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(875525) Ashley,M (2483) - Reinderman,2 (2525) [B31]
Corus 2000 Wijk aan Zee B Section (2), 19.01.2000
[Rohde]
1.e4 Ashley switches between many different openings. 1...c5 Reindermann is an e4 player himself and plays the Sicilian Defense. 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 A popular method of pressing for an initiative without dealing with the Open Sicilian. 3...g6 Generally the main line although Black has many alternatives. 4.Bxc6 This direct approach has become more popular lately. Formerly (4 O-O Bg7 5 c3) or 5 Re1 were preferred. 4...dxc6 The safer recapture. On 4 ... bxc6 5 O-O White tries to get a quick and disruptive e4-e5 in. 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nc3 Ashley follows recent ideas - Adams has shown that such quiet play in the center can yield results. He did well with this system against Kramnik in Las Vegas. 7...Nd7 8.Be3 e5 9.a3 A reaction to the center-closing ... e5. 9...a5 I am not sure how necessary it is to stop White from playing b2-b4. 10.0-0 0-0 11.Qd2 It is a good plan to exchange dark-squared bishops leaving Black with a fairly useless light-squared one. 11...a4 Planning for the future but the main battle will be on the kingside. White has a pull here. 12.Bh6 Qe7 Clearly the queen belongs here for defensive purposes. 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Nh2 Ashley is executing a strong plan to take advantage of Black's time-wasting opening play. The f-file will be pried open. 14...f6 Black is in no shape for a move like ... f5. 15.f4 exf4 16.Qxf4 Ne5 17.Nf3 This leaves Black with a scopeless bishop to contend with White's remaining knight. 17...Nxf3+ A little passive in my opinion. Better was 17 ... Bd7 allowing White to capture on e5. Then 18 Nxe5 Qxe5 19 Qxe5 fxe5 and Black will hold the draw. The text move allows White to immediately triple on the f-file and uses up Black's only outpost. 18.Rxf3 b5 19.Raf1 White has a clear advantage now. 19...Be6 20.Nd1 The knight is hunting for a route into the attack. Black would love to trade bishop for knight here. 20...Rad8 21.Ne3 Rf7 22.Qh4 Rdf8 23.Qe1 Looking to pressurize f6 by placing the queen on c3. Then g2-g4-g5 becomes something to think about. 23...Qd6 Prepared to answer 24 Qc3 with 24 ... b4. 24.Qa5?! A bizarre-looking move but Ashley is exploring the idea of playing c2-c4 to try to open up a second front. 24...Qe5 25.Qb6 Ashley is relying on his f-file pressure to justify poking around like this with his queen. 25...Bd7 26.c3 Determined to open up new fronts. Ashley is playing well to maximize his chances here. 26...Rb8 Trying to repel the intruder. 27.Qa6 A very committal move! Ashley does not back out with 27 Qa5. 27...Qc7 Threatening the vicious ... Bc8! 28.Rxf6 Forced. Ashley had to plan this when he played 27 Qa6?! 28...Rxf6 29.Rxf6 Rb6 Definitely not 29 ... Kxf6?? 30 Nd5+, and 29 ... Bc8? now fails to 30 Qxc6. 30.Qa8 The point of Ashley's combination is that now if 30 ... Kxf6 31 Qf8+ Ke6, or 31 ... Kg5? 32 h4+, then 32 d4! 30...Rb8 This move forces a draw if Black wants it. 31.Qa6 Rb7 A new twist - Reindermann is threatening 32 ... Ra7 to win the queen. Thus, White's reply is forced again. 32.Qa8 Bc8 Now the White rook is really threatened, and if it leaves the sixth rank, Black can play ... Rb8 or ... Ra7 to pick off the queen. 33.e5 So that the rook can maintain the pressure against c6 to prevent White's queen from being trapped by a Black rook move. 33...Qxe5 This concedes a draw. On other moves, White shores up with d3-d4 and is fine. 34.Qxc8 All the pieces other than the queens are hanging now. 34...Qxe3+ This leads to perpetual check. 35.Kh1 Qe1+ 36.Kh2 Qe5+ A very interesting conclusion sparked by Ashley's wild queen maneuvers! 1/2-1/2
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