[Event "New York Open"] [Site "New York op 93\03"] [Round "0"] [White "FM Emory Tate"] [Black "FM Maurice Ashley"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2325"] [BlackElo "2365"] [ECO "B54"] [Opening "Sicilian: Open, 2...d6, 4...Nf6"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O h6 9. Be3 Qc7 10. f3 Rb8 11. g4 Ne5 12. f4 $5 {A Tatesque move. Emory realizes that in these lines white has to play actively lest the initiative will swing in Black's favor. The soundness of this move may be questioned, but the idea is clear. White want's to gain crucial tempos in order to delay Black's castling, then launch an onslaught in the center. One tested line is} ( 12. h4 b5 13. Qg2 (13. Bd3 Nfd7 14. g5 Nxd3+ 15. Qxd3 Nc5 16. Qd2 b4 17. Nce2 e5 18. Nb3 Be6 19. Kb1 a5 {Maidla-Shirov; Tallinn, 1996; 0-1, 42.}) 13... b4 14. Nb1 Nc4 15. Bxc4 Qxc4 16. g5 Nd7 17. b3 Qc7 18. g6 $5 { with chances for both sides. Anand-Shirov, Paris Immoper 1992; 1-0, 44.}) 12... Nexg4 13. Bg1 e5 14. Bb5+ $5 {Diagram # A thunderbolt! Again... playing actively to take advantage of Black's centralized King.} 14... axb5 { Maurice accepts the challenge.} 15. Ndxb5 Qd8 16. Bc5 $1 {Emory doesn't let up. } 16... d5 17. Ba7 Ra8 18. Nxd5 (18. fxe5 Rxa7 $1) 18... Nxd5 19. Qxd5 Qxd5 20. Nc7+ {Nice intermezzo move which assures that Black's King won't find a comfortable haven.} 20... Kd7 21. Nxa8 Qd6 (21... Qxd1+ 22. Rxd1+ Kc6 { and white doesn't appear to have adequate compensation. However, on} 23. Rd8 Be6 24. f5 Bxa2 25. Rc8+ Kb5 26. Nc7+ Ka5 {things are rather interesting.}) 22. Bb8 Kc6 23. Bxd6 Bxd6 24. Rd3 b5 25. Rhd1 Bc5 26. Rd8 Rxd8 27. Rxd8 Bb7 28. h3 Nf2 29. fxe5 Nxh3 30. c3 Nf2 31. b4 Be7 32. Rb8 Bg5+ 33. Kc2 h5 34. a4 { The race is on and a wonderful tactical battle ensues.} 34... Bxa8 35. axb5+ Kd7 36. Rxa8 Bf4 37. Rf8 Ke7 38. Rh8 h4 $1 {Diagram # This enterprising pawn sacrifice gains a crucial tempo in the race to the endzone. In addition, the bishop controls the queening square for the g-pawn.} 39. Rxh4 g5 40. Rh8 Bxe5 41. Rg8 f6 42. b6 Kf7 43. Ra8 g4 44. Ra1 g3 45. Rg1 Nxe4 46. c4 Ke6 47. Kd3 f5 48. Ke3 Ng5 49. c5 f4+ 50. Kd3 f3 { How does Emory stop the rolling avalanche of pawns?} 51. Re1 (51. Ke3 Bd4+ $1) 51... f2 {Perhaps winning is} (51... g2 $1 52. Rxe5+ Kxe5 53. b7 g1=Q 54. b8=Q+ Kf6 $1 $19 { However, the ensuing variations are extremely difficult to find over the board. }) 52. Rxe5+ $1 Kxe5 53. Ke2 Nf3 54. b7 Nd4+ 55. Kf1 Nc6 56. b5 Nb8 57. c6 {#} 57... Kd6 {and the brutal battle comes to a truce. A prime example of the fighting spirit shown by the two chess titans!!} 1/2-1/2