One Idea

A recipe missing one ingredient can lead to a dish that does not turn out right. So, too, a defense in a chess game, missing one important idea, can become flat and ineffectual. If the idea of trading Queens had popped into my opponent's head in the following game, things might have turned out differently.

perrypawnpusher - cinamon
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

Our earlier contest continued, instead 5...a6 6.a3 Bc5 7.Bxf7+ perrypawnpusher - cinamon, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).

6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Qe7 10.f4

phil

I like this better than my earlier 10.Bf4 in perrypawnpusher - philippemuurmans, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).

10...Nc6

Straight forward, and an improvement over 10...c5 11.Qxe5 as in perrypawnpusher - louarn, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21) and perrypawnpusher - jaymen, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 40).

11.Qc4+

Or 11.Qd3 as in perrypawnpusher - kinghh, blitz FICS, 2010 (1-0, 31).

11...Ke8

Black should always be on the lookout to play ...d7-d5, which is beneficial in terms of development (a counter to a gambit) and which only minimally further exposes his King.

Here, an even better move than 11...d5 would have been 11...Qe6, blocking the check and offering the exchange of Queens, dampening White's initiative.

12.e5 Ng4

This will cost a piece. If that is Black's intention, he could have tried, instead, 12...Qe6 13.Qxe6+ dxe6 14.exf6 gxf6 and headed toward the swamp that is the Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame.

That Queen move was an essential ingredient that my opponent left out.

13.h3 Ngxe5 14.fxe5 Nxe5 15.Qe4 d6

This position is more complicated than it looks, or at least a lot more complicated than I realized when I was playing. It looks like Black is a pawn up (with complications, of course, starting with his insecure King) but after the game Rybka 3 rated White as being the equivalent of a Rook ahead.

16.Bf4

This move, threatening to create and eventually win an isolated pawn on e5, is okay; but what Rybka was thinking of was: 16.Nd5 Qd7 17.Bf4 Qf5 18.Nxc7+ Kd8 19.Qxf5 Bxf5 20.Nxa8.

I had glanced at 16.Nd5, but saw that Black could move his Queen and protect the c7 pawn, all in one move. The position is not just about forking the Black King and Rook, however, as the following line shows: 16...Qd7 17.Bf4 Kd8, getting the King, too, off of the deadly e-file, but then 18.Bxe5 dxe5 19.Rad1 shows that the d-file has become equally hazardous.

16...c6

 Rightly keeping the White Knight out of d5, denying me an important ingredient for my attack.

17.Rae1

Adequate, but again missing much of the potential in the position.

I had briefly looked at 17.Bxe5 Qxe5 18.Qg6+ Kd8  but hadn't found a killer move to end the game and so eventually chose the text move. The irony is that I overlooked how strong 19.Rae1, after the above sequence, would have been.

17...Rf8 18.Bxe5 Rxf1+ 19.Rxf1 dxe5

Had my opponent continued with 19...Qxe5, instead, and given me exactly what I wanted, i.e. 20.Qxe5 dxe5 21.Re1 Be6 22.Rxe5 Kf7, I would have recovered the pawn, but the resulting position would have been slightly in Black's favor (B vs N).

As it was, my Queen remained on the board and I was "forced" to find a good move for it. 

20.Qg6+ Kd8 21.Rf7 Qc5+ 22.Kh2 Bd7 23.Qxg7 Kc7 24.Rxd7+ Kb6 25.Na4+ Black resigned

Awkward...

I was pleased with this game until I played it over afterward. Then I felt like someone who had given a nice speech which kept the audience's attention, only to discover after it was over that I had been up in front of everyone with a giant stain on my shirt or pants...

perrypawnpusher - Fendertele
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Re8

This line was seen not-so-long-ago in my game against Frele.

9.dxc5 Kg8

9...d6 while it was still easy to play, was seen in perrypawnpusher - louarn, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 49).

Instead, 9...b6 also attacking the White c5 pawn right away, was seen in perrypawnpusher - catri, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2-1/2, 42).


Rybka has a third suggestion, 9...Qe7.

10.f4 Nc6

10...Nc4 was punished in Wall - Santiago, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28) with 11.e5 Nh7 12.Qd5+ Kh8 13.Qxc4.

Rybka suggests the discrete 10...Nf7.

11.e5 Nh7

12.Ne4

I admit that I played 12.Qd5+ in perrypawnpusher - Frele, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 26) with the hope that Black would blunder with 12...Re6, but I had to find another way to win when he answered with the sensible 12...Kh8.

12...Nxe5

Nifty thinking: he returns the piece for two pawns and a roughly even game.

13.fxe5 Rxe5 14.Qd4 Qe8

Material is even, but White's c5 pawn continues to exert pressure on Black's game.

15.Ng3 Re1

Leading to trouble. Black should have challenged White's annoying pawn with 15...b6.

16.Bf4

After the game Rybka pointed out what I had missed, that 16.Bxh6 (linking White's Rooks like the text, but also grabbing a pawn and attacking Black's King) was much stronger. Then 16...Re5 would be answered by the simple 17.Bf4; while 16...Qe5 would see the Queen sac 17.Qc4+ Qe6 18.Raxe1; and 16...gxh6 would be crushed by the same 17.Raxe1.

16...Rxa1 17.Rxa1 c6

Saving the c-pawn, but emphasizing the cramp in his Queenside. Black would have done better to simply give up a pawn with 17...d6 18.cxd6 cxd6 to free his development.

18.Nf5 Qg6

A slip. However, I was so enamored with the positional strength of my next move that I totally missed a much stronger tactical move. 

19.Nd6

Owwww...

Everyone together: 19.Ne7+ would win the Queen!!

How awkward.

19...Ng5

Maybe my opponent saw what was coming, but he should have routed the Knight along a safer path: 19...Nf8 20.Re1 Ne6.

20.Bxg5 Qxg5 21.Re1

Black will lose a piece.

21...Kh7 22.Qe4+ Qg6 23.Qxg6+ Kxg6 24.Re8 a5 25.Rxc8

25...Ra7 26.Rc7 a4 27.Rxb7 Ra5 28.Rxd7 Rxc5 29.Ne4 Rxc2 30.Rd2 Rc1+ 31.Kf2 Rc4 32.Kf3 Kf5

Another slip, but this was my day to miss Knight forks. Sigh...

33.g4+ Kg6 34.h4 h5 35.g5 Kf5 36.Nd6+

Saw it this time. Consequently, Black resigned.

A Tale of Two Pawns

I really like this game, but I have to admit that my attack was made possible by my opponent keeping his d-pawn un-moved for too long. After the game, Houdini and Rybka also criticized me for leaving my f-pawn still – true, but when I pushed it, things really started to move!


perrypawnpusher - Frele
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Itlian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Re8

One of a number of "okay" defenses in this line (solid strategic idea, keeps Black's advantage) that still are not "best". Black develops his Rook and prepares to castle-by-hand.

9.dxc5 Kg8

Black immediately went after the forward White c-pawn with 9...b6 in  perrypawnpusher - catri, blitz, FICS, 2010 (½-½, 42) and with 9...d6 in perrypawnpusher - louarn, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 49).


10.f4 Nc6


This retreat seems okay to me, but after the game Houdini preferred 10...Nf7. The advance 10...Nc4 proved unfortunate after 11.e5 Nh7 12.Qd5+ Kh8 13.Qxc4 in Wall - Santiago, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).


11.e5 Nh7 12.Qd5+

I admit that I was mostly looking for the cheapo 12...Re6? 13.f5 with this move; but the check does little harm.

12...Kh8

White has locked down Black's d-pawn, and that is why most of Houdini's post mortem suggestions for the second player included playing ...d7-d6, anyway, even if it required temporarily sacrificing a pawn. Black cannot afford to play the game without his Queen Bishop and Queen Rook.

13.Bd2 Ne7

While Houdini holds that this still gives Black an edge, it prefers 13...d6 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Qxd6 Qxd6 16.exd6 Bf5 17.Nd5 Rad8 18.Rfe1 Nf6 19.Nxf6 Rxe1+ 20.Bxe1 gxf6 21.Rd1 Bxc2 when Black's extra piece outweighs White's two pawns.

analysis diagram







14.Qd3 Rf8


The recommendation was still 14...d6.


15.f5 Nc6

The loss of time with this Knight gives White tactical chances.

Still, against both 15...b6 and 15...d6 White now has 16.f6!? with an even game, maybe a bit more.

16.Rae1

Houdini suggested, instead, 16.f6 – a move that I was preparing, something that I didn't want (like in earlier games) to rush into.

Its analysis shows White taking advantage of a lead in development and the available tactical nuances – to achieve a winning endgame: 16...gxf6 (here, the computer dismissed the pawn grab that attacks my Queen, 16...Nxe5, with 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Qg3+ Ng6 19.Nd5 vacating c3 for the dark-squared Bishop Ng5 20.Bc3+ Kg8 21.Qd3 Nh4 22.Kh1 Ne6 23.Bf6 Qe8 24.Ne7+ Wow) 17.exf6 d6 18.Nd5 Be6 19.Bxh6 (the real reason behind 16.f5-f6) Rf7 20.Rad1 Qd7 21.Bg7+ Rxg7 22.fxg7+ Qxg7 23.cxd6 cxd6 24.Nf4 Rg8 25.Rd2 Bg4 26.h3 Ne5 27.Qc3 Bc8 28.Rxd6 Ng5 29.Ng6+ Nxg6 30.Rxg6 Qxc3 31.Rxg8+ Kxg8 32.bxc3.

analysis diagram








Um... sure... right...

Okay, I guess that proves I'm not a computer... Back to the game.

16...Ng5

My opponent hurries to reposition his Knight at f7, for defensive purposes.

You can imagine that Houdini, as a computer, was doubly horrified: Black doesn't play the necessary 16...d6 (leading to only a slight edge for White) and his move allows for the killer 17.f6.

(Silicon Dude! This is a blitz game between two club players! Relax!)

17.Nd5

Of course, everyone saw that 17.f6 again forced a winning endgame, right? After 17...gxf6 18.exf6 Rxf6 19.Rxf6 Qxf6 20.Re8+ Kg7 21.Nd5 Qd4+ 22.Qxd4+ Nxd4 23.Nxc7 Rb8 24.Bc3 Kf7 25.Bxd4 Ne6 26.Be5 Nxc7 27.Rh8 Ra8 28.Bxc7 Kg7 and there you have it...

17...Nf7 18.Bf4

Protecting the e-pawn so that I can play f5-f6, but this was unnecessary, as after 18.f6 Nfxe5 19.fxg7+ Kxg7 20.Qg3+ White's attack would be strong.

18...Re8 19.f6

If it could sigh, I sure that Houdini did when I finally played this move.

19...gxf6


After the proper defense 19...Rg8 White can apply pressure with 20.Qg6 although after 20...Qf8 it would take another tactical mele, starting with 21.Nxc7 to demonstrate my advantage (eventually finding my way to an ending where my Rook and several pawns outweights Black's two extra Knights).

Sometimes it feels that if it were not for mistakes, chess would be too hard.


20.Nxf6

The correct recapture. My 17th move not only kept Black's Queen at home with the threat of Nxc7, it also strongly supported the (eventual) advance f5-f6. Now White's pieces will swarm the Kingside.

20...Kg7 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.Bxh6+ Ke7 23.Nd5+ Ke6 24.Nf4+


A little nervousness, missing the mate in one, but it did not get away, and I saw it the second time around. 


24...Ke7 25.Ng6+ Ke6 26.Qxf7 checkmate

Dealing with Harassment

I have read that Grandmasters can look at a complicated position and almost immediately, without apparent analysis or evaluation, decide that a certain piece "must" go to a particular square. How different that is from my own experience...

perrypawnpusher - louarn
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5

Earlier this year we had played a couple of Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit games that I had won in 21 and 49 moves.

4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 N8e7

Planning for play on the f-file, especially targeting the square f5, which seems to be a magnet for "Jerome pawns".

10.0-0 Rf8

An interesting alternative is 10...d5, seen in perrypawnpusher - OverwiseMan, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 27).

11.f4

Or 11.d4, as Louis Morin (mrjoker) has played successfully in a couple of games, guest6567 - guest4702, ICC, 2004 (1-0, 26) and mrjoker - tomnoah, ICC, 2008.


11...Bd7

With an eye toward putting the Bishop on the a8-h1 diagonal. Both 11...Nc6, as in perrypawnpusher - taman, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 35), and 11...c6 as in perrypawnpusher - Kovrad, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 16) were also playable. 

 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Ng4

As always, retreating to c6 was better, but harassing the Queen is irresistible. A quick peek at the New Year's Database shows that I have over 45 games with a Queen at e3 being attacked by a Knight at g4!

You would think that by now I would have come up with the proper response for White.

14.Qg5

An interesting idea, but I had forgotten that I had tried something similar in one of my games against MRBarupal and my pawn at e4 (as well as the square itself) proved weak. It should not be surprising, therefore, that Rybka prefers 14.Qe2 (although it sees the game as even after my move).

14...Nf6 15.e5

Rushing forward into trouble. First: 15.Nc3

15...dxe5 16.dxe5 Ne4

There's that weak e4 square again.

17.Qxg7

The position may look dangerous for Black at first glance, but White has two pieces attacking five pieces (six, if you count the enemy King) and the pair of advanced "Jerome pawns" doesn't make up the difference.

 17...Nxf5 18.Qxh7 Qe7

Exchanging Queens takes the heat off of Black's King and preserves his advantage, although 18...Be6 was even stronger.

19.Qxe7+ Kxe7 20.Nc3 Nxc3 21.bxc3 Nh4

Hoping to exchange another piece, bringing the game closer to a won endgame, as White's pawns will be no match for Black's extra piece.

However, this was just the kind of slip that I was hoping for as it allows me to reverse my fortunes.

22.Ba3+ Ke6 23.Rxf8 Rxf8 24.Bxf8 Kxe5

Up the exchange and two pawns, White now has the winning chances.

25.Bg7+ Kd5 26.Rd1+ Kc6 27.Kf2 Nf5 28.Bd4 b5

I think this must have been a mouse-slip.

29.Bxa7 Kb7

Allowing the exchange of Bishops only hastens the end.

30.Bd4

See above. 

30...Ka6 31.Be5 Be6 32.Bxc7 Bxa2 33.Ra1 Kb7 34.Rxa2 Kxc7

35.g4 Nd6 36.Kf3 Nc4 37.g5 Ne5+ 38.Kf4 Ng6+ 39.Kf5 Ne7+ 40.Kf6 Nd5+ 41.Kf7 Nxc3 42.g6 Ne4 43.g7 Nd6+ 44.Kg6 Black resigned

One step forward...

In preparing yesterday's post, I noticed that I had not yet presented the following game.


perrypawnpusher - kinghh
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

6.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4

8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Qe7 10.f4

Not as effective as the text is 10.Bf4, perrypawnpusher - philippemuurmans, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).

10...Nc6

Simple, safe, and preserving Black's advantage. Instead, 10...c5 led to mishaps in perrypawnpusher - jaymen, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 40) and perrypawnpusher - louarn, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21). 

11.Qd3 Re8

Preparing to castle-by-hand.

12.e5 Ng8

After the game Rybka suggested that it was time for Black to give back the sacrificed piece: 12...b6 13.exf6 Qxf6 and White has an edge.

13.Bd2

Missing the shot 13.Nd5, winning the exchange, as 13...Qd8 would allow 14.Qf5+ winning a piece.

13...d6 14.Rae1 dxe5

Overlooking the fact that White's reply comes with check. After the game Rybka suggested 14...Kf8  leading to an equal game. 

15.fxe5+

This should be enough to win, but in the followup I choose a lot of second or third best moves, and prolong the game.

15...Nf6 16.exf6 Qc5+ 17.Be3 Rxe3 18.Rxe3 gxf6

White is ahead only the exhange, but his massive lead in development and Black's unsafe King are decisive. For example, there is now a mate-in-two, that I missed, because I wanted an advantageous endgame... 

19.Qd5+ Qxd5 20.Nxd5 f5 21.g4 Be6

22.Nxc7 Rg8 23.Nxe6 Rxg4+ 24.Kh1 Kf6 25.Nf4 Nd4 26.c3 Kg5 27.cxd4 Rxf4 28.Rxf4 Kxf4

29.Re1 h5 30.d5 Kf3 31.d6 Black resigned