Key Square

AFTER taking a half-point bye in round three at Cap Negret, I had the black pieces against an English Opening in round four.

By meeting 1.c4 with 1...e5 I was aware the battle could revolve around control of the d5 square.

The following position was reached after seven moves.

White played 8.Bg5!?, meeting 8...Be7 with the apparent novelty 8.Bxf6!?

The game continued 8...Bxf6 9.Nd5, resulting in the following position.

White has given up the bishop-pair, but has d5 as an outpost for his minor pieces

A few moves later the following position was reached.

Here White played 14.Nf3!?

In many ways this is a normal move, but it allowed me to return the bishop-pair ,while obliging White to occupy the d5 outpost with a pawn, viz: 14...Bxd5 15.cxd5, after which it is Black, if anyone, who is a tiny bit better.

Several moves later the following position arose.

White has just played 22.b6!?

I replied with the instructive blunder 22...c5??, which according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 is the equivalent of giving up almost a rook!

Positionally the move is faulty because it allows the restricted bishop to be brought to life.

Tactically the move is faulty because it loses a pawn, as was shown by 23.dxc6 bxc6 24.b7 Rb8 25.Qa7 Qc7 25.Bxc6! (1-0, 46 moves).

So the game was effectively decided by the player who overall better understood the nuances of the key square d5.