[Event "Thuispartij 27-01-2018"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2018.01.27"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Conny, 3.6Mhz"]
[Black "Stef"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B41"]
[WhiteElo "1757"]
[BlackElo "1858"]

[PlyCount "95"]
[TimeControl "240+2"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 (2... Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nc3
Qc7 {Taimanov}) 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 {
Typical for the Kan, this move precedes Qc7} 5. c4 {After the lateron to
follow Bd3, this setup is called the Maroczy Bind. Though Bf1 is locked in,
the position aims to control fields b5 & d5, blacks main moves, so the
Maroczy bind is kind of a weapon in the hands of some players} Nf6 6. Nc3 (6. Bd3 $6
Nc6 7. Be3 d5 {and the position is already equal}) 6... Bb4 {
A bit more obvious as Qc7 actually} (6... Qc7 {The classic move, aimed to
excert pressure on the c4 pawn. The queen disallows e5 !} 7. a3 {In almost all
cases a tempo loss, but the pin of Nc3 with the pressure on e4 is a problem
with a centre like this.} b6 {Hedgehog (Igle) setup. As black does not
have b5, nor d5 in this position, the development of the white square bischop
is over b7. Pawn b6 is weakened, and Be3, Qd2 and Na4 are usually the means to exploit this} 8.
Be3 Bb7 9. f3 Nc6 10. Be2 {And white is a bit better}) 7. Bd3 Nc6 (7... Qc7 $5
8. O-O Nc6 9. Bc2 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 $14 {White is standing better, both bishops
are out and e5 is threatening, this disfavours 7 ... Qc7 a bit in favor of 7 ..
. Nc6}) 8. Nde2 $5 {A bit surprisingly the Conny chooses this option, and all
considered a good choice. One wold expect that the xchange chances against a
chess program are pretty high but no, the Conny avoids it. Well done Conny !} (8. Nxc6
dxc6 9. e5 Qa5 10. exf6 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Qxc3+ 12. Bd2 Qxd3 13. fxg7 Rg8 {
This is a position commonly reached in games and heavily analyzed , unsure if
this will be a critical line for black over time, chances are according to
theory about equal.}) 8... Ne5 {Less efficient as in the move order of Qc7. So
this is a lesson to be added in my repertoire} (8... Qc7 9. O-O Ne5 {This move is
an anti-maroczy move, as it clearly illustrates the weakness of c4 as well,
moreover , due to the Bb4, b3 is no option. Therefore, if a chance is there to
avoid Bb4, a3 is inserted instead } 10. f4 Nxc4 11. Kh1 b5 {
And white has some initiativ as compensation for the pawn.}) 9. O-O O-O (9...
Qc7 {Was still interesting ! Another moveorder in this typical anti-maroczy
opening line}) 10. a3 $5 {An excellent move of the Conny after the xchange
, the queen will move to e2}
Bd6 $6 {A move suggested by my son, as the square is more active and
the white squared bishop will be played after b6. Nonetheless not fully
equalising the game.} (10... Bc5 11. b4 Be7 12. f4 Nxd3 13. Qxd3 d6 {This looked
promosing for white, but d6 avoids e5, on which lack should retreat and with a
bishop on d3 , heading for h7. Now avoiding the push to e5 , the whole setup has lost much of its venom})
11. Bf4 $6 {A curious move though not the best, and now the plan Qc7 followed
by Nxd3 or Nf3+ is very promising. Th better alternatives were 11. f4 , Ng3 or
Bg3} (11. f4 Bc5+ 12. Kh1 Nxd3 13. Qxd3 d5 14. e5 Ng4 $16 {
and white has the upper hand}) (11. Bg5 $6 h6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. f4 Bc5+ 14. Kh1
Ng4 15. Qe1 $11) (11. Ng3 Qc7 (11... Ng6 $6 12. f4 $1 e5 13. f5 Bc5+ 14. Kh1
Nf4 (14... Ne7 $4 15. Bg5 $18) 15. Bxf4 exf4 $16 {and white has the upperhand})
12. Bg5 Nxd3 13. Qxd3 Be7 14. Nh5 Ng4 15. Bf4 d6 $14 {With an edge for white})
11... Qc7 {Exerts pressure on c4, though in the current Nxc4 fails on Bxd6
(Qxd6 Bxc4) Nxd6 e5 !! Another option is Nf3+ or even better Nxd3 followed by
Bxh2} (11... Bc7 {Is considered best by Stockfish}) 12. Bg3 {The Conny played
the obvious, apart from xChanging on e5. Now the position is balanced again} (
12. Bxe5 Bxe5 13. f4 Qb6+ 14. Kh1 Bb8 $16) 12... Nh5 {This night that only
couldbe pinned horribly, will acrifice itself for the Bg3. One can say black
has resolved all his opening issues and equalised nicely.} 13. Bxe5 Bxe5 {
Due to Nh5, f4 is not possible} 14. h3 {
Not as good as 14 g3 a more profilactic move} (14. g3 g6 15. f4 Bg7 16. e5 d6
17. g4 Nxf4 18. Rxf4 dxe5 19. Rf2 f5 $15 {And black has excellent
compensation for the N for 2 connected + pawns, centre control and the
initiative}) 14... Nf4 {Bit unfortunate, as white will demonstrate he will
convert this to a position with some initiative} (14... b6) 15. Nxf4 Bxf4 16.
Qg4 $5 (16. g3 Bxg3 17. fxg3 Qxg3+ 18. Kh1 Qxh3+ 19. Kg1 Qg3+ {
with perpetual check}) 16... Bh6 $6 {
A move concerned by e5, though g6 is always there ...panic for nothing} (16...
b6 $1 17. g3 Be5 18. f4 f5 19. exf5 Bxc3 20. bxc3 (20. fxe6 $4 Bd4+) 20... exf5
21. Qe2 {
and now white is a bit shacky behind the pawns with the white squared bishop.}
(21. Bxf5 $4 Qc5+ $19)) 17. Rad1 d6 $6 {Creates itself as a weakness, the
bishop should still be developped via b7. It has the small plus of having some
control over e5 , at the moment} (17... b6) 18. Qe2 {Uninspired move} (18. Qg3
e5 19. Nd5 Qd8 20. c5 {Whatever black tries, white has the initiative}) 18...
b6 {Everytime in a game of sicilian with black, the b6 moment is a bit shaky
(unless not all pieces are developped) , it always is a weak moment for the
rook on a8} 19. e5 {A wonderfull idea by the Conny, it demonstrates via dxe5
Qe4 how to exploit the situation. However digging into more depth , there is a
caveat in his thinking (and mine as well) , provided you didn't abandon the
analysis already. The queen could get trapped !} Bb7 $2 $18 {Black overwhelmed
by the idea, and the idea on top of exd6 Qxd6, Bxh7+ decides to give the pawn
in the best possible way which tips the balance to white} (19... dxe5 20. Qe4 f5 21. Qxa8 $4 Bb7 $1 22.
Qa7 Ra8 23. Qxa8+ Bxa8 $19 {and black has the upper hand !!!}) 20. exd6 Qb8 21.
Rfe1 Rd8 22. Qc2 g6 (22... Bf4) 23. Be4 Rd7 $2 (23... Bf8 {Simply better then
blocking the pawn, with the trhreat around of Nf6+, hereby limiting blacks
bishop} 24. Bxb7 Qxb7 25. Ne4 {
f5 is not much of an option, as e6 is severely impacted}) 24. Qa4 Qc8 {
Does not help, but in a bad position, nothing ever helps} 25. Bxb7 Qxb7 26. b3
$2 {Teethless, black survives} (26. b4 b5 27. cxb5 axb5 28. Qxb5 $18) 26... Bg7
27. Re3 {Makes sense but Ne4 makes more sense} Qc8 $2 (27... Bxc3 28. Rxc3 $16)
(27... Rad8 28. Ne4 $16) 28. Ne4 f5 {Black decides to take a risk to get to d6}
29. Ng5 e5 30. Ne6 Bf6 31. Nc7 Ra7 32. Nd5 Qd8 $2 {
Now the game is out, the thought to gain d6 is based on loose sand} (32... Rxd6
33. Nxf6+ Rxf6 34. Rxe5 {A variation suggested by my son and surely better
that what I made of it as d6 is off the board and a draw is still very much
possible}) 33. Qc6 Rab7 34. Nxf6+ Qxf6 35. Qd5+ {
and a second pawn goes, now the game is escalating for black} Kf8 36. Qxe5 Kf7
37. Qxf6+ Kxf6 38. Re8 Kf7 39. Ra8 a5 (39... Ke6 40. Rxa6 Rxd6 41. Rxd6+ Kxd6
42. Kf1 $18) 40. Kh2 Kf6 41. Kg3 g5 42. Rd5 $1 {
With this move pressure from behind Rf8/Rg8 finsihes of black in rapid tempo}
Rf7 43. Re8 h5 44. h4 f4+ (44... Rg7) 45. Kf3 gxh4 46. Rxh5 Rfd7 47. Rxh4 Kg5
$4 {Despite this ugly move, the game was hopeless} (47... Rxd6 48. Rh6+ Kf7
49. Rxd6 Kxe8 50. a4 $18) 48. Rg4+ 1-0