Annotated Chess Game 12188242 by moonbus

Annotated Chess Game 12188242 by moonbus

Annotated Games

Preliminary assessment. moonbus White, Tshotsho Khalapa Black

  • 1. e4
    Message from moonbus to Tshotsho: I'll play something classical, to demonstrate some basic principles.
    • 1... e5 2. Ng1f3 Nb8c6 3. Bf1b5
      moonbus: This is a standard opening. A good one to learn. You'll run into this one a few thousand times in your chess career. Both sides try to develop pieces quickly and contend for control of the centre.
      • 3... a6
        Tshotsho Khalapa: This is how I usaully react, trying to force the bishop backwards. Moonbus: a perfectly playable line for Black. The other common option for Black here is ... Nf6. White has two playable responses to ... a6: either BxN, or retreat the bishop.
        • 4. Bb5a4 Ng8f6 5. O-O
          moonbus: Let's start a checklist of things to look at before you make a move. I just castled and left my e-pawn en prise (attacked and undefended). So, here is an item for the mental checklist: 1. Check all pieces (incl. pawns) left en prise. Sometimes it is a trap, sometimes it is an oversight (and believe me, even 2000+ players sometimes miss the obvious), and sometimes the piece (or in this case the pawn) can be easily regained. I invite you to use the RHP 'analyze board' function (if you are comfortable with it) or a real board (if you prefer), and play out the following variation: White castles, and you continue: ... Nxe4; Re1... and then tell me which of the three cases this is: I just blundered my e-pawn, or it's a trap, or I can get the pawn back easily. The main thing is to notice that a piece (or pawn) is hanging and to put that into your growing catalog of items to look for before you make a move. Of course, this applies to leaving your own pieces en prise, too.
          • 5... Nf6xe4
            Tshotsho Khalapa: I 've analyzed and I realise you can get the pawn back.
            • 6. d4
              moonbus: Correct. I expect to get it back. But first, I'm going to enable some development: I want to get my queen's bishop into the game rapidly, and I want to clear the e-file because your king is still in the centre. Getting the pawn back will be secondary if I can pin your knight in the centre.
              • 6... f6
                moonbus: this is probably played to bolster the Black e-pawn, which is understandable. It has two serious disadvantages: 1. f6 was the natural retreat square for the Black knight, and f7-f6 just blocked it. 2. It weakens the king position by opening the diagonal h5-e8.
                • 7. Rf1e1 Ne4d6
                  moonbus: the knight has no other retreat. On d6 it holds the critical square f7, but it severely hinders Black's further development, blocking both Black bishops.
                  • 8. dxe5 Nc6xe5 9. Nf3xe5 Bf8e7
                    moonbus: remember item one on the mental checklist: there was no reason not to take the White knight, which is hanging, on e5. By not taking fxe5, you are giving me a knight for free.
                    • 10. Qd1h5
                      moonbus: Black is in deep trouble already as a result of the opening of the h5-e8 diagonal. The natural retreat square for the Black knight was f6, but the prior pawn move f7-f6 blocked it and opened a diagonal of attack for White. A Black knight on f6 would have prevented this.
                        Game started
                        27 Apr '17
                        Last move
                        03 May '17
                        Game Lost
                        Created
                        03 May '17
                        Updated
                        21 May '17
                        Comments
                        0
                        Annotation Id
                        5150

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