Mike Splane Jan DeJong (2006) September 11, 2008
1. e4
e6 2. d4 d5 3.
Bd3 de
Although I think this is a second-best move, I was unhappy to see it. Jan won a nice game against me in a simul the previous year after 3. … Nf6 4. Nd2 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Nf3 cd 7. cd Qb6 and I was hoping to explore that variation.
4. Be4 Nf6 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bd6 8. 0-0
Qc7
If Black can safely play … e5 he gets an equal game. My primary aim in this opening is to prevent it.
9. Na3 a6
I spent some time worrying about 9. … Ng4
10. Nc4 cd 11. Nd6+
I’m not sure this capture is correct, since trades help Black. It was hard to pass up the advantage of having the two bishops.
11. … Qd6 12. cd 0-0
Now 13. … Rd8 will threaten both to capture on d4 and to push the e pawn, so I am forced to fianchetto my bishop to stop both ideas.
13. b3 h6
Waste of time and weakens his king position. 13. … Rd8 was right.
14. Bb2 b5 15. Qe2
I was tempted by 15. a4 b4 taking the b4 square away from his knight, but that gives his knight a nice safe attacking square on a5. My plan is to hold tight in the center and try to figure out a way to get at his king, so queenside activity should be avoided.
My short term goal is to get my a1 rook to d1, then retreat the bishop to b1. The rook does not belong on c1. Posting it there allows trades, and trades help Black.
15. … Bb7 16. Rad1 Ne7 17. Ne5
Still avoiding trades.
17. … Ned5 18.
f4
This weakens my black squares, but is part of my plan. If left alone I’ll play g4 and g5 to drive away the knight. Another idea, if he moves the rook away from f8, is to play f5, trade pawns on e6, then sac the rook on f6.
18. … Rac8 19. Qd2
Black was threatening ... Nc3 and I’m still following my no-trade policy.
19. … Qb4?
I was worried about this reply when considering my last move, until I saw that it had a tactical flaw. After the game Jan told me he missed the pin on the e4-b7 line.
20. Qb4 Nb4 21. Ba3 Nfd5
21. … a5 22. Bb4 loses a pawn.
22. Be4 Rfd8?
Jan was relying on this move to save him, but …
23. Bb4 Nb4 24. Bb7 Rc7 25. Bf3 Na2 26. Nc6 Rd6 27. Ra1
After 27. … Nc3 28.Ra6 threatens both 29. Ne7+ and 29 Rc1. White is a piece up with no problems so Black resigned.
1-0