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1. b4
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This was a very lucky win for me, as my opponent missed a complicated winning combination at the end. This game didn't have very auspicious start for me. I was late. I couldn't find the venue, even though I had played there before. It was about 8 pm when I arrived. I hoped to be able to rattle through a few moves of theory without really thinking, but my opponent had played 1. b4, the Polish (Sokolsky) opening (A00) - also known as the Orangutan Opening - a complete surprise, and I had to start thinking for myself right from the start. Not what I wanted! |
 
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1... e5
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I remember in the Sixth form of King's School, Chester, Martin Lee telling me that 1....c6 refutes 1. b4 and showing me the line 1. b4 c6 2. Bb2 Qb6 3. a3 a5 but I am not convinced that it is best for black to neglect development like that. I follow another path - what I found out later to be the most common reply.
Martin sadly died at a young age. http://www.hackneychess.org.uk/node/538 |
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2. Bb2
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He attacks my pawn. |
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2... f6
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I defend it. |
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3. e4
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He decides to sacrifice his d pawn, for the sake of quick development. |
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3... Bxb4
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So I take. |
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4. Bc4
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He develops, threatening to regain the pawn by taking the knight with his bishop on g8 and then playing Qh5+ after my rook recapture. |
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4... Ne7
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So this seemed the best way to stopping that. |
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5. Qh5+
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He plays the check anyway. |
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5... Ng6
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I block with my knight. |
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6. Nf3
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Normal development - but at this stage I was frightened of him playing Nf3-h4 next move. |
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6... Ke7
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This looks most odd, but I wanted to break the pin for the reasons given above. Almost as soon as I had played it I saw that Nc6 was better, preparing Nc-e7 to back up my Ng6. Interestingly Fritz also likes a king move, but likes Kf8 instead. No human player playing black has moved the king at this stage - it looks madness to give up castling rights like this - but perhaps it is not so bad. You will see shortly why I decided to move my king to e7 rather than f8. |
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7. O-O
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He obviously hadn't expected the king move, and at least it had the benefit of slowing him down. Up to now he had been moving virtually instantly. After his think, he just calmly castled, planning to open up the centre and get at my king. |
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7... d6
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But I have plans too, one of which is Be6 to blunt his Bc4, which is why I played my king to e7 not f8. |
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8. d4
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So this is part of his plan to open up the centre. |
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8... Be6
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I carry on with my plan. Fritz prefers Qe8. |
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9. Nbd2
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He develops, protecting his Bc4. Stop - find black's next move. |
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9... Nf4
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Did you see it? part of a combination of moves to pick up a second pawn. |
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10. Qh4
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So the queen drops back, pinning my f pawn. |
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10... Bxd2
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This is part of my plan, although Fritz likes 10....g7-g5 instead, and if 11. Qh6 then 11....Qf8. Although it looks crazy to throw forward king-side pawns like that, but this variation does seem to force the queens off, leaving me a pawn up, so it probably was better than what I played. |
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(2140)