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ANNOTATED GAME
GameKnot Blitz, http://gameknot.com/
mokru vs. hanslvb
Annotated by: mokru (1508)
Chess opening: English opening (A20)
mokru vs. hanslvb
Annotated by: mokru (1508)
Chess opening: English opening (A20)
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I happen to think that no annotation is ever complete, but this game offers an interesting, if ever incomplete, look at some chances inside the English opening. Many books claim the English opening is drawish, but not as played here. This is a do or die. With time controls of 5 min plus 10 or 20 seconds, the players are forced to play fairly rapidly but can also sit and think here and there for mostly sound chess. | ||||||
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1. c4 e5 |
In two previous games he opened with an early b5. I won one and he the other. In the game I won, I immediately replied 2.g3 and he played mechanically dropping the a8 rook. When he won, his play was far beyond my own. I don't know what happens sometimes. I feel bulletproof, but then along comes a player who sees the swiss cheese in my position. I usually get dominated in the GK rated games and not in faster over the board play. It does happen, but less frequently. | |||||
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2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 b6 |
And he continues more cautiously here. Perhaps having won once, he sees that my play can be strong when I omit reckless moves? This move is quite reasonable as it seems unlikely that white would take the time to develop a kingside fianchetto only to trade it away to obscure black's queenside fianchetto when the bishop can still reasonably be played to either a6 immediately or to another square once it is prepared. | |||||
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4. a3 |
Mostly prophylaxis, but not entirely as the move prepares the b4 advance. The b4 advance will open a diagonal for the c1 bishop, keeps the f8 bishop off of c5 for the time being, and is generally a thematic move in the English opening. | |||||
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4... Bb7 |
Playing Bc5 here would likely keep the game out of the dangerous waters it enters later by tempting e3, but also within the realm of possibility is 4...Bc5 5.b4 Bd4 6.Nc3 when black can trade a thrice-moved (once the trade is complete) bishop for a once moved knight. | |||||
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5. b4 Rb8 6. Nc3 |
Places an iron grip on d5. | |||||
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6... Nf6 |
Weakens that iron grip. | |||||
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7. d3 a6 8. Rb1 Nd4 |
! In a few short moves, black's position has become reasonably good. He has a centrally posted knight, he is poised to trade off White's light-square control, and he is in no immediate danger, however his play can have a dark side: | |||||
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9. e4 |
This may seem like a concession, but the truth is the Botvinnik style of play is one of my favorite lines in the English opening. I had attempted to play these style of lines once against this player, but he attacked my queenside before I could get the attack rolling. Here the center and queenside are sound for the moment though they can be attacked; he cannot immediately unravel them. | |||||
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9... g6 |
Would c6 followed by d5 suit his purposes better? I think that c6 and d5 are pretty good moves for black. These moves seem to but do not actually force the concession of the f2-f3 pawn advance, and the move also seems to stall white's immediate plans kingside assault. If 9...c6, 10.c5 does prevent 10...d5 but fails to prevent d5 entirely. After 10...bxc5 black can continue to rip open the queenside with 11...cxb4 12.axb4. Shredder evaluates this position as a miniscule edge to black, and I have to say I would not want to play the white pieces in this variation. White seems to have no natural plans or even natural moves there, so that leaves us considering if not f3 then the exchanges either weaken the white center (9...c6 10.Ne2 d5! 11.Be3 dxe4), create a queenside attacking position that Shredder says favors white and avoids an isolated queen pawn(9...c6 10.Ne2 d5! 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.Qa4+), or leave white with an isolated queen pawn (9...c6 10.Ne2 d5! 11.cxd5 -hoping to retain the kingside attack lines- 11...cxd5 -denying the kingside attack lines- 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.O-O) which Shredder evaluates as merely equal. I think both sides are fairly well suited to IQP play here except that the other line seems to offer white an edge. White is suited to IQP play as no minor or major pieces have been traded, but so is black because he has a knight posted in front of the pawn preventing it from having the typical advantages used in IQP play: advancement, promotion, and attack; and black seems on the edge of being able to trade of the g2 bishop when general theory says that the side with the IQP should avoid trading minor and major pieces. | |||||
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10. Nge2 Bg7 11. O-O O-O 12. f4 |
! In these kingside advances black despite castling and making sound moves can find his entire kingside problematic. White wants to attack the f6, g6, and h7 squares. He will even sacrifice the f rook to do it if it promises a good attack. The black moves c6 and d5 here would attack white in the center, but allow the immediate fxe5 which is not in white's plans but does undermine black's attack on d5 because the knight is forced to move. I still think that c6 and d5 were pretty good moves for black, but probably not now. Even so, black needs a central attack sooner or later as a central attack must be good for black as the attacking move f5 creates vulnerabilities in the white position that can be exploited. The downside is that black may want to move his king away from the white attack and these moves will make the rest of the board less of a haven for the monarch. | |||||
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12... Nxe2+ 13. Nxe2 |
! The correct move bringing the knight over to the kingside even though Shredder prefers Qxe2. | |||||
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13... d6 |
White really doesn't want to play for the center here, but white has to proceed carefully because if the attack collapses, black could come out with real fighting chances. Black ignores the central push, as seems appropriate now, and shores up structure waiting for white's attack. | |||||
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14. h3 |
Quite often black's light-square bishop has been placed on d7 when black plans on Qc8, Bxh3, and if it works out a bishop exchange and the black queen sitting imposingly in the white kingside, but here the white light-square bishop is out of position threatening a rather secure pawn. Shredder is still reporting an ever slight edge for white. | |||||
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14... Nd7 |
The knight is going to need to move, but this underestimates the white threat. At a glance to someone unfamiliar with White's kingside chances, white's pawn formation may look whimsical and outside of sound chess. It is. White may be able to transition to an end-game, but this formation has one aim: attack. Shredder would place the black queen on d7 instead eyeing into the kingside. I cannot really argue except to say that Bc8 seems to offer the same. | |||||
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15. f5 Re8 |
Waiting and creating extra space for his bishop. He sees his coverage of f6 as safe. His knight, queen, and bishop all eye the square. White sees the point too and intends g4 for this and because g3 is a good spot for his knight. 15...a5 threatens an opening in the queenside. | |||||
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16. g4 Rc8 |
Past games probably have him undervaluing white's ability even though I won one, but he discounts the one thing I have in this line: a bit of experience. When he recognizes the trouble it may be too late. 16...Qh4! forces white to contemplate defense followed by 17...c5, and 16...c5 allows 17.Qa4! preventing 17...Qh4. | |||||
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17. g5 Nb8 |
17...f6 preventing white's f6 push. | |||||
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18. f6 |
Shredder: more than a slight advantage for white. | |||||
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18... Bf8 |
Shredder agrees, but the kingside will open. No change in winning evaluation. | |||||
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19. Ng3 |
Intending h4, h5, Kf2, Rh1. If the h file breaks open, black will have to give back material to avoid being checkmated. Shredder: 19.Kh2 which is often played in these lines. I suspected I should play it, but the move can still occur. | |||||
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