[Event "Rated Blitz game"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.09.11"] [Round "?"] [White "Paul H."] [Black "Timur2408"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C00"] [WhiteElo "2167"] [BlackElo "2145"] [Annotator "lichess.org"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "blitz"] 1. e4 c5 2. d3 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nbd2 Nf6 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. e5 Nd7 9. Re1 Qc7 10. Qe2 f6 {An attempt at contesting e5 but this leads to problems.} 11. exf6 Nxf6 {Now Black has a weak e6 pawn to target. Chess is all about the challenging of squares which is why it is important to stay focused on your opponent's weaknesses.} 12. Nf1 $6 {/\Bf4 but there are better ways to challenge e5.} ({One of them is to fianchetto the bishop to b2.} 12. b3 Bd6 13. Bb2 Nb4 {and now} 14. Nf1 $14) ({The other approach is} 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. Qxe5 Bd6 (13... Qxe5 $2 14. Rxe5 Bd6 15. Re1 e5 16. Nb1 Be6 17. Nc3 Rad8 $14 { Black's center is under a lot of pressure.}) 14. Qe2 e5 15. c4 Be6 16. Nf3 Bg4 $11) 12... Bd6 {A good move to stop Bf4 and prepare e5.} 13. Bg5 {My idea is to remove the defender of d5 creating more weaknesses to Black's center. The problem is that this doesn't present any problems for Black.} e5 {This looks obvious - push your weak pawn, but it's wrong. Black has some development issues to solve before he is ready to play e5. Also, this brings his center under attack.} 14. N3d2 $2 {Threatening to capture on f6 and take on e5. One dimensional ideas like this need to be vetted more as my opponent had a nice reply.} (14. Ne3) 14... Be6 $6 (14... Bg4 15. Bxd5+ Kh8 16. f3 Nxd5 17. fxg4 Ndb4 $17) 15. Ne3 {The move I should have played earlier! Pressuring d5 AND stopping Bg4 ideas.} d4 (15... Qf7 {to provide more protection to d5 makes some sense.} 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. Qf3 Kh8 18. c3 f5 19. Nxd5 f4 $132) 16. Nec4 Nd7 17. Ne4 $1 {Encouraging Black to take on c4 leaving me a nice outpost on d5.} Bxc4 18. dxc4 h6 $2 {An unnecessary weakening of the kingside. This is what ultimately led to Black's defeat.} 19. Bd2 (19. Qg4 $1 Kh7 (19... hxg5 20. Qe6+ Kh8 21. Nxd6 Nf6 22. Qh3+ Kg8 $18)) 19... Nf6 20. Nxf6+ $6 {The typical amateur mistake - trading off pieces indiscriminately.} (20. g4 $5 Qd7 21. Nxf6+ Rxf6 22. Bd5+ Kh7 23. g5 $16) 20... Rxf6 21. Bd5+ (21. Be4 {a better square for the bishop. There was no need to check on d5 as Ne7 is comingand does come later in the game.} Raf8 22. Rf1 Qc8 23. Qh5 $16) 21... Kh8 22. Qh5 Raf8 23. Re2 (23. Rf1 Ne7 24. Be4 Ng8 25. Kg2 Qd7 26. Rae1 $16) 23... Rf5 ( 23... d3 $5 {Vacating a square for the knight at the cost of a pawn.} 24. cxd3 Nd4 25. Rae1 Nxe2+ 26. Rxe2 $14) 24. Qh3 R5f6 25. Rae1 Ne7 {d3 is a nice alternative} 26. Be4 {[%CAl Ge4h7,Gd2h6,Gh3h6] With the exception of my rooks, my pieces are well placed. There is a lot of pressure on Black's king.} b6 $2 { A waiting move to protect b7 and allow the queen to move elsewhere.} (26... Ng8 27. b3 R6f7 28. g4 $36) 27. Bg5 R6f7 28. Qh5 $1 {Inching close with ideas of taking on e7 and playing Qg6.} Ng8 $4 {This sets up a mating net that I happened to play very accurately.} 29. Qg6 Nf6 30. Bxf6 gxf6 31. Qxh6+ Kg8 32. Bd5 {First, pin the rook.} Qe7 33. Re4 {Now, swing over the rook to either g4 or h4.} f5 34. Rh4 Qf6 35. Qh7# 1-0