[Event "London Online League Games: Game 1 - Jon Smith"] [Date "2020.10.21"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E71"] [Opening "King's Indian Defense: Karpov System"] [StudyName "London Online League Games"] [ChapterName "Game 1 - Jon Smith"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/ExrcgAoC/1kikfecz"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/TheWanderingKnight72"] [UTCDate "2020.10.21"] [UTCTime "19:07:20"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 { [%eval 0.0] } 1... g6 { [%eval 0.5] } 2. c4 { [%eval 0.33] } 2... Bg7 { [%eval 0.52] } 3. Nc3 { [%eval 0.35] } 3... Nf6 { [%eval 0.43] } 4. e4 { [%eval 0.48] } 4... d6 { [%eval 0.56] } 5. h3 { [%eval 0.32] } { The game has transposed to a King's Indian Defence. The h3 system is aimed at stopping black's typical main pawn thrust ...f5 by a quick g4. I didn't end up playing the g4 idea in this game but I did cramp black and get a nice, persistent space advantage. } 5... O-O { [%eval 0.48] } 6. Be3 { [%eval 0.33] } 6... b6?! { [%eval 0.91] } { Inaccuracy. e5 was best. } { This surprised me. I think the usual moves are a5, Na6 (aiming for Nc5) etc preparing queenside expansion. } (6... e5 7. d5 c6 8. Nf3 Na6 9. Rc1 Nh5 10. Nd2 Qe8 11. Be2) 7. Bd3 { [%eval 0.67] } 7... c5? { [%eval 1.94] } { Mistake. Nbd7 was best. } { This leaves black very weak on the light squares and makes it very difficult to achieve the b5 break in future. } (7... Nbd7 8. Nf3 e5 9. d5 Nh5 10. O-O Nc5 11. Bc2 a5 12. Rb1) 8. d5? { [%eval 0.85] } { Mistake. e5 was best. } { Stockfish thinks this is a mistake - although I thought in the game it helpfully blocked the bishop from the long diagonal (which b6 likely prepared). } (8. e5 Ne8) 8... e6 { [%eval 0.82] } 9. Nf3 { [%eval 0.96] } 9... exd5 { [%eval 0.95] } 10. exd5 { [%eval 0.95] } (10. cxd5) 10... Ba6 { [%eval 0.95] } { The bishop is no better here than at b7. c4 is not an easy target and black has no real chances of attacking it. } 11. O-O { [%eval 0.99] } 11... Nbd7 { [%eval 0.94] } 12. Re1?! { [%eval 0.36] } { Inaccuracy. Bf4 was best. } (12. Bf4 Qc7) 12... Ne8?! { [%eval 1.39] } { Inaccuracy. Ne5 was best. } { Not sure about this. It takes e8 away from the rook, although does prepare f5 which controls the key e4 square. } (12... Ne5 13. Nxe5 dxe5 14. Bg5 Qc7 15. Bc2 Bxc4 16. d6 Qd7 17. Rxe5 Qc6 18. Bf4 Rad8 19. Re7) 13. Bf4 { [%eval 1.18] } 13... f6 { [%eval 1.25] } { Gives up e6 and blocks black's best piece. It does stop the bishop or knight from coming to g5 but neither is particularly threatening. f5 felt better and more in the spirit of the KID. e4 is a key square in these structures, which f5 takes control over too } 14. b3 { [%eval 1.05] } { A useful waiting move protecting b3 - although I do now need to be careful of tactics from the g7 bishop. } 14... Ne5 { [%eval 1.16] } { A nice square for the knight and lessens my rook's influence on the e-file } 15. Rc1 { [%eval 1.34] } { Defending the c3 knight and moving the rook away from any tactics involving the dark squared bishop. } 15... Qd7 { [%eval 1.14] } { Black's light square weaknesses are evident by every forward square on both diagonals being unavailable for the queen } 16. a4 { [%eval 0.82] } { Trying to put an end to any black counterplay on this side of the board. b5 was unlikely but I have a pleasant space advantage and time so I wanted to close up the queenside. } 16... Nc7 { [%eval 1.17] } { A strange square for the knight. f5, Nf6 looked better } 17. h4 { [%eval 0.96] } { With the queenside closed, trying to get some play against black's king. The idea was to push h5 and get my bishop on d3 into the game } 17... Qg4 { [%eval 1.09] } { Stopping h5. Bg3 seemed passive so I opted to exchange } 18. Nxe5 { [%eval 0.96] } 18... Qxd1 { [%eval 1.07] } 19. Rcxd1 { [%eval 1.16] } 19... dxe5 { [%eval 1.5] } { Gives me a passed pawn but fxe5 allowed Bg5. Bg3 is annoying for me } 20. Bg3 { [%eval 1.51] } 20... f5? { [%eval 3.15] } { Mistake. Ne8 was best. } { Played quickly and gives up a pawn in the centre. You can see how useful f5 is for black: it limits both my light-squared bishop further and the knight on c3. Played earlier my space advantage would have been reduced } (20... Ne8 21. h5) 21. Bxe5 { [%eval 2.98] } 21... Bxe5 { [%eval 3.03] } { Another disadvantage of f5 is that it allows me to swap my poor dark squared bishop for black's best piece } 22. Rxe5 { [%eval 2.49] } 22... Rfe8?! { [%eval 3.37] } { Inaccuracy. Rae8 was best. } (22... Rae8 23. f4) 23. Rde1 { [%eval 3.1] } { f4 might have been better first. Black can't take because fxe5 with two central passed pawns is too strong } 23... Kf7 { [%eval 3.39] } 24. f4 { [%eval 3.44] } { Increasing my central control further and fixing black's kingside pawns } 24... Rad8 { [%eval 3.84] } 25. Kf2 { [%eval 3.3] } { Black's pieces are tied down so I've got time to improve my king's position } 25... Rd6?! { [%eval 4.66] } { Inaccuracy. h5 was best. } (25... h5 26. Be2 Rd7 27. Bf3 Kf8 28. a5 Rd6 29. Kg3 Rdd8 30. Na4 Rd6 31. Nb2 Red8 32. Nd3) 26. Rxe8?! { [%eval 3.38] } { Inaccuracy. h5 was best. } (26. h5 Rdd8 27. g4 Rxe5 28. fxe5 fxg4 29. Rh1 Rf8 30. Kg3 Kg8 31. Be4 Bc8 32. Nb5 Nxb5) 26... Nxe8 { [%eval 3.28] } { Possibly making black's game a bit easier by easing his cramped position with one fewer rook } 27. a5?! { [%eval 2.28] } { Inaccuracy. g4 was best. } { Trying to break up the queenside. bxa5 allows Ra1 and my rook invades } (27. g4 Rf6 28. g5 Rd6 29. a5 Nc7 30. Be2 Ke7 31. Na4 Rd8 32. axb6 axb6 33. Nb2 Kd6) 27... Nc7 { [%eval 2.85] } 28. axb6 { [%eval 2.76] } 28... axb6 { [%eval 2.81] } { Now the a-file is open for me } 29. h5 { [%eval 2.61] } { Same idea - breakup the kingside pawns and induce more weaknesses } 29... b5? { [%eval 4.98] } { Mistake. Bc8 was best. } { Stockfish calls this a blunder but I wasn't sure how to deal with it. cxb5 is possible but it breaks up my pawn formation and leaves d5 weak } (29... Bc8) 30. hxg6+ { [%eval 4.42] } 30... hxg6 { [%eval 4.39] } 31. Re3? { [%eval 2.49] } { Mistake. cxb5 was best. } { A mouse slip :-( I was short of immediate ideas and wanted to play Re5 waiting to see what black would do } (31. cxb5) 31... Kf6? { [%eval 4.51] } { Mistake. bxc4 was best. } (31... bxc4 32. bxc4) 32. Kf3? { [%eval 2.23] } { Mistake. cxb5 was best. } { Again, the engine thinks I should just take on b5 } (32. cxb5 Bc8) 32... Rd8?! { [%eval 3.19] } { Inaccuracy. Bc8 was best. } (32... Bc8 33. Be2 bxc4 34. bxc4 Ra6 35. Nd1 Ra2 36. g3 Ba6 37. Nc3 Rd2 38. Na4 Rxe2 39. Rxe2) 33. g4 { [%eval 2.94] } 33... fxg4+ { [%eval 3.09] } 34. Kxg4 { [%eval 3.11] } 34... Re8?? { [%eval 7.54] } { Blunder. Bc8+ was best. } { Bc8+ is best. Re8 gives up a second pawn } (34... Bc8+) 35. Rxe8 { [%eval 7.44] } 35... Nxe8 { [%eval 7.43] } 36. Ne4+ { [%eval 6.89] } 36... Kg7 { [%eval 7.02] } 37. Nxc5 { [%eval 7.05] } 37... bxc4 { [%eval 7.11] } 38. bxc4 { [%eval 6.65] } 38... Nd6 { [%eval 59.83] } { Hangs the bishop } 39. Nxa6 { [%eval 20.03] } *