Here is my latest game against Morski, I'm throwing this one in as it's my first ever game here playing 1.d4 and I'm about 80% sure I've missed winning moves in this game after some nice opening play.
{White: VelvetEars Black: Morgski} 1. d4 {My first 1.d4 opening on RHP} d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nb1c3 e5 {I read up that the usual responses for white here are 4.PxP, 4.NxP, 4.B-e3, 4.Q-h5} 4. Bf1c4 {Suffice to say I take a slightly different approach and offer a second gambit pawn} Qd8xd4 {If PxP instead my plan was 5.Qh5} 5. Qd1e2 {Avoiding the swap off and inviting Bb4} Bf8b4 6. Bc1d2 {Allowing me to develop naturally enable castling and overextending Black's position} Ng8f6 7. O-O-O {Threatening Be3 winning the queen} Qd4c5 8. Nc3xe4 Bb4xd2 {If Nxe4 the plan was 9. Bxb4 Qxb4 10. Qxe4 threatening Bxf7+} 9. Qe2xd2 {Threatening a cheeky Qd8#} Qc5e7 10. Ne4g5 {Encouraging black to castle} O-O 11. Ng5xf7 {? - could be better plans here} Rf8xf7 12. Qd2d8 {In a moment of madness I completely forget Qe8 and think I've won here} Qe7e8 13. Ng1f3 {OK, back to the drawing board, get more pieces} Bc8d7 {Best move here for black threatening my queen and weakening my open d-file} 14. Qd8xc7 {? - missing Be6 (correct move I think is Bxf7+ then Qxc7)} Bd7e6 15. Bc4xe6 Qe8xe6 16. Rd1d8 Nf6e8 {OK, looking at the board, I have much better placement and black's back rank is a mess. Just need careful play to take advantage of this} 17. Qc7c3 {Threatening Ng5} Rf7e7 18. Nf3g5 Qe6f5 {Black spots my trap (I think), the most obvious move here for black is Qh6 pinning the knight, but I have 19. f4 exf4 20. Qc4+ winning} 19. Qc3c4 {I prefer Qb3 here actually, stops any plans for black playing Qf4+ forcing the queen swap} Kg8f8 {Black spots my newest trap - Kh8 meets with 20. Rxe8+ Rxe8 (forced) 21. Nf7+ Kg8 22. Nh6+ winning the queen} 20. Ng5e4 {stopping Qf4+ and threatening Nd6} Qf5f7 21. Qc4d3 {? - missing Rd7 (Qb4 or Qc5 fall to Na6)} Re7d7 {I actually saw this and planned 22. Nd6 but missed 22... Rxd8 23. Nxf7 (as far as I'd looked) Rxd3} 22. Qd3a3 {Trying to open up Nd6} Qf7e7 {Black gives me no chance} 23. Qa3f3 Qe7f7 {Draw agreed} 1/2-1/2
Originally posted by VelvetEars Here is my latest game against Morski, I'm throwing this one in as it's my first ever game here playing 1.d4 and I'm about 80% sure I've missed winning moves in this game after some nice opening play.
[pgn] {White: VelvetEars Black: Morgski}
1. d4 {My first 1.d4 opening on RHP} d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nb1c3 e5 {I read up that the usual responses for white he ...[text shortened]... n up Nd6} Qf7e7 {Black gives me no chance} 23. Qa3f3 Qe7f7 {Draw agreed} 1/2-1/2
[/pgn]
14. Bf7 seems quite promising to me Kf7
15. Qc7 with adequate material and another pawn to come.
One nice trick is
15... Nc6
16. Qb7 when Rb8 loses to
17. Rd7! Qd7
18. Qc6 Qc6
19. Ne5
Originally posted by VelvetEars Here is my latest game against Morski, I'm throwing this one in as it's my first ever game here playing 1.d4 and I'm about 80% sure I've missed winning moves in this game after some nice opening play.
Continuing the theme of post-game analysis through the medium of pgn analysis. Didn't feel I played well in this one though, more of a draw gained from my perspective...
{White: VelvetEars Black: Morgski} 1. d4 {d4?! Yuk} d5 2. e4 {I needn't have worried, this is velvetears, not a colle specialist} dxe4 3. Nb1c3 e5 {had dreams of pawns on e4 and d4, or exchanging queens so white can't castle} 4. Bf1c4 {Hadn't thought of that though} Qd8xd4 {Really keen on exchanging queens...} 5. Qd1e2 Bf8b4 6. Bc1d2 Ng8f6 7. O-O-O {And now I've realised my play is too high up the pitch. Like the Chelsea defence, it pressures the opponent but leaves you open to the counter-attack} Qd4c5 {Queen needs to retreat} 8. Nc3xe4 Bb4xd2 {I think I missed a trick here if I'd gone for Nxe4 before Bxd2+} 9. Qe2xd2 Qc5e7 {To stop the sneak-mate} 10. Ne4g5 {I see the B+N for R+P exchange, but discount it as I'm already a pawn up and therefore it wouldn't be favourable to white to do so} O-O 11. Ng5xf7 {ah, he went for the exchange...} Rf8xf7 12. Qd2d8 {Comedy moment where VE is sure he's won} Qe7e8 13. Ng1f3 Bc8d7 {But my back rank is looking really iffy. Not sure if I'll ever manage to get the h-rook out from here} 14. Qd8xc7 {Was expecting Bxf7, can I get out of this alive now?} Bd7e6 15. Bc4xe6 Qe8xe6 {Happy to exchange, I have pieces but really bad position} 16. Rd1d8 Nf6e8 {The counterplay on the Queen is all that is holding my defence together at the moment} 17. Qc7c3 {Cheeky switch of attack, nearly missed seeing Ng5} Rf7e7 18. Nf3g5 Qe6f5 19. Qc3c4 Kg8f8 {Again, so nearly played Kh8} 20. Ng5e4 Qf5f7 {still my only chance is the counterplay on the queen} 21. Qc4d3 {VE: missing Rd7? Me: Nxd7? } Re7d7 {Only option to try and gain control of my back rank again} 22. Qd3a3 {but there is the perpetual there} Qf7e7 {Frankly I haven't had an attack of note in the whole game, so a draw is a good result} 23. Qa3f3 Qe7f7 {so I was happy to offer a draw} 1/2-1/2
Originally posted by morgski 21. VE: missing Rd7? Me: Nxd7?
That was me missing 21... Rd7, I think something like Qa5/Qc3 followed by Rhd1/Nd6 is better as allowing you to play 21... Rd7 forces the rooks off or the draw.
On another note: 23... Kg8 is a possibility, trying to swap off and carry an advantage to the endgame
FEN
rn1Rnk2/pp1rq1pp/8/4p3/4N3/5Q2/PPP2PPP/2K4R b - - 16 24
[FEN "rn1Rnk2/pp1rq1pp/8/4p3/4N3/5Q2/PPP2PPP/2K4R b - - 16 24"] 24. Kg8 Qb3 25. Kh8 Rxd7 {Could try Rc8 keeping the pressure of the back rank, but Black has Rc7 as a response} 26. Qxd7 {If Nxd7 Qxb7 is an option to get some value for my sacrifice} Rd1 {Or Ng5. It's hard to say how this'll end. If Black can develop he has the edge and White has Phildor mate attacks up in the air aswell.}
Originally posted by morgski Continuing the theme of post-game analysis through the medium of pgn analysis. Didn't feel I played well in this one though, more of a draw gained from my perspective...
[pgn] {White: VelvetEars Black: Morgski}
1. d4 {d4?! Yuk} d5 2. e4 {I needn't have worried, this is velvetears, not a colle specialist} dxe4 3. Nb1c3 e5 {had dreams of pawns on e4 and d4 ...[text shortened]... aw is a good result} 23. Qa3f3 Qe7f7 {so I was happy to offer a draw} 1/2-1/2
[/pgn]
Originally posted by VelvetEars I looked at it but black has the defence 17... Rxc7 18. Nxe6 Re7 and I couldn't see value for my position being a piece down:
Originally posted by tomtom232 I was thinking of the knight fork after Rxe8+ ...Rxe8 Nc7 but I missed black can just play ...Nc6 maintaining a material advantage.
Of course! I missed that and it works if you mess up the move order:
[FEN "rn1Rn1k1/pp2r1pp/4N3/4p3/8/8/PPP2PPP/2K4R w"] 1. Nc7 Rxc7 2. Rxe8 Kf7 3. Rh8 {Getting my rook out of harms way} h6 {Logical response} 4. Rd1 {Threatening Rd8 picking up the knight} b6 {Opening up a square to defend the knight} 5. Rd8 Rb7 6. Kd2 {Black is totally tied up defending his knight, if I keep his king on the kingside I can't see a way to release the pin allowing me to push my pawns on the kingside and maybe go into a winning position!}
Thanks tomtom, very good find, gutted I missed it in the game, definitely would have been interesting. Another option for black is to abandon the knight and trying and a get a rook on the 2nd rank.
Originally posted by VelvetEars Of course! I missed that and it works if you mess up the move order:
[pgn]
[FEN "rn1Rn1k1/pp2r1pp/4N3/4p3/8/8/PPP2PPP/2K4R w"]
1. Nc7 Rxc7 2. Rxe8 Kf7 3. Rh8 {Getting my rook out of harms way} h6 {Logical response} 4. Rd1 {Threatening Rd8 picking up the knight} b6 {Opening up a square to defend the knight} 5. Rd8 Rb7 6. Kd2 {Black is totally tied up nother option for black is to abandon the knight and trying and a get a rook on the 2nd rank.
what about 3...Re7 with the idea of 4...Re8? I think white has to move slower and double his rooks on the d file before he moves the rook on the eighth rank away.
But this has me thinking... I see a zugzwang in the making that might be the zugzwang of all zugzwangs.
[FEN "rn1Rn1k1/pp2r1pp/4N3/4p3/8/8/PPP2PPP/2K4R w"] 1.Ng5 Rxc7 2.Nxe6 Re7 3.Nc5 {setting a trap... if ...b6 then Na6} Kf7 {breaking the pin} 4.Rhd1 {getting ready to hop along the open file and restricting blacks options at the same time by threatening Nd7} Nf6 {preventing Nd7} 5.Rc8 {vacating d8 for the other rook} a5 {to prevent Na6 after ...b6} 6.Rd6 {setting the zugzwang... black only has pawn moves... the rest is beyond me to figure out the best but I show what might happen} g6 7.a4 g5 8.b3 g4 9.c4 h5 10.Kc2 {maneuvering the king to the other side while avoiding and tricks involving Ne4+} h4 11.Kd1 {continuing} h3 12.gxh3 gxh3 13.Ke2 e4 {only move left really} 14.f4 exf3 15.Kxf3 Kg6 16.Kg3 {completing the trek}
Maybe you can make the king walk before pushing your pawns but I was just being safe.