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ANNOTATED GAME
2nd Official Great Lakes minitournament
thunishing (1254) vs. alng (1443)
Annotated by: alng (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B22), 2.c3, Heidenfeld variation
thunishing (1254) vs. alng (1443)
Annotated by: alng (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B22), 2.c3, Heidenfeld variation
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1. e4 |
This was one of the most enjoyable games I've ever played. I _try_ to play strategically (as best as I know how). One reason for this is the axiom: the tactics come out of the strategy. Another reason however is that strategy is relatively unknown to many players (who often play tactically) and can't tell the difference between the two. This unfamiliarity gives the strategic view a double advantage. As an aid to the counting of strategic ideas, I employ the Point Count Method. This is not so much a "scoring system" so much as just what the name implies: a method of counting strategic advantages and disadvantages. |
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1... c5 |
This game, however, was intensely tactical. |
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2. c3 Nf6 3. f3 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. c4 e5 6. Bg5 |
This may have been a bit too early to start being aggressive. |
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6... Be7 7. Bxf6 Bxf6 8. b3 Qe7 |
Qe7? This move turns out to severely cramp Black's position for much of the early part of the game. It is not until Black is able to relieve some of this cramp that he is able to make some headway. |
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9. a3 b6 10. g4 O-O 11. h4 |
Threatens 11. h4 ... 12. g5 winning a bishop. It is 11 moves into the game and White has not deployed one piece. Had Black not cramped himself early on, he would be ready to break through and obliterate White. |
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11... Qd6 |
protects Black's dark bishop |
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12. Bd3 |
Be3? better is 12. Bh3 ... 13. g5 |
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12... a5 13. Ra2 Qc5 14. g5 Be7 15. Rg2 g6 16. h5 d5 17. hxg6 fxg6 18. Rgh2 Rf7 19. exd5 Qd6 |
Black can not respond to dxc6 yet due to the threat of Bxg6. The mate threat from the doubled rooks forms the central theme in the left flank of this position. White has a point for the mobile pawn wing, a point for the (occupiable) outpost on e4, another for greater space, a BIG point for the half-open h-file, a point for his passed pawn on d5 (though its utility is debatable), a minus point for the backward pawn on f3 (though White does some juking and duking around it later), and another minus point for his king position (net 3 p.c.). Black has a point for his (occupiable) outpost on f4, a point for his superior development, another for the bishop pair, a BIG (and ultimately, fatal for White) point for the half-open f-file, and a point for the passed pawn. Black's minus's are his rather cramped position (net 4 p.c.). This is a prime example of where the Point Count can show that, ultimately, Black does have the long-term, strategic advantage, but without caution, the tactics will rule the day. |
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20. Qe2 Bxg5 21. Qc2 Ne7 22. Nd2 |
hangs White's pawn on the a-file. |
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22... Nf5 23. Ne4 Qxa3 |
Threatens 24. ... Qa1 with great attacking opportunities to gain a lot of material. |
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24. Kf2 Bh4+ |
Rxh4 Nxh4 Rxh4 loses a pawn for Black but eliminates the mate threat. |
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25. Rh2xh4 Nxh4 26. Rxh4 Qe7 27. Rh2 Bf5 28. d6 Qd8 29. Nh3 |
The beginning of the end. Black is up a pawn ( 3 p.c.), has the all-important half-open f-file, and better king position. Black has un-cramped his position and even put a bit of squeeze on White (net 5 p.c.). Central control is at best, contested, but either way, irrelevant as the action is all on the left flank. White has an advanced, passed pawn ( 2 p.c.), a bad bishop, cramped pieces, and a compromised king side (net -1 p.c.) putting Black around 6 points in the lead. |
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29... Qh4+ 30. Ke2 Bxh3 31. c5 Rxf3 32. Qc4+ Kg7 33. Kd2 Qf4+ 34. Kc2 Qxh2+ 35. Nd2 bxc5 36. Qxc5 Rc8 37. b4 axb4 38. Bc4 Rxc5 39. d7 Bxd7 40. Kd1 Ba4+ 41. Kc1 Rxc4+ 42. Kb2 Qxd2+ 43. Kb1 Rf1# |
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