Annotated chess game: Portuguese Gambit #2

« TAP TO LOG IN

ANNOTATED GAME

Portuguese Gambit #2
Class B Player (1750) vs. raskerino (1744)
Annotated by: raskerino (1841)
Chess opening: Scandinavian defence (B01)

Interactive

•

Show all comments

•

All annotated games

•

View chessboard as:

Pages:

I recommend flipping the board before watching this game. This is the second game in a series on the portuguese gambit, I hope you enjoy the game.

1. e4

I recommend flipping the board before watching this game. This is the second game in a series on the portuguese gambit, I hope you enjoy the game.

1... d5

The scandinavian defense, a nice counterattacking way to meet 1.e4. I normally play the sicilian, so while I play this (the scandinavian) occasionally my understanding of it is far from excellent.

2. exd5 Nf6

2... Qxd5 is a perfectly reasonable alternative, but I hugely prefer this move, it prepares a bunch of gambits from the one in this game (the portuguese) to the icelandic with 2... Nf6 3.c4 e6. Also it plans to retake on d5 with the knight instead of the queen. There is a maxim about not bringing out your queen in the opening, this move follows that idea as 2... Qxd5 loses tempo to 3.Nc3.

3. d4

White doesn't hold onto material with 3.c4, he's willing to give it back to erect a strong center via 3... Nxd5 4.c4.

3... Bg4

This initiates the portuguese gambit, black develops with tempo. If white blocks with a piece black will regain the pawn and have a slight development lead to counteract white's good center, an approximately equal (and usually dull) game. If white wants to play ambitiously he's forced to play the following weakening move.

4. f3 Bf5 5. Bb5+

White could defend the pawn with c4 as shown in my first annotated game on the portuguese gambit, this move places the bishop outside the pawns instead of being cramped by white's own c4 pawn.

5... Nbd7 6. c4 a6 7. Ba4

Taking the knight now that black has expended a tempo "putting the question to the bishop" is probably a better idea. Now black plays an explosive move in order to give his pieces activity.

7... b5 8. cxb5 Nxd5

Black is happy for white to take on a6 as it gives him an a file to attack upon.

9. bxa6

White complies.

9... Rxa6 10. Ne2

Strangely enough, white can blunder the game in this position with a normal move, after the apparently natural 10.Nc3 Nb4! when black will strike on d3 with his knight (or if white plays 11.Bb5 Rb6 12.Bc4 he'll infiltrate on the equally valuable c2 square).

10... e6

Black prepares to conclude development. I think it's time to take a step back and give the position a look. I have an obvious development advantage and a target in the IQP (isolated queen's pawn), as well as having instigated the weakening f3 from white. I also have two open files in the a & b files. White has an excellent bishop on a4 that pins down black's knight, and thus my queen (in order to defend the knight). I need to use my advantage in time effectively, this means I should play pressuring moves, but it also means I should NOT trade. I've spent a lot of time developing my pieces and if I trade one for a piece white has just developed it'll be a loss of time. My plan is to castle quick and attack white's game. His plan is to trade his undeveloped pieces for my strong ones. However, he shouldn't trade his bishop for my knight on d7 yet as it pins me down.

11. Nbc3

White follows his plan, preparing to trade.

11... Nb4

I also play the thematic move, this threatens 12... Nd3 and avoids a trade.

12. O-O

White avoids the check.

12... c5

This may seem counterintuitive as I'm allowing white to trade off his IQP, however, even more then I want him to have weaknesses I want to activate my pieces, especially when they come with gain of time via a check (13.dxc5 Bxc5 ). And where else will my bishop go? On e7 it's fine, but a little passive, and on d6 it's a target of eventual moves like Ne4.

13. a3

White pushes away my annoying knight, if it goes to d5 or c6 it gives white a trade, which should be avoided. While the knight will be a target on d3, I feel it's impractical to retreat.

13... Nd3 14. Bc2 c4

My pawn sneaks through covering the d3 square, which may be a weakness and may be a strength.

15. b3

White has to undermine my strong d3 square by underming the defending pawn on c4.

15... Nxc1 16. Qxc1

The other option is 16.Bxf5 Nxe2 17.Qxe2 cxb3 where black has regained the pawn and it's passed! Also a3 is hanging, this seems much better as my opponent forces exhanges without giving back the material immediately.

16... Bxc2

Sadly, I have little choice in the matter, where can my bishop go? And I don't want him to take my bishop, doubling my pawns and opening the e file. Perhaps 16... Bg6 preparing to open the h file if he takes is better.

Pages: