Annotated chess game: Correspondence Tournament

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ANNOTATED GAME

Correspondence Tournament
bakerbaker (1987) vs. footyhead (1846)
Annotated by: byakuugan3 (1200)
Chess opening: Scotch gambit (C44), Dubois-Reti defence

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1. e4

Playing White is my friend Baker, who came up with a brilliant mating combination that I probably wouldn't have seen.

1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4

This continuation (Scotch) usally leads to an open game. Other moves like Bb5 or Bc4 can lead to closed positions that are more positional.

3... exd4 4. Bc4

Here, White was hoping for Bb4 c3 dxc3 O-O cxb2 Bxb2 where White has some compensation for his material deficit. Baker usually does well playing gambit openings, but Black did not play into the gambit.

4... Nf6 5. O-O

White doesn't take the pawn immediately and instead wants to finish development. Black could play Nxe4, leading to Re1 d5 Bxd5 Qxd5 Nc3 where White regains the material with a slight lead in development. Most people play Bc5 here, which holds the pawn and White's compensation usually isn't worth a pawn.

5... d6

Black doesn't want to hold the pawn and get an advantage. This continuation leads to a form of the Scotch that is probably equal.

6. Nxd4 Be7 7. Nc3 O-O 8. Nxc6

I'm not sure if this was the best move, even though it disrupts Black's pawn structure (leaving him with 3 pawn islands against 2), but Black also gets a stronger center.

8... bxc6 9. Qe2

White doesn't want Black to take over with d5, so now Black can't because of d5 exd5 cxd5 Nxd5 Nxd5 Bxd5 Qxd5 Qxe7 and White has won a pawn

9... Nd7

Black has been playing the opening pretty defensively, so it's time for White to start an attack. bakerbaker has a lot of brilliant attacks in his annotated games

10. f4 Nb6

The c4-bishop isn't very important since it has low mobility, so White just ignores the threat.

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11. Be3 Nxc4

Black uses 4 knight moves to capture a bishop that has only moved once, so now White has a big lead in development and superior control of the center.

12. Qxc4 Bb7 13. Rad1

White has completed development because he hasn't wasted any moves. Black's development is defensive and his bishop pair isn't doing him any good because the bishops have limited mobility. All of White's pieces are very mobile

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13... Qc8

Black has a sneaky threat of Ba6

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14. Rf3

White defends against the threat while also preparing an attack with the rook

14... Re8

All Black can do is try to get his jumbled pieces to active squares,

15. Rh3 c5

This frees up some space, but now Black has a weakness on d5.

16. Qe2 Bf6

Here, Black is beginning his own threats. Black is hitting the e-pawn with 2 attacker, and it is only defended by 1 piece, which is being attacked. Black can do serious damage with these threats, so this was where White began his do or die attack. Black is starting to regain activity, and White wants to capitalize on his advantage now.

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17. e5

This is the best way to give up the pawn, because Black has no more threats after that, and White has more time to set up an attack

17... dxe5 18. Qh5

Despite being down a pawn, White has a nice attack and potential mating chances, plus he can probably win the pawn back since c5 is very weak

18... h6 19. f5

This great move doesn't let Black further open the center, which would make the black bishops very powerful.

19... Re7

Black can only defend in this position, so here he wanted to get the queen to f8 so that h6 is extra defended against any sacrificial attacks.

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