Annotated chess game: Challenge from lollo1

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ANNOTATED GAME

Challenge from lollo1
lollo1 (1090) vs. djburns (1555)
Annotated by: charleshiggie

(2222)
Chess opening: Queen's pawn game (D00)

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12... Bg4

I'm not sure why Black played this.

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13. Be2

White again makes a good developing move. If Black take on e2 she can recapture with the Knight.

13... Bf5

Black retreats, which may have been the best move, but now Black has wasted two moves.

14. Nh3

White develops the Knight to the only square available. However Black could just take it and leave White's King side pawns isolated and weak. In compensation White would have the open g file against the Black King, but I would prefer Black's chances.

14... Re8

Black continues to develop, but it is unclear whether or not the Rook is really better on e8 rather than f8. Exchanging on h3 and then playing Qd8-d7 looks better. How on earth would White save the pawn on h3 in that situation?

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15. O-O-O

White castles on the Queen side. A bold move, and probably the correct decision, although I feel Nf2 first was perhaps even stronger. After O-O-O White could then attack on the King side with h3, g4 etc.

15... c6

Black wants to open up files on the Queen side to attack the White King. This is the right strategy. B6 can't be played immediately as white would then keep the Queen side closed by playing c5-c6, so Black prevents this.

16. Qb3

White needs to counter-attack on the King side. She sees this and starts to manoeuvre her Queen over, and simultaneously protects the Knight on h3 to stop her King side pawns from becoming weak. It is the right idea, but Nf2 followed by g4 would have been a better way of doing this.

16... Qc7

I can't see much wrong with b6 immediately, opening lines on the Queen side.

17. Qg3

So off to the King side the White Queen goes. Nf2 and g4 first was still better.

17... b6

Black starts to open up the Queen side.

18. Qh4

White moves the queen round to a more threatening position, and now g4 can be played next move, if given a chance. If she plays N(h3)-g5, Black at the moment has h7 defended adequately.

18... Bxh3

So Black exchanges, so if g4 does come, it doesn't threaten the Bishop on f5. As Black has all the pawns on the King side on the second rank, i.e. f7, g7 and h7, it will be harder for White to open files on the King side than Black to open files on the Queen side. Still, castling on opposite sides was probably the best strategy for White, as she was a pawn down, and would probably have lost if she had castled on the same side. Castling on opposite sides is a good way to randomise the position and increase the chances of a swindle!

19. Qxh3

So White recaptures.

19... bxc5

And Black continues to open up the Queen side.

20. dxc5

White recaptures.

20... Bxc5

And Black grabs a second pawn.

21. f5

White advances with the f pawn. Advancing the King side pawns is the best strategy, although I prefer g4.

21... Reb8

So Black starts to mobilise to use the open b file.

22. b4

Oh dear! White loses a pawn and opens up the position even more on the Queen side. One could hardly hope for a more co-operative opponent! When defending, as White is doing on the Queen side, as a general rule it is better to keep the pawns on the second rank, i.e. in this position on a2 and b2 unless forced to advance them. I would prefer Bc3 in this position, defending the b2 pawn, and threatening taking the Black Knight on f6 in some variations.

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