Lopez overtakes Hansen in Rd. 2

by · October 27, 2013

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Round 2 of the Barcelona International saw things heat up as two decisive games were registered, namely Ftacnik vs Narciso (0-1) and Lopez vs Hansen (1-0). An excellent day for the Catalan grandmasters! The other two games were hard fought draws. The cross-table is given below with all of the details.

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I am not certain if Eric played a home-prepared innovation on move nine (9…Bc5) or simply was winging it. In either case, though I can not find the move in any of my databases, had Eric played 13…Be6!? he would have had an entirely satisfactory game. INSTEAD, Eric provoked things when he allowed the Catalan grandmaster to dominate the centre with his pieces. The game quickly became critical for Hansen once the White Knight got a foothold on f5. After 29.Nxg7 the floodgate was opened and the Black King was soon trapped.

Lopez Martinez, J–Hansen, E

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.a4 b4 9.d3 Bc5!?

10.h3 d6 11.c3 bxc3 12.bxc3 Rb8 13.Ba2 Ne7 14.d4 exd4 15.cxd4 Bb4 16.Bd2 a5 17.Nc3 Bb7 18.Qc2 Ng6 19.Nb5 c6 20.Nc3 Ba6 21.Rad1 Nd7 22.e5 dxe5 23.dxe5 Nc5 24.Bg5 Qc8 25.Re3 Re8