Mike Splane (2264) Vishtasb
Golshan (1790)
1. e4
a6
I’m not usually out of book after 1 move, but I have never faced this before. I sat for about 4 minutes to do some planning.
Since he is obviously going to play b5, I looked at Bc4 Qf3 and e5, but b5 will take the c4 square way from my bishop.
I knew how to beat the double fianchetto systems with e6 and d6 – you push f2-f4-5 to open lines, but with this particular move order I want my knight to quickly go to f3 to block cheapos down the b7 g2 diagonal.
If I play 2. f4 before developing the knight he can play 2… c5 transposing into a Sicilian when I want my pawn on f2.
Finally I decide to adopt the plan of d4, Bd3, Nf3, 0-0, and
Re1, holding onto center space. I can decide on how to develop the queenside
depending on what he plays.
2.
d4 b5
3. Bd3 Bb7
4. Nf3 c5
Wow! I thought I had fallen into some prepared line and started to worry. After the game I couldn’t find any games with this move at Chesslab.com, so it looks like he made a move-order mistake. Usually Black plays 4. … e6 then 5. …c5.
5. dc e6 6. Be3 Nf6
7. Nbd2
Qc7 8. b4
Nc6
9. c3 g6
To tell the truth, I was happy to see this. I thought he should play d6 either here or on the last move, leaving me with a backward pawn on the c file.
10. 0-0
I had a couple of other, and probably better, choices here. 10. h3 preventing Ng4 was probably best. 10. a4 forcing favorable exchanges was also good.
10. … Bg7 11. a4
And now I didn’t play 11. h3 because I didn’t want to give him a tempo to get castled. I thought there would be some tactics based on Qa1 or Qd4 gaining a tempo by attacking his rook. As it turns out, this was exactly right.
There’s an odd sideline in the Ruy Lopez where the b4 vs b5 pawn structure can occur, and I knew that pushing the a-pawn is the right way to attack this pawn structure.
11. … Ng4
I was going to answer 11. … ba with 12. Nc4 The d6 square is a huge hole, and my knight would dominate the board from there.
It wasn’t until after he played his move that I noticed that my f3 knight can not move to d4, so my plan of 12. Bd4 Bd4 13. Nd4 was not playable. So I have to choose between allowing doubled pawns on e3, or losing a pawn. I decided to hang onto the material, and hope that I could use the open file after he takes on e3.
12. ab ab
He should capture on e3 while he has the chance. Now I am ok again.
13. Ra8+ Ba8
Time for some thinking. 14. Qa1 doesn’t really gain a tempo, he plays 14. … 0-0 simultaneously guarding a8 and threatening 15… Nb4. 14. Qa3 0-0 15. Re1 avoids doubled pawns, but doesn’t put any pressure on his position. I decided to give up a pawn to open lines while he is still uncastled, reasoning that I could always win it back by eventually capturing on b5.
14. Bd4 Bd4
If 14. … e5 15. Be3 Ne3 16. fe I have an advantage due to my super solid queenside pawn structure, and his weakness on b5.
15. cd Nd4 16. h3
He thought for 30 minutes after this. If. 16…. h5 17 Qa1 wins
16. … Nf3+ 17.
Nf3 Nf6
If 17. … Nh6 18. Qc1 Ng8 19. Qa1. If 17. … Ne5 18. Ne5 Qe5 19. Qa1 Qa1 20. Ra1 Kd7 [20. … Bc6 21. Bb5] 21. Bb5 Be4 22. Ra7, when my passed pawns give me a big edge.
I thought Nf6 was unplayable due to 18. Qa1, but simply 18… Ke7 saves everything. Passively defending the e pawn allows him to consolidate his position, so I quickly send my knight to its best square, d6.
18. Nd4 Be4 19. Nb5 Qf4
?
After 19. … Qc6 20. Nd6+ Ke7 21. b5 Qd5 22. Be4 Ne4 23. Ne4 Qe4 24. Re1 Qa8 25. Qd6+ [Kf6 26. Qd7] Ke8 26. Rd1 Qc8 27. c6 dc 28. bc Black is in huge trouble. 29 Rb1 is threatened.
20. Nd6+ Ke7 21. Be4 Ne4 22. Qd4 Ng3
Nothing helps. He can resign.
23. Qh8 Ne2+
He can’t capture the rook, due to Nb8#.
24. Kh1 Ng3+ 25. fg Qf1+ 26. Kh2 e5
26. … Qb5 is the only move other that stops mate. Both lose the queen.
27. Qe8+ 1-0