B15 Caro-Kann: 3.Nc3: 3...g6 and 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Ng3 c5)

This is from the second round of the WORLD OPEN RAPID tournament that was played at the FIDE Online Arena on April 6th 2015. I started the tournament with a win but on this second round I got a tougher opponent, who it turns out I could have won if I seen the opportunities that arose after 13...Nd5?? or later after the move 16...Rb8??. Of course I was not able to take those chances and slowly drifted towards a loss.

Today I was able to climb back towards 2200 unexpectedly at Queen Alice Internet Chess Club as one of my opponents decided to stop making moves all together. My rating jumped from 2180 to 2196 due to that win on time. I am not sure what happened there because it seems that my opponent has logged back in after over a week being offline. I did sent my opponent a move reminder and waited over 24 hours for him to come online and make his move, but eventually I had to claim the win on time. I was probably quite lost in that position, so he should have won the game but time is also a deciding factor in games like these. Until Monday, my fellow chess enthusiasts! Next week this blog will have its 900th analysed chess game!

Game number two. This was played with 10 minute time controls and it was sort of warmup for the continuation of the 100 game match with 15 minute time controls.

Game number three. After two years or so break, my friend and I continued the 100 game match with 15 minute time controls. Due to the long break the difference in my play style and strength did change during that time and maybe there was some change in the strength of my opponent as well but maybe not so much in the way he plays chess. He did lead the series when we paused the match after 20 games in 2013 10.5 - 9.5 if I recall correctly. So with the loss I suffered in the game below, Tomi managed to increase his lead. Now the score was 11.5 - 9.5 in Tomi's favor.

[Event "Tournament 28673217"] [Site "online arena"] [Date "2015.04.06"] [Round "2"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "Valvassino"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B15"] [WhiteElo "1851"] [BlackElo "2074"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s)"] [PlyCount "94"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Ng3 c5 {B15 Caro-Kann: 3.Nc3: 3... g6 and 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6. LiveBook: 4 Games} 6. Be3 e6 7. dxc5 { Threatens to win with Qxd8+.} Qc7 8. Nf3 {The position is equal.} Bxc5 9. Bxc5 Qxc5 10. Bd3 $146 {-0.50/25} (10. c3 $11 {0.00/27}) (10. Qd4 Qc7 11. Bd3 Nc6 12. Qc3 O-O 13. O-O Bd7 14. Rfe1 Rac8 15. Qd2 Rfd8 16. Rad1 h6 17. c3 Be8 18. Qe2 Qf4 19. Bc2 a6 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. Rd1 Rxd1+ 22. Qxd1 {1/2-1/2 (22) Vardal,H (1816)-Woldseth,O (1773) Sotra 2002}) 10... Qb4+ $15 11. Qd2 Qxb2 12. O-O O-O 13. Ne4 Nd5 {0.77/28} (13... Nbd7 $17 {-0.71/25}) 14. Nd6 $2 {-0.79/23} (14. Rab1 $1 $16 {0.77/28} Qa3 15. c4) 14... Qc3 15. Qg5 {[#] Hoping for Bxh7+!} Nd7 16. Rab1 Rb8 $2 {1.87/28} (16... Qc7 $17 {-1.05/27 keeps the pressure on.} 17. Nb5 (17. Nxc8 Raxc8 18. Qh4 h6 $17) 17... Qa5) 17. Rb3 $2 {-0.54/27} ({White must play} 17. Bxh7+ $1 $18 {1.87/28} Kxh7 18. Qh4+ Kg8 19. Ng5 Qxc2 20. Rb3) 17... Qf6 $1 18. Qh5 {-1.06/24} (18. Qxf6 $15 {-0.52/26} gxf6 19. Be4) 18... g6 19. Qh6 Qg7 20. Qh4 {-1.22/22} (20. Qd2 $15 {-0.69/26}) 20... Nc5 $17 21. Ra3 a6 22. c4 {-1.58/24} (22. Bc4 $142 {-0.88/26}) 22... Nb4 $1 23. Bb1 Bd7 24. Ne4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 f5 26. Bb1 e5 $1 27. Rb3 {-2.28/23} (27. Ng5 $142 {-1.85/27}) 27... Nc6 $19 28. c5 h6 29. Qc4+ Kh8 {Strongly threatening ...e4.} 30. Rd1 Na5 31. Qb4 $2 {-4.48/23 [#]} (31. Qc3 {-2.53/28} Nxb3 32. Nxe5) 31... Nxb3 32. axb3 Bc6 33. Nd2 Rbd8 34. Re1 e4 35. Nc4 Qd4 36. Qb6 Kh7 37. Qc7+ Rd7 38. Qg3 f4 39. Qg4 Re7 40. Kf1 Qxc5 41. h4 h5 42. Qh3 b5 43. Nd2 e3 44. Nf3 exf2 45. Rxe7+ Qxe7 46. Kxf2 Qe3+ 47. Kf1 Qc1+ {Accuracy: White = 16%, Black = 66%.} 0-1 [Event "Challenge 30789412"] [Site "online arena"] [Date "2015.06.13"] [Round "1"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "Tocklin, Tomi"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B15"] [WhiteElo "1803"] [BlackElo "1729"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s)"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Ng3 c5 {B15 Caro-Kann: 3.Nc3: 3... g6 and 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6. LiveBook: 4 Games} 6. Be3 Nc6 {0.41/23 } (6... cxd4 $11 {-0.15/25} 7. Qxd4 (7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Bxd7+ Qxd7 9. Bxd4 Nc6 10. Nf3 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Qxd4 12. Nxd4 e6 13. O-O Bc5 14. Rfd1 O-O 15. Rd2 Rac8 16. c3 Bxd4 17. Rxd4 Rfd8 18. Rad1 Rd5 19. Rxd5 Nxd5 20. Rd4 b5 21. Ne4 Rc6 {Simo, L-Chilla,R Ruzomberok 2010 1/2-1/2 (90)}) 7... Qxd4 8. Bxd4 Nc6) 7. dxc5 $14 Qxd1+ {0.89/26} (7... Qc7 $14 {0.43/27 might be stronger.}) (7... Nd5 8. Bd2 Qc7 9. c3 a5 10. Bc4 Be6 11. Nf3 Ne3 12. Bxe3 Bxc4 13. Qa4 Bd5 14. O-O-O Bxf3 15. gxf3 g6 16. h4 h5 17. Rhe1 Bg7 18. f4 Qc8 19. f5 gxf5 20. Rg1 Be5 21. f4 Bf6 22. Nxh5 {Zetic,B (2165)-Ivekovic,M (2355) Zagreb 1999 1-0 (45)}) 8. Kxd1 $146 {-0.06/26} (8. Rxd1 $16 {0.89/26} g6 (8... Ng4 9. Bb5 f5 (9... Nxe3 10. fxe3 g6 11. Nf3 Bd7 12. O-O Bh6 13. Rd3 f6 14. Rfd1 O-O-O 15. Bxc6 Bxc6 16. Nd4 Bd7 17. c4 a6 18. Ne4 f5 19. Nc3 e5 20. Nc2 Be6 21. Nd5 e4 22. R3d2 Rhe8 23. b4 g5 24. Nb6+ {Kreh, S-Hartmann,W Germany 1988 1-0 (43)}) 10. Nf3 e5 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bxc6+ bxc6 13. Rd8+ Kf7 14. Bd2 Ke6 15. O-O Bb7 16. Rxa8 Bxa8 17. h3 f4 18. Ne4 Nf6 19. Re1 Nd7 20. b4 Be7 21. Bxf4 exf4 22. Neg5+ Kf6 23. Re6+ {Faisst, H-Strobel,M Wuerttemberg 1991 1-0 (38)}) 9. h3) 8... Ng4 9. Ke2 {-1.07/23} (9. Bb5 $11 {0.00/26}) 9... Nxe3 {-0.30/26} (9... e5 $17 {-1.07/23 .. .f5 is the strong threat.} 10. Ne4 Bf5 11. Nd6+ Bxd6 12. cxd6 O-O-O) 10. Kxe3 e5 11. Ne4 Bf5 {Black wants to play ...Bxe4.} 12. Nd6+ {-0.70/25} (12. Rd1 $11 {-0.17/25}) 12... Bxd6 $1 $15 13. cxd6 O-O-O {Strongly threatening ...Nb4.} 14. Bc4 { -0.99/26} (14. Rd1 $1 $15 {-0.42/27}) 14... f6 {-0.22/28} ({Black should play} 14... Rxd6 $17 {-0.99/26 White should prevent ...Nd4.} 15. Bxf7 Rhd8) 15. c3 { -1.37/30} (15. Rd1 $11 {-0.22/28}) 15... Rxd6 $17 16. Nf3 Rhd8 17. h3 Na5 { -0.52/28} ({Better is} 17... Ne7 $17 {-1.39/25} 18. Bb3 Nd5+ 19. Bxd5 Rxd5) 18. Be2 $1 $15 a6 {-0.14/31} (18... h5 $17 {-0.75/26}) 19. b3 $11 Nc6 20. Rhd1 Rxd1 (20... Ne7 {feels hotter.} 21. Rxd6 Rxd6 22. c4 Be6 23. Rd1 Rxd1 24. Bxd1 b5) 21. Rxd1 Rxd1 22. Bxd1 {Endgame KBN-KBN} a5 23. Nd2 Be6 24. Be2 a4 25. Bc4 Bxc4 26. Nxc4 axb3 27. axb3 {KN-KN} Kc7 28. Ke4 b5 {1.15/34} (28... Ne7 $1 $11 { 0.00/30}) 29. Ne3 $16 Na5 {2.00/29} (29... Kd7 $16 {1.14/30}) 30. b4 $1 $18 Nb7 31. Kd5 Kd7 32. c4 bxc4 33. Nxc4 g6 34. Ne3 Nd6 35. f3 Nb5 36. Kc5 {0.82/35} ( 36. Ng4 $1 $18 {1.69/33 has better winning chances.} Nc7+ 37. Kc5) 36... Nd4 $16 37. Kb6 {0.00/33} (37. Nd5 $16 {0.71/30} Ke6 38. Nc3) 37... Ne6 $2 { 2.34/28 [#]} (37... Kd6 $11 {0.00/33 and Black is okay.}) 38. Ng4 $1 $18 Ke7 39. b5 h5 40. Ne3 {0.08/31} ({White has to play} 40. Nf2 $1 $16 {1.49/31}) 40... Nd4 $2 {1.77/30} (40... Kd6 $11 {0.08/31 and Black stays safe.}) 41. Kc5 Kd7 42. Nd5 {0.64/31} (42. b6 $1 $18 {1.75/31}) 42... f5 $2 {2.84/27 [#]} ( 42... Ne6+ $1 $14 {0.64/31} 43. Kc4 f5) 43. b6 $2 {0.51/34} (43. Nf6+ $18 { 2.84/27} Ke7 44. Nh7) 43... Nb3+ $2 {3.93/32} ({Black should try} 43... Ne6+ $1 $14 {0.51/34} 44. Kc4 Nd8) 44. Kb5 Nd4+ 45. Ka6 Nc6 46. b7 $1 e4 $2 {8.02/33} ( 46... Kd6 $16 {1.09/33} 47. Nf6 Kc5) 47. fxe4 fxe4 48. Nf6+ {Accuracy: White = 41%, Black = 25%.} 1-0 [Event "Challenge 31508307"] [Site "online arena"] [Date "2015.07.08"] [Round "1"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "Tocklin, Tomi"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B15"] [WhiteElo "1703"] [BlackElo "1849"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s)"] [PlyCount "54"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Ng3 c5 {B15 Caro-Kann: 3.Nc3: 3... g6 and 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6. LiveBook: 4 Games} 6. Be3 Qb6 (6... cxd4 7. Qxd4 Qxd4 8. Bxd4 Nc6 9. Bb5 Bd7 10. Bxc6 Bxc6 11. f3 e6 12. N1e2 Be7 13. Nc3 O-O 14. O-O-O Rfd8 15. Nge4 Nxe4 16. Nxe4 b6 17. Be3 f6 18. Rxd8+ Rxd8 19. Rd1 Rxd1+ 20. Kxd1 Kf7 21. b3 {Ryznar,V (2130)-Ivekovic,M (2258) Zagreb 2010 0-1 (41)}) 7. b3 {-0.52/24} (7. Bd3 $11 {0.05/26}) 7... Qb4+ $146 (7... e6 8. Bd3 Nd5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Bxc5 Qxc5 11. N1e2 Qb4+ 12. c3 Qb6 13. Qc2 Nc6 14. Rd1 Bd7 15. Be4 Nf6 16. Bf3 Ne5 17. Be4 h5 18. h4 O-O-O 19. O-O Rh6 20. Qd2 Bc6 {1/2-1/2 (20) Nakamura,A (2143)-Heurung,D (2271) Saint-Paul 2000}) 8. Qd2 { Black has an edge.} Qxd2+ $1 9. Kxd2 cxd4 10. Bxd4 Nc6 11. Bb2 Be6 12. Rd1 O-O-O+ 13. Kc1 Rxd1+ $1 14. Kxd1 g6 15. h3 {-1.24/25} (15. Bd3 $15 {-0.46/27}) 15... Bh6 $17 16. Nf3 Rd8+ 17. Bd3 Nb4 18. Ke2 {-1.70/27} (18. Nd4 $17 { -1.24/26 was called for.}) 18... Nxd3 19. cxd3 Nd5 20. Rd1 {-1.77/26} (20. Rb1 $17 {-1.35/27 was necessary.}) 20... Nf4+ $19 21. Kf1 Nxd3 22. Bd4 {-2.33/28} ( 22. Ba3 $142 {-1.61/28}) 22... Nb4 23. a3 {-3.31/28} (23. Re1 $142 {-2.03/28}) 23... Nc6 24. b4 $2 {-6.91/24 [#]} (24. Rd3 {-2.59/29}) 24... Bg7 $2 {-2.45/26} (24... Bb3 {-6.91/24} 25. Rb1 Bc4+ 26. Kg1 Nxd4 27. Nxd4 Rxd4) 25. Ne2 Bc4 26. Bxg7 $2 {-9.25/25} (26. Rc1 {-2.44/28} Bxe2+ 27. Kxe2 Bxd4 28. Nxd4 Rxd4 29. b5 ) 26... Rxd1+ 27. Ne1 Rd2 {Accuracy: White = 15%, Black = 60%.} 0-1