[Event "Newfoundland Open"] [Site "?"] [Date "2013.04.21"] [Round "5"] [White "Hambleton, Aman"] [Black "Berson, Jordan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D85"] [WhiteElo "2465"] [BlackElo "2017"] [Annotator "MacKinnon,Keith"] [PlyCount "51"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [SourceDate "2009.08.18"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 {The Grunfeld is one of the most fashionable openings of late. Theory has extended deep into the middlegame - and, in some cases, the endgame.} 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bd2 {Aman steers away from the typical 5. e4. It is generally wise for the higher-rated player to avoid long theoretical battles.} (5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 {is the usual starting point for an opening being played frequently at all levels. Black will play ...c5 and contest the centre, and white will try to maintain his imposing pawns on e4 and d4}) 5... Bg7 6. e4 Nxc3 (6... Nb6 7. Be3 {white looks good as his centre will hold. I am a strong believer in looking at the results from a given position, and they confirm that white scores well here.}) 7. Bxc3 {For me, someone only mildly familiar with the Grunfeld, this is an interesting concept. White denies black his usual idea and opposes the long diagonal.} O-O 8. Qd2 {It appears that white may have some designs on queenside castling, but this is rarely the case. } Nc6 (8... c5 $1 {as played in Dreev-Roiz 2009. Black scored an easy draw in that game} 9. d5 Bxc3 $11 {The position looks strong for black. White appears overextended in the centre} 10. bxc3 (10. Qxc3 e6) 10... Qd6) 9. Ne2 {A conservative approach. It delays any potential fireworks in the centre} (9. Nf3 Bg4 10. d5 Bxf3 11. gxf3 Ne5 12. Be2 c6 {White will be unable to keep his centre intact.} 13. f4 Nd7 14. dxc6 Bxc3 15. Qxc3 Rc8 {and black is at least equal}) 9... b6 10. d5 Ne5 11. Nd4 Bb7 12. f4 Ng4 13. Be2 (13. Rd1 e6 $5 { Black needs to contest the centre or else white’s position will only improve.} 14. dxe6 Bxd4 15. Qxd4 Qxd4 16. Rxd4 fxe6 17. Bc4 Rae8 18. Bb5 $14) 13... Nf6 14. Bf3 {It is not often that you see the bishops on f3 and c3} e6 15. Nc6 { only move. He must have planned to enter the ensuing ending before playing 13. Be2} Bxc6 {While at first glance, it appears necessary to take the knight, black could perhaps have left it there a while longer. It’s possible that a desire to simplify drove this decision} (15... Qd7 {I am left wondering what white’s plan was after this move.} 16. Bxf6 ({perhaps} 16. O-O-O exd5 17. exd5 Bxc6 18. dxc6 Qe6 $13) 16... Bxf6 17. e5 Bxc6 $1 18. dxc6 Qxd2+ 19. Kxd2 Bg7 { Which leads to a roughly equal ending with chances for both players. Black’s immediate idea is to play ...f6}) 16. dxc6 Qxd2+ 17. Kxd2 {Now, white is firmly in the driver’s seat. He has the two bishops and his king is active} Rfd8+ 18. Ke3 Ne8 $2 {A serious mistake. Black now entombs his knight} (18... Kf8 {Why ...Kf8 you may ask? Black needs to improve his knight’s position, and the route to take is via g8-e7!}) 19. e5 Bf8 20. Rhd1 Bc5+ 21. Ke2 h5 {The point being to prevent g4 which would make it impossible for black to activate his knight. But the thing is, without controlling d4, it doesn’t matter if his knight can get to f5} 22. b4 $1 Bf8 23. Rd7 $18 Bg7 24. Rad1 Nd6 (24... Rdc8 25. f5 $1 exf5 (25... gxf5 26. Bxh5) 26. Bd5) 25. exd6 Bxc3 26. Rxd8+ 1-0

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