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1. c4
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I chose to annotate this game because it shows the strengths of the Botvinnik system of the English (and a weakness of it also). |
 
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1... Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 O-O 5. d3 c6 6. e4
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Botvinnik's variation of the English - I like it because Black often tries to play a 'standard Queens Pawn defence strategy. However, obviously there is no target pawn on d4 and e&c4 are supported. The d4 square is a 'hole' admittedly but this is usually adequately covered by pieces (potentially both Knights and the queens bishop) and Black can become quite fixated with it. White also has the option to play flexibly advancing on the queenside, kingside or the centre. |
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6... a6 7. f4 d6 8. h3 b5
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Black attacks on the queenside, which is one of the best ways to play against this system in my experience. |
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9. Nge2 b4
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I wasn't too worried about this as it eases the threat to my centre (the Knight can't currently hop into d5 so forcing me to redeploy it wasn't a big issue). |
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10. Nb1 Bd7 11. O-O e5 12. Qe1
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Beginning to look at the queenside AND the kingside - again illustrates the systems flexibility. |
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12... c5
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Black fixes the centre which means I can focus on a kingside attack. |
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13. f5 Qc8 14. g4 Nc6
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A big error which I think decides the game, not the first time this has happened for me either. |
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15. g5 Nh5 16. f6
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White is in effect now a piece up and has a simple plan: exchange pieces and win the endgame. |
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16... Bh8 17. Qh4 Rb8 18. Kh2 b3 19. a3
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Far better than inviting pressure against my centre and queenside with the capture. |
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19... Nd4 20. Nxd4 cxd4 21. Bf3 Nf4 22. Bxf4 exf4 23. Qxf4 Bxh3
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Another error as now I can mate along the h file. |
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24. Rh1 d5 25. Kg3 Bd7 26. Qh4 Qc7+ 27. Kg2 h5 28. Bxh5
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Black can only delay the mate by losing material - queen and bishops. |
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