Closed Lopez.

The Ruy Lopez arises after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5

Igor Ivanov - Grigory Kajdanov, US Open? 1992 C78 1 e4  [A rare guest in Ivanov's repertoire.]  e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 O-O Be7 6 Qe2  [The Worall Attack, which is due for a surge in popularity following Short's successful use of it in his match against Karpov.]  b5 7 Bb3 O-O 8 c3 d5  [This continuation is a close relative of the Marshall counter-gambit. The only difference is that it is White's queen, rather than White's rook as in the Marshall, that will end up on e5.]  9 d3  [The main line. On the immediate 9 exd5, 9 ... Bg4! 10 dxc6 e4 produces sufficient compensation.]  h6!?  [ECO omits this move, and gives instead the alternatives 9 ... d4, ... Re8, ... Bc5, ... dxe4, ... Bg4, and ... Qd6. But 9 ... h6 is well motivated: if White continues to refuse the sacrifice, ... h6 joins the battle to control d5 by stopping a thematic Bg5, and if White accepts the pawn sacrifice, ... h6 usefully prevents White from offering piece exchanges on the g5 square.]  10 exd5 Nxd5 11 Nxe5 Nxe5 12 Qxe5 Nf6  [By delaying ... Bb7 until after the queen has been kicked out by ... Bd6, Black ensures that the White queen cannot utilize the f5 square.]  13 Nd2 Bd6 14 Qe2  [Probably better was 14 Qd4! Bb7 15 a4. The idea is that the queen could settle, if necessary, on h4, where it would remain a thorn in Black's side. For example, (after 15 a4) 15 ... c5 16 Qh4 Kh7 (threatening 17 ... g5) 17 Nf3 is good.]  Bb7  [Black is now looking forward to a massive buildup with 15 ... Qd7 and 16 ... Rae8, so Ivanov scrambles to exchange pieces.]  15 Ne4 Nxe4 16 dxe4 Qe7  [White would be well suited by 16 ... Qd7 17 Bd5, or 16 ... Re8 17 Qf3.]  17 Re1 Rge8 18 Qg4 Kh8  DIAGRAM  19 Qh3  [It was high time to establish equality with 19 Bf4! f5 20 Bxd6 cxd6 21 Qg3. The text threatens 20 Bxh6, but after Kajdanov's reply the c1 bishop is reduced to the role of a spectator. However, Ivanov welcomes the resulting complications.] f5!! 20 e5  [Much better than the groveling 20 f3, which has the idea that if Black plays for space with ... f4, then at least White maintains his e4 bulwark, but fails to 20 ... Bc5+ 21 Kh1 fxe4 22 fxe4 Bf2, etc., or 21 Be3? Bxe3+ 22 Rxe3 Qc5.]  f4! 21 Bc2  [Toughest was 21 Bd2!, forcing Black to take on e5, if at all, with the awkward bishop. After 21 Bd2 Bxe5 22 Bc2 (with the idea 23 Qd3; if 22 ... f3 23 Bxh6!) Rd8 23 Rad1 Qf6 White is still under heavy pressure.]  Qg5  [Stops both 23 Bg6 and 23 Qd3.]  22 e6  [Not 22 Be4? Rxe5 23 f3 Rfe8. 22 Bd2, looking for simplification, was to be considered.]  Rf6 23 Bb3?  [A clear road to equality is not evident. Though it seems correct to defend the e-pawn, and the e-file, the bishop was well placed defensively on the b1-h7 diagonal. On 23 Bd2 Rfxe6 24 f3?, intending Re2 25 Kf1! Qe5 26 Qf5! and White repels the attack, Black has 24 ... Bc8!, and then 25 Rxe6 Bxe6 26 Re1 Qc5+! winning. So White must try, after 23 Bd2 Rfxe6, 24 Rxe6 Rxe6 25 Re1 Rxe1+ 26 Be1, hoping that his latent counterplay with Qe6 or Qd7 will materialize once his queen is relieved of the duty to defend g2.]  Rg6 24 f3 Qc5+ 25 Kf1  DIAGRAM  Rg5!  [By menacing 26 ... Rh5, Kajdanov budges the queen off her defensive perch.]  26 Qh4 Bxf3!! 27 gxf3 Rg1+ 28 Ke2 Rg2+ 29 Kd3  [The point is 29 Kd1 Be7 30 Qh3 Qf2.]  Be7 30 Qh3 Rd8+ 31 Ke4 Qc6+ 32 Kxf4 Rf8+ 33 Ke3 Bc5+ 0 - 1