MusiqueWand - Uwak private match. Game #4

My first win against the mighty Uwak!

I hardly know much about this strange opening myself so I don’t feel that it’s my place to go into elaborate explanations. It is called the Bronstein Gambit, or the Elephant Gambit, or something else... I'm not sure.

As you’ll see the simple idea ( like in most gambits ) is to gambit a pawn in order to secure a central duo and open lines.

I’ve tried many things against Uwak and each time he was able to win.
Uwak told me once that tactics is all he really knows or understands. I took that as an advice and prepared something completely different! I decided to fight fire with fire! It bloody worked!

While the game is only mildly annotated it is still fun to follow.


[Event "ICC"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2011.02.19"]
[Round "?"]
[White "MusiqueWand"]
[Black "Uwak"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A45"]
[WhiteElo "2354"]
[BlackElo "2379"]
[Annotator ",USER"]
[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "2011.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. g4 



2… d5 

(It is correct to capture, 2... Nxg4. White would then play 3. e4 afterwhich there are two main replies and both are decent.

A) 3… d5 is met by 4. e5

B) 3... d6 and here white can play 4. Be2 or 4. h3 which comically enough can create a strange Pirc structure with 4… Nf6 5. Nc3 g6) 

3. g5 Ne4 4. f3 Nd6 5. Nc3! 



5… e6 

(Most players played 5... c6 against me but White is fine after 6. e4 dxe4 7. fxe4) 

6. e4 Be7 

(6... dxe4? 7. fxe4 Be7 allows White to comfortably develop with 8. Nf3) 

7. h4 h6 8. Nh3 hxg5 9. Bxg5 



(There is nothing wrong with 9. hxg5 but seeing how undeveloped Black is I felt White should speed his Queen Side castling plan and start to make serious noise!) 

9... f6? 10. Be3! Rxh4??! 



{This is both bad and dubious. A classical beginner’s mistake I had not imagined Uwak will ever fall for. Perhaps he was just having a weird chess day. It happens to us all. Either way, going pawn hunting at such an early stage when you’re miles away from castling your King into safety is suicidal.}

11. Qd2 dxe4 12. fxe4 e5 

(12... Nxe4? 13. Nxe4 Rxe4 14. Nf2 wins the exchange.) 

13. dxe5 Nf7!?? 

(Interesting but probably bad. His intentions were clear, he did not feel right about ruining his pawn structure even more but 13... fxe5 was better because that would force White to play 14. Qg2 or otherwise if 14. O-O-O Black has the annoying 14…Bg4) 

14. Qg2! 



14... Rg4!? 

(Seeing the Queen’s attacking line all the way to the g-pawn Black decided to put a stop to it…. But with what cost?! Perhaps 14... Nxe5 was better) 

15. Qf2! Nxe5 16. Be2 

(This was a critical moment. I was actually entertaining a very “cool” idea. 16. Nd5 c6 17. O-O-O?!? cxd5 18. Rxd5  and White has ALL his pieces fully developed and ready to attack. Whether this idea is sound or not is yet to be determine but practically speaking it would be interesting to try. I suppose I just didn’t feel like throwing away my positional plus for a vague tactical one. especially not against a State champ!) 

16... c6! 

{He saw the idea of Nd5 and stopped it!}

17. Bd4 

(Many candidates here, 17. Ng5, 17. Rd1, 17. Nf4 but I wanted to Castle long!) 

17... Qa5 18. O-O-O 



{White finished his development}

18... Be6 19. Nf4 Rxf4 20. Qxf4 Nf7 21. Rh7 Nd7 22. Rxg7 O-O-O 23. Bg4 



Bxg4 24. Qxg4 Nfe5 25. Qe6 Bf8 26. Rxd7 1-0

 

As usual you can find this game on my ICC library, game number 51