Download PGN of February ’26 1 e4 ... games
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Alekhine’s, Exchange Variation 5.exd6 cxd6 6.Nc3 g6 7.h3 [B04]
In Lavrencic, M - Averin, N we have an Alekhine Exchange Variation. White went for the solid 7.h3 line:
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and the game followed one of the well known lines where White managed to get a slight edge. Later Black was a bit passive but solid and it looked like he would hold until White found a nice positional exchange sacrifice and got a winning endgame, which he easily converted.
Pirc Defence 3.Bd3 e5 [B07]
Alonso, A - Predojevic, B featured a rare line in the Pirc with 3.Bd3, where Black went into the setup with 4...exd4:
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Then the game was very positional until White started a nice attack with 21.Bd3 again, and managed to increase the pressure and won after Black made a blunder.
Caro-Kann, Endgame Variation 3.d3 dex4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 Nd7 6.a4 [B10]
Audi, A - Aronyak, G was the Endgame Variation with 3.d3, and was quite a typical game for this line.
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White got a pleasant setup where he was a bit more active and Black was defending. However, White didn’t use all his resources and Black managed to hold the endgame easily and make a draw.
Caro-Kann, Fantasy Variation 3.f3 Qb6 4.Nc3 [B12]
Ermitsch, M - Donchenko, A was in the Caro-Kann Fantasy Variation with 3...Qb6:
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Black developed well and manage to castle long as did White. Later on White missed a chance to get an edge and instead went for a passive endgame. He was holding for a long time but in the end Black managed to take advantage of one mistake and won.
Advance, Short Variation 5...Ne7 6.c3 h6 7.0-0 Nd7 8.a4 [B12]
Volokitin, A-Murzin, V was in the ever-popular Short Variation of the Caro-Kann. The game was very slow and positional. White had more space and was trying to apply pressure with 22 f5:
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However, Black defended well and in the end it was another draw in the endgame.
Caro—Kann Advance 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3 [B12]
In Harsh, S - Aronyak, G we have another Caro-Kann Advance Variation but this time with 4.h4, however, they quickly went out of the book after 10 moves:
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Black played a bit riskily and White could have achieved a nice edge. Instead, he allowed Black to develop and the game went into an equal endgame which lead to a draw later on.
Caro Exchange Variation 4.c3 Nc6 5.Bf4 e6 [B13]
Baidetsky, V - Janik, I was in the Exchange Variation of the Caro-Kann. White went for the interesting idea 9.Bc2 creating a battery with 10.Qd3:
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Later he got some advantage, but then he decided to go for an endgame which was not so hard to defend for Black and in the end it was yet another draw.
Caro-Kann, Korchnoi Variation 6.Be3 Bd6 7.Bd3 [B15]
In the Caro-Kann Korchnoi Variation of Stevic, H - Lindgren, P. White decided to for for a plan with 12.c5 where he got a bit more space but Black is solid:
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After some complications White got an endgame with an outside passed pawn which he somehow managed to convert when Black blundered.
Till next month, Marian
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