Rapid Album: Handling the 1800 player. Idea was Bg4!?

Most of concerns in many major openings for black is development of Bc8. Whole openings like Queen Gambit, Slav, Queen Indian, French, Caro-kann etc. are dedicated to this problem. So with the opening line from diagram...

would it be smart to trade this bishop instantly?

The position which arise, and game which was going on wasn't particularly exciting, but certain conclusions could be drawn out from it. First of all, patient positional play by the black and accumulation of small inaccuracies by the white in far endgame which led to winning endgame for black.

[Event "Online rapid game, 20 min/player"] [Site "Internet Chess Club"] [White "WHITE"] [Black "kristijanZD"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D04"] [WhiteElo "1818"] [BlackElo "1980"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 Bg4 {One of major issues for black in some of most popular openings against d4 (and e4 as well) is how to sort out development of Bc8. Whole major lines in Queen Gambit and Slav have been carved out by this plan. Here, I used the fact that white pawn on c2 restricts white's early counter play with queen against weekened black's queen side.} 4. c4 Bxf3 {Anything else might give white some motives to use absence of this bishop on queen side, like Qb3, attacking b7 and unpinning Nf3 which suddenly may jump into e5 calling for possble Bb5 after exchanges on d5...Many sharp games have been played on this way and it is not always along with what black wants in early phase of the game.} 5. Qxf3 c6 6. Nc3 e6 7. a3 Bd6 {It is more flexible to play Be7. At some moment, in order to get more from position, white will have to opt for e3-e4 and with bishop on d6 black would have to respond against (due to e4-e5 threat). With bishop on e7 black's choices would be more flexible.} 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. cxd5 cxd5 $5 {exd5 would put us in Queen gambit (exchange line) structure where white would have aditional option; minor attack on queen side. By keeping symetrical strucure I wanted to cut out that option from white.} 10. Nb5 $6 {Loss of tempo, as will be visible soon.} (10. e4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Bxe4 O-O $5 13. Bxb7 Rb8 $44 {Although one pawn down, black should be OK. In order to keep his extra pawn, white should delay development of Bc1 which could give black enought time to organize active play.}) 10... Be7 11. Bd2 O-O 12. Rc1 Qb6 13. b4 Rac8 {Now we have to mention a7-a6 move; it looks good to kick Nb5 out, but actually black wants this knight to be on b5 as long as possible because it does nothing. And once white decides to put it back to c3, whole idea started with white's 10th move will just be loss of two useful tempos in the opening.} 14. O-O Rfe8 15. Nc3 {As it has been said before, by knight moves white just lost his time.} Rc7 16. Na4 $6 {White is still stubborn with his knight activities on queen side. Plan with g4 would be critical because black would be forced to more accurate play on king side. It is interesting to mention that this move is one of main lines given by the "engine", but using the common sense, this knight really has nothing to do on c5.} (16. g4 $5) 16... Qd6 17. Rxc7 Qxc7 18. Rc1 Qb8 19. Nc5 Rc8 {Patiently preparing another rook exchange. Worth to mention here is that exchanges are in favour of black, the weaker side (in terms of space controlled and white's bishop pair advantage) whose position becomes easier.} 20. Nxd7 {Finally, all these moves with the knight just to be exchanged on d7.} Rxc1+ 21. Bxc1 Nxd7 $11 {Despite white has bishop pair, position could be rated as equal as follows.} 22. Bb2 Nf6 23. h3 b5 $5 {This move bolds up comment given after 21...Nxd7. White has bishop pair but it is now clear that activation of dark squarred bishop will be very hard for him without compromising pawn structures on either sides. From now on I had a clear plan; it was to play against white dark squared bishop and this moves fixes white queen side pawns on dark squares permanently.} 24. Qe2 a6 25. Qc2 Qb7 26. f3 g6 27. e4 Nd7 {With the idea of Nb6 when knight may go to c4 or wait how white is going to response with his e4 pawn.} 28. exd5 Qxd5 $6 {Just when I took on d5 with my queen, I realized how exd5 was much better move, keeping the position more solid. Although white is now left with isolated d4 pawn, there is much more dynamic in position.} 29. Be4 Qd6 30. Qc8+ Nf8 (30... Bf8 31. Bb7 {It looks like black is loosing a6 pawn, but...} Nb6 32. Qc6 Qd8 $5 33. Bxa6 Nc4 $1 $17) 31. Qc6 (31. Bb7 Bg5 $5 {The correct answer.} (31... Bf6 $6 32. Qc5 $1 {Faced with loosing the a6 pawn black will be forced to go for tactical solutions.}) 32. Bxa6 Be3+ 33. Kf1 Bxd4 $11) 31... Nd7 {As per "engine" not so good for black but I could not see how white can make use of it.} 32. Qxd6 Bxd6 33. Bb7 Nb8 {The only weakness is protected.} 34. Kf2 Kf8 35. Ke3 Ke7 36. d5 e5 $1 {Anything else like exd5 or giving white option to take on e6 would open up position for white bishop pair.} 37. Ke4 $6 {And here we are! After 37 moves, finally white makes small but important inaccuracy. It was required to play g4 in order to prevent build up of strong pawn wall. The big question is how to get out with bishop from b7.} (37. Bc8 Kd8 38. Bb7 (38. Bg4 $4 f5 $19) 38... Kc7) 37... f5+ 38. Ke3 Kd7 $1 {Black king will come all the way to the a7 and this will be end for white bishop and d5 pawn, it is only question does white have enough power to use this time to create something on the other side of board.} 39. g4 (39. g3 $5 {The only way!} Kc7 40. Ba8 Kb6 41. f4 e4 42. Be5 Ka7 $1 43. Bxd6 (43. Bc6 $2 Bxe5 $1 44. fxe5 Nxc6 45. dxc6 Kb6 $19) 43... Kxa8 $15 {Resulting position is still unclear for white since his king (or bishop) has to guard black e pawn, while black just have to reach d file with his king and find way out for his knight without compromising his own position.}) 39... Kc7 40. Ba8 Kb6 41. gxf5 gxf5 42. f4 {It gets nothing, black king will get back on time.} exf4+ 43. Kf3 Ka7 44. Bc6 Nxc6 45. dxc6 Kb6 46. Bc1 Kxc6 47. Bxf4 Kd5 {Bxf4 was winning too; black is faster with promotion.} 48. Bxd6 $2 {Final mistake. Position is anyway lost for white, but with bishops on board he could hope to make some resistance. Pawn endgame is lost for white.} Kxd6 49. Kf4 Ke6 50. h4 Kf6 51. Ke3 Ke5 52. h5 f4+ 53. Kf3 Kf5 {White resigned after few more moves.} 0-1  

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