I played with this guy before and lost with Black in King’s gambit. This time I had White, played Ruy Lopez and he answered with Berlin defense, here is the game. I am not a fan of it, so I decided to go into a calm waters of d3, c3 variation. He played Nc6-e7, it’s a well known Mortimer variation with a trap (if you take on e5, then c6 and Qa4+). I smiled and castled.
I was OK until I played d4 and he replied dxe4. I considered Nxe5, but then preferred Nxe4. As soon as I played it, I saw f5 coming. He played then e4 and I had to dig myself out of the hole. Qh5 was a good step in this direction. I can’t believe how I missed 23. Bxh6. I considered it, but then only Qxh6, didn’ t see Qg6+. Then on move 25 I considered only Nf4 Qh4, didn’t see Nf6. So I lost a pawn.
By playing 27. f4 I tried to stop his threats on the kingside. I didn’t get anything out of my c4 move and was just hanging on, when he gave me a bit of air letting my rook to c8. With all the plans for getting my queen somewhere there I missed Rc6, I already didn’t have much time. The game was decided and Bc1 put it to an end.
November 15, 2011 at 4:12 pm
This game was strategic. Once he got in his ..f5 strategy, it’s amazing that there was a drawing reply at all with Qg6, but once that went away, you had no pawn-levers left, really, to do anything with. He locked it down, and that is where his ratings strength kicked in.
Of course BxNd5 was easy to spot in hindsight; in a locked-down position you want to get rid of his knight.
I thought you should have taken what he was giving you. 6.c4 instead of c3. Take the space over there, you are White and he has not as many pieces there, then Nc3. I would let the center stay locked, take the queenside space. He is Black and that knight maneuver wasted more time. You could also play Bc4 and a3 and keep your bishop on that diagonal instead, if needed by a different strategy. An early Nd2 and c4, instead of the Nf1 stuff. Black’s knight maneuver should be losing on tempos, and yet he won on tempos.
This is sort of what I was referring to last time. When the position was quiet, and you were not in danger, you played passively and lost tempos. Then once the activity started all he had to do just about was count which side had more tempos in the bank and he won based on that, along with a little bit of experience. You play better when you are being attacked, but when are not being attacked, sometimes you play it too safe or routinely, and it was during this lull in the game that you sort of lost your advantage and gave it to him. You play well in technical situations, so you basically put in a lot of hard work in the end for naught, because your position was lousy once in trouble.
Yes, it’s too bad you didn’t take on e5 instead of e4, but I think you probably looked at one plan so hard that it meshed with the other plan so that you forgot about ..f5. You let him kick you for space, and that is all Black is trying to do all day long is either kick White for space or positional advantage. Especially in the Lopez, one can lose all day long as White for that reason. That Nf1 sort of stuff will lose all day long and Black knows it – it only works when the position is exactly following theory.
It was a hard-fought game, and you made him work hard for it, but Black wants to win this way every time. So it looks maybe closer than it was, so I would say be more aggressive earlier next time. Don’t let Black grab space by playing it too classical. I am saying this so that you will have better chances next time. 😉
November 15, 2011 at 5:45 pm
linuxguy – it’s difficult to argue with what you said, except maybe for c4 – just not quite my style.
I still blame myself for not seeing f5 – if I saw it after Nxe4 I could see it before.
Nxe4 just looked more simple than Nxe5.
I also know that if I would take on h6 it would psychologically change the game, at least for me. I don’t think I would lose the game, maybe I am wrong.
You know, if you are a good soccer or hockey team you can keep it tight, use the chances your opponent gives you and win the game.
As English say: “The most beautiful thing in the game is the score”.
I’ll think about what you are saying about the style, but it’s difficult to be aggressive with 2000+ guys, you can end up lying on your back like a puppy jumping on its owner. 🙂
November 16, 2011 at 4:25 am
RollingPawns, for me the move 6.c3 in that position is rather slow. Either c4 or Nc3 (White can then play d4 straight-up, without c3) give White a jump on Black’s position.
I believe that you most likely draw after Bh6, but who knows because you would become emboldened after that and possibly make an over-confident errant attacking move to follow (whereas Black has a safer sort of draw).
Black could have improved:
21.Qh5 and instead of Ne7? (I can see where you felt he backs down under the challenge), Black can play 21…Qf7, 22..Bd5 and 23…f4 and looks to me as though Black will crash through even if White plays g3 to try and slow the attack. Black should be winning here, IMHO, slow but sure. That is the Ruy, slow but sure win is the desired mode of play for either side.
It’s too bad you didn’t play Nxe5 instead of Nxe4, but this game shows how one positional slip can become the last. This really is a space-grabbing opening, IMHO. Do not fear these guys, particularly early on when it is still safe. With your style of play, this opening should be your bag. 🙂
Good luck on your next game!
November 18, 2011 at 10:26 am
I played yesterday with a guy ~2000 rated. He took a poisoned pawn (not b2) and I had a horrific attack. There was a forced win on move 11 or 12, not very obvious, I missed it. Then I chose the wrong plan, he equalized and then I got my queen trapped, I replied quickly to his innocuous developing move, which was overdue and next move, boom, I am gone, 2 pieces for the queen and 2 pawns.
November 18, 2011 at 1:00 pm
RollingPawns, that is how I lost to that 1400 girl who got the upset prize that time. I got overconfident and was looking to move quickly when I got my queen trapped, too.
I went over the first game of the book I have on Keres Open Games, tried to guess the move, and for me the hardest part was being more patient and open-minded when I thought there was a winning attack, because one wants to bang out those moves, confidently and quickly. But really, there is no rush, it’s defense which should be eating up the clock more, so take longer than you want to for the attack.
This actually applies to life, I was thinking yesterday. Sometimes when you know what you want to do (like with attacking), you rush it too much. I can do that with talking, talk too quickly because I know what I want to say.