[Event "ch-USA GpA"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2011.04.16"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Kamsky, G."]
[Black "Akobian, V."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2733"]
[BlackElo "2611"]
[Annotator "GM Lubomir Kavalek/Huffington Post"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "2011.04.15"]
[Source "ChessBase"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 {Steinitz liked this move, fixing the pawn
structure in the center and getting more space. It avoids the Burn variation,
4.Bg5 dxe4, Akobian likes to play.} Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 Qb6 8. Qd2
({Kamsky goes for a pawn sacrifice. The most analyzed and played variation} 8.
Na4 Qa5+ 9. c3 cxd4 10. b4 Nxb4 11. cxb4 Bxb4+ 12. Bd2 Bxd2+ 13. Nxd2 {gives
black good compensation for a piece.}) 8... Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. Bb5 Qa5 {
Trying to escape with the queen.} ({Hikaru Nakamura tried twice to survive with
} 10... cxd4 11. Nxd4 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 a6 {but it was an uphill battle against
Topalov and Karjakin this year in Monte-Carlo.}) ({Enclosing the light bishop
with} 10... c4 {, threatening 11...Bb4, forces white to come up with a good
plan.}) 11. O-O c4 12. f5 Nb6 {Blocking the exit for the black queen.} (12...
Bb4 13. fxe6 fxe6 14. Ng5 Bxc3 15. Qd1 {white has numerous threat and powerful
attack for the piece.}) 13. Qe1 {Preparing Be3-d2 to harass the queen.} exf5
14. a4 ({The black queen jumps out after} 14. Bd2 Qa3) 14... Be6 (14... Bb4 15.
Qg3 $1 (15. Bd2 O-O) 15... Bxc3 (15... Be6 16. Na2 $1) 16. Qxg7 Rf8 17. Ng5 {
seem to favor white.}) 15. Bd2 Bb4 16. Rxb4 Qxb4 17. Ne4 $1 {"Beautiful,"
Kamsky summed up this move. He realized that his knight on d6 can do more harm
than the obvious} (17. Nxd5 Qb2 18. Nc7+ Kd7 19. Nxa8 Rxa8 {giving black more
chances.}) 17... Qb2 ({The black queen has to stay in white's camp where it
can be attacked. Retreating with} 17... Qe7 {does not solve black's problems
after} 18. Nd6+ Kf8 (18... Kd7 19. a5 Nc8 20. Nxb7 $18) (18... Kd8 19. Bg5 f6
20. Nxb7+ $1 Qxb7 21. exf6 gxf6 (21... Kc7 22. Qxe6) 22. Bxf6+ Kc7 23. Be5+ Kc8
24. Bxh8 $18) 19. Bxc6 bxc6 20. Nxf5 $1 Bxf5 (20... Qd7 21. Bb4+ Ke8 22. Nxg7+
Kd8 23. Ng5 $18) 21. Bb4 $18) 18. Nd6+ Kf8 (18... Kd8 19. Bc3 Qxc2 20. Rf2 Qb3
(20... Qd3 21. Nxb7+ Kc7 22. Nc5 $18) 21. Nxb7+ Kc7 22. Nc5 $18) (18... Kd7 19.
Bc3 Qa3 20. Qd2 Nxa4 21. Bxa4 Qxa4 22. Ra1 $18) 19. Bc3 Qxc2 20. Nxb7 ({Kamsky
makes a practical decision, forcing Akobian to find the best defense. The
objectively better queen chase} 20. Rf2 {is easy to calculate for black:} Qb3
21. Rb2 Qa3 22. Bxc6 bxc6 23. Bb4 Qxb2 $5 (23... Qxa4 $6 24. Ne4+ Ke8 (24...
Kg8 25. Nf6+ gxf6 26. Qg3#) 25. Nc5 Qb5 26. Bc3 {the queen is caught again.})
24. Nxc4+ Qxb4 25. Qxb4+ Kg8 26. Nxb6 axb6 {and black may have some hopes to
survive.}) 20... Nxa4 $6 ({Black should have tried} 20... Nd8 $5 21. Nc5 {
threatening 22. Rf2,} f4 22. a5 h6 $5 (22... Nc8 23. Qh4 $18) 23. Rf2 Qg6 24.
axb6 axb6 25. Na4 {with roughly equal chances.}) 21. Bb4+ Kg8 $2 ({Objectively,
black should have tried} 21... Nxb4 22. Qxb4+ Kg8 23. Bxa4 a5 24. Qa3 Qd3 25.
Qc1 {although the black queen still can't find peace, for example} c3 26. Nd6
Rb8 27. Bc2 Qe2 28. Bxf5 {and black's position collapses.}) 22. Bxc6 {White
has a winning advantage.} Rc8 23. Rf2 Qb3 24. Na5 Rxc6 25. Nxc6 ({Although
this move should also win, the computer analytical engines are screaming for} 
25. Nxb3 cxb3 26. Qb1 b2 27. Rc2 Rc4 28. Ba3 {and the b-pawn is doomed.}) 25...
h6 26. Ne7+ Kh7 27. Ng5+ $1 {Kamsky now wins the black queen and keeps
attacking chances.} hxg5 28. Rf3 {Threatening 29.Rh3 mate.} g6 29. Rxb3 cxb3
30. Ba3 Rb8 31. Qg3 g4 $2 ({Loses nicely. Black had to try} 31... b2 32. Bxb2
Rxb2 33. h3 g4) 32. Qh4+ Kg7 33. Qf6+ Kh7 34. Bc1 $1 {Black is hopeless
against a mating attack on the dark squares.} (34. Bc1 $1 Rh8 (34... b2 35.
Qh4+ Kg7 36. Qh6#) 35. Bh6 Kxh6 36. Qxh8+ Kg5 37. g3 b2 38. Qh4#) 1-0

