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1. e4
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The was a strange game, with the advantage swinging from one side to the other, with neither side able to capitalise on our opportunities. In the end it came down to the old chess adage: “The winner of the game is the player who makes the next-to-last mistake” (Savielly Tartakover) |
 
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1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4
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The scotch game. I faced this opening several times against one of the top players in my chess club. My database shows that it is fairly even with all 3 outcomes (0-1, 1-0, 1/2) around 33% each, slightly in favour of white. |
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3... exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4
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A strange looking move but the 3rd most commonly played. Attacking the e4 pawn, and will win the pawn after something like; 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 Qxd4. However white will have good attacking chances in exchange for the pawn. |
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5. Bc4
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This is an early mistake, giving me a free pawn early on. Although the lead in development gives slight compensation. |
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5... Qxe4+ 6. Qe2 Qxe2+ 7. Nxe2
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With an extra pawn I was happy to exchange queens, and remove any chance of quick counterplay. After this mass of action both sides will look to develop as quickly as possible. |
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7... Nf6 8. Nbc3 Bd6 9. Bg5
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This move threatens to double the f-pawns, but can easily be met by Ng4, however I thought I could see a better move... |
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9... Be5
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...That turned out to be a complete blunder. Over the next few moves my opponent takes a large lead in development and in position, that gives him good attacking chances |
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10. f4
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A good move; If 10...Bd6 then 11. Bxf6 gxf6 leaves me with doubled isolated pawns, a positional nightmare. |
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10... Bxc3+ 11. Nxc3 Ng8
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Once again I overlooked Ng4, fearing the knight would struggle to make it's way back to my side. This was unfounded as Ng4-e3-f5 is useable, although wastes a lot of time with the knight. |
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12. O-O-O
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This looks like a good aggressive move, however fails to take advantage of hte undefended c7 pawn, which cannot be easily defended (Kd8 blocked off by the bishop) And so the best move would have been either Nd5 or Nb5. |
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12... f6
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Driving away the bishop, and so allowing the king to move to d8, and so removes the threat of Nd5 completely. |
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13. Rde1+
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A nice zwischenzug (inbetween move) before retreating the bishop white activates his rook to the open file with check. |
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13... Nge7 14. Bh4 d6
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With my pinned knight and with 2 bishops and a rook lurking ominously i try to get my last piece out and look to castle to safety if given the chance. |
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15. h3
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White wants to make the pawn thrust g4, so this is a prepatory move, however it is rather slow, and white could have played g4 straight away, as after 15. g4 Bxg4 16. Rhg1 h5 17. h3 Bd2 18. Rxg7, the position looks very much in whites favour. |
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15... Bf5
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Better would have been Bd7, as Bf5 allows white to play g4 with a tempo as it forces the bishop to retreat. |
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16. g4 Bd7
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Bg6 would have been better, looking to move Bf5-g6-f7 to try and remove one of whites aggressive pieces |
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17. g5 Rf8
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a stunningly bad move. It would have been better to play fxg5 and deal with the extra pressure from the bishop after Bxg5. Rf8 should cost a pawn after
18. gxf6 gxf6 19. Nd5! (attacking both c7 and f6 pawns) Kd8 20.Bxf6 and the pawn is lost and the knight is re-pinned by the bishop. |
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18. Re3
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Played to double rooks on the e-file after Rhe1, and is a logical plan, however missing the massive opportunity to win back the pawn and gain a far superior position, makes this another fantastic blunder |
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18... O-O-O
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I take the opportunity to move my king to safey and simultaneously protect the c7 pawn and release the e7 knight. |
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19. Bg3
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A blunder that is difficult to understand, perhaps with the king moved to a new position white is repositioning the bishop to a more aggressive spot, however it is hidden by his own pawn, and looks straight into my d6 pawn. A better move would be to take the f6 pawn, then move the bishop back to f2, a considerably better square for the bishop. My next combination proves to be a real knightmare for white (pun intended) |
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