1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Qxd4
An offbeat line that can be dangerous.
4...a6
The main move here is 4...Nc6 but I find this move takes White players out of their comfort zone quickly and leads to a very safe position for Black. At the cost of allowing White a Marokzy bind type structure Blach develops his pieces quickly.
5.c4
Nc6
6.Qd2
This might seem odd but White intends to simply develop by putting his bishop on b2 and keep a spatial advantage. My response is to play an unusual variation which aims to distrupt this cosy White plan.
6...g6
7.b3
Bh6
This is the move which aims to make White think for himself and disrupts the ready made intentions of White to devleop in a care free manner with routine moves such as, Bb2, Nc3 etc etc
8.Qb2
White perhaps wants to avoid the ending as it looks hard to see how White could create many winning chances [8.Qc3
Qa5
9.Qxa5
Nxa5
10.Bb2
Nf6
11.Nc3
0-0
12.Be2
Bd7
13.0-0
Rab8
14.Rad1
Has been played before]
8...Qa5+
9.Nc3
[9.Bd2
Bxd2+
10.Nbxd2
Nf6
11.h3
0-0
12.Bd3
Bd7
13.0-0
Nh5
14.Rfe1
Nf4
15.Bf1
Qh5
16.e5
dxe5
17.Nxe5
Has also been played before and is about equal.]
9...Bg7
Having done it's job the Bishop slips back to it's more tradtional role
10.Bd2
Qd8
This could be called the dance of the queens and Black can be content enough with the results. We have transposed into a more typical sort of marocky bind type position in which the value of having the White queen on b2 can be questioned.
11.Rc1
Nf6
12.Nd5
Black had the threat of Ne4 and White decides that instead of just moving his Queen to break the pin he decides to try counter this pin by trying to make some use of his own pin.
12...0-0
13.Bc3
This is the point of Whites play but it appears to be a somewhat faulty or at least ineffectualplan
13...e5!
This yet again changes the nature of the position and White is not well placed to exploit the downsides of this structure change. [weak d pawn] [13...Bg4
Looks fine too; 13...Be6
Was something I considered on the basis of White swapping off on f6 but just Be2 probably keeps a slight advantage for White. 14.Nxf6+
Bxf6
15.Bxf6
exf6
16.Be2
f5
17.exf5
Qa5+
18.Qd2
Qxd2+
19.Kxd2
Bxf5
Seemed safe but a bit passive and no prospects of any winning chances for Black, only a long defense.]
14.Nxf6+?!
[14.Bd3
Was better]
14...Qxf6
Black is comfortable now
15.Be2
h5!?
I had wanted to play Bg4 now with what I thought was a very safe position for Black but I was a bit worried about Nxe5 and thought h5 was a very useful multi purpose move anyway. [15...Bg4!
As it happpen I had little to fear from Nxe5 16.Nxe5
dxe5
(16...Nxe5
17.Bxe5
(17.Bxg4?
Qg5!
Wins (17...Nd3+
18.Kd2
Nxb2
19.Bxf6
Bxf6
Wins too!) ) 17...dxe5
18.Bxg4
Rad8
And the extra pawn is of little use to White) 17.Bxg4
Qf4
18.Bf3
Rfd8
And Black though perhaps slightly worse has enough compensation for the lost pawn.; 15...Qf4!?
]
16.0-0
Bg4
17.h3
Bxf3
18.Bxf3
Rab8
Objectively not the best but a very clever move in the circumstances. [rapid play game + give White something to worry about (b5) It is a useful move in general too.
19.Rcd1
Nd4
20.Bxd4
exd4
21.Rc1?
As incredible as it seems, this natural looking move leaves White in big trouble. I had been hoping that White might play this having realized the d file was dead now and so he would try logically to be ready for action on the c file. The problem from a tactical point of view is that White now cannot oppose the Black queen on f4 now.
21...Qf4!
Very strong
22.Qe2
So as to meet Be5 with g3
22...h4
Rulling out any pawn defence on the black squares.
23.Rfd1
Be5
24.Kf1
It might seem like white can just run away with his king and survive intact but Black has a way to stop such an escape in its tracks.
24...Rfe8!
Indirect pr essure is often very effective. Here Black keeps open the possibility of a timely b5,d5 or f5 as the circumstances dictate and keeps the idea of a pin on the E file for the White king very much alive for tactics.
25.Rb1?!
I guess White thinks there will be less tactical problems with the rook here as opposed toC1
25...Qh2
26.Qd3
My next move was perfectly reasonable but not the best, still it is hard to see a good defence for White now anyway.
26...b5
[26...d5!!
Is huge 27.cxd5
(27.Rb2
dxc4
28.bxc4
b5
29.cxb5
axb5
(29...Rec8!
30.b6
Rc3
) 30.Rxb5
Rxb5
31.Qxb5
Rb8
32.Qd3
Rb2
33.Rd2
Rb1+
34.Rd1
Rb4
) 27...Rbc8
And Black is not too far from victory. 28.Rbc1?
And the rook is lost after the exchange on C1 followed by Qh1 check.]
27.Rbc1
bxc4
28.Qxc4?
The worst of a bad lot of choices [28.Rxc4
d5
29.Rc5
Rbd8
; 28.bxc4
Rb2
29.Rc2
Reb8
]
28...d5!
Thematic
29.Qxd5
Rbd8
Now Black has d3 next with great effect.
30.Qc6
The last try from White really [30.Qc4
d3
31.Rxd3
Rxd3
32.Qxd3
Qh1+
33.Ke2
Qxc1
]
30...Re6
[30...d3?
31.Rxd3
And if Black takes on d3 then his rook hangs on E8]
31.Qxe6
A sort of resignation. White is doomed . [31.Qc4
d3
]
31...fxe6
32.Ke2
Bg7
33.Rc6
Qe5
34.a4?
In a lost position it is easy to lose heart and go even further astray, this allows Black to wrap it up now/
34...d3+
As after RxD3 black has Qb2 check 0-1