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(875536) Alexopoulos - Rohde [B22]
Nassau CC Cheamp. 1994
[Rohde]
1.e4 c5 2.c3 d6 Fedorowicz and Benjamin also occasionally use this flexible response to 2 c3. 3.d4 Nf6 4.Bd3 g6 5.dxc5! I was aware of this possibility although no one had ever played it against me. 5...dxc5 6.e5 Nh5!? One of White's points is 6 ... Nd5 7 Be4! with advantage after 7 ... e6 8 Nf3 or 7 ... Nb6 8 Qxd8+; unplayable is 7 ... Be6 8 c4. More importantly, after 6 ... Ng4 7 Bb5+! White wins on 7 ... Bd7? 8 e6!, and the endgame looks miserable on 7 ... Nc6 8 Qxd8+ Kxd8 9 f4. 7.Be2?! Surprised by my last move, Alexopoulos gives the knight undue concern. White has a clear advantage on 7 Nf3 Nc6 8 h3. 7...Qxd1+ 8.Bxd1 Nc6 9.f4 Bh6 The double threat against f4 and e5 forces White's next. 10.Bxh5 gxh5 11.Nf3 11...Bg4 Not an easy choice, as I knew my initiative would evaporate, and I give White a tempo with a later h2-h3. Still, I wanted to limit White's possibilities. 12.Kf2 0-0-0 13.Be3 Rd3 This was the last moment on which it would make sense to play ... Bg4xf3, when White would have to recapture with the king. I did not think I could intensify the pressure after 13 ... Bxf3 14 Kxf3 Rd3 15 Re1. 14.Nbd2 Rhd8 15.h3 Be6 16.g4 Looks attractive, but weakens the light squares. White should be looking to exchange pieces. 16...b6 17.a3 f6 The correct theme. Black's knight needs to get into the game. 18.exf6 exf6 19.Rae1 Bd5 20.Re2 Not an auspicious maneuver. 20...Ne7 21.Rhe1 Ng6 22.f5 Nf4 23.Bxf4 Bxf4 24.Ne4 24...h4! Building a potential bishop outpost on g3. 25.Rf1 Kc7! Preparing to play ... Rd8-e8 without allowing a knight check in response. 26.Ng1 Bg3+ 27.Nxg3 hxg3+ 28.Ke1 Bc4 White is in a mating net. 29.Re7+ Kc8 0 0-1
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