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ANNOTATED GAME
Round 6 of Reno Championships
bakerbaker (1545) vs. Arsham D. (1776)
Annotated by: bakerbaker (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B22), Alapin's variation (2.c3)
bakerbaker (1545) vs. Arsham D. (1776)
Annotated by: bakerbaker (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B22), Alapin's variation (2.c3)
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1. e4 |
I am White in this game against some Russian dude I played in Reno. | |||||
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1... c5 2. c3 |
The Alapin Variation, I plan to take control of the centre with d4. | |||||
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2... Nc6 |
The most popular choices for Black's 2nd move are Nf6 and d5. Less popular, but equally playable are Nc6, d6, e6, and Qc7. | |||||
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3. d4 |
I take control of the centre. | |||||
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3... cxd4 4. cxd4 d5 |
The text move, and Nf6 are the only ways Black can keep equality. Other less agressive moves will leave me with a small advantage due to my strong centre. | |||||
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5. exd5 |
5. e5 isn't a good choice for me because after Black brings out his queen's bishop and plays e6, the game will transpose into a French game, (e4 e6 d4 d5 e5 c5) but where Black's bishop isn't sitting passively on c8 blocked by the pawn on e6. | |||||
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5... Qxd5 |
Here I have an isolated d-pawn, which can be a weakness, but can also be a strength because it's controlling the centre, unlike any of Black's pawns. | |||||
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6. Nf3 |
Be3 is less accurate because it doesn't help me clear the way for castling kingside, and the bishop would also be passive, unlike the knight which also adds control of the central e5 square. | |||||
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6... e6 |
6...Bg4 is better because it actively places Black's bishop, unlike now where it is blocked. | |||||
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7. Nc3 |
Tempo. | |||||
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7... Qd8 |
7...Bb4 is worse, because even though it develops a piece instead of retreating one, I can simply play Bd3 and O-O, then the queen will have to retreat anyway, leaving the bishop on an unimportant square, because ...Bxc3 bxc3 strengthens my centre. | |||||
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8. Bd3 |
Black must be careful not to fall for my cheap trick of 8...Nxd4? 9. Nxd4 Qxd4?? 10. Bb5 , winning Black's queen. | |||||
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8... Be7 |
A simple developing move. | |||||
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9. O-O |
I am ahead in development because Black had to move his queen twice while I developed my knight a couple moves back. | |||||
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9... Nf6 10. Bg5 |
The most active place for my bishop. | |||||
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10... a6 |
Black can play h6 and g5, but it weakens his position and it places my bishop on the more tempologically correct g3-square. | |||||
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11. Qe2 |
A risky move. I decided to sacrifice my isolated pawn to add to my slight lead in development. | |||||
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11... Nxd4 12. Nxd4 Qxd4 13. Rad1 |
Now Black's queen has to move once again, because of all my tactical threats along the d-file. | |||||
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13... Qc5 |
This is the move that lets me gain the least amount of tempi. | |||||
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14. Be3 Qh5 |
Black's only hope of stopping my tempo gains is to trade queens. | |||||
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