A00 Irregular Openings (1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 Bxb4 3.Bxe5 Nf6 4.e3 Nc6 5.Bb2 d5)

The game below was played in a team match called Mount Doom. The match consisted of 30 boards and it was played between Lord Of The Rings and Equipo Latinoamérica. I played on board 3 for Lord Of The Rings and unfortunately I lost both of my games against alfito2012. Those losses were quite meaningful because of the otherwise evenly played match. The match ended with a score 28.5 - 31.5.

The first 17 moves featured only small mistakes, but the evaluation after 9.h3 is a bit unclear, depending how deep in the analysis I allow the engine to go to, the evaluation is either slightly better or clearly better to me. I do have the better pawn structure, which I thought should work in my favor. After 18.Nd4 I have a decision to make and unfortunately for me, I made the wrong one. I had a chance to trade the knights, defend the knight with Bd7 or Qd7 or move the knight away, I chose to move the knight to e5, which tactically loses a pawn, like shown in game. I did not like the idea of trading the knights because then my opponent would have likely taken back with the c-pawn and improved his pawn structure. Maybe I should have played Bd7, because it would have kept the pawn structure the same and if alfito2012 would have taken my knight on c6, then I could just happily take back with my bishop and I think my bishop should be well placed at c6. After the game move 18...Ne5 my position falls apart and despite of my best efforts, I was unable to recover from the loss of the pawn. Actually the engine thinks that the move 18...Ne5 is actually the best move in the position and the loss of the pawn should not be all that bad for me. However, to my human eyes this does not look like a comfortable situation for me to be in. I guess the better pawn structure and the fact that my pieces are better than my opponent's give me enough compensation for the pawn. The bishop on b2, for example, seems to be very bad compared to its counterpart on b6.

The move that threw my position overboard was 27...Rad8 and the position went even worse for me with my next move 28...Qe7. After my 28th move the game is completely lost. I should really look for tactical possibilities harder than I have in every position because the move 27...Rxe3 is something that I might have seen in my younger days when I was more tactically aware than I am now.

Game number two. This was played in a team match called Kristina Fans VS Limitless Chess on 51 boards. It was played between Bergersen and Kristina Fans and Limitless Chess. I played on board 15 for Limitless Chess and won both my games on time because my opponent's account was closed due to cheating. The match ended with a score of 59.5 - 42.5 in favor of Bergersen and Kristina Fans. I was able to keep the game evenly fought until I played 17...Nd7, which started my final downfall.

During the remainder of the game my position only went worse and I was quite lost in the final position, even though material was even.

[Event "Mount Doom - Board 3"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.02.10"] [Round "?"] [White "alfito2012"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A00"] [WhiteElo "1836"] [BlackElo "1832"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s)"] [PlyCount "89"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] {[%evp 9,89,5,0,-33,-4,-15,0,-46,-43,-102,-72,-81,-53,-73,-71,-84,-51,-51,0,0, 0,0,39,0,14,2,28,0,0,-14,-7,-8,-6,0,62,0,0,0,33,0,25,5,47,-10,32,-7,124,88,363, 360,370,369,413,404,391,393,365,282,266,210,213,128,328,107,216,140,128,114, 195,191,293,163,5573,333,381,380,356,307,323,253,29974,29975]} 1. b4 e5 2. Bb2 Bxb4 3. Bxe5 Nf6 4. e3 Nc6 5. Bb2 d5 {A00 Irregular Openings} 6. a3 Ba5 $146 ( 6... Bd6 7. Nf3 (7. d4 O-O 8. Nd2 (8. Bd3 Re8 9. Nf3 Ne7 10. Nbd2 Ng6 11. Bxg6 hxg6 12. O-O Ne4 13. Ne1 Qh4 14. f4 Qh6 15. Nef3 Bg4 16. Qc1 f6 17. Nxe4 dxe4 18. Nd2 c6 19. Rf2 g5 20. Nf1 gxf4 21. exf4 e3 22. Nxe3 Bxf4 {Molano Lafuente, I (1994)-Castillo Martinez,E (1878) Llinars del Valles 2013 1/2-1/2 (70)}) 8... Re8 9. c4 Be6 10. c5 Bf8 11. Bb5 Bd7 12. Ne2 Ng4 13. O-O g6 14. h3 Nf6 15. Bd3 Bh6 16. Ng3 Ne7 17. Qc2 Qc8 18. Kh2 Nf5 19. Nxf5 gxf5 20. Nf3 Ne4 21. Rae1 c6 { Pettersson,O (1997)-Hjelle,O (1357) Oslo 2014 1-0 (43)}) 7... a6 8. c4 O-O 9. Nc3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Na5 11. Ba2 c5 12. O-O Bg4 13. h3 Bh5 14. a4 c4 15. Rc1 Rc8 16. Nb1 Qe7 17. Bc3 Bb4 18. Bxb4 Qxb4 19. Nc3 Rfd8 20. g4 Bg6 21. Ne5 { Schneider,T-Gutmann,M Zell 1993 1/2-1/2}) (6... Be7 7. Nf3 O-O 8. Be2 Bg4 9. O-O Re8 10. c4 Ne4 11. cxd5 Qxd5 12. d3 Bf6 13. Bxf6 Nxf6 14. Nbd2 Rad8 15. d4 Na5 16. Qa4 b6 17. Rac1 Qb7 18. Qc2 Re7 19. Bd3 h5 20. Ne5 c5 21. Ndf3 { Nemeth,L (2061)-Chirila,I (2183) Gyongyos 2003 0-1 (35)}) 7. Bb5 Bd7 8. Qe2 { -0.46/26} (8. Nf3 $11 {0.00/27 should be considered.}) 8... O-O $15 9. h3 { -1.02/25} (9. Nf3 $15 {-0.43/26}) 9... a6 10. Bd3 Re8 11. Nf3 Bb6 12. O-O Ne4 13. Nc3 Nxc3 {0.00/29} (13... Bf5 $15 {-0.51/22}) 14. Bxc3 $11 d4 {[%tqu "En", "","","","c3b2","",10]} 15. Bb2 $1 Be6 16. c3 dxe3 17. dxe3 Qe7 18. Nd4 Ne5 19. Bxh7+ Kxh7 20. Qh5+ Kg8 21. Qxe5 Qd7 {0.62/24} ({Better is} 21... Bc4 $11 { 0.00/30} 22. Qxe7 Rxe7) {[%tqu "En","","","","e5f4","",10]} 22. Qg3 {0.00/29} ( 22. Qf4 $1 $14 {0.62/24}) 22... Bc4 23. Rfd1 $40 {[%mdl 128] White mounts an attack.} Qe7 24. Qg4 {[#] And now Nf5 would win.} Qf6 25. Nf3 Be2 {0.47/27} ( 25... Be6 $11 {0.05/28} 26. Qg3 Rad8) 26. Rd2 {-0.10/32} (26. Rd5 $14 {0.47/27} ) {[%tqu "En","","","","e8e3","",10]} 26... Bxf3 {0.32/30} (26... Rxe3 $1 $11 { -0.10/32 deserves consideration.} 27. c4 Qh6) 27. gxf3 {[%tqu "En","","","", "e8e3","",10]} Rad8 {1.24/27} (27... Rxe3 $1 $11 {-0.07/30} 28. c4 (28. fxe3 $2 Bxe3+ 29. Rf2 Bxf2+ 30. Kxf2 Qb6+ 31. Kg3 Qxb2 $19) 28... Qh6) 28. Rad1 { [#] Hoping for c4.} Qe7 $2 {3.63/28 [%mdl 8192]} (28... Rxd2 $16 {0.88/30 was necessary.} 29. Rxd2 Re6) 29. c4 $18 f6 30. Rd7 Qf8 {[%tqu "En","","","", "c4c5", "",10]} 31. c5 $1 {[%mdl 512]} Rxd7 (31... Bxc5 32. Qc4+) 32. Rxd7 (32. Qxd7 Bxc5 33. Qd5+ (33. Qxc7 b6 $16) 33... Kh7 $16) 32... Bxc5 {If Black can now play ...Bd6 this consolidates a bit.} 33. Rxc7 b6 34. Qc4+ Kh8 35. Qxa6 Ra8 $2 {3.28/25} (35... Bxe3 $16 {1.28/30 was called for.} 36. Qd3 (36. fxe3 Qd6 $11) 36... Bc5) 36. Ra7 $2 {1.07/31} (36. Qb7 $18 {3.28/25 is more deadly.} Re8 37. Qc6) 36... Rd8 {2.16/25} (36... Rxa7 $16 {1.07/31} 37. Qxa7 Qc8) 37. Qe2 Qd6 38. Ra4 Kg8 {1.95/30} (38... Bxe3 $16 {1.14/31} 39. Rh4+ (39. fxe3 Qg3+ 40. Kf1 Qxh3+ 41. Kg1 Qg3+ 42. Kh1 Qh3+ 43. Kg1 Qg3+ 44. Kh1 Qh3+ 45. Kg1 $11) 39... Bh6) 39. Qc4+ Kh8 {2.93/25} (39... Qd5 {1.91/29 was worth a try.} 40. Qxd5+ Rxd5) 40. Kg2 {1.63/30} (40. Qh4+ $142 {2.93/25} Kg8 41. Rg4) 40... Rb8 $2 {55.73/28} (40... Bxe3 {1.63/30} 41. Qf7 (41. fxe3 Qd2+ 42. Kf1 Qd1+ 43. Kf2 Rd2+ 44. Kg3 Qg1+ 45. Kf4 Qg5+ 46. Ke4 Qg6+ 47. Kf4 Qg5+ 48. Ke4 Qh4+ 49. Kf5 Qh5+ 50. Ke4 Qh7+ 51. Kf4 Qh4+ 52. Kf5 Qh5+ 53. Kf4 Qg5+ $11) 41... Bg5 42. Qh5+ (42. Ra7 Bh6 $16) 42... Kg8) 41. Qh4+ $2 {3.81/27} (41. Qf7 {55.73/28} Qd3 42. Rh4+ Qh7 43. Rxh7+ Kxh7 44. Bxf6) 41... Kg8 42. Rg4 ({Less strong is} 42. Qc4+ Kh7 $18) 42... Rf8 43. Qh6 Qe7 44. h4 Bxa3 $2 {#26/28} (44... Rf7 $18 { 2.53/31} 45. a4 Qd7) 45. Bxa3 {Accuracy: White = 33%, Black = 25%.} 1-0 [Event "Kristina Fans VS Limitless Chess - Boar"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.04.13"] [Round "?"] [White "Unix73"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A00"] [WhiteElo "1874"] [BlackElo "1817"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s)"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] {[%evp 12,46,0,0,10,0,7,0,0,4,14,-10,31,27,59,51,48,46,76,73,60,62,72,62,113, 108,91,89,120,129,127,123,132,132,159,149,185]} 1. b4 e5 2. Bb2 Bxb4 3. Bxe5 Nf6 4. e3 Nc6 5. Bb2 d5 {A00 Irregular Openings} 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Be2 {LiveBook: 19 Games} Bf5 (7... Be6 8. O-O h6 9. d4 Ne4 10. c3 Bd6 11. Nbd2 Nxd2 12. Nxd2 Na5 13. e4 dxe4 14. Nxe4 Bxh2+ 15. Kxh2 Qh4+ 16. Kg1 Qxe4 17. Bd3 Qh4 18. Qa4 b6 19. Rae1 Rfd8 20. Re4 Qh5 21. c4 Bd7 22. Qc2 {Brakin,S-Giardelli,S (2432) Cordoba 2004 0-1}) 8. O-O {The position is equal.} Re8 (8... Qd6 9. a3 Ba5 10. d4 Ne4 11. c4 Ne7 12. Qb3 c6 13. Nc3 Bc7 14. cxd5 Nd2 {0-1 (14) Schwichtenberg, J (1774)-Makilla,T (1954) Hofheim 2016}) 9. d3 $146 (9. c4 Re6 (9... Ba5 10. Qb3 Nb4 11. Nd4 Bc8 12. a3 Nc6 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. Qa4 Bb6 15. cxd5 cxd5 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. Bd3 f5 18. Nc3 Be6 19. Ne2 c5 20. Bb5 Rf8 21. Qf4 Bc7 22. Qh6 Be5 23. d4 Bg7 24. Qh5 {Kuhn,H (1763)-Augustin,C (1966) Völklingen 2001 0-1 (73)}) 10. Qb3 Qd7 11. Bxf6 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Rxf6 13. Bd5 Qe7 14. a3 Bd6 15. Qxb7 Rb8 16. Qxc6 Bxh2+ 17. Nxh2 Rxc6 18. Bxc6 Rb6 19. Rc1 Qf6 20. Nc3 Rxc6 21. Rab1 Bxb1 22. Rxb1 h6 23. Ng4 Qf5 {Maedel,K-Skupin,S Germany 1997 0-1 (33)}) (9. h3 Qd6 10. Nc3 a6 11. d4 Bxc3 12. Bxc3 Ne4 13. Bb2 Qg6 14. Nh4 Qg5 15. Nxf5 Qxf5 16. Rb1 Na5 17. Bd3 Qg5 18. Bxe4 Rxe4 19. Bc3 Nc4 20. Kh1 b6 21. Bd2 Qg6 22. Re1 Rae8 23. Bc3 Rh4 {Traverso,A-Martincich,S Guaymallen 2001 1-0 (41)}) 9... Qe7 10. Nbd2 Rad8 11. a3 Bd6 {0.31/24} (11... Ba5 $11 {-0.10/26}) 12. c4 $14 dxc4 13. Nxc4 Nd7 14. Nxd6 Qxd6 15. Qb3 Nc5 16. Qc3 $36 {[%mdl 2048] [#] White is more active.} f6 17. Rac1 Nd7 {1.13/25} (17... Nxd3 $14 {0.62/29} 18. Rfd1 Nce5 ) 18. Qb3+ $16 Be6 19. Qc2 Kh8 20. d4 Nb6 21. Bd3 Bg8 22. Rfe1 Re7 23. e4 Rde8 {[%mdl 32768] Accuracy: White = 91%, Black = 48%. . Loss on time!?} 0-1 [Event "rated blitz match"] [Site "Free Internet Chess Server"] [Date "2008.08.19"] [Round "?"] [White "Trelawney"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A00"] [WhiteElo "1596"] [BlackElo "1534"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s)"] [PlyCount "34"] [EventDate "2008.??.??"] 1. b4 e5 2. Bb2 Bxb4 3. Bxe5 Nf6 4. e3 Nc6 5. Bb2 d5 {A00 Irregular Openings} 6. Be2 (6. Nf3 Bf5 {1-0 (50) Mallmann,B (1961)-Jantz,H (2110) Mendig 2010} ( 6... O-O 7. Be2 {1-0 (41) Traverso,A-Martincich,S Guaymallen 2001})) 6... Bf5 7. Nf3 O-O 8. O-O {The position is equal.} Re8 (8... h6 9. d3 Re8 10. Nbd2 a5 11. c4 Bg6 12. d4 a4 13. a3 Bxd2 14. Nxd2 Qd7 15. c5 Ne7 16. Nf3 c6 17. Ne5 Qf5 18. Bd3 Bh5 19. Qe1 Qc8 20. f3 Nd7 21. Qg3 Nxe5 22. dxe5 Nf5 23. Qf4 {Mallmann, B (1961)-Jantz,H (2110) Mendig 2010 1-0 (50)}) (8... Qd7 9. c4 Rad8 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. d4 Kh8 12. c5 Rg8 13. Nh4 Rg7 14. Bf3 Bh3 15. Kh1 Rdg8 16. Rg1 Bg4 17. Nd2 Bxd2 18. Qxd2 Bxf3 19. Nxf3 Qg4 20. Qd1 Ne7 21. Nd2 Qf5 22. Qf3 Qc2 23. Nb3 {Bahillo Vallejo,I (1415)-Centeno Mendoza,J (1574) Colmenarejo 2018 0-1 (53)}) 9. d4 $146 (9. c4 Re6 (9... Ba5 10. Qb3 Nb4 11. Nd4 Bc8 12. a3 Nc6 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. Qa4 Bb6 15. cxd5 cxd5 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. Bd3 f5 18. Nc3 Be6 19. Ne2 c5 20. Bb5 Rf8 21. Qf4 Bc7 22. Qh6 Be5 23. d4 Bg7 24. Qh5 {Kuhn,H (1763)-Augustin, C (1966) Völklingen 2001 0-1 (73)}) 10. Qb3 Qd7 11. Bxf6 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Rxf6 13. Bd5 Qe7 14. a3 Bd6 15. Qxb7 Rb8 16. Qxc6 Bxh2+ 17. Nxh2 Rxc6 18. Bxc6 Rb6 19. Rc1 Qf6 20. Nc3 Rxc6 21. Rab1 Bxb1 22. Rxb1 h6 23. Ng4 Qf5 {Maedel,K-Skupin,S Germany 1997 0-1 (33)}) (9. h3 Qd6 10. Nc3 a6 11. d4 Bxc3 12. Bxc3 Ne4 13. Bb2 Qg6 14. Nh4 Qg5 15. Nxf5 Qxf5 16. Rb1 Na5 17. Bd3 Qg5 18. Bxe4 Rxe4 19. Bc3 Nc4 20. Kh1 b6 21. Bd2 Qg6 22. Re1 Rae8 23. Bc3 Rh4 {Traverso,A-Martincich,S Guaymallen 2001 1-0 (41)}) 9... Ne4 10. a3 Bd6 11. c4 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Ne7 { 0.32/20} (12... Na5 $11 {-0.15/18} 13. Bd3 Bg6) 13. Qb3 $14 Bg6 14. Ng5 $2 { -2.71/16} (14. Nh4 $14 {0.39/18 stays ahead.} Bh5 15. f3 (15. Qxb7 Nc6 $11)) 14... Rf8 $2 {0.53/17} ({Black should try} 14... Nxg5 $19 {-2.71/16} 15. Nd2 { [#]} b5 $1 16. Qxb5 Nh3+ $1 17. gxh3 Rb8) 15. Nc3 $2 {-2.46/18} (15. Nxe4 $1 $14 {0.53/17 keeps the upper hand.} Bxe4 16. Nd2) 15... Nxg5 $19 16. Rac1 Ne4 17. Nb5 $2 {-3.81/18} (17. Nxe4 {-2.18/18 is a better defense.} Bxe4 18. f3) 17... Nd2 {Trelawney resigns. Accuracy: White = 29%, Black = 16%.} 0-1