I just came to loose this game against Alastair Atkinson. It surely is
the most exciting game I played here untill now (and I played here a
lot of nice games yet). When I look back on it I don't realy see were I
went wrong or were I could do better. So I should appreciate if some
of you experienced players could take a look at it and give some
comments. Thanks. Joost
Hi Joost,
I didn't go thru your entire game in detail, and I'm no expert, but I
noticed early on that the pawn structure in the center was not in your
favor. This early blockade gave your opponent much more space and
mobility. Didn't you feel smothered by these pawns? Or, perhaps you
thought they would serve as protection?
Plus, in this closed game your opponent seemed to post his knights
on key weak squares. Especially the knight by your king. This was a
killer...a beautiful servant to his attack on that side.
Why not ask your granddad what he thinks?
GuyFrancon
Hello Guy,
Thanks for you're reaction. You're absolutely right about the
pawnstructure, it closed me in and I couldn't find room to move. His
Knight was a killer indeed and Sintubin (see other reaction on this
post) suggested that I should have taken it on move 23.
I should like to ask my granddad what he thinks of it but he died 15
years ago. I try to honour him by playing chess, he really was a great
player and a good man.
Joost
Joost, I looked at the game, and here my major remarks. The game
was very good! Don't judge by the number of comments. I will indicate
key points.
Opening:
4. ..., d6 better exd, Nxd,Nc6
5. ..., e5 better exd, exd Be7
the point is thta white has more space. Count the number of squares
each opponent covers on the opponents' side.
midgame:
21 .... Rxb5 better (slightly) Nac7
23 ... Nf5?? this is bad. gxf, exf Qa4 is much better. Now you are
behind.
27 ... Nb4? better Qa4
30. Qf1, QxQ ? better Na2+ BxN, QxB
34. hxg? white gave away his advantage, but you played
34 .... Kxg??? better fxg to keep the g-file closed
39 d7?? again a less good move from white
with Rg2+ or Rg1+ mate would follow soon
but, you help him
39 .... Nc7? with Rxb1 you would live much longer, for the exchange,
you eliminate the mating piece.
Exciting game it was. well played !
sin.
Hello Sin,
Thanks for your comments on this game, it's a great help for me.
What's funny is that I concidered most of the moves that you suggest
during the game, but for one or other reason I did reject them.
Looking back now I see that some of this moves surrely were better,
for some other moves I still have some doubts. So if you don't mind I
go into you're comments and will tell why I didn't play that move.
Opening:
4. ..., d6 better exd, Nxd,Nc6
5. ..., e5 better exd, exd Be7
the point is thta white has more space. Count the number of squares
each opponent covers on the opponents' side.
Ok for the opening you're 100% right I don't can't find enough room
to move. It's a problem I have regulary. I think it becomes of my lack
of knowledge on openings, that makes me incertain and I hesitate to
exchange pieces.
midgame:
21 .... Rxb5 better (slightly) Nac7 OK for that to, just didn't see it.
23 ... Nf5?? this is bad. gxf, exf Qa4 is much better. Now you are
behind.
Well, here comes the keyproblem. I analyzed after 23 ... gxf (like you
suggest) that white continous 24. Qh5 (and not exf), ... 25. g5, fxg5
26. Rh-g1, ... 27. Rgxg6 and so on.
Maybe there is an answer to this but I can't find it, I can do some
moves to make it take some more time, but in the end I'm
confronted with what I see as a deadly attack
27 ... Nb4? better Qa4
Here I was hoping to do Na2 with check as next move. If I could have
made this move I think the game was won for me. And so sometimes
I do moves like that, hoping the oponent will not see the danger or
will not find the right answer. I agree, not the best strategy against
strong players
30. Qf1, QxQ ? better Na2+ BxN, QxB
I did consider this but I found that the attack with my Queen on a2
was impotent, and the more my Queen was isolated there and
couldn't get in for a help in defence. I didn't take enough in account
that I could have exchanged his verry strong white B for my N
34. hxg? white gave away his advantage, but you played
34 .... Kxg??? better fxg to keep the g-file closed
Here I can't follow you, move 34 ins't Kxg but NxBc3 and you're
suggestion (fxg) isn't possible. Probably you want to say that I should
have played 34. ..., hxg, and this is so obvious that I don't
understand now why I didn't. I fact after 34. ... , NxBc3 I didn't expect
Nf5 with check.
Another possibility is that you refer to move 36...., Kxg5 (but also
here fxg isn't possible because of the check). Here I should have
played Kf7 or even better RxBb1 (what you suggest as move 39). That
should have give me a change to survive.
39 d7?? again a less good move from white
with Rg2+ or Rg1+ mate would follow soon
but, you help him
39 .... Nc7? with Rxb1 you would live much longer, for the exchange,
you eliminate the mating piece.
So thanks again for you're comments. And say hello to Lioness,
probably I meet here in the second round of the tournament.
Joost
Joost
here some comments on the "open" points. I was not accurate, too
hasty.
23 ... Nf5?? this is bad. gxf, exf Qa4 is much better. Now you are
behind.
Well, here comes the keyproblem. I analyzed after 23 ... gxf (like
you
suggest) that white continous 24. Qh5 (and not exf), ... 25. g5, fxg5
26. Rh-g1, ... 27. Rgxg6 and so on.
Maybe there is an answer to this but I can't find it, I can do some
moves to make it take some more time, but in the end I'm
confronted with what I see as a deadly attack
Answer: 23 Nf5, gxf (my suggestion)
if 24. Qh5 then c4!; 25. Bxc4 , fxe4 and you win.
I don't see how 25 g5 could be made. the pawn is there already (or
am i wrong again?). and 25. g6, fxg6 wins
34. hxg? white gave away his advantage, but you played
34 .... Kxg??? better fxg to keep the g-file closed
Here I can't follow you, move 34 ins't Kxg but NxBc3 and you're
suggestion (fxg) isn't possible. Probably you want to say that I should
have played 34. ..., hxg, and this is so obvious that I don't
understand now why I didn't. I fact after 34. ... , NxBc3 I didn't expect
Nf5 with check.
Another possibility is that you refer to move 36...., Kxg5 (but also
here fxg isn't possible because of the check). Here I should have
played Kf7 or even better RxBb1 (what you suggest as move 39).
That
should have give me a change to survive.
here i was inaccurate. sure 34 hxg, Nxc3 35. Nf5+, Kxg6 (check!).
I meant that 34. hxg, hxg was better than Nxc3! the game was even
then.
I gave julia your greetings.
sin.