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ANNOTATED GAME
Learning the hard way ("No pain, no gain")
White player (2044) vs. marinvukusic (2144)
Annotated by: marinvukusic (2161)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B22), 2.c3, Heidenfeld variation
White player (2044) vs. marinvukusic (2144)
Annotated by: marinvukusic (2161)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B22), 2.c3, Heidenfeld variation
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1. e4 |
This is an OTB game I played recently, which I lost in brutal fashion. In the critical position both players actually thought that Black has the advantage! First words of White player after the game were "I was lost", and Black just kept saying "I totally underestimated the attack". It was pretty funny I guess :) This annotation will show that the position was in fact about even but it was Black who needed to be careful. I am annotating the game partly as a way to fully "digest" this loss and hopefully gain some useful learning points for myself, and partly to amuse GK population, especially those that do not play OTB chess (those who do probably have their own horror stories) :) So, lets have fun! | |||||
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1... c5 |
My faithful Sicilian :) --- I was pretty shocked when I achieved only 2,5 points out of 6 Black Sicilian games played during the summer, with zero (!?) wins in open Sicilian (2 wins against Grand Prix Attack, 1 draw, 3 losses) and was saved from negative overall score with Black only by 2 straight wins in QGD at the end of the second tournament... Maybe I am getting old? Should I start playing something safer, like Caro-Kann? Time will tell probably... :) | |||||
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2. c3 |
The Alapin variation. IMHO, the best way to avoid mainline Sicilian while still keeping good winning chances. | |||||
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2... Nf6 |
This is what I always play against 2.c3. Alternative is 2...d5, which is slightly less popular but has equal value. | |||||
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3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nf3 |
This move order is the most popular due to possibility 5...dc3??; 6.Qd5, which I never actually saw happen other than in blitz games :) 5.cd4 is equal in value while slightly less fancy. | |||||
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5... e6 6. cxd4 Nc6 7. Bd3 |
The first move that is out of the mainline theory. Usually White plays straightforward 7.Bc4, sometimes 7.Nc3. I never played against this move, but the idea is very typical and not hard to spot - attack on h7 after Black castles. If White later plays Be4 (intending to take on d5) it can be interpreted as a waste of time compared to normal Bc4. The main problem with 7.Bd3 is that it does not pressure Black at all at this moment, so it can be safely said that Black already has full equality. | |||||
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7... d6 |
Continuing with normal development while putting some pressure against e5, as usual in this type of position. I didn't yet consider 7...Ndb4; 8.Be4, d5; 9. ed6, Bd6 or 7...Bb4; 8.Bd2, Nf4. Both variations give equality, but Black already has that so I felt that there is no need to be aggressive this early. | |||||
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8. a3 |
This is needed now if White does not want to allow Ndb4 (or Bb4 in any variation). The reason is that after 8.0-0, Ndb4 White can't play 9.Be4 anymore due to 9...d5. Also it allows White to set up his intended pressure on b1-h7 diagonal. | |||||
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8... Be7 |
Preparing to castle. I wanted to allow White to take on d6 "with gain of tempi", which would give him an isolated d pawn. This is pretty typical in this kind of positions, and I like playing against the isolani :) the position is equal in any case, this is just personal preference. | |||||
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9. O-O |
The best move, no need to define the centre yet. | |||||
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9... O-O |
Same logic. | |||||
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10. Qe2 |
Continuing with the plan started with 7.Bd3, while clearing d1 for the Rf1 if necessary. | |||||
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10... a6 |
This is a useful waiting move, again allowing White to take on d6 if he wants to while taking control of b5 in case I want to play b5 Bb7 ( Rc8 Na5 Nc4). I also wanted to allow White to play 11.Qe4 undisturbed :) | |||||
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11. Nc3 |
I expected 11.Qe4 here, when I would probably play 11...f5; 12.ef6, Nf6 with objective equality but an active game with good prospects for winning (due to the lack of symetry in the position). 11.Nc3 is also a good move, although it does allow Black to decide on the pawn structure in the centre. | |||||
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11... dxe5 |
Alternative is 11...Nc3; 12.bc3, d5 with blocked centre or 12...de5; 13.Ne5, Ne5; 14.Qe5 with a position that is hard to win due to the solid and easily defended pawn structure. | |||||
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12. Nxd5 |
Pretty much forced. If White allows 12.de5, Nc3; 13.bc3 then his pawn structure will be vulnerable for the rest of the game. | |||||
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12... Qxd5 |
Alternative 12...ed5; 13.de5, Bg4 is in fact better than the game continuation (because after 12...Qd5 the Queen is exposed and will have to retreat), but I prefered not to have an isolani. I am biased against them a little, I know :) | |||||
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13. dxe5 |
The position is slightly better for White now, mainly due to more active Bishop pair and prospects for attack on the kingside. I was not worried, because I played a lot of positions resembling this one so I knew that this advantage is not so easy to exploit. | |||||
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13... Rd8 |
There is no better place for the Rook than an open file, and it is necessary to allow the Bishop to take defensive position on f8 when needed. | |||||
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14. Rd1 |
Threatening Bh7 with immediate win for White. | |||||
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