Contrary to his countryman, Smeets scored a win, in order to excite the local fans!
1.d4
Eh? Isn't "Nepo" an 1.e4 player? A strange time to decide to experiment with 1.d4
1...d5
2.c4
c6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.e3
e6
5.Nf3
Nbd7
6.Qc2
Slav...Though just a "semi"
6...Bd6
7.Bd3
0-0
8.0-0
dxc4
9.Bxc4
a6
10.Rd1
b5
11.e4?N
Well...A Novelty!
11...bxc4
12.e5
Qc7
13.exd6
Qxd6
14.Bg5
a5
15.Bxf6
Nxf6
16.Na4
Ba6
17.Nc5
Rfb8
18.Rac1
h6
Black is not fully a pawn up, nevertheless, the White's self-destruction plan is starting to bear fruits!
19.a3
Nd7
20.Ne4
Qd5
21.Nc3
Qf5
22.Qe2
Qf4
23.Rc2
Rd8
24.Rcd2
Rab8
25.g3
Qc7
26.Qe3
Bb7
27.Ne5
Nxe5
28.Qxe5
Qxe5
29.dxe5
Rxd2
30.Rxd2
c5
31.f4
White has maintained equality in spite of the pawn he lost...Sorry...."sacrificed" on move 13.
31...g5
32.Kf2
gxf4
33.gxf4
Bc6
34.Ke3
Kf8
35.Rd6
Be8
36.Rd2
Bc6
37.h4
Ke7
38.Rd6
Bh1
39.Na4?!
[39.Ra6
would have been enough for a draw!]
39...Rb3+
40.Kd2
Rf3
Black rooks invade White's territory, and Black is clearly better now.
41.Nxc5
Rxf4
42.Ra6
Rxh4
43.Rxa5
h5
44.Ke3
Rh2
45.Ra7+
Kf8
46.Rc7
Rxb2
47.Nd7+
Kg7
48.Rxc4
Rb3+
49.Kf2
Rxa3
50.Rh4
Bc6
51.Nf6
Rf3+
52.Ke2
Rf5
53.Nxh5+
Kg6
54.Ng3
Rxe5+
55.Kf2
Ra5
56.Rg4+
Kf6
57.Rg8
Ra2+
58.Ke3
Ke5
59.Rc8
Ra3+
60.Kf2
Bd5
61.Nf1
Ra2+
62.Ke3
f5
63.Nd2
f4+
64.Ke2
Kd4
65.Rf8
e5
66.Ke1
e4
0-1