|
« TAP TO LOG IN
|
ANNOTATED GAME
Testing the Darcy Gambit
martindarcy (1620) vs. nuntar (1693)
Annotated by: nuntar (1702)
Chess opening: Bishop's opening (C23)
martindarcy (1620) vs. nuntar (1693)
Annotated by: nuntar (1702)
Chess opening: Bishop's opening (C23)
 Interactive |
• |  Show all comments |
• | All annotated games | • | View chessboard as: |
| ||||||
|
1. e4 |
In this game my opponent, Martin Darcy, tries out a new opening idea of his own invention. We start out with the Bishop's Opening.... | |||||
| | ||||||
|
1... e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 |
A book move, but less common than 2... Nf6. I prefer the text move myself, because it makes it more likely we will transpose into my favourite Two Knights Defence, but it turns out that my opponent has something altogether different in mind.... | |||||
| | ||||||
|
3. Bxf7+ |
TN. (Although there is a known opening with this idea, the Jerome Gambit, if anyone wants to look it up.) White gives up a whole piece to tear open the Black king's pawn cover. This is certainly dangerous, but instinctively I feel it must be unsound; White has not enough pieces developed to organise an attack. It's true that Black is not yet developed either, but that gives Black the advantage of flexibility. For instance, since Black has not moved the king's knight, he can respond to Qf3+ with Qf6 -- and the last thing White wants is to exchange queens. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
3... Kxf7 4. d3 |
So, White to play and justify his gambit. As just stated, Qf3+ doesn't work, and nor does Qh5+; Black just plays g6 and there's no follow-up. White's only recourse is to develop his pieces rapidly, with this move and Nf3 in either order to prepare Ng5+. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
4... Nf6 5. Nf3 Be7 |
Black, meanwhile, prepares to "castle by hand". Once he plays Rf8, then Ng5+ will have no impact except for losing tempo for White. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
6. O-O |
But White chooses to castle instead. "Do not castle except when strictly necessary, for the initiative is often lost by it." That said, Ng5+ at this point is really no more than a mild inconvenience to Black -- showing, I think, that Black has already refuted White's sacrifice. Black would respond with moves such as Ke8, Rf8, d6, and the king is safe enough in the centre, while White's having given Black a half-open file could actually work in Black's favour. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
6... Rf8 7. a4 |
(?) White seems to have forgotten that the point of Bxf7+ was to create attacking chances on the kingside. This move doesn't achieve much at all, because the queenside pawns are "flat" and there's no real chance yet for either side to break through there. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
7... d6 8. Nc3 Kg8 |
Now Black's king is safe and Black is a piece up. GameKnot scores this as +3.5 to Black: in other words, the attacking possibilities of the half-open f-file are worth more than the missing pawn. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
9. h3 |
Necessary, since Bg4 would cause White severe problems right now. But the move also presents a target... | |||||
| | ||||||
|
9... Qe8 |
...and Black immediately plans to exploit it. The idea is Qg6 threatening Bxh3. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
10. Nb5 |
White notices that in my single-minded focus on h3, I've left c7 undefended. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
10... Bd8 |
Not to worry; this bishop is only active on one diagonal so it's just as comfortable here as on e7. If instead 10... Qg6 11. Nxc7 Bxh3 White has 12. Nh4!, so I may as well just keep everything defended for now and continue to build up my attack. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
11. Bd2 Nh5 |
So that my bishop prevents Nh4. Mind you, the move is not exactly subtle... | |||||
| | ||||||
|
12. Kh2 |
...and White has this obvious reply. (Though GameKnot thinks this increases Black's advantage by a third of a pawn and 12... a6 gives it back again, so did I miss something?) Now the straightforward Qg6, Bxh3 is prevented, but I decide to proceed with my Qg6 plan anyway, on the optimistic basis that getting several attackers in the vicinity of the White king may lead to an opportunity to break through. | |||||
| 1 comment | ||||||
|
12... a6 13. Nc3 Qg6 14. Nd5 |
White has lost a lot of time with this knight but it's not clear that Black has made the best use of it. I spent a long time over my next move, eventually deciding that the best way to proceed was to threaten exchanges, leaving both the possibilities of a winning attack and a winning endgame open without gunning for either approach exclusively. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
14... Nd4 |
With the threat of 15... Nxf3+, forcing White to recapture with the pawn and weaken his kingside. The move also vacates c6 so I can kick White's knight, and in doing so open a line for my bishop to reach the g1-a7 diagonal, where it would add pressure to the pawn on f2. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
15. Nxd4 |
White decides to take the exchange on d4. Now Black's pawn will block the g1-a7 diagonal, but it also takes away the d5 knight's retreat... | |||||
| | ||||||
|
15... exd4 16. g4 |
...so White immediately responds by kicking my knight. I get an exchange, which should be in my favour, but my attacking prospects are being rapidly whittled away. | |||||
| 2 comments | ||||||
|
16... Nf6 17. Nxf6+ Bxf6 18. f4 |
White goes for the imposing phalanx... | |||||
| 3 comments | ||||||
|
18... Bh4 |
...and Black gets out of its way, since otherwise 19. g5 will make this a bad bishop. As played, if White plays g5 the bishop is cut off from friendly support, but White has no real way to attack it. | |||||
| | ||||||
| ||||||
