Around the World - Annotated Game

Most of my PGN's are with annotations, this one won't work with the annotations
attached, so I've had to copy the original PGN for this game viewer - if you need
the annotated PGN for use in your own archive, let me know and I'll post it in this
thread.




1. d4 d5 2. c4 Bf5 {immediately attacking c2} 3. Nf3

{Qb3 is regarded as better
} Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 {Queens Gambit Declined, classical - with a french defense
type pawn architecture} 5. Bf4 Bb4 6. Rc1

{White intends to simplify the
center, and open the c-file. Rc1 premtively prepares the open file.} O-O 7.
cxd5 Bxc3+ 8. Rxc3 Nxd5 9. e3

{A quiet exchange sacrafice - black will have
to oblige white by allowing him to regain a strong pawn center, with a bishop
pair. This exchange is very difficult to understand whether or not it is
accurate for either side.} Nxf4 {Black accepts the exchange for the bishop and
weakens whites pawn center} 10. exf4 Nc6 11. Be2 {preparing to castle} Bg4 {
Hoping to freeze the Knight on f3 for fear of the light bishop exchange} 12.
O-O Re8 13. h3

{displacing the bishop, or forcing the exchange} Bxf3 14. Bxf3
Qxd4
15. Bxc6 {white has an oppertunity to double blacks pawns, and weaken
what is currently a stronger pawn structure.} Qxd1 16. Rxd1 bxc6 17. Rxc6
{An
equal exchange, with a + to the position for white.} Re7 18. b3 {strengthening
the queenside pawn structure immediately.} h6 19. Kh2 e5 20. Re1

{pinning e5,
and effectively redistributing blacks rook to e8} Rae8 21. fxe5 a5 {Bringing
the pawn to a square intended to be protected after Rxe5} 22. a4 Rxe5 23. Rxe5
Rxe5 24. Rxc7
{Gaining a pawn.} Re2 25. Rc5 Rb2 26. Rxa5

{creating two passed
pawns, momentarily.} Rxb3 27. Ra8+ {preparing the path.} Kh7 28. a5 Ra3 29. a6
f6 30. a7 Ra4 31. g3 Ra3 32. Kg2
{The position has a singular liability,
blacks rook cannot leave the a file, but to check the white king. This makes
blacks pawns possible targets for the white king. However, the white king
cannot maneuver there... or can he?} Kg6 33. Kf1 Kf5 34. Ke2 {White can
relocate his king, by presenting an attack on the black rook, and can maneuver
up the b file, to the back rank if need be.} h5 35. Kd2 g5 36. Kc2
Ra2+ 37. Kb3
{White can now attack his way forward} Ra6 38. Kb4 g4 39. h4 {White creates a
strong pawn chain, note that black cannot march his king outside of his pawn
structure, or white can corral him back in with his rook.} Ra1 40. Kb5 Rb1+ 41.
Ka6 Ra1+ 42. Kb7
{White has reached the 7th rank, and is now free to march
behind the black pawns. If black redistributes his rook, white can promote,
blacks king cannot defend all three pawns, and whites mobolity takes key
precedence.} Rb1+ 43. Kc7 Rc1+ 44. Kd7 Rd1+ 45. Ke7 Re1+ 46. Kf7
{Black cannot
defend against the invader, and blacks rook must return to the a file.} 1-0



-GIN

I've followed some of your annotation threads and I have to say that I'm often surprised by some of your comments. Nobody is perfect while annotating but you're more prone to making comments significantly below your playing strength.

But hey, quality of annotation is subjective and it's no more than just my opinion. Maybe plenty of others have bought into it more than I have.

Originally posted by Varenka
I've followed some of your annotation threads and I have to say that I'm often surprised by some of your comments. Nobody is perfect while annotating but you're more prone to making comments significantly below your playing strength.

But hey, quality of annotation is subjective and it's no more than just my opinion. Maybe plenty of others have bought into it more than I have.

I've never said a bad word about Nowakowski before, nor do I intend to, but his annotations remind me a lot of the ChessMaster. No, this is not in ANY way a cheating accusation. When I used to play a game with the Chessmaster, he would annotate it afterwards. It would be annotations like "attacks a piece" or "moves it to safety". I think you should throw a few personal touches in here and there. Give some commentary of your thought processes. Even include unsound lines that you may have calculated. I'm not trying to attack you in any way. Just try to have fun with it.

* My annotations aren't great either, so this could come off as the blind leading the blind. 🙂

One example:

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Bf5 {immediately attacking c2}

Attacking c2? That's not really saying much. I know what you mean exactly though from seeing games with this defense.

How about something like this?

Bf5 eyes c2. One theme of this (the Baltic/Keres) defense, is that early attempts at refutations don't go so well for white. For instance, in many lines, black can counter a premature queenside offensive with an early Nc6 and Nb4. This, combined with the bishop on f5 aiming at c2, creates fork threats that slow white down in his tracks. One example would be: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Bf5 3.Nf3 e6 4.Qb3 Nc6!.
Rather than simply going on the defensive, black begins to make threats of his own. 5.e3 is met by Nb4, and the greedy 5.Qxb7 Nb4 is downright dangerous. White not only has problems with c2, but his queen is also in danger of being trapped (although not technically, right away).

Maybe something like that, explaining the c2 attack, would be better.

Poor old Nowakowski even his notes are getting panned.

When he first joined Nowak used to send me 2 sometimes 3 of his games
a week to make comments on and help.

He was raw around the edges but had a certain amount of tactical skill.

I pointed out a few simple things, the main one being avoid 1 & 2 move
blunders. Do a pre-send ritual looking for loose pieces and blunders.
Following the above anyone can get to 2000 on here.

I can testify the lad has put some work into his game since coming here.

So I for one has severe doubts about Nowak being a user.

He has put some effort into his chess and the rise may look alarming
but not so if you stop blundering.

And honestly this is not a real chess site grading wise.
You should not compare it with the 'real' world.

I can go and play 10 under 1500 players and win (not an unkind remark)
I can get 20 instant grading points in two to three days.

I cannot do that on the outside.
For a start you cannot pick your opponents under graded conditions.

And it would take me 20 nights to score the same result and wait 6 months
before the grades took effect.

My minor gripe with Nowk is some of the advice he hands out is a bit 'iffy'
and he often over elaborates and makes everything messy. As in this post.

It is undertandable why he posts.
When you learn things and see it working for yourself you want to pass it on.

Nowak, Paul is correct this post is dull.

First why are you posting the game?

It's the instructuve bit is the ending.

So skip all boring crap let's get ot the bones.

Hi. Had this in one of my recent game. I'm White.

The win is not that simple.



Two things to note:

If the BK strays onto an open file The WR can check and Queen the pawn,

If the BR leaves the a-file then the WR will move and the a- pawn Queens.

The plan I came up with was to get my King behind the Black pawns
and attack them from the rear.

Once I had the plan I just had to make sure I never allowed Black
any counter play and when the pawns met choose the correct move.

This position arose.



A target has appeared for the White King it's the wee chap on h5.
Take that and the h-pawn walks home.

Danger
Very close to home and now a 'softley-softley' moment.

This appeared on the board. Black to play.



Black can fire his last arrow with 14....Re8! 15. Kxe8! 1-0 or



15.Rxe8?? ½ - ½

Be careful boys.
Chess is a wicked women she will snatch the win right from under your nose
and laugh in your face.

Black did not go for it, he was saving his last arrow fro another day.

You have seen the script. Now enjoy the film.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Poor old Nowakowski even his notes are getting panned.

When he first joined Nowak used to send me 2 sometimes 3 of his games
a week to make comments on and help.

He was raw around the edges but had a certain amount of tactical skill.

I pointed out a few simple things, the main one being avoid 1 & 2 move
blunders. Do a pre-send ritual looking ...[text shortened]... Kf7 Ra1 15. Kg7 Ra6 16. Kh6 Ra4 17. Kxh5 Ra2 18. Kh6 Ra3 19. Kg7 Ra5
20. h5[/pgn]

Your annotations are certainly a massive improvement GP.

Always helps when a published author takes over 🙂


-GIN

I'm not polished, just been doing it longer. (40 odd years).

Had advice from a lot people and I don't think I'm good. I think I just pass.
I just know all chess players are lazy so short, sharp and slap them in the face.

It's the instructuve bit is the ending.

Agreed. Here's my thinking when I looked at the ending...



Firstly, I understand why the above simplified position is drawn. If Black keeps his king on g7/h7 then White's only plan is to play the king to b1 harassing the Black rook. So the Black rook stays on the a-file to watch the pawn, and the White king gets to advance. Then what? Once the White king advances far enough the Black rook goes to a1 and will keep checking the king from below. White can't make progress, so drawn. (Probably included in most endgame books.)

So now I'm comparing:



Obviously the kingside pawns are the big difference here. But what impact will they have compared to the simplified position? Well, the main difference is if Black is forced to lose any of them. But is he? Supposing Black decides to do nothing but keep his king on g6 or h7 and not move any pawns unless forced to do so. He can also waste moves with the rook on the a-file. I think passive defensive is the first natural line of investigation. How does White then make progress? I think it's drawn.

I can only see two ideas:

(i) try the king march via b1 and then up and across to the kingside. But where to attack? Thinking schematically, I now place the White king anywhere I like, say f7 with the Black king on h7. Or White king on h8; Black king on g6. And I don't see any setup that allows White enough time to play e.g. Rg8 without allowing Black to play Rxa7 and cover the g7 "weakness".

(ii) maybe White needs to advance his king side pawns and provoke a weakness from Black, before infiltrating with the White king. Again, I don't see anyway of achieving this.

Comparing the game, Black voluntarily weakened his kingside pawns and made things easier for White.

I enjoyed this post as well. Thanks for talking about actual chess in the chess forum. Good game and informative read. It surely takes a lot of work and fortitude to post annotations on this forum.

Hi V.

I had a quick look at a passive holding defence for Black and could
not see a way in. I should have added that if Black leaves his pawns alone
it makes things more difficult for White.

But it's not my game, I followed the flow.

(I did add "The win is not that simple." which is an under statement).

The White Rook is in an awful postion.

Can White win this with best play? I doubt it.

Here is a postion that could be reached.



This is a draw (Black win if White tries too hard).

Mind you it's an ending - what do I know about endings.
I don't play them (thank God for the Middle Game & Opening Traps).

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Poor old Nowakowski even his notes are getting panned.

When he first joined Nowak used to send me 2 sometimes 3 of his games
a week to make comments on and help.

He was raw around the edges but had a certain amount of tactical skill.

I pointed out a few simple things, the main one being avoid 1 & 2 move
blunders. Do a pre-send ritual looking ...[text shortened]... Kf7 Ra1 15. Kg7 Ra6 16. Kh6 Ra4 17. Kxh5 Ra2 18. Kh6 Ra3 19. Kg7 Ra5
20. h5[/pgn]

Your view of the ratings here is perfect as it describes me. I'll play anybody, as I am using the site as a practice site and testbed for new stuff. As a result, I have notched up a bunch points a few at a time playing lower rated people who are trying to improve.
I've also really been infected lately with the "too many games/missing the obvious" disease, that could easily be cured with the old Silman (predates Silman, but I read it there first) adage of before you move:

1) are there any pieces hanging? and
2) are there any checks?

I have applied this to my OTB games and really cut down on errors, but I have slacked off here, and really cheated my opponents as well as myself by marring otherwise interesting games.

GP, you da man.

Paul