[Event "Championship Quad (June 2024)"] [Site "Crux Fermentation Project, Bend"] [Date "2025.04.16"] [White "Zach C"] [Black "Dean C"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1877"] [BlackElo "1832"] [TimeControl "600+5"] [Variant "Standard"] [Termination "Unknown"] [GameId "fQxR4pHx"] [ECO "C08"] [Opening "French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System"] [StudyName "2025 Games of the Month"] [ChapterName "April - Dean C vs Zach C"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/ikIcpsrB/Z1tJHOWU"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/BendChess_Go"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%eval 0.18] } 1... e6 { [%eval 0.28] } 2. d4 { [%eval 0.28] } 2... d5 { [%eval 0.29] } 3. Nd2 { [%eval 0.17] } { Zach opts for the Tarrasch French, which allows the game to transpose into either advance or exchange structures, but with the ability to play c3 in response to c5. The downside being that the knight is much more awkwardly placed on d2 than it would be on c3. } 3... c5 { [%eval 0.17] } 4. exd5 { [%eval 0.14] } 4... exd5 { [%eval 0.19] } 5. Ngf3 { [%eval 0.15] } 5... Nf6 { [%eval 0.1] } (5... c4) 6. Bb5+ { [%eval 0.1] } 6... Bd7 { [%eval 0.12] } 7. Bxd7+ { [%eval 0.08] } 7... Nbxd7 { [%eval 0.14] } 8. O-O { [%eval 0.14] } (8. dxc5 Bxc5) 8... Be7 { [%eval 0.21] } 9. dxc5 { [%eval 0.12] } { White captures on c5 to give black an isolated pawn, captured only after the bishop is developed to e7 and cannot easily recapture on c5 due to Re1+. } 9... Nxc5 { [%eval 0.17] } (9... Bxc5) 10. Nb3 { [%eval 0.21] } { White willingly offers to double his pawns in exchange for the semi open a file. } 10... Nxb3 { [%eval 0.32] } 11. axb3 { [%eval 0.35] } 11... O-O { [%eval 0.45] } 12. Re1 { [%eval 0.21] } 12... Bc5 { [%eval 0.25] } 13. Bg5 { [%eval 0.25] } { Be3 would have been a safer choice, but Zach opts to keep more pieces on the board and go for complications. } 13... Qb6 { [%eval 0.21] } 14. Bh4 { [%eval 0.0] } (14. Bxf6 Bxf2+ 15. Kf1 gxf6 16. Re2) 14... Ne4 { [%eval 0.05] } 15. Re2 { [%eval -0.13] } 15... Qe6 { [%eval 0.28] } 16. Ng5 { [%eval -0.06] } { Probably a step in the wrong direction, where improving the position of the queen or attempting to break up blacks central control with c4 seem preferable. } (16. Nd2) 16... Qf5 { [%eval 0.09] } 17. Nxe4 { [%eval 0.02] } 17... dxe4 { [%eval 0.01] } 18. Qd2 { [%eval -0.23] } 18... Rfe8 { [%eval -0.1] } 19. Qc3? { [%eval -1.26] } { Mistake. Qg5 was best. } { The first serious mistake of the game. Rc1 was foreseen, but b4 doesn't work due to the clever be7 and the bishop is getting trapped with g5 } (19. Qg5 Qc8) 19... Rac8 { [%eval -1.14] } 20. Qe1 { [%eval -1.2] } { A very sad move } 20... Qg4 { [%eval -0.82] } 21. Bg3 { [%eval -0.93] } 21... h5 { [%eval -0.58] } 22. Rd1?? { [%eval -3.21] } { Blunder. Kh1 was best. } { Zach fails to see the danger inherent in the position, and attempts to go for activity instead of the line of fire. } (22. Kh1 f5 23. h3 Qg5 24. Rd1 Bb6 25. Bd6 Re6 26. c4 Rg6 27. f3 exf3) 22... h4 { [%eval -3.37] } 23. Bd6 { [%eval -3.33] } 23... h3 { [%eval -2.74] } 24. Bg3 { [%eval -3.18] } 24... f5 { [%eval -3.08] } 25. gxh3 { [%eval -2.96] } 25... Qg6?! { [%eval -1.73] } { Inaccuracy. Qxh3 was best. } (25... Qxh3 26. Qd2 Red8 27. Qxd8+ Rxd8 28. Rxd8+ Kh7 29. Rd5 Qg4 30. Re1 b6 31. Re5) 26. Kh1?! { [%eval -2.91] } { Inaccuracy. b4 was best. } { The position is practically lost from here, black is winning a piece by some means and whites king is terribly weak, despite the amount of pieces nearby. } (26. b4 Bb6 27. Rd6 Qf7 28. Qd2 Rcd8 29. Kf1 Qh5 30. Re1 Qxh3+ 31. Kg1 e3) 26... Qh5 { [%eval -2.6] } 27. Red2? { [%eval -4.98] } { Mistake. Kg1 was best. } (27. Kg1 Rc6 28. Rd7 Rf8 29. b4 Bb6 30. c4 Rxc4 31. Be5 Rf7 32. Rxf7 Kxf7) (27. Bd6) 27... f4?! { [%eval -3.3] } { Inaccuracy. Qf3+ was best. } (27... Qf3+ 28. Kg1 e3 29. b4 exd2 30. Qxd2 Bb6 31. Qd5+ Qxd5 32. Rxd5 Rxc2 33. Rxf5) 28. Rd7?? { [%eval -8.17] } { Blunder. Qe2 was best. } { A desperate attempt to whip up some counterplay, but white is completely toasted. } (28. Qe2 Qxe2 29. Rxe2 fxg3 30. hxg3 e3 31. fxe3 Rxe3 32. Rxe3 Bxe3 33. c3 Rf8) 28... Qf3+ { [%eval -7.86] } { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1