[Event "Crossroads Open 87 Arena"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.09.25"] [Round "?"] [White "Paul H."] [Black "FritzScholz"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B50"] [WhiteElo "2176"] [BlackElo "2089"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2013.12.29"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,97,27,40,49,18,14,8,31,1,6,6,11,5,35,39,47,17,26,21,28,32,37,37,24, -13,-22,-28,-14,8,77,60,161,71,135,135,113,121,142,119,118,101,118,80,139,142, 141,150,204,234,231,232,345,345,323,309,385,386,404,396,371,397,414,429,458, 477,518,478,564,541,592,578,600,638,694,691,832,806,832,645,811,730,769,850, 948,948,948,948,956,968,1426,1513,1691,1548,1580,1867,29985,29986,29987,29982] } 1. e4 c5 2. d3 Nc6 3. Nf3 d6 4. g3 e5 {Locking the center is one way of playing against the King's Indian Attack. This slows down White's development but it leaves Black with some weaknesses too.} 5. Bg2 {On the surface, this looks bad - White is putting his bishop on a bad diagonal. However, this move has defensive purposes as it guards the light squares and helps to support a later Nc3-d5.} h6 $2 {This is Black's fourth pawn move and it makes little sense. Natural moves like Nf6 or Be7 should be played.} 6. O-O g5 $2 {Another pawn move! Black is refusing to develop his pieces in favor of launching a kingside pawn advance. The problem is that this is not sound and will leave his King critically weak.} 7. Na3 ({Stockfish likes} 7. Nfd2 $5 {because it assumes g4 is coming and want to get the knight out of harms way.} Nf6 8. Nc4 b5 9. Ne3 Rb8 10. a4 b4 11. Nd2 Bg7 $14) 7... a6 8. c3 Bg7 9. h4 (9. Nc4 b5 10. Ne3 Rb8 11. h4 $14 {Now h4 makes sense as the e3 knight helps in the attack. Chess is all about putting your forces to work. The knight on e3 was way better than on a3.}) 9... Bf6 10. hxg5 hxg5 11. Nh2 (11. Nc2 {getting the knight back into play.} Be6 12. Ne3 $14 {For some reason, the move Ne3 is thematic in this opening. If you have the choice between Be3 or Ne3, choose the latter!}) 11... Be6 12. Be3 $6 {e3 should be reserved for the knight.} Qd7 13. Nc2 (13. Re1 $11 {Moving the rook to answer Bh3 with Bh1.}) 13... Bh3 14. Qf3 {The only move that keeps White in the game.} g4 $4 15. Bxh3 {Tactics to the rescue.} Rxh3 16. Qxg4 (16. Nxg4 {is even stronger.} Qe6 17. Kg2 Rh7 18. Rh1 $18) 16... O-O-O 17. Qxd7+ Kxd7 18. Kg2 Rh7 19. Ng4 Bg7 20. Rad1 {Not a bad move but focus on trading down is important here. Black cannot stop White from occupying the h-file with his rooks.} (20. Rh1 Rxh1 21. Rxh1 Ke7 22. f4 $18) 20... Nge7 21. d4 exd4 22. cxd4 cxd4 23. Nxd4 f5 $4 24. Nxf5 Nxf5 25. exf5 Kc7 26. f6 $1 {White is winning, but how? White is up a pawn and has an advanced passed pawn. Black's pieces are uncoordinated and cannot threaten White's position.} Bf8 27. Bf4 Rf7 28. Ne3 Kb8 (28... Rxf6 $4 29. Nd5+ $18) 29. Nd5 {The knight is here to stay. In terms of piece placement, this is the best case scenario - a centralized knight that controls the center and cannot be captured by your opponent.} Ne5 30. f3 Ng6 31. Be3 Ne5 32. g4 Nc4 33. Bc1 Ka7 34. b3 Ne5 35. Be3+ Kb8 36. g5 Ng6 37. f4 {White is rolling his pawns forward and Black cannot do anything to stop it. Note the power and scope of the knight on d5. It doesn't need to move anywhere as it is on an ideal square.} Rdd7 38. Rh1 b5 39. Kf3 Kb7 40. Bd4 Kc6 41. Ke4 $1 a5 42. Rc1+ Kb7 43. f5 Ne5 44. g6 Rxf6 $4 45. Nxf6 Rg7 46. Bxe5 dxe5 47. Rh7 Rxh7 48. gxh7 Bg7 49. Rd1 { There was no reason to hang the knight but Black is lost regardless.} 1-0