An Unusual Defense

Commentary by timepass

September 5, 2008

An unusual defens defense I like this game particularly because of the daring defense by black. I searched the openings repository at some sites but turned up with nothing. It needs courage to play something different, especially in a tournament game for players rated over 2000, here at Chess.com. Anybody playing white must be mindful of not making some silly moves, for lack of understanding of what black’s intentions are, but focus on developing its pieces and taking advantage of black’s lag in development. Apart from the unusual opening, the game is interesting, particularly for the middle game tactics. I share in this annotation, the interesting aspects of the game. 1.e4 h6 Chess.com classifies this opening line as Carr Defense and the line ends here 2.d4 g5 theoretically weakening the black’s king side 3.Nc3 d6 opens the bishop line 4.h4 g4 preventing the natural development of white’s knight 5.Be3 Bg7 6.Bc4 leading to the position in diagram 1.1. 11 half-moves have been played and what has been achieved? White has developed three of its pieces and controls the center and Black in turn has fianchettoed its king’s bishop and has an advanced pawn at g4 looking to make inroads, if, the white king is short castled. Continuation by black was another pawn move 6...c6. I am of the opinion 6...Nc6 is better for black. What happens if the king’s knight is developed instead? The variation would mostly be in the lines of 6...Nf6 7.e5 dxe5 8.dxe5 Qxd1+ 9.Rxd1 Nfd7 10.e6! a strong position for white. Diagram 1.1 The game continues with white developing another piece 7.Nge2 b5 the intention behind c6, leading to the position in diagram 1.2. Before reading further, look at the position and ask yourself “What is your best move?” Your bishop has just been attacked by a “pawn defended” pawn.

8. Bb3 is most natural.

Diagram 1.2

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Commentary by timepass

September 5, 2008

I hope you spent a good amount of time before reading further, well, I did, before I played my move, the beautiful 8.Nxb5!! Look at why the knight cannot be captured, it fails to the simple 9.Bd5 gobbling the rook for the knight. 8...d5 for lack of a better move 9.Bb3 Nf6! the knight still cannot be captured for now you are giving up a pawn more (see diagram 1.3); [9...cxb5?? 10.Bxd5 Nc6 11.Bxc6+ Bd7 12.Bxa8 Qxa8 13.Ng3 or

(10...Bd7 11.Bxa8 Na6 12.Bb7 Qb6 13.Bxa6 Qxa6)] both variations leading to a comfortable position for white. Diagram 1.3

The game continues with 10.Nbc3 dxe4 11.Ng3 0–0 and black seeks to improve king safety, white tries to prowl with 12.Qd2 intending to take up the h6 pawn and its guard, weakening the king’s position. Black with 12...Kh7 aptly puts an end to white’s greed 13.0–0–0 a5 (see diagram 1.4).

This move clearly makes black’s intention of a4 clear; natural at this point was to play knight at c3 or g3 taking the pawn back at e4 and play a4 stopping black’s intentions. I pondered much over the position and played 14.d5. Though there was nothing forceful for black to react here, what is wrong with 14...cxd5? The white pawn at d5 is protected thrice and attacked thrice, once by a pawn. Further, the capture leads to an even exchange and more importantly frees up c6, where black would be able to develop its sleeping knight to some action in the center. Diagram 1.4

Can a4 not wait until the exchange? White’s intentions were to sidetrack black with a poisoned pawn becoming more potent after 15.Nxd5. An immediate capture of the pawn needs some careful play next. Look at the position in diagram 1.5 and notice how a simple 15...e6 or 15...Be6 or the careless 15...Nxd5 continuing the exchange takes white to a very dominating position. For your ease of evaluating the position, the resultant position at the end of each of the above variations is given. A better defense by black is to play 15...Qd7 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Qe2 Qc7 18.Bg5, still favorable to white.

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Commentary by timepass

Diagram 1.5

September 5, 2008

Diagram 1.6

15...e6 16.Bb6 Qd7 17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 18.Qf4 Qe7 19.Qxe4+ Kh8

Diagram 1.7

15...Be6 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Qxd8 Rxd8 18.Rxd8 Bxb3 19.cxb3

Diagram 1.8

15...Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Ra6 17.Bxe4+ Kh8 18.Qxd8 Rxd8 19.Rxd8+ Bf8 20.Rxf8+ Kg7 21.Rxc8

Black unaware of all this analysis at my end, played 14...a4; either mindful of the poisoned pawn or ignorant and furthering its intentions. So much planning for nothing! Atleast, you know why white played 14.d5! and what havoc it could have caused in the black camp. The game continued 15.Nxa4 cxd5 capturing the now no more poisoned pawn, white playing 16.Nb6 to recapture the pawn, 16...Ra6 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxd5 Qc7 leading to the position in diagram 1.9.

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Commentary by timepass

September 5, 2008 Earlier after move 13 I had commented that white could have recaptured the pawn at e4 and its up for grabs now. How should it be captured, with the bishop also checking the king or with the knight? In the game white played 19.Nxe4. Why not 19.Bxe4+? It simply fails to 19...f5 20.Bd3 Rxa2 leaving white with a mate threat and very few options, a position no one enjoys being in. The game continued with 19...f5! 20.Nc3 Rd8 21.Nb5 Qe5 threatening mate with Qxb2 responded to with 22.c4! Rxa2 23.Bd4!!

(see diagram 1.10) Diagram 1.9 With 23.Bd4!! white was winning the forced exchange. 23...Ra1+? black’s position is worse 23...Rxd5 24.cxd5 Qxd5 25.Bxg7 Qxd2+ 26.Kxd2 (not 26.Rxd2?? for 26...Ra1+ 27.Kc2 Rxh1 28.Rd8 and black has leveled the playing field) 26...Kxg7 was expected. Continuation was 24.Kc2 Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Rxd5 26.cxd5 Qxd5 27.Bxg7 Qxb5? instead of Qxd2+, (see diagram 1.11) clearly black missed the mate threat 28.Qxh6+ 1–0. Black resigned here; it was pointless to play desperate prolonging moves 28...Kg8 29.Rd8+ Qe8 30.Rxe8+ Kf7 31.Rf8#.

Diagram 1.10

Diagram 1.11

I enjoyed this game as it intrigued me in the opening, gave joy in the middle game and finally the satisfaction of a win. It takes courage to play the opening line played by black and I much respect black for it, “Courage can do wonders to your talent”. I mean no offence to black in any of my comments above. The comments are with the intention to make the reading lively and enjoyable.

Your comments are welcome at “My 2 Cents” or at “eSnips”

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Commentary by timepass

September 5, 2008

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I play online chess @ www.chess.com by the nickname “timepass”. If you wish to play me or become a member at chess.com please visit my blog and follow the link.

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