We've learned how to play the Neo-Classical. Now let's analyze how masters play it. We'll learn from them, move by move, best move or mistake, and understand what is being played and why. Without further ado, let's look at our games for the main line of the Neo-Classical - 13. a4
PART 1: 13. a4
Check out my post on this and how to play it here - The Mar del Plata Attack: The Neo-Classical Line, 13. a4
Game 1: GM Federico Perez Ponsa(2558) vs. IM Dmitry Stets(2385)
I inserted this game in the post (linked above), but I will place it here too. GM Ponsa is an Argentinian Grandmaster who qualified for the 2021 FIDE World Cup. IM Stets has a peak rating of almost 2500.
Watch how the International Master turns around the game to land this upset win.
I found another game played by Ponsa in the same line, but he was playing black this time. I don't understand what happened, though, because on the 24th move, Ponsa played a garishly obvious rook blunder, and then he won. I assume that he won on time. No need to show that game here, as it doesn't serve our purposes.
Game 2: FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis(2314) vs. IM/WGM Yelena Dembo(2448)
Both players are Greek. In this game, black plays a thematic pawn march all the way to g3, and breaks through with her knights.
Game 3: FM Michael Bucher(2215) vs. GM Andrey Baryshpolets (2487)
A Swiss FIDE Master against a Grandmaster. GM Baryshpolets won. It is another with 17. Nd3 and has similar ideas to the game directly above. White is not of a level comparable to black and most of the players in our demonstrative games, and he makes quite a lot of significant mistakes, but it is a good game to learn how to punish our opponent's mistakes.
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed the games and analysis and learned something. In the next post we'll see demonstrative games in the Kožul Gambit.
Sorry for the big gaps in between posts. I've been a bit busy lately, but will try to post more often!
See you next time.
