The Semi-Tarrasch Defence Part 2

Selected games

Two games caught my eye

Game 36

Airapetian-Volokitin

RUS-chT 20th rd4

Key points of note
-20..f5! was a star pawn move which killed any White hopes of developing a kingside attack
-After 23.Rc2 Black missed the key plan of breaking in the center with 23..e5 or after 23..Kh8 and then ..e5
-the NNB vs BBN endgame was interesting. Black pushed on the kingside with ..g5 etc and eventually provoked a kingside weakening

After 40.h3(Diagram)

Both sides have active knights. The opposite colored bishops seem to cancel each other out but the key strategic factor is the pawn structure.

What do you recommend for Black?

After 40.h3

Game 30

Tukmakov-Rotstein

Portoroz op

The QR-QR phase after 22..Rxc8 is of interest. The queenside majority and c-file control gave Black no advantage and only a late blunder(39.d5?) gave the game away positionally

After 22..Rxc8(Diagram)

The position is balanced

After 22..Rxc8