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ANNOTATED GAME
Challenge from wasspwot
suenteuspo147 (1387) vs. wasspwot (1644)
Annotated by: suenteuspo147 (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B24), closed, Smyslov variation
suenteuspo147 (1387) vs. wasspwot (1644)
Annotated by: suenteuspo147 (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B24), closed, Smyslov variation
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13. O-O-O |
!? A dubious move to be sure, but I see this as the best of a bad situation. My king needs fortification, my c2 pawn needs defending, the development of my rooks requires acceleration, and this is the only move that accomplishes all three. The other alternative, 13.Qd2, is unpleasant in the face of 13...Bg4 (that blasted g4 square again!) 14.f3 Be6 in which my kingside is weakened, the a7-g1 diagonal opened for the queen and the bishop to strike if I castle kingside, and eventual confrontation would emerge on the f-file not unlike King's Indian positions where my closed position becomes an open, tactical nightmare. I'd have to castle queenside in that event anyway, so I figured I might as well do so right off the bat without the awful f3 move haunting me the rest of the game. | ||||
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13... Rb8 |
The dubious nature of my castling choice is immediately revealed. The queen's pawns are coming and they have heavy artillery behind them. My only option is to force my opponent to put out a fire while he is simultaneously starting one. | ||||
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14. f4 |
The match is struck. | ||||
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14... exf4 |
A quick puff puts it out. | ||||
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15. Nxf4 |
That sulfur smell lingers, however, as one demon knight vacates a square to make room for another devil knight to escape to it, hehehe. | ||||
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15... Bd7 |
My opponent mistakes my meaning. It is clear he understood my move to threaten his bishop, not create luft for my c3 knight. This means he is probably not even considering the knight's presence there. This will work to my ultimate advantage at the end. | ||||
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16. h4 |
I strike another match. | ||||
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16... b5 |
He lights his own. | ||||
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17. h5 |
I give mine a little kindling. | ||||
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17... Bg4 |
Success! My opponent is once again forced to put out my fire rather than stoke his own. I do not fear the exchange of pawns and pieces on h5 as it will leave his kingside exposed while my king remains comforted in his fort. | ||||
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18. Rdf1 |
I was planning this move anyway (bringing all pieces to bear on the enemy king's position) and now I have an excuse to do it without making it look like I was planning to all along. | ||||
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18... b4 |
My opponent is learning from my attacks that his own must take precedent in order to succeed. By this move I had figured a MAD draw (draw forced by Mutually Assured Destruction of both our king positions) was the likely outcome of the game. | ||||
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19. axb4 cxb4 |
I briefly considered 20.Nb1 in order to prevent penetration by the black queen, but to my own good fortune I hold to my plan of pressing my own attack to avoid doom and evacuate my knight to the square I prepared for him. | ||||
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20. Ncd5 |
20...b3 is met with 21.c3 and the black knight either goes to c2 winning me a pawn on a7, or he goes to b5 and I'm left with some breathing room to forumlate my next attack. However, the fates conspired in my favor and my opponent's next move left me dumbfounded. | ||||
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20... Qc8 |
?? | ||||
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21. Ne7+ |
The queen falls.... It is important to note, however, that my king is one move away from checkmate. Had the game continued, and I been too greedy (say for instance 21...Kh8 and then 22.hxg6 threatening a forced mate combination), I could just as easily have lost. Luck only favors those prepared to make the most of it. | ||||
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