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ANNOTATED GAME
-- Walking the Walk --
rallyvincent (1849) vs. easy19 (2205)
Annotated by: rallyvincent (1968)
Chess opening: Queen's pawn (A40)
rallyvincent (1849) vs. easy19 (2205)
Annotated by: rallyvincent (1968)
Chess opening: Queen's pawn (A40)
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Welcome to my first attempt of annotating a game. I lost this game due to overestimating my chances for counterplay. This led to a position where I blundered and lost (very embarrassingly). Also, a lesson on how to lose a game by choosing the wrong form of defense. | |||||
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1. d4 a6 2. c4 b5 3. e3 |
My limited knowledge of opening theory equals that I am out of the book (even if there was theory for this, I wouldn't know). White should play e4 instead of the text move to shut down the a8-h1 diagonal. The LSB will be a real nuisance, and White misses his chance to limit the Bishop. I chose e3 instead, mainly because after e4, the queenside Knight would have to be developed to d2, also shutting off the DSB. c5 is a common move from Black in the closed games, and should it happen that Black takes the d-pawn, I prefer to take back with a pawn instead of the Knight, even if the pawn becomes isolated. While White's DSB should be developed to the Kingside before shutting him off, I have experienced that the DSB will either regain it's mobility after a pawn exchange in the centre, or can support a Queenside advance if the centre stays fixed. It probably is a consequence of my d-pawn preference. | ||||
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3... Bb7 4. Nf3 e6 |
A natural move. It supports c5 if Black wants to attack the centre, and the DSB has several options. | ||||
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5. Bd2 |
The pawn on b5 is hindering White's development. After Nc3, b4 will drive the Knight to a4. Black doesn't seem to care about defending that pawn, and white will have more trouble to take care of a pawn on b4, keeping in mind that due to the supported Rook on a8, a5 and c5 are possible. White will have to take the pawn to get the Knight to c3, which is needed there to have a look over the squares d5 and e4, consequence of 3. e3. - The text move delays the exchange. If Black pushes the pawn now, White can get rid of it with 5. ...b4, 6.a3 a5 7.ab ab 8. Rxa8 Bxa8 9.Qa4. Now, Bc6 will be met with 10. Qb3 (followed by 11. c5, if necessary) | ||||
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5... Be7 6. cxb5 f5 |
Strenghtening the control over the long diagonal. There is no need for Black to help White developing the LSB by taking the pawn. | ||||
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7. Bd3 |
White will have to snatch that pawn to sooner or later, but the later, the better. The pawn on b5 serves two purposes; preventing not only c5, but the queenside Knight cannot develop until that pawn disappears. Black's d-pawn won't move, otherwise e6 will get weak and allows counterplay, especially after Black castles. While c4 is a better square for White's LSB, 7. ...ab forces the retake immediatly. The text move is a bit more flexible, as it allows White to just give back the pawn and block it with b4. | ||||
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7... Nf6 8. Nc3 O-O 9. O-O |
I thought about keeping the King in the centre, as Black obviously will soon be attacking the Kingside. Castling long is not an option due to the (soon open) a-file. White has the option to push the Kingside pawns with the rooks behind them, while the Bishops provide support and protect the King from attacks from the Queenside. Unfortunately, it will take too long to manouvre the Rooks into proper positions, and f3 and f2 will be very vulnerable. | ||||
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9... axb5 10. Bxb5 Nc6 |
After the development of both sides is finished, White has to make a crucial decision. White is up a pawn in material, but Black's pieces are superior positioned. The LSB is a nuisence from the beginning. The DSB will show itself on d6 very soon, and with both Bishops aiming at the King's pawns, windmill and mating themes spring to mind automatically. White's main goal must be to exchange one of the Bishops before Black's attack gets underway, preferrably the LSB. Right now, there is no line for White to achieve that goal, though. White also has to put his DSB to use. On the positive, White has an eye on e5 to use as an outpost and the promise of pushing the queenside pawns. | ||||
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11. Na4 |
Maybe a more passive defense was needed, but since I can't force the exchange of a Bishop, I am aiming to exchange Black's Kingside Knight to prevent it from joining the Kingside attack. White will give the central d-pawn to activate the DSB via c3. The central pawn isn't that valuable since -as has been said, Black's d-pawn will stay put, and by opening the d-file, Black's c-pawn will stay to support the DSB to allow the Black Queen to roam around. | ||||
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11... Ne4 |
If not this move, Black will either have to exchange the DSB for the Knight after 12. Nc5 or move the LSB, which is just as good for White. | ||||
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12. a3 |
Taking b4 away from the queenside Knight. If Black takes the DSB, he will have to deal with Nc5 afterwards. | ||||
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12... Bd6 13. Nc5 Nxc5 14. dxc5 Bxc5 15. Bc3 Bd6 |
So far, by giving back the pawn, White has activated his DSB and the Queen. Black still has the superior position, but White's options have slightly improved - slightly. White has cleared the path to either trying to defend the Kingside by retreating the LSB and pushing the pawns on the queenside, or to get rid of the remaining Knight and use e5 to actively defend. | ||||
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16. Bxc6 |
I chose to defend the latter way. Freddy later remarked that it seems that I preferred active defense over passive defense, but I am not one that thinks "active defense or get off my lawn". The art of defense includes passive defense, and I don't shy away from it if I think I can hold it. While it seems inferior to exchange the Bishop for the Knight, it has its values for White. The LSB can't play against e6 as long as the pawn on d7 is there. It also can't switch to the Kingside, while the black Knight can. If the Knight appears on g6, the white Knight is again denied from e5. The main point of the exchange is to occupy e5 and block the b8-h2 diagonal. As long as the DSB stays on e6, the white Knight is a good compensation. Black has to move the LSB after the exchange, which gives White the needed tempo to prevent Qg5. Freddy suggested 16. a4 after I had moved. Back then, I didn't see the point - just later I found that it was helping in keeping out the rook from a4. | ||||
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16... Bxc6 17. Ne5 Bd5 18. Qh5 |
This is what I imagined as defending position. The Black LSB is a powerhouse, but one diagonal is closed. At this point, I was aiming at sacrificing a rook for the LSB, hopefully destroying the pawn chain. If White manages to exchange the Queens, the DSB and the Knight will give White chances to hold out. If Black gives the DSB for the Knight, White's position also improves. | ||||
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18... Rf6 19. Rad1 |
According to plan. 19. ...Rh6 is no immediate threat due to 20. Qf7+ Kh8 21. h3 | ||||
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19... Ra4 |
(!) This is an excellent move which I should have given more thought. It threatens doubling the rooks on the h-file or Rg4 after taking the Knight or Qa8. Rg4 needs to be prevented first. 20. Rxd5 ed 21. Qd1 Qa8 22. Nxd7 is met by 22. ...Re6. | ||||
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20. h3 Qa8 |
Again, white has to deal with the question of how to defend - active or passive? f3 has it's pros, but it also weakens not only the King's (un)safe haven even more, but also e3. It also keeps the queen commited to the Kingside with not much room to breathe. | ||||
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21. Rxd5 |
I decided to stick to the plan, with the idea to operate against the Black King on f7 and g7. I calculated the now following text moves with the notable exception of Blacks move 25. A huge mistake from me. This move did not appear on my radar, believe it or not. If I had seen it, I probably would have played f3 instead. But see for yourselves. | ||||
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21... Qxd5 22. Qe8+ Rf8 23. Qxd7 |
White has two possible continuations if Black should slip on his way to victory. If Black disregards the pawn e6, White can attempt to threaten a smothered mate. If the Knight moves, g7 is under attack. 23. ...Bxe5 24.Qxd5 ed 25.Bxe5 gives away all immediate threats for a quick knockout. | ||||
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23... Re4 24. f4 |
Not 24.Nf3? Bh2+ winning the Queen | ||||
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24... Rxe3 25. Ng4 |
(?) Looses the game. The intention was to regain the quality, using the mate "threat" on g7, while preventing covering it with Rg3. As I said before, I did not realize the next move, even when I played this one. Qa4 seems the best of the worst, after committing the Queen in the back ranks while she is need for the defense. | ||||
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