Group 1: Double King-Pawn Openings

Michael Rohde - Roger Lowenstein Marshall CC Action New York, 26.12.1999 [Rohde, M.: Center Game]

Rohde Lowenstein, Marshall CC Action 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 d6 The critical line is 3 ... Nc6 4 Qe3 Nf6 5 Nc3 Bb4 6 Bd2 O-O 7 O-O-O Re8 8 Qg3! with White sacrificing the e-pawn to get his kingside attack going. 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.Bb5 As Black has not successfully kicked the White queen away, White has secured the small advantage of the "little center" (pawn on e4 vs. pawn on d6). 5...Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.Nf3 Be7 An interesting mini-combination.

Lowenstein wants to get the bishop to f6. 8.Qxg7 Bf6 9.Qg4 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Nf6 In this manner, Black recovers the pawn. 11.Qf4 Nxe4 12.Nd4 Qf6 13.Qxf6 Nxf6 14.f3 White takes a small edge, based on more comfortable piece placement, into the endgame. 14...Kd7 15.Kf2 Rae8 16.Rb1 Nd5 17.Bd2 Rhg8 18.Rhe1 Nb6 19.Rxe8 Rxe8 20.Nxc6 Kxc6 21.Rb4 Re5 22.Rf4 f5 23.Rh4 Re7 24.Bg5 Rf7 25.Ke3 Nd5+ 26.Kd4 Ne7 27.Rh6 Ng6 28.h4 Ne5 29.Rf6 Rxf6 30.Bxf6 Ng6 31.g4 fxg4 32.fxg4 Kd7 33.h5 Nf4 34.Ke4 Ne6 35.g5 d5+ 36.Kf5 Nf8 37.g6 hxg6+ 38.hxg6 Nxg6 39.Kxg6 Kc6 40.Kf5 Kc5 41.Ke6 c6 42.Kd7 a6 43.Kc7 b6 44.a4 b5 45.a5 b4 46.cxb4+ Kxb4 47.Kb6 c5 48.Kxa6 d4 49.Kb6

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