A30 English Opening
Symmetrical Defense
Hedgehog Variation
1.Nf3
[My opponent almost always plays 1.e4
. With Nf3, he might have wanted to avoid the French.]
1...c5
/\ 2.e4 and a Scheveningen, which expert Matthew O'Brien almost beat Magesh with in an earlier round, but, figuring something was up, he goes into an English.
2.c4
Nf6
3.g3
b6
4.Bg2
Bb7
5.Nc3
e6
6.0-0
a6
This stops Nb5 and prepares ...Qc7.
7.d4
cxd4
8.Qxd4
d6
[I like this better than 8...Nc6
(which blocks the Bb7) because ...Nbd7 will cover b6, allow me to meet a possible Ba3 with ...Nc5.]
9.Rd1
Qc7
10.b3
Nbd7
11.Bb2
Be7
12.Rac1
0-0
13.h3
In the Hedgehog, Black usually plays his a-Rook to b8, c8 or d8 and the f-Rook shadows the White Q. If she retreats along the d-file, it goes to d8. If she shifts to the e-file, it follows her to e8. Here, White hasn't committed his Q but, clearly, the idea behind h3 is to play Qe3 or e4+Qe3 without allowing ...Ng4. So, I answered...
13...Rfe8
14.e4
Rad8
15.Qe3
Qb8
16.Nd4
Bf8
17.f4?!
This advance would've made more sense if White's Rs were at e1 & f1, in support of it.
17...g6N
This stops 18.f5. I simply take (18...exf5) and he can't recapture because of the pin. [Predecessor: 17...e5
18.Nf5
d5
19.fxe5
Qxe5
20.Qg5
h6
21.Nxh6+
Kh7
22.Nxf7
Qxg5
23.Nxg5+
Kg6
24.h4
Bc5+
25.Kh1
dxe4
26.Ne2
Be3
27.Nf4+
Bxf4
28.gxf4
Nc5
29.f5+
Kxf5
30.Nf7
Rxd1+
31.Rxd1
Kg4
32.Kg1
Ba8
33.Bd4
Kxh4
34.Nd6
Rg8
35.Rf1
Kh5
36.Be3
Kg6
37.Bh3
Kh7
38.Rf4
1-0 (38) Zhidkov,V (2325)-Rodin,D Vladivostok 1995]
18.Re1?
[18.Kh1
had to be played. Now he gets in trouble on the c5-g1 diagonal.]
18...e5!
19.Nf3?
[Not 19.fxe5
as 19...dxe5
wins a piece.; >=19.Nde2
; or 19.Nc2=/+
]
19...d5!-/+
20.fxe5??
After this White is lost.
20...dxe4
21.Nd4
[‹21.exf6
exf3
with threats of 22...Rxe3, 22...fxg2 and 22.Bc5.]
21...Nxe5
22.Nce2
Nf3+!
[This is stronger than 22...Nd3
]
23.Kh1
[‹23.Bxf3
exf3
]
23...Nxe1
24.Rxe1
Bg7
25.Rf1
Qe5
26.Bc3
Qc5
27.Qf4
I have to be a little careful because my opponent is a vicious counter-attacker and there's some cheapo stuff.
27...Re7
28.Qh4?
[Idea: 28.Qh4
--
29.Nf5
gxf5[]
30.Bxf6
Bxf6
31.Qxf6
Qc7??
32.Rxf5©
] However, I was able to force a Q-trade with
28...g5!
... and after...
29.b4
Qe5
30.Nc6
gxh4
31.Bxe5
Bxc6
32.Bxf6
Bxf6
33.Rxf6
Rd1+
34.Kh2
Rd2
35.Nf4
e3
36.Rxc6
e2
37.Rc8+
Kg7
38.Nh5+
Kh6
White resigned.
The old man still has it! 0-1