Below you'll find annotated game vs zdrak. he was an interesting member GK, but seems, he left GK at beginning of summer. has anybody any news about him? I joined my and his annotations into single bundle but I'm presenting them only now.
The pre-history is as follow: about 9 months ago I joined GK and was very new there not knowing what was my position there. zdrak was the strongest player I played against at that time (his old GK rating was somewhere about 1940). After that game I knew better what I can and what can't. So this game were important for me.
White: Your sincerally Black: Zdrak When: 2003, GK
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3
This move starts the “Vienna game”. Historically, its name was the “Hamppe opening” after Carl Hamppe from Vienna. He did the extended analysis of the opening at 1848. The main idea of it – to prepare move of pawn to f4 and avoid the “counter-gambit of Falkbeer” in case of “King‘s gambit” (1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5). With the same purpose in mind 2. Bc4 may be played.
2. ... Nf6
{ The most preferred and considered as the best reply. Now, the black has the reply 3. … d5 to White’s 3. f4. 2. ... Nc6 is good as well too.. Possible another replies: a) 2. … Bb4 3. Qg4 Zhuravlev counter-gambit; b) 2. … Bc5 3. Qg4 Anderssen (Giraffe) variation; c) 2. … Bc5 3. Na4 Hamppe-Anderssen variation; d) 2. … Bc5 3. b4 Bxb4 4. f4 exf4 McDonnel variation. }
3. Bc4
{ The Bishop variation allows the temporal offering of knight (leading to Frankenstein-Dracula variation) 3. … N x e4 (it’s under ECO C27). Possible lines: a) 4. Qh5 Nd6 5. Bb3 Nc6 6. d4 Adams line b) 4. Qh5 Nd6 5. Bb3 Be7 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Nxe5 Alekhine line c) 4. Qh5 Nd6 5. Bb3 Nc6 6. Nb5 g6 7. Qf3 f5 8. Qd5 Qe7 9. Nxc7+ Kd8 10. Na8 b6, Monster (Frankenstein-Dracula) line E.Schiller says White has 8 different plans where 11. d3 is the best. But ECO recommends 11. Nb6 axb6 12. Qf3 Bb7 13. d3 Nd4 14. Qh3 e4 15. Be3 exd3 16. 0-0-0 Nxc2 17. Bxb6+ Ke8 18. Qxd3 Bh6+ 19. Kb1 Be4 with a slight White advantage.
Sometimes, to avoid of 3. … N x e4, White plays in different order (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 and only than 4.Nc3). Another very popular move is 3. … Bc5
Instead of Bc4, the white can choose between:
a) 3. f4 ef is called Falkbeer variation (Vienna gambit). b) 3. g3 Paulsen-Mieses variation c) 3. f3 Walkerling variation d) 3. a3 Mengarini variation e) 3. Nf3 Transposition to Three Knights game (or even Four Knights game, if Black answers 3. … Nc6).
f) 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 is a Spielmann variation
All these variations are under ECO C26 }
3. ... Nc6
That is Vienna Three knights variation, ECO C28 [zdrak]: Black refuses to enter a theoretical contest after 3. … Nxe5 4. Qh5, and chooses a quiet line.
4. d3 Be7
The other most popular moves are 4. … Bb4 and 4. …Na5. 4. … d6 as usually, a game transposes to lines of 4. … Be7 Also there were played 4. … a6 and 4. … h6
5. Nde2
[zdrak]: White intends to move f-pawn, but the text move has the disadvantage of not attacking the black e-pawn – and allows black to play Na5 right away, exchanging the important white bishop. Black, however, doesn’t use this opportunity.
5. … d6
6. 0-0 0-0
7. a3
The critical position of this game. The goal of this move is to prepare a safe place for white bishop and eliminate attack Na5 on it as no fear to have duplicate pawns.
7. … Be6
8. Nd5
In the most cases the white exchanges the white bishop 8. Bxe6 fe 9. d4 (or 9. f4)
8. … Bxd5
9. Bxd5
Another possibility was 9. ed
9. … Qd7 10. Rxc6
10. b4 Nxd5 11. exd5 Nd4 12. c3 Nxe2 13. Qxe2 (it seems, it’s even position) 13. … c6 Another interesting move was 10. d4 [zdrak]: This exchange is not necessary. It was better to preserve the bishop: 10. Ba2, followed by f4
10. … bxc6
[zdrak]: A questionable decision. Opens b-file. But weakens black’s pawn structure. Safer is Qxc6, and White’s advantage is minimal. [loreta]: After 10. … Qxc6 I was afraid of check in case of f4. So before advancing f-pawn I had to move the king to h1.
11. f4 exf4 12. Nxf4 Qg4
[zdrak]: In the endgame the weakness of the black pawns will become more important, therefore Black should not to have offered the queens exchange. A logical move would be 12. … Rab8 [loreta]: I was surprised by this opponent’s move.
[zdrak]: A pointless move. Better is 18. … c5 19. dxc5 Nxc5 20. Nxc5 dxc5 21. Bf4 Rab8 22. Re2 Be5 and Black’s piece activity compensates for the pawn weakness.
19. Bf4
As alternative I looked to 19. Kf2
19. … Rab8
After 19. … Nb6 20. e5
20. e5 Be7 21. exd6 Bxd6
[zdrak]: I intended to play here 21. … cxd6, but at the last moment noticed 22. Bxe7 Bxe7 23. Bxd6 and White won a pawn.
22. b4 Rxe1+
Another possible lines: a) 22. … axb4 23. axb4 Nf6 24. Rxe8 Rxe8 25. c4 b) 22. … Nf6 23. Bxd6 cd 24. Re1 c) 22. … Bxf4 23. Nxf4 axb4 24. axb4 Nb6 25. Rxe8
23. Rxe1 Kf8 24. Kf2 axb4 25. axb4 Ra8
[zdrak]: Now white has a small, but clear, advantage.
26. Kf3!?
Looks like loosing of time. At the moment, I’d prefer to play 26. g3
26. … Ra3 27. Bd2 Nb6 28. Rc1 Nd5
[zdrak]: A natural place for the Knight was on c4, blocking the white queenside.
29. Ke2 Ra2 30. Kd1 f5
[zdrak] A harmless demonstration on the kingside. Black is too busy with his own weaknesses to seriously think of advancing his pawns.
31. Rc2 Ra1+ 32. Ke2 Rg1 33. Kf2 Rd1
[zdrak]: White’s position is better, and he could have continued for a win with 34. c4 or 34. Ne5. Instead, White chooses to repeat moves for a draw. [loreta]: I was new on GK and this game was my first attempt versus stronger player to check my possibilities. The goal was achieved and I wasn’t intended for long endgame by realizing that small advantage not sure for success.