[Event "Piermont 3-12-22: Artem vs Johanna"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/QcqCeFFw/PaesO5sH"] [Result "*"] [UTCDate "2022.03.12"] [UTCTime "23:44:02"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A18"] [Opening "English Opening: Mikenas-Carls Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ArtemAleksenko"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/QcqCeFFw/PaesO5sH"] [Orientation "white"] 1. c4 (1. h3) 1... Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 Bb4 4. Nge2 Nc6 5. g3 Ne5 { White chose a strange move order, exposing the light squares to the Black Knight. Fortunately, there is a way to defend both d3 and f3. Will White find it? } { [%cal Ge5d3,Ge5f3] } 6. Bg2?? { To be fair, White avoided Kf3# with this move, but the d3 hole is still an knightmare for White } (6. Nf4! { defends the light squares and avoids disaster }) 6... Nd3+ { Disaster strikes for White. f2 will fall next } 7. Kf1 Ng4 { f3 was a much better option, resulting in getting a knight and a pawn for a rook. } { [%cal Gf2f3] } 8. a3?? { Loses an exchange and a pawn with no compensation } (8. f3 Ngf2 9. Qc2 Bc5 10. Nd1 Nb4 11. Qc3 Nxh1 12. a3 Nc6 13. Qxg7 Rf8 { [%cal Gd2d4] }) 8... Bxc3? (8... Ngxf2 { Much better as White can't really take the bishop } 9. axb4 (9. Qc2 Bd6 10. Rg1 Qf6 { Very serious trouble for Black }) 9... Nxd1) 9. Nxc3 Ndxf2 10. Qf3 Qf6?? { White is happy to trade to escape a pawn down } (10... f5! { Protects g4 knight and threatenes } 11. exf5 O-O 12. d4 Rxf5 13. Bf4 g5 { Serious problems for White } { [%cal Gf5f1] }) 11. Qxf6 gxf6 12. Rg1 Nd3 13. Ke2 Nxc1+ (13... Nge5 14. b4 d6 { White has difficulty challenging the annoying outpost on d3 }) 14. Raxc1 Nxh2 15. Bh3 { Covers the only escape square for the knight. Here Black should simply play f5 to re-establish an escape square for the knight, even though it doubles the f-pawns. } { [%csl Gg4] } 15... h5?? { This move doesn't create an escape square for the knight because after Rook to h1, the h pawn is pinned! } (15... f5 { [%cal Gh2g4] } 16. exf5 exf5 { [%csl Gf5,Gf7][%cal Gh2g4,Gg1h1] }) 16. Rh1 h4 17. g4 Nxg4 18. Bxg4 d6 19. Rh3 f5 20. exf5 exf5 { The doubled f-pawns happen anyway, so there was h-pawn idea was for naught } 21. Bf3 f4 22. Rh2 h3 23. Nd5 Rh4 { Here White clearly has a fork on c7, but fixation on the h pawn causes White to miss this! } { [%csl Gc7] } 24. Rch1?? (24. Nxc7+ Kd8 25. Nxa8) 24... f6?? { Please take on c7! } { [%csl Gc7] } 25. Nxf6+ { White refuses to win material, but it's still difficult to make progress due to an advanced h-pawn. } 25... Ke7 26. Nd5+ Kd7 { h pawn now falls } 27. Rxh3 Rxh3 28. Rxh3 Kc6 { Back rank issue guarantees further trades } 29. Rh8 Kc5 30. Ne7 Kxc4 31. Rxc8 Rxc8 32. Nxc8 a5 33. Kd1 b5 34. Kc2 Kd4 35. Na7 Kc5 36. Kd3 b4 37. a4 b3 38. Kc3 d5 39. d4+ Kd6 40. Kxb3 c5 41. Nc8+ Kd7 42. dxc5 d4 43. Nb6+ Kc7 44. Kc4 d3 45. Kxd3 Kd8 46. Kd4 Kc7 *