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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Qb6!? 6.Nb3 [6.c3!?; 6.Nf3!?] 6...Qc7 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Qe2 d6 9.N1d2!? Nc6 10.f4 White's set up is a little unusual; certainly I had never considered it carefully before. However, I later discovered it had been recommended by GM Julio Becerra of Cuba.
10...Be7 11.Nf3 e5! Preventing the main idea of White's set-up; to force through an early e5. Since White has no knight on c3 there are no problems with the d5 square. In fact both of White's knights now look a little silly...
12.c4?! Steve is definitely a spaceman who enjoys staking out new territory. However, this move only makes sense in conjunction with an f5 follow up because otherwise White's dark squares will be very weak (after ...ef or fe). Since I prefer Black in what follows I suspect White has already gone astray. This is probably an example of Larsen's claim that if Black equalises in the Sicilian he is already better.
12...0-0! Not fearing the following suffocating advance. [12...Bg4?! 13.f5 a5 14.Be3 a4 15.Nbd2 Nd4 16.Qf2! is better for White.; 12...exf4 13.Bxf4 0-0 14.c5 is dangerous for Black.]
13.f5 otherwise I'd find some way of blockading the central dark squares.
13...Nb4! The key to my counterattack. The prelate on d3 is one of these infamous "good bad bishops". It looks like it is a very passive piece blocked in by it's own pawns, but it is also essential for defending all the weakened light squares(especially the e4 pawn) created by the previous pawn advances. It is essential that I had this move in conjunction with b5 to fight against White's space; otherwise I could easily be squashed. Moreover, when short of space almost any exchange is good news; as I learned on reading Michael Stean's classic book Simple Chess.
14.Bg5 [14.Bb1 b5 causes White too much hassle and anything else will allow me to apply quick pressure to e4.]
14...b5! 15.cxb5? White's position may be bad anyway but this seems much too co-operative. I was far more concerned by [15.Rfc1 when 15...Nxd3 16.Qxd3 bxc4 17.Rxc4 Qb8 is probably better for Black but I feel my pieces are a bit sub-optimal. So I thought I would try: 15...Ng4!? which sets up various tricks e.g: 16.cxb5?Qa7+ (16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.c5! looked like White's best, and then I thought 17...d5!? left things fairly unclear, but in such situations I always prefer Black because of his safer king.)
15...Nxd3 16.Qxd3 Qb6+ [16...axb5 17.Rfc1 is a little annoying; there's no ideal square for my queen.]
17.Kh1 [17.Be3 Qxb5 18.Qxb5 axb5 19.Bg5 Bb7 20.Nfd2 Rfc8 21.Rfc1 Kf8! is a strategically winning endgame for Black; eventually I will play ...d5 and the bishops will overpower the knights.]
17...axb5 18.Bxf6! The best try, setting me practical problems; he has to try to hit me hard before the bishops can breathe. [18.Be3 Qb8 is less awkward because the white bishop is misplaced and ...Ra4 and ...Bxf5 are in the air.]
18...Bxf6 19.g4! Bb7! I had a long think before that one; there were so many different ways to deal with the following advance and I wanted to grant White as little initiative as possible. [19...Rd8 20.g5 Be7 21.f6 Bf8 Puts the bishop on a good square but once my kingside structure is compromised the knights have promising posts. Perhaps the most instructive thing about this game is how ineffective knights are when they don't have secure squares to perch on. 22.fxg7 Bxg7 23.Nh4 is just promising for White.]
20.g5 Bd8 21.f6 g6! This took a little courage because normally you'd only allow such a noose around your king if the bishop is on f8 to prevent any accidents on g7. However, the Queen finds it difficult to get to h6 because of the weakness of e4, if it threatens to I can keep it out by ...h5 and if it gets there I'm liable to have a good counter-sacrifice on f6. Eventually I realised the key to the position was keeping the knights at bay. After this correct decision I think White is just lost; in the long term there is no way to stop me infiltrating the kingside, winning e4 or detonating with ...d5. [21...gxf6? 22.gxf6 Bxf6 23.Nfd4! I hadn't actually seen this last move(Steve pointed it out with some glee), but I just knew White would have something if I weakened my king in this way.]
22.Rfe1 [22.Nfd2 intending Qh3 is crude but has to be checked. 22...d5! 23.Qh3 h5! is a more than adequate defence.]
22...Re8! A good general move; maybe I can come to e6 and sac on f6 but it's also useful to support e5 so that I can more readily play ...d5.
23.Nbd2 I was pleased to see this because now I can co-ordinate my pieces without difficulty. There is something to be said for keeping the knight on b3 to hold back the idea of ...Qc6-d7. [23.a3!? Qc6 24.Rac1 Qd7 25.Nc5]
23...Qc6! 24.Rac1 Qd7 25.a3 Ba5 I may want to take the knight on d2 but I also wanted to provoke b4 so that my rook on a8 wouldn't feel left out. [25...Bb6!? 26.Nb1!? d5 27.Nc3 Qg4 28.exd5 e4 29.Rxe4 Rxe4 30.Qxe4 Qxe4 31.Nxe4 Bxd5 is also better for Black, but mabye White can improve somewhere.
26.Re2 Rad8 27.Qe3 Bxd2! It hurt to let this one go, but otherwise Nb3 or b4 will lead to annoying counter play. Moreover, having fully mobilised the position felt ripe for a transition.
28.Rxd2?! [28.Nxd2 It must be better to try to hold the e4 point, but then I was going to refrain from the obvious ...d5 and instead play: 28...Rc8! after which I think White has too many weak points to cover in the long term.
28...Qg4! Suggesting that I made the correct decision on move 21; Black is the one with the kingside attack.
29.Re1 d5! The Black forces are perfectly co-ordinated and the White king is in peril.
30.Rg2 There is no defence, but this gave me the pleasure taking the whole centre.
30...Qxe4 31.Qb6 Qxf3 32.Qxb7 e4 It's important to push them together I thought, and then was careful to push the right one first.
33.Qxb5 d4 The thing I enjoyed most was the perfect placement of my rooks.
34.Rf1 Qh5 35.Qb4 e3 36.Rg3 d3 37.Kg2 Qe2+ 38.Kg1 d2 0-1