Defending the QGD Exchange Variation: Hamilton Quads Round 3

This game occurred on 19 Mar 2011 at the Hamilton Quads.  These quads are held using a time control of 40/80 15/30; 15/30, complete with adjournments.  It's not unusual for games in the higher quads to go on well into the evening. 

In quads, the colors are determined for the first two rounds, and players draw for colors in the third round. Going into this third round, I already had 1.5 points, and a win would clinch a share of first.

In the toss, I ended up with the Black pieces.  I swear that I'm running a huge deficit of whites.  For sure I've got 4 Blacks out of the last six rounds. 

This turned out to be a fairly good game, and it represents some good themes in defending the Exchange variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined.  Later, maybe in another post I'll analyze some of the double Rook endings that could have come from this game.