rnbqkbnrpppppppp32PPPPPPPPRNBQKBNR [Event "Levikov memorial"] [Site "Lviv"] [Date "2006.12.10"] [Round "4"] [White "Vovk, Yuri"] [Black "Esen, Baris"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C11"] [WhiteElo "2444"] [BlackElo "2464"] [Annotator "Vovk Yuri"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2007.09.17"] [SourceDate "2007.09.17"] Its always hard to choose "the best" among lots of your own games. It's like real philosophical dilemma: is your subjective evaluation true or its just reality distortion made by your own mind? For example well-known French writer Alexandre Dumas (author of great "The three musketeers") was absolutely sure that his best book is culinary one! But I got luck!...My best game was chosen without any participation of mine. Few months behind time game was played I got e-mail from Scottish Grandmaster Jacob Aagaard who informed me my game to be game of the month in prestigious British chess magazine. Also Jacob said he was going to write a book of new "ever-green" games. This game was planned to have it's place there!36P15. 12.7p 35P15. 11.15p 42N14. 6.14n 28P7. 11n9. 37P15. 10.15p 45N16. 1.16n 44B13. 8.7p 51Q7. 9.15p 40P7. Quite fashionable move nowadays! And I suppose it to be really justified! Black's expansion on queenside has to be stopped! Now 9...b4 can't be nice as neither capture on b4 with pawn (after 10.axb4) nor capture with Knight can satisfy the Black, as first variation leads to greatly strong white's center and second one to some kind of spoiled pawn structure. Also 9.a3 is not simply preventive move but also active one. White plans to take on c5 soon and then play b4 with great control over black squares in the Center.26.8p 35N9. 18.16n 35B8. 1n9. It's worth of saying all black's operation started on move nine is far from successful! Loss of time can't be justified with closed character of game. So this is my advice to French Defense Aficionados: don't lead astray! Play main lines like 9...Qa5 or 9...Bb7!51.1Q $5 Surprise in response! Of course there is nothing wrong with43B17. 1.16n 35.17B With small but lasting advantage. Nevertheless I wanted to cause some disorder in black's camp, as 13.Bb6 is like some kind of threat and trade of bishops on c5 is also to white's favor.2.8b 43B17. 1.16n 17B17. 2q. 25B17. $6Breath of Youth! That's what Jacob Aagaard approximately said about this move. Really very impulsive move! Bold, self-confident and weak indeed, but let me ask if this game could become famous without this kind of move. I suppose no!60.RK. $5.r 62.K $1or42.9N $5 led to white's advantage16.8p 25N16. 5.27b $2Of course a blunder! But beautiful games are always a result of cooperation, and not a result of solo! Anyway if Black were eager to get nice position instead the cooperation for the sake of masterpiece he had few ways. Let's have a look on them!.31r Quite a dangerous continuation!10N14. $5Aagaard evaluated this like dubious!I think it's not truth at all as variation leads to fascinating positions with mutual chances!4.7k 26Q26. $6better is56.1KR. $13k8. 10.9N 3.k 5Q20. $55N14. $632.3r $15r1. 14N5. 4.7k 17.8B 3k8. 17B8. 2.7q $510B6. 3.6k Despite that fact white have four (!) pawns for piece only black can fight for an advantage! Move pieces on the board and get convinced!13.15p $5 Calm move,but also unpretentious one!10N14. 4.8k N9. q1. 60.RK. White pawns (a&b) look redoubtable, but black have nice chances to stop them using lightsquares.r $1I suppose this wholly omitted by commentators possibility could condemn white's fraud started on move 15 to unpleasant fighting for draw!10N14. 4.7k 26Q26. 3k8. 10.9N 3.k 5N14. 5r1. 32P7. 12n5. $1Formally speaking there is equal material here but such kind of evaluation is too optimistic for white!Main black's advantage is presence of opposite-square bishops and this kind of advantage is only increased with presence of queens! As a rule Q+opposite -square bishops means blind shooting where victim's name is known:opponent's King! This shooting need necessary resources -it doesn't need pawns,but someone fast and crafty... like Knight! Yes, that's one more rule dear readers:extra piece in such kind of positions is much more important than pawns as it can help in direct attack! So what white can do? Trade Queens? But it can't ease white's burden: they lose pawn immediately!2Q23. $61.r $142P7. 2.31r $1533P6. $342P7. $24.rk. $1charming18.9n is weaker28P8. 11.13b 33P8. .39r $356.R $1$1510N14. $533P8. 18.14n .39r $140R15. 33.6b 40P8. 2.6q 60.RK. 1r3. 17.8B 9.q 19B6. 2q7. 1B17. 1q. leads to great problems for white.55r 51K8. 56.6r $2 It was better to stop half-way4.rk. $156R6. 18.9n 28P8. 11.13b 8R47. $1619N5. 4.7k 26Q26. $1 The point! Immediate queen elimination is much weaker!2N16. $62r4. 39Q13. 4k7. 17.8B $11r. 30Q8. 1.23r 14Q15. 25.r 26P6. 55r7. 2.2q $6What a pity! The strongest2.3q $519.5N 4k7. 10N14. 3k. 10.9N 3.k 2k. 19Q6. 2.6k 11Q7. 9.7k 10Q. 16k. 20.5N 16.8k 9Q. 25.8k 41P7. 34.k 42P7. 10N9. 3k. 25P7. $1could lead to fascinating position where black pieces hide in the corners in the face of white army and nothing can save black king from disastrous massacre.19.5N 4k7. 10N14. 3k. 10.9N 3.k 5N14. 5r1. 25P7. 18.16n 10Q15. 20n14. 1Q8. 4.7k 1.17Q 4k7. 29P7. 61r1. 20P8. 13.6p 17.8B This game teaches us that blind worship to material goods in chess (and in life too!) is frequently equal to death! After possible 20...Qg8 black are two rooks up but where are they? They are not effective! Remember: all material goods will perish some day but Spirit is eternal! Good luck!