Schipkov, Boris - Leko, Peter [D97], Kecskemet 1991

Chess Siberia

Schipkov, Boris - Leko, Peter [D97]
Kecskemet 1991

Notes by Boris Schipkov

At that moment, before the game with the future pretender for the World Chess Championship Peter Leko, I was in the lead in the tournament with 8 out of 11. It was necessary for me to make a draw to achieve the norm of the international master.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Na6 8. Bf4
I offered a draw here, but received a polite refusal.
8...c5 9. dxc5 Qa5 10. e5 Nd7 11. a3 Qxc5

12. Qe4
If 12.Nd5?!, then 12...Nb6! 13.Qxc5 Nxc5 14.Nxe7+ Kh8 15.Rc1 Ne6 16.Be3 Bd7 17.Be2 Rae8 18.Bxb6 axb6 19.Nd5 Bc6 20.Rd1 f6 with a clear advantage to Black, Piket,J-Ivanchuk,V Tilburg 1989.
12...Nb6 13. Be3 Qc7 14. Rc1
It is dangerous to grab the exchange 14.Bxa6 bxa6 15.Bxb6 Qxb6 16.Qxa8 Bb7 17.Na4 Qa5+ 18.b4 Qb5 19.Qxa7?! Bxf3 20.Qe3 Bxg2 21.Rg1 Qxe5 22.Qxe5 Bxe5 23.Rd1 Bf3 24.Rd3 Bxh2 25.Rg5 Be4 26.Rd4 Bc6 27.Nc5 Ra8 with the better chances for Black. Correct is 19.Nc3 Qc6 20.Nd5 Qxd5 21.Qxa7 Bxe5 22.Rc1 Bb2 23.0-0 Bxc1 24.Rxc1 with an equal game. Therefore instead of 16...Bb7 it is possible to continue more aggressively 16...Bh3! and after 17.Qxf8+ Bxf8 18.0-0 Qxb2 Black has an edge in the position with an original combination of pieces.
14...Bf5 15. Qh4 Rac8 16. Bxa6 bxa6 17. O-O Qb7 18. b3

18...f6!?
In New In Chess Yearbook 17 Eingorn, V. considered only 18...Nd5 19.Nxd5 Qxd5 20.Bh6 with a minimal advantage to White.
19. exf6 exf6 20. Nd4 Bd7 21. Bh6
21.Rfd1!? deserves attention.
21...Rfe8
21...g5 22.Qh5 Be8 23.Qh3 Bd7 leads to repetition.
22. Bxg7 Kxg7 23. Qg3 Qc7!
A nice move.
24. Qxc7 Rxc7 25. Nce2 Rec8
An equal endgame has arisen.
26. Rxc7 Rxc7 1/2-1/2 Draw.
As the result I achieved the IM norm and solely occupied the first place, but was not the only player in the tournament who did not lose a game.
Who else did not suffer a defeat?
Correctly, it was Peter Leko!

Schipkov, Boris (2355) - Leko, Peter (2255) [D97]
Kecskemet (10) 1991

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Na6 8. Bf4 c5 9. dxc5 Qa5 10. e5 Nd7 11. a3 Qxc5 12. Qe4 Nb6 13. Be3 Qc7 14. Rc1 Bf5 15. Qh4 Rac8 16. Bxa6 bxa6 17. O-O Qb7 18. b3 f6 19. exf6 exf6 20. Nd4 Bd7 21. Bh6 Rfe8 22. Bxg7 Kxg7 23. Qg3 Qc7 24. Qxc7 Rxc7 25. Nce2 Rec8 26. Rxc7 Rxc7 1/2-1/2

The scoresheet of the game with the signature of the future World Vice-Champion Peter Leko

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