[Event "Grand Prix 2016-2017 div1(match2) 60 10"] [Site "Internet Chess Club"] [Date "2016.09.26"] [Round "1"] [White "Wood, Brian"] [Black "Chen, Brian"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A10"] [WhiteElo "1399"] [BlackElo "1353"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "40"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] {Match 2 gets underway and while it can be said Brian C due to his rating was thought (by myself) to be someone who would struggle in this tournament to be honest, but maybe I was completely wrong in that estimation as it looks like a long road for Brian W in this match after some incredibly complex and brilliant strategic work by Brian C.} 1. c4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 e6 (3... c5 { a more typical move in the Modern Defence.}) (3... d6 {maybe angling for a King's Indian Defence?}) 4. e4 e5 $6 {maybe someone can explain this waisted tempo, why not play it last move?} 5. Nf3 $6 (5. dxe5 Nc6 (5... Bxe5 6. Nd5 Bg7 7. Nf3 d6 8. Bg5 f6 9. Bh4 Nh6 10. Be2 $16) 6. f4 $16) 5... exd4 6. Nxd4 d6 7. Be2 Nc6 8. Be3 h5 $1 {the centre is effectively closed so a flank attack has an element of soundness.} 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bd4 $6 $11 {Black is weak on the dark squares and the dark squared Bishop of Brian C is tied to the defence on g7, so it makes more sense for Brian W to let rip with his Bishop than swap it off.} (10. c5 Bg4 11. O-O Bxe2 12. Qxe2 Ne7 $16) 10... f6 $2 $16 11. Qa4 $1 ( 11. f4 $3 $16) 11... Ne7 12. Nd5 $2 (12. c5 $3 $16) 12... O-O 13. Nxe7+ Qxe7 14. Qc2 $2 $17 (14. Qxc6 {this is a dangerous move. I can see why Brian W avoided it.} Rb8 15. O-O $4 Bb7 16. Qa4 Qxe4 17. Bf3 Qxd4 $19) 14... a5 { playing more slowly than the computer or I would in this position but it is still probably potent.} (14... c5 15. Bc3 f5 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. Qc3+ Kg8 18. e5 $17) 15. f3 c5 16. Bc3 Bh6 17. O-O f5 18. exf5 $2 (18. Bd3 $14) 18... Bxf5 19. Bd3 $4 {an absolute blunder which was incredibly easy to make in such a position...} (19. Qd1 Bg7 $15) 19... Qe3+ $5 20. Kh1 Qxd3 {And Brian Wood isn't going to come back from that, well done Brian Chen. Brian W might have thought of shipping a pawn there for development but maybe risky play like that isn't in his character I don't know. Anyway its 1 - 0 to Brian Chen in the battle of the Brians.} 0-1 [Event "Grand Prix 2016-2017 Div1(match2) 60 10"] [Site "Internet Chess Club"] [Date "2016.09.26"] [Round "2"] [White "Chen, Brian"] [Black "Wood, Brian"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "1353"] [BlackElo "1399"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "44"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] {Brian W took my advice on sacrificing a pawn and it came out trumps. With the position of the match still way too early to call with first few games being played Brian C gets a setback from his 1 - 0 lead going into this 2nd game.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 h6 5. Be3 Bxe3 6. fxe3 d6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. c3 Na5 10. b4 $6 $146 {novelty} (10. Bb5 {this is the main line of this Giuoco Pianissimo Opening.}) 10... Nxc4 11. Nxc4 Be6 12. Na5 c5 $3 {a brilliant temporary pawn sacrifice.} 13. Nxb7 $4 $19 {Brian C falls for it but I have to say I might of done as well.} Qb6 14. bxc5 (14. Na5 cxb4 15. cxb4 Ng4 16. Nc4 Bxc4 17. dxc4 Nxe3 18. c5 Qxb4 19. Rb1 Qxc5 20. Qe2 Nxf1+ 21. Kxf1 Rab8 22. Re1 $19 {with a strong attack for Brian Wood.}) 14... Qxb7 15. cxd6 Bg4 $4 $15 (15... Qb6 $3 16. d4 Nxe4 17. dxe5 Qxe3+ 18. Kh1 Nf2+ 19. Rxf2 Qxf2 $19) 16. Qd2 $4 $19 (16. Qb3 $3 Qc6 17. Nxe5 Qxd6 18. d4 $15 {and the massive pawn phalanx for Brian C, might save the day.}) 16... Bxf3 $1 17. Rxf3 Rad8 18. d7 Rxd7 19. Qc2 Qc6 20. Raf1 Rd6 21. h3 Rfd8 22. Qf2 $6 (22. d4 Nxe4 23. Rxf7 exd4 24. exd4 Rxd4 $1 $19) 22... Qxc3 {and the pawn centre crumbles so Brian Chen calls it a day and they are tied on 1 - 1 in the match.} 0-1