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Hello guys. This month we have many interesting games. I have decided to mix it up a bit with a couple of Alekhines and a few Pirc, and for dessert, as usual, a few Caro-Kanns. In both Alekhine games White found some interesting ideas and gradually managed to apply pressure and win on the kingside. In the Pirc and Modern Black was doing okay in the opening and White was always avoiding the main lines . Overall there have been some interesting tactical games. In the Caros all the games were very positional with a closed centre where players always had to create something on the flanks and each time they succeeded.

Download PGN of November ’25 1 e4 ... games

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Alekhine’s, Four Pawns Attack 6...Bf5 7.Nc3 e6 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.Be2 [B03]

In Tabatabaei, A - Bauer, C we have the exciting Four Pawns Attack against Alekhine’s Defence. It followed one of the long mainlines and finally White went for a new idea with 17.Qe1:

Later he managed to create an attack on the kingside and got some advantage. Black had to defend and at some point he decided to look for a tactic which was not working and White won easily.


Alekhine’s Defence 4...Bf5 5.Bd3 [B04]

The second game, Macias, D - Del Rio, S, was also in Alekhine’s Defence but in the rare 4...Bf5 line. White managed to gain some advantage with the interesting idea 12.Nd4:

Later Black played a bit passively and allowed White to create an attack with 32.Nf6 and a few moves later Black blundered and allowed another jump of the knight and had to resign instantly.



Modern, 150 Attack 4.Be3 a6 5.h4 h5 6.Nh3 [B06]

Cardoso, J - Almeida, O was a Modern Defence with the not very popular line 6.Nh3:

Actually there were 3 interesting games in this line in the space of 2 days so I put the others in the notes as well. After White closed the centre he got more space but hesitated to advance with g4 and allowed Black to improve and get a very safe endgame. Later, somewhat surprisingly, White managed to get some activity on the a file and, after some sharp play in an equal position, Black finally blundered and lost.


Pirc Defence 5.Bc4 0-0 6.0-0 Nxe4 [B08]

Bernadsky, V - Tabatabaei, M was another game with an unpopular line in the Pirc, 5.Bc4:

Black opted for the plan with 6...Nxe4 and got a very good game. Later there were a lot of trades and the game headed into an endgame with opposite color bishops. It looked like a dead draw but somehow Black managed to start pressing and in the end he actually won.


Pirc/Modern Defence 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.Qd2 c6 6.Nf3 [B08]

Bauer, C - Bacrot, A was in another rare line in the Pirc with 4. Bf4, and Black went for 7...c5:

Soon there was a new position on the board. White went for a slightly better endgame and slowly tried to improve. Black could not find any good counter play and White managed to create perfect outposts for both knights and later won.



Caro-Kann Advance, Short Variation 5...Ne7 6.c3 h6 7.0-0 Nd7 8.a4 [B12]

Kosakowski, J - Merry, A was in the ever-popular Short Variation of the Caro-Kann. It was a slow line where not even a single pawn has been traded in the first 13 moves:

Black castled long and started to create some initiative on the kingside as White was solid but not active enough to apply pressure. Black managed to win a pawn after 15...g4 but a few moves later he lost it. Later Black missed an incredible tactic to win the game in 2 moves and instead, a few moves later in an equal position, he blundered and allowed mate in two.


Caro-Kann Advance 4.h4 h5 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.Nge2 [B12]

Travadon, L - Vlachos, A was in the other trendy Advance Variation with 4.h4. Soon Black went for the very rare move 8...Bg4:

A few moves later Black went into some forced lines, trading many pieces, which lead to a difficult endgame. White quickly capitalized and won one pawn keeping a big advantage as well. Later he managed to win more material and then the game.


Caro-Kann Two Knights 4.h3 Bxf3 5.gxf3 [B11]

Finally, in Wachinger, N - Sumets, A we have the Two Knights Variations and soon White went for a very rare line played by Tal in his 1960 match against Botvinnik, 5.gxf3:

This line looks a bit unusual but actually Black has more problems because it is not so clear what is the best plan. Black decided to only play with his pawns for some time and that gave White time to get the better development. White managed to open the game with 15 f4 and got the advantage. Later Black missed a chance to get a safe position and White managed to increase his pressure, win material and later the game.



Till next month, Marian

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