E04 Open Catalan 5.Nf3 (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 c6 5.Nf3 dxc4 6.Ne5 Bb4+)

This is my latest game from GameKnot. The result might a bit weird if you look into the position where the game ended as White is clearly better there but it was my opponent who offered the draw. In my younger days I might have tried to play on even though I would see that I am on the worse side of things. Maybe as I have gotten older, I have also become a bit wiser and would not try to win if there is no real possibility for it anymore. This was played at GameKnot in a tournament called tedjj's mini-tournament XLIII. I have currently two of these mini-tournaments in progress and one is going well and the other one is going quite badly. The mini-tournament that goes badly is where this game was played. I am currently in ninth place in this 11 player tournament and unless I can win my remaining games, I might very well end up residing far, far away from the top positions. I have also added three puzzles to mate in twos and two puzzles to mate in threes. Until tomorrow, my fellow chess enthusiasts!

[Event "tedjj's mini-tournament XLIII"] [Site "http://gameknot.com/chess.pl?"] [Date "2015.04.21"] [Round "?"] [White "bourne007"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E04"] [WhiteElo "1758"] [BlackElo "1741"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s)"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 (1... d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 {1-0 (51) Oganov,M-Kaisin,Y (1833) Kirov 2014}) 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 {E01 Catalan Opening: Closed Variation} ( 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. Bg2 {1/2-1/2 (39) Michalik,P (2549)-Harikrishna,P (2738) Czech Republic 2018} (5. Ne5 c6 {1-0 (51) Oganov,M-Kaisin,Y (1833) Kirov 2014})) 4... c6 5. Nf3 dxc4 6. Ne5 Bb4+ {E04 Open Catalan: 5.Nf3} 7. Bd2 {0.00/21} (7. Nc3 $14 {0.64/17}) 7... Bxd2+ {1.07/21} (7... Qxd4 $11 {0.00/21 remains equal.} 8. Bxb4 Qxe5) (7... Be7 8. e3 b5 9. Nxc6 Nxc6 10. Bxc6+ Bd7 11. Bxa8 Qxa8 12. f3 e5 13. O-O exd4 14. exd4 O-O 15. Re1 Nd5 16. Nc3 Bf6 17. Nxd5 Qxd5 18. Bb4 Rc8 19. Re5 Bxe5 20. dxe5 Qb7 21. Qd6 Be6 22. Rd1 {Michalik,P (2549)-Harikrishna,P (2738) Czech Republic 2018 1/2-1/2 (39)}) 8. Qxd2 {0.60/22} ({Better is} 8. Nxd2 $16 {1.07/21} Qxd4 9. Ndxc4 Qxd1+ 10. Rxd1) 8... O-O {1.09/20} (8... Nbd7 $14 {0.60/22}) 9. Nxc4 $16 {White is better.} Na6 $146 {1.53/18} ({Black should play} 9... Qe7 $14 {0.66/21} 10. O-O Rd8 11. e4 Na6 12. Nc3 b5 13. Nd6 b4 14. Na4 e5 15. dxe5 Qxe5 16. Nxf7 Rxd2 17. Nxe5 Bb7 18. Rac1 Rc8 19. Nc4 Rd4 20. e5 Ne8 21. Na5 Ba8 22. Nxc6 Bxc6 23. Rxc6 Rxc6 24. Bxc6 Nec7 {Oganov, M-Kaisin,Y (1833) Kirov 2014 1-0 (51)}) (9... Nbd7 10. O-O Qc7 11. Qf4 Qxf4 12. gxf4 Nd5 13. e3 b6 14. Rd1 Ba6 15. Nba3 Rad8 16. Bf1 Bb7 17. Ne5 Nxe5 18. fxe5 f6 19. Nc4 fxe5 20. Nxe5 Rf5 21. Bg2 Rg5 22. h4 Rh5 23. Nf3 Rf8 24. Rac1 { Xiao,Y (2331)-Liu,X (2212) Tianjin 2018 1-0 (36)}) 10. Nc3 {0.63/22} ({White should try} 10. O-O $16 {1.53/18}) 10... Nd5 {1.73/18} (10... Rb8 $14 {0.63/22} ) 11. O-O {0.73/20} (11. e4 $18 {1.73/18 and White stays clearly on top.}) 11... Nac7 {1.54/20} (11... Nb6 $142 {0.73/20} 12. b3 Qe7) 12. e4 {0.97/21} ( 12. Rad1 $142 {1.54/20}) 12... Nf6 {2.01/19} (12... Nb6 $16 {0.97/21}) 13. Rfe1 b6 14. Rad1 {1.25/21} (14. Rac1 $18 {1.84/19}) 14... Bb7 {1.85/18} (14... Ba6 $16 {1.25/21}) 15. e5 Nfd5 16. Nd6 Ba6 17. Rc1 Ne8 {2.27/21} (17... Rb8 $16 { 1.58/23} 18. a3 Ne7) 18. Nce4 $18 Nxd6 19. Nxd6 Qd7 20. f4 Rab8 21. Be4 Bb7 { 2.95/16} (21... Rbd8 $142 {1.99/22} 22. Bxd5 exd5) 22. a3 Ba8 {3.02/17} (22... Ne7 {1.88/22 might work better.} 23. Rc3 Rfd8) 23. Qc2 {1.64/23} (23. f5 $142 { 3.02/17}) 23... g6 {3.01/18} (23... Kh8 {1.64/23 was necessary.} 24. b4 (24. Bxh7 g6 $11) 24... Ne7) 24. Bg2 {1.62/21 Accuracy: White = 8%, Black = 13%.} ( 24. Bxd5 $142 {3.01/18} exd5 25. b4) 1/2-1/2 [Event "Corr game 16.1.2011-4.4.2011"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2011.01.16"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "jazzvanna2"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E04"] [WhiteElo "1831"] [BlackElo "1724"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "76"] [EventDate "2011.??.??"] 1. c4 (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 (2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 d5 4. g3 c6 {0-1 (48) Tkachiev,V (2634) -Kazhgaleyev,M (2547) Cannes 1999}) 2... e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 c6 {1-0 (59) Verat, L (2316)-Decroix,R (2143) Paris 2000}) (1. Nf3 Nf6 {1-0 (31) Jayaweera,Y (1734) -De Silva,S (1382) Ambalangoda 2018}) 1... e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 { A13 English Opening: Agincourt Defense. Catalan Defense Semi-Slav Defense} 5. d4 dxc4 6. Ne5 Bb4+ {E04 Open Catalan: 5.Nf3} 7. Nc3 Nd5 $1 8. Bd2 {-0.21/22} ( {White should play} 8. O-O $1 $16 {0.81/19}) 8... b5 $11 (8... Bxc3 9. bxc3 b5 {0-1 (48) Tkachiev,V (2634)-Kazhgaleyev,M (2547) Cannes 1999}) 9. a4 {White has an edge.} Bxc3 {0.53/19} (9... O-O $11 {-0.09/21}) (9... Bb7 10. axb5 Bxc3 {1-0 (59) Verat,L (2316)-Decroix,R (2143) Paris 2000}) 10. bxc3 $14 Bb7 { 1.34/20} (10... O-O $11 {0.29/19}) (10... f6 11. Nf3 O-O 12. e4 Ne7 13. Bc1 a6 14. Ba3 Nd7 15. O-O Nb6 16. a5 Nd7 17. Bh3 Kf7 18. d5 exd5 19. exd5 Nxd5 20. Re1 Re8 21. Ng5+ fxg5 22. Qh5+ g6 23. Qxh7+ Kf6 24. Be6 Ne5 25. Rxe5 {Tkachiev, V (2634)-Kazhgaleyev,M (2547) Cannes 1999 0-1 (48)}) 11. axb5 {0.48/21} (11. Rb1 $16 {1.34/20}) (11. O-O a5 12. Rb1 f6 13. e4 Ne7 14. Nxc4 O-O 15. Re1 Ba6 16. Na3 b4 17. cxb4 Qxd4 18. b5 cxb5 19. axb5 Bb7 20. Be3 Qxd1 21. Rexd1 e5 22. Bc5 Kf7 23. Rbc1 Rc8 24. Nc4 Rc7 25. Nd6+ Kf8 {Jayaweera,Y (1734)-De Silva,S (1382) Ambalangoda 2018 1-0 (31)}) 11... cxb5 12. O-O $146 {-0.60/20} (12. e4 $14 {0.68/22}) (12. Qb1 Qb6 13. e4 Nf6 14. Be3 Nbd7 15. O-O O-O 16. Rd1 a6 17. d5 Qc7 18. Nxd7 Nxd7 19. dxe6 fxe6 20. Qb4 Nf6 21. f3 Rad8 22. Bh3 e5 23. Qc5 Qxc5 24. Bxc5 Rxd1+ 25. Rxd1 Re8 26. Rd6 Bc8 {Verat,L (2316)-Decroix,R (2143) Paris 2000 1-0 (59)}) 12... Nd7 $15 13. f4 f6 $2 {1.12/22 [#]} (13... O-O $17 { -0.91/21}) 14. Ng4 $2 {-0.85/20} (14. e4 $16 {1.12/22 keeps the pressure on.} fxe5 15. exd5 (15. fxe5 Ne7 $14)) 14... O-O 15. Nf2 {-1.54/19} (15. e4 $15 { -0.51/20} Ne7 16. Qb1) 15... e5 $2 {0.00/21} (15... f5 $17 {-1.54/19} 16. e4 N5f6) 16. e3 $2 {-1.78/18} (16. e4 $11 {0.00/21} N5b6 17. Rb1) 16... Qc7 { -0.44/22} (16... exd4 $19 {-1.78/18 ...d3 is the strong threat.} 17. exd4 f5) 17. e4 Ne7 {0.00/22} ({Better is} 17... N5b6 $1 $17 {-1.16/19}) 18. d5 { -0.91/17} (18. fxe5 $11 {0.00/22 remains equal.} fxe5 19. d5) 18... exf4 { -0.48/22} (18... Nc8 $1 $17 {-0.91/17}) 19. Bxf4 Qb6 {0.00/21} (19... Qd8 $15 { -0.48/22}) 20. Qd2 {-0.64/21} (20. Qd4 $11 {0.00/21}) 20... Ng6 {0.09/21} ( 20... a6 $15 {-0.64/21}) 21. Be3 $11 Nc5 {0.74/24} (21... Qd6 $1 $11 {0.00/25 keeps the balance.}) 22. Rfb1 $2 {-1.05/20} (22. Qb2 $1 $16 {0.74/24 stays on course.}) 22... a6 {0.31/24} (22... Ne5 $17 {-1.05/20}) 23. Bf1 $2 {-1.85/19} ( 23. Qd4 $14 {0.31/24} Rac8 24. Qxc4) 23... Qd6 {-0.68/23} (23... Ne5 $19 { -1.85/19 And now ...Nf3+ would win.} 24. Be2 Qd6 25. Bxc5 Qxc5) 24. Qb2 $2 { -2.42/21} ({White should try} 24. Bxc4 $1 $15 {-0.68/23} f5 25. Be2) 24... Rfe8 $19 25. Bg2 Qc7 26. Qb4 {-2.21/18} (26. Bxc5 {-1.76/24 keeps fighting.} Qxc5 27. Qd2) 26... Rac8 $2 {-0.41/23} (26... Nb3 $19 {-2.21/18} 27. Ra2 Ne5) 27. Bd4 $2 {-2.01/20} (27. Rd1 $1 $15 {-0.41/23} Qd6 28. Bh3) 27... Ne5 28. Bxe5 $2 {-3.32/20} (28. Qxc5 $17 {-1.26/24 was called for.} Qxc5 29. Bxc5 Rxc5 30. Nh3) 28... Rxe5 ({Weaker is} 28... Qxe5 29. Rf1 $17) 29. Rd1 Qd8 {-1.76/23} (29... Rce8 $142 {-3.65/19} 30. Qb1 Qb6) 30. g4 $2 {-3.77/19} (30. Bh3 {-1.76/23}) 30... Qd7 31. Rab1 h5 32. h3 hxg4 33. hxg4 Nxe4 $2 {0.00/26} (33... Kf7 $19 { -3.68/21 Hoping for ...Qd6.} 34. Kf1 Qd6) 34. Bxe4 $4 {-3.90/22} (34. Nxe4 $11 {0.00/26 and White stays safe.} Qxg4 35. Rd4) 34... Rxe4 $1 35. Nxe4 {[#] Threatens to win with Kf2.} Qxg4+ 36. Kf2 {aiming for Nxf6+!} Qxe4 37. Rd4 { -18.50/23} (37. Qd6 $142 {-4.09/25} Re8 38. Re1 Qf5+ 39. Kg3 Qd3+ 40. Kf2 Qc2+ 41. Kf1 Qf5+ 42. Kg1) 37... Qf5+ 38. Kg3 Bxd5 {-21.11/25 Accuracy: White = 11%, Black = 24%.} (38... Re8 $142 {-#9/25} 39. Qd6 Re3+ 40. Kg2 Re2+ 41. Kg3 Qf2+ 42. Kg4 Bc8+ 43. Qe6+ Rxe6 44. dxe6 Bxe6+ 45. Kh5 Qf5+ 46. Kh4 Qh3#) 0-1