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1. e4
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Some of my readers will know, that when one of the lovely ladies in the "sixth sense" team ask me to annotate a game for them, I find it very hard to resist! So this is a favour for the lovely Laura, also known as penelope80. So she starts conventionally. |
 
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1... a6
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But this is a very unusual reply, although the English grandmaster Tony Miles used it once to beat World Chess Champion Karpov. I knew Tony Miles well at Sheffield University. I could have played him, but chose to play him at Backgammon instead - he still beat me!
Laura fails to make the mistakes former world champion Karpov did. Instead she plays sensible developing moves, taking control of the centre. |
2 comments
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2. d4
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Laura replies sensibly. This e4-d4 pawn centre is very strong, controlling the squares c5, d5, e5 and f5. |
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2... b5
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I guess this is a logical follow-up to a6. |
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3. Nf3
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Laura continues her development. This is another good move by her. |
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3... e6
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This is a reasonable developing move. |
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4. a4
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Laura immediately challenge's Black's queen-side set-up. Taking on b5 is a nasty threat, as after axb5, Black cannot take back as the rook on a8 would be taken by the rook on a1. |
2 comments
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4... b4
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Which Black avoids. |
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5. Bd3
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Laura wisely continues her development. |
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5... Bb7
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Black develops the bishop. |
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6. O-O
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White tucks her king away to safety. This is another excellent move by the Italian Lady. |
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6... a5
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Black secures the b4 pawn, but this is yet another non-developing move. c4 or Nf6 seem better, or even Be7. |
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7. c3
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This adds extra protection to d4. White now has a very solid centre. She is playing well. |
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7... c5
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So Black tries to undermine it. |
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8. Re1
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Another sensible developing move, proving once again that she is not just a pretty face, but has brains as well as beauty. This position was reached in m422 (1715) vs. domowoj (1773) when Black chose 8....Qb6 and managed to go on and win. This time Black chooses a different path, with a different result. |
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8... Nf6
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Black develops the knight instead. |
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9. Bg5
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Laura pins it. As the bishop drops back to f4 next move, maybe it was better to play it straight to f4. What do you think dear reader? |
1 comment
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9... h6
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Black attacks the Bishop. |
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10. Bf4
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Bishop drops back. I personally think that white has wasted a move and would have been better off developing the bishop to f4 immediately. |
1 comment
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10... d6
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Black, with the king still in the centre, wisely tries to keep the centre closed. |
1 comment
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(2211)