|
|
|
1. e4
|
I was Black in this mini-tournament game |
 
|
| |
|
|
1... c5
|
I prefer the Sicilian over the "principled" e5, since c5 controls the same d4 square with a less important pawn |
1 comment
|
| |
|
|
2. Nf3 d6 3. c3
|
This is "delayed Alapin," rather than normal Alapin where White plays c3 on the second move. I think Alapin is stronger than delayed Alapin since Black can stall d4 unlike if White had played c3 on move 2 |
|
| |
|
|
3... Nf6 4. Be2
|
There is an opening trap where White plays Nxe4?? and White wins with Qa4 winning the knight. Another line is h3 (preventing Bg4) followed by Bd3 where White wants the bishop on c2 to defend e4 before playing d4. |
|
| |
|
|
4... Nc6
|
I think g6 was a better move because I didn't realize that White could play d4 here. After d4, Nxe4 is impossible because of d5 followed by Qa4 winning the e4-knight after the c6-knight moves |
|
| |
|
|
5. d3
|
White must not have realized the chance to expand the centre, and plays a passive move. |
|
| |
|
|
5... e6
|
I thought about developing g6 Bg7 with a Dragon-setup, but since I'm not familiar with this opening, I decided to play something a little more solid |
|
| |
|
|
6. O-O Be7 7. Re1 O-O 8. Bf1
|
This move gets the bad bishop out of the way while defending the kingside, and now White can play d4 here, although it isn't as strong as it would have been on move 5, since White has wasted a tempo playing d3?! |
|
| |
|
|
8... b6 9. d4
|
I played b6 so that I could recapture c5 with a b-pawn, which brings a flank pawn to the center, rather than playing dxc5, which weakens my center and goes into a drawish position where the pawn structures are symmetrical |
|
| |
|
|
9... d5
|
I wasn't comfortable with White's superior center, so I thought my best chance of containing the center is to challenge it, which goes into a type of French structure |
|
| |
|
|
10. e5 Nd7
|
Now this is sort of like a French Advance (e4 e6 d4 d5 e5 c5 c3), but there are a lot of differences.
I was able to develop my kingside knight, unlike in French Advance where it is blocked by e5. I have a pawn on b6 instead of a queen, which strengthens my center. White has undeveloped his bishop, which is dubious in this type of opening. Because of these differences, I would prefer my position. |
1 comment
|
| |
|
|
11. Bf4 f6
|
Normally Black would attack on the queenside with pawns, but here I have a chance to undermine White's center, a common move in the French. |
|
| |
|
|
12. Nbd2
|
I think exf6 was better, after Nxf6 Ng5, my e-pawn is very weak, and I'd have to play a move like Ne4 |
|
| |
|
|
12... fxe5 13. Bxe5
|
forced since I'm threatening Rxf4, White's bishop is almost like a pawn now. |
1 comment
|
| |
|
|
13... Qe8
|
I wanted to maneuver my pieces to the kingside to start an attack |
|
| |
|
|
14. Bd3
|
White's bishop aims at my kingside |
|
| |
|
|
14... Ndxe5 15. Nxe5 Nxe5 16. dxe5
|
After the series of exchanges, my center and queenside seem to be impenetrable, so all the play of this game will take place on the kingside where I have a strong open f-file. White's open d-file doesn't do him any good |
1 comment
|
| |
|
|
16... Qf7 17. Nf3 g5
|
Here was where I got carried away with an illusory attack. g5 is a serious weakening move, and White has adequate defenders, but I couldn't see any other way to generate play on the kingside |
1 comment
|
| |
|
|
18. h3 h5 19. Re2
|
White is on the defense for now, but after my attack fades, I'll be left with a very weakened kingside |
1 comment
|
| |
|
|
19... Bb7
|
I played this move so I could have a bishop aiming at White's kingside (where else does this bishop go?) If I start a strong attack on the kingside, then I could end up with d4 threats that would reveal some kind of tactic on the kingside. I also connect my rooks so my a-rook can join the attack on White's kingside |
|
| |
|
