Hikaru Nakamura vs Pentala Harikrishna (2008) The Headless Horseman

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Hikaru Nakamura vs Pentala Harikrishna
"The Headless Horseman" (game of the day Oct-30-2011)
Dresden Olympiad (2008), Dresden GER, rd 9, Nov-22
Hungarian Opening: General (A00) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Nov-22-08		whiskeyrebel: A fun game. Go Naka!

Nov-22-08		Jim Bartle: I play this opening as white all the time...

Nov-22-08		euripides: Reti would have appreciated the knight manoeuvres, though he might have been taken aback by the Qside castling. Beautiful stuff.

Nov-22-08		whiskeyrebel: I thought of Suttles while looking at the opening moves; pehaps this game is a salute to his pals in Vancouver? Has he been playing blitz with ol' Duncan?

Nov-22-08		mrbasso: A weird Qeen maneuver (Bd2,Qc1) was answered by a another weird Qeen maneuver (Qd6,e6,d7), so everything was in order again. White kept the initiative. Looks like a casual 3' Blitz game on the internet.

Nov-23-08		Phoenix: This game would fit like a charm in one of Watson's Chess Strategy books. Perfect example of rule-breaking in modern chess.

Nov-23-08		Davolni: I don't think Naka would risk to play an opening like this against the Super GM's over 2730-40+. I don't even think he would have a slight chance of a win in case he risked it... fun game to watch though!

Nov-23-08		Ziggurat: <whiskeyrebel> IM L. Day, in another forum, said this is indeed an opening Suttles has explored.

Nov-23-08		whiskeyrebel: Ziggurat, ah hah just as I thought. Thanks!

Nov-23-08		apple pi: Harikrishna seems to have damaged his position trying to veer from white's expectations - why wouldn't you grab the center?! 5...Qd6 makes no sense to me - granted after move 10 black has few weaknesses but his pieces are inactive.

Nov-26-08		Everett: <euripides: Reti would have appreciated the knight manoeuvres, though he might have been taken aback by the Qside castling. Beautiful stuff.> Reti vs A Becker, 1923

Nov-26-08		Everett: I was wondering why black didn't play 7...cxd3, but it seems that 8.Nb5 would be uncomfortable to meet.

Nov-26-08		CapAnson: Everett: Indeed it would

Oct-30-11		Infohunter: <Resignation Trap: Excellent win by Nakamura, and a triumph for drunken knights (7.Na3, 9.Nh3, 17.Na5!).> Well, I'd have to say that when you look at the game whole you see White's Queen Bishop as the overall star of the show, the King Bishop coming to life only two moves from the end of the game, and just one move before the Queen Bishop was finally traded off.

Oct-30-11		PEACEAUTHOR: This is a fascinating game. I enjoyed the comments made.

Oct-30-11		hedgeh0g: Looks like a blitz game. Hard to believe this was played in an Olympiad, but a nice game nonetheless.

Oct-30-11		HeMateMe: Naka makes it fun, but this might not work against Magnus.

Oct-30-11		rilkefan: Dunno about the pun(?).

Oct-30-11		FSR: "Headless Horseman"? Too deep for me.

Oct-30-11		edgehead1102: do the early knight moves go against everything that anyone else was taught or just me

Oct-30-11		rilkefan: "Heedless Horseman" would have been better.

Oct-30-11		DrMAL: <Resignation Trap: Excellent win by Nakamura, and a triumph for drunken knights (7.Na3, 9.Nh3, 17.Na5!).> Indeed, all three moves were best for their positions. 12.h4 was typical Naka sharp as was 14.Qc2 instead of 14.Nxc6 (14.Ne5 looked interesting too). Harikrishna plan with 14...Rb8 then 16...b5?! was flawed due to 17.Na5! (17.Ne5! also good but riskier) and 19...b4?! made it worse (20.Be5! also very strong). In sharp position accuracy is even more important 19...Bd7 was best response. After 28...Rb5 best move position was simpler and with 30.Rd8?! (instead of 30.Rd2), draw seemed likely. But black got impatient with 31...Rd5?! then 32...Rd2?! allowing 33.Bxb4! and connected passed pawns 33...Rxf2?! was artificial threat, and Naka played winning move 34.Rc1! (e.g., 34...Rxg2 35.Rc8+ Bf8 36.Bxf8 wins). But with 35...Ng4? instead of simply 35...Rxc2 it was easier to march a-pawn for win.

Oct-31-11		kevin86: Too bad,poor horsey couldn't hold back the pawn,with the latter aided by the clergy.

Oct-31-11		haydn20: DrMAL Sorry I couldn't follow your line to 19...b4?! as this is move 18 in score. 18...b4 may not be the best, but it's hard to reverse oneself when one has decided on the Qside attack. I thought Black was actually OK until 27...e5(?) where I had 27...Ng4 28. Rf1 Bf6 29. Bh3 h5 30. Bb6 Rb5 31. Bd4 Bxh4. Also, 32...Rd2? loses, but how about 32...Ng4?

Oct-31-11		DrMAL: <haydn20> My apology this was move 18. Well, yes one could use that argument to continue Q-side plan, in that case 18...c5 was better move, preventing 19.Bd4 (19.Be5 seems best now to force 19...Rb6). I was thinking 18...Nd5 to attack strong B on c3 where white advantage does not increase after trade on d5 or g7, or with 19.Bd2 less active. Regarding 27...e5?! yes I agree, it was another inaccuracy similar in size to 18...b4?! maybe worse. I missed this, thanx for pointing out. And, yes, 32...Ng4 was probably game saving move (also simply 32...b3 to save pawn or double white pawns, maybe even better before Ng4), black started on losing plan as you verified, looking again 33.Bxb4! probably already wins.

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