Game 7 Kotronias - Pacher Budapest 2018 .In First Saturday events I have played some of my best games for the past two year's period, but please do not expect that the present game belongs in this category. The game is marred by many mistakes, to some extent logically so, because of the tension: If I won this game, I would win the tournament; if not, my opponent would receive top honors instead. His choice of the Breyer was a mild surprise, but I did manage to get an advantage in the opening as he was not so well acquainted with its nuances. But chess is not just theory or an opening advantage as the game convincingly proves: It is above all knowledge, tactics and nerves. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.
Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 d6 9.c3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.
Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 15.a4! c5 With this move we enter the most critical line of the Breyer, contested in thousands of games. White is more or less forced to advance d4-d5 here, in order to shield the pressure on his e-pawn and initiate kingside attacking operations. 16.d5 [Diagram] 16.
c4! Securing the valuable c5-square for his knight. A complicated position has now arisen on the board in which White obviously enjoys attacking chances on the kingside but Black is not devoid of resources. These resources mainly derive from the use of this important c5-square. After Black puts his knight there he will create valuable tension on the queenside, as all three weak light squares in the white camp, namely a4, b3 and d3, will be under observation. [Diagram] I favor 17.a5, and Black seems to have lost valuable time. For example: 17.Nbd7 This seems like the lesser evil, although it leads to a passive position.
However, Black believes that the blockade of the queenside will help him secure a draw, asserting that he will manage to hold his own on the other flank. Alternatively: After 17.Nc4?! 18.b4 cxb4 19.cxb4 Rc8, the obvious 20.Bb3 points at a clear target, none other than the stray knight on c4. [Diagram] It seems to me that Black is doomed to lose a pawn here, e.g.
, 20.Bg7 21.Ra2 Re7 22.Rc2 Rec7 23.Qe2 h6 24.Rd1 Qd7 25.Ne1 Kh7 26.Rd3 Ng8 27.
Rdc3 f5 28.f3 Nf6 29.Qd3y and after careful preparations, White is finally ready to take on c4.