ANNOTATED GAME

The power of mobility - An expert win -
a_random_guy (1796) vs. offshoremann (2032)
Annotated by: a_random_guy (1985)
Chess opening: KP (B00), Nimzovich defence, Marshall gambit
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Pages: 123
Hello everyone! In this game, I sacrifice a piece early on to jam my opponent's position, resulting in my first expert win on gameknot. Game analysis here: http://gameknot.com/analyze-board.pl?bd=17489031&rnd=0.3967515980264382
1. e4
I start the game with e4, which partially occupies the center and allows a few of my pieces to come out..

 
1... Nc6
My opponent replies with the Nimzovich Defence, which is seldom seen compared to the king's pawn game, the sicilian or the french defence.

 
2. d4 d5 3. e5
Main line so far.

 
3... Rb8
!? Black throws the opening book out of the window with this move. He either prepares a future b7-b5 push or places his rook on a open file in case I would play Bb5 followed by Bxc6 later I guess. It is not a bad move by any means. More commonly played is 3...Bf5.
2 comments
 
4. Nf3 h5
Black tries to expand to the kingside, I guess.
1 comment
 
5. Bg5
However, Black's last move he can't play pawn to h6 anymore, so I place my bishop there to pressurize the kingside.
2 comments
 
5... f6
Black tries to chase my bishop away...
2 comments
 
6. Qd3
!? But I have other ideas! My queen aims for the g6 square, where it will deliver a nasty check to the black king.
2 comments
 
6... fxg5
!? Black accepts the sacrifice and allows the dreaded 7.Qg6+. The position is about equal according to the computer.
3 comments
 
7. Qg6+ Kd7 8. e6+
! I force the king toward the middle.

 
8... Kd6 9. Nxg5
Here, I threaten a nice royal fork/checkmate with 10.Nf7#. Black is forced to play 9...Nh6.

 
9... Nh6 10. c3
!! The position is very critical. Take a look at the position. Which black pieces can move? Which one can't? The kingside has been completely shut down; The h6 knight can't move or else I play 11.Nf7#, the f8 bishop is stuck behind two black which are themselves blocked by my pieces, The h8 rook CAN move! To g8 and h8 back and forth, accomplishing absolutely nothing. What about the queenside? The black queen can't move without being captured next turn, the c8 bishop can't go anywhere (10...Bxe6?? 11.Qxe6#), the b8 rook isn't doing much (but is better than his kingside counterpart) and the king is stuck on d6. The only available moves that help are moving the a pawn, the b pawn, or the knight. I didn't want the knight to capture on d4, thus it is why I played 10.c3. The main question here is: Can Black get out of trouble safely? What do you think, reader?
3 comments
 
10... b5
Black reasonably tries to open the queenside to open up some space for his pieces. Gameknot's analysis engine thinks the position is equal.
1 comment
 
11. f4
? The main idea behind this move was to get to f5 to further support my e6 pawn, but it doesn't quite work. Better here according to the engine was 11.Nd2 leading to 11...Na5 12. Ndf3 Kc6 13. Ne5+ Kb6 14. Ngf7 Nxf7 15. Nxf7 Qe8 16. Nxh8 Qxg6 17. Nxg6 Bxe6 18. Nxf8 Rxf8, with a two point advantage for white...
1 comment
 
11... Na5 12. b4 Nc4 13. Bxc4
I can't allow that knight to live. I need the control of e5 later, as it is a very strong knight outpost.
2 comments
 
13... bxc4
I am two points down in material and my opponent threatens to unlock his position. What to do?

 
14. Qxh6
! What else? I think it is the only way to stay in the game.

 
14... Rxh6 15. Nf7+ Kxe6 16. Nxd8+
I recover my queen with check. Material is equal. Even though my knight looks trapped behind the enemy lines, it can't be captured, no matter what Black plays for now.
1 comment
 
16... Kd7 17. Nf7 Rf6
A nice fork, but I can move my knight with check.

 
18. Ne5+ Kd6 19. O-O
Now that most of the available tactics are gone, it is time to play positionally. What are the current standings? Material is equal, I have two knight against Black's bishops, there are many holes in Black's camp and both players has to get their remaining pieces out. I think I have a slight advantage here.
2 comments
 

Pages: 123