2016 Shamkir Rd1: A lukewarm start

[Event "Vugar Gashimov Mem 2016"] [Site "Shamkir AZE"] [Date "2016.05.26"] [Round "1"] [White "Safarli, E."] [Black "Eljanov, P."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A13"] [WhiteElo "2664"] [BlackElo "2765"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez,Alejandro"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "2016.05.26"] {Without a doubt this was the game of the day - if for no other reason than because how topsy-turvy this encounter was. Eljanov outplayed Safarli decisively, but was unable to finish him off.} 1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. g3 dxc4 4. Bg2 a6 5. Qc2 Bd6 6. Qxc4 Nf6 7. O-O b5 8. Qb3 {White's opening is rather unimpressive. Black will eventually play c5 and solve all of his opening problems. It would seem that a counterattack on the b5 pawn is White's idea, but that pawn is surprisingly safe.} Bb7 9. a4 Nbd7 {When Black can ignore a move like a4 and simply continue development, it is clear that White has no chance at an advantage.} 10. axb5 Bd5 (10... axb5 11. Rxa8 Qxa8 {was also possible, surprisingly.} 12. Qxb5 O-O 13. Qb3 Rb8 {and Black's initiative should not be underestimated. That being said, there is no reason to go for this.}) 11. Qc2 (11. Qd3 Be4 12. Qb3 Bd5 {Would be one way of making a draw.}) 11... axb5 12. Rxa8 Qxa8 13. Na3 $6 {The knight is rather misplaced here. If White could force Black to play b4 and then hop to c4, then I will be all for putting the knight on a3, but as it stands it is just misplaced.} Qb7 14. d3 c5 15. Bg5 O-O $15 {Already Black has the freer play.} 16. Rc1 Rc8 17. Nb1 { Admitting the mistake. At least the Knight is back into action.} h6 18. Bxf6 Nxf6 19. Nc3 Bc6 20. Qb3 Be7 21. Ra1 Ne8 22. Ne1 Bxg2 23. Nxg2 Nd6 {Black's advantage lies in his more active pieces and his space advantage on the queenside. The bishop once it comes to f6 will clearly be the strongest minor piece.} 24. Ne3 Bg5 25. Nf1 b4 26. Nb1 $2 {A bit too passive.} (26. Nd1 c4 27. dxc4 Nxc4 28. h4 {allows White to play Nfe3 next move and keep fighting on.}) 26... c4 $1 27. dxc4 Nxc4 {It is clear that Black's pieces are better than White's.} 28. e3 $2 Nxe3 $1 {Beautifully punishing the opponent's backwards pieces.} 29. fxe3 Rc1 30. Kf2 Qh1 $2 {Unfortunately this is just a big oversight.} (30... Qe4 $1 {Regains the piece with a winning position. For example:} 31. Nfd2 (31. Nbd2 Qf5+ {and Rxa1.}) (31. Qa2 Qf5+ 32. Ke2 Qxf1+) 31... Qh1 {is no devastating, with mate threats.} 32. Qd3 Qxh2+ 33. Kf3 Qh1+ 34. Kf2 Qg1+ 35. Kf3 f5 $1 {A key move that is hard to see, but now White has no defense.}) 31. Qd3 {All of White's pieces are protected for now.} f5 $6 ( 31... e5 {with the threat of e4 keeps the initiative going.}) 32. h4 Be7 $6 { too passive, but the saving alternative was a bit crazy.} (32... f4 $1 33. exf4 (33. hxg5 Rxf1+ 34. Qxf1 fxg3+ 35. Ke2 g2 {and now it is White that has to go on the counterattack or lose.} 36. Ra8+ Kh7 37. Qf7 g1=N+ $1 38. Kd2 Qxa8 { with, surprisingly, equality.}) 33... Bf6 {with the threat of Bd4+.}) (32... Bxh4 33. gxh4 h5 $1 {is not human.}) 33. Ra5 f4 34. exf4 Qc6 (34... Bc5+ 35. Rxc5 Rxc5 36. Nbd2 {is pretty hopeless for Black. The knights will dominate the rook.}) 35. Re5 (35. Ne3 $1) 35... Bc5+ 36. Rxc5 Qxc5+ 37. Ne3 b3 38. Nd2 Rc2 $1 {Tricky to the end!} 39. Kf3 $6 (39. Ke2 Rxb2 40. Nd1 {still is bad for Black, though with all the pawns on the same side and the weak king there might be some hope of saving the position.}) 39... Rxb2 40. Qd8+ Kh7 41. Qd3+ Kh8 42. Qd8+ (42. Nxb3 Qc6+ 43. Kg4 h5+ 44. Kxh5 Qf3+ 45. g4 Qxf4 {and even though White can still hold here, it looks like he is playing for the loss.}) 42... Kh7 43. Qd3+ {Safarli forces the draw, but his advantage doesn't exist anymore anyway. He cannot win the b3 pawn unscathed.} 1/2-1/2