It has been a while since we have shared a game we have played, not for a lack of trying on our part, it just didn't seem like the games we completed were worthy of a forum entry. That changed with our recent clash, where central pawns were key in the battle for supremacy.
John (velvetears) should annotate his side of the game imminently...
[Event "Challenge"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2012.08.22"] [EndDate "2012.10.11"] [Round "?"] [White "VelvetEars"] [Black "morgski"] [WhiteRating "1793"] [BlackRating "1917"] [WhiteElo "1793"] [BlackElo "1917"] [Result "0-1"] [GameId "9483121"] 1. e4 d5 {I've grown quite fond of the centre counter} 2. exd5 Ng8f6 3. Nb1c3 e5 {An idea I stole from my opponent. Leaves the lines for the Icelandic gambit open if en passant is chosen, or leaves a useful central pawn if not} 4. Ng1f3 {was expecting Bb5} Bf8d6 5. Bf1d3 O-O 6. O-O c6 {time to try and take control of the centre} 7. Rf1e1 cxd5 {centre now looks promising} 8. Nf3xe5 d4 9. Nc3b5 Bd6xe5 10. Re1xe5 Nb8c6 {seemed obvious, allows development with tempo. In hindsight a6 may have been better first} 11. Re5e1 a6 {so here it comes} 12. Nb5a3 {the white knight is now nicely tucked away and not liable to be able to do anything quickly} Qd8c7 13. b3 Nf6g4 {attempting to build a kingside attack} 14. g3 Nc6e5 15. Bd3e4 Bc8d7 16. Bc1b2 Ra8e8 17. Bb2xd4 {central pawns are no more} Qc7d6 18. Bd4b2 Qd6b6 {considered Qh6 here, which may have been the better option} 19. d4 {my opponent freely admitted here that this pawn would win the game} Qb6h6 {here is the move I should have made before...} 20. h4 Qh6f6 21. f3 {I am in quite a bit of trouble now} Ne5xf3 {into the breach} 22. Qd1xf3 Re8xe4 {forces the queens off on his tempo from the checkmate options} 23. Qf3xf6 Ng4xf6 24. Re1xe4 Nf6xe4 {so after all that carnage, he is a still a pawn to the good but his pieces are less well placed than mine} 25. Na3c4 {decides that Kh2 isn't worth it and goes for development at the loss of material advantage} Ne4xg3 {nom nom} 26. Nc4b6 Bd7g4 {the plan is now just to go for the exposed king} 27. d5 {compared to the different pawn pushing plan of velvetears} Ng3f5 {providing some protection} 28. Ra1e1 Nf5xh4 {I thought long and hard here, it is a little dangerous leaving that passed pan alone, but the white king is now fully exposed. Bring the rook into it, and he could be in trouble} 29. Re1e7 h5 30. Re7xb7 {I think this is the crux of the game. Had VE played c4 then my options would have been limited} Rf8e8 {I now have three pieces aiming for the king} 31. Rb7c7 {my opponent sees the danger} Re8e1 32. Kg1f2 Re1e2 33. Kf2f1 Re2d2 {the rook now threatens the runaway pawn, but more importantly there are several checkmate lines my opponent needs to be wary of} 34. Bb2c3 {I think Rc3 was the only way out here} Bg4h3 {VE said that he was too preoccupied with Nf3 to see this line} 35. Kf1e1 Nh4f3 {a helpmate at the end to bring a swift end to it, but a thoroughly enjoyable game for both of us} 0-1
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Ng8f6 3. Nb1c3 e5 {As Morgski said he nicked this idea of me, I just started playing it because I had no idea how the centre counter was supposed to be played and this move worked out fairly well for me} 4. Ng1f3 {Possibly dxe6 ep is safer} Bf8d6 5. Bf1d3 {This move is just terrible, I don't know what I was thinking - something to do with fianchettoing queenside and attacking his king. Everytime I play back this move I cringe a bit...} O-O 6. O-O c6 7. Rf1e1 {Trying to add defence to the e4 square to stop any pawn forks with my stupidly placed bishop} cxd5 8. Nf3xe5 d4 {Disrupting my pieces} 9. Nc3b5 {A course in how not to develop, my pieces are scattered randomly and I'm going to have trouble holding it all together} Bd6xe5 10. Re1xe5 Nb8c6 {My bad development allows Morgski to take the lead in development} 11. Re5e1 a6 {Attacking my misplaced knight again} 12. Nb5a3 {Forcing me to a3 leaving my kingside wide open to an attack with no pieces offering any real defence} Qd8c7 {Morgski starts plotting an attack} 13. b3 {But I need to carry on developing and I reckon my pawns can hold my game together} Nf6g4 14. g3 Nc6e5 15. Bd3e4 {Pretty much the only move I can play, the plan now to fianchetto this bishop if I need to, to bolster my defences} Bc8d7 16. Bc1b2 {Finally completing my development!} Ra8e8 {Morgski completes his attack preparations} 17. Bb2xd4 {?! Pawn grabbing here is risky, but the passed d-pawn is very tempting, even if I have to sac a piece back I'll still be in the game} Qc7d6 {Now the black queen starts dancing around the board} 18. Bd4b2 Qd6b6 {I might have tried 18...f5 here, throwing more pieces into the attack, my pieces are still misplaced so throwing pawns into the fire may be productive} 19. d4 Qb6h6 20. h4 {Throwing pawns forward as the only form of defence} Qh6f6 21. f3 {? Possibly f4 here is stronger but there were questions on to how my defence would hold} Ne5xf3 {Here comes the great swap off, let's see where stand once the dust has settled} 22. Qd1xf3 Re8xe4 23. Qf3xf6 Ng4xf6 24. Re1xe4 Nf6xe4 {I'm a passed pawn up, just need to stay calm, play something like Kh2 holding the g-pawn and then build an attack around my d pawn.} 25. Na3c4 {Oh dear....} Ne4xg3 26. Nc4b6 {I assume that I'll be able to race my d-pawn home quick enough to gain a winning advantage so put all my eggs in one basket.} Bd7g4 {My king looks worried...} 27. d5 {Re1 here looks stronger allowing me to attempt to protect my h-pawn} Ng3f5 28. Ra1e1 Nf5xh4 29. Re1e7 {Preventing 29...f5 with 30. Rxg7+ My king is beginning to look very very worried, but as long as I don't let his rook on the e-file I should be ok...} h5 30. Re7xb7 {Why do I never listen to myself, I get too worried with being a pawn down and fail to understand all the trouble Re8 brings} Rf8e8 31. Rb7c7 {I'm still blissfully unaware of the doom approaching me, having said that, there's not much I can do here} Re8e1 32. Kg1f2 Re1e2 {33.Kg3 loses to 33...g5 threatening 34...Nf5 mate. 33.Kg1 gets very messy after 33...Rg2+ and after 34. Kh1 Bf3 my king is very trapped and I have no real way to break the windmill on my king except to sac my rook. Mating threats are everywhere!} 33. Kf2f1 Re2d2 {A simple move throwing up more mating threats, I try to muddy the water with...} 34. Bb2c3 {But alas, Morgski can see the mate starting with Bh3+} Bg4h3 35. Kf1e1 {Whichever way I run I'm shortly mated...} Nh4f3 {A nice finish to a fun game!} 0-1
In heinsight I played some very dodgy moves, primarily 5. Bd3 21. f3 30. Rxb7 which really crippled me and allowed Morgski to be in control for most of the game. I'll get him next time! 🙂
As a brief follow-up, I really enjoy when others annotate games like this. I find that seeing both players give their hindsight into what happened in a game, you gain a much better understanding of how plots come to fruition/unravel. So if you have been involved in a game you're particularly proud of, or think it displays some instructive element, I for one would be very interested in seeing it 🙂
Cheers
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