2017 Cleveland Open Round 5 Adam Gerver, 2050 - Anton Taylor, 2002 Caro-Kann: Advance (B12)

2017 Cleveland Open Round 5
Adam Gerver, 2050 - Anton Taylor, 2002
Caro-Kann: Advance (B12)

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 I'm still favoring this move over the classic Bf5 but it has developed a dubious relationship with my repertoire. It works out in the case of this game, however. 4. dxc5 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2 This move is suspect and leads to more than a few problems for white. Bb5 seems more consistent with an open game. 6. ... e6 7. a3?? leads to a loss. After the game I discussed this move with my opponent. Essentially he had mixed up the plans for this type of position (it boils down to either keeping the e-pawn or the c-pawn but white can't keep his extra pawn without problems. 7. ... Bxf3 8. Bxf3 Nxe5 This is still very good for black but probably Bxc5 is more accurate still threatening the e-pawn and developing another piece. 9. b4 Qf6 10. c3? Be2 is given as equal by Komodo but it looks like an unhappy risk to allow black to win the exchange even if Bb5+ looks menacing. 10. ... Nxf3+ 11. Qxf3 Qxf3 12. gxf3 g6 Be7 is more flexible but this has the same idea of controlling the long diagonal. 13. Bf4 It's hard to suggest a better try. Komodo gives the best chance to Kd1-Kc2-Bb2-Nd2 but that is so defensive that black must be winning by a wide margin. This move, however, makes white completely bankrupt directly (but keeps things complicated and potentially leaves winning chances on the table. It's not going to work but I applaud the last round aggression. 13. ... Bg7 14. Bd6 Nh6 15. Kd2 Nf5 This is completely winning but I missed the even more clear a5! forcing white to advnace the pawn and further weakening the advanced c-pawn. 16. Bf4 d4 17. Kc2 dxc3 18. Be3 O-O-O Rc8 was a move that Komodo seems to like but that I never really looked at. In conjunction with b6 it is a quite powerful variation. 19. Nxc3 Bd4 20. Rhe1 Rd7 21. Rab1?? Black was slowly allowing white to slip out of his grip but this is too much. contesting the file by Rad1 was necessary. 21. ... Bxc3 22. Kxc3 Rhd8 23. Kc2 Nd4+ 24. Bxd4 Rxd4 The rest is an instructive rook and pawn ending with full advantage to black. 25. Re2 Rd3 26. Re3 Rd2+ 27. Kb3 Rxf2 28. Rh1 Rdd2 29. h4 Rh2 30. Rxh2 Rxh2 31. Re4 Rh3 32. Rf4 f5 33. Rd4 Rxf3+ 34. Ka4 Re3 35. b5 Re4 36. Rxe4 fxe4 37. Kb4 Kd7 38. Kc3 e5 39. Kd2 Ke6 40. Ke3 Kd5 41. b6 a6 42. c6 Kxc6 43. Kxe4 Kd6 44. a4 Ke6 45. a5 h6 0-1