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ANNOTATED GAME
A bad line...
babetta (1884) vs. nyctalop (1960)
Annotated by: nyctalop (2166)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B33), Pelikan (Lasker/Sveshnikov) variation
babetta (1884) vs. nyctalop (1960)
Annotated by: nyctalop (2166)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B33), Pelikan (Lasker/Sveshnikov) variation
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This game features a subvariation of the Sveshnikov, where White chooses a passive Knight retreat. The line is much more common at junior level, at least from my experience, where theory is less important and everyone just tries to play chess according to general principles. | |||||
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1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 |
If White wanted to avoid the Sveshnikov this was his chance, with either 3. Nc3 or the more respectable 3. Bb5. | ||||
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3... cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Nb3 |
This is considered even worse than 6. Nf3, after which Black's best move is 6...h6, making sure White won't get an easy grip on d5. But why is such a natural retreat frowned upon so severely? It's very common in many other Sicilian lines, where White usually gets good play. The following moves by Black should shed some light on why this move is considered very weak, probably worse is only 6. Nxc6, after which Black gets a very game because he will play d5 in good conditions. | ||||
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6... Bb4 7. Bd3 d5 |
There it is. Black has solved his opening problems. He has gotten rid of the d5 weakness, he's developed all the right pieces, he's attacked the center and he's creating threats. I think that's more than enough reasons to prove that Nb3 isn't problematic at all for Black. | ||||
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8. exd5 |
Forced. | ||||
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8... Nxd5 9. Bd2 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bd6 |
White has some compensation for his mangled pawns but not enough. If Black can defend successfully, the endgame will surely benefit him. | ||||
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11. Qh5 Qc7 12. O-O |
White can force Black to postpone castling or create a weakness but that's just a temporary problem. If things go the distance, his chances will start withering away. | ||||
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12... Be6 |
For now, Black completes development. I didn't want to give White a target to attack yet. There is no point in ruining your position if you don't have to. Sometimes it's better just to wait until your opponent plays his hand. | ||||
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13. a4 |
A weird move. I guess White was concerned about my possibility of castling long and attempted to scare me out of it. The hidden cost of the move will be revealed later. | ||||
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13... h6 14. a5 |
Again a weird move. Clearly, with h6, I was intending to castle short. So why continue to push the a-pawn further weakening it? | ||||
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14... O-O |
My K-side looks bare as a bone, with the Bishop pair aimed at it and the Qh5 loitering around my King. But after the tempting 15. Bxh6 gxh6 16. Qxh6 f6, White needs more pieces to attack and he hasn't any available. | ||||
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15. f3 |
This looks like a straightforward mistake. I don't see any point behind this move, Black wasn't threatening ...e4, so why play f3? An interesting idea is to make use of the space on the Q-side and play 15. Ra4, when Black has to take precautions since 16. Bxh6 is more of a threat with the Rook eager for a full side-shift into battle. | ||||
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15... Bxb3 |
Black has a small combination that shows the drawbacks of pushing pawns recklessly, namely the a and the f-pawn. | ||||
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16. cxb3 Bc5+ 17. Kh1 Rfd8 |
It's very important to play this Rook to d8, or else White can get a perpetual. | ||||
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18. Qf5 Qd6 |
The end of Black's combination. Basically, I'm trading 2 pawns for a piece, but by doing so I'm exposing my King. That means it should be a while before I can begin to convert my slight material advantage into a full point. | ||||
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19. Qh7+ Kf8 20. Qh8+ Ke7 21. Qxg7 Qxd3 22. Bxh6 |
A very important position. Black is better, but walking on a thin red line. | ||||
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22... Rd5 |
Covering the threat of b4-b5, after which e5 would be left defenseless. | ||||
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23. Qg5+ Kd7 24. Qf6 |
With the aid of a check, White has repositioned his Queen to the very dangerous f6 square. | ||||
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24... Nxa5 |
It looks like asking for too much, but in reality it's safe, because White's first rank is very weak. | ||||
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25. c4 Rd4 26. Qxe5 |
White won back a pawn but missed the better move, 25. Qxf7+, after which I would have had a long hard struggle in front of me. | ||||
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26... Nxb3 |
Again exploiting the weak back rank. | ||||
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