Annotated chess game

that was a nice move and might of gone unnoticed to a novice player. It happens. but not likely in this game.

The trouble is, you can't rely on your opponent 'not noticing' something. That's playing for a loss. You look at elyhim's threats so far. He counts on White seeing them so that in dealing with them Black can carry out his real plans.

The real threat is 13. ...Qa5 14. Bd2 Qxd5 and white is down by two pawns and has no centre pawns.

White walked into a series of conspiracies and a constant web of threats. the c4-pawn can become very dangerous soon and the Bishop will be trapped. Worse, Black has a future threat of the d4 pawn.

You should always consider the possibility of ...b6 before playing Bxa7 (or similar; also before considering whether unprotecting that pawn is a reasonable move).

@timbentley: you are right, with Bxh7 (or, similar, for Black Bxa2 or Bxh2) it's the same. Yesterday I played a rapid tournament of 5 games and in two of those games this theme occurred (Once I could not take on a2 due to b3 trapping my bishop and the other time my opponent took on h7 with check protected by his queen and after Kh8 left his bishop there so I could trap it with g6, but it was a deliberate sacrifice to open up my kingside).

But this '3rd choice' also carries some nasty threats (e.g. against the Rook at a1).

Even after 17.Kf1, 17...Rxc5 would leave White wretchedly placed: 18.Nb3 Nxd5.

Now White is being hit from all directions. No wonder he has become bewildered by threats and attacks coming from everywhere at once, and falls apart.

Is it just me, or is White trying to trade Queens, because he seems to be putting his Queen somewhere that attacks Black's...wait, that's just me.

Why not 18. ... Qd4xb2?

@da_cici: as the annotator already explained, he sometimes played a bad move on purpose because of the playing strength of his opponent.

To help jkarp learn. Black had the advantage since the first few moves. To quick a win would defeat the purpose of the game.

I've played higher ranked players who do the same thing with me. We do take learning serious and do play to win of course, but sometimes,well a a lot of the time we just don't play at the higher level and we take the help of weaker moves that have the purpose of making us play at a higher level than a novice plays another novice.

It is probably just as well elyhim does this as with best play, his opponent would be puzzled as to how, from apparently nothing, Black is shredding the flesh from his bones. Personally, though, I would play the obvious winners, and maybe second-best moves in more obscure positions. After the move played, White's game is less hopeless than after ...Qxb2, but it is nevertheless still hopeless.

If only the king would have castled. This would of been a closer game.

Not close enough. White still may have tricks.

good game  

Well done by both White and Black.

Considering rating difference a good game.

Tactics are far more important to learn than openings or strategies. Generally people learn how to play endgames/midgames well before learning openings.

This was a very good game! When we play such a higher ranked player it causes us to think and double check our moves. I'm not sure about here but I play elsewhere and hear retake! takeback requested. I laugh. Sometimes I grant a takeback unless itsjust not a slip up. I have been trying to play more timed games and am able to connect up to the larger HDMI flat screen t.v and use a mouse to play faster. Anyways I enjoyed looking at this game.

Everyone has to take that step...to play against someone higher than your rating (250+ rating difference). Your rating will go up from playing with more experienced players instead of lower ranked players. Both players played nicely with each other and that leads me to say: "Keep looking for more challenges."

I actually think Jkarp's play in this game was fairly good. His opening play was very good but his tactical play was very bad. @Jkarp I just want to clarify just in case there is some confusion. Being a pawn up is enough to win in almost all cases. As an inexperienced player you should always avoid openings that cause you to go down a pawn early.