[Event "Shrewsbury CC Championship playoff"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2022.07.20"] [Round "?"] [White "SilurianDan"] [Black "ephpeebee"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A05"] [WhiteElo "1820"] [BlackElo "1855"] [Annotator "Francis Best"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] {[%evp 11,80,27,37,0,4,-28,-12,-31,-25,-37,5,-21,3,-72,-75,-63,-36,-74,-3,-23, 0,-25,-19,-46,0,-34,-12,-42,-11,-149,-50,-34,-36,-56,-57,-30,-12,-47,-38,-41,0, 0,0,-54,-37,-118,-8,0,0,-395,-36,-219,-259,-239,-247,-422,-7,-16,0,0,0,-32,-32, -40,-31,-153,-74,-1072,-1082,-1037,-1003]} 1. Nf3 c5 {Dan has been experimenting with this system for a little while, with good results too, as far as I could see. I wanted to adopt a flexible setup which could react appropriately to a number of possible plans for white.} 2. g3 b6 3. Bg2 Bb7 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 e6 6. e4 d6 7. Bg5 $146 {[%eval 4,29] [%wdl 26,954,20] A05: Réti Opening: 1 Nf3 Nf6. Surprisingly, this is already a new move on Megabase, although I was quite pleased to see it. What compensation does white get for giving up the two bishops?} (7. c4 $14 {[%eval 37,28] [%wdl 68,924,8] should be considered.}) ({Predecessor:} 7. c4 Be7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. h3 Nc6 10. Be3 d5 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Bf4 d4 13. Ne2 a5 14. a4 Ba6 15. b3 Nd7 16. g4 Nb4 17. Ne1 { 0-1 (28) Grandelius,N (2663)-Dubov,D (2711) Chess.com INT 2022}) 7... Be7 $11 8. Nbd2 {[%eval -28,27] [%wdl 9,940,51]} (8. c4 $142 {[%eval 4,29] [%wdl 26, 954,20] The computer seems to like clamping in the centre, which does make sense against the bishop pair.}) 8... h6 9. Bxf6 {The position is equal.} Bxf6 10. c3 Nc6 {[%eval 5,28] [%wdl 23,961,16]} (10... O-O $15 {[%eval -37,26] [%wdl 6,933,61] This line works on the basis of delaying developemnt of the queen knight until white shows his hand, so delaying further by castling first is probably better.}) 11. Nc4 O-O 12. d4 {[%eval -72,33] [%wdl 2,845,153] This opens up the position a bit more for the bishop pair.} (12. Ne3 $11 {[%eval 3, 29] [%wdl 20,964,16]}) 12... cxd4 $1 $17 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. cxd4 {[#]} Rc8 { [%eval -3,31] [%wdl 14,968,18]} ({I had seen the possibility of} 14... Bxe4 $1 $17 {[%eval -74,28] [%wdl 1,845,154] during the game, but was reluctant to give back the bishop pair advantage so soon. One can be too dogmatic about all these principles!} 15. Bxe4 d5) 15. Ne3 $11 g6 (15... b5 $5 {[%CAl Rd8b6] is an interesting suggestion, looking to bring pressure on the white centre by developing the queen to b6.}) 16. f4 Bg7 17. Qd2 Qd7 {[%eval 0,33] [%wdl 14, 972,14]} (17... e5 $15 {[%eval -46,21] [%wdl 3,935,62] feels stronger.}) 18. Rac1 {[%eval -34,24] [%wdl 4,955,41]} (18. Rad1 $11 {[%eval 0,33] [%wdl 14,972, 14] would have cut out the possibility of black playing ...e5 straight away and equalised.}) 18... Ba6 19. Rfe1 Qa4 {[%eval -11,28] [%wdl 9,972,19]} (19... Rxc1 $15 {[%eval -42,25] [%wdl 3,946,51]} 20. Rxc1 Rc8 21. Rxc8+ Qxc8 {is the computer preference, exchanging off all the rooks and giving black control of the c-file. I wanted to keep more tension in the position, though, and, in human terms, my move works out well.}) 20. e5 {[%eval -149,24] [%wdl 0,342,658] } (20. Rcd1 $1 $11 {[%eval -11,28] [%wdl 9,972,19] would have kept the balance and supported the white centre, his main asset.}) 20... dxe5 {[%eval -50,30] [%wdl 2,934,64]} (20... Rxc1 $1 $17 {[%eval -149,24] [%wdl 0,342,658]} 21. Rxc1 Qxa2 {would have won a clear pawn. I was slightly worried about the queen "in siberia" but probably shouldn't have been.}) 21. dxe5 $15 Rfd8 ({Of course, not } 21... Qxa2 $2 22. Ra1 Qb3 23. Ra3 $18) 22. Rxc8 Rxc8 23. b3 Qe8 24. h4 { [%eval -47,30] [%wdl 2,945,53]} (24. Rd1 $11 {[%eval -12,35] [%wdl 7,976,17] would have secured white good control of the d-file.}) 24... h5 25. Rd1 Bb5 { [%eval 0,45] [%wdl 10,980,10]} (25... Bf8 $15 {[%eval -41,36] [%wdl 3,954,43] with ideas of ...Be7 and ...Rd8, challenging the d-file, plus the possibility of ...Qe7...Qb4, trading queens, coupled with probing by ...Bc5 along the sensitive a7-g1 diagonal, was strong.}) 26. a4 $11 Bc6 {[%CAl Bb5c6,Bc6d5, Bd5b3][%mdl 32]} 27. Bf1 {[%eval -54,29] [%wdl 1,935,64]} (27. Nc4 $11 { [%eval 0,42] [%wdl 10,980,10] targeting the outpost on d6 was strong here, leaving an equal position.} Bf8 28. Nd6 Bxd6 29. exd6 (29. Qxd6 Bxg2 30. Kxg2 Kg7 $15)) 27... Bf8 $15 {aiming for ...Bc5.} 28. Nc4 {[%eval -118,27] [%wdl 0, 622,378]} (28. Kh2 $1 $15 {[%eval -37,28] [%wdl 3,962,35]}) 28... Bc5+ { [%eval -8,31] [%wdl 7,980,13] A missed opportunity.} (28... Bf3 $17 {[%eval -118,27] [%wdl 0,622,378]} 29. Be2 Bd5 {leaves white without counterplay.}) 29. Kh2 $11 Bd5 (29... Bf3 30. Be2 Bd5 31. f5 {is sufficient for white.}) 30. b4 $2 {[%eval -395,26] [%wdl 0,0,1000][%mdl 8192] [#]} (30. f5 $11 {[%eval 0,40] [%wdl 10,981,9] and White is okay.}) 30... Be7 $6 {[%eval -36,36] [%wdl 3,964, 33] This bishop pair is nice but} ({Better is} 30... Qxa4 $1 $19 {[%eval -395, 26] [%wdl 0,0,1000]} 31. bxc5 Bxc4 32. Bxc4 Qxc4 33. cxb6 axb6 {and the outside passed pawn gives black the advantage..}) 31. Ne3 $2 {[%eval -219,33] [%wdl 0,47,953]} (31. Nd6 $1 $15 {[%eval -36,36] [%wdl 3,964,33]} Bxd6 32. exd6 Qxa4 33. Bg2 Bxg2 34. Kxg2 Qc6+ 35. Kh2 Rd8 36. Qd3 {and white has counterplay with the d6 pawn, even though he is a pawn down in the line. It is hard for black to make progress.}) 31... Bb3 $19 ({Stronger than} 31... Qxa4 32. Nxd5 exd5 33. Qxd5 $17) 32. Bb5 Qf8 33. Rb1 $2 {[%eval -422,28] [%wdl 0,0,1000] [#]} (33. Rc1 {[%eval -247,30] [%wdl 0,19,981] was the better chance.}) 33... Rd8 $2 {[%eval -7,41] [%wdl 7,981,12]} (33... Bxb4 $1 {is perfectly playable. I was worried during the game about} 34. Qb2 {but} Rc3 {is crushing e.g.} 35. Nd1 Rc2+ $19) 34. Qc3 $11 Bd5 35. Nxd5 Rxd5 36. Ba6 {[%eval -32,31] [%wdl 3,970,27] } (36. Bc4 $11 {[%eval 0,45] [%wdl 9,982,9]} Qc8 37. Rc1) 36... Qd8 $15 37. Kh3 Rd2 {Threatens to win with ...Qd5.} 38. Re1 {[%eval -153,30] [%wdl 0,352,648]} (38. Rb2 $15 {[%eval -31,44] [%wdl 3,972,25] would have limited black's advantage still.} Rxb2 39. Qxb2) ({I was expecting} 38. Qc8 {during the game, to exchange queens and reduce the possibility of mating attacks against the white king. I thought there were still possibilities here, given white's pawns are potentially over-extended but the opposite coloured bishops would have increased the drawing possibilities.}) 38... Kg7 {[%eval -74,35] [%wdl 1,896, 103] Played to take way the possibility of exchanging queens mentioned in the last note, but unnecessary.} (38... Qd5 $142 {[%eval -153,30] [%wdl 0,352,648] [%csl Gd2][%CAl Rd5g2]} 39. Be2 Rd4) 39. Re3 $2 {[%eval -1072,24] [%wdl 0,0, 1000][%mdl 8192]} (39. Re2 $17 {[%eval -74,35] [%wdl 1,896,103]} Rd1 40. Re1) 39... Qd5 $19 {[%csl Gd2][%CAl Rd5g2] Now this is deadly.} 40. Rf3 ({Now} 40. Be2 {fails to} Qh1#) 40... Qa2 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.86/Black=0.61} 0-1