Murck, post #1,004
NNA (1208) vs. Murck (1278)
King Pawn Game, Wayward Queen Attack
White Victory 1-0
This is my analysis of Murck’s game in post 1,004. There are a few spots where I believe he stood to gain the advantage despite the slip in the opening.
2. Qh5 - This is a move common to many novices (even myself a few times in the past). It can be okay if the player knows what he’s doing. Most people just see the attack on the e5 pawn and look no further. This shortsightedness can be very easy to punish. The most solid way to counter this move is to simply defend the pawn with a move such as 2...Nc6 or 2...d6 and then concentrate on shooing away the white queen.
2...Nf6!? - While this does drop the e5 pawn, I think this is actually a gambit geared toward gaining tempi on White’s queen in exchange for the sacrificed pawn. Don’t quote me on that, though. As I said before, simply 2...Nc6 or 2...d6 curbs White’s threatened 3. Qxe5+ and allows you to focus on kicking away the queen.
4...d6 - While not a bad move, this was a bit poorly-timed. It’s of course prudent to give the light-squared bishop some scope and it does follow the opening guideline of developing with threats (and thus with tempi), but allows a later Bb5 from White which could, as it did in this game, interfere with your goal of gaining time by attacking White’s queen. Here, simply 4...Nc6 is fine, since the d7 pawn shelters the king from any Bb5 nonsense.
5. Qd4? - This move is indeed dubious. White’s being too free with his queen and is simply allowing Black to gain more time by hitting her. 5. Qg3 is a better try at salvaging lost time.
6...Bd7! - I believe this to be a fine move in that position. You correctly observed that after the pin on the c6 knight was broken, the white queen was once again in danger. This left White with a choice. He could either lose even more time by retreating his queen again, or relinquish one of his bishops and capture with 7. Bxc6. He made the latter choice.
8. d3? - While you’re busy developing, White’s busy pushing pawns. This would be fine in a closed position where action is slow to happen. In this position, however, things can be stirred up quickly and there’s the chance that you can initiate an attack on White’s still uncastled king. Remember that a lead in development is a dynamic, short-term advantage. If you don’t exploit it while you can, it’ll fade away in an instant.
8...O-O - I believe that this move was good. You get your own king to safety and bring the h8 rook into play. Now you can likely start thinking about cracking open the center while you’ve still got four pieces developed to White’s one. Now, White’s first order of business should likely be to play 9. Nf3 and then castle.
9...d5 - Well, since White’s now still neglecting his own king’s safety, it looks like you can reasonably think about attacking. Keep in mind that you need to be cautious, since you’re still a solid pawn down. Here, I wonder what you would have done had White played 10. e5! instead of what he actually did.
One line might go: 10. e5!, Nd7 - 11. Bf4, Re8 - 12. Nf3, f6!, when White appears to be losing e5.
Another line might go: 10. e5!, Nd7 - 11. Bxe7, Qxe7 - 12. f4!, f6 - 13. Nf3, Re8 - 14. O-O, when White might lose e5, but may be able to use a few Re1 tactics against your queen.
Bottom line, 10. e5 might not be the best response, but it is an obvious one and does require some calculation on your part if it’s to be refuted.
10. Nd2 - This is a more solid move. I still think that Nf3 and then O-O should be White’s chief goal, but you shouldn’t be in a hurry to start exchanges on e4. That file’s going to help you a lot more open than it will closed. Also, since you’re already down a clean pawn, a queen exchange (especially this early) might not be that beneficial to you.
10...dxe4?! - I think that this the move that really made life tough for you. Allowing a queen trade nixes any immediate attacking ideas and gives him a chance to consolidate his extra pawn and reach a fine position. Here, I recommend 10...b6 so you can move your light-squared bishop out of the c7 pawn’s way and try to get something going with ...c5. You’ve got the bishop pair, which is arguably an advantage in and of itself (more range being a major part of it). It’d be a good idea to try and break things open and use them before White has time to coordinate his own men. If White really wants to, he could play 11. exd5, but that’s asking for trouble along the e file.
11...Rfxd8? - I do believe that this is a case of “the wrong rook”. 11...Raxd8 looked better since while it covers the d file, the rook on f8 can then be used to fight for the e file. They can also then double on either file later with ease.
12...Bxe4? - This was an ill move. If you want to, you can say that now you’re automatically worse due to not having the two bishops anymore, but that’s beside the point here. 12. Nxe4 gave you a sparkling opportunity to use some nice tactics against the now very weak g2 pawn. Simply put, if you can land your light-squared bishop on g2 before White can play Nf3, then you’ve got yourself a free rook. However, don’t get tunnel-vision and look at the capture of that rook as the only possible outcome of this plan. Sometimes, the mere threat of one tactic can force other weaknesses in the opponent’s position and thus give chances for other tactics to appear.
One way to attack g2 is this: 12...Nxe4! - 13. Bxe7, Re8! - 14. dxe4, Rxe7 - 15. f3, f5, when White now stands to lose e4. In this way, you get your pawn back and still retain one of your bishops, which may outperform the white knight on that open board.
20...Bc3! - This was a good move. Now one of White’s pawns is momentarily impeded and f6 has another defender. Even down a pawn (technically two if you’re that way about doubled pawns), this endgame might be drawable for you. Note, however, that 21. Ng1! threatens 22. Ne2 when your bishop may be forced to move.
21...a5 - Perhaps 21...h6 would have been a better move. It would force White to play h4 if he wants to bust through on g5, which would take away his chances for an outside passed pawn and also cure your own doubled pawns in the process. 21...h6 - 22. h4, a5 - 23. g5, fxg5 - 24. hxg5, hxg5 - 25. Nxg5.
22. a4?? - This didn’t look good. Since you’ve still got a blockade on the c2 pawn, you now have a chance to create a passer of your own with 22...c6! and 23...b5!.
One line might go: 22...c6 - 23. Ng1, b5 - 24. Ne2, when while you might not get a passer, the queenside might stay intact for a bit.
22...c5?? - This right here was a shot in the foot. Now you have little hope of ever getting a queenside passer since now there’s nothing to support a ...b5 advance. In your comment on this move, you said that you had no idea what you were doing. I suggest studying some basic endgames. They’ll help you in your planning in these positions.
25...Bd4?? - Last rites. I think the only hope of drawing you had was your bishop, but now he can take it off of the board (which he did) and get a very comfortable king-and-pawn ending.
I think that should do it. The rest of the game should be a fun exercise for you to work on yourself. I hope this helps you some. Cheers, mate!
....!)
http://www.chess.com/livechess/game.html?id=286484722
Lost bad here!