QGD Bf4
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bf4!?
This was very popular in the early days of the Queen's Gambit Declined. Indeed, in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, it precedes every continuation except 4.Nf3.
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| How should Black respond? |
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4...c5!?
This is fifth-most popular, behind 4...Bb4, 4...Bd6, 4...Be7 and especially 4...c6.
5.e3 a6!? 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.a3 dxc4!?
Capturing on c4, before White has moved the king's bishop, is often frowned on, but here it is the most popular move, and also the top choice of Stockfish16.1 and Dragon1.
8.dxc5!?
After 8.Bxc4 b5, games in Mega24 feature the white king's bishop retreating to a2, b3, d3 and e2, with the engines reckoning Black is at least equal.
8...Qxd1+ 9.Rxd1 Bxc5 10.Bxc4 0-0
Probably not 10...b5?! as White has 11.Nxb5! axb5 12.Bxb5 with strong pressure.
11.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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White is ahead on development, and at first glance Black might look in difficulties, but ...
11...b5
11...b5
... gives the black light-square bishop access to the long light-diagonal with tempo.
12.Ba2!?
This may be a novelty. The engines prefer the known-move 12.Bd3 and also 12.Be2.
12...Bb7 13.b4 Be7 14.Rd2?!
The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting 14.Bd6.
14...Rac8
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 14...Rfc8!?, leaving the queen's rook to support the thrust ...a5.
15.Ne2!?
The engines fluctuate between this and 15.Nb1.
15...Rfd8 16.Rxd8+ Rxd8 17.h3?
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| White's last move is a mistake - can you see how Black exploits it? |
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17...h6?
Missing the simple win of a pawn with 17...Rd3. White should have played 17.Rc1 (Stockfish16.1) or 17.Ned4 (Dragon1).
18.Ned4 Nxd4 19.Nxd4 Nd5 20.Bh2?
The engines suggest 20.Be5 or 20.Bxd5!?
20...Rc8?
Much stronger is 20...Nc3, eg 21.Bb1 Bf6 etc, or 21.Bb3 Bf6 etc.
21.Bb1?
The engines reckon 21.Be5 keeps White's disadvantage to a minimum.
21...Bf6?!
Probably stronger are 21...Nb6 and 21...Rc3.
22.Bd6
The engines suggest 22.Be4 or 22.Nb3, but give Black at least the upper hand.
22...Bxd4 23.exd4 Rc3 24.f4?
Thus turns a bad position into a more-or-less hopeless one. After 24.Be4 Rxa3 Black is clearly better, but there is a lot of play left.
24...Ne3
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| At first glance White's position may not look too bad, but it is almost resignable, even at club level |
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25.Ne1 Nxg2 26.Be4?!
It is a sign of how bad Black's position is that the engines do not regard this as a mistake.
The game finished:
26....Nxe1 27.Bxb7 Rxa3 28.Kf2 Nc2 29.Bc5 Ra4 30.d5 exd5 31.Bxd5 Nxb4 0-1
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