C54 Giuoco Piano: 4.c3 Nf6, main lines with 5.d4 and 5.d3 (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 a6 6.b4 Ba7)

A bit more detailed look into two games that I have previously shared in this blog. The diagrams and additional commentary has been added. This game was the first standard game at Chess.com for me since May 11th 2014, so I took a break that lasted a bit over a year. As a result my rating changed a lot because of this game. I thought that the way my opponent handled the opening was a bit strange. For example, I expected him to play 8.Bg5 instead of 8.Bb2. In my mind the dark squared bishop would be better placed and more active on g5 than it is on b2. We have played three times now and both times he was White, he played his bishop to b2, so maybe this is something he likes to play. I won this game on time but I also have a winning position in the end. I think I played quite well for the most part but I did miss a nice tactic on move 14. I could have taken on f2 with my bishop and it wins at least a pawn, no matter how White responds to that move.

The first clear mistake of the game was played in the position you can see in the diagram below. My opponent played 14.Ng5 in the position, which added more pressure to the pawn on e6. At first glance it may seem like a good idea, but unfortunately it just opens a possibility for me to fight for the advantage. I just replied with 14...d5, only reacting to the threat directly instead of looking for other alternatives.

The next position in which a blunder was played is shown in the next diagram. The move 16.c4 that my opponent played was a huge blunder and it could have already been the losing move, had I responded with 16...Qg4. I moved my queen to f5 instead, which is good enough for a clear advantage, but obviously inferior option to 16...Qg4.

Both players kept making inaccurate moves, but I was able to maintain some of my advantage for the remainder of the game.

Game number two. This was my third standard game against bfoleyfire and for this game we changed the time controls from 15 minute to 15 minute with 10 second increment. In the first two games he lost on time, so he suggested that we add an increment to the next game, so we did. This time he was not losing on time, but instead now he won. The opening we played pretty much the same way as in our first game up to his move 8.Bd2. Then I switched into a new move but I probably should not have done that but instead followed the line we played on the first game. This third game was played five days after the first one and as I had not analysed the games afterwards, I was pretty much on my own in this game as well. This game started to get quite difficult for me after he played b5 and I retreated with my knight to a bad square. I did manage to get back into the game after the queen trade, only to blunder the game away on my next move. Well during this game that position was difficult for me and I could not calculate things properly and because of that I lost.

After 11.Qb3 I was in some trouble already and I made things worse for me by moving my queen to c8. The problem with my move is that it makes the development of my queenside very difficult. In the same time my opponent was able to develop his pieces with ease. The game continued with the moves 12.Nbd2 O-O. Then bfoleyfire moved his bishop to a3, which may seem like a good idea, but actually the bishop was better placed at b2 and help with the advance d4. In fact 13.d4 was perhaps the best option for my opponent.

The game continued evenly until we reached the position seen in the next diagram. Bfoleyfire played 20.Qa3, which was a mistake. I should have traded queens and then moved my rook to a8, in order to threaten the knight and take the a-file in my control. Instead I played 20...h6 in order to keep the knight away from g5.

The game then followed an even path until it came for me to play my 22nd move. In the position where I played the losing move 22...Nxd3, can be seen in the diagram below. I played the move because I thought that because the rook can't take it, I can get away with the move.

I remember thinking about the move 22...cxb6, but I probably did not play it because I thought that I need to make things as difficult for my opponent as possible. I did judge the position poorly and bfoleyfire made me pay for my mistake by finding the move 23.bxc7. After that I am completely lost, but I tried my best to hang on. I accepted my loss after bfoleyfire took my rook for free from a2 on move 27, at which point my opponent had a queen and a rook for two pawns.

[Event "Live Chess"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2015.05.24"] [Round "?"] [White "bfoleyfire"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C54"] [WhiteElo "1565"] [BlackElo "1728"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "48"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 {Italian Game: Classical Variation. Giuoco Pianissimo} a6 6. b4 (6. Bb3 Ba7 7. h3 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Re1 { Italian Game: Classical Variation. Giuoco Pianissimo Main Line}) 6... Ba7 { C54 Giuoco Piano: 4.c3 Nf6, main lines with 5.d4 and 5.d3} 7. a4 d6 8. Bb2 $146 (8. Ba2 O-O 9. O-O Ne7 10. Nh4 d5 11. Bg5 Bg4 12. Qd2 Qd6 13. h3 Bd7 14. c4 dxe4 15. dxe4 Qxd2 16. Nxd2 Bd4 17. Rad1 Bxa4 18. Bb3 Bc6 19. Ndf3 Bc3 20. Nxe5 Bxe5 21. f4 Bc3 22. e5 Ng6 {Ulziikhishigjargal,O (1888)-Urh,Z (1939) Khanty-Mansiysk 2016 1-0 (69)}) (8. Be3 O-O 9. Bxa7 Rxa7 10. Nbd2 h6 11. O-O Nh7 12. Rb1 Ra8 13. h3 Ne7 14. d4 Ng6 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Re1 Qf6 17. Re3 Nf4 18. Nf1 Be6 {1/2-1/2 (18) Schmittdiel,E (2450)-Davies,N (2525) Oslo 1994}) (8. Qb3 O-O 9. Bg5 Qe7 (9... h6 10. Bh4 Qe7 11. Nbd2 Be6 12. Bd5 Nd8 13. Nc4 c6 14. Bxe6 Nxe6 15. O-O Nf4 16. Qc2 Qe6 17. Ne3 d5 18. Nf5 g6 19. Bxf6 gxf5 20. Bxe5 Ng6 21. exf5 Qxf5 22. Bg3 Kh7 23. Rac1 Rg8 24. d4 {Muetsch,A (1646)-Lohrmann,T (1467) Hannover 2014 1-0 (74)}) 10. O-O h6 11. Be3 Nh5 12. Nbd2 Kh8 13. Qd1 f5 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. Qxh5 f4 16. Qe2 Bg4 17. Nf3 Bxf3 18. gxf3 fxe3 19. fxe3 Qg5+ 20. Kh1 Qxe3 {0-1 (20) Fabri,H (1948)-Allen,K (2197) Douglas 2014}) (8. O-O O-O $11) 8... O-O 9. b5 (9. O-O Ne7 $11) 9... axb5 (9... Na5 10. Ba2 $15) 10. axb5 $11 Ne7 11. Nbd2 Be6 12. Bxe6 fxe6 {Black has new doubled pawns: e5+e6} 13. Qb3 {White threatens to win material: Qb3xe6} Qd7 14. Ng5 (14. g3 Ng6 $11) 14... d5 $4 {allows the opponent back into the game} (14... Bxf2+ $142 $5 15. Ke2 Rxa1 16. Rxa1 d5 $17) 15. exd5 (15. O-O Ng6 16. c4 Ng4 $11) 15... exd5 16. c4 $4 { letting the wind out of his own sails} (16. O-O $142 $5 $11 {would keep White alive}) 16... Qf5 $4 {gives the opponent counterplay} (16... Qg4 $142 {and Black can already relax} 17. Ngf3 Qxg2 $19) 17. Ngf3 $17 e4 18. dxe4 dxe4 19. Bxf6 $4 {causes even greater problems} (19. Nd4 $5 Bxd4 20. Bxd4 $17) 19... Rxf6 (19... Qxf6 $142 {finishes off the opponent} 20. O-O exf3 21. c5+ Kh8 22. Qxf3 Qxf3 23. gxf3 Bxc5 24. Rxa8 Rxa8 $19) 20. c5+ Kh8 (20... Rf7 $142 21. b6 exf3 22. Nxf3 cxb6 23. cxb6 Nc6 $19) 21. Qe3 $4 {the final mistake, not that it matters anymore} (21. g4 $142 Qxg4 22. Rg1 $17) 21... Nd5 (21... exf3 { makes it even easier for Black} 22. O-O fxg2 23. Kxg2 $19) 22. Qxe4 (22. Qg5 { there is nothing better in the position} exf3 23. Qxf5 Rxf5 24. O-O fxg2 25. Kxg2 Nf4+ 26. Kh1 Rxc5 27. Ra3 $19) 22... Re6 23. Nd4 (23. Ng5 {praying for a miracle} Rxe4+ 24. Ngxe4 $19) 23... Rxe4+ 24. Nxe4 (24. Kf1 {does not solve anything} Ne3+ 25. Ke1 Nc2+ 26. Kd1 Rxd4 27. Re1 Nxa1 28. Re3 Rad8 29. Rd3 Qxd3 30. Ke1 Qxd2+ 31. Kf1 Qd1#) 24... Qxe4+ (24... Qxe4+ 25. Kd1 Qxd4+ 26. Kc2 Qxf2+ 27. Kb3 Qe3+ 28. Kc2 Nb4+ 29. Kb2 Qd2+ 30. Kb3 Qc2+ 31. Kxb4 Bxc5#) 0-1 [Event "Live Chess"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2015.05.29"] [Round "?"] [White "bfoleyfire"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C54"] [WhiteElo "1603"] [BlackElo "1677"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "53"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 {Italian Game: Classical Variation. Giuoco Pianissimo} a6 6. b4 (6. Bb3 Ba7 7. h3 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Re1 { Italian Game: Classical Variation. Giuoco Pianissimo Main Line}) 6... Ba7 { C54 Giuoco Piano: 4.c3 Nf6, main lines with 5.d4 and 5.d3} 7. a4 d6 8. Bb2 $146 (8. Ba2 O-O 9. O-O Ne7 10. Nh4 d5 11. Bg5 Bg4 12. Qd2 Qd6 13. h3 Bd7 14. c4 dxe4 15. dxe4 Qxd2 16. Nxd2 Bd4 17. Rad1 Bxa4 18. Bb3 Bc6 19. Ndf3 Bc3 20. Nxe5 Bxe5 21. f4 Bc3 22. e5 Ng6 {Ulziikhishigjargal,O (1888)-Urh,Z (1939) Khanty-Mansiysk 2016 1-0 (69)}) (8. Be3 O-O 9. Bxa7 Rxa7 10. Nbd2 h6 11. O-O Nh7 12. Rb1 Ra8 13. h3 Ne7 14. d4 Ng6 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Re1 Qf6 17. Re3 Nf4 18. Nf1 Be6 {1/2-1/2 (18) Schmittdiel,E (2450)-Davies,N (2525) Oslo 1994}) (8. Qb3 O-O 9. Bg5 Qe7 (9... h6 10. Bh4 Qe7 11. Nbd2 Be6 12. Bd5 Nd8 13. Nc4 c6 14. Bxe6 Nxe6 15. O-O Nf4 16. Qc2 Qe6 17. Ne3 d5 18. Nf5 g6 19. Bxf6 gxf5 20. Bxe5 Ng6 21. exf5 Qxf5 22. Bg3 Kh7 23. Rac1 Rg8 24. d4 {Muetsch,A (1646)-Lohrmann,T (1467) Hannover 2014 1-0 (74)}) 10. O-O h6 11. Be3 Nh5 12. Nbd2 Kh8 13. Qd1 f5 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. Qxh5 f4 16. Qe2 Bg4 17. Nf3 Bxf3 18. gxf3 fxe3 19. fxe3 Qg5+ 20. Kh1 Qxe3 {0-1 (20) Fabri,H (1948)-Allen,K (2197) Douglas 2014}) 8... Be6 9. Bxe6 fxe6 10. b5 Nb8 (10... Na5 11. c4 $11) 11. Qb3 Qc8 (11... Qe7 12. Nbd2 $14 ) 12. Nbd2 $16 O-O 13. Ba3 (13. d4 axb5 14. axb5 Re8 $16) 13... axb5 $14 14. axb5 Bb6 15. O-O Re8 16. Nc4 Nbd7 17. Rfd1 Bc5 18. Bxc5 Nxc5 19. Rxa8 (19. Qc2 Qd7 20. Rxa8 Rxa8 $14) 19... Qxa8 20. Qa3 (20. Qb2 Na4 21. Qa1 Nc5 $11) 20... h6 (20... Qxa3 21. Nxa3 Ra8 22. Nc4 $17) 21. Qxa8 (21. Qb2 $5 $11 {is noteworthy}) 21... Rxa8 $15 22. b6 {White threatens to win material: b6xc7} Nxd3 $4 {throws away the game} (22... cxb6 $142 {is the best chance} 23. Nxd6 Rd8 $15) 23. bxc7 $18 Nxe4 (23... Rc8 {hoping against hope} 24. Nxd6 Rxc7 25. Rxd3 Rc5 $18) 24. Nb6 Ra2 25. c8=Q+ Kh7 (25... Kf7 {is not much help} 26. Qxb7+ Kg8 27. Qxe4 Nc5 28. Qg6 e4 29. Ne5 e3 30. Nc8 exf2+ 31. Kf1 Ra7 32. Nxa7 Ne4 33. Qxe4 d5 34. Qg6 d4 35. Rxd4 h5 36. Rd8#) 26. Qxe6 (26. Nd7 Nf4 27. Nf8+ Kg8 28. Nxe6+ Kh7 29. Nxf4 exf4 30. Qf5+ Kh8 31. Qxe4 d5 32. Rxd5 Ra1+ 33. Ne1 Ra8 34. Qg6 f3 35. Rd7 Rg8 36. Nxf3 b6 37. Ng5 b5 38. Nf7#) 26... Nexf2 (26... Nxc3 {a fruitless try to alter the course of the game} 27. Qf5+ Kg8 28. Qc8+ Kh7 29. Qxc3 Nf4 30. Qc4 Ra5 31. Qe4+ Kg8 32. Rxd6 Ra1+ 33. Ne1 Ng6 34. Rxg6 Kf7 35. Rd6 Rxe1+ 36. Qxe1 e4 37. Qxe4 g6 38. Rxg6 h5 39. Qe6+ Kf8 40. Nd7#) 27. Qxa2 ( 27. Qxa2 Nxd1 28. Qf7 Nf4 29. Nd7 Kh8 30. Nh4 h5 31. Nf5 Ne2+ 32. Kf1 Ne3+ 33. Nxe3 e4 34. Kxe2 h4 35. Nf5 e3 36. Qxg7#) 1-0