Skype coaching session, 28 June 2015.
The following game was examined, the game 59 moves) is given with annotations
and then again without annotations.
Paul Benson.
* * *
Annotated game.
White: Morozevic, 2755.
Black: Sakaev, 2634.
Event: Russian Superfinals 2007.
Result: 1-0 in 59 moves.
Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation, D10.
| Note: Apology. A tiring week and a hard coaching session led to confusion
over the final moves of the game during the session. A misreading of the game
moves on move 58 resulted in the wrong position being analysed. Consequently
the final position and analysis seemed to show black holding the game.
Hopefully the confusion arising from the error during the session is resolved
in the annotations below. ||
1. d4 d5
2. c4 c6
3. Nc3 Nf6
4. cxd5
| The Exchange Slav. This prevents black from playing, dxc4, with could have
led to a queenside pawn expansion with dynamic play and a complicated
middlegame for both players. The tension has been removed from the centre and
so creating pawn structure imbalances is difficult. White is going to take
kingside space intending to open the kingside without black having serious
counterplay. ||
4. ... cxd5
5. Bf4 Nc6
6. e3 a6
| Preventing an awkward knight invasion on the b5 square. ||
7. Rc1 Bg4
| Fighting chess. This is designed to invite white into a kingside expansion.
||
8. f3
| Instead, 8. Qb3 Na5 9. Qa4+ Nc6, gains white nothing. ||
8. ... Bd7
| Instead, 8. ... Bh5 9. g4, has black with the light square bishop outside an
eventual pawn chain after, pawn e6, but vulnerable to assault on g6. ||
9. g4 e6
10. h4 Be7
| The text books tell us that a wing attack should be countered with play in
the centre. O.K., but just how can black do this after white fixed the centre
on move 4? Black will find no joy in queenside expansion either, so it becomes
a case of preparing for when the kingside is to be opened up. ||
11. Bd3 O-O
12. Bb1
| White has a simple plan. Line up queen and bishop on the b1-h7 diagonal
creating a threat of mate on the h7 square. Then threaten the defending black
f6 knight with, pawn g5, which will win a piece. Pawn moves by black on the
kingside will only make weaknesses. Black must find the precise defence to this
threat. ||
12. ... Qb6
| A gain of tempo by attacking the white b2 pawn, which is also part of a
defensive regrouping to stop the blunt white threat of a mate on h7. Now white
shows some ingenuity in both defending and keeping attacking options, all in 1
neat move. ||
13. Rh2 Rfc8
| Black intends to defend the h7 pawn with a knight on the f8 square. This is a
standard plan in QGD and associated Slav positions, but it is usually the b8
knight which transfers with, Nbd7, and then, Nf8, to achieve this pattern. Here
black must show a little ingenuity to transfer a knight to the f8 square. ||
14. h5 Be8
| Vacating the d7 square and also offering a little strength to the light
squares in front of the king. Instead, 14. ... Na5, intending to invade on c4,
was worth considering. Once the knight is played to the a5 square black also
has the option of, Bd6, to challenge the active white f4 bishop. ||
15. Qd3
| White is now threatening, 16. g5, winning at least a piece, as any knight
move allows a mate on h7. The next black move must be accurate, and only 1 move
will save immediate trouble. ||
15. ... Nb4
| Breaking up the white queen and bishop battery on h7, which allows black the
time to transfer the f6 knight to f8. ||
16. Qd2
| White has made a tempo gain with, 15. Qd3, with the material winning threat
which black answered with, 15. ... Nb4. The black knight will be pushed back at
some point with, pawn a3, and be back where it began having spent 2 moves in
doing so, while white will have spent 3 moves to have a queen on d2 and a pawn
on a3. ||
16. ... Nd7
17. Nh3 Nf8
18. Bg5
| Intending to trade dark square bishops and permitting the f3 pawn to advance.
||
18. ... Qd8
19. Bxe7 Qxe7
20. f4 f6
| Black is choosing to defend and try to tough it out. There is a very
different option for black in, 20. ... Qh4+ 21. Kf1 Qxg4, winning a pawn, and
perhaps the white h5 pawn could also be taken later. Assessing the consequences
of opening lines for white can not be calculated at the board. White would gain
much activity, but would it prove to be decisive? Black Black decides not to
risk it and is now going to have to defend for much of the game. ||
21. Kf2 Qd6
22. Ng1
| White relocates the h3 knight for central control while offering the h2 rook
some kingside options. ||
22. ... Rc7
23. Nf3 Rac8
| Important strategic move about to be played by white now, perhaps take some
time here. ||
24. h6
| This will either open up the h-file or force black into fixing pawns on light
squares, resulting in restricted piece movement for black. ||
24. ... g6
| Black keeps it closed, the lesser of the 2 evils. However now the black light
square bishop is going to be imprisoned behind the pawns and continually
defending. ||
25. a3 Nc6
26. e4
| The kingside can not be opened up with advances of either the f-pawn or
g-pawn, so some central commitment is required from white. ||
26. ... Qd8
| White now finds a new target in the centre, forcing another black piece into
temporary passivity. ||
27. Ba2 Ne7
28. e5 f5
| Now there is only 1 possible dynamic move for either player on the kingside.
The restricting white dark square pawns leave the shuffling black pieces with
little room to manoeuvre, but providing it does not open up black should hold
the position. White now builds pressure on the black pawn chain, in particular
the h7-f5 links. ||
29. Rg1 Rc6
30. Bb1 Kh8
31. Rhg2 fxg4
| At last, some imbalance in the kingside pawn structure. This will allow white
to manoeuvre with flexibility to create threats while black is still confined
with reduced space. This is a difficult position for black demanding careful
play. ||
32. Rxg4 Bf7
| White now relocates a piece to increase pressure on the white kingside. ||
33. Ne2
| But just where is this knight to be placed to increase the pressure? Start
thinking about this now, and as the game plays out an obvious square might
suggest itself. ||
33. ... Nd7
| Black is sending this knight over to the queenside to start probing. There is
also now the option for the black heavy pieces to move along the back rank into
the kingside if required. ||
34. Ng5 Bg8
35. R4g3
| A puzzling move? Not really, this rook does not wish to be caught on the g4
square should a future option become available. So, what is the difference
between sitting on g3 rather than g4? ||
35. ... Nb6
36. b3 Qf8
Ouch! Black is attacking the white h6 and a3 pawns. Just because you are
defending does not mean opportunities for counter-attacking should be out of
mind. ||
37. a4 Nd7
| Now the black knight is shuffling to create pressure against the white
queenside pawns. Again, even if you have chosen to defend, options for setting
up counter-activity should be considered. ||
38. a5 R6c7
39. Rf3 Nb8
40. b4 Nbc6
| Black has manoeuvred a knight from f8 to c6 to provoke white to take
queenside space. ||
41. Rc1
| Anticipating a potential black, Nf5, being answered by, Bxf5. This trade will
leave the c2 square unguarded against a potential black rook invasion, so white
strengthens this entry point. ||
41. ... Qxh6
| The long term effects of offering white a semi-open h-file are difficult to
assess. Now that white is a pawn down black can attempt to challenge active
pieces, and with every trade an endgame becomes less desirable for white. This
forces white into further investments to justify the offer of the h-pawn. ||
42. Rh3 Qf8
| White to play, and an important move must be found here. ||
43. f5
| Offering a pawn which can not be declined, but what is the white plan? ||
43. ... Nxf5
44. Nf4
| With a threat of a royal fork with, 45. Nxg6+. This is easy to prevent, so
how much compensation has white for the 2 kingside pawns? ||
44. ... Qe8
| Defending g6, but that is just the point, black is going to be defending
until the end of the game now. Instead, 44. ... Nfxd4 45. Kg2 Qxb4 46. Nxg6+
Kg7 47. Qf2 Nf5 48. Nf4 Ncd4, and black seems to be holding. ||
45. Bxf5 exf5
| Black has 3 connected passed pawns which are going absolutely nowhere,
providing white can keep up the attack. ||
46. Rc5 Rd8
| Another important idea for white to find here. ||
47. Qe3
| The white queen is planning an entry on the dark squares if possible. This
would require clearance of the e5 square with, pawn e6, but surely there is a
black knight on c6 preventing the queen invasion? ||
47. ... h5
| A potential target moves forward and in doing so offers a little more
shuffle-room around the black king. ||
48. e6 Re7
| White to play and find another important move here. ||
49. Rxc6
| An exchange sacrifice to allow the white queen to take control of many dark
squares in the black defences. ||
49. ... bxc6
| Instead, 49. Qxb6 50. Qe5+ Rg7 51. Nxg6+ mate, is rather cute. ||
50. Qe5+ Rg7
| A pin which reduces the g7 rook to an observer while the white e-pawn and
knights start to set black serious problems. ||
51. Qf6
| Keeping the pin on the black rook while escaping an x-ray attack from the
black queen, which hints that the white e-pawn is about to become a key player.
There are several threats involving white regaining the exchange, but still
leaving white 2 pawns down. White ideally wishes for lines which win a whole
black rook. ||
51. ... Rb8
| Escaping from some of the tactics involving a white, Nf7+. This rook is not
going to be happy here, in fact this rook is not going to find happiness
anywhere. ||
52. e7
| Protected by tactics the pawn advances and also vacates the e6 square for a
white knight. White has excellent piece coordination, and as Bobby Fischer
observed, tactics flow from a superior position. ||
52. ... Bh7
| Black avoids, 52. ... Qxe7 53. Nxg6+ mate. The bishop on h7 has vacated the
g8 square, offering the severely restricted black king a much-needed flight
square. White to play and strengthen the position for the final push. ||
53. Re3 Kg8
54. Qe6+ Kh8
55. Qf6 Kg8
56. Qe6+ Kh8
| White is not interested in a draw by 3-fold repetition, meaning there is an
important move to find for white here. ||
57. Qd6
| Creating a tactical threat against the black b8 rook. ||
57. ... Ra8
| It seems there are no good choices for black now, a few examples of what
could happen.
(A). If, 57. ... Rc8 58. Qf6 Kg8 59. Qe6+ Kh8 60. Qxc8 Qxc8 61. e8=Q+ Qxe8 62.
Rxe8+, white has won a rook. It is then a white piece for 3 black pawns but
there is too much activity for black to hold the position.
(B). Or if, 57. ... Rb7 58. Qd8 Rbxe7 59. Qxe8+ Rxe8+ 60. Rxe8+, white has won
a rook again.
(C). Or if, 57. ... Rb7 58. Qd8 Rg8 59. Nf7+ Kg7 60. Nd6 Qxd8 61. exd8=Q Rxd8
62. Nxb7, white has a piece for 3 pawns and much activity.
(D). Lastly if, 57. ... Rb7 58. Qd8 Rg8 59. Nf7+ Qxf7 60. e8=Q Rxe8 61. Rxe8+
Kg7 62. Ne6+ Kh6 63. Qg5+ mate. ||
58. Qc7
| It is all about the black a8 rook which is now in zugzwang, the tactics just
given are still valid. ||
58. ... Rg8
| Here is where confusion arose during the session due to misreading the game
moves.
This rook retreat to g8 is designed to defend against the threat of, 59. Qb7,
to be followed by, 60. Qxa8, and the promotion of the white e7 pawn, and white
would be a piece up. However, the retreat to g8 to prevent this threat allows a
white knight invasion on the e6 square, not previously possible because of the
combined forces of black g7 rook and e8 queen threatening to capture the
much-needed white e7 pawn. ||
59. Nfe6
| This move was curiously misread during the session as, Qe5+, after which no
win for white could be found, leading to the conclusion black had lost on time.
Not so, this position with a knight on the e6 square is now a win for white. ||
Black resigns, 1-0
| White is threatening, 60. Qe5+ Rg7 61. Qxg7+ mate.
The only way to prevent this is, 59. ... Rg7, which allows white to continue,
60. Nxg7 Kxg7 61. Qe5+ Kh6 62. Qf6 Bg8, to prevent the white knight invading on
e6 with threats of, Qg7+ mate and Qg5+ mate.
But white simply protects the g5 knight with, 63. Rg3, which threatens, 64.
Qh8+ Bh7 65. Qxh7+ mate. This can be stopped with, 63. ... Bh7, but white has,
64. Ne6, and the threats of, Qg7+ mate and Qg5+ mate can not be stopped.
Another line is, 59. ... Rg7 60. Nxg7 Kxg7 61. Qe5+ Kg8 62. Qf6, and black has
no defence to the simple plan of, Re6 - Rd6 - Rd8, winning. For example if, 62.
... Ra7 63. Re6 Rb7 64. Nxh7 Kxh7 65. Qf8 Rb8 66. Rf6 Ra8 67. Rf7+, and black
must give up the queen to stop mate, and then the e-pawn costs black a rook. ||
* * *
## Unannotated game.
White: Morozevic, 2755.
Black: Sakaev, 2634.
Event: Russian Superfinals 2007.
Result: 1-0 in 59 moves.
Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation, D10.
1. d4 d5
2. c4 c6
3. Nc3 Nf6
4. cxd5 cxd5
5. Bf4 Nc6
6. e3 a6
7. Rc1 Bg4
8. f3 Bd7
9. g4 e6
10. h4 Be7
11. Bd3 O-O
12. Bb1 Qb6
13. Rh2 Rfc8
14. h5 Be8
15. Qd3 Nb4
16. Qd2 Nd7
17. Nh3 Nf8
18. Bg5 Qd8
19. Bxe7 Qxe7
20. f4 f6
21. Kf2 Qd6
22. Ng1 Rc7
23. Nf3 Rac8
24. h6 g6
25. a3 Nc6
26. e4 Qd8
27. Ba2 Ne7
28. e5 f5
29. Rg1 Rc6
30. Bb1 Kh8
31. Rhg2 fxg4
32. Rxg4 Bf7
33. Ne2 Nd7
34. Ng5 Bg8
35. R4g3 Nb6
36. b3 Qf8
37. a4 Nd7
38. a5 R6c7
39. Rf3 Nb8
40. b4 Nbc6
41. Rc1 Qxh6
42. Rh3 Qf8
43. f5 Nxf5
44. Nf4 Qe8
45. Bxf5 exf5
46. Rc5 Rd8
47. Qe3 h5
48. e6 Re7
49. Rxc6 bxc6
50. Qe5+ Rg7
51. Qf6 Rb8
52. e7 Bh7
53. Re3 Kg8
54. Qe6+ Kh8
55. Qf6 Kg8
56. Qe6+ Kh8
57. Qd6 Ra8
58. Qc7 Rg8
59. Nfe6
Black resigns, 1-0
* * *
