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ANNOTATED GAME

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xiangzhi (1774) vs. dsb13 (1923)
Annotated by: dsb13 (2378)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B23), closed, Korchnoi variation
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Pages: 123
Unlike many of my games, this one does not include the fireworks of a direct attack on the king, but rather a highly unusual balance of material and then a series of puzzle like problems, none leading to a mate, but each leading to the final victory. Time and again, White finds himself in a mini-zugzwang, where he simply cannot move his pieces, and is left to mark time, and I hope that people enjoy some of the themes. Finding them during the game was quite tricky, and in a bid to make the reader think, I'll give a time out whenever a new plan is required. If you read the annotation, please give it a mark, as I am interested to see how many people actually read these games, David.
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3
If White is going to play a Closed Sicilian, I can't help think that he's better playing 3. f4 or 3. g3 (with Nge2).

 
4... d5 5. exd5 exd5 6. Bg2 d4
White has the piece development, Black establishes a wedge in the centre. The downside is the latent power of the Bg2.

 
7. Ne2 g6
Where to put the bishop? Bd6 achieves very little, whilst Be7 is just a bit passive for me.

 
8. O-O Bg7 9. d3 Nf6 10. c3
White has to try to break the centre I suppose, although I can see that 10. c4 and playing for a reversed Benoni/Benko type position is interesting.

 
10... dxc3 11. bxc3 O-O
Black's position is OK here, although if I'd thought about White's next move, I might have been tempted to shore up the c5 pawn somehow - perhaps I should be looking to play Bg4 or Bd7 at this stage. 11. ... Bg4 12. Ba3 b6 13. Nfd4 Nxd4 is interesting. By contrast with the game line, Black can develop his Q-side, but will his king get stuck in the centre?

 
12. Ba3
The advantage of 10. c3 - White attacks c5, completes his development and threatens to blow open the long diagonal.

 
12... b6
I was comfortable with the idea of 13. Ne5 Nxe5 14. Bxa8. 14. ... Bh3/g4 or even Ba6 all emphasise that White's white squares can be as drafty as mine and the Bg7 outperforms the Ba3.

 
13. Nfd4
Variations on a theme, although I had been expecting 13. Ne5 as per the last note. Material is going to have to be sacrificed for positional gain.

 
13... Nxd4
Better than 13. ... cxd4 14. Bxc6, not least because I manage to keep the c5 pawn for a couple of moves with a view to preserving at least one of my rooks.

 
14. cxd4
There's no rush to play Bxa8 - Black has made it quite clear that the rook isn't going anywhere.

 
14... Bg4 15. Bxa8 Qxa8
And so the first positional sacrifice is made. White's white squares are weak, his king is weaker than with the bishop still on the board, and Black has control over both diagonals. In my view, there's reasonable compensation there.

 
16. dxc5 Re8
There's no point in playing 16. ... bxc5 - Black's idea is to be dynamic in this position and to utilise the weak squares in the White camp to keep in the game.

 
17. Re1
Forced, not least because 17. f3 Bxf3 wins back a pawn, opens up the king and maintains the threats. TIMEOUT: Can you see Black's tactic to win back his piece?
1 comment
 
17... Nd5 18. d4
18. Rc1 meets with the same reply which is ...

 
18... Nc3
Black's compensation bites. The Ne2 is indefensible, so White gives back his extra piece in a slightly unusual way.

 
19. Nxc3 Bxd1 20. Rxe8+ Qxe8 21. Rxd1 bxc5 22. Bxc5
The dust settles. Material equality is re-established. It's hardly a queen sacrifice when you're a piece up and you're getting another rook and a passed pawn for it, but the position is still highly dynamic and difficult for both sides. For White, the obvious plan is to try to push the d-pawn, supporting it with his pieces which can chase Black's queen away. For Black, the plan is less obvious. TIMEOUT. What is Black's plan in this position?
1 comment
 
22... Qc6
My first plan is to tie up as many of White's pieces as possible with my queen. The knight worries me more than the bishop (as long as I can blockade the pawn before it gets to d7), so this move is designed to stop the Bc5 from moving, and stop the d4 pawn from advancing.

 
23. Re1
TIMEOUT: Can Black tighten the zugzwang?

 
23... Bf8
I like this move. The idea is to meet 24. Bxf8 with 24. ... Qxc3 where 25. Re8 (threatening Bh6#) loses to 25. ... Qc1+ 26. Kg2 Qc6+
3 comments
 
24. Re5 f6
The Bf8 remains safe for similar reasons as before. White gets himself into a bit of a pickle here, because of the threat of Bxc5. 24. Ne4 f5 looks pretty good for Black so maybe the move played is best, no matter how ugly the position gets.

 

Pages: 123