A36 Symmetrical English vs ...g6: 4.Bg2 Bg7 (1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e3 e6 6.Nge2 Nge7 7.d4)

For some reason, I have not marked which round this was played on. Because the results of this tournament I could not find anywhere anymore, I could not check to make sure. Also because this was played almost 16 years ago, I have really no memory of the details anymore. Only thing I do know is that this was played in the Finnish School Team Championships on April 27th 2002. Also I remember that there were no ratings shown while we played, so unless you asked the rating of your opponent, you could not really tell what it was. And back then I did not really follow all that closely what my own rating was, I just wanted to play the game. The teams consisted of four players and even though I have vague memories of the tournament, I could not even tell for 100% certainty who played on the same team as me. I think I have very selective memory at times. I only seem to remember things that were somehow important to me and sometimes I remember things that I would like to forget.

[Event "Koulujoukkueiden SM"] [Site "?"] [Date "2002.04.27"] [Round "?"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "Seitz, Deni"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A36"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s)"] [PlyCount "72"] [EventDate "2002.??.??"] 1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 e6 6. Nge2 Nge7 7. d4 {A36 Symmetrical English vs ...g6: 4.Bg2 Bg7} cxd4 8. exd4 d5 {LiveBook: 28 Games} 9. c5 {-1.21/25} (9. cxd5 $11 {0.04/24} Nxd5 10. O-O) 9... a6 $146 {0.19/25} ( 9... O-O $17 {-1.21/25} 10. Rb1 (10. O-O b6 11. b4 bxc5 12. bxc5 Ba6 13. Be3 Bc4 14. Qa4 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 Bxf1 16. Bxf1 e5 17. Rd1 exd4 18. Bxd4 Bxd4 19. Qxd4 Nf5 20. Qe5 Qe7 21. Qf4 d4 22. Ne4 Rfe8 23. Bd3 Kg7 24. g4 Qh4 {Ollek,K (1657) -Matthies,W (1689) Rowy 2002 1-0 (50)}) 10... Nf5) (9... b6 10. Be3 bxc5 11. dxc5 Rb8 12. Qc2 Nb4 13. Qd2 Ba6 14. a3 Nd3+ 15. Kf1 Rxb2 16. Qd1 Qa5 17. Bd2 Qxc5 18. Be3 Qa5 19. Bd2 Qb6 20. Be3 Qb3 21. Bd2 Qc2 22. Qxc2 Rxc2 {0-1 (22) McCusker,A-Rodgers,P (1656) Mureck 2011}) (9... Nf5 10. Be3 O-O (10... Qf6 11. Nb5 O-O 12. h4 h6 13. h5 g5 14. g4 Nh4 15. Rxh4 gxh4 16. f4 e5 17. dxe5 Nxe5 18. fxe5 Qxe5 19. Bd4 Qg5 20. Bxg7 Qxg7 21. Qd4 Bxg4 22. Qxg7+ Kxg7 23. Nf4 Rfc8 24. b4 Re8+ 25. Kf2 {Jeske,H (1872)-Hartung,L (1725) Mecklenburg VP 2001 1-0 (35)}) 11. O-O b6 12. cxb6 axb6 13. Rc1 Ba6 14. a3 Qd7 15. Re1 Rfd8 16. g4 Nd6 17. Na4 Bxe2 18. Rxe2 Ra6 19. Nc3 b5 20. Rec2 Qb7 21. Bf1 Nc4 22. Nb1 e5 23. b3 Nxe3 24. fxe3 {Kalerwa,E (1823)-Haussernot,C (2242) London 2015 0-1}) 10. Be3 {-0.58/23} (10. Na4 $11 {0.19/25}) 10... b5 {0.00/28} (10... b6 $1 $15 {-0.58/23}) 11. cxb6 {-0.47/22} (11. Qd2 $11 {0.00/28}) 11... Qxb6 $15 12. Qd2 Nf5 13. Na4 Qa5 {-0.39/28} (13... Qb4 $17 {-0.92/22} 14. b3 Qxd2+ 15. Kxd2 Nfxd4) 14. Qxa5 Nxa5 15. O-O {-1.12/24} ({White should try} 15. g4 $15 { -0.40/27} Nh4 16. O-O) 15... O-O {0.04/30} ({Better is} 15... Bd7 $1 $17 { -1.12/24} 16. Nc5 Bb5) 16. b3 {-0.89/23} (16. Rfc1 $11 {0.04/30 keeps the balance.}) 16... Bd7 {0.04/27} ({Black should play} 16... Nc6 $17 {-0.89/23} 17. Rfd1 a5) 17. Nac3 {-0.92/26} (17. Nb6 $11 {0.04/27 remains equal.} Ra7 18. Nxd7 Rxd7 19. Rac1) 17... Nc6 {-0.45/28} (17... Rfc8 $17 {-0.92/26} 18. Bh3 Nxe3 19. fxe3 Ra7) 18. Rfd1 $1 Rac8 19. Rac1 Nxe3 20. fxe3 Ne7 21. e4 {-0.73/26 } (21. Kf2 $11 {-0.22/27}) 21... Bb5 {0.00/32} (21... dxe4 $17 {-0.73/26 White must now prevent ...f5.} 22. Bxe4 Nf5) 22. Nxb5 axb5 23. Rc5 $2 {-3.86/23} (23. exd5 $11 {-0.08/33 and White has nothing to worry.} exd5 24. Bh3) 23... Bxd4+ $1 $19 24. Nxd4 {[#] aiming for Rxc8.} (24. Rxd4 Rxc5) 24... Rxc5 25. exd5 { -5.48/27} (25. b4 $142 {-3.55/29} Rc4 26. exd5) 25... Nxd5 {Black is clearly winning.} 26. Ra1 Rfc8 27. Ne2 Ne3 28. Bf1 Nxf1 29. Kxf1 {Endgame KRR-KRN} e5 30. a4 bxa4 31. bxa4 f5 32. a5 Ra8 33. a6 Rc6 34. a7 Rc7 35. Nc1 Rcxa7 36. Rxa7 Rxa7 {Precision: White = 6%, Black = 29%.} 0-1

In the games where both players were rated 2500+, the draw percentage was really high in the games that are in my reference database. Actually all but one game had ended in a draw. The only game that did not end in a draw was played between Ulf Andersson (2600) and Anthony Miles (2565) and it was played at Tilburg on October 2nd, 1981. Ulf Andersson won that game.

[Event "Terre degli Elimi op 6th"] [Site "Erice"] [Date "2015.08.04"] [Round "9"] [White "Dvirnyy, Danyyil"] [Black "Alonso, Salvador"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A30"] [WhiteElo "2555"] [BlackElo "2505"] [PlyCount "100"] [EventDate "2015.07.28"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "ITA"] [SourceTitle "Mega2016 Update 21"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2016.02.26"] 1. c4 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4. e3 Bg7 5. Ne2 e6 6. Nbc3 Nge7 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 9. exd4 d5 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. O-O O-O 12. Qb3 Qb6 13. Rd1 Bxd4 14. Bxd5 exd5 15. Nxd5 Qxb3 16. axb3 Bg7 17. Ne7+ Kh8 18. Nxc8 Rfxc8 19. Rd7 Kg8 20. Rxb7 Bd4 21. Rb4 Rd8 22. Kf1 Rd5 23. Rc4 Bb6 24. Bf4 g5 25. Bc7 Re8 26. Bxb6 axb6 27. h4 h6 28. Rac1 Kg7 29. hxg5 hxg5 30. g4 Rd2 31. R1c2 Rd1+ 32. Kg2 Ree1 33. R2c3 Rg1+ 34. Kf3 Rd2 35. Re3 Rxb2 36. Rb4 Rh1 37. Kg2 Rbb1 38. Re5 Rbg1+ 39. Kf3 Rh3+ 40. Ke2 f6 41. Rf5 Rb1 42. Rxb6 Rb2+ 43. Kf1 Rbxb3 44. Rbxf6 Rb1+ 45. Kg2 Rh4 46. Rf7+ Kg8 47. Rf8+ Kg7 48. R8f7+ Kg8 49. Rf8+ Kg7 50. R8f7+ Kg8 1/2-1/2 [Event "Bundesliga 1516"] [Site "Germany"] [Date "2016.02.21"] [Round "9.4"] [White "Bezold, Michael"] [Black "Erdos, Viktor"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A10"] [WhiteElo "2509"] [BlackElo "2616"] [PlyCount "56"] [EventDate "2015.09.18"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "Mega2016 Update 21"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2016.02.26"] [WhiteTeam "Bayern Muenchen"] [BlackTeam "Trier"] [WhiteTeamCountry "GER"] [BlackTeamCountry "GER"] 1. c4 g6 2. g3 Bg7 3. Bg2 c5 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nc6 6. Nge2 Nge7 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 d5 9. cxd5 Nxd4 10. exd4 Nxd5 11. Nxd5 exd5 12. O-O O-O 13. Be3 Be6 14. Qd2 Qb6 15. Rfc1 Rfc8 16. h4 h5 17. Bf3 Bf6 18. Kg2 Rc6 19. Rxc6 bxc6 20. Rc1 a5 21. b3 Bd7 22. Bd1 Qb4 23. Qc3 Re8 24. Bf3 Ra8 25. Bd1 Kg7 26. Bf3 Rb8 27. Bd1 Qxc3 28. Rxc3 Ra8 1/2-1/2 [Event "Asia Chess Cup (Women)"] [Site "Abu Dhabi"] [Date "2016.03.29"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Ju, Wenjun"] [Black "Harika, Dronavalli"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "2568"] [BlackElo "2515"] [PlyCount "114"] [EventDate "2016.03.28"] [EventType "team-swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "UAE"] [SourceTitle "Mega2016 Update 27"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2016.04.08"] [WhiteTeam "China (W)"] [BlackTeam "India (W)"] [WhiteTeamCountry "CHN"] [BlackTeamCountry "IND"] 1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 e6 6. Nge2 Nge7 7. d4 cxd4 8. exd4 d5 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. O-O O-O 11. h4 b6 12. Bg5 Qd7 13. Nxd5 exd5 14. Nc3 Nxd4 15. Re1 h6 16. Bxh6 Bxh6 17. Qxd4 Bb7 18. Nxd5 Bxd5 19. Bxd5 Bg7 20. Qd3 Rae8 21. Rxe8 Rxe8 22. Rd1 Kf8 23. b4 Rd8 24. b5 Bf6 25. Qf3 Kg7 26. a4 Qf5 27. Qxf5 gxf5 28. f4 Be7 29. Kg2 Bc5 30. Kf3 Kf6 31. Rd3 Rd6 32. h5 Kg7 33. g4 fxg4+ 34. Kxg4 Kf6 35. Rd1 Rd8 36. Kf3 Kg7 37. Ke4 Kh6 38. Rd3 Rd7 39. Ke5 Bf8 40. f5 Bd6+ 41. Ke4 Re7+ 42. Kf3 Be5 43. Re3 f6 44. Be6 Kxh5 45. Re1 Rc7 46. Rh1+ Kg5 47. Rg1+ Kh6 48. Ke4 Rc3 49. Rh1+ Kg7 50. Rd1 Rc7 51. Rd8 Kh6 52. Ra8 Bb2 53. Bb3 Be5 54. Bd5 Re7 55. Be6 Rc7 56. Bd5 Re7 57. Be6 Rc7 1/2-1/2 [Event "RUS-chT rapid"] [Site "Sochi"] [Date "2016.10.05"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Rakhmanov, Alexander"] [Black "Morozevich, Alexander"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "2662"] [BlackElo "2683"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "2016.10.05"] [EventType "team-swiss (rapid)"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "Mega2016 Update 54"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2016.10.14"] [WhiteTeam "Vologda Region"] [BlackTeam "Moscow SHSM"] [WhiteTeamCountry "RUS"] [BlackTeamCountry "RUS"] 1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. e3 e6 6. Nge2 Nge7 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 O-O 9. O-O d5 10. cxd5 Nxd4 11. exd4 Nxd5 12. Nxd5 exd5 13. Qb3 Be6 14. Be3 Qd7 15. Rac1 Rfc8 16. h4 h5 17. Kh2 Bf6 18. Qd3 Qa4 19. a3 Bg7 20. Qd2 Qb3 21. Rxc8+ Rxc8 22. Rc1 Rxc1 23. Qxc1 b6 24. Qd2 a5 25. Qc1 b5 26. Qd2 b4 27. axb4 axb4 28. Bf3 Bg4 29. Bxg4 hxg4 30. Qe2 f5 31. Qa6 Kh7 32. Qe6 Qc2 33. Qxd5 b3 34. h5 gxh5 35. Qf7 h4 36. Qh5+ Kg8 37. Qe8+ Kh7 1/2-1/2 [Event "chess.com Speed 3m+2spm 2017"] [Site "chess.com INT"] [Date "2017.10.23"] [Round "2.12"] [White "Vachier Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "2795"] [BlackElo "2750"] [PlyCount "129"] [EventDate "2017.05.03"] [EventType "k.o. (blitz)"] [EventRounds "4"] [EventCountry "USA"] [SourceTitle "Mega2017 Update 57"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2017.11.24"] 1. c4 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. e3 e6 6. Nge2 Nge7 7. d4 cxd4 8. exd4 d5 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. O-O O-O 12. Be3 Bg4 13. Re1 Re8 14. h3 Bf5 15. Nc3 Be6 16. Qd2 Qd7 17. h4 h5 18. Rac1 Rac8 19. Kh2 Kh7 20. Ne2 Ne7 21. Rxc8 Rxc8 22. Nf4 Nf5 23. b3 Re8 24. Bh3 Qd6 25. Nxe6 Qxe6 26. Rc1 Rc8 27. Rxc8 Qxc8 28. Bf4 Qe6 29. Qd1 Qe4 30. Bg2 Qe6 31. Qf3 Ne7 32. Be3 b6 33. Bh3 Nf5 34. Qf4 a5 35. Qc7 Bf6 36. Bxf5 gxf5 37. Qb8 Bg7 38. a4 Bf6 39. Kg1 Bg7 40. Kf1 Bf6 41. Qf4 Bg7 42. Qg5 Qg6 43. Ke2 Qxg5 44. hxg5 f6 45. Kd3 Kg6 46. gxf6 Bxf6 47. Bf4 Bd8 48. Kc3 Kf7 49. b4 Ke6 50. b5 Kd7 51. Kd3 h4 52. gxh4 Bxh4 53. Ke3 Bf6 54. Be5 Bg5+ 55. Kf3 Bc1 56. Kg3 Bg5 57. Kh3 Bd8 58. Kg2 Bg5 59. Kg3 Kd8 60. Kh3 Kd7 61. f3 Bd8 62. Kg3 Bg5 63. Kh3 Bd8 64. Kg3 Bg5 65. Kh3 1/2-1/2