Game of the month #3

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iamachessstudent
Posts: 380
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 1:35 pm

Game of the month #3

Post by iamachessstudent » Fri Mar 29, 2013 5:04 pm

This month, we are going to take a look at a game in which black Chooses the Open Variation of the Ruy Lopez.[/color
In the Open Variation of the Ruy Lopez Black aims for active piece play and an asymmetric ( not identical on each side of the board) pawn structure including a queen-side majority. The Open is a logically named variation involving fluid piece play and offers a more dynamic struggle than the long-winded manoeuvrings of the Closed Ruy Lopez.
This variation has remained in popular use since the 19th century and has quite a pedigree. Virtually every World Champion has played it-and most with both colors! A number of the greatest historical matches have included very important games from this variation, including the World Championship wars of Alekhine-Euwe, Karpov-Korchnoi, and Kasparov-Anand. Over the last quarter of a century one associates this opening primarily with Korchnoi, Timman, and Yusopov, but in recent years, Anand has also included it into his repertoire.
Now, lets get to the game !!

[Event "m1226285294"]
[Site "net-chess.com"]
[Date "2008.12.14"]
[Round "1"]
[White "davidswhite"]
[Black "cleenders"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "3000"]
[BlackElo "2868"]
[Game "g1104944890"]
ECO Code: C82: Open Ruy Lopez: 9.c3 without 9...Be7.

This game is typical of the Open Ruy Lopez, it gets complicated right after the opening ends..White introduces a clever move order and soon black is forced on the defensive and under incredible pressure. White intensifies this pressure, until black cracks, and then White cleans up. A very instructive game!

1.e5 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 {The Open variation of the Ruy Lopez} 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 {This is the starting point of games and theory involving this variation. There are many possibilities and sidelines, and I will try and let you know at the moments when the game is at a cross road.} 9.Nbd2 {The main alternative and more popular choice here is 9.c3, but the text is deceptive and Black has to be sure he understands the nuances here before he proceeds} 9...Nc5 {And here, Black sometimes plays 9...Bc5, which most of the time leads to massive simplifications and gives White the better endgame. ChessBase shows that White's winning percentage in this line is a very impressive 54.8%!. With the move played, Black wants to develop his Bishop to c5 in one move, which is after playing Bc8-e6 and g4 and Ne4-c5-e6. If White meets this plan casually then the black set-up is fine, but in reality this plan takes too much time as White very artistically demonstrates!} 10.c3 Bg4 11.Bc2 White needs to retreat this Bishop to preserve it and there is no time like the present! Other plans allow to trade the Bishop or allow black to transfer it to e6 and save time, getting a comfortable game} 11...Ne6 {The most consistent plan here, in face there are only three more moves that have been played, but all have dismal percentages for Black, for example: 11...Be7 (56.8% for White), 11...Qd7 (54.9% for White), and 11...d4!? (66.7% for White) proof that indeed, this is a most deceptive variation for black to meet} 12.Re1 Bc5 13.b4 ( A little played move! White first seals the Queen-side to neutralize black's Queen-side majority and preventing ...c5 at least temporarily. More played is 13.Nf1 with the typical Lopez plan of Ng3 and f5 or h5 attacking and weakening the black King-side} 13...Bb6 {Keeping the bishop on the a7-g1 diagonal and protecting the C pawn. 13..Ba7 has been played also, without particular success} 14.h3N {This is a new try here, attacking the Bishop and forcing it to declare its intentions} 14...Bh5 {The right decision! Black needs this bishop and must not trade it, tho after the text move Black will find himself under very subtle and consistent pressure} 15.a4! {Hitting the Queen-side immediately, Black dares not take for his pawns will be shattered and useless to him..this is a critical point in this young game!} 15...Ne7?! } I can't see the point of this move for the life of me. I thought Black had two basic choices here 15...0-0 to get the King to safety and connect the Rooks, which allows the Queen to come off the back rank, or 15...Rb8 so if White exchanges his a pawn for black's b pawn...the Rooks will not be exchanged and black can keep pressure on the board. Possibly, V\Black wanted tpo play ...c5 fast and force a resolution on the Queen-side or after his move played following it up with...Bg6 to attempt to exchange light squared Bishops..not bad plans but both are very time consuming; time Black does not have.} 16.Bd3!? {Another deceptive move; normally one would expect 16.Nb3 here, to prevent..c5 and threaten the Queen-side pawns, but White make a semi-waiting move whole targeting the B pawn...forcing Black to make another decision.} 16...0-0 {A hard choice and difficult to evaluate; on one hand Black gets his King to safety while temporarily giving up his b pawn, but a very safe try wold have been 16...Qd7 defending the b pawn and planning castling soon. A worse move would be 16...bxa4?! because of 17.Qxa4+ and the black King appears to be stuck in the center for a while.} 17.axb5 {Accepting the pawn and the challenge} 17...Nf4? {The wrong follow-up! Black had to take the chance in a forcing variation 17...axb5 18.Rxa8 Qxa8 19.Bxh7+ Kh8 20.Bb1 where White has a small plus and pull, but nothing like he gets in the game} 18.Nb3! {Giving up his light squared Bishop, but ensuring Black cannot play...c5} 18...Nxd3 {forced and consistent} 19.Qxd3 axb5 { A few sample variations here to show how difficult iit to play Black here : 19...Bxf3?! 20.Qxf3 f6 21.e6 (Not 21.Rxa6? because of 21...fxe5 22.Qd1 Bxf2+ 23.Kh2 Rxa6 24.bxa6 Bxe1 25.Qxe1 Qd6 and black is winning !) 21...axb5 22.Rxa8 Qxa8 23.Be3+- and White is in firm control, so it is not as easy for black as it looks!} 20.Bg5 {Simple and powerful, pinning the Knight} 20...Bxf3 {its a matter of taste between the move played and 20...Rxa1 21.Rxa1 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 c6 and White still has a nice pull} 21.Qxf3 {It would be a mistake to play 21.gxf3?! Rxa1 22.Rxa1 c6 and Black has equalized} 21...Re8 {trying to defend the Knight to allow the Queen to get into the game; also 21...Rxa1 can be considered but after 21.Ra1 c6 22.Rxa6 White is clearly better, but White can play 22.Nxd4! instead and Blacks position looks like it is ready to fall} 22.Qg4 {Preparing the e6 push with great advantage, but I think 22.Nd4! is even stronger with the same goal and black is forced to exchange his Bishop for the Knight with a probable variation of 22...Bxd4 23.cxd4 c6 24.Qc3 Rxa1 25.Rxa1 Qd7 26.Bxe7 Rxe7 27.Qc5 and White is very well off} 22...Kf8 23.Rxa8 Qxa8 24.e6 Ng625.Qf3{with a mating threat at f7} 25...f6 {Giving White a passed pawn on e6, but necessary} 26.Be3 {challenging the Bishop on b6, Black's most active piece} 26...Rxe6?! {Understandably getting rid of the pesky passed pawn, but possibly better would be 26...Ne5!? 27.Qh5 Rxe6 28.Ra1 Qe8 29.Qxh7 Nf7 and Black can have a few chances; plus the text move gives White a shockingly powerful move that turns the game totally in his favor} 27.Bc5+!!{This is a devastating move! The Bishop gives check and if black captures it hes lost in all variations, for example: 27...Bxc5? 28.Rxe6 and the exchange is lost; interposing with 27...Re7 also loses the exchange, so black plays the best move in the position} 27...Kf7 28.Rxe6 {Drawing the black King into the center and under a coordinated attack} 28...Kxe6 29.Qg4+ Kf7 30.Qd7+ Kg8 {The last 2 moves for both sides were forced} 31.Nd4 {Aiming at the e6 square; also as good is 31.Bxb6 axb6 32.Nd4 winning} 31...Ne5 {trying to counterattack, but loses the b pawn, evening up material with a worse position. but there are not many other moves to suggest. Now White starts to slowly but surely close the game out} 32.Qe6+ {White chooses to wait and get his material back, forcing the King to the very corner of the board, the pawn is going nowhere} 32...Kh8 33.Bxb6 cxb6 34.Qxb6 {now he gets his material back with a winning position} 34...h6{giving the King an escape square and allowing his Queen to get off the back rank} 35.Kh2 {Not giving black the chance to make any spite checks from the back rank, the position won't change and White can go about winning at his pace} 35...Nd3 {Also he can play 35...Nc4 but after 36.Qxb5 Nd2 37.Ne6 it is over} 36.Qxb5 Nxf2 37.Qd7 Ne4 38.Nf5 Qg8{38...Qf8 39.Qc7 Ng5 40.Ne7 is crushing} 39.Qc7 g6 40.Ne7 Qe6 41.Nxg6+ Kg8 42.Nf4 BLACK RESIGNS {The end could be 42...Qd6 43.Qxd6 Nxd6 44.Nxd5 and White wins}

A really great game, and very instructive for understand some of how the Open Ruy works, and the understanding Black must have when he decides to employ this opening! Whites technique was almost perfect as he accumulated advantages, attacked the black King and converted in a good endgame!
Congratulations to both players for a wonderful game!
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and as usual, any comments, questions or otherwise post and let me know!!:)

gmiller
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Re: Game of the month #3

Post by gmiller » Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:47 am

[pgn][Event "m1226285294"]
[Site "net-chess.com"]
[Date "2008.12.14"]
[Round "1"]
[White "davidswhite"]
[Black "cleenders"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "3000"]
[BlackElo "2868"]
[Game "g1104944890"]
[ECO Code "C82: Open Ruy Lopez: 9.c3 without 9...Be7"]

{This game is typical of the Open Ruy Lopez, it gets complicated right after the opening ends..White introduces a clever move order and soon black is forced on the defensive and under incredible pressure. White intensifies this pressure, until black cracks, and then White cleans up. A very instructive game!}

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 {The Open variation of the Ruy Lopez} 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 {This is the starting point of games and theory involving this variation. There are many possibilities and sidelines, and I will try and let you know at the moments when the game is at a cross road.} 9.Nbd2 {The main alternative and more popular choice here is 9.c3, but the text is deceptive and Black has to be sure he understands the nuances here before he proceeds} 9...Nc5 {And here, Black sometimes plays 9...Bc5, which most of the time leads to massive simplifications and gives White the better endgame. ChessBase shows that White's winning percentage in this line is a very impressive 54.8%!. With the move played, Black wants to develop his Bishop to c5 in one move, which is after playing Bc8-e6 and g4 and Ne4-c5-e6. If White meets this plan casually then the black set-up is fine, but in reality this plan takes too much time as White very artistically demonstrates!} 10.c3 Bg4 11.Bc2 {White needs to retreat this Bishop to preserve it and there is no time like the present! Other plans allow to trade the Bishop or allow black to transfer it to e6 and save time, getting a comfortable game} 11...Ne6 {The most consistent plan here, in face there are only three more moves that have been played, but all have dismal percentages for Black, for example: 11...Be7 (56.8% for White), 11...Qd7 (54.9% for White), and 11...d4!? (66.7% for White) proof that indeed, this is a most deceptive variation for black to meet} 12.Re1 Bc5 13.b4 { A little played move! White first seals the Queen-side to neutralize black's Queen-side majority and preventing ...c5 at least temporarily. More played is 13.Nf1 with the typical Lopez plan of Ng3 and f5 or h5 attacking and weakening the black King-side} 13...Bb6 {Keeping the bishop on the a7-g1 diagonal and protecting the C pawn. 13..Ba7 has been played also, without particular success} 14.h3 {This is a new try here, attacking the Bishop and forcing it to declare its intentions} 14...Bh5 {The right decision! Black needs this bishop and must not trade it, tho after the text move Black will find himself under very subtle and consistent pressure} 15.a4! {Hitting the Queen-side immediately, Black dares not take for his pawns will be shattered and useless to him..this is a critical point in this young game!} 15...Ne7?! { I can't see the point of this move for the life of me. I thought Black had two basic choices here 15...0-0 to get the King to safety and connect the Rooks, which allows the Queen to come off the back rank, or 15...Rb8 so if White exchanges his a pawn for black's b pawn...the Rooks will not be exchanged and black can keep pressure on the board. Possibly, V\Black wanted tpo play ...c5 fast and force a resolution on the Queen-side or after his move played following it up with...Bg6 to attempt to exchange light squared Bishops..not bad plans but both are very time consuming; time Black does not have.} 16.Bd3!? {Another deceptive move; normally one would expect 16.Nb3 here, to prevent..c5 and threaten the Queen-side pawns, but White make a semi-waiting move whole targeting the B pawn...forcing Black to make another decision.} 16...O-O {A hard choice and difficult to evaluate; on one hand Black gets his King to safety while temporarily giving up his b pawn, but a very safe try wold have been 16...Qd7 defending the b pawn and planning castling soon. A worse move would be 16...bxa4?! because of 17.Qxa4+ and the black King appears to be stuck in the center for a while.} 17.axb5 {Accepting the pawn and the challenge} 17...Nf4? {The wrong follow-up! Black had to take the chance in a forcing variation 17...axb5 18.Rxa8 Qxa8 19.Bxh7+ Kh8 20.Bb1 where White has a small plus and pull, but nothing like he gets in the game} 18.Nb3! {Giving up his light squared Bishop, but ensuring Black cannot play...c5} 18...Nxd3 {forced and consistent} 19.Qxd3 axb5 { A few sample variations here to show how difficult iit to play Black here : 19...Bxf3?! 20.Qxf3 f6 21.e6 (Not 21.Rxa6? because of 21...fxe5 22.Qd1 Bxf2+ 23.Kh2 Rxa6 24.bxa6 Bxe1 25.Qxe1 Qd6 and black is winning !) 21...axb5 22.Rxa8 Qxa8 23.Be3+- and White is in firm control, so it is not as easy for black as it looks!} 20.Bg5 {Simple and powerful, pinning the Knight} 20...Bxf3 {its a matter of taste between the move played and 20...Rxa1 21.Rxa1 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 c6 and White still has a nice pull} 21.Qxf3 {It would be a mistake to play 21.gxf3?! Rxa1 22.Rxa1 c6 and Black has equalized} 21...Re8 {trying to defend the Knight to allow the Queen to get into the game; also 21...Rxa1 can be considered but after 21.Ra1 c6 22.Rxa6 White is clearly better, but White can play 22.Nxd4! instead and Blacks position looks like it is ready to fall} 22.Qg4 {Preparing the e6 push with great advantage, but I think 22.Nd4! is even stronger with the same goal and black is forced to exchange his Bishop for the Knight with a probable variation of 22...Bxd4 23.cxd4 c6 24.Qc3 Rxa1 25.Rxa1 Qd7 26.Bxe7 Rxe7 27.Qc5 and White is very well off} 22...Kf8 23.Rxa8 Qxa8 24.e6 Ng625.Qf3{with a mating threat at f7} 25...f6 {Giving White a passed pawn on e6, but necessary} 26.Be3 {challenging the Bishop on b6, Black's most active piece} 26...Rxe6?! {Understandably getting rid of the pesky passed pawn, but possibly better would be 26...Ne5!? 27.Qh5 Rxe6 28.Ra1 Qe8 29.Qxh7 Nf7 and Black can have a few chances; plus the text move gives White a shockingly powerful move that turns the game totally in his favor} 27.Bc5+!!{This is a devastating move! The Bishop gives check and if black captures it hes lost in all variations, for example: 27...Bxc5? 28.Rxe6 and the exchange is lost; interposing with 27...Re7 also loses the exchange, so black plays the best move in the position} 27...Kf7 28.Rxe6 {Drawing the black King into the center and under a coordinated attack} 28...Kxe6 29.Qg4+ Kf7 30.Qd7+ Kg8 {The last 2 moves for both sides were forced} 31.Nd4 {Aiming at the e6 square; also as good is 31.Bxb6 axb6 32.Nd4 winning} 31...Ne5 {trying to counterattack, but loses the b pawn, evening up material with a worse position. but there are not many other moves to suggest. Now White starts to slowly but surely close the game out} 32.Qe6+ {White chooses to wait and get his material back, forcing the King to the very corner of the board, the pawn is going nowhere} 32...Kh8 33.Bxb6 cxb6 34.Qxb6 {now he gets his material back with a winning position} 34...h6{giving the King an escape square and allowing his Queen to get off the back rank} 35.Kh2 {Not giving black the chance to make any spite checks from the back rank, the position won't change and White can go about winning at his pace} 35...Nd3 {Also he can play 35...Nc4 but after 36.Qxb5 Nd2 37.Ne6 it is over} 36.Qxb5 Nxf2 37.Qd7 Ne4 38.Nf5 Qg8{38...Qf8 39.Qc7 Ng5 40.Ne7 is crushing} 39.Qc7 g6 40.Ne7 Qe6 41.Nxg6+ Kg8 42.Nf4 {BLACK RESIGNS} {The end could be 42...Qd6 43.Qxd6 Nxd6 44.Nxd5 and White wins}[/pgn]
Greg Miller

iamachessstudent
Posts: 380
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 1:35 pm

Re: Game of the month #3

Post by iamachessstudent » Tue Apr 02, 2013 3:40 pm

Hey everyone!

I wanted to answer a few questions I have been asked bout my Game of the Month column...

I look for games that have a good theme and an opening that is not TOO heavily swamped in theory! I am trying to avoid the Sicilian Najdorf, which I have found is the heaviest played opening on this site! It is soooo heavy with book and theory, sometimes out to 30 moves..I don't think that makes a good game to analyze.
Change my mind of you don't agree:)
Id prefer games and openings that are interesting, regardless of the rating of the 2 opponents...
Also, "beginner" games I hesitate to annotate for most of us are higher rated and watching simple tactics and mistakes can prove to be boring and uninteresting!

IF u have a game you'd like me to consider PLEASE private message me or e mail me my address is under my profile
Id love to get some ideas,. I am going thru the archives looking for games it is time consuming :)

HeLP ME OUT :)

I hope everyone had a great Easter and if you have any questions, comments or suggestions PLEASE post here, or message me or e mail me.
I get back to everyone!

Joshua

icyglare
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:08 am

Re: Game of the month #3

Post by icyglare » Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:23 pm

That's a pretty nice game. :) Unfortunately, all I ever play are sicilian najdorf so... :roll:

iamachessstudent
Posts: 380
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 1:35 pm

Re: Game of the month #3

Post by iamachessstudent » Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:31 pm

Not to worry!
I AM gong to tackle some of the Najdorfs, probably on a special column of a few games!
so message me with a game or 1 u liked of yours and let me get to work!

Just becasue I don't like or play some openings DOES NOT mean i will shun them, not at all : )

Joshua

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