Very recently I became a member and
already I was allowed to play in the CPC team for the AXS cup. Originally, I’m
from the Netherlands and have played in a chess club for about 20 years. A few
years back, however, I moved to London and never became a member of a chess club
there. Since I moved to Portugal this summer, I’ve been wanting to play again
and after contacting some clubs, I decided to become a member of CPC.
I already noticed in previous weeks that
our team is very strong: I played blitzes on the club night and noticed that
the players know their openings and it’s not easy to just beat them. Therefore
it was decided I could play on board 3. After all, I need to prove myself
first.
A bit rusty, I started the game...
1. e4 d5
2. exd5 Nf6
The Scandinavian opening. I’m not a big
fan of it and even though there are variations where you can keep a pawn, it
always is very difficult to play. I decided to play it differently today.
3. Bb5+
a variation that I’ve seen before but
never really played. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to try it!
3... Bd7
4. Bc4 Bg4
Here I thought very long: is it worth it
to play f3 and play with a hole in the pawn structure but be a pawn up?
5. f3
(5. Nf3 Nxd5 6. O-O e6 7. h3 Bh5 8. d4 Be7
⩲)
5... Bf5
6. Bb5+?! (6.
Nc3 Nbd7 7. g4 Nb6 8. b3?! (8. Bb3 Bc8) 8... Bc8 9. Bb2 Nbxd5 10.
Nxd5 Nxd5 ± [Caruana, F. (2795) vs
Akobian, V. (2615)])
6... c6
7. dxc6 Nxc6
(7... bxc6 8. Bc4 e5 9. Ne2 Bc5 10. Nbc3 O-O 11. Na4)
8. Bxc6+
Eating the knight before Qb6 comes.
However, that wasn't a threat after all: (8. Ne2 Qb6 (8... e5) 9. Bxc6+ Qxc6
10. Nd4)
8... bxc6
9. d4 e6
I was afraid of both c5 and e5 here. There
are many interesting variations so I took quite some time here. At this moment,
my opponent had only used around 5 minutes and I used more than 30 minutes. The
move e6 is more passive and allows me to develop and get out of the oppressed
position.
(9... e5! 10. Ne2 (10. dxe5 Nd5 11. Ne2
Bc5 12. Nbc3 Qh4+ 13. Ng3 Nxc3 14. bxc3 O-O -+) 10... Qc7 (10... Qb6 11. Ng3
Bg6 12. dxe5 Rd8 13. Qe2 Bb4+ =) 11. O-O Bd6 12. h3 Rd8 13. c3 exd4 14. cxd4 c5
⩱)
10. Ne2 Qb6
11. c3 (11. O-O
±)
11... c5
12. Qa4+ Nd7
13. Na3
With the intention of going to c4. This
would attack the black queen and defend b2. After that, I could play Be3 and
have a nice position with a pawn more.
13... Bd3
14. b3 Rd8
(14... cxd4 15. cxd4 Rc8 16. Bd2 (For example: 16. h3 Rc2 17. Nxc2 Bb5 -+))
15. Be3
Finally my bishop can develop, I'm ahead
in development and a pawn up. This is a very good position for white.
15... Be7
16. Rd1 Bxe2
17. Kxe2 O-O
18. Nc4 (18. dxc5
Nxc5 19. Qb5)
18... Qc7
19. Qa5 Rc8
20. Qxc7 Rxc7
21. d5?!
21... exd5
22. Rxd5 Nb6
23. Nxb6 axb6
I gave black a better pawn structure and
an open a-file
24. a4
(I was afraid of rooks getting on the
a-file using 24... Ra7 and after 25. a4 black can break with c4. However, this
does not work. For example: 24. Rhd1 Ra7 25. a4 c4 (25... Bf6 26. Kd3 +-) 26.
Bxb6 +-)
24... Bf6
25. Kd2 Rd8
Trading rooks. Making it easier for me.
26. Rxd8+ Bxd8
27. Rd1 Rd7+
And now the other one. Now it's over.
28. Ke2 Rxd1
29. Kxd1 Bc7
30. h3 f5
31. a5 bxa5
32. Bxc5
and black gave up at move 48.
Arthur Vlug
