1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 4. O-O a6 5. Ba4 d6 6. c3 b5

?! Only played 8 times out of 99. This is premature, giving White a Q-side target with a4 hit. In any case the Bishop goes back to b3 in the main line. Bd7+Ng6 is best. AS IN STEWART'S BOOK LINE - but he's forgotten it ! The point is Black SHOULD BE CONSOLIDATING HIS e5 STRONGPOINT AND COMPLETING HIS DEVELOPMENT [Bd7 Ng6 Be7 etc] and he may then [with a solid centre] even be in a position to attack the King-side

6... Ng6 7. d4 Bd7 8. d5 Nb8 9. c4 Be7 10. Be3 (10. Nc3 O-O 11. Bxd7 Nxd7 =) 10... O-O 11. Nc3 f5 12. exf5 Bxf5 13. Nd2 Bg5 14. Nde4 Bxe3 15. fxe3 Qh4 16. Ng3 Bg4 17. Rxf8+ Nxf8 18. Qb3 b6 19. Nce4 Nbd7 20. Rf1 Rd8 21. Qc2 Nc5 22. Qf2 Qe7 23. Bc2 Ng6 24. Nxc5 bxc5 25. h3 Bc8 26. Bxg6 hxg6 27. e4 Bd7 28. Ne2 Rb8 29. b3 a5 30. Qg3 Kh7 31. a4 c6 32. Qc3 Qh4 33. g4 Kg8 34. Kg2 Rb4 35. Rf3 Qg5 36. Ng3 Be8 37. Qd3 Qe7 38. Qd1 Kh7 39. Rd3 Qb7 40. Qf3 Qe7 41. Qd1 Qb7 42. Kg1 cxd5 43. exd5 Bxa4 44. Ne4 Rxb3 45. Nxd6 Qb8 46. Rxb3 Bxb3 47. Qb1 Qxd6 48. Qxb3 e4 49. Qe3 a4 50. Kg2 Qe5 51. Qe1 Qf6 52. Qd1 a3 53. d6 a2 54. d7 a1=Q 55. Qxa1 Qxa1 56. d8=Q Qb2+ 57. Kg3 Qc3+ 58. Kh2 Qe1 59. h4 e3 60. h5 0-1, Kunte Abhijit 2556 - Iuldachev Saidali 2515 , Kelamabakkam 2000 It (cat.11)

6... Bd7 7. d4 Ng6 8. d5 Nb8 9. Bxd7+ Nxd7 10. c4 Be7 11. Nc3 h6 12. a3 Bg5 13. Nxg5 hxg5 14. g3 Qf6 15. b4 Nf4 16. Ra2 Qg6 17. f3 Nh3+ 18. Kh1 g4 19. fxg4 Nf6 20. Qf3 Nxg4 21. c5 Nf6 22. Rc2 Rh5 23. Be3 1/2-1/2, Van Der Wiel John T H 2544 - TkachievVladislav 2648 , Cannes 1999 Match

7. Bb3

7. Bc2 Ng6 8. a4 Rb8 9. axb5 axb5 10. d4 exd4 11. Nxd4 Nxd4 12. cxd4 Be7 13. f4 Bf6 14. Nc3 c6 15. e5 dxe5 16. dxe5 Qb6+ 17. Kh1 Be7 18. Qh5 Qc5 19. Qe2 O-O 20. Be3 Qb4 21. f5 Nxe5 22. Ba7 Bd6 23. Bxb8 Bxb8 24. Rab1 Ng4 25. Ne4 Ne5 26. Qh5 f6 27. Rf4 Qe7 28. Bb3+ Nf7 29. Rh4 h6 30. Qg6 Kh8 31. Rf1 Bd7 32. Rf3 Ng5 33. Rfh3 Be8 34. Rxh6+ gxh6 35. Qxh6+ Nh7 36. Be6 Qg7 37. Qc1 Qg4 38. Nf2 Qf4 39. Ng4 Bf7 40. Qg1 Qa4 41. Qb1 Be5 42. Bc4 Be6 43. Qa2 bxc4 0-1, Vujakovic Branko 2375 - Blatny Pavel 2490 , Bad Woerishofen 1988 It (open)

7... Na5

? This has only been played once by a patzer in a simul versus Alekhine. It's a bit pointless as White has the simple Bc2. But Stewart has a weird phobia about Bishops and hitting them with N-R4 etc. Now Black will have a problem after White's a4 as his Knight may be pinned against his Rook. In any case the Knight is not well placed and may be hit with b4.

8. Bc2 Bg4

? Another of Stewart's phobias - play Bishops to N5 !

8... Ng6 9. a4 c6 10. axb5 cxb5 11. d4 Be7 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 dxe5 14. Qh5 Nc6 15. Rd1 Qc7 16. Na3 Bb7 17. Bb3 O-O 18. Nc2 Na5 19. Bd5 Bxd5 20. Rxd5 f6 21. Qg4 Rfd8 22. Bh6 Bf8 23. Ne3 Kh8 24. Rxd8 Qxd8 25. Rd1 Qc8 26. Rd7 gxh6 27. Nd5 Ra7 28. Nxf6 1-0, Alekhine Alexander A 2700 - De Carvalho A, Lisbon1940 Simultan eous exhibition.

8... c5 !? 9. d4 exd4 10. cxd4 Bb7 +0.34 Tiger 15.0

9. h3 Bh5

+0.78

?! Black should repent, admit the error of his ways and retreat to d7. Now he does not have the Ng6 option so he is getting his knickers in a twist. Now both his Bishop and his Queen Knight are misplaced.

10. d4

Stewart misplaces his pieces

Now Stewart realises he can no longer support his e5 strong point with Ng6, which is the usual plan. It's a cock up.

10. b4 !? 10... Nc4 11. a4 Nb6 12. d4 +.82 Black is under presure in the centre and on the Q-wing.

10... f6

+0.73

Black's pieces are in disarray. White now should follow up with a4 ! with a good position. But he misplays the position badly and the position changes considerably in just a few moves.

11. dxe5

? Why oh Why ? This gives up his central advantage, frees up Black's position [especially the dark squared Bishop]. Play a4 first. The point is that White has a nasty combination here. But it relies on a4! first.

11. a4 ! Black's position is beginning to look loose and full of holes e.g. 11... Bf7 12. dxe5 fxe5 (12... dxe5 ? 13. axb5 ! with a winning position. 13... Qxd1 14. Rxd1 Nb3 (14... Bb3 15. Ne1 Bxc2 16. Nxc2 Nb3 17. Rxa6) 15. Rxa6) 13. axb5 axb5 14. Nxe5 ! This sack is the point of a4 and takes advantage of Black's poor Knight position. 14... dxe5 15. Qxd8+ Kxd8 16. b4 Nec6 17. Bd3 Bc4 18. Bxc4 bxc4 19. bxa5 Rxa5 +1.29 20. Bg5+ with White advantage.

11... dxe5 12. g4

? This weakens f4 square giving Black a good Knight outpost there. It also drives the light squared Bishop to a better square !Here a4! should be played.

12. a4 Qb8 13. axb5 axb5 14. Qd3 +0.70 Tiger 15.0

12... Bf7 13. a4

It's too late - Now Black can cover the position.

13. Qxd8+ Rxd8 14. b4 Nc4 15. a4 =

13... Qxd1

13... Qc8 is liked by the computer, but it is NOT clear to me that it is any better than Qxd1 14. axb5 axb5 15. b4 (15. Qe2 Bc4 16. Bd3 h5 Black is ok.) 15... Nc4 16. Rxa8 Qxa8 17. g5

14. Rxd1

-0.60

White throws away the initiative

? Again this is an error.

14. Bxd1 ! 14... b4 (14... Nb3 15. Bxb3 Bxb3 The point is that a Rook is not attacked on d1 now.) 15. cxb4 Nac6 16. Bd2 Bg6 17. Bc2 Nc8 18. b5 axb5 19. Nc3 Nb4 with an unclear position.

14... Bb3

? I am surprised that Stewart did not play Nb3 - a simple tactic surely ?

14... Nb3 ! 15. Ra3 as White cannot take the Knight. 15... Nxc1 16. Rxc1 Ng6 -0.60 With the two Bishops and dark square control Black must be winning.

15. Bxb3 Nxb3 16. Ra3

-0.27

The Rook is misplaced on a3

16. Ra2 !? 16... Nxc1 17. Rxc1 bxa4 18. Rxa4 +0.04 Tiger 15.0

16... Nxc1 17. Rxc1 Ng6

Now White's Rook is harassed.

18. b4 Nf4

an excellent square

19. Kh2 Rd8 20. axb5 axb5 21. Ra7

-0.55 Tiger 15.0

21. Rc2 ! is a better defensive move. 21... Rd3 22. Ra8+ Kf7 23. Nbd2 -0.26 Tiger 15.0

21... Rd3 22. Ng1 Rd7 23. Rb7

-0.26 Tiger 15.0

23. Rc2 ! The position is approximately even. 23... c5 24. Ra8+ Rd8 25. Rca2 -0.05 Tiger 15.0

23... c6 24. Rb8+ Rd8 25. Rb6 Rd6

Grobbler makes two bad moves in a row

26. c4

-0.68

? This makes Nd3 a good move.

26. Rc2 !? 26... h5 27. g5 fxg5 28. Nf3 -0.20 Tiger 15.0

26... Nd3 27. c5

-2.13

? Two bad moves in a row. Now Grobbler is in trouble.

27. Rc2 ! works well for White as after ... 27... Nxb4 28. Rc3 Rd1 29. cxb5 ! 29... Rxb1 30. bxc6 Bd6 31. Rb7 O-O 32. Rd7 White is better.

27... Nxc1 28. cxd6 Kd7 29. Nc3

?!

-2.51 Tiger 15.0

29. Rb8 ! would cause Black more problems.

29... Bxd6 30. Rb7+ Bc7 31. Nxb5

-4.50

Grobbler self-destructs

, ? But Grobbler was losing a second pawn.

31. Ra7 !? 31... Nd3 32. Nf3 Nxb4 33. Kg3

31... cxb5 32. Rxb5 Rb8 33. Rd5+ Bd6

Black has a won game

34. b5

The position is clearly won for Black.

34... Nb3

34... Na2 35. Ne2 Nb4 36. Rd2 Rxb5 37. Ng3 g6 38. Ne2 Nc6 39. Nc3 Rb3 40. Nd5 Nd4 -4.70|d16 Tiger 15.0

35. Ne2 Rc8

Now Stewart has reached the time control, so he has 20 minutes to complete the job. It should be easy but according to the computer he falters a little bit along the way, but computers are finicky.

35... Nc5 36. Nc3 Ra8 37. Rd2 Ra3 38. Rc2 Nd3 39. Nd5 Rb3 40. Nb6+ Ke6 -3.64|d10

36. Rd3 Nd4 37. Ng3 g6

37... Nxb5 38. Nh5 Rg8 39. Kg3 Kc6 40. h4 Bc5 41. f4 Nd6 42. fxe5 fxe5 -4.60|d10

38. h4 Rb8 39. g5 fxg5 40. hxg5 Rxb5 41. Kh3 Rb3

41... Rb2 42. f3 Be7 43. Kg4 Rh2 44. Nf1 Rg2+ 45. Ng3 Bxg5 46. f4 Bf6 47. Kh3 Rb2 -5.30|d12

42. Rd1 Ne2

42... Rb2 43. f3 Nxf3 44. Kg4 Rb3 45. Ne2 Re3 46. Ng3 Ra3 47. Ne2 Ke6 -5.34|d11

43. Re1 Nxg3 44. fxg3 Bc5

44... Ke6 45. Rc1 Rb4 46. Re1 Bc5 47. Kh4 Rc4 48. Re2 Rc3 49. Kh3 -4.92|d10

45. Re2 Re3 46. Ra2 Rxe4 47. Ra8 Re1 48. Kg2 Re2+

48... e4 49. Ra4 Kd6 50. Kh3 Rh1+ 51. Kg4 e3 52. Kf3 Rh2 53. g4 Rf2+ 54. Kg3 e2 55. Ra6+ Kd5 winning

49. Kh1 Rf2 50. Rb8 Rf7 51. Kg2 Ke6 52. g4 Kd5 53. Rd8+ Ke4

Only one minute left on the clock, but Thomo the Combo has brought home the bacon !

0-1 [Geoff Peake]