Annotated chess game: Don't forget to castle

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ANNOTATED GAME

Don't forget to castle
isef (1752) vs. dmaestro (1640)
Annotated by: dmaestro

(1646)
Chess opening: Pirc defence (B07)

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1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. Nf3 b5 6. Bd3 b4 7. Ne2 e5 8. c3 bxc3 9. bxc3 g6 10. Qb3 Bg7 11. Ng5 O-O 12. Bc4	White is imprudently focused on attacking f7, while neglecting development
	2 comments freeman8201 (1831) on 04-Aug-08: I am a Pirc player. But I don't like Nbd7 on the third move. The d7 square is suppose to be a safe square of the f6 knight. Good game jotheblackqueen (1200) on 05-Aug-08: Hmm, maybe white was lulled into a false sense of security because he does actually have a lead in development and is ready to castle queenside. Maybe instead of Bc4 he could either play his bishop to d2 or e3 or castle kingside before playing Bc4. If you clear both sides before you castle you do keep your options open and your opponent guessing as to where you are going to put your king so that you do not "Castle Into It".


12... d5	Black decides to open up the position with a pawn sac



13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Bxd5 cxd5 15. Qxd5	White has won a pawn and threatens the rook but has not castled. Black begins a vigorous counterattack.
	1 comment jotheblackqueen (1200) on 05-Aug-08: And the white dsb is still on his home square. White must be careful, his king could end up tied to the defense of the knight on e2 should black decide to exchange pawns on d4 and then move his rook to e8.


15... Ba6	Protects the rook and keeps white from castling.
	1 comment jotheblackqueen (1200) on 05-Aug-08: Yes, this is also an even quicker way of nailing the white king in the centre. Perhaps f3 followed by Kf2, Re1 could sort this problem out.


16. c4	c4? blocks the bishop, but opens up the long diagonal.



16... exd4 17. Nxd4	Nxd4? exposes white to a nasty pin. Better was O-O
	1 comment jotheblackqueen (1200) on 05-Aug-08: Yup, sometimes when you are up in material it is worth considering handing it back to get you out of a jam. A check on e8 could certainly prove very nasty for white.


17... Nb6	exploits the long diagonal and the pin on the knight.
	1 comment jotheblackqueen (1200) on 05-Aug-08: Yes, the white queen must move and the knight on d4 will be doubly attacked by the bishop on g2 and the queen or a rook on d8. The piece cannot be adequately defended, so as dmaestro says in his next note ..............


18. Qxd8 Raxd8 19. Nc2	Rather than lost the piece, white decides to give up the exchange.



19... Rfe8+	intervening check. The king can't move to f1 because of Bxc4 , and Ne3 loses the rook.



20. Be3	Forced, but this pin allows black to eliminate the strong bishop and any play along the long diagonal.



20... Bxa1 21. Nxa1 Nxc4 22. Nc2 Nxe3 23. fxe3	To get the king out of the way.
	1 comment jotheblackqueen (1200) on 05-Aug-08: Just look at those 2 black cannons on d8 and e8 threatening to blast white's position to smithereens! White's pieces are all over the shop and are all hanging. LP can DO - loose pieces can drop off!


23... h6 24. Nf3 Rdc8 25. Nfd4 Bc4 26. a3 Bd5 27. O-O Rc3	On move 27 (!!) white can finally castle, but black is piling on the pressure.
	1 comment jotheblackqueen (1200) on 05-Aug-08: Yup, the knights are tied to defending the isolanis on e3 and a3 for starters.


28. Re1 Bb3 29. Re2 Bxc2 30. Nxc2 Rec8 31. Nd4 Rxa3	Black's pressure has netted another pawn and now the a pawn is passed.
	1 comment jotheblackqueen (1200) on 05-Aug-08: And you, dmaestro have an extra rook that you can plonk behind it while your other rook can run amok among the remaining white pieces.


32. Nb5 Ra1+ 33. Kf2 a5 34. e4 Rc5 35. Nd6 a4 36. e5 a3 37. Ne8 Rb1 38. Nf6+ Kh8	If 39 e6, fxe 40 Rxe6 Kg7 white has nothing.
	1 comment jotheblackqueen (1200) on 05-Aug-08: Exactly, although this does get rid of a white isolani. When you have isolanis it is always worth considering exchanging them when you get an opportunity to do so, because as I have found in 3 out of my 6 games against Ionadowman - isolanis can tie you down, fatally. Isolanis need to be defended by pieces rather than pawns so you can be effectively a piece down unless you can spot a weakness in your opponent's camp and are able to counter-attack rather than defend. Again, dmaestro, you took full advantage of white's inaccuracies. Well played!