I just played a pretty cool game against a much higher rated opponent, so I was happy to make some analysis article about it.
This is my best win so far with a low amount of inaccuracies — Lichess stockfish: 1 inaccuracy and 1 mistake and 16 centipawn loss. Chess.com: 96% accuracy.
I’m new to the Closed Sicilian opening played in the game and I was trying it out. It seemed to me from this game that this opening is very flexible and the plan is unclear to the opponent. People are also usually less prepared against it as well so that’s a big plus for me.
I hope you enjoy my analysis and learn something out of it.
[Event "Rapid game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/vRCG1vJf"]
[Date "2020.10.21"]
[White "LeonFresh"]
[Black "AlexStag"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2030"]
[BlackElo "2241"]
[TimeControl "600+0"]
[Termination "Normal"]
[Annotator "LeonFresh"]
[UTCDate "2020.10.21"]
[UTCTime "14:15:48"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[ECO "B23"]
[Opening "Sicilian Defense: Closed Variation"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3
{ [#] B23 Sicilian Defense: Closed Variation }
2... d6 3. f4
{[#] This is the f4 variation of the closed that I’m experimenting with for the first time actually. I usually play the one with the bishop g2 fianchetto but it’s usually a bit slow and positional instead. This one is a lot more aggressive and tactical. }{ [%csl Yf4][%cal Gf2f4] }
3... Nf6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. h3?!
{ [#] I did h3 to kick the bishop which seemed natural but this line would have been more accurate: } { [%cal Gf1b5] }
(5. Bb5+ 5... Nc6 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 e6 9. d3 Be7 10. g4 O-O $16
{[%cal Gh3h4,Gg4g5,Gc1d2] })
5... Bxf3 6. Qxf3
{ [#] The following was more forcing to get into the same variation: } { [%cal Gf1b5] }
(6. Bb5+ 6... Nc6 7. Qxf3)
6... Nc6 7. Bb5 Qb6 8. Bxc6+?!
{ [#] Being new to the opening, I missed that I didn’t need to take right now and I could have considered other moves. } { [%cal Ge1g1,Gd2d3,Ge4e5] }
8... Qxc6 9. d3 e6 10. g4
{[#] I noticed that I didn’t really need to castle yet — my King was safe and I can start a kingside pawn storm and see what he does. } {[%cal Gg2g4]}
g6
{[#] Question time! Your opponent just played g7->g6. What would you do now? Scroll down when you think you know the answer.
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}{[%cal Rg7g6]}
11. Be3 ?!
{[#] The answer is f5! which I somehow missed. I thought on a brief glance that my Queen was somehow pinned so I just quickly dismissed the idea. On closer inspection, it was totally playable due to the number of defenders I had. it would have been very strong to compromise his structure right away. } {[%cal Rc1e3, Gf4f5]}
Be7 12. h4?
{ [#] Apparently this is my only mistake in the game, losing 1 point of eval. The h4 push came a bit too early and allows his knight to jump to the great outpost g4 after he plays h5. } { [%csl Yg4][%cal Gh3h4,Rf6g4] }
(12. g5 Nd7 13. h4
{ [#] Transposes to the same position, but with his knight on a less active square. } { [%csl Yd7][%cal Gh3h4] })
12... h5 13. g5
{ [#] I guess something that I need to work on is visualizing pawn trades. I thought here if he played h5 it would be good for me because I can open the file. However, it’s not that simple because he has too much pressure against my pawns with the following variation: } { [%cal Rh7h5,Gg4g5] }
(13. gxh5 Rxh5 14. O-O-O O-O-O 15. f5 gxf5 16. Bg5 Rdh8 $15
{[#]}{ [%csl Yh4][%cal Rh8h4,Re7h4] })
13... Ng4
{[#] He does get his knight to a very beautiful outpost and his knight is very strong here. What should we do now?
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} {[%cal Rf6g4]}
14. O-O-O
{ [#] I castle here and say that his knight is better than my bishop so I’m willing to give it. Plus notice how I also X-ray his soon-to-be undefended bishop if he takes my bishop. } { [%csl Ye7][%cal Ge1c1,Gf3e3,Ge3e8] }
14... O-O?!
{[#] He thought that since the position was closed that he could castle kingside and attack me on the Queenside. But let’s see if that’s the case…
Question time again. What would you do now in this case?
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} {[%cal Re8g8]}
15. Rdg1!
{ [#] Everything was decently placed and f5 was not playable so this rook move is logical to threaten an exchange sacrifice. If it went through, it would open up lines towards his king and look messy for the opponent. The engine also found this move and the sac pretty sound! } { [%cal Gg1g4, Gd1g1] }
15... Nxe3
{[#]} {[%cal Rg4e3]}
(15... b5
{ [#] This is what would have happened if he let the sac go through. It wasn’t clear but it looked good enough. } { [%cal Gg1g4,Rb7b5] }
16. Rxg4 hxg4 17. Qxg4 d5 18. h5
{ [#] Idea behind the exchange sac is to open up his king. } { [%cal Gh5g6] }
18... d4 19. Bd2 Kg7
(19... dxc3 20. Bxc3
{ [#] Taking the knight is too dangerous because of the diagonal and file opening. } { [%cal Gc3h8,Gh1h8,Gh5g6] })
20. hxg6 Rh8 21. Rh6 fxg6
(21... Rxh6 22. gxh6+ Kf8 23. gxf7 { [%cal Gg4g5] } 23... Kxf7 24. Qh5+ Kf8 25. Qg6 e5 $18 { [%cal Gg6c6] })
22. Qh3 Rag8 23. f5 exf5 24. Nd5 Bd8 25. Bf4 Qe8 $18 26. Qh2 Kf7 27. Kd1 fxe4 28. Be5 Rxh6 29. gxh6 Ke6 30. h7 Kxd5 31. Bb8 Ke6 32. Qe5+ Kf7 33. hxg8=Q+ Qxg8 34. Qxc5 Be7 35. Qd5+ Kf8 36. Qxe4 Qf7 $16)
16. Qxe3 b5 17. f5!
{[#] The critical break F5 comes. I should have done it earlier though at move 11. } {[%cal Gf4f5]}
exf5 18. exf5
{ [#] Now notice since he allowed my Queen to get onto the file where his bishop is loose, he should have defended it with a rook. He didn’t do that and it allowed me this nice double attack with the Queen eyeing his bishop and pawn takes f6 threat as well. } { [%cal Re3e7,Rf5g6] }
18... Rfe8
{ [#] My Queen is looking dangerous now and he protects his bishop with his f-rook. However, that just allows the free reign of the f-file. } {[%cal Rf8e8, Gf1f8]}
19. fxg6 fxg6 20. Qe6+ Kh7??
{ [#] The critical blunder which cost the game. The following is what might have happened if he went to the proper square Kg7. } { [%cal Rg8h7][%csl Yg7] }
(20... Kg7 21. Qb3
{ [#] Supporting this key point for the knight and also attacking his b-pawn. } { [%csl Yd5][%cal Gb3b5,Gb3d5] }
21... Rab8 22. Nd5 Bd8 23. Rf1 Re5 24. d4 cxd4 25. Nb4 Qe8 26. Nc6
{ [#] Forks everywhere but he has a tempo on our Queen. } { [%csl Yf7][%cal Gc6b8,Gc6e5,Gb3f7,Gf1f7,Re5e3] }
26... Re3 27. Qd5 Rc8 28. Qxd4+ Kh7 29. Nxd8 Rxd8 30. Qxa7+ $16)
21. Qf7+ Kh8 22. Qxg6
{[#] He makes a very dubious move after my move taking his free pawn on g6 — Qf3. How would you exploit this and win the game?
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} {[%cal Gf7g6, Rc6f3]}
Qf3??
{ [#] He tried to get some counterplay with his Queen this was another blunder that made my life easier. He doesn’t have any perpetual so I can just gain a very very critical tempo on his Queen with my rook now, which sealed the deal. } { [%cal Rc6f3,Gg1f1,Gf1f7] }
23. Rf1
{ [#] Black resigns. I just had too many threats whichever direction. The game could have continued like this: } { [%cal Rf1f7,Rg6h7,Rg6h5,Re1e7] }
23... Qe3+ 24. Kb1 Rf8 25. Re1 Qf4 26. Rxe7 Qf1+ 27. Nd1 Qf7 28. Rxf7 Rxf7 29. Qxf7 Rg8 30. Qxh5+ Kg7 31. Rf1 Re8 32. Rf7+ Kg8 33. Qh7# 1-0
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I haven’t done too many of these types of articles so let me know what you think about the game and my analysis in the comments below. Thank you!
