Annotated chess game: The Annotation Project II

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ANNOTATED GAME

The Annotation Project II
yoshark (1587) vs. dmaestro (1540)
Annotated by: yoshark (1409)
Chess opening: Bird's opening (A03), Lasker variation

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1. f4	Freddy's at it once again with a slight variation of the previous opening from the annotation Project I. Up to move 7 for white is forced. With Nxg4 the only logical continuance. Followed up by Be6+ to regain the knight so I'll focus passed that point.



1... d5 2. Nf3 g6 3. e4 dxe4 4. Ng5 Nf6 5. Bc4 Bg4 6. Bxf7+ Kd7 7. Qxg4+ Nxg4 8. Be6+ Ke8	Black ops to move back to a safer looking position than the c6 square. I wanted to repeat that last move in order to attempt to push black's king out to c6.
	1 comment dmaestro (1647) on 03-Oct-09: I did not really intend for a draw. In a real tournament I would do that to gain time on the clock.


9. Bf7+ Kd7 10. Be6+ Ke8	Bf7+ would have been a draw which maybe objectively sound for white, but what can possibly be learned from a quick draw. Not to mention it less fun.



11. Bxg4	Take back material because it's important not to get to far behind.



11... e5	e5 is a opening trap per-say, Black hopes for fxe5 which loses a knight. Nxe4 might be sound because of 12. Nxe4 Qh4+ 13. g3 Qxg4 14. Nf6+ winning the queen cleaver little trap by white. Though I was looking at a strange move order that could give white some control of the game. Things don't look bad for black because the games is opening up quite quickly.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2334) on 04-Oct-09: Note that this Q trap line is not available in the Demolition Derby Attack, as the g-pawn would still be on g7.


12. O-O	Strange to castle in this scenario looks weak and slow. It may very well be. I expected to see the very strong 12... Bc5+! 13. d4! Qxd4+ 14. Kh1 exf4 15. Bxf4 which would lead to a very complicated game. Which may favor black slightly...
	1 comment dmaestro (1647) on 03-Oct-09: At this point, the game favors Black after the suggested sequence. But once again, the game turns very quickly if a bad plan is selected.


12... exf4	But, my opponent gave me a move that I felt wasn't so good and would in fact give exf4?! because of Bc5+. I want to gain time in order to keep up with blacks strong material.
	2 comments dmaestro (1647) on 03-Oct-09: I simply overlooked the significance of Ne6 followed by d4! archduke_piccolo (2334) on 07-Oct-09: Having looked further ahead, I'm not surprised. It just isn't so easy to spot!


13. Ne6	This move just jars the queen and looks to protect the pawn advance d4 and attack f4. It's weakness however is h5.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2334) on 07-Oct-09: (!) This move seems to keep white in the game!


13... Qd6 14. d4	This move looks suicidal; h5 Bh3 and the bishop has no where to go but that's not the whole story white has the in between move of Bxf4! Giving white some more cards to play with.



14... Bh6	I was surprised once again by this little move. Bh6 stops Bxf4 but also lets my knight hold up a solid position on e6. My first reaction to this move is how can I take on f4. When my real reaction should have been how should I continue developing, and strengthening my position. Which I did turn to after a moment, and found that the Bh6 stops my plans on f4, but it also doesn't do that much for blacks development. The f4 pawn is pinned because the h6 bishop is hanging. So, Nc3 seems to be the best response.



15. Nc3 Nc6	Blacks other option may have been e3 in which I would have immediately played the move I did play. Though e3 would make things slightly more interesting.
	3 comments dmaestro (1647) on 03-Oct-09: I considered ..e3, but did not see where it helped. yoshark (1409) on 03-Oct-09: e3 does a variety of things for one it blocks my bishop and rook from doing much. It also, pushes the passed pawn to a threatening square where it must now be watched. It's also a waiting move where white would continue with Nb5 Qb6 Nbxc7+ Kf7 Nxa8 Na6 getting the knight back. Which balances the game out a bit. Black needs to challenge the e6 knight and at the same time keep the d4 pawn from getting out of control. If this line plays through which it may not after deeper analysis. Black will be in striking distance of the e6 knight and have a pin on the d4 pawn (d5? e2+). Qb6 may have been the other option to consider but then you lose the valuable e4 pawn, which is probably lost anyway to Bxe3 after this line. archduke_piccolo (2334) on 07-Oct-09: Black suddenly has a problem with his c7-square. The right move would seem to 15...Na6, but one needs to see and correctly evaluate the consequences of allowing 16.Nb5. Certainly the text move, and the suggested 15...e3 are both met by 16.Nb5. You know, I really thought Black had the better of the early part of this opening (i.e. the King retiring to e8 and forcing White to decide between playing on or taking a cheap draw). Now I'm not so sure. Even after 13...Na6, Black's 'advantage' doesn't appear to amount to much. I daresay we'll find out more about this as the tournament unfolds. I do believe that what has happened so far in this game will prove to be of theoretical significance for this line.


16. Nb5	Forcing the queens retreat and the c7 square can no longer be guarded.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2334) on 07-Oct-09: White must have the advantage, here.


16... Qe7 17. Nexc7+	Now this move need some explaining. Looks rather dubious why not take with the b5 knight and leave the knight on e6 as a bone in blacks throat? Well what is whites biggest asset once the c7 pawn falls? If you answered the question with his d4 pawn than you would have been correct. Take a look at the obvious Kd8 which is a blunder. After d5! and then d6 black is looking very pinned in. Blacks best in my opinion would be to retreat his king to f7. Where I might continue with Be6+ followed by d5, or even have the option of Bxf4. Kd8 however makes blacks king a target.
	3 comments dmaestro (1647) on 03-Oct-09: ...Kf7 is black's best chance. yoshark (1409) on 03-Oct-09: Actually I just found the crazy looking 17... Kf7 18. Rxf4+! Kg7 (Bxf4 19. Bxf4 with a threat of Be6+) 19. Ne6+ Kg8 20 Rxe4 which might be good for white. archduke_piccolo (2334) on 07-Oct-09: Not a bad find, yoshark (bearing in mind that 17...Kf7 18.Bxf4 isn't too bad for White either). But the rook capture 18.Rxf4!? leads to complications you just wouldn't believe. Here's just one possible line: 17...Kf7 18.Rxf4!? Bxf4 19.Bxf4 Rad8 (this looks plausible, but Black has a wide choice here. Let's go with this rook move, though); 20.Rf1! (threatens 21.Bg5); 20...Kg7 21.Ne6+ Kg8 22.Bg5 Qb4 23.c3!! Qxb5 24.Bxd8 when Black can stop the mate at f8 only by 24...Qxf1+ 25.Kxf1 Nxd8 26.Nxd8 and White has a winning endgame. I won't go any further with this, except to say that Black has to find a move better than 19...Rad8 in this line, and there's plenty of room to discover whether or not yoshark's suggested Exchange sac is sound. I will repeat, though, that after 17...Kf7, 18.Bxf4 looks perfectly fine for White (though maybe not as much fun). ##### All this, of course, begs the question whether 17.Nexc7+ is really better than 17.Nbxc7+. Personally, I would probably have opted for the latter, since the e6-knight is doing such sterling work where he stands.


17... Kd8 18. d5	Forcing the knight to move the most logical square and the one played is e5.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2334) on 04-Oct-09: Simply taking the rook has to be good for White. The capture gives White the material advantage (Rook and two minor pieces for Queen) and his pieces, though scattered, remain quite active. Black still has a dangerous looking pawn phalanx (after 18.Nxa8, ...e3 is a likely response), but White can fancy his chances.


18... Ne5 19. d6 Qf7	Qf7, and here is the nail in the coffin. Wasn't easy to find this next move do you see it. Hint it's not Nxa8.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2334) on 04-Oct-09: (??) The decisive mistake. Instead, 19...Qh4 kept Black in the fight. For example: 19...Qh4! 20.Bh3 Rb8 21.Ne6+ Ke8 22.Bxf4 Nf3+!! with a difficult and unclear position.


20. Ne6+	Ne6+ wins the queen. Now I know that quite a lofty statement, so lets check it out. If king c8 or d7 Ng5+ wins the queen but what about Ke8? If you saw Ne6+ to begin with you saw Nc7+ after Ke8 which forces the King to d7. Allowing white to play Ng5+ winning the queen.
	2 comments dmaestro (1647) on 03-Oct-09: I should have resigned at this point because the Q was lost, but the ending moves are interesting. easy19 (1200) on 04-Oct-09: good thing you din,t resign Maestro. I find it a show off character to play to the end..


20... Ke8 21. Nbc7+ Kd7 22. Ng5+	Black has several options which are now all not so great. One, he can take the bishop on g4 then the knight takes on f7 defending d6. The only other option is Kxd6 which in fact was played, and would be followed by Nxf7+. Then black takes on f7 or c7 depending on how much he wants to lose.



22... Kxd6 23. Nxf7+	Nxf7 Nxa8 or Kxc7 Nxe5 either way black is roasting over hot coals.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2334) on 07-Oct-09: A very interesting game, this, that exposes the possibilities avaailable to both sides in this line. I think, too, that the ...Ke8 line has to be explored, if only to answer the question whether White has to take the immediate draw or retains good winning chances after retaking the g4-knight. I think the beginnings of an answer might already have been discovered by this game.