1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Nf3 Qb6 5.Nc3 cxd4
6.Nxd4 Bc5 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Bb5 Nge7 9.O-O O-O 10.Bxc6 Bxd4 11.Bxd4 Qxc6 12.f4 g6 13.b3 h5 14.a4 b6 15.Nb5 Nf5
16.Qd2 Ba6 17.Qc3 Rfc8 18.Qxc6 Rxc6 19.c3 Bxb5 20.axb5 Rc7 21.Rac1 Rac8 22.Rca1 Nxd4 23.cxd4 Rc7c3 24.Rxa7 Rxb3 25.Rb7 Rxb5 26.g3 Rc4 27.Rd1 Rc2 28.Ra1 Rbb2 29.h3 Rcg2+ 30.Kf1 Rbf2+ 31.Ke1 Rg1+ 32.Kxf2 Rxa1 33.Rxb6 Ra2+ 34.Kf3 Ra3+ 35.Kf2 h4 36.Rb1 Rxg3 37.Rh1 Rd3 38.Rf1 Rxd4 39.Kf3 Kg7 40.Kg4 f6 41.exf6+ Kxf6 42.Kxh4 g5+ 43.Kg4 Rxf4+ 44.Rxf4+ gxf4 45.Kxf4 e5+ 46.Ke3 Kg5 47.Kf3 e4+ 48.Kg3 d4 49.h4+ Kh5 50.Kf4 d3 51.Ke3 Kxh4 52.Kd2 Kg3 53.Ke3 Kg2 54.Kxe4 d2 55.Ke3 d1=Q 56.Ke4 Qa4+ 57.Kd5 Kf3 58.Ke5 Qe4+ 59.Kd6 Kf4 60.Kc5 Ke5 61.Kb6 Qb4+ 62.Kc6 Qc4+ 63.Kd7 Qc5 64.Kd8 Ke6 65.Ke8 Qc8# 0-1

<1.e4 e6> French defense <2.d4 d5 3.e5> Advance variation <3...c5 4.Nf3!?> A rare move, normal is 4.c3. <4...Qb6!?> I always like playing Qb6 in the Advance variation but after 4.Nf3, the better moves are actually 4...Nc6 and 4...cxd4. <5.Nc3 cxd4 6.Nxd4!?> Crafty recommends 6.Qxd4, leading to a small edge for White after queen exchanges. <6...Bc5?!> Overlooking the strong 7.Na4! attacking the two pieces simultaneously. <7.Be3 Nc6> 7...Qxb2 is not an option here because it boxes in the queen via 8.Ndb5! <8.Bb5 Nge7?>

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It's difficult to spot, but White had an opportunity to obtain a decisive advantage here via 9.Na4!! Qa5+ (Qc7 or Qd8 loses the bishop) 10.Bd2! Qxa4 11.Bxa4 <9.O-O O-O 10.Bxc6 Bxd4!> And not 10...bxc6 because it loses to 11.Na4 Qa5 12.Nxc5 Qxc5 13.Nxe6!! attacking Black's queen with the bishop on e3 and breaking down Black's pawn structure. <11.Bxd4 Qxc6 12.f4?>

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The tricky opening has ended with a couple of exchanges and now White starts the middlegame with a questionable move. White tries to strengthen the center but thereby also weakens the protection around its king. <12...g6!> This seems a strange move, but here I was preparing ...h5 to prevent a possible g4 so that I can safely move my knight to its outpost on f5. <13.b3?!> I don't get this move. <13...h5 14.a4 b6 15.Nb5 Nf5> The knight arrives on its outpost at the right moment, because it prevents Nc6. <16.Qd2?>

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An inaccuracy, which allows Black to get an edge for the first time in the game.

(to be continued)

<16...Ba6!> This pins the knight and wins a pawn in one way or another. <17.Qc3 Rfc8?> Black wastes its advantage! The right move here would have been 17...Bxb5! 18.axb5 Qxc3 19.Bxc3 Rfc8 20.Rf3 d4 21.Bb4 Rxc2 <18.Qxc6 Rxc6 19.c3 Bxb5 20.axb5 Rc7 21.Rac1 Rac8 22.Rca1>

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White is wasting time. Black has a better pawn structure and both rooks on the c-file, and should therefore soon be able to grab one of White's queenside pawns. <22...Nxd4 23.cxd4 Rc7c3 24.Rxa7 Rxb3 25.Rb7 Rxb5> There is the pawn! <26.g3 Rc4!> Continuining on the right path by attacking White's weakest pawn. <27.Rd1 Rc2!> Turning the attention to the pawn on h2. Meanwhile, Black's advantage is becoming bigger as White's king is becoming increasingly vulnerable without pawn protection. <28.Ra1 Rbb2 29.h3 Rcg2+ 30.Kf1 Rbf2+>

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Perhaps not the best move (hard to see), but I'm proud of it nevertheless. This is the first move of a big plan to sacrifice the b-pawn but to gain a kingside pawn AND a better position. <31.Ke1 Rg1+! 32.Kxf2 Rxa1 33.Rxb6 Ra2+ 34.Kf3 Ra3+ 35.Kf2 h4!>

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This move was part of the plan. <36.Rb1?> A mistake. Better to sacrifice a pawn right away with 36.gxh4. <36...Rxg3 37.Rh1 Rd3 38.Rf1 Rxd4 39.Kf3 Kg7 40.Kg4 f6!>

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Breaking White's pawn structure in the center so that Black's pawns can advance. <41.exf6+ Kxf6 42.Kxh4 g5+!> A pretty move that can confuse the opponent. <43.Kg4 Rxf4+!> The move that seals the win. This forces an exchange of rooks and Black's connected passed pawns become unstoppable. <44.Rxf4+ gxf4 45.Kxf4 e5+ 46.Ke3 Kg5 47.Kf3 e4+ 48.Kg3 d4 49.h4+ Kh5 50.Kf4 d3 51.Ke3 Kxh4 52.Kd2>

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