A game between Porky and I for analysis

Hello, all. This is a game my opponent and I both enjoyed. During the middle game he messaged me saying it was very challenging up to this point and that - win or lose - going to analyze it a few times over. I was also very challenged through most of it, trying desperately to find tactical opportunities to no avail. I was stuck mostly trying to chip away positionally, which is quite frustrating for me.

I offered to post it on the board to get feedback because I think it would be cool with both players explaining why they made certain moves. I'm going to PM the link and hopefully he'll join in.

The game ended with resignation.


[Event "Open invite"]
[Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"]
[Date "2010.09.04"]
[EndDate "2010.09.11"]
[Round "?"]
[White "USArmyParatrooper"]
[Black "Porky1016"]
[WhiteRating "1636"]
[BlackRating "1555"]
[WhiteELO "1636"]
[BlackELO "1555"]
[Result "1-0"]
[GameId "7737764"]

To start, 6... cxd4 isn't a move I would have made.

It un-doubled my pawns and allowed me to later post my white bishop along the b1-h7 diagonal. Perhaps someone more skilled than I can come in and say if it was a technically accurate move.

A better move at that point might have been Qb6. I was only a little familiar with the French: Advanced variation.

Originally posted by Porky1016
A better move at that point might have been Qb6. I was only a little familiar with the French: Advanced variation.

That's actually not the advance variation. That only comes when the pawn is immediately pushed with 3. e5

I'm about 90% the one you played is the Winawer variation.

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
Hello, all. This is a game my opponent and I both enjoyed. During the middle game he messaged me saying it was very challenging up to this point and that - win or lose - going to analyze it a few times over. I was also very challenged through most of it, trying desperately to find tactical opportunities to no avail. I was stuck mostly trying to chi 5 Kc7b7 39. Nd2e4 f5 40. exf6 Rg7c7 41. c4 Kb7a6 42. Ne4d6 1-0[/pgn]

a few notes....

instead of r-fc1 ra-c1 looks more appropriate. You want to get in that c4 break with the king stuck in the center...break it open. That means you want the a rook to support the c4 push and the f rook can come to the e or d file after the exchange of pawns. The a rook can come to c7 with massive pressure against the black king(which seems to be the key to this posiition- there are opposite colored bishops present and the side with the attack in the middlegame is better. In the endgame I am sure you know they are supposed to be drawn a lot of the time).


Just some general considerations which jumped out at me.

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
That's actually not the advance variation. That only comes when the pawn is immediately pushed with 3. e5

I'm about 90% the one you played is the Winawer variation.

yup that was a winawer

Originally posted by erikido
a few notes....

instead of r-fc1 ra-c1 looks more appropriate. You want to get in that c4 break with the king stuck in the center...break it open. That means you want the a rook to support the c4 push and the f rook can come to the e or d file after the exchange of pawns. The a rook can come to c7 with massive pressure against the black king(which seems ...[text shortened]... to be drawn a lot of the time).


Just some general considerations which jumped out at me.

Thanks! That does make a lot of sense. I'm trying to remember why I chose the f-rook, and I think it was because I wanted to keep protection on the isolated pawn.

But perhaps supporting an assault on the king up the middle is a better priority for a major piece.

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
Thanks! That does make a lot of sense. I'm trying to remember why I chose the f-rook, and I think it was because I wanted to keep protection on the isolated pawn.

But perhaps supporting an assault on the king up the middle is a better priority for a major piece.

yes, and keep in mind a weakness is only weak if it can be attacked. The only way for black to attack it is to bring the knight to c5. But you still have the n-d2 idea and the exchange still seems to give u some long term pressure with the strong center and open files. It might be a "=" game but if that was the case it is dynamically equal and the better player wins which I personally think is the best way to go