3+ Kb1 65.Rc1# Is shown by Fritz later.] 0–1