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1. e4
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Although this game is not the most accurate I have ever played, it was very entertaining to play. Annotations with help of Shredder Classic 2. |
 
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1... d5 2. e5
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This basically allows me a French Defense without the shut-in light squared bishop. |
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2... Bf5 3. d4 e6 4. Bd3 Bxd3 5. Qxd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2
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The logical follow up to this move would be to castle kingside then play for f4-f5, but White never gets around to this. Shredder recommends Nf3 instead. |
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7... cxd4
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Black has already equalized. |
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8. cxd4 Nge7 9. O-O Qb6
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Aiming at the weak b-pawn and discouraging the bishop from moving, but the computer didn't like this move, recommending 9...Nf5 instead. ...Nf5 allows Black to castle more quickly, and as it turns out, Black's queenside play is much more powerful with the rooks connected. |
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10. b3
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A weakness has been provoked in the queenside, but it is far easier for Black to create this weakness than to exploit it. |
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10... Nf5 11. Bb2 Nb4
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Though this move isn't particularly bad, 11...Be7 would have been better, White is cramped and Black certainly has time to castle. |
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12. Qd1 Rc8
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The fact that this rook is undefended takes away some of the power of the threats... |
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13. Nd2
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...as ...Nc2 runs into Rc1. |
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13... Be7 14. Nf3 O-O 15. Nc3 Nc6
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Pressuring d4 and hoping to tie White's pieces down to this pawn's defense. |
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16. Ne2 a6 17. a3 Rc7
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The computer recommended 17...f6 for me here. I actually considered this pawn break during the game to try to free up space for my pieces, but I wasn't comfortable with the very weak backwards pawn on e6, especially with that file semi-open. Even knowing the computer's recommendation, I still would play the move I played. The open c-file is the main battleground of this middlegame, and I want to do everything in my power to control it. |
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18. b4 Rfc8 19. Rc1 a5
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Trying to open, and then control, the b file as well. |
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20. Bc3 axb4 21. axb4 Bxb4
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Taking this pawn was a risky decision that considerably sharpens the game. In exchange for the pawn, White gets control of the b-file and one nasty pin. |
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22. Qb3 Qa5 23. Rca1 Bxc3
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The computer says that Black should not have quite enough compensation for the queen, and that ...Qb5 would be better, but I was not sure I would be able to hold onto the bishop after moves like Rgb1. I do get a rook, bishop and a pawn for the queen, which is technically considered even material, and attempt to set up a fortress. |
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24. Rxa5 Bxa5 25. g4 Nfe7 26. h4
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White correctly probes for kingside weaknesses, as Black's pieces are trapped on the queenside and ill-suited to defend against kingside threats. |
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26... h6 27. Ng3 Kh7
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...Nb4 would have been better. |
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28. Qd3+ g6 29. h5 Kg7
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...Nb4 still should have been played. Black needs to get his pieces out and harassing the queen. |
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30. hxg6 fxg6 31. Kg2
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Preparing to move the rook to the h-file. Black needs to act fast unless he wants to get swiftly mated. |
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31... Nb4 32. Qe3 Nc2 33. Qb3 Nb4 34. Rh1 Rc7c3 35. Qa4
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White still has the advantage here, although his moves are getting harder to find as Black's collection of pieces are suddenly well coordinated. I remembered Fischer's famous "Game of the Century" against Donald Byrne as an example of how Black should act in such a situation. |
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35... Nec6 36. Qb5
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This is the point where White loses his advantage and where Black gets an advantage that is, according to Shredder, already winning. White still would have had a significant advantage had he played 36.Ne2. |
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