00018.4.25 Analyzed by National Master Corey Russell

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Nc3 d5 5. e3 c6 6. Be2 O-O

7. O-O Nbd7

While this plan is sound, white can get a slight pull by

playing 8. cxd5 cxd5 9. Qb3 e6 (...Nb6 10. Ne5) 10. Bd2,

and white can gain c-file occupatio first. Probably

7. ... dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bg4 leads to better chances for equality,

with the idea of an eventual ...e5 by black.

8. Qc2 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nb6 10. Bb3 Nfd5 11. Nxd5

? Definitely wrong. If white was planning this, he never

should've posted his queen on c2, because now the lady will

be exposed for free tempos by black. Instead, a3 or e4 are

much more consistent...leaving white with a slight advantage

(center, black's less than ideal knight on b6).

11... cxd5 12. Bd2 Bf5 13. Qd1 Rc8 14. Ba5 Qd6 15. Bxb6 axb6

16. Qe2

An automatic move...this connects rooks, but that's about it.

Instead Qd2 is stronger. This would prevent blacks' queen

from infiltrating b4, help insure white can contest the c-file

(since the Q would be covering c1), and indirectly hinders an

e5 break by black (because the black d-pawn would be hit by

white's queen and bishop. Also, ...Bg4, followed by ...Bxf3,

gxf3 is not dangerous for white. Remember: a weakness is only

a weakness if it can be taken advantage of! This motif is seen

often in Grandmaster (GM) chess.

16... Bg4 17. h3 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 e6 19. Rac1 Qb4 20. Qe2 Rc6 21. Rxc6

? Now black mobilizes his pawns, white's bishop is bad,

and will activate black's bishop as well, not to mention

undoubling black's pawns for him. Because of the opposite

colored bishops, white could put a much stiffer reistance

by playing 21. Qd3 Rfc8 22. Rcd1!, and black has no access

points (c2 is covered by the light squared bishop), and no

way to boot white's bishop. Note that even if black sac'd

his rook on c4 at some point, white doesn't even have to

take it! Also, the d-line pressure would discourage a ...e5

break by black. White would basically "shuffle", since black

can't break through.

21... bxc6 22. Qa6 c5 23. Rd1 cxd4 24. exd4 Bxd4 25. Qa3 Qc5

26. Qxc5 bxc5 27. Rd2 Rb8

Good move, this restricts white's options, and indirectly

prevents white from mobilizing his own pawn majority.

28. Kf1 Kg7 29. Ke2 Kf6 30. f3 Ke5 31. Kd1 c4 32. f4+ Ke4

33. Bc2+ Ke3 34. b3 cxb3 35. Bxb3 Rb7 36. g3 Bc3 37. Rc2 d4

38. Rg2 Kf3

A well-played game by black...black made the most of his

opportunities. With this game, it's hard to answer your

question about strength...white made a number of positional

errors, and black could be anywhere from an A-class player

to grandmaster. I need more games to make a better evaluation

in that regard. White played approx. B-player strength.

Keep at it, and always go over any losses/draws you experience,

so you can learn and improve even more.

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