A tough pair of games v. TGN
30 May '15 15:232 editsIt's always interesting to play a person who builds their position from the edges inward. In our first encounter, I got over-extended and paid for it. In the 2nd, I was not as behind in development and made him pay for letting me have too much central control.
W: BigDoggProblem
B: TGN
[Event "Clan challenge"]
[Site "http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com"]
[Date "2015.04.26"]
[EndDate "2015.05.27"]
[Round "?"]
[White "BigDoggProblem"]
[Black "TGN"]
[WhiteRating "1869"]
[BlackRating "1887"]
[WhiteElo "1869"]
[BlackElo "1887"]
[Result "0-1"]
[GameId "11168503"]
1. e4 a6
{
At my level (sub-expert), I have learned not to get too anxious to 'refute' moves like this; just be happy Black's not going to bother my center right away.
}
2. d4 b5 3. Bd3
{
What I usually do against the early QB fianchetto. Qe2's next and e4's solidly defended before it starts getting attacked.
}
3... Bb7 4. Nf3
{
OK, OK, so maybe Qe2's not IMMEDIATELY next. But it'll come.
}
4... Nf6 5. Qe2 e6 6. O-O c5 7. c3 Nc6 8. Bg5
{
The threat of e5 can be met with ...d6, but my opponent's style is 'pick away from the wings', so that's not what we get.
}
8... h6 9. Bh4 g5
{
I considered Nxg5 but didn't like opening the g-file given my K position. Plus, he can simply break the pin with ...Be7.
}
10. Bg3 Nh5 11. d5
{
I usually jump at the chance to secure a central space edge.
}
11... Nxg3 12. fxg3
{
Thought my R might like an open f-file.
}
12... Ne7
{
He tempts me...and I fall for it.
}
13. d6
{
? Nope. The white pawns are over-extended. The d-pawn was fine where it was. The correct response was 13.c4!
}
13... Nc6
{
Pressuring the e5 pawn before it even gets there.
}
14. e5 Bg7
{
Threat ...g4; I have to make a concession to keep the e5 pawn now.
}
15. g4 h5
{
Just what he wanted.
}
16. h3
{
Ugh. A move I hated to have to play.
}
16... hxg4 17. hxg4 Qb6
{
My pawns are so far up that his pieces easily get around behind them. So much for the 'space advantage'.
}
18. c4
{
Black's doing a good job keeping me busy making moves like this one, to stop ...c4+, instead of developing my pieces or shoring up my K position.
}
18... bxc4 19. Bxc4 Nd4
{
Strong move. White's King falls under a severe attack. I could have saved him, but at the cost of the two far-advanced pawns and a lost ending.
}
20. Nxd4 cxd4 21. Bd3
{
Once again I have to do something about that pawn discovery.
}
21... Qc6 22. Nd2
{
I should have resigned rather than play this; it missed both the threat of Bxe5 AND did nothing to secure the K.
}
22... Bxe5 23. Be4
{
Optimistically trying to 'win material', though that's a small consolation if your K's getting taken.
}
23... Qxd6 24. Bxb7 d3 25. Qf3 Bd4+
{
Yep, that's it. ...Qh2+ is next. I resigned.
}
*
I got revenge with the Black pieces.
W: TGN
B: BigDoggProblem
[Event "Clan challenge"]
[Site "http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com"]
[Date "2015.04.26"]
[Round "?"]
[White "TGN"]
[Black "BigDoggProblem"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1887"]
[BlackElo "1869"]
[EndDate "2015.05.30"]
[WhiteRating "1887"]
[BlackRating "1869"]
[GameId "11168504"]
1. b4
{
Seems he's a 'pick-away-from-the-edger' when he plays white, too.
}
1... g6
{
I usually dare Orangutans to give up their fianchettoed B for my Nf6. They usually don't take me up on it.
}
2. Bb2 Nf6 3. g4 Bg7
{
No biggie; I'll see your g5 and raise you one ...Nh5.
}
4. g5 Nh5 5. Bxg7 Nxg7
{
I guess sometimes they DO take me up on giving up their B, at least.
}
6. Nf3 d5 7. b5 Nd7 8. e3
{
Preparing c4.
}
8... O-O 9. c4 c6 10. Nc3 e5
{
There's no way I can lose two games in a row with nice centers, right?!
}
11. h4
{
Seems optimistic of him to fight on the two fronts at once, doesn't it?! I guess he needs to secure g5.
}
11... e4
{
No way I can resist such a move. My N gets into e5 and eyes d3/f3.
}
12. Nd4 Ne5 13. cxd5 c5
{
! Instead of the auto-recapture, why not force his N off the watch on f3 so I can shake his K up a bit?!
}
14. Nb3 Nf3+ 15. Ke2 Bg4
{
Yeah. White definitely has given me too much this time.
}
16. Qc1 c4
{
It's important not to get too excited and use the discovered check too early. Why not give myself the option of transferring the N to d3?
}
17. Nc5
{
Going after ...e4, but his position is too much of a mess for it to work.
}
17... Nxg5+
{
Important to remove this P because in some lines he could have played Nxe4 and Nf6+. Don't want that N on f6.
}
18. Ke1 Nf3+ 19. Kd1 Ne5+
{
Heading for d3.
}
20. Be2
{
? Kc2 just had to be tried. Now ...Nd3 is even more powerful.
}
20... Nd3 21. Nxd3 Bxe2+
{
Necessary intermezzo.
}
22. Nxe2 cxd3
{
What a difference between these two advanced pawns and the two in the last game, eh? White has no piece activity this time, so he gets choked out by the pawns.
}
23. Nc3 Qf6 24. Rh3
{
If 24.Rf1, Rac8 threatening ...Qf3+ Ke1 RxN. Still, this was a much better try.
}
24... Qxf2
{
There's no good defense against Qf1/g1. White resigned.
}
0-1
W: BigDoggProblem
B: TGN
| EVENT | Clan challenge |
| SITE | http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com |
| DATE | 2015.04.26 |
| ROUND | ? |
| WHITE | BigDoggProblem |
| BLACK | TGN |
| RESULT | 0-1 |
| WHITEELO | 1869 |
| BLACKELO | 1887 |
[Event "Clan challenge"]
[Site "http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com"]
[Date "2015.04.26"]
[EndDate "2015.05.27"]
[Round "?"]
[White "BigDoggProblem"]
[Black "TGN"]
[WhiteRating "1869"]
[BlackRating "1887"]
[WhiteElo "1869"]
[BlackElo "1887"]
[Result "0-1"]
[GameId "11168503"]
1. e4 a6
{
At my level (sub-expert), I have learned not to get too anxious to 'refute' moves like this; just be happy Black's not going to bother my center right away.
}
2. d4 b5 3. Bd3
{
What I usually do against the early QB fianchetto. Qe2's next and e4's solidly defended before it starts getting attacked.
}
3... Bb7 4. Nf3
{
OK, OK, so maybe Qe2's not IMMEDIATELY next. But it'll come.
}
4... Nf6 5. Qe2 e6 6. O-O c5 7. c3 Nc6 8. Bg5
{
The threat of e5 can be met with ...d6, but my opponent's style is 'pick away from the wings', so that's not what we get.
}
8... h6 9. Bh4 g5
{
I considered Nxg5 but didn't like opening the g-file given my K position. Plus, he can simply break the pin with ...Be7.
}
10. Bg3 Nh5 11. d5
{
I usually jump at the chance to secure a central space edge.
}
11... Nxg3 12. fxg3
{
Thought my R might like an open f-file.
}
12... Ne7
{
He tempts me...and I fall for it.
}
13. d6
{
? Nope. The white pawns are over-extended. The d-pawn was fine where it was. The correct response was 13.c4!
}
13... Nc6
{
Pressuring the e5 pawn before it even gets there.
}
14. e5 Bg7
{
Threat ...g4; I have to make a concession to keep the e5 pawn now.
}
15. g4 h5
{
Just what he wanted.
}
16. h3
{
Ugh. A move I hated to have to play.
}
16... hxg4 17. hxg4 Qb6
{
My pawns are so far up that his pieces easily get around behind them. So much for the 'space advantage'.
}
18. c4
{
Black's doing a good job keeping me busy making moves like this one, to stop ...c4+, instead of developing my pieces or shoring up my K position.
}
18... bxc4 19. Bxc4 Nd4
{
Strong move. White's King falls under a severe attack. I could have saved him, but at the cost of the two far-advanced pawns and a lost ending.
}
20. Nxd4 cxd4 21. Bd3
{
Once again I have to do something about that pawn discovery.
}
21... Qc6 22. Nd2
{
I should have resigned rather than play this; it missed both the threat of Bxe5 AND did nothing to secure the K.
}
22... Bxe5 23. Be4
{
Optimistically trying to 'win material', though that's a small consolation if your K's getting taken.
}
23... Qxd6 24. Bxb7 d3 25. Qf3 Bd4+
{
Yep, that's it. ...Qh2+ is next. I resigned.
}
*
I got revenge with the Black pieces.
W: TGN
B: BigDoggProblem
| EVENT | Clan challenge |
| SITE | http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com |
| DATE | 2015.04.26 |
| ROUND | ? |
| WHITE | TGN |
| BLACK | BigDoggProblem |
| RESULT | 0-1 |
| WHITEELO | 1887 |
| BLACKELO | 1869 |
[Event "Clan challenge"]
[Site "http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com"]
[Date "2015.04.26"]
[Round "?"]
[White "TGN"]
[Black "BigDoggProblem"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1887"]
[BlackElo "1869"]
[EndDate "2015.05.30"]
[WhiteRating "1887"]
[BlackRating "1869"]
[GameId "11168504"]
1. b4
{
Seems he's a 'pick-away-from-the-edger' when he plays white, too.
}
1... g6
{
I usually dare Orangutans to give up their fianchettoed B for my Nf6. They usually don't take me up on it.
}
2. Bb2 Nf6 3. g4 Bg7
{
No biggie; I'll see your g5 and raise you one ...Nh5.
}
4. g5 Nh5 5. Bxg7 Nxg7
{
I guess sometimes they DO take me up on giving up their B, at least.
}
6. Nf3 d5 7. b5 Nd7 8. e3
{
Preparing c4.
}
8... O-O 9. c4 c6 10. Nc3 e5
{
There's no way I can lose two games in a row with nice centers, right?!
}
11. h4
{
Seems optimistic of him to fight on the two fronts at once, doesn't it?! I guess he needs to secure g5.
}
11... e4
{
No way I can resist such a move. My N gets into e5 and eyes d3/f3.
}
12. Nd4 Ne5 13. cxd5 c5
{
! Instead of the auto-recapture, why not force his N off the watch on f3 so I can shake his K up a bit?!
}
14. Nb3 Nf3+ 15. Ke2 Bg4
{
Yeah. White definitely has given me too much this time.
}
16. Qc1 c4
{
It's important not to get too excited and use the discovered check too early. Why not give myself the option of transferring the N to d3?
}
17. Nc5
{
Going after ...e4, but his position is too much of a mess for it to work.
}
17... Nxg5+
{
Important to remove this P because in some lines he could have played Nxe4 and Nf6+. Don't want that N on f6.
}
18. Ke1 Nf3+ 19. Kd1 Ne5+
{
Heading for d3.
}
20. Be2
{
? Kc2 just had to be tried. Now ...Nd3 is even more powerful.
}
20... Nd3 21. Nxd3 Bxe2+
{
Necessary intermezzo.
}
22. Nxe2 cxd3
{
What a difference between these two advanced pawns and the two in the last game, eh? White has no piece activity this time, so he gets choked out by the pawns.
}
23. Nc3 Qf6 24. Rh3
{
If 24.Rf1, Rac8 threatening ...Qf3+ Ke1 RxN. Still, this was a much better try.
}
24... Qxf2
{
There's no good defense against Qf1/g1. White resigned.
}
0-1
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