Download PGN of August ’25 1 e4 ... games
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Scandinavian Defence 3...Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nc6 [B01]
In Vivaan, S - Plat, V we have a Centre Counter with 3...Qd6:
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The game went into unknown territory pretty fast and after both sides developed it was around equal. Later, Black managed to break in the centre, got the initiative, slowly gained a big edge and later won the game.
Pirc Defence, 150 Attack 4.Be3 Bg7 5.Qd2 a6 [B07]
The game between Grezels, F - Pechac, J was in the Pirc. White went for the 150 attack line and Black decided to try a rare system with 5...a6 which is some sort of mix with the Modern:
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White played very directly and it was a really very interesting and sharp game. White had the initiative and could get an edge but in the end, after a series of forced moves and after only 22 moves, the game finished with an amazing positional draw in the late endgame where White was a piece down.
Caro-Kann Advance 4.Nd2 e6 5.g4 Bg6 6.Ne2 c5 7.h4 [B12]
Korobov, A -- Schmidek, E was a very rare line in the advanced Caro-Kann. White went for a plan with 4 Nd2 and then suddenly 5 g4:
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Just a few moves later it was already out of book. Black could have taken a central pawn, but instead he allowed White to win a pawn and defend it. Later White managed to gain full control of the board and comfortably win the game.
Caro-Kann Advance 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Qa5+ [B12]
Bronstein, O - Cao, Q was also in the Advance Caro-Kann. White went for a slightly less popular line with 8.Ne2 where his h pawn was later left hanging:
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After Black did not take the pawn he was very passive and slowly White gained an edge and later on managed to open the position with a nice combination and deliver a mating attack.
Caro-Kann Advance 3...c5 4.dxc5 e6 5.Qh5 [B12]
In Pranesh, M - Idani, P we saw a very rare line in the Caro-Kann Advance with 3...c5 where White went for an early 5.Qh5:
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Black found a good plan with a quick break in the centre, 11...f6, and got a comfortable position. Later, after a series of forced moves, the game quickly went into an equal endgame and ended in a draw.
Caro-Kann Advance 3...Bf5 4.c4 e6 5.Nc3 Ne7 6.Nge2 [B12]
Nakamura, H - Firouzja, A was in the Advance Caro-Kann with 4.c4. It followed one of the main plans until White decided to trade with 12.Nxd5:
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and then left his king in the centre. Black got a pleasant version of a French and after some slow positional and cautious play from both players it ended with a repetition and a draw.
Tari, A - Garsia, D was the same line as in the previous game but Black mixed ideas and went for an early 8...h5:
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However, White decided to keep it closed to stay in familiar lines. Black went for a sharp line which had already been played before. Both players missed a key line where White could have been better. In the complications White got a Queen for a few pieces but Black was able to defend and got a draw.
Caro, Two Knights Variation 3...Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6 6.g3 [B11]
Balint, P Horvath, D was in the Two Knights Variation of the Caro-Kann. It was a kind of unique game where Black first played a strange novelty, 7...Bb4, provoking c2-c3:
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Later White lost some time, delayed his development and pushed all his pawns. Black had the better development but it was not easy to open the position. Then White missed a tactic and Black opened the game and won easily soon after that.
Till next month, Marian
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