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ANNOTATED GAME
muek54's mini-tournament IX
pilou (1905) vs. dsb13 (1959)
Annotated by: dsb13
(2378)
Chess opening: Alekhine's defence (B02), Scandinavian variation
pilou (1905) vs. dsb13 (1959)
Annotated by: dsb13
(2378)
Chess opening: Alekhine's defence (B02), Scandinavian variation
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As with my other annotations, I would ask that anybody who reads this gives it a mark so I know how many people have actually read it.
Pilou and I are team mates on the Caissa team but found ourselves playing each other in this mini-tournament. In the first game JP blundered into a mate when trying to beat off a direct king-side attack. With colours reversed, pride at stake, and aware of my hack and slash tendencies, he went for an unusual opening designed to make my life difficult. A number of interesting themes emerge... | ||||||
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1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 |
I still can't believe that this is White's best line, but it avoids the main theory of 2. e5 and the obscure positions that occur. | |||||
| 3 comments | ||||||
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2... d5 3. d4 |
I'm not sure whether this is !? or ?! - White gives up a pawn to change the style of the game. The position is akin to a Veresov (1. d4 d5 2. Nc3) or potentially, a French Defence. Black's pawn on e4 can only be defended at the cost of a weaknesses at e6 and/or d6 in the event of ... f5 and White gets some open lines. | |||||
| 3 comments | ||||||
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3... Nxe4 |
Probably better than 3. dxe4 where White can look to play Bg5 to pressurize the Nf6 in due course. | |||||
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4. Nxe4 dxe4 5. Bf4 Bd7 |
The GK computer says that this is inaccurate and suggests 5. Nc6 5. c3 e6 6. Qc2 f5 7. Nh3 Bd6 8. 0-0-0 0-0 9. Be2 Bd7 10. d5 as +0.87 for Black. Personally, I think that White has good compensation for his pawn in this line. His king is safe, his pieces are freer and he has f3 and g4 to prise open the K-side. 5. Bd7 is flexible and looks at playing ... e6 and .. c5, whilst keeping an eye on Bb5 threats in the event of ... Nc6. The computer thinks that 6. Qh5 e6 6. 0-0-0 Bd6 is pretty equal. | |||||
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6. Bc4 e6 7. a3 |
Is this a waste of tempo? 7. Qe2 Bd6 8. Nh3 0-0 9. 0-0-0 Re8 10. Re1 Bc6 11. d5 could leave Black's K-side a little fragile and there is the option of recapturing on e4 at moves 9/10 etc if White fancies it. For my part, I was thinking about ... b5 (which Qe2 would have prevented) but I'd probably have gone with 7. ... Bd7-c6-d5 and ... c5 to hold the pawn and to compete in the centre. I don't see that Black needs to rush to 0-0 in this position - he can always 0-0-0 instead. | |||||
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7... c5 |
It seems sensible to attack the centre at this stage, before playing ... Nc6 although the computer suggests 6. ... Bd6 7. Qg4 0-0 8. Bg5 f6 9. Bxe6+ as the best line for Black. My personal rule is that if White can get away with playing Qg4, you probably don't want to be meeting it with 0-0. I'll go with 6. ... c5 thanks. | |||||
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8. Ne2 |
8. f3 exf3 9. Nxf3 looks more in keeping with White's plan for an attack, although there's nothing wrong with this move. | |||||
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8... Nc6 9. dxc5 |
White gives up what remains of his centre but does he really want an isolated pawn on d4? | |||||
| 2 comments | ||||||
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9... Bxc5 10. b4 Bb6 11. O-O |
White's development is almost complete, he has a pawn majority (and space) on the Q-side and the e4 pawn is a little isolated. 11. ... 0-0 simply moves the king away from his minor pieces, whilst d6 is already looking somewhat weak. Perhaps 10. ... Be7, controlling d6, is better, but it looks rather passive and the Bd7 isn't going anywhere. | |||||
| 1 comment | ||||||
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11... f5 |
If this looks cavalier, it's based on some relatively sound dynamic principles. It defends e4 in the first instance, threatens ... g5 and ... e5 followed by ... f4 and looks to utilise Black's K-side majority as soon as possible. Granted, e6 is drafty, but I have a cunning plan. | |||||
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12. Qd2 |
Stopping 12. ...g5 and threatening to double on the d-file. | |||||
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12... Qf6 |
The computer thinks that 12. ... 0-0 13. Qd6 Re8 14. a4 Bc8 15. a5 is a better continuation. Any takers? | |||||
| 2 comments | ||||||
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13. Rad1 Bc8 |
! - The obvious square really. | |||||
| 2 comments | ||||||
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14. Qd6 |
The obvious move, although 14. Bd6 might be stronger. Black can play 14. ... a5 according to the computer, although 14. ...g5 demands consideration at this stage. Black's K-side pawn advance looks very imposing. | |||||
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14... e5 |
I really liked this move too. At a stroke, Black frees himself of the weaknesses at e6 and e5 and grabs a share of f4 and d4. The computer wants to grub around with 14. ... Kf7 which looks a bit grotty, but the threat of ... Rd8 is actually rather difficult to meet. 15. Be3 Qe5 16. Qd2 Rd8 is, on the face of it good for Black, but I had an extra pawn and wanted a phalanx, shoulder to shoulder, to advance on the White king. At this stage, however, I'd be lying if I thought I was better. Equality first as Black, then push on to win if you can. | |||||
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15. Qxf6 gxf6 16. Bh6 Ke7 |
The position is, according to the computer, equal. Black's pawn apparently counts for nothing at all, but is that right? The Bh6 looks nice enough, but what if I can play ... f4!? Can White force a pawn through on the Q-side? | |||||
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17. Nc3 |
White's only central square is d5. | |||||
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17... Be6 18. Nd5+ Bxd5 |
I'd rather keep my dark-squared bishop than my light-squared one. I have dreams of playing ... f4 or ... e3 at some point, but here and now I'll settle for equality. | |||||
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19. Bxd5 |
Black's in a bit of a bind here. His pawns aren't going anywhere and his pieces are tied up. I can't use g8 and b7 is weak. How to solve the problems? | |||||
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19... Rhd8 20. c4 |
White's pawns start to move, and the threat is 21. b5. 20. b5 Nd4 hits c2, e2 and b5 and potentially forces 21. c4 when White has compromised the flexibility of his pawns and the Nd4 looks useful. Black might even be tempted to play Rxd5 and try to advance his pawns. At this stage, I wasn't particularly confident about the outcome. Black has an extra pawn, but it's doubled and White has the bishop pair. Can Black stop White playing 21. c5 and closing down his Q-side for good? I think White is actually better here, despite the nominal material difference. | |||||
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