(2) Jones,S (2385) - Hummel,P (2441) [B39]
US Amateur Team West Championship (6), 16.02.2004
[Hummel]



1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.e4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 Ng4 8.Qxg4 Nxd4 9.Qd1 Ne6 10.Rc1 Qa5 11.Qd2 b6 12.Qd5
This continuation is known to be harmless. Black rarely faces a problem in this line if queens are exchanged.

12...Rb8 13.Qxa5 bxa5 14.b3 Bd4 15.Bxd4 Nxd4
At this point I already thought I was slightly better. The doubled a-pawns are not a problem because they can never be attacked. But in the long run they give black dynamic potential based on a5-a4 breaks and attacking the weak b3 pawn along the half-open b-file. Black's minor pieces will also be better than white's. White may get a temporary initiative based on his slight development lead, but this is insignificant compared to his long term strategic problems.

16.Bd3 Bb7
Not [ 16...d6 17.c5 dxc5 18.Na4 which would allow white to make use of his development lead.]

17.0-0 0-0 18.e5 Rfd8 19.Rfe1 Kf8 20.Kf1
I don't see the point of this move, but it's quite difficult for white to come up with an active plan, whereas black's position plays itself.

20...Ne6 21.Rcd1
Here [ 21.Be4 offers better chances for a draw, as it allows white to swap off his bad bishop. But white would still have a difficult defense ahead.]

21...Nc5 22.Bc2 Bc6 23.Nd5 Rdc8 24.Re3 a4 25.Rh3 axb3
A slight inaccuracy. There was no need to relieve the tension quite yet. This gives white the a-file to work with, but that does not change the assessment of the position.

26.axb3 h5 27.Ra1 a6 28.Bd1 Bxd5 29.cxd5 d6 30.exd6 exd6-/+
I have gradually improved by position since reaching the initial endgame, and now I have both the advantage of the good knight vs. bad bishop and white's weak pawns on b3 and d5 to work with. Not wishing to be passively defend, my opponent makes a rash decision to give up a pawn and force exchanges. But this only makes matters worse.

31.g4?! hxg4 32.Rh8+ Ke7 33.Rxc8 Rxc8 34.b4 Nd3 35.Rxa6 Rc1 36.Ke2 Nxb4 37.Ra7+ Kf6 38.Rd7 Nxd5 39.Kd2 Rc4 40.Rxd6+ Ke5 41.Rxd5+?
This loses quickly, but even after the relatively better [ 41.Rd7 Rd4+ 42.Ke1 f5 , white is doomed to lose the endgame.]

41...Kxd5 42.Bb3 Kd4 43.Bxc4 Kxc4 44.Ke3 f5 45.Kf4 Kd3
[ 45...Kd3 46.Kg5 Ke2 47.Kxg6 f4 48.Kg5 f3 49.Kxg4 Kxf2-+ ] 0-1