(178) PB - Meijers,V [E16]
EU Championship 2006 (10), 15.09.2006
[Bennett,Pat]



1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 d6 6.c4 Nbd7 7.Nc3 Ne4 8.Nxe4 Bxe4 9.d5 exd5 10.cxd5
I don't know this opening well, but I was feeling very happy with my position at this point.

10...Nf6 11.Nd4 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Qd7 13.Qd3
The pawn on d5 is untouchable, of course.

13...Be7 14.Nc6 0-0 15.b3 Rfe8 16.Bb2 Ng4 17.Nxe7+ Rxe7 18.Rac1 f6 19.Rc2 Qe8 20.Rfc1 Qf7 21.e4 h5 22.f3 Nh6 23.Qa6
I was unsure about this, and concerned about the tactics Black can generate against my king. Better is 23.Rc4. However, I decided to go for the QBP and see what happened.

23...f5 24.Qb7 fxe4
Reckless. Presumably, he did not even consider the Queen sac. [24...Rae8 25.Rxc7 fxe4 26.fxe4 Rf8 27.Bd4 Qf3+ 28.Kg1 Rxc7 29.Qxc7 Nf7 And Black has the advantage.]

25.Qxa8+ Re8 26.Qxe8+ Qxe8 27.Rxc7
The dual threat of Rxg7 and Rc8 wins. The end can only be delayed a few moves.

27...exf3+ 28.Kxf3 Qf8+ 29.Kg2 Nf7 30.Rc8 Nd8 31.R1c7 Qe8 32.Rxg7+ Kf8 33.Kf3 1-0