MUG: Here’s something I’ve noticed in this game, and in others with this common line of the 4… Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 Ba6 9.b3 0-0-0 variation of the Scotch. When White castles early (a perfectly natural move), he allows a sequence of exchanges that seem to lead to a inevitable victory for Black (although my Fritz only gives the resulting position as slightly better for black, in practice it seems to be a foregone conclusion!).N Shavtvaladze vs A Potapov, 2001
Gandalf vs GOLIATH, 2001
R Mamedov vs F Jenni, 2004
…and here’s another example not on the database:
Ashley,Maurice (2445) - Mikhalevski,Alexander (2470)
Budapest FS10 IM-A Budapest (8), 12.10.1997
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 Ba6 9.g3 g6 10.b3 Bg7 11.Bb2 0–0–0 12.Bg2 Rde8 13.0–0 Bxe5 14.Qxe5 Qxe5 15.Bxe5 Rxe5 16.cxd5 Bxf1 17.Kxf1 cxd5 18.Nc3 c6 19.Rc1 Kd8 20.Na4 h5 21.Nc5 h4 22.Nd3 Ree8 23.Rc5 hxg3 24.hxg3 Kc7 25.Ra5 Kd6 26.a4 Ra8 27.Ke2 a6 28.b4 Kc7 29.Rc5 a5 30.b5 Kd6 31.Bf3 Rhe8+ 32.Kd2 Re4 33.Bxe4 dxe4 34.bxc6 exd3 35.Rg5 dxc6 36.Kxd3 c5 37.Kc4 Rb8 38.Rd5+ Ke6 39.Kxc5 Rb2 40.Rd6+ Kf5 41.f3 Rb3 42.Rd5+ Ke6 43.Rd6+ Kf5 44.Rd5+ Kf6 45.Rd6+ Kg7 46.Ra6 Rxf3 47.Rxa5 Rxg3 48.Kd4 g5 49.Kc4 g4 50.Rb5 Kg6 51.a5 Ra3 52.Rb6+ Kf5 53.Kb4 Ra1 54.a6 g3 0–1
Not a very interesting observation perhaps, but useful to keep in mind if you’re a regular Scotch player as it still appears to be catching a lot of strong players out!
