1.d4 (0:00) d5 (0:00) 2.c4 (0:01) c6 (0:02)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: we'll see what variation my opponent has chosen to prepare 3.cxd5 (0:33)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I'm planning to just play a simple setup in either case 3...cxd5 (0:08)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: Interesting
axeltiger(2337) whispers: if he's well-prepared, then maybe I'm going to be in a bit of a pickle 4.Bf4 (1:00)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I could probably get away with playing a suboptimal line and just accept a slightly worse position if it comes to that 4...Nc6 (0:23)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: normally, black wants to play ...Bf5 in these lines before playing ...e6, otherwise the light-squared bishop will be somewhat misplaced behind the pawn chain 5.Nf3 (1:12) Nf6 (0:29) 6.Nc3 (0:24) Bf5 (0:04)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: Qb3 is an interesting sideline here 7.e3 (1:22) e6 (0:47) 8.Bb5 (1:07)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: at some point I will be forced to create an imbalance in the position
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I'm just wondering whether that time is now, or later 8...Ne4 (2:58)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: my guess is that now is as good a time as ever
axeltiger(2337) whispers: white may try to punish me by going Qa4 here, but I hope that I will be fine in the ensuing complications
axeltiger(2337) whispers: My goal is to snag a nice pair of bishops for myself
axeltiger(2337) whispers: Nxe4 is another interesting possibility
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I don't think it's a bad idea at all
axeltiger(2337) whispers: idk, I think white may be able to punish me here a little bit
axeltiger(2337) whispers: although it requires realizing how powerful the pin on the a4-e8 diagonal can really be 9.Qa4 (5:35)
LNO(1948) whispers: well i can only agree with axel since stockfish literally told me that white is clearly better after Qa4 9...Qb6 (3:27)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: probably need to be pretty careful here now
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I do kind of regret playing ...Ne4, it was a bit too much I feel
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I think that Nxe4 is strong here
LNO(1948) whispers: the comps narrow suggestion is Ne5 Nxc3 10.Ne5 (7:25)
LNO(1948) whispers: allobservers 47
axeltiger(2337) whispers: This gives me the option to just take on c3
axeltiger(2337) whispers: that helps me, as it means that the c-file will be closed for now 10...Nxc3 (2:09)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: bxc3 is most accurate here
axeltiger(2337) whispers: by the simple logic that it allows white to decide the course of the game later
axeltiger(2337) whispers: taking on c6 with the bishop first forces white down a path that may or may not be very good 11.bxc3 (4:59) Rc8 (0:45)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: hmmm
axeltiger(2337) whispers: can I play the crazy-looking ...f6 after c4?
axeltiger(2337) whispers: if so, then that would solve many of my problems
axeltiger(2337) whispers: starting to feel like I just got away with murder somehow
axeltiger(2337) whispers: if he plays c4, I will calculate more seriously
axeltiger(2337) whispers: otherwise I will probably just play ...f6 anyway, with the exception being that white plays Bd3 12.O-O (6:48)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: ok, now I think that black should be completely fine after ...f6 12...f6 (0:41)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: the reason for this is the simple fact that my bishop on f5 controls the b1 square, which makes it difficult for white to play Rb1
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I also want to note the following line
axeltiger(2337) whispers: Nxc6 bxc6 Ba6 Bc2!?
axeltiger(2337) whispers: in that line I can get rid of white's bishop by tactical means, which I think is pretty good for black 13.Nf3 (3:34)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: now I think that black may have a chance at a small advantage 13...a6 (1:40)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: if I*m not mistaken, white has to play Be2 here
axeltiger(2337) whispers: Bxc6 will prove problematic long-term due to the weak pawn on c3
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I will attempt to exploit this directly, although I have to be a bit cautious
axeltiger(2337) whispers: hmm
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I just realized that Be2 runs into some nasty ...Qb2 lines
axeltiger(2337) whispers: if Be2 doesn't work here, then white is in trouble I think
axeltiger(2337) whispers: this is the cruelty of chess in a nutshell
axeltiger(2337) whispers: white didn't make any obvious mistake here, and yet somehow black is probably already significantly better 14.Bxc6+ (4:59) Qxc6 (0:42) 15.Qxc6+ (1:22)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I think that Qb3 was the only reasonable way to hold on to the pawn 15...Rxc6 (0:22)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: now black will win it by force it seems 16.Nh4 (3:27)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: nice try
axeltiger(2337) whispers: but I will not give up by bishop pair here 16...Bd3 (0:27)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: not only is black likely just winning here, the position also kind of plays itself at this point 17.Rfd1 (2:03) Rxc3 (0:12)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: ...g5 is a serious threat now 18.Rac1 (1:15)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: the curse of having two very pleasant options
axeltiger(2337) whispers: however, both of them start with taking on c1 it seems 18...Rxc1 (2:56) 19.Rxc1 (0:03)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: because I'm such a nice guy, I should probably invite the slight tactical complications and just play ...g5 here 19...g5 (1:39)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: the Slav bishop on d3, what a piece! 20.Rc8+ (0:37) Kd7 (0:24) 21.Rc7+ (0:20) Kd8 (0:03) 22.Rc3 (0:29)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: and here comes the finisher, delivered by the Slav bishop 22...Bc4 (0:26)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: simple, effective
axeltiger(2337) whispers: but most importantly cruel 23.Bg3 (2:04) gxh4 (0:04) 24.Bxh4 (0:01) Be7 (0:03) 25.a4 (0:13)
LNO(1948) whispers: the opening play from eric was nothing short of fantastic for such an unexperienced player, im deeply impressed 25...Kd7 (0:31) 26.f3 (0:07) b5 (0:23)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I think the time has come to end things
axeltiger(2337) whispers: note how I'm not trying to be clever here 27.axb5 (0:33) axb5 (0:04) 28.e4 (0:06)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: I just trust the process of escorting my passed pawn down the board 28...b4 (0:18) 29.Rc1 (0:13) b3 (0:08) 30.Kf2 (1:53) Rb8 (0:21) 31.Ke3 (0:25) b2 (0:02) 32.Rb1 (0:16) Ba2 (0:02) 33.Rxb2 (0:39) Rxb2 (0:03) 34.g3 (0:29) Rxh2 (0:08) 35.Kf4 (0:09) e5+ (0:16) 36.dxe5 (0:19) fxe5+ (0:20) 37.Kxe5 (0:18) dxe4 (0:05) 38.Kxe4 (0:06) Bxh4 (0:03) 39.gxh4 (0:06) Rxh4+ (0:03) 40.f4 (0:05) Ke6 (0:03) 41.Kf3 (0:05) Kf5 (0:01) 42.Kg3 (0:07) Rg4+ (0:02) 43.Kh2 (0:03) Kxf4 (0:39) 44.Kh1 (0:12)
axeltiger(2337) whispers: mate is soon to follow 44...Bd5+ (0:13) 45.Kh2 (0:01) Rh4+ (0:03) 46.Kg1 (0:05) Kf3 (0:04) 47.Kf1 (0:06) Rh1# (0:02) KEPC checkmated 0-1