Annotated chess game: Casual Game, itsyourturn.com, 2024-12-15

ANNOTATED GAME

Casual Game, itsyourturn.com, 2024-12-15
john2001plus (2016) vs. Aurimas
Annotated by: john2001plus (1762)
Chess opening: Reti opening (A04)

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1. Nf3 e6 2. d4 d5 3. c4 dxc4	White to play.



4. e3 Bb4+	White to play.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Dec-24: Instead of this 'Bogo-Indian' treatment, Black had good alternatives in ...c5, ...a6, or ...Nf6.


5. Bd2 Bxd2+ 6. Nbxd2 b5	Attempts to hold onto the pawn are usually bad. White to play.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Dec-24: At move 6, White could equally justifiably played 6.Qxd2. In response to his actual move, Black's best was probably 6...Nf6, continuing his development. Now, White can choose between 7.a4 and 7.Ne5, with pressure against Black's Q-side.


7. a4 c6	White to play.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Dec-24: 7...c6 = Black's best option, having committed himself to prop up his Q-side pawns.


8. axb5 cxb5	White to play.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Dec-24: Here comes White's logical attack upon Black's Q-side pawn phalanx.


9. b3 cxb3 10. Bxb5+ Bd7 11. Qxb3 Bxb5 12. Qxb5+	If 12... Qd7 13. Qg5 f6 14. Qh5+ g6 15. Qh4 with a winning advantage. If 14... Qf7 then the computer prefers 15. Qh3, but also likes 15. Qg4 and 15. Qh4.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Dec-24: After this flurry of exchanges, Black's Q-side pawns have been reduced to the isolated a-pawn, and all his active pieces have disappeared. White has such a massive lead in development that it is no exaggeration to suggest he has a strategically winning game already.


12... Nd7	White to play.



13. Nc4	Headed to the hole on d6.



13... a6	This move doesn't make sense to me.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Dec-24: 13...Nf6 seems to be indicated.


14. Rxa6 Rxa6 15. Qxa6 Ngf6	White to play.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Dec-24: This natural looking move has been rendered nugatory by the elimination of Black's entire Queen side. So what alternative had Black? Probably 15...g6, giving the King an escape route.


16. Nd6+	if 16... Kf8 17. Ng5.



16... Ke7	White to play.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Dec-24: Possibly 16...Kf8 was the better option, but by now Black is on the rack, regardless.


17. Qa3	Threatens to win the queen with discovered check, but also 18. Nf5+ Ke8 19. Nxg7#. If 17... Kf8 18. Nf5+ Kg8 19. Ne7+ Kf8 20. Nc6+. If 17... Qb8 18. Nc4+ Ke8 19. O-O with a winning advantage.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Dec-24: This move is so strong, that nothing else came into consideration. That rather indicates that Black would have done better with 16...Kf8, when no 'doublecheck' may be threatened.


17... Qb6	White to play.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Dec-24: A careless move in a position with little left to play for. After 17...Qb8 18.Nc4+ Ke8 19.0-0 ... Black would have had little prospect ever of bringing his rook into play. But now White gets to cut to the chase...


18. Nc8+
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2332) on 19-Dec-24: After the queen, the deluge... A very one-sided game, this one!