Annotated chess game

The right 'block' . Had White played Nc3 or Nd2, then ...Ne4! would have been very unpleasant for White. On top of other threats, White would have had to apprehend ...Qh4ch.

That was of no use since black can exchange your more active B for the less active one. Better was to retreat.

11...Ne4 would still have been good for a small edge.

Having said that, I would've gone ahead and exchanged on b4 because of how much more mobility your Bb4 has. The idea being is that it covers more squares.

White having placed all his central pawns on dark squares, the d2 bishop is a sorry piece for now, although not yet a bad bishop, since the pawns are not blocked and can move to release it.

Once again, this is also why I would've retreated.

In this position I don't think Black had anything better than to exchange. True, White's bishop hasn't for the moment much scope, but nor has Black's. At that, White's was likely to improve if ever he 'got in' e3-e4, and that would not have benefited Black's bishop at all.

?? And, he didn't have to. Much better was to capture with the N, so with 13.Nxd2. Now, you have more then a slight advantage since his K is now exposed. But, it gets worse then that. It won't be easy for you spot, but what should black do now?

A very peculiar decision! It's a bad one tactically, too, as Joe rightly observes, and invites you to find.

With his K in check, best was 13...Ne4+, and with him in check, you'd now be able to fork and win, at least, a Rook with 14...Ng3 without compensation for white.

That's a great idea and well spotted, but it doesn't quite work: 13... Ne4+ 14. Kc1 Ng3 15. Qc2 and now if 15... Nxh1 White picks up both knights for the rook.

Welll... Let's have a look at this: 13...Ne4ch! In my view, Joe is correct to identify this move as the right one. 14.Kc1 Ng3(!?) 15.Qf3 (or Qg2) ... and now, not ...Nxh1, but 15...Na5!! Black is threatening ANOTHER fork: 16.Qxg3? Nb3ch 17.Kd1 Nxa1. But it's a bit more complicated than that. For one thing, White need not take on g3, but for another White has a better move than Qf3 or Qg2, it is 15.Qb5! to threaten, in response to 15...Nxh1, 16.Qxc6ch and 17.Qxh1. So, after 13...Ne4 14.Kc1, Black should play 14...Na5!, threatening TWO forks, one on the K-side, the other on the Q-side. But the story doesn't end there. After 13...Ne4ch, White should play 14.Kc2! obviating the K+R fork altogether. Then Black should play 14.Qd5! threatening the Q+R fork in earnest, and after 15.Rh2, ...Na5. To summarise: 13...Ne4ch! 14.Kc2! Qd5! 15.Rh2 Na5 16.Qd3 (covering b3) 16...0-0 and Black would have a fine game. Position after 16...0-0

Pointless. Instead, white should move the K back, so that, if 14...Ne4, white could now stop the fork by moving the Q to the e file.

Worse than pointless: an outright blunder that ought to have lost White the game. Black has now available a lethal tactical shot to win material. Take a look at the relative positions of the White King and the rook at a1. Now, imagine a Black Queen standing - safely - at d4. It would be check; the King would have to be protected; and Black would capture the rook. Now, 14....Qxd4ch would not work, on account of 15.exd4. But can it be MADE to work? Yes it can! See my next comment. But see if you can figure it out before you look.

As with before, you forgot about 14...Ne4+

Black had the lethal shot 14...Nxd5!! The immediate threat is ...Nxe2, but also ...Nb3ch followed by ...Nxa1. No use would be 15.Qd3 as 15...Nb3ch is still playable owing to the (half-)pin on White's queen! If instead 15.Qc4, ...Nb3ch would be a 'double-check', so the a1-rook would still be lost. Can White, then, allow the knight to live? 14...Nxd5 15.exd5 Qxd5ch 15.Kc1 Qxa1, wins the exchange and a pawn. In the circumstances, though 14...Ne4ch is good for an advantage, it is nowhere near as strong as 14...Nxd5ch, not even close. ++++++++++++ Incidentally, looking at the arrangement of pieces, as I outline in my previous comment, and working out how the impossible might be made possible, is how tacticians think and figure out their combinations.

And, he forgot to move the K back.

?? And, there goes the fork that you overlooked. Not only that, but this is a terrible blunder that ought to lose a piece for black. What should white do now?

15...Nd4!! was still good (though less so than a move earlier). 15...Ne4ch would at least have been safe, and also good for an advantage. Possibly Black DID see the fork threat (which is 'on' from h5 ... sort of) but overlooked that the knight was 'en prise' on h5. Black had even a third option good for an edge: 15...Qd5! Three good and strong moves in one position: you don't see that too often: 15...Nxd4; 15...Ne4ch; 15...Qd5.

?? He should've answered with 16.Qxh5 and you'd be a piece down, without compensation. Now, he blundered again, although it shouldn't be as costly.

Actually... Blunder though it was, 15...Nh5 probably ought not to have lost Black the game. After 16.Qxh5 Nxd5!! 17.Kc3 ... (else 17.exd4 Qxd4ch 18.Kc1 Qxa1 19.Qf3 0-0 and Black's rook and 2 extra pawns would probably have been slightly better than White's 2 knights) 17...Nf5 18.Qf3 c5! and Black would at least be in the game, on account of White's vulnerable king and undeveloped pieces. So Black would have had quite a bit of compensation in terms of time and piece activity.

You should've played 16...Ng3 for the same reason that I noted earlier.

Yes: 16... Ng3 would now win the exchange. White's queen cannot move to attack the c6 knight.

Still forgetting about the move that I mentioned which you now spot.

Still winning material, but he gets a N in return. With him in check this R, his Rh1, to say the least, would've been free, so he'd be without compensation. And, after missing the opportunity, had he taken the N you wouldn't have been allowed to play this but, instead, would be the one behind.

Not as strong as a move ago, but still pretty good, and the best Black can do now.

Preventing you from getting a free R. Please see my comment above.

Minor piece since it's the exchange, where he gets this, so it's the equivalent to a minor piece, Bishop or Knight, for pawn.

I prefer Erika's assessment - White is down a major piece; Black is (will be) down a minor.

Of course because you're still ahead.

Winning the Exchange. Black has probably a winning advantage now.

Oh, very good! The first move I thought of as well. Why? With the edge, the onus is on Black to do stuff, and this pawn thrust is the quickest way to open up a file for the rook(s). White can not avoid the exchange of pawns, one way or another, so that file will be opened, regardless.

? This however loses a pawn.

No, it gains one. I think Joe has overlooked that White's d5 pawn is pinned.

In fact this is a demon (i.e. very strong) move: White is suddenly in a very bad way. There are tactics involved here...