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1. Nf3
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1. Nf3 - this is the Reti Opening and is very strong because the knight on f3 controls the centre and prepares e4 but also keeps his opponent guessing as to what follow up is to come. |
 
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1... d5
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1. ........ d5 (a standard reply possibly converting into a Queen's Pawn Opening) |
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2. c4 dxc4
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2. ........ d x c4 (Wayne hits out at my pawn on d4 with c4 - I take it - I did consult the 1900 database and it appeared to have a good win percentage - perhaps this opening is transposing into a QGA - Queens' Gambit Accepted) |
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3. Na3
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3. Na3
Comment: (apastpawn) This is the original way Reti handled the gambit. I have tried using Nc3 but it has drawbacks. A knight on c4 brings up many possibilities.
In this game, didn't it just!!! - JS
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3... Nc6
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3. ........ Nc6 ( I decide to develop a piece but I am wondering in hindsight whether c5 was a better move - especially due to the fact that Wayne piles up on that unfortunate pawn later on) |
1 comment
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4. Nxc4 Nf6
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4. ........ Nf6 - if the knight had been on c3 instead of c4 it would be a weird kind of four knights opening without the pawns in the centre!! |
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5. d4 e6 6. e3 Bb4+
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6. ...... Bb4 after a few pawn moves I make the following decision based on the fact that I would like to castle kingside. However I did not want my knight on f6 to be harassed by the usual bishop pin so I decided to develop my bishop with check on b4. I know it may help black develop (Wayne queried this move on this basis) but at least it eliminates his dark square bishop and this kind of annoying pin. After the bishops are exchanged I castle immediately so I at least keep apace in the development stakes - not bad for black I thought. |
2 comments
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7. Bd2 Bxd2+ 8. Qxd2 O-O 9. Rc1 b6
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9.. ........ After white moves his rook to c1 I decide to fianchetto my queen bishop and to clear the way for my queen rook to challenge his rook on the c file. |
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10. Be2 Bb7 11. O-O Rc8
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11. .... Rc8 (after developing my bishop and rook as planned white starts to pile up on the d file with 12. Rfd1 - Wayne remarked that Rc8 was a little slow and wondered whether I was preparing to advance the c pawn). |
1 comment
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12. Rfd1 Qe7
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12. .......... Qe7? (I now think that this move is a mistake. In hindsight the c6 knight ought to have gone there and the queen to d7 to make room for the c pawn to advance and the knight could then have gone to g6 to at least screen off white's king bishop). The queen could then have gone to e7 to perhaps allow the king rook to come to d8 to front the white queen on d2) |
2 comments
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13. a3 a5 14. Qc2 Rfd8 15. Bd3 Ba8
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15. ...... Ba8?? - I honestly, in all hearts underestimated 16. Nce5!! I agree with Wayne 100% when he said it was a strong move. The winning move I would say. Even though the move would have slightly weakened my castled position I would have at least avoided losing a pawn by playing 15. .......... h3. Then even if the f6 knight did get dislodged white could only deliver a pointless check and there was a possibility of busting up white's kingside with B x f3 and removing a dangerous attacker on the kingside. My h pawn now goes. |
2 comments
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16. Nce5
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Wayne had this comment: (apastpawn) You can call this a strong move. It triple threatens the knight. If NxN then PxN and this displaces your N at f6 which then leads to BxP at h7. Opens a door to your king.
If instead your N at c6 moves elsewhere then Ng5 triples on the h7 pawn and doubles on the f7 pawn.
If R to d6 guarding the c6 N (thinking white can exchange once then the seond capture would be with the white queen and costly): then Ng5 again.
If Q to d6 or d7 guarding the N then the combination at c6 still works for white: NxN, BxN, QxB, QxQ, RxQ with white winning the exchange.
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16... Nxe5 17. dxe5 Ng4
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17. ......... Ng4 I decide this is the best placement for the knight as it opens up the bishop's diagonal - I have a vain hope that after my h pawn goes and my king gets out of check he will move the bishop back to whence it came .......... |
2 comments
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18. Bxh7+ Kh8 19. Be4
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19. Be4 - no such luck!! A plethora of exchanges follows with me losing more pawns as a result of mate threats and other double attacks. Wayne had this to say. Comment: (apastpawn) The rook moves allows me to pull your queen away from your pawns. Game continues 21.....QxR. 22.BxB, QxB 23.Qxc7 etc. |
1 comment
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19... Rxd1+ 20. Rxd1 Rd8 21. Rxd8+ Qxd8 22. Bxa8 Qxa8 23. Ng5 g6 24. Nxf7+
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Comment: (apastpawn) Was reevaluating this move while the automatic moves were being made. This is stronger than Qxc7. As c7 will still be there. After receiving this comment I resigned on the grounds of ruinous loss of material as I am already 2 pawns down and am about to lose at least another, so time to throw in the sponge.
Back to the issue of king safety regarding castling. I think it is a case of knowing when and when not to move that h pawn. In this case I feel the h pawn should have been moved. This would have made the king much safer. Just look at that final position and look at how horribly exposed the black king is now!! So I feel I have been well and truly given an Expert Lesson in King Safety. |
1 comment
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