[Event "Opening Repertoire - Nikos"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "1 e4 - Ruy Lopez"] [Black "?"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C97"] [Annotator "KS"] [PlyCount "31"] [SourceVersionDate "2023.10.02"] {[%evp 0,31,18,38,35,38,32,28,11,-26,-27,-35,23,-44,-20,-31,-9,-29,-18,-18,-16,-9,-9,-12,10,27,28,28,34,4,76,85,75,53]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 $1 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 {[#]} 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 {[#]} Na5 {Chigorin} (9... Nb8 {Breyer I still think that the Breyer is an excellent opening, but there is a little line that avoids a lot of theory and puts Black under pressure} 10. d4 Nbd7 11. c4 $1 {[#]} c6 12. Qc2 $14 {[%CAl Ga2a3]}) (9... Bb7 {Zaitsev} 10. d4 Nd7 {is a little side-line which became popular a few years ago. Typically, this is played after 10...Re8, but Black wants to avoid the famous" Zaitsev draw with 11. Ng5.} (10... Re8 11. a3 $5 Bf8 (11... h6 12. Ba2 Bf8 13. d5 Ne7 14. b3 $14 {[%CAl Gc3c4]}) 12. d5 Na5 13. Ba2 c6 14. dxc6 Bxc6 (14... Nxc6 15. Bg5 $14) 15. Bg5 Nc4 16. Nbd2 Nb6 (16... Nxb2 $2 17. Qb3 $18) 17. Nh2 $14 {[%CAl Gh2g4]}) 11. Bc2 $1 $14 {[#]}) 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. d5 $1 {[%csl Ra5] In the old times, White usually was playing the knight maneuver 12.Nbd2-Nf1-Ng3 now, but in modern times we know that it is stronger to play d5!-b3 and then continue with the knight regrouping.} Nc4 13. b3 Nb6 14. a4 $1 {[#]} Bd7 15. a5 $1 Nc8 16. c4 $1 $16 {The Chigorin has suffered heavy blows from modern engines and it can no longer be considered a solid defence for Black!} *