Welcome to my Réti Opening (ECO A00) ICC online game with Hamlet

On this page I have posted one my chess games in which I played the White side of the Réti  Opening. For some unknown reason ICC is calling this "Benko's Opening". My intent was to play the Réti. The game includes analysis and diagrams.

[Event "ICC 10 12"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2004.06.16"]
[Round "-"]
[White "OnGoldenPawn"]
[Black "hamlet"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ICCResult "White checkmated"]
[WhiteElo "1645"]
[BlackElo "1668"]
[Opening "Benko's opening"]
[ECO "A00"]
[NIC "VO.09"]
[Time "18:22:38"]
[TimeControl "600+12"]

1. g3 g6 2. Bg2 Bg7 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. O-O O-O 5. d3 d6 6. c4 c6 7. Nc3 Qc7 8.
Rb1 e5 9. b3 Nbd7 10. Bb2 Ne8 11. Ne4 f5 12. Neg5 Ndf6 13. h4 h6 14. Nh3 Be6
15. d4 e4 16. Ne1 d5 17. cxd5 Nxd5 18. e3 Nef6 19. Nf4 Nxf4 20. gxf4 Bd5 21.
f3 Kf7 22. fxe4 Nxe4 23. Bxe4 Bxe4 24. Rc1 Qe7 25. h5 Qh4 26. hxg6+ Kg8 27.
Rf2 Rf6 28. Ng2 Rxg6 29. Qf1 Rg3 30. Ba3 Rh3 31. Nxh4 Rh1# {White
checkmated} 0-1

At this point White has a choice between playing 6. e4 going into the King's Indian Attack or 6. c4 going into a Réti - English. I have played both moves here.

6. c4 c6 7. Nc3 Qc7 8. Rb1 e5 9. b3 Nbd7 10. Bb2

I often double fianchetto in positions like this one because it allows me to control the Center from the wings and also because it tends to confuse weaker players. I have caught many players who failed to pay attention to those long diagonals. The usual plan of attack here for White is to open up the Center with d4 and e4. Queenside attacks are also possible in these positions.

Ne8 11. Ne4 f5 12. Neg5 Ndf6

Obviously, White has deviated form the usual plan and is attacking on the Kingside here. It may have been better to have stuck with the usual plan.

13. h4 h6 14. Nh3 Be6 15. d4 e4 16. Ne1 d5 17. cxd5 Nxd5 18. e3 Nef6

Black is better here because his pieces are better placed and better coordinated. Black also has more space on the Kingside and in the center. Black attacks on the Kingside here and White never really gets any counter play.

19. Nf4 Nxf4

Here White needs to decide which way to recapture. General theory says to capture towards the Center, so I do. Also, capturing with the e Pawn leaves the d Pawn isolated. Still, that may have been better than weakening my King's position.

20. gxf4 Bd5 21. f3

I think that this was the beginning of a bad plan that cost me the game. White is cramped and is trying to get some breathing room. After all of the exchanges White is left with a backwards e Pawn.

Kf7 22. fxe4 Nxe4

Black is clearly better here. White doesn't want to allow the Knight to go to g3 and harass the White Rook so her captures the Knight one4. However, allowing Black to have that diagonal the crosses g2 and h1 is not good either!

23. Bxe4 Bxe4 24. Rc1 Qe7 25. h5 Qh4 26. hxg6+ Kg8

Black is threatening checkmate here with Qh1#. I cannot believe that we both missed that move! 27. Ng2 is correct to stop the mate, for now.

27. Rf2?? Rf6? 28. Ng2 (White sees it now!) Rxg6 29. Qf1 Rg3 30. Ba3 Rh3!

Black threatens checkmate and White has no way out of it.

31. Nxh4 Rh1# 0-1

At least I got the satisfaction of capturing Black's Queen before getting mated!

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