C01 French: Exchange Variation (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.exd5 exd5 5.Be2 Bd6 6.Nf3 O-O 7.O-O)

This is from the same WORLD OPEN RAPID tournament as the game I shared with you yesterday. This was played in the second round of that tournament. I had a decent start for the tournament as I got a win and a draw from the first two games. The games themselves were not all that good though, from my perspective that is. I ended up being quite lucky in both of these games as I could have easily lost them both, had my opponents been able to take an advantage from my mistakes better. I am currently going through these 15 minute games as I kind of want to know how to improve my game in them. I face the same opponents almost every tournament so I can maybe prepare something against them. I am still missing 29 rapid games from the required 50 games for the title. I managed to get four monitored elo games in the tournament I played yesterday which was great as I have never before managed to get those on every round. What was not that great though was the fact that my rating stayed the same as it was before the tournament. It is of course better than losing my rating points but I still need to play my back against the wall as one really bad loss might reset the game counter. With my luck that happens just before I would get that 50 games played... I have added three mate in threes, one mate in five and one mate in seven today. When I looked up the opening variation for this game, I noticed something interesting, in all the sources I looked at, there was the same little mistake in the move numbering. In every single one the moves were marked 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 3.exd5, even though the last one should be 4.exd5. I guess there was a copy paste like error somewhere along the way and no one who did the copying did not correct the mistake...

Game number two. The game below was played in the third round of the WORLD OPEN RAPID tournament at the FIDE Online Arena. This loss was my first in this tournament and I had won my first two games. I have found it difficult to play against safmoon and this game was no exception. I do remember winning a game against safmoon, at least once, so I can win occasionally but I need to play my best in order to do so.

[Event "Tournament 27969182"] [Site "online arena"] [Date "2015.03.16"] [Round "2"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "safmoon"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C01"] [WhiteElo "1839"] [BlackElo "1735"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 (3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 (4. Be2 Nf6 {1/2-1/2 (30) Chaitanya,V (1734)-Chandramani,U (1200) Khalpara 2018}) 4... Nf6 5. Be2 Bd6 6. O-O O-O {0-1 (19) Schrank,M-Filzmeier,B Velden 1996}) 3... Nf6 4. exd5 { C11 French Defense: Classical Variation. Delayed Exchange Variation} exd5 5. Be2 Bd6 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O {C01 French: Exchange Variation} c6 8. Bg5 {-0.74/21} (8. h3 $11 {-0.03/23}) 8... h6 {0.01/20} (8... Re8 $17 {-0.74/21}) 9. Bh4 $11 Bf5 {Black is slightly better.} (9... Re8 10. Re1 Nbd7 11. Bd3 Qc7 12. Rxe8+ Nxe8 13. Qe2 Ndf6 14. Ne5 c5 15. Nb5 Qb6 16. Nxd6 Qxd6 17. Bg3 Qe7 18. dxc5 Qxc5 19. h3 Nd6 20. Re1 Nde4 21. Bf4 Be6 22. Nf3 Qb4 23. c3 Nxc3 24. Qe5 { Chaitanya,V (1734)-Chandramani,U (1200) Khalpara 2018 1/2-1/2}) 10. Ne5 $146 ( 10. Qd2 Nbd7 11. Rfe1 Qc7 12. h3 Bf4 13. Qd1 g5 14. Bg3 Bxg3 15. fxg3 Qxg3 16. Bf1 Rae8 17. Ne2 Qd6 18. c3 Ne4 19. Kh1 {0-1 (19) Schrank,M-Filzmeier,B Velden 1996}) 10... Nbd7 11. f4 {-0.75/17} (11. Nxd7 $11 {0.00/22} Bxd7 12. Bd3) 11... Qc7 {-0.22/21} (11... Qb6 $17 {-0.75/17}) 12. Bd3 Bxd3 {0.18/20} (12... Ne4 $15 {-0.50/22}) 13. Nxd3 {-1.10/19} (13. Qxd3 $11 {0.18/20} Rae8 14. a3) 13... a6 { -0.20/22} (13... Qb6 $17 {-1.10/19} 14. Bf2 Rfe8) 14. Qf3 {-0.87/21} (14. Ne5 $1 $11 {-0.20/22}) 14... b5 {0.00/21} (14... Qb6 $17 {-0.87/21} 15. Bf2 Rfe8) 15. a3 {-0.64/21} (15. Ne5 $11 {0.00/21}) 15... Rae8 {0.08/23} (15... Qa7 $15 { -0.64/21}) 16. Rae1 {-0.41/21} (16. Ne5 $11 {0.08/23 is superior.}) 16... a5 { 0.11/22} ({Black should play} 16... Rxe1 $15 {-0.41/21} 17. Rxe1 a5) 17. Ne2 { -0.46/20} ({Better is} 17. Ne5 $11 {0.11/22}) 17... Ne4 $15 18. Rd1 {-1.67/18} ({White should try} 18. Qg4 $15 {-0.53/26}) 18... Ndf6 {-0.37/23} (18... Nb6 $19 {-1.67/18} 19. Ng3 Qc8) 19. Ng3 {-1.11/19} (19. Ne5 $15 {-0.37/23}) 19... c5 $2 {0.69/23} (19... Nxg3 $17 {-1.11/19} 20. Bxg3 Ne4) 20. Ne2 $2 {-0.84/21} (20. Nf5 $14 {0.69/23 stays ahead.}) 20... c4 {-0.24/22} (20... b4 $17 { -0.84/21} 21. dxc5 Bxc5+ 22. Nxc5 Qxc5+ 23. Nd4 Rb8) 21. Ne5 $1 $11 b4 22. axb4 axb4 23. Ng4 $2 {-2.02/19} (23. Rfe1 $11 {0.00/23 and White is okay.}) 23... Nxg4 $19 24. Qxg4 c3 {-0.93/22} (24... f5 $19 {-2.30/20 and Black stays clearly on top.} 25. Qg6 Qd7) 25. b3 {-2.05/19} (25. bxc3 $17 {-0.93/22 was necessary.} f5 26. Qg6) 25... Nd2 {[#] Strongly threatening ...f5.} 26. Rf2 $2 {-3.24/20} (26. Bf6 $17 {-1.25/21 was called for.} g6 27. Rfe1) 26... Re4 $2 { -0.77/26} (26... Re6 $19 {-3.24/20 White must now prevent ...Rfe8.} 27. Ng3 Rfe8) 27. Bf6 $17 g6 $36 {Black has good play.} 28. Qh4 $2 {-2.62/22} (28. Qh3 $1 $11 {-0.18/23} h5 29. Be5) 28... Kh7 {-1.12/24} (28... Be7 $1 $19 {-2.62/22 aiming for ...Re8.} 29. Re1 Re8 30. Bxe7 Qxe7 31. Qxe7 R4xe7) 29. Bg5 h5 { And now ...Rfe8 would win.} 30. Bf6 $2 {-5.45/21} (30. Ng3 $17 {-1.16/27} f6 31. Bxf6) 30... Rfe8 $19 31. Be5 Bxe5 32. dxe5 R8xe5 $1 33. Re1 (33. fxe5 Rxh4) 33... Qb6 {[#] ( -> ...Rxe2)} 34. Qf6 Rxe2 $2 {0.00/37} (34... Qxf6 $19 { -16.98/22} 35. g3 Qb6 $1 36. fxe5 Nf3+ 37. Kf1 Nxe1) 35. Qxf7+ $11 {The position is equal.} Kh6 36. Qf8+ Kh7 37. Qf7+ Kh6 38. Qf8+ Kh7 39. Qf7+ { Accuracy: White = 21%, Black = 13%.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Tournament 28309413"] [Site "online arena"] [Date "2015.03.26"] [Round "3"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "safmoon"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C01"] [WhiteElo "1727"] [BlackElo "1803"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 (3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 (4. Be2 Nf6 {1/2-1/2 (30) Chaitanya,V (1734)-Chandramani,U (1200) Khalpara 2018}) 4... Nf6 5. Be2 Bd6 6. O-O O-O {0-1 (19) Schrank,M-Filzmeier,B Velden 1996}) 3... Nf6 4. exd5 { C11 French Defense: Classical Variation. Delayed Exchange Variation} exd5 5. Nf3 Bd6 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O {C01 French: Exchange Variation} c6 8. Bg5 {-0.50/20} ({White should play} 8. Ne5 $11 {0.00/24}) 8... h6 {-0.04/22} (8... Re8 $15 { -0.50/20}) 9. Bh4 $11 Bf5 {Black is slightly better.} (9... Re8 10. Re1 Nbd7 11. Bd3 Qc7 12. Rxe8+ Nxe8 13. Qe2 Ndf6 14. Ne5 c5 15. Nb5 Qb6 16. Nxd6 Qxd6 17. Bg3 Qe7 18. dxc5 Qxc5 19. h3 Nd6 20. Re1 Nde4 21. Bf4 Be6 22. Nf3 Qb4 23. c3 Nxc3 24. Qe5 {Chaitanya,V (1734)-Chandramani,U (1200) Khalpara 2018 1/2-1/2} ) 10. Bd3 $146 (10. Qd2 Nbd7 11. Rfe1 Qc7 12. h3 Bf4 13. Qd1 g5 14. Bg3 Bxg3 15. fxg3 Qxg3 16. Bf1 Rae8 17. Ne2 Qd6 18. c3 Ne4 19. Kh1 {0-1 (19) Schrank, M-Filzmeier,B Velden 1996}) 10... Bxd3 11. Qxd3 Nbd7 12. Rae1 {-0.46/20} (12. Ne2 $11 {-0.05/23}) 12... Qc7 {0.00/24} (12... Qb6 $15 {-0.46/20 is more appropriate.}) 13. Qf5 {-0.71/21} (13. Ne2 $11 {0.00/24}) 13... Rfe8 {-0.26/23} (13... g6 $17 {-0.71/21} 14. Qd3 Rfe8) 14. Bg3 Bxg3 15. hxg3 Nf8 {-0.01/23} ({ Black should try} 15... Rad8 $15 {-0.59/21}) 16. Ne5 {-0.72/21} (16. Qd3 $11 { -0.01/23 keeps the balance.}) 16... Ne6 {-0.29/21} ({Better is} 16... Rab8 $17 {-0.72/21}) 17. Ng4 {-1.74/19} (17. Qd3 $11 {-0.29/21}) 17... Nxg4 $1 $19 18. Qxg4 Qb6 19. b3 Qxd4 ({Not} 19... Nxd4 $2 20. Na4 $18) 20. Qxd4 Nxd4 21. Rc1 b5 {-1.46/26} (21... h5 $19 {-1.98/22} 22. Rfd1 Nf5) 22. a3 {-2.02/22} (22. Rfd1 $17 {-1.46/26} Nf5 23. g4) 22... a5 23. Rfd1 Ne2+ 24. Nxe2 Rxe2 {Endgame KRR-KRR} 25. Kf1 Rae8 26. c4 $2 {-3.70/23 [#]} (26. a4 {-1.82/27 was called for.}) 26... dxc4 27. bxc4 b4 28. axb4 axb4 29. c5 {-5.38/26} (29. Rb1 $142 { -3.74/26} Ra2 30. Re1 Rxe1+ 31. Rxe1) 29... b3 {Black is clearly winning.} 30. Rd6 {-9.50/23} (30. Rd8 $142 {-4.65/24} Rxf2+ 31. Kxf2 Rxd8 32. Rb1) 30... b2 31. Rb1 Re1+ $1 32. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 33. Kxe1 b1=Q+ 34. Ke2 Qc2+ 35. Kf3 Qxc5 { Accuracy: White = 38%, Black = 20%.} 0-1