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1. e4
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My second annotation now and I've gone for a game with one of my favourite lines played. My opponent starts with 1. e4 and as I play it myself, I've seen enough of it to be comfortable replying with 1... e5. |
 
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1... e5 2. Nf3
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Fairly standard move that attacks the pawn on e5 and also the d4 square. |
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2... Nc6
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2... Nc6 to counter the white Knight on f3. |
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3. Bc4
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Attacking black's weak spot on f7 and securing d5 in the centre. |
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3... Nf6
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Now, we have the Two Knights opening with black developing another his second piece to attack e4 and d5. |
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4. Ng5
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A very attacking move from white, attacking the weak spot on f7. A reasonably popular choice, and one I like to choose to play myself. |
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4... d5
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The most popular response to 4. Ng5 is 4... d5 giving us the Two Knights Defence (Ulvestad variation). The pawn protects f7 from the threat of the bishop. I've also had 4... Bc5 played against me a few times and it makes for an interesting game. |
2 comments
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5. exd5
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The pawn blocks the path of the bishop to f7 still, allowing black time to counter the threat. 5. Bxd5 is a blunder due to 5... Nxd5 6. exd5 Qxg5 7. dxc6 Qxg2. |
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5... Na5
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Black had a few responses to this. Among them, 5... Nxd5 (which can lead to the Lolli and Fegatello variations) and 5...b4, but my favourite response is 5... Na5. |
2 comments
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6. Bb5+
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Seems to be white's best available move, using the check to keep up the pace. |
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6... c6
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Protects the check and attacks the bishop! |
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7. dxc6
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Forced really, as white is giving up too much if he doesn't take. |
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7... bxc6
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7... Nxc6 would be a mistake as it is too slow and creates an unnecessary pin on the knight. 7. bxc6 attacks the bishop directly. |
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8. Qf3
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Developing the queen and delays moving the bishop due to the threat of 8. cxb5 Qxa8. I have found from experience that Black's aim in this opening is to defend and force white back, sacrificing pawns in the centre to gain time on white and launch a counter-attack. |
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8... Be7
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I've seen several different replies to this situation... Rb8, Bb7, Bd7... I like to go with Be7. It gives up the weak c-pawn, trading the flank knight for a bishop with 9. Bxc6 Nxc6 10. Qxc6 Bd7. Black forces back the queen and gains more time for his attack... |
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9. Nc3 O-O
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White chose to turn down the c-pawn and develop another piece. I took the safe option and went with castling... I very nearly chose to play Bg4, but my king has been in the centre too long. |
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10. Bd3 g6
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10. Bd3 attacks the h7 pawn and 10... g6 was my chosen defence. |
2 comments
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11. O-O Nd5
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I chose to centralise my knight in an attempt to force the knight on g5 to a worse position, while better utilising mine. |
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12. Nxd5
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A mistake? It strengthens both central pawns and allows for e4, with an attack still on I'm not sure what white's best move here is. Nh3 doesn't seem a great place to have a knight. Nge4 looks more obvious but could be prone to an attack by 12...f5. |
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12... cxd5 13. Nh3 e4
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Fork on the queen and bishop that results in winning a bishop for two pawns, putting it at a net of three pawns. |
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