[Event "vwc14 pr. 20"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2023.09.01"] [White "Malmström, Jan"] [Black "Irons, Robert"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2064"] [BlackElo "1941"] [Annotator "Irons,Robert"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D30"] [Opening "Queen's Gambit Declined"] [StudyName "Check is in the Mail: November 2023"] [ChapterName "Malmström, Jan - Irons, Robert"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/MPKW9q1w/bvtDc22A"] [Orientation "white"] 1. c4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 { Put the a-pawn back on a7 and move the c-pawn up to c6 and we have the Semi-Slav defense. The normal path to this position would be 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 a6 5.e3 Nbd7. The benefit to the current position is that the ... c6-c5 pawn break is made in one move rather than two. } 6. b3 b6 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. Bb2 Bd6 9. Qc2 O-O 10. O-O dxc4 11. bxc4 Bxf3 12. gxf3 c5 { The position is equal; Black got in the c5 break and even broke up the pawn structure around White's king. Black has every reason to be happy, but White is not playing for a draw! } 13. f4 cxd4 14. Ne4! Bc5 15. Rad1! Qc7 16. exd4 Bd6 17. Nxd6 Qxd6 { White now has two bishops behind a mobile pawn center against two knights, which counts significantly in White's favor. It turns out that White's weakened kingside is Black's saving grace! } 18. Qd2 Rfe8 19. Rfe1 Rad8 20. f5 exf5 21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. Bxf5 b5!? { Black wants access to the d5 square to attack the weak light squares around White's king. He gives White a passed c-pawn because he sees a path to a draw. } 23. c5 Qd5 24. Bh3 Ne4 25. Qc2 (25. Qe2 Ndf6 26. Bg2 Qxa2 { and Black's passed b-pawn is a threat as well. }) 25... Ng5 26. Bg2 Nf3+ 27. Kf1 (27. Bxf3? Qxf3 28. Qb3 Qg4+ 29. Kf1 Qe2+ 30. Kg1 Re6 $19 { Black has a king hunt! }) 27... Nxh2+ 28. Kg1 Nf3+ 29. Kf1 Nh2+ 30. Kg1 Nf3+ 31. Kf1 Nh2+ 32. Kg1 { This position has been reached for the third time: draw by repetition. } 1/2-1/2