Annotated chess game

Although 7.a4 was OK perhaps even interesting, 7. Re1 is still considered best to my knowledge. In fact a4 is usually good eventually in this opening, but I'm not sure whether it is proper here. An interesting debate could transpire on this point. **** I am sure that 8.d3 was weak. Better would have been 8.d4. It would have been much more active. At the same time your opponent gave it back with ... a5. Better would have been to castle.

It seems that Black was not so well advised to close the Q-side as he has.

11. ...Bg4 is not too bad and very tempting, but it's not best. The action is currently along the b file because of White's 11.c3. Better might have been ... Rb8 or Bd7 instead. 11. ... Bg4 may be just a little bit too aggressive IMHO.

Another option was 11...Be6, with some action along the a2-g8 diagonal.

12.Ne3 was good and the point that indicates that 11. ...Bg4 was a little off.

13.Qe2 was a bit off the mark. Better is 13.Bd2 which is consistent with the primary action along the a and b files. ***** 14.Bd1 Why? 14.Bc4 is much stronger and gets the bishop in front of the pawn structure where it belongs. ***** 14. ... bxc3 or d5 and Black would have had a slight advantage. ***** 15.Nd5 instead captures a good temporary outpost and opens up the action for the bishop on c1. Qd2 is only a second choice.

I guess you could sum up this last sequence of moves (from White's point of view) as consistent (to break the pin) but a bit slow. Black has used the interim to place his rooks on more promising files.

Bf8 is often a very good strategic move for defense in the Ruy Lopez. The reasons are not tactically obvious but it is true. ***** White is using too many moves to regroup. The pin on the knight at f3 was not nearly that serious. White is not subjugated to playing a defensive game.

knight.

Now is the time for Black to make the pawn break 16...d5!

Now Black is wasting time. 16. ... d5 and Black may have been able to squeeze out a narrow win. ***** White should have considered 17.cxb4 and Black should have considered 17. ... bxc3. ***** 18.Nf5 was a solid alternative to 18.cxb4 which should also have been considered - possibly preferred. 18.Nd5 would have been interesting too.

The trade favors white and equalizes the game. 18. ...d5 and Black would still have an advantage; but he didn't see it earlier so it wouldn't be expect now either.

19. ... Ne7 was a poor move and deserves a ? mark. Now White is completely out of trouble and has an advantage.

Mind you, White could have left the tangle of pieces in the middle of Black's game and played 20.Ng3...

21.Be3 is a move to simply develop without a whole lot of purpose. Bd2 would have been better but 21.cxb4 was still called for. Black must have seen cxb4 because he played c5 prematurely to shut it down. ***** Joanne - It's rarely a good idea to place your Queen in telescopic harms way like you did with move 22.

Black is now playing like he has a purpose.

Now, if Black could just manoeuvre his knight to d4...  

27.f3?? should have lost the game. Instead, 27.Qe1 would have protected your assets while you could still defend yourself.

The suggested 27.Qe1 was not just a defensive move, either. The threat is 28.Bd2 to drive off the b4-rook and snaffle the a-pawn. An I were Black, I would have tried 26...Nd7 in the hope of 'getting in' ...Nf8...e6...d5. It can be stopped betimes, though, by Bg4 at the right moment.

This may seem ominous but really it is a mistake. Alekhine's Gun is not always the best idea. The position can be defended by White and is now roughly equal. Any trade on b3 favors White. Black needs minor pieces involved in the attack. One way to maintain an advantage is a little obtuse: 27. ...Nh7 with the idea of bringing the Bishop safely to g5.

Or 27...Nd7. Either knight move also has in mind to bring this piece eventually to d4 via f8 and e6. The bishop on g5 would disrupt White's activity on the central dark squares, and inhibit a possible pawn advance to f4.

I like 27...Nh7 as well

Here is a more detailed explanation as to why 27. f3?? should have been the loser from lighttotheright:- "Nh7 was far superior to Nd7 for a number of reasons. Nh7 temporarily covered the g5 outpost for the bishop. The likely play would have been an exchange of the bishops on g5. This would remove a White defender while allowing the Knight to get to the important d4. If White refuses the exchange, then the bishop is still in an attacking position (an advantage for Black because of possible play along the c file while using his pawn as a lever). Regardless, the Knight can still get to d4 through f8 & e6. What does this do? It creates an Eternal Knight for black deep inside White's territory. Typically, an Eternal knight on its own is enough to force a winning position. I haven't figured out every last detail, but I don't have to. I know from experience that the advantage is significant and real. Combine the Eternal Knight with Alekhine's Gun - which is what the resulting position does - and Black definitely should have enough to win outright. The positional advantage should be overwhelming, especially with the vulnerable Queen on c3. As for dealing with the defending bishop on d1, play on the c file would subdue the power of that piece. Black can use the threat of Alekhine's Gun rather than actually doing it. The threat of a move is often more important than the move itself. What does 27. f3 have to do with any of this? It opens up attacking lines for Black against the White King. You might say that it is OK because of the bishop on e3; but a Black bishop on g5 takes care of that defender. Your King is now extremely vulnerable to a move by Black Qc6 (creating Alekhine's Gun at the very same time). Now combine that with an eternal knight on d4! White should be 'Toast'."

Nice moves and accurate assessment.

Black is still neglecting his minor pieces and attacking with 3 pieces while White is defending with 5, not counting the King. It's a losing proposition for Black.

I'm not sure Black could touch his minor pieces during this series. But I think the rook capture on d3 was preferable, despite the nasty looking pin that ensues: 30...Rxd3 31.Be2 Rbxb3! 32.Rcb1!? (Rab1!?) ...Qa8 33.Bxd3 Rxd3 and Black seems to have some play for the exchange deficit. ####### Having gone a few moves ahead, I was surprised to see Black's 32...Nh5 (expecting 32...d4), but then it occurred to me that the move might have been useful earlier, and that this might have been what lighttotheright meant. So, instead of capturing on d3, a pawn that is attacked twice and has no defenders at all, could Black afford to leave the pawn for one move and play 30...Nh5, with the idea of coming in at f4 to attack d3 a third time? True, the pawn can then be defended by a bishop... Let's see: 30...Nh5 31.Bc3 Rxd3 32.Bc2 (32.Be2? Nxe2+) 32...Nf4 and White doesn't want to take on d3 on account of the ensuing fork. If White defends d3 first, the knight still comes in at f4: 31.Bc2 Nf4 etc. An interesting idea that seems to give Black at least some counterplay for the likely loss of the exchange.