[Event "Piermont Open 2/26/2022"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/a4SmMLw2/o3g7rrww"] [Date "2022.02.26"] [Round "5.4"] [White "Blomquist, Timothy"] [Black "Josh"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "0"] [BlackElo "0"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C25"] [Opening "Vienna Game: Anderssen Defense"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ArtemAleksenko"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/a4SmMLw2/o3g7rrww"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 { Tim opts for the Vienna. Will we see f4 next? } 2... Bc5 3. Qh5 d6 4. Bc4 { White has a not-so subtle threat here. Let's hope Black doesn't blunder mate :-) } 4... g6 { [%csl Gg7,Gc5] } 5. Qf3 Qf6 { Not sure why g6 preceded the Queen trade offer. The dark square bishop is outside the pawn chain } 6. Nd5 Qxf3 7. Nxf3 Kd7 { A reasonable move centralizing the King and protecting c6 highlights some of the problems White is facing. Development is going to be difficult and White knights are in position to threaten c6 and f6. It's not going to get any easier to develop for now. } { [%cal Gd5c7,Gf3g5,Gg5f7] } 8. d3 { Preparing Ng5 } (8. d4 Bxd4 9. c3 Bc5 10. b4 Bb6 11. Ng5 { Black is going to have serious trouble developing and defending against the knights }) (8. Ng5 { Black has too many weaknesses } { [%cal Gg5f7,Gd5c7] }) 8... h6 { Wisely taking away the g5 from the White knight } 9. Bd2 a5 10. a4 c6 11. Ne3 Ne7 { Black is so happy to alleviate some of the pressure as Black is now able to develop. But in a rush to develop, he hangs a pawn! } 12. Bxf7 { Just a free pawn. White should now mobilize the kingside majority to create a passed pawn. } 12... Rf8 13. Bc4 Kc7 14. c3 Bd7 15. b4 axb4 16. cxb4 Ba7 17. a5 Bxe3 18. Bxe3 Na6 19. Bb6+ Kc8 { The queen side assault is successful, now it's time to push the kingside pawns (where White has a majority) } 20. O-O { Aside from giving up a pawn on b4, castling is not always the best option in an Queen-less endgame. The rook was actually better on h1 or g1 from where it could support a potential passed pawn. } (20. Rb1 Nc7 21. h4) (20. d4 Nxb4 21. dxe5 dxe5 22. Nxe5 { [%csl Ge4,Gf2,Gg2,Gh2] }) 20... Nxb4 21. Rfb1 Na6 22. d4 { This move was also good before castling as it creates a 4 on 2 on Queenside (4 pawns for White, 2 for Black) } 22... exd4 23. Nxd4 { [%csl Ge4,Gf2,Gg2,Gh2] } 23... Rf4 24. f3 Ng8 { This certainly doesn't help matters. Now the Queenside advance is unstoppable. } 25. Bxg8 { A free knight. } 25... Be8 26. Ne6 Rf6 27. Ng7 Kd7 28. Rd1 { White chooses restriction and mating threats rather than simplification. } 28... Rf8 29. Nxe8 Raxe8 30. Bc4 Nb4 31. a6 bxa6 32. Bxa6 Rb8 33. Bc5 Nc2 34. Rxd6+ Kc7 35. Rad1 Rf7 36. e5 Ra8 37. e6 Rg7 38. Rd7+ Rxd7 39. Rxd7+ Kb8 40. Bd6# { By Checkmate } 1-0