Game of the week

Samuel Sevian-Jan Timman Tata Steel-B Tournament Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be3 c6 5.h3 Bg7 6.f4(A) Qb6 7.Qc1 Na6 8.a3 Qa5 9.b4 Qc7 10.Nf3 Nh5 11.Bd3 Ng3 12.Rg1 c5(B) 13.Bf2(C) Nh5 14.g4 Nf6 15.e5 Nd7 16.Nd5 Qb8 17.bxc5 dxc5 18.f5(D) Nc7 19.c4(E) Nxd5 20.cxd5 cxd4 21.e6 Ne5 22.Bb5+ Kf8 23.Nxd4 h5 24.g5 gxf5 25.Qc2 Qd6 26.Rc1(F)fxe6 27.Qxc8+?(G) Rxc8 28.Rxc8+ Kf7 29.dxe6+ Qxe6?(H) 30.Nxe6 Nf3+ 31.Kd1 Rxc8 32.Rg3 Kxe6 33.Rxf3 a6 34.Bd3 Rf8 35.Bc2 Ke5 36.Be1(I) 1–0

A) The Pirc Defense practically invites White to spread his pawns forward. Sevian obliges. B) A risky attempt at counter-play. 12...f5 is preferable. C) Missing some clever tactics: 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.Kf2 Nh5 15.bxc5 dxc5 16.dxc5! Bxa1 17.Qxa1 0–0 18.Bxa6 bxa6 19.Rd1 (threatening ...Nf6+) 19...Qe8 (19...Qa5?? 20.Nxe7 mate!) 20.Nc7 Qc6 21.Nxa8 Qxa8 22.Qe5++. D) The pawn storm continues. E) Missing another tactic: 19.Bg3!! Nxd5 20.f6 exf6 (20...Bf8 21.e6 Nc7 22.exd7+ Bxd7 23.Qf4 Kd8 24.dxc5 Kc8 25.Ne5 Be6 26.Nxf7 Bxf7 27.fxe7 Bg7 28.Qxf7 Bxa1 29.Qf5+ gxf5 30.Bxf5+ Ne6 31.Bxe6 mate) 21.exf6 hitting two pieces. F) Black struggles to free himself; White optimizes his piece placement. G) Only seemingly brilliant. Winning instead is: 27.g6 preparing the game-ending Qxc8+. 27...Nxg6 (27...Bd7 28.Bxd7 Qxd7 29.Nxe6+ Kg8 30.Qb3 with an unstoppable King attack.) 28.Rxg6 winning. H) If Black had been Carlsen, he might have found an incredibly deep save: 29...Kg6 30.Rxh8 Bxh8 31.Be8+ Kh7 (31...Kg7 32.Nxf5+) 32.g6+ Kg8 33.g7 Bxg7 34.Rxg7+ Kf8 (34...Kxg7 35.Nxf5+) 35.Rg3 f4 (35...Kxe8?? 36.Rg8 mate) 36.Rc3 Nd3+ 37.Rxd3 Kxe8. I) Down a piece, Black quit.