Abdication

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Abdication
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White: Larry Anderson
Black: John P. Pratt
Date: 23 Dec 1978
Location: Layton, Utah

This was my first game with an adult in over a year. The game was played at a Christmas tournament held at a local church. It is a good example of a panicking queen abdicating her throne next to her king, leading to disaster.

1. e2-e4, e7-e5.

2. d2-d3, Ng8-f6.

3. Nb1-c3, Bf8-c5. Black loves White's weak queen pawn move because it allows his bishop to snatch the key diagonal pointing at the heart of a potential white castle.

4. Bc1-g5, d7-d6.

5. f2-f3, b7-b6. This is a tournament game and they haven't played before, so both proceed with caution. White's move is unconventional, but he might be a genius!

6. Nc3-b5, a7-a6. Black has no idea what White is thinking.

7. Nb5-a3, Nb8-c6. Black is deciding his opponent is not a genius and continues development.

8. c2-c3, b6-b5. White decides to keep the black knight off his d4 square and put his own queen pawn there. Black prepares for White to do that.

9. d3-d4, e5xd4.

10. Na3-c2, d4xc3. Suddenly White decides he doesn't like taking back with the pawn. Black doesn't wait.

11. b2xc3, d6-d5. Black's thinking if e4xd5, then Qd8xd5 offering to trade queens and free up his knight.

12. Bf1-d3, Nc6-e5. White declines the trade, interceding his bishop which is attacked.

13. Qd1-e2, Bc8-b7. Black finally fianchettos his bishop, his plan from the beginning.

14. f3-f4, Ne5xd3+.

15. Qe2xd3, d5xe4. Black gets aggressive and again offers the queen trade, which would develop his queen rook to a powerful file.

16. Qd3-e2, 0-0. Black castles, threatening Rf8-e8 aiming at the white queen. Black is playing a balanced game of offense and defense (often with the same move as in this case), and his king is now totally safe.

17. Ra1-d1, Qd8-e7. Black was going to move there anyway to get his queen rook into the game. White is unwittingly helping Black to develop.

18. h2-h4, h7-h6. White wants to ram that pawn through Black's castle.

19. Bg5xf6, Qe7xf6. Black's been wanting that for some time.

20. Ng1-h3, Qf6xc3+. White defends an important pawn and Black grabs another one, attacks elsewhere.

21. Qe2-d2, Qc3-g3+. Now White wisely offers to trade queens, to his advantage because he sees the power of the black queen. Black is focused on winning.

22. Nh3-f2, e4-e3. White tries to get his knight back defending the king, and Black's king pawn gets to fulfill his life's ambition of forking a queen and a knight, even threatening checkmate!

23. Qd2-d7, Qg3xf2 mate. Panic stricken, the queen abdicates her throne without looking at the consequences, running screaming into the night! The best move might have been 23. Qd2-e2, e3xf2+; 24 Ke1-d2 (not Ke1-f1 which loses) might save both the queen and the game. But then it's tough to stop the pawn from queening. Perhaps a queen sacrifice for that pawn is best such as Qd2xe3; 24. Bc5xe3, Rh1-f1; or perhaps Rh1-f1; 24 e3xd2, Rd1-d2. Anything but abdication!

1. e2-e4, e7-e5.
2. d2-d3, Ng8-f6.
3. Nb1-c3, Bf8-c5.	Black loves White's weak queen pawn move because it allows his bishop to snatch the key diagonal pointing at the heart of a potential white castle.
4. Bc1-g5, d7-d6.
5. f2-f3, b7-b6.	This is a tournament game and they haven't played before, so both proceed with caution. White's move is unconventional, but he might be a genius!
6. Nc3-b5, a7-a6.	Black has no idea what White is thinking.
7. Nb5-a3, Nb8-c6.	Black is deciding his opponent is not a genius and continues development.
8. c2-c3, b6-b5.	White decides to keep the black knight off his d4 square and put his own queen pawn there. Black prepares for White to do that.
9. d3-d4, e5xd4.
10. Na3-c2, d4xc3.	Suddenly White decides he doesn't like taking back with the pawn. Black doesn't wait.
11. b2xc3, d6-d5.	Black's thinking if e4xd5, then Qd8xd5 offering to trade queens and free up his knight.
12. Bf1-d3, Nc6-e5.	White declines the trade, interceding his bishop which is attacked.
13. Qd1-e2, Bc8-b7.	Black finally fianchettos his bishop, his plan from the beginning.
14. f3-f4, Ne5xd3+.
15. Qe2xd3, d5xe4.	Black gets aggressive and again offers the queen trade, which would develop his queen rook to a powerful file.
16. Qd3-e2, 0-0.	Black castles, threatening Rf8-e8 aiming at the white queen. Black is playing a balanced game of offense and defense (often with the same move as in this case), and his king is now totally safe.
17. Ra1-d1, Qd8-e7.	Black was going to move there anyway to get his queen rook into the game. White is unwittingly helping Black to develop.
18. h2-h4, h7-h6.	White wants to ram that pawn through Black's castle.
19. Bg5xf6, Qe7xf6.	Black's been wanting that for some time.
20. Ng1-h3, Qf6xc3+.	White defends an important pawn and Black grabs another one, attacks elsewhere.
21. Qe2-d2, Qc3-g3+.	Now White wisely offers to trade queens, to his advantage because he sees the power of the black queen. Black is focused on winning.
22. Nh3-f2, e4-e3.	White tries to get his knight back defending the king, and Black's king pawn gets to fulfill his life's ambition of forking a queen and a knight, even threatening checkmate!
23. Qd2-d7, Qg3xf2 mate.	Panic stricken, the queen abdicates her throne without looking at the consequences, running screaming into the night! The best move might have been 23. Qd2-e2, e3xf2+; 24 Ke1-d2 (not Ke1-f1 which loses) might save both the queen and the game. But then it's tough to stop the pawn from queening. Perhaps a queen sacrifice for that pawn is best such as Qd2xe3; 24. Bc5xe3, Rh1-f1; or perhaps Rh1-f1; 24 e3xd2, Rd1-d2. Anything but abdication!