00019.5.01 Analyzed by National Master Corey Russell

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. d4 d6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. O-O O-O

7. h3

Good move! This deprives the black B on c8 and N on f6 of a

possible post on g4.

7... a6

Black's last move is rather dubious. In most King pawn openings,

Piece play is everthing. Much more logical is 7. ... cxd4

8. Nxd4 Re8, with a slightly cramped but solid position for

black. Notice that White can't play 9. Bg5? Nxe4! as this

would win a pawn for black.

8. a4 h6

There is no need for this move. Black should still play the

plan mentioned on move 7.

9. a5 Re8 10. d5 Nb8 11. Ne1 Nh7

? Definitely a mistake. Black should of course continue

development with ...Nbd7 instead, with the idea of ...Nf8,

Ng6, Bd7, c6 with a playable game. The text leaves the center

for no good reason.

12. f4

This is the right plan, just played too early. Better

would've been to prepare this move with Nd3, and possibly

even Kh2, g3, f4 so that way white can recapture f4 with

a pawn and therefore deprive the nice e5 square for black's

pieces. As the game goes, white gets a hole on e5. Squares

that cannot be covered by pawns are called holes.

12... exf4 13. Bxf4 Bf6 14. Qf3 Nd7 15. Nd3

Alert play. It was critical for white to cover c5 and e5

as soon as possible, to contest any knight outposts by black.

15... Qe7 16. Rae1 Ne5

Another mistake by black. This is rather poor play for an

expert. The battle for e5 ("Fight for the Center") is key,

therefore he should've played ...Nf8! with the idea of Ng6,

and the stranglehold control of e5 would give him a small

advantage.

17. Bxe5 Bxe5

Black makes what should've been his last mistake. White can

now win at least a pawn with 18. Nxe5 Qxe5 19. Qxf7+ Kh8.

If instead black tried 18. ... dxe5, then white has 19. d6!

cxd6 20. Bxf7+ Kh8 21. Bxe8 Qxe8 which leave white ahead with

a rook for a bishop. One of the best ways that I suggest to

not miss tactics is to always look at forcing moves.

18. Bb3 Ng5 19. Qh5 f6

This unnecessarily weakens light squares in Black's camp.

The reason strong players avoid weakening their squares if

possible is to deny good outposts/lines for the opponent's

pieces. This is precisely what White correctly does in this

game, and that is to play on the light squares. Much better

for black would be 19. ... g6! 20. Qe2 Bd7, which would leave

black with a slight advantage. Notice White can't play 20. Qxh6??

because 20. ... Bg7 21. Qh4 Nf3+ wins White's queen.

20. Ba4 Rf8 21. Nd1 Qf7 22. Qe2 Bd4+ 23. Kh1 Qg6

Not very good, but postion has deteriated to the point it's

hard to suggest a good move. Black needed to complete development

with 23. ... Bd7 24. Bxd7 Qxd7, and reroute his Knight to e5

and hope that that counterbalances his holes on e6 and f5.

Notice that none of this would be a problem if he would've

played ...g6 earlier.

24. c3 Ba7 25. Bc2 Qe8 26. N1f2 Bd7 27. b3

Why not Nf4? if black replies ...Bb5, c4 is an effective

rejoinder.

27... Nf7 28. Ng4 Ne5 29. Nf4 Nxg4 30. hxg4 Qe5 31. Ne6

A good, practical decision, as bishops of opposites may

give chances to draw. With proper play though, black should

still win.

31... Bxe6 32. dxe6 Qxe6 33. Bd3 Kh8

Black has been playing this game entirely too passively.

...Qe5! is much stronger. That move blockades white's e-pawn

(hence hemming white's bishop in), threatens pawns on a5, c3,

and in addition threatens dark-square penetration to white's

king-side with ...Qg3 or ...Qg5.

34. Qf3 Rae8 35. e5

A nice clearance sacrifice. After this move, a draw is

the most likely result.

35... dxe5 36. Qe4 f5

Forced.

37. gxf5 Qf6 38. Rf3 Rd8 39. Ref1 c6 40. Rg3 Qf7 41. Rff3 Rd6

42. Rg6 Rf6

43. Qg4 e4 44. Bc4 Qxg6 45. fxg6 exf3 46. gxf3 Rxf3 47. Qd7 Rg3

48. Qxb7

Rg1+ 49. Kh2 Rf2+ 50. Kh3 Rf3+ 51. Kh2

You did play aggressively and with energy, which is good.

Try to look at forcing moves, so that you have a smaller chance

of missing a combination. Also, try to minimize making "holes"

in your position, especially in the center of the board. If

your opponent has holes, try to occupy them and use them as

springboards for your attack. Don't worry about ratings too

much, as this often can be a distractor from playing good chess.

Try instead to improve your game. Your rating will increase

naturally as your understanding of chess grows.