Rounds 3 and 4 of the 2019 Doprastav Open played in Bratislava. Both were in the Caro-Kann and both were dubious.
After the first two rounds I was at 50% with one win and one loss. This is expected in Swiss tournaments, as you play someone much higher rated or much lower rated at start. Round 3 was my chance to win a game against a stronger opponent. I played someone rated 200 points higher (which I can cope with and I win around 40% of the games).
I didn’t have time to prepare as two rounds are played per day and the pairings got out an hour before the game. I had no idea what my opponent plays against the Caro-Kann. He went for Nc3 and I played the Karpov. There are numerous tricks for white in the variation and white can often sacrifice on e6 or on f7. Black has to play precisely. I didn’t. My opponent caught me off guard and got a beautiful sacrifice in. He took on e6 before I could castle and I was busted. I fought on but his pressure was relentless. Still, it was a great defensive training session.
The next day I came to the playing hall tired. I only got a few hours sleep because there was a party in the hostel and the walls are paper thin. I played a lower rated opponent and had to win to stay in the tournament. What ended up happening was one of my worst games ever. I should and could have lost it but somehow managed to swindle my way into an ending in which I played sort of ok and managed to win. Tough two rounds!
Balasz A. (2045) vs S. Tomic (1859), 2019 Doprastav Open, Bratislava, Round 3, 04/19/2019, Caro-Kann, Karpov Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Bc4 Ngf6 6. Ng3 e6 7. Nf3 c5 8. O-O cxd4 9. Nxd4 Be7 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. Nxe6 Qa5 12. Nxg7+ Kf7 13. N7f5 Nf8 14. Nxe7 Kxe7 15. Bd2 Qd5 16. Qe2+ Be6 17. Bc3 N8d7 18. Rad1 Qc6 19. Nf5+ Kf7 20. Rd6 Bxf5 21. Rxc6 bxc6 22. Qc4+ Be6 23. Qxc6 Rhg8 24. Rd1 Rae8 25. Qf3 Rg6 26. Qb7 Bh3 27. Bxf6 Kxf6 28. Rd6+ Kf7 29. Qb3+ Kf8 30. Qf3+ Kg7 31. Rxg6+ hxg6 32. gxh3 Nf6 33. Qb7+ Kh6 34. Qxa7 Nh5 35. Qd4 g5 36. Qd6+ Kg7 37. Qd7+ 1-0
S. Tomic (1859) vs Fedor P. (1588), 2019 Doprastav Open, Bratislava, Round 4, 04/20/2019, Caro-Kann, Fantasy Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 Nd7 4. Nc3 e5 5. exd5 Qh4+ 6. g3 Qxd4 7. Qxd4 exd4 8. dxc6 dxc3 9. cxd7+ Bxd7 10. bxc3 Rc8 11. Bd2 Nf6 12. Bd3 Bc6 13. Rb1 h6 14. Bb5 b6 15. Ne2 Bxb5 16. Rxb5 Bc5 17. Rb2 O-O 18. Nd4 Rfd8 19. Nb3 Ba3 20. Rb1 Nd5 21. Rd1 Bb2 22. O-O Bxc3 23. Bxc3 Rxc3 24. Rf2 Rc7 25. Rfd2 Rcd7 26. c4 Nf6 27. Rxd7 Rxd7 28. Rxd7 Nxd7 29. Kf2 Kf8 30. Ke3 Ke7 31. Kd4 Kd6 32. h4 g5 33. hxg5 hxg5 34. Ke4 f6 35. Kf5 a5 36. a4 Ke7 37. g4 Kf7 38. Ke4 Ke6 39. Kd4 Kd6 40. Nd2 Kc6 41. Ne4 Nc5 42. Nxf6 Nxa4 43. Ne4 Nc5 44. Nxg5 a4 45. Kc3 a3 46. Ne4 Nd3 47. Kb3 Ne1 48. Nd2 Kc5 49. Kxa3 Nc2+ 50. Kb2 Ne3 51. Kc3 Nd1+ 52. Kb3 Nf2 53. Ne4+ Nxe4 54. fxe4 Kd6 55. Kb4 Kc6 56. e5 1-0
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