Let's play chess
moppa (1708) vs. grietje (1715)
Annotated by:
moppa (1200)
Chess opening:
Petrov (C43), modern attack, main line
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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6
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Petrov's Defence is sometimes considered somewhat dull; indeed it's strong drawing weapon in - for example - Kramik's hands. For lower-rated players, to whom draws are rarer it should offer chances for both sides though. As should any other opening. |
 
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3. d4
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3.Nxe5 d6 is considered mainline - maybe it is the pawn formation that arises after ...Nxe4 (equal number of pawns for each wing) that has given the drawish reputation for the opening. |
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3... exd4
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3...Nxe4 is another option |
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4. e5 Bb4+
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This is an interesting move but unfortunately bad, too. Black gets some pawn for the piece, but the compensation is inaquate as black will find it hard to complete his queenside developement. 4...Ne4 is the normal move, when white can play 5.Qxd4 or 5.Bb5!? |
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5. c3 dxc3 6. bxc3 Qe7 7. cxb4 Qxb4+
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Black could have castled and started normal developement with ...Nc6 and ...d6. Objectively this is equally good, but then again, then black would simply play piece down. At least this brings some chaos on the board. |
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8. Nbd2
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I think this is the strongest. White is ready to haras the queen with Rb1, controls e4 and gives queen bishop the possibility to take residence at the long diagonal. |
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8... Ng4
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The most active square for the knight |
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9. Be2
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I thought this move for a long time, and my thoughts went something like this: As the e5 pawn is likely to be removed and black is ready to castle, I didn't want to give black any free tempi by playing Rf8-e8 with a check. I considered 9.Bc4 with the threat of Ng4 but I wanted to answer ...Qc5 with Ne4, but the bishop on c4 would then be en prisé. |
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9... O-O
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Black had many options here and as this move lands black in trouble, maybe should've played e6 or Nc6. |
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10. Rb1
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I was very fond of the idea of activating pieces by harassing the queen rather than play safe with 0-0, when black could get his queenside developed. It is true that black will pick a pawn or two, but I had no intention of going into an endgame where queenside pawns mattered. After analysing some variations I deceided that white can build such an activity, that it just must be enough. |
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10... Qc5
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threatens mate and attacks e5-pawn twice.... |
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11. Ne4
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A lot more active than 11.0-0 and probably better
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11... Qa5+
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It's pf course temting to pick another pawn, but maybe black should start rounding the e-pawn with 11...Qe7. |
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12. Bd2
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The bishop is still aiming for the long diagonal, but this allows b2 rook to lift smoothly. The a-pawn is off little importance, as white will be able to swift his forces towards the black king. |
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12... Qxa2 13. h3
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Black's only active piece gets now kicked away. This move contains a pawn sacrife as black has a little tactical resource here |
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13... Nxe5
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13...Nh6 14.Bxh6 would be extremely unpleasant. |
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14. Nxe5 Qd5
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This piece of tactic regains the piece but loses some time. |
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15. Rb4
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! This and the next move makes Nf6 sacrifice a terrible threat. |
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15... Qxe5
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15...c4 fails: 16.Ng5! with the point that 16...cxb4 17.Nf6 wins the queen. |
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16. Bc3
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And now black will pay the price of moving his queen eight times of total 16 moves. It really does not matter where the queen moves. |
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