1.c4
The English Opening. An enormously transpositional, subtle system where strategy and knowing the ideas/subtleties of the position is generally more important than tactics and theory.
1...e5
Black grabs the center and plays a "reverse Sicilian".
2.g3
White's plan is to control d5, solidly, even at the cost of weakening d4. White will try to force through the move d4, when he will enjoy a space advantage, or keep the center closed and attack on the wing by f2-f4 or b2-b4-b5.
2...Nc6
Black cedes control of d5 to White, preferring to take chances w/owning d4 instead.
3.Bg2
g6
The Botvinnik System 2...Nc6 3...g6
4.Nc3
Bg7
5.e4
Nge7
To possibly push f7-f5. If Black's f-pawn gets pushed to f5, White does best to not capture the pawn w/his e-pawn...not until Black is *unable* to recapture w/a knight. If Black gets a knight here, he will firm up control of d4.
6.Nge2
The knight goes to e2 for two reasons: f-pawn is free to advance, and in the fight for control of d4, sometimes f3 needs to be pushed to break a pin from Black's c8 Bishop.
6...d6
7.d3
Bg4
8.f3
Breaking the pin.
8...Be6
9.Nd5
Now that Black has placed his Bishop on the e6 square, the White knight can jump to d5--and should right now. The knight is ideally placed: c7 is attacked, preventing ...Qd7 and ...Bh3, exchanging light squared bishops and also preventing ...f6. *Now* is the time to jump to d5 because the knight cannot be captured: ...Nxd5 will lose a piece to either a pawn capturing on d5, and should Black capture with the bishop, he relinquishes the bishop pair. Note the same idea applies to White. If White fails to occupy d5 w/the knight and instead chooses to play Be3, Black should occupy d4 with his knightimmediately after. It is now too late for White to play Nd5 as ...c6 follows.
9...0-0
10.0-0
f5
White has no intention of capturing this pawn until it's the right moment. The right moment is when Black is unable to recapture with a knight. This move is necessary as White was planning to advance his d-pawn.
11.Be3
h6
12.Qd2
Protecting b2 and keeping f4 well-controlled.
12...Kh7
13.f4
Tension!
13...Qd7
14.Rae1
Experience shows that it will be the e-file that usually opens up.
14...Nd4
15.fxe5
Getting a center pawn for a wing one and opening the f-file.
15...dxe5
16.Nxd4
Breathing room, and that knight cannot be allowed to sit there!
16...exd4
17.Bf4
Rac8
18.Nxe7
I chose to capture Black's knight so there was no way he could capture the f5 pawn if White chooses to take it. Plus, tactically I figured Black *had* to take back w/the queen, then White could capture the f5 pawn (now that Black cannot recapture with a knight) and pin the e6 bishop to the queen.
18...Qxe7
19.exf5
Rxf5
20.Bxb7
Reaping the fruits of my labor.
20...Re8
21.Bd5
Adding pressure to the pinned bishop.
21...Qd7
22.Bxe6
Rxe6
23.Rxe6
Consolidating.
23...Qxe6
24.Bxc7
Another pawn!
24...Rxf1+
25.Kxf1
Qf7+
26.Qf4
Hoping for a swap to lessen Black's chances for counterplay.
26...Qe7
27.a3
The march of the pawns...
27...h5
28.b4
Bh6
29.Bd6
Qd7
30.Qxd4
Qh3+
31.Kg1
Bg7
32.Qxa7
Pinning the Bishop is a bonus.
32...Qf5
33.Qe3
Protecting the d3 pawn.
33...Qf6
34.Be5
Offering a bishop for simplification. My thinking here is that there's no way Black will be able to stop all of the pawns on the queen-side.
34...Qxe5
35.Qxe5
Bxe5
36.c5
Kg7
37.a4
Kf7
38.a5
Ke7
39.a6
Bb8
40.b5
Kd7
41.b6
Kc8
42.c6
Be5
43.a7
Bd4+
44.Kg2
Bxb6
45.a8Q+
And it's not too hard from this point. I finally made it through a game w/o a major blunder!
45...Kc7
46.Qb7+
Kd6
47.Qxb6
Ke5
48.c7
Kf5
49.c8Q+
Kg5
50.Qe3+
Kf6
51.Qf8#
1-0