26 December 2024

Annotated Game #294: What the Caro-Kann is good for

This second-round tournament game shows off what the Caro-Kann is traditionally good for - a solid, semi-open game for Black that allows you to punish an overly-aggressive White player. This is exactly what happens during the game, featuring the Exchange Variation, although I over-complicate the final phase and miss forcing the win.


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1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 g6 7.Nf3 Bg7 7...Bf5 is the main idea behind the ...g6 variation, although it is not obligatory. 8.Qc2 this is not a logical place for the queen in the long term, with the diagonal blocked, although it does prevent ...Bf5. Nh5= another key idea in this variation, chasing the Bf4. 9.Be3 Qc7 10.Qb3 Nf4 although the knight has moved multiple times, each time White is also forced to lose a tempo retreating, and the knight is at a better square. At this point, it is now best for White to exchange off the advanced knight. 11.Bxf4 Qxf4 12.Nbd2 the knight would be best on c3, but of course that is occupied. Qd6 with d5 pressured, this simple retreat is best. 13.0-0 0-0 the game is now very even. 14.Qc2 not very productive, going back to the blocked diagonal. Bd7 solid development. 14...Rb8 followed by a minority attack would be a good plan. 15.a3 b5 15.Rfe1 Rfc8 activating the rook and choosing the queenside for making future efforts. 16.Qb3 e6 again, solid play. 16...Rab8!? 17.a4 clearly interested in preventing the advance of my queenside pawns. a5 this is too optimistic. Now that the White a-pawn is advanced, I will not be expanding successfully on the queenside. There are several other calm possibilities. 17...Rc7 17...a6 17...Rab8 18.Qd1 Qc7 18...e5!? is now a possibility, but I had no particular desire to play an IQP position. 19.dxe5 Nxe5 20.Nxe5 Bxe5 21.g3 h5 22.Bf1= 19.Nf1 Re8 more of a waiting move. Black has no real breakthroughs available, so playing neutrally is actually a good strategy. 20.Ne3 Rab8 21.Ng4 Re7 22.Nge5 White attempts to get something going on the kingside. Nxe5 23.Nxe5 Bc6 24.Qf3 White is slightly overpressing here, but I continued with the more solid option, after some thought. Bxe5 24...f6!? 25.Ng4 Rf8 shuts the center and kingside threats down thoroughly. 25.Rxe5 the position is still completely even, but White can now think about attempting something on the h-file, combined with a bishop sac. Kg7 26.Qg4 b5 I thought for a while here and found the correct, active reaction. 27.axb5 White was very low on time here. Bxb5 28.Bxb5 Rxb5 29.Qe2? 29.Re2 29...Qb6-+ activity is again key, pressing against White's queenside weakness, while there is also a back rank problem for him. 29...Qb8 would be even better, allowing Black to triple up on the b-file with Alekhine's gun. 30.Ra2 Rb7 Black is now winning. 31.c4 an active defense that allows me to make a bad choice. dxc4 played after some thought, with some time pressure on my side. This should still be enough to win. 31...Rxb2! simplest is best. 32.Rxb2 Qxb2-+ with a continuation likely such as 33.h3 needed luft for the king 33.Qxb2 Rxb2 34.Kf1 a4 and the outside passed pawn decides it. 33...Qxe2 34.Rxe2 dxc4 32.Qxc4 Rb4 still maintaining threats to the b- and d-pawns. 32...Rc7 I hallucinated that this would not work, although the line was admittedly difficult to visualize. 33.Rc5 Rcxc5 34.dxc5 Rxc5 35.Qd4+ Kg8 36.Qd2 Qb4-+ 33.Qc3 Rc7? played one move too late; I missed White's next, as well. 33...Rxb2! simplest is again best. 34.Rxb2 Qxb2 35.Qxb2 Rxb2 and the back-rank mate threat allows Black to win. 36.g3 a4 37.Ra5 Rb4-+ 34.Rc5= Rd7 35.h3 Rbxd4 36.Ra4 now White eschews simplicity, but I miss the chance to complicate. 36.Raxa5 36...Qd6 36...Qxc5!? 37.Qxc5 Rxa4 38.Qe5+ Kf8 and Black has whatever winning chances are in the position. 37.Rxd4 Qxd4 38.Rxa5 Qxc3 39.bxc3 Rd1+ 40.Kh2 Rd2 41.Kg1 Rd1+ ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResECORnd
Class A-ChessAdmin-½–½B13
Posted by ChessAdmin at 8:12 AM

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