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(875529) Polgar,J (2658) - Timman,J (2655) [B57]
Corus 2000 Wijk aan Zee (7), 23.01.2000
[Rohde]
1.e4 c5 Timman plays the Sicilian Defense. 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 The Open Sicilian. Polgar is an attacking player who does not shy away from theoretical debates. 3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 Timman plays the Classical Sicilian with both knights out. 6.Bc4 This is the Sozin Variation, an old favorite of Bobby Fischer's. 6...Qb6 A popular move which sidesteps some of the main lines by interfering with White's knight, although the queen also loses time. 7.Nb3 The least controversial of White's knight retreats. More tactical are 7 Ndb5 and 7 Nde2. 7...e6 8.Bf4 Polgar sticks to a positional approach. More aggressive is the idea of castling and playing Kg1-h1 and f2-f4. 8...Ne5 9.Be2 Bd7 Timman wants to place a rook on the c-file right away to be ready to play ... Ne5-c4 if necessary. 10.0-0 Be7 11.a4 Looking for active play on the queenside. There is no possibility of a kingside attack right now. 11...0-0 Black would have loved to get his f-rook to c8 before being hit by a4-a5, and thn tuck his queen in with ... Qb6-d8. 12.a5 Naturally before ... Rf8-c8. 12...Qc7 13.a6 This maneuver aims to provide squares such as b5 and a5 for White's knights to use. 13...Rfb8 Not 13 ... b6 which would give White a permanent positional advantage through use of b5. 14.axb7 Otherwise, sooner or later, Black would take on a6. 14...Rxb7 15.Be3 Trying to make a weakness out of Black's a-pawn. 15...Rb4 Pressure against e4. Black seems not to have any major problems. 16.f3 a5 Black has the initiative as this pawn makes its way to a4. White has been pushed back on the queenside and has nothing going on in the other sectors. 17.Ra2 Defending b2. 17...a4 The pawn will be safe on this square. 18.Nd4 Polgar would like to try to use the b5 square to break up Black's grip on the queenside. 18...Nc4 To gain an edge on the light squares. 19.Bxc4 Qxc4 20.Qa1 Threatening b2-b3 as the move also protects c3. 20...Rc8 Stifling White attempts at freedom. 21.Rd1 e5 In the Open Sicilian, it is always good to eject the knight from d4 if Black can establish sufficient control over d5 afterwards. 22.Nde2 Bc6 A model Sicilian position for Black. 23.Nc1 Heading to the good defensive square d3. This will inhibit Black from expanding with ... d5. 23...Bd7 Regrouping by Timman. Clearly, one of his last two moves was not correct as he is losing time with this. 24.Nd3 Rbb8 25.Rd2 By protecting c2, the pawn on a4 is threatened. 25...Ra8 26.Ra3 With ... d5 prevented due to Nd3xe5, Polgar becomes a little bolder. Maybe she will be able to move the c3 knight and swing the rook over to c3. 26...h6 Unmoved, Timman takes time out to both make luft and stop the possibility of Be3-g5. 27.Ra2 Polgar is just marking time. 27...Bd8 28.Ra3 Asking Black whether he can accomplish anything here. 28...Ba5 29.Rf2 Bd8 A new repetition shuffle. 30.Rd2 Ba5 31.Rf2 Again Polgar offers a tacit draw through repetition. 31...Bd8 Drawn by repetition. Neither player felt they could make real improvements to their positions. 1/2-1/2
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