I am presenting a game of mine in this instalment, to explain my thought processes in an important game. This was played at the Midland Open 2004, immediately after an important exam!
1.e4
e6
2.d4
d5
3.Nc3
Nf6
Both sides fight for their share of the center. Black has a choice between this move and the Counterattacking Winawer variation, with 3..Bb4.
4.Bg5
[4.e5
is an important alternative. This move gives white a space advantage, but black has counterplay based on attacking white's center with ..c5 4...Nfd7
5.f4
c5
6.Nf3
Nc6
with chances for both sides. I prefer to play more open positions, which give my pieces more activity. Play to your strengths!]
4...dxe4
[4...Be7
Is possible, breaking the pin on the Knight, and threatening to capture the pawn on e4. 5.e5
Nfd7
6.h4
Is the most aggressive response, offering to sacrifice a pawn for quick development and possibility of a kingside attack, e.g 6...Bxg5
7.hxg5
Qxg5
8.Qd3
h6
9.Nh3
Qe7
10.Qg3
and black is under pressure.; 4...Bb4
is also valid, e.g. 5.e5
h6
6.Bd2
Bxc3
7.bxc3
Ne4
with an interesting position. ]
5.Nxe4
Be7
6.Bxf6
gxf6
an interesting move. Black voluntarily doubles her pawns. In return, she gets the advantage of the 2 bishops, an open g-file for the kings rook (especially good if white castles king-side), defence of the important e5 square, and possibilities to push the f and h pawns.Good players like to choose moves like this, as they introduce dynamism into a position, giving less chances of a draw! [6...Bxf6
is the alternative, also widely played. White aims for quick development and kingside attack, whilst black looks to complete development and play .. c5]
7.Nf3
b6
8.Bc4
Bb7
Just in time. White was threatening to play d5! causing black serious problem in the center. [8...Nd7
9.d5
e5
10.d6
cxd6
11.Bxf7+
Kxf7
12.Qd5+
Kf8
13.Qxa8
is a possible variation to avoid for black.]
9.Qe2
Nd7
10.0-0
c6
a neccesary move if black wants to castle queenside. King-side castling is riskier due to the broken pawn structure, and prehaps not to everyone's taste, although it is also possible.
11.Ng3
Qc7
12.Nf5!?
This is where the action really starts. I decide to sacrifice a piece to keep black's king in the center, following a recommendation of grandmaster Sutovsky, renowned for his chess-playing and baritone voice..
12...exf5
Black can no longer castle without losing material, so takes the piece.
13.Rfe1
Nf8
stops 14. Qe7 mate.
14.Nh4
Ng6
15.Nxf5
white controls the king-file and has a strong Kinght on f5 for the sacrificed piece.
15...h5
a good way to defend the important square h5, which can be a useful square for white's queen and knight.
16.Qf3
0-0-0
possibly the losing move! White is able to obtain a material advantage after this move.Actually this position is still known to theory, which suggests [16...Kf8
17.Nxe7
Nxe7
18.Qxf6
Rh7
19.Re5
and white has very good compensation for the sacrificed piece, due to better piece placement and black's misplaced king.]
17.Bxf7
the problem for black is defending the bishop on e7, as the knight on g6 is under attack. Positions like this should be winning for white, but they take a lot of winning, as one mistake can lead to defeat in this type of game.
17...c5
18.Qg3
white can afford to offer the exchange of queens, as the piece will soon be lost.
18...Ne5
19.dxe5
fxe5
20.Be6+
Kb8
21.Nxe7
My plan evolves exchanging as many pieces as possible, where my 2 pawn advantage will tell in the endgame. White must be vigilant for tactical tricks as the position of blacks bishop on b7 and open files for the black rooks could cause a problem.
21...Qxe7
22.Rxe5
h4
a good practical move, this pawn can be used to damage the white pawn structure with.. h3 ideas, and discourage a possible g3 move for white, as it may open the king to attack after a pawn exchange.
23.Qf4
Rhf8
24.Rf5+
swaps another rook!
24...Ka8
25.Rxf8
Rxf8
26.Qe5
Qd8
27.Re1
Qd2
28.Qe2
Qg5
29.Qg4
Qd2
30.Qe2
I repeat moves in time trouble in order to make the time control safely ( at thirty moves).
30...Qg5
31.Bh3
The bishop is quite well placed here, defending against checkmate. The next plan will be to exhange the bishop on b7, by playing g3 and Bg2.
31...Rg8
32.g3
This move accomplishes the aim of redeploying the bishop, and lures black into a trap.
32...Qd5
a bad move, missing white's plan. Calculating your opponents moves is important if you want to win games!
33.Qe8+!
Qd8
oops. if [33...Rxe8
34.Rxe8+
Bc8
35.Bg2
and white wins the queen back with interest.]
34.Bd7
taking advantage of the poor placing of blacks pieces to exchange the rest of the major pieces and ensuring an easy win.
34...Qxe8
[34...Rxe8
35.Rxe8
Qxe8
36.Bxe8
leads to the same position.]
35.Rxe8+
Rxe8
36.Bxe8
h3
37.Bd7
Bg2
38.f4
Kb8
39.Kf2
Kc7
40.Bg4
Be4
41.c3
after 41..Bg2 42 Bf3 Bxf3 43 Kxf3 white will queen one of the kingside pawns. This games shows the importance of playing the opening well, creating imbalance in the position, gaining an advantage and nursing it to victory by finding a good plan -(exchanging) and backing it up with good calculation- don't let the guard down! 1-0