schachbjm(2390) vs. evilmike(2147) 1-0

standard 45+45, 2020-03-28


schachbjm(2390) kibitzes: hi, good luck and have fun
schachbjm(2390) kibitzes: ||*(
1.e4 (0:00) c5 (0:00)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: expecting a sicilian taimanov bastrikov variation
2.Nf3 (0:17) e6 (0:02) 3.d4 (0:01) cxd4 (0:00) 4.Nxd4 (0:02) Nc6 (0:01) 5.Nc3 (0:01) Qc7 (0:01) 6.Be3 (0:04) a6 (0:03) 7.Qd2 (0:04) Nf6 (0:09) 8.f4 (0:08)
PreZandy(1750) whispers: New Blood is here! Go, Mike! Go Bloodies!
schachbjm(2390) whispers: following carlsen - matlakov, tata steel 2018
evilmike(2147) whispers: This is a bit of a twist
schachbjm(2390) whispers: i really liked the resulting position
axeltiger(2298) whispers: I'm so bad as white against the Taimanov (and most ...e6 sicilians) so this will be fun to watch
PreZandy(1750) whispers: Last (and decisive!) game of the Season!
schachbjm(2390) whispers: Bb4 Bd3 Na5 a3 Bxc Qxc Qxc bxc d5 exd exd Nb3 Ne4 Bd4 Ne4 is the line here
axeltiger(2298) whispers: basically I put off learning the theory for many years, and I have yet to actually learn the variations properly
schachbjm(2390) whispers: so we are just at the beginning of myprep
axeltiger(2298) whispers: that's reassuring to see :)
axeltiger(2298) whispers: seems like black is a bit thrown off by this
8...Bb4 (4:06) 9.Bd3 (0:06) Na5 (1:43) 10.a3 (0:05) Bxc3 (0:03) 11.Qxc3 (0:01) Qxc3+ (0:02) 12.bxc3 (0:00) b5 (0:02)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: this is a mistake
schachbjm(2390) whispers: i have a looked at this at my preparation
axeltiger(2298) whispers: is a4 the move here?
schachbjm(2390) whispers: let me remember how to exploit it
axeltiger(2298) whispers: the b5 pawn looks a bit loose
PreZandy(1750) whispers: c7-square perhaps
axeltiger(2298) whispers: among other things
axeltiger(2298) whispers: but yeah, a4 bxa4 Rxa4 Nc6 Nb5 is problematic for black
schachbjm(2390) whispers: I remember a4 Nc4 Bf2 followed by a well-timed axb
schachbjm(2390) whispers: I will win the a- (axb) and the b-pawn (Nxb5) for the a-pawn here in most lines, resulting in an endgame being up a pawn and enjoying the bishop pair
13.a4 (8:18)
Bionchess(2236) whispers: this move seems natural
axeltiger(2298) whispers: indeed
axeltiger(2298) whispers: it seems like the only reasonable move to me
schachbjm(2390) whispers: Nc4 or Ng4 have to be played in order to avoid the immediate pawn loss
schachbjm(2390) whispers: d5 now will lead to a much worse version compared to the main line
axeltiger(2298) whispers: doesn't black just lose a pawn somehow after d5 here?
PreZandy(1750) whispers: isnt Bb7 a move here?
13...Nc4 (6:24)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: I do not know who is facing more pressure here? Me knowing that I have a winning position or he kmowing that he ended up in preparation
axeltiger(2298) whispers: black is definitely under more pressure here
14.Bf2 (0:45) d5 (0:08)
PreZandy(1750) whispers: That was a sarcastic comment)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: I anticipated either Bb7 or Rb8; d5 is a normal move in all these lines, so it is not a real surprise to me
schachbjm(2390) whispers: even though I looked at this exact line before the game with stockfish I am not entirely sure anymore how to proceed
schachbjm(2390) whispers: so I will spend some time here
schachbjm(2390) whispers: exd exd axb followed by Nxb5 is my intuition
schachbjm(2390) whispers: lines do not seem to be forced here
schachbjm(2390) whispers: after exd I would not be surprised if he castles kingside or take with the knight rather than the most obvious exd
PreZandy(1750) whispers: I guess pawn loss can't be avoided, so 0-0 as soon as possible is an option for Black
schachbjm(2390) whispers: exd exd axb Bb7 bxa Rxa Rxa Bxa O-O and I am up a healthy pawn + bishop pair
axeltiger(2298) whispers: can't white just take on b5 here?
schachbjm(2390) whispers: exd Nxd axb looks horrible. The attacked knight on c4 has to move and there is not a good square for it
schachbjm(2390) whispers: exd O-O dxe Bxe Nxe fxe axb axb Rxa8 Rxa8 is a great endgame
PreZandy(1750) whispers: axb gives possibility for ...dxe
schachbjm(2390) whispers: exd Bb7 should end in a similar line
PreZandy(1750) whispers: ah, no, sorry, misseed BxN
schachbjm(2390) whispers: exd Nb2 and I have the choice between axb and dxe
schachbjm(2390) whispers: I doubt that axb immediately here is stronger than exd due to Nxe4 which is somewhat unclear
15.exd5 (8:47)
axeltiger(2298) whispers: I see
axeltiger(2298) whispers: I should probably focus on the game I'm playing instead of giving uninsightful comments
15...exd5 (6:15) 16.axb5 (0:12) O-O (0:18)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: as there is no immediate threat it might be best to just castle. There is simply no need to allow counterplay with Re8+
schachbjm(2390) whispers: axb Bxa6 will just help black to develop and I can grab the pawn later, too
17.O-O (1:53)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: I will proceed here with Rfe1
17...Bb7 (2:10)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: my knight will either land on c6, re-capture on b5 or will be re-routed via b3 (typical motif in these positions)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: now that black has spend a move to develop his LSB, I might want to exchange pawns. Rxa6 is not a real option for him as Rxa6 Rxa6 Bxa6 just helps me
18.bxa6 (1:56) Bxa6 (0:00)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: Nc6, Rfe1 and Nf5 are my candidate moves here. As I am not sure where to place my knight, it might be a wise decision to delay moving the knight for a bit longer and start with Rfe1
schachbjm(2390) whispers: I wonder how black improves his position after Rfe1
schachbjm(2390) whispers: Rfe8 or Bb7 back are not good options, as trades are in my favour
PreZandy(1750) whispers: how about ...Ng4 here after Rfe1?
schachbjm(2390) whispers: the knight on f6 is well placed and Ne4 would loose another pawn due to Bxe4 dxe Rxe4. Not sure, whether I want to give up my bishop pair, though
schachbjm(2390) whispers: Ng4-Ne3 might be an idea
19.Rfe1 (4:14)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: Rfc8 is a move as well, maybe the best practical decision
axeltiger(2298) whispers: Ng4-f2 is another move
19...Bb7 (3:02)
axeltiger(2298) whispers: if black manages to get the f2 bishop, then the c3 pawn might be weak
schachbjm(2390) whispers: Rxa8 Rxa8 Nf5 with Bd4 to follow looks great
20.Rxa8 (1:44) Rxa8 (0:42) 21.Nf5 (0:03)
PreZandy(1750) whispers: ...Ne4 maybe now
21...Nd2 (2:14)
axeltiger(2298) whispers: this is great for white, he manages to get the bishop to d4 now, where it stands very very well
schachbjm(2390) whispers: this is a surprise to me
axeltiger(2298) whispers: can white play Nd6 first here?
schachbjm(2390) whispers: I cannot decide whether I want to play Ne7+ (followed by Bc5 if Kf8), Nd6 or Bc4 here
schachbjm(2390) whispers: all moves look great, but have some individual drawbacks
axeltiger(2301) whispers: I don't think you want Bc4 here...
schachbjm(2390) whispers: Bc5 I mean, sry
axeltiger(2301) whispers: :D
schachbjm(2390) whispers: Bd4 remains an option, too. My brain was mixing up moves when writing Bc4 :p
axeltiger(2301) whispers: I'd love to just play Nd6 here followed by Bd4
22.Bd4 (5:58) Nde4 (0:25)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: Bd4 is simplest and it was my original plan, so let us stick with it
axeltiger(2301) whispers: Rb1 here is an option...
23.Rb1 (0:43)
schachbjm(2390) whispers: B will be traded against my knight
23...Bc8 (0:32) 24.Ne7+ (0:03)
axeltiger(2301) whispers: Nxd5 is on tap
axeltiger(2301) whispers: of course, it has to be calculated
24...Kf8 (0:49)
KRMCHESS(2103) whispers: Nxd5 is definitely more tempting but Nxc8 might be enough to win
schachbjm(2390) whispers: The question whether I want to play Nxc8 or Nxd5 is pure luxury
axeltiger(2301) whispers: Nxd5 looks so brutally strong here
25.Nxd5 (0:56)
axeltiger(2301) whispers: Nd2 Bc5+ is game over
schachbjm(2390) whispers: pawn is a pawn
evilmike resigns 1-0

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