1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O Bg4 10. Qd3 Qc7 11. Be3 Nbd7 12. h3 Be6 13. Nd5 Bxd5 14. exd5 Rac8 15. Rac1 b5 16. Nd2 Nc5 17. Bxc5 Qxc5 18. c4 b4 19. Ne4 Nxe4 20. Bxe4 g6 21. g4 Bg5 22. Rc2 Qa7 23. Kh1 a5 24. Rg1 Qe7 25. b3 Bf4 26. Qf3 Kh8 27. Qd3 Qh4 28. Rd1 Rc5 29. Rg1 Ra8 30. Qf3 a4 31. Rb1 axb3 32. Rxb3 Ra4 33. Kg2 Qg5 34. Bd3 Rca5 35. Rcb2 f5 36. Bf1 Rxa2 37. Rxb4 R5a3 38. Rb8+ Kg7 39. R2b7+ Kh6 40. Rh8 Qxg4+ 41. hxg4 Rxf3 42. Kxf3 Kg5 43. gxf5 e4+ 44. Kg2 e3 45. Re8 Rxf2+ 46. Kg1 Bh2+ 47. Kh1 Be5 48. Kg1 Bh2+ 49. Kh1 Be5 50. Rb1 gxf5 51. c5 f4 52. Rc1?

52. c6 wins easily.

52... f3 53. Rxe5+ dxe5 54. c6 Kf4?

54... Kg4!= e.g., 55. Bc4! (55. Ba6? Kh3 e.g., 56. Bc8+ Kg3 57. Rg1+ Rg2 and mate in a few more moves) 55... Kh3 56. c7 Rh2+ 57. Kg1 f2+ 58. Kf1 Rh1+ 59. Ke2 Rxc1 60. c8=Q+ Kh2 61. Kxe3 f1=Q 62. Bxf1 Rxc8 63. Ke4.

After 54... Kg4, 55. Be2 is also enough to draw, e.g. 55... fxe2 56. Kg1 Rf8 57. d6 Rc8 58. c7 Kf5 59. Kg2 Ke6 60. Kf3 Kxd6 61. Kxe2 Rxc7 62. Rh1 and although White is three pawns down, it's a tablebase draw (Syzygy).

55. Kg1?

55. Ba6! e.g., 55... e2 56. Rg1 Rg2 57. Bxe2 Rxe2 58. c7 Rc2 59. d6 f2 60. d7! (60. Rf1? Kg3! and Black wins) 60... fxg1 61. Kxg1 Rxc7 62. d8=Q and White wins with best play, according to the Nalimov tablebases (though it's far from easy in practice).

55... Kg3 56. c7?

56. Rc3! was essential. After 56... e2 57. Bxe2 Rxe2 58. Kf1 Ra2 59. Re3 Ra1+ 60. Re1 Rxe1+ 61. Kxe1 Kg2 62. c7 f2+ 63. Kd2 f1=Q 64. c8=Q Black is winning according to the Syzygy tablebases, but again it's not straightforward in practice.

After the move played, Black has mate in four.

56... Rh2 57. Bh3 e2 58. Rf1 exf1=Q+

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Event information: Tournament report.

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