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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 Na5!? My preparation for this game (as modest as it was) within the Ruy Lopez mainly focused on the Marshall attack and the main line Chigorin/^s Defense, alongside some attention paid on the Open Lopez and the very popular Berlin Defense. What I had not expected, and had never encountered before, was the sideline variation Sam uncorked which at least had the effect of taking me out of my preparation and comfort zone, initially anyway. As to the objective merits of this unusual side line, well I will leave that for others to decide upon. My gut feeling is that White should take on e5 and leave it to Black to obtain enough compensation. In this game with Sam I had to consider the preferences, weak and strong points of Sam and also try keep Sam away from his comfort zone. I felt that talking the pawn would give Sam exactly the sort of game he was looking for in which I was not sure of the best line of play. So I decided that I would not only decline the pawn but also give him the chance to go back into the main line Lopez by playing d7d6 with his next move. Of course it was to be expected that Sam would follow through with the most active continuation and try to have a game in which he would have active play at a modest price of a pawn. I decided that while I could work out the actual merits of this side variation after the game at a later date, for now I wanted to play it safe and just have a game against Sam. An endgame being no problem for me and indeed it might be frustrating for Sam to be playing an endgame instead of an active tactical game he would surely relish? Sometimes playing moves objectively not the best can be the best way to proceed. Here is a case in point as I got the type of position I would be quite content to have against Sam. 10... dxe4 Black is virtually forced to make this exchange but the problem is that the result is an endgame in which he seems to have no winning chances. A very curious endgame which leaves both players left to figure out things for themselves. My reading of the situation was that it was probably an equal position but Black had to be more careful than White now. The problem is that Black finds it awkward to defend E5 and at the same time have an active plan. White has almost no weakness that can be easily exploited yet. 12... Bb7 13. Nbd2 Rfd8 14. Re1! Simple but effective. Now Black has to defend E5. Sam mentioned that he had orginally assumed he could play ...Nc4 instead of having to go back to C6 which only blocks the Bishop on b7 and leaves Black not looking very active. 16. a4 The position is still about equal but Black can more easily feel under pressure. 16... bxa4? Black cracks and hopes for quick activity but forgets that White can play for a continued structural advantage rather than just winning a pawn at the expense of freeing Black for active operations. The point of Blacks play, he is hoping that White might be tempted to take on C6 and then win the a pawn. But that really would have only played into Blacks hands and there is a far stronger and more simle way to play which keeps Black under his thumb. 18. b5 18. Bxc6? Bxc6 19. Rxa5 Rxa5 20. bxa5 f6. Suddenly Black is in big trouble. both E5 and A5 are easy targets now. Now ...Nc5 was the best chance which leaves Black a pawn down. 19... f6?? In a position that Black was getting uncomfortable with Black blunders and makes it easy for White. 20. Nxa5 Black thought for ages and decided that it was better to try confuse matters by giving up the exchange. 20... Rxa5 21. Bb3+ Kf8 22. Rxa5 Bxe4 23. Rxe4 Nc5 24. b6! Nxb3 25. Rb5! Nd7 26. Rxb3 Nc5 27. bxc7 1-0 Annotator(s): Colm Daly. Source(s): dublinchess.com, November 11, 2012. Event information: Match scorecard, leinsterchess.com. |
