Velvetears vs morgski: The infernal bishops

morgski

Only Chess

26 Jan 12

morgski

In attack

Joined: 02 Mar 06
Moves: 30226

26 Jan 12

7

Another installment of our online rivalry, and from my perspective our most enjoyable game yet. Full of mistakes, valiant fight backs, tactical endings, and the importance of bishops
Game 8953874

1. e4 e5 2. Ng1f3 Nb8c6 3. Bf1c4 Bf8c5 4. b4 {Fairly standard up until now, where VE offers a pawn for the chance to build on my bishop with tempo} Bc5xb4 {I accept} 5. Bc1b2 d6 6. O-O Qd8f6 7. d4 exd4 8. Nf3xd4 {This move intrigued me, the knight is almost pinning itself because it doesn't have anything to go on and attack, and leaves the threat of Qxb2 Qxa1} Bb4c5 {I apply pressure to hopefully come up out of an exchange} 9. Nd4b5 {Ah, a risk of a fork. No matter, the bishop and rook in the corner should be more than white can capture} Qf6xb2 {so into the corner I go} 10. Nb1c3 {Good move. I had just expected VE to go for the fork, whereas now I need to get my Queen safe again and the fork is still on} Qb2b4 11. Nb5xc7 Ke8d7 {In hindsight this was a really poor move, I was worried about the knights and overlooked the frankly obvious threat of Qg4. I got careless} 12. Nc3d5 {Again VE builds on a position before executing the obvious move. This time however, I can take the Bishop. Starting to feel a little uneasy about what he is planning} Qb4xc4 13. Qd1g4 {here it comes...} Kd7d8 {and now my King is where I should have moved him in the first place} 14. Qg4xg7 Bc8e6 {I'm now fighting to stay in the game, I'm two bishops up but about to lose both Rooks} 15. Qg7xh8 Be6xd5 16. Nc7xa8 Bd5xe4 {Trying to get my money's worth before the inevitable loss of the back rank} 17. Qh8xg8 Kd8d7 18. Kg1h1 {Finally some respite. Board pieces say -4 for me but the white knight and a couple of pawns look vulnerable} Nc6e7 {I go after the knight on a8} 19. Qg8g4 {I was expecting f3 here, after the king move the move before} f5 {I'm allow a bit of piece development and the Queen can't get through yet} 20. Qg4h3 b5 {Still after the a8 knight} 21. f3 {This isn't as potent now because I wanted to move the bishop back anyway, I'm going to lose the h pawn though} Be4xa8 22. Qh3xh7 Ba8d5 {In preparation to defend against Re1} 23. Rf1e1 Bd5e6 24. a3 Bc5f2 {There isn't a safe square on the e file, so the pressure on the white squared bishop will be relieved temporarily} 25. Re1f1 Bf2d4 26. Ra1d1 a5 {time to try and instigate an attack of my own, a good old fashioned pawn charge} 27. Rd1d3 Bd4c5 28. Rf1d1 Qc4xc2 {I'd been having reservations about taking this pawn, but finally I think it is safe to do so} 29. Rd3d2 Qc2c3 30. Rd2e2 {Pressure back on the white squared bishop} Bc5e3 {pressure off again!} 31. Rd1e1 f4 32. Qh7e4 {White building on the e file, this is beginning to look dangerous} d5 {Begone, Queen} 33. Re2xe3 {Oh. Wasn't expecting that} fxe3 {Forced} 34. Qe4xe3 Qc3xe3 {Seems a good idea to exchange. I've been in trouble for about 22 moves and there is light at the end of the tunnel} 35. Re1xe3 b4 36. axb4 axb4 {Two passed pawns with knight and bishop vs Rook and three passed pawns, who's your money on?} 37. h4 {VE names his h pawn "Eric" and leads the charge down the board"} d4 38. Re3d3 Ne7c6 39. g4 b3 40. Rd3d1 Be6d5 {This pins f3, and with Nd5 I should claim one of the pawns} 41. Kh1g2 Kd7d6 42. h5 {Eric continues his charge} Nc6e5 {d pawn is sacrificed for greater good, knight and bishop threat on f3 and b1=Q the ideas} 43. Rd1xd4 Kd6c5 {Unpinning the bishop} 44. Rd4d2 Bd5xf3 45. Kg2g3 Ne5c4 46. Rd2h2 Bf3e4 47. g5 b2 48. Rh2xb2 {VE forced into a Rook sac, now can I get back and defend against Eric and co?} Nc4xb2 49. g6 Nb2d3 50. Kg3h4 Nd3f4 51. Kh4g5 Nf4e6 52. Kg5f6 Kc5d6 53. h6 {Up till here I was hopeful, now not so much} Ne6f8 54. h7 {final little trap, g7 would have meant Nh7+, Kf7, Bd5+} Nf8xg6 {VE sees it} 55. Kf6g7 Ng6h8 {and the charge of Eric saves us another 50 moves where I try to execute a bishop and knight ending. I really enjoyed that} 1/2-1/2

Bit gutted to have missed out on the first chance of trying a B+N ending on RHP, but considering the mess I was in half way through it has to be considered a draw gained.
More from Velvetears soon, I hope

tomtom232

Joined: 15 Jun 06
Moves: 16334

26 Jan 12

1 edit

Originally posted by morgski
Another installment of our online rivalry, and from my perspective our most enjoyable game yet. Full of mistakes, valiant fight backs, tactical endings, and the importance of bishops
Game 8953874

[pgn]1. e4 e5 2. Ng1f3 Nb8c6 3. Bf1c4 Bf8c5 4. b4 {Fairly standard up until now, where VE offers a pawn for the chance to build on my bishop with tempo} hrough it has to be considered a draw gained.
More from Velvetears soon, I hope

47... Bc2 seems good then should follow

48. Rh1 b2 49. g6 {h6 alows you to blockade his pawns... maybe better is moving the king up first} b1=Q 50. Rxb1 Bxb1 {the point... now you take back with your bishop allowing your knight to stay closer to the pawns}

Now white can't move either of his pawns yet and has to move his king up to help... I didnt look all the way through but this seems like it should give you enough time to move in for the kill seeing as you almost made it in the game the extra move this line gives you should alllow you to get the job done.

VelvetEars

Joined: 22 Aug 08
Moves: 9361

26 Jan 12

3 edits

5

OK, for this game I'm going to do the analysis in fens and small pgns first to give you an alternative view after morgski's analysis. Then finish with the complete pgn:

VelvetEars vs morgski: The Infernal Bishops - other titles (we end up spending most of the game thinking of possible titles) included: The bishops of death, Fianchettod to Death and (to add some sex appeal to the title) The Buxom Bishops. This is a game where at one point, we both have a set of powerful bishops with which to cause problems.

This game starts with a fairly standard opening:

But standard ain't really my style so I go off the rail with b5:

Allowing me to develop my c1 bishop with tempo, trying to get a lead in development at the cost of a pawn. We go on and I get myself into a little trouble by managing to pin my own bishop

So time to throw the boat out and sac my bishop with Nb5?! - dubious, but fun 🙂
morgski takes the bishop and I develop my other knight:

I'm now threatening his queen with Rb1, so he makes a jailbreak with Qb4 and I take the hanging pawn with Nxc7. Morgski's now plays Kd7?. In my opinion his best defence here is Kd8, to which I'll follow up with Qd3:

And I have no idea what morgski will do here, Rb8 will be followed with Nd5 or Rab1 and who knows what will happen next! However, instead of playing Kd8, morgski plays Kd7 allowing me in:

So right now, things look good, but morgski has loads of counterplay and I lose my knight on a8, so I'm 2 rooks vs. 3 minor pieces which I've never been up against before. This game becomes really tactical now, we each make lots of small moves trying to gain a small edge, and it comes to a climax where all the pieces crowd around the e-file with me to play here:

I have to do something about the e3 bishop anchored into position, so I play Rxe3 stopping the threat of dxe4. We trade down to this position:

and the game ends up in a draw, with his queenside dominance a match for my kingside dominance. So a game of mistakes for both players which ended up with the spoils shared. The full pgn is below.

{White: VelvetEars, Black: morgski This is a game of mistakes and missed opportunities}
1. e4 e5 2. Ng1f3 Nb8c6 3. Bf1c4 Bf8c5 {Standard opening setup} 4. b4 {OK, time to get out of theory and into the unknown, allowing me to fianchetto with tempo} Bc5xb4 5. Bc1b2 {Now my bishops are the dominant force in this game} d6 {morski protecting the weakened e-pawn} 6. O-O {I have ideas of c3 and d4, but first need to castle to stop any potential pins on c3} Qd8f6 {In a normal game this would be a weak move, but with my bishop fianchettod, it's fairly safe and opens up possibilities of kingside attacks} 7. d4 {I decide against c3 as I want to leave the diagonal open for my bishop however Nc3 may be a better move} exd4 8. Nf3xd4 {Dubious move, self pinning my own bishop. An alternative is 8.Qd3 followed by 9.c3} Bb4c5 {9.c3 is the obvious move, but the defence gets a little messy, so I go for all-out attack} 9. Nd4b5 {!? forcing the queen to take the bishop and hoping to trap the queen} Qf6xb2 10. Nb1c3 {Threatening Rb1} Qb2b4 {Escaping the trap I've laid for the queen} 11. Nb5xc7 Ke8d7 {? I was expecting Kd8 here, to which I would have played 12.Qd3} 12. Nc3d5 {Time to wave goodbye to the valiant bishops} Qb4xc4 13. Qd1g4 {And here comes the queen! This move wouldn't have been possible if morgski played Kd8 earlier} Kd7d8 14. Qg4xg7 {Threatening both rooks now} Bc8e6 {Right now I'm like a kid in a candy store. I have half a dozen decent attacking moves and I don't quite know which one to pick. After looking at all the possibilities I'm torn between Nxe6+ and Qxh8} 15. Qg7xh8 {A last minute decision, Nxe6+ is the much safer choice, but I feel the material I'll gain this way should be a trade off for allowing morgski some counterplay} Be6xd5 16. Nc7xa8 {Nxd5 is the safe path here and still leaves me with some attacking play however I've gotten a little greedy.} Bd5xe4 {Now it's morgski's turn to have a pair of powerful bishops threatening havoc.} 17. Qh8xg8 Kd8d7 {Now I stop and see the full threats of morgski's bishops} 18. Kg1h1 {Breaking the pin allowing f3 to offer my king some protection} Nc6e7 19. Qg8g4 {? Moving my queen to an unprotected square is asking for trouble. Better options include Qh8, Qg3 and the daring Qb8 planning a breakout for my knight} f5 20. Qg4h3 {I was a whisker away from playing Qh4 and losing my queen to Bxg2+, so after a night's sleep I move to h3 instead} b5 21. f3 {As good as anything, my knight has gone, if I could have rescued this knight, the game probably would have been mine} Be4xa8 22. Qh3xh7 {Preparing Eric the hungry h-pawn for heroics later in the game} Ba8d5 23. Rf1e1 {Now we're into a fairly gritty tactical exchange, each player trying to get an edge here} Bd5e6 {Defending the knight, however throwing more pieces on the e-file which I spend the next few moves trying to capitalise on} 24. a3 {A bit of a dud move, but Bb4 was the thorn in my plans on doubling my rooks on the e-file} Bc5f2 {morgski pushing me off the e-file} 25. Re1f1 Bf2d4 {Now I see his plans, trying to disrupt my rooks and pick up my loose pawns} 26. Ra1d1 {Now I'm planning to double on the d-file and then skip across to the e-file} a5 27. Rd1d3 Bd4c5 {Again we're both shifting our pieces about, trying to get into a better position} 28. Rf1d1 {Doubling the rooks} Qc4xc2 {morgski finally picks up the c pawn which has been hanging for a long time} 29. Rd3d2 {Which lets me move my rooks to e-file} Qc2c3 30. Rd2e2 {Finally getting onto e-file} Bc5e3 {In time for morgski to put a thorn in my plans} 31. Rd1e1 f4 {Now this bishop is becoming a serious problem. I can either sack a rook to get the bishop or play g3 to try and dislodge the bishop's anchoring pawn} 32. Qh7e4 {Getting my queen back in the game} d5 {This stops the g3 plans as morgski can just plan d4 getting a new anchoring pawn} 33. Re2xe3 {So I take the bishop straight away and negate the threat on my pawn} fxe3 {morgski's options are fxe3, Qxe3 or Qxe1+ all leading to fairly similar exchanges} 34. Qe4xe3 Qc3xe3 35. Re1xe3 {Now the tactical exchange is over and we're into the endgame, I have the kingside, morgski has the queenside} b4 36. axb4 axb4 37. h4 {I push forward Eric the hungry pawn to counter morgski's queenside pawns} d4 38. Re3d3 {Right now I'm beginning to feel this has 'draw' written all over this but we're both hoping the other side will make a mistake - given the game so far, it's a fair bet} Ne7c6 39. g4 b3 40. Rd3d1 {? Inviting threats on f3, Rd2 is stronger} Be6d5 41. Kh1g2 Kd7d6 42. h5 Nc6e5 43. Rd1xd4 {Forced into this, if I played 40.Rd2 I would have had other options} Kd6c5 44. Rd4d2 Bd5xf3 45. Kg2g3 Ne5c4 {Bxg4 here allows me to play Kf4 leading to a draw} 46. Rd2h2 Bf3e4 47. g5 b2 48. Rh2xb2 {Forced into the rook sac, but I'm fairly sure I can get the draw} Nc4xb2 49. g6 Nb2d3 50. Kg3h4 Nd3f4 51. Kh4g5 Nf4e6 52. Kg5f6 Kc5d6 53. h6 Ne6f8 54. h7 {Dodging morgski's last trap and I'm in the clear for the draw} Nf8xg6 55. Kf6g7 Ng6h8 1/2-1/2

So in the end a game we could both had won, I played many mistakes once I was in to let morgski back into the game.

Also, if anyone's still reading at this point and wants me to annotate a game of mine which is in the final phases of a Bertin gambit please let me know. For those of you who don't know the Bertin gambit, white sacs 3 pawns and defends against black behind one of his own pawns:

tharkesh

Joined: 04 Sep 10
Moves: 5716

26 Jan 12

2

Originally posted by VelvetEars
For those of you who don't know the Bertin gambit, white sacs 3 pawns and defends against black behind one of his own pawns:

Yes, please!

And thanks again for another episode. Weird that all that chaos ended in a draw, you are a good match for each other!

morgski

In attack

Joined: 02 Mar 06
Moves: 30226

26 Jan 12

Originally posted by VelvetEars
Also, if anyone's still reading at this point and wants me to annotate a game of mine which is in the final phases of a Bertin gambit please let me know. For those of you who don't know the Bertin gambit, white sacs 3 pawns and defends against black behind one of his own pawns

I'd be keen, any 3 pawn sac gambit must be worth a look 🙂
Great job with the annotations, you put me to shame!

VelvetEars

Joined: 22 Aug 08
Moves: 9361

26 Jan 12

Originally posted by morgski
I'd be keen, any 3 pawn sac gambit must be worth a look 🙂
Great job with the annotations, you put me to shame!

Ta, I had nothing better to do tonight, except watch TV and do this. Also if you want another game give me a challenge as once again I've run into the wall of your pre-defined max no. of games.

VelvetEars

Joined: 22 Aug 08
Moves: 9361

26 Jan 12

Originally posted by tharkesh
Yes, please!

And thanks again for another episode. Weird that all that chaos ended in a draw, you are a good match for each other!

OK, I'll put it up once I'm finished, currently it's move 32 and black's pawn is still on h2 🙂

tomtom232

Joined: 15 Jun 06
Moves: 16334

26 Jan 12

Originally posted by tomtom232
47... Bc2 seems good then should follow

48. Rh1 b2 49. g6 {h6 alows you to blockade his pawns... maybe better is moving the king up first} b1=Q 50. Rxb1 Bxb1 {the point... now you take back with your bishop allowing your knight to stay closer to the pawns}

Now white can't move either of his pawns yet and has to move his king up to help... I didnt lo ...[text shortened]... t made it in the game the extra move this line gives you should alllow you to get the job done.

I'm still waiting for one of you to refute this... cos I'm sure something is wrong with it.

morgski

In attack

Joined: 02 Mar 06
Moves: 30226

26 Jan 12

Originally posted by tomtom232
I'm still waiting for one of you to refute this... cos I'm sure something is wrong with it.

I think you might be right Tomtom, in your line I could have used the bishop both as a thorn for c3, but also as a barrier for Eric and friends. I drew because I was pulled too far up the board trying to force my own pawn home, with your suggestion I could maybe have got it. Not 100% certain though, does anyone have a better mind than mine or a box to test tomtom's line?

VelvetEars

Joined: 22 Aug 08
Moves: 9361

27 Jan 12

1 edit

1

Originally posted by tomtom232
I'm still waiting for one of you to refute this... cos I'm sure something is wrong with it.

OK tomtom, the way I see it I have a couple of defences as follows and I still can't see a way for black to get my pawns.

Other ideas for black is to play Ba2 then Bg8 stopping my queening plans, although the second black plays Ba2 I can play h6 stopping that plan.

I still think it's a drawn endgame in my opinion.

morgski

In attack

Joined: 02 Mar 06
Moves: 30226

27 Jan 12

There may be a Zugswang option in the second example you gave, which is why I thought Tomtom's idea may work:

In which case, racing for Queens may have been the better line, I haven't looked into it though...

VelvetEars

Joined: 22 Aug 08
Moves: 9361

27 Jan 12

5 edits

Originally posted by morgski
There may be a Zugswang option in the second example you gave, which is why I thought Tomtom's idea may work:
[pgn]
[FEN "8/8/8/2k3PP/2n1b3/1p4K1/7R/8 b - - 0 47"] 1. Bc2 Rh1 {Option 2: Defending the queening square} 2. b2 g6 3. b1=Q Rxb1 4. Bxb1 Kf4 5. Kd6 Kg5 6. Ke7 {Instead of the knight move, try and get the king in the way first} Kh6 7. Kf6 {Trapping h case, racing for Queens may have been the better line, I haven't looked into it though...

Are you sure. Also for every zugswang position there's a stalemate threat aswell 🙂

tomtom232

Joined: 15 Jun 06
Moves: 16334

27 Jan 12

2 edits

Originally posted by VelvetEars
Are you sure. Also for every zugswang position there's a stalemate threat aswell 🙂

[pgn]
[FEN "8/8/8/2k3PP/2n1b3/1p4K1/7R/8 b - - 0 47"] 1. Bc2 Rh1 {Option 2: Defending the queening square} 2. b2 g6 3. b1=Q Rxb1 4. Bxb1 Kf4 5. Kd6 Kg5 6. Ke7 {Instead of the knight move, try and get the king in the way first} h6 {What's your plan here though as I would have played this instead?} 7. Kf8 {seems best} Kf6 {Threatening h7 again}
[/pgn]

7... Ne5 wins easily because if 8.g7 then 8...Bh7 or 8...Kf7 and if 8.h7 Nxg6

tomtom232

Joined: 15 Jun 06
Moves: 16334

27 Jan 12

1 edit

Originally posted by VelvetEars
OK tomtom, the way I see it I have a couple of defences as follows and I still can't see a way for black to get my pawns.

[pgn]
[FEN "8/8/8/2k3PP/2n1b3/1p4K1/7R/8 b - - 0 47"] 1. Bc2 {OK, this is your key move tomtom} g6 {Option 1, I run with my pawn} 2. b2 g7 3. b1=Q g8=Q 4. Qg1+ Rg2 5. Qe3+ {And I have no idea who's going to win this}
[/pgn]

[ can play h6 stopping that plan.

I still think it's a drawn endgame in my opinion.

in your first pgn instead of 3... b1 = Q black would play 3... Bh7 stopping your pawns cold.

tomtom232

Joined: 15 Jun 06
Moves: 16334

27 Jan 12

11 edits

Originally posted by morgski
There may be a Zugswang option in the second example you gave, which is why I thought Tomtom's idea may work:
[pgn]
[FEN "8/8/8/2k3PP/2n1b3/1p4K1/7R/8 b - - 0 47"] 1. Bc2 Rh1 {Option 2: Defending the queening square} 2. b2 g6 3. b1=Q Rxb1 4. Bxb1 Kf4 5. Kd6 Kg5 6. Ke7 {Instead of the knight move, try and get the king in the way first} Kh6 7. Kf6 {Trapping h case, racing for Queens may have been the better line, I haven't looked into it though...