Reti opening, a solid and modern way of playing

The knight move, although not as popular as the queen and king pawn moves is a great way of taking controll over the center.

Lovik is inviting Torngren to a Sicillian defence

The pawn takes control over one of the central squares, if Torngren now plays the pawn to e4 we are transposing to the Sicillian defence.

English defence instead

Torngren, declines the offer and is instead mirroring Løvik*s last move, transposing into the English opening. This is a so called symetrical English, where the c-pawns are headbutting each other.

A kingside fianchetto

The president is preparing a so called kingide fianchetto, where the darksquared bishop will assert strong pressure down the long diagonal.

Another piece controlling the center

In the opening you want to develop the pieces and control the center, which is exactly what white and black is doing. The knight takes control over two central squares.

A strong bishop

Lovik bishop is a roaring dragon on g7 and is usally black's strongest piece in this setup. But if the bishop disappears black is left with many weak squares on the kingside.

Queenside activity

Torngren is preparing a queenside expansion in the future, but perhaps white had more usueful moves?

Defending against white's idea

The knight is both taking control over the center and stopping white's b4 idea.

Yet another Kingside fianchetto

Ditto! Torngren is also fianchettoing the bishop, mirroring black. There is more than one reason why this is called the symmetrical English.

Another square for the knight

Lovik is preaparing a new square for the knight on g8, where it doesn't block the powerful bishop. The pawn also controls the center.

A dangerous surprise?

Torngren was waiting for Lovik last move, that weakened the dark squares. If black is not careful white's darksquared bishop might become a monster, but this could also quickly backfire for white.

A solid option

Lovik declines Torngren's sacrifice, maintaining great control over the center. Sometimes black can even consider giving away the powerful darksquared bishop for white's knight, destroying white's pawnstructure.

Out of the diagonal

The rook moves out of the long diagonal and supports the pawn. Perhaps white can put some pressure down the file in the future?

Ready to castle

The knight is developed, and black is ready to get the king to safety on the kingside.

The sniper is ready and loaded.

White's bishop will excert strong pressure down the long diagonal. At the same time white is ready to castle. Sometimes though white might push harry the h-pawn in stead, creating a kingside attack.

Safety on the Kingside

Lovik is castling the king to safety or perhaps to it's doom? I think white has delayed castling for a reason.

Harry the h-pawn

White wants to open the h-file for the rook, creating an attack vs the black king. On the other side Torngren's king is stuck in the center and black might launch an effective counterattack

The typical response

Torngren's pawnpush can now be answered with pushing the g pawn, not letting white pry open the h-file.

Opening the b file

Torngren is exchanging the b-pawn asserting pressure down the b-file with the rook. With almost all the pieces out, we are approaching the middle game.

The queen is joining the game

Lovik is taking back the pawn, creating pressure down the d file with the queen. Perhaps exchanging the dark squared bishop for the knight is an idea?

Moving the cavalry to the Kingside

The knight is dodging the bishop and preparing an Kingside attack. The question is should black defend the pawn on c5 from the knight, or try to counterattack in the center?

Defending the pawn and preparing counterplay

Black is defending the pawn and is preparing to attack white with the pawns in the center. Torngren's king has not yet castled, so an attack in the center might pack a punch.

Continuing the "attack"

I doubt this attack will be successful, whit the king still in the center it's hard to coordinate the pieces. White hasn't even finished developing. Black will not allow white to play g5 getting a bind.

The counterattack has started

Torngren is caught unprepared, this might quickly turn into a disaster. Lovik is pushing the knight away from the strong square in the center, opening up the position.

A necessary capture

White has to capture the pawn, or else the g pawn is taken. Sadly this helps black's better placed pieces, which becomes even stronger.

Knight is getting bullied

Knights need safe squares, and it very much dislikes getting pushed around by the f-pawn.

On the jump

I wonder how many times this knight will move this game, what do you think?

Once a bully, always a bully

The knight is not getting any time to rest, the aggressive pawn also clears the f5 square for the knight or the bishop.

Yet another jump

The pawn can bully the knight no more, atleast white has a fairly stable square for the knight, but losing time could have dire consequences.

No rest for the wicked

Lovik has a strong initiative, and will not let white off by playing slow moves. The bishop is targeting the knight making Torngren spend even more time.

Torngren has to defend the knight

The pawn has to defend the knight as the rook on b1 was hangig if the knight moved. At least the knight can rest for now having found a strongpoint in the center.

Bringing the artillery

With the minor pieces on great squares it's time to bring the rest of the gang. The queen and the rooks will create strong pressure in the center

A bishop duel

Torngren's darksquared bishop is challenging the roaring beast on g7 to a duel. The problem is: Lovik other pieces are still much better.

Duel declined

Lovik declined the exchange of bishops, but this loses valuable time. Now Torngren can exchange some of Lovik most powerful pieces.

A quick exit for the bishop

The bishop is exchanging itself for the powerful black knight, a great decision since it would be buried if white took with the knight. The white rook might also soon become a major player in the game.

A mute dragon

Taking with the bishop was probably the lesser evil, but Lovik doesn't want to exchange the proud bishop. The problem now is that the bishop is no longer Lovik's best piece, butrather the worst.

Invading rook

The white rook is very powerful on b5, and with a strong knight on e4, white is very much back in the game.

Pressure in the c-file

It's not so easy to find a plan for black, so Lovik decides to bring the rook into the game, perhaps creating a threat of taking white's strong knight and then the c pawn?

Strong knight, superfluous knight

Torngren's knight in the center is an absolute beast, but the problem is the other knight is actually quite bad since they are both competeing for the same square.

Hiding in the corner

Do not mistake this move for a passive waiting move. The King is safer in the corner, not allowing a counterattack. Typically this is a move made before comitting to an attack.

Consolidating, but what about the counterattack?

Torngren is consolidating the position, but perhaps it was time for a counterattack on the queenside?

Mysterious Bishop move

Lovik just made a mysterious bishop move. Perhaps he wishes to move the knight or rook to f5, or maybe the night to the powerful e5-square without allowing Rd5

Counterplay!

Torngren starts the counterplay on the queen side at last.

The pawn will try to break open the Queenside, creating weaknesses and squares for the white pieces.

Heading to a powerful square

The Knight aims for e5 where it dominates the board. As a bonus it stops white from going a5 shattering the Queenside structure.

A powerful rook

The rook is very strong here, attacking black's weak pawn. On the other side, black's next move is rather obvious, defending the pawn.

8 legged Kraken

This is the knight you dream of, the legendary Kraken. A knight that can't get chaced away by pawns or pieces. It's protecting g6 and putting pressure on the Torngren's bishop.

Hiding in the corner like a coward

There was no way Lovik was going to give up the powerful knight for the bishop. Now with the white pieces on the run things might start to go downhill for Torngren.

Target in sight

Lovik's queen is targeting the weak pawn, which is by no means easy to defend.

Trading strong pieces

Torngren is returning the knight to f3, trying to trade off Lovik's strong knight, while also prtecting the h-pawn

A sad necessity, but still powerful

Trading the knight was not an option, as Lovik would not even win a pawn because of the weak g pawn.

Queen trade incoming

when under attack i's usually a good idea to trade queens. Torngren might even have the better position after the queen trade, with prospects on the queenside and powerful pieces.

The return of the bishop

This move was very effective earlier in the game, so why not try again? I am not sure if black is threatening to take the knight though

Do you want to trade?

Torngren eagerly wants to trade the queen to make the king safer, but will black accept?

Of course not!

Without the queens on the board black is worse. Will we see a queen hide and seek the next few moves?

Special trade only for you

Torngren is insisting, but I doubt Lovik will take this unfair deal

No safety for the Torngren's King

Lovik politely declines, he is not going to give the white king a breath of relief.

Patience lost

Torngren is lashing out desperate to find counterplay, the cool Qxf4 or Nfd2 would have given him almost equal chances.

Stong, but not the strongest

A rook sacrifice on c4 followed by taking white's powerful knight was much stronger. Still Torngren is in big trouble now, with the king in the center.

A decisive mistake

The only path to survival was to take the knight (on g4), now white's position might collaps any minute

A crushing sacrifice

Lovik is giving up the knight on g4 for a powerful attack on the white king who is stuck in the center. The game might be over quickly

Picking up the gauntlet

It's do or die, other moves did not give salvation either. Atleast white has a knight now, if the king survives...

The hunt has begun

Torngren's King needs to dodge the rook, but Lovik will bring the queen next. I don't see how the king survives this.

Please take the bishop

Lovik should not be tempted by greed taking the undefended bishop. Instead the queen Should create deadly threats against the King.

Deadly threats

I don't see how Torngren will defend the king?

I think Torngren will resign any minute now.

Stalling the certain doom

This will only pause black's crushing attack.

The powerful attack decides the game

Lovik picks up the rook and the attack is still strong. There is no hope left for Torngren. Torngren resigns!

A great game emphasizing the importance of a safe king