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Nf5 in the 4 ... Bc5 Scotch

Nf5 in the 4 ... Bc5 Scotch

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Clock
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I just finished this game on the black side of a Scotch opening. I had never faced the Nf5 line before, and I replied to it with a line that is very sharp, but probably not completely sound:



Do you guys know any theory on this? I know his 0-0 was a mistake, but I'm not sure where white could have improved earlier. Is 5 ... d5 really playable, or is there a refutation that my opponent and I didn't manage to find?

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before d5 i think i would've qf6

i play the scotch a lot and i've never done that.....always retreated to b3. looks like a poor move to me. what was his rating?

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Originally posted by trev33
before d5 i think i would've qf6

i play the scotch a lot and i've never done that.....always retreated to b3. looks like a poor move to me. what was his rating?
1727

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Originally posted by danilop
I just finished this game on the black side of a Scotch opening. I had never faced the Nf5 line before, and I replied to it with a line that is very sharp, but probably not completely sound:

[pgn][Event "Open invite"]
[Site "http://www.chessatwork.com"]
[Date "2008.11.19"]
[EndDate "2008.11.23"]
[Round "?"]
[White "harpknight"]
[Black "danilop"]
[ is there a refutation that my opponent and I didn't manage to find?
5...d5! is the best move against 5.Nf5?

Better was 9...Ng4 and after 10.dxc6 Bxf2+ 11.Ke2 Qe7+ black has decisive attack. But 9...Bg4 was playable too.

10...Re8?! does not seems the best idea - better was 10...Bxe2 and White should take bishop with king (10.Qxe2 Re8; 10.Nxe2 Qxf2+). Black would be definitely better then.

11.0-0? seems to be bad idea, but also after 10.Nc3 Bxe2 11.Ncxe2 Ng4 12.dxc6 Bxf2+ 13.Kf1 Rd8 Black has at least compensation for material.

Well played!

Clock
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Originally posted by Korch
5...d5! is the best move against 5.Nf5?

Better was 9...Ng4 and after 10.dxc6 Bxf2+ 11.Ke2 Qe7+ black has decisive attack. But 9...Bg4 was playable too.

10...Re8?! does not seems the best idea - better was 10...Bxe2 and White should take bishop with king (10.Qxe2 Re8; 10.Nxe2 Qxf2+). Black would be definitely better then.

11.0-0? seems to be bad idea ...[text shortened]... Ncxe2 Ng4 12.dxc6 Bxf2+ 13.Kf1 Rd8 Black has at least compensation for material.

Well played!
11...Qe7+!

Very nice. I thought of 9...Ng4, but analysed only 10. dxc6 Bxf2+ 11. Ke2 Bxg3, recovering the piece, but white then saves himself with 12. hxg3, when 12...Qxh1 13. Qd8+ draws. 11... Qe7+ is indeed decisive.

I thought of 10...Bxe2 too, but I was under the impression that I could keep building pressure on the e-file after 11. Nc3 Nd4. I overlooked 12. Be3, though, which would pretty much force me to sacrifice the exchange to keep the attack going - not a very pleasant idea when my other rook is stuck in h8. 10...Bxe2 keeps it simple and gets black good compensation for the material.

Thanks for the analysis!

Clock
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I remember years ago a guy our club played this 5.Nf5 and he gave me the
score to go over the game for one of our analysis nights.
(an excuse for a pizz up's).

He too was hammered. I found out later he had it played twice and lost
- someone said play the Scotch Game, it's good, showed him the
first three moves and left him to it - a little bit of knowledge is dangerous.

Preparing the lecture I found an amusing White win.
Since this thread started I've been looking for it off and on.

I could not find it so gave up.

I went out and remembered 5...Qf6 (I had been searching for the
position with 5...d5 - doh!).

Here it is. It was played by GM Hort. Watch the Knights tear Black apart.

Hort - Zindel, 2002



As someone suggested, I think it was Korch - 5...d5!

Clock
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Nice game. I didn't like the idea of 5... Qf6 because of that - it leaves black's queen exposed to white's knights and doesn't do much to improve black's position.

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