Annotated chess game

Broadly speaking: the Modern defence. Also goes by the name Kotov-Robatsch-Ufimtsev. It's actually not bad in the hands of a subtle, counter-punching sort of player.

But this is something else entirely. Or should I say this is nothing else altogether? Weakening and provocative, this nameless opening would be played only by someone who likes to live, shall we say, on the edge.

Too conservative, but otherwise quite playable.

Trying for a cheapo. But it does demonstrate the risky nature of Black's second move.

Better than ...gxh5, but this also weakens the light squares on the Q-side. Black will have to take care! The upside is that White has to lose time with his bishop.

An alternative idea was to play 5.Bf3 instead, with a masked battery against the a8-rook.

Trying to exploit the weakened light squares. But the move is too soon, and this is the fourth move by the bishop. Now, ...c6 or ...Bd7 will be very annoying...

Having invested 5 moves in the bishop, White sees his investment vanish, like the South Sea Bubble - sorry, the Housing Bubble.

But Black is not too badly placed to attack on the K-side after ...Nh6 and ...Bg7.

Judgement call.

Black ought not to have opened the centre. Instead 12...Bh6 (13.Bxh6 Nxh6) was the way to go.

Saw rook; forgot about the knight, yes? Instead 14.exd5 was fine.

No.

Maybe. I prefer something like 16.f4, myself.

Centralizing: this is a good square for the knight.

After 17.Bf4, a clever reply would have been 17...Nf3ch 18.gxf3 Bxf4 19.fxg4 hxg4 20.Qxg4 Bxh2ch 21.Kg2 Ne7, threatening to win the queen by 22....Rg8.

Good move! Though a piece down, White must have very nearly an even game, now. Black dare not take the e-pawn, and 21.Re1 is threatened anyway