[Event "Crossroads Invitational XXVI Arena"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2020.09.12"] [Round "?"] [White "deep_swindle"] [Black "Paul H."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B21"] [WhiteElo "1902"] [BlackElo "2100"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] {[%evp 0,75,29,36,43,42,31,-15,18,-55,-3,-52,-71,-75,-67,-59,-51,-61,-62,-59, -29,-149,-147,-150,-153,-153,-121,-121,-108,-125,-128,-150,-161,-164,-145,-152, -133,-153,-92,-95,-79,-82,-83,-272,-241,-235,-235,-278,-278,-310,-301,-396, -453,-510,-511,-531,-343,-368,-313,-292,-294,-303,-292,-292,-292,-314,227,229, 233,210,204,211,271,296,301,270,2316,29982]} 1. e4 c5 2. d4 {There are so many replies that White has to the Sicilian Defense. Perhaps the most aggressive is the Smith Morra Gambit. White sacrifices a pawn for the initiative and rapid development while Black tries to defend and equalize the position.} cxd4 3. c3 Nf6 {With one move, the game transposes to a c3 Sicilian.} 4. Bd3 $5 {A sideline move popular at the amateur level.} dxc3 {Taking the pawn and preparing to deal with the consequences of White's fast development.} 5. e5 cxb2 (5... Qa5 $1 {A double attack. Black threatens cb2+ as well as the e5 pawn.} 6. Nxc3 Qxe5+ 7. Nge2 Nc6 8. O-O g6 $17 {Black is up two center pawns. He still has to be careful but it is White who needs to find a way to attack.}) 6. Bxb2 Nd5 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. O-O e6 9. Be4 {Threatening to take the d5 knight. Black will have to move it or play another developing move.} Nb6 (9... Bc5 $5 { A scary looking move the computer comes up with that would never cross my mind. The way I played it seems simpler and less dangerous.} 10. Bxd5 exd5 11. Qxd5 d6 12. Rd1 Be6 13. Qe4 Qb6 14. Rd2 dxe5 $17) 10. Qd2 $6 {Walking into a fork.} Nc4 {[%csl Yb2,Yd2][%CAl Gc4d2,Gc4b2]} 11. Qc3 Nxb2 {You might think that taking this bishop is a mistake given the pawn on e5 but that would be a wrong assumption. That bishop not only supports e5 but it can quickly go to a3 or c1 as needed. Now, I have the bishop pair.} 12. Qxb2 Be7 {Continue to develop and get my king to safety.} 13. Nc3 O-O 14. Rad1 {d7 is a weakness and my opponent is quick to put pressure on it. Now we see why White's b2 bishop was important - control of the d6 square.} f5 {Blockading the light squares and hoping for ef6 which would help improve the scope of my e7 bishop.} (14... f6 {One less square but here it directly attacks e5. A move like this would not be as strong with a white bishop on b2.} 15. exf6 Bxf6 16. Qc2 h6 17. Ne2 d5 18. Nf4 Ne7 19. Rfe1 Qd6 20. Nh5 Bd7 $15) 15. Bc2 $6 {Retaining the piece but ef6 actually his game.} (15. exf6 Bxf6 16. Qc2 h6 17. Rfe1 Qb6 $15 {Black is better but White has nice activity.}) 15... a6 {Preventing Nb5-d6 ideas.} 16. Bb3 Qa5 17. Rfe1 Bb4 $6 {I was prepared to take the c3 knight but this is too slow. b5 is more consistent.} 18. Re3 f4 $6 19. Red3 Nxe5 20. Nxe5 Qxe5 21. Rd4 (21. Bxe6+ $1 dxe6 22. Qxb4 b5 23. Rd8 Qf6 24. Ne4 Qxd8 25. Rxd8 Rxd8 $15) 21... Bxc3 {Too quick and not necessary.} 22. Qxc3 d5 23. Bc2 Bd7 {It took a while but Black has most of his pieces developed and is up 3 pawns.} 24. Qh3 g6 {To deal with the mate threat.} 25. f3 Rac8 26. R4d2 Qe3+ {A gratuitous check that doesn't help the position much.} ({Instead, a move like} 26... Rc3 { makes sense.} 27. Qh4 Qf6 28. Qf2 Rfc8 29. Bb3 Re3 $19) 27. Kh1 Rf7 {Getting cute. I want to play e5 to get a free tempo on the queen but there is really no reason to do this. Build! Keep piling up on the c-file.} 28. Qh4 Qe5 29. Bb3 Rc5 {Over protecting d5 and preventing any sacrifices.} 30. h3 Qf6 31. Qf2 b6 32. a4 {This is why Rf7 was such a bad move. Both players are in time trouble but the underlying principle is to build on your advantages. Black's rooks should be doubled on the c-file. Instead, they are disconnected and vulnerable to attack.} b5 $4 33. Qxc5 bxa4 34. Ba2 Bb5 35. Re1 h5 36. Qc8+ Kg7 37. Rxe6 Qc3 $4 {Another blunder. Hanging my queen which loses in an already lost position.} 38. Qxc3+ 1-0