Analysis Contest
I entered a chess analysis contest. The question:
After the common King’s Indian moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Be2 e5 7.0–0 we suddenly run into a series of “strange” moves that, to many people, won’t make much sense: 7…Na6 8.Re1 Qe8 9.Bf1 Bg4 10.d5 Nb4 11.Be2 a5 12.Rb1 Na6 13.Bg5 Bd7 14.Nd2 Kh8 15.Bxf6. Explain the meaning behind each White and Black move from 7…Na6 to 15.Bxf6.
My Answer:
7. ... Na6
at first 7. ... Na6 seems illogical. Nc6 seems to suggest itself, i.e. it is more natural. 7. ... Na6, while optically strange, is a strong move becuase it a) develops a piece b) eyes the dark squares b4 and c5, which fits well with black's overall dark square plan and c) holds up the immediate b4, and expansion on the queenside by white, unlike in the line 7. ... Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4 etc.
8. Re1
this is a strong move because it brings a piece to bare on the centre. the rook should overprotect the e4 pawn (when the bishop gets out of the way) in case black decides to give up the centre with e5xd4 (with moves Re8 and Nc5 comming)
8. ... Qe8
this move threatens to win a pawn with exd4 and Nxe4. it is also removes the threat of Bg5 pinning the knight against the queen - and does so with tempo because white must protect his e pawn. it has a slight negative (if the centre opens) in that the black queen is now in the same file as the white rook.
9. Bf1
white protects his e pawn thusly becuase the other options Bd3 and Qd3 both run into 9. ... Nb4 by black, winning a tempo. if 9. d5 Nc5! 10. Bf1 a5! seems excellent for black.
9. ... Bg4
black develops a piece and pins white's knight against the queen. white's d4 pawn is threatend (exd4) because of discoveries along the a1-h8 diagonal after white recaptures with the queen.
10. d5
white defends his d pawn, gains space on the queenside, and relieves the tension in the centre. the c5 square is not immediately habitable by the black knight (10 ... Nc5 11. b4!). black must first secure his outpost.
10. ... Nb4
black wants to put his knight on the c5 square, where it will pressure the centre, but he must first stop white from simply playing b4, and chasing the knight away. so, Nb4 prepares a5. if white plays a3, then black will probobly play Bxf3 smashing whites kingside, and then retreat his knight. playing 10. ... Bxf3 immediately is another plan that black could have opted for here.
11. Be2
white stops the threat of 11. ... Bxf3 12.gxf3 (12. Qxf3 Nc2+-) destroying his king position.
11. ... a5
black follows up with his plan of gaining space, playing on the dark squares and securing the c5 square for his knight.
12. Rb1
white fights against blacks plan on the queenside. if white can get in a3 and b4 he will have the better of things on the queenside. black must either stop this plan, or develop a counter initiative on the kingside.
12. ... Na6
eyeing the c5 square.
13. Bg5
with the center fixed, white decides that his bishop is less useful than black's kings knight, and desires to swap.
13. ... Bd7
black retreats his bishop to a more useful square, as the pin of the white knight has been relieved. with the centre closed, subtle maneurving like this will be the norm.
14. Nd2
white wishes to trade his useless light squared bishop for black's potentially active one with Bg4.
14. ... Kh8
this strange move looks like a "pass". if this is the best that black has, then black can not be more than equal. black waits for white to makes some desicions.
15. Bxf6
with Bxf6 and presumably Bg4 and Bxd7 to follow, white hopes that his knights will be better than black's poor dark squared bishop and queenside knight. moves like a3 and b4 for white are also comming. black will probably try to transfer his knight to the kingside or trade it for whites knight, as there doesnt seem to be a way to stop whites queenside plan. black will also try for f5 and play on the kingside.
