1.Nf3
Donaldson opens with his favroite Reti opening.
1...c5
2.c4
b6
3.Nc3
Bb7
4.e3
Moves such as d4, e4 and g3 are quite possible in this position. [4.d4
; 4.g3
Black has an interesting positonal plan here by playing Bxf3... 4...Bxf3
5.exf3
Nc6
Black has a plan of g6, Bg7, e6, Nge7, Nd4 and Nc6, with ultimate control over the d4 square. Black was willing to give up the b7 bishop to
1. Eliminate the knight on f3 that controls d4
2. Eliminate the pawn on e2, that could play e3 to kick a piece off of d4.
Overall this type of position is unclear, but it's a very useful technique to understand as it occurs in many positions.; 4.e4
]
4...Nf6
5.d4
cxd4
6.exd4
e6
Now it's clear that black will play ...d5 at some point, as any other plan of development leaves white with a clear space advantage in the center. [6...d5
Playing this move immediately was very risky, hence Kudrin prepared it with ...e6 7.cxd5!
White is going to use his edge in development to disrupt blacks position 7...Nxd5
8.Bb5+!
Black has only one reasonable move, as Nd7 allows Ne5, and the pin is deadly. 8...Nd7
(8...Bc6
9.Qa4
and white has the advantage.) 9.Nxd5
Bxd5
10.Ne5
Be6
11.d5
]
7.Bd3
Be7
8.0-0
So far Donaldson has opened with very normal moves. He's placed his pawns in the center, developed his minor pieces and castled.
8...d5
9.cxd5
Nxd5
So now we have what seems to be a typical isolated pawn position.
10.Ne5!
A nice disruptive move that does a few things:
1. It stops black from developing the knight on b8 due to annoying Bb5 pins.
2. It opens up a path to for the white queen to the kingside.
3. It helps in any later kingside attacks by putting pressure on the f7 square.
10...0-0
11.Qg4
John may be known as a "solid" player, but when the position demands that he attack, he doesn't hesitate to do so. Already black has to be very careful of white's 3 attacking pieces. (Bishop on d3, knight on e5 and queen on g4).
In such positions, if white wanted to add another piece to the attack, a rook lift via Re1-e3 at some later date is a natural plan.
11...Nxc3
Kudrin makes the difficult decision to rid white of the isolated pawn. If Kudrin were to immediately play 11...Bf6, white could bring another piece into the attack with 12.Ne4.
Meanwhile black has to worry about the annoying Bh6 idea as well. [11...Nd7?
This natural developing move fails to Bh6 12.Bh6
Bf6
13.Qe4
oops, and after g6 white wins the exchange.]
12.bxc3
Bf6?
[12...Nd7
This move looks more prudent than ...Bf6, as it develops black's last piece and doesn't allow this annoying move Ba3.]
13.Ba3!
Things have gone quite poorly for Kudrin. Re8 now loses instantly to Nxf7!
13...Bxe5
Kudrin unsuccessfully tries to solve things with tactics. Kudrin's big plan is that after 14.Bxf8 Kxf8!, white cannot simply recapture the bishop on e5 because the d4 pawn is pinned to the bishop on d3. [13...Re8
14.Nxf7!
Kxf7
15.Qh5+
Actually its forced checkmate in 8 moves here! 15...g6
16.Qxh7+
Bg7
17.Qxg6+
Kg8
18.Qh7+
Kf7
19.Qh5+
Kg8
20.Bh7+
Kh8
21.Bg6+
Kg8
22.Qh7#
]
14.Qh3!
A very nice intermediate move. White threatens checkmate on h7 while at the same time defends d3. Now Kudrin has some serious problems. [14.Bxf8
Kxf8!-/+
Black is much better with two pieces for the rook. 15.dxe5
Qxd3
]
14...h6
15.dxe5
An interesting practical choice by Donaldson. Instead of taking the material by playing 15.Bxf8, white allows black to keep even material, but white retains a huge lead in development and great chances for a kingside attack. [15.Bxf8
Bxd4
A desperado before capturing on f8. 16.cxd4
Kxf8
17.Rac1
White has a clear advantage here, although Donaldson probably felt his position was easier to play after 15. dxe5.
(And he probably also felt that Kudrin's position was much more difficult to play. Sometimes it's easier to defend down material than it is to defend against a raging lead in development.)]
15...Re8
16.Rfe1
16.Rad1 would have seemed more natural, but this move is also just as reasonable. Black simply has serious issues getting his pieces out. [16.Rad1
Qc7
17.Rfe1
]
16...Nd7
17.Rad1
White is threatening Bb5.
17...Rc8
Attempting to meet 18.Bb5 with Bc6, although this move runs into some other problems.
18.Bb5
Bc6
19.Ba6
Rb8
20.Bd6
Ra8
Ouch, black has gone through all these contortions, yet still his pieces are lined up in a defensive stance on his first three ranks. It's hard to see how black can activate his forces.
21.Bc4
Qc8
22.Rd4
Donaldson plays a rook lift which is very typical in these kinds of positions. How is black going to bring his pieces over to the kingside? Kudrin's misguided choice on move 11 is really haunting him now, as black has a miserable position.
22...Nf8
23.Rg4
Ng6
24.Qg3
[24.Bd3
This very simple move was also quite powerful, and bit simpler than the game.]
24...Bd5
25.Bd3
of course white doesn't trade, but instead places all his pieces towards the kingside.
25...Rd8?
This move was a pretty hopeless attempt. Black had to try 25.Qxc3 [25...Qxc3
White manages to win a piece in this line too. 26.Bb4
Qb2
27.Rb1!
Qxa2
(27...Qxe5
28.Rxg6
Qxg3
29.Rxg3
) 28.Rxg6
fxg6
29.Qxg6
and black cannot stop mate.]
26.c4
Bc6
27.Rxg6!
Simple and crushing. Kudrin's position is in shambles.
27...fxg6
28.Qxg6
Rxd6
29.exd6
Qe8
30.Qh7+
Kf8
31.Bg6
and Kudrin is mated next move after Qh8. A very impressive display by IM Donaldson, who simply crushed GM Kudrin before he even got out of his bed. 1-0