The opening theory in chess has advanced a lot over the years and many times we have quite a few players faithfully following the opening lines well into the middle-game.
However beginners and amateurs quite often learn the opening moves without understanding the logic behind them and get into difficulties during the middle-game.
In the game which follows, both the well-established players follow opening theory for a long time before White deviates. White would have spent a lot of time in doing homework for the new move he played on the board but his game immediately collapses after the novelty.
White: Luke McShane (2480) – Black: Rustam Dautov (2606)
Lippstadt, 2000
Caro Kann Defence
1. e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4
The Exchange variation of the Caro-Kann Defence
4. Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4
One of the popular lines in this defence.
6. ...h6. Black has to vacate a square for the bishop to retreat
7.Nf3 Nf6 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bd2 Be7
If 11...c5 12.Ne4 (12.0–0–0 Nc6 13.Bc3 Qd5 14.dxc5)
12.0–0–0. White castles on the long side in this variation. If 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Qd5 14.Qd3 b5
12...0–0
Black castles on the King side. If 12...b5 13.Ne2 Nbd7 14.Nf4 Qc7 15.Ne5 0–0 16.Qe2 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Nd7 18.Rhe1 Rad8 19.Nh3 Nb6 20.f4 Nc4
13.Ne5. White also can take time off to move his King 13.Kb1 Nbd7
13...Nbd7
If 13...c5 14.dxc5 Qc7 15.Bc3 Nd5 16.Ne4 Na6 17.Bd4 Rfc8 18.Kb1 Bxc5 19.c4 Nab4 20.Qg3 Bxd4 21.Rxd4 f6
14.Qe2 . If 14.f4 c5 15.Bc3 Nd5 16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.Qf3
14...c5 15.dxc5 Nxc5
Black also had the option of playing 15...Nxe5 16.Qxe5 Nd7 17.Qe3 Rc8 18.Ne4 Nxc5
16.Kb1. White could have tried out 16.Bxh6 Qa5 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.h6+ Kh8 19.Kb1 And if 16.Ng4 Qc7 17.Kb1 Rfd8 18.Bc3 Nxg4
16...Qc7. If 16...Qb6 17.Be3 Rfd8 And if 16...Qc7 18.c4 a6 19.Qc2 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Rd8 21.f4
17.Bf4. If 17.f4 Rfd8, and if 17.Rhe1 Rfd8 18.f4 Na4 19.Qb5 Nc5
17...Qb6
If 17...Rfd8 18.Qf3 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Rd8
18.Be3 Rfd8 19.Bd4. If 19.c4 a6
19...Qc7
Diagram 1
20.c3. The players were following a previously played game till now and it is only now White has played a new move.
20...Ncd7 21.f4
If 21.Rhe1 Nxe5 22.Bxe5 Qc6 23.f4 Rxd1+ 24.Rxd1 Rd8
21...Bc5. If 21...Nxe5 22.Bxe5 Qc6
22.f5. Better to have sorted things out with 22.Bxc5 Nxc5 23.Rhe1 leading to an equal position
22...Bxd4 23.cxd4 Re8
If 23...Nxe5 24.dxe5 Nd5 25.fxe6 fxe6 and Black should not have any problems
24.Rhe1 Rad8 25.fxe6
Not a good move by White! If 25.Qc4 25...Rc8 26.Qxc7 Rxc7 27.Nd3 Nd5 28.fxe6 Rxe6 29.Rxe6 fxe6 30.Re1 also however do not help his cause
25...Rxe6 26.Rc1
If 26.Qc4 Qxc4 (26...Rc8 27.Qxc7 Rxc7 28.Nf3 Rxe1 29.Rxe1 Nb6) 27.Nxc4 Rxe1 28.Rxe1 Nf8 29.Nf5 Ne6
26...Qa5 27.Rc3
If 27.Ne4 Nxe5 (27...Nxe4 28.Qxe4 Nxe5 29.dxe5 Re7) 28.Nxf6+ gxf6
27. …Rde8 28.Re3
A mistake! Already Black is in difficulties and this move makes matters worse. If 28.Ra3 Qb6
28...Nd5 29.Ra3
If 29.Re4 Nxe5 30.Rxe5 Rxe5 31.dxe5 Nb4 32.Qc4 (32.a3 32...Nc6) 32...Nc6
29...Qxa3 0–1
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Re8+ Nxe8 2.Rf8 checkmate.