BEST AGAFONOV GAMES

1. Merins - Agafonov

21st USSR Championship, Voroshilovograd, 1975

 1. 35-30 20-25   2. 40-35 18-22   3. 45-40 12-18   4. 30-24 19*30
 5. 35*24  7-12   6. 32-28 14-20   7. 37-32 20*29   8. 34*23 18*29
 9. 33*24 22*33  10. 38*29 10-14  11. 42-38 14-20  12. 32-28  9-14
13. 41-37  1- 7  14. 37-32 17-21  15. 47-42 11-17  16. 46-41 21-26
17. 41-37 

White have a tangible space advantage.

17.  ...  17-21  18. 50-45  7-11  19. 31-27 12-17  20. 37-31 26*37
21. 42*31 21-26  22. 27-21 26*37  23. 21*12  8*17  24. 32*41 17-22
25. 28*17 11*22  26. 38-32  6-11  27. 41-37 11-17  28. 37-31  3- 8
29. 43-38  5-10  30. 48-42  4- 9  31. 32-27?

From a number of moves White chose the one which eventually loses!
Black covertly sacrifice piece with a far-reaching goal in mind.

31.  ...  14-19  32. 27*18 13*22  33. 24* 4 17-21  34.  4*27 21*23

Black won.

2. Agafonov - Schegolev

Trials for Russia-Holland Championship Tournament

27 Feb 1996, 2 hours/50 moves

 1. 32-28 19-23   2. 28*19 14*23   3. 37-32 10-14   4. 41-37  5-10
 5. 46-41 14-19   6. 35-30 20-25   7. 33-29 17-22   8. 40-35 11-17
 9. 38-33  6-11  10. 42-38 10-14  11. 44-40 14-20  12. 30-24 19*30
13. 35*24  9-14  14. 32-28 23*32  15. 37*28    

White captured centre squares.

15.  ...   16-21  16. 50-44  21-27  17. 48-42  1- 6  18. 40-35!  3- 9
19. 44-40! 14-19  20. 31-26  19*30  21. 35*24  9-14  22. 28-23! 14-19
23. 23*14  20* 9  24. 41-37! 13-19  25. 24*13  8*19  26. 38-32  27*38
27. 43*32     

The adversary fights for the key central squares, 28 and 23. 

27.  ...   2- 8  28. 47-41! 19-24  29. 29*20 15*24  30. 34-29! 9-13
31. 29*20 25*14  32. 42-38  18-23! 33. 49-43 13-19?

Bad move. A more vigorous effort required, 33. ... 22-28.

34. 33-29! 23*34  35. 40*29  12-18  36. 38-33  4-10  37. 39-34!  8-13?
38. 43-39! 19-23  39. 45-40! 11-16  40. 40-35  7-12  41. 32-28  23*32
42. 37*28  13-19  43. 29-24  19*30  44. 35*24 14-19  45. 24*13  18* 9

White control the whole of centre, advantage is enough for the victory.

46. 28-23  16-21  47. 34-29  21-27  48. 39-34  6-11  49. 41-37  10-15
50. 29-24   9-13  51. 34-29  13-18  52. 37-32 27*38  53. 33*42  22-27
54. 23-19  17-22  55. 26-21! 27*16  56. 19-14 16-21  57. 14- 9  21-26
58. 24-19! 26-31  59. 36*27  22*31  60. 19-14 11-17  61.  9- 3  31-36
62. 42-37  18-22  63. 29-23, 

 and Ex-World Champion to surrender...

 2:45 - 2:40