Annotated chess game: 19th GK tournament

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ANNOTATED GAME

19th GK tournament
anakin66 (2462) vs. high (2453)
Annotated by: fatcat2 (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B92), Najdorf, Opovcensky variation

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This is a game in the final round of the 19th GK tournament, with everything to gain or to lose!

1. e4 c5	The Sicilian Defence. Some people's favourite opening, and statistically the most common reply to 1.e4. I just happen to never play it, as I usually prefer the French Defence.



2. Nf3 d6 3. d4	Main line Sicilian.



3... cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6	This move initiates the Sicilian Najdorf, a variation of the Sicilian with numerous lines. My favourite of these is the sharp Poisoned Pawn Variation but that is beside the point.
	1 comment ruachessnut2 (1200) on 19-Nov-08: Fischer played the Najdorf against Najdorf & won. Also besides the point.


6. Be2 e5 7. O-O	!?!?!? This move surprises me. Either an immensely cunning sacrifice or a blunder. Taking the players' ratings into consideration this is probably an immensely cunning sacrifice.
	5 comments dmaestro (1647) on 19-Nov-08: Forgets about the knight. A piece down at the 2400 rating level is fatal. sorceress_queen (1200) on 12-Dec-08: 7. 00 is just a blunder. Nothing more, nothing less. Sometimes it happens including at top player level. Usually reasons?... well. I bet that white had in his analysis board 7.Nb3 Be7 already played and then 8.00 southview (2211) on 11-Apr-09: 7.Nf3 here is a good try fatcat2 (1200) on 25-May-09: As dmaestro said, he forgot about the knight. These things happen in correspondence games. mrpawn2618 (1834) on 04-May-10: Nb3 is also the book move.


7... exd4 8. Qxd4 Nc6 9. Qd1 Be6	As yet, White appears to have gained nothing from the apparent sacrifice.



10. f4 Be7 11. Be3 Rc8 12. Bf3 Na5 13. Bd4 O-O 14. Qd2 Nc4	Both sides are developing as quickly as possible and trying to find and gain footholds.
	1 comment southview (2211) on 11-Apr-09: 11...0-0 might have been better


15. Qf2 b5 16. b3 Na3 17. Rac1 Bg4 18. Kh1 Bxf3 19. gxf3	I wonder what was wrong with 19.Qxf3. White has now exposed his king. And by now I think we must assume that the knight sacrifice WAS a blunder.
	1 comment darknessvisible (1867) on 19-Nov-08: Q had to remain on the 2nd rank to protect the c pawn otherwise 19. Qxf3 b4 20. Na4 Rxc2


19... b4 20. Na4 Nb5 21. c4 bxc3 e.p. 22. Nxc3 Nxd4 23. Qxd4	Black just needs to exchange all White's pieces off to consolidate his lead.
	1 comment southview (2211) on 11-Apr-09: 21...bxc3ep! good move by black


23... Qa5 24. Rfg1 g6 25. f5 Rc7 26. fxg6 hxg6 27. Na4 Rxc1 28. Rxc1	White is being forced into passivity, which increases his ever-growing disadvantage.



28... Qh5 29. Qf2 d5 30. exd5 Nxd5	And White resigns.
	1 comment sorceress_queen (1200) on 12-Dec-08: Just a 7 moves games lasted to 30. No annotations needed after the blunder on move 7.