Friday, January 7, 2022

The English Opening

A game played today on chessbase.

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nc7 Initiating my pet line against the English. 5...Nxc3 would give white too strong of a center.

6. Nf3 Nc6 7. e3? This gives black a healthy half-point advantage. Normal is 7 d3.

7...e5 8. O-O Be7 9. a3 O-O 10. Ne2 Rb8 11. b3 b6 12. Bb2 f6 13. d4 exd4 14. exd4 cxd4 15. Nfxd4 Nxd4 16. Nxd4 Bb7 17. Bxb7 Rxb7 18. Qf3 Qd5 19. Qe2 Bc5 20. Rad1 Re8 21. Qc4 Qxc4 22. bxc4 Ne6 23. Nf3 Rbe7 24. Rfe1 Kf7 25. a4 Nc7 (Bb4) 26. Rxe7+ Rxe7 27. Re1 Rxe1+ 28. Nxe1 Ke6 29. Nd3 Kf5 30. Nxc5 bxc5 31. f3 Ne6 32. Kf2 Nd8 33. Ke3 Ke6 34. f4 g6 35. g4 f5 36. h3 fxg4 37. hxg4 h5? My idea here was to get the outside passed pawn. However, as we shall see, black has a good counter to this plan.

38. gxh5? Here white could have played 38 f5+, gaining a healthy advantage.

38...gxh5 39. Bc3 Kf5 40. Kf3 h4 41. Be5 Nc6 42. Bd6 Nd4+ 43. Kg2 Ne6 44. Kh3 Nxf4+ 45. Kxh4 Nd3 46. a5 a6 47. Kg3 Ke4 48. Kg4 Kd4 49. Kf3 Kxc4 50. Ke4 Nb4 51. Be7 Nc6 52. Bd8 Nxd8 0-1

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