[Event "USCF/EK/25EN03"] [Site "ICCF"] [Date "2025.03.05"] [White "McMahon, Mark"] [Black "Walker, Brent"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "1800"] [BlackElo "1985"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B12"] [Opening "Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Botvinnik-Carls Defense"] [StudyName "Check is in the Mail - August 2025"] [ChapterName "Game 6"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/NvweRqYq/hDFBrJ0F"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/jkfrench"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Bb5+ Nc6 6. dxc5 Qa5+! 7. Nc3 { B12: Caro-Kann: Advance Variation. } 7... e6 8. Bd2! Qc7 9. b4 { Black is weak on the dark squares. White is slightly better. } 9... a5 10. a3 Bxf3 11. gxf3 Qxe5+ 12. Qe2 Qf5 13. Bd3! { White is more active. } 13... Qf6 14. Rd1! Be7 { ...Nc6-d4 is the strong threat. A sharp opening } 15. Nb5 Kf8 16. h4 h5 17. c4 axb4 18. cxd5 (18. Bxb4?! dxc4 19. Bxc4 Nh6) 18... exd5 { Black has weak pawns } 19. axb4 b6 $146 { Variations & Predecessor: } (19... Nd4 20. Nxd4 Qxd4 21. Kf1 Bf6 22. Bc2 Ra2 23. Bb3 Rb2 24. Bc1 Rxe2 25. Rxd4 Rxf2+ 26. Kxf2 Bxd4+ { 1-0 Castro Salguero,R (2391)-Ramos,E (2269) Pan American tt11 email ICCF email 2017 [3] }) 20. Rb1 (20. cxb6 Bxb4 21. Nc7 (21. Bxb4+ Nxb4 22. Qd2 Nxd3+ 23. Qxd3 Qxb6 $15) 21... Bxd2+ 22. Qxd2 Rb8) (20. Kf1 $16) 20... bxc5 21. bxc5 Qe5 (21... Bxc5 22. Kf1 Ra2) 22. f4 (22. Kf1 $14 { feels stronger. }) 22... Qxe2+ (22... Qf6) 23. Kxe2 $16 Nf6 (23... Bxc5? 24. Rhc1 Nd4+ 25. Kd1 Nxb5 26. Rxc5 $18) (23... g6! $14) 24. Ra1 (24. Rhc1 $16) 24... Re8! 25. Kf3 { and Rh1-c1 would now be decisive } 25... Ne4 (25... Nd7) 26. Be3 (26. Bxe4 $14 dxe4+ 27. Kg2) 26... Nb4 (26... Nxc5 { remains equal. } 27. Bxc5 Bxc5) 27. Bxe4 $16 dxe4+ 28. Ke2 (28. Kg2) 28... Rh6 29. f5 (29. Rhc1! $16) 29... Rc6 { The position is equal. } 30. Na7 Rc7 31. Nb5 Rc6 32. Na7 Rc7 33. Nb5 Rc6 { Weighted Error Value: White=0.24 (precise)/Black=0.18 (very precise) Mistake: White=6 Black=5 Inaccurate: White=2 Black=1 OK: White=7 Black=8 Best: --- Black=4 Strong: White=3 Black=1 } 1/2-1/2