Game of the Week

B.Stimpson–M.Rohe
River Valley Community Chess Club
Spring Green, WI., March 2, 2011

1.e4 c5
This opening is called the Sicilian Defense

2.Nh3
It's typically better to develop knights towards the middle, usually the King's Knight is best on f3, 2.c3 is also a common response to 1...c5.

2...d6
This move opens the diagonal for Black's Queen's Bishop, in order to attack the “knight on the rim”

3.c3 Bxh3
Black trades bishop for knight and creates a structural weakness (doubled isolated pawns)

4.gxh3 Nf6
Black develops the King's Knight while attacking the unguarded pawn on e4

5.Na3 Nxe4 6.Bg2
White attacks the knight with an “x-ray attack” on Black's Queen's Rook

6...d5
Black guards the knight rather than retreat, otherwise the rook in the corner would be lost (Bxb7, followed on the next move by taking the trapped rook on a8)
Both players missed White playing Qa4+ forking and winning the knight on e4

7.d3 Nf6
White attacks the knight, but it's no longer pinned, so can now retreat without harm
White wins the pawn back with 7.Bxe4 dxe4 8.Qg4 and there's no way for Black to avoid losing the pawn on e4

8.c4 e6
White tempts Black to trade pawns, and thus open the diagonal to the Queen's Rook, but Black doesn't bite, and gives more protection to the Queen's Pawn

9.cxd5 exd5
Black should have taken with the knight, Nxd5, as White has some tactics at his disposal that could win the exchange of rook for bishop

10.O-O Bd6
Black should probably have developed this bishop to e7, in order to block an attack on his King (along the e-file)
Or developed the Queen's Knight to c6

11.f4 O-O 12.Nb5 a6 13.Nxd6 Qxd6
Black likes his winning chances, so decides to allow some trading; although this gives White the “Bishop Pair” advantage, Black has enough other advantages to win the game (Black is up a pawn plus White has several weak pawns)

14.a3 Nc6 15.Qe1 Re8
Black takes control of this important open file; White should have played a rook to e1 instead of his Queen

16.Qg3 Nd4
Black eyes the King/Queen fork on e2

17.Rf2 Ne2+
White spots the potential fork and saves his Queen, but the move is still a good one for Black

18.Rxe2 Rxe2
Black “wins the exchange” (Rook for Knight) and penetrates into White's position

19.b4 cxb4 20.axb4 Qxb4
Blacks wins another pawn and has his Queen in a strong position within White's territory

21.Qf3 Re8
Black brings the other rook to the party and firmly establishes control of the e-file

22.Ba3 Qd4+ 23.Qf2 Rxf2
White should have moved his King to the corner
Black should have taken White's Queen with his own Queen, and mate would have followed on the next move (Qf2xg2#)

24.Bf1 Ra2+
Discovered Check by the Queen, wins the Rook

25.Kh1 Rxa1 26.Kg2 Ra2+ 27.Kg3 Qf2#

Italicized analysis performed by Chess-Wise iOS app.