What was my mistake?

Technical questions regarding Openings, Middlegames, Endings etc.
Post Reply
soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

What was my mistake?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Fri Nov 20, 2015 1:07 pm

Hello.
What was my error in the following game?

Thanks in advance

User avatar
IM Jack Rudd
Posts: 4818
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:13 am
Location: Bideford
Contact:

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Fri Nov 20, 2015 1:14 pm

9...Na6 is a little slow in the Modern Main Line, and white could probably have exploited that with 11.Bf4 followed by Nf3-d2-c4 to attack your d-pawn.

Roger de Coverly
Posts: 21301
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by Roger de Coverly » Fri Nov 20, 2015 1:19 pm

soheil_hooshdaran wrote: Thanks in advance


I would be inclined to think that in this position, you need to be concerned about pieces using the f5 square, perhaps .. Nh7, rather than .. a5 .

But as Jack is suggesting, transposing to a Benoni may just be wrong.

Many of us would just test the game against a database and engine to identify turning points and alternative ideas.

Alan Walton
Posts: 1394
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:33 pm
Location: Oldham

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by Alan Walton » Fri Nov 20, 2015 1:23 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
soheil_hooshdaran wrote: Thanks in advance


I would be inclined to think that in this position, you need to be concerned about pieces using the f5 square, perhaps .. Nh7, rather than .. a5 .

But as Jack is suggesting, transposing to a Benoni may just be wrong.

Many of us would just test the game against a database and engine to identify turning points and alternative ideas.
Roger, I think your Nh7 move may run into problems with Qe7, with the threat of Bxg6

soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Fri Nov 20, 2015 1:25 pm

IM Jack Rudd wrote:9...Na6 is a little slow in the Modern Main Line,
So what is the suggestion?

User avatar
IM Jack Rudd
Posts: 4818
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:13 am
Location: Bideford
Contact:

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Fri Nov 20, 2015 1:29 pm

9...b5 is the critical move, but you've got to know what you're doing.

soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Fri Nov 20, 2015 2:12 pm

IM Jack Rudd wrote:9...b5 is the critical move, but you've got to know what you're doing.
But Black gets no advantage then....

Roger de Coverly
Posts: 21301
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by Roger de Coverly » Fri Nov 20, 2015 3:17 pm

Alan Walton wrote: Roger, I think your Nh7 move may run into problems with Qe7, with the threat of Bxg6
The engine prefers to meet .. Nh7 with Qg3 claiming a modest edge. After Qe7, Black can exchange and then defend both d7 and g6 with Nf8. The preferred engine choice to .. a5 is Qd8, meeting Nxg6 with Ne4. Black loses a pawn, but the engine claims compensation. A move earlier, the engine suggests activity with R8b4 instead of Bd7.

Alan Walton
Posts: 1394
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:33 pm
Location: Oldham

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by Alan Walton » Fri Nov 20, 2015 3:41 pm

I haven't access to engines, so this is all of the top of my head

...Nh7, Qe7 Qxe7, Rxe7 Nf8, Bxg6 Nxg6, Nxg6 Kxg6, Rxd7

Not sure on the exact valuation of the position (and hopefully if I haven't missed something obvious), but isn't white a pawn up

Roger de Coverly
Posts: 21301
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by Roger de Coverly » Fri Nov 20, 2015 3:56 pm

Alan Walton wrote:I haven't access to engines, so this is all of the top of my head

...Nh7, Qe7 Qxe7, Rxe7 Nf8, Bxg6 Nxg6, Nxg6 Kxg6, Rxd7
There's a complicated computer line to justify its recommendation. Instead of recapturing on g6, you should play R8b4. This hits the Knight on h4, which if it moves, allows Kxg6. White has Rxf7 check, but then there's a threat of Be8 hitting the Rook on f7 and indirectly the Bishop on g6. The indicated end result is an ending where Black has a piece for several pawns. I doubt any human player would see their way through to the end, so it would be a question of playing moves and hoping for the best.

soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sat Nov 21, 2015 2:43 am

IM Jack Rudd wrote:9...Na6 is a little slow in the Modern Main Line, and white could probably have exploited that with 11.Bf4 followed by Nf3-d2-c4 to attack your d-pawn.
Was my decision to transpose to Benoni correct? when he played h3?
Is Benoni somehow refuted?
I used to play Benoni 12 years ago, but then retracted from it.

soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sat Nov 21, 2015 3:51 am

Just found another game of mine over the internet, and suddenly figured out I have played such a game....


So where did I go wrong?

Barry Sandercock
Posts: 1356
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 10:52 am

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by Barry Sandercock » Sat Nov 21, 2015 2:27 pm

Soheil Hooshdaran wrote:
So where did I go wrong ?

I think your move 29. f4 was the main error. It left your King open to attack after his 29..Rd2. Better, would have been 29.Qh5 so as to get the Queen back to f3 with defence for the King's position.

John McKenna

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by John McKenna » Sat Nov 21, 2015 2:48 pm

Barry Sandercock wrote:Soheil Hooshdaran wrote:
So where did I go wrong ?

I think your move 29. f4 was the main error. It left your King open to attack after his 29..Rd2. Better, would have been 29.Qh5 so as to get the Queen back to f3 with defence for the King's position.
I agree with Barry S, and would just add - the 2.Qe2!? Chigorin variation led to no opening advantage for White.

8.Nc3 was probably not the best way to develop, 8.c3 - idea Nb1-a3-c4/b5 - may have been better.

[Edit] 12.Bg5 did not seem to help White - is there a better square for that bishop?

17.Ne5?! allowed Black to start to get an advantage (17.c3 was probably necessary to maintain the balance, but Black would have already at least equalised) by 17... Nd4...

22.c3?! (ironically) led to needless complications (22.Nf3 would have been safer for White).

22... Qb7 was a good answer and the beginning of the end for White, since 23.cxd4? (23.f3 Nf5... would have left Black with a space advantage after 24.Nf4, or Nc4, Pe5) f5... led to Black winning rook for knight.


26...Rdd5 was unnecessary (26... Rxd3 instead and Black would have won a pawn, too.)

29.f4?? was an interesting positional blunder, but even Barry S's idea - 29.Qh5 g6 30.Qf3 Qg7... would have left White struggling for a draw, at best.

soheil_hooshdaran
Posts: 3148
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:24 pm

Re: What was my mistake?

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sat Nov 21, 2015 3:31 pm

John McKenna wrote:
Barry Sandercock wrote:Soheil Hooshdaran wrote:
So where did I go wrong ?

I think your move 29. f4 was the main error. It left your King open to attack after his 29..Rd2. Better, would have been 29.Qh5 so as to get the Queen back to f3 with defence for the King's position.
I agree with Barry S, and would just add - the 2.Qe2!? Chigorin variation led to no opening advantage for White.

8.Nc3 was probably not the best way to develop, 8.c3 - idea Nb1-a3-c4/b5 - may have been better.

17.Ne5?! allowed Black to start to get an advantage (17.c3 was probably necessary to maintain the balance, but Black would have already at least equalised) by 17... Nd4...

22.c3?! (ironically) led to needless complications (22.Nf3 would have been safer for White).

22... Qb7 was a good answer and the beginning of the end for White, since 23.cxd4? (23.f3 Nf5... would have left Black with a space advantage after 24.Nf4, or Nc4, Pe5) f5... led to Black winning rook for knight.


26...Rdd5 was unnecessary (26... Rxd3 instead and Black would have won a pawn, too.)

29.f4?? was a blunder, but even Barry S's idea - 29.Qh5 g6 30.Qf3 Qg7... would have left White struggling for a draw, at best.
It'd be very fortunate to draw the then Junior champion of Iran.

I avoided c3 lest the d3 pawn becomes backward.

Your 22.f3 would give Black an edge since the position would be very static and the pawn structure would favor Black after 23...e5 .

Post Reply