Annotated chess game: 2007 Wa Open Premier Section

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ANNOTATED GAME

2007 Wa Open Premier Section
Brian Opalewski (1804) vs. Michael Omori (1687)
Annotated by: mybookrunsdeep (1431)
Chess opening: Reti opening (A05)

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1. Nf3

This game is round 1 of the 2007 Wa Open held in Seattle. Greg Serper, Ignacio Perez, Nick Raptis, Georgi Orlov, Viktor Pupols were some of the stronger players to grace our presence.

1 comment

1... Nf6 2. c4 g6

If there's one thing you can count on from a scholastic player, it's a King's Indian.

3. b4

I'll bet that's not in your book. Grabbing space on the queenside immediately and preparing to play Bb2 to counter the g7-bishop.

3... Bg7 4. Bb2 O-O 5. g3

5. e3 is acceptable also and is a favorite of Vassily Smyslov.

5... d6

5...d5 6. cd Nxd5 7. Bxg7 Kxg7 8. Qb3 Qd6 is an interesting continuation. But not 8...Nf6?! when white's straightforward development leaves him lasting initiative as in Reti-Pokorny 1923.

6. Bg2 e5 7. d3 Nc6

Most players prefer 7...Nh5 or 7...Ne8 followed by a quick ...f5. This move just lets me gain space.

8. b5 Ne7 9. O-O Nd7

Black has a solid position, but his pieces are a bit akwardly placed. The White position is definately more harmonious and better developed.

10. Qc2

Ruling out any tricks based on ...e4, hitting the f3-knight and the b2-bishop. This move also keeps the b1-knight flexible. Sometimes Black will bring his knight to c5 and it is useful to be able to play Nbd2 and Nb3 to challenge.

10... f5

Gaining space on the kingside in preparation for an attack.

11. Nbd2 Rb8

This move is strategically inconsistent. My queenside play is well underway and Black needs to focus on the kingside in order to fight for the initiative effectively. This move only cedes the initiative to me.

12. a4

Anticipating ...b6, I wanted to play a5 followed by ab, when the a-file is open for occupation by my rooks.

12... b6 13. a5 f4

This move needs to be prepared better. ...h6, ...g5, ...Nf6, but Black's wasted so much time already, his position is already strategically worse.

14. axb6 axb6 15. Ng5

The a-file is open and now I am looking for more active squares for my knights. This move also causes Black to move the d7 knight to c5, where I create a strucural weakness in Black's camp. The e7 knight will be a weak attacking piece as it wont be as well coordinated with the Black queen as its parter on f6 would have been.

15... Nc5 16. Nde4 h6

Probably not the best. Black still had an interesting continuation with ...Nf5.

17. Nxc5 bxc5 18. Ne4 g5

At a glance, the pieces tell the story. The White knight is better than its counterpart. The White bishops are better than their opposites and the a-file rook is better than its opposite. The White queen is better and the White king is safer. Black has a space advantage on the kingside, but his pieces are not well coordinated to assault the white king position. While White is ready to infiltrate on the a file and pressure the queenside pawns. And White has the better pawn structure.

19. Bc3

If there is one thing I have learned from going through master level annotated games, it is to activate every piece and play as actively as possible. This move prepares to deploy the bishop to the a5-d8 diagonal after Ra7.

19... Qe8 20. Ra7 Qh5

Black abandons the pawn.

21. Rxc7 Ng6 22. Nxd6

Black is down two pawns. In situations like this the attack has to break through, or else you might as well resign. But there is no obvious breakthrough and Black just ends up down material.

22... Bh3

I have to give him credit though, he has a fighting spirit.

23. Bf3 g4

I was hoping for this move. I was expecting ...Bg4, when Bd5 followed by Ra1 would be good for me, but Black would have a light-squared bishop for counter play. Things would still be a little tough. This move blocks out the light-squared bishop from the kings defense and he might as well take it off of the board.

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