Annotated chess game

Inaugurating a Maroczy Bind - more of a semi-bind, really, but none too comfortable for Black, as it inhibits ...b5. In my old English Opening days I used to be quite happy for the game to transpose into this kind of thing. It netted me many wins...

There have been some attempts to revive this defence for Black especially since it can be used as a universal defence together with the Benoni to most of the popular ways of starting the game.

Not very convenient for White, as the Q won't stay long at d4, but this exchange comes at a price for Black, too, in my view.

Black will have a very cramped game after this exchange.

probably kingside - queenside doesn't really look that stable

Although 13.Rac1 is unexceptionable, I think I would have chosen one of these two alternatives: [a] 13.Bxa7 b6 14.e5 or [b] 13.f3. In this sort of position, the f-pawn is not out of place on the third rank, bolstering the centre, and threatening to bring a knight in to d5 at some point.

The natural 16. Nd5 seems stronger.

On your next move, maybe doubling your rooks instead of Rcc2 might have worked?

At first sight I didn't like this exchange, and thought maybe 23.h3 was preferable. But after 23.h3 Bxd5! 24.cxd5 it is hard to choose between the minor pieces. I think I'd prefer the knight in the resulting position, but some manoeuvring would be required to get it active. Second thoughts indicate this exchange is fine if White wants an active game of her own.

You shouldn't have exchanged Knights. In this variation it's very important to know which pieces you should keep and which you should trade. It's easier than in other lines because the pawn structure is more determined and that suggest which are the bad pieces and which are the good ones. Also, remember that having a space advantage is a fleeting thing and if you don't use it fast, your opponent will surely organize a pawn breakthrough and neutralize it. For example, in this line you want to keep your dark square Bishop, because that piece covers a lot of ground, both in your camp and in your opponents. Also, after landing a Knight on d5, you should never exchange it voluntarily unless there is an immediate gain, i.e. winning a pawn or the exchange. You should leave the Knight there until Black either swaps it off or chases it with e6. In the latter case, you should then start to pounce on the weak d6 pawn. However in the first case there is a major decision with which pawn to recapture. Capturing with the e-pawn gives you a new target in the e7 pawn but gives Black a good pawn break with b5. If you capture with the c-pawn, the pawn structure becomes symmetrical again, but you have improved your light square Bishop and gained a central space advantage.

How about 24.f4, instead? That at once gives White's bishop some air, and suggests she might be interested, after 25.h3, in forcing off the bishops. If 24.f4 g5 25.f5 shuts in Black's bishop and I reckon gives White a good game.

Putting another pawn on a light square is bound to come back to haunt you. You should have taken more direct action to activate your Bc2, either by organizing a c5-break or an e5-break. In any case, 24. Ke3 looks best suited for both plans.

White can not transpose by 25.f4, which simply loses the f-pawn.

Now Black can look with hope to the K-side, where he can become active with good chances of success, since your pawn structure there is downright awful.

Interesting position! both kings are trying to centralise (in fact, Black has done that!) despite the fact that a bishop and both rooks are on the board from both sides!

Suddenly Black has the initiative, in my view. Possibly she can whip something up on the Q-side, but has the edge in the centre and on the K-side.

I don't understand this Bishop move. It just blocks your other pieces and does nothing in return. Doubling Rooks on the c-file followed by b4 and c5 seems like the only active plan remaining for White in order not to surrender completely the position.

If you want to discover how to do nothing to good effect, check out the games of Tigran Petrosian. This looks OK though. It seems here that White's best idea is to wait and see what plan Black comes up with. In situations like this, an inexperienced player with the White pieces will try something 'active', which will merely wreck his (her) position. Black has the play: if he wants to win, he has to come up with something.

That can't be too hard here. First of all, Black should put his Bishop on a better square, probably d7, to support b5 and f5, then play e6 and start planning for a pawn break.

Possibly 30.b4 was an unnecessary concession. Once that starts happening one tends gradually to slip into more and more difficulties. Was 30.a4 better? That involved a concession as well: the bishop would have remained passively placed for good, and Black would have retained a free hand in the centre. This isn't easy. One feels White ought to hold comfortably, but it is hard to recommend moves.

I feel much more confidently about Black's prospects in case White would have closed the Q-side. Maybe he isn't winning outright, but he certainly has much better chances. I don't like what Black has done in his last few moves, he's only helped White activate his pieces.