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1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 e6 4. cxd5 I could not figure out which variation Colm was heading for and so decided to avoid it. We have entered the realm of the Slav Exchange Variation where White can look forward to a small but long term plus, due to his one move lead in development and Black's poor white squared bishop. 5... Be7 This is committal. Black normally develops a knight first here and often plays ... Bd6 in reply to Bf4 by White. 7. e4 was very tempting in view of Black's lack of development, but this would give Black certain long-term advantages. Giving the bishop a nice retreat on h2. 8... O-O 9. Bd3 b5 10. O-O Bb7 11. Ne5 This is the key square for White in this variation. Both sides have completed their development and White has come out slightly better in view of his better placed pieces. 13. Bb1 Creating the possibility of Qc2 and Qd3, doubling up on the b1-h7 diagonal. 13... g6?! Weakening the dark squares around the black king. Gaining space and cementing e5, White's advantage is now significant, if 15... Bf8 16. Bg5 is good. Preventing any immediate exchange on e5 due to pressure on the f-file. 16... Rc7! Covering the bishop on b7 and the pawn on f7 in some lines. 17. Kh2 I was convinced that I had a winning advantage here, however despite 30 minutes of analysis neither 17. Nxd7 Rxd7 18. f5 nor 17. Nxf7 Kxf7 18. f5 gxf5 19. Qh5+ Kg8 20. Rf3 Kh8 nor 17. Nxd5 nor 17. f5 seem to work! [RR 17. Nxf7! Kxf7 18. f5 gxf5? (18... Bf6 19. fxg6+ hxg6 Black has opened up the f-file it is true, but he has rid himself of that powerful knight on e5 and White's aggressive bishop on h6 and his rook on c7 covers the f7 square. This move swapping off queens offers White an advantage in the ending. The alternative was 20. Nd1-f2-g4-f6 but Black can prevent this with ... h5 or ... Rec8, ... Nb8, ... Nd7. 20... Qxg3+ 21. Kxg3 Rec8 22. Ne2 Na5 Heading for the lovely square c4. Trying to control g5 later on. 25... Be8 26. Rxc7 Rxc7 27. Rc1 Rxc1 28. Nxc1 f6! A very good move, if White takes (28... f6) 29. exf6+ Kxf6 and ... e5 follows freeing Black's position, so ... 29. Be2! fxe5 30. dxe5 Nc6 31. Nd3 All of Black's pawns are on the same colour as his bishop, however White's e5 pawn is very weak. 31... h6 32. Nc5! Kf7 33. Kf4? Missing 33. Nxa6 Nxe5 34. Kf4 Kf6 (34... Nc6 35. Bxb5 e5+ 36. Kg3 d4 37. Nc7 Bd7 38. exd4 exd4 39. a4 winning) 35. Nc7 Bc6 36. Nxb5 g5+ 37. hxg5+ hxg5+ 38. Kg3 and White is a very dangerous passed a-pawn to the good. 33... Nb8 34. Bg4 Bd7 35. b4 Ke7 36. a3 Bc6 37. Be2 1/2-1/2 Annotator(s): Gerard O'Connell, Irish Chess Journal, vol. 11, no. 4, September-October 1999, p. 14. Reference(s): Tournament report. |
