Annotated chess game: Team match

« TAP TO LOG IN

ANNOTATED GAME

Team match
topazg (1497) vs. drcrack (1493)
Annotated by: topazg (1717)
Chess opening: Philidor (C41), Hanham, Krause variation

Interactive

•

Show all comments

•

All annotated games

•

View chessboard as:


1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 h6 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Bxf7+	There are lots of tactical traps to play after 6... Kxf7 7. Nxe5 (Black cannot play 7... Nxe5 because of 8. Qxd8).
	2 comments walkingman (1610) on 04-Sep-07: I like this kind of "trappy" thinking! I shall have to remember this one! beginner78 (1388) on 04-Sep-07: All headache started with pointless 4...h6. Simple 4...Nb6 chases away the bishop and opens up the diagonal for the bishop on c8.


6... Ke7	Black leaves the bishop alone, but now has dropped a pawn and lost the ability to castle.
	1 comment walkingman (1610) on 04-Sep-07: I suppose the very first indication that black prefers "confrontation-adverse" passive play, was the tepid #2.....d6? Good call on the previous Bxf7 gamble!


7. Bg6	Defends the e4 pawn and keeps the mobility of the king down. If 7... Kf6 8. Bf5 is planned, but perhaps after 8... g6 black can start to mobilise pieces.
	2 comments beginner78 (1388) on 04-Sep-07: Did you consider 7.Qd5? It is obvious that 7...Ngf6 loses to 8.Qe6X, but something like this: 7...Nb6 8.Q:d8 K:d8 9.N:e5 is two pawns ahead with a comfortable position... But I guess you wanted to checkmate. Hmm. I can also see a point in 8.Qb3 maintaining the queens, with a strong initiative. topazg (1717) on 05-Sep-07: No, I hadn't - for some reason I didn't want to tie up my queen in the defence of the bishop -- with what appeared to be a long term positional handicap for black, I thought I'd keep my pieces free to go wherever. The threat of mate and the tied up nature of the black pieces makes Qd5 much better than the played line I think - thanks!


7... Ngf6 8. Nc3	Threatens a future Nd5 check, and just generally helps development



8... b6	Clearly aiming for Bb7, I decided that the timing is right for 9. Nd5 , as the exchange after 9... Nxd5 10. Qxd5 is favourable for white -- the rook at a8 is hanging and the Queen can join with the bishop to attack black's king
	1 comment walkingman (1610) on 04-Sep-07: Good call!


9. Nd5+ Ke6	Chose to avoid the exchange, but doesn't achieve anything solid with this move.
	1 comment walkingman (1610) on 04-Sep-07: Black's preference for "passive play" reconfirmed here IMO.


10. Bf5+	Only two options here -- if 10... Kd6 then 11. Nxf6 is very painful, as it drops material for nothing and allows white to swap off the other knight, the c8 bishop and the queen on the d7 square, whilst leaving white the next move to castle kingside. if 10... Kf7 then I plan on 11. b3 to fianchetto the c1 bishop and attack the lone e5 pawn. If 11... Bb7 then 12. Nxf6 is possible, but my e4 pawn is in danger, so perhaps another strategy will be required. Nc3 seems passive but perhaps Nxe5 is strong instead...



10... Kf7	The only safe option.



11. b3 g6	Interesting, I rather like the bishop here, so I will lay a trap that, in the worst case, leaves a straightforward material exchange. 12. Nxf6 only allows a King capture (before g6 the pawn was possible) now, as 12... Nxf6 13. Qxd8 seems losing. 12... Kxf6 13. Qd5 leaves some interesting threats. The rook is hanging but if 13... Rb8 14. Qe6 Kg7 15. Qxg6# is a straight win. interestingly, 13... gxf5 14. exf5 is also good as the pawn can replace the bishop in the mating attack if 14... Rb8 Alternatively, 13. Ne5 is also strong, with 13... Kxe5 14. Qd5 winning material for white. 12. Nxf6 seems therefore to give white a potentially winning advantage, unless there is some trickery I have missed!
	2 comments beginner78 (1388) on 04-Sep-07: I think 11.b3 is not fast enough. Black can reply simply 11...Bd6 and the pawn e5 is defended, and so is the pawn on c7! Frankly, N:f6 seems perfectly fine on move 11. topazg (1717) on 05-Sep-07: Yes, I had not seen 11... Bd6, this would have made things much more straightforward for black.


12. Nxf6 Kxf6 13. Qd5 Qe7	An unexpected defence. I guess I assumed black would either move the rook or take the bishop. This seems to lose material now as the bishop can escape with a capture on the knight at d7
	1 comment beginner78 (1388) on 04-Sep-07: Black could play 12...Bb4+, getting the bishop out of the way... And, I am sorry, but you are diplomatic calling the move in the game unexpected. It is wrong! Should have just taken the bishop!


14. Bxd7 Bxd7 15. Qxa8	Material is heavily lost now, and black requires some tactical counter-play. I need to make sure the exposed nature of my king does not allow tactical combinations involving the queen and bishops. For example, whilst my queen rests on a8, a check with the f8 bishop allowing the rook to capture it is a real risk, albeit when the black queen is no longer on e7.



15... Qb4+ 16. Bd2 Qxe4+	The irony is, I had also missed the fact this pawn was defended when I played Bd2, and very nearly played 17. Kd1 Fortunately I spotted the capture in time...



17. Qxe4	Game annotation for team benefit --
	1 comment walkingman (1610) on 04-Sep-07: Great game! This was fun and very instructive.