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ANNOTATED GAME
El Spectacularrrr
Myself (N/A) vs. Chess Titan Level 8 (N/A)
Annotated by: archduke_piccolo
(2334)
Chess opening: Sicilian defence (B40)
Myself (N/A) vs. Chess Titan Level 8 (N/A)
Annotated by: archduke_piccolo
(2334)
Chess opening: Sicilian defence (B40)
 Interactive |
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This is the second half of the 'story' of two games between myself and the Microsoft Chess engine. It isn't all that strong, but offers enough opposition to keep my hand in. In the previous game, Black gave up his Queen for insufficient return. This time, I'm the one who gives up the Queen - for a mere pawn at that! Here's the plot... | ||||||
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1. e4 c5 |
The engine doesn't invariably play the Sicilian, but does so more often than not. The other day it played an Owen Defence (1...b6!?), and i have seen other first moves tried... | |||||
| 1 comment | ||||||
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2. Nf3 e6 |
This is also Black's 'favorite', though the other day it played an 'Ultra-fianchetto': 2...g6!? | |||||
| 2 comments | ||||||
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3. c4 |
(!?) Something out of left field from me. Far more common is 3.d4. Against that the engine often played the Kann System, with ...a6 and ...Qc7. | |||||
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3... Nc6 |
Immediately staking his claim on the d4-square. White hopes his light square hold will be the stronger and more decisive. | |||||
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4. d3 |
4.d4 was actually playable... | |||||
| 2 comments | ||||||
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4... d6 |
Possibly with the view to locking up the centre by ...e5, but this never eventuates. | |||||
| 1 comment | ||||||
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5. Nc3 Bd7 6. Be2 |
White could fianchetto the Bishop via g2 (after 6.g3, naturally!), but I wanted to save a bit of time. | |||||
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6... Nd4 |
Going after the exchange of minor pieces. I probably ought to have exchanged on d4 (7.Nxd4 ) but, again, preferred to preserve time. | |||||
| 1 comment | ||||||
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7. O-O |
Willing to exchange my 'bad' bishop for Black's active knight... | |||||
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7... Nxe2+ |
(?!) I consider this exchange to be dubious, as it is my less useful bishop, and at the moment his more useful knight. But in playing the knight to d4, Black had pretty much committed himself. | |||||
| 1 comment | ||||||
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8. Qxe2 Be7 |
By developing the bishop ahead of the knight, Black dissuades White from playing a minor piece to g5. Not that I particularly wanted to move anything to g5, but at least Black doesn't have to worry about weakening the K-side by ...h6. But a few moves later he (I'll use a personal pronoun rather than the impersonal) played that pawn move anyway... | |||||
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9. Be3 |
a fine spot for the bishop. Black's knight is in no position to challenge this bishop's posting. | |||||
| 2 comments | ||||||
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9... Nf6 10. Nd2 |
A 'dual purpose' move. It's primary intent is to free the f-pawn to advance. It also prevents ...Ng4, so the e3-bishop will not be molested where he stands. | |||||
| 1 comment | ||||||
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10... O-O 11. f4 b6 |
Intending, possibly, to force an advance on the Q-side. | |||||
| 1 comment | ||||||
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12. Nf3 |
(?!) I don't like this move much, on reflection. The idea is OK, but could have been better timed. Instead 12.g4 deserved more consideration than I gave it. | |||||
| 1 comment | ||||||
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12... h6 |
Preventing Ng5, but I wasn't planning that move for a while yet. It (...h6) tends to weaken Black's K-side slightly. | |||||
| 1 comment | ||||||
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13. h3 |
Deciding that I wanted to keep the bishop on e3, I make sure the enemy knight is not going to make a nuisance of himself (...Ng4). | |||||
| 2 comments | ||||||
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13... Bc6 |
Preparing ...d5, maybe? | |||||
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14. g4 |
Beginning a general pawn advance against the Black King. | |||||
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14... Re8 15. f5 exf5 |
I did think he might try ...e5, but this capture was no real surprise. White has a fine game at the moment. | |||||
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