1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 h6 9.Be3 Bd7 In Smirin - Yermolinsky from round 4 of this event, 9 ... Be7 was played. 10.f3 This setup envisions an "English Attack" with g2-g4-g5 using a lever against the h6 pawn should Black castle on the kingside. 10...b5 11.Kb1 Ne5 A provocative move which Ashley has experimented with several times, figuring that White has already committed his f-pawn to f3. However, White's powerful knight on d4 is no longer marked,

and White can try to push through in the center. 12.Bd3 It is true that 12 f4 b4! is not that impressive for White, but preparing with 12 a3! instead gives White good possibilities after 12 ... Rc8 13 f4. 12...b4 13.Nce2 d5!? An "efficient" defense of the pawn on b4, although the opening of the center can be harrowing. Also possible was 13 ... a5. 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Nf4 Shabalov is looking to exploit his superior development by ridding the board of Black's centralized knights. 15 Be4 would not have been threatening due to loss of control of the c4 square. 15...Nxe3 16.Qxe3 Bd6

17.Ndxe6! White has to strike before Black's positional trumps (strong dark-squared bishop, good central control, possible queenside counterattack) become the dominant factors. 17...Bxe6 Not 17 ... fxe6 18 Ng6 recovering the material as 18 ... Nxg6 19 Bxg6+ Ke7 20 Qd4 is crushing. 18.Nxe6 fxe6 19.f4 Nxd3 Best. By huddling his pieces together, Black will just barely be able to preserve his extra piece. 20.Rxd3 Qe7 21.Qb6 Rd8 22.Rhd1

22...Qc7 23.Qxa6 Ke7 White has picked up a couple of pawns for the bishop, and Black has lost the right to castle. Black has the better practical chances, as he may be able to untangle. 24.Re3 Rhe8 25.f5 It is a very good idea to both open the position, and reduce the number of pawns on the board. 25...Kf7 26.fxe6+ Rxe6 27.Rxe6 Kxe6 28.Qd3 Be7 29.Qg6+ Bf6 30.Re1+ Kd6 31.a3 Qc5 32.Qf7 Kc6 33.Re6+ Rd6 34.Rxd6+ Qxd6 35.Qc4+ Qc5 36.Qxb4 Qg1+ 37.Ka2 Qxg2

38.Qc4+ Kd6 39.Qb4+ Kc6 40.Qc4+ Kd6 41.Qb4+ Kc6