GameKnot: annotated chess game - The Annotation Project

ANNOTATED GAME

The Annotation Project - A Pleasant Surprise
jstevens1 (1808) vs. dmaestro (1488)
Annotated by: jstevens1

(1897)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B21), Grand Prix attack

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Hi everyone, I have just completed my 14th game and obtained my 11th point, nice. I am playing the white side against dmaestro. Somehow I managed material points equality and then dmaestro waved the white flag! A pleasant surprise indeed, anyway, on with the show. After the standard stuff I will start the commentary from move 8 onwards.

1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ng5 Nf6 5. Bc4 Bg4 6. Qxg4 Nxg4 7. Bxf7+ Kd7 8. Be6+ Ke8	8. ...... Ke8 - a deviation from Kc6 or Kc7. I could get a perpetual here if I wanted but as the game had only just begun and it was the annotation project and it would have been a Low Draw for me, I decided to take the knight on g4 instead.
	2 comments ionadowman (2080) on 05-Aug-09: It is an interesting idea to test out... dmaestro (1445) on 06-Aug-09: This is important theoretically because the expert who made this gambit popular believes that black gains equality if White does not take the perpetual, since White does not play this line to draw normally. Black might also do this twice and then go into the main lines just to gain time.


9. Bxg4 g6	9. ...... g6 - preparing to develop his dsb.



10. Nc3	10. Nc3 - quick development is essential.



10... Qb6 11. O-O	11. 0-0 - so is castling.



11... Bh6 12. Ncxe4	12. Ncxe4 - closes the material deficit by 1 point and paves the way for d3 or d4 opening up the c1-h6 diagonal for Fou Lenoir.



12... Nd7 13. b3 Nf6 14. Bb2	14. Bb2 - pins the knight. However, if dmaestro took the knight I would have no time to play Bxh8?? because I would then allow the Philidor's Legacy. If anybody needs to get familiar with that sequence please see my note at the end of my annotation Six Feet Under.
	2 comments ionadowman (2080) on 05-Aug-09: Black win the exchange back, White being forced to take the knight at f2 when it arrived there (14..,Nxe4 15.Bxh8 c4+ 16.Kh1 Nf2+ 17.Rxf2 Qxf2). One feels, though, that Black could have played 14...Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Rf8 aned had a fine game. dmaestro (1445) on 06-Aug-09: So far, Black has gained a good position and ...Ke8 has been effective. Compare with main lines where Black's K gets in the way. As Joanne and Ion suggests, ...Nxe4 is fine. Here I gambled that taking the Bishop and sacrificing the exchange would give the Black Q and N more activity. A miscalculation.


14... Nxg4	14. ...... Nxg4?? - he takes the bishop! Now I will get onto equal material points. Off comes that rook next move.
	1 comment ionadowman (2080) on 05-Aug-09: Here I have to disagree with you Joanne: the move played is OK. Black goes wrong in the follow up.


15. Bxh8 Kd7 16. Bc3	16. Bc3 - knitting together my queenside pawns and keeping Fou Lenoir on the long diagonal.



16... Nf6 17. Nxf6+ exf6	17. ...... exf6 - knight trade.
	2 comments ionadowman (2080) on 05-Aug-09: At move 16, correct seems to be 16...Bxg5 17.fxg5 (White dare not play 17.Nxg5, of course) 17...c4+ 18.Kh1 (...and here, 18.Nf2?? Rf8 and White loses the knight at f2) 18...cxb3 19.axb3 Qc7 and it's still anybody's game. As the game has gone, now 18.Nxh7 safely wins a pawn. dmaestro (1445) on 06-Aug-09: I did not realize that my Q would have such little scope.


18. Ne4 Bg7 19. Ng3	19. Ng3 - evading a possible discovery (f5) and buffering up f1.
	2 comments ionadowman (2080) on 05-Aug-09: The game still looks pretty even, along with the material ( Q for R, N and P). grntnick (1200) on 06-Aug-09: The difference though is that the position has stablilized. Black's Queen cannot easily pick off pawns and pieces, and slowly white's piece advantage should help.


19... Rg8 20. f5 Bh8 21. Rae1	21. Rae1 - threatening Re6.



21... c4+ 22. Kh1	22. Kh1 - Henry evades the discovered check from the Wicked Witch of the West.



22... cxb3 23. axb3	23. axb3 - pawn trade.



23... Rf8	23. ...... Rf8 - bolstering up his f6 pawn.
	1 comment ionadowman (2080) on 05-Aug-09: Better was to challenge White on the e-file - directly answering the threat of 24.Re6.


24. Re3	24. Re3 - a rook lift screening out the Witch, he is planning a possible Rd3+ next move. But I do not have to worry because dmaestro waved the white flag. Again, a pleasant surprise. Cheers - Joanne
	2 comments ionadowman (2080) on 05-Aug-09: Unbelievable. Our pal dmaestro never ceases to amaze me with his premature resignations. He was by no means out of the game yet, though, after the inaccuracy of his previous move (23...Rf8?!), White has a marked edge. I was a bit surprised White didn't carry out the projected 24.Re6! gaining a tempo to double rooks. The plan is 24.Re6; 25.Rfe1; 26.R1e3; 27.Rd3. With the successful completion of this plan Black might then start thinking seriously about tossing in the sponge. dmaestro (1445) on 06-Aug-09: There was nothing Black could really do except postpone the end. Joanne had multiple threats.

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ANNOTATED GAME