Annotated chess game: Knights and Oversights Part 2

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ANNOTATED GAME

Knights and Oversights Part 2
jstevens1 (1525) vs. Unfortunate Opponent (1551)
Annotated by: jotheblackqueen (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B90), Najdorf

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1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6	5. ........ a6 (according to the 1900s database this is the Kan Variation of the Sicilian. The first few moves were just like my game with Marin, only my opponent deviated with 4. Nf6 instead of moving the black queen to b6.
	2 comments marinvukusic (2161) on 17-Nov-07: Actually this is quite different - I played 2...e6 which creates some possibilities with Bb4. The database is wrong - this is Najdorf variation. dmaestro (1647) on 17-Nov-07: Yes, this the very popular variation, the Najdorf, very sharp, you need to know it well to play against it.


6. Bd3	6. Bd3 (adds protection to the e4 pawn)
	1 comment dmaestro (1647) on 17-Nov-07: The e pawn really isn't threatened, and if black gets in d5 they have a real advantage. This bishop move bd3 also weakens the pressure on the d-file and d4. While playable, white only wins 21% of the games from this position according to the 1900+database. The reason why black plays this variation is that passive play by white loses and that e5 is a real threat. Unless you know the complications, Be2 or Be3 or even f3 are more solid in this position, with winning percentages of 39, 31 and 43% respectively.


6... e6 7. f4	7. f4 (I dominate the centre)



7... g6 8. Qe2 Bg7 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O	10. O-O (from moves 7 to 10 we just continue to get our pieces out - the g7 bishop cuts right through to a1 and a lot of pieces can be lost to tactics there.



10... e5 11. fxe5 dxe5	11. ........ dxe5 (after an exchange of pawns in the centre I retreat my knight to f3)



12. Nf3 Bg4 13. Qd2	13. Qd2 (after Bg4 pinning the knight my queen moves to d2). Black brings out his other knight and I move my bishop to h6 attempting to weaken black's castled position by exchanging bishops. There then follows an exchange of bishop for knight reaching the position after 15. ...... Nd4.



13... Nc6 14. Bh6 Bxf3 15. Rxf3 Nd4 16. Rh3	16. Rh3 (gives added protection to the bishop on h6 and a kingside attack begins)
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 18-Nov-07: White has already contrived quite a lot of pressure on Black's K-wing, threatening to bring the a1-rook across to f1, and with successive exchanges on f6 and g7 to force mate on the h-file. What defences are available to Black?


16... Qb6	16. ......... Qb6 completely throws me - OMG he is threatening a double check on f3 winning my queen and my b pawn is en pris - wait a minute, wait a minute, I can deal with both threats by playing 17. Na4, this attacks the black queen and defends the white b pawn so that if my opponent plays the threatened discovery it will merely result in an exchange of queens)
	2 comments magna68 (2376) on 17-Nov-07: why not just 17. Kh1? After 17. .. Qxb2?! 18. Rf1! white has a dangerous attack. archduke_piccolo (2332) on 18-Nov-07: The secondary purpose to this defence (...Qb6) is, presumably, to defend the f3-knight against attack by a rook. But White also has the Nd5 move available for the attack. Not at once, of course, as White has first to answer Black's threat of ...Nf3ch.


17. Na4 Bxh6 18. Qxh6	18. Q x h6 (black initiates an exchange of bishops). His next move 18..... Qb4 is a nasty move to meet)



18... Qb4 19. b3	19. b3 (defending the knight)
	1 comment magna68 (2376) on 17-Nov-07: 18. ..Qb4?? is a bad move and loses the game. Now 19. Rf1! simply wins. If 19. .. Nh5 then g4 winning on the spot. 19. b3? loses then the game for white because...


19... Nf5	19. ......... Nf5 was nasty and unexpected because it attacks the white queen. If I take the knight on c5 then 20 ....... Qd4 wins at least the exchange. So I play 20. Qc1.
	2 comments magna68 (2376) on 17-Nov-07: 19. ..Ne2+! is much stronger than Nf5 and finishes basically white off. You got lucky there archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Nov-07: The point is that after 19...Nxe2ch 20.Bxe2 Qd4ch picks up the a1-rook, otherwise 20.Kh1 Nf4 closes down White's attack and threatens ...b5 as well as attacking the h3-rook.


20. Qc1 Nxe4 21. Bxe4 Qxe4	21. ...... Q x e4 (now I lose a pawn after the knight takes the e pawn which was doubly attacked). My position is bad - he has a passed e pawn and a very dominant queen - mine is horribly passive (as usual).
	2 comments magna68 (2376) on 17-Nov-07: Qc1 is not good here. Black could have played 20. ..Qd4+ 21. Kh1 - Ng4! and this well known theme causes white big problems. Black did however not see this and played 20. ..Nxe4?? which looses a piece after the straight forward 21. c3 archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Nov-07: To illustrate the points made by magna68: 20.Qc1? Qd4ch 21.Kh1 Ng4 22.Rf2 Nh4 23.Rf1 Nf2ch 24.Rxf2 ...) White has to take on account of 24.Kg1?? Nh3ch 25.Kh1 Qg1ch! 26.Rxg1 Nf2#). After 24.Rxf2 Qxf2 Black is a clear exchange ahead and has an attack on g2. White retains some play - action against the stranded h4-knight - after 25.Qg5, but 25...b5 (25...Qd4 isn't so good) 26.Nc3 Qd4 27.Qxh4 Qxc3 28.Rf1 Rac8 leaves White with insufficient for the material deficit........ After 20...Nxe4? 21.c3 forces Black to give up knight for pawn, since the Q has no retreat that keeps guard on the e4-knight: 21...Nxc3 22.Qxc3 (Naturally, with a material surplus in the offing, White will invite queen exchanges: 22...Qxc3 23.Nxc3 Nd4 24.Ne4 heading for Nf6 etc.


22. c4	22. c4 (I move my c pawn to safety, away from the attentions of the black queen)



22... Nh4 23. Qf1 Rad8 24. Re1 Qd4+ 25. Kh1 Nf5	25. ....... Nf5 (over the next few moves black consolidates his position and has two heavy pieces on the d file - I double up on the e pawn with Qe2. Black defends with Qd2 and the queens are then exchanged.



26. Qe2 Qd2 27. Qxd2 Rxd2 28. g4	28. g4 (after the dust has settled I decide to harass the black knight with g4 and black responds by playing Ng7)



28... Ng7 29. Nc5	29. Nc5 (I try to complicate things by putting two of his pawns under the hammer, the e pawn and the b pawn). I notice something else. If he tries to get his b pawn out of the way I can play 30. Ne4 winning the exchange because if he does not play Rfd8 then I will play 31. Nf6 with mate to follow on h7 next move.



29... b5	29. ........... Wow! He plays it, he plays it! 29. ........ b5? (losing the exchange for a pawn) but - he cannot resist my a2 poisoned pawn can he?



30. Ne4 Rxa2	30. ......... R x a2?? - no he can't and now he pays with his king. My Christmas has come early! I play 31. Nf6 and my opponent resigned after I announced 32. Rxh7# next move (an Arabian Mate). Beware of knights - they can catch you unawares and give you knightmares!! In my opponent's case it was Arabian Knightmares!! After the awful shock of my game with Bob I needed this shot in the arm like manna from heaven!!



31. Nf6+