Chess/Sample chess game

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This is a sample game of chess, recorded in standard algebraic chess notation, and accompanied by commentary.

White has the first move, and therefore a significant initiative. White wins 10% more often than Black simply on the power of that initiative. It is important not to squander the opening advantage with a move that does nothing.

[edit] Moves 1-5

[edit] 1. e4

White chooses an excellent move, common among beginners and experts alike. The move has several advantages.

1. It stakes out territory in the center. Whichever player controls the center with pawns will probably be able to find good squares for his pieces.
2. It opens a diagonal for the king's bishop to move out and attack, which also facilitates king side castling
3. It opens a diagonal for the queen to move out and attack.

This move accomplishes the two most important concepts of any opening move: 1. Develop a piece, or facilitates the development of a piece, and 2. Affects the center.

[edit] 1... e5

This move for Black is good for the same reasons listed above. Note that the two e-file pawns are not threatening to capture each other, because pawns capture diagonally. Instead they merely block each other until something breaks the logjam.

[edit] 2. Nf3

White makes another fine move. White is mobilizing forces by bringing a knight forward into attack position. Because the white knight is attacking black's e pawn, white is maintaining the initiative by forcing black to react. So now black's choice of moves are restricted to moves that defend the pawn or he might lose the pawn. The initiative may appear to offer a slight edge but at the hands of a master it can be deadly.

White could have moved out the queen instead, but that would be dangerous. The queen is too valuable to trade for any other piece, so it can't do much by itself unless the opponent carelessly leaves pieces unprotected. So your opponent can keep attacking your queen with different pieces. And while you are simply moving your queen around, your opponent will be able to keep developing his pieces. It is better to wait until there are other pieces in the fray which can serve as shock troops for her highness.

White also could have moved out the light-squared bishop. That would not be a bad idea, but it isn't clear yet whether the bishop wants to be at c4, b5, or possibly even behind the pawns. The knight, on the other hand, usually goes to f3 anyway, because the other squares it could move to are inferior. On h3 it would not attack the center, and on e2 it would be temporarily in the way.

[edit] 2... f6?

Black makes a worthless move, entering the infamous Damiano Defence. Black needed to defend his pawn with either 2...Nc6 (main line) or 2...d6 (Philidor Defense), or counter-attack White's pawn with 2...Nf6 (Petrov's Defence). If Black felt brave, he could also venture into the murky waters of 2...f5 (Latvian Gambit) or 2...d5 (Elephant Gambit). Either knight move would maintain the balance of the game by contesting the center.

Black has failed to follow the principles here without any compensation. He has affected the center, but the move 2. ...d6 would have done and gained some control in the queen side. Also he has not developed a piece nor has he facilitated the development of a piece. 2. ...Nc6 develops and gains control in the center, 2. ...d6 gains some control on the c8-h3 diagonal and facilitates the development of the light squared bishop. Black has also weakened his King side. Any pawn moves in front of a castled king can be useful weaknesses for the opponent. Since pawns cannot go backwards you should be very cautious of any pawn moves on the side you wish to castle on.

The moves 2...f5 and 2...d5 seem to not adhere to the principles. Why have these moves been brought up? The fact is the best moves in a position will sometimes break principle, but they will offer compensation for whatever gains are lost by not following the principle. So in a sense the principles tell us what questions to ask ourselves when making a move, such as "Should I develop now?" So it is important to understand the principles in order to decide if you are getting enough compensation. It is very bad to blindly do whatever the principles dictate.

The move 2...f6 appears to defend the threatened e-pawn, but this is an illusion, as the game shall demonstrate. Black has weakened the kingside, allowing attacks on the f7 square, which is protected by nothing other than the king itself.

[edit] 3. Nxe5

White attacks immediately, sacrificing the white knight for two pawns, although generally White would need three pawns for the knight to have material equality. White can't calculate far enough ahead to know if the sacrifice will pay off, therefore the move is a gamble and not really advisable without looking at the alternatives. In this position White has a nice alternative 3. d4 adding more pressure to the center and if black takes 3...exd4 4. Nf3 gives White considerable more control in the centre and importantly Black King is vulnerable to be attacked with White playing Qh5+ as some stage.

So 3. Nxe5 seems like a very poor move. White has only one developed piece, only his queen and queen side knight can move and his king is still in the center. His objective right now is to get developed! Here he has broken principle, he has neglected development and moved a piece that is already developed a second time. However, White sees that the move wins a pawn, which here takes precedence over other considerations. It is a valuable center-pawn, so Black is unlikely to get compensation, especially as there is no easy way to further his development after the awkward 2...f6? taking away his knight's best square. If the pawn is recouped with Qe7, White calculates that he reaches a position where his development is better! White also notes that if the knight is taken, then play can proceed along the main theme of the position: Attack against the weakened Black king. If you have worked out through analysis of the possibilities that a given move is the best, then you play it regardless of principles, which are only 'signposts' on the way to move selection.