|
Discussion Game - 2
In the summer of 2001 a discussion sprang up on Dan Triplett's
ChessChat [review]
about the value of "discussion games", games where you and your opponent discuss
the games with each other as you play. A variation of this theme is
becoming popular on many ICSs; they call them Banter games, or something
similar. The difference is that in the banter games, each player is
unaware of the other's comments. We wanted to be aware of the opponent's
plans, since the objective was for us to learn from each other as we went along.
IM-CC Keith Hayward and I decided to play a pair of games
exploring an opening that was of interest to us both at that time - the
Stonewall. You can find
game one here. What follows is essentially a transcript of those postings to ChessChat;
the moves we played and the thoughts we shared about the games.
Click here for
a java script board to play this game on.
Keith Hayward vs David Surratt
August-October, 2001
Game One
Hayward,K - Surratt,D
Casual Game 2 email, 1.08.2001
1 d4 Nf6
KH: Sign that a King's Indian defense is coming. Big
question for Black is, can you still play the Stonewall formation effectively?
Miami Bob and I have been going over this line a lot. The real problem for White
is figuring out what is best? Soltis gives real wimpy notes / analysis in his
books. Miami Bob and I have been following the games of Nobby on ICC (IM from
Germany). Nobby seems to play the line exactly as a Stonewall player would
love to, holding to the classic c3 d4 e3 f4 pawn formation.
2 e3
KH: The thematic Stonewall approach move.
2 ... d5
DS: I thought about several alternatives here, including
2...b6 and 2...c5. In the end though, I decided to vary from game 1 just a
little further down the path...
3 f4!?
KH: This move order prevents the just mention ...e5 and ...Nb4, but allows
...Bf5 which theory says Black is already equal. However, White is able to
maintain the Stonewall formation (which is important for me). I will put up with
Black playing ...Bf5 hoping later to prove that bishop is a target later with an
eventual pawn to g4.
3 ... c5
DS: Thank you, I am not interested in a target for you on f5. :) I will attempt
to play on the q-side, while you try to roll me up on the k-side. It should
make for interesting theatre, if not interesting chess.
4 c3
       
  
       
KH: The classic Stonewall has been set!
4 ... Nc6
DS: Still not 100% sure on this; I want to wait to play the q-bishop out before
I play ...e6.
5 Bd3 Bg4
DS: At first I thought this move was unplayable due to 6 Qb3 c4 7 Qxb7 but then
I saw 7...Na5 8 Qb5+ Bd7! (this was the resource I hadn't seen at first). Black
now has the light-squared bishop outside the pawn chain, and can proceed soon
with ...e6.
6 Nf3
KH: There is that old adage that one will lose if the capture the b-pawn with
the queen. I did not really consider Qb3 chasing after a pawn, takes too much
time. White will complete development first, then consider such adventures.
6 ... e6
DS: Ah yes, completing development before initiating offensive operations...I
may have heard that before once or twice! :)
7 0-0
KH: White continues to develop.
7 ... Be7
DS: This is so weird, it feels like a real game of cat & mouse. I also continue
to develop, and I can opt for a q-side expansion, or try to play for a
double-Stonewall setup. It's getting time to fish or cut bait though. It seems
we're both trying to outwait the other.
8 Qe1
KH: Theory really likes this variation for Black. And in looking at book lines,
there is not many, Black does very well. With this last move, and the ones to
come, I am testing an idea/approach I think is best for White. Personally I
think 7...Bd6 or 7...Qc7 is stronger giving White less options. White must play
7 Qe1 or be prepared to play cxd4 in response to ....cxd4 after 7 Nbd2 for
example.
8 ... Bxf3
DS: I only found one game with your last move, Keith: Pusec-Mikita 1998. Black I
think got a nice game, but played the ending questionably, perhaps overreaching
himself, and lost. I think this exchange seems forced, as otherwise my bishop
will be left swinging in the wind.
9 Rxf3
KH: I do not have Pusec-Mikita 1998 either! Yikes!! I am being out-researched!!
9 ... Ne4
DS: Maybe I'm losing my mind in both of these games, but this looks consistent
with my plan of keeping the center blocked so as to limit the mobility of
White's pieces. It remains to be seen, of course, if this is the correct
strategy.
10 b3
KH: I found one Online Chessbase database game with 10 Bxe4, White won, but it
seems a shame to give up the king bishop so quickly. The real problem for White
in this variation is where to develop the queenside pieces. White's options are
rather limited, developing the QB to b2 is good as any.
10 ... f5
DS: At last Black has achieved his goal of a reverse Stonewall. The idea, a
favorite of Capablanca's, is that White will struggle to find targets on the
k-side, while Black will attempt to play on the q-side to (hopefully) more
effect.
11 Bb2
KH: White continues (starts) to develop.
11 ... 0-0
DS: Well now I've gone & done it, committed my king to the k-side. Not that I
ever had any doubts. :) Now I have to find some defensive resources there, since
White can bring a knight along with his heavy pieces to assault my castled
position.
12 Nd2
KH: White continues to develop ... eyeing the kingside. <smile>
12 ... a6
DS: That's sort of a gunfighter's smile there, isn't it Keith? :) You eye the
k-side, I'll eye the q-side.
13 Rf1
KH: There is so many possibilities in this position, I am not sure what is
best. I must admit I do not have much experience in such positions, so I am
going with a simple developing scheme.
13 ... b5
DS: I thought perhaps you might have played 13.a5, in order to restrain my
q-side advance, after which I had planned 13...Na5. Now I will continue to
pursue activity on the q-side. I agree that there is a lot of possibilities in
this position. I'm much more comfortable with this game than the other. Odd
thing about that too; throughout my career I've always seemed to be more at home
with the Black pieces. Any ideas or comments about that Keith?
14 Nxe4
KH: I am not sure I have played best here. In entering this line, I thought I
would play Nf3, Rc1, and c4. Now getting here I realize my plan was way too
slow. Black will simply plays ...c4 next move and White's pieces look out of
harmony. So we are now trying plan B. Sometimes the hardest thing to do in chess
is admit you (me) have made a mistake and change one's (my) plans accordingly.
14 ... dxe4
DS: I think this is best, as otherwise I think you get too much activity on the
k-side. "Sometimes the hardest thing to do in chess is admit you (me) have made
a mistake and change one's (my) plans accordingly." Amen, and I was not able to
do so in our other game. Still, hope springs eternal. :)
15 Be2
KH: I think 14 ... fxe4 was better. My plan was Be2-g4, Qg3 with some play on
the kingside. The position was rather even. With 14...dxe4 White has nothing on
the kingside, but now attention focuses back on the center.
15 ... Na5
DS: Time I guess may tell if ...dxe4 was better, but we agree that ...dxe4
accomplished what I wanted to: sealing off the k-side (sealing off may be too
strong a phrase) so I can concentrate on the q-side/center. This is hand-to-hand
combat.
16 Ba3
KH: I did not see the strength of ...Na5. I thought I could play 16 c4, but in
all the lines I looked at I could find nothing convincing. In fact, most of the
lines look better for Black. I looked at 16 Qc1 for a long time with the idea
Ba3, but 16...Rc8 looked good, embarrassing for the queen. The game move is a
bit riskier version of the same idea.
16 ... cxd4
DS: I wasn't so sure ...Na5 was all that strong, I just didn't like the
alternatives I looked at (...b4 & ...cxd4). I don't like Black's pawn structure
at all.
17 Bxe7
KH: If 17...Qxe7 18 cxd4
These moves were rather forced. I was only counting on 16...c4, otherwise what
was the point of ...Na5? If Black wanted to play ...cxd4, then it might have
been better timed on move 15, leaving the knight on a better square. Trading
dark square bishops is a minor victory for White with a bunch of his pawns on
black squares. Nonetheless, the position is still quite even. Structurally (pawn
formation) I think White is better. What I doubt is will White be able to take
advantage of this plus.
17 ... Qxe7
18 cxd4 Nc6
DS: I feel empty of ideas. No inspiration, just drifting now... :(
19 a4
KH: Attacking the b5 pawn gives the bishop new hopes of a life.
19 ... Qb7
DS: Sad how fast this position went from interesting to perilous, at least my
observations of the position.
When we started these games, I thought other's might join in the commenting.
Comments are welcome; I don't think they'll make any difference to Keith
either. Keith?
20 Qd2
KH: I wanted to play 20 axb5, but it seems Black can trade off rooks (on the
a-file) and get the knight on d5 with a good position. The game move keeps more
tension.
And yes, comments are welcomed.
20 ... Ne7
DS: d5 is exactly where the knight is headed too; it seems the only reasonable
place for it, also to cover the weakness on e6. The initiative seems to be
White's.
21 b4
KH: I can now admit I spent several hours looking at the position at move 20.
It was not an easy move to play 20 Qd2 since the Black knight heads to the
natural out-post d5. I eventually came to the conclusion I could not prevent
that fact. Once I figure that out, I looked hard at 20 axb5, seems so natural
for White to try to exploit the Black b-pawn on a white square. However, after
20...axb5 21 Qc3, White's queen becomes a target after ...Ne7-d5 (and with ...b4
Black is better). The alternative 21 Qd2 is rather lame, Black with trading a
set of rooks, and with an eventual ...Nd5 with ...b4 I think Black would be
better. After moving pieces around enough and thinking about the position, I
realized the a6 pawn is as weak as the b5
pawn. The basic idea can be seen with 21...bxa4 22 Rxa4, and the a6 pawn is
noticeably weak. Another point of 21 b4 is that it prevents ...b4 which seems to
be the key to make Black after ...Nd5 in the other lines I mentioned. I did not
first see 21 b4 since I thought the pawn would be weak (lost) to an eventual
...Nd5. But in time I came to realize the b-pawn is no weaker than Black's a6
pawn. I think this is the only way to keep pressure on Black's position.
Certainly a critical point in the game.
21 ... Nd5
DS: An insightful analysis by Keith here. What can I possibly add? I'll continue
to try to improve the position of my pieces, and the knight ties down White's
queen to the defense of both b4 & e3. At some point I'll probably have to push
...a5, trying for a passed b-pawn.
22 Rfc1
KH: Grabbing an open file.
22 ... Rfb8
DS: This is a strange looking move to me, not one that I would normally
consider. I can't really contest the c-file though: 22...Rfc8 23 Rc5 & I can't
exchange on c5 or you get a protected passer. Better I think to aim at b4.
23 a5
KH: >> I can't really contest the c-file though: 22...Rfc8 23 Rc5 & I can't
exchange on c5 or you get a protected passer. Better I think to aim at b4. <<
I was only counting on 22...Rfc8 and 23 Rc5 which is quite annoying for Black. I
did not expect 22...Rfb8. I first looked at 23 Rc5 and there is a devilish trap
with 23...bxa4 24 Rxa4 Nxb4?? 25 Rxb4! Qxb4 26 Rc8+ winning material.
Unfortunately 24...Qd7 is quite good for Black, in fact, too good for my taste.
The more I looked at this position, the more I realized I can no longer maintain
tension. Exchanges seem to help Black, so... 23 a5 and of course 24 Rc5
are
coming next.
23 ... Rc8
DS: Looks like I'll have to contest the c-file after all. I may even think about
exchanging on c5 now too.
24 Rc5
KH: What else?
24 ... Rxc5
DS: I think this is practically forced now, else White doubles rooks on the
c-file and Black looks forever passive. Now I'm wondering how you will
recapture. 25.bxc5 gives us each a passed pawn, but either way, it looks like
Black will end up trying to blockade.
25 bxc5
KH: I am trying hard to make something happen here, but like David says Black
will blockade and I am not sure if White can break through.
25 ... Qc7
DS: I feel nervous about this position now. I really can't see how White can
hope to make any progress, even over on the k-side. That's what makes me
nervous. :-) ...Qc7's idea is to tie down either the rook or the queen to
defense of the a-pawn, and to not screw things up while I watch to see what
course White will pursue.
26 Ra3
KH: Simply protecting the e-pawn. Which adds mobility to White's queen. A very
tricky position.
26 ... g6
DS: Now this position doesn't bother me, but Keith, your comment does. :-) I
don't see the "tricky"-ness of the position, and that worries me. Here I looked
at a ton of candidate moves, at least six different ones. This seems to create
no weaknesses that I can't cover if I had to, keeps the q-side under the
watchful eye of my pieces, and in a distant theoretical sort of way limits the
mobility of your bishop (put your pawns on the same color squares as your
opponents bishop, right?)
27 Bf1
KH: I was prepared to play 27 g4 but now getting here I chicken out of playing
it. Too risky. So I offer a draw. White can only make progress if Black makes
some attempt to win himself.
1/2-1/2
DS: Draw gladly accepted. I agree that this position is drawn, although I don't
see how risky it might be for White. 27.g4 would not have concerned me greatly,
because I don't think White can force his way in on the k-side.
Black certainly is in no position to try to win, so... thank you for the game,
sir.
KH: If this was an over the board game I would have played
on, but with email, time to think, plus your comments got me thinking White has
less here than I thought. A well played game David. 5...Bg4! is certainly
annoying for White.
|
