Annotated chess game: Challenge match

ANNOTATED GAME

Challenge match
Rickfun (1603) vs. Oldun (1200)
Annotated by: oldun (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B53), Chekhover, Zaitsev variation

Interactive

•

Show all comments

•

All annotated games

•

View chessboard as:


1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bg5 e6 9. O-O	9. O-O varies from the main line (9.O-O-O).
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2355) on 29-Oct-07: This is not a very common line in the Sicilian (is it??). At least 4.Qxd4, though apparently quite playable, isn't commonly seen. It seems likely that this is due to White having to make a couple of minor concessions in order to preserve the queen's position: A Black central majority, Black's slightly better pawn structure (not that there's much in it really) and Black keeps the bishop pair. A collection of small - trivial even - disadvantages. But perhaps the active game White obtains is sufficient compensation?


9... Be7 10. Rad1 O-O 11. Rfe1	White is building a powerful centre.



11... Qb6	11....Qb6?! is questionable, but I thought I might just have enough counterplay after the Queens are swapped off. Better may have been 11...Qc7
	2 comments archduke_piccolo (2355) on 30-Oct-07: A very interesting strategic decision. I'm inclined to agree with the assessment that 11...Qc2 might have been a better choice. After the text move, 12.Qxb6 axb6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 leaves Black's pawn structure rather chewed. Otherwise 13...Bxf6 14.e5 dxe5 15.Nxe5 following which White will exchange a pair of minor pieces, with fine prospects for attacking Black's isolated doubled pawn in the endgame. jfxleigh (1681) on 01-Nov-07: 11...Qa5, perhaps? Maybe not - 12. b4 Qc7. You'd be better off just playing 11...Qc7


12. Qxb6 axb6 13. a3 h6 14. Bh4 Rfd8	14. Bxf6? gains nothing as after 14....Bxf6 White's Q-side pawns come under pressure.



15. h3 g5 16. Bg3 e5	This is a mistake, the d pawn is now backward on an open file, and is duly lost later in the game.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2355) on 30-Oct-07: Agreed. If anything, Black ought to have been aiming to advance his d-pawn. It actually looks quite playable here... The text move not only leaves backward the d-pawn, but also robs his bishop-pair of much of its value.


17. Nd2 b5	Preventing Nc4.
	1 comment jfxleigh (1681) on 01-Nov-07: Better prevented with 17...Rac8 (18. Nc4 Bxe4, 19. Nxe4 Rxc4)


18. Nf1 Kf8 19. f3 Nh5 20. Bf2 Nf4	A good outpost for the Knight.



21. Ne3 Rac8 22. Nf5	replies in kind!



22... h5 23. Rd2 Bd7 24. Nxd6	I'd like to claim this was a clever trap but it wasn't. 24.Nxd6? is a mistake, 24...Bxh3 looks to be winning. One line could be :- 25.Nxc8 Rxd2, 26.Nxe7 Kxe7, 27.gxh3 Nxh3 28.Kg2 Nxf2
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2355) on 30-Oct-07: A preliminary 24.Bb6 would have made the move good: 24.Bb6 Re8 25.Nxd6 Bxd6 26.Rxd6 etc. Nor will 24...Bxf5 do: 25.Bxd8 Rxd8 26.exf5 and the marginal improvement in Black's position scarcely seems worth the cost of the Exchange.


24... Bxd6	24...Bxd6? I saw Bxh3 five minutes after playing Bxd6. White has a clear advantage now.



25. Rxd6 Be6 26. Red1 Rxd6 27. Rxd6 Rc6	After the dust has cleared, the weak b pawns look very vulnerable.



28. Rd2 Bc4 29. Be3 Ke7 30. Bxf4	There goes my lovely knight!



30... exf4	After this exchange I am playing for a draw.



31. Kf2	31. Kf2? is a mistake. 31.Nd5 brings things to a quick conclusion. 31...Bxd5 looks forced, the King doesn't have a good move and b3 is coming anyway. After 32.Rxd5, more material is lost on the 5th rank. I was expecting Nd5 and preparing to resign.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2355) on 30-Oct-07: Whilst I agree 31.Nd5ch comes into consideration, I don't believe it leads to a quick win, nor that it's better than the king-centralizing 31.Kf2. After 31.Nd5ch Bxd5 32.exd5 ... Black plays the unlikely looking 32...Rc5! 33.d6ch Kd7 34.b4 Re5! and if, say 35.Kf2 f6 Black's game looks quite tenable.


31... f6 32. b3	32. b3?? I get a second chance to "sac" the Bishop and take a lucky win.



32... Bxb3	0-1 Some possible continuations:- 33. Nd5 Bxd5 34. Rxd5 Rxc2 33 Kf1 Rb2 33. Nxb5 Rxc2 34. Rxc2 Bxc2 35. Nd4 Bd3 36.Nf5 Kd7 33. cxb3 Rxc3 34. Rb2? Kd6 35. Ke2 Kc5
	2 comments archduke_piccolo (2355) on 30-Oct-07: Probably resigned out of disgust. I can't think of any other reason. Whatever advantage White might have had earlier - and I don't think it was huge - may well have disappeared, but in the final position I doubt Black's advantage (such as it is) amounts to anything much either. For instance, White can try 33.Nxb5 Rxc2 34.Rxc2 Bxc2 35.Ke2 Ba4 36.Nc3 Bc6 37.Kd3 and White has a fine game. Even the line given by the annotator looks pretty decent for White (33.Bxb5 Rxc2 34.Rxc2 Bxc2 35.Nd4!? Bd3 36.Nf5ch Kd7) 37.h4 g4 38.Ng7 g3ch 39.Ke1; or 37.h4 gxh4 38.Nxh4 with 39.Ng6 or Nf5 to come, depending on Black's next; or 37.h4 Kc6 (not 37...Ke6 38.Ng7ch) 38.Ng7 g4 39.Nxh5 gxf3 40.gxf3 etc. jfxleigh (1681) on 01-Nov-07: Agreed - this is entirely playable for white. (another line: 33. cxb3 Rxc3 34. b4 Rxa3 35. Rd5 Ra2+, and so on with a very drawable rook endgame) But sometimes, when you've done something really stupid, you just want to get out of there...I speak from regular, bitter experience... Thank you for the annotation!