Annotated chess game: Challenge from shawnjay

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ANNOTATED GAME

Challenge from shawnjay
shawnjay (1164) vs. mariner249er (1079)
Annotated by: markpinkston (1611)
Chess opening: Damiano's defence (C40)

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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f6

...f6 is almost always bad, as it weakens the light squares on the vulnerable kingside. Standard moves to protect the pawn would be ...Nc6 (most common), ...d6 (Philidor's Defense), or ...Nf6 (Petrov Defense).

3. d4

A vigorous response that looks to open lines for attack.

3... c6

Probably playing for the trap: 4. dxe5 fxe5 5. Nxe5? Qa5 winning the knight. But, black really needs to play legitimate moves instead of setting obvious traps.

4. Be3

Developing, so I can't say too much bad about it, but the bishop looks a little odd on that square.

4... Qa5+

The queen should usually not be the first piece developed. What was it Fischer said? "Patzer sees check. Patzer gives check."

5. Nbd2

Interesting choice of squares for the knight. If white is planning to leave c3 open for the pawn, he should just play c3 right away. The only other explanation for not playing Nc3 is that white wants to leave c4 as a possibilty. I guess that is a thought, but I still like Nc3 better.

5... d5

It is the right of the better developed side to open lines and attack, so this move is a positional blunder. Black would be better to keep the position closed and try to catch up in development.

6. exd5 cxd5 7. dxe5

These last two captures were correct for white, as he is more developed and opening lines will facilitate the attack on the black king.

7... f5

Not sure why black refuses to recapture the e5 pawn. He is going to be down a pawn either way and this keeps the position slightly more closed, but two moves ago he was trying to open the position, so it probably isn't fear of opening the position further.

8. Bd3

Developing with an attack on a weak point and preparing to castle. Nice play!

8... Nh6

An awkward way to protect f5, but at least black has decided to develop a piece. The knight is probably better placed on e7, but perhaps black is saving that square for the f8 bishop.

9. O-O

Positionally, this game is almost over. White has a huge lead in development, is up a pawn, and black's king is still trapped in the center.

9... Bc5

A reasonable looking move by black. This prepares castling to safeguard the king, and offers to trade off one of white's attackers. But looks can be deceiving, and this is actually bad, as white shows with his next.

10. Nb3

Attacking the queen, while putting a second attacker on the c5 bishop, this move wins a piece.

10... Qc7 11. Nxc5

An interesting way to capture. Although, at this point, any move by white will win, I think taking with the bishop is better here. The main reason is that it would inhibit castling by covering the f8 square. But perhaps white was anticipating Bxh6 after black castles to break up the remaining pawn cover of the king.

11... Ng4

Moving a piece a second time when there are still pieces waiting to be developed is a violation of opening principles, and this is therefore a bad move. It does attempt to remove the defender of the c5 knight, so that if white overlooks this transparent threat, black could theoretically win a piece with ...Nxe3 followed by ...Qxc5. But white has numerous ways to defend this "threat", such as Nb3, Qd2, Qe2, or even Bd4. Notice that black is attacking the e5 pawn twice and it is only defended once, so black can win that pawn, but if I were white I would sacrifice it and play Nb3 looking for a sequence like: 12. Nb3 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Qxe5 14. Re1 and the black queen is going to have trouble finding a safe place to get out of the discovered check. For example, 14...Qc7 loses to 15. Bf4 .

12. Bd4

Avoiding the trade and protecting the e5 pawn.

12... Nc6

And now black develops with an attack on a defender of the e5 pawn, renewing the threat to win it. Again I would sacrifice it, looking for a sequence like: 13. Nb3 Nxd4 14. Nbxd4 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Qxe5 16. Re1 winning the queen.

13. Ne6

But instead, white blunders the knight! Argh!!

13... Bxe6 14. c3

This protects the d4 bishop, but turns that bishop into a mere pawn in the chain. Maybe something like Bc3 presents itself, with the idea of Nd4.

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