This week, I have decided to analyze another game played at the CUCC; this time between McMaster and U de M. This game was an interesting positional battle, where the lower rated white player was able to outplay his opponent. Hopefully you'll enjoy the analysis; you'll see how subtle positional mistakes were quite costly.
[Event "CUCC"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.01.24"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Trottier, E."]
[Black "Inigo, A."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C02"]
[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2016.01.24"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 {This is a topical line
in the advanced french.} c4 {Here Black chooses to close up the queenside.} (
6... Nh6 7. b4 cxd4 8. cxd4 Nf5 9. Bb2 Bd7 10. g4 Nfe7 11. Nc3 {Is the other
typical continuation leading to a highly unclear position.}) 7. Be2 (7. Nbd2
Na5 8. g3 Bd7 9. h4 Ne7 10. Ng5 h6 11. Nh3 O-O-O 12. Nf4 Kb8 13. Be2 Qc7 14.
Kf1 Nc8) 7... Bd7 8. O-O Na5 9. Nbd2 Be7 (9... Ne7 {Is the usual way to
develop. The standard maneuver w(see Zhigalko - Salgado, 2014), where Black
subsequently played Qc7, Nc8, Nb6, Ba4 before long-castling.}) 10. g3 {I don't
understand this move. It seems more normal to continue with Rb1.} O-O-O 11. Rb1
Kb8 {This move is a mistake. It would have been more logical to remove the
queen from the b-file, and to prepare for the c4 break which was late seen in
the game.} (11... Qc7 $11) 12. b3 cxb3 13. c4 $1 {Opening up as much space on
the queenside.} Ba4 14. c5 Qc6 15. Bb2 Nh6 16. Bc3 Nc4 {The problem with
capturing on the Knight is that the c5 pawn will fall as well.} 17. Qc1 (17.
Nxc4 dxc4 18. Bxc4 Bxc5) 17... Nxd2 $2 {This releases the tension, and makes
White's task much easier.} (17... Nf5 18. Nxb3 h5 $14) (17... b2 18. Bxb2 Bb5 {
was probably the best option}) 18. Nxd2 $18 Ka8 19. Nxb3 b6 20. cxb6 axb6 21.
Qd2 Rc8 22. Bb4 Qd7 23. Rb2 {Doubling on the b file} Rc7 24. Rfb1 Rb8 25. Bxe7
Qxe7 26. Nc5 $1 1-0
