Annotated chess game: A Master Lesson in Mating Attacks & Sacs!

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ANNOTATED GAME

A Master Lesson in Mating Attacks & Sacs!
jstevens1 (1675) vs. chrisobee (2317)
Annotated by: jotheblackqueen (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B75), dragon, Yugoslav attack

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1. e4 c5	1. ......... c5 - Chrisobee decides to test me out on my skills against the Sicilian Defence - this turns out to be the Dragon Variation. Unfortunately I fail big time - what is so disappointing is that I do not even get in h4 when trying to get in the classic h pawn, Q KR mating attack down the h file before Chrisobee gets in his mating attack. Here goes.



2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6	5. ......... g6 - the Dragon Variation as stated in my previous note.



6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nbd7 8. Qd2 a6 9. Bc4	9. Bc4 - the last few moves have been the standard Yugoslav attack against the Dragon Variation.



9... b5 10. Bb3 Bb7 11. Bh6 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Qb6 13. Qd2	13. Qd2?! - in hindsight this may have been the move to start the downhill slide, was Nde2 better?
	1 comment jakey101 (1200) on 06-Jun-08: No, but 13. Qg7! was better, as black must play 13...Rf8 and he can't castle short. 13...Rg8? 14. Bxf7+ with a win.


13... O-O 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. Bxd5 Bxd5 16. exd5 Nf6	16. ........ Nf6 - defends the kingside castled position after a plethora of exchanges on d5.



17. Ne2 Rac8 18. O-O-O	18. 0-0-0 - did I castle queenside at the wrong moment? Would kingside castling have been any better?
	1 comment jakey101 (1200) on 06-Jun-08: 17. Nb3 places the knight on a better square. Castling short probably would have also made a better plan, but first you would have had to cut off the black queen.


18... Rc4	18. ........... Rc4 - the start of black's deadly mating attack.



19. Kb1	19. Kb1 - in retrospect would h4 have been better here?
	1 comment jakey101 (1200) on 06-Jun-08: No, Kb1 was probably the lesser of evils, h4 is not a good move, as your attack is much to slow, and now you must defend.


19... Rfc8 20. c3 Rc8c5 21. Qg5	21. Qg5 - ensuring proper protection of the white isolani on d5 and at the same time thinking of trying to renew my own mating attack but black has other ideas.
	1 comment jakey101 (1200) on 06-Jun-08: If he played 20...b4 you'd be in horrifying position, although this is not much better. You're 21st move had to stop b4, or create some play, and I believe Nf4 would work, threatning Nd3 if b4.


21... b4 22. Ka1 Ra5 23. Rd2	23. Rd2 - rook protects second rank but is it enough? Later on black says no!



23... b3 24. a3	24. a3 - forced - this keeps the position closed for a while but black is not to be denied.
	1 comment jakey101 (1200) on 06-Jun-08: b3 was not the best move by your opponent, closing his attack was not a good idea!


24... Qc5 25. Nc1	25. Nc1 - counterattack! I see that I cannot adequately defend my d pawn so I decide to attack the black b pawn and threaten a knight fork. But Chrisobee decides to LEND me a rook on his own terms with Rxc3.
	1 comment jakey101 (1200) on 06-Jun-08: You should try and look more closely at the purpose of 24...Qc5. The c file is closed, there is no threat on either diagonal that is obvious, so why would he do this? He plans to sacrifice his rook to promote the B pawn, or mate. Otherwise, this move would simply waste time.


25... Rxc3 26. bxc3	26. bxc3 - I decide to accept the offering wondering what poison Chris has laced it with. When I did my board analysis I could not see a forced mate. I knew I would have to give up my knight by blocking the queen check on a2 but I was expecting Chris to take the knight with his pawn, this would at least close off the a file, giving me time to organise a defense, but instead of taking the knight, he takes my d pawn.
	1 comment jakey101 (1200) on 06-Jun-08: It's all over for white.


26... Qxa3+ 27. Na2 Nxd5 28. Qg3	28. Qg3 - retreating my queen out of a nasty discovery and preparing to put the queen on f2 to help defend a2, but Chris takes on a2 with his queen and announces mate! I played things through on analyse the board. I could not see the mate but I could see a sequence where my h1 rook would drop. I therefore resigned on move 29 on the grounds of ruinous loss of material. Afterwards in response to my resignation note Chris explained that after 31 Kc1 then Rc2 is mate !! I hope you have all enjoyed this particular lesson.
	1 comment jakey101 (1200) on 06-Jun-08: Yes, well sought by chris, the sequence to mate is 29. Rxa2+ Kb1 30. Nxc3+ Kc1 31. Rc2 #


28... Qxa2+