[Event "Sole v Wevers: Chapter 2"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/E6vMvHgc/c7bpWeu1"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C42"] [Opening "Russian Game: Nimzowitsch Attack"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/hellsorganist"] [UTCDate "2018.05.16"] [UTCTime "06:41:22"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/E6vMvHgc/c7bpWeu1"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5!? { A bit of a surprise as he plays the caro and sometimes the scandi but I was happy to see this as I would have a lot more experince in the ruy } 2. Nf3 Nf6!? { Another surprise, this one much less welcome. My first otb game in the petrov so here I started to suspect that Alexis had done a lot of prep our game. } 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 { Quite a few of the club players play this line and I was only going on some online games played in this line and Russel's analysis of his game with Ker in the same line. } 6... Be7 { Made after quite some time, after which I was sure that Alexis hadn't prepared as much as I feared as Be7 is by far the main move. } 7. Be3 O-O 8. Qd2 { Going for the standard English attack of Be3-Qd2-0-0-0-f3-g4-h4 } 8... Bf6?! { This seemed to be a waste of time as while the bishop has improved it is still not a great piece and this could should have been developing another piece rather than slightly improving another. Alexis said that he wasn't sure where to put his other pieces as this was his first time playing this line, so he wanted to make the only move that the bishop had. } (8... Nc6 9. O-O-O Ne5 { Also common with the same idea. }) (8... Nd7 9. O-O-O Ne5 { This is the mainline with the knight going to the powerful e5 square. } 10. h4 { Starting the attack while leaving the positioning of the knight to be decided later. } 10... c6 (10... Re8 11. h5 Bf6 12. Kb1) (10... Ng4 11. Bf4 h6 12. Kb1) 11. Kb1 Qa5 { With black getting counterplay to match white's. }) 9. O-O-O Nc6 10. Nd4 { I played this move with the plan of freeing the f pawn to support the kingside pawn storm. } (10. h4 { I was considering this move but I didn't like the idea of Bg4 as my attack would be stalled. So I instead went for Nd4 trying to get the knight out of the way of my f pawn to start the english type attack - f3 - g4 - h4 } 10... Bg4 11. Be2 Re8 12. Kb1) 10... Ne7 { This move also allows for the c pawn advance but does so in a more passive square than on e5 so this knight would likely have to move again to be of use. } (10... Be6 11. Nxe6 fxe6 12. f4 { Getting a faster version of the attack as g4 no longer needs to be supported by the f3 pawn. } 12... a5 13. g4) (10... Ne5 { During the game I thought that this was a stronger move and keeps the same route as in the mainline with c5 and Qa5 to come. But Alexis after the game said that he felt that the knight would be kicked with f4. However I instead had planned to play f3 here instead as after f4, I believed that Ng4 was quite strong winning the DSB which is a key attacking piece to support the advancing pawns and potential sacrifices against the black kingside pawns . } 11. f3 (11. f4 Ng4 12. Bg1 { With the passive Bg1 needing to be played in order to keep the DSB }) 11... c5 12. Nb5 Qa5 (12... a6 13. Nxd6 Qa5 { With black getting much more activity and attacking chances than in the game in this sample line. }) 13. a3) (10... Nxd4 11. cxd4 (11. Bxd4 Bf5 12. Bxf6 Qxf6) 11... Bf5 12. f3 { This was also possible getting a very similar type of position. } (12. Be2)) 11. c4 { I played this move to try and prevent any Nd5 ideas - threating to trade off my DSB which I felt was a key attacking piece and to try and prevent black getting active with c5 and Qa5 } (11. Bg5 Nf5 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. Qf4 Bd7 14. g4 Nxd4 15. Qxf6 gxf6 16. cxd4 { This is an example of a more positional way to play with white having the better pawn structure and a small but lasting advantage. }) 11... Nf5 { Likely needed as a result of the last move. The Ne7-f5 plan hasn't actually wasted too much time even though this is the 3rd time the knight has moved, if Alexis' intention was to trade the knights as the same plan with the immediate 10...NxNd4 cxNd4 11. Bf5 with the only difference being the pawn on c4 vs d4. This line was played in the only master game in our move 10 position. I believe the pawn on c4 to be slightly preferred as it better hampers black's queenside expansion. } 12. Nxf5 Bxf5 13. f3 { I was quite satisfied with my position here as I would be able to gain tempi during my pawn storm by hitting the 2 seemly well placed bishops } 13... a5? { During the game I thought that a better aim/idea for the attack was a6 with a b5 pawn sac to follow in order to open up a file against my king. As the a pawn by itself does little to change the pawn cover around my king. Perhaps a better way of starting the attack would be to follow the ideas in the mainline, with c6 mirroring my f3 push. With the ideas of b5 while also allowing the queen access to the queenside. } (13... c6 14. g4 Bd7 15. g5 Be7 16. h4 b5 17. h5 bxc4 { With black now having the open b file for use from the major pieces and increased counterplay from black. }) (13... a6 14. g4 Bd7 15. g5 Be7 16. h4 b5 { However this line has the idea featured in the game, Bc6, forcing me to spend a tempo awkardly defending it with my bishop on e2/g2 and slowing the queen from swinging over to the h file. }) 14. g4 Bd7 15. g5 Be7 16. h4 Bc6! 17. Be2 { As described above. } 17... a4 18. h5 a3 19. b3 { The a pawn's march has done little to further black's cause with no files opened and no piece able to make use of the b2 outpost. } 19... b5 { An interesting pawn sac, likely unsound but I believe that it has good practical chances and creates counterplay for black with d5 now possible after the capture. } (19... f5) 20. cxb5 { I accepted as it came with tempo and black would have to move the bishop back to b7 as d7 would release the pin on the f3 pawn, so Black would not be able to attack the b pawn. } 20... Bb7 21. Rdg1 (21. g6 c5 (21... h6 { This is why I wanted to delay the g6 push as now the sac on h6 doesn't work due to the Fork of the queen and the king with the bishop. However Rdg1 now would transpose back to the line with Rdg1 first. I feel though that, Rdg1 keeps some flexibility. } 22. Bxh6 (22. Bc4 d5 23. Bxd5 Bxd5 24. Qxd5 Qxd5 25. Rxd5 fxg6 (25... Rad8 26. Rhd1) 26. hxg6) 22... gxh6 23. Qxh6 Bg5+) 22. bxc6 Bxc6 23. gxh7+ (23. h6 fxg6 24. Qc3 { With the same idea as in the line without Rdg1 }) 23... Kh8 (23... Kxh7 24. h6 g6) 24. h6) (21. h6 g6 22. Qc3 f6 { I didn't think that the Qc3/d4 ideas worked due to this line but there is a very cool tactic that makes it work. } 23. Bc4+ d5 (23... Kh8 24. Be6 { With Bd4 coming, and black needing to give up large amounts of material to avoid mate. }) 24. Rxd5! Bxd5 25. Rd1) 21... c5? { While this move fails to bxc6 I believe that it has good practical chances as it defends well against most of white's plans with the ideas along the a1-h8 diagonal being largely removed as Qc3 is met with d5 threatening d4 and closing the diagonal. } 22. g6? { https://lichess.org/Fe3FRlmA#30 The above game is an excellence example of this idea working. White is willing to sac a pawn in order to open up the h file for the queen + rook battery. However in this game, it is less effective due to Bf6 as well as the other better options. } (22. h6 g6 23. Qc3 f6) (22. bxc6 Bxc6 23. h6 (23. Qc3 d5 (23... Rc8 24. h6 gxh6 (24... g6)) (23... Re8 24. Qxc6)) 23... g6 24. Qc3 f6 25. Qxc6 { A missed win and a poor miss. The en passant capture places the bishop on c6 and allows for white to create a winning double attack on the c6 bishop and mate on g7. I spent most of the 20 minutes looking at the g6/h6 pushes that I had been preparing for, to see if they worked and which one to do and only briefly looked at the capture with me deciding that the open c file did not need to be allowed and that my pawn storm would crash through with the opening of the h file after either fxg6 or hxg6. I had rejected the h6 advance on the previous move and failed to connect the h6 push with the tempo that would be gained on the bishop after the en passant capture. }) 22... d5? { Black now has significant centre control so I am in danger if my attack does not follow through. } (22... Bf6 { This would have been a better defensive move, guarding the important g7 square and protecting the a1-h8 diagonal. } 23. Bd3! Bxf3 (23... Qe7 24. gxh7+ Kh8 25. Bg5) 24. Rh3 Bb7 25. gxh7+) 23. h6 (23. Bh6! { This is a move that I did not consider but looks very dangerous indeed. White is now threatening Bxg7, removing the key cover for the black king. The bishop cannot be taken as the queen supported by the pawns and rooks will mate black. It seems very hard to come up with a move for black here. This Bh6 idea pops up as a key move in many winning lines that I thought did not work during the game. } 23... Bf6 { Trying to prevent the Bxg7 ideas by using the bishop as cover } 24. Bxg7 Bxg7 (24... Kxg7 25. gxh7+ Kh8 26. Rg8+ Rxg8 27. hxg8=Q+ Qxg8 28. Qh6+ Qh7 29. Qxf6+ Qg7 30. Qxg7+ Kxg7 31. h6+ Kh7 32. Bd3+ Kh8 { White's advanced pawns are too strong to stop. }) 25. gxh7+ Kxh7 26. Rxg7+ Kxg7 27. Rg1+ { and black will get mated or have to give up large amounts of material but white will need to play accurately. } 27... Kf6 28. Bd3! { Only move to keep the advantage } 28... Ke6 29. Qh6+ Kd7 30. Bf5+ Ke8 (30... Kc7 31. b6+ Kb8 32. Qf4+ Qc7 33. Qxc7#) 31. Re1+) (23. gxh7+ { This also works well but requires some careful play. } 23... Kh8 24. h6 (24. Bh6! Bf6 25. Rxg7 { Again the rook sac is winning. } 25... Bxg7 26. Bxg7+ Kxg7 27. Rg1+ Kf6) (24. Rxg7! Kxg7 25. Rg1+ Kxh7 { I saw this but I didn't think that I had enough for it but I missed the key move of Bxc5 after which with accurate play from white wins. } 26. Bxc5 (26. Qd3+ Kh8 27. Qf5 Bc8 28. Qe5+ Bf6) 26... f5 (26... Bxc5 27. Bd3+ f5 { [%csl Gg2,Gf6][%cal Gg1g6] } 28. Rg6 Qg5 (28... f4 29. Qg2 { #3 }) 29. Qxg5) 27. Rg6 { with the black king not being able to survive without giving back a lot of material. }) 24... g6 { In the game this is what I saw after the gxh7 line, missing the winning sac and the Bh6 idea. }) 23... fxg6 24. hxg7 { Opening the h file and creating the xg6 Rh8+ tactics among others. } 24... Rf7 25. Bd3 { Going for the same idea of xg6 but only sac'ing the bishop instead of the rook. } (25. Rxg6 hxg6 26. Rh8+ Kxg7 27. Rxd8 Rxd8 { I had looked at this line but I did not feel that it was good for me but after a strong disagreement from SF I tried to see why. SF evaluates this as +5 which is very surprising to me. So with this evaluation in mind, I tried to find white's resources. White has very well placed pieces and black has king safety problems, meaning that White can win material by either the immediate Bxc5 winning both the c5 and a3 pawns and having unstoppable passers or by even going for an attack on the black king with Bd3 and Qg2 with the Dark-Squared Bishop able to kick away any defenders of the g6 pawn and other targets. } 28. Bxc5 (28. Bd3 Rh8 29. Qg2 Kf8 30. Bxg6 Rf6 31. Qg3 d4 32. Qb8+ Kg7 33. Qxb7) 28... Bxc5 29. Qc3+ Kg8 30. Qxc5 Kg7 (30... g5 31. Qxa3 Kg7)) 25... Qd6! { I had missed the strength of this move with it defending both g6 and the critical h2 square, prevent any Qh2 battery along this file. However, this does fail to the brilliant sacs that white has available with precise play needed from white. } (25... Rxg7? 26. Bh6 Rf7 (26... Qf8 27. Bxg7 Qxg7) 27. Bxg6 hxg6 28. Rxg6+ Kh8 29. Bg7+ Kg8 30. Rh8# { This is what I had planned if Rxg7 }) (25... Kxg7?? { Leads to a forced mate. } 26. Rxh7+ Kxh7 27. Qh2+ Bh4 28. Rxg6 Qe7 29. Rg4+ Kh8 30. Rxh4+ { and Black can resign. }) 26. Qh2?? { I made this move very reluctantly after spending much of my remaining 10 mins looking at various sacrificing lines and failing to see the killer blows. A poor move that lets black equalise. I failed to see any winning attack so I wanted to remove black's best defender and continue my attack with my strong rooks. However, there were a range of winning sacs with all 3 winning. } (26. Bxg6 hxg6 27. Rh8+ Kxg7 { I tried to make the Bxg6 line work but failed to see the killer blow. } 28. Bd4+!! { This is a brilliant move with the winning idea of Qh6#. }) (26. Rxg6 hxg6 27. Rh8+ (27. Bxc5! Qg3 28. Bf2 { Only move to keep the advantage. } 28... Qf4 29. Rh8+ { Forced. } 29... Kxg7 30. Bd4+ { Again winning and the only move. }) 27... Kxg7 28. Bd4+ { Here the Bd4+ idea is only enough for a draw, but there is another chance for the same idea with 27. Bxc5! }) (26. Rxh7 { The most simple of the three winning lines and the one I looked the least at. } 26... Kxh7 27. Bxg6+ Qxg6 28. Rxg6 Kxg6 { I looked at this briefly due to my time trouble and thought that I didn't have enough for the loss of material but there is a simple win with g8=Q+ } 29. g8=Q+ Rxg8 30. Qg2+) 26... Qxh2 27. Rxh2 Rxf3 28. Bxg6?! { I didn't have the time to fully calculate this but I thought that I was losing or struggling to hold in the current position so I went for what looked to be a promising line. I thought that the centre pawns would be very powerful in the endgame and would be hard to stop, however black has poorly placed pieces so I think I misevaluated the position. } (28. Bh6 { With chances for both sides in an equal game. }) 28... hxg6 29. Rxg6 Kf7 30. Rh8 (30. Rb6 Rxe3 31. Rxb7 Kxg7 32. b6 { This would have been a better way to continue after the Bxg6 sac, with some chances still remaining in this complicated position and low time. }) 30... Rg8 31. Rxg8 Kxg8 (31... Kxg6?? 32. Re8) 32. Re6?? (32. Kd2 d4 33. Bh6 { and white can do little to stop Rf7-Bf6 and taking the pawn. }) 32... Rxe3! { Calm and accurate play from Alexis under time trouble. Credit to Alexis' defence that while failed under the precise play from SF, proved to be very hard to crack otb and demanded great calculation and confidence to find in many lines. } 33. Rxe3 Bg5 34. Kd2 d4 { White resigned. A very enjoyable game and helps serves as a lesson to me about the dangers of leaving limited time for the critical moments. } *