chess online
« TAP TO LOG IN

ANNOTATED GAME

Game Number 12 - A Master Lesson in the Positional Mid-Game
easy19 (2256) vs. freddz123 (1690)
Annotated by: freddz123 (1959)
Chess opening: Novosibirsk opening (A00)
Interactive Show all comments All annotated games View chessboard as:
Pages: 12
For my twelfth match on Gameknot, under the advise of another player I sent a message to easy19 requesting a match. I knew before hand of this semi-celebrity namesake of mine through other annotations on the site, so was looking forward to what would be a challenging match up. I went into the game brimming with confidence, 11 wins from 11 games already and not once had I felt out of control in any of the matches. I felt I could take on all comers. How wrong I was! Freddy (or as I will refer to him, Freddy 2 :o) ) is a great player and a master of complicated mid-game play in a way I can only dream of. During the match, early on I felt I had a slight advantage only to see it disappear very quickly. We decided early on in the game that we'd play through to checkmate, as the end-game is always something of interest to a student learning the game so rather than resign when it was a lost position we continued.
1. Nc3
I'm unsure how often this is played, but where I play I haven't seen it before. It seems a fairly logical move, developing a piece early on and pressuring the centre light squares.
2 comments
 
1... c5
So I played what felt natural to me. c5 allows me to attempt to control the dark squares whilst ceding the light ones to White. I figured that White would be forced to play either e4 or f4 to attempt to keep things even.

 
2. f4
As expected, White plays f4.

 
2... d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6
Development moves. Felt I was already beginning to gain a small advantage.
2 comments
 
5. Bb5+
White makes his first attack, I think mainly to test the resolve of his unknown opponent. I think I preferred d3, which although slightly passive would allow White to continue developing instead of wasting a tempo.
1 comment
 
5... Bd7
Better than Nfd7 or Nbd7 due to the direct challenge of the Bishop.
1 comment
 
6. Bxd7+ Qxd7
White decides to exchange Bishops, which I think benefits Black more than it does White.
2 comments
 
7. O-O Nc6 8. d3 Be7 9. Qe1 O-O
Black still holds a slight advantage after both sides have castled.
2 comments
 
10. Qg3 Rac8 11. Bd2 Qc7 12. a4 c4 13. dxc4 dxc4 14. Kh1 Rfd8 15. e4 Bb4 16. Rac1
Waiting move played by White.
2 comments
 
16... Qb6 17. Rca1 Ba5
Attacks White's vulnerable b2 Pawn and blocks the progress of the a4 Pawn.

 
18. Rab1 Nb4
Attacks White's Pawn at c2

 
19. e5 Nfd5
With careful play, I think Nfd5 could've worked, but the fact is this is the turning point of the game for me. From here on, easy19 manages to get back into the match. Perhaps Ne8 was safer?
2 comments
 
20. f5 exf5
Isolates White's e5 Pawn.
1 comment
 
21. Nh4
Double attack on Black's f5 Pawn.

 
21... f4
Suddenly the game is slipping away from me.

 
22. Bxf4 Qe6 23. Bg5 Bc7 24. Nxd5 Rxd5 25. Bf6
White threatens checkmate, forcing Black to make another defensive move.
1 comment
 
25... g6 26. Nf5
Partial pin on White's Pawn at g6.
1 comment
 
26... Nc6 27. Nh6+
Check on Black's King. Most of Black's pieces are incapable of defending, still positioned for the attack that was occurring on the Queen-Side, meaning White has complete control.

 
27... Kf8 28. Rbe1 c3 29. bxc3 Rc5 30. Nxf7
White creates a passed Pawn on e5 with a Knight sacrifice. A nice piece of play, which shocked me at the time thinking it was a mistake. I think I'd have played Qf2 first, before playing Nxf7, but the shock effect of Nxf7 took a hold so was probably the better move.
2 comments
 
30... Kxf7 31. Qf2
As expected, White attacks Black's Rook on c5 and creates the possibility for a powerful discovered check.

 

Pages: 12