IM Tal Shaked - GM Hichem Hamdouchi
Modern Defence [B06]
Cannes, 1997
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 a6
Black decides to gain some space on the queenside before deciding how to develop the rest of his pieces. By playing this move rather than 4...c6 Black may later try to transpose to a sicilian setup with ...Nd7 and then ...c5.
5.Qd2 b5
Black could first play 5...Nd7 if he wanted to avoid the following sequence of moves which clarifies some of the pawn tension on the queenside.
6.a4
This is less aggressive than 6.O-O-O or 6.Bd3 aiming for quick development. Instead White tries to keep his position solid and hopes for a central advantage.
6...b4 7.Nd1 Nf6 8.f3 a5
If Black's queen knight was already on d7 then White's idea of a4 wouldn't be so effective since then Black would have the more active ...Rb8 either now or on the next move.
9.c3
Since Black has no good way to protect the pawn on b4 he must trade on c3. This was the point of White's play on the queenside. Black has used a lot of time to move his pawns and now the space he gained will be lost through this trade. 9...bxc3 10.bxc3 0-0 11.Bd3 c5
Black correctly fights for space while White must take some time to finish his development and get his king out of the center. On 12.dxc5 Black has ...d5 advantageously opening up the game.
12.Ne2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.0-0 Nb4 15.Bb5 d5
This allows White to develop an initiative on the kingside. Stronger was first 15...Bd7 simplifying the position. Then after 16.Nbc3 Bxb5 17.axb5 [17.Nxb5 looks equal] Black should play ...d5 with an unclear position. 18.e5 Nd7 19.Bh6 Nb6 is not very effective for White since it is difficult to bring more pieces to attack Black's king.
16.e5 Nd7
Also possible was 16...Ne8 with the idea of ...Nc7 trading the knight for bishop. Then after 17.Nec3 Nc7 18.Be2 White appears to be slightly better due to his extra space, but his pieces are temporarily on awkward squares.
17.Bh6
It is important to trade off these bishops in order to attack Black's king. This move also clears the e3 square for White's knight, from where it can jump to g4 assisting the attack.
17...Nb6
Black's counterplay is too slow on the queenside after this move. More active was 17...Bxh6 18.Qxh6 Qb6 threatening ...Nxe5 and ...Nc2. Then after 19.Ne3 f5! [19...Nxe5 20.dxe5 Nc2 does not work because of 21.Kf2] 20.exf6 Nxf6 things are not so clear.
18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Ne3
White simultaneously prevents ...Nc4 and prepares Ng4.
19...Bd7
After this move Black's position becomes critical. Necessary was ...f6 or ...f5 gaining space on the kingside.
20.Ng4
This is much more effective than an immediate f4 because when the white queen reaches h6 Black will have a hard time getting rid of it.
20...Bxb5
20...Bxg4 offered better chances to defend although after 21.fxg4 Nc4 22.Bxc4 dxc4 23.Rf3 with the idea of Rh3 or doubling rooks White has a lot of pressure.
21.axb5 Nc4
This leads to a lost position, but it is difficult to suggest a better defence. 21...f5 gives White a choice between 22.exf6 exf6 23.Nf4 followed by Rae1, or 22.Qh6+ Kg8 23.Nf4.
22.Qh6+ Kh8 23.f4
This move threatening both to lift the rook and f4-f5 is much stronger than ideas involving Nf4 and e5-e6.
23...Rg8
The immediate 23...f5 may have been better, but was rejected due to 24.exf6 exf6 25.f5 g5 26.h4 breaking through. Then 26...gxh4 27.Nf4 is killing.
24.Rf3 f5
After 24...Qf8 White wins with 25.Qh4 when on either ...Qg7 or ...Rg7 White has 26.Rh3 follwed by Nf6.
25.exf6 exf6 26.Rh3
This is stronger than 26.f5 Qf8 when Black may survive to an endgame.
26...Ra7 27.f5 g5
Desperation. However, this time after 27...Qf8 White wins a pawn and keeps the initaive in the ending after 28.Qxf8 Rxf8 29.fxg6 with Nf4 coming next.
28.Nxf6 Rgg7
29.Nh5
In mutual time pressure White misses a possible defence which Black had to the planned Nf6-h5, f5-f6, Nh5-g7, and mate on h7. It was stronger to bring another piece into the attack with 29.Ng3.
29...Rgf7 30.f6 Qe8 31.Ng7
31...Rxg7
Black probably overlooked the move 31...Qe4! defending h7. Things start to look messy after this, but White has 32.Nc3 and after ...Qxd4+ 33.Kh1 Black again has to give up an exchange with ...Rxg7 and then is much worse.
32.fxg7+ Rxg7 33.Rf1
The rest is fairly easy since White is up the exchange and Black's king is still in danger.
33...Nd2
34.Rf5 Nc2 35.Qd6 Rf7 36.Rxf7 Qxf7 37.Qd8+ Qg8 38.Qxg8+ Kxg8 39.b6, Black resigns.
