March (2)

K - C
March Match (2) 3/7/2006
C55 - Two Knights Defense - Modern Bishops Opening

1.e4 e5 I wanted to try the same Tchigorin line as Kirk played last week against him, but he didn't want a theoretical battle. 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 grrr. I *knew* there was a reason I don't play 1.e4 e5 ;) 3...Nf6 [Playing over Morphy games have made me refuse to play 3...Bc5 because of 4.b4! I do a meaner NN impersonation than a Morphy impersonation] 4.d3 h6 [4...Be7;
and 4...Bc5 are also tried here. I figure I'll try and make it a little tougher for him to develop his bishop] 5.0-0 Bc5?! [Stronger is 5...d6 and my position has no weaknesses to attack. I was more ambitious though] 6.Be3 [6.Nc3;
or the immediate 6.c3 were more popular in the 1800s] 6...Bb6 not wanting to allow him to open the f-file but [6...Bxe3 7.fxe3 d6 wasn't so bad either] 7.Nbd2 [wanting to play c3, but i wonder if 7.Nc3 overprotecting d5 might be better] 7...0-0 8.c3 d5 I was happy enough with this move. I calculated that it didn't immediately lose and i figured i could get away with it, as it allowed me to play ...Bg4 (because of the lack of h3), which allows me to put more pressure on the center. 9.Bb3 [I think he should have simplified in the center and went after my e-pawn 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Bxb6 axb6 11.Re1 for instance] 9...Bg4 10.Qc2 Re8 [10...d4 immediately was better. I was worried about dropping the e-pawn thogh] 11.Rfe1 d4! 12.cxd4 exd4 13.Nxd4?? [13.Bf4 was better. I missed this in my calculations as i missed that the e-pawn had already captured on d4] 13...Bxd4 I was happy with this, allowing Nd5 on the next move 14.Qc4 Be6 Even though I won, I was uncomfortable with my position and I think if Kirk would've took some pieces off and slowly crept at me, I would've suffered quite a bit (Bxb6 for instance). In any case... 0-1