|
« TAP TO LOG IN
|
ANNOTATED GAME
Bishop pair? Knight pair? Why not both?
O'Kelly (?) vs. Paul Devos (?)
Annotated by: black_cat_hamlet (1531)
Chess opening: Reti opening (A05)
O'Kelly (?) vs. Paul Devos (?)
Annotated by: black_cat_hamlet (1531)
Chess opening: Reti opening (A05)
 Interactive |
• |  Show all comments |
• | All annotated games | • | View chessboard as: |
| |||||
This game displays a brilliant attack courtesy of Black, executed just as White seems to be building up a real threat! Both players undergo a different strategy of attack but with one brilliant move Black proves that he has the better attack! | |||||
|
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. b3 g6 4. Bb2 Bg7 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 d5 |
Simple development so far, though I do find White's approach slightly unorthadox. He has gone for a hypermodern approach with the double fianchetto, yet Black has played a passive sort of opening himself! Here, however, he invokes tension with this pawn advance which also weakens the light-square bishop on g2. | ||||
| 1 comment | |||||
|
7. O-O Na6 |
With views perhaps of Nc7 or Nc5 - Black is reluctant to block in the c8 bishop as it becomes part of his next plan | ||||
| | |||||
|
8. d3 |
Cautiously advancing his pawns, providing support for c4. 8.d5 might be an interesting alternative but probably inferior to this | ||||
| | |||||
|
8... Be6 9. Nbd2 Qc8 |
The development of both sides are nearing its end; Black fears a possible Ne5 after Qc8 | ||||
| | |||||
|
10. Re1 |
White anticipates Black's next move and moves his rook - with the added bonus of perhaps pusing up the e2 pawn... | ||||
| | |||||
|
10... Bh3 11. Bh1 |
...so that he can preserve his light-square bishop. Of course, that bishop could be disastrous should White lose control of the white squares around the king but with the position of that h1 bishop Black's lsb shouldn't be a problem...right? | ||||
| | |||||
|
11... h5 |
Gutsy; one that I probably wouldn't dare undertake myself! Of course, Black has enough pieces for this to be a sound enough mood but I'd always be uncomfortable advancing pawns in front of my own king! | ||||
| | |||||
|
12. Rc1 |
Further support for the c4 pawn | ||||
| | |||||
|
12... Qf5 |
Centralising the queen - thoug at first glance this doesn't seem to threaten much. White could even exploit this with a well-timed Nd4! Once again, however, this is planning ahead for Black's next move! | ||||
| | |||||
|
13. a3 Bh6 |
White gives up any sort of battle on the long dark-square diagonal to pin the d2 knight - and the queen in the position she is in prevents doubling of pawns with Bxf6 | ||||
| | |||||
|
14. b4 |
The two strategies of both sides are becoming clearer now; White is going for a pawn push, grabbing space queenside. Black is mobilising his pieces on the kingside - but where are the kings? | ||||
| | |||||
|
14... Ng4 |
Black's presence on the kingside really does look threatening now, but all the same there seems to be no immediate breakthrough! | ||||
| | |||||
|
15. cxd5 cxd5 16. b5 |
With the exchange of pawns, White shifts the knight on a6 - though the knight isn't doing much there White is forcing Black to cut off his rooks from each other - though it ought to be noted that other than Black castling he never moved either rook once during the game! | ||||
| | |||||
|
16... Nb8 17. Rc5 |
White on the other hand looks to exert a strong influence with his rooks, threatening to win a pawn with 18.e4 | ||||
| | |||||
|
17... Ne3 |
! Now it becomes clear just how much control Black has over White's position! Not content with a retreating or weakening move (Nf6, e6) Black attacks White's queen with his knight knowing that fxe3 leads to Bxf3# This move also inhibits the advancement of e2. | ||||
| | |||||
|
18. Qb3 |
The most active place for the queen to move to | ||||
| | |||||
|
18... Nd7 |
Black maintains the initiative with a tempo attack on the rook whilst mobilising his knight and connecting his rooks. | ||||
| | |||||
|
19. Rc7 |
Rook to the 7th rank and now Black's b7 pawn is threatened - but Black still asks questions of White... | ||||
| | |||||
|
19... e5 |
Still playing hardball, Black seizes control of the centre. | ||||
| | |||||
|
20. Qc3 |
The only counterplay that White may have lies on the long diagonal and suddenly he has a real threat on his hands! Depending on what Black's next move is he can try an exchange sac - Rxd7 - followed by Nxe5 and the influence that White would have on the a1-h8 diagonal would more than make up for the lost point in material! | ||||
| | |||||
| |||||