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12... exd4 13. Nxd4
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...he obtains a centralised knight. At the time of the pawn exchange, I had ideas of chasing away the knight with 13...c5, but then it gives the knight an outpost on the b5 square, and that made me uncomfortable.
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  1 comment
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13... c6
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unwilling to allow that outpost, I continue to prepare d5. Perhaps Bc6 would have been an idea as well
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14. Qd2
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Connecting the rooks, while preparing a future Bh6...
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14... d5
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and Black gets his pawn thrust! Still unwilling to allow the b5 square for the knight, a plethora of exchanges ensue...
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15. exd5 Nbxd5 16. Bxd5 Nxd5 17. Nxd5 cxd5
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Now that there isn't so much going on queenside, a knight on b5 now isn't as threatening as it was earlier, especially since Black would have the option of exchanging it off
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3 comments
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18. Bh6
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The aforementioned bishop thrust, which strips Black of the bishop pair
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18... Qb6
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! This move probably isn't strong enough to deserve the exclam mark, but personally I really liked this move - attacking both b2 and d4 while improving the position of my queen. Unplayable is 18...Bxd4+??, where after 19.Qxd4!, where Black must lose the exchange (f6) to prevent checkmate
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19. Bxg7
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This move is forced to save material - 19.c3? Bxh6 20.Qxh6 Qxb2 drops a pawn
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1 comment
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19... Kxg7 20. b3
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saving the pawn... though for now, there was no need to make this move, because that pawn would have been poison e.g. 20.h3 Qxb2?? 21.Rfb1! wins the queen... Better safe than sorry, I guess
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1 comment
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20... Rfe8
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The only logical move that I could find in the position, grabbing the only open file on the board
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21. c3
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Freddy relieves the queen of any defensive duties with regards to the knight
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21... Re7 22. Rae1
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Freddy contests my control of the e-file...
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22... Rae8
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...while I double up pawns on the e-file, though Freddy's d2 queen prevents me from obtaining complete control of the e-file
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23. Rxe7
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A rook exchange...
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23... Rxe7 24. Re1
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...and Freddy brings his other rook to the e-file to contest the file.
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24... Qf6
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The rook must be protected - this and Qd6 are both fine moves
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25. Qf2 h5
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I push my h-pawn forward...
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26. h4
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...and Freddy hinders it - a mirror image of the pawns on the a-file
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26... Qd6
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I had absolutely no idea what to do at this point, so I play a waiting move - there is no attacking opportunities for either side right now
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27. Rxe7
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The second pair of rooks come off the board.
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