Annotated chess game: League division C2

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ANNOTATED GAME

League division C2
moriarty (1969) vs. ybrevo (1875)
Annotated by: ybrevo (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B34), accelerated fianchetto, exchange variation

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1. e4	This game evolved from a rather rare line of the Sicilian to an extremely complex middlegame - and ended up with an "objectively drawn" endgame with opposite coloured Bishops. Unfortunately these kind of endgames are seldomly played out - because there are still a lot of tactics involved. But let�s start with the beginning...



1... c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6	The Accelerated Dragon is not seen very much at master-level these days, but it is still a fresh alternative to the bulk of theory of the more common Sicilian lines. GM Lothar Schmid played some interesting games with Black back in the Sixties and Seventies.



5. Be3	We are at the crossroads of theory. White can opt for the Maroczy with 5. c4, which is linked with the English Opening, or go for 5. Nc3 - the so-called Classical. This line can even lead to the more orthodox Dragon. Of course there are other moves, and my opponent prefers one of these. But it just leads to a transposition in a few moves.



5... Bg7 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Bb3	(!) This is the critical test of the line, according to a specialist in this opening, GM Heine Nielsen. Black has no tricks with a Queen move to b6, and White prepares an attack on the King-side with f2-f3, Qd2, 0-0-0 and h4. Black has other ways to go though, and I chose to try a fianchetto of the other Bishop too. This leads to a very open game.



8... b6 9. f4	(!?) A very aggressive move! I had expected 9. f3 to limit the "bite" of the comming Bishop on b7. Black needs to react in the centre immediately, and the time is just right since White hasn�t castled yet.



9... e5	(!)



10. fxe5 Nxe5 11. Qd2 Bb7 12. O-O-O	White brings his King to safety, but it will cost him a pawn. At the moment this is not so important, since there are lots of attacking possibilities on both sides and in the centre. I must admit that I felt like walking into a battle-field more or less blinded by smoke from the gunfire :)



12... Nxe4 13. Nxe4 Bxe4 14. Nb5 d5	This is the kind of position I would hate to have in a blitz-game - even with a pawn up! Of course the Black d-pawn is strong, but White has plenty of play around it, and the final question could be: Which King is the safest. I decided to seek for simplifications instead.



15. Bd4 Qh4	The obvious threat of Bh6 (hitting both Queen and King on same diagonal), gives Black time to put a Rook to a more active position - the cover of the d-pawn.
	1 comment mfirebrd (1200) on 01-Feb-08: Bh6 is not a threat even possibly a bad move. white could simply move his bishop back to e3 and this time black is in trouble. white wants to exchange black square bishops in order to weaken blacks castle and beside these blacks position is unstable after losing his black square bishop because he should seriously careful about black week squares and so many holes in his position. but he has the advantage of an extra pawn ahead. I think Kb1 was mistake because blacks white bishop is more dangerous and moving king to that bishop diagnol might cost him very expensive.(all I comment was with one glance may be my judgement is incorrect)


16. Kb1 Rfd8 17. Qe2 Qg4	Hoping for a Queen-swap, but my opponent rightly tries to get it under the best conditions.



18. Rhe1 Bxg2 19. Bxe5 Qxe2 20. Rxe2 Bf3	Please look at this position. I must admit it took me ages to analyze it - but it leads almost forced to an endgame with opposite Bishops and Black a pawn up! Whites problem is the lack of communication of his light pieces and the threat of mate on the baseline. Without these tactics, Black would have been out of ammo, with only a handshake left...



21. Rde1 Bxe2 22. Rxe2 Rde8 23. Nc7 Rad8 24. Nxe8 Rxe8 25. Bxd5 Rxe5 26. Rxe5 Bxe5	After all the fighting this is an esthetically beautiful position: Two Bishops left right beside each other - and ready for a very different kind of game. I am no expert on endgames (but I love to play them!), and my opinion around here was: Probably a draw, but with pawns on both sides, Black has chances. First: Get a passed pawn on the king-side.



27. h3 Kg7 28. c3 f5 29. Kc2 Kf6 30. Kd2 g5 31. Ke2 g4 32. Bg2	My opponent plays very skillfully in his attempt to take out the venom of the pawn-majority.



32... Kg5 33. Ke3 h5 34. Kf2 Kf4	Without the Bishops this would lead to an easy win, but having the opposition of the Kings dosn�t do much here. It may sound strange, but Blacks win is where his pawn-MINORITY is right now! That should explain the next moves.



35. Bf1 Bd6	With the aim of changing to the more active diagonal a7-g1.



36. b3 Bc5+ 37. Kg2 a5	The classical theme of 2 pawns controlling 3 - but still: With opposite coulored Bishops the draw is always terribly close.



38. Ba6 g3 39. Bc8 h4 40. Be6 Ke4 41. c4 f4 42. Bd5+	Controlling the white squares and the Black pawns on the Kingside, it is hard to see how this can be anything but a draw. I decided to leave my Kingside-pawns to their own destiny and go for the other flank.



42... Kd4 43. Kf3 Kc3 44. Kxf4 Kb2 45. a4 Kxb3 46. Bc6	(!) A crucial moment - and a great trap by White. The "automatic" move 46. - Kxc4?? will be refuted by 47. Kf3 followed by eg. Bb5 and a rock-solid draw, since White has build a fortress on the light squares. Maybe I am wrong - but I don�t have Fritz to prove it... Nevertheless, it became obvious that the c-pawn helps BLACK to win, because it blocades Whites Bishop if the a-pawn goes. The next move is therefore both simple and decisive.



46... g2	White resigned. After 47. Bxg2 Kxa4, White cannot stop the a-pawn without giving up his Bishop. A very inspired game by both players, if I may feel free to say so.