Annotated Game #22: English-KID (plus quickest win)

This post resumes the annotations of my past tournament games following Annotated Game #18: Comeback (Round 3).  This game actually was the second one played in the next tournament, as the first round game was the shortest win of my chess career (10 moves) and did not warrant annotation.  It is included afterwards, however, mostly as a warning to those players who don't find it necessary to think in the opening.

Returning to the second round game, an English opening versus a King's Indian Defense setup, it features an all-too-typical pattern of an opening advantage in space and time squandered by too-slow play, then the selection of an incorrect plan based on a lack of appreciation for my opponent's possible threats.  This points to the need for deeper study of the middlegame transition point, in this case moves 10-13, where improvements were found for White.

[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "ChessAdmin"] [Black "Class A"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A16"] [Annotator "ChessAdmin/Fritz/Houdini"] [PlyCount "50"] [EventDate "1995.??.??"] {A16: English Opening: 1...Nf6 with ...d5} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 d6 5. Nf3 Na6 {exactly one game in my database (out of 2500+ with this position) has this move. Castling is the overwhelming favorite at this point.} 6. O-O Rb8 {now out of the database. Black intends to apply ideas similar to the Panno variation with the early Rb8.} 7. d3 {the standard English setup against the KID. The e4 square is covered and the c1 bishop released. Also, Black does not have a target with ...e5.} c5 8. Rb1 {initiating the standard plan of queenside expansion by pushing b4.} Nd7 9. Bd2 {protects the Nc3 and allows the idea of Qc1 and Bh6 to exchange off the Bg7.} Nc7 10. a3 {this is too slow to take advantage of Black's relatively passive play and uncastled king.} (10. b4 cxb4 11. Rxb4 O-O 12. Qc1 {would keep the initiative and a space advantage.}) 10... b5 11. cxb5 Nxb5 12. Nxb5 Rxb5 {now the point of Black's early Rb8 is seen, as this series of exchanges would not have been possible otherwise. Black as a result has more space and play on the queenside. } 13. Bc3 {again a slow approach.} (13. b4 O-O 14. Qc2) 13... O-O 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 {White's earlier advantages in space and development are now gone.} 15. Qc2 Qb6 16. Rfc1 Nf6 17. Qc3 ({Both Fritz and Houdini show} 17. Nd2 Be6 18. Nc4 Qa6 $11 ) 17... a5 ({This suffices to give Black an advantage. Houdini points out the immediate bishop development} 17... Be6 {would threaten Ba2 and Rxb2.}) 18. d4 {this was the idea behind White's erroneous Qc3 plan, which however did not take into account all of Black's threats.} (18. b3 $5 {instead is necessary in order to avoid losing material.}) 18... Bf5 {Black gets deadly initiative, as Fritz puts it.} 19. Ra1 Rc8 {now White cannot stop Black from crashing through on the queenside.} ({Worse for Black is the immediate capture} 19... Rxb2 20. dxc5 dxc5 21. Qxc5) 20. Nd2 $2 (20. d5 {is the best chance} Rb3 21. Qe1 Rxb2 22. Nd2) 20... cxd4 $19 (20... Rxb2 $2 {doesn't work due to the knight fork} 21. Nc4 cxd4 22. Qxb2 Qxb2 23. Nxb2 $18) 21. Qf3 Rbc5 (21... Rxc1+ $5 {and Black can already relax} 22. Rxc1 Rxb2 $19) 22. Rxc5 Rxc5 23. e4 $2 {a last attempt by White at a counterattack.} (23. Qb3 $5 {was objectively best for defense}) 23... dxe3 24. Qxe3 Qxb2 25. Re1 Re5 {and White has nothing left.} ( 25... Re5 26. Be4 d5 27. f3 Re6 28. g4 Bxe4 29. fxe4 Nxg4) 0-1

Below is the first round game, for amusement purposes.

[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "ChessAdmin"] [Black "Class C"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A17"] [Annotator "Fritz 6 (20s)"] [PlyCount "19"] [EventDate "1995.??.??"] {A17: English Opening: 1...Nf6 with ...Bb4} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. O-O $146 Be7 8. d3 O-O 9. Nxd5 Qxd5 $4 10. Ne1 ( 10. Ne1 Qd6 11. Bxb7 $18) 1-0