2017 On The Move round 3 Anton Taylor, 2027 - Vivek Raj, 1797 French: KIA (C00)

2017 On The Move round 3
Anton Taylor, 2027 - Vivek Raj, 1797
French: KIA (C00)

1. e4 e6 2. d3 I have struggled to remain aware of the primary theory in the French as white. As a result I have been playing this sideline in the few games where the French has come up. 2. ... d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 d4 up until this move we have followed common ideas. This release of tension makes white's ability to fight for the e5 square less awkward and creates a nice potential outpost on c4. 6. f4 e5 7. Ngf3 Bd6 8. Nc4 Qc7?? A completely wasted move. Bg4 or Nbe7 seems the more logical options. 9. Nxd6+ Qxd6 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. fxe5 Qe6 There is nothing better than settling for the pawn loss. Qxe5? is met by Bf4! and either black's b or c pawn will come under heavy fire. 12. O-O Ne7 13. c3 Komodo likes b4 better but c3 seems to be just a winning with far less accurate calculation required. 13. ... Nc6 14. Qa4? This move starts a maneuver that wastes three moves. Komodo recommends something like: 14. b4 cxb4 15. cxd4 Nxd4 16. Be3 Qxe5 17. Qd2 a5? 18. Qf2 Nc6? 19. Qxf7+ That is nearly impossible for me to see. The key idea Be3 followed by Qd2 and Qf2 are not easy to spot for me from the initial position (ten half-moves ahead). 14. Bd7 15. Qb5? further errors. Qc2 admitting the error was better. 15. b6 Now any tactical ideas on the black c-pawn are gone. Black has sealed his defects and the position is equal. 16. Qa4 Nxe5 17. Qc2 Bb5 18. c4 Bc6 19. Bf4 O-O 20. Bxe5 Qxe5 21. Rf5 Qe7 22. Raf1 Bd7? This allows the potential for cheap tricks along the long diagonal (h1-a8) to potentially win the exchange. Rae8 probably holds together better. 23. R5f4 Qe5 24. Qf2 f6 25. g4 I felt I could "get away" with this weakening move in this case but it turns out that Komodo sees all kinds of problems in the position after this move. Black is at least a lot better if not winning outright from here. My personal horizon is not long enough to even talk intelligently at this juncture. 25. ... b5? This move was unexpected. Black correctly sees that this is a moment to strike out against white but moves like Rae8 that look quiet but prepare a break are probably best. 26. cxb5 Bxb5 27. Rf5 The bishop has been diverted from his duty in keeping this rook off this square. 27. ... Qe7 28. e5 and suddenly with a wedge Black crumbles. 28. ... Bxd3 29. exf6 Qe3 30. Bd5+ Rf7 31. Qxe3 dxe3 32. fxg7 Bxf5 33. Rxf5 Rd8 34. Bxf7+ Kxg7 35. Bb3 1-0 Bd5 eliminates more counterplay but this bishop retreat is still winning. Black gives up with no hope to recover.



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