<p>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. <br /><br /></p>.<p>However beginners and amateurs quite often learn the opening moves without understanding the logic behind them and get into difficulties during the middle-game.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />White: Luke McShane (2480) – Black: Rustam Dautov (2606)<br />Lippstadt, 2000<br />Caro Kann Defence<br />1. e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 <br />The Exchange variation of the Caro-Kann Defence<br />4. Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 <br />One of the popular lines in this defence.<br /> 6. ...h6. Black has to vacate a square for the bishop to retreat<br /> 7.Nf3 Nf6 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bd2 Be7 <br />If 11...c5 12.Ne4 (12.0–0–0 Nc6 13.Bc3 Qd5 14.dxc5)<br /> 12.0–0–0. White castles on the long side in this variation. If 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Qd5 14.Qd3 b5 <br />12...0–0 <br />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 <br />13.Ne5. White also can take time off to move his King 13.Kb1 Nbd7 <br />13...Nbd7 <br />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 <br />14.Qe2 . If 14.f4 c5 15.Bc3 Nd5 16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.Qf3<br />14...c5 15.dxc5 Nxc5 <br />Black also had the option of playing 15...Nxe5 16.Qxe5 Nd7 17.Qe3 Rc8 18.Ne4 Nxc5<br />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 <br />16...Qc7. If 16...Qb6 17.Be3 Rfd8 And if 16...Qc7 18.c4 a6 19.Qc2 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Rd8 21.f4<br />17.Bf4. If 17.f4 Rfd8, and if 17.Rhe1 Rfd8 18.f4 Na4 19.Qb5 Nc5 <br />17...Qb6<br />If 17...Rfd8 18.Qf3 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Rd8<br />18.Be3 Rfd8 19.Bd4. If 19.c4 a6 <br />19...Qc7 <br />Diagram 1<br />20.c3. The players were following a previously played game till now and it is only now White has played a new move.<br />20...Ncd7 21.f4<br />If 21.Rhe1 Nxe5 22.Bxe5 Qc6 23.f4 Rxd1+ 24.Rxd1 Rd8<br />21...Bc5. If 21...Nxe5 22.Bxe5 Qc6 <br />22.f5. Better to have sorted things out with 22.Bxc5 Nxc5 23.Rhe1 leading to an equal position <br />22...Bxd4 23.cxd4 Re8<br />If 23...Nxe5 24.dxe5 Nd5 25.fxe6 fxe6 and Black should not have any problems <br />24.Rhe1 Rad8 25.fxe6 <br />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<br />25...Rxe6 26.Rc1<br />If 26.Qc4 Qxc4 (26...Rc8 27.Qxc7 Rxc7 28.Nf3 Rxe1 29.Rxe1 Nb6) 27.Nxc4 Rxe1 28.Rxe1 Nf8 29.Nf5 Ne6<br />26...Qa5 27.Rc3<br />If 27.Ne4 Nxe5 (27...Nxe4 28.Qxe4 Nxe5 29.dxe5 Re7) 28.Nxf6+ gxf6 <br />27. …Rde8 28.Re3 <br />A mistake! Already Black is in difficulties and this move makes matters worse. If 28.Ra3 Qb6<br /> 28...Nd5 29.Ra3 <br />If 29.Re4 Nxe5 30.Rxe5 Rxe5 31.dxe5 Nb4 32.Qc4 (32.a3 32...Nc6) 32...Nc6<br />29...Qxa3 0–1<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and win<br />1.Re8+ Nxe8 2.Rf8 checkmate.<br /></p>
<p>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. <br /><br /></p>.<p>However beginners and amateurs quite often learn the opening moves without understanding the logic behind them and get into difficulties during the middle-game.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />White: Luke McShane (2480) – Black: Rustam Dautov (2606)<br />Lippstadt, 2000<br />Caro Kann Defence<br />1. e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 <br />The Exchange variation of the Caro-Kann Defence<br />4. Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 <br />One of the popular lines in this defence.<br /> 6. ...h6. Black has to vacate a square for the bishop to retreat<br /> 7.Nf3 Nf6 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bd2 Be7 <br />If 11...c5 12.Ne4 (12.0–0–0 Nc6 13.Bc3 Qd5 14.dxc5)<br /> 12.0–0–0. White castles on the long side in this variation. If 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Qd5 14.Qd3 b5 <br />12...0–0 <br />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 <br />13.Ne5. White also can take time off to move his King 13.Kb1 Nbd7 <br />13...Nbd7 <br />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 <br />14.Qe2 . If 14.f4 c5 15.Bc3 Nd5 16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.Qf3<br />14...c5 15.dxc5 Nxc5 <br />Black also had the option of playing 15...Nxe5 16.Qxe5 Nd7 17.Qe3 Rc8 18.Ne4 Nxc5<br />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 <br />16...Qc7. If 16...Qb6 17.Be3 Rfd8 And if 16...Qc7 18.c4 a6 19.Qc2 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Rd8 21.f4<br />17.Bf4. If 17.f4 Rfd8, and if 17.Rhe1 Rfd8 18.f4 Na4 19.Qb5 Nc5 <br />17...Qb6<br />If 17...Rfd8 18.Qf3 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Rd8<br />18.Be3 Rfd8 19.Bd4. If 19.c4 a6 <br />19...Qc7 <br />Diagram 1<br />20.c3. The players were following a previously played game till now and it is only now White has played a new move.<br />20...Ncd7 21.f4<br />If 21.Rhe1 Nxe5 22.Bxe5 Qc6 23.f4 Rxd1+ 24.Rxd1 Rd8<br />21...Bc5. If 21...Nxe5 22.Bxe5 Qc6 <br />22.f5. Better to have sorted things out with 22.Bxc5 Nxc5 23.Rhe1 leading to an equal position <br />22...Bxd4 23.cxd4 Re8<br />If 23...Nxe5 24.dxe5 Nd5 25.fxe6 fxe6 and Black should not have any problems <br />24.Rhe1 Rad8 25.fxe6 <br />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<br />25...Rxe6 26.Rc1<br />If 26.Qc4 Qxc4 (26...Rc8 27.Qxc7 Rxc7 28.Nf3 Rxe1 29.Rxe1 Nb6) 27.Nxc4 Rxe1 28.Rxe1 Nf8 29.Nf5 Ne6<br />26...Qa5 27.Rc3<br />If 27.Ne4 Nxe5 (27...Nxe4 28.Qxe4 Nxe5 29.dxe5 Re7) 28.Nxf6+ gxf6 <br />27. …Rde8 28.Re3 <br />A mistake! Already Black is in difficulties and this move makes matters worse. If 28.Ra3 Qb6<br /> 28...Nd5 29.Ra3 <br />If 29.Re4 Nxe5 30.Rxe5 Rxe5 31.dxe5 Nb4 32.Qc4 (32.a3 32...Nc6) 32...Nc6<br />29...Qxa3 0–1<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and win<br />1.Re8+ Nxe8 2.Rf8 checkmate.<br /></p>
