C55 Two Knights: 4.d3, 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 and Max Lange Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.Re1 O-O 6.Nc3)

Well, this does not happen often, during the 24 moves that this game lasted, no clear mistakes were made by either player. This was played in a team match between Limitless Chess and Команда ЦФО (Russia Central Federal District) on 80 boards. I played on board 28 for Limitless Chess and in addition to this draw, I won my other game against Andrey-25. This was very tightly fought match, the final score was 79.5 - 80.5 in favor of Команда ЦФО (Russia Central Federal District). Maybe the only real opportunity during the game for one of the players to get some kind of advantage was after my 22nd move h6.

The game quickly ended in a draw after that with the moves 23.Qe2 Rc8 24.Qc2 Qb7. The final position is not really a dead draw in the sense that the players can still try to fight for the advantage, but neither side wanted to take risks, so draw was a natural outcome.

[Event "Limitless Chess vs ??????? ??? (Russia C"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.05.28"] [Round "?"] [White "Andrey-25"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C55"] [WhiteElo "1748"] [BlackElo "1841"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "48"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. Re1 O-O 6. Nc3 {C55 Two Knights: 4.d3, 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 and Max Lange Attack} a6 $146 {Secures b5} (6... d6 7. h3 Be6 (7... Bd7 8. a3 a5 9. Nd5 Rb8 10. c3 b5 11. Ba2 Nxd5 12. exd5 Ne7 13. d4 exd4 14. Nxd4 Ng6 15. Nc6 Bxc6 16. dxc6 Qh4 17. Be3 Bxe3 18. Rxe3 Ne5 19. Qd5 Nc4 20. Re4 Qf6 21. Bxc4 bxc4 22. Re2 {Jost,D-Fragin,B Rheinhessen 2000 0-1 (47)}) 8. b3 (8. Bf1 h6 9. d3 Re8 10. Bd2 a6 11. a3 Ba7 12. Be2 Qd7 13. Nh2 Rad8 14. Bf3 d5 15. exd5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. Bxd5 Qxd5 18. Nf3 Rd6 19. Be3 Bxe3 20. Rxe3 Rde6 21. c3 Qd8 22. Kf1 Rd6 {Da Luz,M-De Silva,A Manila 1992 0-1 (39)}) 8... Qd7 9. d3 h6 10. Bd2 Nh7 11. Bd5 a6 12. Ne2 f5 13. g3 fxe4 14. Bxe4 Bxh3 15. Qc1 d5 16. Bxh7+ Kxh7 {0-1 (16) Can,B-Zoubida Rachedi,F Warsaw 1991}) (6... Re8 7. Nb1 d6 8. c3 Bg4 9. Qb3 Be6 10. Qxb7 Rb8 11. Qxc6 Qd7 12. Qa6 Rb6 13. Qxa7 c6 14. Qa5 Rb5 15. Qa4 Rb7 16. a3 Ra7 17. Qc2 Bxc4 18. a4 Ng4 19. Na3 Bxf2+ 20. Kh1 Bxe1 21. Nxe1 {Shelton,J-Bassett,B Australia 1995 0-1}) 7. d3 d6 8. Be3 (8. Bg5 h6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 $11) 8... Nd4 9. Bxd4 Bxd4 10. Nxd4 exd4 11. Nd5 Re8 12. h3 {Covers g4} c5 13. Qf3 Nxd5 14. Bxd5 {Menacing} Qc7 15. a4 Be6 16. c4 (16. Bxe6 fxe6 17. Qg4 e5 $11) 16... Rab8 (16... dxc3 17. bxc3 Bxd5 18. exd5 Rxe1+ 19. Rxe1 $11) 17. b3 b5 18. axb5 axb5 (18... Bxd5 19. exd5 Rxe1+ 20. Rxe1 axb5 21. g3 $11) 19. Ra2 Bxd5 20. cxd5 Ra8 {Black threatens to win material: Ra8xa2} 21. Rea1 Rxa2 22. Rxa2 h6 (22... c4 23. bxc4 bxc4 24. dxc4 Qxc4 25. Ra7 $11) 23. Qe2 (23. Ra6 $5 $14) 23... Rc8 24. Qc2 Qb7 1/2-1/2

When I searched for reference games that reached the position after 6.Nc3, I only got one game when I searched games where both players were rated 2200 or above.

[Event "Warsaw Najdorf Memorial op-A 14th"] [Site "Warsaw"] [Date "2016.07.08"] [Round "1"] [White "Lewicki, Miroslaw"] [Black "Krasenkow, Michal"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2329"] [BlackElo "2614"] [PlyCount "38"] [EventDate "2016.07.08"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "POL"] [SourceTitle "Mega2016 Update 42"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2016.07.22"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. Re1 O-O 6. Nc3 Ng4 7. Rf1 d6 8. Na4 Bb6 9. Nxb6 axb6 10. d4 Nxd4 11. Nxd4 exd4 12. Qxd4 Qh4 13. h3 Nf6 14. f4 Re8 15. Bd3 Bxh3 16. gxh3 Qg3+ 17. Kh1 Qxh3+ 18. Kg1 Qg3+ 19. Kh1 Ng4 0-1

C50 Hungarian Defence and Giuoco Pianissimo (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Be7 5.c3 Nf6 6.e5 Ng4 7.cxd4)

This is one those lines that may not be that good all the way through, 6...Ng4 is a move that creates problems for Black. If it were possible that the knight could continue on taking on e5, then the move Ng4 would have been justified, but because Gluecifer7 could just reply with 7.cxd4 and prevent me from taking the pawn on e5 in favorable circumstances, my knight was very poorly placed at g4. I tried to be clever and played 7...d5, so that I would provoke the move 8.exd6 in reply. Had that worked, I could have taken back with my bishop and if need be, I would have been able to retreat with my knight to f6. Gluecifer7 did not want to allow me to the improve my options, so my opponent played 8.Bb5 instead.

Then I moved my pawn to h5 in order to protect the square h6 with the rook, so that when my knight needs to move, I would have a decent square to retreat to and I could keep my pawn structure intact. Gluecifer7 then played 9.Qc2, which seems like a logical move that threatens to take on c6 twice and perhaps to win a pawn in case that Black does not properly respond to the threat. The threat was not at all severe, since I was able to reply with Bd7 and the position was only slightly in favor of Gluecifer7. The next time when I chose a path to ruin was when I played 14...Qb4.

The queen was moved to b4 in order to add pressure towards the pawn on d4, but it was a rather futile move, since it was replied with Bd2 and my queen had to retreat. Therefore I just basically gave my opponent a free move to catch up on development. The game continued with the moves 15...Qd6 16.Bf4 Qd7 and then Gluecifer7 played 17.Nbd2, after which the position should be roughly even again. It did not take long for me after that to make the game losing blunder, which was 18...Re7.

The move 18...Re7 may seem quite harmless at first, but it was a rather unnecessary move since I was not going to double my rooks on the e-file, nor was I going to need further defence of c7. Gluecifer7 played 19.Nc5 and the rest of the game was rather smooth sailing for my opponent apart from maybe the move 21.Nd3, which was unnecessary retreat of the knight. The knight was placed there in order to prevent the loss of the exchange, but there was a better way to do it, which started with the move 21.Rxe7+. The rook trade would have given the rook from f1 time to move and not be in the bishop's scope anymore.

[Event "Great Viking Warriors vs. LullabyVisca -"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.05.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Gluecifer7"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "1915"] [BlackElo "1843"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Be7 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5 Ng4 7. cxd4 {C50 Hungarian Defence and Giuoco Pianissimo} d5 8. Bb5 h5 9. Qc2 $146 (9. Nc3 a6 10. Ba4 Kf8 11. O-O Be6 12. Be3 g5 13. Rc1 Na5 14. Bb3 c6 15. Nd2 Nxb3 16. Nxb3 Kg8 17. Qd2 Nh6 18. Nc5 Rb8 19. Ne2 Ng4 20. Rc3 Nxe3 21. fxe3 Qc8 22. e4 b6 23. Nxe6 Qxe6 {Xia,J (2198)-Sasdelli,M (1897) Mirandola 2011 1-0 (36)}) (9. h3 Nh6 10. O-O Be6 11. Qc2 Qd7 12. Be3 a6 13. Bxc6 Qxc6 14. Qxc6+ bxc6 15. Rc1 Kd7 16. Nbd2 Rab8 17. Nb3 Rb5 18. Rc2 Bf5 19. e6+ Bxe6 20. Ne5+ Kc8 21. Nxc6 Kd7 22. Nxe7 Kxe7 23. Rxc7+ Kf6 {Ivanec,D (2171)-Hari,B (2061) Celje 2008 1/2-1/2 (59)} ) (9. O-O Bd7 (9... a6 10. Bxc6+ bxc6 11. Nc3 Be6 12. Na4 Rb8 13. Bd2 Nh6 14. Rc1 Bg4 15. Bxh6 Rxh6 16. h3 Bd7 17. Ne1 Qc8 18. Kh2 Bg5 19. f4 Bh4 20. Nd3 Bg4 21. hxg4 hxg4 22. g3 Qf5 23. Nf2 Bg5+ 24. Kg2 {Gutschenreiter,D (1811) -Heinemann,G (1852) Leck 2014 1-0 (49)}) 10. Nc3 Nb4 11. Bxd7+ Qxd7 12. a3 Nc6 13. b4 O-O-O 14. Qa4 h4 15. h3 Nh6 16. b5 Nb8 17. Qxa7 Rdg8 18. b6 c6 19. Bf4 Qe6 20. Nb5 g5 21. Nxg5 Bxg5 22. Bxg5 Rxg5 23. Nd6+ Qxd6 {Morais Carreras,J (2098)-Canovas Prats,E (2057) Santa Eulalia de Roncana 2015 1-0 (32)}) 9... Bd7 10. Bxc6 {White forks: d5+b7} Bxc6 11. e6 (11. Nc3 Qd7 $14) 11... Bf6 (11... fxe6 $5 {deserves consideration} 12. Qg6+ Kf8 $11) 12. exf7+ $14 Kxf7 13. O-O Qd6 14. g3 {Consolidates h4} (14. Rd1 Rae8 15. Nc3 a6 $16) 14... Qb4 {Attacks the isolani on d4} (14... h4 $142 $5 {should be examined more closely} 15. Bf4 Qd7 $11) 15. Bd2 Qd6 16. Bf4 Qd7 17. Nbd2 (17. h4 Nh6 $16) 17... Rae8 (17... h4 18. Nb3 Rae8 19. Rac1 $14) 18. Nb3 (18. Bg5 $142 $16) 18... Re7 $2 (18... h4 $142 $11 {and Black hangs on}) 19. Nc5 $18 Qc8 20. Rae1 (20. Rfe1 Kg8 21. Rxe7 Bxe7 $18) 20... Bb5 (20... Rxe1 21. Rxe1 (21. Nxe1 $6 Bb5 22. Ncd3 Kg8 $11 ( 22... Bxd4 $143 23. h3 $16)) 21... h4 22. h3 hxg3 23. fxg3 (23. hxg4 $4 { simply loses} Qxg4 24. Qe2 Qxf4 $19) 23... Rxh3 24. Ne6 $18) 21. Nd3 $4 { throwing away the advantage} (21. Rxe7+ $142 {makes it even easier for White} Bxe7 22. Re1 $18) 21... c6 $4 {an oversight. But Black was lost anyway.} (21... Rhe8 $142 22. Rxe7+ Bxe7 $16) 22. Rxe7+ $18 Kxe7 (22... Bxe7 {doesn't get the cat off the tree} 23. Nde5+ Nxe5 24. Nxe5+ Kg8 25. Re1 $18) 23. Re1+ Kf7 24. h3 (24. Nde5+ {and White can already relax} Nxe5 25. dxe5 Re8 26. exf6 Rxe1+ 27. Nxe1 Qh3 $18) 24... Nh6 $4 {a blunder in a bad position} (24... Bxd3 $142 25. Qxd3 Nh6 26. Ng5+ Bxg5 27. Bxg5 Re8 28. Rxe8 Qxe8 29. Bxh6 Qe1+ 30. Kg2 gxh6 31. Qh7+ Ke8 32. Qxb7 Qe4+ 33. Kh2 Qxd4 34. Qxc6+ Ke7 35. Qb7+ Kf6 36. Qa6+ Kg7 $18) 25. Nde5+ Kg8 26. Kg2 (26. Ng6 $142 {seems even better} Qf5 27. Qxf5 Nxf5 28. Re8+ Kf7 29. Rxh8 Kxg6 30. Ne5+ Bxe5 31. Bxe5 Ne7 $18) 26... Qf5 27. Qc5 b6 $2 (27... Nf7 28. Qxa7 Ba6 $18) 28. Qd6 Qc2 (28... Nf7 {does not help much} 29. Qb8+ Kh7 30. Qxa7 Nxe5 31. dxe5 $18 (31. Bxe5 Bxe5 32. Rxe5 Bf1+ 33. Kxf1 Qxf3 $14) (31. Nxe5 $6 Rf8 $16)) 29. Rc1 (29. Qe6+ Kh7 30. Bxh6 Rf8 31. Nd7 Bf1+ 32. Kxf1 Qc4+ 33. Kg1 Kxh6 34. Nxf8 Qb4 35. Qe8 Qxf8 36. Qxf8 Kg6 37. Nh4+ Bxh4 38. gxh4 b5 39. Re7 b4 40. Rxg7+ Kh6 41. Qh8#) 29... Qxb2 (29... Qf5 {desperation} 30. Nd7 c5 31. Nxf6+ Qxf6 32. dxc5 Nf7 33. Qxf6 gxf6 $18) 30. Ng6 (30. Ng6 Kh7 31. Nxh8 $18) 1-0

Four game examples from much better players than I am that also reached the position after 7.cxd4.

[Event "Oslo-B"] [Site "Oslo"] [Date "1992.??.??"] [Round "5"] [White "Borge, Nikolaj"] [Black "Bjerke, Richard"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2335"] [BlackElo "2285"] [PlyCount "57"] [EventDate "1992.??.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "NOR"] [EventCategory "4"] [SourceTitle "CBM 028 ext"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1992.07.01"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Be7 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5 Ng4 7. cxd4 d6 8. h3 Nh6 9. Bxh6 gxh6 10. O-O dxe5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. dxe5 Qxd1 13. Rxd1 Be6 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. Nc3 Rd8 16. g3 Kf7 17. Kg2 Bc5 18. Rxd8 Rxd8 19. Rd1 Rxd1 20. Nxd1 Bd4 21. f4 a6 22. Kf3 Kg6 23. Ke4 Bc5 24. g4 Bg1 25. Nc3 Bf2 26. Ne2 Kg7 27. f5 exf5+ 28. gxf5 Bh4 29. Nf4 1-0 [Event "Oberliga Nord N 9899"] [Site "Germany"] [Date "1999.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Jaeckle, Marco"] [Black "Weyrich, Morten"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2270"] [BlackElo "2345"] [PlyCount "93"] [EventDate "1998.10.??"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2000"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.11.16"] 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Bc4 Nc6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5 Ng4 7. cxd4 d5 8. Bb5 a6 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. h3 Nh6 11. Bxh6 gxh6 12. Qc1 Rb8 13. Qxc6+ Bd7 14. Qc2 Rg8 15. Kf1 Rg6 16. Nc3 Rgb6 17. Kg1 Rxb2 18. Qxh7 Be6 19. Nd1 R2b6 20. Qxh6 Kd7 21. Qh7 Ba3 22. Ne3 Kc6 23. Kh2 Kb7 24. Rab1 Ka7 25. Rxb6 Rxb6 26. Rb1 Rxb1 27. Qxb1 Be7 28. Nd2 c5 29. dxc5 Bxc5 30. Qd3 Qb8 31. f4 Qb4 32. Kg3 Qb6 33. Nxd5 Qb2 34. Qc3 Qb5 35. Nc7 Qc6 36. Ne4 Qxe4 37. Qxc5+ Kb7 38. Nxe6 fxe6 39. Qe7+ Kb8 40. Qxe6 Qe3+ 41. Kg4 Qe2+ 42. Kg5 Qxg2+ 43. Kf6 Qf2 44. f5 Qh4+ 45. Kg7 Qg5+ 46. Kf8 Qe3 47. Qb3+ 1-0 [Event "NOR-ch"] [Site "Fredrikstad"] [Date "2003.07.12"] [Round "9"] [White "Hansen, Torbjorn Ringdal"] [Black "Fyllingen, Roy Harald"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2305"] [BlackElo "2366"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2003.07.04"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "NOR"] [SourceTitle "CBM 095 ext"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2003.09.04"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. d4 exd4 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5 Ng4 7. cxd4 d6 8. h3 Nh6 9. Bxh6 gxh6 10. e6 d5 11. exf7+ Kxf7 12. Bb3 Bf6 13. Nc3 Re8+ 14. Kf1 Be6 15. Qd3 Kg7 16. h4 Kh8 17. Rd1 a6 18. a3 Re7 19. Ne2 Qd6 20. Ng3 Na5 21. Ba2 Nc4 22. Bxc4 dxc4 23. Qc3 Qd5 24. Qe3 Bg7 25. Kg1 Rae8 26. Re1 c5 27. dxc5 Bg8 28. Qxe7 Rxe7 29. Rxe7 Bxb2 30. Kh2 Bf6 31. Re2 Qxc5 32. Ne4 Qc7+ 33. g3 Bg7 34. Rd1 b5 35. Nd4 Qd7 36. Red2 Qe7 37. f3 Qxa3 38. Nf5 Qxf3 39. Nfd6 Be5 40. Re1 c3 41. Rf2 Bxg3+ 0-1 [Event "Marianske Lazne GM"] [Site "Marianske Lazne"] [Date "2009.01.24"] [Round "10"] [White "Roganovic, Milos"] [Black "Ivanov, Mikhail M"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2475"] [BlackElo "2497"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "2009.01.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "CZE"] [EventCategory "8"] [SourceTitle "CBM 128 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2009.03.05"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. d4 exd4 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5 Ng4 7. cxd4 d5 8. Bd3 Nb4 9. h3 Nxd3+ 10. Qxd3 Nh6 11. Bxh6 gxh6 12. Nc3 c6 13. O-O Be6 14. a3 Qd7 15. Kh2 h5 16. b4 Bf5 17. Qe3 h6 18. Ne2 O-O-O 19. Nf4 Bg5 20. h4 Bxf4+ 21. Qxf4 Qe6 22. a4 Rhg8 23. b5 Rg4 24. Qe3 Be4 25. g3 Rdg8 26. bxc6 bxc6 27. Rfc1 R8g6 28. Ra3 Qf5 29. Qe2 Kd8 30. Rb3 Ke7 31. Rcc3 Kf8 32. Rb7 a5 33. Ra7 Rf4 34. e6 fxe6 35. Rb3 Kg8 36. Rb8+ Qf8 37. Rxf8+ Rxf8 38. Ne5 Rgf6 39. f4 1-0

B01 Scandinavian Defence (1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4 4.Be2 Bxe2 5.Qxe2 Qxd5 6.Nf3 e6 7.O-O Nc6 8.c3 O-O-O)

The first big mistake of this game was seen when I chose to play 14.Ne1. It was another passive move that could have cost me one of my games. Not sure what I thought would happen in case I move my knight to g5, maybe I thought it would be lost, but once again, I would have been wrong. There would not have been any way for my opponent to take advantage of the knight on g5, the knight would have threatened a fork on f7 and because Gluecifer7 would have needed to protect f7, I would have had time to protect my knight. Retreating with the knight to e1 hampered the coordination of my pieces, my rooks were not connected anymore.

In order to take advantage of my blunder, Gluecifer7 should have replied with 14...Nxe5 and the continuation 15.dxe5 Qe4 does not look good for me as all of my pieces would be badly placed. Luckily for me, Gluecifer7 played 14...Rh6 for some reason that I do not fully understand, maybe it was only made so that the knight on f6 could move freely again. It did not take long for me to blunder again, with my 16th move Qe3, my position went down the drain again.

It did not matter, however, because Gluecifer7 was not able to find a strong move in reply. Both 16...h3 and 16...Nxe5 would have meant huge problems for me, but Gluecifer7 played 16...Rdh8, which let me off the hook as it only defends the rook on h6 instead of going for the attack. I continued the game with 17.c4, which basically forced the queen to retreat, since 17...Qe4 is answered with 18.Qxe4 Nxe4 19.Bxh8. My opponent went all the way back to d8 with the queen, which was one square too far as it made the reply 18.Nb5 look a bit more annoying. Gluecifer7 thought it best to protect the c7 pawn with 18...Bd6 and had I taken on d6 with my bishop, I could remained on the clearly favorable side of the board, since I would have been the one with the initiative. The problem with Nxd6 was that after cxd6 I could not play Qf4 and thus increased pressure towards d6. In the game I had to move my bishop and I chose to move it to f4, which was better than taking on f6. My final mistake saw the light of day when I played 26.Qd2.

The queen moved out of the defence and in an awkward square that the reply 26...Nd4 would have taken advantage of. In some situations the knight would have threatened to go to f3 and fork the queen and king, though it probably does not quite work immediately. In the game Gluecifer7 chose to play 26...h3, to which I replied by moving my g-pawn one square forward. It left the square f3 unprotected so naturally my opponent continued with 27...Nd4. The game did not last long after that as I resigned after 29...Qe4.

[Event "Great Viking Warriors vs. LullabyVisca"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.05.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "Gluecifer7"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "1843"] [BlackElo "1935"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "58"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. Be2 Bxe2 5. Qxe2 Qxd5 6. Nf3 e6 7. O-O Nc6 8. c3 O-O-O {B01 Scandinavian Defence} (8... Bd6 9. b4 Qh5 10. Re1 O-O 11. b5 Ne7 12. c4 Nf5 13. Bb2 c5 14. bxc6 bxc6 15. Ne5 Qxe2 16. Rxe2 c5 17. dxc5 Bxc5 18. Ba3 Rfd8 19. g4 Rd1+ 20. Kg2 Bxa3 21. gxf5 exf5 22. Rd2 Rxd2 23. Nxd2 {Bak,A (2048)-Mulleady,P (1912) England 2015 1/2-1/2 (37)}) 9. Bg5 (9. Be3 Bd6 10. Nbd2 Qh5 11. h3 e5 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Rfe1 Nd3 14. Reb1 Rhe8 15. Nc4 Nf4 16. Nxd6+ Rxd6 17. Qc4 Nxh3+ 18. Kf1 Re4 19. Qc5 Nf4 20. Qxh5 N4xh5 21. Rd1 Rxd1+ 22. Rxd1 Nd7 23. Ng5 Re7 {Laznicka,V (2480)-Krivoshey,S (2493) playchess.com INT 2005 1-0 (45)}) 9... h6 10. Bh4 $146 (10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Nbd2 h5 12. b4 h4 13. h3 Bh6 14. Ne4 f5 15. Nc5 Rdg8 16. Nd3 Rh7 17. Nde1 Bf4 18. a4 Ne7 19. c4 Qe4 20. Qxe4 fxe4 21. Ne5 e3 22. N1d3 exf2+ 23. Kxf2 Bg3+ {1/2-1/2 (23) Stergar,L (1738)-Schaefer,H (2042) Goch 1997}) (10. Bxf6 $5 gxf6 11. Nbd2 $11) 10... g5 $15 {Black threatens to win material: g5xh4} 11. Bg3 h5 12. Be5 { White threatens to win material: Be5xf6} Be7 13. Na3 g4 {Black threatens to win material: g4xf3} 14. Ne1 $2 (14. Ng5 Rhg8 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Nxf7 Rd7 $11) 14... Rh6 $4 {Black loses the upper hand} (14... Nxe5 $142 {Black clearly has the better chances} 15. dxe5 Qe4 $19) 15. Nd3 (15. Nc4 Rg8 $11) 15... h4 (15... Bxa3 $142 16. bxa3 Qc4 $17) 16. Qe3 $2 (16. Bxf6 $142 Rxf6 17. Qxg4 Bxa3 18. bxa3 $11) 16... Rdh8 $4 {not a good decision, because now the opponent is right back in the game} (16... Nxe5 $142 {Black would have gained the upper hand} 17. Qxe5 Bxa3 18. bxa3 h3 $19) 17. c4 $14 Qd8 (17... Qd7 $5 $14 {is worth consideration}) 18. Nb5 $16 Bd6 19. Nxd6+ (19. Bxd6 $142 $5 cxd6 20. Qf4 $16) 19... cxd6 $11 20. Bf4 {White threatens to win material: Bf4xh6} Rg6 ( 20... Rh5 21. Rfd1 $11) 21. b4 (21. Rac1 a5 $14) 21... Ne7 (21... Kb8 $142 $15) 22. Bg5 $4 {letting the wind out of his own sails} (22. d5 $142 {would allow White to play on} Kb8 23. dxe6 $16) 22... Nf5 $17 23. Qf4 Rh5 (23... g3 24. h3 Rhg8 25. Bxf6 Qxf6 26. Rad1 gxf2+ 27. Rxf2 $17) 24. Bxf6 Qxf6 25. d5 e5 26. Qd2 $4 {leads to further unpleasantness} (26. Qe4 $142 Nd4 27. Rad1 $17) 26... h3 ( 26... Nd4 $5 {keeps an even firmer grip} 27. Qe3 h3 28. g3 $19) 27. g3 Nd4 28. Qd1 $4 {simply worsens the situation} (28. f4 $142 gxf3 29. Kh1 $19) 28... Qf5 $19 29. Rb1 (29. Kh1 {what else?} Nc2 $3 {Deflection: f3} 30. Rc1 $19) 29... Qe4 (29... Qe4 30. f3 Nxf3+ 31. Rxf3 Rf5 $19) 0-1

The top five rated games that I was able to find in my reference database can be seen below.

[Event "YUG Cup"] [Site "Ulcinj"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Jovanovic, Sasa M"] [Black "Filipovic, Branko"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "2355"] [BlackElo "2425"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "1997.??.??"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "YUG"] [SourceTitle "EXT 1999"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1998.11.10"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. Be2 Bxe2 5. Qxe2 Qxd5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O O-O-O 8. c3 e6 9. Bf4 h6 10. Nbd2 Qf5 11. Bg3 Bd6 12. Rfe1 Bxg3 13. hxg3 Ng4 14. Nc4 g5 15. Nfe5 Ngxe5 16. Nxe5 Nxe5 17. Qxe5 Qxe5 18. Rxe5 Rd6 19. Rae1 Kd7 20. g4 f6 21. R5e3 b6 22. b4 h5 23. Rh3 h4 24. g3 c5 25. bxc5 bxc5 26. gxh4 gxh4 27. dxc5 Rd5 28. Kg2 Rxc5 29. Reh1 Kd6 30. Rxh4 Rxh4 31. Rxh4 Rxc3 32. Rh3 Rc4 33. Rd3+ Ke5 34. Kg3 f5 35. Re3+ Kd5 36. gxf5 exf5 37. Ra3 Rc7 38. Kf4 Kc4 39. f3 Kb4 40. Re3 Rc5 41. Re5 Rxe5 42. Kxe5 Ka3 43. Kxf5 Kxa2 1/2-1/2 [Event "October GM"] [Site "Ukraina"] [Date "1999.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Kozel, Roman"] [Black "Vlassov, Nikolai"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "2361"] [BlackElo "2454"] [PlyCount "62"] [EventDate "1999.??.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "UKR"] [EventCategory "7"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2002"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2001.11.25"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. Be2 Bxe2 5. Qxe2 Qxd5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O O-O-O 8. c3 e6 9. Nbd2 g5 10. Nc4 h6 11. Nfe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Rh7 13. f4 gxf4 14. Rxf4 Be7 15. Be3 Rg7 16. Raf1 Rdg8 17. g3 Ne4 18. Qc4 Nxg3 19. Qxd5 Nxf1+ 20. Kxf1 exd5 21. Rf5 Rg2 22. Bf2 Rxh2 23. Rxf7 Rf8 24. Kg1 Rxf7 25. Nxf7 Rh5 26. Kg2 Bf6 27. b3 Kd7 28. Be3 Bg7 29. Bf4 Rf5 30. Ne5+ Bxe5 31. Bxe5 Rxe5 0-1 [Event "Champions Challenge 92nd"] [Site "playchess.com INT"] [Date "2005.04.30"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Laznicka, Viktor"] [Black "Krivoshey, Sergei"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "2480"] [BlackElo "2493"] [PlyCount "89"] [EventDate "2005.04.30"] [EventType "k.o. (blitz)"] [EventRounds "5"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2007"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2006.11.23"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. Be2 Bxe2 5. Qxe2 Qxd5 6. Nf3 e6 7. O-O Nc6 8. c3 O-O-O 9. Be3 Bd6 10. Nbd2 Qh5 11. h3 e5 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Rfe1 Nd3 14. Reb1 Rhe8 15. Nc4 Nf4 16. Nxd6+ Rxd6 17. Qc4 Nxh3+ 18. Kf1 Re4 19. Qc5 Nf4 20. Qxh5 N4xh5 21. Rd1 Rxd1+ 22. Rxd1 Nd7 23. Ng5 Re7 24. Nxh7 f6 25. g4 Ng3+ 26. Kg2 Ne4 27. g5 f5 28. Bf4 g6 29. Rh1 b5 30. f3 Nec5 31. Nf6 Re2+ 32. Kg3 Rxb2 33. Rh6 Rc2 34. Rxg6 Rxc3 35. Rg8+ Kb7 36. Nxd7 Nxd7 37. g6 Nf6 38. Rh8 Ne4+ 39. Kg2 Rc2+ 40. Kg1 Nf6 41. g7 Re2 42. Rf8 Re7 43. Bh6 Re1+ 44. Kf2 Rh1 45. Rxf6 1-0 [Event "Alushta Autumn 2nd"] [Site "Alushta"] [Date "2010.09.21"] [Round "10"] [White "Yandemirov, Valeri"] [Black "Iljin, Timofey"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "2435"] [BlackElo "2398"] [PlyCount "42"] [EventDate "2010.09.14"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "UKR"] [EventCategory "4"] [SourceTitle "CBM 138 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2010.10.29"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. Be2 Bxe2 5. Qxe2 Qxd5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O O-O-O 8. c3 e6 9. Bf4 Qf5 10. Bg3 g5 11. Nbd2 h5 12. h4 Bh6 13. hxg5 Bxg5 14. Nxg5 Qxg5 15. Ne4 Nxe4 16. Qxe4 h4 17. Bf4 Qh5 18. Rad1 Rhg8 19. c4 Qg4 20. Rfe1 Nxd4 21. Kf1 f5 0-1 [Event "PHI-ch"] [Site "Manila"] [Date "2015.10.30"] [Round "10"] [White "Antonio, Rogelio Jr"] [Black "Bersamina, Paulo"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "2478"] [BlackElo "2361"] [PlyCount "57"] [EventDate "2015.10.24"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "PHI"] [EventCategory "6"] [SourceTitle "Mega2015 Update 52"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2015.11.20"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. Be2 Bxe2 5. Qxe2 Qxd5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. c3 e6 8. O-O O-O-O 9. b4 Bd6 10. b5 Qh5 11. Re1 Ne7 12. Be3 Ng4 13. g3 Nf5 14. Nbd2 Qg6 15. Nc4 h5 16. Nxd6+ cxd6 17. Bf4 h4 18. b6 a6 19. Rab1 Kb8 20. Rb4 hxg3 21. fxg3 Rh3 22. Rc4 Rdh8 23. Qg2 Nxh2 24. Ng5 Qxg5 25. Bxg5 Rxg3 26. Qxg3 Nxg3 27. Kg2 Nhf1 28. Bf4 Rh2+ 29. Kf3 1-0

D35 Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 O-O 7.Bd3 b6)

This line is playable up to the move 7.Bd3. Even though I did not get punished from my 7th move, b6, I should remember in the future why the move is so bad. The reason why my move was so bad can be seen in the variation 8.Bxf6 (removing the defender of both d5 and h7) Bxf6 9.Qh5 (threatens both mate on h7 and the pawn on d5). It is interesting that this rather simple idea was missed by my opponent even though he or she is quite strong. I guess it is possible that my opponent did not want to win so easily and gave me a chance to fight on. Skw123 played 8.Rc1 in the game and the position was roughly even again.

The next turn for the worse from my point of view happened when I played 11...c5. Skw123 could have then played 12.Qf5 in order to target the pawn on d5, but I could have just replied with 12...g6 and kick the queen maybe to h3. While the engine thinks that after 11...c5 the position is clearly favorable to White, it is not so clear to me why that is. One reason for that may be that is the fact that the material is even and there is no clear attack for White in my opinion. White does have better placed pieces and it may be enough for the advantage, but converting that advantage to a win seems quite difficult.

The game continued with the moves 12.Rfd1 c4 and then skw123 played the passive 13.Qb1, after which the position does not seem so good for my opponent again. A much better try was to play 13.Qf5, because at least in that case skw123 would have had the initiative. I then moved my pawn to a6, in order to control the square b5 and maybe prepare the eventual move b5, followed by b4. It was perhaps not the best move, but even with that move the game continued in only slightly favorable way to skw123. During the rest of the game I managed to avoid serious mistakes and we agreed to a draw after 42.Nxh7. Probably the best chance for my opponent to win the game then was after my 7th move because after the continuation mentioned above, I would have likely resigned soon after 9.Qh5.

This game was played on the first round of the 1800+ 7 Days tournament at Chess.com. I was 6th in the final standings of group 5, I managed to get only 5.5 points in 14 games. It meant that I was eliminated from the tournament and could not advance to round two. My opponent in this game, skw123, was able to get 11 points in 14 games and was 2nd in the final standings of the group.

[Event "1800+ 7 Days - Round 1"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2015.04.30"] [Round "?"] [White "skw123"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2226"] [BlackElo "1849"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 b6 { D35 Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation} 8. Rc1 Ba6 $146 (8... c5 9. dxc5 bxc5 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Nxd5 Bb7 (11... Bxb2 12. Rc2 Ba3 13. Qh5 g6 14. Qe5 f6 15. Qc3 Be6 16. Nxf6+ Qxf6 17. Qxa3 Nd7 18. Nf3 Bg4 19. Be4 Rae8 20. Bd5+ Kh8 21. O-O Nb6 22. e4 Nd7 23. Rc3 h5 24. Qc1 Kg7 25. h3 Bxf3 26. Rxf3 { Martic,Z (2316)-Radulovic,B (2302) Vinkovci 2008 0-1 (40)}) 12. Be4 Qa5+ 13. b4 Qa6 14. Qf3 Bxd5 15. Bxd5 Nd7 16. Bxa8 Ne5 17. Qe2 Nd3+ 18. Kf1 Rxa8 19. bxc5 Qa3 20. Rb1 Nxc5 21. Qc4 Rd8 22. Nf3 h6 23. g3 {Vetrov,G (2043)-Radulescu,V (1830) Prague 2012 1-0 (50)}) (8... Be6 9. Nge2 Nbd7 10. O-O h6 11. Bh4 c5 12. Bb1 Re8 13. Qc2 Rc8 14. dxc5 bxc5 15. Rfd1 Nf8 16. Qd2 Qb6 17. b3 Red8 18. Na4 Qa6 19. Bxf6 gxf6 20. Ng3 Ng6 21. h3 Bd7 22. Nc3 Bc6 23. Nh5 {Chashchev,S (2310) -Volokushin,D Soukhumi 2007 0-1 (49)}) (8... h6 9. Bf4 $14) 9. Nf3 (9. Bxa6 Nxa6 10. Qa4 Nb8 $14) 9... Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nbd7 11. O-O c5 (11... c6 12. Bf4 $14) 12. Rfd1 c4 {Black gets more space} 13. Qb1 (13. Qf5 g6 14. Qh3 Qc7 $16) 13... a6 {Controls b5} (13... h6 14. Bh4 g5 15. Bg3 $14) 14. Ne5 (14. Qf5 h6 15. Bf4 Nb8 $14) 14... Qc7 $14 15. Qf5 Rad8 16. Qf3 (16. a4 Qb7 $14) 16... Nxe5 (16... b5 $5 $15 {has some apparent merit}) 17. dxe5 $14 Qxe5 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. Rxd5 (19. Nxd5 b5 20. b3 cxb3 21. axb3 Rd6 $11) 19... Rxd5 20. Qxd5 b5 21. Qxe5 Bxe5 22. Rd1 Ra8 23. f4 {White threatens to win material: f4xe5} Bc7 24. Kf2 Rd8 25. Rxd8+ Bxd8 {A minor pieces endgame occured} 26. Nd5 Kf8 27. e4 Ke8 28. Ke3 Kd7 29. Kd4 Kc6 30. a4 Ba5 31. axb5+ axb5 32. Ne7+ Kb6 33. e5 {White gains space} Bd2 34. g3 {Secures f4} Bc1 {Black threatens to win material: Bc1xb2} 35. Kc3 Kc5 36. b4+ cxb3 37. Kxb3 Bd2 38. Nf5 {White threatens to win material: Nf5xg7} g6 {Black threatens to win material: g6xf5} 39. Nh6 {White threatens to win material: Nh6xf7} Be3 40. Nxf7 {White has a new protected passed pawn: e5} Bg1 {Black threatens to win material: Bg1xh2} 41. Ng5 {White threatens to win material: Ng5xh7} Bxh2 42. Nxh7 1/2-1/2

Well, it does make me feel a bit better about my 7th move when I searched my reference database and found players who are much stronger than me and also made the mistake 7...b6.

[Event "COL-ch"] [Site "Medellin"] [Date "2001.??.??"] [Round "2"] [White "Echavarria, Johann"] [Black "Clavijo, Jorge Mario"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2364"] [BlackElo "2375"] [PlyCount "49"] [EventDate "2001.??.??"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "COL"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2002"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2001.11.25"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 b6 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. Qh5 g6 10. Qxd5 c6 11. Qxd8 Rxd8 12. Be4 Re8 13. Nge2 Ba6 14. Bf3 Rc8 15. Rc1 Nd7 16. Ne4 Be7 17. Nd2 Rc7 18. Rxc6 Rac8 19. Rxc7 Rxc7 20. Nc3 b5 21. Kd1 Nb6 22. Nd5 Nxd5 23. Bxd5 b4 24. b3 Bd3 25. Bc4 1-0 [Event "Porto San Giorgio op 15th"] [Site "Porto San Giorgio"] [Date "2003.08.28"] [Round "8"] [White "Georgiev, Vladimir"] [Black "Orlov, Andrey"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2566"] [BlackElo "2391"] [PlyCount "155"] [EventDate "2003.08.21"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "ITA"] [SourceTitle "CBM 095 ext"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2003.09.04"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 b6 8. Nge2 Bb7 9. Qc2 h6 10. Bh4 c5 11. Rd1 Nc6 12. Bf5 c4 13. a3 Na5 14. O-O Qe8 15. f3 g6 16. Bh3 Nh7 17. Bf2 Ng5 18. Nf4 Nxh3+ 19. Nxh3 Bf6 20. e4 dxe4 21. fxe4 Bg7 22. Rfe1 Bc8 23. Nf4 Bg4 24. Nfe2 Rd8 25. h3 Bc8 26. Ng3 Bb7 27. e5 Qe6 28. Nge4 Kh7 29. Bh4 Rd7 30. Nd6 Bd5 31. Qa4 Rc7 32. Qb5 Ba8 33. d5 Qd7 34. Qxd7 Rxd7 35. e6 Rxd6 36. Be7 Bxc3 37. Bxd6 Bxe1 38. Bxf8 fxe6 39. dxe6 Bh4 40. e7 Bc6 41. Rd8 h5 42. e8=Q Bxe8 43. Rxe8 Bf6 44. Bb4 Bxb2 45. Re7+ Kg8 46. Bxa5 bxa5 47. a4 c3 48. Rc7 c2 49. Rxc2 Bd4+ 50. Kf1 Kg7 51. Rc6 Kh6 52. Rd6 Bb6 53. Rd5 Kg7 54. Ke2 Kf6 55. Kd3 Ke6 56. Ke4 Kf6 57. g4 hxg4 58. hxg4 Ke6 59. Re5+ Kf6 60. Kd5 Bc7 61. g5+ Kf7 62. Re6 Bd8 63. Ra6 Bxg5 64. Rxa7+ Ke8 65. Rxa5 Kd7 66. Rb5 Kc7 67. Rb3 Bh4 68. a5 Bf2 69. Ke5 Kc6 70. Kf6 Kc7 71. Kxg6 Kc6 72. Kf5 Bg1 73. Ke6 Bc5 74. a6 Bb6 75. Rb1 Kc7 76. Kd5 Be3 77. Rb7+ Kc8 78. Kc6 1-0 [Event "USA-chT Amateur West"] [Site "San Pedro"] [Date "2006.02.19"] [Round "3"] [White "Hummel, Patrick"] [Black "Peters, Jack"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2364"] [BlackElo "2448"] [PlyCount "123"] [EventDate "2006.02.18"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "6"] [EventCountry "USA"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2014"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2013.11.19"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 b6 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. Qh5 g6 10. Qxd5 c6 11. Qxd8 Rxd8 12. Nge2 Bb7 13. Be4 Nd7 14. O-O Rac8 15. Rfd1 Ba6 16. Bd3 Bxd3 17. Rxd3 c5 18. Nd5 cxd4 19. Nxf6+ Nxf6 20. Rxd4 Rxd4 21. Nxd4 Kf8 22. Kf1 Rc5 23. Ke2 b5 24. Rd1 Ke7 25. Nb3 Rc2+ 26. Rd2 Rc4 27. Nd4 a6 28. Rc2 Nd5 29. Rxc4 bxc4 30. a3 Kd6 31. Kd2 Kc5 32. Ne2 f5 33. f3 Nf6 34. Nf4 a5 35. h3 Kd6 36. Kc3 g5 37. Ne2 Kc5 38. g4 fxg4 39. hxg4 h5 40. gxh5 Nxh5 41. Kc2 Nf6 42. Ng3 Kd5 43. Kc3 Kc5 44. Kd2 Kd5 45. e4+ Ke5 46. Ke3 Nd7 47. Nf5 Nc5 48. Ne7 Kd6 49. Nd5 Na4 50. Kd4 Nxb2 51. Ne3 c3 52. Kxc3 Na4+ 53. Kd4 Kc6 54. Nc4 Kb5 55. Nd6+ Kc6 56. Nf7 Nb6 57. Nxg5 Kb5 58. e5 Ka4 59. e6 Nc8 60. f4 Ne7 61. Ke5 Ng6+ 62. Kd6 1-0 [Event "Vinkovci Treber Memorial 5th"] [Site "Vinkovci"] [Date "2008.09.07"] [Round "4"] [White "Martic, Zlatko"] [Black "Radulovic, Bojan"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2316"] [BlackElo "2302"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2008.09.05"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "CRO"] [SourceTitle "CBM 126 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2008.11.05"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 b6 8. Rc1 c5 9. dxc5 bxc5 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Nxd5 Bxb2 12. Rc2 Ba3 13. Qh5 g6 14. Qe5 f6 15. Qc3 Be6 16. Nxf6+ Qxf6 17. Qxa3 Nd7 18. Nf3 Bg4 19. Be4 Rae8 20. Bd5+ Kh8 21. O-O Nb6 22. e4 Nd7 23. Rc3 h5 24. Qc1 Kg7 25. h3 Bxf3 26. Rxf3 Qd6 27. Ra3 a6 28. Qc4 Rf6 29. Rc1 Ref8 30. Rc2 Rc8 31. Rb3 Rc7 32. Qc3 Kh7 33. Rd2 Qf4 34. g3 Qg5 35. h4 Qg4 36. e5 Rf8 37. Rb7 Rxb7 38. Bxb7 Qf5 39. Bxa6 Nxe5 40. Kg2 Qe4+ 0-1 [Event "CFO-chT"] [Site "Elets"] [Date "2008.12.21"] [Round "7"] [White "Gladyszev, Oleg"] [Black "Popov, Valerij"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2448"] [BlackElo "2542"] [PlyCount "101"] [EventDate "2008.12.17"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2011"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2010.11.26"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 b6 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. Qh5 g6 10. Qxd5 Qxd5 11. Nxd5 Bd8 12. Be4 c6 13. Nb4 Bb7 14. Rc1 a5 15. Nxc6 Nxc6 16. Bxc6 Rc8 17. d5 Bf6 18. Ne2 Bxc6 19. dxc6 Bxb2 20. Rb1 Ba3 21. Rxb6 Bb4+ 22. Kd1 Rfd8+ 23. Kc1 Rd2 24. Rxb4 Rxe2 25. Rb2 Rxc6+ 26. Kb1 Rxb2+ 27. Kxb2 Rf6 28. f3 Re6 29. Re1 g5 30. Re2 Kf8 31. Kc3 Ke7 32. e4 Rc6+ 33. Kd4 Rb6 34. Kc3 Rc6+ 35. Kb3 Rc5 36. Rc2 Re5 37. Kc4 g4 38. Kd4 Rh5 39. fxg4 Rxh2 40. Ke5 Rh6 41. Rc7+ Kf8 42. Ra7 Rh2 43. Kf6 Rh6+ 44. Kf5 Rh2 45. Rxa5 Rxg2 46. a4 Kg7 47. Kf4 Ra2 48. Rg5+ Kf8 49. a5 Ra1 50. Rc5 Kg7 51. Ke5 1-0 [Event "Teplice op 8th"] [Site "Teplice"] [Date "2013.06.21"] [Round "7"] [White "Luch, Michal"] [Black "Tuma, Jan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2432"] [BlackElo "2303"] [PlyCount "53"] [EventDate "2013.06.15"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "CZE"] [SourceTitle "CBM 155 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2013.08.26"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 b6 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. Qh5 g6 10. Qxd5 Qxd5 11. Nxd5 Bd8 12. Nxc7 Bxc7 13. Be4 Nc6 14. Bxc6 Rb8 15. Ne2 Ba6 16. Nc3 Rbd8 17. Bb5 Bb7 18. O-O f5 19. Rad1 Kg7 20. Rfe1 a6 21. Be2 b5 22. Bf3 Bc8 23. a3 Be6 24. g3 Ba5 25. b4 Bc7 26. Rc1 Bb8 27. Nd1 1-0

B33 Sicilian: Pelikan and Sveshnikov Variations (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.a4 a6 8.Na3)

The game I am sharing today was played in a team match called TMCL 2016 Sub-Div. WL1 R3. It was played between Battle For Victory and TribaL KnighTs on 100 boards at Chess.com. I played on board 52 for Battle For Victory and won both my games against Zalan10 on time. The first sign of trouble for Zalan10 was when he or she played 11...Rc8. I replied with the move 12.Bg5, which pinned the knight to the queen and discouraged my opponent from playing d5, because it would lose a pawn. Zalan10 then played the natural looking developing move 12...Be7, which gave the opportunity to my opponent to move the knight, in case he or she would have wanted to do so.

I should have then played 13.Bxf6, in order to prevent the move d5 and also to make sure that knight could jump to d5 without the possibility for it to be immediately challenged. I instead castled, which was a decent move, but not the most accurate one. Nor was the continuation that followed it. Zalan10 played 13...h6, which gave me another chance to take the knight on f6 with my bishop and jump with my knight to d5, but because I still preferred my bishop to Zalan10's knight, I simply retreated with the bishop to e3. Even though I should know by now that I should more often than not, to go with the aggressive move instead of the passive alternative, I almost always go with the passive one. The blunder that decided the outcome of the game was seen on move 16, when Zalan10 played Qd7.

The rather obvious problem with Zalan10's move 16...Qd7 was that I could reply with the move 17.Nb6, which forked the queen and the rook. After I had won the exchange, the game was quite easy to play and I never gave my opponent a chance to get back into the game.

[Event "TMCL 2016 Sub-Div. WL1 R3 - Board 52"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.04.25"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "Zalan10"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "1843"] [BlackElo "1373"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "53"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 {B33 Sicilian: Pelikan and Sveshnikov Variations} Bg4 9. Be2 Bxe2 10. Qxe2 Nd4 11. Qd3 Rc8 (11... d5 12. O-O dxe4 13. Nxe4 Be7 14. Bg5 O-O 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Nc4 Rc8 17. Rad1 b5 18. axb5 axb5 19. Ne3 b4 20. c3 bxc3 21. bxc3 {1/2-1/2 (21) Basas Gamazo,J (1973)-Prat Llables,J (2144) Barcelona 2016}) 12. Bg5 Be7 13. O-O h6 $146 (13... Nd7 14. Be3 Nc5 15. Qd2 O-O 16. f3 Nce6 17. Nd5 f5 18. exf5 Nxf5 19. Bf2 Bg5 20. Qd1 Qe8 21. c3 Qf7 22. Nc2 Rfd8 23. g3 h5 24. Qd3 h4 25. Rad1 hxg3 26. hxg3 Nc5 27. Qc4 Ne6 28. Qe4 {Dragiev,V (2422)-Nedev,T (2476) Struga 2002 1-0 (42)}) (13... O-O $16) 14. Be3 {White threatens to win material: Be3xd4} (14. Bxf6 $5 Bxf6 15. Nd5 $16) 14... Nc6 {White has an active position} (14... d5 $5 $11 {is worth looking at}) 15. Nd5 $16 O-O (15... Nxd5 16. Qxd5 Qd7 17. c3 $16) 16. c3 (16. Nb6 Rc7 17. Rfd1 $16) 16... Qd7 $2 ( 16... Nxd5 $142 {and Black has air to breath} 17. Qxd5 Qc7 $14) 17. Nb6 $18 Qg4 18. Nxc8 Rxc8 19. f3 Qh5 $2 (19... Qe6 $18) 20. Nc4 b5 (20... Ne8 $18 {hoping against hope}) 21. axb5 axb5 22. Nb6 Rb8 23. Qxb5 Nd8 24. Ra8 Rxa8 25. Nxa8 Kh7 (25... Ne6 {cannot undo what has already been done} 26. Nb6 $18) 26. Nc7 Ne6 ( 26... Qg6 {is not the saving move} 27. Ra1 $18) 27. Nxe6 (27. Nxe6 fxe6 28. Qc6 $18) 1-0

Some of the highest rated games that reached the position after 8.Na3 can be seen below.

[Event "EU-Cup 19th"] [Site "Rethymnon"] [Date "2003.10.03"] [Round "6.2"] [White "Efimenko, Zahar"] [Black "Smirnov, Pavel"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2546"] [BlackElo "2629"] [PlyCount "72"] [EventDate "2003.09.28"] [EventType "team-swiss"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "GRE"] [SourceTitle "CBM 098"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2004.02.03"] [WhiteTeam "Momot ShK Alexander"] [BlackTeam "Sankt Petersburg"] [WhiteTeamCountry "UKR"] [BlackTeamCountry "RUS"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Bg4 9. Be2 Bxe2 10. Qxe2 d5 11. Bg5 d4 12. Nd5 Qa5+ 13. Bd2 Qd8 14. Bg5 Nb4 15. Bxf6 gxf6 16. Qf3 Nxd5 17. exd5 Qa5+ 18. Kf1 O-O-O 19. Nc4 Qc5 20. b3 Be7 21. h4 Kb8 22. d6 Bxd6 23. Qxf6 Be7 24. Qf5 Rd5 25. Rh3 Re8 26. Rf3 e4 27. Qxf7 Red8 28. Rh3 e3 29. Qxh7 d3 30. Nxe3 Qc3 31. Rb1 Qf6 32. Nxd5 Rxd5 33. cxd3 Bc5 34. Qg8+ Ka7 35. d4 Qxd4 36. Qg3 Rf5 0-1 [Event "Selfoss Milk Masters 2nd"] [Site "Selfoss"] [Date "2003.10.31"] [Round "3"] [White "De Firmian, Nick E"] [Black "Vallejo Pons, Francisco"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2553"] [BlackElo "2662"] [PlyCount "54"] [EventDate "2003.10.29"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "ISL"] [EventCategory "15"] [SourceTitle "CBM 098"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2004.02.03"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Bg4 9. f3 Be6 10. Be3 Nb4 11. Nc4 d5 12. Bb6 Qe7 13. exd5 Nbxd5 14. Nxd5 Nxd5 15. Bf2 Rd8 16. Qd2 Nb4 17. Qc3 Qg5 18. Rd1 Nxc2+ 19. Qxc2 Bb4+ 20. Nd2 Bf5 21. Qc1 Rc8 22. Qa1 Bc2 23. h4 Qf4 24. g3 Qxf3 25. Rh2 Qe4+ 26. Be2 Bxd1 27. Qxd1 Rd8 0-1 [Event "Noyabrsk Fakel Jamala"] [Site "Noyabrsk"] [Date "2003.11.23"] [Round "6"] [White "Kovchan, Alexander"] [Black "Brodsky, Michail"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2561"] [BlackElo "2559"] [PlyCount "32"] [EventDate "2003.11.18"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [EventCategory "10"] [SourceTitle "CBM 099"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2004.03.30"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Be7 9. Bg5 Nxe4 10. Nxe4 Bxg5 11. Nxd6+ Ke7 12. Nac4 Be6 13. a5 Qc7 14. Qh5 h6 15. c3 g6 16. Qf3 Rad8 1/2-1/2 [Event "BRA-ch 75th"] [Site "Porto Alegre"] [Date "2008.12.07"] [Round "1"] [White "Milos, Gilberto"] [Black "Mekhitarian, Krikor Sevag"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2593"] [BlackElo "2511"] [PlyCount "149"] [EventDate "2008.12.07"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "BRA"] [EventCategory "9"] [SourceTitle "CBM 127 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2009.01.08"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Bg4 9. f3 Be6 10. Bc4 Rc8 11. Be3 Nb4 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. O-O Be7 14. Ne2 d5 15. c3 Nc6 16. Ng3 O-O 17. Nc2 Na5 18. Qe2 Qd7 19. Kh1 Nb3 20. Rad1 Qxa4 21. exd5 Nxd5 22. Bg1 Bf6 23. Ne4 Be7 24. g3 Qc4 25. Qg2 Rf5 26. Ne3 Nxe3 27. Bxe3 Qc6 28. Rd3 Rcf8 29. Bf2 Bc5 30. Re1 Bxf2 31. Qxf2 Qc4 32. Qe2 Nc5 33. Nxc5 Qxc5 34. Kg2 Qc6 35. Qe4 Qxe4 36. Rxe4 Re8 37. Kf2 Kf8 38. Ke3 Ke7 39. Rc4 Rf7 40. Rc7+ Kf6 41. Rxf7+ Kxf7 42. Ke4 Ke7 43. Kxe5 Rc8 44. Rd4 Rc5+ 45. Ke4 b5 46. f4 h5 47. Rd1 a5 48. Rd4 Rc6 49. Kd3 Rc5 50. c4 b4 51. b3 g5 52. fxg5 Rxg5 53. Rf4 e5 54. Rf2 h4 55. gxh4 Rg4 56. Ra2 Rxh4 57. Rxa5 Rh3+ 58. Ke4 Rxb3 59. Rxe5+ Kd6 60. c5+ Kc6 61. Kd4 Rh3 62. Re6+ Kd7 63. Re2 Kc6 64. Re6+ Kd7 65. Rb6 Rxh2 66. Rxb4 Rh4+ 67. Kc3 Rxb4 68. Kxb4 Kc6 69. Kc4 Kc7 70. Kd5 Kd7 71. c6+ Kc7 72. Kc5 Kc8 73. Kd6 Kd8 74. c7+ Kc8 75. Kc6 1/2-1/2 [Event "RUS Cup final"] [Site "St Petersburg"] [Date "2009.11.04"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Chuprov, Dmitry"] [Black "Khismatullin, Denis"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2558"] [BlackElo "2643"] [PlyCount "120"] [EventDate "2009.11.03"] [EventType "k.o."] [EventRounds "5"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2010"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2009.11.30"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Be6 9. Bc4 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. Bg5 Nxe4 12. Nxe4 Bxc4 13. Nxc4 d5 14. Nxe5 dxe4 15. Nxc6 bxc6 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Qe2 c5 18. Rad1 Qe6 19. Rd2 Rad8 20. Rfd1 Rxd2 21. Qxd2 h6 22. h3 Re8 23. Qc3 Rc8 24. Re1 Qd5 25. Qe3 f5 26. Qe2 c4 27. Rd1 Qc6 28. a5 Qb5 29. c3 Qxa5 30. Rd7 Qe5 31. Qd2 Kh7 32. Rd5 Qe6 33. Qd4 Rc7 34. Rd6 Qe7 35. Qd5 Qf7 36. Qd2 a5 37. Rd8 Rb7 38. g3 Qe6 39. Rd6 e3 40. fxe3 Qe5 41. Kf2 Rxb2 42. Rxh6+ Kxh6 43. Qxb2 Qd5 44. g4 fxg4 45. hxg4 Kg5 46. Qb8 Qd2+ 47. Kf3 Qd1+ 48. Kf2 Qd2+ 49. Kf3 Qd5+ 50. Kg3 Kf6 51. Qf8+ Ke6 52. Qg8+ Kd6 53. Qd8+ Ke6 54. Qe8+ Kf6 55. Qf8+ Ke6 56. Qe8+ Kf6 57. Qf8+ Ke6 58. Qg8+ Kd6 59. Qd8+ Ke6 60. Qg8+ Kd6 1/2-1/2 [Event "RUS-chT 17th"] [Site "Dagomys"] [Date "2010.04.08"] [Round "7"] [White "Panarin, Michail"] [Black "Moiseenko, Alexander"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2532"] [BlackElo "2668"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2010.04.01"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "CBM 136"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2010.05.18"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. a4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Bg4 9. Be2 Bxe2 10. Qxe2 d5 11. Bg5 d4 12. Nd5 Qa5+ 13. Bd2 Qd8 14. Bg5 Qa5+ 15. Bd2 Qd8 16. Nxf6+ Qxf6 17. Nc4 Bc5 18. O-O O-O 19. a5 Rad8 20. Qd3 Qe6 21. Kh1 Rfe8 22. Rab1 Bb4 23. b3 Bxd2 24. Qxd2 Na7 25. Rbe1 Nb5 26. f4 exf4 27. e5 g5 28. g3 Qd5+ 29. Kg1 Re6 30. h4 Rh6 31. Qg2 Qxg2+ 32. Kxg2 fxg3 33. hxg5 Rh2+ 34. Kxg3 Rxc2 35. e6 fxe6 36. Rxe6 d3 37. Re7 d2 38. Rff7 Rd3+ 39. Kh4 Rxc4+ 40. bxc4 Nd6 41. Rf1 d1=Q 42. Rxd1 Rxd1 43. Kh5 Rh1+ 44. Kg4 Rh4+ 0-1 [Event "NED-ch"] [Site "Amsterdam"] [Date "2012.07.16"] [Round "2"] [White "Smeets, Jan"] [Black "L'Ami, Erwin"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B33"] [WhiteElo "2620"] [BlackElo "2615"] [PlyCount "62"] [EventDate "2012.07.15"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "NED"] [EventCategory "15"] [SourceTitle "CBM 150"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2012.09.14"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. a4 a6 8. Na3 Be6 9. Nc4 Rc8 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Nb6 Rb8 13. Bc4 Qg5 14. O-O Be7 15. Qd3 Nb4 16. Qe2 Bd8 17. Ncd5 Nxd5 18. Nxd5 O-O 19. Ra3 Qg4 20. Qd3 b5 21. axb5 axb5 22. Bxb5 Kh8 23. Ra6 Bxd5 24. Qxd5 Bb6 25. c3 Bc5 26. Qd3 f5 27. exf5 e4 28. Qc4 Qxf5 29. Kh1 Bxf2 30. Bc6 Qh5 31. h3 e3 0-1

C55 Two Knights: 4.d3, 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 and Max Lange Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.Bg5 d6 7.h3 Be6 8.Bb3)

This is just one of the many team match games I have played at Chess.com. The match was played between La Belle France and FIGHTING GLADIATORS on 19 boards. I played on board 2 for La Belle France and I managed to win both of my games against sadnadeem. The game below I actually won on time, but the other one I won when my opponent resigned. More importantly, our team won the match with a score of 25 - 13. Unlike usual, this game only has one clear moment where the the game goes down the drain for one of the players. For the first 18 moves, both players made reasonable moves, but then sadnadeem played 19.Ne3 and the downhill started for my opponent, from which he or she did not recover from.

Had sadnadeem played 19.N5h4, it would have basically prevented the move f5 in reply due to the continuation 20.Nxg6 fxe4 21.Nxf8 Rxf8 22.Rxe4 and I would have been down a pawn. In the game I continued with the move 19...f5 and took the initiative. Due to the fact that the knight blocked some squares from the rook, it only had two safe squares to go to, c4 and a4. Sadnadeem chose to move the rook to c4, which was the riskier square to land on, because the rook had a higher chance to run out of squares there than it would be at a4. I tried to trap the rook as best as I could and continued the game with 20...Qd6, in order to take the square c5 away from the rook and continue with b5, forcing the rook to go to c3, which would be the only safe square for it at that moment. In order to give the rook more options, sadnedeem should have replied by moving the rook to a4 on move 21, but instead my opponent played 21.Qe2 and the position was lost for White.

[Event "La Belle France vs FIGHTING GLADIATORS -"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.05.01"] [Round "?"] [White "sadnadeem"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C55"] [WhiteElo "1758"] [BlackElo "1842"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "44"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. Bg5 d6 7. h3 Be6 (7... Kh8 8. c3 Ng8 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Re1 f5 11. Nbd2 f4 12. d4 Bd7 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 dxe5 15. Nf3 Nf6 16. Qb3 b5 17. Bf1 c5 18. Rad1 c4 19. Qc2 Bc6 20. b3 cxb3 21. axb3 Rad8 22. Rxd8 {Herczeg,T (2215)-Szlabey,G (2220) Balatonbereny 1993 1-0 (39)}) (7... Na5 8. Bb3 Nxb3 9. axb3 h6 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Nc3 c6 12. Re1 Be7 13. d4 Qc7 14. Qe2 Re8 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Red1 a6 17. Qe3 Be6 18. Na4 Rad8 19. Nc5 Bc8 20. Qc3 Rxd1+ 21. Rxd1 b6 22. Nd3 {Herczeg,T (2097)-Ligart,T (2205) Hungary 2015 1-0 (94)}) 8. Bb3 $146 {C55 Two Knights: 4.d3, 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 and Max Lange Attack} (8. Nc3 Nd7 9. Qd2 Bxc4 10. dxc4 Nb6 11. b3 Nd4 12. Qe3 Nxf3+ 13. Qxf3 Bxg5 14. Nb1 Qf6 15. Nd2 Qxf3 16. Nxf3 Bh6 17. Nh4 Nd7 18. Nf5 Bg5 19. Rae1 g6 20. Ng3 Nc5 21. Re3 Bxe3 22. fxe3 f6 {Szabo,E-Michalovova,M Slovakia 2003 0-1}) (8. Nbd2 Qd7 9. Nh4 h6 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Qh5 Nd4 12. c3 Ne2+ 13. Qxe2 Bxh4 14. f4 exf4 15. Rxf4 Bg5 16. Rf2 Bxd2 17. Qxd2 Bxc4 18. dxc4 Qe6 19. Qd5 Qxd5 20. cxd5 Rae8 21. Re1 Re5 22. Rf5 {1/2-1/2 (22) Glodowski,M (1793) -Haack,S (1775) Hamburg 2010}) (8. Bxe6 fxe6 9. c3 h6 10. Be3 d5 11. Qe2 d4 12. cxd4 exd4 13. Bd2 e5 14. Na3 Bxa3 15. bxa3 Qd6 16. Rfb1 Rab8 17. Rb3 a5 18. Rb5 b6 19. a4 Nd7 20. Nh4 Qf6 21. Nf5 Ne7 22. Nxe7+ Qxe7 {Gousseinov,A (2080) -Infantino,T (1880) Metz 2005 1-0 (48)}) 8... d5 9. Nc3 dxe4 (9... d4 10. Ne2 $11) 10. Nxe4 (10. dxe4 $5 {should be examined more closely} Rb8 11. Re1 $14) 10... Bxb3 $11 11. axb3 Nd5 12. Re1 Bxg5 13. Nfxg5 h6 14. Nf3 Nf4 15. Ng3 Qd5 16. Ra4 Ng6 (16... f5 17. h4 $15) 17. Rae4 (17. Nf5 Qd7 18. N5h4 Nxh4 19. Rxh4 f6 $11) 17... Rad8 (17... f5 18. R4e2 $15) 18. Nf5 $11 Qd7 {Black threatens to win material: Qd7xf5} 19. Ne3 (19. N5h4 $142 $5 {must definitely be considered} Nxh4 20. Rxh4 $11) 19... f5 $17 20. Rc4 Qd6 21. Qe2 $2 (21. Ra4 $142 $5 $17) 21... b5 $19 22. Rc3 Nd4 (22... Nd4 23. Qd1 c5 $19) 0-1

Hmm, it is interesting to me that the game below did not appear as one of the reference games when I analysed my game. In the notation there is a N after 8.Bb3 to mark it as a novelty, which does not seem to be the case at all. This should have been in my database back when I did a full analysis to my game, so I am not sure how the reference games are determined that analysis. I actually found other games that had reached the position after 8.Bb3 in that same database, but I am not adding them here since the ratings of the players are not shown or they were quite low.

[Event "Techirghiol op"] [Site "Techirghiol"] [Date "1999.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Leaua, Cristinel"] [Black "Moscaliuc, Alexandru"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C55"] [BlackElo "2231"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "1999.??.??"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "ROU"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2004"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2003.11.25"] 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 d6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. Bb3 Nc6 7. h3 Be6 8. Bg5 Qe8 9. c3 Rd8 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. Qb3 Qd7 12. Nbd2 Rb8 13. Rad1 Nh5 14. g3 Bxg5 15. Nxg5 Rf6 16. Rde1 Rg6 17. h4 h6 18. Qd1 Nxg3 19. fxg3 hxg5 20. Qh5 Rh6 21. Qxg5 Ne7 22. Qe3 a5 23. Nf3 Rf8 24. Ng5 Rhf6 25. Qe2 Qe8 26. d4 exd4 27. cxd4 Nc6 28. Rxf6 gxf6 29. Nf3 Qg6 30. Kh2 f5 31. e5 d5 32. a3 Qg4 33. Qe3 f4 34. gxf4 Qxf4+ 35. Qxf4 Rxf4 36. Kg3 Re4 37. Rxe4 dxe4 38. Ng5 Nxd4 39. Nxe4 Nf5+ 40. Kg4 Ne3+ 41. Kg5 Kf7 42. h5 Nc4 43. Kf4 Nxb2 44. Ng5+ Kg7 45. Nxe6+ Kh6 46. Nxc7 Kxh5 47. Kf5 Nc4 48. e6 Nd6+ 49. Ke5 Nc8 50. Kf6 Kg4 51. e7 Nd6 52. Nb5 1-0

D02 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 sidelines, including 2...Nf6 3.g3 and 2...Nf6 3.Bf4 (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 d5 3.Nf3 g6 4.e3 Bg7 5.Bd3 O-O 6.c3)

This was played in a team match called Open Challenge Kartik City. It was played between Kartik City and Philippine Critical Movers on 32 boards. I played on board 10 for Kartik City and lost both my games. We also lost the match with a score of 22 - 42, so it was not even a close match. The first really odd and bad decisions from me was to play Kh8 on move 10. It is rather sad that I could not come up with a better move than Kh8, which seems to be just a waste of a move. I have to admit though that even now it would be somewhat hard for me to come up with a useful move in that position, but I would probably play something else than Kh8 if I were to reach that same position again.

Because I basically gave a free move to my opponent, DChris should have been doing quite well at this point in the game and indeed my opponent's position should be favored after 11.Rg1 even if it was not the strongest move. Moves like 11.Ne5 and 11.O-O-O make a lot of sense, castling long helps the a-rook to join the attack on the kingside and the knight on e5 targets the undefended pawn on f7. Had the knight jumped to e5, I would have probably moved my king back to g8, because Nxe5 seems quite bad in view of dxe5 and my knight from f6 would need to retreat to g8. A few moves later I played 13...b5, which could have been the move that lost me the game, had my opponent not made some bad moves later on in the game.

I thought that I need to make some counterplay on the queenside, since my opponent would be likely to castle there and therefore I chose the move b5. However, it did not even threaten b4 immediately due to the continuation Nxc6 Bxc6 cxb4. I was quite lost or in serious trouble up to my 19th move fxg6, but then DChris played 20.dxc5, which gave me my last chance to get back into the game. I simply took back on c5 with my queen, which was a good enough reply to fight on for a possible draw if the engine is to be believed.

My final mistake was seen when I played 23...Nxe5, which was also my last move of the game.

I resigned after the reply 24.Bxe5, but 24.Qxe6+ was an even better move and would have also ended the game. Due to the Qxe6+ possibility, I had to play 23...Rf6 in order to defend my position. It would have both attacked the queen and defended my bishop and avoided the mate, which was threatened at h7.

[Event "Open Challenge Kartik City - Board 10"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.05.28"] [Round "?"] [White "DChris"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "1871"] [BlackElo "1836"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d5 3. Nf3 g6 4. e3 Bg7 5. Bd3 O-O 6. c3 {D02 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 sidelines, including 2...Nf6 3.g3 and 2...Nf6 3.Bf4} Bg4 7. Nbd2 Re8 $146 (7... c6 8. Qc2 e6 9. h3 Bf5 10. g4 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 Nbd7 12. O-O-O c5 13. Rdg1 c4 14. Qc2 b5 15. h4 a5 16. h5 b4 17. e4 bxc3 18. bxc3 dxe4 19. Nxe4 Nxe4 20. Qxe4 Nf6 21. Qc2 {1/2-1/2 (21) Siebenborn,B (1890)-Rickers,B (1524) Leck 2014 Mega2017 Update 13 [Krüger,Wolfgang]}) (7... Nbd7 8. h3 (8. O-O c5 9. Re1 c4 10. Bc2 Bxf3 11. Qxf3 b5 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Bxe4 Rc8 15. Bc6 Nb6 16. Bxb5 Nd5 17. Be5 f6 18. Bg3 Nb6 19. a4 Nd7 20. Qe2 Re8 21. Bxc4+ e6 22. Bxe6+ Kh8 { Teshima,C (1800)-Costa,I (1712) Sao Paulo 2015 1-0 (39)}) 8... Bxf3 9. Nxf3 c6 10. O-O Re8 11. Bh2 Qb6 12. Qe2 e6 13. a4 a5 14. Rfb1 Ne4 15. Bxe4 dxe4 16. Ng5 f5 17. Qc4 Qa6 18. Qa2 Nf8 19. Bd6 h6 20. Bxf8 hxg5 21. Bxg7 Kxg7 22. b4 { Gvetadze,S (2361)-Klinova,M (2312) Kocaeli 2014 1-0 (34)}) 8. h3 {White threatens to win material: h3xg4} Bd7 (8... Bxf3 9. Nxf3 c5 10. O-O $11) 9. Qc2 (9. O-O Bf5 10. Bxf5 gxf5 $14) 9... Nc6 (9... c5 $5 $11) 10. g4 Kh8 (10... a5 11. Bg3 $14) 11. Rg1 (11. O-O-O a5 $16) 11... a6 {Prevents intrusion on b5} ( 11... a5 12. Ne5 Be6 13. h4 $16) 12. Ne5 Rf8 13. Ndf3 (13. O-O-O $16) 13... b5 $2 (13... Nxe5 $142 14. Nxe5 Bb5 $16) 14. h4 $18 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Be6 $2 (15... Kg8 16. h5 $1 {leaving no more doubts} c5 17. dxc5 Be8 $18) 16. h5 $1 {sealing the opponent's fate} Kg8 (16... gxh5 17. gxh5 Nxh5 18. Bxh7 {Overloading Deflection}) 17. Ke2 (17. f3 $142 {makes sure everything is clear} Nd7 18. Qh2 Bxe5 19. dxe5 $18 (19. Bxe5 $6 Nxe5 20. dxe5 g5 $16)) 17... Qc8 (17... c5 $5 18. h6 Bh8 $14) 18. f3 $18 c5 19. hxg6 (19. Rh1 $142 $5 $18) 19... fxg6 $16 20. dxc5 (20. Rh1 cxd4 21. cxd4 Qxc2+ 22. Bxc2 Nd7 $16) 20... Qxc5 (20... Nd7 21. Rh1 Nxe5 22. Bxe5 Bxe5 23. Bxg6 $11) 21. Rh1 Nd7 22. Bxg6 hxg6 23. Qxg6 ({ Instead of} 23. Nxg6 Rf6 24. Bg5 d4 25. Bxf6 d3+ 26. Kxd3 Bc4+ (26... Nxf6 $6 27. Ke2 $11) (26... Bxf6 {is much worse} 27. Ke2 $16) 27. Kd2 Nxf6 $17) 23... Nxe5 $4 {the position is going down the drain} (23... Rf6 $142 24. Qh7+ Kf8 $14 ) 24. Bxe5 (24. Bxe5 Rf6 25. Bxf6 exf6 26. Rag1 $16) 1-0

Here are 8 reference games that reached the position after 6.c3 and where the players were a lot stronger than me.

[Event "POL-chT"] [Site "Jachranka"] [Date "1987.??.??"] [Round "4"] [White "Sapis, Witalis"] [Black "Szymczak, Zbigniew"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2370"] [BlackElo "2390"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "1987.??.??"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "POL"] [SourceTitle "EXT 1997"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1996.11.15"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 g6 4. e3 Bg7 5. Bd3 O-O 6. c3 b6 7. O-O Bb7 8. a4 a5 9. Na3 Nbd7 10. h3 Ne4 11. Qc2 e6 12. Nb5 c6 13. Na3 f5 14. c4 Qe7 15. Rac1 h6 16. Bh2 g5 17. Ne1 Kh8 18. f3 Nef6 19. Qf2 Nh5 20. g4 Nhf6 21. Qg3 Qb4 22. Qg2 Qe7 23. Nec2 e5 24. Bxf5 Ba6 25. b3 e4 26. f4 Nh7 27. Rf2 Ndf6 28. cxd5 cxd5 29. Nb5 Bxb5 30. axb5 Ne8 0-1 [Event "CSR-ch U18"] [Site "Pardubice"] [Date "1991.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Jirovsky, Milos"] [Black "Pribyl, Martin"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A48"] [WhiteElo "2305"] [BlackElo "2315"] [PlyCount "141"] [EventDate "1991.??.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "CZE"] [EventCategory "2"] [SourceTitle "EXT 1997"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1996.11.15"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. c3 d5 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. h3 b6 9. Nbd2 Bb7 10. Qe2 Nd7 11. Rfd1 e5 12. dxe5 Ndxe5 13. Ba6 Qc8 14. Bxb7 Qxb7 15. Nxe5 Nxe5 16. Nf3 Rfe8 17. Nxe5 Bxe5 18. Qf3 Bxf4 19. Qxf4 Qc6 20. Rd2 Re6 21. Rad1 Rf6 22. Qh6 Rd8 23. c4 Rfd6 24. Qf4 b5 25. b3 bxc4 26. bxc4 Qa4 27. cxd5 Qxf4 28. exf4 c4 29. Rc1 Rxd5 30. Rxd5 Rxd5 31. Rxc4 Rd1+ 32. Kh2 Rd2 33. Ra4 Rxf2 34. Kg3 Rf1 35. Rxa7 Kg7 36. Rb7 Ra1 37. Rb2 h5 38. Kf3 Kf6 39. Ke4 Re1+ 40. Kd5 Kf5 41. a4 Kxf4 42. Ra2 Kg3 43. a5 Re8 44. a6 f5 45. a7 Ra8 46. Ke5 h4 47. Kf6 f4 48. Kg5 f3 49. gxf3 Kxf3 50. Kxh4 Kf4 51. Ra4+ Kf5 52. Kg3 Kg5 53. Ra5+ Kf6 54. Kg4 Kg7 55. Kg5 Kh7 56. Ra6 Kg7 57. Rxg6+ Kf7 58. Ra6 Rg8+ 59. Kf5 Ra8 60. h4 Kg7 61. h5 Kh7 62. h6 Kh8 63. Ke5 Kh7 64. Kd5 Rf8 65. Rd6 Rf5+ 66. Kc6 Ra5 67. Kb7 Rb5+ 68. Rb6 Rc5 69. Ka6 Rc1 70. Rb7+ Kxh6 71. Rb6+ 1-0 [Event "RUS-chT (club)"] [Site "Novokuznetsk"] [Date "1999.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Yankin, Vadim"] [Black "Ibragimov, Alibek"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2340"] [BlackElo "2422"] [PlyCount "76"] [EventDate "1999.??.??"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2001"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2000.11.22"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. c3 d5 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd3 c5 7. Nbd2 Nc6 8. O-O Nd7 9. Re1 e5 10. dxe5 Ndxe5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Bxe5 Bxe5 13. e4 dxe4 14. Bxe4 Qc7 15. Nf3 Bg7 16. Bd5 Bf5 17. Qb3 Rad8 18. Rad1 b6 19. h3 Bf6 20. Nh2 h5 21. Nf1 Kg7 22. Ne3 Bc8 23. Bf3 Be6 24. Bd5 Bc8 25. Bf3 Qb8 26. Nd5 Be6 27. c4 Bd4 28. a4 Qd6 29. Qc2 Rfe8 30. Qd2 Bf5 31. b4 Re5 32. Rxe5 Bxe5 33. b5 Bd4 34. a5 bxa5 35. Qxa5 Re8 36. Qd2 Be6 37. Re1 Rd8 38. Qg5 Bxd5 1/2-1/2 [Event "Erlangen op 17th"] [Site "Erlangen"] [Date "2002.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Okrajek, Alexander"] [Black "Zezulkin, Jurij"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A48"] [WhiteElo "2279"] [BlackElo "2524"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "2002.??.??"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "5"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2005"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2004.11.15"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 g6 3. c3 Bg7 4. Bf4 O-O 5. e3 d5 6. Bd3 c5 7. Nbd2 b6 8. O-O Bb7 9. h3 Nc6 10. Ne5 Nd7 11. Nxd7 Qxd7 12. Nf3 Rad8 13. Bb5 f6 14. Qa4 Qc8 15. Rfd1 e5 16. dxe5 fxe5 17. Bg5 e4 18. Nh2 Rd7 19. Rd2 a6 20. Bxc6 Bxc6 21. Qd1 h6 22. Bh4 Kh7 23. Bg3 h5 24. Qb3 b5 25. Rad1 Rf5 26. Nf1 Qd8 27. Bh2 h4 28. Kh1 a5 29. a3 Qb6 30. a4 b4 31. c4 d4 32. exd4 cxd4 33. Bg1 Qd8 34. Nh2 Bh6 35. Ng4 Bxd2 36. Rxd2 e3 37. fxe3 d3 38. Qd1 Qa8 39. b3 Rdf7 40. Qa1 Qb8 41. Qd4 Rf3 42. e4 Rxh3+ 43. gxh3 Qf4 0-1 [Event "Muensterland op 19th"] [Site "Senden"] [Date "2002.10.13"] [Round "2"] [White "Menk, Rolf"] [Black "Landa, Konstantin"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2206"] [BlackElo "2632"] [PlyCount "100"] [EventDate "2002.10.12"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "CBM 090 ext"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2002.11.07"] 1. d4 d5 2. c3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 Nf6 5. Bd3 O-O 6. Nf3 b6 7. Qe2 Bb7 8. Nbd2 Nbd7 9. h3 Ne4 10. O-O c5 11. Rad1 Qc8 12. Rfe1 h6 13. Ne5 Ndf6 14. f3 Nd6 15. Ng4 Nxg4 16. hxg4 Qe6 17. Qf2 Rad8 18. Qh4 Kh7 19. Bxh6 Bxh6 20. g5 Rh8 21. gxh6 Qf6 22. Qxf6 exf6 23. Kf2 Kxh6 24. Rh1+ Kg7 25. Rxh8 Rxh8 26. e4 cxd4 27. cxd4 Rc8 28. e5 Nc4 29. Nxc4 dxc4 30. exf6+ Kxf6 31. Be4 Rc7 32. Bxb7 Rxb7 33. Ke3 Ke6 34. Kd2 Kd5 35. Kc3 Re7 36. Rd2 a5 37. b3 Re3+ 38. Kc2 b5 39. bxc4+ bxc4 40. a4 Ra3 41. Kc1 Rxa4 42. Re2 Kxd4 43. Re7 Kc3 44. Re3+ Kb4 45. Re7 Kb3 46. Kb1 c3 47. Rb7+ Rb4 48. Rxf7 a4 49. Rf6 a3 50. Ra6 a2+ 0-1 [Event "Pune CC Knockout"] [Site "Pune"] [Date "2006.10.31"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Sudhakar, Babu N"] [Black "Ganguly, Surya Shekhar"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2290"] [BlackElo "2573"] [PlyCount "35"] [EventDate "2006.10.30"] [EventType "k.o. (rapid)"] [EventRounds "6"] [EventCountry "IND"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2007"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2006.11.23"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 g6 4. e3 Bg7 5. c3 O-O 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. Nbd2 Nd7 9. Bg5 Qb6 10. Qb3 Qxb3 11. axb3 e5 12. dxe5 Ndxe5 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. Bc2 Nc6 15. h3 Be6 16. Rfd1 Rac8 17. Bh4 h6 18. Ra5 0-1 [Event "LTU-ch sf"] [Site "Vilnius"] [Date "2009.02.17"] [Round "7"] [White "Narmontas, Matas"] [Black "Labuckas, Aidas"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2363"] [BlackElo "2323"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "2009.02.13"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "LTU"] [SourceTitle "CBM 128 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2009.03.05"] 1. d4 d5 2. c3 Nf6 3. Nf3 g6 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd3 c6 7. Nbd2 Nbd7 8. h4 h5 9. Ng5 Qe8 10. Bc7 a6 11. Qe2 Ra7 12. f3 b5 13. Be5 Qd8 14. g4 hxg4 15. h5 gxh5 16. fxg4 Nxe5 17. dxe5 Bxg4 18. exf6 Bxe2 19. Bh7+ Kh8 20. fxg7+ Kxg7 21. Kxe2 e6 22. Rxh5 Kf6 23. Rf1+ Ke7 24. Bg8 Ke8 25. Bxf7+ Raxf7 26. Rxf7 Qa5 27. Rb7 Qa4 28. Rb8+ Ke7 29. Rh7+ Kf6 30. Rxf8+ Kxg5 31. Rg7+ Kh6 32. Rg1 1-0 [Event "TUR-chT"] [Site "Kigali"] [Date "2014.08.18"] [Round "1.5"] [White "Gvetadze, Sopio"] [Black "Klinova, Masha"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A04"] [WhiteElo "2361"] [BlackElo "2312"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "2014.08.18"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "RWA"] [SourceTitle "Mega2014 Update 36"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2014.09.08"] [WhiteTeam "Tarsus Zeka"] [BlackTeam "Istanbul Teknik Universitesi"] [WhiteTeamCountry "TUR"] [BlackTeamCountry "TUR"] 1. Nf3 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c3 d5 4. Bf4 Nf6 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd3 Bg4 7. Nbd2 Nbd7 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Nxf3 c6 10. O-O Re8 11. Bh2 Qb6 12. Qe2 e6 13. a4 a5 14. Rfb1 Ne4 15. Bxe4 dxe4 16. Ng5 f5 17. Qc4 Qa6 18. Qa2 Nf8 19. Bd6 h6 20. Bxf8 hxg5 21. Bxg7 Kxg7 22. b4 axb4 23. Rxb4 Re7 24. c4 Qa5 25. Qb2 Qc7 26. Rb1 Ra7 27. d5+ Kf7 28. Qh8 cxd5 29. cxd5 Qd7 30. d6 Qxd6 31. Rd4 Qc6 32. Rd8 Re8 33. Rd7+ Re7 34. Qh7+ 1-0

C45 Scotch Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nxc6 Qf6 6.Qf3 Qxc6)

This was played in a team match called REMATCH and it was played between France-Deutschland Group and LullabyVisca on 103 boards. I played on board 34 for LullabyVisca and managed to win both of my games against boubalex. The match ended with a score of 63 - 143 in favor of LullabyVisca. The first position in the game that I want to take a closer look at is the one after my 19th move Qg6. Boubalex played 20.Qh4, possibly trying to avoid a queen trade, but it allowed me to play 20...Be4, which threatened both the pawn on d5 and mate on g2. There really was no way that my opponent could have defended against both threats, but boubalex's next move made things even worse for him or her. Boubalex blocked the queen's path to g2 with the dark-squared bishop by moving it to g5.

Moving the bishop to g3 was a much better way of blockading the path of the queen, because I would not have had a way to immediately threaten the bishop on the g-file with a pawn. Had I indeed played 21...f6, the rest of the game would have been much easier for me, but I probably thought that boubalex could just counterattack my bishop on e4 and I did not like the way it looked to me. In the game I just chose to win a pawn and played 21...Bxd5. It was answered with 22.Rad1, a move that would have allowed me to play 22...f6 once again with a winning advantage. The reason for that was that the bishop on g5 still could not move due to the mate on g2 and if 23.Rxd5 would be played then I would take on g5 with my f-pawn, threatening the queen on h4 with the pawn and at the same time Bxf2+. The combined threats would have meant an easy win for me. Alas, I played 22...Bb3 and missed the easy win. Even then, I should have been on the better side of the board after that. The next diagram shows the position after 27...Qf7. In the game boubalex played 28.f4, which was the final nail in the coffin.

After 28.f4 the game was completely lost for my opponent, to which I was able to find the strongest move 28...Bc4, but I was not able to continue the game in the most accurate way possible. For instance, to 29.Qg3 I replied with 29...Bxd3+, when 29...Re3 was obviously a better move. Boubalex finally resigned in a position where I would have won a second pawn and likely a third one as well.

Game number two. This game was played in the first round of the 2014 October Glacial Super Casual Banded I 1650+ tournament at Red Hot Pawn. As it so happens, the two other games I added today were played in the same tournament as the game below and the things I typed about this tournament are still unchanged, so I will not type all that much about it here. I played this game quite decently apart from two moves, 29.Qe1?? and 31.Qa5??, both of these moves could have ended up in my loss but the first one I survived because my opponent did not take advantage of my mistake. The second one was the final mistake of the game and I could not bounce back from it. My opponent did play well in this game and he has also played very well in this tournament because he has not lost a single game and leads the tournament and has the best chances to win the group aswell because his maximum possible score is higher than any other player's maximum possible score.

Even though my games have gone quite badly at Red Hot Pawn lately, my latest game from there did bring back some of my confidence back because I won a game against a player who was rated 2061. That win brought me back over 1800 once again. The fact that I managed to decrease my rating from 1900+ to less than 1800 in fifteen games, I started to be quite worried about my playing skills. I started to think that maybe I have not improved in chess at all that much in years. During the same time period I played two over the board blitz tournaments at the club and won both of them without losing a game. I have never been able to win two of those blitz tournaments in a row before, so that would either suggest that I have indeed improved my chess skills or the people who usually have played there have become worse over time. I would like to think that the first scenario is more likely.

Game number three. The game below was played in the first round of the 2014 October Long Haul Split I tournament. The tournament takes place at Red Hot Pawn, the place where I played my first correspondence games in 2004. With this win I overtook beatlemania (1740) in the standings and now I am leading the tournament by a difference of one point.

[Event "REMATCH - Board 34"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.04.20"] [Round "?"] [White "boubalex"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "1657"] [BlackElo "1837"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 Qxc6 {C45 Scotch Game} 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bb5 Qe6 9. O-O O-O {Black castles and improves king safety} (9... c6 10. Ba4 O-O 11. Bb3 Qe7 12. Bg5 Bd4 13. Rad1 Be5 14. Qe3 Re8 15. Bf4 Bxc3 16. Bd6 Qxe4 17. Qxc3 b6 18. Rfe1 {1/2-1/2 (18) Novikov,M (2503) -Agamaliev,G (2473) Tula 2010}) 10. a3 $146 {Black has a cramped position. Black's piece can't move: c8} (10. Bg5 Ng4 (10... Bd4 11. Qd3 Bxc3 12. Qxc3 Qg4 13. Qe3 Qe6 14. e5 Ne8 15. Qe4 Qg6 16. Qh4 {1-0 (16) Diaz Munoz,S (2172) -Pereira Garcia,J (1870) Girona 2014}) 11. Nd5 Ne5 12. Qg3 Bb6 13. Be7 c6 14. Nf6+ Kh8 15. Bxf8 Qxf6 16. Rad1 d5 17. Be2 Be6 18. exd5 Bxd5 19. Bb4 Ng6 20. Bc3 Qf5 21. Bd3 Qh5 22. Bxg6 hxg6 23. Bd4 Bd8 24. Be3 Bf6 {Fingerov,D (2349) -Kryakvin,D (2482) chessassistantclub.com INT 2004 0-1 (42)}) (10. Re1 Ng4 11. Re2 c6 12. Ba4 d6 13. Bb3 Qg6 14. Bf4 Ne5 15. Qg3 Bg4 16. Rd2 Rad8 17. h3 Be6 18. Bxe5 dxe5 19. Qxg6 hxg6 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. Bxe6 fxe6 22. Rd1 Rd4 23. a3 a5 24. Kf1 b5 {Novitzkij,D (2317)-Nevioselaya,M (1996) Minsk 2016 1-0 (51)}) (10. b3 c6 11. Bc4 Qg4 12. Qd3 b5 13. h3 bxc4 14. Qxc4 Qh5 15. e5 Bxf2+ 16. Rxf2 Qxe5 17. Bf4 Qa5 18. b4 Qb6 19. Bg5 d5 20. Qh4 Ne4 21. Nxe4 dxe4 22. Qxe4 Be6 23. Be3 Qb7 24. Rd2 Rfe8 {Garcia Iglesias,J-Gonzalez Diaz,E (1571) La Laguna 2007 0-1 (62)}) (10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 Qg6 $11) 10... a6 {Black threatens to win material: a6xb5} 11. Bd3 d6 12. h3 {Covers g4} Qe5 {White has an active position} 13. Bf4 {White threatens to win material: Bf4xe5} Qe6 14. Rfe1 Bd4 15. Nd5 (15. Bf1 Bd7 16. Rad1 Be5 $14) 15... Nxd5 $11 16. exd5 Qf6 {Black has a cramped position} 17. c3 {White threatens to win material: c3xd4} Bb6 18. Qg3 Bf5 19. Be2 Qg6 20. Qh4 (20. a4 $142 $5 $11 {might be a viable alternative}) 20... Be4 $17 21. Bg5 $4 {cause more grief} (21. Bf1 Bxd5 22. Be3 Bxe3 23. Rxe3 Rae8 $17) 21... Bxd5 (21... f6 $142 $5 {keeps an even firmer grip} 22. Bf1 fxg5 23. Qxe4 Bxf2+ 24. Kh2 Bxe1 25. Qxg6 hxg6 26. Rxe1 $19) 22. Rad1 $4 {another bit of territory lost} (22. Bh5 $142 Qf5 23. Qf4 Qxf4 24. Bxf4 $17) 22... Bb3 { Black threatens to win material: Bb3xd1} (22... f6 $142 {ends the debate} 23. Rxd5 fxg5 24. Rxg5 Bxf2+ 25. Qxf2 Qxg5 $19) 23. Bd3 (23. Bh5 Qf5 24. Rd2 Rfe8 $17) 23... f5 $17 24. Rd2 Rae8 25. Rxe8 (25. Be7 Rf7 $17) 25... Rxe8 (25... Qxe8 $6 26. Re2 Qg6 27. g4 $11) 26. Kf1 Be6 (26... Bd5 27. Qg3 Re6 $17) 27. g4 $2 (27. Re2 h6 28. Bd2 Bc8 $15) 27... Qf7 (27... h6 $142 28. Bf4 Qf7 $19) 28. f4 $4 {causes further problems for White} (28. Re2 $142 g6 29. Bf6 $17) 28... Bc4 $19 29. Qg3 Bxd3+ (29... Re3 $142 {and Black wins} 30. Bh4 Qd5 31. Bxc4 Qxc4+ 32. Kg2 Rxg3+ 33. Bxg3 Be3 $19) 30. Qxd3 fxg4 31. hxg4 (31. Re2 {does not win a prize} Rxe2 32. Kxe2 $19) 31... Re3 (31... h6 $142 {and the result of the game is clear: Black will win} 32. Bxh6 gxh6 $19) 32. Qd5 Qxd5 33. Rxd5 h6 34. Bh4 Rf3+ (34... Rf3+ 35. Kg2 Rxf4 $19) 0-1 [Event "Glacial Super Casual Banded"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.11.03"] [Round "1"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "takinitez007"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "1782"] [BlackElo "1930"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s)"] [PlyCount "64"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 Qxc6 {C45 Scotch Game. LiveBook: 13 Games} 7. Bd3 Nf6 8. O-O O-O 9. Nc3 {White is slightly better.} d6 10. h3 a6 11. Bg5 $146 (11. Nd5 Nxd5 12. exd5 Qb6 13. c3 a5 14. Re1 Bd7 15. Re7 Rae8 16. Rxd7 Re1+ 17. Kh2 Bxf2 18. b3 Bg1+ 19. Kg3 h5 20. Rb1 h4+ 21. Kxh4 Bf2+ 22. g3 f6 23. Bf4 Rxb1 24. Bxb1 g5+ 25. Kh5 Qb5 {Pajak,J (1893) -Malicka,M (1901) Warsaw 2016 1-0}) 11... Bd4 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. Nd5 Bd8 14. Rfe1 Be6 15. c3 Qd7 16. Nf4 c6 17. c4 Bf6 18. Re2 b5 19. Rc1 Rfe8 {0.30/26} ({ Black should try} 19... Be5 {-0.20/26}) 20. b3 Be5 21. Rd2 Qe7 22. Nxe6 fxe6 23. Rdc2 Rf8 $36 {White is under pressure.} 24. Qe2 Bd4 25. Rf1 Qh4 26. Kh2 Rf6 27. g3 Qh6 28. Kg2 {0.09/28} (28. cxb5 $14 {0.50/25 is more appropriate.} cxb5 29. a4) 28... Raf8 {[#] aiming for ...Rxf2+.} 29. Qe1 $2 {-2.52/26} (29. f3 $14 {0.34/27 keeps the upper hand.}) 29... Qg5 $2 {0.00/29} ({Weaker is} 29... Qh5 30. f4 $11) (29... Rf3 $1 $19 {-2.52/26} 30. cxb5 Rxd3) 30. cxb5 $11 cxb5 { Threatens to win with ...Rf3.} (30... Rf3 $5 31. Bc4 $8 d5 32. exd5 exd5 33. Qe6+ Kh8 $11) 31. Qa5 $2 {-4.15/29} (31. h4 $11 {0.27/30 and White stays safe.} Qg4 32. f4) 31... Rf3 $19 {( -> ...Bxf2)} 32. Rd2 $2 {-#10/25 [#]} (32. Qd2 $19 {-3.96/30} Rxf2+ 33. Rxf2 Rxf2+ 34. Qxf2 Bxf2 35. Rxf2) 32... Bxf2 $1 { Accuracy: White = 25%, Black = 33%.} 0-1 [Event "Long Haul Split"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.10.24"] [Round "1"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "jose sureda"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "1846"] [BlackElo "1534"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s)"] [PlyCount "102"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 Qxc6 {0.73/23 C45 Scotch Game. LiveBook: 13 Games} (6... dxc6 $11 {0.00/28} 7. Nc3 Be6) 7. Bd3 {0.19/26} (7. Nc3 $16 {0.73/23}) 7... Qf6 {0.67/22} (7... Ne7 $11 {0.19/26} 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Be3 Bb4 10. Bd2 d6 11. O-O-O Be6 12. Nd5 Bxd2+ 13. Rxd2 Rae8 14. Rhd1 Kh8 15. Qh5 Ng6 16. Kb1 Ne5 17. f4 Bg4 18. Qh4 Nxd3 19. Nf6 gxf6 20. Qxf6+ {1/2-1/2 (20) Klarenbeek,M (2365) -Timmerman,G (2350) Netherlands 1992}) 8. Qe2 {0.16/27} (8. Nc3 $14 {0.67/22}) (8. Qxf6 Nxf6 9. O-O d6 10. Nc3 a6 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. fxe3 Be6 13. e5 dxe5 14. Ne4 Nxe4 15. Bxe4 O-O-O 16. b3 g6 17. Rad1 f5 18. Bd3 e4 19. Be2 Rxd1 20. Rxd1 Rd8 21. h3 Rxd1+ 22. Bxd1 h5 {Tan Tush, M-Gahfer,K (1787) Tripoli 2018 1-0 (80)}) 8... Qe6 $146 {1.02/21} (8... Ne7 $11 {0.16/27 remains equal.}) (8... d6 9. Nc3 c6 10. Be3 Bxe3 11. Qxe3 Be6 12. O-O Nh6 13. h3 O-O 14. f4 Qe7 15. Rae1 Rae8 16. Qg3 f5 17. Re2 Qf7 18. e5 dxe5 19. Rxe5 Bc4 20. Rfe1 Bxd3 21. Qxd3 Rxe5 22. Rxe5 Re8 23. Qd6 {Cierny,L (2005) -Soldan,J (1906) Prievidza 1998 1-0 (58)}) 9. O-O {0.29/27} (9. Nc3 $16 { 1.02/21}) 9... Ne7 10. Nc3 a6 {1.03/24} (10... d6 $11 {0.28/26}) 11. Bc4 { 0.41/27} (11. Kh1 $16 {1.03/24}) 11... Qc6 {1.90/23} (11... Qe5 $14 {0.41/27}) 12. Bf4 $2 {0.36/28 [#]} (12. Nd5 $1 $18 {1.90/23}) 12... O-O 13. Rad1 d6 14. Bb3 {-0.06/27} ({White should try} 14. Bd5 $14 {0.45/22} Nxd5 15. exd5) 14... Be6 $11 15. Nd5 {-0.17/23} (15. Rfe1 $142 {0.27/23}) 15... Qd7 16. h3 Nxd5 17. exd5 Bf5 18. Qf3 {-0.47/26} (18. Qd2 $11 {0.00/36 feels stronger.}) 18... Rfe8 19. Rfe1 Rxe1+ 20. Rxe1 Re8 21. Qd1 {-0.55/26} (21. Re2 $11 {-0.12/30}) 21... Rxe1+ 22. Qxe1 Kf8 {-0.08/30} (22... h5 $15 {-0.54/25}) 23. Qe2 {-0.59/26} (23. Bd2 $11 {-0.08/30}) 23... b5 {0.00/30} (23... Qd8 $15 {-0.59/26}) 24. c3 { -0.47/26} (24. g4 $11 {0.00/30 deserves consideration.} Bg6 25. Kg2) 24... a5 { 0.00/33} (24... Qe7 $15 {-0.47/26 was preferrable.} 25. Bd1 Qe4 26. Qxe4 Bxe4) 25. Bc2 Bxc2 26. Qxc2 Qe7 27. Kf1 Qf6 (27... Qh4 {is more complex.} 28. Qd2 Qf6 29. Kg1 Qf5 30. Kh2 h6) 28. Qd2 {-0.62/29} (28. g3 $11 {0.00/30}) 28... Bb6 { 0.00/32} (28... h5 $15 {-0.62/29}) 29. Bg3 {-0.99/26} (29. g4 $11 {0.00/32}) 29... Qf5 {-0.36/29} (29... Qg6 $17 {-0.99/26} 30. a3 Qb1+ 31. Ke2 a4) 30. Qd1 {-1.07/30} (30. Kg1 $1 $15 {-0.36/29}) 30... h5 {-0.34/30} (30... Qg6 $17 { -1.07/30}) 31. h4 {-1.01/33} (31. f3 $1 $15 {-0.34/30}) 31... g6 {-0.42/30} ( 31... Qe4 $17 {-1.01/33} 32. Kg1 g6) 32. b3 {-1.03/33} ({Better is} 32. f3 $15 {-0.42/30}) 32... Be3 {-0.08/33} (32... Bc5 $17 {-1.03/33}) 33. Kg1 {-1.11/31} (33. f3 $11 {-0.08/33 keeps the balance.}) 33... Bb6 34. Qd2 {-1.22/26} (34. Kf1 $142 {-0.79/32}) 34... Kg7 {-0.36/36} (34... Qb1+ $17 {-1.22/26} 35. Kh2 Qf1) 35. Kh2 $15 Qe4 {0.00/47} ({Black should play} 35... a4 $15 {-0.67/33}) 36. Bf4 $11 Qb1 37. Qe2 {-0.30/35} (37. Bh6+ $142 {0.23/34} Kg8 38. Kg3) 37... Qf5 38. Qd2 Qe4 39. Bg3 Bc5 40. Bf4 Qf5 41. Bh6+ Kh7 42. Bf4 b4 {[#] And now .. .bxc3 would win.} 43. c4 Qe4 44. Bg3 f6 45. Bf4 Qd4 46. Qxd4 (46. Qe3 {with more complications.} Qxe3 47. fxe3 Kg7 48. Kg3 Kf7 49. Kf2) 46... Bxd4 {KB-KB} 47. Kg3 Be5 48. Kf3 {aiming for Bxe5.} Kg7 $2 {2.02/33} (48... Bd4 $1 $11 { 0.00/36 and Black has nothing to worry.}) 49. Be3 f5 $2 {3.07/36} (49... Kf7 $16 {1.54/33 keeps fighting.}) 50. Ba7 $2 {0.00/48} (50. Bg5 $18 {3.07/36}) 50... Bf6 51. g3 Bg5 $2 {#21/34 Accuracy: White = 20%, Black = 17%.} (51... Kf8 $11 {0.00/56}) 1-0

The top six games that reached the position after 6...Qxc6 and I was able to find from my reference database can be seen below.

[Event "NED-chT"] [Site "Netherlands"] [Date "1992.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Klarenbeek, Mark"] [Black "Timmerman, Gert Jan"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "2365"] [BlackElo "2350"] [PlyCount "39"] [EventDate "1992.??.??"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "NED"] [SourceTitle "EXT 1999"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1998.11.10"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qf6 5. Nxc6 Bc5 6. Qf3 Qxc6 7. Bd3 Ne7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Be3 Bb4 10. Bd2 d6 11. O-O-O Be6 12. Nd5 Bxd2+ 13. Rxd2 Rae8 14. Rhd1 Kh8 15. Qh5 Ng6 16. Kb1 Ne5 17. f4 Bg4 18. Qh4 Nxd3 19. Nf6 gxf6 20. Qxf6+ 1/2-1/2 [Event "RUS Cup Qualifier 5"] [Site "chessassistantclub.com INT"] [Date "2004.12.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Fingerov, Dmitry"] [Black "Kryakvin, Dmitry"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "2349"] [BlackElo "2482"] [PlyCount "84"] [EventDate "2004.12.24"] [EventType "swiss (blitz)"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "CBM 104 ext"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2005.03.01"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 Qxc6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bb5 Qe6 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 Ng4 11. Nd5 Ne5 12. Qg3 Bb6 13. Be7 c6 14. Nf6+ Kh8 15. Bxf8 Qxf6 16. Rad1 d5 17. Be2 Be6 18. exd5 Bxd5 19. Bb4 Ng6 20. Bc3 Qf5 21. Bd3 Qh5 22. Bxg6 hxg6 23. Bd4 Bd8 24. Be3 Bf6 25. b3 Kh7 26. c4 Be6 27. Bd4 Bh4 28. Qe5 Qh6 29. Rd3 Bf6 30. Qe3 Bf5 31. Rd2 Bg5 32. f4 Bd8 33. h3 Bc7 34. Be5 Bb6 35. Bd4 Bc7 36. Qf3 Re8 37. Kh1 Be4 38. Qg3 Qh5 39. Re2 Qf5 40. Rfe1 Re6 41. Qg4 Kg8 42. Qxf5 gxf5 0-1 [Event "Mitropa Cup 24th"] [Site "Steinbrunn"] [Date "2005.05.22"] [Round "2"] [White "Wirig, Anthony"] [Black "Brunello, Sabino"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "2409"] [BlackElo "2327"] [PlyCount "105"] [EventDate "2005.05.21"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "AUT"] [SourceTitle "CBM 106 ext"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2005.07.01"] [WhiteTeam "France"] [BlackTeam "Italy"] [WhiteTeamCountry "FRA"] [BlackTeamCountry "ITA"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 Qxc6 7. Nc3 Ne7 8. Bb5 Qb6 9. O-O O-O 10. Bd3 Bd4 11. Nb5 Be5 12. Be3 Qc6 13. Qe2 a6 14. Nd4 Qd6 15. Nf3 Nc6 16. c3 Re8 17. Rad1 Bf4 18. Bxa6 Qh6 19. Bxf4 Qxf4 20. Bc4 d6 21. Nd2 Ne5 22. f3 Ng6 23. Qf2 Qf6 24. f4 Bg4 25. Rde1 Bd7 26. a3 Bc6 27. Bd3 Nf8 28. Qg3 Nd7 29. Qh3 Qd8 30. Bc2 Nf8 31. Nf3 Bd7 32. Qg3 Qf6 33. Qg5 Qe6 34. Qd5 Qe7 35. Qd2 Bc6 36. Nd4 Bd7 37. Qd1 Qd8 38. Qh5 c5 39. Nf3 Qb6 40. Rb1 c4+ 41. Kh1 Ra5 42. Qh4 f5 43. exf5 Bxf5 44. Bxf5 Rxf5 45. Nd4 Rf7 46. f5 Re5 47. h3 h6 48. f6 Qd8 49. Nf3 Rxf6 50. Nxe5 Rxf1+ 51. Rxf1 Qxh4 52. Rxf8+ Kh7 53. Rh8+ 1-0 [Event "Budapest FS08 IM-A"] [Site "Budapest"] [Date "2007.08.16"] [Round "11"] [White "Pitl, Gregory"] [Black "Torok, Sandor"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "2387"] [BlackElo "2306"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "2007.08.06"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "HUN"] [EventCategory "2"] [SourceTitle "CBM 119 ext"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2007.09.04"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 Qxc6 7. Nc3 Ne7 8. Bd3 O-O 9. O-O f5 10. Bg5 Ng6 11. Bb5 Ne5 12. Qg3 Qe6 13. Rae1 d6 14. exf5 Qxf5 15. Be7 Be6 16. Rxe5 Qxe5 17. Qxe5 dxe5 18. Bxc5 Rfd8 19. Bd3 b6 20. Be3 c6 21. Bg5 Re8 22. Be4 Rac8 23. Re1 b5 24. b4 a5 25. bxa5 b4 26. Na4 Bxa2 27. Nb6 Rc7 28. Ra1 b3 29. cxb3 Bxb3 30. a6 Ra7 31. Bxc6 Re6 32. Nc8 1-0 [Event "Tula"] [Site "Tula"] [Date "2010.08.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Novikov, Maxim"] [Black "Agamaliev, Gamil"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "2503"] [BlackElo "2473"] [PlyCount "35"] [EventDate "2010.08.11"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [EventCategory "6"] [SourceTitle "CBM 138 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2010.10.29"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 Qxc6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bb5 Qe6 9. O-O c6 10. Ba4 O-O 11. Bb3 Qe7 12. Bg5 Bd4 13. Rad1 Be5 14. Qe3 Re8 15. Bf4 Bxc3 16. Bd6 Qxe4 17. Qxc3 b6 18. Rfe1 1/2-1/2 [Event "Donskoj"] [Site "Donskoj"] [Date "2010.09.07"] [Round "6"] [White "Stepanov, Alexander M"] [Black "Novikov, Maxim"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "2381"] [BlackElo "2503"] [PlyCount "120"] [EventDate "2010.09.04"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [EventCategory "6"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2011"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2010.11.26"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 Qxc6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bg5 Bd4 9. O-O-O Bxc3 10. Qxc3 Qxc3 11. bxc3 d6 12. Bc4 Ng4 13. Bh4 Be6 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. h3 Ne5 16. f4 Nc4 17. g4 Rf8 18. Bg3 a5 19. Rd3 b5 20. h4 Kd7 21. f5 exf5 22. exf5 h5 23. Rd4 Ne3 24. gxh5 Rxf5 25. Re1 Nc4 26. Rg4 Rf7 27. Rg6 Rh8 28. Rg5 c6 29. Rg1 Re8 30. Kd1 Ne3+ 31. Kc1 Nc4 32. Kd1 Re3 33. Be1 Ree7 34. Bd2 d5 35. R5g2 Nd6 36. h6 gxh6 37. Bxh6 Re4 38. Rg4 Rf1+ 39. Rxf1 Rxg4 40. Bg5 Ne4 41. Rf7+ Ke6 42. Re7+ Kf5 43. Kc1 Nxg5 44. hxg5 Rxg5 45. Kb2 a4 46. Ka3 Rg4 47. Rc7 Rc4 48. Kb2 Ke5 49. Rc8 Kd6 50. Rd8+ Kc5 51. a3 Rf4 52. Rd7 Kc4 53. Rd6 c5 54. Rd8 Rf3 55. Rc8 Rxc3 56. Rxc5+ Kxc5 57. Kxc3 b4+ 58. axb4+ Kb5 59. Kd4 Kxb4 60. Kxd5 Kc3 0-1

E20 Nimzo-Indian: 4.g3 and 4.f3 (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2 b6)

This game was played in a team match called TMCL 2016 Div C R4 OCD v World Friendship. It was played on 57 boards and I played on board 22 for Obsessive Chess Disorder. I helped the team to win the match by winning both of my games against Susi. The final score of the match was 79.5 - 34.5 in favor of Obsessive Chess Disorder. The first time that a clear mistake was seen during this game was when Susi played 18.Qc2. It was bad because of the continuation 18...dxc4 19.bxc4 Bxf3 20.gxf3 cxd4 21.exd4 (this same line is seen in the game notation). In that line after 21.exd4, White is left with doubled isolated pawns on the f-file, isolated pawns on the a-file and on the h-file and total of five pawn islands against Black's two. Due to the pawn weaknesses Black should be clearly better.

Alas, I did not go for the move 18...dxc4, but instead simply protected my h-pawn by pushing it to h6. After this passive move the position should be about even. The second clear mistake was seen when Susi played 21.Bb4. With that move Susi allowed me to win a pawn, had I moved my queen to c6, so that Susi could not have taken on d4 with the knight due to the mate on g2. For some reason I moved the queen to c7, which was much less effective square for the queen. I should have been somewhat better even after 21...Qc7, but it allowed Susi to take on d4 with the knight and get the pawn back safely.

Luckily for me, Susi played 22.exd4 instead and his position started to completely fell apart. I then took the knight on f3 with my bishop, because it removed the defender of the pawn on d4, so that when Susi replied with 23.Bxf3, I could finally be up a pawn because I was able to take the undefended d-pawn with my remaining bishop. The rest of the game was quite easy for me to play and while I did some inaccurate moves, I always remained at least in a clearly favorable position and eventually after my 39th move Qd3+, my opponent resigned.

[Event "TMCL 2016 Div C R4 OCD v World Friendshi"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.04.15"] [Round "?"] [White "Susi"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "1714"] [BlackElo "1832"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 b6 {E20 Nimzo-Indian: 4.g3 and 4.f3} 5. a3 Be7 6. Nf3 (6. e4 O-O 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. Qc2 Nc6 9. Nf3 h6 10. h3 d6 11. Be3 Nd7 12. O-O Bf6 13. b4 Ne7 14. Rab1 Ng6 15. Ne2 Qc8 16. Ng3 Nh4 17. Nh2 c5 18. bxc5 bxc5 19. d5 Bd4 20. Bd2 Qc7 {Kljako,D (2263)-Jovanic,O (2432) Zadar 2002 1/2-1/ 2 (40)}) 6... Bb7 7. e3 (7. Qc2 c5 8. O-O-O cxd4 9. Nxd4 Nc6 10. Nb3 Rc8 11. Na1 Na5 12. b4 Nxc4 13. Qa4 Nxd2 14. Kxd2 Qc7 15. Qb3 Qf4+ 16. Ke1 O-O 17. e3 Qc7 18. Nb5 Qb8 19. f3 a6 20. Nd4 Nd5 21. Rd3 Rc1+ {Plata,Y (1766)-Rincon Rincon,J (1633) Santander 2013 0-1}) 7... O-O 8. Be2 $146 (8. Bd3 d5 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Rb1 c5 11. b4 cxd4 12. exd4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Rc8 14. Be2 Qc7 15. Rc1 Qb8 16. h3 h6 17. Qb3 Nd5 18. Nxd5 Bxd5 19. Bc4 Rxc4 20. Rxc4 b5 21. Re1 bxc4 22. Qe3 {0-1 (22) Pelic,S (2036)-Jovanic,O (2477) Umag 2005}) 8... d5 9. O-O c5 10. b3 Nbd7 (10... cxd4 11. Nxd4 dxc4 12. Bxc4 $15) 11. Re1 Ne4 12. Bf1 (12. cxd5 exd5 13. Nxe4 dxe4 $11) 12... Nxc3 (12... cxd4 $5 13. exd4 Ndf6 $15) 13. Bxc3 $11 Bf6 14. Rb1 (14. cxd5 Bxd5 15. b4 Rc8 $11) 14... Re8 (14... dxc4 15. bxc4 Qc7 16. Rc1 $11) 15. Be2 (15. cxd5 exd5 16. Qd2 Rc8 $11) 15... Qc7 16. Rc1 Rac8 17. Bd3 (17. cxd5 exd5 18. Bb2 Nf8 $11) 17... Qd6 18. Qc2 (18. dxc5 Nxc5 (18... Rxc5 $143 19. Bb4 $16) 19. Bxf6 Nxd3 20. Qxd3 gxf6 $11) 18... h6 (18... dxc4 19. bxc4 Bxf3 20. gxf3 cxd4 21. exd4 $17) 19. Be2 (19. dxc5 $142 $5 {is worthy of consideration} Qxc5 20. Bxf6 Nxf6 21. b4 $11) 19... dxc4 $17 20. bxc4 cxd4 ( 20... Bxf3 21. Bxf3 cxd4 22. Bxd4 Bxd4 23. exd4 Qxa3 $17) 21. Bb4 $2 (21. Nxd4 Be5 22. h3 Qe7 $15) 21... Qc7 (21... Qc6 22. exd4 Bxd4 23. Bf1 $17) 22. exd4 ( 22. Nxd4 $142 $5 {should be investigated more closely} Nc5 23. Nb5 $17) 22... Bxf3 $17 23. Bxf3 Bxd4 24. Red1 Bc5 25. Be2 Nf6 26. Rf1 (26. g3 h5 $17) 26... Red8 $19 27. Rcd1 Qe7 28. h3 $2 (28. Qb1 $142 $17) 28... Bxb4 $19 29. axb4 Qxb4 30. Rb1 (30. Rd3 Nd5 $1 {Deflection: c4} 31. Rb3 Qc5 $19) 30... Qc5 31. Ra1 ( 31. Rfc1 {doesn't get the bull off the ice} Rd4 $19) 31... a5 (31... b5 $5 { makes it even easier for Black} 32. Rfc1 b4 33. Bf3 $19) 32. Rfb1 Rd6 33. Rb5 ( 33. Rb2 $19) 33... Qxb5 $1 {Deflection: c4} 34. Rb1 (34. cxb5 Rxc2 {Clearance Deflection Pinning}) 34... Qc5 35. Kf1 b5 $1 {Deflection: c4} 36. Rc1 (36. Rxb5 Qxb5 37. cxb5 Rxc2 {Clearance Deflection Pinning}) (36. cxb5 Qb6 {Discovered attack} (36... Qxc2 {Deflection Pinning})) 36... bxc4 37. Bf3 Qb4 38. Rb1 Qd2 39. Qa4 Qd3+ (39... Qd3+ 40. Kg1 Qxb1+ 41. Kh2 c3 42. g3 c2 43. Qf4 c1=Q 44. Qxc1 Rxc1 45. g4 Rd2 46. h4 Rxf2+ 47. Kg3 Rg1+ 48. Kh3 Rxf3+ 49. Kh2 Nxg4#) 0-1

Six of the latest games from my reference games that reached the position after 4...b6 can be seen below.

[Event "Khanty-Mansiysk Governor Cup 8th"] [Site "Khanty Mansiysk"] [Date "2012.11.16"] [Round "2"] [White "Aleksandrov, Aleksej"] [Black "Savchenko, Boris"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2607"] [BlackElo "2556"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "2012.11.15"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "CBM 151 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2012.12.18"] 1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 Nf6 5. f3 c5 6. d5 exd5 7. cxd5 Bb7 8. e4 Qe7 9. Bc4 a6 10. a3 Ba5 11. a4 O-O 12. Nge2 d6 13. O-O Nbd7 14. Ng3 Rfe8 15. Nf5 Qf8 16. Kh1 Ne5 17. Be2 Rac8 18. Qe1 c4 19. Qg3 Kh8 20. Be3 Nfd7 21. f4 Ng6 22. Bd4 Nf6 23. Bf3 Rc7 24. Qg5 h6 25. Nxh6 Nh7 26. Qg3 Bc8 27. Rae1 b5 28. axb5 axb5 29. Bh5 b4 30. Nb5 Rd7 31. Nxf7+ Qxf7 32. Bxg6 Qg8 33. Bxe8 Qxe8 34. Nxd6 1-0 [Event "Bundesliga 1314"] [Site "Germany"] [Date "2013.10.12"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Stern, Rene"] [Black "Tazbir, Marcin"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2513"] [BlackElo "2544"] [PlyCount "106"] [EventDate "2013.10.12"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "CBM 157"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2013.11.12"] [WhiteTeam "Koenig Tegel"] [BlackTeam "Griesheim"] [WhiteTeamCountry "GER"] [BlackTeamCountry "GER"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 b6 5. f3 O-O 6. e4 d6 7. Nge2 e5 8. a3 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 Qe7 10. Ng3 g6 11. Be2 Nbd7 12. O-O Ne8 13. b4 Bb7 14. d5 Ng7 15. Qd2 g5 16. Bd3 h6 17. Rac1 c6 18. dxc6 Bxc6 19. Rfd1 Rad8 20. Nf1 Rfe8 21. Ne3 Nf8 22. Nd5 Bxd5 23. cxd5 Rc8 24. Ba6 Rc7 25. Bb2 Ng6 26. Rc6 Qd8 27. g3 Ree7 28. Bf1 Ne8 29. Bh3 b5 30. Rdc1 Rxc6 31. dxc6 Qb6+ 32. Qf2 Qxf2+ 33. Kxf2 Nf8 34. Bf1 a6 35. a4 Nc7 36. axb5 axb5 37. Rd1 f6 38. Rxd6 Re6 39. Rxe6 Nfxe6 40. Bh3 Kf7 41. f4 gxf4 42. Bxe6+ Nxe6 43. gxf4 exf4 44. e5 f5 45. Bd4 Ke8 46. Bb6 h5 47. Kg2 Ng5 48. Bf2 Ne6 49. Kh3 Ng5+ 50. Kh4 Nf3+ 51. Kxh5 Nxe5 52. Kg5 Nxc6 53. Kxf4 Nxb4 1/2-1/2 [Event "Bundesliga 1314"] [Site "Germany"] [Date "2013.12.14"] [Round "5.2"] [White "Stern, Rene"] [Black "Smeets, Jan"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2513"] [BlackElo "2620"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate "2013.10.12"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "Mega2014 Update 01"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2014.01.06"] [WhiteTeam "Koenig Tegel"] [BlackTeam "Solingen"] [WhiteTeamCountry "GER"] [BlackTeamCountry "GER"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 b6 5. f3 Bxc3 6. Bxc3 d5 7. Qa4+ Bd7 8. Qa3 Nc6 9. e3 Ne7 10. Bd3 O-O 11. Ne2 Nf5 12. Kf2 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nd6 14. Bd3 Nd5 15. Bd2 f5 16. Rac1 Ne4+ 17. Ke1 Nxd2 18. Kxd2 Qg5 19. Bc4 Qxg2 20. Rhg1 Qxh2 21. Rh1 Qd6 22. Qxd6 cxd6 23. Bxd5 exd5 24. Nf4 Rac8 25. Nxd5 Rf7 26. f4 g6 27. Rxc8+ Bxc8 28. Rc1 Bb7 29. Nc7 Rd7 30. b4 a6 31. Na8 b5 32. Nb6 Re7 33. Nc8 Rd7 34. Nb6 Re7 35. Nc8 Re6 36. Rc7 Bf3 37. Rd7 d5 38. Rd8+ Kg7 39. Rd7+ Kg8 40. Rd8+ Kg7 41. Rd7+ Kf6 42. Rxh7 Rc6 43. Ne7 Rc4 44. Ng8+ Ke6 45. Re7+ Kd6 46. Rg7 Rxb4 47. Rxg6+ Kc7 48. Rxa6 Rb1 49. Ne7 Be4 50. Ra7+ Kd6 51. Nc8+ Kc6 52. Ne7+ Kd6 53. Nc8+ Ke6 54. Ra6+ Kd7 55. Nd6 b4 56. Nxe4 dxe4 57. Kc2 Re1 58. Kd2 Rb1 59. Kc2 1/2-1/2 [Event "Bundesliga 1314"] [Site "Germany"] [Date "2014.04.05"] [Round "14.2"] [White "Stern, Rene"] [Black "Kryvoruchko, Yuriy"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2513"] [BlackElo "2696"] [PlyCount "118"] [EventDate "2013.10.12"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "Mega2014 Update 15"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2014.04.10"] [WhiteTeam "Koenig Tegel"] [BlackTeam "Katernberg"] [WhiteTeamCountry "GER"] [BlackTeamCountry "GER"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 b6 5. f3 O-O 6. e4 c5 7. d5 exd5 8. cxd5 d6 9. a3 Ba5 10. Nge2 a6 11. Ng3 b5 12. Be2 Nbd7 13. O-O c4 14. b4 cxb3 15. Qxb3 Nc5 16. Qa2 Bd7 17. Kh1 Rc8 18. Rab1 Re8 19. Rfc1 h6 20. Bf4 Qe7 21. Nd1 Na4 22. Qa1 Bb6 23. Ne3 Bxe3 24. Bxe3 Nxd5 25. Bd4 Nf6 26. Bxf6 Qxf6 27. Qxf6 gxf6 28. Nh5 Re6 29. Rxc8+ Bxc8 30. Rc1 Nc5 31. Nf4 Re8 32. Nh5 Re6 33. Nf4 Re8 34. Nh5 Kf8 35. Nxf6 Re6 36. Nd5 Re5 37. Kg1 Be6 38. Nf4 Ke7 39. Kf2 Kd7 40. h4 Bb3 41. g4 Re8 42. Nh5 Rb8 43. Ng3 a5 44. e5 Be6 45. exd6 Kxd6 46. Rd1+ Ke7 47. Rc1 Nd7 48. Bd3 Ne5 49. Nf5+ Kf8 50. Be4 Nc4 51. Nd4 Nxa3 52. Nxe6+ fxe6 53. Rc7 b4 54. g5 hxg5 55. h5 Nb5 56. Rd7 Nc3 57. Bg6 b3 58. h6 Kg8 59. Rg7+ Kh8 1/2-1/2 [Event "Wch Rapid"] [Site "Berlin"] [Date "2015.10.11"] [Round "6"] [White "Stern, Rene"] [Black "Gajewski, Grzegorz"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2538"] [BlackElo "2654"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "2015.10.10"] [EventType "swiss (rapid)"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "Mega2015 Update 47"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2015.10.16"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 b6 5. e4 c5 6. e5 cxd4 7. Nb5 Bxd2+ 8. Qxd2 Ng8 9. Qxd4 Nh6 10. Nd6+ Kf8 11. Nf3 Nc6 12. Qf4 f6 13. Bd3 Nf7 14. Nxf7 Kxf7 15. O-O Bb7 16. Rad1 Qe7 17. exf6 gxf6 18. Be4 Ke8 19. Rfe1 Rc8 20. Bxc6 Bxc6 21. Nd4 Rg8 22. Nxc6 Rxc6 23. Qb8+ Qd8 24. Qxa7 Ke7 25. Qa3+ Kf7 26. Qd3 Rc7 27. Qxh7+ Rg7 28. Qh5+ Ke7 29. Rxe6+ Kf8 30. Qh8+ Rg8 31. Rxf6+ Ke7 32. Re1# 1-0 [Event "Iberoamerican-ch 6th"] [Site "Bilbao"] [Date "2015.11.02"] [Round "8"] [White "Bruzon Batista, Lazaro"] [Black "Del Rio de Angelis, Salvador Gabriel"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A40"] [WhiteElo "2659"] [BlackElo "2512"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2015.10.26"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "ESP"] [SourceTitle "Mega2015 Update 50"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2015.11.05"] 1. c4 b6 2. d4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bb7 6. g3 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 Ne4 8. Rc1 O-O 9. Bg2 d6 10. O-O Nxc3 11. Rxc3 Nd7 12. d5 e5 13. e4 Qe7 14. Qc2 g6 15. b4 a5 16. a3 axb4 17. axb4 f5 18. exf5 gxf5 19. Nd2 Kh8 20. Rb1 Nf6 21. Re1 Qg7 22. Qb3 e4 23. f3 b5 24. Rc2 Rae8 25. fxe4 fxe4 26. Nf1 bxc4 27. Qxc4 Nxd5 28. b5 Nb6 29. Qxc7 Qd4+ 30. Kh1 Ba8 31. Rd2 Rxf1+ 32. Rxf1 Qxd2 33. Qf7 Rc8 34. Qf6+ Kg8 35. Bh3 Bd5 36. Be6+ Bxe6 37. Qxe6+ Kh8 38. Qf6+ Kg8 39. Qe6+ Kh8 1/2-1/2

C60 Spanish Game: Unusual Black 3rd moves and 3...g6 (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nge7 4.O-O g6 5.d4)

For the unforeseeable future I am posting games that I have not posted before. When I have gone through my older posts and changed the names of the posts according to the way I am naming them now, I will get back to posting my previously shared games in case that the games in the older posts would no longer be categorized the same way as the other games in that post. So, now for the game I am sharing today. It was played on the first round of the EXPECT NO MERCY - NAZARETH TOUR!!! I managed to get 6.5 points in 8 games, due to which I won the group with a half a point difference. This game was especially important because my opponent in this game, csabiu, was second in the final standings of group 7. Only the winner advanced to the second round, so I was the only one to advance to the second round that is currently in progress. On round two I am on second place in the standings and I have finished 3 out of the 8 games that I need to play on this round.

This game featured only one critical moment and it was seen after my 7th move Be2. Csabiu moved the knight to a5, which was maybe the worst square for the piece. The reason for it was that the knight had no safe squares to which it could go. I took advantage of that fact and threatened the knight with my b-pawn.

Csabiu's best move might have been to move the knight back to c6, because in that case my opponent would have at least been able to get something in exchange for the knight. In the game csabiu played 8...d6 and did not even try to get a pawn for the knight. This meant that the rest of the game was really easy for me to play. Only a bit later did my opponent get a free pawn, but it did not really improve csabiu's chances and after my 22nd move Rab1 csabiu resigned.

[Event "EXPECT NO MERCY - NAZARETH TOUR!!! - Rou"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.05.24"] [Round "1"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "csabiu"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C60"] [WhiteElo "1827"] [BlackElo "1656"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "43"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 4. O-O g6 5. d4 {C60 Spanish Game: Unusual Black 3rd moves and 3...g6} Bg7 6. d5 a6 (6... Nb8 7. d6 Nec6 8. Bg5 f6 9. Be3 b6 10. Nc3 cxd6 11. Qxd6 Qe7 12. Qd2 O-O 13. Nd5 Qd8 14. Rfd1 Kh8 15. Bh6 a6 16. Be2 Ne7 17. Bc4 Nxd5 18. Bxd5 Bxh6 19. Qxh6 Ra7 20. Nh4 Qe8 21. Nxg6+ { Groenegress, W (2220)-Fritsch,J (1787) Bad Wiessee 2003 1-0}) 7. Be2 $146 (7. Ba4 Na7 8. d6 cxd6 9. Qxd6 Nb5 10. Bxb5 axb5 11. Nxe5 Ra6 12. Qc5 Re6 13. Nf3 Rc6 14. Qxb5 Rxc2 15. Qb3 Qc7 16. Na3 Re2 17. Nb5 Qb8 18. Qd3 Bxb2 19. Bxb2 Rxb2 20. Nd6+ Kf8 21. Qd4 {1-0 (21) Romero Funieles,R (1747)-Febrero Perez,L (1545) Barcelona 2016}) ({Worse is} 7. dxc6 axb5 8. cxd7+ Bxd7 $11) 7... Na5 $4 (7... Nd4 $142 $14 {would hold out}) 8. b4 $18 d6 (8... Nac6 9. dxc6 Nxc6 $18) 9. bxa5 c6 10. Qd2 (10. dxc6 {and White can already relax} Nxc6 11. Be3 Qxa5 $18) 10... O-O (10... cxd5 {doesn't change the outcome of the game} 11. exd5 O-O 12. c4 $18) 11. Na3 (11. c4 {might be the shorter path} c5 $18) 11... cxd5 12. exd5 e4 13. Nd4 Nf5 (13... Nxd5 {does not solve anything} 14. Nc4 $18) 14. Bb2 Nxd4 15. Bxd4 Bxd4 16. Qxd4 Qxa5 17. Nc4 Qb4 (17... Qc7 {does not save the day} 18. a4 $18) 18. Rfb1 Qc5 19. Qxc5 dxc5 20. Nb6 Ra7 (20... Rb8 {does not help much} 21. c4 $18) 21. Rb3 a5 (21... Rd8 {does not improve anything} 22. Rc3 Bf5 23. g4 $18) 22. Rab1 1-0

Here are the top three games that I could find in my reference database that reached the position after 5.d4.

[Event "Moscow-4teams"] [Site "Moscow"] [Date "1981.02.25"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Romanishin, Oleg M"] [Black "Smyslov, Vassily"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C60"] [WhiteElo "2585"] [BlackElo "2545"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "1981.02.22"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "6"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "MCL"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] [WhiteTeam "Soviet Union II"] [BlackTeam "Soviet Union Seniors"] [WhiteTeamCountry "URS"] [BlackTeamCountry "URS"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 4. O-O g6 5. d4 exd4 6. Bg5 Bg7 7. c3 h6 8. Bd2 d5 9. Nxd4 dxe4 10. Qa4 O-O 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Be2 f5 13. Rd1 Qe8 14. Be3 Nd5 15. Bd4 Nb6 16. Qa5 f4 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Nd2 Rf5 19. Qb4 c5 20. Qa3 Bb7 21. c4 Qe5 22. f3 e3 23. Nb1 Rf6 24. Nc3 Bc6 25. Nd5 Bxd5 26. cxd5 Nxd5 27. Qxc5 c6 28. Rd4 Qd6 29. Rc1 Qxc5 30. Rxc5 Rb8 31. b3 h5 32. h4 Re8 33. Kf1 Kh6 34. Ke1 Rb8 35. Ra4 Rb7 36. Rac4 Rb6 37. Ra5 Rf7 38. Rac5 Ne7 39. Ra4 Nd5 40. Bc4 Rd7 1/2-1/2 [Event "EU-ch Internet Gr-E 3rd"] [Site "playchess.com INT"] [Date "2006.01.22"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Black "Pavasovic, Dusko"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C60"] [WhiteElo "2506"] [BlackElo "2535"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2006.01.22"] [EventType "tourn (blitz)"] [EventRounds "12"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2007"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2006.11.23"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 4. O-O g6 5. d4 exd4 6. c3 Bg7 7. cxd4 a6 8. Ba4 O-O 9. Bg5 b5 10. Bb3 h6 11. Bh4 d6 12. h3 g5 13. Bg3 Na5 14. Nc3 Kh8 15. Bc2 f5 16. Re1 f4 17. Bh2 c5 18. e5 cxd4 19. Ne4 dxe5 20. Nfxg5 Bf5 21. Qh5 Bg6 22. Qe2 hxg5 23. Nxg5 Bxc2 24. Qxc2 Nf5 25. Ne6 Qd7 26. Nxf8 Rxf8 27. Rad1 Nc4 28. b3 Nb6 29. Qe4 Nd5 30. Qf3 Qf7 31. Rd3 Nc3 32. Qc6 e4 33. Rd2 e3 34. Rc2 Nh4 35. fxe3 fxe3 36. Bg3 Nf5 37. Bf4 d3 38. Rxc3 d2 39. Rb1 Nd4 40. Qc7 Ne2+ 0-1 [Event "EU-ch Internet Gr-E 3rd"] [Site "playchess.com INT"] [Date "2006.01.22"] [Round "1.3"] [White "Macieja, Bartlomiej"] [Black "Pavasovic, Dusko"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C60"] [WhiteElo "2585"] [BlackElo "2535"] [PlyCount "114"] [EventDate "2006.01.22"] [EventType "tourn (blitz)"] [EventRounds "12"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2007"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2006.11.23"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 4. O-O g6 5. d4 exd4 6. Nxd4 Bg7 7. Be3 O-O 8. Nc3 d6 9. Qd2 Bd7 10. Bxc6 Nxc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bh6 Bxh6 13. Qxh6 Qf6 14. Qd2 Qe5 15. Rae1 Be6 16. f4 Qc5+ 17. Kh1 f6 18. f5 Bc4 19. Rf3 g5 20. Rh3 Rae8 21. Ree3 Qe5 22. Nd1 Bf7 23. Qe2 Re7 24. Nc3 Be8 25. Qa6 Qd4 26. Qe2 a5 27. Rhg3 Rg7 28. Rd3 Qe5 29. Rde3 c5 30. Qc4+ Bf7 31. Qe2 Kh8 32. Rgf3 Be8 33. Rf1 Bc6 34. Re1 Re7 35. Kg1 Rfe8 36. Qd2 Qd4 37. Qd3 Kg7 38. Kf1 Qb4 39. b3 a4 40. Nxa4 Bb5 41. c4 Bxa4 42. bxa4 Qxa4 43. Qb3 Qa8 44. Qc2 Qc6 45. h4 h6 46. Kf2 Ra8 47. R1e2 Ra4 48. Rg3 Qa6 49. Qd2 Qxc4 50. hxg5 hxg5 51. e5 dxe5 52. Rxg5+ fxg5 53. Qxg5+ Kf8 54. Qh6+ Rg7 55. f6 Qf4+ 56. Kg1 Qxh6 57. fxg7+ Qxg7 0-1