A40: Unusual replies to 1 d4

1. d4 e6 1... Nf6 2. Nf3= 2. e3 2. e4 d5 3. e5 Ne7+/= 2... d5 3. Bd3 Nf6 4. Nd2 c5 5. c3 cxd4 6. cxd4 6. exd4 Bd6= 6... Bd6 7. f4 Nc6 8. a3 Covers b4 8... Bd7 9. Ngf3 O-O 10. O-O Ne8 10... Ne7 11. Ne5=/+ 11. Ne5 Bxe5 11... >= Rc8!?= might be a viable alternative 12. fxe5+/- f6 13. Qf3 Qe7 14. Qh3 g6 15. Qh4 15. b4!?+/- 15... fxe5+/= 16. Qxe7 Rxf1+ 17. Nxf1?? releasing the pressure on the opponent >= 17. Kxf1 and White can hope to live 17... Nxe7 18. dxe5+/= 17... Nxe7-/+ 18. dxe5 Nc6 19. Bb5 19. b3 Nxe5 20. Be2 Rc8-/+ 19... Nxe5 20. Bxd7 Nxd7 21. b4 21. e4 dxe4 22. Be3 Nef6-+ 21... Nb6 21... Nd6 22. Nd2-+ 22. Bb2 >= 22. e4-+ 22... Nc4 23. Bd4 23. Bc3 Ned6 24. Nd2 Nxe3-+ 23... Ned6 24. Kf2 24. Ng3 Nf5-+ 24... Nf5 24... >= Ne4+ makes it even easier for Black 25. Ke2 e5 26. Bc5-+ 25. Ke2 Nxd4+ 25... e5!? 26. Bc3 Rc8 27. a4-+ 26. exd4 Rc8 27. Rc1 Nd6 27... Rf8!? 28. Nd2 Nxa3 29. Rc7-+ 28. Rxc8+-/+ Nxc8 29. Ke3 29. Nd2 Nd6-/+ 29... Nd6-+ 30. Kf4 30. Nd2 b5 31. Nf3 Nc4+ 32. Kf4 h6-+ 30... Kf7 31. Ke5? >= 31. Ne3-+ 31... Ke7 32. Ne3 32. h4 h6 33. Ne3 g5 34. hxg5 hxg5 35. Nxd5+ exd5 36. Kxd5 Nb5-+ 32... Nc4+ 32... >= g5 keeps an even firmer grip 33. Nxd5+ exd5 34. Kxd5 Nb5-+ 33. Nxc4 33. Kf4 g5+! the punch 34. Kf3 Nxa3 35. Ke2-+ 33... dxc4 34. Ke4 b5 35. Ke3 35. d5 is not much help 35... exd5+ 36. Kd4 Ke6-+ 35... Kd6 36. Ke4 a6 36... >= g5 seems even better 37. Kf3 Kd5 38. Ke3-+ 37. h3 37. h4 doesn't improve anything 37... h6 38. Kf4 Kd5-+ 37... g5 38. g3 h5 39. g4 hxg4 40. hxg4 Kc6 41. d5+ exd5+ 42. Kd4 Kd6 42... Kd6 43. Kc3 Ke5 44. Kd2 d4 45. Ke2 c3 46. Kf3 c2 47. Kg3 c1=Q 48. Kf3 Qf1+ 49. Kg3 Qg1+ 50. Kf3 d3 51. a4 d2 52. axb5 d1=Q# 0-1 [Fritz 9 (10s)]