In this game I faced a very early Rg1. An attempt to start an early pawnstorm and attack the kingside.
My opponent was a very strong and talented player, rated over 200 points higher, so I guess he wanted to avoid “boring” Semi-Slav positions in which black aims to slowly equalize and then often trades off too many pieces of the board for white to have any sort of palpable advantage.
So he played Shirov style. As soon as I castled, he played Rg1, making his intentions quite clear. I did manage to react correctly, striking in the center, and not really ever giving him enought time for the attack. Then things got complicated.
Ciutat de Barcelona 2021, Round 4
Martyr R. (2193) – Tomic S. (1927)
Reti
1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. b3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bb2 O-O 8. Rg1 e5 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Nb5 Bb8 11. Ba3 Re8 12. Rc1 a6 13. Nc7 Bxc7 14. Qxc7 Qxc7 15. Rxc7 h6 16. d4 e4 17. Nd2 Nb8 18. Rc1 Nc6 19. Nb1 Bd7 20. Nc3 b5 21. Bd6 Rac8 22. Be2 Re6 23. Bc5 Na5 24. Kd2 Rec6 25. Be7 Be6 26. f3 R6c7 27. Bxf6 gxf6 28. fxe4 dxe4 29. Nxe4 Kg7 30. Rxc7 Rxc7 31. Nc5 Rc6 32. Rf1 Rb6 33. Bf3 Rd6 34. Kc3 f5 35. Kb4 Nc6+ 36. Bxc6 Rxc6 37. Ka5 Bc8 38. Rc1 Kg6 39. Nd3 Rxc1 40. Nxc1 f4 41. exf4 Kf5 42. Kb6 Kxf4 43. d5 Ke3 44. Kc7 Bf5 45. b4 Kd2 46. Nb3+ Kc3 47. Na5 Kxb4 48. Nc6+ Ka3 49. Nd4
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