All,
A very interesting game, with the basic point that one needs open lines for
attacks on the enemy King. The possibility of two sacrifices on move 35 drives
that home. I like the near-symmetrical variations here.
I have little to add to the remarks on 30...Nxh2 other than to say gifting
White another open file on the Kingside should only improve the first player's
attacking options.
Just one small point that wasn't mentioned. At move 23 Rxc3 is possibly
stronger than is immediately apparent. Not only does it relieve the seige of
White's King and regain the Pawn minus, it also carries two threats. One is the
obvious 24 Rxc6, but the other is the subtle 24 Rxg7+ Kxg7?? 25 Rg3+ and 26
Qxa5. I doubt if White overlooked this line, instead prefering the more
aggressive 24 Qh4. Nevertheless 23 Rxc3 is a good option, and it may well be
that after say 23...Qc7, to defend the c6 Pawn and avoid the other threat,
White may gain a tempo by then continuing as in the game with 24 Qh4.
Regards,
Tyson
On 11 October 2018 at 13:33 Paul Benson <paul.benson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Skype coaching session, 30 September 2018.
The game discussed (37 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.
White: J. Polgar, 2595.
Black: J. Garcia, 2475.
Event: Dos Hermanas 1993.
Result: 1-0 in 37 moves.
Opening: Pirc Defence transposing into Philidor Defence, B07.
1. e4 d6
2. d4 Nf6
3. Nc3 Nbd7
| Using this move order black avoids the drawish queen trade line arising
after, 3. ... e5 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+, simply because there is a knight on
d7. ||
1. Be3 e5
2. f3
| The immediate white piece development plan is, Qd2, and, O-O-O, however
if white fails to take control of the g4 square then an annoying black, Ng4,
would harass the white e3 bishop.
There is a secondary and deeper purpose to playing, pawn f3.
White anticipates a possible black, pawn b5, pawn b4, advance which will
push the white knight off the c3 square, so another defensive support is
given to the e4 pawn.
In time a middlegame plan for white will emerge, push, pawn g4, pawn g5,
and once the black f6 knight is shoved around the white f3 pawn is free to
advance with, pawn f4, with options of opening up the centre. ||
1. ... c6
2. Qd2 Be7
3. O-O-O Qa5
| Indicating aggressive intent, there is the simple black threat of, pawn
b5, pawn b4, pushing the white knight away from the defence of the white a2
pawn. ||
1. g4
| Part of an early middlegame plan for white begins, the idea is, push
the black f6 knight away, advance with pawn f4, and the black centre becomes
fragile. ||
1. ... b5
| And the reason for black playing, 5. ... c6, is revealed, the black
b-pawn is about to become a key-player on the queenside. ||
1. Kb1
| A doubler - A double purpose move.
Firstly, the white king now guards the potentially vulnerable a2 pawn,
meaning any deflection of the c3 knight will not cost white a pawn.
Secondly, the king vacates the c1 - h6 diagonal, meaning any activity by
the black dark square bishop cannot result in an annoying check. ||
1. ... Nb6
| A tripler - A tripler purpose move.
Firstly, ideas of further advancement onto either a4 or c4 are now
available.
Secondly, the c8 bishop is released to advance, in particular the e6
square looks inviting.
Thirdly, the d7 square has been vacated as a possible retreat square for
the f6 knight should white push on with, pawn g5. ||
1. b3
| Designed to prevent black from playing either, Na4, or, Nc4, best laid
plans... ||
1. ... Rb8
| An important move in the black queenside campaign.
An x-ray attack is placed on the white b1 king, but are there not 3 units
in between them?
Yes, but one should be aware that intervening units can very quickly be
re-located resulting in the target becoming exposed to the glare of the
x-raying attacker.
White in the game is to play and find a move which leaves the average
club player in puzzlement, such are the mysterious ways of Grand Masters. ||
1. Qe1
| Once observed this might seem to be a move of aggressive intent, the
idea is to swing into the kingside, perhaps g3 beckons?
Not at all, this is most definitely a move to strengthen the defences in
anticipation of some powerful black aggression.
When black enticed white to play, pawn b3, the dark squares around the
white king became weak, white is striving to strengthen them with, Bd2, when
appropriate. ||
1. ... b4
2. Nce2 Be6
| Black now has 5 active units involved in the queenside campaign,
something dynamic should be happening very soon.
White has almost no defensive support on the queenside, clearly a Grand
Master will appreciate this and manoeuvre pieces to that side of the board as
quickly as possible, right? ||
1. g5
| White demonstrates that the phrase: "Attack is the best form of
defence." can be true in chess.
Sure, black is 5 - 0 up with regard to active units on the queenside, but
at the moment they cannot coordinate against a weakness, so white assesses
there is time for some kingside activity without serious consequences. ||
1. ... Nfd7
2. f4
| White completes the early middlegame plan of achieving, pawn f4.
The sequence of actions has been:
(A). Protect the e4 pawn with, pawn f3, anticipating the possibility of
the c3 knight being deflected by the advance of the black b-pawn.
(B). Advance with, pawn g4, and, pawn g5, deflecting the black f6 knight
thus removing the attack on the e4 pawn.
(C). Push, pawn f4, to bring pressure to bear on the black e5 pawn.
Of course these moves are not played consecutively but only when fitting
in with with strategy across the full width of the board.
Instead the plan of, pawn h4, and, Bh3, to trade off light square bishops
was less committal, but places less pressure on black. ||
1. ... exf4
| Almost forced, white was threatening, pawn f5, trapping the black e6
bishop.
Perhaps, 14. ... g6, would do the same job, but would also offer white a
target to a fast-advancing h-pawn. ||
1. Nxf4
| White is breaking an unwritten rules every beginner receives, that is
the advice not to move a piece twice or thrice in the early phases of the
game.
The white queen's knight has consumed 3 tempi while the king, queen,
f-pawn, g-pawn have all used 2 tempi.
Grand Masters realise under certain conditions that this good advice can
be ignored, however club players are warned that trying to play in this
manner might lead to some very quick disasters.
Now that the white kingside activity does not require immediate
responses, black has the opportunity to find a cute queenside tactic.
Clue: Black is seeking to put pressure on the dark squares. ||
1. ... Na4
| Or is this seeking play on the light squares?
Yes, but only if white is foolish enough to permit it.
Instead, 15. ... Bxg5, is rather missing the point.
Black is set up for queenside activity while white will try for something
on the kingside, so snatching a pawn in the region where the opponent is
active is most often counter-productive. ||
1. Nge2
| With 5 active black units all pointing at the white king common sense
suggests snatching such an offered piece is likely to be a losing move.
This is only a suggestion, perhaps some analysis might convince any
doubters who could be missing the main tactical idea:
(A). If, 16. bxa4 Bxa2+ 17. Kxa2 Qxa4+ 18. Kb1 b3 19. cxb3 Rxb3+ 20. Kc1
Qa3+ 21. Kc2 Qb2+ mate.
(B). Or if, 16. bxa4 Bxa2+ 17. Kc1 Qxa4 18. Kd2 b3 19. Nd3 b2, when white
probably has to return material with, 20. Nxb2 Rxb2, and black is a healthy
pawn up.
(C). Or if, 16. Nxe6 Nc3+ 17. Kb2 Qa3+ 18. Ka1 Qxa2+ mate.
(D). Or if, 16. Nxe6 Nc3+ 17. Kc1 fxe6, and white has the d1 rook, the a2
pawn, and the e4 pawn all under attack.
Black in the game is to play and find another shocker to land on white. ||
1. ... Bc4
| To have one piece attacked by the white b3 pawn is unfortunate, to have
two pieces attacked smacks of carelessness, right?
Yet again it is over to white to calculate the consequences of
unnecessary materialism, some analysis must be done,the opponent could be
blundering. ||
1. Bd2
| Again the temptation is resisted.
White just keeps increasing the defences to the weakened dark squares
until there will come a point when one of the black pieces might become
snaffleable.
Immediat greed suffers as follows:
(A). If, 17. bxc4 Nc3+ 18. Kb2 Qa3+ 19. Ka1 Qxa2+ mate.
(B). Or if, 17. bxc4 Nc3+ 18. Nxc3 bxc3+ 19. Kc1 Qa3+ mate.
(C). Or if, 17. bxc4 Nc3+ 18. Nxc3 bxc3+ 19. Ka1 Rb2, when, 20. ... Qxa2+
mate is unstoppable.
(D). Or if, 17. bxc4 Nc3+ 18. Kc1 Qa3+ 19. Kd2 Nxe4+ 20. Ke2 Nc3+ 21. Kf2
Nxd1+ 22. Qxd1 Qxa2, black already has rook and 2 pawns for a bishop and
knight with further favourable line-opening with, pawn b3, on the immediate
horizon. ||
1. ... Bxg5
| This capture is not motivated by greed but instead a desire to exchange
off some white minor pieces who are preventing black from achieving the
invasion of a knight on the c3 square. ||
1. Rg1
| White is not worried about the loss of the g-pawn, the open lines on
the kingside should provide compensation once the heavy pieces start roaming
around there. ||
1. ... Bxe2
| The process of removing white defenders of the c3 square begins. ||
1. Nxe2
| White avoids the careless, 19. Bxe2 Bxf4, black exploits the overloaded
white d2 bishop with a forced deflection, 20. Bxf4 Nc3+, when the only move
to avoid a mating net is, 21. Kc1, but then black wins an exchange with,
Nxd1, as well as, Qxa2, to follow. ||
1. ... Bxd2
| Black cannot back off now as, 19. ... Bf6 20. bxa4 Qxa4 21. Rd3, to be
followed with, Bc1, and the black attack is failing. ||
1. Rxd2
| Efficient.
Instead the clumsy, 20. Qxd2 Nc3+ 21. Nxc3 bxc3 22. Qe1 O-O 23. Rd3,
costs white a tempo over the game continuation, not critical but why throw
away a move unnecessarily? ||
1. ... Nc3+
| The black plan of landing a knight on c3 which began as far back as
move 10 is achieved. ||
1. Nxc3 bxc3
2. Rd3 O-O
| Time to take stock.
Black is a pawn up but the c3 pawn will fall whenever white wishes.
The black queenside initiative is over, heavy pieces initially sent
queenside must re-group elsewhere to contain the forthcoming white kingside
activity.
The black king is likely to be less comfortable than the white king,
though careful defensive play should rule out any dangers to either monarch.
In essence, there is imbalance sufficient for both players to probe and
prod each other, waiting for slight errors to build up until something
serious appears. ||
1. Qh4
| Indicating a willingness to play for a win.
There is nothing particularly wrong with either, 23. Qxc3, or, 23. Rxc3.
White simply prefers to put black under pressure before removing the
black c3 pawn, which after all, isn't going anywhere.
Black to play must find something to neutralise the threat of, 24. Qg4,
doubling with a mate threat on the black g7 pawn while hitting the undefended
black d7 knight, white would be winning a piece. ||
1. ... Qd8
| The white kingside fire-power of h4 queen and g1 rook, possibly soon to
be supplemented with the d3 rook swinging across, must be neutralised as
quickly as possible. ||
1. Qh3
| The white queen has attacking possibilities, the black queen at the
moment can only be a defender, so white keeps queens on.
The session group felt white had a more interesting choice available in,
24. Qh6, and spent considerable time exploring the tactics.
The first line explored ran:
(A). If, 24. Qh6 Qf6 25. Rxg7+ Qxg7 26. Rg3 Qg6, and white will capture,
Rxg6, when appropriate, the late middlegame of white queen and bishop against
black rooks and knight would definitely be a fascinating struggle.
The shattered black pawn structure is the critical factor.
The white queen can attack in many directions at once, black will have
great difficulties in avoiding losing pawns to her marauding, though the
white king must first do something quickly about his potential back-rank
mating vulnerability.
The next try to be explored created some very sharp lines:
(A). If, 24. Qh6 g6 25. Rh3 Nf6 26. e5 dxe5 27. dxe5 Re8 28. exf6
(disastrous) Re1+ 29. Qc1 Rxc1+ 30. Kxc1 Qd2+ 31. Kb1 Qd1+ mate, but white
need not fall into this.
(B). Or if, 24. Qh6 g6 25. Rh3 Nf6 26. e5 dxe5 27. Bc4 (important pin on
the black f7 pawn) Nd5 28. Qxh7+ mate, so the black knight must stand firm on
the f6 square.
(C). Or if, 24. Qh6 g6 25. Rh3 Nf6 26. e5 dxe5 27. Bc4 Re8 28. Rxg6+ Kh8
29. Qg7+ mate.
(D). Or if, 24. Qh6 g6 25. Rh3 Nf6 26. e5 dxe5 27. Bc4 Re8 28. Rxg6+ hxg6
29. Qh8+ mate.
But what if black leaves the f8 rook alone and tries different ideas on
move 27?
(E). Or if, 24. Qh6 g6 25. Rh3 Nf6 26. e5 dxe5 27. Bc4 Kh8 28. dxe5 Nh5
29. Rxh5 gxh5 30. Qg7+ mate.
(F). Or if, 24. Qh6 g6 25. Rh3 Nf6 26. e5 dxe5 27. Bc4 Kh8 28. dxe5 Qd4
29. Rf1 Nh5 30. Rxh5 gxh5 31. Qf6+ Kg8 (tactic alert) 32. Bxf7+ Rxf7 33.
Qxf7+ Kh8 34. Qf6+ Kg8 35. Qg5+ Kh8 36. Rg1 Qd7 37. Qf6+ Qg7 38. Qxg7+ mate.
Yes, that line is 15 moves long, how easy would it be for a Grand Master
to find with a ticking clock probably in debt due to the earlier tricks from
black on the queenside?
Relatively easy, and they would probably stop analysing after, 32. Bxf7+,
just instinctively knowing there is a win there.
(G). Or if, 24. Qh6 g6 25. Rh3 Nf6 26. e5 dxe5 27. Bc4 Kh8 28. dxe5 Qd4
29. Rf1 Qxc4 (white b3 pawn pinned) 30. Rxf6 Qe2 31. Qxh7+ mate.
Quite some twists to sort out, one feels there could be a defence
somewhere for black, but where?
How about shuffling the move order of the black ideas?
(H). Or if, 24. Qh6 g6 25. Rh3 Nf6 26. e5 dxe5 27. Bc4 Qxd4 28. Rf1 Qxc4
29. Rxf6 Rfd8 (permitting the black king to run into the queenside while
threatening, Rd1+ crushing white) 30. Qxh7+ Kf8 31. Rxc3 Qd5 (the black queen
must keep a guard on the f7 square) 32. Rcxc6 Rb6 33. Rxb6 axb6 34. Rxb6 e4
35. Qh6+ Kg8 36. Qe3, and while white has an extra pawn it is black who is
slightly ahead in the promotion race.
So perhaps black can avoid defeat after, 24. Qh6, but finding the precise
line is rather tortuous. ||
1. ... g6
| Black is going to have to make this pawn advance at some point, so play
it before committing any pieces. ||
1. Rxc3 Nf6
| As some say: "Attack is the best form of defence."
Here black focuses an attack on the white e4 pawn rather than committing
a high-value unit, either queen or rook, to the defence of the c6 pawn. ||
1. Bg2
| At the moment the personal battle between the minor pieces definitely
favours the black knight.
Why? Because the knight is free to move without losing material, but the
white g2 bishop can only shuffle on the h1 - f3 squares as it must maintain
the defence to the e4 pawn.
Such is the value of attacking an opposing unit, more often than not
forcing another opposing unit into a defensive duty, and so restricting
mobility.
White is not worried about restricting the activity of the g1 rook up the
g-file, after black plays, pawn g6, the g1 rook must seek a fresh role
elsewhere. ||
1. ... Re8
| Again black prefers to attack the white e4 pawn rather than commit a
unit to defending the c6 pawn. ||
1. Qh6
| White is defending the e4 pawn with a counter-tactic, now black must
think carefully about king-safety. ||
1. ... Rb4
| "Initiative Over Material!"
Black is in the process of generating some activity for the heavy pieces,
and once completed, the white queen must be dislodged from the h6 square,
giving the black king some much-needed breathing space.
Instead the greedy, 27. ... Nxe4, falls into, 28. Bxe4 Rxe4 29. Rh3,
setting a trap for the ultra-greedy, 29. ... Rxd4, a blunder as, 30. Qxh7+
Kf8 31. Qh8+ Ke7 32. Qxd4, swallows the greedy black d4 rook. ||
1. d5
| The white centre pawns are awkward to defend so reducing their number
by one is sensible. ||
1. ... cxd5
| Black opens up the position for the heavy pieces.
Instead, 28. ... c5, might leave the backward white e4 pawn as a static
target, but would leave both of the black rooks without an open file or rank.
||
1. exd5 Ng4
| Black pushes the white queen back, the danger to the h7 pawn has
passed, right? ||
1. Qd2
| Black must not be allowed the luxury of a 7th rank rook invasion with,
Re2.
When there is a queen and single bishop a general idea to consider is to
have the queen working on the colour-complex opposite to that of the bishop,
just what white has been doing with the exception of, Qh3.
This is not a rule but a guideline to assist strategy, there will be
instances where the queen can work well with the bishop, most notably when
creating a battery up a corner-to-corner diagonal. ||
1. ... Qb6
| All black pieces are activated, now all they need to do is find some
coordination.
The coaching session group were asked to consider, 30. ... Nxh2, no one
supported this idea.
On strategic grounds it does somewhat stink, but when asked to find a
tactical refutation matters were far from simple.
Even with that wonderful gift of 20 - 20 hindsight, as these annotations
are being written it is not possible to provide positive proof that, Nxh2, is
strategic suicide. ||
1. Rf1 Rd4
| Black gives the white queen a kick, fine, but such strategy should be
considered carefully, she might end up being kicked to a better location. ||
1. Qg5 Re5
| This isn't just a kicking, this is positively sticking the boot in. ||
1. Qh4
| And she ends up on just the square where she began her kingside
campaign, with the added bonuses that both of the white rooks have posted
themselves actively on very useful files.
Black in the game is to play and be aware of the Fischerism: "Tactics
flow from a positionally superior game." ||
1. ... Qb4
| Aha, and having just messaged the Fischerism, you are wondering what
tactic black has failed to find?
White in the game is to play and give the answer. ||
1. Rc8+ Kg7
| Time to take stock of the position again.
All of the black pieces have active locations and with a couple more
moves will begin to coordinate.
The white pieces have slightly less activity with virtually zero
coordination and little prospects of achieving any for quite a few moves.
White in the game to play has not one, but two, ways to show us: "Tactics
can flow from a positionally inferior game!" ||
1. Qxh7+
| If this idea did not occur to you, then try to work out why this move
is played.
Hopefully you have now found the forced finish to the game, the 4th move
of the line is the trickiest to find.
Now replace the black h7 pawn, put the white queen back on h4, and find a
similar forcing mate in 4 moves.
It begins with, 34. Rxf7+, with a similar king hunt as for the white
queen sacrifice. ||
1. ... Kxh7
2. Rxf7+ Kh6
3. Rh8+
Black resigns, 1-0
| Grand Masters generally prefer not to be checkmated.
The final moves of, 37. ... Kg5 38. h4, are therefore relegated to the
notes.
This remarkable finish to the game happened because black failed to keep
a protection to the back rank, though perhaps in fairness, we could assume
the complexities of the early middlegame cost both players much time on the
clock leaving them short of time. ||
White: J. Polgar, 2595.
Black: J. Garcia, 2475.
Event: Dos Hermanas 1993.
Result: 1-0 in 37 moves.
Opening: Pirc Defence transposing into Philidor Defence, B07.
1. e4 d6
2. d4 Nf6
3. Nc3 Nbd7
4. Be3 e5
5. f3 c6
6. Qd2 Be7
7. O-O-O Qa5
8. g4 b5
9. Kb1 Nb6
10. b3 Rb8
11. Qe1 b4
12. Nce2 Be6
13. g5 Nfd7
14. f4 exf4
15. Nxf4 Na4
16. Nge2 Bc4
17. Bd2 Bxg5
18. Rg1 Bxe2
19. Nxe2 Bxd2
20. Rxd2 Nc3+
21. Nxc3 bxc3
22. Rd3 O-O
23. Qh4 Qd8
24. Qh3 g6
25. Rxc3 Nf6
26. Bg2 Re8
27. Qh6 Rb4
28. d5 cxd5
29. exd5 Ng4
30. Qd2 Qb6
31. Rf1 Rd4
32. Qg5 Re5
33. Qh4 Qb4
34. Rc8+ Kg7
35. Qxh7+ Kxh7
36. Rxf7+ Kh6
37. Rh8+
Black resigns, 1-0
*
o *
