Double Chess Game with Analysis

This is a transcript of a game of David Short's Double Chess that was played on Richard's Play By Email server in 1999 between David Short and John Williams. The analysis provided is primarily from David Short, but with some additional comments from John Williams annotated with (JW).

1. d4 e6  2. e4 o5  3. f4 Bo7 

Black is going for the quick kill, while White pushes pawns to control the queenside. White is able to thwart Black's early mate threats.

4. k3 g6  5. h4 Qhf6  6. g3 i5  7. Bi3 ixh4  8. Bxh4 

At first it looks like Black will lose a queen, but he gets out of it for only the cost of a pawn.

8....g5  9. Qhf3 

Well, you know what they say: Two can play at that game.

9....Qi6  10. fxg5 Ng6  11. m4 Qxf3  12. Qxf3 Nxh4  13. gxh4 m5 
14. Bk2 Rf8  15. i3 Nj6  16. Ni2 f6 

White is preparing to castle but now Black plays several moves with tempo.

17. gxf6 Rxf6  18. Qg3 l5  19. Nh2 Bf7 

Black should have played 17....Bxc1 and then 18....Rxf6

20. Bxf7 Rxf7 

Black could still have played 20....Bxc1 here. It would have made it easier for Black to play O-O.

21. Bxj8 Rxj8  22. o3 Ni4  23. Nxi4 Qxi4  24. O-O l4  25. Bl3 j5 
26. Bk2 Qk4  27. Bxf7 Qxi2  28. Na3 Nc6  29. l3 Nm7  30. kxl4 

Suddenly Black sees the threat: 30....mxl4 31. Qi5+ Kj7 (31....Kh8 32. Qgg7 mate) 32. Bh5+ or 32. Qf3+ and White has Black on the run.

30....Rj6  31. l5 

This is a critical position in the game. White could have played 31. Qi5+ but Black will probably eventually get in Rk6+ after 31...Ri6 and get a good counterattack going. White thus prevents Rk6+ and Black castles before its too late.

31....O-O-O-O  32. Qmg7 n5  33. Nm2 Nxl5  34. mxl5 Qxl5  

(JW): A Knight sacrifice in order to get the attack started. White's strength on the Queen side becomes his weakness on the the King side.

Now White has to scramble to cover Black's mate threats.

35. Rl1 Qn3 

Probably 35....Rk6+ would have been better: 36. Nk3 Qn3 37. Qxh7 m4

Black has a very good attack going. If instead 37. Kk2 Qxn2+ 38. Rl2 Qi7 39. Rjl1 and White can breath a little easier. But alas that didn't happen.

36. Qm1 Rxl3  37. Nl4 Rxl1+  38. Bxl1 Qm4  39. Qxm4 nxm4  40. Nxj5 

(JW): Black has been trading down to maintain his advantage on the King side and hopefully force mate. If white escapes, the undeveloped bishop and rook on the king side will be a huge >disadvantage to black.

Clever move. If 40....Rxj5 then 41. Bi4

40....Ql8  41. Reg1 o4  42. Qg8 Bp6+  43. Kk2 Rj8  

Suddenly Black is threatening Rxg8 and Ql3 mate. How is White going to get out of this? With great creativity!

(JW): A Knight sacrifice to slow the attack, followed up with a Rook sacrifice to stop the attack.

44. Nl6+ kxl6  45. Qg7 

If 45. Qxh7 then 45....Qk8+ 46. Qk4 Qxk4 mate

45...Qk8+  46. Qk3 

If 45....Rk8+ then 46. Kj3 and White will escape next with 47. Ki2

46....Qh5+  47. j3 Rk8 

White has to give up a rook but gets a good counterattack going.

48. Rg8 Rxg8  49. Qk6+ Km7  50. Qk7+ Km6 

50....Km6 was a mistake.

(JW): After Bxo4+ black can no longer get out of check long enough to resume his attack.

51. Bxo4+ Kn6  52. Qxl6+ Ko7  53. n4 

White missed a better move with 53. Bn5 and Black forgot about the en passant rule. He could have played 53....mxn3 e.p. A likely continuation might have been 53. Bn5 Rg2+ 54. Rj2 Rxj2+55. Kxj2 Qe2+ 56. Kk3 Nxd4 57. Qm7+ Ko8 58. Qxp7+ Kn8 59. Qxp6+ Km8 60. Qm6+ Kn8 61. Bp5 and Black won't be able to avoid mate. OR 53. >Bn5 Qi6 54. Qm7+ Ko8 55. Qxp7+ Kn8 56. Qp8+ Km7 57. Qxm5+

One problem with DOUBLE CHESS analysis is that with more potential moves it is harder to do a complete job. There are a lot of possible moves to explore.

53....mxn4  54. oxn4 

(JW): Black would have been better off with 53 ... mxn3 e.p. or going directly to Qe2+. After oxn4, the o file is open for attacks from white's rooks.

54 ... Qe2+  55. Rj2 Rk8+  56. Bxk8 Qxk8+ 

(JW): Black's final effort separates white's rooks, and trades a rook for white's bishop. Enough to slow white down.

57. Kl2 Qo4 58. Ql4+ Kn7  59. Qi7+ Km8  60. Qh8+   DRAW AGREED 

Black threatens Bxn4+ and White threatens Ro1 if Black moves his king to the o-file. A draw by perpetual check is fair for both sides here.

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