[Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2022.10.11"] [Round "?"] [White "du Toit, Reenen"] [Black "George, Seb"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "1871"] [BlackElo "1431"] [Annotator "peter"] [PlyCount "39"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.03.01"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 c5 5. e4 {Reenen goes for his favourite - the Botvinnik System. As well as being just an objectively good system it has two other advantages: firstly, it is not as well known as some lines of the English so opponents may not react well to it; secondly, against poor play it can easily lead to quick and easy wins for White. This game is a good example of these advantages.} Nc6 6. d3 d6 7. Nge2 O-O 8. O-O Bg4 (8... a6 {is the most common and successful move here with a typical line being...} 9. h3 Rb8 10. a4 Ne8 11. Be3 Nc7 {aiming for b5}) 9. h3 Bd7 (9... Bxe2 10. Qxe2 Nd4 11. Qd1 Nd7 {might have been safer}) 10. f4 Nd4 11. Nxd4 cxd4 12. Ne2 e5 13. f5 { the engines say this position is equal but to my eyes it is easier for a human to play as White who can aim for g4, g5 and f6 with either a strong attack or a positional bind based upon the bishop being locked out of the game on h8.} gxf5 {this is a bad error that weakens Black's defences and allows White to use e4 for his pieces.} (13... b5 {seeking immediate counterplay seems best}) 14. exf5 Qc8 (14... h5 {Slows down White's attack and is probably the best chance for survival}) (14... d5 {Logical but White can just ignore this and continue with his attack} 15. g4 dxc4 16. g5) 15. g4 h5 16. g5 Bxf5 (16... Ne8 {trying to hang onto his pieces does not help Black} 17. f6 Bh8 18. Ng3 Bxh3 19. Qxh5 Bg4 (19... Bxg2 20. Kxg2 Qc6+ 21. Ne4 d5 22. Rh1) 20. Qh6 {with Be4 and Qh7 to follow}) 17. gxf6 Bxf6 18. Ng3 Bxh3 19. Rxf6 h4 20. Qh5 {the only way to prevent a quick mate is to play Qg4 but that leaves Black two pieces down, so he sensibly resigned.} 1-0