Glendale March Swiss

An irregular variation of the French where Black ends up with more space than white. In the middle game, Black shows the advantage of knights over bishops in closed positions.

1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d3 Bb4 4. Bd2 c5 5. a3 Bxc3 6. Bxc3 d4 7. Bd2 e5

Usually when I play the French I'm accepting that I'm going to be cramped for a while. Here, I've ended up with the space advantage.

8. Nf3 Nc6 9. Bg5 Nf6 10. c4 h6 11. Bh4 Bg4 12. Bg3 Qa5+ 13. b4 cxb4 14. Be2 bxa3+ 15. Qd2 Qxd2+ 16. Nxd2 O-O 17. Rxa3 Bxe2 18. Kxe2 Nd7 19. Rb1 Nc5 20. Nf3 f6 21. Rb5 b6 22. Nh4 Kh7 23. f4 g6 24. Nf3 Rfe8 25. Bh4 g5 26. fxg5 hxg5 27. Bg3 Kg7 28. h3 Rab8 29. Rb1 a5 30. Be1 Rh8 31. g4 Rxh3 32. Bf2 Kg6 33. Rg1 Nb4

With a two pawn advantage, I'd be happy to simplify by giving up two knights for a rook and pawn.

34. Ne1 Rh2 35. Rg2 Rxg2 36. Nxg2 Nbxd3 37. Rxd3 Nxd3 38. Kxd3 Rc8 39. Be1 Rc5 40. Ke2 Rxc4 0-1

I demonstrate how not to play the Trompowsky Attack.

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bf4 g5 4. Bg3?!

"Book" here is 4. Bc1 But I had had decent results with 4. Bg3 in informal games, so decided to try it. However, none of my opponents to this point had found...

4... h5! 5. Nd2?

Not liking my position much, I decided to sac the Bishop for an attack. In retrospect, 5. f3 is probably OK, as f3 is common in the 2... Ne4 line of the Trompowsky.

5... Nxd2 6. Qxd2 h4 7. Qxg5 hxg3 8. Qxg3 c5 9. O-O-O cxd4 10. Rxd4 Qa5 11. Kb1?? Qe1+ 0-1

Solid play on both sides, ending in a drawn bishops of opposite color endgame.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bb5 a6

In the French, doubled c-pawns are sometimes useful to Black in attacking d4.

6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. dxc5

But here, White volutarily abandons the d-pawn.

7... Bxc5 8. O-O h6 9. Nc3 Ne7 10. a3 O-O 11. b4 Bb6 12. Na4 Ng6 13. Nxb6 Qxb6 14. Be3 Qc7 15. Bc5

White exploits Black's weak square.

15... Rd8 16. Qd4 Qb7 17. Nh4 Nxh4 18. Qxh4 Re8 19. Rad1 Qb5 20. c4 Qa4 21. Rd3

White is planning 22. Rg3 but Black has a defense:

21... Qc2! 22. Rg3 Qh7 23. Be3 Kh8

Releasing the pin on the g-pawn. White can draw here with 24. Rf3 Qg6 (24... Kg8 25. Rg3 Kh8) 25. Rg3 Qh7

24. Qf4 Qf5 25. Qxf5 exf5 26. Bd4 Be6 27. f4 dxc4 28. Rd1 Red8 29. Rd2 Rd7 30. Bc3 Rxd2 31. Bxd2 Rd8 32. Bc3 Kg8 33. Rf3 Rd3 34. Rxd3 cxd3 35. a4 Bb3 36. a5 g6 37. Kf2 Kf8 38. Ke3 Bc2 39. Kd4 Ke7 40. Kc5 Kd7 41. Kb6 d2 42. Bxd2 Bd3 1/2-1/2

Black applies pressure throughout the game, but eventually gives up a pawn allowing White to get to a won endgame.

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 e6 3. e4 Be7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 b6 6. Bd3 Bb7 7. O-O O-O 8. a3 h6 9. Bh4 Nh5 10. Bxe7 Nxe7 11. Ne5 Nf4 12. Qd2 Nxd3 13. Qxd3 Qc8 14. Qg3 f5 15. Qh4 Qd8 16. Rfe1 fxe4 17. Nxe4 d6 18. Nd3 Nf5 19. Qxd8 Raxd8 20. c3 g5 21. Rad1 Rde8 22. Nb4 a5 23. Nc2 Bd5 24. f3 Kh8 25. Ne3 Nxe3 26. Rxe3 g4 27. Rf1 Rf4 28. Nd2 gxf3 29. Nxf3 Ref8 30. Nd2 Rxf1+ 31. Nxf1 Bc4 32. Nd2 Bb5 33. Rxe6 Kg7 34. Re7+ Rf7 35. Rxf7+ Kxf7 36. Kf2 Kf6 37. g4 c5 38. Ne4+ Ke6 39. h4 Bc6 40. Ke3 Bxe4 41. Kxe4 d5+ 42. Kf4 Kf6 43. g5+ hxg5+ 44. hxg5+ Kg6 45. Ke5 Kxg5 46. Kxd5 cxd4 47. cxd4 Kf6 48. Kc6 Ke6 49. d5+ Ke7 50. Kc7 1-0