DEAC vs HENDERSON DE LA FUENTE – ROUND 8 ISLE OF MAN MASTERS 2018

This game is from round 8 of the Isle of Man Masters 2018, fully annotated. It is between Bogdan-Daniel Deac with White against Lance Henderson de La Fuente with Black.

This game features an Open Catalan. To learn more about the Open Catalan, here is the best instruction book I could find on Amazon.

Deac,Bogdan-Daniel (2594) - Henderson de La Fuente,Lance (2484)

IOM chesscom Masters 2018 Douglas (8), 27.10.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Bb4+ 5.Nd2 0–0 6.Ngf3 dxc4 7.Qc2 E04: Open Catalan: 5 Nf3

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7...a5 [7...b5 8.a4 bxa4 9.0–0 Bb7 10.Nxc4 Nbd7 11.Rxa4 a5 12.Bd2 Be4 13.Qd1 c5 14.dxc5 Bc6 15.Rxb4 axb4 16.Bxb4 Ra4 17.Nd4 Bxg2 18.Qxa4 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Ne5 20.Nd6 Nd5 21.Ba3 Qc7 22.N6b5 Gelfand,B (2700)-Almasi,Z (2676)/Monte Carlo 2003/CBM 093 ext/1–0 (37)] 

8.a3 White threatens to win material: a3xb4 [8.Qxc4 b6 ½–½ Biriukov,O (2415)-Yemelin,V (2500)/St Petersburg 1997/CBM 058 9.a3 Ba6 10.Qc2 Be7 11.Ne4 (11.Nc4 c5 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.0–0 Nbd7 14.b4 axb4 15.axb4 Bxb4 16.Qb2 Nd5 17.Bd2 Be7 18.Qb3 Nc5 19.Qc2 Rc8 20.Qa2 Bf6 21.Rac1 b5 22.Nce5 Qd6 23.Ng4 Be7 24.Rcd1 Na4 25.e4 Ndb6 Pecorelli Garcia,H (2405)-Urday Caceres,H (2450)/Matanzas 1994/CBM 043/0–1 (40)) 11...Nxe4 12.Qxe4 Ra7 13.0–0 Nd7 14.Bf4 Bb7 15.Qc2 Qa8 16.Rfd1 Be4 17.Qd2 Rd8 18.Bg5 f6 19.Be3 Ne5 20.Ne1 c5 21.Qc3 Rad7 22.Rd2 Bxg2 23.Nxg2 Nc6 Carlsen,M (2625)-Jobava,B (2614)/Wijk aan Zee 2006/CBM 111/½–½ (50)] 

8...Be7 9.Nxc4 b5 10.Nce5 Bb7 11.0–0 Be4 Black threatens to win material: Be4xc2 

12.Qb3 c6 13.a4 White threatens to win material: a4xb5 

13...Bd5 14.Qd3 Na6 15.Bd2 bxa4 16.Rxa4 Nb4 Black threatens to win material: Nb4xd3 

17.Qe3 Qb6 18.Rc1 Rac8 19.Bxb4 axb4 Black has the pair of bishops.  

20.Nd3 

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20...Ra8 [¹20...Bxf3!? should be considered 21.Qxf3 Qxd4 22.Rxc6 Nd5²] 

21.Rxa8± Rxa8 

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22.Nfe5 White threatens to win material: Ne5xc6 

22...Rd8? [22...Rc8 23.Bxd5 Nxd5 24.Qf3±] 

23.Nxc6 [¹23.Bxd5!? cxd5 24.Nxf7+-] 

23...Bxc6² 24.Rxc6 Qxd4 25.Qxd4 Rxd4 Opposite coloured bishops appeared 

26.Rc8+ Bf8 27.Bf1 g5 28.e3 White threatens to win material: e3xd4 

28...Rd7 29.Nxb4 Rb7 30.Nd3 Kg7 31.Be2 Be7 32.Kf1 Nd5 33.Bf3 Rb3 Black threatens to win material: Rb3xd3 

34.Bxd5 Rxd3 35.Bc4 White threatens to win material: Bc4xd3 

35...Rd1+ 36.Kg2 Rd2 Black threatens to win material: Rd2xb2 

37.Rc7 White threatens to win material: Rc7xe7 

37...Kf6 38.Rb7 Bc5 Black threatens to win material: Bc5xe3 

39.Kf1 Be7 40.Be2 Rc2 41.b4 Rb2 42.b5 h6 43.Bh5 Rb1+ 44.Kg2 Rb2 45.h3 Rc2 46.b6 Rb2 47.Kf3 e5 48.Ke4 

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48...Rxf2? [48...Ke6 49.Bg4+ Kf6 50.Kd5+-] 

49.Rc7 [¹49.Rd7!? might be the shorter path 49...Rc2+-] 

49...Rb2 50.b7 Bd6 51.Rd7 

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51...Bc5? [51...Bb8 52.Bxf7 Rb4+ 53.Kd5 e4+-] 

52.Kd5 Be7 53.Bf3 Rb6 54.Rc7 Rb3 [54...Bd6 no good, but what else? 55.b8Q! Deflection: b8 55...Rxb8 56.Kxd6 Rb6+ 57.Bc6 g4 58.hxg4 Ra6+-] 

55.Be2 Bd8 56.Rd7 Be7 57.Kc6 Rc3+ 58.Kb5 Rb3+ 59.Ka5 Bc5 

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60.Bc4 [¹60.Bb5 and the result of the game is clear: White will win 60...Ra3+ 61.Ba4 Ba7+-] 

60...Rb2 61.Rxf7+ Kg6 62.e4 Rb1 63.Rd7 Kf6 [63...h5+-] 

64.g4 Rb2 

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65.Bd5 [65.Rf7+ makes it even easier for White 65...Kg6 66.Bd5 Rb1+-] 

65...Rb1 [65...Kg6 doesn't do any good 66.Rf7 h5 67.gxh5+ Kh6 68.Rd7+-] 

66.Rf7+ Kg6 67.Rf3 [67.Rf5 keeps an even firmer grip 67...Bd6 68.Ka6 Ra1+ 69.Kb6 Rc1+-] 

67...Bd6 [67...h5 cannot change what is in store for ? 68.Bf7+ Kh6 69.Bb3+-] 

68.Ka6 

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68...Bb8 [68...Rc1+- there is nothing better in the position] 

69.Rf8 Bd6 70.Rd8 Bc7 71.Rc8 

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71...Bd6 [71...Ra1+ what else? 72.Kb5 Rb1+ 73.Kc6 Rxb7 74.Kxb7 Ba5+-] 

72.Rc6 Ra1+ 73.Kb5 Rb1+ 

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74.Ka4 [74.Ka4 Ra1+ 75.Kb3 Rb1+ 76.Kc2+-]  1–0

CARLSEN vs CARUANA – GAME 15 WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2018

This is game 15 of the World Chess Championship Match 2018, fully annotated. It is between Magnus Carlsen with White against Fabiano Caruana with Black.

This game features a Sicilian Taimanov. To learn more about the Sicilian Taimanov, here is the best instruction book I could find on Amazon.

Carlsen,Magnus (2835) - Caruana,Fabiano (2832)

World Chess Championship 2018 London (15.1), 28.11.2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5 B44: Sicilian: Taimanov: 5 Nb5

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6.Nc2 [6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.Bf4 f6 9.Nc3 e5 10.0–0–0+ Ke7 11.Bg3 Nh6 12.h3 Be6 13.Kb1 Nf7 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne5 16.b3 a6 17.Na4 Bf2 18.c5 g5 19.Bxe5 fxe5 20.Be2 Raf8 Moya Soriano,M (2208)-Hernandez,G (2572)/Barcelona 2000/CBM 077 ext/0–1 (34); 6.Nb3 Be7 7.Be2 Nf6 8.N1d2 0–0 9.0–0 d5 10.exd5 exd5 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Nf3 a6 13.Bc4 Be6 14.Nbd4 Bg4 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.h3 Bh5 17.g4 Bg6 18.Ne5 Rc8 19.Nxc6 Rxc6 20.Qxd5 Qc7 Stufka,K-Hajas,L (1987)/Prague 2007/CBM 116 ext/1–0 (45)] 

6...Nf6 Black threatens to win material: Nf6xe4 [6...Qh4 7.Qe2 Nd4 (7...Nf6 8.Nc3 Nb4 9.Nxb4 Bxb4 10.Bd2 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Qxe4 12.Qxe4 Nxe4 13.Bxg7 Rg8 14.Be5 f6 15.Bd4 e5 16.f3 Ng5 17.Bc3 b6 18.0–0–0 Ne6 19.Rd2 Bb7 20.Bd3 Rg7 21.Re1 0–0–0 22.Be4 Serra-Dominguez,C/Mar del Plata 1961/MCD/0–1 (43)) 8.Nxd4 Bxd4 9.g3 Qf6 10.Na3 a6 11.Rb1 Ne7 12.Nc2 Nc6 13.Bg2 Ba7 14.0–0 Rb8 15.b3 e5 16.Ba3 b5 17.Rbd1 b4 18.Bc1 0–0 19.Be3 d6 20.Bxa7 Nxa7 21.Qd2 Pearson,W (1685)-Wallace,M (1595)/Grangemouth 2001/CBM 082 ext/1–0 (80)] 

7.Nc3 White has an active position 

7...0–0 Black castles and improves king safety 

8.Be3 White threatens to win material: Be3xc5 

8...b6 Black has a cramped position 

9.Be2 

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9...Bb7 White has a very active position 

10.0–0 Qe7 White has an active position 

11.Qd2 Rfd8 White has a very active position 

12.Rfd1 Ne5 13.Bxc5 bxc5 White has an active position 

14.f4 White threatens to win material: f4xe5 

14...Ng6 15.Qe3 d6 16.Rd2 a6 Consolidates b5 

17.Rad1 Qc7 18.b3 h6 

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19.g3 Secures h4 

19...Rd7 20.Bf3 Re8 21.Qf2 Ne7 22.h3 Covers g4 

22...Red8 23.Bg2 Nc6 24.g4 White has an active position 

24...Qa5 Black threatens to win material: Qa5xc3 

25.Na4 Qc7 26.e5 dxe5 27.Nxc5 

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27...Rxd2 [Weaker is 27...exf4 28.Nxd7 Nxd7 29.Rd6±] 

28.Rxd2 Rxd2 29.Qxd2 White has a new protected passed pawn: c4. Black has new doubled pawns: e5+e6 

29...Ba8 30.fxe5 Qxe5 

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31.Nd7 White threatens to win material: Nd7xe5 

31...Qb2 Black threatens to win material: Qb2xa2 

32.Qd6 Nxd7 33.Qxd7 

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33...Qxc2 Black wins a piece 

34.Qe8+ Kh7 35.Qxa8 Qd1+ 36.Kh2 Qd6+ 37.Kh1 Nd4 38.Qe4+ f5 39.gxf5 exf5 40.Qe3 Ne6 

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41.b4 White prepares c5 

41...Ng5 [41...Qxb4? fails because of 42.Qxe6 Qb1+ 43.Kh2 Qb8+ 44.Kg1+-] 

42.c5 White threatens to win material: c5xd6 

42...Qf6 43.c6 Ne6? [¹43...Qd6² and Black hangs on] 

44.a4+- Nc7 45.Qf4 

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45...Ne6? [¹45...Na8+-] 

46.Qd6 Qa1+ 47.Kh2 Nd4?! doesn't do very much to defend the position [47...Qe1 48.b5 axb5 49.axb5+-] 

48.c7 

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48...Qc3 [48...Qc1 a last effort to resist the inevitable 49.Qxd4 Qxc7+ 50.Kg1 Qc1+ 51.Bf1 g6+-] 

49.Qc5 Qe3 50.c8Q f4 51.Qg4 1–0

CARUANA vs CARLSEN – GAME 14 WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2018

This is game 14 of the World Chess Championship Match 2018, fully annotated. It is between Fabiano Caruana with White against Magnus Carlsen with Black.

This game features a Sicilian Sveshnikov. To learn more about the Sicilian Sveshnikov, here is the best instruction book I could find on Amazon.

Caruana,Fabiano (2832) - Carlsen,Magnus (2835)

World Chess Championship 2018 London (14.1), 28.11.2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Ne7 9.c4 Ng6 10.Qa4 Bd7 11.Qb4 B33: Sicilian: Pelikan and Sveshnikov Variations

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11...Qb8 [11...Bxb5 12.Qxb5+ Qd7 13.Qxd7+ Kxd7 14.g3 Ne7 15.h4 (15.Bg2 g6 16.b3 Bg7 17.Bb2 Rhe8 18.0–0 f5 19.Rfe1 Bh6 20.Re2 Rac8 21.a4 a5 22.Rae1 g5 23.Bc1 b6 24.h4 Rg8 25.Kh2 f4 26.gxf4 gxf4 27.Bh3+ Kc7 28.Bxc8 Kxc8 29.Rg1 Rf8 Suarez Calvo,A (1970)-Bazhenova,D (1910)/Sibenik 2007/CBM 120 ext/½–½ (48)) 15...h5 16.Bh3+ f5 17.a4 g6 18.a5 Bg7 19.0–0 Rhc8 20.Ra4 b5 21.axb6 axb6 22.Rb4 Rab8 23.Bg5 b5 24.Ra1 Rb7 25.Bxe7 Kxe7 26.Rxb5 Kholmov,R (2465)-Skatchkov,P (2370)/Perm 1997/CBM 058/½–½ (40)] 

12.h4 h5 13.Be3 [13.Bg5 a6 (13...f6 14.Be3 a6 15.Nc3 f5 16.g3 Be7 17.Be2 f4 18.gxf4 exf4 19.Bd4 0–0 20.Bxh5 Nxh4 21.0–0–0 Nf5 22.Bg6 Nxd4 23.Bh7+ Kf7 24.Rxd4 g6 25.Rg1 Bf5 26.Rxf4 Bf6 27.Ne4 Bxe4 28.Rxe4 Bhat,V (2411)-Wang,P (2306)/Dallas 2002/CBM 089 ext/1–0 (51)) 14.Nc3 f5 15.Be2 Be7 16.g3 e4 17.Qb3 Ne5 18.Bxe7 Kxe7 19.Qd1 g6 20.Qd2 Qc7 21.b3 Rac8 22.Nd1 Kf7 23.0–0 g5 24.Qxg5 Ng4 25.Bxg4 hxg4 26.Ne3 Rcg8 27.Qf4 Rh5 Galstian,B (2216)-Galyamov,V/Artek 2000/CBM 078 ext/1–0 (33)] 

13...a6 14.Nc3 

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14...a5 Black threatens to win material: a5xb4 

15.Qb3 Black has a cramped position 

15...a4 Black threatens to win material: a4xb3 

16.Qd1 Be7 17.g3 Controls f4 

17...Qc8 

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18.Be2 White threatens to win material: Be2xh5 

18...Bg4 19.Rc1 Bxe2 20.Qxe2 [20.Nxe2?! Qg4=] 

20...Qf5 21.c5 0–0 22.c6 bxc6 

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23.dxc6 White has a new passed pawn: c6. Black has a new passed pawn: d6 

23...Rfc8 Black threatens to win material: Rc8xc6 

24.Qc4 Bd8 25.Nd5 White plans c7 [25.Ne4!? Ba5+ 26.Ke2=] 

25...e4³ 26.c7 [¹26.Bd4!? is noteworthy 26...Ra5 27.Ne3=] 

26...Bxc7µ 27.Nxc7 Ne5 

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28.Nd5?? strolling merrily down the path to disaster [¹28.Qd5 Rab8 29.0–0 Rxc7 30.Qxd6µ] 

28...Kh7 [28...Kh7 29.Qe2 Nd3+ 30.Kf1 Nxc1–+ (30...Rxc1+?! 31.Bxc1 Qxd5 32.Kg2–+; 30...Qxd5?! 31.Rxc8 Rxc8 32.Kg2–+) ; 28...Nxc4? looks attractive, but 29.Ne7+ Kf8 30.Nxf5 Nxe3 31.Rxc8+ Rxc8 32.Nxe3 Rc1+ 33.Nd1+-; Instead of 28...Rxc4 29.Ne7+ Kh7 30.Nxf5 Nd3+ 31.Kd2 Rxc1 32.Rxc1 Nxc1 33.Kxc1²]  0–1

CARLSEN vs CARUANA – GAME 13 WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2018

This is game 13 of the World Chess Championship Match 2018, fully annotated. It is between Magnus Carlsen with White against Fabiano Caruana with Black.

This game features an English Opening. To learn more about the English Opening, here is the best instruction book I could find on Amazon.

Carlsen,Magnus (2835) - Caruana,Fabiano (2832)

World Chess Championship 2018 London (13.1), 28.11.2018

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4 4.e4 0–0 5.Nge2 c6 6.Bg2 A22: English Opening: 1...e5 2 Nc3 Nf6

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6...a6 [6...d5 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.exd5 Bf5 9.d4 e4 10.Bg5 Nbd7 11.Qb3 Qb6 12.0–0 h6 13.Bf4 Rfe8 14.Na4 Qa5 15.a3 Bf8 16.Nec3 g5 17.Be3 Rac8 18.Rfc1 Ng4 19.Qxb7 Rb8 20.Qc6 Rec8 21.b4 Kortschnoj,V (2635)-Taimanov,M (2595)/Leningrad 1973/IZT/1–0 (53); 6...d6 7.h3 Be6 8.d3 d5 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.0–0 dxe4 11.dxe4 Bc4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 Nd7 14.b3 Ba6 15.Bb2 Rc8 16.a3 Bd6 17.Re1 Nc5 18.Nc1 f6 19.h4 Nd7 20.Ne2 f5 21.Rc1 Scholes,J-Kinnmark,O (2328)/Dresden 2006/CBM 111 ext/½–½] 

7.0–0 b5 8.d4 d6 

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9.a3 [9.cxb5 axb5 10.h3 Re8 11.Be3 exd4 12.Bxd4 Bxc3 13.Nxc3 b4 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Nb5 Rd8 16.Nd4 Ra7 17.f4 c5 18.Nb3 Nc6 19.Rf2 c4 20.Nd2 c3 21.bxc3 bxc3 22.Nb3 Be6 23.Rc1 Nb4 Zubarev,A (2470)-Vysochin,S (2542)/Ordzhonikidze 2001/CBM 086/0–1 (33)] 

9...Bxc3 10.Nxc3 bxc4 11.dxe5 dxe5 White has the pair of bishops.  

12.Na4 Be6 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 14.Be3 Nbd7 15.f3 Prevents intrusion on g4 

15...Rab8 16.Rac1 

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16...Rb3 Black threatens to win material: Rb3xe3. The rook dominates 

17.Rfe1 Ne8 18.Bf1 Exerts pressure on the isolated pawn 

18...Nd6 19.Rcd1 

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19...Nb5 [¹19...Nb7!?= must definitely be considered] 

20.Nc5± Rxb2 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.Bxc4 Nd4 23.Bxd4 exd4 24.Bxe6+ Kf8 25.Rxd4 Ke7 26.Rxd7+ Rxd7 27.Bxd7 Kxd7 28.Rd1+ Ke6 29.f4 c5 

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30.Rd5 White intends f5. White threatens to win material: Rd5xc5 

30...Rc2 31.h4 c4 32.f5+ White wins space 

32...Kf6 33.Rc5 h5 34.Kf1 Rc3 Black threatens to win material: Rc3xa3 

35.Kg2 Rxa3 36.Rxc4 Black has a new passed pawn: a6 

36...Ke5 

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37.Rc7 White threatens to win material: Rc7xg7 

37...Kxe4?? gives the opponent new chances.  [¹37...Ra2+!? must be considered 38.Kf3 Ra3+ 39.Kf2 Kxe4 40.Rxg7 Rf3+ 41.Kg2 Rxf5=] 

38.Re7+± Kxf5 39.Rxg7 Kf6? [¹39...Ke4!? 40.Rg5 Ra2+ 41.Kh3 a5±] 

40.Rg5+- a5 41.Rxh5 

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41...a4? [¹41...Kg6 42.Rg5+ Kh6+-] 

42.Ra5 Ra1 43.Kf3 a3 44.Ra6+ Kg7 [44...Ke5 45.h5 a2+-] 

5.Kg2 Ra2+ 46.Kh3 Ra1 47.h5 Kh7 48.g4 

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48...Kg7 [48...a2 49.Kg2 Kg7+-] 

49.Kh4 a2 50.Kg5 White prepares the advance h6 

50...Kf7 51.h6 Rb1 52.Ra7+ Kg8 53.Rxa2 Rb5+ 54.Kg6 Rb6+ 

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55.Kh5 [55.Kh5 Rb5+ 56.g5+-]  1–0

MELKUMYAN vs LOMASOV – ROUND 8 ISLE OF MAN MASTERS 2018

This game is from round 8 of the Isle of Man Masters 2018, fully annotated. It is between Hrant Melkumyan with White against Semen Lomasov with Black.

This game features a Queen’s Pawn Game. To learn more about the Queen’s Pawn Game, here is the best instruction book I could find on Amazon.

Melkumyan,Hrant (2660) - Lomasov,Semen (2540)

IOM chesscom Masters 2018 Douglas (8), 27.10.2018

1.d4 e6 2.c4 b6 3.e4 Bb4+ 4.Nc3 Bb7 5.Qc2 A40: Unusual replies to 1 d4

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5...c5 [5...Ne7 6.Bd3 (6.Nge2 f5 (6...0–0 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 f5 9.f3 fxe4 10.fxe4 d5 11.Bg5 dxe4 12.0–0–0 Qe8 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nxe4 Nd7 15.Bd3 Rac8 16.h4 h6 17.Nc3 Rf4 18.g3 Bxh1 19.gxf4 Qxh4 20.Kb1 Bb7 21.f5 Fauland Borek,J (2085)-Rantanen,T/Pula 1997/CBM 057 ext/1–0 (55)) 7.f3 c5 8.d5 fxe4 9.fxe4 Ng6 10.Bd2 0–0 11.0–0–0 a6 12.a3 Ba5 13.dxe6 dxe6 14.Na4 Bxd2+ 15.Qxd2 Nc6 16.Qxd8 Raxd8 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.Nxb6 Na5 19.Na4 Rc8 20.Nec3 Ne5 Chabanon,J (2492)-Wohl,A (2401)/Lido Estensi 2003/CBM 094 ext/½–½ (43)) 6...d5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Qa4+ Nec6 9.Nf3 dxe4 10.Bxe4 0–0 11.0–0 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Na5 13.Re1 Bxe4 14.Rxe4 Nd7 15.Bg5 Nf6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Rae1 Qd6 18.Qc2 c5 19.Rh4 f5 20.Re5 Frey Beckman,K (2390)-Verduga,D (2300)/Lone Pine 1977/MCD/½–½ (36); 5...Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 d6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Bd3 c5 9.0–0 Ne7 10.Bf4 Qc7 11.Rfe1 Ng6 12.Bg3 e5 13.Bf1 Nf6 14.Rad1 0–0 15.Ng5 h6 16.Nh3 Rad8 17.f4 Rfe8 18.f5 Nf8 19.d5 N8h7 20.Bh4 Storgaard,M (1955)-Christensen,S/Esbjerg 2007/CBM 119 ext/1–0 (59); 5...Qe7 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 8.Nf3 h6 9.Bd3 Nd7 10.0–0 e5 11.a4 a5 12.Rb1 Qf6 13.Ba3 Ne7 14.c5 dxc5 15.dxc5 0–0 16.cxb6 cxb6 17.Bb5 Nc5 18.Bxc5 bxc5 ½–½ Mendoza,B (2162)-Mariano,C/Manila 2001/CBM 082 ext] 

6.d5 This push gains space 

6...f5 Black has a cramped position 

7.a3 White threatens to win material: a3xb4 

7...Ba5 [7...Bxc3+!? 8.Qxc3 Nf6³] 

8.Bd2 fxe4 

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9.Nxe4 [Inferior is 9.Qxe4 Nf6 10.Qe3 0–0 11.dxe6 Qe7=] 

9...Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 [Not 10.Nxd2 exd5 11.0–0–0 Ne7³] 

10...Qe7 Black has a cramped position 

11.0–0–0 

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11...Nf6 Black threatens to win material: Nf6xe4 

12.Nc3 Black has a cramped position 

12...0–0 13.Nf3 Na6 14.Bd3 Kh8 15.Rhe1 Nc7 16.Qf4 d6 Secures e5 [¹16...Qd8!? must definitely be considered 17.d6 Nce8±] 

17.Qh4± e5 

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18.Bxh7 [18.g4!? Qe8 19.g5±] 

18...g5² Black threatens to win material: g5xh4 

19.Qxg5 White has a strong king attack 

19...Qxh7 Black wins a piece 

20.Nh4 Qh5 Black threatens to win material: Qh5xg5 

21.Ng6+ Kg7 22.Qxh5 Nxh5 23.Nxf8 Rxf8 24.g3 Controls f4 

24...Ba6 25.b3 Prevents intrusion on c4 

25...Kg6 [25...Nf6!?= is worth consideration] 

26.f4± exf4 27.gxf4 Bc8 28.Re7 Rf7 29.Rg1+ Kf6 30.Re3 Bf5 31.Ne2 Rf8 

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32.Ng3 White has a mate threat 

32...Ng7 [32...Nxf4?? a poisoned pawn 33.Rf3 Nd3+ 34.Kd2+-] 

33.Rge1 

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33...b5 Nimzovich: attack the chain at its base 

34.Re7 Rf7 35.Rxf7+ Kxf7 36.h4 bxc4 37.bxc4 Bd3 38.h5 Nge8 39.f5 Nf6 40.h6 Nce8 41.Rh1 Kg8 42.Rh4 Nd7 43.Kd2 Ne5 44.h7+ Kh8 45.Kc3 a6 46.Rh6 Bxc4 47.Re6 Bb5 48.f6 White advances the passed pawn.  

48...Kxh7 49.Rxe5 dxe5 50.f7 Kg7 51.fxe8Q Bxe8 52.Kc4 White threatens to win material: Kc4xc5 

52...Kf6 53.Ne4+ Ke7 54.Kxc5 

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54...Bg6? [54...Bb5 55.Nd6 Bd3 56.Nc8+ Kf7 57.Na7²] 

55.Nf2 [¹55.d6+ Kd7 56.Nf6+ Kd8 57.Kd5+-] 

55...a5?? [¹55...Bf5² the only rescuing move] 

56.Ng4+- e4 57.Kd4 Kd6 58.Ne3 Kc7 59.Nc4 Kb7 

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60.Nd6+ [60.Nxa5+?! Kb6 61.Nc4+ Kb5+-] 

60...Kb6 61.Nxe4 Kb5 [61...Bf5 62.Nc5 Bg4+-] 

62.Nc3+ Kb6 

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63.Kc4 [¹63.Ke5+- secures victory] 

63...Bc2 64.Ne2 

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64...Bb1 [¹64...Bd1 65.Nd4 Bh5+-] 

65.Nc1 Bc2 66.Nd3 Bb1 67.Nc5 

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67...Ba2+ [67...Bh7+-] 

68.Kd4 Kb5 

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69.Ne4 [¹69.d6 it becomes clear that White will call all the shots 69...Kc6 70.Ke5+-] 

69...Bb3 70.Nc3+ Kb6 71.Ke5 

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71...Kc5 [71...Kc7+-] 

72.Ne4+ Kb5 73.d6 Kc6 

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74.Nc5!! a sacrifice in the best tradition 

74...Bc4 [74...Kxc5 75.d7 Passed pawn] 

75.Ne6 [75.a4 keeps an even firmer grip 75...Ba2+-] 

75...Bf1?? sad, but how else could Black save the game? [¹75...a4+-] 

76.Nd4+ Kb6 [76...Kd7 does not improve anything 77.Nb3+-] 

77.Ke6 [¹77.Kf6 and White can celebrate victory 77...Kc5 78.d7 Kxd4 79.d8Q+ Ke4 80.Qxa5+-] 

77...Bh3+ 78.Ke7 Bc8 79.Kd8 Bh3 80.Ke7 Twofold repetition 

80...Bc8 81.d7 Bxd7 82.Kxd7 Kc5 83.Nc2 [83.Nc2 a4 84.Kc7+-]  1–0