[Event "22EN11"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2022.10.02"] [White "Miller, Michael"] [Black "Hilburn, Jerry"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Robert Irons"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C00"] [Opening "French Defense"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/m9Fx6Mti/RwFP9xD5"] [Orientation "white"] { [%evp 0,69,58,6,29,-4,12,8,10,-1,20,-6,-12,-35,-15,-39,-5,-9,-6,-46,-40,-69, -65,-50,-42,-43,-43,-42,-53,-41,-28,-46,-54,-66,-67,-62,-60,-50,-33,-80,-93, -128,-48,-103,-46,-42,-43,-37,-36,-36,-31,-34,-19,-17,-14,-28,-23,-23,-17,-20, -13,-35,-24,-19,-25,-21,-21,-24,-18,-13,-6,-13] } 1. e4 e6 2. a3!? { Well, I guess that rules out the Winawer variation! } 2... d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. d4 { We now have the Exchange French structure with White having played a3, which is of questionable value in this structure. } 5... Bd6 6. h3?! (6. Bd3) 6... O-O 7. Be3 Nbd7 8. Nc3?! $15 { Better is } (8. Bd3 b6 9. O-O c5 { with equality. }) 8... c6 9. Qd2?! $17 { And again } (9. Bd3 Re8 10. O-O $15) 9... Nb6!? $15 (9... Re8 10. Be2 Ne4 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Nh2 f5 $17 { looks better to me. }) 10. b3? $19 { Once again, I prefer } (10. Bd3 Re8 11. O-O Ne4) 10... Bf5 11. Bd3 Bxd3?! $15 (11... Ne4! $17) 12. Qxd3 Re8 13. O-O Ne4?! (13... Nbd7 14. Rfe1 Ne4 $15 { looks a little bit better. }) 14. Rfe1 Bc7 15. Kf1 Nd7 16. Nd2 Nxc3 17. Qxc3 Nf6 18. Bg5 Qd6 19. Nf3? $17 (19. Bxf6 Qxf6 20. Qb4 { keeps things even. }) 19... Ne4 20. Qb4 Nxg5? { Here, I prefer } (20... Qxb4 21. axb4 Bd6 $17) 21. Qxd6? $17 { This is a blunder that gives Black the game. } (21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. Qxd6 Bxd6 23. Nxg5) 21... Bxd6? { Necessary is to first play } (21... Rxe1+ 22. Rxe1 Bxd6 23. Nxg5 Bxa3 24. Nf3 a5 25. Ra1 Bd6 $17 { . After the text the play calms down and ends in a draw. }) 22. Rxe8+ Rxe8 23. Nxg5 h6 24. Nf3 g6 25. a4 Kg7 26. Re1 Rxe1+ 27. Kxe1 Kf6 28. Ke2 Ke6 29. g3 Bc7 30. g4 Bf4 31. Ne1 Bd6 32. Nd3 b6 33. Ke3 a5 34. f3 Bc7 35. Kf2 { 1/2-1/2 The game is a draw. } 1/2-1/2