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ANNOTATED GAME
--The Traxler Variation-- A Master Game
S Morrison (?) vs. T K Hemingway (?)
Annotated by: black_cat_hamlet (1531)
Chess opening: two knights defence (C57), Wilkes Barre (Traxler) variation
S Morrison (?) vs. T K Hemingway (?)
Annotated by: black_cat_hamlet (1531)
Chess opening: two knights defence (C57), Wilkes Barre (Traxler) variation
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A game between two high class players, S Morrison and T K Hemingway, played in England (I don't know the rating of either player... I got this game off chessgames, but it didn't give much information on the players) I've decided to annotate this game because the recent mini-tournament I was in was based on...
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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5 |
...this particular opening - a risky line for Black that gambits the f-pawn (and maybe more!) in return for a powerful attack. | ||||
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5. Nxf7 |
I've tried a few of these games outside of the Traxler tournament, and my opponent would almost always play this (there was only one other instance where I encountered Bxf7, [which many of the mini-tournament players preferred] which is safer) and the response to this... | ||||
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5... Bxf2+ |
is the bishop sacrifice here! It seems crazy - Hemingway is already about to lose a rook, so he throws in an extra piece? Actually, it's better not to take the bishop, because White will then find himself extremely pressured, and will have great trouble developing his queenside pieces (that can be true for other lines, but even more so after Kxf2) | ||||
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6. Kf1 |
Morrison realises the danger of taking the bishop, and does not take the bishop (this is a great line against people who don't know the line, who probably will take the bishop!) | ||||
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6... Qe7 |
saving the queen.... | ||||
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7. Nxh8 |
but losing the rook. However, this is essentially (at the moment) a knight-for-rook trade, because the knight will be stuck there for a long time, and would not have much chance to come out again. | ||||
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7... d5 |
Releasing the bishop with an aggressive move! | ||||
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8. exd5 |
better than the bishop capture, as now Hemingway's knight has to move as well! | ||||
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8... Nd4 |
It's interesting to note that Black could win the queen right now with Bg4. However, would it work? 8...Bg4 9 Qxg4 Nxg4 10.dxc6 Qf6 11. Be2 Nh6 12.Bf3, and White's given back some material, but relinquished the pressure on his position. If you see any other line in that position (with advantage to White or Black) feel free to comment :) [8...Bg4 9.Be2... ah well, it did sound clever of me :P] | ||||
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9. c3 |
I like the way that Morrison is playing right now - so far it has been him that has been making all the threats. Now he tries to drive out the knight... | ||||
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9... Bg4 |
but not before Hemingway throws in a threat of his own! 9.c3 had another advantage of creating an escape route for the queen | ||||
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10. Qa4+ |
Forced, but a powerful move all the same! | ||||
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10... Bd7 |
Black forces White, White forces Black and now Black forces White again! | ||||
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11. Qb4 |
! Great move by Morrison, forcing off the queens (which will be, of course, advantageous to White right now because of his material lead) Hemingway can't play Qd8, not only because it puts the queen on a bad square, but also because the knight on d4 falls | ||||
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11... Qxb4 12. cxb4 |
Now the knight is not threatened by the pawn. White now has doubled pawns on the b-file (not that that turns out to be much of a factor in games like this) but at least the c3 square is free for his knight (by the way, notice how coordinated Hemingway's pieces are? And notice how Morrison's pieces are effectively doing nothing [even the bishop on c4 and the knight on h8] Despite not having a queen, Black still has a very strong attack going on!) | ||||
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12... Bh4 |
With a temporary reprieve in the action, Hemingway chooses to save his bishop. | ||||
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13. Nc3 |
Morrison attempts to get caught up in development. | ||||
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13... Ke7 |
! Bringing his last reserve, the rook, into play (though I don't know why Black didn't play 0-0-0) Morrison sees a storm coming... | ||||
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14. g3 |
?! though I believe that he must have overlooked the bishop on d7. Admittingly, it is extremely hard to find something that can alleviate the pressure for White. [I would have thought about Ne2 here] | ||||
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14... Bh3+ |
Hemingway immediately takes advantage of the hole in White's defences | ||||
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