chess online
« TAP TO LOG IN

ANNOTATED GAME

Leek Congress Major Under 180 Round 1
Steven J Rush (ECF 126) vs. Ebrahim Hassan Arshad ((Estimated ECF 179)
Annotated by: charleshiggie (2192)
Chess opening: Danish gambit (C21), Collijn defence
Interactive Show all comments All annotated games View chessboard as:
Pages: 12
1. e4
Another sparkling little game from Steve Rush. "My best ever win in terms of graded opponents and my best game ever and my best move ever."

 
1... e5
Black copies white's first move.

 
2. d4
One pawn offered - the Centre Game https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_Game
2 comments
 
2... exd4
Taken, it usually is.
1 comment
 
3. c3
Another pawn offered, turning it into a Danish Gambit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_Gambit

 
3... dxc3
Black takes again.

 
4. Bc4
White offers another pawn.

 
4... cxb2
Black takes again.

 
5. Bxb2
White takes back. The most common continuation is for black to give both pawns back with d5 6. Bxd5 Nf6 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qxd8 Bb4+ 9. Qd2 Bxd2+ 10. Nxd2 and a fairly equal ending, maybe white has a very slight edge. However black seems to try to hold onto the extra two pawns - with fatal results!
2 comments
 
5... Bb4+
White also won quickly in the game https://gameknot.com/analyze-board.pl?bd=x1303449&mv=10&rnd=0.4251310708559717 Voigt, Martin (2258) vs. Parindra, Amran Mojo Pahit (2032) 2004.05.30 which continued 6. Nc3 Qe7 7. Nge2 Nf6 8. O-O O-O 9. e5 Bxc3 10. Bxc3 Ne8 11. Nf4 Qc5 12. Qd3 Nc6 13. Rfe1 Nb4 14. Qe4 a5 15. Nh5 d5 16. exd6 e.p. Nxd6 17. Qe7 Qxh5 18. Re5 Nc6 19. Rg5 Nxe7 20. Rxg7+ Kh8 21. Rxf7+ Kg8 22. Rg7+ Kh8 23. Rg8#
1 comment
 
6. Kf1
Steve plays an interesting move. Of course, two pawns down it would be silly to encourage exchanges.
1 comment
 
6... Bf8
I find this move very strange though. I see on the Gameknot opening databases that this position before Bf8 has been met several times, and no less than 12 moves have been tried by black - some very unsuccessfully it must be said. Nf6, f6 and Kf8 are the mot common tries. Bf8 is the 5th most popular 9at the time of writing this of course!)
1 comment
 
7. Nc3
Surprisingly this natural developing move doesn't seem to have been played by anyone else - Nf3, Bxf7+. Qb3 and e5 have been tried.
2 comments
 
7... d6
Natural development.

 
8. Nf3
And also by white.
1 comment
 
8... Bg4
Black pins the knight

 
9. h3
Steve gives himself a couple of exclamation marks for this move, but in fact he is missing better alternatives. 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Ne5+ is playable - winning back the piece as the knight can't be taken without black losing his queen. Also in this position is a variation of the Légal Trap - 9. Ne5!! and if 9....Bxd1 10. Bxf7+ Ke7 11. Nd5 mate. if 9....Be6 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. Qh5+ g6 (forced 11...Ke7 12. Qf7#) 12. Nxg6 and white is on top. Or 9...dxNe5 10. Bxf7+ Ke7 11. Ba3+ and black is busted. 9. Qb3 attacking both b7 and f7 looks good too, and indeed 9. Qd5 with the same double attack.
3 comments
 
9... Bh5
Steve comments "If takes Qxf3 leads to a massive potentially over whelming attack....well this is what sort of happened anyway!" In fact Fritz first of all gives Bxf3 as the best move and later moves to liking Be6, before switching back to Bxf3 - and in both cases gives advantage to black. However this sort of position is much easier to play as white - white has all his minor pieces developed and attacking prospects, while black has to find careful defensive moves.
2 comments
 
10. Qd5
Well done Steve, out of the various options, he chooses the best! Compared with the position on move 9, as well as attacking f7(although of course this pawn is protected, but it means he doesn't have to worry about say 10...Bxf3, which is now met by a mate on f7) and b7 he is also attacking Bh5. When looking at this position, Fritz at first gives black a slight advantage, but after looking deeper into it Fritz gives white a slight advantage of plus 0.09, then later plus 0.25 "All forced now" is Steve's comment.
1 comment
 
10... Nf6
Protecting the Bh5 and attacking the queen.
1 comment
 

Pages: 12