Rapid Album: Handling the 2000+ opponent in Slav Exchange

 

It may be depressive when Your opponent decides to go for exchange Slav, particularly if You are player which goes for active play.

In the following game played recently on chess.com server I'll show how patience and accumulation of small positional advantages led black towards full point.  

[Event "Rapid Online"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2024"] [White "White"] [Black "ChessBooster"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2171"] [BlackElo "2245"] [ECO "D13"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. d4 Nc6 6. g3 $6 {This 'solid looking' move from Catalan positions does not fit well here when white has no options to undermine d5 with c-pawn. Hence it was better to consider development of bishop on natural d3 square.} Bf5 7. Bg2 (7. Qb3 Qb6 {I accepted this option in case white played Qb3. Resulting endgame would be about equal.} 8. Qxb6 axb6 9. e3 e6) 7... e6 8. O-O Bd6 9. b3 $6 {Another suspicious approach with development of bishops. There is no play for bishop on b2 other than stronger control of e5 which, anyway, is not the option for black when there will be enough space on queen side to organize active play. Development on a3 could be option but it might demand further weakening of queen side structure by a2-a4.} (9. Bg5 h6 10. Bxf6 Qxf6 11. Nh4 (11. e3 {With solid and equal position.}) 11... Bg4 (11... Bh7 12. e4 dxe4 13. Bxe4 O-O) 12. h3 Bh5 $12) 9... O-O 10. Bb2 h6 {Usually black is happy with any kind of trade of white squared bishop in Queen gambit or Slav, but once successfully developed on f5 it becomes important piece worth of keeping it away from exchange.} 11. Rc1 Rc8 12. Nb5 {It clears the way for other knight to e5, however I look at this move with some doubts; primairly as loss of time.} Bb8 13. a4 (13. Ba3 Re8 {Ba3 led to nowhere since natural a7-a6 and Qd8-a5 would force white pieces to retreat to initial squares.}) (13. Ne5 {Something similar happened later in the game when we'll discuss this jump into the e5.}) 13... Re8 14. Ba3 Ne4 15. e3 Bg4 (15... a6 16. Nc3 {Amazingly, some engines will recommend Bb8-d6 here for black but this is wrong and this is what differs us and machines. As initially said, black has to play patiently and collect small positional 'pluses' in order to go towards winning chances deep in the endgame. Due to such plan, it is extreemly important to take care of bishops; with existing structure black should avoid exchange of dark bishops and look for exchange of light bishops if such oportunity occurs.}) 16. h3 Bf5 17. Bb2 a6 18. Nc3 {When I stated 12th move as dubious for white now there is an answer; we should click back to position before 12th move and see what has white achieved since than (it seems that all the pieces are still on same positions) while black pieces have made considerable improvement.} Bd6 19. Nxe4 Bxe4 20. Ne5 $6 {This move provided me exactly what I was looking for (check 15th move variation comment too). This is kind of games where black has to accumulate small positional 'pluses' and to look deep forward, if any, in order to fight for full point. This is one of key moves, after exchange on e5 it is now white who will potentially have worse endgame due to pawn on e5.} Bxg2 21. Kxg2 (21. Nxc6 {It changes nothing because white can't force black to take on c6 with pawn.} Rxc6 22. Kxg2 (22. Rxc6 Bxf1 (22... bxc6 $6 {Just to make few words, let us see this move.} 23. Kxg2 {Taking on c6 with b-pawn led to pawn formation which may be tricky for black here. Pawn on c6 can be easily attacked along c file and naturally black might feel forced to go for c5 which would give white opportunity to activate Bb2 and would produce 2:1 'for white' structure on queen side, great potential to create free and remote passed pawn.} Qb6 24. Qc2 {The good way for black would be to take on b3 and let white to take on c6 instead, after rook goes to b8.}) 23. Rxd6 Qxd6 24. Qxf1 $19 {Black has decisive advantage.}) 22... Qb6 {It would be balanced position, but lets have a look at Bb2!?}) 21... Nxe5 22. dxe5 Be7 {In long term, black bishop will always be better than white one and one of major causes is white e5 pawn. However, it is worth to mention that engines would rate position as equal, which indeed is true.} 23. Qg4 $6 (23. Qd3 Qb6 24. Rc2 Rc6) 23... Qb6 {Using the fact that white 'active' queen is actually misplaced on g4.} 24. Bd4 $2 {Strategical breakdown. Perhaps white counted to get to 7th rank with the rook but he should retreat queen back to d1, although black could not get material, control over c file would lead to potential further exchanges of heavy pieces guiding this endgame towards bishop endgame, which is excellent for black.} (24. Qd1 Rxc1 (24... Rc6 $5) 25. Bxc1 Rc8 {And black is getting control over only open file with threatening directly Rc3.}) (24. Rxc8 Rxc8 25. Qd1 Qc5 {With Qc2 to follow.}) 24... Qxb3 25. Rb1 Qxa4 26. Rxb7 {Perhaps white was going for 7th rank control which, in theory, is worth of one pawn, but this is short term here.} Rb8 27. Rfb1 Rxb7 28. Rxb7 Qc6 {It is important to (try) remove rook from 7th rank. Advance of a-pawn can wait.} 29. Ra7 Bf8 30. Qe2 (30. Qh5 g6 31. Qd1 Ra8) 30... Ra8 {So white rooks have been neutralized.} 31. Rxa8 Qxa8 32. Qa2 Qc6 33. Qa5 Kh7 $5 (33... Qb5 34. Qd8 {Although there would be nothing for white on 8th rank, I didn't want to pin my bishop to f8.}) 34. g4 Be7 35. Kg3 g6 36. Bb6 Qb5 37. Kg2 Qxa5 38. Bxa5 {We finally found ourselves in bishops endgame, which is strongly in favour for black with bonus - a pawn. Execution plan is simple here - to bring king to b5 and prepare of a pawn marche.} Kg8 39. Bb6 Kf8 40. f4 Ke8 41. Kf3 Kd7 42. e4 dxe4+ 43. Kxe4 Kc6 44. Bd4 a5 45. f5 a4 46. Bb2 a3 47. Ba1 Bc5 48. h4 h5 49. fxe6 fxe6 50. gxh5 gxh5 51. Bc3 Bf2 52. Kf4 Bxh4 53. Kf3 Kd5 54. Kg2 Kc4 55. Ba1 Kb3 56. Kh3 Bg5 57. Kg3 Bc1 {White resigned.} 0-1 

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