03 March 2012

Annotated Game #33: Stonewall Attack

This next tournament game serves up a mix of positional play and tactical play, along with a heaping portion of blunders on both sides.  The Stonewall Attack was completely unknown to me at the time (the computer classifies the opening as a transposition to a Caro-Kann Exchange variation, which is essentially true after move 5.)  However, I still equalize easily enough by move 10, when White misplaces his queen.

It's the middlegame where I go astray, but this in fact is related to my unfamiliarity with the opening and its resulting plans.  The Stonewall emphasizes using the knights to occupy key outposts at e5/e4, so challenging this idea is critical.  Black's 12...Nb6 is therefore a positional blunder and also demonstrates the classic amateur error of neglecting rook development with the alternative 12...Rac8 (a recurring theme from my tournament play during this period).  White plays the correct follow up, but then fails to take full advantage and misses a key pawn break on move 15, letting Black back into the game.

What follows from Black's point of view is a seesaw game where he is largely responding to White threats without much of an independent plan.  My tactical calculating ability at the time was also relatively undeveloped (shall we say), which meant that I missed a number of equalizing or winning opportunities, failing to think coolly under pressure.  Some days the bear gets you...

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
B13: Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation and Panov-Botvinnik Attack 1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bd3 c5 4.c3 cxd4 4...Nc6 is most typically played here, as in this game fragment which features a true reversed Stonewall: 5.f4 g6 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.dxc5 Bxd3 8.Qxd3 Ne4 9.b4 Bg7 10.Nd4 e5 11.Ne2 0-0 12.0-0 exf4 13.Nd4 a5 14.b5 Nxc5 15.Qc2 Ne5 16.exf4 Nc4 17.Na3 Re8 18.Rd1 Ne3 19.Bxe3 Berkes, F-Toth,A/Paks 1998/EXT 99/0-1 (38) 5.exd4 Bg4 6.Nf3 e6 6...Nc6 is the preferred move, with more flexible development. 7.Bg5 7.Qa4+ Nbd7 8.Ne5 a6= 7...Be7 8.Nbd2 0-0 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.Qb3 10.Qc2 was a more promising square for the queen and consistent with the Stonewall Attack kingside strategy, generating pressure on the b1-h7 diagonal. 10...Qc7= 11.h3 Bh5 12.Rac1 Nb6 moves a key defender away from the e5 square. 12...Rac8 was best here; once again, I fall into the common amateur pattern of error of not developing rooks early enough. 13.Ne5 Bd6 14.f4 Nfd7 fixating on the e5 square and removing another defender from the kingside. 15.Rce1 15.c4! with a multitude of threats. 15...f6 and Black has regained equality. 16.Nxd7 Nxd7 17.Bh4 17.Rxe6!? is found by the engines Nb6 not 17...fxg5 18.Qxd5 and the threat of discovered check along with White's attack is very strong. 18.Bh4 Bxf4 19.Qc2= 17...Bxf4 now with an extra pawn, Black is better equipped to ride out White's kingside attack. 18.Nf3 18.Qc2 bringing the queen into the fight is necessary. 18...g5 18...Rae8 why not activate the do-nothing rook? 19.Qc2 h6 19.Bf2 19.Rxe6 is again possible here, although it doesn't work quite as well. 19...Kh8?! 19...Bxf3 20.gxf3 Rae8 20.g4 although my opponent evidently wanted to stop Bxf3, this simply helps Black defend. 20.Rxe6!? Bf7 21.Re7 Rae8 22.Rfe1 Rxe7 23.Rxe7 Bd6= 20...Bf7 21.Qc2 h5 22.Bg6 Not 22.gxh5 Bxh5 gaining a tempo on the undefended Nf3 and creating kingside threats for Black as well. 22...hxg4 23.hxg4 Kg7 24.Bxf7 Kxf7?? overly materialistic thinking, focusing on the immediate threat to e6 and not the queen penetration. 24...Rxf7 25.Rxe6 Nf8 26.Re2 Ng6 and it is Black who has winning chances. 25.Qh7+ Ke8 26.Rxe6+ Kd8 27.Rfe1± Bd6? this is bad, but Black is otherwise still unsuccessfully struggling to try and defend both e8 and the pawn on d5 while White stomps all over him. 28.Bg3?? instead of simply winning the game, comments an incredulous Fritz. 28.Qg6 and White wins. Qc6 29.Nxg5 Kc7 30.Nf7 Rxf7 31.Qxf7 28...Bxg3-+ 29.Qe7+ Kc8 30.R1e2 30.Qxf8+ doesn't work: Nxf8 31.Re8+ Kd7 32.R1e7+ Kd6 33.Rxc7 Rxe8 34.Rxb7 Re2 35.Rxa7 Rxb2 36.Ra6+ Ke7 37.Ra7+ Nd7-+ 30...Qd8? doesn't lose, but fails to capitalize on the possibilities of active play. 30...Qf4 and Black has prevailed, notes Fritz. The c7 square is cleared for the king and Black now has major kingside threats. 31.Qa3 Kc7 31...Kb8 is the safer square, not leaving the king exposed to further checks. 32.Kg2 Bf4 33.c4 33.Qa5+ Nb6 34.Qc5+ Kb8 35.Qe7-+ 33...dxc4 34.d5 34.Qa5+ is insufficient: Nb6 35.Qc5+ Kb8 36.Qb5-+ Qc7 34...b6? a beginner's error, creating more holes around the king and allowing White perpetual check. 34...Rh8-+ nails it down, states Fritz. 35.Nd4 Kb7?? 35...Nc5 36.d6+ Bxd6 37.Nb5+ Kc6 38.Nd4+ Kc7 39.Nb5+ etc. is the shortest line for repeating the position, but there are others. 36.Qa4?? not a good decision, because now the opponent is right back in the game, says Fritz. 36.Re7 pinning the knight wins: Rc8 36...Qc8 37.Qa4 Rd8 38.Ne6 37.Ne6 Rc7 36...Rc8?? the mutual blunders continue. 36...Be5 defending by interfering with the connection between the rooks. 37.Nc6 Qc7 37.Nb5?? stumbles just before the finish line, remarks Fritz. 37.Nc6 with double threat of mate on a7 and taking the Qd8. a6 38.Nxd8+ Rfxd8 39.Re7+- 37...Bb8? 37...a6 and Black has triumphed 38.Nd6+ Bxd6 39.Rxd6 Rf7-+ 38.Re7= Rc7?? throws away the game 38...Rc5= leads to another perpetual check. 39.Nxc7+- Kxc7 (played with 5 seconds left on Black's clock) 40.Qc6# 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResECORnd
Class C-ChessAdmin-1–0B13
Posted by Anonymous at 7:21 AM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Your comments and ideas on chess training and this site are welcomed.

Please note that moderation is turned on as an anti-spam measure; your comment will be published as soon as possible, if it is not spam.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)