Importance of the center

Hi, it's been awhile since I posted a game, this game is one I played against a friend who goes by the handle "Lethe" and "Where is my mind"

The game is annotated by him with only some comments by myself since I thought he did a better job of the analysis.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.Nf3 Bg7 8.e4 Bxf1 9.Kxf1 d6 10.h3 0–0 11.Kg1 Na6 12.Kh2 Qa5

"played by Sofia Polar in the game Igla,Bella - Polgar,Sofia 0-1 2001. Polgars plan in this game is great!I could not get the ideas from Igla,Bella - Polgar,Sofia into this game though."

13.Qe2

this seems to be a novelty - Dark Horse

13...Rfb8 14.Rd1 Nd7

"better is 14...Nc7 with the plan of playing Nb5 and trading Knights and Queens,this is a good plan for black in the Benko, for example after 14...Nc7 15.a3 Nb5 16.Nxb5 Qxb5 17.Qb5"

While 14...Nc7 may be Black's best option, the position is full of posibilities and hopefully some Master games may test this line.

Also, there is potential for improving at White's 14th move. - Dark Horse

15.Bg5 Re8 16.Qd2 Nb4 17.a3 Na6 18.Rdc1 Rac8 19.Bh6 Bh8 20.Rab1 Rb8 21.Nd1!




"Here I was happy to trade the queens not realizing the greater aim to this move."

I played this move to make the DSB and Knight really powerful and offset blacks rook activity nicely, 29.f3 also achieved this aim. - Dark Horse

21...Qxd2 22.Nxd2

"If 22.Bxd2 Nc7±"

22...Ne5 23.Rc2 Nd3 24.Nc4 Ne5 25.Nde3 Rb3 26.Na5 Rb5 27.Nec4 Nxc4 28.Nxc4 Reb8 29.f3! Nc7



"A waste of a move. Thinking to play e6 at a some stage. Better is 29...Rb3 30.Kg3±"

30.Bf4 Bg7 31.Rd1 Bxb2 32.a4

"I was planning(hoping for?)this 32.Rxb2?! Rxb2 33.Nxb2 Rxb2"

32...Rb3 33.e5



"If 33.Nxb2?! Rxb2 34.Rxb2 Rxb2 ; 33.Rxb2?! Rxb2 34.Nxb2 Rxb2"

33...Bxe5 34.Nxe5 R8b4 35.Bg3 Rxa4?



"If white plays 36.Nc4 then black is still in the game.Better is 35...Rb1 36.Rxb1 Rxb1"

36.Nc6 Kf8

"If 36...Kg7 37.Nxe7 Nb5 38.Nc8"

37.Re2 1-0

"now the e-pawn falls and the position crumbles"