[Event "venezia"]
[Site "Venice ITA"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "AlexAlex, msh"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B06"]
[Annotator "AlexAlex, msh"]

1. d4

{ AA: I played a week-end open in Venice, this is the most interesting match of my
  tournament, so I decided to find someone, who helps me to analyse it deeper. We
  have two hours for 40 moves, rest moves in 30 minutes. I play with black against
  a 12 years old boy. My Elo is 1775, my opponent's is 1709. In this match nobody
  have strong winning chances, there are less tactical positions than strategic
  ones. Both players play well in my opinion.

  MH: It sounds like a good game to analyze carefully. }

1...g6

{ AA: In this tournament I try a new way to play the opening. I try to use always
  the same opening: I play 1. g3 with white and I play 1...g6 with black. In the
  past I have played the most common opening line of a many opening systems and my
  opponents have often surprised me with sharp uncommon line.

  MH: This idea is not always successful because the "Black openings" played with
  White give more than equality, but perhaps not as much as you'd expect or hope
  for a White opening. The Kings Indian Defense/Kings Indian Attack can also be
  like that. }

2. e4 Bg7

( { MH: } 2...d6 { is a flexible choice } )

3. Bc4 d6

{ AA: During the game I spend 5-10 minutes for this move. So, I played 3... d6, if
  4. Qf3 e6 and I don't like very much this pawns structure but the Qf3 isn't well
  placed.

  MH: If you know the opening then the ...dxe5 and ...Bg4 and ...Qd1# line will
  slow White and give you time to develop properly. Also, the ...e6, ...c6, ...d5
  line has been played by grandmasters and is considered fine. }

( { AA: I can't play } 3...Nf6 4. e5 Ng8 { and I am afraid of pressure in f7. } )

( { AA: And I also analyze: } 3...d6 4. Qf3 Nf6 5. e5 dxe5 6. dxe5 Bg4 7. Qb3
  { and white gain b7 or f7 (during the game I don't see the obvious mate:
  7...Qd1#). } )

4. Be3

{ MH: This makes sense, but weakens b2. Black might try either ...Nf6 (continuing
  development), ...c5 to strike at targets on the a1-g7 diagonal or more pawn moves
  aimed at Bc4 (...c6, ...b5). When to develop Ng8 is of major importance because
  moving it weakens h6 and might only provide a target for advancing White pawns.
  On the other hand, not moving it means Ke8 can't O-O. }

4...Nf6

{ AA: Now I can play it. }

5. Nc3

( { MH: } 5. f3 )

5...c6

{ AA: I want to play 5...a6 or 5...c6 or 5...0-0. I don't play 0-0 because if my
  opponent plays dragon-like system (f3, Qd2, Bh6, h4...), I wouldn't like that my
  king is in the king-side. In my home preparation I have seen some matches with
  the Modern Defense and I have understood that b7-b5 is a strong idea if white
  plays Nc3 (and obviously not c4!). Black can prepare b5 in two ways: a6 and c6.
  The move a6 allow you to play c5 in only one tempo. The move c6 allow you to play
  a5 in only one tempo and to control d5 too; this is very useful if white plays
  a2-a4, after b4-b5 the Nc3 can't go in d5 and if white threatens b5-pawn, black
  can play a5 in only one tempo. Probably both are two good moves, but I prefer
  c6. }

6. Bb3 b5 7. f3

{ AA: I want to play b4 or a5, I don't play b4 because I don't like that white can
  play a3 in the future. In this position black has a lot of possible move
  (b4, a5, 0-0, Qa5, Nbd7...), so I seek for some matches which reached this
  position. I found only two games (www.chesslab. com) and this is very strange for
  me because both players have done natural moves. MH: Probably the bishop's
  development Bf1-c4-b3 is not so usual in the Pirc with f2-f3. In both games black
  plays 7...b5 and he has some problems after a2-a3. Here there is the most
  interesting match: Myhrvold,R (2249)-Gronn, A(2310) 1. ge4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Be3 Bg7
  4. Bc4 Nf6 5. Nc3 c6 6. Bb3 b5 7. f3 b4 8. Nce2 a5 9. a3 Na6 10. axb4 axb4
  11. Nf4 Nd7 12. Nge2 O-O 13. O-O Rb8 14. Qd2 c5 15. Bc4 cxd4 16. Nxd4 Bxd4
  17. Bxd4 Nac5 18. Nd5 (1/2-1/2) }

7...a5 $1

{ MH: This has the benefit of provoking weaknesses in White's queen-side and that
  would make it much less likely he will O-O-O and then throw everything at your
  king-side (as in a Dragon Sicilian Yugoslav Attack). It's more akin to a Kings
  Indian Defense, Saemisch Variation where Black plays a Byrne Variation (...a6,
  ...c6, ...b5) and White castles king-side. Both kings are on the king-side
  (or in the middle) and play ranges all over the board. }

8. a4 b4 9. Nce2 Nbd7

{ AA: I have no hurry to develop Bc8 because it is already well placed in c8 in my
  opinion. So I play Nbd7 to avoid e5 and to prepare e5 or c5 and to play the
  standard idea Nbd7-Nb6.

  MH: Preparing ...c6-c5-c4 might be even more effective. If you have a trade of
  Black's c-file pawn for White's d-file pawn (as in a Sicilian) then Black would
  have a lovely Dragon formation. A Black knight at c5 would already hit Bb3 and
  pawn a4 and the half-open c-file should benefit Black in any ending. Meanwhile,
  White has hardly gotten his Ng1 developed. Only one other detail needs to be
  considered here. There are times when Ng1 develops to h3 and on to f4 or back to
  f2. Black might consider witholding Nd7 for a time (if possible) to hinder that
  method of White development. It's your choice. }

( { MH: The obvious alternative is } 9...O-O )

10. Qd2 h5

{ AA: I play h5 to avoid Bh6. My best opening book give this line as the most often
  played: 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. f3 c6 6. Qd2 b5 7. O-O-O Qa5
  8. Kb1 Nbd7 9. Bh6 Bxh6 10. Qxh6 Nb6. There are some differencies from this line
  and the game. White has his bishops in b3 instead of f1, I think it is better in
  f1 because black gained a tempo for playing b7-b5. Black hasn't played Qa5, but
  white hadn't already played O-O-O (as in the book line); so Qa5 isn't so
  effective for me. In the book line black allows the bishops change
  (9. Bh6 10. Bxh6 Qxh6), but I don't like this idea, I prefer to avoid Bh6 for
  taking the option of castle.

  MH: Believe it or not, I've just seen such a game this past week. A friend of
  mine played it (badly I'm afraid). I don't think you have to worry about Bh6.
  You could ...O-O without much fear. But, ...h5 shouldn't be bad either. It just
  leaves in question where the Black king will eventually reside. It also leaves
  fewer options for Black to play aggressively in the center with pawns because
  that might endanger Ke8. The fight isn't yet engaged and already Black has to
  wait and let White bring the fight to him. }

11. O-O-O

( { MH: } 11. Nh3 )

11...Nb6

{ AA: During the game I see that 12. e5 Nfd5 gives black no problems. }

12. Nf4

{ AA: During the game I don't understand this move, now I think that my opponent's
  idea is e4-e5 and then e5-e6: a very good move! }

12...Ba6 $1

{ AA: I play a move because I don't see 13. e5 Nfd5 14. e6!. Now I would have
  played 12...Qc7, avoiding e5 and preparing c6-c5; I think that black is slightly
  better.

  MH: After ...Qc7 the back rank is guarded by Ra8! But, White is still better. }

( { MH: } 12...Qc7 13. e5 dxe5
  ( 13...Nfd5 14. e6 )
  14. dxe5 Nfd5
  ( 14...Qxe5 $4 15. Qd8# )
  15. e6 Bxe6
  ( 15...Nxf4 $4 16. exf7+ Kf8 17. Qd8+ Qxd8 18. Rxd8# )
  16. Nxe6 fxe6 )

13. e5

{ AA: Only after this move I see the dangerous 14. e6.

  MH: This seems premature to me. White needs to bring Ng1 and Rh1 into play
  before forcing lines open this way. }

( { MH: } 13. Nge2 )

13...Nfd5 $2

{ AA: I don't consider 13...dxe5 only for philosophical considerations: I don't
  want to open the d-column because I feel that white has better chance than mine
  to control it. I think that these philosophical consideration are very dangerous
  in positions like this.

  MH: White isn't fully developed and he would have trouble controlling anything
  on the board. It's only small tactical things which would be dangerous for Black.
  By leaving queens on the board you only allow White more opportunities to create
  threats against Ke8. }

( { MH: } 13...dxe5 14. dxe5 Qxd2+ 15. Rxd2 Nfd5 16. e6
  ( 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Bxd5 cxd5 18. Rxd5 Bc4 19. Rc5 {keeping pawn e5 defended}
    19...Bf1 20. h4 O-O $11 )
  16...Nc4 17. Bxc4 Bxc4 18. Nxd5 Bxd5
  ( 18...cxd5 $2 19. b3 d4 20. Bxd4 Bxd4 21. exf7+ Kxf7 22. Rxd4 Bf1 23. Rd2 Rhd8 )
  19. exf7+ Kxf7 $11 )

14. e6 Bc4

{ AA: The only two move I see for me are Bc4 and Nc4, I choose Bc4 by intuition
  (another risky philosophical consideration) and not by analysing long lines.

  MH: There are many times when the logical approach is correct. I'm looking at
  which pieces can do Black the most harm: Qd2-d3xg6xf7, Nf4xg6, Bb3-f7. In light
  of that Ba6 (a piece not directly in the line of fire) moves in to exchange for
  an attacker. Nb6-c4 only threatens to get rid of Be3 and that's not a primary
  attacker. }

15. exf7+ Kxf7 16. Bxc4

{ AA: During the game I never think about 16. Nxg6 so I am very lucky because
  16. Nxg6? is an error which lose the game. }

( { AA: } 16. Nxg6 Kxg6
  ( { MH: } 16...Nxe3 $4 17. Nxh8+ Qxh8 18. Qxe3 Bh6 19. f4 $18 )
  17. Bxc4 Nxc4 18. Qd3+ Kf6 { and black have an extra piece and black king is
  exposed; but if my king goes to d7, his troubles are finished and black wins. } )

16...Nxc4 17. Qd3 Nxf4

( { AA: The only one. I see the white's trap: } 17...Ncxe3 18. Qxg6+ Kg8
  19. Ne6 Qf8 20. Nxf8 { and only two pieces for the queen. } )

18. Bxf4 Nb6

{ AA: During the game I see also 18...d5, after d5 my idea is to play e5 in the
  future. Now I think the more natural Nb6 is better. }

19. Nh3 Bf6 20. Bg5

{ AA: Another trap: 20...Bxg5? 21 Nxg5+ is very good for white. But the move Bg5
  doesn't threat anything, so it isn't so strong for me: the simple Rhe1 is
  better. }

20...Nd5

( { AA: In the game I spend some time on 20...e5!? I see: } 20...e5 21. Bxf6 Qxf6
  { and if } 22. dxe5 dxe5 { and I will play Rd8, my judgement is: black improves
  his piece activity but his king is not safe and the e-pawn is an "isolanus".
  So I decide to play the simple Nd5. Analysing this position now, I think I was
  right. }
  ( { (I don't like } 22...Qxe5 23. Rhe1 ) )

21. Rhe1 Qc8

{ AA: My king is not so safe so I want to change queens with Qc8-f5 (or Qa6). }

22. Re2 Qf5 23. Qxf5 gxf5 24. Bxf6 exf6 $4

{ MH: Permanent horrible damage and self-inflicted! }

( { AA: } 24...Nxf6 25. Ng5+ { and white's position is better. } )

( { AA: There are two other moves: Kxf6 and exf6. I see } 24...Kxf6 $1
  25. Rde1 e5
  ( { But probably the best move for me is } 25...Rag8 $1 { and black is better,
  the idea is that e7-pawn is not so weak but g2-pawn is weak. I don't find this
  solution because I thought that white has an advantage and I tried only to
  balance the game. } )
  26. dxe5+ dxe5 { and I don't like the position: my pawns are a little weak. } )

( { AA: In the match I see also } 24...exf6 25. Rde1 Rae8 26. Rxe8 Rxe8
  27. Rxe8 Kxe8 { and I have very very weak pawns in the king side but my
  d5-knight is strong and the position is balanced for me. After analysing the
  position at home, I agree with this statement. } )

25. Rde1 Rae8 26. Rxe8 Rxe8 27. Rxe8 Kxe8 28. Kd2 Nb6

{ AA: But now I think 28...Nb6 is an error for two reasons: }

( { AA: I play this move to force } 28...Nb6 29. b3
  ( 29. Nf4 Nxa4 30. Nxh5 Nxb2 { and black is better because black gives up
    his weak pawns for white a-pawn and b-pawn. } )
  29...Nd5 { and now d5-knight remain in d5 how much he wants. } )

( { AA: A) white couldn't gain control of d5 with his pawns: } 28...Kf7
  29. c4 bxc3+ 30. bxc3 Nb6 { and a-pawn is in trouble. } )

( { AA: B) I didn't see a good move. } 28...Nb6 29. Nf4 Nxa4
  30. b3 { (I didn't see this!) } 30...Nc3 31. Nxh5 { and white has a passed pawn
  in the h-column that is dangerous in knights and kings endings. } )

( { MH: White plans } 28...-- 29. c4 bxc3+ 30. bxc3 -- 31. c4 Nb6 32. Nf4 h4
  33. Ng6 h3 34. g3 -- 35. Nf4 -- 36. Nxh3 { creating a passed h2 pawn. Black needs
  to stop that White knight maneuver and since g6 is involved Black's king can
  simply take that away. } )

29. b3

{ AA: My opponent see 30. b3! but he don't play it because he don't understand the
  importance of the passed h-pawn. }

{ MH: Considering the note I add at the end of this analysis: This is one good
  moment in the game to consider the question of how much defense is needed and
  how much of your time (moves) can be spent on offense. }

29...Nd5 30. g3

{ AA: My opponent idea is to change knights with Nf4, this is not the best plan
  but it is difficult to find strong ideas in this position. After the match I
  see two good ideas for white: Nh3-f2-d1 and now Ne3 for changing knights or
  Nb2-Nc4 attacking a5-pawn. In my analysis I have tried to find a good concrete
  line for white but I have found nothing: knight's activity helps black to hold
  the position.

  MH: The "strong ideas" for this position are: to win pawns, create passed pawns
  and create open lanes for pieces so they can support the advance of those passers
  to promotion. }

30...Ke7 31. Nf4 Nxf4 32. gxf4 Ke6

{ AA: During the game and now in the analysis I think this position is totally
  drawn. A very strong player analyses this pawn ending (very shortly) and says
  that white has some chances because of the weakness of h5-pawn. That pawn is
  surely weak, but in my opinion there are no ways to capture it without losing
  the game!

  MH: Isn't pawn d4 more immediately weak than pawn h5? Black can always threaten
  pawn d4 and keep White's king there to defend it. White's chance would be to
  force Black's king back, advance to c4 and then use d4-d5 to break through to
  b5. }

33. Ke3

( { AA: During the match I was afraid of } 33. c3 { with the idea of freeing the
  a-pawn. But I see: } 33...c5 { and then it is draw. } )

( { AA: Analysing now I see also } 33. c3 bxc3+ 34. Kxc3 Kd5 35. b4 axb4+
  36. Kxb4 Kxd4 { and the two passed pawn promote in the same time for me:
  this is a crazy probably balanced position. This the only exciting line I
  have found in this pawns ending, but white can avoid it not playing c3 and
  black can avoid it playing c5 (after c3).
  MH: }
  37. a5 c5+ 38. Ka4
    ( 38. Kb5 c4 39. a6 c3 40. a7 c2 41. a8=Q c1=Q $19 )
    ( 38. Kb3 $4 Kd5 39. Ka4 Kc6 $19 )
  38...c4
  ( 38...Kd5 $4 39. Kb5 c4 40. a6 c3 41. a7 c2 42. a8=Q+ Kd4 43. Qa1+ Kd3
    44. Qc1 $18 )
  39. a6 c3 40. Kb3 Kd3 41. a7 c2 42. a8=Q c1=Q 43. Qd5+ Ke3
  ( 43...Ke2 44. Qxf5 Qe3+ 45. Kb2 Qd2+ 46. Ka1 Qd4+ 47. Ka2 Qc4+ 48. Kb2 Qb4+
    49. Ka2 Kd2 50. Qe6 Qxf4 $19 )
  44. Qxd6 Kxf3 45. Qxf6 Qxf4 $19
  { If the pawns promote simultaneously then the king positions are a significant
  factor - and Black's king is better for the resulting Q+P ending! It would be
  -/+ or -+ because of the king positions! NOT EQUAL! } )

33...Kd5 34. Kd3 c5 35. dxc5 Kxc5 36. Ke3 Kd5 37. Kd3 Kc5 38. Ke3 Kd5 39. h4 Kc5
40. Kd3 Kd5 41. Ke3

{ AA: Probably my opponent has analysed deeper that me and he has done less errors
  than me in analysing concrete lines. But I had more ideas than him and my
  positional play has been better than his. So my tactical play is very poor but
  my positional play is very good: I think it is a good idea for me to solve some
  tactcal problems or to read a book about combinations to improve my tactical
  skills. Thank you for your attention!

  MH: You were searching for all the key ideas of this new opening system and you
  did well.

  That you didn't give enough weight to e4-e5-e6 may be because you hadn't seen
  any games where it was played. Maybe Black never allowed it to be good, so White
  never played it. Naturally, it's most dangerous when Black has played ...h5 and
  weakened f7 & g6.

  Another small idea you didn't mention was that ...Nd7 blocked the diagonal and
  allowed Ng1-h3. It usually takes some time to learn all the small finesses and
  details of a new opening system.

  Late in the game you overlooked 30. b3! That's similar to overlooking e4-e5-e6.
  This is something we all must live with to some extent. There are too many good
  move sequences for us to see them all. We're not computer programs.

  What we must do is find the right ideas, plans, and forcing move sequences. If we
  can get through the tactical spots o.k. then we can stay on course and carry out
  our strategical plans. You did that well.

  Where I see your play lacking most is in another area which you might not have
  considered at all. It is that you committed yourself early with queen-side and
  king-side pawn moves, so that it became very difficult for you to construct an
  offensive plan. Your play was aimed almost exclusively at defensive themes
  (except that you gave some mention to using pawns on the queen-side to attack
  White's Bb3 & Nc3).

  You should, at some point, be able to keep your position safe and not be scared
  by possibilities, so that you can also play some offense. Doing only one or the
  other will usually leave your position overly passive or overly weak (offensive
  moves do that). Doing both throughout a game, as needed, will keep your position
  safe enough and yet offer offensive possibilities your opponent must always
  defend. Facing a stronger opponent with only defense would be very unappealing.

  So, the task I set you is to consider one thing and one thing only:
  on each turn, ask yourself, what is the smallest, most efficient defense you can
  get away with, so you can expend the rest of your energies and chess piece forces
  on offense?

  This consideration of both needs might help you establish a better balance in
  your play. Sometimes one must play all defense, sometimes all offense is
  possible. But, to know how much of one or the other is needed, you must reflect
  on that issue.

  Good luck!  }

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