Download PGN of July ’25 1 e4 ... games
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Nimzowitsch Defence 3.e5 Bf5 4.c3 e6 5.Bd3 Nge7 [B00]
In Wang, H - Tsydypov, Z we see a Nimzowitcsh Defence. There were also a few other games in this opening this month so I looked at them in the notes inside the game.
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Here White went for a rare line with 6 Na3 and after Black played the overly optimistic 9...g5 White managed to gain an edge. He then missed a good chance, and the game quickly went into an endgame where Black was doing okay until he got his rook trapped and White won the game.
Scandinavian Defence 3...Qa5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.d3 Bg4 [B01]
Hong, A - Abasov, N was a Scandinavian with 5 d3:
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This line is quiet in general and the game also followed the normal patterns. White managed to get the bishop pair but Black was very solid. After a long positional struggle the game was decided by a nice tactic where White offered a rook and managed to create a mating attack.
Alekhine’s, Four Pawns Attack 5.f4 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 Be6 [B03]
Haring, F - Pechar, J was in the sharp Four Pawns Variation of the Alekhine's defence. Black opted for the 5...g6 variation and soon White offered a pawn with a new idea, 9.Qd2:
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Black took it and White developed a strong initiative. Black was trying to survive but he could not develop and White opened too many files and diagonals. The end of the game was a mate with a nice queen sac. Impressive play from White.
Pirc Defence, 150 Attack 4.Be3 Bg7 5.Qd2 a6 [B07]
Abasov, N - Theodorou, N featured a rare line of the Pirc and in only a few moves we had a new position after 6...d5:
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Black quickly gained an edge and developed a fast initiative. The game was very intense and for a long time Black was pushing but then at some point White become much better and in the end they somehow settled for a draw.
Pirc Defence, Classical Variation with h3 and ...c6 [B08]
In game 5 Duboue, P - Krasenkow, M was one of the main lines in the Classical Pirc and it was all normal until White went for 10.e5 and the game became more open:
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Soon after both players were playing aggressively and it become really interesting. White managed to create some pressure and in the complications found some nice tactics and won the game.
Caro-Kann Advance 3...c5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.dxc5 Bg4 [B12]
Daylite, D - Kosteniuk, A was a Caro-Kann Advance with 3...c5. Black went for a rare line which she has already played before. After 9...b6 Black already takes the initiative and White has to be very careful:
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Instead she played very actively and soon Black got a big edge and after winning material the game was soon over. A very interesting line for Black.
Caro-Kann Advance 4.h4 h6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.cxd3 [B12]
Laurent, P - Iturrizaga, B was another Advanced line in the Caro-Kann and White went for a rare idea with 6.cxd3:
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Black was developing normally but in the middlegame he started to play a bit passively. White got more space and some edge and switched to the queenside where he managed to get a passed pawn, then won material and the game.
Caro-Kann Advance 4.Nd2 e6 5.Nb3 Nd7 6.Nf3 a6 7.Be2 c5 8.c3 [B12]
Caruana, F - Carlsen, M it was the ever-popular Short variation in the Caro-Kann. Soon it went into new territory after Black closed the centre and all the pieces and pawns were left on the board:
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White started to prepare for the standard break with f2-f4-f5 and Black was blocking it. After a very long fight White got a pawn, but Black had activity. Finally White started to play without a plan and Black somehow managed to win in the usual great style of Magnus.
Till next month, Marian
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