Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation. An interesting little strategical battle where white presses and black defends.1.d4d52.c4e63.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Be75.cxd5...The common way is playing this a move earlier, but we transpose easily.5....exd56.e3c6This pawn structure features many plans for both sides, and play is not limited to any one side.
One very common idea for white is to undermine black's queenside via a minority attack, while black often tries to pressure white in the center of the board.
In-game, white tries to acquire a strong center.7.Bd3O-O8.Qc2Nbd79.Nge2Re810.O-ONf811.f3Be612.e4...A little premature. There's no real urgency to play e4, so white is probably better off developing with moves like Rad1 or Rae1. The issue with playing this so early is that the dark squares become weak.12....dxe413.fxe4Bg4Finally out of book. 13 moves is Master-level preparation!13...Ng4immediately targets the weak dark squares.14.Bxe7Qxe715.Qd2c516.d5Bd7Salem, AR Saleh - Fenollar Jorda, Manuel, 0-1, Gibraltar Masters 11th, 2013, https://lichess.org/nC4OFdjI14.e5...This isn't really a "bad move," but it rigidifies the center pawns. One of the dangers of this position is that the center pawns are also "hanging pawns," which means they can become a serious weakness in the endgame. White would like to break in the center to create some initiative instead of to harass a knight.14.Be3Rc815.e5Nd516.Nxd5cxd5is a bit different because black gets an isolated pawn.14....Nd515.Bxe7Rxe715...Qxe716.Nxd5cxd5and white doesn't have hanging pawns anymore, but black has an isolated pawn just like in the previous note.16.Nxd5Qxd5The weakness of the hanging pawns shows. White still has a bit of initiative, but it's becoming clear that the d-pawn is difficult to defend. White attempts the correct plan of gaining space and supporting the d-file.17.Bc4Qd718.Rad1Rd819.Qe4Bh520.Rd2...This move is a little tame. White should be playing for an initiative!20.Qh4is Stockfish's find, and I like it. It attempts to resolve the problem of the pinned d2-knight in an active way.Bg421.h3Be622.Bxe6Qxe6(22...Nxe623.Ng3)23.Nf4Qd724.Rfe1, for example.20....Ne621.Bxe6...Playing for the initiative would imply not trading, but this isn't a poor choice.21.Nf4is a strong option because white doesn't trade the powerful f7-attacking bishop for the defending e6-knight.21....Qxe622.Nf4Qh623.Rdf2Bg624.Nxg6...Stockfish frowns upon this move, but I don't know about that. It gives white a free attack on the kingside even if it's giving up a strong knight for a bad bishop.24.Qf3Bf525.Qa3I think this would be a clear indication if someone were cheating. I doubt too many would find this maneuver.24....Qxg625.Qh4Rde825...Red7may have been the better move, trying for counterplay. It's not easy to defend the d4-pawn here unless26.Rxf7Qxf727.Rxf7Kxf7happens, and here black isn't completely gasping for air.26.Rf5Re627.R1f3...Here's where a funny sequence occurs. Over and over again, Rxf7 is a winning move, but why?27.Rxf7Qxf728.Rxf7Kxf729.Qxh7c5is where I stopped calculating, and it looks double-edged. However...30.dxc5Rxe531.Qc2and it's clear that with pawn majorities on both sides, while it's going to be tough to win, it's way more winning than with equal material.27....Rf828.b4...Here, Rxf7 is super winning.28.Rxf7Qxf729.Rxf7Rxf730.Qd8+Rf831.Qd7Ree832.Qxb7and white gobbles up the pawns.28....a629.h3...These pawn pushes are a little unnecessary. While they gain space, they also leave behind weaknesses because pawns can't move backwards.29.Qf4Apart from a3 because you already created a weakness, this move is my choice. Keeps the presure while improving the scope of your queen.29....Qh6Black finally cracks under the pressure and plays a poor move after only several seconds. Now, the tactic really works.30.Qxh6...30.Rxf7wins on the spot. Might as well shake hands.30....Rxh631.g4...Here the pawn pushes are acceptable because the queens are off the board, but bringing the king into the game is possibly better.31.Kf231....Re632.Kg2h633.Kf2g6Not the best move because it creates a hole on f6. It gives white more chances to win a dead draw!33...Rd8is a sensible developing move, though it requires tactics.34.Rxf7Rxd435.Rxb7Rxe5, and this should be a draw just because black's rooks are finally active, but...36.Rff7g537.Rg7+Kh838.Rh7+Kg839.Rxh6Rd2+is a funny perpetual I wanted to share..34.Rf6Rxf635.Rxf6Kg736.Ke3Rd837.Rd6...Unfortunate! White should have calculated the pawn ending better - that's all there really is to say.37.Ke4is a more-or-less obvious move that further improves the king's position. This probably isn't winning, but white has great chances.37.Kd3more directly goes for the simple plan of invading on the queenside, but this allows Rd5, maybe. The position is still good for white due to the activity and space advantage.37....Rxd638.exd6Kf639.d7Ke740.d8=Q+Kxd8The rest of the game plays itself. Black is guaranteed a passed pawn on the kingside, and that's all she wrote.41.Ke4f642.d5Kd743.dxc6+Kxc644.Kd4b645.a4b546.a5Kd647.Ke4Ke648.Kd4f549.gxf5+gxf550.Ke3Ke551.Kf3h552.h4f453.Kf2Kf554.Kf3Ke555.Kf2Ke456.Ke2f3+57.Kf2Kf458.Kf1Kg359.Kg1Kxh460.Kf1Kg361.Kg1h462.Kh1h363.Kg1f2+64.Kf1h2And white resigns. 0-1.0-1