[Event "Southend & District League"] [Site "Basildon Chess Club"] [Date "2021.05.31"] [Round "?"] [White "David Millward"] [Black "Christian Westrap"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C11"] [Annotator "Christian"] [PlyCount "36"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 {The Tarrasch Variation - White develops a piece and protects his king's pawn. The knight is placed more passively on d2 than on c3 but Black is not able to pin it.} Nf6 {Black attacks the pawn on e4 again. The main alternative is 3... c5 which usually leads to active piece play for Black at the cost of an isolated queen's pawn.} 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 {An aggressive line in which White gains a lot of territory but often lags behind in development - his king may also remain in the centre for a long time.} (5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 cxd4 8. cxd4 f6 $44 {is the most popular continuation.}) 5... c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Qb6 8. Nf3 {Both sides battle for the d4 square.} f6 {White has defended d4 stoutly, so Black begins attacking another point in the chain - the e5 pawn.} 9. g3 {The sharpest line - White falls further behind in development but has chances to attack the e6 pawn, which is undefended.} cxd4 10. Nexd4 $5 {A double-edged move! White allows Black to dismantle his pawn chain in order to attack e6.} (10. cxd4 Bb4+ 11. Nc3 O-O $13 {is more solid but the position is still very unclear.}) 10... fxe5 $5 {Again, very sharp! Black ignores the threat on e6 and hopes to obtain active piece play.} (10... Nxd4 11. cxd4 {is similar to the last note and also quite playable.}) 11. Nxe6 $5 {Taking up the gauntlet!} (11. fxe5 Ndxe5 $2 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. Qh5+ Ng6 14. Bd3 $16 {is clearly better for White but Black can improve significantly with 11... Nc5! and has a playable game.}) 11... Nf6 12. Nxf8 Rxf8 (12... Bg4 $1 $44 {is recommended by Watson}) 13. Qe2 $2 {White starts to go wrong. This passive move allows Black to obtain an active game with very straightforward moves.} ( 13. Nxe5 Bf5 14. Qb3 Qxb3 15. axb3 Be4 16. Rg1 Nxe5 17. fxe5 Ng4 18. Bb5+ Ke7 { is a sample line and about equal}) 13... e4 (13... Bg4 $1 {is also good since} 14. fxe5 $2 Ne4 {is virtually winning for Black after} 15. Bg2 Nxe5 16. Rf1 Bxf3 17. Bxf3 Nxf3+ 18. Rxf3 Rxf3 19. Qxf3 Qg1+ 20. Qf1 Qxh2 $19) 14. Ng5 $2 { This move does nothing to disrupt Black's plans which are now very dangerous.} (14. h3 Bd7 15. Ne5 d4 16. Nxd7 Kxd7 $17 {is more complicated since Black's king is unsafe as well - Black is better but White would maintain good practical chances in this position.}) 14... Bg4 {White is now in big trouble as his pieces are disjointed and his king is unsafe.} 15. Qe3 $6 {Asking for it...} d4 $1 $19 {... and here it is - this breakthrough in the centre gives Black a winning position.} 16. cxd4 (16. Qd2 O-O-O {is also a winning attack.}) 16... Nxd4 {Threatening simply 17.. Nc2+} 17. Qf2 $6 {loses immediately.} Qb4+ 18. Qd2 (18. Bd2 Nc2# {is no better!}) 18... Nc2+ {I had wanted to play 18... e3? hoping for 19.Qxb4?? Nc2 mate - I spotted 19.Bb5+! just in time though - which complicates the position once more - White now resigned since 19.Kf2 e3+ wins his queen.} 0-1