Emil Sutovsky, champion of Europe in 2002, has accumulated a rich collection of brilliancy prizes. Even in tournaments where his overall results are poor, he often wins an award for his scintillating play. So it was in a major Indian tournament in Pune in September. Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu of Romania and FIDE world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan shared first place. Sutovsky finished a dismal last. But he nevertheless played the most beautiful game of the event.

SUTOVSKY VS. KUNTE

(white) (black)

Sicilian Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Qc7 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.Qe2 b5!?

The common “Sicilian” move here is 7…d6. Black, however, is looking for complications. And he receives them, with a vengeance. 8.e5 b4 9.Ncb5! axb5 10.Nxb5 Qb7 11.exf6 gxf6 12.Bf4 Ra5 13.Bc4! Nc6 Black was provoked for 13…d5 14.0-0-0! dxc4 (the d5 square is indefensible: 14…Be7 15.Rxd5 exd5 16.Nd6+) 15.Nc7+ Ke7 16.Bd6+ Kd8 17.Bxb4+ Rd5 18.Nxd5 exd5 19.Ba5+ Kd7 20.Qf3 with a decisive advantage for white. 14.0-0-0 b3! 15.cxb3 Rxa2 16.Kb1 Ra5 17.Rd5! A clever way to concentrate the power of the white rooks along the d-file. 17… Be7 18.Rhd1 Rg8 A positional capitulation was 18…e5 19.Bd2 Ra8 20.Qh5 with full white control of the white squares. 19.Nc7+ Kd8

(see diagram)

20.Rxd7+!! A magnificent combination with sacrifices of two rooks and a bishop. 20… Bxd7 21.Rxd7+ Kc8 In case of 21…Kxd7 22.Bxe6+ mate is inevitable. 22.Bxe6! Ne5 Losing immediately was 22…fxe6 23.Qxe6; but black had the unexpected defense: 22…Re5! 23.Rxe7+ fxe6 24.Bxe5 Nxe7 25.Bd6 Qc6! 26.Qxe6+ Qd7 27.Qc4 Qf5+ 28.Kc1 Kd7 and white’s advantage may be not enough to win. 23.Nb5! The only winning move! 23… Qxb5 Or 23…Nxd7 24.Qc4+ Kd8 25.Bc7+ Ke8 26.Bxf7+ Kf8 27.Bxg8 and mate follows quickly. 24.Rd5+ fxe6 25.Rxb5 Rxb5 26.Qxb5 Rg6 27.Qe8+ 1-0