Annotated Chess Game 15481178

This is a little passive, but still playable. More common would be either ... Nf6 or ... Bc5.

White can also play d4 here and try to seize the initiative.

This is not the best. Black should play ... exd4 here, to prevent White from dominating the center.

Not the best move here. The B should retreat to d7.

? Black is going to lose material now, and seriously. ... Bd7 was the move; or even ... Kf8.

The dust settles and we take stock. Black has lost his Q, in return for a R and a B. Materially, not terrible, actually just one P down. Now let's analyze the positional factors: White has an advantage in space with the protected Pe4 hitting on the squares d5 and f5; a dk. sq. B which has potentially good diagonals because the e- and f-pawns are on lt.sq.; a half open g-file on which to place a R and potentially attack the Black K-side; no obvious difficulty developing the remaining pieces. Black's positional factors: an awkwardly placed dk.sq. B, hemmed in by Black's own center pawns on dk.sq.; a weak and backwards QP; the K is not yet in a safe place. Strategical concerns for the immediate continuation: White will aim to box in Black's pieces as much as possible and to activate his remaining pieces as quickly as possible. Analogous strategy for Black. Based on these positional factors, White stands better than merely 1 P +. Stockfish rates White's advantage at +2.87 points (nearly three Ps).

This drives Black's lt.sq. B back, further immobilizes Black's already weak Pd6, and prepares to open more dk. diagonals for White's dk.sq.B.

Stockfish preferred Be3 here, but I wanted to open the possibility of attacking the Pd6 with Ba3.

Perhaps played with the intention of posting the N on f4, after suitable preparations. However, ... 0-0 was better here, in defiance of the half-open g-file.

White seizes the vacant d5 sq., which the Black N no longer controls. White has no intention of exchanging his good N for the weak dk.sq. B on e7; rather, the N now threatens a check on c7, which would prevent Black castling. Stockfish now rates the position 3.21+ for White.

More consistent with the previous N move would have been ... g5 here, preparing to play ... Nf4.

Black could have gone here after the first check and saved himself a tempo. Stockfish now rates the position 4.55+ for White.

With the Black Rs disconnected and the Pd6 undefended, White is ready to crack open the position.

White has picked up some additional material and opened potentially good lines for his B and R. Nonetheless, the remaining piece disposition is not entirely unfavorable for Black: 2 Rs and 2 Bs can be very powerful if given open lines.

This looks awkward at first, but is actually not bad. It gives the Black K access to g7, connecting the Rs, and, if supported by ...h6, reduces the mobility of White's B.

Back got the worst of it in the opening. Strategic considerations for the coming middle game: White should seek to restrict the mobility of Black's B pair, and try to gain a passer. For Black: get the K to safety, and try to coordinate an attack with the R pair and the B pair. Although White has a material advantage, this is not an easy win by any means, for Black can potentially muster four heavy pieces for an attack, whereas White has only three heavy pieces for the defense. Piece activity will be the key to this game, more than the immediate material imbalance.

?! White missed a trick here. Stockfish suggested Ba3!, for if ... BxB, then Qxg5+ winning the R on d8. Still, Stockfish now rates the position 7.33+ for White.

Qxg5+ is of course playable, and what Stockfish recommends, since the Pf6 is pinned, however I was wary of giving Black an open g-file.

Yes, good; this shores up the otherwise somewhat loose Black K position. Black has improved his position slightly: Stockfish gives 5.46+ for White here.

! White has still not managed to obtain a passer, whereas Black has gotten his Rs connected on an open file with definite counter-chances now.

?! This was played to prevent a B+ on b4 should the White K need to retreat to e1, and to prepare b4 and thereafter c5. Stockfish prefers QxBh3 (allowing ... Rd2+ and ... RxBb2). However, I was loath to let Black get both Rs on the seventh/second rank. Of course, if Black tries to seize the rank immediately with 29. ... Rd2+, then 30. QxR!

! Good shot. It's going to win back a pawn.

Not the best. Black should acquiesce in simplification and trade off the Rs on d1.

Black is in deep trouble now. White's R-on-the-seventh is crippling, due to the pin of the B, and Black has no way to defend the Pb7. White is now effectively playing with a Q against a R.

It is understandable that Black should want to unpin the B on e7; nonetheless, Black should take the Ph2 here. Stockfish: 8.44+ for White.

White obtains his passer, but it is pretty well blockaded. Stockfish prefers Qg6 for White here; oh well, I missed a trick. White still threatens Qg6 next move and mate on f7, so Black will have to deal with that before doing anything else.

To avoid the f7 mate. However, ... Rxb3 was relatively better, for if Qg6, then ... Re3+ picks up the Pe6. We both missed a trick on this one.

With a clear path forward, it's time to advance a passer.

"Thou shalt not shilly shally!" Nimzovich.

Stockfish now calculates mate in 17! Way past my foresight, but in any case, Black can resign any time now.

1 - 0. Not a perfect game for either of us, but thanks all the same, Mike.