2017 Crooked Diagonals Round 2 Connor Zhang, 1554 - Anton Taylor, 1910 Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack (B14)

2017 Crooked Diagonals Round 2
Connor Zhang, 1554 - Anton Taylor, 1910
Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack (B14)

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nf3 e6 7. Bf4 Bb4 8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Ne4?

Apparently this is an inaccuracy. As tempting as it is to drop the knight into this "hole" the most common move in 0-0 aiming to finish development first. But wait there's more over-ambitious play on my part to come. 10. Qc2 g5? This is a real howler of a move. Permanently weakening the pawn structure for a temporary attack with little future. 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Bg3 Bf5 13. Bd3 forced. 13. ... Bg6 14. O-O O-O 15. Rab1 b6 16. Rfe1 f5? In my hurry to justify and reinforce the knight on e4 I create a huge weakness on e5. The problem with Black's position is that he cannot muster counterplay aginst the c3 pawn and the future of the knight is just to be traded with the bishop or risk losing a handle on the game. But in that case the pawn weaknesses make this a losing endgame. There is a lot of play left but that's my assessment.

 17. h3? Rc8 Aiming at c3. 18. Qb3 Na5 19. Qb4 Nc4 20. Bxe4 fxe4? This turns out to be the wrong way to take back the piece. 21. Ne5 a5 22. Qb5 Be8? I was running very low on time. The obvious Nxa3 wins. 23. Qa6 Ra8 24. Qb7 Rb8 0-1 In the ensuing time scramble I commit further to the wrong plans and in a completely lost position where my opponent could force a draw he misses it and his time runs out. Not my most shining moment but a very interesting game that once more highlights my poor pawn structure play.