Czech Constriction

I scored an amazing upset against a strong Czech player whose rating was 190 pts above mine. I have heard that it is quite unlikely to beat another player whose rating is 200 (or 300) points above yours. Anyway, my Czech opponent played a Breyer variation (ECO B10) in the Caro-Kann... it's funny how I played Caro-Kann to avoid a possibly strong Sicilian play, and in return he took a remote variation to avoid the main lines in Caro-Kann, maybe. An aggressive military expansion in the early middle game gave rise to the forming of a jagged pawn wall that constricted movements for both sides... especially mine! It took great care to navigate through the cramped terrain, and masked threats every step along the way, to finally emerge with a slightly advantageous position by the late middle game. I am especially proud of the three separate knight moves that had critically improved my position or delivered psychological blows. To say the least they are important milestones along the course of fighting back from a dangerously cramped position to finally making futile the last defense the white King could have had. An unexpected victory and a come back from an inferior position... the story of my game!

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Brazilian Bending

He was a strong opponent. It was an attacking game with subtleties, at least for my standard of play. I played with great care and balance between attacking and defending. I took pride also in repeatedly frustrating my opponent with blocking him along the vulnerable a2-g8 diagonal, but alas he was slowly gaining advantage even if by infinitesimal bits. My Brazilian opponent was resilient and when his f pawn advanced, fear was looming and it was my darkest hour... yet the next moment my opponent got aggressive, perhaps a little over aggressive, and thus allowed me a chance to bring home the victory. Used the word Bending because of my final move before he resigned. It was like a Roberto Carlos outside-foot banana shot because my queen was checking his King before 'bending' to the left to knock out his pillar that was his f pawn! It is alright if you cannot visualize it; not everyone is imaginative :P Anyway, his resignation honestly surprised me, and surely made me happy enough to share this intense middle game that almost killed me.

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