(2) Abrahamyan,T (2345) - Ma,W (2360) [B43]
US Amateur Team West (3), 16.02.2003
[Ma]



1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 b5
I started playing this sharp line a few years ago, inspired by the awesome game Shirov-Svidler, 1997 (0-1,35).

6.Bd3 Qb6 7.Nb3 Qc7 8.Be3 Nf6 9.f4 d6 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.a3 h5 12.h3 Bb7 13.Qe2
[ 13.Qf3 Be7 would transpose into Polgar-Oratovsky, 1993 (0-1,34). Tatev is going to prepare the e4-e5 break. Note that f5 is always answered by e5.]

13...Be7 14.Rad1 h4 15.Nd4 Rd8 16.Nf3 Nh5 17.Qd2 Nc5 18.Bf2?!
Protects g3 and targets h4, but leaves a weakness on f4. [ 18.Rfe1 might have been stronger.]

18...d5! 19.exd5 Nxf4 20.dxe6?
[ 20.Bd4! would still make it a fight.]

20...Ncxd3 21.exf7+ Kf8 22.cxd3
The rest of the game has quite a few inaccuracies, but the verdict never changes.

22...Nxh3+ 23.gxh3 Bxf3 24.Qe3 Bxd1 25.Rxd1 Rh6 26.Ne4 Rg6+ 27.Kh1 Qe5 28.d4 Qd5 29.Re1 Kxf7 30.Qf3+ Kg8 31.Rf1 Kh8 32.Nd2 Qxf3+ 33.Nxf3 Bf6 34.Bxh4 Bxh4 35.Nxh4 Rh6 36.Nf5 Rxh3+ 37.Kg2 Rh5 38.Ng3 Rhd5 39.Nf5 R8d7 40.Kg3 g6 41.Nh4 Kg7 42.Nf3 Re7 43.Rf2 Rf5 44.Kg2 Re3 0-1