Sunday, August 23, 2020

Catalan morphs into a Benoni

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 c5  3...d5 is most usual, but this scores the best for black.  With this move, black is inviting a switch into the Benoni.  I am content with this, since I often play the king-bishop fianchetto line as white against the Benoni.

4 d5 d6 5 de I figured that if black disdained the normal move of 4...ed, I would initiate the exchange myself.

5...fe 6 Bg2 Be7 7 Nc3 0-0 8 e4 e5 9 Bg5 Nc6 10 Nge2 Be6 11 b3 Nd4 12 0-0 Qa5 13 f4 ef 14 Bxf4 Bg4 15 Rf2 BxN 16 NxB NxN+ 17 QxN Qc3  The engine now gives white a healthy two-point advantage.

18 Rad1 Rad8 19 Rd3 Qa5 20 Qd1 Qb6 21 Rfd2 h5? 22 e5 de 23 Bxe5 RxR 24 RxR Ng4 25 Bd5+ Kh8 26 Bf4 Bf6 27 Rf3? (h3) Bd4+ 28 Kg2 Qh6 29 Qe2 Nf6 30 Bg5? (Be3) Qd6?? (Re8) 31 RxN!!  I made this move instinctively, as time did not allow calculating all the possible continuations.  It wins in all variations.

31...gf 32 Qxh5+  Black resigns  (it is mate next move)  1-0

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