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ANNOTATED GAME
Tactics vs strategy
laurelhill (2000) vs. nyctalop (2100)
Annotated by: nyctalop (2166)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B33), Sveshnikov variation
laurelhill (2000) vs. nyctalop (2100)
Annotated by: nyctalop (2166)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B33), Sveshnikov variation
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Chess is a very punishing game. You can play the purest strategical moves and still lose. But in that lies its beauty. The complexity of chess is at the border of our understanding and mental potential. My opponent in this game played very well from a strategical point of view but he had the misfortune to miss two tactical shots that cost him the game. | ||||||
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1. e4 |
This game was played in round 3 of the 60th GK Tournament, and it was the only game I had concerns about. You'll see why in a few moves. | |||||
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1... c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 |
I'm always happy to see this move instead of Bb5, which is much more annoying to play against. | |||||
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3... cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 |
I have a very good score with this line but that's bound to settle in the near future against stiffer opposition. | |||||
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7... a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Bxf6 |
The most crucial approach. My pawn structure is almost compromised but White has problems with his pieces. | |||||
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9... gxf6 10. Nd5 f5 11. Bd3 Be6 |
A very popular line, thousands of games have been played with this line in the last two decades. | |||||
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12. O-O |
The sharper 12. Qh5 isn't too fashionable nowadays mainly due to the reply 12...Rg8! | |||||
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12... Bxd5 13. exd5 Ne7 |
The standard Sveshnikov structure. White could claim a significant edge if his Knight wasn't so poorly placed. | |||||
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14. Nxb5 |
A pretty rare move. White wins a pawn with the intention of rerouting the Knight to a better square. The downside is that it opens up lines on the Q-side and my Bf8 will be much stronger on the long diagonal. 14. c3 is the more popular move, clearing c2 for the Knight or Bishop, and shutting the long diagonal for the Black Bishop. | |||||
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14... Bg7 |
14...axb5?? 15. Bxb5+ and White wins the Queen for two pieces. Now axb5 is a serious threat and the Knight has to retreat. | |||||
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15. Nc3 |
The only place to go but it's good enough. Trying to go back to a3 with the idea of c3 fails to e4 and Bxb2. | |||||
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15... e4 |
Clearing the diagonal with tempo and forcing the Bd3 to a much less active square. | |||||
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16. Be2 |
This move was only played once in my database, the more active Bc4 being preferred nine times. The drawback of Bc4 is that it's a little loose on the c-file. | |||||
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16... Qa5 |
Putting immediate pressure on the Nc3. White's problem is that he can't shake the pressure easily and needs to play quite reserved for a few more moves. | |||||
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17. Rb1 |
Still in theory. A multi-purpose move. The Rook removes itself from the long diagonal, is poised to become active in case of Bxc3 and aims to drive off the annoying Black Queen with b4. | |||||
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17... O-O |
A rather poor move but my idea was to keep more pieces on the board. I had drawn a few recent games simply because I exchanged too many pieces and the resulting positions were simple enough for my opponents to defend. It was a risky gamble and by looking at the end result it paid off. If I were to play this line again, I'm sure I would go for the stronger 17...Bxc3 18. bxc3 Qxc3 19. Rb7 (if 19. Rb3 Qe5 with ideas of f4 and attacking on the K-side) Rg8 (a quiet move that forgoes castling in order to activate the Rook on a very dangerous file). | |||||
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18. b4 |
I wasn't too concerned about this since I knew there was enough tension in the position to keep things balanced, even with a pawn minus. | |||||
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18... Qc7 19. Na4 |
The pressure on the Q-side evaporated and White has ideas of c4-c5, creating a very dangerous passed pawn. I had to think of something fast. If I play slowly White will certainly convert his extra material. I knew my chances lay on the K-side and that I had to generate initiative there. Notice the opposite colour Bishops. This is a very dangerous middlegame to play and unlike its counterpart in the endgame very much not drawish. The side that can seize the initiative usually wins since the defending Bishop cannot cover the opposite colour squares. | |||||
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19... Rfb8 |
This looks counter-intuitive to developing an initiative on the K-side but it has some concrete ideas in mind. It clears the f8 square for the Bishop so it may cover c5 and defend against the pawn push, and it also has ideas of a5, activating the Ra8 and using the a-file for counterplay, since White cannot contest that file. | |||||
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20. c4 |
White carries on with his plan and rightfully so. If there is a good and straightforward plan in a given position that is enough to win, don't bother looking for other subtler ideas. Let your opponent bother with that. | |||||
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20... Ng6 |
Activating the Knight which now aims for f4 or e5. Still White has a considerable edge here and I'm barely holding on. I just don't have enough counterplay on the K-side to balance the pawn avalanche on the Q-side. | |||||
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