This is the 2nd installment of the NET-CHESS Game of the week, not my usual game of the Week where i feature famous Gm's and miniatures!
This is a particularly deep and difficult game of mine played against a long standing and excellent opponent Martijn...The opening,m An English is very subtle and I will try and give you simple yet to the point explanations oin every stage of this game...Just bear with and follow along, I have used lots of diagrams so you may see the progression and the crisis's in the game as they happen!
I hope you enjoy and I would love feed back, suggestions and what not as well,Thanks:)
White: Iamachessstudent 2657
Black: Martijn 2763
English Opening
1. c4 the English Opening, usually leading to very strict strategic themes and subtle maneuvers, this game will bear that out! ...e5
2. Nc3, Nf6
3. Nf3, Nc6 Appropriately called the English Four-Knights
4. g3, d5 A strike to liberate the Center, common in this position before White's K Bishop has gone to g2. I will not try and make this an opening course by describing the motives behind each move, but I will point out the means behind many of the maneuvers in this game.
5. cxd5, Nfxd5
6. Bg2, Nb6 The Knight steps away from the D5 square not to be exchanged, but still watching over that square.
7. d3 To guard the c4 and e4 squares...Be7
8. 8.0-0, 0-0
9.a3 I want to take the b4 square from the Black Knight or Bishop...Be6 Taking control of the light squares
10. Bd2 Developing my last minor piece ...f5
11. Qc2, g5
[pgn=22]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5[/pgn]
As we see, the position is very dynamic...Black has staked his claim to the K-side and White will work on the Center and Q-side; this makes for a dymanic situation over all the board.
12. h3 I wanted to discourage the expansion o n the K-side by Black, the move is slightly weakening, but also serves a purpose, as Black pursues his ambitions on the K-side....g4 Working his space advantage on this side...
13. hxg4, fxg4
14. Nfh2, Nd4!
[pgn=28]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4[/pgn]
As you see., I have allowed my Knight to be somewhat secluded on the h2 square, but at the same time, it is holding the K-side defensively and Black has placed his Knight on the excellent d4 square and forced my Queen away, the position is still dynamically in balance and hard to assess...I call it dynamically even at this time!
15. Qd1, c6 Protecting both the d5 square again and the B pawn...
16. Bh6 Taking time to get a tempo or 2 in attacking the Black rook. 16...Rf6
17. Be3, Rg6 Also aiming at the K-side.
18. Be4, Nf5 Another good move, keeping the rook in place , attacking my dark-square Bishop, and working on the K-side!
[pgn=36]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4 15.Qc2d1 c6 16.Bd2h6 Rf8f6 17.Bh6e3 Rf6g6 18.Bg2e4 Nd4f5[/pgn]
19. Bd2, Qd7
20. b4 Securing the Q-side,... Raf8 also completing his development.
Now let us asses and take in to account each sides pluses, minuses and plans moving forward:
[pgn=40]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4 15.Qc2d1 c6 16.Bd2h6 Rf8f6 17.Bh6e3 Rf6g6 18.Bg2e4 Nd4f5 19.Be3d2 Qd8d7 20.b4 Ra8f8[/pgn]
White will try and make progress on the Q-side with his Rook and Knight and attempt to draw black;s attention away from the K-side. I felt I had good chances with that strategy and was not going to make exchanges to keep pieces on the board so a full complement of pieces can be used to keep the situation board-wide and dynamic...Black wil want to press on my K-side, even sacrificing something if I give that chance while he ensures his King remains safe and out of scope of my two bishops. The whole board is tension filled and both sides need to be very precise, in such a position a mistake can lead to a quickly finished game!
21. Rb1 Beginning the Q-side plan... 21...Nbd5 Also bringing up his forces and putting pressure on the K-side.
22. Na4, Nf6 Same plan for both sides continues...
23. Nc5! A great square for the Knight, attacking the Queen, the knight square Bishop and the b pawn...Black makes the best choice 23...Bxc5! Blacks other choice was 23...Qc8, but this looks too passive.
24. bxc5 So the Q-side is bottled up 24...Nxe4 But I have to give my light squared Bishop in exchange for a Knight and now we have potential for situations with opposite colored Bishops.
25. dxe4, Nd4 Again a very nice centarl location for the Knight!
[pgn=50]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4 15.Qc2d1 c6 16.Bd2h6 Rf8f6 17.Bh6e3 Rf6g6 18.Bg2e4 Nd4f5 19.Be3d2 Qd8d7 20.b4 Ra8f8 21.Ra1b1 Nb6d5 22.Nc3a4 Nd5f6 23.Na4c5 Be7xc5 24.bxc5 Nf6xe4 25.dxe4 Nf5d4[/pgn]
Again we enter a tight manuevering phase...
26. Be3 Attacking the knight...26...Qg7 More indirect protection to that Knight and getting the Black Queen away fro the x-ray of the White Queen.
27. Rb2 I played this ti protect the e2 square, to allow my Queen to move in time...and it does attack the B pawn! 27...Nb5!?
[pgn=54]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4 15.Qc2d1 c6 16.Bd2h6 Rf8f6 17.Bh6e3 Rf6g6 18.Bg2e4 Nd4f5 19.Be3d2 Qd8d7 20.b4 Ra8f8 21.Ra1b1 Nb6d5 22.Nc3a4 Nd5f6 23.Na4c5 Be7xc5 24.bxc5 Nf6xe4 25.dxe4 Nf5d4 26.Bd2e3 Qd7g7 27.Rb1b2 Nd4b5[/pgn]
Black makes an interesting decision that keeps the game full of tension! A forced sequence would have followed the natural 27...b5 here: 28. cxb6, axb6; 29. Rxb6, c5 and more maneuvering will follow and there is no apparent way for White to make use of the Q-side advantage.
28. Qd3, R8f7 Indirectly guarding the 2 rank and the B pawn.
29. Qd8+, Rf8 This could have led to a 3 fold repetition if both dies were disposed but...
30. Qd3, Nd4 black eschwes the 3 fold and keeps pressing, a good practical choice! I decided to exchange my other Bishop for this Knight, as it has more activity and can pose more real time problems than my stationary Bishop at e3.
31. Bxd4. exd4
32. Rd1! Applying more pressure to the D pawn 32..Rd8 Black defends directly.
33. e3!? again the game sharpens, and of course my E pawn cant be taken ( I trust you all see why
) 33...Rg5! A great move! this rook plans to go to h5 and h3 to really strangle the White King and keep the K-side under wraps, a really nice plan of maneuver and attack![pgn=66]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4 15.Qc2d1 c6 16.Bd2h6 Rf8f6 17.Bh6e3 Rf6g6 18.Bg2e4 Nd4f5 19.Be3d2 Qd8d7 20.b4 Ra8f8 21.Ra1b1 Nb6d5 22.Nc3a4 Nd5f6 23.Na4c5 Be7xc5 24.bxc5 Nf6xe4 25.dxe4 Nf5d4 26.Bd2e3 Qd7g7 27.Rb1b2 Nd4b5 28.Qd1d3 Rf8f7 29.Qd3d8 Rf7f8 30.Qd8d3 Nb5d4 31.Be3xd4 exd4 32.Rf1d1 Rf8d8 33.e3 Rg6g5[/pgn]
34. Rc2 Protecting the C pawn 34...Rh5 the rook moving as planned!
35. exd4 Now White is up a Pawn, but with the situation on the board the position is barely += as White has to deal with Black's pressure and if then he can, then in the endgame the extra pawn might tell. 35...Rh3 The rooks plan is complete! I did think that objectively 34...Qg6 was better pinning the e pawn to the Queen and threatening...Qh6 but it is hard to refrain from the Rook scheme that Black chose.
36. Kg2, Rf8
37. Rh1! Preparing to move the Knight and attempt to exchange Black's rook on h3, releiving the pressure on my K-side. [pgn=73]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4 15.Qc2d1 c6 16.Bd2h6 Rf8f6 17.Bh6e3 Rf6g6 18.Bg2e4 Nd4f5 19.Be3d2 Qd8d7 20.b4 Ra8f8 21.Ra1b1 Nb6d5 22.Nc3a4 Nd5f6 23.Na4c5 Be7xc5 24.bxc5 Nf6xe4 25.dxe4 Nf5d4 26.Bd2e3 Qd7g7 27.Rb1b2 Nd4b5 28.Qd1d3 Rf8f7 29.Qd3d8 Rf7f8 30.Qd8d3 Nb5d4 31.Be3xd4 exd4 32.Rf1d1 Rf8d8 33.e3 Rg6g5 34.Rb2c2 Rg5h5 35.exd4 Rh5h3 36.Kg1g2 Rd8f8 37.Rd1h1[/pgn]
37...Qh6 Reinforcing the rook. I still like 37...Qg6 here for defensive purposes.
38. Qe3 Offering the exchange of Queens , which I was sure black would not do, he needs the queen to keep pressure on the Kside! 38...Qh5
39. Rb2 Going after the B pawn and forcing Black to play defense; at this point I felt I had weathered the worst Black had to give and was planning to start up offense soon...39...Bc8 A matter of opinion whether this or 39...Rf8 was better!?
40. Rbb1! A very clever move that prepares a very unexpected exchange sacrifice, but I thought it worth the risk, as Black cannot prevent it. 40...Rf6 Good move and as well an any other here...
41. Rxb7 The execution of the plan 41...Bxb7 forced.
[pgn=82]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4 15.Qc2d1 c6 16.Bd2h6 Rf8f6 17.Bh6e3 Rf6g6 18.Bg2e4 Nd4f5 19.Be3d2 Qd8d7 20.b4 Ra8f8 21.Ra1b1 Nb6d5 22.Nc3a4 Nd5f6 23.Na4c5 Be7xc5 24.bxc5 Nf6xe4 25.dxe4 Nf5d4 26.Bd2e3 Qd7g7 27.Rb1b2 Nd4b5 28.Qd1d3 Rf8f7 29.Qd3d8 Rf7f8 30.Qd8d3 Nb5d4 31.Be3xd4 exd4 32.Rf1d1 Rf8d8 33.e3 Rg6g5 34.Rb2c2 Rg5h5 35.exd4 Rh5h3 36.Kg1g2 Rd8f8 37.Rd1h1 Qg7h6 38.Qd3e3 Qh6h5 39.Rc2b2 Be6c8 40.Rb2b1 Rf8f6 41.Rb1xb7 Bc8xb7[/pgn]
Look carefully and see if you can see my next move, in which I win the exchange and material....
42. Nxg4! In this variation, I win the exchange back and will be up 3 pawns for the piece, but it was very hard to make the move, you get sworried when you see a potential move like this! 42...Qxg4 There is no alternative.
43. Rxh3, Qe6[pgn=86]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4 15.Qc2d1 c6 16.Bd2h6 Rf8f6 17.Bh6e3 Rf6g6 18.Bg2e4 Nd4f5 19.Be3d2 Qd8d7 20.b4 Ra8f8 21.Ra1b1 Nb6d5 22.Nc3a4 Nd5f6 23.Na4c5 Be7xc5 24.bxc5 Nf6xe4 25.dxe4 Nf5d4 26.Bd2e3 Qd7g7 27.Rb1b2 Nd4b5 28.Qd1d3 Rf8f7 29.Qd3d8 Rf7f8 30.Qd8d3 Nb5d4 31.Be3xd4 exd4 32.Rf1d1 Rf8d8 33.e3 Rg6g5 34.Rb2c2 Rg5h5 35.exd4 Rh5h3 36.Kg1g2 Rd8f8 37.Rd1h1 Qg7h6 38.Qd3e3 Qh6h5 39.Rc2b2 Be6c8 40.Rb2b1 Rf8f6 41.Rb1xb7 Bc8xb7 42.Nh2xg4 Qh5xg4 43.Rh1xh3 Qg4e6[/pgn]
In this endgame there is no doubt White has the advantage..Black will be challenged by not allowing White pawn to begin "stream rolling" down the board and at some point Black might have to sacrifice his Bishop for some of Whites pawns.. lets see what happens:
44. Rh4, Kg7
45. f4 The pawns begin their march...45...Ba6
46. g4, Rh6 I also looked at 46...Qc4 to create a few checks on the light squares, but they are not dangerous, so the move played is just as good i think.
47. f5, Qa2+
48. Kg3, Rxh4
49. Qg5+, Kg7
50. Qxh4, Qd2 To black's credit, he has defended hard and I only have a slight edge here, but will it be enough to push the full point home?[pgn=100]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4 15.Qc2d1 c6 16.Bd2h6 Rf8f6 17.Bh6e3 Rf6g6 18.Bg2e4 Nd4f5 19.Be3d2 Qd8d7 20.b4 Ra8f8 21.Ra1b1 Nb6d5 22.Nc3a4 Nd5f6 23.Na4c5 Be7xc5 24.bxc5 Nf6xe4 25.dxe4 Nf5d4 26.Bd2e3 Qd7g7 27.Rb1b2 Nd4b5 28.Qd1d3 Rf8f7 29.Qd3d8 Rf7f8 30.Qd8d3 Nb5d4 31.Be3xd4 exd4 32.Rf1d1 Rf8d8 33.e3 Rg6g5 34.Rb2c2 Rg5h5 35.exd4 Rh5h3 36.Kg1g2 Rd8f8 37.Rd1h1 Qg7h6 38.Qd3e3 Qh6h5 39.Rc2b2 Be6c8 40.Rb2b1 Rf8f6 41.Rb1xb7 Bc8xb7 42.Nh2xg4 Qh5xg4 43.Rh1xh3 Qg4e6 44.Rh3h4 Kg8g7 45.f4 Bb7a6 46.g4 Rf6h6 47.f5 Qe6a2 48.Kg2g3 Rh6xh4 49.Qe3g5 Kg7f7 50.Qg5xh4 Qa2d2[/pgn]
51. Qxh7+! and now I have the advantage again.51...Kf8
52. Qh8+, Kf7
53. Qh5, Kg8?! For what it is worth 53...Kf8 would of resisted longer but not changed the outcome of the game.
54. Qe8+, Kh7
55. Qf7+, Kh8
56. Qf8+, Kh7
A few more moves and the game was decided, black has not a chance to get any of the White pawns, and with his King so threatened, all he can do is see White march the Pawns down the board...[pgn=112]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4 15.Qc2d1 c6 16.Bd2h6 Rf8f6 17.Bh6e3 Rf6g6 18.Bg2e4 Nd4f5 19.Be3d2 Qd8d7 20.b4 Ra8f8 21.Ra1b1 Nb6d5 22.Nc3a4 Nd5f6 23.Na4c5 Be7xc5 24.bxc5 Nf6xe4 25.dxe4 Nf5d4 26.Bd2e3 Qd7g7 27.Rb1b2 Nd4b5 28.Qd1d3 Rf8f7 29.Qd3d8 Rf7f8 30.Qd8d3 Nb5d4 31.Be3xd4 exd4 32.Rf1d1 Rf8d8 33.e3 Rg6g5 34.Rb2c2 Rg5h5 35.exd4 Rh5h3 36.Kg1g2 Rd8f8 37.Rd1h1 Qg7h6 38.Qd3e3 Qh6h5 39.Rc2b2 Be6c8 40.Rb2b1 Rf8f6 41.Rb1xb7 Bc8xb7 42.Nh2xg4 Qh5xg4 43.Rh1xh3 Qg4e6 44.Rh3h4 Kg8g7 45.f4 Bb7a6 46.g4 Rf6h6 47.f5 Qe6a2 48.Kg2g3 Rh6xh4 49.Qe3g5 Kg7f7 50.Qg5xh4 Qa2d2 51.Qh4xh7 Kf7f8 52.Qh7h8 Kf8f7 53.Qh8h5 Kf7g8 54.Qh5e8 Kg8h7 55.Qe8f7 Kh7h8 56.Qf7f8 Kh8h7[/pgn]
Let's watch the rest of the game :
57. Qe7+, Kg8
58. g5, Bc4
59. Qe8+. BLACK RESIGNS
[pgn=117]1.c4 e5 2.Nb1c3 Ng8f6 3.Ng1f3 Nb8c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nf6xd5 6.Bf1g2 Nd5b6 7.d3 Bf8e7 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bc8e6 10.Bc1d2 f5 11.Qd1c2 g5 12.h3 g4 13.hxg4 fxg4 14.Nf3h2 Nc6d4 15.Qc2d1 c6 16.Bd2h6 Rf8f6 17.Bh6e3 Rf6g6 18.Bg2e4 Nd4f5 19.Be3d2 Qd8d7 20.b4 Ra8f8 21.Ra1b1 Nb6d5 22.Nc3a4 Nd5f6 23.Na4c5 Be7xc5 24.bxc5 Nf6xe4 25.dxe4 Nf5d4 26.Bd2e3 Qd7g7 27.Rb1b2 Nd4b5 28.Qd1d3 Rf8f7 29.Qd3d8 Rf7f8 30.Qd8d3 Nb5d4 31.Be3xd4 exd4 32.Rf1d1 Rf8d8 33.e3 Rg6g5 34.Rb2c2 Rg5h5 35.exd4 Rh5h3 36.Kg1g2 Rd8f8 37.Rd1h1 Qg7h6 38.Qd3e3 Qh6h5 39.Rc2b2 Be6c8 40.Rb2b1 Rf8f6 41.Rb1xb7 Bc8xb7 42.Nh2xg4 Qh5xg4 43.Rh1xh3 Qg4e6 44.Rh3h4 Kg8g7 45.f4 Bb7a6 46.g4 Rf6h6 47.f5 Qe6a2 48.Kg2g3 Rh6xh4 49.Qe3g5 Kg7f7 50.Qg5xh4 Qa2d2 51.Qh4xh7 Kf7f8 52.Qh7h8 Kf8f7 53.Qh8h5 Kf7g8 54.Qh5e8 Kg8h7 55.Qe8f7 Kh7h8 56.Qf7f8 Kh8h7 57.Qf8e7 Kh7g8 58.g5 Ba6c4 59.Qe7e8 {black resigned.} 1-0[/pgn]
A really great game!
there were many subtleties behind the moves, but I did not want to bog anyone down, but it was a very complicated game!
I hope you all enjoyed following along and I thank my long-standing opponent and good friend Martijn for agreeing for this game to be used:)
Good chess every1 and talk next week!
Remember, suggestions, or any comments are so so welcome!!:)
Joshua
This is a very cool addition to the forums,it's just that other than random insults thrown at islanderfan I don't really have anything to add. 