Annotated chess game: Chess game

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ANNOTATED GAME

Chess game
Geoffrey Herbert (170BCF) vs. me (158BCF)
Annotated by: charleshiggie

(2211)
Chess opening: Sicilian defence (B30)

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So last Friday I get a call from the Kidderminster first team captain, therealjimfriar, saying that a player had dropped out at the last moment, and could I step in? I agreed, thus playing my second game for Kidderminster. Jim said that although my opponent would be graded 170, i.e. 12 points higher than me, he was sure I could win. And so it proved to be the case, although, as you will see, my play was far from perfect.

1. e4

Jim has told me that he was an e4 player, who stuck to main lines, so I was expecting an Open Sicilian.

1... c5

According to plan.

2. Nf3

I expected this.

2... Nc6

And this is my usual.

3. c3

Already slightly unusual, but perfectly playable. DeepBlue chess computer beat Kasparov with this line.

3... Nf6

I have also played e6 in this position, transposing into the French Defence, and also d5, both without great success, so I play this now (with some success!). I was interested to find out later, that Nf6 does indeed score better on the opening databases.

4. Bd3

This was unexpected, but I have seen it before. I remember an article in an old "Chess" magazine recommending this move. The idea is to later retreat the bishop to c2 and play d4, with a strong centre, and to handle it a bit like a Spanish Opening, or a Ruy Lopez as we English often call it.

4... d5

But this moves seems to me to cut across White's plans. If White exchanges on d5 it will be hard to force d4 and White is left with a backward d pawn. I was pleased to see on the opening databases after the game that this is indeed Black's best reply.

5. e5

So he doesn't take, but advances.

5... c4

I wanted to play Ng4, without allowing him to play Bb5 followed by d4, securing his centre. I was pleased to see that my reply is in fact the most popular, although perhaps not the most successful

6. Bc2

So he retreats

6... Ng4

I carry on with my plan.

7. Qe2

He protects e5

7... Qc7

So I attack it again

8. Ba4

and he protects it indirectly by pinning my knight. I spent a while looking at this position. I looked at Bf5 with the idea of Bd3. The problem is that he has 9. Nd4 and then Bd3 is met with Qxg4. I also looked at 9. Nd4 Nxe5 10. Nxf5 Nd3+ but came to the conclusion that Black has not enough to justify the sacrifice. I was interested to find out later that there were a couple of over-the-board games with Bf5 9. Nd4 Bxb1 10. Qxg4 Bd3 when f4 was 0-1 in Davydov, Sergey… (2249) vs. Weetik, Vjaches… (2436) and e6 was 1-0 in Moreda, Lucas (2329) vs. Della Morte, Pa… (2350)

8... a6

So I played this move instead, threatening to play b5, lifting the pin and winning the pawn e5. In the Gameknot opening databases there are no examples of this move, although there are two with Bd7, with similar ideas.

9. Bxc6+

I think this is more-or-less forced.

9... bxc6

I thought it better to take back with the pawn and strenghten my centre and keep the pressure on e5.

10. O-O

he castles

10... a5

I play this move to delay, or stop, d4 or d3, which can be met with taking on d3, followed by Ba6.

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