Annotated chess game: Team match

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ANNOTATED GAME

Team match
topazg (1565) vs. justinian (1578)
Annotated by: topazg (1717)
Chess opening: Pirc (B08), classical system, 5.Be2

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1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O Bg4 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Qd2	Not a normal opening for me, but fairly standard looking development.



8... e5 9. d5 Ne7	This seems a bad exchange for black, as the g7 bishop seems to have no control any more.
	1 comment sarasani (1868) on 14-Oct-07: What exchange?


10. h3 Bd7 11. Nh2	Now trying to build up a kingside attack whilst my pieces seem to have good positioning.



11... c6 12. a4	Erm, yes, like I said, my kingside attack ... :S Not quite sure why the change of plan here -- I think I was blocking bishop advances to b5 whilst hoping to play Ra3 to get the Rook into kingside play.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2340) on 13-Oct-07: Rather a long shot, it seems to me! Perhaps 12.dxc6 was worth a look. 12...Bxc6 13.f3 or maybe 13.Rfd1


12... cxd5 13. exd5 Nf5	Hmmm, not so good. now e4 can release the black bishop and I'm under attack myself. I'd love to know what I should have done differently? The only thing I can think of is playing dxc6 myself and then following with f3, but it seems to restrict the kingside I was trying to activate.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2340) on 13-Oct-07: 13...Ne8 also came into consideration, to mobilize Black's K-side with 14.f5. But the move played seems to place White in something of a quandary: how best to give up the more valuable of his two bishops.


14. Bg5 h6 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Ne4	Trying to maintain the initiative and swap a bishop back as I get uncomfortable with my opponent having both bishops.



16... Kh7	Strange move to me? I'd love to know the thoughts behind this one.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2340) on 13-Oct-07: No doubt Black would like, in principle, to retire the bishop to g7. But then comes 17.g4 Nmoves 18.Nxd6. Nor does 16...Be7 seem to improve matters: 17.g4 Nh4 or ...Ng7 18.Qxh6. The latter retreat does, however have something to be said for it: 16...Be7!? 17.g4 Nd4! (threatens the e2-bishop, and so prevents Qxh6.) 18.Bd1! (prevents exchange of N for B, keeps watch over f3 and threatens c3) 18...f5 and if 19.gxf5 Nxf5 (or ...Bxf5. 19...gxf5 looks pretty risky after 20.Qxh6). If instead 19.c3 fxe4 20.cxd4 Bf6 looks good for Black.*** It would seem 16...Bg7 is also playable: 17.g4 Nd4 18.Nxd6 Nxe2ch 19.Qxe2 Bxg4 20.Nxg4 Qxd6. Things do get complicated after 18.Bd1, though: 18...Qe7 (or ...Bc8) 19.c3 f5 etc.


17. Nxf6+	Tempted with g4 and Nxd6, but my desire to remove a bishop was greater.



17... Qxf6 18. Ng4 Qg7 19. Ne3 Qf6 20. Ng4 Qg7 21. Ne3	Kingside pressure is far bigger for black now, so I play for repetition.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2340) on 13-Oct-07: There was a lot to be said for 19...Ne7 (instead of 19...Qf6) to prepare a K-side pawn storm. The incidental pressure on the d5-pawn is sufficiently useful... Of course this is just as playable at move 22...


21... Nxe3 22. Qxe3 f5 23. c4 f4	Here comes the pawn rush.



24. Qd3 Bf5 25. Qb3	Forced, but happy with this, I had hoped black would play this so I could play Bd3 and swap off more pieces. I've already lost the belief in the win here, which cannot be a good sign.
	2 comments archduke_piccolo (2340) on 13-Oct-07: I rather rate Black's chances here. His majority is the more mobile, and, since it is closer to the WK, the more menacing. Is his edge enough to win, though? kansasjayhawk (1666) on 13-Oct-07: Bd3 would invite ...e4, which would be almost winning on the spot for Black. Perhaps the insertion of f3 prior to playing of this move would be better for White.


25... b6 26. Qb4	Single piece threat to the pawn, getting desperate.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2340) on 13-Oct-07: For Black, I prefer 25...Rf7, with a view to doubling or even tripling the heavy pieces along the f-file, or else 25...Rf6 to bring the a8-rook to g8 and then shove the g-pawn. Aggressive as these moves are, they also protect Black's weak pawns long enough to get Black's attack under way without too many distractions.


26... Qf6 27. Qa3	Hoping to play b4 and lock up the queenside.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2340) on 13-Oct-07: Does White really want to lock up the Q-side? Shorn of counterplay on that wing, White might find it difficult to survive Black's K-side action.


27... g5	The pawn rush keeps coming.



28. Bd3	This seems desperate now, as e4 puts so much pressure on white -- Rae8 makes things a lot worse as well.



28... Bxd3	Seems to be a small respite for white now!
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2340) on 13-Oct-07: Inexplicable - unless Black for some reason didn't think his winning chances amounted to much. 28...e4 29.Bc2 Rae8 would have given White plenty to think about!


29. Qxd3+ Qf5 30. Qxf5+	Now a draw seems guaranteed after Rxf5 and f3. Game annotation for team benefit --