SkipSlot    --    pradtf
   redhotpawn
2003.07.20     1/2-1/2     B02f

a clan game is not a good time to try a new opening - especially something like alekhine's - and it is unwise to just play an opening by rote from a book

so that serves you right as white plays a more obscure line instead of e5

( 3...d4 mephisto2: According to MCO14, 4. ... d4! is better than 3...Nfd7 )

this blocks the cP

( 5...c5 6.b3 Nec6! 7.Bb2 e5 = p23 burgess "complete alekhine" )

blocks one B but frees the other

( 6...Qd4?! 7.Rb1 )

( 6...g6 7.Bb2 Bg7 8.d4 Nd7 = )

( 6...Nd4 7.c3 Nf5 8.d4 Nc6 += )

( 6...Ng6 7.Bb5 Bd7 8.Ne2 e5 = )

( 6...Be6 7.Ne2 Ng4 8.d4 = )

white now takes control of the diagonal which will cause black problems in the immediate future

completely ignores the threat of white's next move

( 8.d4 Ng6 9.Bb5 Bd7 10.Nf3 Qf6 )

well at least black will get the file

( 9...Bxf4 10.Bxh8 Qh4+ 11.Ke2 Nxh8 12.Nf3 +- )

( 10.Bc3 Nxf4 11.g3 Nd5 ( 11...Ng6 12.Qh5 Nf8 13.Bd3 ) 12.Qh5 ( 12.Nxd5 exd5 13.Qe2+ ( 13.Bd3 Bg4 14.Ne2 ) ( 13.Bh3 Bxh3 14.Nxh3 d4 ) 13...Qe7 14.Bg2 Be6 ) 12...Nxc3 13.Qxh7 Qg5 14.Nh3 Bxg3+ 15.hxg3 Qxg3+ 16.Nf2 Nd4 ( 16...Nd5 ) )

a crucial moment for black

the not so good move :(

( 11...e5!! this move was explored in a setup game between pradtf (white) and mephisto2 (black) the details of which appears after the main game 12.gxf4?? ( 12.Qf3! Nd4 ) ( 12.Nf3 Ng6 ) 12...Qh4+ 13.Ke2 Bg4+ 14.Nxg4 Qxg4+ 15.Ke1 ( 15.Nf3 e4 16.Kf2 Qxf4 -+ ) 15...Qh4+ 16.Ke2 Qxf4 17.d3 Bc5 18.Qe1 Bxg1 -+ (D)


an easy win for black )

this spoils black's plans and sets up a real problem regarding pawn structure

( 12.Nxd5 exd5 13.Qh5 Bg4 14.Qxh7 Qe7+ 15.Ne2 O-O-O 16.O-O-O Kb8 17.Re1 Bf3 18.Rg1 Bc5 -+ )

( 12...Qg5 13.Qe2 ( 13.Nf3 Nxe3 14.Nxg5 Nxd1 15.Bxc6+ bxc6 16.Bf6 Nb2 17.Ne4 e5 18.Nxd6+ cxd6 19.Rb1 Rg6 20.Bh4 Nd3+ 21.cxd3 ) ( 13.Bxd5 exd5 14.Qe2 Be6 15.Nf3 Qh5 16.g4 Qg6 ) 13...Nxe3 ( 13...Ncb4 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Be4 h5 ) ( 13...Nde7 14.Nf3 Qc5 15.a3 Bd7 16.b4 Qh5 17.Nc4 Nf5 18.O-O-O O-O-O 19.Nxd6+ Nxd6 ) ( 13...Nce7 14.Nf3 Qh5 15.Qb5+ c6 16.Qd3 ) 14.Bxc6+ bxc6 15.dxe3 Qa5+ 16.c3 Ba6 )

( 12...Nce7 13.Qh5 )

( 12...Qe7 13.Qe2 Nxe3 14.Bxc6+ bxc6 15.Qxe3 )

what a mess for black: 4 pawn islands!

( 14...Bb4+ 15.c3 Bc5 16.Qxd8+ Kxd8 17.Ke2 += )

( 14...Qg5! mephisto2: I would have prefered 14. ... Qg5 (15.Qf3 Qa5+ 16.c3 Bb7) to make him close the long diagonal, and get your queen off d8 15.Qd3 ( 15.Qf3 Qa5+ 16.c3 Bd7 = ) 15...Qd5 16.Qxd5 cxd5 =+ )

( 15.Qf3 Qg5 16.O-O-O O-O-O )

( 15...Bb4+ 16.c3 Qf6 17.cxb4 Qxb2 18.Qd7+ )

( 15...c5 16.Qe2 Qe7 17.Qb5+ )

forces white to relinquish the big diagonal

( 17...Rd7 18.Ne5 Bxe5 19.Bxe5 Rgd8 20.Rxd7 Rxd7 21.Rd1 Rd5 22.Bc3 f5 += )

( 17...Bc5 18.Ne5 Bb6 19.Rhf1 f6 20.Nc4 Rdf8 21.Nxb6+ cxb6 += )

( 17...Rdf8 18.Rhf1 f6 19.e4 e5 20.Nh4 Bc5 +/- )

( 17...Kb8 18.Rhf1 Ba3 19.Bxa3 Qxa3+ 20.Kb1 Ba6 21.c4 += )

( 18.Kb1 Bxb2 19.Kxb2 c5 20.e4 Qf6+ 21.c3 Rd6 22.e5 ( 22.Nd2 Ba6 23.Qe3 e5 +/- ) 22...Bxf3 -+ )

( 18.Rxd8+ Rxd8 19.Rd1 Bxb2+ 20.Kxb2 Qf6+ 21.c3 Rxd1 22.Qxd1 c5 -/+ )

( 19...Rd6 20.Ne5 f6 21.Nc4 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Qe7 ( 22...Ba6 23.Qd3 ) )

( 20...f6 21.Nd2 Ba6 22.Nc4 Rd5 23.Rxd5 exd5 24.Nxa3 Bxe2 )

( 20...Ba6 21.c4 )

( 20...Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Bxf3 ( 21...Be4 22.Ne5 f5 23.Qc4 Re8 ) 22.Qxf3 Kb8 23.Qxf7 Rc8 24.Qe7 )

( 21.Qxc4 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Bxf3 )

( 21...c3 22.Nc4 Ba6 23.Qf3 Qb4 24.a3 Qb8 25.Qe4 Rxd1+ 26.Rxd1 Rd8 27.Rxd8+ Kxd8 28.Qxh7 )

( 21...Bd5 22.Nxc4 Bxc4 23.Qxc4 )

this at least salvages some of black's dignity though we are still strategically far behind having the 4 islands and nasty contemplations for white

( 22...Be4 23.Qb5 )

( 22...Rxd1+ 23.Rxd1 f6 24.Qc4 Qa6 25.Qxa6 Bxa6 )

( 22...Ba6 23.Qf3 )

a sigh of relief: piece exchanges favor black whose pawn structure is hardly desirable because there is less fire power to destroy the islands

( 23.Qb5 Ba6 ( 23...Rd5 24.Rxd5 Bxd5 25.Nc6 ) ( 23...Qa6 24.Qxa6 Bxa6 25.c4 ) 24.Qc6 )

( 23...Kxd8 24.Qd3+ )

( 24.Qc4 Be4 25.Qxe6+ Kb7 )

it was probably simpler to exchange right away, but the hope was to have white take on d6 so that we have 3 Ps coming down the middle

( 24...Rxd1+ 25.Qxd1 Bd5 26.Qd3 )

( 24...Bd5 25.Qb5 ( 25.Rd4 Rd6 26.Nc4 Bxc4 27.Qxc4 ) 25...Rd6 26.Qe8+ Rd8 27.Qf7 Kb7 28.Qxh7 )

( 24...Be4 25.Rxd8+ Kxd8 26.Qb5 )

( 25.Rxd6 Qxd6 26.Nf7 Qe7 27.Qh5 Bc6 28.Ne5 Be4 )

( 25.Nf7 Rxd1+ 26.Qxd1 Be4 27.Qd8+ Kb7 28.Qd2 Qxb3+ )

another exchange!

( 25...Ba6 26.Nxd6+ )

trying to get the Qs off the board

( 26...Qb4 mephisto2: probably Qb4 was more active, opposite to his king and with the threat of using the a-pawn 27.Ne5 Be4 28.Qd7+ Kb7 += )

practically forced

( 27.Qh5 Bd5 )

( 27.Qe2 Ba6 )

one more exchange - now the P islands don't look as desolate as before

now we try to bring K into center

( 29.Ne5+ Kd6 30.b4 Kd5 31.c3 Ke4 )

( 29.Kb2 Be4 30.Ne5+ Kd6 31.Nf7+ Kd5 32.Ng5 Kxd4 )

black is going to hang on to the diagonal and use the greater mobility of the B to full effect

( 29...Bd5 30.Ne5+ Kd6 31.c4 )

( 29...Be4 30.Ne5+ Kd6 31.Kc1 Kd5 32.c3 )

( 31.c4 this is not as good as it looks for white 31...a5 32.bxa5 ( 32.b5 c5 33.bxc6 Bxc6 ) ( 32.Nf7+ Ke7 33.Ne5 axb4 34.Ka2 Kd6 ) 32...c5 33.Nf7+ Ke7 34.Ne5 cxd4 35.a6 Kd6 36.Nd3 Be4 37.Kc2 -+ )

( 31.Nc4+ Kc6 )

( 31...a5 32.bxa5 c5 )

going central

( 32...h5 33.Kd3 Bf1+ )

( 33.Kb3 Ke3 34.Kc4 Kf2 35.Kc5 Kg1 36.h4 Kf2 37.g4 f4 38.g5 Be4 -+ )

( 33.Kd2 f4 ( 33...h5 34.Ng6 Kf3 35.Nf4 h4 36.Nxe6 hxg3 37.hxg3 c6 38.Ng7 Bh3 39.Nh5 Bg4 40.Nf4 Kxg3 41.Ke3 Bd1 42.c4 Kg4 43.d5 cxd5 44.cxd5 Ba4 45.d6 Bb5 46.Nd3 Kg3 47.Ne5 f4+ 48.Kd4 f3 49.d7 Bxd7 50.Nxf3 Kxf3 = black is a piece ahead but it may not be enough for a win ) 34.gxf4 Kxf4 35.Nd3+ Ke4 36.Nc5+ Kf5 += )

( 34.Nb8 Bf1 35.Kb3 )

( 34...f4 35.gxf4 ( 35.g4 f3 ) 35...Kxf4 36.Ne5 h5 )

( 35.c4 h4 ( 35...Bf1 36.Kc3 Kf3 37.Nb8 Kg2 38.Nxa6 Kxh2 39.Nxc7 Kxg3 40.b5 h4 41.b6 h3 42.b7 h2 43.b8=Q h1=Q ) 36.gxh4 f4 ( 36...Kf4 37.h5 Kg5 38.Nd8 ) 37.Ke2 Bf3+ 38.Kf2 Bh5 39.Nd8 Kxd4 ( 39...e5 40.dxe5 Kxe5 41.Nc6+ Ke4 42.Nb8 ) 40.Nxe6+ Kxc4 41.Nxf4 Bg4 42.h5 c6 43.h6 Bf5 44.Ne6 Kxb4 45.Ng5 a5 46.Ne6 a4 47.Nd4 )

( 36.gxf4 Kxf4 37.Nd3+ Kf5 38.c4 ( 38.h4 Bd5 39.Nc5 Bc4 ) ( 38.Nc5 Bf1 39.Ke3 h4 40.Nd7 h3 41.Ne5 ) 38...Bf1 39.Ne5 h4 40.Kc3 ( 40.Ke1 Bg2 41.Kf2 Bh1 ) 40...Bg2 41.Nd3 Bb7 42.Nc5 Bc8 )

( 36.g4 f3 )

a draw is pretty well assured but we play on a bit trying different things to unsettle each other; some of the possibilites below may be worth looking at, but there doesn't seem to be much either side can do

( 36...f3 37.Nc5+ Kd5 ( 37...Kf5 38.Ke3 Kg4 ( 38...e5 39.Nxa6 e4 40.Nxc7 Bf1 41.c4 Bxc4 42.b5 Be6 +- ) 39.Nxe6 Kh3 40.Nxc7 Kxh2 41.Kf2 +- ) 38.Ke3 c6 39.Nxa6 Kc4 40.Nc7 Kxc3 41.Nxe6 Kxb4 42.h4 ( 42.Nf4 Kc4 43.h4 Bh1 44.Nxh5 f2 45.Kxf2 Kxd4 46.g4 c5 47.Ng3 Bd5 48.h5 Ke5 49.Ke3 c4 50.h6 Bg8 51.Ne4 Ke6 52.Kd4 Kf7 53.Kxc4 Kg6+ 54.Kd4 Kxh6 = ) 42...Kc4 43.Nf4 Bh1 44.Nxh5 f2 45.Kxf2 Kxd4 46.g4 c5 47.g5 c4 48.Ng3 Bd5 49.h5 Ke5 50.g6 Kf6 51.Ke3 c3 52.Kd3 Bf3 53.Kxc3 Bxh5 54.Nxh5+ Kxg6 = )

( 36...Kf3 37.gxf4 Bf1 38.c4 Kxf4 39.Kc3 h4 40.Nc5 Kf3 41.Nxa6 c6 +- )

( 37.Nc5+ Kf4 38.Nxe6+ Kf5 39.Nxc7 gxh2 )

( 37...Kf3 38.Nf6 Kxg3 39.Nxh5+ Kg4 40.Ng7 Bd5 41.Ke3 )

( 38.Nc5 Bf1 39.Ke3 Kg4 40.Kf2 Bc4 41.Nd7 Kf5 42.Ne5 Bd5 43.Ke3 ( 43.c4 Ba8 44.Ke3 Bg2 45.Kd3 Be4+ 46.Kc3 Bf3 47.Nxf3 Kg4 48.Nd2 Kxg3 49.Ne4+ Kf3 50.Ng5+ Kg4 51.Ne4 h4 52.Kd3 Kf3 53.d5 exd5 54.cxd5 Kf4 55.Nf2 Kf3 = ) 43...Bb7 ( 43...Bg2 44.Nd3 Bd5 45.Nc5 Bc4 ) 44.Nd3 Kg4 45.Kf2 )

( 38...Kg4 39.Nf6+ Kxg3 40.Nxh5+ Kg4 41.Ng7 )

( 39.Nc5 Bb5 40.Kf3 )

( 40.Kd3 Be4+ 41.Kc4 Bd5+ 42.Kc5 Ke4 43.c4 Bb7 44.Nf7 Kf3 45.Nd8 Kxg3 46.Nxb7 h4 )

( 40.Ke2 Bh1 41.Nd3 Bc6 42.Ke3 Bd5 43.Nf4 Kg4 44.Kd3 Bf3 45.Nxe6 Kxg3 46.Ke3 h4 47.Ng5 Bd5 )

( 41.Nd7 Bf1 42.Nc5 )

( 41.Kd3 Bf1+ 42.Kc3 Bg2 43.Nd3 Bb7 44.Nc5 Bc8 45.Kd3 e5 46.d5 Kg4 47.Ne4 )

( 42.Nd7 Ke4 )

( 42.Kg1 Ba8 )

( 42.Nf7 Ke4 43.Kg1 Kxd4 44.Kxh1 Kxc4 45.Nd8 Kxb4 46.Nxe6 c5 47.Nf4 a5 48.Nd3+ Kb5 )

( 43...Be4+ 44.Kc3 Bg2 45.Nd7 )

Here is the game played out after 11...e5!! 12.Qf3 (note that 12.Nf3 is also pretty good). Most comments between pradtf (who plays the white pieces this time) and mephisto2 have been left in since they may be of interest.

pradtf    --    mephisto2
setup   redhotpawn
2003.09.03    

12.Qf3

i think Nf3 is also good, but let's try this since i think it is what we discussed

I spent quite some timelooking at this variation today. One constant in all the complications: good for a head ache :-

i looked at Qxb7 and that looked promising, but it would require a certain amount of cooperation from you (around move 19 where you would need to take my R instead of Rg6) so i setted on Nxd6

you know I'm not very cooperative :) Nxd6 was the better move I think. This game is in a 'dynamic' equilibrium, as they say. A nice word for 'unclear'.

:0 yes that is a good way to put it. john nunn in is openings book writes "The unclear symbol oo [did the best i could for infinity], which is often used to indicate that the author hasn't a clue what's going on" ... how do you actually evaluate a position? except for the straightforward forcing moves, or fairly obvious positional advantages, i don't know how to do it other than actually calculating out future possibilities - and then of course, you end up missing that 'one move'! i guess this is why i've heard it said that even a bad plan is better than no plan :0

that is true. Black's strategy in this position is purely based on the unsafety of white's king, and a lot of calculations

It is still a close game, but I think black has a small advantage now, don't you agree?

yes - things looked better for white a few moves ago :0

the idea of the two setup games was to validate the 11. ... e5 as an alternative for the Nd5 that you played. So far, I believe it is.

it is close, although the fact that black 'owns' the open files make his position slightly the better.

i see ... it's subtlies such as this that leads to evaluations in close situations.

black isn't worried about losing the b-pawn. The second row is the target. But is it enough, that I don't know right now.

well the initiative does definitely seem to be with black - white has to hide somewhere and the Qside Ps are vulnerable

yes they are. I had this position on my board yesterday when I prepared for the 15. ... Bd7 move. Based on that, perhaps 19.Ne2 (giving up the exchange on h1) was something to look at for white , instead of Nf3. Now the question is:h3 or h1?

Kh1 looks safer, but Kh3 seems to offer more interesting opportunities.

I agree. After Kh1, Rff2would have been very strong.

hmmm ... i was pretty sure you would take with the B, because i figured that my K could get back to take out you dP in plenty of time - but it isn't that simple: 19...Rxc2 20.Bxc2 Kg3 21.d3 Be4 (looks good), but is spoiled by 22. Bb1! so, now it seems that Rc1 may not have been such a good move after all.

I agree. c2 was not defendable. You could have played something else, usefulfor later purposes, e.g. Kg3 to free the h2 pawn, or b4.

i wasn't trying to defend it - just get you to take it with the B because i liked the fact that you B blocks your R from taking the aP and that would give me more time to get my K out. also, i figured that when the B eventually moved i'd be able to use the file to say check. i get fixated on certain plans and become very one-dimensional :( ... BUT! ... :) that gives me an idea on the whole candidate moves concept, that i shall now go and think about :)

This time I am hesitating. d2 or Ke7 (Bxd3 Bxd3 Rxd3 Rxa2 and the king protects d6). But you are not forced to take.

thought you'd play d5 preventing Bc4

I didn't want to create a target myself for Bb7. And bring myking up.

right - i guess i am overly concerned about your R attacking the bP. i have probably delayed Kg3 too long

both b- and a-pawns are targets, but protectable. This side of the board also has targets.

oops! I think you overlooked the diagonal h5-d1. too bad we cannot undo it (pawn captured).

that was foolish and i realized it right after i made the move: i completely forget that i wanted to keep a P on g4 - don't care whose P :) instead of Kg3 Be6 would probably have been better - now this game is completely lost, but i'm still glad black won :0

also on Be6 (probably followed by Rb2) black maintained threats on both sides on the board. I think with very good winning chances. In the end, we can say that 11. ... e5 was a good move, and that was the purpose of these games.