B18 Classical Caro-Kann: 4...Bf5 sidelines (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nf3 Nd7 7.Bf4)

Today I have added three rapid games that were played at Chess.com against the same opponent. I was challenged to these games by bfoleyfire and in the first two games the thinking times for both players was 15 minutes. The third one had the same basic time but it also had an increment of 10 seconds. I won the first two but lost the last game. My opponent played better for quite some time and even had a chance to win the game but I think the main factor that turned the tables was that he started to go into time trouble and because of that he made some mistakes that enabled me to get back into the game. I won this game on time but at the end I had already also climbed from the deep pit that I had dug myself into and had a winning position. I have added one mate in one, one mate in two, one mate in five, one mate in six and one mate in seven puzzle today. Until tomorrow, my fellow chess enthusiasts!

Game number two. This is from the third round of the WORLD OPEN RAPID tournament that was played at the FIDE Online Arena on March 30th 2015. Third round and third consecutive win, could not get a better start for the tournament than this. So far all my opponents had been lower rated than me, so winning the first three games was not that much against the odds.

[Event "Live Chess"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2015.05.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "bfoleyfire"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B18"] [WhiteElo "1777"] [BlackElo "1560"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 {B18 Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation} 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nf3 Nd7 7. Bf4 {0.31/22 B18 Classical Caro-Kann: 4... Bf5 sidelines} (7. Bd3 $16 {0.97/19}) 7... e6 {0.90/19} (7... Qa5+ $14 {0.31/22 } 8. c3 Ngf6) 8. Qd2 {-0.39/22} (8. Bd3 $16 {0.90/19}) (8. Bc4 Ngf6 9. O-O Be7 10. Re1 O-O 11. a4 h6 12. b4 Bxb4 13. Re2 Nb6 14. Bb3 Nbd5 15. Bd2 Nc3 16. Bxc3 Bxc3 17. Rb1 Bh7 18. Re3 Ba5 19. c4 Bxb1 20. Qxb1 Qc7 21. Qd3 Rfd8 22. Bc2 Qf4 {Nemova,J-Aseeva,A (2002) Togliatti 2012 0-1 (34)}) (8. a3 Ngf6 9. Bc4 Nd5 10. Bxd5 cxd5 11. O-O Be7 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. Bxe5 O-O 14. Ne2 Rc8 15. c3 Qb6 16. b4 Bd6 17. f4 Be7 18. f5 Bxf5 19. Qe1 Bd6 20. Bf4 Bxf4 21. Rxf4 a5 22. Ng3 axb4 { Alikhanyan,Z-Korobchenko,Y (1517) Sochi 2017 0-1 (34)}) 8... Ngf6 {0.48/22} ( 8... Qb6 $15 {-0.39/22} 9. O-O-O Ngf6) 9. O-O-O $2 {-1.17/18 [#]} (9. Bd3 $14 { 0.48/22 keeps the upper hand.}) 9... Nd5 $146 {Black is better.} (9... Be7 10. Bc4 O-O 11. h4 h6 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. Bxe5 Nd5 14. h5 Bh7 15. Bd3 Bxd3 16. Qxd3 Qa5 17. a3 f6 18. Rde1 fxe5 19. Rxe5 Bg5+ 20. Rxg5 hxg5 21. h6 g6 22. Qxg6+ { 1-0 (22) Spieleder,A (1389)-Frohnhaeuser,R (1772) Frankenthal 2015}) 10. Bg5 Qc7 {0.00/22} (10... f6 $17 {-1.22/17} 11. Be3 Bb4) 11. Qe1 $2 {-2.26/18} (11. Bd3 $1 $11 {0.00/22 and White stays safe.}) 11... Bb4 {-1.21/22} ({Black should try} 11... h6 $19 {-2.26/18} 12. Bd2 c5 13. dxc5 Rc8) 12. Bd2 Bxd2+ { -0.59/21} (12... c5 $19 {-1.87/18} 13. Kb1 Rc8) 13. Qxd2 {-1.02/19} (13. Rxd2 $15 {-0.59/21} O-O-O 14. h4) 13... O-O-O {0.00/21} (13... b5 $17 {-1.02/19}) 14. Nh4 {-0.91/20} (14. h4 $11 {0.00/21}) 14... c5 {-0.45/25} (14... Kb8 $17 { -0.91/20}) 15. Nxg6 $15 hxg6 16. Be2 {-1.38/21} ({White should play} 16. Ne4 $15 {-0.53/21}) 16... Rh4 {-0.31/23} (16... N7b6 $17 {-1.38/21} 17. dxc5 Qxc5) 17. dxc5 Qxc5 {-0.32/23} (17... Nxc5 $17 {-1.06/19} 18. Bf3 Kb8) 18. Bf3 N7f6 $36 {White is under pressure.} 19. Qe2 {-0.70/19} (19. c3 $1 $11 {-0.07/21}) 19... Rc4 {0.00/22} (19... Rd6 $15 {-0.70/19} 20. Bxd5 Rxd5) 20. Ne4 Nxe4 21. Bxe4 Kb8 {0.56/24} (21... Rd6 $11 {0.00/25} 22. Bxd5 Rxd5) 22. Qf3 {-0.83/21} ( 22. Bxd5 $14 {0.56/24 stays ahead.} Rxd5 23. Rxd5 Qxd5 24. Rd1 Qg5+ 25. Rd2) 22... Rc8 23. Rd2 $2 {-4.90/20} (23. Kb1 $15 {-0.44/23}) 23... f5 $1 $19 24. Bxd5 {-8.06/21} (24. Qg3+ $142 {-4.91/24} Ka8 25. Bd3) 24... exd5 $2 {0.87/19} (24... Rxc2+ $19 {-8.06/21} 25. Kd1 exd5 26. Qf4+ Ka8) 25. Qe2 {0.19/23} (25. Qd3 $16 {0.87/19}) 25... b5 {1.16/20} (25... a6 $11 {0.19/23 remains equal.}) 26. Kb1 a5 {1.45/20} (26... Re4 $142 {0.81/23} 27. Qd3 Kb7) 27. Rc1 {0.97/23} ( {Better is} 27. Qe5+ {1.45/20} Ka8 28. c3 (28. Qxd5+ Qxd5 29. Rxd5 Rxc2 $14)) 27... b4 {1.91/18} (27... Re4 $16 {0.97/23} 28. Qd3 Rd8) 28. Qd3 {1.12/25} (28. Qe5+ $18 {1.91/18} Qc7 29. Qxd5) 28... a4 29. Qxd5 Qxd5 30. Rxd5 $16 {Endgame KRR-KRR} b3 $2 {2.75/23} (30... Re8 $16 {1.14/25 keeps fighting.}) 31. axb3 axb3 32. Rb5+ Ka7 33. Rxb3 Ra4 34. Ra3 Rxa3 35. bxa3 $18 {KR-KR} Rb8+ 36. Ka2 Rb5 $2 {3.69/26} (36... Re8 {2.05/28} 37. Kb3 Re2) 37. c4 Ra5 {4.15/24} (37... Re5 $142 {2.69/25} 38. Kb3 g5) 38. Kb3 Kb6 {4.51/23} (38... f4 {3.09/27 might work better.} 39. Rd1 Rh5 40. Rd7+ Kb6 41. Rxg7 Rxh2 42. Rxg6+ Kc5 43. Rg5+ Kd6 ) 39. Kb4 {[#] aiming for c5+.} Ra8 {4.59/25} (39... Re5 {3.18/24 was necessary.} 40. Rc3 Re2) 40. c5+ {Accuracy: White = 24%, Black = 17%.} 1-0 [Event "Tournament 28440088"] [Site "online arena"] [Date "2015.03.30"] [Round "3"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "YevgenListopadov"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B18"] [WhiteElo "1699"] [BlackElo "1631"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "127"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 {B18 Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation} 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nf3 Nd7 7. Bf4 {0.19/21 B18 Classical Caro-Kann: 4... Bf5 sidelines} (7. Bd3 $16 {0.86/20}) 7... h6 {0.84/20} (7... Ngf6 $11 {0.19/21 } 8. Bd3 Nd5 9. Bg5 Qa5+ 10. Bd2 Qc7 11. Bxg6 hxg6 12. Ng5 e6 13. c4 N5b6 14. Qf3 Nf6 15. Ba5 Qd7 16. c5 Nbd5 17. Bc3 b6 18. N3e4 Rh4 19. O-O Nxe4 20. Nxe4 f5 21. Ng5 Be7 22. Nh3 g5 {Cornford,L (2220)-Garbett,P (2310) New Zeeland 1985 0-1 (34)}) (7... Qb6 8. b3 Rd8 9. Be2 Ngf6 10. O-O e6 11. c3 Ba3 12. Qd2 O-O 13. b4 a5 14. Bd6 Rfe8 15. Nh4 Nb8 16. Bc5 Qc7 17. Nxg6 hxg6 18. Qc2 b6 19. Qb3 bxc5 20. Qxa3 axb4 21. cxb4 cxd4 22. Rac1 {Albertovic,L-Szczechowicz,B (2125) Morava 1996 0-1 (32)}) 8. Bc4 {0.07/23} (8. Bd3 $16 {0.84/20}) 8... e6 $146 ( 8... Ngf6 9. Nh4 Bh7 10. Bd2 e6 11. O-O Bd6 12. Re1 Nd5 13. Nhf5 Bxg3 14. Nxg7+ Kf8 15. Nxe6+ fxe6 16. Bxh6+ Ke7 17. Bg5+ N7f6 18. fxg3 Kd7 19. Qe2 Qe7 20. Rad1 Rag8 21. Bh4 Bf5 22. Qf3 Bg4 23. Qb3 {Goesswald,J-Werner,A Bellheim 1994 1-0 (37)}) 9. O-O Ngf6 {0.75/21} (9... Be7 $11 {0.15/22 keeps the balance.}) 10. Ne5 {-0.23/22} (10. Bd3 $16 {0.75/21}) 10... Nxe5 11. dxe5 {-0.62/19} (11. Bxe5 $11 {0.27/24} Nd7 12. Qe2) 11... Qxd1 {-0.18/28} (11... Nd5 $15 {-0.62/19} 12. Bxd5 cxd5) 12. Raxd1 {-0.59/21} (12. Rfxd1 $11 {-0.18/28 is superior.} Nd5 13. Bxd5 cxd5 14. c3) 12... Nd5 (12... Nd7 {looks sharper.} 13. Bd3 Bxd3 14. Rxd3 g5 15. Bd2 Nxe5 16. Rb3 O-O-O) 13. Bxd5 $1 cxd5 14. c3 Bc5 {0.00/22} ( 14... a5 $15 {-0.48/22 should be considered.}) 15. Rfe1 {-0.55/21} (15. h4 $11 {0.00/22}) 15... O-O-O {0.04/23} (15... h5 $15 {-0.55/21}) 16. Be3 Bxe3 { 0.50/18} (16... b6 $1 $11 {-0.29/23}) 17. Rxe3 $14 Bc2 18. Rd2 Ba4 {0.89/22} ( 18... Bb1 $14 {0.46/24}) 19. Rf3 Rhf8 20. Nh5 g6 21. Nf6 Bc6 {1.91/24} (21... Rh8 $16 {0.87/25}) 22. Rh3 {0.82/24} (22. Nh7 $1 $18 {1.91/24 has better winning chances.}) 22... h5 {1.35/21} ({Black should try} 22... Rh8 {0.82/24}) 23. Rh4 {0.87/29} (23. Nh7 $142 $1 {1.35/21}) 23... Rh8 $16 24. Kf1 Bb5+ 25. Ke1 Kb8 {0.92/24} (25... Bc4 $14 {0.50/26}) 26. h3 {0.50/25} (26. Rhd4 $16 { 0.92/24}) 26... Bc6 27. Rdd4 a5 28. Ke2 Bb5+ 29. Kf3 a4 {1.50/20} (29... Bc4 $142 {0.82/27}) 30. Rb4 Bc6 31. Rhd4 {1.04/29} (31. Kf4 $142 $1 {1.50/24}) 31... Kc7 32. Kf4 b5 {1.91/26} (32... Ra8 $16 {0.98/26}) 33. Kg5 {1.14/28} ({ White should play} 33. a3 $18 {1.91/26}) 33... Kb6 {2.53/23} (33... a3 $16 { 1.14/28 was necessary.}) 34. a3 $1 $18 Rc8 35. h4 Be8 36. Nxe8 Rhxe8 {2.67/22 Endgame KRR-KRR} (36... Rcxe8 {1.99/25 was called for.} 37. b3 axb3) 37. Rf4 $1 Rc7 38. Rf6 $2 {0.76/27 [#]} (38. Kh6 $1 $18 {3.53/21 is the precise move to win.}) 38... Ree7 $2 {3.39/25} (38... Rh8 $16 {0.76/27}) 39. Rbf4 Rcd7 {4.65/21 } (39... Red7 {3.19/26 keeps fighting.} 40. Kh6 Kc5) 40. Kh6 Kc5 {and the idea ...d4 leaves Black hopeful.} 41. Kg7 d4 42. cxd4+ Rxd4 43. Rxf7 {1.76/25} (43. Rxd4 $142 {4.25/21} Kxd4 44. Rxf7) 43... Rxf4 44. Rxe7 {KR-KR} Kd5 45. Kxg6 $2 {0.00/30 [#]} (45. Rb7 $1 $18 {1.80/23}) 45... Rxf2 $11 46. Kxh5 Rxb2 {1.06/23} (46... Rxg2 $11 {0.00/27} 47. Rb7 Rxb2) 47. g4 $16 Kxe5 $2 {7.40/22} (47... Rb3 $16 {0.76/30}) 48. g5 $18 Kd6 49. Rf7 b4 50. axb4 Rxb4 51. g6 Rb8 52. Ra7 e5 53. Rxa4 Kd5 54. Kg5 e4 55. g7 e3 56. Ra1 Ke4 57. Kg6 {27.04/20} (57. h5 $142 { 60.86/21} Rg8 58. h6) 57... Rb6+ 58. Kh7 Rb7 59. h5 Kf5 60. Kh8 {White mates.} e2 61. g8=Q Re7 62. Qf8+ Ke6 63. Re1 Kd7 64. Qxe7+ $3 {Accuracy: White = 48%, Black = 18%.} 1-0