Annotated chess game: Amateur Dragon Series #7

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ANNOTATED GAME

Amateur Dragon Series #7
tortoise7 (1720) vs. scottyad (1980)
Annotated by: scottyad (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B78), dragon, Yugoslav attack, 10.O-O-O

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1. e4	Here's another game back in the "Chinese Dragon." White plays along one of the more critical lines, beginning 11.Bb3, and we see how dangerous the 13...e5(!) variation can be.



1... c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Rb8	Another Chinese Dragon. I cover this system in some detail in previous games. Basically Black's idea is to play ...b5 and somehow prise open the b-file (either with a pawn sacrifice or a knight maneuver to c4, virtually forcing Bxc4 when Black replies ..bxc4). As we'll see in this game, however, White has certain resources that force Black to change plans!



11. Bb3	The main move for White, and certainly the most flexible. With the bishop on b3 immediately, Black's ...b5 plan is far less effective.



11... Na5	More accurate than ...Ne5. The Black knight threatens both ... Nc4 (after ...b5) and ...Nxb3. It also saves the e5 square for the central thrust ...e7-e5 should White trade off Black's Dragon bishop. Alternative variation: [ The point is that] 11... b5 [is strongly met by] 12. Nxc6! [when concrete analysis shows that White can actually snatch the a7 pawn and survive rather easily, as Black's pieces cannot budge the b3 bishop from defense of the queenside. For instance:] Bxc6 13. Bxa7 Ra8 14. Bd4 b4 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. exd5 Ba4 18. Bc4! [and White is clearly better.] Alternative variation: [The prosaic] 11... Ne5?! [is far too inflexible here, which White can exploit, e.g.:] 12. Bh6 b5 13. Bxg7 Kxg7 14. g4 Nc4 15. Qf2! [and the c4 knight hasn't prised open the b-file after all, and Black is out of ideas.]



12. Bh6 Bxh6 13. Qxh6 e5	A recent idea. Black accepts the backwards d6 pawn on an open file in exchange for control of e5 and active counterplay (as the White knight is forced offside). The jury is still out on this plan. Alternative variation: [More traditional is] 13... b5 [without the ...e5/Nde2 intermezzo]
	3 comments far1ey (1200) on 03-Apr-07: b5 first is more accurate. After the immediate e5 Ndb5! bothers black. scottyad (1200) on 03-Apr-07: Well, yes and no. I'm assuming the point is that after ...Bxb5 and ...Nxb3, Black's ...Qa5 is met by ..Na3 and the queenside looks blocked off. It's true, but if Black simply switches gears to the center he can meet h4 with d5 and after the ensuing exchanges (most accurate is probably exd5, ...Rxd5, Rxd5, Qxd5) Black looks to have a solid initiative. b5 may well be more accurate, but I think the text reply is more critical. I'm open to any analysis you have though! ryklys2 (1200) on 06-Apr-07: a%u0161 manau,kad geriau b%u016Bt%u0173 kitas %u0117jimas


14. Nde2 b5 15. h4	Alternative variation: [Attempting to refute Black's idea via 15.Rxd6!? is of course critical. It turns out that Black gets an intimidating attack for the center pawn, but the play is very much unclear. ] 15. Rxd6 b4 16. Nd5 Nxd5 17. Rxd5 Nxb3 18. cxb3 [ counterintuitive, but correct] Rc8 19. Kb1 Qe7 20. Rhd1 Be6 21. R5d2 a5 [ and Black is having all the fun.]



15... b4 16. Nd5 Nxb3+	A crucial intermezzo . Black cannot allow White to establish the b3 bishop on d5. Alternative variation: [For example,] 16... Nxd5? 17. Bxd5 Qe7 [ and Black's attack has stalled, giving White a nearly winning initiative] 18. f4 Bg4 19. h5 [and Black is helpless]



17. axb3 Nxd5 18. Rxd5	The only good option for White is to preserve the outpost square d5, as exd5 renders the d6 weakness irrelevant and cedes the upper hand to Black. Alternative variation: 18. exd5? Rb6 19. h5 g5 20. Ng3 Ra6 21. Ne4 f6 [and now Black's kingside is closed, White's queen is stuck offside, and Black has no weaknesses. All of this adds up to a winning game for the second player.]



18... Rb6 19. h5 g5	A crucial idea. Black intends to blockade along the dark squares, when White has a difficult time breaking through and the White queen will remain offside on h6 after Black's .. .f6.



20. Rxd6	Grabbing this weak pawn and creating counterplay along the central file is White's only straightforward idea. Alternative variation: [The tricky] 20. f4!? [is White's attempt to free his queen and snare the initiative, intending to sacrifice a knight for activity. It is dangerous, but Black can sidestep.] [Best is] 20... Bg4! ([Too dangerous is] 20... gxf4 21. Nxf4 f6 [ and White has a large kingside initiative.]) 21. fxg5 Bxe2 22. g6 fxg6 23. hxg6 Qe7 [when Black's defense along the 2nd rank saves the day.]



20... f6 21. Rhd1 Rxd6 22. Rxd6 Qe7	This move is the crux of Black's idea. Not only is the kingside blocked and the White queen offside, but Black's queen is a beastly defensive piece along the 2nd rank and well-placed in attack! Black prefers the queen on e7 in view of his intended ...a5-a4 advance, when the queen supports these pawns and prepares to invade along a3/b4.
	1 comment far1ey (1200) on 03-Apr-07: The white queen is trapped!


23. Rd1 a5 24. g3	Unperturbed, White continues his kingside attack, preparing f4. Unfortunately, his plan is too slow. White's best idea at this point is probably to flee the queenside slaughter by Kd2-e1-f1. This may buy him enough time to create threats on the kingside if Black continues inaccurately. Then, White should be looking for perpetual check possibilities. Alternative variation: [ It is more appropriate to abandon ship. After] 24. Kd2! a4 25. Ke1 axb3 26. cxb3 Be6 27. Kf1 Bxb3 28. Rc1 Qa7 29. Rc6 [White can again fight for the initiative, although Black has the better game. What a remarkable idea!]



24... a4	Now, Black inevitably crashes through first.
	2 comments far1ey (1200) on 03-Apr-07: Well black does have an extra queen... scottyad (1200) on 03-Apr-07:


25. bxa4 Bxa4 26. f4 Qc5	This maneuver is the foundation of Black's attack. He threatens ...Qe3 , which invariably wins material.



27. Rd2 Qe3	Now the rook is pinned and soon falls.



28. fxe5 Rd8 29. b3 Qxd2+ 30. Kb1 Rc8	Now mate is impossible to stop.



31. Nd4 Qxd4 32. exf6 Qd1+ 33. Kb2 Rxc2#	0-1