[Event "Lichess Blitz"] [Site "?"] [Date "2020.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Westrap, Christian"] [Black "Snowcert"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E01"] [Annotator "Christian Westrap"] [PlyCount "33"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [EventType "blitz"] {Notes by the winner} 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 {The point of this move order is to avoid some of the sharper variations of the Open Catalan, of which there are many!} e6 4. Bg2 c5 {This move most often leads to a Tarrasch Defence, rather than a Catalan.} (4... Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 {is the main line of the Catalan}) 5. O-O Nc6 6. c4 cxd4 (6... dxc4 {transposes into a popular line of the Catalan, with an early c5 from Black. One interesting trap is} 7. Ne5 $5 Nxd4 $2 (7... Bd7 $1 {is best with a complicated position arising after} 8. Na3 cxd4 9. Naxc4 Bc5 $44) (7... Nxe5 $6 8. dxe5 Qxd1 9. Rxd1 Nd7 10. Na3 Nxe5 11. Bf4 Ng6 12. Bc7 Be7 13. Nxc4 $16 {and despite being a pawn down the position is in White's favour and a good reason to play this variation as, I think, many players would take on e5 here.}) 8. e3 $1 Nf5 (8... Nc6 9. Bxc6+ $1 bxc6 10. Qxd8+ Kxd8 11. Nxf7+ $18 {is similar}) 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 10. Nxf7+ Ke8 11. Nxh8 $18 {and Black is busted. I've caught a few people out with this one!}) (6... Be7 7. cxd5 exd5 {is a main line Tarrasch}) 7. Nxd4 Nxd4 $6 (7... Bc5 8. Nb3 Bb6 9. cxd5 Nxd5 $44 {is better. Taking on d4 allows the White queen a strong post in the centre.}) 8. Qxd4 dxc4 $6 {Black can't fight against the Catalan set-up in this way. After abandoning the centre, the White bishops are too strong and Black is way behind in development.} (8... Be7 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Nc3 Be6 $14 {is a good version of the Tarrasch Defence for White as Black has abandoned the d4 square too quickly. Black is still very much in the game though.}) 9. Qxd8+ $1 {trading queens here gives White an even larger lead in development.} (9. Qxc4 {was also quite good though, intending Nc3 and Rd1 with some advantage.}) 9... Kxd8 10. Rd1+ Kc7 $2 {This move is unplayable as the king gets into big trouble on the queenside.} (10... Ke8 $16 {was better when} 11. Nd2 c3 12. Nc4 cxb2 13. Bxb2 {gives White loads for the pawn or he can just retake on c3 with a clear advantage.}) 11. Bf4+ {The queens have been exchanged but the king is still doomed as all of White's pieces can attack.} Kb6 12. Nd2 Kc5 $6 $18 {Nxc4 was a strong threat, to be fair!} (12... a6 13. Nxc4+ Ka7 14. Be3+ Kb8 15. Nb6 $18 {is winning for White.}) (12... c3 13. bxc3 Nd5 14. Rab1+ Ka6 $18 {is also horrible}) (12... Nd5 13. Nxc4+ Ka6 {is my engine's best try for Black, who can battle on, but he's in big trouble still!} ) 13. Rac1 a6 14. Rxc4+ Kb5 15. a4+ Ka5 {its mate in 2 after this} (15... Kb6 16. Be3+ Bc5 17. Rxc5 {was also hopeless though.}) 16. Bc7+ b6 17. Nb3# { I was really pleased with this finish as Black's king is mated on a5 straight out of the opening and most of his pieces are still on their starting squares. I felt like Paul Morphy for a whole 5 minutes! Well played Christian, we all like an exciting king hunt!} 1-0