This game is a great exercise in “Karpov” style play. Building up on small advantages in seemingly equal positions and winning.
It was a Karpov Caro-Kann too, a position he perfected and won with numerous times, despite it being rather boring, equal, and seemingly without bite. My opponent went for one of the simplifying variations which avoids the sharp, theoretical main lines, and gave me a chance at equality.
My problem was that I never looked further than that. Despite him making several severe mistakes, which I could have punished, and after which I had a perfect opportunity to convert a game like Karpov, using small advantages, the game was drawn. I kept missing my opportunities, and finally ended up trading into a drawn, almost symmetrical endgame.
There is a lot to be learned from this simple, 25-move draw.
Ciutat de Barcelona 2021, Round 2
Castaner X. (2080) – Tomic S. (1927)
Caro-Kann, Karpov Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Ng3 e6 7. Bd3 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. b3 c5 10. c4 b6 11. Bb2 Bb7 12. Re1 Re8 13. Ne5 Qc7 14. Nxd7 Nxd7 15. Qh5 g6 16. Qe2 Rad8 17. Be4 cxd4 18. Bxd4 Nf6 19. Bc3 Nxe4 20. Nxe4 Qf4 21. Ng3 Bf6 22. Bxf6 Qxf6 23. Rad1 Rxd1 24. Rxd1 Rd8 25. Nf1 h5
😎 Become a Patron (extra daily content): https://www.patreon.com/hangingpawns
👕 New chess merch!: https://hanging-pawns-chess-merch.myteespring.co/
More Merch on weird stuff like pillows: https://www.redbubble.com/people/hangingpawns/shop
♘ Follow me on lichess (write, ask, challenge): https://lichess.org/@/hpy
💲 Support the channel: https://www.paypal.me/HangingPawns
#chess