Annotated chess game: Kingslayer Training Match

« TAP TO LOG IN

ANNOTATED GAME

Kingslayer Training Match - Petrov three knights game
marvgiff (1561) vs. evilgm (1919)
Annotated by: evilgm

(2063)
Chess opening: Petrov three knights game (C42)

Interactive

•

Show all comments

•

All annotated games

•

View chessboard as:

Pages:

1. e4

This training match is between two members of The Kingslayer team. We appreciate your comments so we can all improve together.

1... e5 2. Nf3 Nf6

I am a big fan of Petrov. If you open against me with e4, expect to go there.

3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d3

I prefer a more aggressive d4 or Bc4 here as White, but this line is perfectly playable.

4... Bb4

I like bishop/knight pins against a king to see if I can create any pressure or "juke" my opponent into making a mistake.

5. Be2 d5

exploiting the pinned knight to try for some early center advantage...

6. O-O Bxc3

Now that White has castled, if I take this knight, I can create a little center play where I go up a pawn, at least momentarily.

7. bxc3 dxe4 8. Ng5

Good counterplay. This move gives White a potential post for a knight in my territory and allows him to undouble his pawns on the c file. Top play for White.

8... exd3 9. cxd3 O-O

Now that I've created a little center chaos, time to castle and then get that White knight out of my side of the board if I can.

10. Ba3

Building some pressure to begin an attack for White.

10... Re8

This move was going to happen eventually anyway, as I needed some more protection for that e pawn.

11. Bh5

This is a decent move for White. Instincts are good on bringing pieces into the fray this aggressively. White is threatening Bxf7+. If Nxh5, then Qxh5 spells trouble as I can't protect both h7 and f7 at the same time. As a result, I only have one option. Another play for White to consider is Bf3, as it threatens my queenside and I don't have a lot of good options to protect it quickly.

11... Be6 12. Re1

I didn't expect this move and am not certain what White is hoping to accomplish. I would have traded knight for bishop with Nxe6 instead. However, now that White is allowing me to get rid of one of his two power pieces on my half of the board, I must partake. If you allow an opponent to have power pieces on your side of the board for a while, they become liabilities quickly. Don't let them get established and drive them away or trade if it's not disadvantageous.

12... Nxh5 13. Qxh5 h6

to protect against Qxh7#. I didn't consider Qxd3, which I should have played instead, as it would have netted me another pawn, but you can't make the top play every time, otherwise the game wouldn't be any fun.

14. Nxe6 Rxe6 15. Rad1

bringing over to protect the d3 pawn.

15... Qf6

Looking to either trade queens or create space to make a play with the e pawn.

16. Bb2

I don't know that the bishop was in a bad spot, but putting a bishop on the main diagonal is rarely a bad choice.

16... Rd8

Rooks love open and half-open files. When in doubt, place them there. I also have the added benefit of being protected by my knight.

17. Re3 Qg6

Offering a queen trade. If not I have a good diagonal on the d3 pawn and some potential for penetration to White's back rank.

18. Qf3

White declines the trade. I would have considered moving to h3 instead to keep the potential for using my rooks to harass the Black queen, but keeping a protective line on the rook at d1 is a good idea too. A key facet of higher level play is to try and have your pieces work in harmony together. Let them mutually support and defend each other so that you don't leave pieces exposed to themselves and vulnerable to pins/attacks.

18... e4

This play has some attacking potential and a chance to create openings for counterplay. Notice that there are several disastrous ways that Black can respond here. A lot of chess is about giving your opponent a chance to shoot themselves in the foot and create openings to exploit. Let's see how Black responds.

Pages: