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ANNOTATED GAME
Technological Brilliance
Rybka (Computer) (?) vs. Shredder (Computer) (?)
Annotated by: black_cat_hamlet (1531)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B97), Najdorf, Poisoned pawn variation
Rybka (Computer) (?) vs. Shredder (Computer) (?)
Annotated by: black_cat_hamlet (1531)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B97), Najdorf, Poisoned pawn variation
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17... Bxd4 |
... but still even now, there is only two squares for the black queen to go - the f5 square and the a5 square | |||||||
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18. Rxd4 |
Reviewing the board now, you can really see how lively Rybka's game is, despite the three point material defect. Both bishops cover good diagonals and she has a centralised queen and knight. Shredder, on the other hand, has only one queen and a slightly passive knight in play. There is definitely compensation for the three pawn loss :) | |||||||
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18... Qa5+ |
Shredder chooses the more aggressive of the two queen moves... [actually, the better of the two moves! 18...Qf5 19.Bd6!, and while Rybka can play Nf2 to allow castling again, it will be very hard to do that with for Shredder!] | |||||||
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19. Rd2 |
The only reasonable move to allow White castling prospects [Qd2??, allowing the exchange of queens is not what Rybka wants if she wants a fast attack]. Shredder could probably try for a draw here with 19...Qa1+ 20.Rd1 Qa5+ etc, but he has no reason to believe that he is losing right now [after all, he is three points up!] | |||||||
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19... O-O |
Shredder castles. Rybka will do the same, but first... | |||||||
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20. Bd6 |
! Sometimes, an outpost can be just as good for a bishop than it is for the knight! | |||||||
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20... Re8 |
Of course, the rook has to move... | |||||||
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21. O-O |
The pressure point that Rybka will aim for now is f7, and her next move will most likely be Qf4. Attempting to defend it would be futile, as only a knight on e4 can do that; 21...Nc6 22.Qf4 Nce5 23.Bh5! g6 24.Nf6+ Nxf6 25.Qxf6 with Bxe5 next move. [24...Kh8, hoping to give back material, works out similary after 25.Nxd7!, the main idea being to get rid of the defence on f7]. It seems as if Shredder has no choice but to move his pawn to neutralise the threat.. | |||||||
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21... f5 |
21...f6 is of course the other alternative, but in that line Rybka is able to win back some of her material; 21...f6 22.Bh5 Rd8 23.Be7 Nc6 24.Bxd8 Nxd8 [though this is preferable to what happened in the game]. Perhaps 22.Qg3 would have also been considered in that line, choosing pressure over material. With this move, Shredder hopes to get aggressive himself. With the tempo attack that he gains on the knight, he has time to defend against the Bh5 threat (for example, g6). It does seem weakening on his position, but it doesn't look like Rybka can take advantage of that just yet... | |||||||
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22. Qg3 |
!! ...though we have to remember that this is one of the world's strongest chess machine that you're talking about! Sacrificing a piece while three points down is unthinkable to most players, but bearing in mind that three of Shredder's pieces are currently out of action, so it isn't that unreasonable, actually. | |||||||
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22... fxe4 |
Was there anything better? I'm not saying that Shredder shouldn't take the knight, because Rybka can get a strong attack going either way; 22...Nc6 23.Qg6 Rd8 24.Qxe6+ Kh8 25.Rd6, and after the queen moves; 26.Rdxf5 definitely leaves Rybka in a better position. [in case you're wondering, 26...Nd4 is countered by 27.Qe7!]. In any case, Shredder has accepted the sac and the idea behind it becomes clear very quickly... [but what if the queen move to b6 with check? would a knight block be ok? If anyone finds better variations than the one I described, feel free to comment :)] | |||||||
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23. Qg6 |
First of all, Rybka repositions her queen with tempo. If Shredder were to try and exchange rooks here with Qxd2, it would lose quickly; 23...Qxd2 24.Qxe8+ Kh2 25.Bh5! [the threat is Bg6 mate] Ne5 26.Rf8 with Rg8# next move. | |||||||
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23... Rd8 |
Pretty much forced | |||||||
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24. Rf7 |
Bringing a second attacker on g7, and there is only one way for Shredder to defend against this... | |||||||
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24... Qc3 |
Which is why the en prise rook on d2 is still immune! | |||||||
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25. Bg4 |
Rybka keeps up the pressure! Now she threatens Bxe5, which will in turn threaten a discovered attack on the king. With so many pieces surrounding the king, mate would be inevitable [Rybka can even bring in rook #2 to join in the attack! 25...Nc6 26.Bxe6 Kh1 27.Rdf2! Shredder can only do one thing to defend against that...] | |||||||
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25... Nf8 |
The knight move is forced, as it discoers two defenders on the e6 pawn. With the attack Shredder gains on the queen, he forces Rybka to capture the knight... | |||||||
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26. Bxf8 |
Now Rybka has three attackers on g7, which means that once again, the d2 rook is immune. Shredder isn't looking too good right now, because Rybka counters with Rxf8 with Rf2! and Rybka seems to win in all the variations that follow. What can Shredder do? | |||||||
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26... Qa1+ |
Seems to me like this is the only resource available for Shredder. He is willing to give back material to halt Rybka's attack | |||||||
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27. Rf1 |
Kf2 allows counterplay after Rxd2+ [and perhaps even a draw or mate!] | |||||||
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