A36 Symmetrical English vs ...g6: 4.Bg2 Bg7 (1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.d3 e5 6.e4 Nge7 7.Nge2 O-O 8.O-O d6 9.Be3 Nd4)

This is from the round four of the Lomasäkylä tournament that was played at Eura in 2005. On the first round I won a game against a player who was rated 2063. After that first round, I had lost on rounds two, three, and on this fourth round. So after four rounds I had only one point, which was rather disastrous, though I have to say in my defense that only on this fourth round I faced an opponent that was lower rated than me. Therefore my results might have been expected based on the ratings. This does not mean that I would have been in any way satisfied with my results up to that point, except the first round win of course.

This may be one of the worst games I have played in terms of my tactical awareness, at least according to the judgement that can be seen at the end of the notation. It says there that my precision was only 6%, which means I deserved to lose the game.

[Event "Eura"] [Site "?"] [Date "2005.09.24"] [Round "4"] [White "Raitanen, Pentti"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "1648"] [BlackElo "1783"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s)"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2005.09.24"] 1. c4 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. d3 e5 6. e4 Nge7 7. Nge2 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Be3 Nd4 {A36 Symmetrical English vs ...g6:4.Bg2 Bg7} 10. Qd2 f5 (10... Be6 11. Bh6 f6 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 13. b4 Nec6 14. b5 Nxe2+ 15. Nxe2 Nd4 16. Nxd4 cxd4 17. f4 Qc7 18. a4 a5 19. f5 Bd7 20. h4 Rf7 21. Rf2 Raf8 22. Raf1 b6 23. Bh3 Qd8 24. Bg4 Bc8 25. Qd1 {Miezis,N (2548)-Andersen,M (2477) Vaxjo 2013 0-1 (52)}) 11. f4 {-0.30/24 LiveBook: 3 Games} (11. Bg5 $14 {0.43/24} Ne6 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. exf5 gxf5 14. f4) (11. Bh6 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 fxe4 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Nxe4 Nf5 15. Qg5 Bd7 16. Qxd8 Raxd8 17. b4 h6 18. a4 a5 19. Rfb1 Bc6 20. b5 Bxe4 21. Bxe4 b6 22. Rf1 Kg7 23. Ra2 Ne7 24. Kg2 Ng8 25. f3 g5 {Khakhutashvili,A (1796) -Petriashvili,N (2167) Lagodekhi 2016 0-1 (39)}) 11... Rb8 {0.51/22} (11... fxe4 $1 $11 {-0.30/24} 12. dxe4 Bg4) 12. Rab1 {-0.06/28} (12. fxe5 $14 {0.51/22 } dxe5 13. Bg5) 12... Nec6 {0.54/26} ({Better is} 12... fxe4 $11 {-0.06/28} 13. dxe4 Nec6) 13. Nd5 $146 {-0.43/24} (13. fxe5 $14 {0.54/26} dxe5 14. Nd5) (13. a3 a5 14. b3 Be6 15. a4 Qd7 16. Nd5 Rbe8 17. Nec3 Kh8 18. Kh1 Rf7 19. Bxd4 Nxd4 20. Nb6 Qd8 21. Nbd5 Bh6 22. Nb5 Nxb5 23. axb5 Bxd5 24. exd5 exf4 25. gxf4 Rfe7 26. Bf3 b6 27. d4 Re3 {Schubert,M-Baramidze,D (2242) Kiel 2000 0-1 (37)}) 13... Be6 {0.16/23} (13... fxe4 $15 {-0.43/24} 14. Bxe4 Bg4 15. Nxd4 cxd4) 14. fxe5 $11 {And now Nxd4 would win.} dxe5 {0.87/24} (14... Nxe2+ $11 {0.00/27 keeps the balance.} 15. Qxe2 Nxe5) 15. Nec3 {0.00/27} (15. Nxd4 $16 {0.87/24} exd4 16. Bf4) 15... Qd7 16. Bh6 {-0.23/29} (16. exf5 $14 {0.39/22} Bxf5 17. Rf2) 16... Rf7 {0.30/24} (16... f4 $142 {-0.23/29} 17. Bxg7 Qxg7) 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Rf2 Rbf8 19. Rbf1 Qd8 20. Bh3 {-1.29/21} (20. exf5 $11 {0.08/29} Rxf5 21. a3) 20... Bd7 {0.21/30} (20... f4 $1 $17 {-1.29/21} 21. Bxe6 Nxe6) 21. a3 $2 { -1.35/25 [#]} (21. exf5 $11 {0.21/30} Bxf5 22. Bg2) 21... g5 $2 {1.55/26} ( 21... f4 $1 $17 {-1.35/25 keeps the pressure on.} 22. Bxd7 Qxd7 23. gxf4 exf4) 22. exf5 $16 Bxf5 23. Bg2 {0.29/28} (23. Bxf5 $18 {1.61/24} Rxf5 24. Rxf5 Rxf5 25. Rxf5 Nxf5 26. Ne4) 23... g4 {0.95/25} (23... b6 $11 {0.29/28}) 24. Ne4 { 0.34/27} (24. Qe3 $16 {0.95/25}) 24... Bxe4 $1 $14 25. Rxf7+ ({Reject} 25. dxe4 Nf3+ 26. Bxf3 gxf3 $15) 25... Rxf7 26. Rxf7+ ({But not} 26. dxe4 Nf3+ 27. Bxf3 gxf3 $15) 26... Kxf7 27. Bxe4 {[#] Strongly threatening Qh6.} Nf3+ $2 {3.25/23} ({Black should try} 27... Kg7 $14 {0.38/27}) 28. Bxf3 $1 $18 gxf3 29. Qh6 Nd4 { 4.95/21} (29... Kg8 $142 {3.25/30} 30. Kf2 Kh8 31. Kxf3 Qg8 32. Qf6+ Qg7) 30. Qxh7+ Ke6 {intending ...Qg5.} 31. Qg6+ Kd7 32. b4 cxb4 33. axb4 a5 34. Nb6+ Kc7 35. bxa5 Qf8 36. Qh7+ Kc6 37. Qe4+ Kd6 38. Qd5+ {Precision: White = 20%, Black = 6%.} 1-0

Below you can see the latest and highest rated games that I could find that reached the position after 9...Nd4 in my reference database.

[Event "Melbourne zt"] [Site "Melbourne"] [Date "1975.??.??"] [Round "3"] [White "Fuller, Maxwell L"] [Black "Jamieson, Robert Murray"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "2400"] [BlackElo "2420"] [PlyCount "84"] [EventDate "1975.01.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "AUS"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2001"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2000.11.22"] 1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e4 e5 6. Nge2 Nge7 7. d3 d6 8. Be3 Nd4 9. O-O O-O 10. Qd2 a6 11. Bh6 Rb8 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Ne2 b5 15. b4 Qb6 16. a3 bxc4 17. dxc4 Be6 18. Rfc1 Rfc8 19. Qd3 Rc6 20. Rc2 Rbc8 21. Rac1 R8c7 22. Kh1 Qb8 23. f4 f6 24. fxe5 dxe5 25. c5 Qb5 26. Qxb5 axb5 27. Ng1 Ra6 28. Bf1 Rxa3 29. Bxb5 Rb3 30. Bc4 Bxc4 31. Rxc4 Nc6 32. Kg2 Rxb4 33. Nf3 Rxc4 34. Rxc4 Na5 35. Rc2 Nb7 36. g4 Rxc5 37. Rb2 Nd6 38. g5 f5 39. exf5 Nxf5 40. Rb7+ Kg8 41. Rb8+ Kf7 42. Rh8 e4 0-1 [Event "Buenos Aires Najdorf"] [Site "Buenos Aires"] [Date "1995.??.??"] [Round "10"] [White "Spangenberg, Hugo"] [Black "Sorin, Ariel"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "2490"] [BlackElo "2500"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "1995.07.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "ARG"] [EventCategory "11"] [SourceTitle "CBM 049"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1995.12.01"] 1. g3 c5 2. e4 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Ne2 Bg7 5. O-O e5 6. d3 Nge7 7. c4 d6 8. Nbc3 O-O 9. Be3 Nd4 10. Qd2 Bg4 11. f3 Bd7 12. f4 Rb8 13. fxe5 dxe5 14. Rf2 Bg4 15. Nc1 Qd7 16. Nb3 b6 17. Raf1 f6 18. Nd5 Nxd5 19. cxd5 Nxb3 20. axb3 a5 21. Bf3 h5 22. Qd1 Rf7 23. Bxg4 hxg4 24. Qa1 1/2-1/2 [Event "Pan American-chT"] [Site "Cascavel"] [Date "1996.??.??"] [Round "6"] [White "Lima, Darcy"] [Black "Slipak, Sergio"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "2475"] [BlackElo "2520"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "1996.01.??"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "ARG"] [SourceTitle "EXT 1998"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1997.11.17"] 1. g3 c5 2. Bg2 g6 3. e4 Bg7 4. Ne2 Nc6 5. O-O d6 6. d3 e5 7. c4 Nge7 8. Nbc3 O-O 9. Be3 Nd4 10. Rb1 f5 11. f4 fxe4 12. dxe4 Nec6 13. Qd2 exf4 14. gxf4 Qh4 15. b4 Nxe2+ 16. Nxe2 cxb4 17. Qxd6 Bh3 18. Qd5+ Kh8 19. e5 Rad8 20. Qf3 Bf5 21. Rbc1 Bd3 22. Bf2 Qe7 23. Rfe1 g5 24. Rcd1 Nxe5 25. Qe3 gxf4 26. Nxf4 Bxc4 27. Nh5 Rxd1 28. Rxd1 Qf7 29. Nxg7 Ng4 30. Qd4 Qxf2+ 31. Qxf2 Nxf2 32. Rd7 Bxa2 33. Nh5 a5 34. Rxb7 Bb1 35. Rb5 Bd3 36. Rb7 Ng4 37. Bf3 Ne3 38. Kf2 Be4 39. Kxe3 Bxf3 40. Rb5 Bxh5 41. Rxh5 a4 42. Rb5 b3 43. Rb4 Ra8 0-1 [Event "YUG-chT"] [Site "Vrnjacka Banja"] [Date "1999.??.??"] [Round "8"] [White "Brkljaca, Ante"] [Black "Kosanovic, Goran A"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "2353"] [BlackElo "2485"] [PlyCount "31"] [EventDate "1999.08.??"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "YUG"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2000"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.11.16"] 1. g3 e5 2. Bg2 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Ne7 5. e4 d6 6. Nge2 c5 7. d3 Nbc6 8. O-O O-O 9. Be3 Nd4 10. Qd2 a6 11. f4 Nec6 12. fxe5 Nxe2+ 13. Nxe2 Nxe5 14. h3 Be6 15. b3 Nc6 16. d4 1/2-1/2 [Event "Vaxjo Visma GM"] [Site "Vaxjo"] [Date "2013.06.28"] [Round "4"] [White "Miezis, Normunds"] [Black "Andersen, Mads"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "2548"] [BlackElo "2477"] [PlyCount "104"] [EventDate "2013.06.26"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "SWE"] [EventCategory "9"] [SourceTitle "CBM 155 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2013.08.26"] 1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. d3 d6 6. e4 e5 7. Nge2 Nge7 8. Be3 Nd4 9. O-O O-O 10. Qd2 Be6 11. Bh6 f6 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 13. b4 Nec6 14. b5 Nxe2+ 15. Nxe2 Nd4 16. Nxd4 cxd4 17. f4 Qc7 18. a4 a5 19. f5 Bd7 20. h4 Rf7 21. Rf2 Raf8 22. Raf1 b6 23. Bh3 Qd8 24. Bg4 Bc8 25. Qd1 Rh8 26. Rh2 Rff8 27. Bh3 Rf7 28. Qf3 Bd7 29. Rff2 Bc8 30. Rh1 Rff8 31. Rfh2 Bb7 32. Qe2 Qc7 33. Bg4 Bc8 34. fxg6 hxg6 35. h5 gxh5 36. Bf5 Bxf5 37. exf5 Rfg8 38. Rxh5 Rxh5 39. Qxh5 Kf8 40. Qf3 e4 41. dxe4 d5 42. Kg2 dxc4 43. e5 Qxe5 44. Rh7 d3 45. Rd7 Ke8 46. Rh7 Rxg3+ 47. Qxg3 Qxg3+ 48. Kxg3 d2 49. Rh1 c3 50. Kf2 c2 51. Ke2 c1=Q 52. Rd1 Qc4+ 0-1