15 April 2012

Annotated Game #40: Be careful what you wish for

This game in the 5. Qf3 sideline of the Caro-Kann Classical is most notable for how Black repeatedly did not take advantage of a number of opportunities presented by White in the late opening and middlegame phases.  However, at this point (round 6 of the tournament) I was hoping to stabilize my performance and was clearly looking for a draw.  Be careful what you wish for, since you just might get it.

Before my most recent chess training period (starting with the establishment of this blog), I had relatively little notion of the importance of active piece play.  Starting on move 9, by which point Black had more than equalized, I pass up several chances to improve my piece activity and create multiple threats.  I like to think that now I would recognize at least some of the better candidate moves, given a better understanding of the importance of piece play and how to widen the move selection process.

In the end, the draw wasn't a bad result, but it illustrates another psychological trap - for Class players especially - which is to settle for a result that is less than the position merits, either through mis-evaluating the position or from lack of a winning desire.  In the long run, for the improving player I believe that realizing potential wins is just as important as avoiding losses.

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B18: Classical Caro-Kann: 4...Bf5 sidelines 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Qf3 e6 this is an immediate and effective antidote to White's queen sortie. 6.c3 Nd7 7.Bd3 Bxe4 Black exchanges, believing that White's light-square bishop is not going to pose much of a threat, given the pawn structure. 7...Bg6 is the other option for Black. 8.Bxe4 Ngf6 9.Bg5 Be7 9...Qb6 is preferred by the engines. Normally I don't like early queen sorties, but this one makes sense, given the Nf6-Nd7 setup and the chance to inflict some structural damage on White. One possible continuation: 10.b3 Qa5 11.Bd2 Nxe4 12.Qxe4 Nf6 10.Bd3 h6 10...0-0 is a necessary move anyway and also less committal. 11.Bh4 0-0 12.Bg3 Qb6 13.Qe2 Rad8 14.Nf3 c5 this is the classic pawn break in the Caro-Kann Classical. Black gets more scope for his pieces and challenges White in the center. 15.h3 not sure what White was protecting against, as Ng4 does nothing but hit air. 15.0-0!?= 15...cxd4 16.Nxd4 Nc5 17.Bb1 this retreat doesn't make much sense, among other things locking in White's rook on a1. 17.Rd1 17...Rd7 17...Na4 is immediately found by the engines and creates multiple threats, while tying White to the defense of b2. 18.Nb3 Qa6 19.Qc2 19.Qxa6 bxa6 20.0-0 Nxb2 19...Bd6 20.Bxd6 Rxd6 18.0-0 Rfd8 19.f3 while this controls e4, it also opens up the key g1-a7 diagonal and leaves g3 unprotected. 19.Be5 a5= 19...Nd5 19...Nh5 instead immediately exploits the hole on g3. 20.Kh1 Bf6 21.Bf2 Nf4 the knight hops into an even better square 22.Qc2 22.Qc4 Bxd4 23.cxd4 Qa6 24.Qxa6 Nxa6 22...Ncd3 22...Nfd3 is the correct knight choice. 23.Nb3 Nxf2+ 24.Qxf2 Nxb3 25.Qxb6 axb6 26.axb3 Rd2 27.Be4 27.Ra2? Rd1 28.Kg1 Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 Rd1+ 27...Rxb2 23.Nb3 23.Be3!? was possible in this line, as the Nf4 will now be left hanging by any move by the Nd3. 23...Nxf2+ 24.Qxf2 Qxf2 25.Rxf2 Rd1+ 26.Kh2 Kf8 26...Nh5! threatening Be5 27.g3 g5 controlling f4 28.Bc2 Rxa1 29.Nxa1 Be5 27.Bc2 and I take a draw in a slightly advantageous position. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResECORnd
Class B-ChessAdmin-½–½B18
Posted by Anonymous at 8:55 AM

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