Round 6 of the 2019 Doprastav Open played in Bratislava. I rarely know little or no theory in the opening. That is exactly what happened this game.
I faced a higher rated opponent on the last day of the tournament. I was sleepless, tired, and would have given anything to have a rest day. But I came to the game and still promised myself I was going to do my best.
I had time to prepare for my opponent but didn’t really know much about the system I was about to play. I looked at the options and thought I was going to be ok. We did end up playing what I feared the most. He plays the Sicilian, mostly Nc6, and he played it in the game too.
I usually meet that with d4 or f3(??), but for the game I prepared a recommendation by my coach; Bb5, with the idea of taking on c6 and 0-0, Re1. I found one move which isn’t played that often because I wanted to complicate matters and I played it. My opponent thought for quite a while in the opening but managed to get a good position and meet my opening moves correctly.
The resulting position was better for him, but playable nonetheless. Afterwards, though, with a couple of wrong decisions, I gave him a chance to start a vicious attack. Needless to say that he did.
I was crushed, cramped and getting mated. Somehow I swindled him into an almost equal endgame. By that point we were both desperately low on time (a minute or so left). And I played an endgame to cry over…
S. Tomic (1859) vs A. Nagy (2072), 2019 Doprastav Open, Bratislava, Round 6, 04/21/2019, Sicilian Defense, Rossolimo
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. c4 Bg7 6. Nc3 d6 7. O-O e5 8. d3 Ne7 9. Ne1 Rb8 10. Qe2 O-O 11. f4 f5 12. fxe5 Bxe5 13. Bf4 Bxf4 14. Rxf4 g5 15. Rf2 Ng6 16. b3 f4 17. Rd1 Qf6 18. Na4 g4 19. Qb2 Qh4 20. Rf1 Be6 21. Qd2 Qf6 22. d4 Rbd8 23. Nc3 cxd4 24. Qxd4 Ne5 25. Kh1 Qg5 26. Qd2 g3 27. h3 Qh5 28. Qe2 Bg4 29. Nf3 Rf6 30. Kg1 Nxf3+ 31. Rxf3 Rh6 32. Rxg3 fxg3 33. Qxg4+ Qxg4 34. hxg4 Rf8 35. Ne2 Rf2 36. Nxg3 Rxa2 37. Nf5 Re6 38. Nxd6 Ra3 39. Rd3 a5 40. Nf5 Rxe4 41. Kh2 Kf8 42. Rf3 Re1 43. Nd4+ Ke7 44. Nxc6+ Kd6 45. Nd4 Raa1 46. Kg3 Reb1 47. Kf4 Kc5 48. Ne6+ Kb4 49. Nd4 Kc5 50. Ne6+ Kb4 51. Nd4 Ra2 52. g3 Rd1 53. Nc6+ Kc5 54. Ne5 Ra3 55. Kg5 Kd4 56. Nc6+ Ke4 57. Rf4+ Kd3 58. Rf5 Rda1 59. Kh6 Kc3 60. Rf3+ Kb2 61. Kxh7 Rxb3 62. Rxb3+ Kxb3 63. Nxa5+ Rxa5 64. Kh6 Kxc4 65. g5 Kd5 66. g6 Ke6 67. g4 Kf6 0-1
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