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How to beat a 400+ rated opponent.

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David210

Aniket0

Good game but you could have been in problem if you would have played c4 insted of Nf3.

TheGreatOogieBoogie

I really like how you opened, looks like something I do sometimes.  Your opponent played 5...c6?! which certainly isn't losing but does nothing for development.  The main tasks in an opening is develop minor pieces (knights before bishops is a good idea), castle, and connect the rooks by moving the queen.  6.c4 was still good to control the center even if it doesn't help with the main opening tasks directly. 6.Bg5!? is also good  mixing a pseudo-Catalan with a Averbakh variation.  Bxf6 may concede the bishop pair but the position can be kept closed or at least a pawn distribution conducive for knights. 6...Ne4 7.Bf4 though a kingside fianchetto and Bf4 don't usually mix well.  With 6.c4! you're in good company because Akopian, Wojtkiewicz, and Gagunashvili also played this setup as white against that particular black formation.

8.Qb3 is a very reasonable move, but Kasparov, Yusupov, and Van Wely played 8.h3 here, just something to consider since 8.Qb3 is by no means weak but very strong have played something else.

I don't agree that 8...Qb3 is all that good because 9.Qxb6 isn't forced (which does equalize, white is slightly better and this would therefore leave him slightly worse off than before) but instead 9.h3! maintains an edge.  An example line could go 9...Bxf3 10.Bxf3,Na6 11.Bg5 the computer liked 11.Qxb6 which also works but this is more natural since it's a developing move and keeps the tension.  The open a-file didn't help with the evaluation since I can't see a viable way black can make use of it, and besides black has less space so keeping pieces on is the way to go usually if you can help it.

9.e4 again a seemingly quite reasonable move, grab some space and maybe prepare e5.  The problem of course is 9...e5! simply countering you.  9.h3 forces the bishop elsewhere or exchanging on f3. 

11.Nxe5? was simply careless hope chess (please don't think I mean to insult, chess is a science) but the fact you're willing to make such moves is promising since you're willing to sac.  However, had you looked deeper into the position you would have found the refutation and play something else.  11.Nxe5?,Qxe5 12.Qxb7,Nbd7 13.Qxc6,Rfc8 only helps black get his pieces active using the queen to gain tempo.  Not to mention being up the exchange a knight for two pawns. 

11...Nbd7?? was premature, maybe a premove since 11.Nxe5 was probably completely unexpected.  Now you simply win the bishop pair and activate with tempo.

13...Bd5!! this is a great move from your opponent.  Normally players are attached to their fianchettoed bishops, and I suspect Qd2-Be3 setups meant to exchange it off is mostly psychological.  I don't typically employ such strategies as I feel the bishop is better off watching key central squares and/or weaknesses on the queenside, but that's a topic for another thread. 

Back to 13...Bd5!! this is simply a creative defensive move and an acknowledgement that your Bf4 with a kingside fianchetto is stronger than his long ranged bishop who both watches weak dark squares around the king and slices across the center.  Remember, the opponent's play is also apart of your game and therefore his understanding and plans can and should be reviewed post-mortem too.  It's such a creative move and totally sound playing by defensive principles that take priority over positional dogmas in that particular position. 

15.Rfd1 again very reasonable, and long knight wrong knight doesn't apply since Rad1 is even less accurate (a rook is useless on the e-file here and therefore the queen's knight may be better on the c or b file later.) but you could grab the center with 15.f4!? However it is committal and Na4 both prepares a psychological trap and prevents black from playing Nc5 if he doesn't fall for it:

15.Na4,Nxc4 16.Qxc4,b5 17.Qb3,bxa4 18.Qxb4 with bishop against a knight, fewer pawn islands, candidate passed e-pawn, and the more active queen in this transition from middle to endgame (or what many call a strategic endgame)in fact according to my engine falling for it is the objectively best line! 

15.Na4,Rab8 16.Rad1 (long knight is wrong knight here because the Rf1 gives a potential f4-f5 push teeth here) 16...Qa5 17.f4,Nc5 18.Nxc5,Qxc5+ 19.Kh1,Ng4 20.Qf3,Nh6 21.h3 with a clear advantage for white, the knight is way off on the rim, white's central control is solid, making the threat of a passed e-pawn very real, and black's pawn moves give him less structural flexibility.  21...Qxc4 analyze checks captures and threats of course 22.f5!,f6 23.fxg6,hxg6 24.Qf4,g5 and white's greater piece activity and loosened black kingside structure compensate for the lost pawn. 

David210

Very good analysis man, thanks.