So I was pleased when I recently came across a game in the January 2005 issue of Chess in which Jovanka Houska played 1.e4 and met with the reply 1...d5.
Her notes from the magazine are in italics.
Houska (2298) - Chrissy Oquendo Serrano (-)
Women's Olympiad (Calvià, Mallorca) 2004
Scandinavian
1.e4 d5
These days JH is more likely to play 1...c6, but the two times I played 1.e4 against her in the mid-1990s she replied with the text and followed up with 2...Nf6.
2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Bc4!?
More popular are 4.Nf3 and especially 4.d4.
4...Nf6 5.d3!?
A dangerous system and one not to be underestimated.
The move scores a very respectable 59% in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database.
Less popular, but arguably more natural, is 5.d4, which also scores 59% in Mega21. The latter move takes more space in the centre, but the text controls the e4 square and will blunt the power of the black light-square bishop if it takes up its common post on f5.
5...c6 6.Bd2 Qc7 7.Qe2 e6
7...Bf5 is more active but ... far more risky. Unlikely as it may seem, the bishop becomes a target for the (white) kingside pawns.
8.Nf3 Bd6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Ne4!?
JH gives this an exclamation mark, without a comment (however, see her note below to Black's reply). Certainly many players would 'automatically' centralise the rooks in such a position, for example starting with 10.Rfe1. The analysis engines Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 then give 10...b5 11.Bb3 and either 11...Nbd7 or 11..a4 with what they reckon is a level position.
10...Nbd7?!
I dislike this move. Black cannot afford to shut in one bishop and give the other one so freely. But also 10...Nxe4 11.Qxe4 Nd7 12.Bc3 provides White with easy play.
11.Nxd6 Qxd6 12.d4!?
A later game saw a 2052 play 12.Rfe1.
With the text White is saying, presumably, she has e4 under control and there is little chance of the black light-square bishop coming to f5, so the time is ripe for using the d pawn to grab central space.
12...Nd5
12...b6 is vital in order to develop the bishop.
The engines agree 12...b6 is best but reckon White has an advantage after 13.R(either)d1.
13.a4
Prophylaxis - Black's most positive feature in the position is the central placing of the knight. It is important for White to preserve her advantage by undermining the knight and then dominating the centre!
So the main point of 13.a4 seems to be to prevent ...b5 and thus allow an easy c4.
13...N7f6 14.Bb3 Nf4?
The knight leaves its post without prompting. More normal in such positions is to attack the white centre with 14...c5 or prepare to develop the light-square bishop with 14...b6. However the engines reckon both those moves leave White with a large advantage.
15.Qe1
The engines' 15.Qe5!? seems strong, forcing 15...Qxe5 16.dxe5 N6h5, when they reckon Black's lack of coordination helps give White a winning advantage.
15...Re8?
As JH points out, 15...Rd8 is better.
16.a5
Missing 16.Qe5! Qxe5 17.dxe5 N6h5 and it will take Black a long time to untangle the knights as well as all her other pieces.
16...Bd7 17.Ne5
Qe5 is still strong.
17...N4d5 18.c4 Ne7 19.Rd1 Rad8 20.Bg5 Ng6 21.Bc2 Rc8 22.Qe2Qe7 23.Rd3
White's space advantage makes it easier to manoeuvre her pieces.
23...h6?
Obliging White to smash the black kingside pawn-formation. The engines give 23...c5, but reckon White has a positionally won game.
24.Bxf6
The engines point out also strong is 24.Bxh6!? gxh6 25.Rg3.
24...gxf6
Black's position is so bad Komodo12.1.1 prefers giving up the light-square bishop with 24...Qxf6!?
25.Nxg6 fxg6 26.Rh3 Kh7!?
This allows a pretty finish, but the objectively best 26...f5 27.Rxh6 is miserable enough.
 |
| White to play and win |
*****
*****
*****
*****
27.Bxg6+! 1-0
The bishop cannot be captured, eg 27...Kxg6? 28.Qh5+ Kg7 29.Rg3+ Kh7 30.Qg6+ Kh8 31.Qxh6+ Qh7 32.Qxf6+ Qg7 33.Qxg7#
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