Skype coaching session, 01 March 2020.
Note: Daylight saving time might be in operation in your time zone, check your
calendar to be certain when 14:00 UTC occurs for you.
3 coaching sessions are planned for March on Sundays: 15, 22, at 14:00 UTC,
which is 14:00 GMT.
And Sunday: 29, at 14:00 UTC, which is 15:00 BST.
The game discussed (32 moves) is given below with annotations and without
annotations.
Re-structuring of the sessions now offers the option for guests to bring their
own games for group discussion.
Recordings of some previous coaching sessions can be found at:
http://www.open-aurec.com/Skype/PaulBenson/PaulBenson.htm
Paul Benson.
* * *
Annotated Game.
White: C. Morrison, 2240.
Black: M. Basman, 2400.
Event: Manchester 1981.
Result: 0-1 in 32 moves.
Opening: Borg Defence, B00.
| Editorial.
Sometimes an opening system is so unusual it is not possible to offer specific
advice.
Here we find a black opening which is named by reversing the name given to the
system when played by white.
Just because the first couple of moves look a little odd does not mean the
middlegame must be equally weird.
General ideas can still be employed by both sides, it is just a question of
sifting the proverbial wheat from the chaff.
||
1. e4 g5
| The Borg Defence, nothing to do with Star Trek, this is essentially a reverse
Grob, hence the name Borg being a reverse of Grob.
Strategy in a reverse system can be similar to playing it with white.
Of course there is a tempo gain here for white, when playing reverse systems be
aware that some lines might now be unwise due to being a move behind.
So what is the best line against this black system?
Impossible to say, there are not enough games to draw conclusions plus so few
Grand Master versus Grand Master encounters to study.
||
2. d4
| As good as any.
Some have immediately picked up the gauntlet with, 2. h4, and almost certainly
found themselves having to make it up at the board.
About the only certainty white can rely on is that black will fianchetto the
bishop to the g7 square, which strongly hints at a central challenge with, pawn
c5.
So what piece / pawn formation should white adopt if this is going to be a form
of Modern Defence?
Care must be taken regarding the white g1 knight, ordinarily f3 is acceptable
in many Modern Defence systems, but here is could find itself being driven away
by, pawn g4.
||
2. ... h6
3. Bd3
| A solid approach.
Also known is probing at f7 with, 3. Bc4, and there can be nothing wrong with,
3. c4, steering it into a King's Indian where the black expansion of, pawn h6,
with, pawn g5, might prove of no value to black.
||
3. ... Bg7
4. Ne2
| The black expansion of, pawn g5, has left the f5 and h5 squares a little
tender, this knight will be very happy to sit on g3 hoping to give problems to
the black g7 bishop.
||
4. ... c5
| Black makes a standard challenge to the white centre, white must respond to
the threat to win the d4 pawn, but how?
||
5. c3
| Also known is, 5. dxc5 Qa5+ 6. Nbc3 Qxa5, with play similar to a Pirc /
Modern Defence.
||
5. ... Nc6
| Offering white an opportunity to gain material.
Instead, 5. ... cxd4 6. cxd4, sets up a middlegame where white thinks the
central pawns are strong, black thinks they are targets.
Which thinking is correct?
In actuality both are correct.
Such centre pawns are desirable but they will be targets, the stronger player
should handle the middlegame better.
The symmetric pawn formation does not automatically suggest equality, it is how
the pieces are posted around them which will make the difference.
||
6. dxc5
| White solves the potential problem of continually needing to defend the d4
pawn by trading it off.
Black to play finds a novel way to eliminate the cramping white c5 pawn.
||
6. ... b6
| A pawn sacrifice designed to give activity and open lines on the queenside.
||
7. cxb6 Qxb6
| The presence of a black queen on b6 keeps the white c1 bishop at home to
guard the b2 pawn.
||
8. O-O Nf6
9. Nd2 Ne5
| A doubler.
Firstly, black prevents white from establishing a knight on the c4 square, the
b6 queen can remain there for a few more moves.
Secondly, the a8 - h1 diagonal has been cleared, when black plays, Bb7, there
will be immediate pressure on the white e4 pawn.
||
10. Nc4
| And speaking of not allowing pieces to establish themselves on squares, the
black e5 knight is not going to be allowed to keep the e5 post.
||
10. ... Nxc4
| Retreating with, 10. ... Qc7 11. Nxe5 Qxe5, leaves the black queen without
pressure on the white b2 pawn.
||
11. Bxc4
| The only white defender to the e4 pawn has been deflected, is black about to
regain the gambit pawn?
||
11. ... Bb7
| The white e4 pawn is poisoned, a couple of lines run:
(A). If, 11. ... Nxe4 12. Qd5 Nd6 13. Qxa8 Nxc4 14. Qxc8+ Qd8 15. Qxc4, black
loses a rook and bishop in the sequence.
(B). Or if, 11. ... Nxe4 12. Qd5 Bb7 13. Qxf7+ Kd8 14. Qxg7, black only loses a
piece plus pawn this time.
||
12. Ng3
| Probing at the f5 and h5 squares, with the bonus the e4 pawn is given at
least a single defence.
||
12. ... e6
| Black does not wish for whatever annoyances will come should white be
allowed, Nf5, hitting the g7 bishop.
Instead, 12. ... Nxe4 13. Nxe4 Bxe4 14. Qe2 Bg6 15. Be3 Qc7 16. Rad1, material
has been reduced and black has yet to achieve king-safety, not the best of
positions to think of playing for a win.
There are variations in the above line, but the underlying theme would be the
same, white developed pleasantly with no weaknesses for black to gang up on.
||
13. Bd3
| Difficult to describe this move.
The bishop retreat does no actual harm but hardly inspires the rest of the
white forces to get stuck in.
Perhaps white is thinking of, Be3, at some point and wishes to poison the b2
pawn.
The idea is that when black snatches, Qxb2, white has, Rb1, winning the black
b7 bishop, and with the white bishop on d3 it is not vulnerable to black
continuing with, Qxc3.
Instead, 13. ... Qe2, keeps everything under control, white has a simple
development plan of, Be3 - Bd4 - Rad1 - Rd2 - Rfd1, and then think again.
||
13. ... g4
| A doubler.
Firstly, black prevents white, Nh5, when black must choose between trading
knights bringing the white queen to h5, doubly-attacking the f7 pawn, or
dismally retreating the g7 bishop to the f8 square.
Secondly, the kingside campaign is under way, when appropriate black now has
options of, pawn h5 - pawn h4.
||
14. Be3
| Breaking the pin on the white f2 pawn.
||
14. ... Qc7
| The tactics favour white, instead, 14. ... Qxb2 15. Rb1 Qxa2 16. Rxb7, the
material imbalance has white now a piece up for a pawn.
||
15. f3
| A bold decision, a mutual trade of advantages is about to occur.
White anticipates having a semi-open f-file up which to attack.
In return black will have a semi-open kingside file for activity, in particular
the dark squares are about to become points to probe.
A calmer approach was, 15. Bd4, pinning the black f6 knight, and perhaps then,
pawn f3, could be considered.
A more active plan of, 15. f4, would leave black to decide whether capturing en
passant with, 15. ... gxf3, or leaving the white f4 pawn alone would offer
better long-term attacking prospects.
||
15. ... h5
16. fxg4
| Creating 3 white pawn islands but the black f7 pawn is to be targeted, a test
of, "Tactical Event Horizons", is under way.
||
16. ... Nxg4
| Activating both kingside minor pieces with a single move.
Black has also set up a tactic, Nxh2, when, Kxh2 pawn h4, will further open up
the kingside, at the moment it would be far too early, but white must now allow
for this idea at every move.
||
17. Qf3
| Doubly-attacking the black f7 pawn, the invasion of, Qxf7+, dare not be
allowed, right?
||
17. ... O-O-O
| While white still has a bishop on e3 then the tactics involving, Qxf7, will
favour black.
Instead, 17. ... f5, gives immediate protection to the black g4 knight, the
follow-up black threat is, pawn h4 when white dare not move the g3 knight as,
Qh2+ mate would follow.
||
18. Bd4
| A doubler.
Firstly, the target-piece previously on e3 is now out of danger, the white f3
queen is free to move as desired.
Secondly, white sets up the elimination of dark square bishops, usually quite
useful strategy against such fianchetto units.
||
18. ... Be5
| If dark square bishops are to be eliminated black makes sure it happens under
favourable circumstances.
Instead, 18. ... Bxd4 19. cxd4, white will grab the c-file first with a rook.
Black might feel such activity needs neutralising, leading to at least a trade
of a pair of rooks, if not all rooks, not desirable when seeking a decisive
middlegame assault when still a gambit-pawn down.
||
19. Bxe5 Nxe5
| A quadrupler.
Firstly, on e5 this black knight cannot be pushed away by an enemy pawn,
sitting in front of an enemy isolated pawn is ideal for knights.
Secondly, arriving on e5 the knight hits the white f3 queen, she must move with
a reply which keeps guard on the d3 bishop, black essentially gets the knight
to e5 for no tempo-cost.
Thirdly, the f7 pawn is backwardly guarded, though whether white would actually
play, Qxf7, is debatable.
Fourthly, the semi-open g-file is now available for a rook to pressure the
white g2 pawn.
||
20. Qe3 Rdg8
| In this delayed opposite-wing attack it is black who is ahead in the race.
While there are no immediate threats, black has a couple of pawn moves
available, pawn h4, and, pawn f5, which begin to increase the pressure on
white.
||
21. Ne2
| This knight was awkwardly placed on g3, vulnerable to a black, pawn h4, push,
so it re-routes to the centre.
||
21. ... f5
| And now there is an immediate threat on the white position which cannot be
ignored.
||
22. Bc2
| Another defensive move, is white ever going to get activity against the black
position?
Instead, 22. Nf4 Nxd3 23. Nxd3 Bxe4 24. Ne1 Qb7 25. Rf2 Rg7, black will double
rooks on the g-file, the gambit-pawn has been regained and white is being tied
up.
||
22. ... fxe4
| The removal of the white e4 pawn is going to gives the black b7 bishop
greater activity.
Fine, but after, 22. ... Ng4 23. Qf4 e5 24. Qxf5 Ne3, a quadruple-fork, f5
queen, f1 rook, c2 bishop, g2 pawn,white might choose to resign.
||
23. Bxe4 d5
| Now the black centre pawns are going to join the fight, instead trading
bishops would be giving white a comfortable ride.
||
24. Bf3 Kb8
| Black takes time to ensure the queenside remains stable, while white might
not achieve much immediately after, Qxa7, why take the risk?
||
25. Nd4
| With the f3 light square bishop strengthening the kingside this knight can
head queenside with a tempo-attack on the black e6 pawn.
||
25. ... Ng4
| A doubler which hits white hard on the dark squares.
Firstly, the threat of, 26. ... Qxh2+ mate, needs neutralising.
Secondly, the white e3 queen must evade the black g4 knight attack.
Only a single move available to white to cancel out both threats.
||
26. Bxg4 hxg4
| Opening up the h-file for the unmoved black h8 rook, the threat against the
white h2 pawn is on again.
||
27. g3
| A crossroad.
This rules out any thoughts of the black queen joining an attack, fine, but
does this also point to the white queen having thoughts of getting into an
attack on the queenside?
Instead, 27. Qg3, gives black a little ambition test:
(A). If, 27. Qg3Qxg3 28. hxg3 e5, white will be unable to use the extra pawn.
(B). Or if, 27. Qg3 e5 28. Nf5 Re8 29. Rae1, white should gang up on the black
e5 pawn, encouraging, pawn e4, after which the d4 square is an excellent
outpost for the white knight.
||
27. ... e5
| Black has dynamic centre pawns with skulking queen and bishop x-raying
through them.
Such units should not be seen as being blocked into passivity, but instead as
dangerous attackers patiently waiting to be revealed.
White to play must choose very carefully here.
||
28. Nb5
| Appropriate Fischerism: "In chess it is important to know when to punch and
when to duck."
This knight probe doubly-attacks the black a7 pawn while also prodding the
black c7 queen.
It seems the only safe black reply must be, 28. ... Qb6, after which, 29. Qxb6,
white has achieved an ending having kept the gambit-pawn, right?
Instead of punching white could have ducked with, 28. Nf5, attacking black
responses are not good enough:
(A). If, 28. Nf5 Qc6 29. Ne7, picks off an exchange before black can release
the powerful x-ray a8 - h1 battery with, pawn d4, white would be winning.
(B). Or if, 28. Nf5 d4 29. cxd4 Qc6 30. Qxe5+ Ka8 31. d5 Qxd5 32. Qxd5 Bxd5 33.
Ne7 Rd8 34. Nxd5 Rxd5 35. Rad1, white has 2 extra pawns in a double rook
ending, must be winning.
(C). Or if, 28. Nf5 d4 29. cxd4 Qc6 30. Qxe5+ Ka8 31. d5 Qc2 32. Rf2, white is
3 pawns up but there is still some black activity to be neutralised.
(D). Or if, 28. ... d4 29. cxd4 exd4 30. Qf4, queens will be traded, white has
an extra pawn but black does have a passed d4 pawn to be controlled, is the
black activity enough to save the game?
Black to play has another way to solve the queenside problems.
||
28. ... d4
| A strange move.
Being a pawn down black would surely wish to keep queens on and press for an
attack on the kingside?
Sure, the a8 - h1 diagonal has opened for the black b7 bishop, but is this
enough compensation for the pawn gambitted back on move 6?
||
29. Nxc7
| White goes for the ending, quite understandable, black will have 3 pawn
islands, though if black flicks in, pawn e2, followed by, Bf3, some solidity
emerges.
Some other choices for white run:
(A). If, 29. cxd4 exd4 30. Qxd4 Qc6 31. Qe5+ Ka8 32. Nc7+ Kb8 33. Nb5+ Ka8 34.
Nc7+, white can take a 3-fold repetition draw.
Black dare not avoid the drawing sequence if white plays down this line.
(B). Or if, 29. cxd4 exd4 30. Qxd4 Qc6 31. Qe5+ Kc8 32. Nxa7+, white wins the
black queen for a knight with a quick mate likely to follow.
||
29. ... dxe3
30. Ne6
| Black to play must have had an idea of how to continue from here when
permitting an indirect trade of queens, but what?
Clue: The white king is immobilised, hitting it with a check could be mate.
||
30. ... Rxh2
| Well, this is not a check,fine, but there is however a powerful check planned
for next move.
This rook offer has opened up lines against the white king, white joins in with
the spirit of the occasion and chooses to let the fun happen.
||
31. Kxh2
| Sensible moves are in short supply, some ideas run:
(A). If, 31. Rf8+ Rxf8 32. Nxf8 Rh1+ mate.
(B). Or if, 31. Rf3 Bxf3, vacating f1 does not help, the mating net around the
white king has not really altered as, 32. Kf1 Rh1+ mate would follow.
(C). Or if, 31. Rfe1 Rh1+ mate.
||
31. ... Rh8+
32. Kg1 Rh1+ mate
0-1
| That apparent target black e3 pawn plays a vital role in constructing a
mating net, taking away the f2 square for a potential flight route.
||
* * *
## Unannotated Game.
White: C. Morrison, 2240.
Black: M. Basman, 2400.
Event: Manchester 1981.
Result: 0-1 in 32 moves.
Opening: Borg Defence, B00.
1. e4 g5
2. d4 h6
3. Bd3 Bg7
4. Ne2 c5
5. c3 Nc6
6. dxc5 b6
7. cxb6 Qxb6
8. O-O Nf6
9. Nd2 Ne5
10. Nc4 Nxc4
11. Bxc4 Bb7
12. Ng3 e6
13. Bd3 g4
14. Be3 Qc7
15. f3 h5
16. fxg4 Nxg4
17. Qf3 O-O-O
18. Bd4 Be5
19. Bxe5 Nxe5
20. Qe3 Rdg8
21. Ne2 f5
22. Bc2 fxe4
23. Bxe4 d5
24. Bf3 Kb8
25. Nd4 Ng4
26. Bxg4 hxg4
27. g3 e5
28. Nb5 d4
29. Nxc7 dxe3
30. Ne6 Rxh2
31. Kxh2 Rh8+
32. Kg1 Rh1+ mate 0-1
* * *
