Download PGN of January ’26 1 e4 ... games
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Modern 3.Bd3 [B06]
Demchenko,A - Goh, H featured a very rare line in the Modern with 3.Bd3:
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White delayed Nc3 and was slowly improving. Black decided to play on the kingside but later White got a nice outpost in the centre on d6 and when he managed to take control of the a file he won material and the game. Simple and efficient play from White.
Modern, Hippopotamus 4.Bc4 e6 5.Qe2 Ne7 [B06]
Maknhev, D - Rapport, R was another Modern, but the Hippo Variation. After the standard first few moves White went for the plan with 9.d5 and then it started to look a bit like a KID:
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Black was trying to create an attack on the kingside and White was trying to break on the other side, it was really a very interesting battle. In the middle game Black started to play a bit passively and ran out of active plans which allowed White to take full control and win in the endgame. A nice instructive game.
Modern, 150 Attack 4.Be3 a6 5.h4 Nf6 6.h5 [B06]
Lagno, K - Koneru, H was a rare and very sharp line in the Modern where White gives an exchange early on with 7.Rxh5:
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Black did not find a good plan and White got a very big edge and an easy game. She was winning in many ways but went into some complications where both sides made some mistakes. Finally White missed a very beautiful win, and in the end Black even managed to win the game. This line really looks so good and easy for White.
Pirc, 150 Attack 5.Be3 c6 6.Qd2 Qa5 [B08]
Hovhannisyan, R - Ivanchuk, V featured the popular 150 Attack in the Pirc where Black went for a line with 6...Qa5 which prevents long castles:
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The game followed the main patterns where there is a symmetrical pawn structure and White is always a bit more active. In the endgame Black managed to get an equal position but later he blundered, fortunately for him White also stumbled and finally there was a draw with a perpetual.
Caro-Kann Advance 4.Ne2 [B12]
Pranesh, M - Iturrizaga, E was in a not that popular line in the Caro-Kann with 4.Ne2 and later White went for a deviation with 9.cxd3:
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The game was complicated and around equal, but then In the middle game Black went for a bad plan and ended up in a very passive position. White took advantage, won material and later the game.
Advance, Short Variation 5...a6 6.0-0 c5 7.Be3 [B12]
So, W - Aravindh, C was in the Caro-Kann Advance, Short Variation and Black went for the system with an early 6...c5. White found a good novelty, 9.dxc5, and opened the game a bit:
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Soon Black went for complications but missed a move which allowed White to create a strong attack and quickly win the game.
Exchange Variation 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.c3 Bg4 [B13]
Erdogmus, K - Van Foreest, J was a Caro-Kann Exchange Variation. Black decided to complicate the game with some tricks and after his 15...Bxg3 the game become very wild:
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Then White found a nice combination and there were big complications where both players made mutual mistakes, but finally White's attack was too strong and he won the game. A very exciting game.
Panov Attack 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.c4 Nf6 6.h3 [B13]
Puranik, S - Praggnanandhaa, R was a Caro-Kann, but an unusual version of the Panov Attack with 6.h3:
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White managed to get a slight edge as Black gave a pawn and then even a second for some activity. However, White could not find the best plan and lost one of the extra pawns and shortly after forced a draw.
Till next month, Marian
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