00001.4.4 Analyzed by National Master Corey Russell
1.e4
Nf6
2.d3
d6
3.Nc3
Nfd7
A very bad move. In the opening stages of the game, do NOT move a piece twice without first developing your other pieces, except to prevent loss of material. In the beginning, there are 3 elements that are very important: 1) Development -- getting pieces out of their home squares 2) Center control, and 3) space. Black should've staked some central control by playing either ...c5 or ...e5.
4.Be3
e6
5.Nf3
Because of black's particularly passive play, there's no reason white should not do 5. f4! right away to gain more SPACE and central control (e5 square). Notice white plays f4 later anyways, albeit after a lot of maneuvering.
5...Be7
6.Qe2
b6
7.0-0-0
Bb7
8.Kb1
There isn't a good reason for this move. Simply 8. d4, staking claim in the center and opening up the f1-a6 diagonal for the white's light-squared bishop is more logical.
8...a6
Again, black needs to control the center. ...c5! and Nc6! would give black a fighting chance.
9.d4
0-0
10.e5
Good! You're locking up the center to give yourself a free hand on the king-side.
10...d5
11.h4
Nc6
VERY bad. Black needs open lines for his pieces, including . ...c5! is the natural way to do that, followed by ..Nc6, ...Rc8, and mabe ...cxd4. This would also weaken white's protection of his e5 pawn once the d4 pawn falls. The general principle is: Attack the base of pawn chains. For white, this is e6, and for black it is d4. Note that eventually, White indeed does attack the base of black's pawn chain, which was black's fatal error.
12.g3
h6
Black should've avoided weakening his king position. Again, ..Na5 and ...c5 was mandatory. White could've taken advantage of this mistake by playing 13. g4!, followed by h5, Rg1, and g5 opening up lines on black's king side immediately.
13.Nh2
Re8
Black misses many chances to play ...c5, which is his correct plan.
14.f4
Na5
15.b3
This weakens your king position unnecessarily. Since there is no threat, white can play g4! with a strong attack. For example, if 15. ... Bxh4 16. Nf3 Be7 17. g5, and white opens the h-file to fatal effect, because of mate threats involving Qh2. And if black declines white's pawn, white can simply play g5, opening up black's king side.
15...Nb8
16.Qf3
Qd7
17.Bd3
Bb4
18.Bd2
Nbc6
Of course, ...c5! would be very strong for black. For example, 18. .. . c5 19. Ne2 Bxd2 20. Rxd2 c4 21. bxc4 Nxc4 22. Bxc4 (forced because of the ... Qb5+, Ka1, Qb2 mate threat) dxc4 23. Qf1 Bxh1 would leave black with a winning position!
19.Ne2
Bxd2
20.Rxd2
Rad8
21.f5
Na7
22.f6
N5c6
23.h5
Good constriction move! White now has a winning position.
23...Nb5
24.Qg4
g5
25.hxg6
Na3+
26.Ka1
Nxc2+
27.Rxc2
Kf8
28.Nf3
This wins, but the fastest win is 28. g7+ Kg8 29. Qh5, with the idea of Qxh6 and Qh8 checkmate.
28...fxg6
29.Qxg6
Re7
30.Rxh6
Good! Playing only for mate, as the rook on e7 is irrelevant. The pawn on f6 is very dangerous to black's king position.
30...Rh7
31.Rxh7
Qxh7
32.Qxh7
a5
33.Qh8+
Kf7
34.Ng5#
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