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1. e4
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This is my first annotated game. I chose this game because I felt that it really mentally exhausted me in not only trying to find the good moves, but also the very good ones. |

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1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. Bg5
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So far, so good (well, at least that's what I think) in this opening. |

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6... d6 7. Nd5
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Darn! A mistake! If my knight on f6 is taken, no doubt I will have doubled pawns and an exposed g-file. My defences have weakened. |
1 comment
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7... Be6
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At least I can try to get rid of his centre pieces as best I can |

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8. Bxf6 gxf6 9. c3 a5
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At this stage, I feel that my opponent is winning. I still want to get rid of that Knight on d5, and also the Bishop protecting it. |

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10. a3 Ne7 11. Nxe7+ Qxe7 12. b3 Bxc4 13. bxc4
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My short-term mission accomplished, but there's still the matter of centre control, with his pawns advancing |

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13... d5
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I feel that I can't keep holding on forever, that I must relieve some pressure. A pawn for a pawn? |

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14. cxd5 Bxa3 15. Qb3
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AhhH! Not a pawn for a pawn! A useful fork by the Queen |

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15... Bc5 16. Qxb7 Rfb8 17. Qc6 Qd6 18. d4
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I must regain the pawn deficit. My focus shifts to the pawn on b3, being undefended. |

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18... Qxc6 19. dxc6 Bd6 20. d5 Rb3
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The beginning of my mounting pressure on the pawn |

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21. c4 Rc3 22. Nd2 Bb4
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I am now taking advantage of the fact that after the Rook moves away, the Knight will be pinned to the King. I exploit this by. . . |

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23. Ke2 Rc2
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A different pin on the Knight. Of importance is also the fact that the Knight will require a Rook's help to defend it. However, this exchange is actually what I need. Because. . . |

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24. Rhd1 Bxd2 25. Rxd2
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The Knight was the only defender of the c4 pawn. Now, I can reclaim my material disadvantage (though not my positional one) |

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25... Rxc4 26. Ke3 Rc3+ 27. Rd3 Rc5 28. f4
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We now commence the beginning of the end - I attempt to defend what he throws at me, he attempts to break through. |

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28... Re8
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If 29. fxe5, I will play Rxe5 with an aim of then f5 using the pin. |

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29. g4 exf4+ 30. Kxf4 Kg7 31. h4 h6
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Here comes the charges |

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32. h5
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Blocked by a wall, but for how long? That pawn formation is starting to look menacing |

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32... Rc4
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A pawn for a pawn? |

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33. Re3 Rc5
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Ok, then. But what now? |

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34. Rea3 Ra8
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I don't want to exchange that pawn. Although I obviously did not foresee it, it plays a large role later. |

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