|
« TAP TO LOG IN
|
ANNOTATED GAME
Larry Christiansen - Chessmaster 9000 game two (#2)
Larry Christiansen vs. Chessmaster 9000
Annotated by: cash1981 (1200)
Chess opening: Reti opening (A04)
Larry Christiansen vs. Chessmaster 9000
Annotated by: cash1981 (1200)
Chess opening: Reti opening (A04)
 Interactive |
• |  Show all comments |
• | All annotated games | • | View chessboard as: |
| |||||
|
1. Nf3 c5 2. e3 |
1.Nf3 c5 2.e3!? ... A conservative choice and a move sequence very seldom seen. I was hoping to take 9K out of its book while playing solid moves. | ||||
| | |||||
|
2... Nc6 3. c4 |
We now head towards a sort of offshoot of an opening known as Qween's Gambit Declined. | ||||
| | |||||
|
3... Nf6 4. d4 d5 |
3. ... Nf6 4.d4 d5?! This was a very pleasant surprise to me because it should lead to White’s domination of the center. A better move was 4…cxd4 which leads to conventional variations. | ||||
| | |||||
|
5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 |
5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4! ... With this advance, white seizes control of the center with gain of time. | ||||
| | |||||
|
6... Nf6 7. d5 |
6. ... Nf6 7.d5(?) ... This marks the first moment in the match when I could not restrain my aggressive impulses. Although this move is not necessarily bad, it demands very accurate play from White. A simpler way to play was 7 e5 which gives White an advantage in space without any tactical headaches. | ||||
| | |||||
|
7... Nxe4 |
7 ... Nxe4! Of course I had reckoned on this possibility when playing my 7th move, but I had misjudged my chances. I should pull in my horns now and play 8 Nc3! Nxc3 9 bxc3 Nb8 10 Ne5 and white has good play in return for his pawn investment. | ||||
| | |||||
|
8. dxc6 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Nxf2+ 10. Ke1 Nxh1 |
8.dxc6 Qxd1 9.Kxd1 Nxf2 10.Ke1 Nxh1 A critical moment in the game. White has some very tempting continuations here. Originally I had planned 11 Bb5 b6 12 c7 Bd7 13 Ba6 e6 14 Bb7 Rc8 15 Bxc8 Bxc8 15 Kf1. The end result will be that Black will lose his knight on h1 but will have three healthy pawns and a solid position to offset his piece deficit. Also worth considering were 12 g3 or 12 g4 to play for Bg2 and the quick capture of Black’s cornered knight. But in that case, Black would boast of 3 pawn and a rook vs two pieces - a very favorable material count for the second player. Instead of playing either of these sensible continuations, I went in for a long-winded tactical line that results in a pawn plus ending for CM9k. | ||||
| | |||||
|
11. cxb7 Bxb7 12. Bb5+ Kd8 13. Ne5 Rg8 |
11.cxb7? Bxb7 12.Bb5 Kd8 13.Ne5 Rg8! CM9k starts a brilliant defense. Every move from here to move 20 is now forced. 9K uses the tactical device called "the pin" to reach a superior ending. | ||||
| | |||||
|
14. Nxf7+ Kc7 15. Kf1 g5 |
14.Nxf7 Kc7 15.Kf1 g5!! A very important move. This pawn push removes the possibility of White playing Bf4 and so stifles his development. After this move I went into “bailout” mode and where I was once playing to win, I now was playing to draw. I could foresee entering an ending a pawn down, but I felt that my superior pawn structure might save the day. Still, I was getting that queasy feeling that is associated with unexpected and unpleasant developments. | ||||
| | |||||
|
16. Kg1 |
16.Kg1 ... White cannot waste time. I must play to capture the trapped knight | ||||
| | |||||
|
16... Bg7 17. Nc3 |
16. ... Bg7 17.Nc3 ... If White grabs the knight with 17 Kxh1, he suffers from back-rank problems after 17…Rgf8 19 Bc4 Rxf7! 20 Bxf7 Rf8 with the end result being that Black recoups the lost material with interest. | ||||
| | |||||
|
17... Raf8 18. Bc4 Nf2 |
17. ... Raf8 18.Bc4 Nf2! CM9k gives a clinic demonstrating how to exploit of a pin for profit. | ||||
| | |||||
|
19. Kxf2 Rxf7+ 20. Bxf7 Rf8 21. Be3 Rxf7+ 22. Kg1 Rf5 23. Rc1 |
21. ... Rxf7 22.Kg1 Rf5 23.Rc1?! ... In hindsight I should have played 23 Rf1 at once, although 9K has a strong continuation available in 23…Re5 24 Rf7 Bf6! [better than 24…Rxe3] 25 Bf2 Kd7! 26 Rxh7 Rf5 because the White rook is out of position. | ||||
| | |||||
|
23... Bc6 24. Rf1 Re5 25. Rf7 Rxe3 |
23. ... Bc6! 24.Rf1 Re5 25.Rf7 Rxe3 25…Bf6 26 Bf2 Kd7 is also good. | ||||
| | |||||
|
26. Rxg7 h6 27. Kf2 Re6 |
26.Rxg7 h6 27.Kf2 Re6! Black has an extra pawn and very well placed pieces and king. His only problem is the fractured pawn structure. 9K plays to steadily improve the position of his king and rook while keeping an eye on stopping White's counter-play. White’s knight is totally dominated by Black’s bishop here which pretty much kills all thoughts of meaningful counter-play. | ||||
| | |||||
|
28. g3 Kd7 29. Rg8 Rf6+ 30. Ke2 g4 |
28.g3 Kd7 29.Rg8 Rf6 30.Ke2?! g4! Suddenly 9K has the strong plan of swinging its rook over to h5 to attack my newly fixed weakness on h2. Of course I cannot touch the g pawn - 31 Rxg4?? Bf3 spears my rook. | ||||
| | |||||
|
31. Ke3 Rf3+ |
31.Ke3 Rf3 ! 9K relentlessly drives my king back to a less active square. | ||||
| | |||||
|
32. Ke2 Rf5 33. Ke3 Rh5 34. Rxg4 Rxh2 |
32.Ke2 Rf5! 33.Ke3 Rh5! 34.Rxg4 Rxh2 BCM9k has made steady progress although a win is still far from definite. I'd love to exchange that lame knight for Black’s active bishop here. If I could achieve that a draw would be a realistic possiblity. I was also interested in the usual defensive goal of exchanging off pawns. I felt that I will be able to achieve the classic Rook vs Rook Bishop endgame, which is usually a draw, although never easy ... | ||||
| | |||||
|
35. b3 Rh5 36. Rc4 Re5+ 37. Kd2 |
35.b3 Rh5 36.Rc4 Re5 37.Kd2 ... I've just got to sit tight and keep Black’s pawns under surveillance. Sometimes you really have nothing better than to sit and wait for your opponent to come up with a plan. | ||||
| | |||||
|
37... h5 38. Rh4 Rg5 39. Ne2 Kd6 40. Ke3 a6 41. Kf2 Rf5+ |
37. ... h5 38.Rh4 Rg5! 39.Ne2 Kd6! 40.Ke3 a6 41.Kf2 Rf5 9K maneuvers to limit the activity of my king. King position assumes great importance in the endgame and the side with the more active king position usually has the advantage. | ||||
| | |||||
| |||||