Annotated chess game: Let's play chess (St. George Defense)

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ANNOTATED GAME

Let's play chess (St. George Defense)
jmfpeaceable (1436) vs. sun123 (1490)
Annotated by: vghost

(1560)
Chess opening: St. George (Baker) defence (B00)

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1. e4 a6	An unusual opening designed, I assume, to confuse White. As far as I can tell this is an absolute waste of a move except in so far as it prevents a Ruy Lopez opening and generally limits White's King's bishop.
	1 comment fatcat2 (1200) on 29-Nov-09: It also opens up the possibility of a ...b5 expansion on the queenside. However, we are picking out tiny advantages here. There really is no advantage in playing this move as Black.


2. b3	White opts to direct play towards the King-side, looking for Bb2 to control the diagonal.
	1 comment fatcat2 (1200) on 29-Nov-09: Fair enough, but I would prefer 2.d4, taking control of the centre and facilitating quick development. 2.b3 is perfectly fine as well.


2... Nc6 3. Nf3 e5 4. Bb2 Qf6	? Early queen play while Black is undeveloped seems unwise.



5. d4	The thought here was to force Black off the diagonal by pressure.



5... Bd6	Saves the pawn, but at the cost of blockading the QP.



6. Be2	White prepares to castle.



6... Nxd4	An unexpected opening to the exchange from my (White's) point of view, and forces the issue uncomfortably.



7. Nxd4 exd4 8. Qxd4	If 8. Bxd4, then the continuation ...Be5 9. c3 to protect the Rook is awkward at best.
	1 comment black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 28-Nov-09: after 8...Be5, white could continue; 9.Bxe5 Qxe5 10.Nd2, which protects your rook with development


8... Qxd4 9. Bxd4 f6	White comes out with a far superior position and the attack, but very little to attack. Pawn pressure may be in order.
	1 comment fatcat2 (1200) on 29-Nov-09: Black's 11th move is superficially aimed at blocking the bishop's line of attack; however, this costs Black's kingside knight its best square, f6. Black's position is weak here.


10. Nd2 Be5 11. Bxe5	A mistake, as it removes the bishop pressure too easily. Better is 11. Nf3.
	1 comment fatcat2 (1200) on 29-Nov-09: Wait, wait. Isn't this just a blunder of a bishop?


11... fxe5 12. O-O d6 13. Nc4	The Knight has nowhere to play; again, Nf3 is better.



13... Be6 14. h3 O-O-O 15. Bg4 Bxg4 16. hxg4 Nf6 17. f3 Nd7 18. Ne3 g6 19. Nd5 Rde8 20. a3 c6 21. Nc3 Rhf8 22. Rad1 Kc7 23. g3 Nb6 24. Kg2 Red8 25. f4 Nd7 26. Kh3 Nf6 27. Kh4 Rfh8 28. g5 Nh5 29. Rd3 Rhf8 30. Rdf3 exf4 31. gxf4 Ng7 32. Kg4 Ne6 33. Ne2 h5+ 34. Kg3 c5 35. b4 Kc6 36. c4 Rde8 37. f5	The fatal mistake. I outright missed the 37. ... Nxg5 move in my eagerness to press the pawn attack.



37... Nxg5 38. Rf3f4	There is no good move.



38... Nxe4+ 39. Kh4 g5+ 40. Kh3	40. Kxh5 is a possibility, but ... Rh8 would cause all sorts of other problems.



40... gxf4 41. Nxf4	Worse and worse.



41... Rxf5	Resignation is highly in order; White does so. A hugely misplayed game for me. This game made me realize I need to work on pawn positions much more than I had thought.