Berlin Pro – CT800

This is a game between the Mephisto Berlin Pro London, rated at ELO 2250, and the CT800. Both play at 30 seconds per move.

[White "Mephisto Berlin Pro London"]
[Black "CT800"]
[Opening "Pirc Defence"]
[WhiteElo "2250"]
[BlackElo "2100"]
[Date "2016.08.24"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "1/30"]
1. d4 d6 {Pirc Defence.} 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. f4 g6
5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Bg4 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 Qb6
10. Ne2 Na6 11. c3 Rad8 12. f5 d5 {Wrong pawn – e5 was
called for.} 13. e5 Nd7 14. Kh2 Nc7 {Losing tempo to
the immediate c5.} 15. Qg3 c5 16. b3 cxd4 {Na6 was better.}
17. cxd4 Qa5 {Puts the queen off the game. Nc7-a6 was
better.} 18. Bg5 Rde8 19. e6 Nxe6 20. fxe6 fxe6
21. Rxf8+ Nxf8 22. Qf3 e5 {Nf8-d7 would have offered more
resistance.} 23. Rf1 Kh8 24. Qf7 Rb8 {Why not Rc8? But it
is lost anyway.} 25. Qxe7 e4 26. Rf7 Qb6 27. Rxg7
{Black resigned even without seeing the mate in 6.} 1-0

    Mephisto Berlin Pro London vs. CT800

 1.  d2-d4   d7-d6 (Pirc Defence)
 2.  e2-e4  Ng8-f6
 3. Nb1-c3   c7-c6
 4.  f2-f4   g7-g6
 5. Ng1-f3  Bf8-g7
 6. Bf1-d3     0-0
 7.    0-0  Bc8-g4
 8.  h2-h3  Bg4xf3
 9. Qd1xf3  Qd8-b6
10. Nc3-e2  Nb8-a6
11.  c2-c3  Ra8-d8
12.  f4-f5   d6-d5 (Wrong pawn - e7-e5 was called for.)
13.  e4-e5  Nf6-d7
14. Kg1-h2  Na6-c7 (Losing tempo to the immediate c6-c5.)
15. Qf3-g3   c6-c5
16.  b2-b3   c5xd4 (Nc7-a6 was better.)
17.  c3xd4  Qb6-a5 (Puts the queen off the game. Nc7-a6 was better.)
18. Bc1-g5  Rd8-e8
19.  e5-e6  Nc7xe6
20.  f5xe6   f7xe6
21. Rf1xf8+ Nd7xf8
22. Qg3-f3   e6-e5 (Nf8-d7 would have offered more resistance.)
23. Ra1-f1  Kg8-h8
24. Qf3-f7  Re8-b8 (Why not Rc8? But it is lost anyway.)
25. Qf7xe7   e5-e4
26. Rf1-f7  Qa5-b6
27. Rf7xg7    ...  (Mate in 6 is ahead.)
 (Black resigned even without seeing the mate.)

You can also save the game for offline use with your favourite chess GUI: download game (PGN).

The Berlin Pro London wins without problems. It is not even about tactical errors; the CT800 is just being outplayed.

It starts out as the Czech variant of the Pirc Defence. White opts for the three pawn attack (d, e, f) and builds up an impressive centre.

Allowing that is normal for Black in Modern Defence, but the important aspect here is to undermine this centre, and that is what the CT800 fails to do. It is not really helpful, either, to put the black queen somewhat off the game for a queenside attack that never happens.

The final nail in the coffin is that while the CT800 intends to blow up the centre, it uses the wrong central pawn. The important move with Pirc is e5 and not d5. From there on, the Berlin Pro London pushes its pawns further and overruns the black position, gaining material and building up pressure to the black king.

The CT800 tries to launch some counter-attack in the centre, but this is a classic case of “too little, too late”. The Berlin Pro London takes the seventh rank with queen and rook, and the CT800 resigns.