Annotated chess game: A five-minute brilliancy

ANNOTATED GAME

A five-minute brilliancy
Forster vs. Blasi
Annotated by: last_archimedean

(1564)
Chess opening: Pirc (B07), Byrne variation

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The timing rules for this game were harsh: each player had just five minutes to complete the entire game, no matter how many moves it took! Fortunately for White, it only took 11 moves to finish in brilliant style.

1. e4 d6 2. d4	Quickly forming an "ideal center".
	3 comments ruachessnut2 (1200) on 30-Apr-10: 5 minutes isn't harsh I play 3 minutes. Fischer played 1 minute vs. 10 minutes against masters & always won. He was a grandmaster. fatcat2 (1200) on 01-May-10: 5 minutes is harsh. I usually take longer than that for every move - OTB. minital (1766) on 01-May-10: 5 min may be considered harsh by some. But if you're an avid player you've played it alot. Some people think you have no time to think. This isn't true. I've made plans and won in bullet(1min) games. It isn't too harsh if you practice it a little.


2... Nf6	Without time to think, this must have been the defense he had planned to use before the game began.
	2 comments nuntar (1702) on 30-Apr-10: The Pirc Defence. fatcat2 (1200) on 01-May-10: Main line. If you are going to play 5-minute chess, you have to know your opening well, so you can cycle through it without too much trouble.


3. Nc3 g6	Planning the fianchetto...



4. Bg5 Bg7	...and completing it.



5. Qd2	Doubling on the diagonal and clearing the way for castling.
	1 comment fatcat2 (1200) on 01-May-10: Perhaps planning for Bh6, attempting to exchange dark-squared bishops and weaken the dark squares on Black's kingside.


5... c6	I'm unclear as to why Black didn't just castle. He never does move his King into safety!
	2 comments nuntar (1702) on 30-Apr-10: This move is thematic, though, as it prepares to build up pressure on the queenside. fatcat2 (1200) on 01-May-10: I think 5...c6 and 5...O-O are interchangeable.


6. O-O-O	White does take the opportunity to castle.



6... Qa5	Black is being "aggressive" when he should instead be concentrating on castling and developing.



7. Nf3	White, by contrast, is steadily building an attacking force.



7... b5	Seemingly wasting another tempo. The Q-side pieces are still completely undeveloped!
	2 comments nuntar (1702) on 30-Apr-10: Not wasted; this is all part of the standard build-up. fatcat2 (1200) on 01-May-10: Especially since White has castled queenside: this is now part of an attack on White's king.


8. e5	White, ahead in development, tries to open up the position.



8... b4	A bad mistake. Black should not be engaged in a tactical war in his undeveloped state. N/3-Q2 or N-R4 were much better choices.
	1 comment fatcat2 (1200) on 01-May-10: Agreed, Black is trying to mess the position around tactically (a good strategy if you are playing a weaker player in a fast time control, since they are more likely to fall apart tactically). However, he has missed the fact that this line is in fact a sneaky tactical win for White...thanks to that adventurous e-pawn of his.


9. exf6	Now Black is down a piece and his KB is en prise.



9... bxc3	Recapturing, but it won't help.



10. Qxc3	White is up a Pawn and Black has no good options. With his Q and KB both en prise, he's in a world of hurt.



10... Qxc3	An attempt to swindle his way out of trouble. If White falls for 11 PxQ?, 11...B-B1! saves the piece. 12 PxP BxP 13 BxB KxB 14 R-K1 ch would still leave White with a strong game, but Black would be able to drag out his resistance for a while.
	1 comment nuntar (1702) on 16-Jul-10: Actually, after 11. PxQ? BxP Black isn't in much trouble at all.


11. fxg7	White wins a piece. If Black moves his Q on B6 out of danger, White will play 12 PxR (Q) ch with a winning material advantage. Black resigns.