A. Galliamova - A. Lastin [B17]

Minsk op 8th/Minsk (5) 2000

Lastin

Time after time this happens to me... You play calmly and then you realize that you have took part in some "almost immortal game". Either I sacrifice half of my pieces, or I accept such a sacrifice... Though it may seem strange, I did not experienced any particular feeling before this game. As a rule, I play quite succesful against the fair sex!

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5 Ngf6 6. Bd3 e6 7. Qe2!?

Alisa complained after the game: "I played so intendedly, in order not to sacrifice a piece!"

7... h6!?

I would have never made such a move, if Evseev had not played it against me in round 1. He lost that game and said that 7.Qe2 is not the most precise move for White. During this game, when my King walked on the rope, I asked Denis again if he was sure in his evaluation of Black's move 7. It turned out after the game that White scored almost 80 per cent in this variation...

8. Nxe6 fxe6 9. Bg6+ Ke7 10. Nf3 Qc7

It seems to be the only sound plan for Black, including Bd6 and Kd8.

11. O-O Kd8 12. c4 Bd6 13. g3N

Previously happened 13.Re1 and 13.Bd2, with the same (positive) result. However, the text move is not too bad...

13... b6 14. Rd1 Ke7

# Parrying two unpleasant threats: c5 and Ne5; however:

15. c5!?

The most st raightforward continuation: the black King is literally attracting the white pieces and White's desire to sacrifice and to attack is quite natural...

15... bxc5 16. dxc5 Nxc5 17. Rxd6

It is forced: otherwise, Black would defend successfully after 17...Nd5.

17... Qxd6 18. Bf4 Qd5! 19. Rd1 Ba6 20. Qc2 Bd3 21. Qc3!? Rhd8 22. Be3! Nce4 23. Qa3+ Rd6 24. Bf4

New tank attack...

24... Rad8 25. Bxd6+ Rxd6 26. Ne1 Qd4 27. Nxd3

White wins back the material at last, but... the scene has drastically changed! Her King, who has been watching his counterpart's torture from the safe bunker, now gets under attacks of survived black cavalry headed by the black Queen!

27... Ng5! 28. Rc1 Nfe4

Until th is moment me and Alisa moved our pieces on the board calmly. But this calmness was carried away after we found that we've been left with something about five minutes on the clock! My nerves resembled the steel ropes... Meanwhile my pretty opponent began to admit errors, one after another, and our game ended soon, to the much disappointment of numerous spectators:

29. h4? Nh3+!

The Knight raids into the residence of the white King!

30. Kg2 Nhxf2 31. Rxc6??

Alisa was in the severest time trouble and, apparently, made the first possible move...

31... Nxd3 32. Rxd6 Qf2+ 33. Kh3 Qxg3+

At the closing ceremony, I suddenly received the first creative prize for this chaotic game! Perhaps, it was designed to improve the general negative impression caused by the paltry prizes. Honestly, I did not commit in this game anything deserving the prize...

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