[Event "Rated Crazyhouse game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/cEeSj2VZ"] [Date "2018.03.09"] [Round "-"] [White "Karagialis"] [Black "I0euros"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2216"] [BlackElo "2255"] [TimeControl "180+2"] [Termination "Normal"] [Variant "Crazyhouse"] [ECO "A04"] [Opening "Zukertort Opening: Queenside Fianchetto Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Seirawan-Student"] [FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR/ w KQkq - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/yhWnqOIj/eimPuJut"] [Orientation "white"] 1. Nf3 { While 1. e4 and 1. d4 and by far more common starting moves, 1. Nf3 implies that white doesn't want to go into a deep theoretical battle. Generally 1. Nf3 players will either play d4 or fianchetto on the kingside next. } { [%clk 0:03:00] } 1... b6 { Unusual response to unusual move! 1...b6 preparing to fianchetto the bishop and not committing to the center yet. Knowing I0euros' repertoire, b6 might not be a suprise to Karagialis. } { [%clk 0:03:00] } 2. g3 { [%clk 0:03:01] } 2... Bb7 { [%clk 0:03:01] } 3. Bg2 { [%clk 0:03:02] } 3... e6 { [%clk 0:03:03] } 4. O-O { Both players have been following the natural play book so far, but then... } { [%clk 0:03:02] } 4... f5!? { ...this move is played. According to database, this has been played before especially by dennistheviking. While it's weakening the king and f7-square, it's also grabbing space in the center. } { [%clk 0:03:04] } (4... Nf6 { Nf6 followed with Be7 and 0-0 would have been a slower approach. By playing f5 black hints that they are not afraid of sharp positions } 5. d4 Be7) 5. d4 { [%clk 0:02:59] } 5... Nf6 { [%clk 0:03:06] } 6. a4!? { White wants to force trades without weakening their king. Database says that this wasn't the first time Karagialis played 6. a4 in this exact position: a month ago he played this game against dennistheviking, Karagialis - dennistheviking 0-1, https://lichess.org/DnuRwxRz. } { [%clk 0:02:51] } 6... Be7 { Ignoring white's last move. Be7 is logical: making luft for the king and allowing castling in near future. } { [%clk 0:03:07] } 7. a5 { [%clk 0:02:52] } 7... bxa5 { [%clk 0:03:09] } 8. Rxa5 { White gets the pawn in hand that he wanted. } { [%clk 0:02:53] } 8... P@g4 { [%clk 0:03:09] } 9. P@h6 { In the fianchetto setup it's very typical to sacrifice the knight on f3 for safe structure: gxf3 exf3 and white's king is behind the wall. } { [%clk 0:02:35] } (9. P@f7+ Kxf7 (9... Kf8) 10. Ne5+ Kf8 11. Bxb7) 9... Rg8 { Very common move to react to @h6 drops. } { [%clk 0:03:04] } 10. Nc3 { Developing and still offering the sacrifice on f3. } { [%clk 0:02:25] } (10. Rxf5 { There is also a cool combination in this position picking up a pawn to drop on f7, so Ne5+ comes with a discovered attack on the bishop on b7. } 10... exf5 (10... gxf3 { Black's best defence is in fact not to take the rook but to take the knight on f3 and the white rook recaptures. The bishop can take the rook, but the white bishop recaptures and black has no diagonals to defend his light square weaknesses. } 11. Rxf3 Bxf3 12. Bxf3) 11. P@f7+ Kf8 (11... Kxf7 12. Ne5+ Kf8 13. Bxb7 d6) 12. fxg8=Q+ Kxg8) 10... gxf3 { [%clk 0:02:59] } 11. exf3 { [%clk 0:02:27] } 11... gxh6 { [%clk 0:02:59] } 12. Bxh6 { [%clk 0:02:27] } 12... N@f7 { Driving away the bishop from black's camp and plugging the f7-weakness. Perhaps black could have been more aggressive with p@g4 drop, since the light squares are the key to break white's defence. } { [%clk 0:02:55] } (12... P@g4 13. P@e2 { [%csl Rh3,Rg2,Rf3] } 13... N@h3+ { On the other hand, attacking too much (like 13...N@h3+) isn't good as white's counterplay comes quick, especially with the knight in hand. } 14. Bxh3 gxh3 15. P@f7+ Kxf7 16. N@e5+ Ke8 17. Rxa7 { [%csl Gf7] }) 13. Bf4 { [%clk 0:01:52] } 13... Nh5 { Driving the bishop away more } { [%cal Gh5f4] [%clk 0:02:46] } 14. Be3 { If 14...f4 didn't drop a knight on h5, it would have been a good move. Trying to open g-file for possible @h3 drops. } { [%clk 0:01:44] } 14... f4?? { Better was @f4! } { [%clk 0:02:42] } 15. Rxh5 { [%clk 0:01:44] } 15... fxe3 { [%clk 0:02:39] } 16. fxe3 { [%clk 0:01:42] } 16... B@g6 { Attacking the rook and covering h7. } { [%clk 0:02:34] } 17. Rb5 { Rook moves to b5 with tempo. } { [%clk 0:01:30] } 17... Qc8 { Queen covers the bishop, other options weren't that good: } { [%clk 0:02:18] } (17... Ba6 { Moving the bishop away would allow @b7 with promotion threats. } 18. P@b7) (17... Nd6 { This move would both cover b7 and attack the rook, but it would allow N@h6 complications. } { [%cal Gd6b5,Gd6b7,Rf7h6] } 18. N@h6 Rg7 (18... Rf8 19. P@g7) 19. Rxb7 Nxb7 20. B@h8) 18. P@e5 { Since the queen is not defending f6 anymore, white decides to attack on dark squares. } { [%csl Gf6,Ge7,Gd6,Gg7] [%clk 0:01:23] } 18... Ba6 { Black wants to chase the rook away now since b7 is covered. However white has other plans in mind... } { [%clk 0:02:14] } 19. P@f6! { Drop on f6, ignoring the fact that the rook is hanging! White smells blood. } { [%clk 0:01:14] } 19... Bf8 { [%clk 0:02:05] } 20. P@e7 { [%clk 0:01:07] } 20... Bxe7 { [%clk 0:02:03] } 21. fxe7 { [%clk 0:01:08] } 21... Kxe7 { This feels very risky as the king is exposed now, although white doesn't have that much material in hand to attack with. } { [%clk 0:02:05] } (21... P@g7 { The other option could have been to cover f6 from knight fork. However, it's clear that white is in total control here: they have the initiative and black has no counterplay. } 22. d5) 22. B@f6+ { [%clk 0:00:51] } 22... Kf8 { [%clk 0:02:03] } 23. Qa1 { Interesting idea to bring the queen into the attack. } { [%cal Gd1a1,Ga1a3] [%clk 0:00:38] } (23. N@e7 { There was a fork on e7, but white has to be careful not to run out of material and let black solidate. } 23... Qe8 (23... Bxb5 24. Nxc8 { Saccing the queen is very dangerous, moving the queen looks forced. } { [%csl Re7] }) 24. Nxg8 Kxg8 25. R@g7+ Kf8 26. d5 { Opening up the position for more trades. } 26... N@f5 27. dxe6 Nxg7 28. Bxg7+ Kxg7 29. exf7 Qxf7 30. P@f6+ Kf8 31. N@h6) 23... Bxb5 { Black takes the material. } { [%clk 0:01:48] } 24. Qa3+ { Annoying check, d6 is the only square to block it. } { [%csl Rb4,Rc5,Re7,Gd6] [%clk 0:00:36] } 24... P@d6 { [%clk 0:01:40] } 25. exd6 { [%clk 0:00:31] } 25... Nxd6 { [%clk 0:01:30] } 26. Nxb5 { [%clk 0:00:19] } 26... P@e7 { White's threatening Qxd6+ followed with mate, @e7 stops it. } { [%clk 0:01:08] } (26... a6 27. Qxd6+ cxd6 28. B@e7+ Kf7 29. Nxd6#) 27. B@h6+ { [%clk 0:00:17] } 27... Kf7 { [%clk 0:00:47] } (27... P@g7 28. Bfxg7+ Rxg7 29. Nxd6 cxd6 30. P@f6 exf6 31. Qxd6+ P@e7 32. Bxg7+ Kxg7 33. Qxe7+) (27... Ke8 28. N@g7+ Kf7 29. Nxd6+ cxd6 30. N@g5+ Kxf6 31. P@e5+ dxe5 32. dxe5+ Kxe5) 28. Nxd6+ { [%clk 0:00:16] } 28... cxd6 { [%clk 0:00:47] } 29. N@g5+ { [%clk 0:00:16] } 29... Ke8 { [%clk 0:00:38] } (29... Kxf6 30. N@g4+ Kf5 31. e4#) 30. N@g7+ { [%clk 0:00:16] } 30... Kd8 { [%clk 0:00:30] } (30... Rxg7 31. Bhxg7 R@g8) 31. Qxd6 { Taking advantage of the pin, threatening both Bxe7# and N7xe6#. } { [%cal Gf6d8,Re7d6] [%clk 0:00:16] } 31... N@c6 { [%clk 0:00:18] } (31... Qxc2 { Moving the queen and making luft would have been a way to delay the mate. This move also has its own threats with @f2+. } 32. P@b7 (32. N7xe6+ Kc8 33. P@b7+ Kxb7 34. Nc5+ Qxc5 35. Qxc5) 32... P@f2+ 33. Rxf2 Qxf2+ 34. Kxf2 N@d3+ 35. Ke2 R@c2+ 36. Q@d2 R@e1#) 32. N5xe6# { 1-0 White wins by checkmate. } { Strong performance by Karagialis. a2-a4-a5 push to force a trade of pawns and then kingside attack on dark squares left black defenceless. } { [%clk 0:00:12] } 1-0