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ANNOTATED GAME
Buried Treasure
thejoxter (1424) vs. mark1973 (1619)
Annotated by: archduke_piccolo
(2332)
Chess opening: QGD Slav (D15), 4.Nc3
thejoxter (1424) vs. mark1973 (1619)
Annotated by: archduke_piccolo
(2332)
Chess opening: QGD Slav (D15), 4.Nc3
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One of the reasons why I enjoy playing through games at any and all levels, is the hidden ideas that one discovers during the course of the play. In this game you will see Rook, and even Queen sacrifices, not so much in the moves actually played, but in the moves that could have been played. When I think back to my early days, I wonder: how many such opportunities did I miss? A tough struggle, this, with all sorts of tactical chances roiling beneath an apparently serene surface. | |||||||
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1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 |
We begin with a Slav Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. I'm no expert on this line, but from what I've seen of it I wish I knew a lot more about it. One of the more combative lines at Black's disposal. | ||||||
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3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 |
A fairly conservative line, I'm inclined to think, though no less playable for all that. I used to like Bg5 in this type of position. | ||||||
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5... Be7 6. Bd3 |
An aggressive posting for the bishop. Black could play 6...dxc4, here, inducing White to 'lose' a tempo by 7.Bxc4. However, as that tends to change the nature of the game, Black figures that that might not be the best way to go. A judgment call. | ||||||
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6... O-O 7. O-O h6 |
Here we drop out of the Gameknot World Database. Much more usual is 7...Nbd7. One feels that this preventative move doesn't really prevent anything much. | ||||||
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8. e4 |
(!) Good response: a strike at the centre. | ||||||
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8... dxe4 |
Also possible was 8...dxc4. Nothing much in it really. | ||||||
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9. Nxe4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 |
Right now, one feels that White should have something good going on the K-side - look at those bishops! But, constrained though Black's position is, his resources are sufficient. White doesn't get much traction on the K-side in the ensuing moves. | ||||||
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10... Nd7 11. d5 |
(?!) This looks rather premature, to me. Clearing away the centre as it does, one is left with rather an arid looking game, with neither side able to establish an ascendancy. Well, appearances can fool you, as you will find out! Better might have been to develop the dark-square bishop to e3 or f4. | ||||||
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11... cxd5 12. cxd5 exd5 13. Qxd5 |
(!?) I think I might have been inclined to take with the bishop in similar circumstances. One suspects White might have been expressing an interest in Q-exchanges here: 13...Nf6 14.Qxd8. | ||||||
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13... Nf6 14. Qe5 |
But no! He is not in least desirous of exchanging Queens! | ||||||
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14... Nxe4 15. Qxe4 Re8 |
At this point the consequences of White's 11th move become apparent. His lead in development has largely been pulled in, the centre is a vacuum, and Black has the bishop pair in an open position. Given the symmetry of the pawn structures, I'd say the game was too close to call, here. | ||||||
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16. Qc2 |
Cautiously removing the Q from the e-file. But 16.Re1 would have maintained the Q's active posting for the nonce, or 16.Bf4 would have been a useful development, the Queen able to run away if attacked by, say, 16...Bf6. | ||||||
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16... Be6 17. Be3 Rc8 18. Qa4 |
A threat - the first sign that the pace might be picking up... | ||||||
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18... a6 19. Rfd1 |
One of the most difficult decisions one often has to make on the chessboard is 'which rook'? Capablanca lost his first match game with Alekhine through making the wrong such decision. Here White figures that the the rooks will have more scope if the King's Rook moves first to attack the enemy Queen. | ||||||
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19... Qc7 20. Nd4 |
(?!) Possibly the other rook could have come in at c1 at this point. | ||||||
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20... Bf6 |
(!?) Instead, 20...Bg4! would have livened up proceedings: 21.f3 Bd6 with the idea 22.fxg4 Bxh2ch 23.Kh1 Rxe3. If White tries 21.Rdc1, then comes 21...Qe5 22.h3 (say) Bd6! 23.hxg4 Qh2ch 24.Kf1 Rxc1ch 25.Rxc1 Qh1ch 26.Ke2 Rxe3ch 27.fxe3 Qxc1. | ||||||
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21. Rac1 |
Logical enough: gets the rook into action with a gain of time. But there was something to be said for 21.Nxe6 as well: 21...Rxe6 22.Rc1 Qb8 23.Rxc8 Qxc8 24.Rc1 and then 25.b3 with a level game. | ||||||
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21... Qd7 |
'Might I interest you in a friendly exchange of Queens?' | ||||||
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22. Qb4 |
'Mmmm... no thanks!' But White might have been well advised to have accepted it. | ||||||
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22... Rxc1 |
(!) | ||||||
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