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1. d4
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Hi everyone, this game was part of a training match for an upcoming tournament. Played O.T.B., without use of a Game DB or openings book.
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1... d5 2. c4 c6
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The Slav Defence, my opponent's favourite reply against 1.d4.
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3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6
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The Meran complex contains a large number of variations. The Meran variation of the Semi-Slav Defense is reached when after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 black plays 4...e6.
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5. e3
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The most played move. Another possibility is 5.Bg5 when black can play 5... dxc4, the Botvinnik variation. For more on that variation take a look at the annotated game by chessy131: Semi-Slav: Botvinnik variation chessy131 (2008) vs. be8ki (2100)
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5... Nbd7
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Black follows the main line too.
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6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5
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This is the main line of the Meran.
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8. Bd3
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Now black has three main options: 8... a6, 8... Bb7 or the Neo-Meran with 8... b4.
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8... a6
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But we'll stick to the main line.
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9. e4
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The next moves are all theory.
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9... c5
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Only move.
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10. e5
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White gains control in the centre.
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10... cxd4
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So black has to reply.
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11. Nxb5
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Best move.
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11... axb5 12. exf6 Qb6
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An 'improvement' on the old fashion line with 12...Bb7! The game Botwinnik-Simagin, Russian Championship 1951, continued with 13.O-O gxf6 14.Bxb5 Rg8 15.Bf4 Ra5 16.a4 Rxb5! 17.axb5 Ne5 18.Bxe5 fxe5, with good play for black.
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13. O-O
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? 13.fxg7 is suggested by theory and considered slightly better then the text-move.
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13... Nxf6
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? My opponent leaves all theory behind and duly gets punished by making the first mistake. 13... gxf6 would still have been a theoretically known position.
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14. Nxd4
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! Capturing an important central pawn. The knight is protected by a discovered check on b5.
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14... Bd7
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Protecting the isolated b5 pawn and eliminating the check, so now the knight on d4 is no longer protected.
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15. Nf3 Bd6
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Developing pieces.
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16. b3
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16.Be3 followed by something like 16... Qb8 was another possibility I looked at, but I decided to fianchetto my bishop to b2, setting up a double-barreled shotgun with the bishops.
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