Annotated chess game: Now who's the dean?!

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ANNOTATED GAME

Now who's the dean?!
yodean (1590) vs. ethansiegel (1741)
Annotated by: ethansiegel

(2048)
Chess opening: Four knights (C47), Scotch, 4...exd4

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Dean, my teammate on Southern Chess, despite being rated ~150 points lower than me, has had my number in the past. In fact, he won the first three games we ever played. By chance, our captain invited us both into the same tournament, and I was out for vengeance.

1. e4

Pretty standard opening. You know how it goes.

1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3

This was a little unusual. I more commonly see either Bc4 (usually leading to the Italian Game, or sometimes the 2 knights defense) or Bb5 (the Ruy Lopez). Black's most popular responses are Nf6 and Bc5, although crazier responses like f5 might be effective against some.

3... Nf6

I don't like the positions arising for black after Bc5, so I went with Nf6.

4. d4

The scotch four knights! I know I've seen this before somewhere... Morphy used this to destroy Paulsen with the black pieces. http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1259998

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4... exd4

I decide to play a little differently. My idea is to pin the Nc3, castle kingside, and aim my pieces at his kingside. I may end up with doubled pawns on the queenside, but that shouldn't be as important as my attack!

5. Nxd4

As expected. NxN followed by QxN doesn't look promising for black, as white will control too much space.

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5... Bb4

Pinning the knight, as planned.

6. Nxc6

Giving me the doubled pawns, and a choice of how to do it.

6... bxc6

Far superior to dxc6, as that allows white to get the queens off; if white can make it to an endgame, my doubled pawns will prove a weakness!

7. Bd3

Simple, standard development, plus this protects the e4 pawn, which could have been taken otherwise. (Note that, for example, 7. Bc4 Nxe4 8. Qe2 Qe7 9. f3 can be met by a knight retreat, while 9. Bd2 can be met with 9. ...Bxc3, leaving black up a pawn.)

7... O-O

Not allowing any thoughts of a pin down the e-file anyway.

8. O-O

Likewise, and breaking the pin on the c3 knight.

8... d5

An aggressive move, gaining space for black, while also offering to undouble his pawns, opening the c8 bishop's route to the kingside, and staking a claim to the center. All this is book so far.

9. Bg5

This is an unusual (but not unsound) move; but I've definitely got to do something about this pin. e5, if played here instead, would be met by Ng4, but now if white plays e5 unimpeded, my knight is in for a world of hurt!

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9... h6

I thought this was the best way to break the pin, although 9. ...Bxc3 10. bxc3 dxe4 would have been another way to do it.

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10. Bxf6

?! A surprise from white -- I had expected Bh4, provoking further weaknesses in black's kingside. As it is, I'm happy to get such a good square for my queen, and to win the two bishops so easily!

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10... Qxf6

Natch.

11. Na4

? This move by white, threatening nothing and moving the knight far away from the center, gives black a clear plan of attack. Aim the bishops at the kingside, connect the rooks, lift one onto either the 5th or 6th rank, and try for a mate on the kingside.

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11... Bd7

Connecting the rooks and allowing the possibility to double down the e-file or b-file.

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12. Qe2

?! White doesn't realize the danger that's coming. I thought Qf3 was best here, trying to exchange the queens, where black doesn't have much to attack with but is better heading into an endgame.

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