Annotated chess game

mine too

This is the Sicilian Defence (closed) as I was trying to explain.

This is most likely to lead to a Closed sicilian, but the thing can yet transpose into the Open line.

Openings must be used with the greatest of care. What you do in the opening (where developement occurrs) will affect you in the middle game, and what you do in the middle game will affect you in the endgame, and what you do then is going to be the result. It is a chain reaction, and if you ignore the book (which I do especially in the Sicilian Defence) you'll only come up with mistakes (unless on very rare occasions). Sometimes, there can be opening traps, but it's only after the book where opening mistakes are played. Read Bruce Pandolfini's "Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps" for more on this topic.

There is much in what both of you say in re the Opening. Yet one is inclined to point out the downside of this Bishop move. White's control over d5 is very conditional, and it is Black's e6-pawn that is imposing those conditions. Meanwhile, any ideas the Bishop has concerning the f7-square are stymied by that same pawn. Finally, where it stands the Bishop can be targeted as a lever for Black's thematic Q-side expansion (...a6, ...b5). This is not by any means to say 3.Bc4 is a bad move. However, many players, up to the highest levels, would tend to be put off by these negatives. Instead, 3.d3, 3, g3, 3.Nf3, 3.Ne2 were all good alternatives. 3.Bb5 was worth a look, too.

This till a fine move that develops a piece onto a good square. White should harbour no fears concerning the possibility of 4...Nd4....

Why d3? I though Nxd4 cxd4 Nb5 would be better and if e5 then f4. exf4 Nxd4 d5 Bb5+ Bd7 Bxd7 Qxd7 exd5 Qxd5 Nf3 and the knight has a nice out post and white can Castle onto the half open K-Side with pressure on the f pawn. White is undeveloped on the q-side but the same goes for black on the k-side. With the Black queen in the centre white can attack it and gain tempi. Also the black Q-Side is wide open and so white can pressure it with attack down with the Q-Side pawns. However white doesn't need to gain the pawn back as quickly in the that line which has a few problems. I believe that by developing on the q-side rather than trying to regain the pawn and will then pick it up later.

But that doesn't mae this bishop move bad, either: it's fine, in fact. But White might have considered 6.a4, to hold back Black's Q-side, or else just castle.

7. Bxd4? cxd4 and now white has two pieces under attack.

The bishop isn't all that badly placed, as it falls back to b3. Black doesn't have a 'Noah's Ark Trap' available by 7.Bb3 c4, as White's d-pawn covers the critical c4-square. Nor need white concern himself with a possible knight capture on b3, as axb3 'doubles towards the centre' (i.e. the doubled pawns are no particular inconvenience to White) whilst the opened a-file would be a permanent long-term asset.

Nope: I'm at a loss... Actually, the move looks fairly risky, to me.

To remove the d4-Knight you would have to take with the Bishop, as 9.Nxd4 leads to all kinds of mayhem: 9.Nxd4 cxd4 (or 9...bxc3 10.Nf3 cxb2) 10.Nd5 exd5 11.Bxd5 dxe3 12.Bxa8 exf2ch with a complete shambles. Given the scateered positions of both sides, Black's slight meterial edge suggests he would have the better of things. Otherwise 9.Bxd4 cxd4 10.Ne2 looks OK for White. But it doesn't look bad now. either.

Taking toward the center is the best idea. I don't need to worry about castling; I can always do that on the Queenside later. The f-pawns will be beneficial to me until the endgame. Besides, I will be ready for Rg1 with no problems.

Well, yeah, there is that. But White should simply castle short, shove the King into the corner, then bring his rooks to the g-file.

In exchange, after 11.d4 cxd4 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.Bd4, 1.My Queenside is freed; 2. 13...Bc5 14.Qd2 and I can finally castle and bring out my hyper Rooks.

To get castled is not worth a whole piece. The line suggested does, however, give White a decided lead in development. But would that be enough? Black's 13...Bc5?! might not be his best way to go, as 14.Bxg7 Bxf2ch 15.Kf1 Bh4 16.Qe2 (preventing the mate threatened at e2) ...Bf6 17.Bxh8 Bxh8 brings material back to a rough equality, and a game very hard to call. However, 14.Qd2 in reply to 13...Bc5 simply leads to 14...Bxd4 and White would be TWO pieces down, and probably losing.

Yes: Black really doesn't have time for this. Taking on d4 was correct (either pawn, though I'd favour the c).

I prefer this capture; the rook move can wait... If Black plays ...Qg2 - Ooo, look: he does!

Why not keep both?

I see. 13.Ng3 saves both pieces.

13.Ng3 was also possible, and I think preferable. Black should play 13...Qxf3 I think. After 13...Qxh2, Black could have got into a real mess...

The answer is ... maybe not aggressive enough! Much more aggressive was 14.Bxf7ch!? with the idea 14...Kxf7 15.Qd5ch and 16.Qxa8. If Black tries to decline the bishop, White can build a very nasty attack based on Qd6ch; Qd5 and castling long. Note that the latter not only reinforces White central operations, but threatens to trap the enemy Queen by Rh1. White would have a mighty game. You could also change the move order by 14.Qd5!, which, on second thoughts, is probably the more accurate continuation, as after 14...Ra7 or ...Rb8, 15.Qxf7ch Kd8 16.Qxf8ch White has won a whole piece and the attack still rages on.