Download PGN of June ’25 1 e4 ... games
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Scandinavian Defence 3...Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 b5 [B01]
Borgaonkar, A - Nihal, S was in the Centre Counter with 3...Qd6:
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It followed one of the positional main lines and White managed to win a pawn but Black got decent compensation. Later White started to play a bit passively and Black slowly managed to outplay him and eventually won in the endgame.
Scandinavian Defence 2...Nf6 3.Bb5 Nbd7 4.c4 g6 [B01]
Li, Chao, B - Wej, Yi, was again in the Centre Counter but this time in the line with 3. Bb5+ where White tries to hang on to the extra pawn:
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Black enjoyed the more active pieces in return and the game was around equal. At some point in the middlegame White went for a forced variation where he decided to make a draw with a repetition rather than win an exchange and get a small edge.
Alekhine’s Defence 4.Bc4 c6 5.Nf3 dxe5 6.dxe5 Bg4 [B03]
Amin, B - Movsesian, S was in a not that popular line of Alekhine's Defence.
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White has gained a pair of bishops but Black played aggressively, castling queenside and launching a pawn storm on the other wing. However he missed winning a pawn and the game was balanced after that. Later Black again managed to create an attack and was winning. The end of the game was very eventful as Black blundered and then White forced a draw, but he was actually winning so I guess there was big time pressure.
Pirc Defence 1...Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 5.Be3 Bg7 6.Qd2 [B08]
In Schmider, N - Moussard, J, following an unusual move order in the end it went into some kind of Pirc line:
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Black kept trying rare plans and delayed castling. White decided to go for active play with 12.e5 and it paid off instantly as, surprisingly, Black opened the central file, blundered material and was forced to resign. Even strong players can sometimes lose fast.
Pirc Defence, 150 Attack 6.Qd2 a6 7.0-0-0 b5 [B08]
Ansat, A - Giri, A was a in the Pirc. Soon after 8...b4 we reached a new position and Black gave a pawn to gain the pair of bishops:
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White managed to develop and got a stable position for some time. Later on he made a blunder and Black got a big edge which he slowly managed to convert.
Caro, Two Knights Variation 3...Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6 6.Be2 Nf6 [B11]
Poltorak, S - Berkes, F was in the Two Knights Variation of the Caro-Kann. White was trying to create something on the kingside but Black prevented it with 14...f5:
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The game was balanced and equal for a long time. In the middlegame White made one terrible decision to change the pawn structure and Black gained a defended passed pawn. Later Black slowly managed to increase his edge and won in a long endgame.
Caro-Kann Advance, Short Variation 4...e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.Nbd2 h6 7.0-0 Ne7 8.Nb3 [B12]
Navara, D - Pultinevicius, P was in the Short variation of the Caro-Kann where Black went for the 10...g5 line:
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Soon after White took the chance to start an attack with 14. Ne5 and Black was left unable to castle. From here White quickly managed to start an attack, won material and later the game.
Caro-Kann Advance, Short Variation 4...e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.Nbd2 Ne7 7.0-0 Ng6 8.Nb3 [B12]
Navara, D - Van Foreest, J was in the same variation, but after 9 c4 the game very quickly went out of the book.
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Black missed the chance to trade queens and White managed to get some edge with his bishop pair. Later Black found some counterplay on the kingside. After that the game was very interesting and both players had their chances, then for a long time it was equal until White blundered and Black managed to win the game with some tricks in the late endgame.
Till next month, Marian
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