Download PGN of April ’24 1 e4 ... games
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Scandinavian Defence 3...Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bf5 6.Ne5 c6 7.g4 [B01]
Khubukshanov, E - Makarian, R was a Centre Counter where White tried a not very common idea with 8.Bc4:
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It worked out well for him as he got some edge after the opening. He had a lot of space and at some point started an attack on the kingside with his own king in the middle. White was much better and had many good options, but he went for the wrong plan and Black managed to escape into an endgame. Later both players were trying but it ended in a draw anyway, an interesting game.
In Suleymanly, A - Gadimbaily, A the line was kind of similar to the previous game in the Centre Counter with 7.g4 but White kept the bishops on with the same plan to revert the knight back to e3:
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Things escalated quickly as Black went wrong with 11 ...h5 but White could not take full advantage of this and the game was a bit chaotic. After move 20 both kings were in the centre although there were many open files and diagonals. White finally managed to make 23.0-0 with some tactics and suddenly the Black king was in trouble. Only 4 moves later White won - that’s why we should castle first guys!
Modern Defence, 150 Attack 4.Be3 a6 5.h4 h5 [B06]
Saric, I - Chatalbashev, B was in the Modern defence in one of the sharpest system where White is trying to play the 150 Attack. Boris is one of my best mates and I started playing 1...g6 because of him and I know he is really well prepared as he has already played this for many years. Black went for the uncommon line 8...c6, delaying ...Nd7 which prevents White from Nh3 ideas:
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Actually it looks interesting as it is not so clear how White should proceed. And even if Saric is a great player he missed a chance to get something by allowing 13...Bb5 and after that Black was simply better. He missed a chance to gain a big edge and White managed to get into an equal endgame. However, Black managed to outplay him again and had a winning position but he once again missed it and the game ended in a draw.
Phillidor by stealth, Antoshin Variation 6.Bf4 0-0 7.Qd2 c6 [B07/C41]
David, A- Rombaldoni, D was in a 'Phillidor by stealth' where White went for the plan with 6.Bf4 and then castled long:
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Black opened the game with 10...d5 and White had an edge, but around move 20 they started to repeat a lot and it was looking like a short draw. However, Black decided to play on which probably caught White by surprise. A few moves later White decided to give up a queen for a few pieces but it turned out that Black was much better and shortly after he won.
Caro-Kann, Endgame Variation 3...Bg4 4.c3 [B10]
Antipov, M - Yoo, C was in the so-called Endgame Variation in the Caro—Kann but this time there was no endgame as Black didn’t take on e4.
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Well, kind of. After Black went for 7...Nc5 White was forces to trade pieces and Black later insisted on trading everything but the rooks. In the rook endgame White could not achieve anything and in the end it was a draw. A very solid game from Black.
Caro-Kann, Short System 5...Ne7 6.0-0 Nd7 7.c3 Bg6 [B12]
Pranav, V - Tsatsalashvili, K was the in the Short Variation of the Caro—Kann Advance. White went for the quiet main line and with 8.Nh4 obtained the pair of bishops.
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Black is very solid in these positions. At some point Black decided to play without castling which was okay but then she played very passively. Slowly White managed to get some space on both flanks and finally managed to open the kingside with 29. F5 and win the game.
Caro-Kann, Panov Attack- 5...Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qb3 Bxf3 9.gxf3 e6 [B13]
Schevchenko, K - Saric, I was in one of the long forced variations of the Panov Attack in the Caro-Kann. White went for a subtle line with 13.Qc5+:
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This allowed him to keep the queens on rather than go for the famous endgame and on move 18 both kings managed to do without castling with the Queens on. Black had a weak d pawn but he should be fine. However, he gave up the c-file and later the a pawn. A few moves later White's rooks doubled on the 7th rank and White won the game. A surprisingly easy win and maybe this line deserves more attention.
Caro, Classical Variation 7...Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bd2 [B19]
Jacobson, A - Donchenko, A was in the Classical mainline of the Caro-Kann. Everything was very familiar in the opening .Black castled kind of late on move 16 but the game went into a standard endgame position after he traded the queens with 18...Qe4:
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Later White started to play more directly and traded pawns but was caught by a tactic and lost a pawn with 30...Nxe5. A few moves later again he lost a second and Black won.
Till next month, Marian
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