Annotated Game #270: Learning the Slow Slav the hard way

This last-round tournament game is yet another example of the main lesson from Annotated Game #267: How openings are really learned. Here it's a Slow Slav that I had little depth on previously, but studying this game and looking at a couple database examples now have armed me much better for future clashes in the opening.

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Move	N	Result	Elo	Players

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1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Bg6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Bd3 Qc7 targeting h2 and prompting White's next. 8...Nbd7 is the standard move here. 9.h3 Nbd7 10.Bd2 Be7 11.Rc1 0-0 12.0-0 up to this point, although we have not followed the full main line, play has been pretty standard as both sides develop. Now I have to start thinking for myself in the middlegame, without however having much experience with it. a6!? not a standard idea in this position, but not a bad one either. The point is to possibly prepare b5, while also serving as a waiting move. 12...Rfd8 12...Rac8 13.Qf3 increasing pressure on d5 and connecting the rooks. Qd8 13...dxc4 is a common liquidation of the center at this stage. 14.Bxc4 c5 would be a standard follow-up. 14.cxd5 cxd5?! this poor decision is the start of my problems. Opening the c-file is a bad idea, with White's rook already occupying it. 14...exd5= 15.e4?! however, this is an overly aggressive reaction. dxe4 the correct response. 16.Nxe4 b5 I saw White's next move, but did not handle it properly. 17.Rc6 Nb8?! this contributes to the cramping of Black's position and un-develops a good piece. 17...Nxe4 18.Bxe4 Nf6= 18.Rc2 Nbd7 19.Rfc1 now the c-file is a much more obvious problem. Essentially I have done nothing in the last few moves while my opponent has managed to double his rooks on the only open file on the board. Nd5 best chance to keep things together, centralizing the knight in front of the isolated queen pawn. 20.Nc5 the best choice to keep up the pressure. The defense becomes more complex now and I falter. Bf6?! this pressures d4 but underestimates White's attacking potential. 20...Bxc5 I considered this but obviously did not like the creation of a strong passed pawn. However, it should be containable. 21.dxc5 Ne5! and the knight can blockade on c6 or exchange off the Bd3, both of which would be helpful. 21.Qg4 now sacrifices on e6 and g6 are in the air. Nxc5 22.Rxc5?! this lets up the pressure. 22.dxc5± the Nd5 is not in as good a position to blockade the c-pawn, plus White's two bishops look dangerous. 22...Be7= enough for equality. 22...Ne7 is better, thereby guarding c6 and c8 and g6, while jumping to f5 later would also be good. 23.Rc6 Bb4 not wrong, but it betrays my lack of understanding of the need to keep pieces available to defend the kingside. 23...Bf6 24.Bg5 Qa5? the losing move. Now White unleashes a breakthrough sacrifice. 24...Be7= 25.Rxe6 now I realize that I'm simply lost, so try a desperation shot at counterplay. Qxa2 26.Rxg6 Qxb2 27.Rxg7+ Kxg7 28.Be7+ 1–0

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White	EloW	Black	EloB	Res	ECO	Rnd

Class A

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ChessAdmin

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1–0

D12

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