love the russian schoolboy reference.

I was thinking the same at a glance but there's a nice idea for white: 1. Qb4 Qc6 2. Qb7! Qxc4 3. Bb3 and suddenly white is the one with all the chances in the position.

Agree that this is probably the best idea. I think Black is still better after 1.Qb4 Qxb4 2.Rxb4 f5 (if 2...Rc8 3.Rb7 is equal), but going for the Queen trade is probably the best practical chance to hold.

lol wtf

I think this is true, and of course my calling it a dead draw was ridiculous, but compared with the other position goldaxe posted, I find Black's potential here much less.

Compare the existence of pawn breaks and king safety between the two. Here, the e5 pawn limits his bishop's scope quite a bit, and the only place Black can play is on the kingside.

I like Do It Right's line. As someone who thinks White's position would be easier to play without that c4 pawn, getting Black to take it (or move the queen so c5 can be played) seems like a very direct approach.

and of course it's not completely winning either Btw, I agree that often White is better off without his c4 pawn

Don't mind me - I just want to add to noir_desirs confusion over this thread blowing up with lengthy discussions.

Is 52. .. Qc1 a transcription error? Black just hangs his queen?

Qa1 makes sense, and Bf2! is instantly winning...

Yes. Here is what I guess is the actual game continuation:

[Event "Magistral Barcelona Casino"]
[Site "Barcelona ESP"]
[Date "2006.10.20"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Korneev, O."]
[Black "Bologan, V."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B17"]
[WhiteElo "2657"]
[BlackElo "2659"]
[Annotator "Jonathan Rowson"]
[PlyCount "150"]
[EventDate "2006.10.09"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "ESP"]
[Source "ChessPublishing"]
[SourceDate "2011.01.07"]

1. e4 {This game has little theoretical value, but considerable instructive
value. Anybody playing the Caro-Kann for a win should take heart from the
following game, where Black equalises and then slowly capitalises on a minute
and largely conceptual advantage.} c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. c3
Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Bc4 g6 (7... Qc7 8. Qb3 e6 9. Nf3 {is thought to be a
little better for White by most sources, but White has to play with
considerable subtlety to avoid Black equalising with ...Be7, 0-0 b6, Bb7 and c5
}) (7... Bf5 8. Qb3) 8. Nf3 Bg7 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1 Qc7 11. Qe2 Re8 12. Bg5 Nd5
13. Rad1 {Nothing much wrong with this, but it feels a bit thoughtless.} Bf5
14. Bh4 Rad8 15. Bg3 Qc8 16. Bb3 (16. h3 {looks more testing, and might keep a
small edge for White.}) 16... Bg4 17. h3 Bh5 18. Bh4 Bf6 19. Bxd5 Bxh4 20. Bb3
(20. Bxf7+ Kxf7 21. g4 Bf6 22. Qe4 {is also possible, but Black has no
particular problems.}) 20... Bxf3 21. Qxf3 Bf6 {Dull? You could say that? Dead
draw? No, just dead equal. Winning chances? Yes, if you have the stamina and
determination to play on.} 22. d5 $6 {This can hardly be called a mistake, but
in the resulting structure, Black's king is slightly safer because he has an
extra pawn to shield his king, which is relevant due to the presence of
opposite coloured bishops f2 is weak but f7 is not. However, it takes a lot of
patience from Bologan, and a lot of cooperation from Korneev for this issue to
have any major bearing on the position.} cxd5 23. Rxd5 Rxd5 24. Qxd5 (24. Bxd5
{looks better, because once Black plays e6 the bishop belongs on the a8-h1
diagonal.}) 24... e6 25. Qc4 Qb8 {Now White should sense some long-term danger
and think of a suitable plan, but it looks like he kept on playing as if there
was nothing to think about.} 26. Rd1 b5 27. Qc6 Rd8 28. Rxd8+ Bxd8 29. g3 Bb6
30. Kf1 Qe5 {Even now there is no real advantage, but we can already feel that
Black's position is easier to play.} 31. Qa8+ Kg7 32. Qf3 b4 33. Qe2 (33. cxb4
{looks preferable.}) 33... Qf5 34. Kg2 bxc3 35. bxc3 Qc5 36. Qd2 $2 {After
surrendering the a1-h8 diagonal, the position becomes unpleasant.} (36. Qf3 {
was better, when Black would probably play} Ba5 37. c4 Bb6 {and await
developments.}) 36... Qc6+ 37. f3 Qc7 38. Bd1 Qe5 39. h4 Kg8 40. f4 Qc7 41. Qc2
Qc5 42. Bf3 Qg1+ 43. Kh3 Qe3 44. Bg2 Bc7 45. Qe4 (45. Kh2 e5 $1) 45... Qxc3 46.
Qc6 Qa5 47. a4 Bb6 48. Qe8+ Kg7 49. Qb5 Qc3 50. Qc6 Qa3 51. Qe4 h5 52. Qe5+ Kg8
53. Qb8+ Kh7 54. Qb7 Kg7 55. Qe4 Qa1 56. Qc2 Bd4 57. Qc4 e5 58. fxe5 Bxe5 59.
Qe4 Qc3 60. Bf3 Qc7 61. Qe1 Bd4 62. Qb4 Qe5 63. Qd2 Bb6 64. Qe2 Qd6 65. Qb2+
Bd4 66. Qb3 Be5 67. Be4 $2 Bxg3 $1 68. Qf3 Be1 69. Bd5 Qd7+ 70. Kh2 Bxh4 71. a5
Bf6 72. Kg2 Qb5 73. Qe4 Qxa5 74. Qc4 Qd2+ 75. Kf3 Qc3+ 0-1

love these huge spoilers would hate to defend White's position against a Russian GM

Bleh, im not the kind for playing for a draw. Maybe I can even win if he plays 29...Qxc4 30.Bb3 and then I'll get some activity. I think I might even have better drawing chances if he plays 29...a5 but I'm not sure. I will start provoking a queen trade in that line which I think i can comfortably draw.

And whats with all the comments all of a sudden?

Maybe this was the possibility that stirred the huge discussion. Or you were just trolling with some huge pictures of scantily-clad ladies. Be it how it may, i can't wait to read all the spoilers.

Concerning moves: I wanted to take on c4 but after 2. Bb3 Qe2 (Qd3 3. Rd1 Qe2 4. Rc1) 3. Rc1 i didn't find a good way to counter the threat of Bc4 and then Rf1 or take a6.
Rc8 looks very safe, now i threaten to take on c4 and just return the Q to c7. If he takes himself on a6, i'll just take c4 again and now because of the double attack on queen and bishop we probably just trade queens and shake hands. I'll stop his passed pawn easily with Rc7-a7.
If he protects the pawn with Bd3, i'll go Qc6 and he either has to exchange queens or retreat.

On one hand, i really want to take on c4 to make the game interesting. On the other hand, i would really hate to lose this and i don't see how taking the pawn gives me any winning chances. So i'll go down the safe route here (like always, alas. I know this is my weakness and the reason i make a fairly high amount of draws with black).

What bugs me a bit about the whole game is how i went on about how c4 is weak, i have the better pawn structure yadayada and now taking this pawn would just let him get active and wouldn't yield me anything.

Hmm. The old "I don't like the obvious move so I'll just play something bad" maneuver. That's taken right out of my playbook.

Rf1 or Qxa6, and either way it's now white on the comfortable side of a drawish position.

I don't understand why he just gave me the pawn for nothing. Am I missinf something? Exchanging the queens will now lead to a draw or marginal advantage for me. Black was better all the way into this endgame.

30.Qxa6 Qxc4?31.Rb8! - is that right - that black cannot take that c4 pawn immediately?oops sorry blunder ignore.

31. Rb8?? Qxa6
EDIT: you snuck that edit in, didn't you?

yes but its still ok cause its one more spoiler to increase paranoia in a yawn equal but not quite equal why the hell did we decide to play spanish chess

So this would really freak them out, right?

draw
draw
draw
draw

draw
draw
draw
draw

draw
draw
draw
draw

???

White's a4 pawn is now a serious danger.

If the Queen's get traded, the a-pawn becomes the defining piece for the remainder of the game.

Seems excessively critical from Nik. White could easily end up stirring up some real initiative if he could get that c pawn off c4 or even the board. The game should now be easily drawn but white will have trouble activating his king and black can at least pretend to have some activity after f5 whereas that a-pawn is worthless.

nothing much to add here.

I was pretty sure I was worse going into the endgame so I'm pretty thrilled for this exchnage. I personally feel I have the only winning chances. I will follow up with Bb3 and then go from there. I am aware that black still ahs some serious threats like f5 and if I take exf5 then he has gxf5 which gives him a small pawn army. If I don't take then he threatens fxe4 to play e3 which would be a supported passed pawn and would keep one of my pieces guarding it. Anyways, just something to keep in mind.

Is this White's plan?

1a. Get bishop to d5
1b. Push pawn to a6
2. Exchange sac rook for bishop on d4 (or wherever)
3. Push pawn to a7, a8, and win

With a little care this should be a draw. Pretty tired from drawing a slightly worse rook ending after 6 hours today, will write thoughts after Nikachu's next move.

I think I made the point for black but an a passer is difficult with opp.bishops and it prolly becomes very significant that whites king on h1 is a long way away from tilting the balance. Which becomes important given black prolly gets a tempo or three to get his kingside counterplay.