Sunday, April 8, 2012

Silly Easter game

After 1.d4 d6 Black can transpose to a Pirc after 2.e4 Nf6 (2...e5!? is also playable, except in Seirawan chess) 3.Nc3 g6, and hopes for 2.c4?! e5!, when the databases already show a plus score for Black, especially if White plays 3.dxe5 (3.Nc3! is best) dxe5 4.Qxd8+. I played 2.Nf3, expecting a transposition to the King's Indian after 2...Nf6 3.c4 g6. After Black's actual move, 2...Nd7, I played 3.e4, anticipating 3...e5 4.Bc4!, when Black has transposed into the inferior Hanham Variation of Philidor's Defense. Instead, Black played 3...b6. After my 4.Bc4, he should have played 4...e6! heading for the offbeat but playable Hippopotamus Defense. Instead, 4...c5? allowed a winning bishop sacrifice: 5.Bxf7+! Kxf7 6.Ng5+. Now best was 6...Ke8 7.Ne6, when Black loses queen and pawn for two minor pieces but at least avoids mate. If Black had tried to save his queen with 6...Kg6? 7.Ne6 Qe8?, I would have mated with 8.Qg4+ Kf7 (8...Kf6 9.Qf5#) 9.Ng5+! Kg6 10.Qf5+ Kh6 11.Nf7#. Poor NN stumbled into 6...Kf6? 7.Qf3+, and then resigned in light of 7...Kg6 8.Qf7+ Kh6 9.Ne6+ g5 10.Bxg5#.

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