1.d4 (0:00) d5 (0:00) 2.c4 (0:03) c6 (0:01) 3.cxd5 (0:09)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: going to play the "boring" exchange variation
axeltiger(2364) whispers: although it looks unassuming it has some venom 3...Qxd5 (0:44)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: this was not in the prep... 4.Nc3 (0:37)
Introspection(1911) whispers: This is why I never prep for tourney games :)
LNO(1983) whispers: erik told me he felt good in the main line so probably a good choice 4...Qa5 (0:17)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: this should be considered a success of this opening choice I guess
LNO(1983) whispers: e4 and we have a form of scandinavian?
Introspection(1911) whispers: I was just thinking that
Introspection(1911) whispers: But here Black would have option of payin dxe4
LNO(1983) whispers: ofc the c pawn is missing for white
Introspection(1911) whispers: Oh my bad not now
Introspection(1911) whispers: But still similarities as you say 5.e4 (2:11)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: pretty sure this is just good here
axeltiger(2364) whispers: a major difference compared to the scandinavian defense is that here white will have an extra pawn in the center
axeltiger(2364) whispers: going by basic principles, that should be a good thing for white
LNO(1983) whispers: yes this feels like a good scandinavian
axeltiger(2364) whispers: I assume that ...Nf6 is going to be played here
LNO(1983) whispers: ?t says that white is clearly better
axeltiger(2364) whispers: then I can go with the simple Bd3 to just maintain my center 5...Nf6 (2:12)
Introspection(1911) whispers: Not surprised
axeltiger(2364) whispers: another option is to go with Qc2 here
axeltiger(2364) whispers: but Bd3 must surely be good no?
axeltiger(2364) whispers: I'm thinking where else I would put that piece 6.Bd3 (3:37)
Introspection(1911) whispers: I wold go with Bd3 with option to castle
axeltiger(2364) whispers: this is where it will fulfil its destiny 6...e6 (1:06)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: now I'm certain that white has an edge
axeltiger(2364) whispers: although I was pretty sure last move as well
axeltiger(2364) whispers: but now Nf3 is the obvious candidate move, as black can't respond with ...Bg4 anymore 7.Nf3 (1:19)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: this is not a difficult decision
axeltiger(2364) whispers: black will have a hard time castling on the kingside due to the ever-present threat of e4-e5
Introspection(1911) whispers: Hmm
axeltiger(2364) whispers: I'm actually not sure exactly what black is supposed to play here
axeltiger(2364) whispers: it honestly seems quite difficult to find something that's completely satisfactory
LNO(1983) whispers: as a frech player I dont like e6 here
axeltiger(2364) whispers: maybe black should consider playing ...c5 here?
LNO(1983) whispers: castling will be very risky for black
axeltiger(2364) whispers: but then I just castle anyway I think
axeltiger(2364) whispers: the problems associated with trying to play this line like the scandinavian start to become pretty obvious here
Introspection(1911) whispers: He probably sees now why it was important to take with the pawn rahter than the queen in the opening
axeltiger(2364) whispers: white's center is just stronger than in that opening 7...c5 (3:51)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: as expected
axeltiger(2364) whispers: but I will use this time to castle, which more or less forces the exchange on d4
axeltiger(2364) whispers: otherwise, white will just push d4-d5 before black's king has castled, which is sure to have devastating effects 8.O-O (1:27)
LNO(1983) whispers: develop!
LNO(1983) whispers: but i agree black must take on d4
axeltiger(2364) whispers: A plausible line here would be something like ...cxd4 Nxd4 Nc6 Nf3
axeltiger(2364) whispers: but white can also go with a very awkward Nb5!? as a response to ...cxd4
axeltiger(2364) whispers: now that I see that option, it looks very uncomfortable for black to face
axeltiger(2364) whispers: the more I look at it, the more correct it seems 8...Nc6 (6:39)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: this is understandable, but I think that d4-d5 has to be incredibly strong here
axeltiger(2364) whispers: it feels so right to play this way 9.d5 (1:37)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: almost automatic, although it needs to be double-checked before playing
axeltiger(2364) whispers: I don't know what black should play here
axeltiger(2364) whispers: white is already on the verge of winning imo 9...Nd4 (3:22)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: I have the pleasant option of just picking up an extra pawn here
axeltiger(2364) whispers: I will be going for that if I can't find anything better
axeltiger(2364) whispers: all good lines that I see start with Nxd4 10.Nxd4 (4:30) cxd4 (1:08) 11.Bb5+ (1:39)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: the pawn grab seems very good here
axeltiger(2364) whispers: and I don't see that lines like Nb5 would be stronger
axeltiger(2364) whispers: although there might be some crazy tactical line that justifies that kind of decision 11...Bd7 (2:34) 12.Bxd7+ (0:23)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: this is mandatory
axeltiger(2364) whispers: no matter how black recaptures, I think I should take on e6 before taking on d4
axeltiger(2364) whispers: the main point with taking on e6 is to ensure that black's king will be chronically weak, and that the pawn push ...e5 will leave white with a massive square on d5 for the knight 12...Kxd7 (6:11)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: hmmm
axeltiger(2364) whispers: I exptected that black would recapture with the knight 13.dxe6+ (0:34)
LNO(1983) whispers: the fact that kepc took with the K is because he know he bad his position is i belive and he was desperate 13...Kxe6 (5:04)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: this is kind of expected
axeltiger(2364) whispers: I don't think the alternatives are much better 14.Qxd4 (0:18)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: but now things are going to get pretty rough for that king on e6
axeltiger(2364) whispers: basically, I'm threatening a nasty check on c4
axeltiger(2364) whispers: among other things
axeltiger(2364) whispers: but the c4 check is probably the nastiest thing right now
axeltiger(2364) whispers: maybe ...Bd6 is the best try here
axeltiger(2364) whispers: black might try to at least threaten checkmate in some line 14...Qc5 (6:32)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: this is another plausible move
axeltiger(2364) whispers: although I had a pretty nasty reply in mind specifically for this one 15.Qa4 (0:32)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: obviously, I'm interested in keeping the queens on the board
axeltiger(2364) whispers: but this move also threatens a troublesome check on b3, which will pick up another pawn 15...Rc8 (2:04)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: wondering about the simple e5 push here
axeltiger(2364) whispers: yep, it just seems winning on the spot 16.e5 (4:44)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: the main reason is that it opens up for Qg4+, after which the rook on c8 is under attack
axeltiger(2364) whispers: this leads to black's king either getting torn to shreds, or the rook on c8 getting picked up for free 16...Nd7 (1:34) 17.Qg4+ (0:24) Ke7 (3:25)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: I believe this was the best move
axeltiger(2364) whispers: but now my bishop on c1 finally comes to life 18.Bg5+ (0:45) Ke8 (0:45) 19.e6 (0:45)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: ...Ne5 is the only move here
axeltiger(2364) whispers: although it's not pretty 19...Ne5 (3:03)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: and white still wins after ...Ne5 exf7+ Kxf7 Qf5+ Kg8 Ne4!
axeltiger(2364) whispers: the queen is simply overloaded 20.exf7+ (0:24) Kxf7 (1:10) 21.Qf5+ (0:06) Ke8 (0:16)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: now the win is trivial 22.Qe6+ (1:19)
Introspection(1911) whispers: I rarely have a trivial win
axeltiger(2364) whispers: as I predicted, the king gets destroyed, or I win the rook on c8 22...Be7 (1:19) 23.Bxe7 (0:04)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: only question is whether I should take two rooks if he offers them to me
axeltiger(2364) whispers: objectively it should be the correct decision
axeltiger(2364) whispers: although I don't think he will go for that 23...Qxe7 (1:29) 24.Qxc8+ (0:03) Qd8 (0:09) 25.Qe6+ (0:14)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: a tiny bit of optimization 25...Qe7 (0:16) 26.Qxe7+ (0:03) Kxe7 (0:04) 27.Rfe1 (0:03) Ke6 (0:06) 28.f4 (0:02)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: I like to play with precision 28...b5 (0:16)
axeltiger(2364) whispers: even in this kind of positoin 29.Rxe5+ (0:04) Kf6 (0:02) KEPC resigns 1-0