1.d4d52.c4c63.Nc3Nf64.e3...A
quiet-looking continuation, but not without venom.4.Nf3is the main line,
when 4...e6 is a Semi-Slav, 4...dxc4 a Classical Slav, and 4...a6 a Chebanenko
Slav.4....e6An invitation to a Semi-Slav.5.b3...Not the most common move, but not an unreasonable one either. White
prepares to develop his Bishop to b2, while also discouraging the standard
device ...dxc4, Bxc4, ...b5.5.Nf3would complete the transposition to a
Meran/Anti-Meran. A game of mine from an earlier round continuedNbd76.Qc2Bd67.Bd3O-O8.O-Odxc49.Bxc4b510.Be2Bb711.Rd1Qc712.e4e513.Bg5exd414.Rxd4Ne515.g3Bc516.Bxf6gxf617.Rd2Qb618.Rf1Bc819.Kg2Be620.b3Ng421.Bd1Bxf222.Qd3Rad823.Qe2Ne3+24.Kh1Nxf10-1 (24)
quirked (2044)-mn8 (2226) Lonewolf 8 20175....Nbd7I played
this automatically, but there's an interesting alternative available due to
the weakening of the c3 square.5...Bb4!?6.Bb2Ne47.Qc2e5∞6.Bd3Bd67.c5!?...A interesting,
but rather commital decision. White releases the tension on the d5 point,
while gaining space on the Queenside. However, his pawns can also find
themselves overextended.7.Nf3O-O8.Bb2is standard, when Black can
continue in a number of ways.7....Bc78.f4!...This looks like a good decision to me. Allowing Black to break with ...e5
would make it too easy for him.8.b4e5!This, by the way, is made
strong by the fact that White played c4-c5, and released the pressure on
Black's centre. Otherwise cxd5, cxd5 and dxe5 would give Black an isolani, and
White would perhaps have an advantage.9.b5(9.dxe5?Nxe5∓)e4, and I think Black is doing very well. It's not clear how White will continue
his Queenside attack, while Black, with his strong c7 Bishop, is likely to
have excellent prospects on the Kingside.8....b6Getting
started on undemining the Queenside. If White has time to consolidate with b4,
Bb2 and a3, he'll have a lot of extra space at no cost.9.b4a5Typical10.b5!...Fighting back. This is
practically necessary, as otherwise White's Queenside structure falls apart
and the whole thing backfires.10.cxb6Nxb6⩱10....bxc510...cxb511.c6Nb812.Bxb5This is another position with a White pawn on
c6. However, Black is far more cramped here than in the game.11.bxc6Nb812.Bb5?!...The battle
lines are drawn - White has a cramping pawn on c6, but will have to work hard
to avoid losing it.12.dxc5!is the main alternative.Nxc613.Bb5Bd714.Qa4Nb415.c6Bc8This was the line I had calculated, and I
concluded Black was doing okay here. ...Ba6 is coming up, and White's c6 pawn
is looking vulnerable. As well, the threat of ...d4, breaking open the
position with White's King in the middle, may come into play at some point.16.a3This is really the only challenging move (otherwise ...Ba6 is coming
and Black is probably better).d4!?(16...Na617.Nf3Nc518.Qc2Ba619.a4⩲)17.axb4dxc318.Nf3Nd5∞It's a mess, but I don't think Black is
any worse off.12....c4!?Black had to do something about
his c-pawn, and both the text and 12...cxd4 were rather interesting. I wound
up choosing the move I chose because it cut off the b5 Bishop from easily
returning to play, as well as the potential for ...Na6-b4-d3 (although this
never ended up occuring).12...cxd4I also wasn't sure opening the
position suited me in this case - I was kind of hoping to keep play closed and
quiet, and allow the c6 pawn to fall in due course.13.Qxd4O-O14.Nf3Ba615.Ba3Bd616.Bxd6Qxd617.Ne5∞13.Nf3...13.Ba3This put me off 12...c4 at first, as Black is prevented from castling, and ...
Bd6 is always met by c7+. However, Black does have a coherent way to remedy
this problem.Na6!This is a theme which will come up many times - Ba3
being defused by ...Na6-b4, blocking the diagonal.(13...Ba6is what I was
intending. This is also decent, because White lacks a2-a4 to maintain his
defense of the c6 pawn.)13....O-O14.O-OBd6Possible now that Black has castled and there's no c7+.14...Ba6This is a logical way to try to undermine White's ability to
control c6. However, it doesn't really lead anywhere after15.a4!15.Ne5?...Black's position looks depressing at first glance, but
White's dominance is only temporary. The proud-looking Knight on e5 cannot be
maintained in the long run.15....Bb4!?Here's the plan: eliminate
the c3 Knight, play ...Ne4, then play ...f6. Push back the e5 Knight, and then
attempt to round up the c6 pawn.15...Ne8!A picturesque position. All
Black's pieces are on the back rank besides one...and he's significantly
better. The next move will likely be ...f6, followed by rounding up the c6
pawn, with White lacking resources to maintain it. The move I played is also
fine, but it's simpler to eject the e5 Knight without needing to cede control
over the dark squares.16.Qc2Bxc317.Qxc3Ne418.Qc2Nd618...f6until I noticed a tactic:19.Nxc4!However, all is not lost:Ba6!(19...dxc4?20.Qxe4+−)20.Bxa6Rxa6...and due to the time White has lost, Black comfortably regains
his pawn.21.Nd2Rxc619.Ba4...19.a4This probably
isn't a great move. It frees the a3 square for the Bishop, but this can be
neutralized with ...Na6-b4. It also weirdly traps the Bishop in the b5 square,
so I'm not sure this option is all that healthy for White.Na620.Ba3Nb4As we'll see later, Ba3 can generally be conveniently answered with ...Na6-b4.
Otherwise the pressure down the a3-f8 diagonal can become annoying.19....f6?!I thought I was just much better here. White is being
pushed back, and the c6 pawn is looking more vulnerable by the second. However,
I missed a nice tactical resource available to White.19...Na6!In
retrospect, this patient move is stronger. In the game, Black experiences
problems along the a3-f8 diagonal, so he maneuvers his Knight to the nice b4
square, blockading said diagonal.20.Ba3Nb421.Qc3f622.Nd7(22.Nf3?Ne423.Qe1c3∓)Ne423.Qe1Nd324.Qd1Rf7(24...Bxd725.cxd7(25.Bxf8Be826.Ba3Nc3)Rf7∓)20.Ba3!...This is the
resource which allows White to complicate the game. Black can take a piece,
but after f4xe5, he experiences problems involving the f8 square. 20 Ba3 turns
out to also be rather forced: if White retreats his Knight, Black will win the
c-pawn sooner or later for no compensation.20....fxe5?This
leads into tactical complications which are not in Black's favour. Black's
position is hanging by a thread, but I hadn't seen anything specific that
would dissuade me from going for this.20...Na6!, again, is simplest
and best. Simply planning ...Nb4, blocking the a3-f8 diagonal, with an
advantage for Black.21.fxe5Rxf1+21...Nf522.Bxf8Qxf823.g4is no good, of course.22.Rxf1Nf523.c7?!...This is a
valiant attempt, but not the best. White is trying to win his piece back with
g2-g4, utilising the pin against the check on f8. However, the immediate 23 g4
would fail due to 23...Qg5!. Therefore, White first attempts to deflect the
Queen away from the d8-h4 diagonal, and only then play g4.23.e4!is the right move, although it isn't immediately obvious why.dxe424.Qxc4Black's problem is he has to deal with the twin threats of Rxf5 and c7.Qg5Answering both, but abandoning the back rank...(24...Kh825.c7)25.Qc5Now we see Black's lack of development biting him.Qe3+26.Kh1h627.Qf8+Kh728.Qxc8+−23.g4?immediately fails toQg5!(23...Nxe3??looks tempting, counterattacking the Queen to nullify Rf8+.24.c7!+−and Black has no answer.)23....Qg5!?An ambitious attempt
to counterattack.23...Qxc7is safest, when after24.g4Na625.gxf5exf526.Bd6Qf727.a3Be6, it's not clear how either side can make much
progress.24.cxb8=QQxe3+25.Qf2...This is pretty much forced.25.Kh1?Rxb8Black is a pawn
up, has the safer King, and the d4 pawn is likely to fall as well. The same
goes for 25 Rf2? Rxb8.25....Qxf2+26.Rxf2Rxb8Black, again, is a pawn up, but in this case, he still
has some slightly awkward problems to solve regarding the Knight on f5. As
well, in general, White's Bishops are very strong, and the c8 piece will find
it hard to locate an ideal square.27.g4...At first glance, it
might look like Black is losing a piece at the end of the line. He can rescue
it, however:27....Rb1+28.Kg2Ne3+This is slightly inaccurate.28...Nh4+29.Kg3g5!is a neat idea
which I hadn't seen. White can win the Bishop on c8, but he's caught in a
mating net, and thus will be forced to give a perpetual.30.Rf8+Kg731.Rxc8Rf132.Rc7+Kg833.Rc8+Kg729.Kh3...29.Kf3blocks
the f-file.29.Kg3Rg1+29....Rf130.Rxf1Nxf1This ending should be about equal. However, in time
pressure, White gets a bit careless and makes it dangerous.31.Kg2...31.Bb2halts the c-pawn, and White isn't in any danger. His Bishops
are far superior to Black's completely unco-ordinated minors, and therefore,
the first player may even be the one pressing for a win.31....Nd232.Bc5?!...Now Black's c-pawn is allowed to start
running, and things get a bit hairy for White. I don't think he's overstepped
the bounds of a draw, but it's getting a bit tricky.32.Bb2Ne433.Kf3and White should be pretty safe.32....c333.Bb5c233...Nc4is the computer's initial suggestion,
attempting to stop Ba3 as a defense to the passed pawn, however34.Bxc4dxc435.Kf3just looks like a draw to me, due to the Opposite Coloured Bishops.34.Ba3Nb1-c3xa235.Bb2...35.Bc1?is natural, but would lose toNc336.Bd3Nxa2, because unlike
in the game, the Dark Squared Bishop is under threat, so Bxc2 is not in time.35....Nc336.Bd3...Just in time to save the
day.36....Nxa237.Bxc2...Black has an extra
outside passed pawn, but White's two Bishops, and the passivity of Black's own
pieces make it difficult to push that pawn very far.37....Bd738.Bb1Nb439.Bc3g640.Kg3Kf741.h4Bb542.Kf4Nc643.h5a4?!This is probably a bit inaccurate. Now
the g6 pawn will inevitably fall after hxg6 and Kg5, and Black's chances of
winning diminish.43...gxh5!might be worth a try, creating a second
weakness on the opposite flank. I still don't think Black is winning, though,
after a sequence such as:44.gxh5Kg745.Kg5h6+46.Kf4a447.Ke3a348.Bc2a249.Kd2Kf750.Kc1Be251.Bb3Bxh552.Bxa2Bg453.Kd2Kg654.Ke3Kg5A similar situation to the game: Black has an outside passed pawn (on the
opposite flank this time), but it may not be enough to win the game.44.hxg6+hxg645.Bb2a3!?An attempt to change the nature of the position - White's
Bishops are covering the a-file very well, so Black exchanges his passed
a-pawn for a passed d-pawn.45...Nb4is the only move the computer doesn't
rate at 0.00, but it's just as drawn as anything else.46.Bc3Nd3+47.Bxd3Bxd3Black doesn't even really have practical chances here. It's just a draw.46.Bxa3Nxd447.Bb2Ne2+48.Kg5d449.Bxg6+Kg750.Bc2d351.Bd1Bc4?!This allows White to draw
very simply by taking on e2 and going for the OCB ending. However, the
alternative doesn't objectively lead anywhere either:51...d252.Ba1Ng153.Bd4!(53.Bc3??Nh3+54.Kh4Nf2-+)Be2(53...Nh3+54.Kh4Nf455.Kg5Ne256.Bb2)54.Bxg1Bxd155.Be352.Bxe2dxe253.Bc3Bd354.Bd2Bc455.Bc3Bd356.Bd2Bc457.Bc3½-½ The game is a draw.1/2-1/2