IM Mas Hafizul vs IM Oliver Dimakiling 0-1

Analysis by Hairulov and Fritz

IM Mas Hafizulhilmi (2372) - IM Oliver Dimakiling (2491) [C68]
4th Singapore Masters (9), 21.12.2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation 4...dxc6 is almost always played at the master level. Black has the bishop pair but a worse pawn structure, due to his doubled pawns on c6 and c7 5.0–0 White cannot capture the e5 pawn with 5.Nxe5 because of 5...Qd4, forking the knight and the pawn, thus regaining the material.5...Qd6 6.Na3 Be6 7.Qe2 f6 8.Nc4 Qd7 9.Rd1 0–0–0 10.d4 g5 11.Be3 g4 12.Nh4 [12.dxe5?? will be a serious mistake because 12...Bxc4! 13.Qxc4 Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 15.Qf1 Rxf1+ 16.Kxf1 gxf3] 12...Bh6? [12...Qf7 13.b3 exd4 14.Bxd4=] 13.c3 [13.Nf5! was suggest by my "friend" Fritz 13...Bxc4 (13...Bxf5 14.dxe5 Qe8 15.Rxd8+ Qxd8; 13...Bxe3 14.Ncxe3) 14.Qxc4 Bxe3 15.Nxe3 exd4 16.Nf5+-] 13...g3 Black try to create weakness in whit kingside. 14.hxg3 Bxc4 15.Qxc4 Bxe3 16.fxe3 Qg4 White have many weak pawn (e4,e3 and g3) for his sacrifice pawn. 17.Nf5 h5 18.d5 Mas must attack quickly if not black will create a dangerous open h file with h4-hxg3 18...Nh6 19.Ne7+ Kb8 20.Qb3 Qxe4?! [20...Qxg3 is probably better because it directly open line for attack against white king. 21.dxc6 (21.Nxc6+? Ka8 22.Nxd8 Rxd8 23.Qc2 Ng4 black will have a winning attack!) 21...b5 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8 23.Rd1 Qxe3+ 24.Kf1] 21.c4 Mas probably saw that [21.Nxc6+ Kc8 22.Nxd8 Qxe3+ 23.Kh1 Ng4 24.Re1 Qxg3 25.Qxb7+ Kxd8 26.Kg1 Qf2+ 27.Kh1 Qh4+ 28.Kg1 Qf2+ 29.Kh1 Qh4+ 30.Kg1 Qf2+ only lead to draw.] 21...c5? a mistake [21...Ka7!? deserves consideration 22.dxc6 bxc6= Black can use the rook to defend the his king in the queenside.] 22.Nc6+± Ka8 23.Nxd8 Rxd8 24.Qd3 Qg4 25.e4 Mas defend his weakness spot on g3and avoid Nf5 25...h4 26.Qf3 Qg5 27.Rd3 [Mas should have played the stronger 27.gxh4! Qxh4 28.Qh3 Qg5± 29.Rd3 Rg8 30.Rf1 and black has no serious attack] 27...hxg3 28.Qxg3 Ng4 29.Rf1 [29.Rad1!? is an interesting alternative 29...Rh8 30.d6] 29...Rh8‚ black has a strong counter attack 30.a3?! This move look slow. Probably Mas should create counter attack with [30.d6!?] 30...Rh4 31.Re1 Qh5 Black has a mate threat 32.Kf1 f5 33.exf5 e4 34.Rc3 [34.Rxe4?? taking the pawn will bring White grief 34...Qxf5+ 35.Rf4 Rh1+ 36.Ke2 Qe5+ 37.Kf3 Nh2+ 38.Qxh2 Rxh2–+] 34...e3 [34...Rh1+!? should not be overlooked 35.Ke2 Nh2+ 36.Kf2 (36.Kd2 Nf1+ 37.Rxf1 Rxf1) 36...Ng4+ 37.Ke2 Nh2+ 38.Kf2 Qxf5+ 39.Ke2 Nf1 40.Qxc7 Rg1÷] 35.Ke2± White king safety dropped [35.Qxc7?? is impossible because of the following mate in 4 35...Qxf5+ 36.Qf4 Qxf4+ 37.Ke2 Qf2+ 38.Kd1 Qd2#] 35...Nf6+? [35...Nh6+!? 36.Qf3 Rg4 37.Rxe3 Nxf5²] 36.Qf3+- [36.Kxe3?! Rg4 37.Qf3 Qg5+ 38.Ke2 Rxg2+ 39.Kf1 Rg1+ 40.Ke2 Rg2+ 41.Kf1 Rg4=] 36...Rg4? [36...Qg5 37.Kd1 Ne4 38.Rcxe3 Rf4±] 37.Rxe3 Qg5 38.b3 Rxg2+ 39.Kd3 [39.Kd1+- would have made live much easier for White] 39...Nh5 40.Kc3?? A blunder by Mas. He lets the points slip away. [40.b4 To make more room for his king was a good chance to save the game 40...Nf4+ 41.Kc3 Qg7+ 42.f6 Qxf6+ 43.Re5=] 40...Qf6+–+ 41.Re5™ [41.Kd3?? Qd4#] 41...Rg3 Mas have to sac his queen. 42.Qxg3 [42.Qd3 cannot change what is in store for ? 42...Rxd3+ 43.Kxd3 Ng7–+] 42...Nxg3 It's over 43.b4 b6 44.Kb3 Nxf5 45.bxc5 Nd4+ 46.Ka4 bxc5 47.Re8+ Ka7 48.R1e7 Qb6 49.d6 Qb3+ [49...Qb3+ 50.Ka5 Qxa3#] 0–1