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ANNOTATED GAME
Shrewsbury v Darwinian Knights
Matthew D H Clark (1870) vs. Charles L Higgie (1939)
Annotated by: charleshiggie
(2224)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B56)
Matthew D H Clark (1870) vs. Charles L Higgie (1939)
Annotated by: charleshiggie
(2224)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B56)
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1. e4 |
This was our first home game of the season. I hadn't realised that Shrewsbury had changed their venue again, and I went to their old venue and so was about 15 minutes late for the match. | ||||
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1... c5 |
I play the Sicilian. | ||||
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2. Nf3 |
He plays the main line. | ||||
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2... d6 |
d6 is the most common move here. | ||||
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3. d4 |
He opts for the Open Variation | ||||
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3... cxd4 |
I take | ||||
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4. Nxd4 |
He takes back. | ||||
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4... Nf6 |
I attack e4 | ||||
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5. Nc3 |
He protects e4 | ||||
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5... Nc6 |
This is called the "Main Line" although 5..... a6, The Najdorf Variation, is actually more common. | ||||
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6. Be2 |
Perfectly playable, although 6. Bg5 (The Richter-Rauzer Variation) and 6. Bc4(Sozin Attack) are both more common. | ||||
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6... e5 |
This is the Boleslavsky Variation, named after Isaac Boleslavsky. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Boleslavsky I create the "Boleslavsky hole" on d5 where white can perhaps manoeuvre a piece to. Black also has a weak pawn on d6. But in return black has central control and possible play on the black squares. Black may also at some stage be able to play d6-d5 getting rid of these weaknesses. I was inspired to adopt this partly by a game in the book "The Road to Chess Mastery" by Max Euwe. The variation is also mentioned in a "Think like a Grandmaster" by Alexander Kotov. I studied both of them in the 1970s as a teenager. | ||||
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7. Nb3 |
The usual retreat square for the knight. | ||||
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7... h6 |
Here I forgot the advice of my mentor! I was afraid on white playing Bg5 and exchanging my Nf6 and increasing his control over d5. However as Euwe points out (I have "translated" the descriptive notation into algebraic) 7.......Be7 strategically 8. Bg5 would be a strong move, followed by 9. Bxf6 but 8....Nxe4 equalises. (a) 9. Nxe4 Bxg5 10. Nxd6+ Ke7. The knight on d6 is en prise and if (1) 11. Ne4 Qxd1+ 12. Rxd1 the position of the Black King in the centre is better than it would be on the wing - a general case in the ending or (2) 11. Nxc8+ Rxc8 and Black has nothing to fear. (b) 9. Bxe7 Nxc3 10. Bxd8 Nxd1 11. Rxd1 Kxd8 12. Rxd6+ Ke7 and Black is all right. | ||||
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8. Be3 |
The logical square for this bishop. | ||||
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8... Be6 |
Perhaps preparing for d6-d5 at some stage. | ||||
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9. O-O |
Normal development | ||||
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9... Be7 |
The logical square for my bishop. | ||||
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10. f4 |
This move is often played in this variation. I remember in one game I ignored it and played 10.... 0-0 and white played f4-f5 and got a crushing king side attack and won. Kotov says that black must not fear playing e5xf4 here and although the d6 pawn is isolated and backward on the d file, black has compensation. e5 is going to be a lovely outpost for my Nc6. | ||||
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10... exf4 |
I take although after the game I found out that Gasperini Antonio Augusto (2157) vs. Angelini Diego (2104) continued with O-O 11. f5 Bc8 and Black managed to win from this rather unpromising position. | ||||
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