[Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/1SJstXiH"] [Date "2020.09.19"] [White "nimzotech"] [Black "Patrick_VH"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1500"] [BlackElo "1500"] [TimeControl "1500+10"] [Termination "Normal"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C64"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/axel_muller"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/nbivMh2o/aKMZdRfU"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 0:25:00] } 1... e5 { [%clk 0:25:00] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 0:25:05] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 0:24:56] } 3. Bb5 { [%clk 0:25:12] } 3... Bc5 { While not a very frequent guest these days it is certainly a move with a long history. It's mentioned in one of the oldest chess books of modern times (Goettinger Handschrift from ca. 1480). This line is generally referred to as the Classical Defense of the Ruy Lopez. It's also known as the Cordel Defense. On occasion players like Anand, Fisher, or Alekhine used this line too. } { [%clk 0:24:49] } (3... a6 { is arguably the main move here. }) (3... Nf6 { Thanks to Kramnik's revival of the Berlin this move has become major weapon against the Ruy Lopez. } 4. d3 { This timid looking move is enjoying quite some popularity. White avoids the Berlin endgame and just continues to get the pieces out before taking any action. } 4... Bc5 { This line is of some interest as the game transposes. } 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nbd2 { The game reaches a similar position. But Chris had other plans for his king. }) 4. d3 { Generally, white tries to make d4 work. Getting to this square in one move has some obvious advantages. Starting with } { [%clk 0:24:46] } (4. c3 { makes more sense. }) (4. O-O { is the other move commonly played here. }) 4... d6 { [%clk 0:24:46] } 5. Nbd2 { again c3 looks better here. It's always a good idea to stay flexible. White probably has to play c3 in the near future anyway. The knight on d2 blocks the bishop. Depending on how black continues it might have made sense to get the bishop out before Nbd2. The knight might also have been transferred to the kingside via a3-c2-e3-f5. } { [%clk 0:24:46] } 5... Nf6 { [%clk 0:24:44] } (5... Ne7!? { With the idea of getting the knight to f4 via g6. }) (5... a6!? 6. Bc4 (6. Ba4 { Black has a number of reasonable options here, Qf6, Ne7, or Ba7. }) (6. Bxc6+ { This shouldn't worry black too much either. }) 6... Nf6 { Now we enter the realm of the Giuoco Pianissimo, but white is a tempo down. }) 6. c3 { [%clk 0:24:00] } 6... O-O { [%clk 0:24:27] } 7. Qe2 { [%clk 0:23:33] } (7. O-O { leads to the position mentioned earlier. }) 7... Be6 { This move is ok, but I prefer the alternatives. For example: } { [%clk 0:23:33] } (7... Ne7!? { The knight aims for f4. This move also doesn't commit the light squared bishop too early. } 8. O-O Ng6 9. d4 a6 10. Ba4 Ba7 11. Re1 Nf4 { I would take black here. }) 8. Nf1 { [%clk 0:22:58] } 8... a6 { [%clk 0:22:49] } (8... Ne7 { is still a good move here. }) 9. Ba4 { [%clk 0:23:04] } 9... Ne7 { [%clk 0:22:15] } 10. h3 { I'm not sure this move is necessary here. Black already spent a tempo on Be6. } { [%clk 0:22:42] } 10... b5 { [%clk 0:21:54] } 11. Bc2 { White's light square bishop occupies the b1-h7 diagonal. d3 and e4 still block the diagonal but this can change. Opening up the diagonal is a standard attacking plan for white here. } { [%clk 0:22:42] } 11... c6?! { More to the point is: } { [%clk 0:22:00] } (11... Ng6 12. Ng3 d5 { with a complex struggle ahead. But black has nothing to fear here. }) 12. g4?! { This weakens the dark squares quite significantly. } { [%clk 0:22:31] } (12. Ng3 { looks much better. }) 12... h6? { This helps white a lot. Suddenly there is something to attack. Usually it's not a great idea to move pawns on the side the opponent attacks. } { [%clk 0:21:26] } 13. Ng3 { [%clk 0:22:33] } (13. g5! { Opening lines for the attack is the way to go here. }) 13... Ng6 { [%clk 0:20:37] } 14. g5 { [%clk 0:22:09] } 14... Nf4?? { This allows white to play d4 and suddenly the white attack is very very strong. } { [%clk 0:19:38] } 15. Bxf4 { [%clk 0:22:03] } 15... exf4 { [%clk 0:19:44] } 16. gxf6 { [%clk 0:21:35] } 16... fxg3 { [%clk 0:19:24] } 17. fxg3? { The in between move } { [%clk 0:20:34] } (17. d4! { and the bishop on c2 will make its presence felt. } 17... gxf2+ 18. Qxf2 Ba7 19. fxg7 { with a crushing attack. }) 17... Qxf6 { now black is fine again. } { [%clk 0:19:16] } 18. O-O-O { [%clk 0:18:52] } 18... a5 { [%clk 0:18:18] } (18... Bxa2 { wins a pawn and weakens the white king, what's not to like? } 19. d4 Bc4) 19. d4 { [%clk 0:18:56] } 19... Bc4 { [%clk 0:17:49] } 20. Qe3 { [%clk 0:17:47] } 20... Bb6 { [%clk 0:17:00] } 21. b3 { [%clk 0:17:37] } (21. Kb1 { might have been a safer choice. Moving pawns in front of your king into the enemies pawn storm is not always the best plan. }) 21... Be6 { [%clk 0:16:33] } 22. Rdf1? { The rook on the same file looks scary but there aren't any powerful discovered attacks. } { [%clk 0:17:31] } (22. e5 Qe7 23. Qe4 g6 { with mutual chances }) 22... Qd8 { [%clk 0:15:13] } (22... a4! { Taking advantage of the b3. } 23. Nh4 Qe7 { and black's attack is faster. }) 23. g4 { It is still not too late to start/continue attacking with a4. f6 moves yet another pawn on the site white attacks. The light squared bishop is often white's crucial attacking piece in these position. With f6 black surrenders all the light squares on the kingside. } { [%clk 0:17:03] } 23... f6 { It was not too late to start/continue attacking with a4. f6 moves yet another pawn on the site white attacks. The light squared bishop is often white's crucial attacking piece in these position. f6 black surrenders all the light squares on the kingside. } { [%clk 0:14:29] } 24. Nh4 { [%clk 0:16:25] } (24. e5! { Finally the b1-h7 diagonal is open. } 24... fxe5? 25. Qd3 { and white's attack is unstoppable. }) 24... Qe8 { [%clk 0:13:24] } (24... a4 { Now or never! }) 25. Nf5 { [%clk 0:16:17] } 25... Bxf5 { [%clk 0:12:29] } 26. gxf5? { Can you hear the bishop on c2 weep? } { [%clk 0:16:16] } (26. Rxf5 { Was a better choice. Opening the g-file was tempting. But with the the 7th rank to the disposal of black's heavy pieces the g7 pawn is easily defended. The diagonal b1-h7, however, can't be contested. A typical scenario in opposite colored bishops positions. }) 26... Kf7?? { Now it's all over. } { [%clk 0:12:32] } (26... c5! 27. Rhg1 Rf7 28. Qxh6 cxd4 29. Rg4 d3 30. Bxd3 Rc8 31. Kd2 d5 { who is attacking whom now? }) 27. Qg3 { [%clk 0:16:03] } 27... Rg8 { [%clk 0:12:09] } 28. Qxd6 { [%clk 0:15:58] } 28... Rd8 { [%clk 0:11:54] } 29. Qg3 { [%clk 0:15:35] } 29... Ba7 { Black's position is probably lost, to have any hope he needs to mix things up now. } { [%clk 0:11:33] } (29... b4 { still lost, but at least black is attacking something. }) 30. Qc7+ { [%clk 0:13:34] } 30... Qe7 { [%clk 0:11:04] } 31. Qxa5 { [%clk 0:13:09] } 31... Ke8 { [%clk 0:11:06] } 32. Re1 { The rook appears on the e-file, e5 is coming and the game is soon over. } { [%clk 0:12:52] } 32... Bb8 { [%clk 0:10:20] } 33. e5 { [%clk 0:12:26] } 33... Kf8 { [%clk 0:09:24] } 34. exf6 { [%clk 0:12:17] } 34... Bf4+ { [%clk 0:09:09] } 35. Kb2 { [%clk 0:12:17] } 35... Qxf6 { [%clk 0:05:37] } 36. Re6 { [%clk 0:11:44] } 36... Qf7 { [%clk 0:05:16] } 37. Qxd8+ { [%clk 0:11:47] } 37... Qe8 { [%clk 0:05:17] } 38. Qxe8# { 1-0 White wins by checkmate. } { [%clk 0:11:33] } 1-0