Annotated chess game: 'Ware that long range Bishop

« TAP TO LOG IN

ANNOTATED GAME

'Ware that long range Bishop - Part 1
rrabinow (1613) vs. jstevens1 (1612)
Annotated by: jotheblackqueen (1200)
Chess opening: Ruy Lopez (C65), Berlin defence, Beverwijk variation

Interactive

•

Show all comments

•

All annotated games

•

View chessboard as:


1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Bc5	4. .......... This is the Beverwijk Variation of the Ruy Lopez - but I wonder whether this is a good line or not in retrospect because I really do get into an awkward mess in the early part of the middle game.



5. c3 O-O 6. d4 Bb6 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 d6 9. a4 a5	9. ........ a5 - all book up to here, but now the dodginess is revealed by white's next move which is the one move which has a good win ratio for white in the database.



10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Nxe5 Qxd1	12. ........... Qxd1 - this queen exchange is forced as the black knight must get out of the pin to avoid the kingside pawns being shattered as well as the queenside ones. I am now a pawn to the bad into the bargain, sigh!!



13. Rxd1 Nxe4 14. Nxc6 g5 15. Bg3 Nxg3 16. hxg3	16. hxg3 - they say you shouldn't exchange pieces when you are down on material, only pawns, but I have one proviso - if the exchange results in messing up your opponent's pawn structure it is certainly worth considering in my humble opinion. White's active dsb is off the board and at least I have the bishop pair against 2 knights.
	2 comments archduke_piccolo (2334) on 10-May-08: Such aphorisms make useful guides, but it does not do to be enslaved by them. Not only does this minor piece exchange double the pawns - not really much of an inconvenience to White - but it leaves Black with the bishop pair against the knight pair on an open board. White's pawns are still prettier than Black's, and he has the extra one (a Q-side majority), but I can see that sable ecclestiastical twosome creating quite a few problems for their secular opponents! dmaestro (1647) on 11-May-08: taking the bishop is not bad, it removes an active piece and leaves black with strong bishops


16... Bb7 17. Ne7+ Kh7 18. Nd2 Rfe8 19. Nf5 Re2	19. ............ Re2 - time to get nasty! This rook move suddenly puts the cat among the pigeons in the white camp and look at those 2 prelates - what long diagonals they have!!
	3 comments kansasjayhawk (1666) on 10-May-08: I like 18...f5, putting a stronger clamp on the important e4 square and attempting to punish the fact that with 18.Nd2, White played a move that did not try to extricate the knight from its possibly overextended position. Perhaps the knight could be trapped here? dmaestro (1647) on 11-May-08: 17 ne7+ followed by 18 nd2 loses time. An immediate retreat 17 nd4 seemed preferrable. The suggestion to try and trap the knight seems playable also. lighttotheright (1200) on 15-May-08: 17. Ne7+ was not much more than a spite check. 17. Ne5 was better, attacking both the black rook on f8 and the bishop on b6 by threatening Nd7. ** 18. Na3 was far superior to Nd2 because it doesn't restrict the rook along the open file and still allows access to Nc4. 18. ... Rfe8 as played in the game was best. In fact, it should have been played earlier. 18. ... f5 loses to 19. Nc4 Be4 20. Rd7... and now Black is faced with a potentially dangerous discovery check. ** Although 19. ... Re2 turned out to be OK, I don't think Joanne calculated the line involving White's only good move that could have followed--20. Nd4 Bxd4 21. cxd4 Rd8 22. Nc4 Bd5 23. Nxa5 Rxb2 24. Rdc1. And now, White appears to have a small queen-side advantage in an endgame.


20. Kh2 Rxf2 21. Nd4 Rxg2+	21. ........ Rxg2 - all the better for mopping up white pawns - yum, yum!!
	1 comment lighttotheright (1200) on 15-May-08: 21. Nd4 was too late. The black bishop pair has gained full strength.


22. Kh3 Bxd4 23. cxd4	23. c x d4 - I thought long and hard about this exchange, it does knock out a defensive piece and it now breaks up white's queenside. Can I do some serious damage before white activates his queen rook?



23... Rf2 24. Nc4 Re8	24. ........ Re8 - suddenly Old Matey is sniffing round the white king!!



25. Rdf1	25. Rf1?? - trying to exchange off or drive away the black rook but unfortunately for white the lsb on that lovely long diagonal has the final say with ........



25... Bg2+	25. ........... Bg2 !! - at the very best (for white) I will be a piece and a pawn up in the endgame, at the very worst for white, if he plays his king to g4 he will cop Old Matey in a handful of moves. White sees this and waves the white flag.