1.e4c52.Nf3e63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3Nc66.a3...An uncommon, but
by no means unheard of, way to play flexibly as White.6....Qc77.Be3d6!?A very rare move!7...a6is almost always played.8.f4One idea is to
meet 8. f4 withd5!?without having to worry about 9. Ndb5 (see note below).
That said, even after the more popular(8...d6,9.Qf3Bd710.O-O-O, Black's position is a bit safer than in the game due to not having to worry
about either knight coming to b5.h511.Bd3b5⩲would, for instance,
give Black slightly more venom in counterplay associated with ... Ra8-b8 and ..
. b5-b4. The bishop still being on f8, in contrast, is not at all a factor, as
Black has no interest in castling kingside.)9.e5Ne410.Nxe4dxe411.Be2Bd7with a normal position.8.f4Be78...d5?9.Ndb5!is the
tactical ponit:Qd810.exd5exd511.Nxd5Nxd512.Qxd5Qxd513.Nc7+9.Qf3Bd710.O-O-Oh5?!At this point, the lack of ... a7-a6 is starting to
become an issue.11.h3...11.Ncb5!?Qb812.Nxc6Bxc613.Bd3a614.Nd4±is a favorable trade for White.11....a612.Bd3h413.Rhe1Rc814.Qf2b515.Nxc6Bxc616.Bd4...Black has not been fast enough with creating any
counterplay.16....e517.Be3Nd718.Nd5...The structural transformation favors
White given Black's kings precarity in the center.18....Bxd519.exd5Bf620.Bf5g621.Bxd7+Qxd722.fxe5Bxe523.Bd4...White has earned a significant
advantage against Black's slightly slow play in the opening.23....Rh524.Re4!?...This gives Black a little time to activate. It was more accurate to achieve
the d5-d6 pawn push after exchanging pieces, although Burke can be forgiven
for not wanting to trade with such an initiative against Black's uncastled
king.24.Bxe5was more precise:Rxe5(24...dxe525.d6is also strong:Kf8(25...Rc6?26.Qf6+−)(25...Rf5?26.Qxh4??)26.Re4+−)25.Rxe5+dxe526.d6Rd827.Qb6+−and the d-pawn is clearly a strength, not a
liability, for White!24....Qf525.Qe2Qf626.Re1Kd7?!26...Rf5!Black's best chance to stay in the game.27.c3(27.Kb1Kf828.Bxe5dxe5Compared to taking on e5 earlier, now the d5-pawn is far more precarious,
while Black's pieces are more actively placed against White's king.29.Rxe5Rf230.Qe3Kg7!(30...Rcxc2??31.Qh6+)31.c3Rxg2)Ke7!with the point that White cannot hold onto the extra pawn anymore after28.Bxe5(28.Kb1Rc4)Rxe529.Rxe5+dxe530.Qxe5+Qxe531.Rxe5+Kd627.a4...The king is slightly misplaced here, so White opens the queenside
and regains his initiative, this time for good!27....Rc428.axb5axb529.b3Rxd430.Qxb5+Kd831.Rxd4Qf232.Rde4Ke733.Rf1Qa734.Qa4Qc535.Qb4Qa736.Rxe5+Rxe537.Qxh4+and Black has seen enough.1-0