I know there are some of you who love chess, and maybe still play the game on a regular basis. I'd like to share a very interesting game I found, which I spent quite a lot of time analysing. My personal favourite is the Dragon Sicilian, but I've also read widely on the French Defense. Unfortunately, I've lost most of my knowledge. Such a waste when I think of the amount of time I've spent to learn all those moves etc.
1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
A textbook approach in the French where Black challenges White for the central squares immediately.
3. e5 c5
White avoids an early exchange of pawns. Black in turn challenges White's pawn base at d4.
4. Nf3 Nc6
White defends his d pawn, and Black continues attacking it with his knight.
5. Bb5 Qb6
White develops his king's bishop by pinning the black knight. Black answers by developing his queen while attacking the white bishop.
6. Nc3 cxd4
White develops his queen's knight while defending his bishop. Black takes the d pawn while attacking the knight on c3.
7. Nxd4 Bd7
8. Bxc6 bxc6
After the exchange on d4, Black develops his bishop and thus breaking the pin on his knight. White takes the knight on c6, and Black takes back with his pawn—a strange-looking proceeding which limits the scope of his own bishop. But the reason Black takes back with the b pawn is because he plans to use it to support his central pawns. His central pawns will soon march down the board, thus cramping White's game.
9. 0-0 c5
10. Nf3 Ne7
11. Ne2 Nf5
12. c3 Be7
At this stage, White has developed 2 minor pieces and made the short castle. Black has developed 3 minor pieces and his queen. His last move also clears the way for the short castle. In terms of development, Black is slightly better. In terms of structure, I think Black is also more superior. White's pawn on e5 can quickly become a liability rather than an asset. Black can very quickly pile up on that e5 pawn and probably can win it soon. Perhaps White would like to develop his queen's bishop, but he can't develop it yet since the black queen is bearing on the b2 pawn. Therefore:
13. b3 a5
14. c4 d4
Black declines the exchange to maintain his advantage. As a general rule, the side which has the space advantage will try not to exchange, whereas the side suffering the limited space will try to trade down for the sake of piece mobility.
15. Bg5 f6
16. exf6 gxf6
White takes the f pawn with his e pawn, and Black takes back with his g pawn. It is now clear that black isn't going to castle after all. Instead he has opened up the g file to activate his king's rook while at the same time attacking the white bishop. A very strong and efficient move!
17. Bf4 Rg8
Not many choices for White, he can of course retreat to, say, d2 but that's a dubious move. The idea is for that bishop to retreat to the kingside for defensive purposes. On the other hand, Black begins his offensive mission with his rook.
18. h3 e5
19. Bh2
White creates an escape square for his poor bishop. Black builds up on his domination of the central squares while attacking the white bishop. The latter retreats to h2. It makes sense to be near to his king since it's obvious that the attack is coming very quickly.
Now how should Black continue at this point? Can you guess Black's next move?
18 comments:
Black's 9th move cannot be right since a white knight is occupying the d4 square (7. Nxd4 ....). Should it be 9. ... c5 instead (taking advantage of the poorly positioned white knight and marching down the board at the same time)?
Oops! You are correct, 2R1I. It's
9. ...c5
harassing the white knight, thus forcing the retreat!
There, I've made the amendment in the post. Just arrived home from running. Let me shower first...then I'll be back to deal with the diagrams.
Would that be 19. ... Rxg2 !! Time to further expose the King and launch an outright kill without giving white an opportunity to regroup his pieces around the king.
Wow! You are one very aggressive devil, 2R1I!
Not my style when I play over the board. I guess you can say I am a slow-and-steady attacker. Maybe I would do something like:
19. ... Bc6
with a view of piling up with Qb7 and maybe even Kf7 with the intention to pile up the rook on the g file. Black looks very good, but he still needs to play accurately to win.
19. ... Rxg2
is very dramatic, and as I said, I wouldn't have spent much time on that move over the board. It's a different story now that I'm able to analyse it with no time limit.
But let's hear it from you - what's your idea behind that move?
Umm... when I said "what's your idea", I meant "how is that winning?"
Of course the idea is to disallow the time for White to reorganise his forces, but to sacrifice a rook for a pawn is a big thing in chess. People usually do it only when they're absolutely sure that they're winning!
Felt it would be less painful for the opponent if I went directly for the arteries. Ha ha!
Actually, I had considered this move without much forward-thought (contrary to what we were taught). Instinctively (I may be wrong), I felt Black has just enough fire power to launch a continuous wave of attack without the attack fizzling out.
Other threatening moves on my mind immediately after Rxg2 include: (not neccessarily in the below order)
1. Nh4 (sacrificing the Knight to expose the King even further)
2. Bxh3 (drawing the King away from his supporting crew)
3. 0-0-0 (to put to good use another attacking piece)
4. Qc3 (to command the diagonal)
Either way, White's cause is pretty much lost. Black has the command of the centre of the board and all the artillery pointing at the White's King while White's only agenda is to protect his King partly due to a poor development of his pieces during the Opening Game.
Ah! I thought you meant you actually had a foolproof plan to follow Rxg2.
Yeah, instinct can be a valuable help in chess. But it may also lead to disaster!... hehehe.
But, yes, those possible follow-up moves you have listed are very strong, except that I don't quite understand the Qc3. If that move is possible, it must take at least a few steps to get to c3.
Anyway, don't forget that while you're planning all those possible moves, your opponent will also regroup. We need to come up with something more concrete than just "instinct"!
I meant Qc6, sorry.
You're right, in an actual game a rigorous plan is needed before executing such a bold move.
Difficult to do so at work when you have to continuously look behind your shoulder (wink).
By the way, I fully agree on the poor opening by White. Too many useless pawn moves too, thus wasting precious time for development. Black has more or less won the game by the 19th move. But it's still interesting to analyse how Black should continue. Theorically, Black should win, but how?
Oh! Qc6... yes, I get you now. But I prefer Qb7 instead of Qc6, so that the c6 square is left vacant for a possible Bc6.
19...e4 to chase away the Knight and follow up with 20...Nh4, pressuring g2. Black also has further options of playing ...e3 or even ...d3 along the way.
Thanks, Kevin, for suggestions.
If I were playing over the board, I'd probably opt for 19. ... Qb7 here. I think this move is very strong and also winning, because Black can follow up with Bc6, 0-0-0 and then pile up the rooks on the g file.
But the more "exciting" move is 19. ...Rxg2! which, as 2R1I said, exposes the white king! A very daring move which requires deep calculation!
For example:
19. ...Rxg2!
20. Kxg2 Qb7!
and white is in trouble with that annoying pin! That f3 knight is a goner!
I've just returned from a good hunt, and I will write on it later. But in the mean time, I'd like to share a possible continuation of this game:
19. ...Rxg2!
20. Kxg2 Qb7!
21. Ng1 Nh4+
22. Kg3 f5!
And mate will soon follow.
Another possibility:
19. ...Rxg2!
20. Kxg2 Qb7!
21. Bg3 Qxf3+!!
And the white king goes to either h2 or g1. With accurate play, Black should win quite easily from this point because he can follow up with
22. ...Bc6
you guys should try commenting less and play an actual game during one of the hunts and show some skills besides all these analysis. hahaha...
Alamak! How to fight you oh, Adrian!? You are the suduko and chess king amongst the treasure hunters mah. Maybe if you give me a rook and a knight, I got chance lah... hehehe. Otherwise, just looking at you over the other side of the board is enough to make me surrender!
One of these days, you and Teck Koon do a demonstration game lah. I can watch and learn. It's less stressful for me that way, and my blood pressure can therefore remain normal!... HAHAHA!
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