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1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6
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This generally transposes to the Bronstein-Larsen variation where White already has a pawn on d4...White gains little by avoiding the advance of the pawn. |
  2 comments
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5. Nxf6+ gxf6
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This is probably a little unsound, but the open lines give Black good practical chances. |
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6. Bc4 Qc7
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The Queen usually goes here and by deploying it early Black keeps flexibility over the placement of his minor pieces. The idea is also to deny the White bishop the f4 square, as g3 makes less sense with the other bishop already on c4 |
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7. d4 Bg4 8. h3 Bh5 9. a4
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I was surprised by this...I guess White is expecting Black to castle long and trying to provoke a weakening of the Queenside, but it seems a slow plan. I could only find 4 master games from this position...Sztern-Tal saw Be3, while in the other three White played Qe2. Amazingly given how imbalanced the position is all the games were drawn. |
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9... Nd7
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Black defers the decision on where to put his e-pawn...while e6 is normal the aggressive e5 can sometimes be an option. |
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10. a5
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Later this becomes a target, so maybe White would be better advised to develop first, keeping the threat of a5... |
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10... a6 11. Qd3
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releasing the pin... |
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11... e6 12. Bd2
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Allowing White to consider castling long, but perhaps a little passive. |
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12... O-O-O
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threatening Ne5 |
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13. Qe2 f5
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Black could also consider 13...c5 as 14.dc allows 14...Ne5, with dangerous activity...I missed this completely during the game. |
2 comments
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14. Bd3
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Normally White has already played c4 in this variation, and Black has to watch out for the d5 break |
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14... Rg8
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Going for the open lines... |
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15. g4
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White decides to seek simplification rather than defending passively with Kf1 or 0-0. |
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15... fxg4 16. Ng5
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starting a relatively forced sequence... |
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16... Be7 17. hxg4 Bxg5 18. Bxg5 Rxg5 19. Rxh5 Rdg8
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but here Black goes wrong. Much better was 19...Rxh5 20.gh Qf4, putting White under real pressure. I didn't play this because I missed that Bxh7 can be met by Nf6 with a big advantage, rather than the obvious Rh8. |
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20. Rxg5 Rxg5 21. Qf3
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The only move! White cannot allow Black to get organised with Nf6. |
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21... f6 22. Kd2
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I expected 22. 0-0-0 Qxa5 23. Kb1 Qa4 = |
1 comment
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22... Rxa5 23. Rxa5 Qxa5+ 24. c3 h6 25. Bc4 Qg5+ 26. Kd3 e5 27. Be6 Kc7 28. Qe4 Kd6
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Missing 28...de 29. Qh7 Qg6 30. Qxg6 Ne5 31. Kxd4 Nxg6 with good winning chances |
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29. Bf5 Qc1
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This looks dangerous, but White finds a safe path to a draw... |
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30. Bxd7 Qd1+ 31. Ke3 exd4+ 32. cxd4 Kxd7 33. Qh7+
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Drawn, as 33...Kc8 34. Qf5 (and not 34. Qxh6?? Qc1 ) Kc7 35. Qxf6 Qxg4 36. Qxh6 is going nowhere... |
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