June Chess Games

Queen Pawn Opening

I played this game as black against the computer over several days, ending Monday, June 13^th. The applet was my Homeostatic Chess Player, and the minimum look-ahead depth was six tempi. The chess applet generates the move listing automatically, but the annotations added are mine.

	White	Black
1.	d4	Nf6
2.	Nc3	d5	White's knight move is unusual but not without merit.
3.	Qd3	e6	White's queen move prevents black's queen bishop from occupying the diagonal.
4.	Nf3	a6      Black's Bd6 is refuted by Nb5.
5.	Bf4	c5	Black's pawn attack in the center is the natural development.

Position after move 5.

6.	Qd2	Nc6	Moving the queen a second time is unnecessary.
7.	dxc5	Bxc5	"Giving up the center," a beginner's error.
8.	e3	b5	Black prepares to fiancetto the "problem bishop."
9.	Be2	Bb7
10.	Nd4	O-O	If black takes the knight, it restores white's center with tempo.

Position after move 10. White is actively developed but black has at least equality
in space and a stronger center.

11.	Nb3	Ba7
12.	O-O	Qe7
13.	a4	b4	White's rook pawn push is a mistake in view of the limited QN moves available.
14.	Nb1	e5	Black now has a mobile pawn center.
15.	Bg5	Rf8d8

Position after move 15.

16.	Ra2	h6	Black puts the question to the bishop and gets "luft."
17.	Bxf6	Qxf6
18.	c3	d4	Taking the pawn at c3 lets the knight out.
19.	e3xd4	bxc3	
20.	bxc3	exd4

Position after move 20.

21.	Bf3	Ra8b8
22.	Qc1	dxc3
23.	Qxc3	Nd4	Having a positional advantage, black avoids the exchange of queens.
24.	Bxb7	Rxb7
25.	Nxd4	Bxd4

Position after move 25. Black's advantage of the minor exchange is insufficient to win.

26.	Qf3	Qb6
27.	Nd2	Rb7d7
28.	Nb3	Bf6
29.	Qe3	Qb4	White is still trying to trade queens for a drawish endgame.
30.	Nc5	Rd1

Position after move 30.

31.	Rc2	Rxf1+	White does not see the danger.
32.	Kxf1	Rd1+
33.	Ke2	Re1+
34.	Kf3	Rxe3+
35.	fxe3	a5

Position after move 35.

36.	Ne4	Be7	The "luft" comes in handy.
37.	Rc8+	Bf8
38.	Nc5	Qxc5	Liquidating to a full piece up, a straightforward won enegame.
39.	Rxc5	Bxc5
40.	Kf2	f5

Position after move 40. The game goes on for 22 more moves.

41.	Kf3	Kf7
42.	Ke2	Ke6
43.	g3	Kd5	Black centralizes his king.
44.	Kf3	Bd6
45.	h3	g5

Position after move 45.

46.	g4	f4
47.	exf4	Bxf4
48.	h4	Kc4
49.	Ke4	Kb4
50.	h5	Kxa4

Position after move 50.

51.	Kf5	Kb5
52.	Ke4	a4
53.	Kd3	Kb4
54.	Kc2	Be5
55.	Kd3	a3

Position after move 55.

56.	Ke4	Bg7
57.	Kf5	a2
58.	Kg6	a1=Q
59.	Kf5	Qe1
60.	Kg6	Qe5

Position after move 60.

61.	Kf7	Bh8
62.	Kf8	Qc7 White resigns

Queen's Gambit Declined

This particular game is instructive for the beginner as it shows how neglect of the center leads to rapid strategic defeat.

Computer vs. Rick, June 27, 2016.

	White	Black
1.	d4	d5
2.	c4	e6
3.	c5	b6      White's push past is generally considered weak as it allows black a free hand in the center.
4.	Be3	bxc5    Proving it requires bold action in the center.
5.	dxc5	e5      Black's king pawn moves a second time. Necessary to punish white for neglecting the center.

Position after move 05.

6.	Nf3	d4
7.	Bg5	f6
8.	Bd2	Bxc5    White loses the pawn.
9.	Na3	Be6     It's important to keep the white queen off of this diagonal.
10.	b4	Bb6

Position after move 10.

11.	Qc2	Ne7
12.	Nc4	Nd7
13.	Rg1	c5
14.	Nxb6	axb6    With black's pawn chain on the same color, the bishop for the knight is no loss.
15.	bxc5	bxc5

Position after move 15.

16.	a3	c4      White counter's white's threat to take the rook pawn and black's advance in the center is unstoppable.
17.	Kd1	c3      White makes a hole for the coming bishop retreat.
18.	Be1	O-O
19.	g4	Nc5     White's "attack" on the castled king has no import. Black's space advantage is telling.
20.	Qb1	Bb3+    Black was threatening to win the queen outright.

Position after move 20.

21.	Kc1	Nd5
22.	Nh4	Rb8     There's not much white can do now except wait for it.
23.	Bg2	c2
24.	Bxd5+	Qxd5    Exchanging pieces does not bring relief.
25.	Qb2	Na4     White's queen is trapped.

Position after move 25.

26.	Qxc2	Bxc2    It's all over now but the mopping up.
27.	Bb4	Rf8c8
28.	Kd2	Qb3
29.	Rg3	Qb2
30.	Ra2	Qxa2

Position after move 30.

31.	Bc3	dxc3+
32.	Ke3	Qxa3
33.	f4	e4
34.	Nf5	Qc5+
35.	Nd4	Rd8
36.	Kf2	Qxd4+
37.	Kg2	Bd1
38.	Rxc3	Nxc3
39.	h4	Nxe2 White resigns

Position after move 39.

Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com