I just used Fritz to do a very thorough analysis/annotation of a blitz game (3 minutes + 10 seconds) I played last night. I'm a very weak player, low class D caliber, so my games aren't impressive, but I figured it would be an interesting perspective to counterbalance the GM level games in the "favorite games" thread. One nice thing about games between terrible players is that a single game can contain many very interesting tactical opportunities
This thread is primarily for other weak players. My goal is to give a well-annotated game that actually includes the kind of moves they are used to seeing (and making), with good enough analysis (thanks to Fritz) to be useful, but accessible enough analysis (thanks to being written by someone on their level) to make sense. I have no idea if I pulled it off or not, but if I did and this gets a good response, I'd be happy to analyze and post some more of my games and turn this into a bloggy thread, as it was a fun exercise and I learned a lot. That being said, I'd welcome comments from stronger players as well; perhaps you could help explain some of the concepts that went over my head
Clarifications on the formatting:
Fritz's evaluations are in red. All evaluations are absolute, so a negative number means black is ahead, and positive means white has the edge. I listed evaluations for EVERY SINGLE MOVE (until the very end) that Fritz didn't think was "best available", even if the margin was very close. Each inaccurate move (or blunder) has the evaluation of the move played listed on the same line, with Fritz's preferred move and its evaluation on the next line. Annotations in black are my own thoughts. I tried where possible to explain why Fritz's moves were better, though was of course limited by my own knowledge at times. Finally, the diagrams. I included three. The first one is simply the end of the opening phase prior to the first real blunder. The second two, however, are interesting tactical moments; I recommend you take a few minutes to look each of them over and try to find the proper move, before reading on with the analysis which will contain the answer. Enjoy!
[Event "rated blitz match"]
[Site "Free Internet Chess Server"]
[Date "2009.03.11"]
[Round "?"]
[White "HotSocks"]
[Black "BobJoeJim"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D30"]
[WhiteElo "955"]
[BlackElo "1036"]
[Annotator "BobJoeJim/Fritz11"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "2009.??.??"]
[TimeControl "180+10"]
1. d4 d5
2. e3
My opponent leaves book on move 2, so we're now on equal footing since I know NOTHING about queen pawn openings.
2. ... Nf6
3. Nf3 e6
(0.22)
g6 (-0.05) is more accurate, depth 18
4. c4 Bd6
5. c5
(0.15)
Second best, behind Bd3 (0.20), depth 18
5. ... Be7
6. Nc3 O-O
(0.06)
Less accurate than b6 (-0.10), depth 19
7. Ne5
(-0.28)
a3 maintains a (0.13) advantage, depth 18
7. ... Nbd7
(-0.04)
b6 is still better (-0.28), depth 18
8. f4 Nxe5
(0.04)
Fritz still prefers b6 by the slimmest of margins (0.01), depth 20
9. fxe5 Nd7
10. Bd3 f6
11. O-O
(-0.49)
Biggest mistake by either player yet, Qh5 is dead even (0.00), depth 18
11. ... fxe5
12. Rxf8+ Qxf8
(-0.46)
Second best, behind Nxf8 (-0.58), depth 20 I have no idea why taking with the knight might be better... I'd rather have my queen on the open file than have my knight on the back rank myself. Either way, that's 12 moves with no true blunders, and not even that many inaccuracies. Here is the position after 12 moves:
Given the ratings of the players, I think this is about as cleanly played of an opening as you can hope for, especially in a blitz game. Of course now it's time for the mistakes to commence!
13. e4?
(-2.05, depth 17)
Qc2 (-0.54), depth 20 And now black has a huge advantage.
13. ... exd4
14. Nb5 Nxc5
(-1.68)
dxe4 is a stronger continuation (-2.13), depth 19 I was grabbing a free pawn, attacking his bishop, and beginning to create an escape route for my c8 bishop. None of that is anywhere near as valuable as passed pawns on the d and e files would have been though.
15. Nxc7?
(-2.98)
exd5 is the only playable move here (-1.67), depth 18 After exd5, black can't get as strong of a pawn center. Nxc7 grabs a free pawn, but loses. After 15. ... dxe4, black has three pawns alone in the middle of the board, and should win easily. The rook on a8 is not hanging, because after Nxd3 the pawns are impossible to overcome (e.g. 15... dxe4 16. Nxa8 Nxd3 17. Qe2 Bd7 18. Bd2 e3 19. Qxd3Qf2+ 20. Kh1 Bc6 21. Qf1 Qxd2 22. Qg1 e2 23. Nc7 d3 24. Nxe6 e1=Q 25. Rxe1Bxg2+ 26. Qxg2 Qxe1+ 27. Qg1 d2 28. Kg2 Qe2+ 29. Kg3 Bd6+ 30. Kh4 Qxe6 31. Qd4 Qh6+ 32. Kg4 d1=Q+ 33. Qxd1 Qf4+ 34. Kh3 Qxh2+ 35. Kg4 Qf4+ 36. Kh3 Qg3#). Unfortunately... I didn't notice that, and so I played the "safe" move instead
15. ... Rb8?
(-1.63)
At least it's the second best move, and still a convincing edge, but dxe4 evaluates at (-2.96), depth 20
16. exd5 exd5
(-1.00, depth 17)
e5 (-1.67), depth 18 Once again, a chance for the two passed center pawns. My line leaves me with just the one. I'm still ahead here, but after two weak moves in a row I'll now have to work a lot harder for it.
17. Nxd5 Bd6
18. b3?
(-3.29, depth 17)
Best is bc2 (-0.92), depth 18 This blunder opens up an interesting tactical combination. Black has one move that is much better than any other option: here is the position:
18. ... Bf5?
(-2.47)
Second best, but Be6 is the key move that I missed (-3.49), depth 20 The centralized bishop pair leads to too many threats in too many different directions for white to maintain a solid defense. Eventually a piece drops: (18... Be6 19. Nb4 Qf7 20. Bg5 Rf8 21. Qc2 Qh5 22. h4 Nxd3 23. Nxd3 h6 24. Re1 Qg4 25. Qe2 Qxe2 26. Rxe2 Bf5 27. Be7 Bxe7 28. Rxe7 Bxd3)
19. Bc4
(-2.51)
Better is Bf1 (-2.28) according to Fritz, depth 18 Not as effective of a threat as it looks to be.
19. ... Kh8?
(-1.46)
b5 diffuses the bishop much more effectively (-2.89), depth 18 I was nervous about the discovered check, but after b5 it isn't a threat since the bishop is under fire and will be forced to move away. If he attempts a double check with, say, Nd7+, I can just move the king away, and with both the knight and bishop under fire he's forced to trade off the knight to avoid losing a piece. I would be happy to trade here.
20. Qxd4
(-4.14, depth 17)
The best continuation would be b4 (-1.45), depth 17 Snapping off the undefended passed pawn seems obvious, but doesn't work if I'm paying attention.
20. ... Re8??
(-0.76)
Several moves give me a winning edge here, but this isn't one of them. Best is Nd3 (-3.85), depth 18 Nd3 threatens Bc4 winning the queen. After 21. Qh4, the continuation is 21. ... Be5 22. Rb1 b5 and the bishop is lost (23. Bxd3 Bxd3 and the rook is forked against the threat of Qf1#). The move I actually played took an easily won game and turned it into a close struggle... briefly.
21. Bh6??
(-5.79)
Ba3 or Bf4 each evaluate at (-0.57), depth 18 The g7 pawn is now pinned against everything, but this time I actually see the refutation!
21. ... Be5
22. Bxg7+??
(-14.29, depth 16)
Qf2 is still lost (-6.05), depth 18, but still nowhere near *as* bad
22. ... Bxg7
(-10.81)
Qxg7 (-15.63), depth 19 Taking with the queen dominates the diagonal, and sets up the chance to double with the rook on the g file. Clearly better, but it's not like I should have any trouble after taking with the bishop either, and we both had under 20 seconds on our clocks by this point (granted, with a 10 second increment, but still).
23. Qd1 Bxa1
(-5.45, depth 15)
Ne4 (-10.81) is best, depth 17 I snap off the rook without thinking, but pressing the action on the king side gives a much stronger attack. Even so, the finish is academic. I will no longer bother showing small inaccuracies and second best moves.
24. Qxa1+ Qg7
25. Qxg7+ Kxg7
26. Nf4 Re4
27. Nh5+ Kh6
(-5.48)
Kg6 (-6.44), depth 20 Fritz has h6 as almost a pawn worse than h6, but I didn't want my king on a white square when my rook and bishop already were, and a knight was in the vicinity. Plus there was a white square bishop and the danger of a pinned rook. Better to minimize my chances to blunder away the win, imo.
28. Ng3 Re5
29. a4 Ne4
30. Nxf5+ Rxf5
31. Be6 Re5
32. Bc8?
(-11.13, depth 19)
Bg4 (-6.47), depth 18 Drops the bishop to Rc5 (with a mate threat)... but I don't notice.
32. ... b6?
Misses the free bishop. Still leaves me an easily won game though.
33. b4 Nd6
34. Bg4 Re4
35. Bf5?
Again he drops the bishop, this time even more blatantly.
35. ... Rxb4 {HotSocks resigns} 0-1
And again I don't notice, but he finally throws in the towel anyway.
Overall this game had a very well played opening (given the players' strengths), and as you would expect a very sloppy middle game. I think there were a few very interesting tactical themes that came up in the post-mortem though (even if they were missed over the board). In the end, I'm happy enough with how I played, given what the time controls were. I need to start seeing those tactics better though, I could have won this game a lot quicker and more impressively. I missed a few major positional tactics early, after that center blew up I should have been all over it with my passed pawns and bishop pair, instead of flailing around on the edges quite so much.