White: moonbus, Black: blue bird, initial ratings within ten points; notes by moonbus. This was a clan challenge game. I looked at some of blue bird's other games and noted two things: first, he tends to play sharp tactical games, and second, he had over 400 other games running simultaneously. I therefore chose an opening which is slow and positional, thinking he might be lulled into a slip up.

This blocks the light-squared bishop's retreat. I began to think I might be able trap it later on.

Still avoiding any direct confrontation or overt tension.

Sealing off more squares from the light-squared bishop. Perhaps he senses no danger....

There it is: the last retreat square has been blocked; the light-squared bishop is doomed. Now I only need to poke it with a pawn somehow.

With the threat of e4 hitting the bishop on f5; the B goes to g4 and White plays f2-f3 followed by g3-g4 trapping the B.

This leads to material loss for Black. An equalizing continuation would have been: 9. ... dxe; 10. dxe Bg4; 11. f3 e5; 12. c3 Bh5; 13. g4 exd4; 14. c3xd4 Bb6; 15. g4xBh5 Nf4; 16. Kh1 Nxh5 -- which yields even material. White retains the slight advantages of the bishop pair and control of the center.

Black just manages to open an escape route for the bishop, but it will still cost him.

Positional assessment: White has a material advantage of a rook for a knight; the White pawn structure is effectively reducing Black's minor piece activity. The White bishop is out of the game, blocked by White's own pawns. Black has not yet completed his development, and it will be difficult for him to find good squares for the minor pieces. Black should try to force weaknesses or holes in White's pawn structure in order to post his minor pieces better; White should try to open files to activate his rook advantage.

The pawn fork 19. f4-f5 fails to ... Ne5, but with the White queen now safe, Black must retreat either the knight or the bishop.