Annotated chess game: Scandinavian Defence (3.. Qd6)

ANNOTATED GAME

Scandinavian Defence (3.. Qd6)
maletaja (1986) vs. longtail99 (1915)
Annotated by: longtail99 (1922)
Chess opening: Scandinavian (B01), Pytel-Wade variation

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1. e4	Part of my series of annotations explaining the Scandinavian Defence, 1.e4 d5
	2 comments loreta (2132) on 07-Feb-10: I see that - and where are others? longtail99 (1922) on 07-Feb-10: Others include gameknot.com gameknot.com gameknot.com Browse annotated games against my user profile


1... d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6	The modern alternative to ..Qa5



4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 a6	The queen on d6 is vulnerable to tactics involving Nb5, so ..a6 is almost always played in ..Qd6 systems



6. Bd3 Bg4	A line that leads to sharp play. 6.. g6 is a popular alternative



7. O-O Nc6 8. Ne4	The alternative 8. h3 is also good



8... Nxe4 9. Bxe4 f5	?! Gameknot is good for trying experiments. This move looks totally counterintuitive with black's backward e-pawn.. but he is not totally crazy. The idea is to gambit the e- pawn (in the game 15.. e5), meanwhile black castles queenside, and either wins the pawn back by doubling major pieces on the e-file or plays ..g5 and gets strong pressure against the white king. What follows is a lesson in why ..f5 is not a good move
	3 comments lighttotheright (1200) on 04-Feb-10: 9. ... f5 is not really that bad of a move. Honestly, in this position there are not many good choices for black, period. In my humble opinion, 3. ... Qd6 was a lot worse. I never liked this line as black and generally have no problem defeating it. I prefer 3. ... Qa5 lines, but abandoned Scandinavian Defense a long time ago once I figured out how to consistently beat it. ** However reverse Scandinavian is viable in certain situations. So it is still worth learning. I've used the reverse form to defeat some people here on GK. ** A better move than f5 might have been 9. ... g6 (just a suggestion). loreta (2132) on 07-Feb-10: My suggestion is e6 .... I play so in similar positions (but without Queen at d6) longtail99 (1922) on 12-Feb-10: Andrew Martin IM is one enthusiast for 3..Qd6. There are other highly rated players playing this line (but not regularly). I don't usually think in terms of "beating" the Scandinavian lighttotheright. There is only good and bad chess. I disagree with 9..g6 on the principle that it seems incompatible with ..Bg4. If black wanted to play ..g6, better at move 6 where he can then choose where to place his light square bishop


10. Bxc6+ Qxc6 11. d5 Qf6	This is my novelty. Black's plan is ..O-O-O, ..e5, ..Rd8, ..g5 (supported by the queen on f6 and the purpose of this move)
	3 comments no_genius (1909) on 03-Feb-10: but after O-O-O, the rook is already on d8 longtail99 (1922) on 03-Feb-10: My mistake. After ..e5, de en-passant, ..Re8 nuntar (1702) on 06-Jun-10: Why? Why not ...e5, dxe6 ep, Rxd1?


12. h3 Bh5 13. Qd3 Bxf3	White has given back a tempo, so black takes the knight. This allows black to play ..g5 later
	2 comments loreta (2132) on 07-Feb-10: I'm not sure about counting tempos, but that taking of Knight gives good opportunities to start a direct attack against White king... (as one of defenders is eliminated) longtail99 (1922) on 10-Feb-10: Yes, black always intended to take the knight loreta. But he uses tempo as a trigger for when


14. Qxf3 O-O-O 15. Re1 e5	?! But consistent with the plan
	2 comments lighttotheright (1200) on 04-Feb-10: Any other move would have been a disaster. In my humble opinion, the line played with moves 14 and 15 was best. Perhaps the word 'disaster' is a bit too strong. longtail99 (1922) on 10-Feb-10: Indeed, as mentioned its part of his plan from 9..f5


16. dxe6 e.p. Re8 17. Qe3 Kb8 18. Bd2	The move black overlooked. Winning for white, and disrupts all black's counterplay involving ..g5 due to the threat of Bc3 (black queen and rook would be exposed to a skewer)
	2 comments lighttotheright (1200) on 04-Feb-10: 16. ... Re8 was unnecessary. The e pawn looks scary but it is already covered indirectly. Better would have been 16. ... Bb4 17.c3 Bd6. **** After the line as played in the game, 18. ... Bd6 and Black still has chances. longtail99 (1922) on 12-Feb-10: 16.. Bb4 is interesting, and my preferred move if I'd considered 18. Bd2


18... h5	Feeble in comparison to ..g5, but black's idea is to create an escape square on h6 for his queen behind the h-pawn. This position is already lost for black
	2 comments lighttotheright (1200) on 04-Feb-10: I disagree. Your 18. ... h5 was far better than g5. Why? ... the skewer with 19.Bc3. **** Again 18. ... Bd6 and you still had a game although a tough one. longtail99 (1922) on 12-Feb-10: As per annotation for move 18. However the plan of ..h5 is feeble compared to those black intended with ..g5. With ..g5 prevented, the whole point of black playing ..f5 line is suspect in my opinion


19. Bc3 Qh6 20. Rad1 Bd6	I played this move, and I could already see tactics involving Rxd6 later, but there is little better



21. Rd5 f4 22. Qe4 Re7 23. Rxd6 cxd6 24. Bb4 Rd8 25. Qd5 f3	Keeps alive a small hope of tactics on white's back rank.
	1 comment lighttotheright (1200) on 04-Feb-10: 23. Rxd6 was a very interesting sacrifice that should have been analyzed and commented on.


26. Bxd6+ Ka8 27. c4	Threatening c5 to protect the bishop



27... Qg6	Looking at tactics involving ..Qb1+



28. g3 h4 29. g4	Logical. Killing all black's counterplay on the kingside.



29... Ree8 30. b4 Qc2 31. Re3 Qb1+ 32. Kh2 Qxa2 33. Rxf3 Qa4 34. b5 Qa5 35. Rf7 Qb6 36. c5 Qxb5 37. e7	Black resigns
	1 comment lighttotheright (1200) on 04-Feb-10: I respect the fact that you chose a game you lost to annotate. It was an interesting game. Thank you.