1.d4
McCambridge is facing GM Johann Hjartarson. Hjartarson once made it to the quarterfinals of the World Championship Candidates, where he eventually lost to Anatoly Karpov.
This game was played before Hjartarson received his GM title, and when he was just a promising and strong junior.
1...Nf6
2.c4
g6
3.Nc3
d5
4.cxd5
Nxd5
5.e4
Nxc3
6.bxc3
Bg7
7.Nf3
This is now the main line of the Grunfeld Defense, but 20 years ago, the lines with Bc4 and Ne2 were more popular. This was still relatively unexplored territory.
7...c5
8.Rb1
0-0
9.Be2
Nc6
cxd4 is by far more common today. I once played Nc6 regularly, however I must admit it's very risky and probably more comfortable for white. [9...cxd4
10.cxd4
Qa5+
11.Bd2
Qxa2
This pawn sacrafice is probably the most theoretical line in all of the Grunfeld today.]
10.d5
Ne5
11.Nxe5
Bxe5
12.Qd2
e6
13.f4
Bh8
In those days, only Bg7 and Bh8 were played in this position, however ...Bc7 with the idea of ...Ba5 was all the hype for a few months 10 years ago, until white found effective ways to deal with it. [13...Bc7!?
]
14.c4
Re8
15.e5
White has a very attractive center. Practically I believe this position is much easier for white to play. [15.0-0
exd5
16.exd5
Bd4+=
]
15...f6
Hjartarson makes the logical decision to try to disrupt white's center. It's nearly impossible to hold by normal means, however McCambridge finds a very creative attacking solution.
16.f5!!
Wow! Look at those pawns...If black captures on f5 with the e pawn, white gets two super powerful passed central pawns. If black captures the e or d pawns, white destroys black's kingside with fxg6. In the game black took on f5 with the g-pawn, opening up the g-file for white... [16.d6
fxe5
17.0-0
e4!
18.Bb2
Bxb2
19.Rxb2
b6=/+
Olafsson,H-Gutman,L /Grindavik/1984/]
16...gxf5
[16...fxe5
17.fxg6!
hxg6
18.0-0
exd5
19.Qh6!
Qd6
20.Bh5+-
; 16...exd5
17.fxg6
hxg6
18.cxd5
Rxe5
19.0-0+/-
Agzamov,G-Pribyl,J/Sochi/1984/]
17.Rb3
A nice rook lift. White is threatening the deadly Rg3 followed by Qh6.
17...Re7
Using the rook for defense along the 7th rank. [17...Bg7
18.Rg3
fxe5
19.Qh6
Re7
20.Bb2
exd5
21.Bxe5
Qd7
22.Bf6
Rf7
23.0-0+/-
McCambridge/]
18.d6!
[18.Bb2?!
fxe5
19.Qg5+
Bg7
20.Bxe5
h6!=
Novikov,J-Tukmakov,V/URS-ch/1984/1:0/34/]
18...Rg7
19.exf6
Qxf6
20.Bb2
e5
21.Bxe5!+/-
A fantastic blow based on the weakness of black's king, and the awkward placing of the g7 rook and h8 bishop. [21.Re3!?
Rxg2
22.Bxe5+/-
]
21...Qxe5
22.Re3
Qe6
Hjartarson felt that he would be mated if he snatched the rook on h1, and so he decided to play without his queen. He acquired a rook and bishop in return, however this shouldn't be enough to maintain the balance. [22...Qa1+
23.Kf2
Qxh1
24.Re8+
Kf7
25.Bh5+
Rg6
26.Bxg6+!
(26.Re7+?!
This move was annotated with an exclamation point by the original annotator, however it seems to be less accurate than an immediate Bxg6. 26...Kf6
(26...Kg8
Aided by Fritz, it seems that this move may hold the draw.... 27.Re8+
(27.Bxg6?
Bd4+!
A great intermediate move that stops the queens intrusion to d5. ) 27...Kf7
28.Re7+
Kg8
29.Re8+
Even though black was able to defend with best play, it's hard to find such accurate defense while under such pressure.) 27.Qc3+
Kg5
28.Qg3+
Kf6
29.Bxg6!+-
) 26...Kxg6
27.Rg8+
Kf7
28.Rxh8
Despite being down a piece, white is practically winning here.]
23.Rxe6
Bxe6
24.Qe3
Re8
25.Qxc5+-
Rxg2!?
[25...b6
26.Qb5
Rd8
27.c5
]
26.d7
Even though white wins an exchange with this move, it's possible that he should have held onto the d-pawn and played Rg1. The d-pawn was likely worth more than this. Either way white is still winning. [26.Rg1!
]
26...Rxe2+
27.Kxe2
Bxd7+
28.Kd2
Be6
29.Qc7
[29.Rg1+
Kf7
30.Qc7+
Re7
; 29.Qxa7!?
]
29...Bd4
30.Rb1
Bb6
31.Qg3+
Kf7
32.Qh4
It's just a matter of time at this point. The black king is simply too exposed to deal with white's active queen and rook.
32...Rd8+
33.Kc2
Rd4
34.Qxh7+
Kf6
35.Qh8+
Kf7
36.Qh7+
Kf6
37.Rxb6!
A nice transition. With the reduced material, white's h pawn will be unstoppable.
37...Rxc4+
38.Kd3
axb6
39.h4
Ra4
40.Qh6+
Kf7
41.h5+-
f4
[41...Ra3+
42.Kd4
Rxa2
43.Qg6+
Ke7
44.Qg7+
Kd6
45.h6
The h-pawn is going to queen.]
42.Qg6+
Ke7
43.h6
Ra3+
44.Ke4
Ra4+
45.Ke5
Ra5+
46.Kxf4
Ra4+
47.Ke3
Ra3+
48.Kd4
and Hjartarson gave up, as there is no way to stop the h-pawn. 1-0