This week's game is from the first round of the Canadian Closed. While I usually choose games showing a good fight from both sides, this week's game is rather one-sided. Still, it shows how a grandmaster can exploit the slightest inaccuracy in the opening to secure a quick win.
[Event "2015 Canadian Closed"]
[Site "Guelph, Ontario"]
[Date "2015.07.10"]
[Round "1.3"]
[White "Jung, Hans"]
[Black "Hansen, Eric"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A00"]
[WhiteElo "2294"]
[BlackElo "2630"]
[PlyCount "48"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2015.07.10"]
1. Nc3 $5 {While this move is not bad in itself, it is not seen very often
among strong players, as black can get a very good position by playing d5} d5
2. e4 d4 3. Nce2 e5 4. Ng3 Be6 {It now seems like the position is roughly
equal, if not slightly in Black's favour. Black has a strong center and
somewhat promising minor pieces, but White may be able to contest the center.}
5. Be2 ({White could have tried to develop his pieces and exchange his weak f1
bishop} 5. Nf3 f6 6. Bb5+ c6 7. Ba4 Nd7 8. Bb3) 5... Nc6 6. d3 {Instead, the
bishop is now stuck in e2. It may become active one day, but before it does
White will have to find good squares for his other pieces, which is not easy
to do.} g6 7. Bg4 $2 {White realizes that exchanging a piece is a good idea,
considering how little space he has. However, this plan does not work here!}
Bb4+ $1 8. Kf1 (8. Bd2 $4 Bxd2+ 9. Kxd2 Qg5+) 8... Bxg4 9. Qxg4 Be7 {While
this move may seem odd at first, it is in fact a very precise move. This
allows Black to play Nf6 in some lines, without allowing White to pin it with
Bg5. However, the real strength of this move resides in the fact that the e7
bishop is actually very effective at attacking White's king and supporting
moves such as h5.} 10. f4 $5 {Objectively, this is not the best move for White.
However, it is quite understandable that White would wish to seek counterplay.}
h5 11. Qd1 Qd7 ({Also possible was} 11... exf4 12. N3e2 (12. Bxf4 h4 13. N3e2
g5 $1) 12... Qd7 13. Nxf4 O-O-O) 12. Nf3 Nf6 (12... exf4 13. Bxf4 h4 14. Ne2 h3
15. g3 O-O-O {Would have given Black an even better position.}) 13. Ne2 (13.
fxe5 Ng4 14. Ne2 {Might have helped release the pressure a little bit, but
Black still has a nice edge.}) 13... O-O-O 14. a3 $6 {White want to control b4,
either to push b4 or prevent Black from playing a piece in b4. However, it
seems like neither of these plans is very promising.} ({Now} 14. fxe5 {was
necessary} Ng4) ({While could also have tried} 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. fxe5 Ng4 16.
Bf4 Qe6 17. Qd2 g5 18. h3 gxf4 19. hxg4) 14... h4 15. b4 ({Once again,
releasing the pressure in the center was necessary} 15. fxe5) 15... h3 16. g3
a6 17. Qd2 Ng4 18. Qe1 {It is now too late for White to take in e5 and its
position is going to be hopeless very soon.} f5 19. Neg1 Rde8 20. Ng5 Bxg5 21.
fxg5 fxe4 22. dxe4 Rhf8+ 23. Bf4 Ne3+ 24. Ke2 Nxc2 {A very nice finish!} 0-1
