Annotated Chess Game 1288549

1. d4

even in '05 i would play the queen's opening. so begins our third game.

1... d5 2. Nb1c3

Chigorin Variation

2... c6

TRANSPOSITION QP. GAME (Chigorin Var.) to CARO-KANN DEFENCE White developed his queen's knight to threaten Black's QP and to support a planned 3.e4 Black pushes his Queen's Bishop's Pawn a square to support his QPawn rather than play the usual 2..Nf6 to deter 3.e4.

3. Ng1f3

out of chess-ops book, but the second most popular continuation in game explorer.

3... Qd8a5

pins with the queen

4. e4

? ignoring my pinned knight, i advance to a now-undefended square.

4... dxe4

capures my foolish pawn, and forces me to move my knight twice.

5. Nf3e5

Nd2 looks better now...was trying to play aggressively.

5... b5

takes away my Nc4 move.

6. Bc1d2

this move looks good at first...breaks the knight-pin and sets up a discovered queen attack, but i fail to notice that my Ne5 has only one safe square: g4

6... Qa5b6

! a good move. retreats from Bd2's line of fire, and attacks my undefended d4.

7. Nc3e2

? a terrible choice. d4 is defended, but the move blocks my queen's defense of g4, and Ne5 now has no safe moves.

7... f6

instant smackdown.

8. Ne5xc6

forced to trade for a pawn.

8... Nb8xc6 9. Bd2e3

sets an obvious trap for Qb6...

9... Qb6d8

retreats, but to a good square.