Annotated chess game: All quiet on the Western Front?

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ANNOTATED GAME

All quiet on the Western Front?
ionadowman (2088) vs. easy19 (2287)
Annotated by: archduke_piccolo

(2332)
Chess opening: two knights defence (C57), Wilkes Barre (Traxler) variation

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13. Nd5

The fork threat is incidental. I'm looking for exchanges.

1 comment

13... Nxd5 14. exd5

Either recapture led to the b3-bishop's entrapment. However, by taking with the pawn I hoped to buy a tempo with which to effect some kind of counter action.

14... a4

Incoming!

15. Re1

(!) The beginning of the tactical defence of the bishop. No use was 15.Bc4 that I could see (15...b5) except maybe as a transposition.

15... Qd7 16. h3 Bh5

Would ...Bf5 have been an improvement? It seems tempting, though, to maintain the pin on the f3-knight...

17. Bc4 b5

White is fighting hard. The point of White's play in the last 3 moves involves the looseness of the protection of the Black's b-pawn after this move. Somehow Black has to be induced to reliquishing this.

18. Ne5

(!) Desperate, White finds more tactical means to keep the game in flux.

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18... Qf5

(!?) Instead 18...dxe5 19.Qxh5 bxc4 20.Rxe5 gave White active play for the bishop. But it seems after all Black can retain an advantage: 20...g6! 21.Qh6+ Qg7 22.Qf4+ Qf7 23.Qh6+ Kg8! 24.dxc4 d3! White's nominal equality (3 rather weak pawns for the bishop) can not be maintained. Whether Black looked at this line and preferred the one played, I'm not sure.

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19. g4

There are a lot of pieces 'en prise'!

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19... dxe5

(!) Not 19...bxc4? 20.Qc1 and the Black Q is trapped! 20...Qf6 21.Nd7+ or 20...Qc8 21.Qf4+ and wins.

20. Bxb5

Now surely the fork at g4 recovers the piece? What if Black pins the pawn by 20...Qg5, then? White would play 21.Qf3+! and if 21...Kg8 22.d6! threatening 23.Bc4+; or if 21...Ke7 22.Qg3 attacks the e5-pawn. Man, I was so hoping Black would play ...Qg5 here!

20... Rb8

(!!) Very well played. White still has a fight on his hands to keep his bishop.

21. Bc4

(!) My first thought was the obvious 21.Bxa4, and it's hard to see that there is anything wrong with the capture at all. However, after 21.Bxa4 it's kiss my hand to any chance of getting a piece back. For example: 21.Bxa4 Qg5 22.Qf3+ Bf7 and although White would have had 3 pawns for the bishop, I didn't fancy my chances one bit (Understand, I usually prefer the pawns, but not when they are scatttered and weak).

21... Qg5 22. Qf3+

(!) Hoping for 22...Bf7 23.d6! or, better yet, 22...Kg8?? 23.d6+ and a quick mate. Even 22...Ke7 23.Qg3 looked promising. Will Black oblige?

22... Qf6

(!) Black prefers to give back the piece. The game is about to enter a whole new phase.

23. Qxf6+ gxf6 24. gxh5 Rxb2

(!?) Creating new problems elsewhere. I'm beginning to appreciate that this is the way Freddy plays: continually confronting his opponent with fresh problems to overcome.

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25. Reb1

(!) All the same, the exchange of rooks at b1 would suit me more than it would Black. Of course, the c-pawn is as safe as a babe in its crib: 25...Rxc2?? 26.Rb8+ Kg7 27.h6 and White wins a rook.

25... a3

Not a particularly desirable move from Black's point of view, should White get the chance to envelop the rook by Bb3. He doesn't particularly want to do that now, as Black would certainly exchange at b1, at a moment that is not so favorable to White.

26. Kh1

It was this square or h2, but as Black has a dark-square bishop, the corner seemed a healthier spot. Note, by the way, that though the 'bishop of opposite colour' situation exists, in this game it tends to add to the respective sides' strengths on the light and dark squares, rather than lead to drawish situations. Meanwhile, Black still mislikes the exchange on b1.

26... Kg7

I was expecting the h8-rook to move, here, but Black clearly wanted to get his K to the h-file whilst the 'getting' was good.

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