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anaxagoras

Here is an interesting game that was cut short because of my opponent's timeout. Frown  It's an irregular Indian defense with 2...b5.  I can't remember if I had ever encountered this move before.  When I searched at chessgames.com the only similar game I could find was a Kasparov loss with white! Surprised  Anyway, Kasparov accepted the gambit all the way with cxb5 and even bxa6.  I declined the latter capture and focused on development instead.  Over all, I think white had a nice game going here, except I blew the initiative when I failed to protect my proud Knight at e5 with an exchange of my bishop for Black's knight.  Anyway, here is the game...  What do you think?

billwall
Very interesting game.  Brand_X is a very strong player (I couldn't beat him) and I wonder how he was going to continue.  It looks like he is going to remain a pawn down.  After 18.Rc1 Qxe5 19.Bc3 Qc7 20.Bxd7 Rd8  21.Bb5 Ra8, he really doesn't have anything else.  Both players have 2 bishops a rook and a queen.  This game will prabably fizzle to a draw.  Interesting opening 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 b5.  Very rare.
Don1
10...axb5! threatens 11 Bxa2 isolating Black's b-pawn and regains the gambit pawn. think 8 bxa6 was stronger. On 18 Bc3 closes the c-file & preserves material then fight for the a-file and prepare to start advancing the b-pawn.
Etienne
Wow nice game! Too bad he got timeout, I would have liked to see the rest! Maybe you can play a friendly game with him going back to this position? I don't think I can add anything to your analysis though... Maybe we can start making some analysis about this gambit and popularize it through the website, and call it the chess.com gambit? Cool
billwall

I have at least 7 games in my database with 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 b5.  It is called the Pyrenees Gambit.  My only encounter with it was this game:

Wall - DVS, Internet 1998.  1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 b5 3.cxb5 a6 4.bxa6 Bxa6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.e4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1 O-O 9.e5 Ne8 10.Qb3 e6 11.Bg5 Qc8 12.Be7 and I eventually won. 

anaxagoras

Don1, you overlook something with 10...axb5 11 Bxb5 and if

11...Rxa2?

12 Rxa2 Bxa2

13 b3!

Similar if 11...Bxa2?  That was part of the reason for 10 Bd2, so that the white rooks would be connected if White had to play b3 and cover the pawn with the queen. 

 

I agree that 8 bxa6 was stronger.  I sometimes take too long to pull the trigger.Embarassed

 

Lastly, 18 Bc3 does not close the c-file.  By definition, a file is open if there are no pawns on it.  Pieces on a file can always leave it very quickly, which is why we still say a file is open even if there are peices on it (besides rooks and queens).

 

______________________

 

BillWall, when I found other games with this game, a lot of them contained similar themes to the game you show here.  The e4 pawn comes out, and after the bishop exchange the White king is on f1.  I'd be curious to see the whole game because I wasn't so happy with the idea of playing e.g. g3, Kg2, Re1, etc.  One thing I do like more from your opponent DVS is the idea of g6 and Bg7.  It seems like the only way to target White's queenside and hold up his development.

billwall
Wall - DVS, Internet 1998.  1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 b5 3.cxb5 a6 4.bxa6 Bxa6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.e4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1 O-O 9.e5 Ne8 10.Qb3 e6 11.Bg5 Qc8 12.Be7 Nc6 13.Bxf8 Bxf8 14.h4 Rb8 15.Qc2 Qa6+ 16.Kg1 Qb6 17.Qd2 Qxb2 18.Rb1 Qa3 19.Rxb8 Nxb8 20.Qc2 Nc6 21.h5 Ng7 22.hxg6 hxg6 23.Qd2 Nd5 24.d3 Nce7 25.dxe6 dxe6 26.Ng5 Nd5 27.Nxd5 exd5 28.Nh7 Bg7 29.Nf6+ Bxf6 30.exf6 Qd6 31.g4  1-0
Creg

<Anaxagoras> I too played Brandx and he used the same opening on me, but like Bill I took the pawn on a6. I eventually entered a complicated middle-game, then missed a simple reply on his part and lost the game.

 

I like your thoughts, and chosen actions within your game better. Don1 is right, at move 8 taking the a6 pawn is the way to go. Your opponent is certainly a strong player, and he chooses these off beat openings as they require good end-game skill to prove them wrong, which you were well on your way of doing.

 

As for  15...Nc6 you are correct that 16. Bxc6 is stronger. If black re-takes with the pawn you can begin piling on the pressure with Rc1 and Qa6 etc. Regardless, I think your thought process was excellent throughout the game.

Don1
sorry anaxagoras: i even saw b3!, don't know y i thought the R would be unprotected, if it was only guarded by the Q then Bxb3!, sorry again. when i said closed i meant temporarily from any possible back rank penetration. i still like 18 Bc3 'cause it protects the b- & e-pawn(which is cramping Black's position.
anaxagoras

No need to apologize!  I should have included that response in the original analysis, since I was definitely thinking about it during the game.

I tried a couple of chess engines and they all agree with your18 Bc3, but after 18...Ra8 you need to find 19 Qd4, and Black is still going to attack the g2 pawn with Qb7 or even Bxg2 on the spot.  Good job finding the right move.

Don1
to be honest i didn't even see the danger on the a8-h1 diagonal. i think when i analyze i should get my head more into the position. perhaps that's y my rating is only 1600+. Or mental(chess) laziness!
anaxagoras
Get a chess board out when you play here, set up the position as is you were the other side, and think of the meanest moves possible.Laughing
Don1
anaxagoras wrote: Get a chess board out when you play here, set up the position as is you were the other side, and think of the meanest moves possible.

yes, i thought of that. but i don't even do that for most of my turn-based games unless it's a very complex position or a semi+-complex endgame where i'm trying to max. my advantage. using a board & thinking more deeply about positions is the right way to improve my play & an analysis. Thanks.

TheRealThreat
Good game Anaxagoras. Very interesting. I love it.I am learning alot from you guys. Very soon I will be stronge enough to challenge. 
Don1
matzleeach wrote: Good game Anaxagoras. Very interesting. I love it.I am learning alot from you guys. Very soon I will be stronge enough to challenge. 

that's y we're there(i hope) communal competition, the best of both worlds. hope everyone will improve their game & enjoyment of chess to whatever level they seek or find comfort. 

tanmay_chakrabarti
I like to congratulate you as you own this game. Your position is not very good at this point,though you had a pass-pawn. I want to say your pawn structure was not good. And it is not difficult to stop or capture the isolated pawn you had at b-flank
tbirdtird
Maybe black is simply trying to get a gambit he thinks is sound and knows well, but then he did run out of time.  I really enjoyed this game well played!
Etienne
tanmay_chakrabarti wrote: I like to congratulate you as you own this game. Your position is not very good at this point,though you had a pass-pawn. I want to say your pawn structure was not good. And it is not difficult to stop or capture the isolated pawn you had at b-flank

 Why wouldn't it be difficult? All White's pieces are this side there to protect the pawn, black will probably have a hard time stopping the pawn, let alone capture it. As for the pawn structure, there's not so much problem, as if the e5 pawn is gone anyways, white is still a pawn up after Bxd7. Black will be very much taken protecting the e6 pawn AND stopping the passed pawn. I'd much rather play white in this position.