C00: French: Unusual White 2nd moves
1.e4 e6 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.a3 Ba5 4.Nf3 c5 5.d4 [White could have created a landmine of tactics with 5.Nb5 threatening Nd6+ 5...d6 6.b4! a pawn sacrifice to exploit all of the bishop moves 6...cxb4 7.axb4 Bb6+/- (7...Bxb4 8.c3 Ba5 9.Qa4 Nc6 10.Ba3 Bc7 11.Nfd4 a6 12.Nxc6 axb5 13.Bxb5! Rxa4 14.Nxd8+ Kxd8 15.Bxa4+- ) ]
5...cxd4 [5...Nf6 6.Bd3 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Bd2 cxd4 9.Nxd5 Qxd5 10.0-0+/= ]
6.Nxd4 Bxc3+ this shatters White's pawns, so White must respond tactically [6...Nf6 7.e5 Nd5 8.Qg4+/- ]
7.bxc3+/= a6 8.g3 White doesn't have time for positional play like this [8.Bd3+/- ]
8...Qc7= 9.Be3?! [>=9.Rb1= offering the c3-pawn is probably best, but in a better way 9...Qxc3+ 10.Qd2 Qxd2+ 11.Bxd2 Nc6 12.Nxc6 dxc6 13.c4~~ Black has some work to do to unwind the position and prove that the extra pawn counts]
9...Qxc3+-/+ 10.Ke2 Nf6 11.Bg2 0-0 I've been in plenty of positions similar to this from the Black side, and White typically gets more for the pawn than you would expect
12.Re1 Nc6?! Black needs to instead be guarding against a future Bd4 [12...Qc7 13.f4=/+ ]
13.Nxc6 [13.Kf1 e5 14.Nb3 d6=/+ ]
13...bxc6 Black needs to start thinking about retreating the Queen [13...Qxc6 14.Qd4 d6-/+ ]
14.Kf1 a5 the "threat" of .. Ba6+ is not something for White to worry about [14...e5= ]
15.Bd4+/= Qc4+ 16.Kg1 d5 17.exd5?! it's better to uncramp Black [17.Bf1 Qa4 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qg4+ Kh8+/= ]
17...cxd5=/+ 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.h3 [19.Rc1 Ba6 20.Bf1 Qc3=/+ ]
19...Bd7 [19...Ba6-/+ ]
20.Bf1=/+ Qc7 [20...Qa4=/+ ]
21.h4 [21.c4! dxc4 22.Rc1= ]
21...Kh8 22.Qd4 Qd8 Black has to be careful here [22...Qxc2? 23.Qxf6+ Kg8 24.Re5+- ]
23.Rab1 Rc8 24.Bd3 [24.Ba6 Rxc2 25.Rb8!=/+ Bc8 (25...Qxb8? 26.Qxf6+ Kg8 27.Qg5+ Kh8 28.Qf6+= is a draw) 26.Reb1 e5 27.Qd3 Qc7 28.Qxd5 Rd8 29.Qf3 Qc6 30.Qxc6 Rxc6 31.Bxc8 Rdxc8 32.Rxc8+ Rxc8 33.Rb5 a4 34.Rb4 Ra8 35.f4 h5 36.Kf2 Kg7 37.Kf3 and White should be able to draw]
24...Bc6-/+ 25.g4? [25.Ba6 e5 26.Qb6 d4 27.Qxd8 Rcxd8-/+ ]
25...e5 26.Qb2? [>=26.Qb6-+ ]
26...Rg8 now Black is out of danger, there are better moves for both sides the rest of the way, but nothing that would change the result
27.g5 [27.f3 d4 28.Be4 Bxe4 29.Rxe4 f5 30.Rxe5 Qd6-+ 31.Rxf5? Qg3+ 32.Kf1 Qh3+ 33.Kf2 Rxc2+! 34.Qxc2 Qh2+-+ ]
27...d4 28.c3 [28.Be4 Qd7 29.Qb3 Bxe4 30.Rxe4 fxg5-+ ]
28...fxg5 [28...Qd7 29.f3 Bxf3 30.Bf1 Qg4+ 31.Bg2 dxc3 32.Qf2 Bxg2 33.Qxg2 Qxh4 34.Re4-+ ]
29.h5 Qf6 [29...Qd7 30.Qe2 Rge8 31.Bb5 dxc3 32.Bxc6 Rxc6 33.Rbc1-+ ]
30.cxd4 [30.Qe2 Rge8 31.cxd4 Bf3-+ ]
30...Qf3 31.Kf1 [31.d5 Bxd5 32.Qxe5+ f6 33.Be4 fxe5 34.Bxf3 Bxf3 35.Rxe5-+ ]
31...Qxd3+ 32.Qe2 Qh3+ 33.Kg1 Qg2# 0-1