TL Chess match II - Page 45

I chose sicilian opening, though I originally intended to play Alekhine defense I thought many of the white team wouldn't be well prepared for it and perhaps the game would be over soon on an early blunder. I wanted the game to last long and become interesting for all parts. I discareded 1... e5 cause I'm not a strong 1...e5 player, though lately in some blitz games I'm finding that white is less prepared playing 1. e4 e5 than playing the sicilian, yet the wins I've scored is mostly because of white blundering, and not me doing anything special.

I go with Sicilan Dragon, a very rare opening seen these days famously used by Kasparov to dismantle Anand in their 1995 World Championship Title match. Anand who had exclusively prepared for Kasparov's unbeatable Sicilian Shevenigen, was shocked, unprepared and had no answers against the unexpected Dragon. Then again, normally nobody nowadays (well nobody not GM) plays a good Dragon, and I have an extremely high winning ratio with it.

Ok this pissed me off.

Not only it alters my plan but it brings up one of the openings I dislike most.

It looked like White perhaps didn't want to go through Anand's fate and choses the even more uncommon Marozcy Bind opening, thus avoiding the Dragon/accelerated. Although it was in my home book preparation, this move I didn't expect at all -I mean not to win-, and although I should have knowing that jfazz is a d4 player, it was in the last of my options that white would play.

I continue the Marozcy-Bind lines, but I deviate from 6. ...Nf6, chosing instead 6...Nh6 to spice things up a bit and scare the White team. In my experience Marozcy-Bind gives white a slight advantage overall in the opening, and black chances to win are sllim, yet the majority of the games played are drawn. I don't have any percentages but if I'd had to guess most games would be drawn (this is with perfect play from both sides of course) and some won by white due to black weak defending.

I plan something new also, maybe f5 looking for exf5 from white something like that

My second trap, if you want to call it that way -the first being my attempt to play the Dragon-. White has many options as most of you appointed, the strongest ones being Nc3 and exf5, the former being a more passive drawish option, and the latter bringing a few automatic moves that open up the game a little bit. (8 exf5 Nxf5; 9 Nxf5 Qa5+ 10 Nc3 QxN). I wanted exf5 to win the vote to open up the game a bit, cause Nc3 would make things a bit more difficult for me.

gosh, white's playing passive. oh well here goes nothing.

I keep pressure with the f pawn because now that white castled, it's kind of useless to fight for that square. At this point I know white will follow (or should folllow) with either Bxf4 or Qd2 and even f3. I spent more than an hour trying to decide whether to play f4 or d6, as the game already looks even, so I'm looking for lines to unsettle white.

At this point I'm pretty sure of what's coming, something like 10. Nxc6 bxc6, 11 Bd4, 12 BxB, 13 Qd4........

so on this move I'm concetrating on mid game moves to find an opening and see if I can find a win. It's hard because there aren't many choices and most of the moves should be automatic for both teams, who with perfect play can easliy draw, and I definetly don't want that. I'm also kicking myself for my opening choice, not going for either the Alekhine or the Schevenigen, as I'll say it again, find a win for black on this game is not going to be easy.

well,

I didn't understand this move. I was expecting either the daring c5 or the more profound Qd4+ (that would lead the opening for a premature endgame position after a few exchanges in the middle some 8,10 struggle moves ahead).

I considered white's play as passive not taking advantage of the situation and allowing me to regroup my pieces in the current weaken squares such as d6 (where white should have focused its attack, in my opinion). After much thought and essay of many lines (13... d6 leads to disaster as well as Rd8 or Rb8, and Ba6 doesn't accomplish anything) I can't come up with a better move than 13... Qc7. At this point I see the game as even, so I didn't really bother on focusing on what white can play next, especially after having played passively.

Pretty much forced response that allows defense of both the d7 and the especially the lone but not to be underestimated f4 pawns. I'm risking to get a pin but I don't see many threatning lines from it. I expect white to play either 15. b3, 15. b4 or the unlikely 15. f3

So I get the unlikely 15. f3 that allows me to release tension from my d pawn in a move that should have been done years ago. I allow the possibility of my queen getting attacked by the knight to see if I can free up some space in the middle. I start thinking of exchanging queens to diverse white's attention and see if I can manouver a bit better.

there isn't much space.

White is agrees with the exchange and starts pushing its c pawn and placing rooks in the open files. I'm faced here with two options, defend the center at all costs or go with another exchange white's b pawn for my d pawn looks fair.

white doesn't want to give his b pawn away, and locks in the middle even more. Why does white keep defending so well ?? At this point I start to realize the game's trend is drawish and winning chances for black are slim. White doesn't have much either on the other hand.

here's when it hit me: maybe if I push for another exchange in the king side, I can get less pieces in the board and since moves are made after voting, well, maybe the best move may not win ? this is a possibility: yes, my end game is my weakness but I believe I can hold my own in end game against a voting game, especially in the conditions we are.

so I start working on an exchange.

Wow even better, the bishop is out of my way. maybe I can pull this one out

Exactly what I wanted. For the first time in the match, what I planned eventually worked out. Now, the position is delicate. If white doesn't want to push for the win, they can draw with ease. Perhaps the pawn will create pressure ?

all forced

this is not looking good. If white plays Kh3, I think we're going to draw.

gg

I don't like the continuations from 8. exf5. For example Nxf5 leaves his knight in a very strong position, so it almost forces 9. Nxf5 and it seems black can now take the initiative with 9... Qa5+ followed by 10... Qxf5. The bishop at g7 remains troublesome, and 11... 0-0 lines up the black rook and queen nicely... I just don't like all the offensive options black has, it seems we lose initiative and play reactively.