[Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/SAaNrIHu"] [Date "2017.06.24"] [Round "-"] [White "Seb32"] [Black "dahdah"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "1740"] [BlackElo "1798"] [TimeControl "2700+45"] [Termination "Normal"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B22"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense, Modern Line"] [StudyName "Alapin for tnan"] [ChapterName "Seb32 - dahdah"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/UG8tsqpv/DqPcFfcU"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Seb32"] [Orientation "white"] { From my Round 2 game with dahdah on board 4. Going into the game, I knew my opponent played the Sicilian, and I was prepared to play my trusty 2. c3 Alapin. } 1. e4 { [%clk 0:45:00] } 1... c5 { [%clk 0:45:00] } 2. c3 { [%clk 0:45:37] } 2... d5 { The less interesting of the 2 "theory responses to 2. c3". d5 offers quick equality and a nice position for black throughout the rest of the game. } { [%csl Rc3][%cal Rb1c3] [%clk 0:45:44] } (2... Nf6 { A more ambitious response from black, immediately exploiting the inability of white to play the natural Nc3 and forcing a pawn advance. } 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bc4 { Transposing into a Smith-Morra gambit, white goes down a tempo to develop the bishop. } (6. cxd4 { One mainline position for white. The two central pawns are strong, white still maintains the bishop pair and the ability to eventually play Nc4. }) 6... Nb6 7. Bb3 { Taking on c3 leaves black up a pawn but underdeveloped, in a worse Smith-Morra. As such, this is rarely seen at the master level. } 7... d5 8. exd6 Qxd6 9. O-O Be6 { End of the main line. }) 3. exd5 { Once again we have no way to naturally defend our e-pawn, so taking is forced. } { [%clk 0:46:21] } 3... Qxd5 { Safely capturing the pawn, with no threat of losing a tempo to Nc3. Black now makes the case that c3 is a wasted tempo and blocks in the knight. } { [%clk 0:46:27] } 4. d4 { [%clk 0:47:05] } 4... Nf6 { Naturally developing. Remember, it is in black's interest to NEVER capture cxd4 unless the pawn is hanging, as it frees up the c3 square for the knight with tempo and generally helps white. } { [%clk 0:47:11] } 5. Nf3 { [%clk 0:47:46] } 5... Bg4 { Pinning the knight, threatening to capture and wreck white's pawns. } { [%clk 0:47:54] } 6. Be2 { Develop, defend, allow castling. } { [%clk 0:48:29] } 6... e6 { [%clk 0:48:37] } 7. O-O { [%clk 0:47:30] } 7... Nc6 { [%clk 0:48:37] } 8. Bf4 { Here I'm officially out of theory, although my opponent is not (as they informed me after the game). Bf4 was played with the intent of stopping 0-0-0, but it doesn't even do that. } { [%clk 0:46:32] } (8. h3 Bh5 9. Be3 { Theory continuation. }) (8. Be3 { Alternate theory continuation. }) 8... Rd8 { Solid attacking move, piling more attackers onto d4 and exploiting the tension. My only undeveloped piece is now the knight that I blocked in. } { [%clk 0:46:23] } 9. Na3 { After spending 10 minutes debating Be3 and c4, I play Na3, which comes with the threat of Nb5-c7, and it must be answered. } { [%clk 0:36:17] } 9... a6 { [%clk 0:45:56] } 10. Nc2 { I've managed to develop all my pieces and place my knight on a useful square in spite of c3. } { [%clk 0:35:47] } 10... cxd4 { Once I've committed my knight to c2, black takes on d4 - giving me an IQP and making the case that I've wasted time in the opening. } { [%clk 0:41:42] } 11. cxd4?! { To be honest, I completely msised the ability to capture with the knight, worried about the possibility of e5 after Nxd4. Lines are shown below. } { [%clk 0:33:56] } (11. Ncxd4 e5? (11... Nxd4 12. Nxd4 Bxe2 13. Qxe2 $10) 12. Bxe5 Nxe5 (12... Nxd4 13. Bxd4 $16) 13. Nxe5 Qxe5 (13... Bxe2 14. Qxe2 $16) 14. Bxg4 Nxg4 15. Qxg4 $16) 11... Be7 { [%clk 0:39:45] } 12. Ne3 { A natural move, trying to win the bishop pair. I played this move quickly, thinking it looked fine. Black's response makes it far more trouble than its worth. } { [%clk 0:30:56] } 12... Qe4!? { And here I spent 20 minutes looking for any way to save my position, many many lines shown below. } { [%clk 0:39:05] } 13. Bc7 { This ends up being the only playable line and I'm lucky to have found it. Realizing I needed to both move my bishop and defend d4 leaves only one possible line, and the intermezzo Bc7 lets me reach the only square that defends d4 - b6. } { [%clk 0:09:47] } (13. Nxg4 Qxf4 14. Nxf6+ Bxf6 $15 { [%cal Rc6d4,Rf6d4,Rd8d4,Rf4d4,Gd1d4,Gf3d4] }) (13. Bg5 Nxd4 14. Bxf6 (14. Nxd4 Rxd4 $17 { [%cal Rd4d1,Rg4e2] }) (14. Nxg4 Nxe2+ $17 { [%cal Rd8d1] }) 14... Nxe2+ 15. Qxe2 Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Qxf3 17. gxf3 Bxf6 $15) (13. Bg3 Nxd4 14. Nxd4 Rxd4 $17 { [%cal Rd4d1,Rg4e2] }) (13. Be5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Rxd4 $17 { [%cal Rd4d1,Re4e5,Rg4e2] }) (13. Nd2 Qxf4 14. Nxg4 Nxg4 15. Bxg4 Rxd4 $17 { [%cal Gd1g4,Gd1d2,Rd4d2,Rf4d2,Rf4g4,Rd4g4] }) 13... Rd7 { [%clk 0:38:47] } 14. Bb6 { [%clk 0:10:29] } 14... Nd5 { Allowing for simplification of the position, I quickly accept. I'm low on time and he's given me an out. } { [%clk 0:35:54] } 15. Nxd5 { [%clk 0:08:04] } (15. Nxg4 Nxb6 16. Ne3 { I missed this continuation in game, although I'm not convinced that it is any better than Nxd5 }) 15... Qxd5 { [%clk 0:36:29] } 16. Ne5?? { Disaster strikes! With under 5 minutes on the clock I go for simplification to try to force a trade of the bishops, but this fails to some clever tactics. } { [%clk 0:05:50] } 16... Bxe2?? { Fortunately my oppponent misses the tactic and I'm able to save my position } { [%clk 0:36:40] } (16... Nxe5 17. dxe5 (17. Bxg4 Qb5 { [%cal Rb5b6,Re5g4,Rd7d1] } (17... Nxg4? 18. Qxg4)) 17... Qc6 { [%cal Rd7d1,Rg4e2,Rc6b6] }) 17. Qxe2 { [%clk 0:05:49] } 17... Nxe5 { [%clk 0:36:19] } 18. dxe5 { [%clk 0:05:44] } (18. Qxe5 Qxe5 19. dxe5 Rd5 20. Rac1 O-O { In this position, despite just trying to simplify, I want to keep the queens on the board as I was worried about the e5 pawn becoming weak. }) 18... Qc6 { [%clk 0:36:01] } 19. Be3 { [%clk 0:06:07] } 19... O-O { [%clk 0:36:39] } 20. Rac1 { [%clk 0:06:33] } 20... Qe4 { [%clk 0:36:32] } 21. Rfd1 { Giving up e5, and trading it for the infiltration on the 7th. Doesn't drop a pawn because I'm guaranteed b7 after the game continuation } { [%clk 0:04:09] } 21... Rxd1+ { [%clk 0:36:53] } 22. Rxd1 { [%clk 0:04:51] } 22... Qxe5 { [%clk 0:36:10] } 23. Rd7 { [%clk 0:05:31] } 23... Bf6 { [%clk 0:34:30] } (23... Rc8 24. Rxe7 Rc1+ 25. Bxc1 Qxe2 26. Re8# { As a side note, this is one of the lines I spotted in-game. Although it doesn't work because of his own back-rank issues, I was concerned that he might try for Rc1+, winning the queen due to the pin on the bishop }) 24. Rxb7 { [%clk 0:05:50] } 24... Qe4 { A double attack, and the last tricky position of the game. } { [%clk 0:33:40] } 25. Ra7 { I offered a draw here and my opponent accepted. The end position is quite tricky and some endgame continuations are shown. } { [%clk 0:03:14] } (25. Rb6 Qb1+ 26. Qf1 Qxa2 27. Qxa6 Qxa6 28. Rxa6 Bxb2 $10 { Rb6 also works just as well as Ra7, both leave white down a pawn but in a draw-able position. }) (25. Qxa6?? { The only way to lose in the position, taking the greedy approach of trying to grab the pawn and defend the rook. } 25... Rd8! { [%cal Rd8d1,Re4b7] } 26. h3 { Createing a luft won't work } 26... Rd1+ 27. Kh2 Be5+ 28. f4 (28. g3 Rh1#) 28... Bxf4+ 29. Bxf4 Qxf4+ 30. g3 Qf2#) 25... Qb1+ 26. Qf1 Qxa2 27. Rxa6 Qxb2 $10 { Potential continuation after Ra7, if the game weren't drawn. } 1/2-1/2