[Event "EM/TT/F/01"]
[Site "ICCF Email"]
[Date "1999.07.01"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Leko, Peter (HUN)"]
[Black "Craig, Tom (SCO)"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2701"]
[BlackElo "2425"]
[Annotator "Pyrich"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "1999.??.??"]

{On top board Tom had the better of a draw in a complex game against one of
the top ten FIDE GM's} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6.
Be3 Ng4 {This seems to flout basic principles but has proved successful at the
highest level} 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3 Bg7 10. Be2 h5 11. Bxg4 Bxg4 (11...
hxg4 {was played in Leko - Lutz, Frankfurt 1999 and after} 12. O-O Nc6 13. Nf5
Bxc3 ({maybe} 13... Bxf5 {can be played}) 14. bxc3 Qa5 15. Qxg4 f6 16. Rab1 (
16. f4 {looks interesting}) 16... Qxc3 17. Rfd1 Ne5 18. Bxe5 Qxe5 {
was eventually drawn}) 12. f3 Bd7 13. Bf2 Nc6 14. O-O e6 15. Nde2 Qc7 (15...
Ne5 {used to be played here} 16. a4 (16. Qxd6 $2 Nc4 {is good for Black}) 16...
Bc6 17. Bd4 h4 18. h3 b5 {and Black should be o.k.}) 16. Na4 ({Perhaps} 16. Qd2
{with the idea of Rad1 is playable}) 16... b5 17. Nb6 Rd8 18. c3 {Diagram #}
18... Ne7 ({Instead} 18... Ne5 {also looks o.k. perhaps continuing} 19. Nxd7
Rxd7 20. a4 d5 {when Black doesn't look to have too many worries}) 19. Nxd7
Rxd7 20. Bd4 {There were 2 alternatives:} ({Firstly} 20. Qd2 {when after} 20...
g4 21. fxg4 (21. Qg5 $2 {is a bad mistake} 21... gxf3 22. gxf3 Rg8 $1 {
the point of Black's 18th - the R is protected and the discovered attack
threats give Black awinningposition}) 21... hxg4 22. Bd4 Bh6 {Black looks fine}
) ({and secondly} 20. a4 b4 ({maybe} 20... d5 {is o.k.} 21. Qc1 (21. Qb3 Qc4 {
looks good for Black}) 21... g4 {is unclear but should be o.k. for Black}) 21.
Rc1 d5 22. cxb4 Qb7 23. exd5 Qxb4 {when again Black should hold comfortably})
20... e5 21. Be3 d5 22. Bxg5 f6 (22... dxe4 23. Qb3 exf3 24. Rxf3 {
looks good for White}) 23. Bh4 (23. Be3 {is difficult to assess. After} 23...
dxe4 24. Qc2 exf3 25. Rxf3 f5 {
it's dificult to decide whether or not the Black pawns are weak}) 23... dxe4
24. Qe1 Nf5 25. fxe4 Ne3 26. Ng3 ({After} 26. Qg3 {
Black seems to hold comfortably after} 26... Nxf1 27. Qg6+ Rf7 28. Rxf1 Qb6+
29. Kh1 Qe6) 26... Nxf1 27. Qxf1 Rd2 28. Kh1 ({Presumably he didn't relish} 28.
Qf5 Qa7+ 29. Kh1 Qd7) 28... Qd7 (28... Rxb2 $6 29. Qf5 Kf7 30. Rd1 {
gives white good attacking chances}) 29. Nf5 O-O 30. Qf3 Rd8 31. Rg1 (31. Rf1
Qd3 $1 {ends White's initiative}) 31... Rd1 32. Be1 Rb1 ({
This looks better than} 32... Qf7 33. Nxg7 Kxg7 34. g4 hxg4 35. Qxg4+ Kf8 36.
Qh4 {when White still has attacking chances}) 33. Qxh5 Rxb2 34. Qg6 Kf8 35. c4
{Diagram # Agreed drawn on White's proposal! The position is quite unclear,
White having ideas such Qg3-a3 or a3 with Bb4+ or even simply advancing the
h-pawn. Maybe Black could try his luck and play on with 35.... b4 but when one
of the world's top players offers you a draw....} 1/2-1/2

