The second half of 1996 was one of the most successful periods in my career.  The tournaments I played in that period include the first league of Armenian Championship, Yerevan-Open, Polanica-Zdrój-Open, the 32nd Chess Olympiad and a round-robin tournament in Tbilisi.

In three of these tournaments I fulfilled the IM norms.  By "inertia", I have also shared the first place in January 1997 in Pasanauri-Open.  In all these tournaments, I have not lost a single game with white.  Not surprisingly, therefore, that this successful period also produced some very interesting games.

One of the games from that period is also one of my most memorable and today I would like to share it with you readers.  The game was played in Tbilisi in 1996, and my opponent was the extremely creative grandmaster from Georgia, Bukhuti Gurgenidze (1933 - 2008).

Many remember him as an original theorist who invented his own variations in the Caro Kann: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 b5, and also in the Sicilian: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 e5 6.b4.

Our game in Tbilisi went just crazy, and until the very end - when Gurgenidze blundered into a mate in two - its outcome remained unclear.  That's why I want to annotate this game not in the usual manner, but in a humorous vein.  I allowed myself a little liberty to comment on the game as if Gurgenidze and I were exchanging friendly barbs during the game.

I must say that Gurgenidze was an extremely pleasant and modest man, and all of these hypothetical comments should not be perceived as more than a joke between old friends.
 

Bukhuti Gurgenidze - Ashot Nadanian
Tbilisi 1996

1.d4 c5 2.d5 f5

White:  What?  You want to play original chess with me?  Then look here!

3.g4 fxg4

Black:  Sorry, but I do not understand your sacrifice.
White:  "Do not understand?"  Then what about this:

4.h3 g3

Black:  Thank you, but I want us to play a fair game, without handicap.  Take your pawn back.

5.fxg3

White:  OK.  But promise me you will accept my sacrifice next time.

5...Nf6 6.e4 Nxe4

Black:  Just for your sake.  Otherwise I would consider 5...d6.

7.Bd3

White:  Do you want another one?

7...Nf6

Black:  No, thanks.  After 7...Nxg3 8.Qg4 Qc7 9.Bf4 Qa5+ 10.Bd2 Qc7 11.Bf4 Qa5+ the game will end with boring draw.  Let's fight.

8.c4 b5

Black:  Now it's my turn to sacrifice.  And in order to repay the debt, you have to accept it.

9.cxb5

White:  Deal.  But I want to say you something.  If you really want to learn in which kind of positions you should play the b7-b5 move, then see the games Zaitsev-Gurgenidze, 1968 and Tal-Gurgendize, 1968.  In both games I played 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 b5.  This is real b5 move, but your b5 is nothing else but a worsened Benko Gambit.

9...c4

Black:  I do not agree.  Have you ever seen the Benko with c5-c4 move?  It's usually a7-a6, right?  So your 3.g4 and then 4.h3 in our game resembles the Benko more than my 8...b5 and 9...c4.

10.Bxc4

White:  You allow yourself too much and I will punish you for it.  Why do you give me the pawn?

10...Qc7

Black:  I want your bishop or g3-pawn.

11.Qd3

White:  There are no blind people here.

11...Nxd5

White:  What?  I guess you blundered my check from f7?  Your best move was 11...e5, by the way.

12.Qxd5 Bb7 13.Qf7+ Kd8

Black:  How you are going to defend your rook and g3-pawn simultaneously?  Not to mention the 14...d5 threat.

14.Bf4

White:  Not enough?

14...Qc5

Black:  No, your rook is still hanging, and if you move it, the g1-knight will not be happy.
White:  OK, young man.  Then look at this firework:

15.Nf3 Bxf3 16.Bc7+

White:  How do you feel?  Scared?
Black:  Frankly speaking, 16.Rf1 was scarier.

16...Kxc7 17.Qxf3

Black:  You played nice, but I have also something in mind.

17...Qxc4 18.Qxa8 Qc1+ 19.Ke2 Qxb2+ 20.Nd2

White:  Blundered this one?

20...Qxb5+

Black:  Kind of.  But everything is not so bad for me, as I have two pawns for the exchange.

21.Kd1 Qa4+ 22.Ke1

White:  Do not even think about perpetual check.

22...e6 23.Rf1 Bb4

Black:  Phew!  You could win immediately with 23.Rc1+ Nc6 24.Rf1 Qa3 25. Rxc6+ dxc6 26.Rf7+.  But I could have avoided it with 22...g6.

24.Rc1+

White:  Lucky boy.  But never mind, my attack has not yet expired.

24...Kd6 25.Rf2 Qa3 26.Kd1 Bxd2 27.Rxd2+ Ke7 28.Rc7 Rf8 29.Qxa7

Oh, no! I just realized that I blundered.  I did not see your Qf3 checkmate.  I should have played 29.Qb7 with an equal position.

29...Rf1+ 0-1

With warmest regards,
Ashot Nadanian

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