1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Be3!? An interesting move order. More usual is 7.Bb3, avoiding any tricks for Black based on ..Nxe4 and ..d5, or ..b5-b4 and ..Nxe4. After 7.Be3 I decided not to try either of these options, rightly assuming that my opponent knew more about them than I did. 7... Be7 8. f4 Nc6 9. Qf3 Qc7 10. Bb3 O-O 11. O-O-O Nxd4 12. Rxd4 12. Bxd4 e5 13. Be3 Bg4 wins the exchange for insufficient compensation. 12... Nd7 13. g4 Nc5 14. g5 b5 15. f5?! We concluded after the game that this may be a mistake. Perhaps 15.Rg1 is better, intending Rg3-h3 and Qh5. 15... Nxb3+ 16. axb3 b4!? This leads to great complications, but essentially it is a very logical move. Black cannot allow White to play f6, so he will have to take the f-pawn. Taking the f-pawn immediately allows the White knight to land on d5, which must be very bad for Black, so before taking on f5 Black deflects the knight away from c3. 17. Na4?! 17. Rxb4 d5 18. Rd4 dxe4 19. Rxe4 Bb7 looks quite precarious for White, but it had to be tried. After the game continuation White is just clearly worse, since his knight is out of play and his pawn centre is destroyed. 17... exf5 18. Rf1 fxe4 19. Qxe4 Be6! I had waited nineteen moves to develop this bishop, but suddenly it's the best minor piece on the board. His Grace is much better on e6 than on b7, since I now have d5 firmly under control, b3 is under attack, and I still have the option of ..Bf5 to attack c2. 20. Qd3 Qa5 21. h4 Qb5 22. Kd2 Qxd3+ 23. Kxd3 d5 Although I was glad to have forced the queens off, I thought I might have my work cut out to win this. Fortunately, however, my bishop pair is strong enough to decide the issue very quickly. 24. Rdf4 Rac8 25. Bd4 Bd6 26. R4f3 Bg4 27. Re3 Bd7 28. Rf2 Bb5+ 29. Kd2 Rce8 30. Nc5 Rxe3 31. Bxe3 Re8 32. c3? 32. Nd3 Re4 and 32. Bd4 Bg3 are both better, but still hopeless for White, whereas 32.Rf3 also loses to ... 32... Rxe3 0-1