Chess Game to Talk About- Round 2 of the NA Open

Blah! That's the best one word description of my play tonight. It was uninspired from beginning to end. I should feel fortunate to get a draw on a night when my game was off.


The game:


White: Dynasty (1775)

Black: Victor Spear (1759)


1.e4 d5 2.ed Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d4 c6 6.Be2 Bf5 7.0-0 e6 8.Be3 Nbd7 9.Qd2 Qc7


Basically, I've just moved my pieces off their initial squares. My position is certainly solid but it doesn't offer much of an opportunity to take control of the game.


10.h3 Be7 11.Rad1 Nd5 12.Rfe1 Nxe3 13.fe


By capturing with the pawn, I hoped to take complete control of the center. Unfortunately, I'm going to be forced to trade of another piece in order to achieve this.


13...Nf6 14.Bd3 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 0-0 16.e4 h6 17. d5


I completely botched the game at this point. 17.d5 is a huge mistake. My position is considerably better due to my good pawn center and better developed pieces (although my Queen is awkwardly placed). I thought by playing d5, I would blast the position wide open and my active pieces would dominate the board while Black was underdeveloped.


Playing d5 does indeed blast the position open but Black is easily able to neutralize White's "advantage". I calculated everything correctly but totally misevaluated the ending position.


17...cd 18.ed ed 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Qxd5 Rad8


One simple move. Black attacks White's exposed Queen and can easily trade rooks to neutralize White's more active pieces. My d5 move not only offered no advantage, it actually gets me into an endgame without much to offer.


21. Qe4 Rxd1 22.Rxd1 Bf6


My opponent offered me a draw in this position and I accepted. My knight is practically immobile and my Queen & Rook don't seem to be able to work together to attack Black's position. White has the advantage of being able to create an outside passed pawn but that's going to be tricky while the Queens stay on the board. I see no plan for White here other than to wait for Black to make a mistake. If either side has an advantage, I'd give it to Black.


Instead of 17.d5, I should have played the other move I was considering- 17.e5


I think the game would have continued 17.e5 Nd5 18.Ne4 with opportunites to invade Black's position on the d6 square. White's going to consider playing c4, c5, Nfd2, and Nc4 before finally placing a Knight on the d6 square. Black would be completely tied up and have very little opportunity for counter-play


I missed a big opportunity tonight.

Interesting posts (of course I'm a chess fanatic too).


10. h3 is passive, weaking, and wastes a move, The weak black squares at the end are your biggest problem.


I would never agree to a draw in the final position. You still have an edge is space, and both your major pieces are actively placed. Even if the position were completely equal, there is still a lot of play left. You will learn a lot trying to win these games.


The R and P endgame is probably better for you. The Q and N vs Q and B is probably better for you (but it makes the weakness on g3 worse. Q and R vs Q and R will probably be better because of your control of the center files. You have some vague K side chances if you can manumver you N to f5.


It's tough for black to come up with an active plan too. I think a minority attack on the Q side pawns gives white more play than black. Throwing K side pawns is suicide with your center control, and I don't see any way to capitalize on your weak K side black squares.


Your sharpest plan might be b3, c4 and try to put the N on d5, but there are some tactical problems to look at.