Mystery game #58: Offbeat Budapest draw left a lot of play on the board

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  • Mystery game #58: Offbeat Budapest draw left a lot of play on the board

    Here is the text of an interesting game. You can discuss the game: variations, player strengths, era, setting, time controls, etc. I will provide all data in a few days. Enjoy!!

    1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4 4.a3 Nc6 5.Nf3 b6 6.Qc2 Nc5 7.Nc3 Bb7 8.e3 a5 9.b3 Be7 10.Bb2 O-O 11.Be2 Re8 12.O-O Bf8 13.Nd5 Ne7 14.Rfd1 Ng6 15.b4 Ne6 16.Qd2 Bc6 17.b5 Bb7 18.Nf4 Nc5 19.Ra2, 1/2--/12.

  • #2
    Brian Profit (2103) -- NM Prosanto Sarkar (2283), Kingston Open (2), 1997, played 1997-02-08, time controls 30/90', SD/60', TD/Organizer Larry Bevand, Assistant Frank Dixon. Budapest, A51.
    There is nothing wrong with White's strategy from a tournament performance optimization perspective, since he is the lower-rated player, facing a Master, and the game is early in the multi-round event, with five rounds over two days. But it was somewhat disappointing to see this fascinating position, after only 19 moves, agreed drawn. Both players conserve strength for later rounds.
    The main line of the Budapest has 3...Ng4; generally White claims a slight edge in well-worked out variations.
    The more unusual Fajarowicz variation, with 3...Ne4, seen here, is not well regarded by theory, but it does have some tricky aspects, and unaware White players can fall into a number of traps. It is much less explored than the main lines. With 4.a3!, believed best for some 80+ years, White proves to be in the know on slowing Black's activity; he prevents a Black minor from arriving on b4. Black does not regain his pawn, but he does get decent development, and would make White prove his advantage; this would definitely take a significant effort, and of course White could go wrong. White has more space, but creating a winning plan is a formidable task.

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