[Event "2024 HBCU Classic"] [Date "2024.04.23"] [Round "2"] [White "Donyai Johnson"] [Black "Caleb Parker"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "Unrated"] [BlackElo "1344"] [Annotator "Lang, JJ"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C02"] [Opening "French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen Attack"] [StudyName "HBCU Classic 2024"] [ChapterName "Johnson – Parker"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/HJO06EnN/dQmm0JRT"] [UTCDate "2024.04.23"] [UTCTime "12:14:14"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. c3 { White eschews the mountains of theory in the Open Sicilian beginning with 2. Nf3, instead preferring to play what's known as the Alapin Sicilian, aiming for a big center with d2-d4 and c3xd4. } 2... e6 { Rather than combat the center with the more popular moves 2. ... Nf6 or 2. ... d5, Black allows White to continue with plans of central expansion. One of the main lines for Black continues instead with: } (2... Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. cxd4 { On the face of it, Black's play may look counter-productive. If the goal was to prevent White from achieving two central pawns, then how could the pawns being on d4 and e5 (instead of d4 and e4) be an improvement? Black's next move answers the question: } 6... d6 { The purpose of 2. ... Nf6 is now revealed: by provoking White's e-pawn one square further up the board, it is easier to undermine. After, for instance } 7. Bc4 Nb6 8. Bb5 dxe5 9. Nxe5 { , Black has turned White's "big center" into a single, isolated d-pawn. That said, Black has no pawns in the center, so White can push for an attack in typical isolated queen's pawn (IQP) style. } (9. dxe5 { is worse: } 9... Qxd1+ 10. Kxd1 g6! { and White's e-pawn may not be isolated, but it is still coming under clear attack. As is the case in many openings, the main lines are all about whether one side is "expanding" their control of the center or "over-extending" their pawns and risking losing control altogether. })) 3. d4 d5 4. e5 Nc6 { Play has now transposed into the French Defense, typically beginning with 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5. If Black is happy to play the French, there's nothing wrong with this response to White's Alapin. And if it turns out that White does not play 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 against the French, then even better! } 5. Nf3 Qb6 { Black immediately begins pressuring White's center. Again: does White grip the central dark squares, or are the pawns at risk of becoming over-extended targets? } 6. dxc5?! { A strategic error that gives Black a lasting initiative. It's far too rash to say that this move loses the game, but it does concede the center to Black, who never gives White a chance to get back in the game. Suddenly, Black's pieces are able to fly through the center and conduct an attack against White's king. } 6... Bxc5 7. Qc2 { White would prefer to develop the light-squared bishop and castle, but there's no time to do that as White's f2-pawn is under attack. This is partially why White's sixth move was an error: already, White must eschew normal development in order to defend threats that they allowed Black to make. } 7... a5 { A perceptive move. Black enjoys the queen-and-bishop battery against the f2-pawn, which will continue to be a nuisance even once White castles. So, why let White 'bump' the bishop back with b2-b4? } 8. Bd3 Nge7 (8... f6! { is more accurate. Black of course would prefer the knight come to f6, where it can quickly threaten to jump to g4 and join the queen and bishop on the attack against the weak f2-pawn. But this would allow White to capture the h7-pawn and potentially gain some checks on g6, which is likely why Black was shy about this thematic, undermining move. } 9. Bxh7 Nge7 10. Bd3 (10. Bg6+ Kf8 { and White's pieces cannot join the bishop in a meaningful attack, so Black's king is safe here, while Black's rook is now also developed. }) 10... Nxe5 { eliminates the rest of White's center and secures Black an easy game. }) 9. O-O Bd7 10. Re1 Rc8 11. Be3 { Again, not a blunder by any stretch, but this does make Black's next moves easier to play. Black had not yet castled, and the e7-knight is not as powerful as it could be, so why did Black prioritize developing the rook instead? By getting into the habit of asking questions like this, it becomes easier to see the threats behind such moves. } 11... Bxe3 12. Rxe3 Nb4 { White's position remains hard to navigate. This was the point of Black's tenth move, pinning the c-pawn to the queen. } 13. Qb3 { White starts fighting back! The downside to Black's ... a7-a5 is that now Black's queen is hanging, meaning that the b4-knight is pinned to the queen. Did Black just walk into a trap? } 13... d4! { No! Black finds the thematic, dynamic move to bust open the center before White can snag the knight. } 14. cxb4? { White had to make a very difficult choice, and erred. } (14. Nxd4! Ned5! { is best, attacking White's rook. } 15. Rf3 { The rook has to defend the bishop, as } (15. Re1?? Nxd3 16. Qxb6 Nxb6 { Black's queen was no longer hanging! })) (14. cxd4? { would allow Black to execute a flashy queen sacrifice: } 14... Rc1+ 15. Re1 (15. Ne1?? a4 16. Qa3 Nxd3 17. Qxd3 Qxb2) 15... Nxd3 16. Qxd3 (16. Qxb6? { loses too much material due to back-rank mate threats. } 16... Nxe1! 17. Kf1 Nd5 18. Qxb7 Nxf3+ 19. Ke2 Nxd4+ 20. Kd2 Rc2+ 21. Kd3 Rc7 22. Qb8+ Rc8 23. Qb7 Nc6 $19) 16... Qxb2 17. Rxc1 Qxc1+ 18. Qf1 Qxf1+ 19. Kxf1 Nd5 $17 { is equal material, but gives Black a better game because of the central outpost for the knight and the long h1-a8 diagonal for the unopposed light-squared bishop, who can shred through White's holes on the light squares. }) 14... dxe3 { White is down an Exchange, and cannot even take back on e3. Black is about to crash through before White can even finish development. } 15. Qd1 axb4 16. b3 Bc6 17. Qe2 exf2+ 18. Qxf2 Qd8 { A nice finesse, as it's difficult to clock how powerful "retreating" moves can be. } 19. Be2 Bxf3 { Black makes way for the rook! } 20. Bxf3 Rc1+ 21. Qf1 Qd4+ { A nice removal of the defender, forcing mate } 22. Kh1 Rxf1# { Fantastic play from Black. White did not make many mistakes, but ended up on the defensive out of the opening. Once the position got complicated, it was much harder for White to find the saving resources, and as soon as Black's pieces got hot, there was no looking back. } 0-1