ANNOTATED GAME

An unusual queen trap
damalfi vs. kaspapicachov
Annotated by: damalfi (1200)
Chess opening: Queen's pawn game (D02)
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Another quick game, light annotation. The game shows a uncommon queen trapping. It must be said that my opponent got me in another game with an easy to see sac on my castling, but I couldn't save this game for hurry to rematch :-)
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4
My favorite.

 
3... f5
Interesting enough, I have to play carefully.
2 comments
 
4. Nbd2 Nf6 5. h3
A loss of time, but I want to provide a square for my bishop on h2.

 
5... c6
c5 would have been better, but not crushing... yet.
1 comment
 
6. e3 Be7 7. c4
I assumed he won't play Bb4 now, but without his Be7 I wouldn't have played c4, leaving him Bb4. I'm not sure it would have been good for him even now.

 
7... Nbd7 8. c5
I expected here b6, etc, but...

 
8... O-O
Now, I have a very good move. I had it the move before, but now it is better, because black is closed on the queenside, except for... let's see...
1 comment
 
9. Ng5
Attacking e6. Now, it is funny to see that the only way for black to defend is Nb8. Nobody wants to play it, so he tries a costly adventure.

 
9... Ne4 10. Nxe6
I will suffer from the exchange, but he has to save his queen first.

 
10... Qa5
Qe8 and it is a plain exchange down. Better to attack. He's right.

 
11. Bc7
I started a queen chase. NxN is not possible.
3 comments
 
11... Qb4
The queen is already unconfortable here. Note that retreat was not possible. But, under normal conditions, the queen is not trapped: it threats b2, and the knight is pinned. NxN, if I leave him, will exchange it, and he will save the rook. But...

 
12. a3 Qxb2
A poisoned pawn. Qc3 maybe was better, since it doesn't unpin the knight (the key). If Rc1, Qxa3, and otherwise, I must offer a queen's exchange, giving him tempo to save the rook.

 
13. Nxe4 fxe4 14. Nxf8
Ok, the rook is mine.

 
14... Qc3+
Very good, he takes my castling and cramps me.

 
15. Ke2
I still cannot play Rc1, but now I am not worried: a queen's exchange is in my favour, so Qc1 will work. If Qd3+, Ke1 and... what? Black has no other pieces to support his attack.
2 comments
 
15... Qc4+
A deadly overlook.

 
16. Kd2
Really, really unusual. The king helps trapping a queen! No way to save it. QxB, RxQ, KxN leaves white with overwhelming material advantage. I cannot blame him for not seeing this. All started with Nd7, that left e6 unprotected.

 
16... Qb3 17. Qxb3