Dorobanov,S (1900 BG) - Aleksiev,D (2320) [E56]
Slavianovo Open, Bulgaria 1988
(Dorobanov, 1999)

The memories of this tournament will always seem like yesterday. Not just because I defeated my first master there, but there were many little things that still sound in my head. Things as silly as the sound of breaking glass in the back room of the restaurant. Other things more significant, such as my father staying to watch me play the entire first round (had never happened before and it never repeated). Maybe that's what helped me win this memorable game. I have a picture of my dad watching my coach and I go through the game afterwards, I'll scan and post it here soon. The master was D. Aleksiev, 2nd highest rated in the tournament after my coach. Probably he didn't need the help, but with his main competition out of the way, my coach went on to win the tournament! But the most unbelievable follow up of the story was just ahead. One year later my coach and I took a trip to Turgovishte, some 300 miles from home. Alexiev was there, he revenged by defeating my coach in the last round. I, on the other hand, lost to one of HIS students, right besides them on the 2nd table row. Their revenge was complete, my coach and I - real pissed! 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Bd3 d5 That's about as much as I knew! I was really a 1.e4 player but some temporary success in blitz with 1.d4 convinced me to open this way. I didn't know much theory, but Nimzo-Indian was my defense as Black, so despite facing a different line I was familiar with the main ideas and found my game through the middlegame. 7.0-0 Nc6 8.a3 Ba5

[8...Bxc3 is the most popular book line, although 8...Ba5, 8...cxd4, and 8...dxc4 are also theoretical responses.] 9.cxd5 cxd4?! With this move Black chooses to play tactically. Here's a general advice which stands to be true: Against stronger opponents it is in your interest to enter complications. Play tactically, go for the messy lines when you get a chance! The more complicated the position, the more likely that someone will make a mistake and it is him who stands to lose more. Playing simple calm positions generally benefits the more experienced player, who will eventually wing you out in the endgame. Otherwise, the fact that 9...cxd4 happens to be inaccuracy is coincidental. [¹9...exd5² as recommended by ECO. Black is prepared to lose his c5-pawn in exchange for demolishing White's queenside pawn structure.] 10.dxc6 dxc3 11.bxc3?! White misses out on a very strong line here which could have given him a significant advantage: [¹11.b4! Bb6 12.Qc2 bxc6 13.Qxc3ƒ and White is about to generate a nice initiative on the b1-h7 and a1-h8 diagonals with his bishop pair; Rd1 comes with tempo on the black queen, completing an ideal development. In addition, Black has a permanent structural weakness on c6, although eventually he should improve his situation a little by undermining with ...a7-a5. (13.Rd1± was also a good continuation, choosing to recover the pawn on the next move.) ] 11...Bxc3 Even Fritz5 believes this to be Black's main choice, however considering the game continuation, it is not the best move. [¹11...bxc6 Black was definitely better off with this modest move. The position is symmetrically equal, for example: 12.Qc2 Qe7 13.e4 e5=] 12.Rb1! [‹12.cxb7? Bxb7 only helps Black complete his development.] 12...bxc6 13.Qc2 Ba5 14.Bb2!©

White is currently down a pawn but there is no way Black can keep that. Besides, the growing attack on the kingside offers White enough compensation. [14.Qxc6?? Qxd3 15.Qxa8 Qxb1-+] 14...Bd7 Now almost a forced long sequence of moves follows. 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Be4 Rfc8 18.Rfd1 Rc7 19.Qc5! Double attack on a5 and h5, White's advantage borders with the winning one. 19...Bb6 20.Qh5+ Qh6™ 21.Qxf7 Qf6 22.Qh5+ Qh6 23.Qxh6+ gxh6 24.Ne5+-

I was very excited here, realizing I have a technically winning position. He, on the other hand, was very nervous and kept giving me looks which spelled "I want to physically beat the living hell out of you". If I knew he was going to blow the pieces all over me at the end of the game, I should have told him (in this position) "I made your pawns look like your grandmother's teeth"! Of course, I would never be so rude, I hope you can believe that (it's a Bulgarian chess joke). 24...Be8 25.Rd6 Rac8 26.Rxe6 Kg7 Usually, the first time one wins against a significantly stronger player it is because of luck. But, I can only wonder how I managed to play so accurately between moves 12 and 24, all of which Fritz5 advises firmly, for both sides! You can probably check that yourself, I think everybody has the famous Fritz these days... 27.Ng4? A waste of time, after 27...h5 the knight can only return in the center. In the next a few moves Black gathers enough resources for counterplay on the queenside, greatly improving his position yet not enough to save the game. [¹27.Bg6] 27...h5 28.Ne5 Bc5 29.Rc1? Bxa3 30.Rc3 I was after the c6-pawn, I thought it was the only danger for me, and that was entirely wrong. First of all, c6 is what keeps Black's pieces so passive, and secondly, there isn't enough time to capture that pawn in the first place! 30...Bb4! 31.Rc4 c5 32.Bc2 Rd8 33.g4! Time to quit screwing around! Now my opponent's time pressure started to kick in, making my task easier. 33...Bb5 34.Rg6+ Kh8 35.Rf4 Rd2 36.Rf5! Bc4™

[36...Rxc2? 37.Rxh5+ Rh7 38.Nf7# was mate, which is why Black had to cover the square f7 via 36...Bc4, only move.] 37.Rxh5+ Rh7 38.Rf5 Rh3 Clearing the square h7 for the king, since 39.Rf8# was threatened, however now the rook is in trouble: 39.Kg2! Bf1+ 40.Kxf1 Rxh2 41.Rf8+ Kh7 42.Rf7+ Kh8 43.Kg1 Rh4 44.Re6 and the dark defenders cannot hold any longer. As mentioned earlier, Dimo didn't show much sportsmanship upon resignation, but when he cooled off in the restaurant he came over at our table to apologize and sign my record sheet. We became friends eventually, although our next encounter, as briefly mentioned, was anything but friendly over the board! :-) 1-0