A Gem from my First Zonal

By IM Jorge Egger

Jorge brings us an adventure from his first zonal tournament, played against another well-known titled player from ICC, not so long ago...

Egger,J (2410) - Vasquez,R (2475) [B96]
Brasilia(zt), 1993

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This game is from the 4th round of my first zonal tournament. I was 18 years old then, and this game against Vasquez (Kastor!) was very special. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qc7 8.Qf3 Nc6 More common alternatives are 8...Nbd7 and 8...b5. 9.Nxc6N [ECO gives 9.0-0-0 Nxd4 (9...Bd7 10.Bc4 Be7 11.Bb3 Na5 12.Rhe1 0-0 13.Kb1 Kh8 14.e5² Sax - Masic, Baja 1971) 10.Rxd4 Be7 11.Be2 0-0 12.Rhd1! e5 13.R4d2 exf4 14.Bxf4± but I wanted to play something different] 9...bxc6 10.0-0-0 Rb8?! This gives white the posibility of e5 and after the pawn exchanges Bf4 and the rook falls. 11.Bc4 Not only an attacking move, because the bishop can go to "b3" protecting "b2" 11...Be7 12.e5! dxe5 13.fxe5 Nd5 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Ne4 Now after the exchanges, the knight can enjoy "d6" 15...0-0 16.Rhf1 Rb4? After this the bishop can go to "d3", because "b2" is not attacked [16...Qb4 17.b3! a5 18.Rd3‚] 17.Bd3! Qh4 18.a3 Rb6 19.Kb1 Qe7 20.Ka1 Now white is ready for the attack. Black can´t allow the queen go to "h5" 20...f5 21.exf6 Nxf6 Now "e6" becomes a target. 22.Ng5! g6 [22...h6? 23.Nh7±] 23.Rde1± c5 24.Bc4 h6

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 25.Nxe6! Rxe6 [25...Bxe6 26.Rxe6 Rxe6 27.Re1+-] 26.Qc6 Kf7  [26...Re8 27.Rxf6!] 27.Re3! A very quiet move decides the game. Black's position is hopeless. 27...Kg7 What else? 28.Bxe6 Bb7 29.Bd5! White gives back the exchange enjoying a decisive advantage 29...Qxe3 30.Qxb7+ Kh8 31.Qxa6? In mutual time trouble white misses the good finish! [31.Rxf6+-] 31...Qe7 32.Qe6 Qxe6 33.Bxe6+- Now two pawns is too much. 33...Kg7 34.Bc4 Rd8 35.Re1 Rd2 36.Re2 Rd7 37.b3 h5 38.Kb2 h4 39.Re5 Rd2 40.Re2 Rd4 41.Re7+ Kh6 42.a4 Rd2 43.a5 Rxg2 44.a6 Rd2 45.Bd3 1-0