J. Zhu vs S. Finn

jQuery(document).ready(function($) { var selector = '#' + "rpbchessboard-6475d1738fbff-1" + ' .rpbchessboard-chessgameAnchor'; RPBChessboard.renderPGN($(selector), {"pgn":"[Event \"World Team East\"] [Site \"Internet Chess Club\"] [Date \"2021.02.14\"] [Round \"5\"] [White \"Zhu, Jenny\"] [Black \"Finn, Sean\"] [Result \"0-1\"] [ECO \"E83\"] [Annotator \"macmo\"] [PlyCount \"78\"] [EventDate \"2021.??.??\"] [SourceDate \"2014.01.17\"] [TimeControl \"3600+10\"] {In this game our board 3 player, Sean Finn, won a vital game in our push towards victory as a team. It was the fifth round of the tournament and after a loss on board 4 we needed a resounding performance on the final 3 boards to get the win. Sean came through with flying colors in an opening that he has a lifetime of experience in.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nge2 O-O 6. f3 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8. Rc1 e5 $6 {Most likely this is not the best move here. Black’s most common plan in this variation is to play Bd7 with the idea of protecting the c6-knight in order to play b7-b5 at a later time.} (8... Bd7 $1) (8... Rb8 9. Qd2 Bd7 {This is another way to achieve the same plan.}) 9. d5 $1 {White closes the center and gains time against the knight on c6.} Ne7 10. Qd2 Nh5 {[#]} (10... Ne8 $1 {This was the best option for Black. As usual in the King’s Indian, black needs some kind of pawn strike against the white center. The most common way to achieve this is playing f7-f5. Once black plays this they can focus their attention on the kingside and center where they will have a space advantage. Sean’s move in the game aims to accomplish the same thing but unfortuntely gives White a nice response.}) 11. Bh6 $2 (11. g4 $1 {This is a move that all Samisch players should be alert to! White can always entertain the idea of a kingside attack and here there is no reason not to play it.} Nf4 {This is the typical reply to g2-g4 but this ends up playing into white’s hands here.} 12. Nxf4 exf4 13. Bxf4 f5 14. h3 $1 {White has a complete grip on the position. Black lacks counterplay in return for the pawn.}) 11... f5 (11... Bxh6 12. Qxh6 f5) 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 {This exchange significantly helps black. It removes black’s worst piece and leaves White weak on the dark-squares. There are openings like the Dragon Sicilian in which White tries to eliminate Black’s dark-squared bishop to help create an attack but in the King’s Indian it is black who is focusing on the kingside.} 13. Ng3 $1 Nf4 (13... Nxg3 $2 14. hxg3 {White would be poised for a dangerous attack.}) 14. h4 h6 (14... Ng8 { This was also a good option.}) 15. Nce2 fxe4 $2 (15... Nxe2 $1 16. Bxe2 f4 $1 17. Nf1 c5 $1 {Black has an overwhelming space advantage here.}) 16. fxe4 $2 ( 16. Nxe4 $1 {White absolutely has to get the knight back into the center so that it has a purpose. On g3 it is dominated by the Black pawn on g6.}) 16... c5 {A nice idea by Sean to help limit white’s counterplay while also getting ready for Black to open up a second front with the move b7-b5.} 17. Nxf4 Rxf4 18. Be2 Ng8 $1 {A strong maneuver by Sean. It will bring the knight back to the center where it exerts pressure on e4 and helps cover other important kingside squares.} 19. h5 g5 {A position like this illustrates why it is in Black’s interest to trade off the dark-squared bishops. Black’s dark-squared bishop would be completely shut in, while now white has the same problem for his bishop.} (19... Qg5 {This was also good.}) 20. Rf1 b5 $2 (20... Bd7 $1 { It was best to prepare more before opening up the queenside.}) 21. Kd1 $2 (21. b4 $1 {A surprising resource! After this move White is right back in the game. The center becomes very unstable and white’s pieces will activate.} cxb4 22. c5 {The game becomes very complicated. Black’s pieces on the back row are seriously misplaced to deal with all the action taking place in the center here.}) 21... Nf6 22. Qd3 $2 (22. b4 $1 {This is White’s last chance to create some play for himself. Black has an advantage but it is still a fight.}) 22... bxc4 23. Qxc4 Rb8 $1 {Now Sean is total control. White’s pawns are overextended and Black has tremendous counterplay on the dark-squares.} 24. Kc2 Rb4 $1 {White’s position collapses.} 25. Qd3 Rd4 26. Qc3 Nxe4 27. Nxe4 Rdxe4 28. Bd3 Rd4 29. Kb1 Qf6 $1 {I remember watching the game while playing mine and thinking that Sean is setting a trap for his opponent. Although it looks like Black is simply making a developing move there is a hidden threat behind it.} (29... Rxd3 $4 30. Qxd3 Bf5 31. Qxf5 Rxf5 32. Rxf5 $11 {This would be an absolute disaster for Black. White’s rooks are going to be very active and there will always be problems for the Black king.}) 30. g3 $2 {[#] White doesn’t notice Black’s idea. One thing I like to remind students of is that you always have to be alert to your opponent’s active moves. Instead of moving the f4-rook, black has a different, much better option.} Rxd3 31. gxf4 (31. Qxd3 Bf5 $1 {This was the idea. Now the key difference is that Black has the bishop on f5 defended by the queen as well as the rook.} 32. Qxf5 Qxf5+ { With a clear win.}) 31... Rxc3 {Black’s advantage here is completely unstoppable. Sean advances his kingside pawns and White soon resigns.} 32. Rxc3 exf4 33. Ka1 g4 34. Rc2 f3 35. Rcf2 Bf5 36. Rg1 Qg5 37. a4 Be4 38. a5 g3 39. 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