Skype coaching session, 31 March 2019.
Firstly,a, "Find The Winning Tactic", position was studied.
Secondly, the game discussed (24 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.
* * *
Find The Winning Tactic.
Movsesian (2435) - Pavel Karhanek (2075), Olomouc, 1995.
White to play, this is a chase for mate.
Algebraic Addresses.
White: Kg1, Qh2, Ra1, Rf1, Ba2, Bf4, Ne5, Nc3.
Pa3, Pb2, Pd4, Pf5, Pg5.
Black: Kf8, Qc8, Ra7, Re8, Be7, Bf7, Nb8, Nb6.
Pa4, Pb5, Pc6, Pd5, Pg7.
Fenn (White units in upper case, black units in lower case).
1nq1rk2/
r3bbp1/
1np5/
1p1pNPP1/
p2P1B2/
P1N5/
BP5Q/
R4RK1
Winning Variations, (forcing lines only).
Note: There are 4 mating continuations to be found, length of lines being, 2,
4, 8, 9 moves.
(A). 1. Ng6+ Kg8 2. Qh8+ mate.
(B). 1. Ng6+ Bxg6 2. Qh8+ Kf7 3. fxg6+ Ke6 4. Qh3+ mate.
(C). 1. Ng6+ Bxg6 2. Qh8+ Kf7 3. fxg6+ Kxg6 4. Bb1+ Kf7 5. g6+ Kf6 6. Qh4+ Ke6
7. Qg4+ Kf6 8. Be5+ mate.
(D). 1. Ng6+ Bxg6 2. Qh8+ Kf7 3. fxg6+ Kxg6 4. Bb1+ Kf7 5. g6+ Ke6 6. Qh3+ Kf6
7. Qh4+ Ke6 8. Qg4+ Kf6 9. Be5+ mate.
Points to note, the lines which should win but are not forcing variations.
White has a massive positional plus here, so there are many good ideas to be
found which should win.
#1. If, 1. Qh8+ Bg8 2. Ng6+ Kf7 3. Qh5, looks dangerous but the white knight
has no clever discovered checks.
#2. If, 1. pawn f6, many variations emerge, probably winning, but the tree of
analysis to confirm this is massive.
#3. Simply transferring the white a1 rook to the kingside, perhaps the f2
square, should easily find a break through, but this is a chase for mate.
#4. A good line to win is, 1. Nxf7 Kxf7 2. g6+ Kf6, forced, retreating allows a
white h-file invasion, 3. Be5+ Kg5 4. Qg3+ Kh5 5. Kg2 Qd8 6. Rh1+ Bh4 7. Rxh4+
Qxh4 8. Rh1, and white wins black queen and bishop for 2 rooks, a long term
win.
#5. There is a mate in 6 moves which all in the session missed, but sadly it is
not a forcing line.
It runs, 1. Nxf7 Kxf7 2. g6+ Kf6 3. Qh4+ Kxf5 4. Bb1+ Ke6 5. Qg4+ Kf6 6. Be5+
mate.
The problem is that after, 1. Nxf7, black does not have to recapture the
knight, this will clearly be winning for white, but this puzzle is a chase for
mate.
* * *
## Annotated Game.
White: A. Shirov, 2667.
Black: W. Ju, 2580.
Event: Prague Chess Festival (Challengers) 2019.
Result: 1-0 in 24 moves.
Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined (Sort Of), D30.
| Editorial.
Some openings are easy to categorise, some less so, this game falls into the
latter group.
It is not what is actually played, but how different systems are side-stepped
which makes categorising this game difficult.
So, while this game could easily appear in a variety of opening monologues,
perhaps focus should instead be on the middlegame and how it concludes. ||
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
| Flexible responses from black, no central tension, no challenging the white
centre.
Options available to black here include, the Queen's Indian Defence, the
Nimzo-Indian Defence, the Bogo-Indian Defence, the Benoni, the Queen's Gambit,
or the Slav Defence. ||
3. Nf3
| An important subtlety, black is being denied a very popular mainline system.
Instead, 3. Nc3 Bb4, black would have the Nimzo-Indian Defence.
So why the avoidance strategy, is the Nimzo-Indian really to be feared?
Not really, but why open yourself up to a whole black system in which the
opponent has expertise, when this simple shuffle of move-order saves a
considerable amount of home-study. ||
3. ... d5
| Black transposes into a Queen's Gambit system, the Benoni is no longer
available. ||
4. g3
| White resolutely refuses to play, Nc3, which would invite, Bb4, yielding the
long-sought Nimzo-Indian-style system, though should that occur quite a lot of
the black flexibility would have been lost due to playing, 3. ... d5.
With, 4. g3, white is jockeying for a Catalan system, much of the middlegame
revolving on how the h1 - a8 diagonal is handled by both players. ||
4. ... Bb4+
| The move which categorises the Bogo-Indian Defence, a bishop check which
gives white several options on how to block the check.
Instead, 4. ... dxc4, is the most popular black choice here. ||
5. Bd2
| The most popular move, bishop challenges bishop.
Instead, 5. Nc3, will no longer lead to Nimzo-Indian-style middlegames where
white suffers doubled c-pawns after black plays, Bxc3+, because whenever white
wishes there is the exchange, cxd5, available. ||
5. ... Bd6
| A move which often leaves beginners scratching their heads.
Why flick the black f8 bishop out to b4 with check if when challenged with
white, Bd2, it backs off?
The answer lies not with the black dark square bishop, but instead with the
white dark square bishop.
Would white voluntarily play, Bd2, this early in the opening?
Almost certainly not.
So the black trick is to flick in a, Bb4, check wait and see how white blocks,
and if it is with, Bd2, retreat down the a3 - f8 diagonal, arguing that the
black bishop on d6 is well-posted while the white bishop on d2, is well, what?
Instead, 5. ... Be7, is a more solid approach, thinking in terms of
strengthening the defence.
Also known here is, 5. ... a5, when the potential doubling of black b-pawns
should white try, Bxb4, seems to give white more problems than black. ||
6. Nc3
| The, "Obvious", 6. Bg2, is perfectly playable and consistent with, 4. g3.
However white is keeping options open, there is a particular aggressive idea
available which is presently hiding up the sleeve. ||
6. ... c6
| The black system is finally settling down into a Queen's Gambit Declined
formation.
White to play and find a plan to place considerable pressure on black. ||
7. Qc2
| A doubler.
Firstly, the white queen is now supporting the central break of, pawn e4.
Secondly, white is ready for castling queenside if circumstances suggest this
is safe. ||
7. ... O-O
| Most players tend to hold back this commitment, instead preferring, 7. ...
Nbd7, in the hope of getting a commitment from the opponent before considering
castling.
White now achieves a liberating central pawn break which gives black good
chances of misplaying a difficult position. ||
8. e4 dxe4
9. Nxe4 Nxe4
10. Qxe4 Nd7
| This knight must strengthen the kingside as best it can, not easy.
White to play, having already resisted an, "Obvious", temptation, must now
reject dogma to make gains. ||
11. Bd3
| Flexibility of thinking is a valuable asset.
Having played, 4. g3, it takes character to admit the white light square bishop
no longer belongs on g2, but instead is needed on d3 to create pressure on the
black kingside. ||
11. ... Nf6
| The consequences of incorrect handling in this position can be brutal, as
shown in the game:
M. Ragger (2628) - E. Braun (2538), Bundesliga, Baden-Baden 2010.
11. Bd3 Nf6 12. Qh4 b5 13. Bg5 h5 14. c5 Bxc5 15. O-O-O Be7
16. g4 Bb7 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. g5 c5 19. gxf6 Bxf3 20. Rhg1 g6
21. Qg5 1-0
The other way to prevent the somewhat crude threat of, Qxh7+ mate, is, 11. ...
g6.
But does the following example offer inspiration for black?
V. Erdos (2585) - B. Abramovic (2420), European Club Championship, Novi Sad,
2016.
11. Bd3 g6 12. O-O-O e5 13. c5 Bxc5 14. dxe5 Nb6 15. Bh6 Re8
16. Ng5 Nd5 17. Qf3 Be6 18. h4 Qd7 19. Nxh7 Kxh7 20. h5 Kg8
21. hxg6 fxg6 22. Bxg6 Re7 23. Qh5 Rg7 24. Be3 Bxe3+ 25. fxe3 Kf8
26. Qh8+ Rg8 27. Rdf1+ 1-0
Suffice it to say, there must be improvements for black in these games, perhaps
Fritz and friends might assist devotees of, 5. ... Bd6, here? ||
12. Qh4
| The only move to give black problems, anything else just misses out on all
the fun. ||
12. ... Re8
| Sensible.
White has plans of trying to shift the black f6 knight in order to invade with,
Qxh7+, crude but not easy to prevent, so the f8 square is released to give the
black king a chance of sprinting queenside should white break in.
A different plan for black can be seen in the game:
N. Berry (2265) - J. P. Redmond (2173), 4NCL, England 2017.
12. Qh4 Be7 13. O-O-O b6 14. Bg5 g6 15. Ne5 Bb7
16. Ng4 Nd5 17. Bxe7 Nxe7 18. Qf6 Nf5 19. Bxf5 Qxf6 20. Nxf6+ Kg7
21. Nxh7 Kxh7 22. Be4 Rad8 23. h4 Kg7 24. f4 Rd7 25. Rh2 Rfd8
26. Rhd2 Kf6 27. Kc2 Ke7 28. Kc3 a5 29. b3 Kf6 30. a4 Rb8
31. Bf3 Rc7 32. Re1 Ba6 33. Re5 Rd8 34. c5 b5 35. axb5 Bxb5
36. Re1 Rcd7 37. Ra1 Ra7 38. Be4 Ke7 39. Rda2 Rad7 40. Rd2 Ra7
41. Ra3 Kf6 42. Rda2 Rad7 43. Rd2 Ra7 44. Bf3 Kg7 45. Ra1 Kf6
46. g4 Rh8 47. Rh2 Rd8 48. Be4 Rh8 49. Bc2 Rd8 50. g5+ Kg7
51. h5 gxh5 52. Rxh5 Rh8 53. Rxh8 Kxh8 54. Kd2 Ra8 55. Ke3 Kg7
56. Rh1 Rd8 57. Rh7+ Kg8 58. g6 Rd7 59. Ke4 1-0
It seems a white queen on h4 creates a variety of problems for black, perhaps
this game could set matters right? ||
13. O-O-O
| A doubler, with a common theme.
Firstly, the white king wisely escapes the x-ray attack from the black e8 rook
through the e6 pawn.
Secondly, white places a d1 rook x-ray attack onto the black d8 queen through 4
intervening unit, so she is perfectly safe, right? ||
13. ... b5
| Opposite wing assaults demand immediate action, and it seems that black is
getting in first. ||
14. c5
| Any move which permits black to capture, bxc4, must not be permitted, black
would find much joy in using a semi-open or fully open b-file.
However, there is a fault with advancing, 14. c5, it seems that x-ray attacks
are a two-way street... ||
14. ... Bxc5
| Black immediately follows up with Punch #2.
This might appear to be a refutation to the whole idea of white castling
queenside, not so.
White is more than strong enough to have foreseen this idea, and much further
besides, when settling for, 13. O-O-O.
So what is going on here?
White has a dynamic kingside plan in place ready to roll, only there is first
the little matter of ensuring any black queenside activity is not permitted to
land any painful punches.
White to play and start punching... ||
15. g4
| Appropriate Fischerism which applies to virtually the rest of the game: "In
chess it is important to know when to punch and when to duck."
Playing in the centre with, 15. dxc5 Qxd3, is a disaster for white, the loss of
the d3 light square bishop cancels any ideas of white ganging up on the black
h7 pawn.
White has no tricks involving x-rays, 15. dxc5 Qxd3 16. Bg5 Qxf3, and white is
simply a piece down for no compensation. ||
15. ... Bxd4
| Black manages to land Punch #3.
Before white started punching with, pawn g4, the white d4 pawn was protected by
the h4 queen and f3 knight, on g4 the g-pawn blocks out an important defence.
Tricky things, these opposite wing attacks. ||
16. g5
| So simple.
Black now has 2 pieces attacked, the white g5 pawn prodding the
defensively-important black f6 knight, and a double-attack from the white f3
knight and h4 queen onto the singly-defended black d4 bishop.
Surely black must have allowed for this, and if so, what is the answer?
Clue: On 08 November 1895 Wilhelm Röntgen discovered x-rays, possibly inspired
by chess games like this one? ||
16. ... Bxb2+
| There goes black Punch #4, which could prove painful if white is careless,
and as it is a check there can be no immediate white counter-punch on the
kingside.
The black d8 queen is now directly attacking the white d3 bishop, fine, but
doesn't black now have 2 pieces en prise, the b2 bishop and the f6 knight?
When white castled long there was a favourable 4 - 3 centre-queenside pawn
majority, now black has a 3 - 1 pawn majority in that region.
The white king has been exposed, but just how dangerous is this change in
circumstances?
It is not the exposure itself which is important, it is how quickly black
pieces can flood in around the white king which counts.
Here other than the black b2 bishop, candidates to join in the attack are
limited.
Perhaps the black queen can invade, and given the chance the f6 knight can hop
to d5, but what about the black a8 rook, the c8 bishop, and the e8 rook?
So despite the scary-looking invader on b2, perhaps the white king is not in
any immediate danger.
Instead, 16. ... Bxf2 17. Qxf2 Qxd3 18. gxf6, white is a piece up and the king
on c1 is in virtually no danger, the same cannot be said for the black g8 king.
On the other hand, what about the white kingside campaign?
The black f6 knight is in danger, if it moves then white can choose between,
Bxh7+, or far more likely, Qxh7+.
The f3 knight and d2 bishop have options of heading into the kingside, and the
white d1 rook has an x-ray threat on the black d8 queen.
So, despite black getting the first blood on the queenside, maybe the skulking
white forces are better coordinated to make gains once their turn arises?
As Fischer recommends, sometimes you punch, sometimes you duck, here black is
doing the punching.
White to play and do something about the black b2 bishop check, fine, but
should he punch or should he duck? ||
17. Kc2
| Duck!
White needs the d3 light square bishop to support a potential, Qxh7+, invasion.
Should this occur, then the d3 bishop would be backwardly protected from h7,
meaning the white c2 king would then be genuinely attacking the black b2
bishop.
Instead, 17. Kxb2 Qxd3 18. gxf6 Qxf3 19. Qg5 Qxf6+, pieces can retreat to
capture, and in this case queens will be traded off, leaving black some 4 pawns
up.
There are other lines to consider after, 17. Kxb2 Qxd3, but they all give black
some play while white is denied that all-important, Qxh7+, invasion. ||
17. ... Qd5
| Ouch!
Black Punch #5 causes some pain.
This centralisation hits at a couple of unprotected white units, the a2 pawn
and the f3 knight.
Yet again it seems that black is doing all the punching while white is having
to duck.
So, should white be thinking of defending the a2 pawn, or defending the f3
knight?
Or simply say: "S** it!, I want my turn to land a, "Power-Punch"!", and snaffle
the black f6 knight? ||
18. gxf6
| Power-Punch #1 it is then, no points for defending because white has a threat
of mate in 2 as the black f6 knight departs. ||
18. ... Bxf6
| Clearly at this level, 18. ... Qxf3 19. Qxh7+ Kf8 20. Qxg7+ mate, is not
going to happen.
So, black is now a piece down for 3 white pawns, the white king looks in need
of a little more defensive cover, black has an immediate threat of, Qxa2+, to
be followed by, Qb2+ mate, aren't these opposite-wing attacks great fun?
White to play must give Power-Punch #2 next move, but what after that, is it
punch or duck? ||
19. Qxh7+ Kf8
| Time to take stock.
White has finally broken in with the planned, Qxh7+, but she is a one-woman
assault team, no one else is anywhere near the scene of action to give her the
necessary much-needed support to continue punching.
The rest of the white forces are scattered within their own half of the board,
nothing past the 3rd rank, so no punching from any of this lot, right?
Black has a couple of threats to be neutralised.
Firstly, the simple, 20. ... Qxf3, picking off a white knight must be
prevented.
Secondly, the similarly simple, 20. ... Qxa2+ 21. Kc1 Qb2+ mate, definitely
needs preventing.
Is there a single move available to white which can neutralise both of these
black threats?
No, so the next white move must be for damage-limitation purposes, right? ||
20. Bb4+
| Aha,so here is attempted Power-Punch #3.
Black has 5 legal replies, 4 of which lead to a mate, fine, but what if black
finds the 5th reply, how do the white Power-Punches continue then? ||
20. ... c5
| Instead the 4 black losing moves in no particular order of silliness run:
(A). If, 20. ... Be7 21. Qh8+ mate.
(B). Or if, 20. ... Re7 21. Qh8+ mate.
(C). Or if 20. ... Qd6 21. Bxd6+, followed by either the black rook or bishop
intervention on e7, then white again has, Qh8+ mate.
(D). Or if, 20. ... Qc5 21. Bxc5+, with mate again on h8 after either black
piece intervenes on e7.
So now white has 2 pieces en prise (f3 knight and b4 bishop), along with that
black mate in 2 moves to be neutralised.
How could it get any worse for white? ||
21. Qh8+
| And that is attempted Power-Punch #4, but only 3 white checks in a row,
surely this white bravado cannot continue for much longer, can it? ||
21. ... Ke7
| The previous black threat count of 3, now rises to 4, the white queen on h8
is also en prise.
Grand Rabbit wonders if there is a special prize in this event for the player
who can get as many pieces hanging before one of them gets snatched?
If so, then white might take pleasure in, 22. Bc4, after which black can
capture any of 4 white units, but common sense dictates that, 22. ... Qxc4+ 23.
Kd2 Qxb4+ 24. Ke2 Rxh8, limiting the greed to only 3 dainty morsels would be
sensible.
White to play and find a good reason for not resigning, assuming there is one,
right? ||
22. Qxe8+
| Bizarre.
Surely it is the recipient of the Punches who becomes, "Punch-Drunk", isn't it?
A very dramatic Power-Punch #5, the 4th white check in a row.
This remarkable riposte must have been planned when giving that initial
Power-Punch #1 with, 18. gxf6, which was followed with black playing, 18. ...
Qd5, with the accompanying black twin-threats on f3 and a2. ||
22. ... Kxe8
| Not much choice here really.
Instead running away with, 22. ... Kd6, runs into similar problems as will
occur in game, but with black being a rook down and white a queen up. ||
23. Bxb5+
| So we have Power-Punch #6, a 5th white check in a row, and the entire point
of the white plan of, pawn g4 - pawn g5, is revealed.
The black queen, placed in an x-ray attack from the white d1 rook back on move
13, is about to be punished for her blatant disregard of such dangers. ||
23. ... Kd8
| Perhaps a sign that black had taken enough punching for one day?
Once all variations have been crunched, it appears the best black can have is
to be a piece down for2 connected passed pawns.
A sample of what was rejected runs:
(A). If, 23. ... Bd7 24. Rxd5 exd5 25. Bxd7+ Kxd7 26. Bd2, which at Grand
Master level is a clear win for white, but many club players could happily test
white and find their technique not up to the task and snatch a draw.
Note that white must not grab the black c5 pawn, 26. Bxc5 Rc8, and black wins
the hapless white c5 bishop, white would be struggling for a draw.
(B). Or if, 23. ... Ke7 24. Rxd5 exd5 25. Bxc5+, and black has only the passed
d5 pawn for a piece.
White to play and find the most precise move which forces resignation. ||
24. Bc6
Black resigns, 1-0
| Not so much a Punch, but instead rather a good slap.
Black will be a rook down in all lines, a couple of samples run:
(A). If, 24. ... Qxd1+ 25. Rxd1+ Kc7 26. Bxa8 cxb4, black has a couple of extra
pawns while white has an extra rook, hopeless, even at club level.
(B). Or if, 24. ... Rb8 25. Bxd5 Rxb4 26. Bxe6+ Kc7 27. Bxf7 Rb2+ 28. Kc1 Rxf2
29. Rhf1, and again black has only the c5 pawn as compensation for the extra
white rook. ||
* * *
## Unannotated Game.
White: A. Shirov, 2667.
Black: W. Ju, 2580.
Event: Prague Chess Festival (Challengers) 2019.
Result: 1-0 in 24 moves.
Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined (Sort Of), D30.
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nf3 d5
4. g3 Bb4+
5. Bd2 Bd6
6. Nc3 c6
7. Qc2 O-O
8. e4 dxe4
9. Nxe4 Nxe4
10. Qxe4 Nd7
11. Bd3 Nf6
12. Qh4 Re8
13. O-O-O b5
14. c5 Bxc5
15. g4 Bxd4
16. g5 Bxb2+
17. Kc2 Qd5
18. gxf6 Bxf6
19. Qxh7+ Kf8
20. Bb4+ c5
21. Qh8+ Ke7
22. Qxe8+ Kxe8
23. Bxb5+ Kd8
24. Bc6
Black resigns, 1-0
* * *
