16 November 2024

Annotated Game #290: Winning is good enough

This second-round tournament game saw me employ the Stonewall as Black against my opponent's Colle-Zukertort setup. I don't believe the matchup of structures is favorable to White, although some tactical ideas did pop up in the middlegame related to the idea of freeing the Bb2 and creating a Q+B battery on the long diagonal. My kingside pressure was too great, however, and once I found the winning idea on move 18, it was essentially over.

It is worth highlighting that there was a better winning idea on move 19, but I struggled to calculate that particular line. Once I realized that the other line also won, however, I did not waste further mental energy in trying to figure out which was the best winning move - it did not matter. This I think is a valuable practical choice in tournament games, often encountered more in the endgame; who cares if it takes an extra several moves to win, if there is a simple way to do so? Winning in the end is good enough.


New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c6 actually the second most popular move in the database, after ...Nf6. 3.e3 e6 3...Bf5 would interrupt the standard Colle System plan, although after c2-c4 we would end up in a Slow Slav. 4.Bd3 f5 the Stonewall formation. 5.0-0 Nf6 6.b3 leading to a Colle-Zukertort setup. Bd6 7.Bb2 0-0 7...Qe7 normally is a better preparatory move, dominating the f8-a3 diagonal. However, White has just played Bb2, so castling seems like a better investment of time. 8.Nbd2 Ne4 since this is the best place for the knight, moving it is not premature, although it is not necessary. 8...Bd7 followed by ...Be8-h5 is another standard maneuver. 9.c4 Nd7 10.cxd5 exd5= following the normal Stonewall rule of capturing with the e-pawn following an exchange on d5. The Bc8 is given more scope as a result, while the c6 pawn blocks the semi-open file. 11.Ne5 Qe7 joining the fight for e5 and getting off the back rank. 12.Ndf3 Rf6 long think here to decide on a plan. In this position, a rook on h6 should be effectively placed. 12...Ndf6 I also considered; both options are validated by the engine. 13.a3?! this idea is too slow. Rh6 14.b4 g5 going for the direct approach, threatening to push away the Nf3. 15.h3 Bxe5?! the idea was to remove the defender of g4, but it would be much better to, in effect, add two minor piece attackers on the kingside with 15...Ndf6! also unleashing the Bc8. 16.dxe5 g4 this still creates threats that are difficult to address, however. 17.Bxe4 17.e6! my opponent found this surprising idea one move later, when it was too late. Ndf6 18.Bxe4 fxe4 19.Ne5 is the point, as the square is now available for the knight. gxh3 20.g4! now holds things together after Bxe6 21.Kh1= 17...fxe4?! taking with the wrong pawn. 17...dxe4 White cannot do anything with the d-file and there is now an extra advanced pawn on the attack. 18.e6? 18.Nh2 and White survives after gxh3 19.f4 exf3 20.e6 again a key idea, opening the long diagonal and allowing a Q+B battery to be formed. 20.Rxf3 Nxe5 21.Qd4 Qg7 22.Rf2 Rh5 23.Raf1 Be6 18...gxf3!-+ now White's fate is inevitable, as he does not have enough defenders available on the kingside. 19.exd7 Qg5 found after a careful think. The immediate mate threat on g2 means White does not have time to execute his own threats. 19...Bxd7 I rejected due to an inability to correctly visualize / calculate the sequence after Qd4. However, once I found the win with ...Qg5, this was not critical. 20.Qd4 Qg5 21.Qh8+ Kf7 22.Qg7+ Qxg7 23.Bxg7 Kxg7-+ 20.dxc8Q+ 20.d8Q+ Qxd8 21.Qd4 Qg5 22.Qh8+ Kf7 23.Qg7+ Qxg7 24.Bxg7 Kxg7-+ 20...Rxc8 21.g3 Rxh3 22.Qd4 Rxg3+ 0–1
  • 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 B-ChessAdmin-0–1D30
Posted by ChessAdmin at 7:51 PM

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)