Sordid vs. Rekursiv

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[Event "ICS Unrated atomic match"]
[Site "freechess.org"]
[Date "2007.09.19"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Sordid"]
[Black "Rekursiv"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2402"]
[BlackElo "2172"]
[Variant "atomic"]
[TimeControl "300+5"]

1. e3 e6 2. Na3

{
This second move, sometimes played first (1. Na3) 
was first seriously played and analyzed by yokke 
(a great opening innovator at FICS).  It was soon 
taken seriously by the likes of tipau and others.
The move does have some logic behind it.  The 
knight on a3 is not subject to being pinned by Bb4 as
a knight on c3 would.  Also, even though Black can 
quickly contain the knight with pawn to b5 (which
makes the adage "knights on the rim are dim" seem 
to apply to atomic as well in certain cases), 
the knight can still serve a useful purpose.  
Namely, after 1. e3 e6 2. Na3 b5, White can play a bishop
to d3 in some lines without fearing Bb4 c3 Bxc3 
because if Bb4 then White has Nxb5.  

That being said, the fad of Na3 seems to be largely 
over at FICS even though the resulting opening
lines have never been fully resolved.
}

2... b5 3. Nf3 f6

{
This is better than 3. ... Qf6? which would be 
subject to a quick attack with 4. Bd3.
}

4. Bd3 g6 5. Ne5

{
White is initiating what I call the "yokke tactic".  
White offers the knight for the f6 pawn because then 
Qf3 bears down the f-file and if Black blocks that 
file by putting a piece on f6, then White has 
Bxg6.  Yokke has been key in developing this as 
a tactical theme in several different openings
(although he is certainly not the first to ever play it).
}

5... fxe5 6. Qf3 Bb4

{
I first saw this move in a game "tipau vs. wildkiller" 
in which wildkiller surprised tipau by getting
an initiative.  Black knows he will be a pawn down 
if he plays 6. ... Nf6 instead, so he chooses
to sacrifice the b5 pawn.  He will get some compensation.
}

7. Nxb5

{
7. Nxb5 seems better than 7. Bxb5 because the 
bishop on d3 should stay put to
continue the threat of Bxg6.
}

7... Qh4 8. Kd1

{
White doesn't want to give his pawn back with 8. g3 Qxg3.
}

8... Qg4

{
The White queen is pinned and Black hasn't 
had to play Nf6 at all.  Now since
Black is threatening Qxg2, White will trade queens.
}

9. Qxg4 Ba6

{
Black challenges the pesky bishop that is 
keeping the Black king's knight off of f6 and h6.
To take stock of the position, Black is down a 
pawn (actually he has a minor piece for
two pawns), but his compensation is that the 
White king is stuck in the center with no 
castling rights.  Black will try to develop 
quickly and open a file for his rooks.
}

10. b3 d5 11. Ba3 c5 12. Kc1

{
12. Kc1? looks terrible.  Black is poised to 
open the c-file for a rook.
}

12... d4 13. e4

{
Now we see a common tactical position has 
arisen.  With Black's pawn on d4 and 
the White king on the c-file, Black will 
try to open the c-file and place a rook on c8.
Then White's c-pawn cannot advance to block 
the rook without being captured by
Black's pawn on d4.  Black is probably 
already won here.
}

13... Nc6

{
13.  ... Nc6!  White cannot play 
14. Bxc5 because of 14. ... Rc8.
}

14. f4

{
White tries to open the f-file for one of 
his rooks, but there is no time.
}

14... Nb4 15. Bxb4 c4 16. Bf1 Nf6

{
Black calmly develops, planning on castling 
and transferring a second rook to
the queen's wing. Black felt that the 
immediate 16. ... cxb3 wasn't enough to
win:  16. ... cxb3 17. Bb5+ Bxb5 
18. Kd1 Rc8 19. Ke2 etc.
}

17. Be2 Ng4 18. Bxg4 cxb3

{
Black is threatening to win with Rc8, so 
White has no time to block the bishop 
with d3; he must get his king out with Kd1.
}

19. Kd1 Be2 20. Ke1

{
We've reached a typical tactical position 
with the White king trapped in the middle
and the Black bishop watching over him.  
This means that White cannot use the
f-file (or d-file) for his rooks, and Black 
has time to break through with his two rooks.
}

20... Rb8 21. Rb1 Rb2 22. Rxb2 e5

{
Black breaks open the f-file and White has 
no defense against Rh8-f8-f1.
}

23. h4 exf4 24. Rh3 Rf8 25. Rf3 Bxf3

{
White has no breathing room for his king.  
The Black rook wins.
}

26. d3 Rf1 27. Ke2 Rf2 28. Ke1 Re2 29. Kd1 Rxc2
0-1