[Event "NL Open 2024: Round 5: Steve Martin - Raj Sancheti"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/Txvd1i4n/CIDtOH5D"] [White "Steve"] [Black "Raj"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/countersparks"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B12"] [Opening "Caro-Kann Defense: Maróczy Variation"] [StudyName "NL Open 2024"] [ChapterName "Steve - Raj"] [UTCDate "2025.01.13"] [UTCTime "11:54:57"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/T2ma78vx/Z1H9Efo9"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 dxe4 4. fxe4 e5 { This is one of Black's main lines, but if you are Black and you play this, it is important to be aware of the dangers because many of Black's moves that seem ok are just losing. } 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Bc4 Nd7 (6... Nf6 { This normal-looking move, for example, loses to } 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Nxe5+ Ke8 9. Nxg4) 7. c3 Ngf6 8. Qb3 Qe7 9. O-O { I was concerned about leaving my King uncastled, but White can safely grab on b7 instead because black's rook will be attacked. Attacks on White's queen by black's rook do not really threaten White significantly. For example Qxb7 Rb8 Qxc6 Rb6 Qc8+ Qd8. Though castling is prudent and helps development, it is not best due to Black's weak queenside. Black can go for material here and gain an advantage. But the text move isn't worse for white or anything } (9. Qxb7 Rb8? (9... Nb6 10. Qxe7+ Bxe7 11. Bd3 (11. Nxe5 Nxc4 12. Nxc4 Nxe4 13. Ne5)) 10. Qxc6 exd4 11. Bf4 { Black doesn't have time to exploit white's weak e4 pawn due to the attack on the rook }) 9... b5 10. Bd3 Bxf3 11. Rxf3 Nh5 12. Be3 g6 13. a4 b4 14. Bc4 Nhf6 15. Nd2 { 15.d5 is better as pointed out by the engine. It is counterintuitive because it puts a pawn in front of white's light squared bishop. One of White's main assets in the position is control of the a2-g8 diagonal. But 14...d5 threatens a further pawn push d6. And d6 would threaten to remove the Queen from defense of the f7 pawn. It can be important to look for opportunities like these especially in a long time control game. I'm not sure how much time I took in this particular position, but I was certainly behind on the clock. } 15... bxc3 16. bxc3 Bg7 17. Raf1 O-O 18. g4 Kh8 19. h3 h6 20. g5 hxg5 21. Bxg5 Rab8 22. Qa2 Qd6 23. dxe5 Qxe5 24. Bf4 Qc5+ { My opponent was offering draws on several moves. I was behind pretty significantly on the clock and was also quite tired. Usually I would fight on in these situations, but considering my poor calculating ability throughout the tournament, I felt like playing on was like trying to stab in the dark here. I didn't feel like I knew the proper method of continuing, and I was very concerned about Black's control of e5 and the potential of his dark square Bishop. So I accepted the draw offer from my lower rated opponent who had been playing quite well. Still, White can certainly play on in spite of a weakened pawn structure because of potential of the developed pieces. And black's rook on b8 is attacked. This was Raj's first tournament as far as I can tell, and he ended up winning top junior, which is an awesome result. } 1/2-1/2