Monthly Archives: October 2010

Swindles

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Diligent explorers of this website may have found a little collection
of the finest swindles that I had perpetrated in my career, up to the
point where I established this website. I pulled off another one
so appalling that I thought it too should be displayed as a dreadful
warning to others. The serendipity of life ensured that a week or
two before, hot new signing Tim Paulden had pulled off a win when a
piece down in an endgame, and a week or two after, I witnessed Ian
Jamieson come out with a win in a position that the most sympathetic
reading would say was unpromising.

Click […] to see list of games

I am reminded of the wise words of Grigory Sanokoev:

“There are no hopeless positions; there are only inferior positions
that can be saved.

“There are no drawn positions; there are only equal ones in which you
can play for a win.

“But at the same time, don’t forget that there is no such thing as a won
position in which it is impossible to lose.”

–Grigory SANAKOEV

[I am grateful to my esteemed former colleague Peter Lane for drawing
my attention to this quote.]

Stone soup

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From the FRACTINT documentation

Appendix B Stone Soup With Pixels: The Authors

THE STONE SOUP STORY

Once upon a time, somewhere in Eastern Europe, there was a great
famine. People jealously hoarded whatever food they could find,
hiding it even from their friends and neighbors. One day a peddler
drove his wagon into a village, sold a few of his wares, and began
asking questions as if he planned to stay for the night.

  [No! No! It was three Russian Soldiers! – Lee
Crocker]
[Wait! I heard it was a Wandering Confessor! – Doug Quinn]
[Well *my* kids have a book that uses Russian Soldiers! – Bert]
[Look, who’s writing this documentation, anyway? – Monte]
[Ah, but who gets it *last* and gets to upload it? – Bert]

  “There’s not a bite to eat in the whole province,” he was
told. “Better keep moving on.”

  “Oh, I have everything I need,” he said. “In fact, I was
thinking of making some stone soup to share with all of you.” He
pulled an iron cauldron from his wagon, filled it with water, and
built a fire under it. Then, with great ceremony, he drew an
ordinary-looking stone from a velvet bag and dropped it into the
water.

  By now, hearing the rumor of food, most of the villagers
had come to the square or watched from their windows. As the
peddler sniffed the “broth” and licked his lips in anticipation,
hunger began to overcome their skepticism.

  “Ahh,” the peddler said to himself rather loudly, “I do
like a tasty stone soup. Of course, stone soup with CABBAGE —
that’s hard to beat.”

  Soon a villager approached hesitantly, holding a cabbage
he’d retrieved from its hiding place, and added it to the pot.
“Capital!” cried the peddler. “You know, I once had stone soup with
cabbage and a bit of salt beef as well, and it was fit for a
king.”

  The village butcher managed to find some salt beef…and
so it went, through potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and so
on, until there was indeed a delicious meal for all. The villagers
offered the peddler a great deal of money for the magic stone, but
he refused to sell and traveled on the next day. And from that time
on, long after the famine had ended, they reminisced about the
finest soup they’d ever had.

When and where to attack

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Steinitz became World Champion (more or less) in 1866 by beating Adolf Anderssen in a bloodthirsty match (+8 -6 =0).  His style was very much in the tradition of the Italian school, playing for attack from the word go.  He was awarded the brilliancy prize for this Rook sacrifice:

  • Romantic Steinitz (up to and including 1872) (304)
    • Steinitz W. – Mongredien A. [B01]

His play in the of 1872 was still in this style, but his play in the tournament of 1873 was in marked contrast, playing for small positional advantages in the opening and early middlegame, and converting to a win only later.  Converting to a win might still be a brilliant attack, but it was more likely to be scooping up a few pawns.

  • Scientific Steinitz (after 1973)
    • Steinitz – Fleissig [C00]

    (305)

Steinitz was World Champion for 20 years — because, he said, he was 20 years ahead of his time!  His theories diffused into the chess world through lots of little pieces in newspapers and magazines, as never produced a book or a summary of his theory during his life (he died before he completed The Modern Chess Instructor). Lasker undertook to explain Steinitz to the world after he died, and Tarrasch also wrote a lot about Steinitz’ theories.

  • Scientific Steinitz didn’t forget how to attack! (307)
    • Steinitz – tchigorin [C65]
Steinitz’ elements (after Lasker) Steinitz’ rules of attack
Permanent advantages

1. Material advantage
2. Bad king position
3. Passed pawns in the middlegame
4. Weak pawns for the opponent
5. Strong and weak squares
6. Pawn islands
7. Strong pawn centre
8. Control of a diagonal
9. Control of a file
10. Bishop pair
11. Control of a rank

Temporary advantages

12. Bad piece position
13. Inharmoniously placed pieces
14. Advantage in development
15. Concentration of pieces in the centre (centralization)
16. Space advantage

 ”

  1. At the beginning of the game the forces stand in equilibrium.
  2. Correct play on both sides maintains this equilibrium and leads to a drawn game.
  3. Therefore a player can win only as a consequence of an error made by the opponent. (There is no such thing as a winning move.)
  4. As long as the equilibrium is maintained, an attack, however skilful, cannot succeed against correct defence. Such a defence will eventually necessitate the withdrawal and regrouping of the attacking pieces and the attacker will then inevitably suffer disadvantage.
  5. Therefore a player should not attack until he already has an advantage, caused by the opponent’s error, that justifies the decision to attack.
  6. At the beginning of the game a player should not at once seek to attack. Instead, a player should seek to disturb the equilibrium in his favour by inducing the opponent to make an error – a preliminary before attacking.
  7. When a sufficient advantage has been obtained, a player must attack or the advantage will be dissipated.”

From David HOOPER, Steinitz’ Theory, British Chess Magazine Vol. 104, p.370, Sept 1984.

Now, where to attack may be obvious, but just in case not: you attack where you are strongest or where your opponent is weakest.

Here’s a quick example:

 Marshall = Kline

weak pawns: creating holes
1913

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. e3 O-O 7. Rc1 b6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Qa4 Bb7 10. Ba6 Bxa6 11. Qxa6 c6 12. O-O Ne4 13. Bxe7 Qxe7

 

    • w – – 0 13 If we compare pieces and pawns, the inequalities are:

 

White’s plus points Black’s plus points
  • White’s Queen’s Rook on c1 is more active than Black’s Queen’s Rook on a8.
  • White’s Queen on a6 is more active than Black’s Queen on e7
  • Black has a weak pawn on c6 — in fact, Black has a few weak light squares around on the Queen’s-side.
  • Black’s Knight on e4 is more active than White’s Knight on e4

 

    • This all suggests that White can, should and even must attack on the Queen’s-side.

 

      • (306)
        • Marshall – Kline [D63]

      • The continuation is also a good example of Lasker’s famous maxim:

 

“No combination without a considerable plus, no considerable plus without a combination […]”
“In the beginning of the game ignore the search for combinations, abstain from violent moves, aim for small advantages, accumulate them, and only after having attained these ends search for the combination – and then with all the power and will of intellect, because the combination must exist, however deeply hidden.”
LASKER

The Very Slow King’s-side Attack

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I often talk about “clockwork attacks”. They are characterised by:

  • closed or at least stable centre
  • King’s-side attack based on stereotyped attacking plan
  • attack based not so much on domination of space and time but on lack of opponent’s counterplay.

These attacking lines are to be found in many openings

You may be able to think of other “system” openings which often yield an easy-to-play attack, like the Colle System, London System and perhaps the Torre system. To some extent the standard h-file attack against a King castled behind a fianchettoed Bishop also fits into this category, as seen in the Dragon Variation of the Sicilian and the Pirc Defence.

  As an attacker, the idea is to keep moving pieces up to the King’s-side until you checkmate your opponent. The reason these often work so well in club play is that the defending side will often play sensible-looking solid moves until is is far to late to stop the defences collapsing. A much more vigorous approach is required in defence.

  So, as defender, you must do at least one of the following:

So, as the attacker, you must keep an eye on your opponent’s counterplay.

  As you see from the links above, you can find examples of these clockwork attacks throughout the Openings handouts, but the examples here should give you the idea:

Kortchnoi,Viktor – Fischer,Robert J (blitz) [E97] 1970

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Nf3 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Nd2 c5 10. a3 Ne8 11. b4 b6 12. Rb1 f5 13. f3 f4

 

t+lDsTj+
X-+-S-Lx
-X-X-+x+
+-XpX-+-
-Pp+pX-+
P-N-+p+-
-+-Nb+pP
+rBq+rK-

The centre is completely blocked, and so all the play is going to be on the wings. Any pawn move by White on the King’s-side will leave him with further points of attack for Black , so White persists on the Queen’s-side.

14. a4 g5 15. a5 Rf6 16. bxc5 bxc5 17. Nb3 Rg6 18. Bd2 Nf6 19. Kh1 g4 20. fxg4 Nxg4 21. Rf3 Rh6

 

t+lD-+j+
X-+-S-Lx
-+-X-+-T
P-XpX-+-
-+p+pXs+
+nN-+r+-
-+-Bb+pP
+r+q+-+k

22. h3 Ng6 23. Kg1 Nf6

 

t+lD-+j+
X-+-+-Lx
-+-X-SsT
P-XpX-+-
-+p+pX-+
+nN-+r+p
-+-Bb+p+
+r+q+-K-

24. Be1 Nh8 25. Rd3 Nf7 26. Bf3 Ng5 27. Qe2 Rg6 28. Kf1

 

t+lD-+j+
X-+-+-Lx
-+-X-St+
P-XpX-S-
-+p+pX-+
+nNr+b+p
-+-+q+p+
+r+-Bk+-

28… Nxh3 29. gxh3 Bxh3+ 30. Kf2 Ng4+ 31. Bxg4 Bxg4 0-1

 

It is easy to understand the appeal of the King’s Indian after such a game.

Fischer,Robert J – Miagmarsuren, Lahmsuran (Sousse) 1967

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. g3 c5 5. Bg2 Nc6 6. Ngf3 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. e5 Nd7 9. Re1 b5 10. Nf1 b4 11. h4 a5 12. Bf4 a4

 

t+lD-Tj+
+-+sLxXx
-+s+x+-+
+-XxP-+-
xX-+-B-P
+-+p+nP-
pPp+-Pb+
R-+qRnK-

This is the same idea, with White. There are differences:

  Black has adopted a more modest central posture than White does in the King’s Indian Defence

  the central pawn structure is more fluid

  Black has gone hard on the Queen’s-side and is starting to make real gains; so, White must pause for a defensive move. White’s next was seen as innovative at the time:

13. a3! bxa3 14. bxa3 Na5

  [14… Nd4 15. Ne3 Ba6 16. c4 dxc4

[Fritz gives 16… Nb3 17. cxd5 Nxa1 18. Qxa1 exd5 19. Nxd5 Bxd3 20. e6 Nf6 21. Nxe7+ Qxe7 22. Ne5 Bg6 23. Nc6 Qb7 24. Bd6]

  17. Nxd4]

15. Ne3 Ba6 16. Bh3 d4

 

t+-D-Tj+
+-+sLxXx
l+-+x+-+
S-X-P-+-
x+-X-B-P
P-+pNnPb
-+p+-P-+
R-+qR-K-

Which way should White jump?

17. Nf1 Nb6 18. Ng5 Nd5

  White’s Queen has access to h5, which makes Black decide to concede B for N. This leaves White with the idea of assaulting the dark squares.

19. Bd2 Bxg5 20. Bxg5 Qd7 21. Qh5 Rfc8 22. Nd2 Nc3

 

t+t+-+j+
+-+d+xXx
l+-+x+-+
S-X-P-Bq
x+-X-+-P
P-Sp+-Pb
-+pN-P-+
R-+-R-K-

23. Bf6 Qe8

  [23… gxf6 24. exf6 Kh8]

24. Ne4 g6 25. Qg5 Nxe4 26. Rxe4

 

t+t+d+j+
+-+-+x+x
l+-+xBx+
S-X-P-Q-
x+-Xr+-P
P-+p+-Pb
-+p+-P-+
R-+-+-K-

They think it’s all over…

26… c4 27. h5 cxd3 28. Rh4 Ra7 29. Bg2 dxc2 30. Qh6 Qf8 31. Qxh7+ 1-0 …it is now.

 

Psakhis – Kasparov (La Manga) 1990

1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 d6 5. Nf3 e5 6. d3 f5 7. O-O Nf6 8. Rb1 h6

 

t+lDj+-T
XxX-+-L-
-+sX-SxX
+-+-Xx+-
-+p+-+-+
+-Np+nP-
pP-+pPbP
+rBq+rK-

The mutual control of d4/d5 means that although the central pawns are not locked, the centre is likely to remain closed. So we have a battle on each wing.

9. b4 O-O 10. b5 Ne7 11. a4 Be6 12. Ba3 Rc8 13. Nd2 b6

 

-+tD-Tj+
X-X-S-L-
-X-XlSxX
+p+-Xx+-
p+p+-+-+
B-Np+-P-
-+-NpPbP
+r+q+rK-

Again, a prudent measure. White will have to re-arrange to get in a5, so changes tack

14. e3 g5 15. d4 exd4 16. exd4 f4 17. Re1 Bg4 18. Nf3 Qd7 19. c5 Rce8 20. Rc1 Nf5 21. Qd3 Kh8 22. cxd6 cxd6 23. Rxe8 Qxe8 24. Rf1 Qh5

 

-+-+-T-J
X-+-+-L-
-X-X-S-X
+p+-+sXd
p+-P-Xl+
B-Nq+nP-
-+-+-PbP
+-+-+rK-

There is a dark storm cloud over White’s King.

25. Ne4 Nxe4 26. Qxe4 Bh3 27. Ne5 Bxg2 28. Kxg2 g4 29. Bxd6 Rf6 30. Bb8

Qh3+ 0-1

 

Rogers,I – Carton,N [A26] London

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e4 d6 6. Nge2 Nc6 7. d3 O-O 8. O-O

  This is an interesting formation, kin to the Closed Sicilian. White clamps the centre shut and goes creeping up on the King’s-side. Black’s prospects of successful Queen-side counterplay are less than in the Closed Sicilian because of the pawn on c4. Here Black decides to slug it out toe to toe on the King’s-side, but in this game White’s initiative prevails.

8… Nh5 9. f4 f5

 

t+lD-Tj+
XxX-+-Lx
-+sX-+x+
+-+-Xx+s
-+p+pP-+
+-Np+-P-
pP-+n+bP
R-Bq+rK-

10. Be3 Be6 11. Nd5 Qd7 12. Qd2 Rae8 13. Rae1 Nf6 14. Kh1 Rf7 15. b3 fxe4 16. dxe4 Bh3 17. Nxf6+ Rxf6 18. Nc3 exf4 19. gxf4 Bxg2+ 20. Qxg2 Rfe6 21. Bd2 Nd4 22. Rd1 b5 23. f5

 

-+-+t+j+
X-Xd+-Lx
-+-Xt+x+
+x+-+p+-
-+pSp+-+
+pN-+-+-
p+-B-+qP
+-+r+r+k

1-0

On manoeuvres

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The Art Of Winning Slowly

  I’m still working on this one myself, but by the time
I’ve read this, my word, I’ll know a thing or two.

  You know how to win endings – namely, slowly. This is an
ending where you have the advantage – but not yet won, and so if
you play your big guns first things may fizzle out. Instead,
nothing too hasty, do all your preparation first, try a little play
here, a little there, before trying to force the issue. Capablanca
was the supreme craftsman with this sort of game, and is our first
example, and there is another couple from Nimzo.

But if you have got the hang of that, you can try
the same approach to the middlegame – that is, middlegames which
are advantageous but not won. The key features for a position
suitable for manoeuvre are:

  • an advantage in space, and therefore,
    mobility
  • play on both sides of the board (or at least chances of
    a breakthrough)
  • no clear winning plan for you on either side of the
    board

The way to manoeuvre is:

  • keep control of the game, and keep the initiative –
    that is, keep the opponent passive and defensive, where all they
    can do is react to, or try to anticipate, your
    threats
  • try different attacking ideas in sequence, probably
    switching from side to side, or at least trying several different
    ways of besieging the same front
  • play with patience and don’t miss opportunities to
    tempt small weaknesses in your opponent’s game.

After that, the play may be more or less forcing and tense
depending on the position. Below several games are given, in
increasing order of tension, from Alekhin to Lasker. Lastly two
examples are given where Black is in difficulty although the game
is objectively equal, but in each case White demands that the
opponent steer safely to port. Fischer just makes it against
Petrosian, Cohn doesn’t. These last two games also put the
question: is manoeuvring done with an end in mind (if not in
sight), or is it just woodpushing? There is a saying attributed to
Tartakower, that tactics is what you do when there is somethinhg to
do, strategy is what you do when there is nothing to do. Perhaps
manoeuvring is what you do when there is no strategy to do! It is
the key to winning games when all you have is a space advantage and
your opponent is solid. Capa gives a textbook example of this
against Treybal.

  Lastly, I include a club game played with manoeuvre.

See also the material on Space in the Canon.

Examples from master
play

Manoeuvring in the
endgame

Manoeuvre: a classic endgame
setting

Capablanca,Jose – Kupchik,
Abraham [Havana ] (07) [C49] 1913

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6.
Bxc6 bxc6 7. Nxe5 Qe8

 

t+l+dTj+
X-Xx+xXx
-+x+-S-+
+-+-N-+-
-L-+p+-+
+-N-+-+-
pPpP-PpP
R-Bq+rK-

8. Nd3 Bxc3 9. dxc3 Qxe4

[9… Nxe4 10. Re1]

10. Re1 Qh4 11. Qf3 Ba6 12. Bf4 Rac8 13.
Be5 (idea /\ Nc5) 13… Bxd3 14. cxd3 Qg4 15. Bxf6
Qxf3 16. gxf3 gxf6

 

-+t+-Tj+
X-Xx+x+x
-+x+-X-+
+-+-+-+-
-+-+-+-+
+-Pp+p+-
pP-+-P-P
R-+-R-K-

Assessment: +/-

  better Pawns, fewer Pawn islands, more active pieces.

  The weakest spot in the Black position is the isolated
a-Pawn, and it is here that an attack should be directed.

17. Re4

  First, Capablanca mobilises and centralises his pieces.
There is not usually any sense of rush when Capa plays an
ending.

17… Rfe8 18. Rae1 Re6 19. R1e3 Rce8 20. Kf1 Kf8
21. Ke2 Ke7

 

-+-+t+-+
X-XxJx+x
-+x+tX-+
+-+-+-+-
-+-+r+-+
+-PpRp+-
pP-+kP-P
+-+-+-+-

Now, White can attack the a-pawn.

22. Ra4 Ra8 23. Ra5

  restrains the Pawns

23… d5!?

  I can sympathise with the bid for space but this is not
forced and has the disadvantage of leaving the c-Pawns without
support.

24. c4! Kd6

[24… dxc4 leaves all Black’s Pawns isolated and
most of them doubled!]

[24… d4 25. Re4 Kd6 26. b4 Re5 27. Ra6 ‘hopeless’,
said Capa]

25. c5+ Kd7 26. d4

  Black’s pawns have become fixed, cutting off access to
the Queen’s-side. 26… f5

  Hoping to nip out to h6 with some play.

27. Rxe6! fxe6 28. f4 Kc8 29. Kd2
Kb7?!

 

t+-+-+-+
XjX-+-+x
-+x+x+-+
R-Px+x+-
-+-P-P-+
+-+-+-+-
pP-K-P-P
+-+-+-+-

Black has achieved a solid defence of the a-Pawn and Whiite can
achieve little else there. But White has access to both sides of
the board via the third rank. [29… Rb8!? 30. Kc3

[30. b3 blocks the third rank]

[30. Kc2 Rb4 31. Kc3 Rc4+ 32. Kd3 Rb4]

30… Rb7 may have been better]

30. Ra3 Rg8 31. Rh3 Rg7

  This defence from the side keeps the Black Rook more
active than moving it to defend from h8, but I’m sure Black also
considered …Rg1!?, giving up a Pawn to get the Rook active. It
looks a bit speculative here but is the right sort of idea to have
in mind.

32. Ke2 Ka6 33. Rh6 Re7 34. Kd3 Kb7 35. h4 Kc8
36. Rh5 Kd7 37. Rg5 Rf7

 

-+-+-+-+
X-Xj+t+x
-+x+x+-+
+-Px+xR-
-+-P-P-P
+-+k+-+-
pP-+-P-+
+-+-+-+-

Again, Black has achieved a solid, if passive, defence. White now
returns his attention to the Queen’s-side.

38. Kc3 Kc8 39. Kb4 Rf6 40. Ka5 Kb7 41. a4 a6 42.
h5 Rh6

 

-+-+-+-+
+jX-+-+x
x+x+x+-T
K-Px+xRp
p+-P-P-+
+-+-+-+-
-P-+-P-+
+-+-+-+-

White can improve the position of his pieces no further. It is time
to try and force the issue.

43. b4 Rf6 44. b5!?

[44. Rg7! Rh6 first would have been better, according
to Capa: 45. b5 axb5 46. axb5 cxb5

[46… Rxh5 47. b6]

47. Kxb5 e.g. 47… Rxh5 48. c6+ Kb8 49.
Ka6]

44… axb5 45. axb5 Rf8

  Off to sieze the a-file!

46. Rg7 Ra8+ 47. Kb4 cxb5 48. Kxb5
Ra2

 

-+-+-+-+
+jX-+-Rx
-+-+x+-+
+kPx+x+p
-+-P-P-+
+-+-+-+-
t+-+-P-+
+-+-+-+-

Black has gained some activity. Of course, White does not retreat
and defend with Rg2.

49. c6+ Kb8 50. Rxh7 Rb2+ 51. Ka5 Ra2+ 52. Kb4
Rxf2 53. Re7 Rxf4?!

  Natural, but not exact.

[53… Rh2? 54. Rxe6 Rxh5 55. Re5 Ka7 56.
Kc5]

[53… Rb2+!? 54. Kc3 Rh2 55. Rxe6 Ka7 56. h6 Kb6
which isn’t great but Black is also fighting with the King
now]

54. h6 Rxd4+ 55. Kb5 Rd1 56. h7

  A Pawn on the seventh seems worth three in the bush!
Black can only hope to harass the King with checks, but these are
soon exhausted.

56… Rb1+ 57. Kc5 Rc1+ 58. Kd4 Rd1+ 59. Ke5 Re1+
60. Kf6 Rh1 61. Re8+ Ka7 62. h8=Q Rxh8 63. Rxh8 Kb6 64. Kxe6 Kxc6
65. Kxf5 Kc5 66. Ke5 c6 67. Rh6 Kb5 68. Kd4 1-0

 

That was a fairly simple example, falling as much into the realm of
carrying out a strategical plan as manoeuvring without a clear
object. The next example is less direct, even though Black has an
extra Pawn to play with.

 

Manoeuvre in the endgame:
against weaknesses on both wings

Holzhausen W – Nimzowitsch Aaron
(Hannover) [B00] , 1926

1. e4 Nc6 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6.
Bxe7 Qxe7+ 7. Qe2 Bf5 8. c3 Be4 9. Nbd2 O-O-O 10. O-O-O Nh6 11. Ne5
Nxe5 12. dxe5 Bg6

 

-+jT-+-T
XxX-DxXx
-+-+-+lS
+-+xP-+-
-+-+-+-+
+-P-+-+-
pP-NqPpP
+-Kr+b+r

already planning a campaign against the e-pawn using the long
light-squared diagonal, especially the point e4

13. Nf3 Rhe8 14. Qe3 Kb8 15. Qf4 Be4 16. Re1 Qc5
17. Nd2 Bg6 18. Nb3 Qb6 19. Qd4 f6 20. f4 fxe5 21.
fxe5

[21. Rxe5 Rxe5 22. Qxe5 Re8]

21… Be4

[the e-pawn is doomed]

22. Nd2 c5 23. Qe3

[23. Qa4 Rxe5 24. Nxe4 dxe4 25. Rxe4 Qe6 26. Rxe5
Qxe5 with a winning attack]

23… Rxe5 24. Qg3 Qc7 25. Bd3 Rde8 26. Bxe4 dxe4
27. Nc4 R5e6 28. Qxc7+ Kxc7 29. Ne3

[the Knight is an excellent blockading piece, losing
no squares by its post]

29… Nf7 30. Kc2 Nd6 31. c4 Kc6 32.
Rhf1

 

-+-+t+-+
Xx+-+-Xx
-+jSt+-+
+-X-+-+-
-+p+x+-+
+-+-N-+-
pPk+-+pP
+-+-Rr+-

32… Rh6 !

  “A typical tacking manoeuvre” — EUWE/KRAMER

33. h3 Rg6 34. Re2 a6 35. Rf4 b5

[Black plays on both wings]

36. b3 Rg5 37. g4 Rge5 38. Kc3 a5

[Black will open a file on the Queen’s-side for his
Rooks]

39. Ref2 a4 40. bxa4 bxc4 !

[a temporary pawn sacrifice]

41. Rf8

[41. Nxc4 Nxc4 42. Kxc4 Ra8 and Black not only
regains the pawn, but White has lost the blockader]

41… R5e7

[White must not be allowed counterplay, particularly
not a Rook on the eighth]

42. Rxe8 Rxe8 43. Nxc4 Nxc4 44. Kxc4
Ra8

 

t+-+-+-+
+-+-+-Xx
-+j+-+-+
+-X-+-+-
p+k+x+p+
+-+-+-+p
p+-+-R-+
+-+-+-+-

The Black Rook now gets in on the Queen’s-side, to attack Pawns on
the King’s-side

45. Rf7 Rxa4+ 46. Kb3 Rb4+ 47. Kc3 Rb7 48. Rf5
Ra7 49. Kc4 Ra4+ 50. Kb3 Rd4 51. Re5 Kd6 52. Re8 Rd3+ 53. Kc4 Rxh3
54. Rxe4 Ra3

 

-+-+-+-+
+-+-+-Xx
-+-J-+-+
+-X-+-+-
-+k+r+p+
T-+-+-+-
p+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-

White can no longer defend the two wings

55. Re2 Ra4+ 56. Kb5 Rxg4

[-/+]

57. a4 Rb4+ 58. Ka5 h5 59. Rd2+ Kc6 60. Re2 Rg4
61. Re6+ Kd5 62. Re8 h4 63. Rd8+ Kc4 64. Kb6 h3 65.
Rd1

[65. Rh8 Rg6+ 66. Kb7 Rh6]

65… Kb4 66. Rb1+ Kxa4 67. Kxc5 g5 68. Rh1 Rg3
69. Kd5 g4 70. Ke5 Rg2 71. Kf4 h2 0-1

 

 

The last type of ending in which we see manoeuvre as a strong theme
is a Queen ending. Again, Nimzo has an extra Pawn but Queen endings
are always difficult because of the number of candidate moves for
each side, and the risk of allowing perpetual to the defending
side.

 

Manoeuvre: in a Queen
ending,

Nimzowitsch Aaron – Antze,O
(Hannover) [E60] 1926

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. f4 d6 6. Nf3 c6
7. O-O d5 8. cxd5 cxd5 9. Ne5 Qb6 10. Nc3 Rd8 11. b3 Na6 12. Ba3
Bf8 13. Na4 Qb5 14. Qd3 Qa5 15. Rfc1 Bf5 16. Qc3 Qb5 17. Bf1 Ne4
18. Qe1 Qe8 19. e3 b5 20. Nc6 Rdc8 21. Bxb5 Bd7 22. Bxa6 Rxc6 23.
Bb7 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Rd8 25. Nc5 Bc8 26. Bxc8 Rxc8 27. Qa5 e6 28. Nxe4
dxe4 29. Rxc8 Qxc8 30. Bc5 Bxc5 31. Qxc5 Qa6 32. Qc2 Qa5 33. Kf2
Qh5 34. Qxe4 Qxh2+ 35. Qg2 Qh5 36. g4 Qa5 37. Kg3 h6 38. Qf2 Qc7
39. Kh3 f5 40. gxf5 gxf5 41. d5 exd5 42. Qg2+ Kf7 43. Qxd5+
Kf6

 

-+-+-+-+
X-D-+-+-
-+-+-J-X
+-+q+x+-
-+-+-P-+
+p+-P-+k
p+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-

Here White’s Queen can change lines at d4, and also at e5 and f6;
the King may penetrate at h5. Black can hope for harassing checks,
and for the advance of the h-pawn.

44. Qd4+ Kg6 45. Qd2 Kf6 46. Qb2+ Kg6 47. b4 Qc4
48. Qd2 Kh5

[48… Qf1+ 49. Qg2+ [a CROSS-CHECK]]

49. a4 a6 50. Kg3 Qg8+ 51. Kh2 Qc4 52. Qb2 Qd3
53. Qg2 Qc4

[53… Qxe3 54. Qh3+]

54. Kg3 Qg8+

[54… Qxb4 55. Qe2+ Kg6 56. Qxa6+ and the a-pawn
will win]

55. Kh3 Qc4 56. Qf3+ Kg6 57. Kh4

[another step]

57… Kg7 58. Qb7+ Kg6 59. Qb6+ Kh7

 

-+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+j
xQ-+-+-X
+-+-+x+-
pPd+-P-K
+-+-P-+-
-+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-

60. Qf6 !

  attacking both Pawns

60… Qd5

[the threat is …Qa1+ with a draw by
perpetual]

61. Kg3 Qg8+ 62. Kh2 Qa2+ 63. Kh3 Qd5 64.
Qe7+

[64. Qxa6 Qf3+ 65. Kh2 Qf2+ 66. Kh1 Qf3+
drawing]

64… Kg6 65. Qe8+ Kh7

[65… Kf6 66. Kg3 Qd3 67. a5 Qf1 68. Qe5+ Kg6 69.
Qe6+ Kg7 70. Qxf5 Qg1+ 71. Kf3 Qf1+ 72. Ke4 Qc4+ 73. Ke5 Qb5+ 74.
Ke6 +-]

66. Kg3 Qb3 67. a5 ! 67… Qb1

[losing touch with the a-pawn]

[67… Qd3 68. Qf7+ Kh8 69. Qf6+ Kh7 70. Qd4 ! 70…
Qf1

[70… Qb1 71. Qd7+ Kg6 72. Qc6+ Kg7 73. Qb7+ Kf8 74.
Qxa6 as in the game]

71. Qd7+ Kg6 72. Qe6+ Kg7 73. Qxf5 winning;]

68. Qd7+ Kg6 69. Qc6+ Kg7 70. Qb7+ Kf8 71.
Qxa6

 

-+-+-J-+
+-+-+-+-
q+-+-+-X
P-+-+x+-
-P-+-P-+
+-+-P-K-
-+-+-+-+
+d+-+-+-

winning…

71… Qe1+ 72. Kf3 Qd1+ 73. Qe2 Qd5+ 74. Kf2 Qd8
75. a6 Qh4+ 76. Kg2 Qe7 77. Qf3 Qc7 78. b5 Qg7+ 79. Kf2 Qb2+ 80.
Qe2 Qa1 81. b6 1-0

 

 

Having reminded ourselves of the ideas in endgame settings, let us
see the same approach in the middlegame.

 

Manoeuvre in the middlegame:
slowly, or dynamically and with threats

Manoeuvre: slow breakthrough
in closed position with lots of space

Capablanca – Treybal
(Karlsbad) [D30] 1929

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 e6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxe7 Qxe7 6. Nbd2
f5 7. e3 Nd7 8. Bd3 Nh6 9. O-O O-O 10. Qc2 g6 11. Rab1 Nf6 12. Ne5
Nf7 13. f4

 

t+l+-Tj+
Xx+-Ds+x
-+x+xSx+
+-+xNx+-
-+pP-P-+
+-+bP-+-
pPqN-+pP
+r+-+rK-

the Anti-Stonewall formation: White has a Queen’s-side initiative

13… Bd7 14. Ndf3 Rfd8 15. b4 Be8 16. Rfc1 a6
17. Qf2 Nxe5 18. Nxe5 Nd7

  seeking exchanges…

19. Nf3

  …but not finding them

19… Rdc8 20. c5 Nf6 21. a4 Ng4

  a gesture only

22. Qe1 Nh6

 

t+t+l+j+
+x+-D-+x
x+x+x+xS
+-Px+x+-
pP-P-P-+
+-+bPn+-
-+-+-+pP
+rR-Q-K-

Black is defending the Queen’s-side quite well: White switches
tack. This is the key to understanding space – although Black can
theoretically defend any one point, White can make the Black pieces
trip up in their rush to do so by moving from one point to another.

23. h3 Nf7 24. g4 Bd7 25. Rc2 Kh8 26. Rg2 Rg8 27.
g5 Qd8 28. h4 Kg7 29. h5

 

t+-D-+t+
+x+l+sJx
x+x+x+x+
+-Px+xPp
pP-P-P-+
+-+bPn+-
-+-+-+r+
+r+-Q-K-

White has the initiative on both sides of the board: Black’s
cramped and passive pieces will find it hard to cover everything

29… Rh8 30. Rh2 Qc7 31. Qc3 Qd8 32. Kf2 Qc7 33.
Rbh1 Rag8 34. Qa1 Rb8 35. Qa3 Rbg8

 

-+-+-+tT
+xDl+sJx
x+x+x+x+
+-Px+xPp
pP-P-P-+
Q-+bPn+-
-+-+-K-R
+-+-+-+r

Just when Black has had to cover the h-file…

36. b5

  …White opens a file on the Q-side. Black’s pieces have
to rush back, but get in a tangle because they have so few squares.
White gains complete control of the a-file, and seals the
King’s-side. Then, he arranges the final breakthrough on the
Queen’s-side, possible because of his enormous control of space
there.

36… axb5

[36… cxb5 37. h6+ Kf8 38. c6+]

37. h6+ Kf8 38. axb5 Ke7 39. b6 Qb8

 

-D-+-+tT
+x+lJs+x
-Px+x+xP
+-Px+xP-
-+-P-P-+
Q-+bPn+-
-+-+-K-R
+-+-+-+r

a sad decision: now Black won’t be able to oppose rooks on the
a-file. This is the concrete manifestation of what I described
earlier: White switching the focus of activity from side to side
until Black is wrong-footed.

40. Ra1 Rc8 41. Qb4 Rhd8 42. Ra7 Kf8 43. Rh1 Be8
44. Rha1 Kg8 45. R1a4 Kf8 46. Qa3 Kg8 47. Kg3 Bd7 48.
Kh4

  White spends a little time wondering where to put his
King; he has the luxury of seeing how it looks on a few different
squares before the final push. 48… Kh8 49. Qa1 Kg8 50.
Kg3 Kf8 51. Kg2 Be8

 

-DtTlJ-+
Rx+-+s+x
-Px+x+xP
+-Px+xP-
r+-P-P-+
+-+bPn+-
-+-+-+k+
Q-+-+-+-

the last ingredient for the breakthrough is the Knight

52. Nd2 Bd7 53. Nb3 Re8 54. Na5 Nd8

 

-DtStJ-+
Rx+l+-+x
-Px+x+xP
N-Px+xP-
r+-P-P-+
+-+bP-+-
-+-+-+k+
Q-+-+-+-

Ready or not, here we come

55. Ba6 bxa6 56. Rxd7 Re7

  else the a-pawn will simply go after Nb3

57. Rxd8+ Rxd8 58. Nxc6

 

-D-T-J-+
+-+-T-+x
xPn+x+xP
+-Px+xP-
r+-P-P-+
+-+-P-+-
-+-+-+k+
Q-+-+-+-

this ‘family’ fork is decisive

1-0

 

This is just the same approach as in the Kupchik endgame. Next up
is a game where Alekhin has an advantage not so much in space as
mobility. How can you have an advantage in mobility without having
one in space? You can if (1) your opponent is forced onto the
defensive on the side of the board where you have more space, or

  (2) the Pawn structure favours your pieces (especially
Bishops), or

  (3) if your pieces can get around more easily by using
outposts.

  In the game, Alekhin has all three going for him!

 

Manoeuvre: slow breakthrough
in half-open position

Thomas,G – Alekhin,Alexander
(Baden Baden) [B02] , 1925

1. e4 Nf6 2. d3 c5 3. f4 Nc6 4. Nf3 g6 5. Be2 Bg7 6. Nbd2
d5 7. O-O O-O 8. Kh1 b6 9. exd5 Qxd5 10. Qe1 Bb7 11. Nc4 Nd4 12.
Ne3 Qc6 13. Bd1 Nd5

 

t+-+-Tj+
Xl+-XxLx
-Xd+-+x+
+-Xs+-+-
-+-S-P-+
+-+pNn+-
pPp+-+pP
R-BbQr+k

14. Nxd4 ?

  exposes the c-pawn

14… cxd4 15. Nxd5 Qxd5 16. Bf3 Qd7 17. Bxb7
Qxb7 18. c4

[18. Rf2 Rac8 19. a4 Rc5 20. b3 Rfc8 21. Qd1 Qc7 22.
Ra2]

[18. Bd2 Rac8 19. c4 dxc3 20. Bxc3 Bxc3 21. bxc3 with
the same weak Pawns for White as in the game, but with Bishops off
White has got rid of a passive piece and has chances against the
Black King.]

18… dxc3 19. bxc3 Rac8 20. Bb2

[20. Bd2]

20… Rfd8 21. Rf3 Bf6 22. d4

[22. Qe2 Qa6 23. c4 again, White would have
benefitted from the exchange of Bishops]

  But there is no breakthrough yet, and so Alekhin begins
a patient siege. Alekhin is usually thought of as a demon
attacker, but there was nothing wrong with his technique…

22… Qd5 23. Qe3 Qb5 24. Qd2 Rd5

 

-+t+-+j+
X-+-Xx+x
-X-+-Lx+
+d+t+-+-
-+-P-P-+
+-P-+r+-
pB-Q-+pP
R-+-+-+k

This is clearly better for Black, because of White’s poor
dark-squared Bishop and backward c-pawn. Also, because the weight
of play moves over to the Queen’s-side, the c3 Pawn prevents
White’s pieces from nipping about as easily as Black’s. Black’s
fourth rank,. and the light squares c4 and d5, form staging posts
for Black’s manoeuvres.

25. h3 e6 26. Re1 Qa4

  Black seeks to force or tempt a2-a3

27. Ra1 b5 28. Qd1 Rc4 29. Qb3 Rd6 30. Kh2 Ra6
31. Rff1 Be7 32. Kh1 Rcc6 33. Rfe1 Bh4 !

  Black makes use of both sides of the board.

34. Rf1

[34. Re2 Qxb3 35. axb3 Rxa1+ 36. Bxa1 Ra6 37. Bb2
Ra2

[37… Bg3 ! Fritz 38. Bc1 Ra1]

38. Kh2 a5]

34… Qc4

  Black will recycle the Rooks to a4 and a6

35. Qxc4 Rxc4 36. a3

[else …b4]

36… Be7 37. Rfb1 Bd6

[no rush: Black chivvies another White pawn onto a
dark square]

38. g3 Kf8 39. Kg2 Ke7 40. Kf2 Kd7 41. Ke2
Kc6

[the Black King covers b5 and threatens
…Rca4]

42. Ra2 Rca4

  The Rooks quietly take up their places.

43. R1a1 Kd5 44. Kd3 R6a5 45. Bc1 a6 46.
Bb2

 

-+-+-+-+
+-+-+x+x
x+-Lx+x+
Tx+j+-+-
t+-P-P-+
P-Pk+-Pp
rB-+-+-+
R-+-+-+-

This is Black’s ideal position: is there a win?

46… h5 !

[threat …h4]

  Yes, by playing in the centre and King’s-side as well as
the Queen’s. 47. h4 f6 48. Bc1

 

-+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-
x+-LxXx+
Tx+j+-+x
t+-P-P-P
P-Pk+-P-
r+-+-+-+
+-Br+-+-

And now the break:

48… e5 49. fxe5 fxe5 50. Bb2

[50. dxe5 Bxe5 51. Bf4 Bxf4 52. gxf4 Kc5 is
terminal]

50… exd4 51. cxd4 b4

[finally the a-pawn falls]

0-1

 

 

The next game also shows the infiltration theme, and changing front
– not from side to side as much as from one way of pressuring a
point to another.

Manoeuvre: gradual
infiltration, changing tack,

Tylor, Theodore – Lasker,
Emanuel (Nottingham) [C49] 1936

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3
d6 7. Bg5 Ne7 8. Nh4 c6 9. Bc4 Kh8 10. f4 exf4 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12.
Rxf4 Ng6 13. Nxg6+ fxg6

 

t+lD-T-J
Xx+-+-+x
-+xX-Xx+
+-+-+-+-
-Lb+pR-+
+-Np+-+-
pPp+-+pP
R-+q+-K-

14. Bb3 Qe7 15. Ne2 Ba5 16. c3 Bd7 17. Ng3

  not a great square but White would not enjoy a break with
…f5

17… Bc7 18. Rf2 Kg7 19. Qe2 Rae8 20. Raf1
Be6

 

-+-+tT-+
XxL-D-Jx
-+xXlXx+
+-+-+-+-
-+-+p+-+
+bPp+-N-
pP-+qRpP
+-+-+rK-

Black forces a weakening of e4, then leans on it.

21. Qc2 Bb6 22. d4 Bc7 23. Kh1 h5 ! 24. Re1 Qf7
25. Rfe2 Bxb3 26. axb3

[26. Qxb3 Qxb3 27. axb3 Re7 28. Kg1 Rfe8 29. Nf1 is
also a long slog]

26… Qd7 27. Nf1 Re7 28. Qd3 Rfe8 29.
Nd2

 

-+-+t+-+
XxLdT-J-
-+xX-Xx+
+-+-+-+x
-+-Pp+-+
+pPq+-+-
-P-Nr+pP
+-+-R-+k

The e-pawn has as many defenders as attackers. Black changes tack,
opening the position for the Bishop.

29… d5 30. exd5 Rxe2 31. Rxe2 Rxe2 32. Qxe2
Qxd5 33. Qe7+ Qf7 34. Qe4 Qd7 35. Nf3 Kf7 ! 36. c4

[36. Nh4 Qg4]

36… Qe6 37. Qd3

[37. Qxe6+ Kxe6 38. Kg1 Kf5 39. Kf2 Ke4 40. Ke2
g5]

37… Bf4 ! 38. g3

[38. Kg1 Qe3+ 39. Qxe3 Bxe3+ 40. Kf1 Bc1]

38… Qe3 ! 39. Qc3 Bh6

 

-+-+-+-+
Xx+-+j+-
-+x+-XxL
+-+-+-+x
-+pP-+-+
+pQ-DnP-
-P-+-+-P
+-+-+-+k

White denies the Queen entry only at a cost

40. c5 Qf2 41. Qc4+ Kg7 42. Qd3 Be3 43. Qd1
a5

 

-+-+-+-+
+x+-+-J-
-+x+-Xx+
X-P-+-+x
-+-P-+-+
+p+-LnP-
-P-+-D-P
+-+q+-+k

zugzwang!

44. b4 axb4 45. b3 Kh6 0-1

Alekhin was a dynamic player, and this dynamism also suffused his
manoeuvres. Here is a manouevring game based on pressure against
the King’s-side.

Manoeuvre: manoeuvring with
threats

Rubinstein,Akiba –
Alekhin,Alexander (Dresden) [A46], 1926

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 b6 4. h3 Bb7 5. Nbd2 Bd6 6. Bxd6
cxd6 7. e3 O-O 8. Be2 d5 9. O-O Nc6 10. c3 Ne4 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12.
Nd2 f5 13. f4 g5 14. Nc4 d5 15. Ne5 Nxe5 16. dxe5 Kh8

 

t+-D-T-J
Xl+-+-+x
-X-+x+-+
+-+xPxX-
-+-+xP-+
+-P-P-+p
pP-+b+p+
R-+q+rK-

White appears better (with a better Bishop), but with hindsight
should have chosen the safer line:

17. a4

[17. g3 Rg8 18. Kh2]

17… Rg8 18. Qd2 gxf4 19. Rxf4

[19. exf4 Qh4 20. Kh1 Rxg2 21. Kxg2 Rg8+ 22.
Bg4]

19… Qg5 20. Bf1 Qg3 21. Kh1 Qg7 22. Qd4
Ba6

[the exchange of White’s good Bishop leaves Black
with all the trumps]

23. Rf2 Qg3 24. Rc2 Bxf1 25. Rxf1
Rac8

[“All the time Black operates with threats” — EUWE
and KRAMER]

26. b3 Rc7 27. Re2 Rcg7 28. Rf4 Rc7 29. Rc2 Rcg7
30. Re2

 

-+-+-+tJ
X-+-+-Tx
-X-+x+-+
+-+xPx+-
p+-QxR-+
+pP-P-Dp
-+-+r+p+
+-+-+-+k

Repetition is usually to gain time on the clock but can also serve
to steady your nerves, to change gear emotionally from defence to
attack, and to weary the opponent.

30… Rg6 !

[…Rg6-h6xh3+]

31. Qb4

[31. Qd1 Rh6 zugzwang! Alekhin 32. Rf1

[32. Qf1 Qg7 x e5]

[32. b4 Qg7 33. Qd4 Rxh3+]

[32. c4 d4 ! winning 33. Qe1 d3]

32… Qxe5]

31… Rh6 32. h4 Qg7

[Black has had his eye on the e-pawn for some
time]

33. c4 Rg6 34. Qd2 Rg3 !

  Now the Rook occupies the g3 square. We have seen no
change of front in this game (all on the King’s-side) but lots of
different arrangements of pieces.

35. Qe1

[35. Kg1 d4 36. exd4 e3 37. Qc2 Rh3 38. Qd3 Qg3 the
return of the Queen to g3 is crushing]

35… Rxg2 0-1

 

  This notion of changing front is easy to see: here is an
example where Lasker doesn’t change front as much as pester his
opponent with different threats.

Manoeuvre: keep finding
attacking ideas,

Lasker,Emanuel – Salwe,G
(St.Petersburg) [C62] 1909

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 Bd7 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. O-O
Be7 7. Bg5 exd4 8. Nxd4 O-O 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. Qd3 Re8 11. Rae1 c5
12. Nb3 Ng4 13. Bxe7 Rxe7 14. f4 Rb8 15. h3 Nh6 16. f5

  active but weakens e5

[16. g4]

16… f6 17. Nd5 Re8 18. c4 Nf7 19. Qc3 Re5 20.
Nd2 c6 21. Nf4 Qb6 22. b3 Rbe8 23. Qg3 Kh8 24. Nh5 Rg8 25. Rf4 Qd8
26. Nf3 Re7

 

-+-D-+tJ
X-+lTsXx
-+xX-X-+
+-X-+p+n
-+p+pR-+
+p+-+nQp
p+-+-+p+
+-+-R-K-

Advantage to White:

  (1) the d-pawn is weak but so is the e-pawn

  (2) Black can cover the K-side attack

  (3) White retains a space and mobility advantage

27. Rh4

[27. Rg4 Qf8]

27… Qe8 28. Qf2

  tacking

[28. Nf4 Nh6]

28… Rf8 29. Qd2

  sets up Nf4, Nxh6; Qxd6

29… Qb8 30. Kh1 Rfe8 31. Rg4 Rg8

[31… Nh6 ? 32. Nxf6

[32. Rxg7 Rxg7 33. Qxh6 Rf7 34. Nxf6 Ref8 35.
Ng5]

32… Nxg4 33. Nxe8]

32. Rd1 Qb4

  seeking counterplay but is a bit of a lone wolf

[32… Qe8]

33. Qf2 Qc3 34. Qh4 Nh6 35. Rf4 Nf7 36. Kh2 Rge8
37. Qg3 Rg8

 

-+-+-+tJ
X-+lTsXx
-+xX-X-+
+-X-+p+n
-+p+pR-+
+pD-+nQp
p+-+-+pK
+-+r+-+-

since the last diagram Black has only managed to lose contact
between the Queen and d6

38. Rh4

[38. Rg4 Nh6 39. Rh4 d5 40. cxd5 cxd5 41. Rxd5
Bc6]

38… g5

[38… d5 39. cxd5 cxd5 40. Nf4]

39. fxg6

[39. Rg4 Be8]

39… Rxg6 40. Qf2 f5

[else Rf4]

41. Nf4 Rf6 42. Ne2 Qb2 43. Rd2 Qa1 44. Ng3
Kg8

[44… a5 45. exf5 Bxf5 46. Nxf5 Rxf5 47.
Rxh7+]

45. exf5 Bxf5

 

-+-+-+j+
X-+-Ts+x
-+xX-T-+
+-X-+l+-
-+p+-+-R
+p+-+nNp
p+-R-QpK
D-+-+-+-

46. Nd4 !

[46. Nxf5 is now not quite as good: 46… Rxf5 47.
Rxh7 Qf6]

46… cxd4 47. Nxf5 Kf8 48. Qxd4 Qxd4 49. Nxd4
Ne5 50. Rh5 Ref7 51. c5

 

-+-+-J-+
X-+-+t+x
-+xX-T-+
+-P-S-+r
-+-N-+-+
+p+-+-+p
p+-R-+pK
+-+-+-+-

The double-rook ending, far from holding chances of a draw, is
quickly won

51… dxc5 52. Rxe5 cxd4 53. Rxd4 Rf2 54. Rd8+
Kg7 55. Ra5 Rc2 56. a3 ! 56… c5 57. Rc8 Rb2 58. Rb5 Rff2 59. Rb7+
Kg6 60. Rc6+ Rf6 61. Rxc5 Ra6 62. a4 ! 62… Rf6

[62… Rxa4 63. Rc6+ Kf5 64. Rb5+ Ke4 65.
bxa4]

63. Rc3 a6 64. Rg3+ Kh6 65. Rgg7

 

-+-+-+-+
+r+-+-Rx
x+-+-T-J
+-+-+-+-
p+-+-+-+
+p+-+-+p
-T-+-+pK
+-+-+-+-

1-0

 

Manoeuvre: manoeuvring or
woodshifting?

Cohn,E – Nimzowitsch Aaron
(Karlsbad) [D30], 1911

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 c5 4. e3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. O-O O-O
7. a3 cxd4 8. exd4 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nc6 10. Nc3 b6 11. Bg5 Bb7 12. Qe2
h6 13. Be3 Ne7 14. Ne5 Ned5 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Qh5 Bxe5 17. Qxe5 Nf6
18. Rfe1 Bd5 19. Bd3 Rc8 20. Rac1

 

-+tD-Tj+
X-+-+xX-
-X-+xS-X
+-+lQ-+-
-+-P-+-+
P-+bB-+-
-P-+-PpP
+-R-R-K-

20… Ng4 21. Qg3 Nxe3 22. fxe3 Qd7 23. Ba6 Rxc1 24. Rxc1
Qa4 25. Bf1 Qb3 26. Qf2 f5 27. Qd2 Rf7 28. Qc3 Qa4 29. g3 Kh7 30.
Bg2 Qb5

 

-+-+-+-+
X-+-+tXj
-X-+x+-X
+d+l+x+-
-+-P-+-+
P-Q-P-P-
-P-+-+bP
+-R-+-K-

After the coming exchange a long period of manoeuvring begins –
Euwe asks, quite reasonably, whether in fact the phase is really
manoeuvring or mere woodshifting.

31. Bxd5 exd5 32. Qd2 Qb3 33. Qc3 Qb5 34. Qd2 Qb3
35. Qc3 Qb5 36. Qd2 Re7 37. Qc2 Qd7 38. Qd3 Re4 39. Kf2 Qe6 40. Rf1
Qg6 41. Kg2 Qe6 42. Kf2 Qg6 43. Kg2 Qe6 44. Kf2 Kg6 45. Rc1 Kh7 46.
Rc2 Qg6 47. Kg2 Qg5 48. Rf2 Qg6 49. Qe2 Qe6 50. Qf3 Kg6 51. Re2 Kh7
52. Kf2 Qc8 53. Kg2 Qe6 54. Kf2 Qg6 55. Kg2 Qg5 56. Kf2 Qf6 57. Kg2
Qg5 58. Kf2 Qg6 59. Kg2 Qe6 60. Kf2 Qc8 61. Kg2 Qe6 62. Kf2 Qc8 63.
Kg2

 

-+d+-+-+
X-+-+-Xj
-X-+-+-X
+-+x+x+-
-+-Pt+-+
P-+-PqP-
-P-+r+kP
+-+-+-+-

Drawish? Yes, but White has enough difficulties that Black is
justified in playing on, says Nimzo

63… a5

  according to Nimzovitch, to make a7 available as a refuge
for the King! 64. h4 Kg6 65. Kh2 h5 66. Kg2 Kh6 67. Rf2
g6

[tomorrow will do]

68. Rf1 Kg7 69. Rf2 Kf7 70. Kh2 Ke7 71. Re2
Qc1

[“Black can do very much as he pleases, but for the
time being there is simply no serious threat to be made. This game
exemplifies the fact that manoeuvring amounts to a form of the
initiative.” EUWE]

72. Qf2 Kd7 73. Re1 Qc6 74. Kg2 Rg4

[Black has weaknesses to aim at on g3 and e3, and the
King is on the way to a7 which White cannot prevent]

75. Rf1

[75. Re2 Re4

[75… Kc7 76. Rc2]

76. Kh2 Qc1 77. Kg2 Qd1 78. Kh2 Qd3 enables
…Kc7]

75… Qc7 76. Qf3 Kc8 77. Qf2 Kb8 78. Kh3
Ka7

 

-+-+-+-+
J-D-+-+-
-X-+-+x+
X-+x+x+x
-+-P-+tP
P-+-P-Pk
-P-+-Q-+
+-+-+r+-

Black is making progress, although the two backward pawns e3/g3 are
close enough together to defend easily.

79. Rg1 Qd7 80. Kh2

[else …f4!]

80… Qd6 81. Kh3 Qc6 82. Re1 Qe6 83. Kh2
Qe4

[now threatening …g5 and …h4]

84. Kh3 Qe6 85. Kh2 Qe7 86. Kh3 Qe4 87. Rg1 Qe6
88. Kh2 Re4

 

-+-+-+-+
J-+-+-+-
-X-+d+x+
X-+x+x+x
-+-Pt+-P
P-+-P-P-
-P-+-Q-K
+-+-+-R-

89. Rc1 ?

[89. Re1 White feared: 89… g5 90. hxg5 h4 91. gxh4
f4 92. g6 f3 with attacking chances, but after 93. g7 the onus is
quite on Black]

89… Rxe3 90. Qf4 Re2+ 91. Kh3 Ka6 92. b4 axb4
93. axb4 Kb5

[Now the White Queen dare not move, the end is in
sight]

94. Rc7 Qe4

[forcing the exchange]

95. Qxe4 Rxe4 96. Rg7 Re6 97. Rd7 Kc4 98. Kg2
Kxd4 99. Kf3 Kc4 100. b5 d4 0-1

 

Manoeuvring: a modern
master,

Petrosian,T – Fischer,R [A16]
1958

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nf3 d6 6. O-O
Nc6 7. d3 Nh5 8. d4 e5 9. d5 Ne7 10. e4 f5 11. exf5 gxf5 12. Nxe5
Nxg3 13. hxg3

  “Petrosian… plays for control of the centre squares.”
(Fischer).

13… Bxe5 14. f4 Bg7 15. Be3 Bd7 16.
Bd4

 

t+-D-Tj+
XxXlS-Lx
-+-X-+-+
+-+p+x+-
-+pB-P-+
+-N-+-P-
pP-+-+b+
R-+q+rK-

“Forcing the exchange of Black’s most active piece.”

16… Ng6 17. Re1 Rf7

[17… Bxd4+ 18. Qxd4 h5 and …h4 gets rid of the
isolated pawn.]

18. Bf3

 

t+-D-+j+
XxXl+tLx
-+-X-+s+
+-+p+x+-
-+pB-P-+
+-N-+bP-
pP-+-+-+
R-+qR-K-

“Black doesn’t get a second chance.”

18… Qf8 19. Kf2 Re8 20. Rxe8 Qxe8 21. Bxg7 Rxg7
22. Qd4 b6 23. Rh1

[23. b4 ! Fischer]

23… a5 24. Nd1 Qf8 25. Ne3

[25. Bh5]

25… Rf7 26. b3 Qg7 27. Qxg7+ Kxg7 28. a3 Rf8
29. Be2

 

-+-+-T-+
+-Xl+-Jx
-X-X-+s+
X-+p+x+-
-+p+-P-+
Pp+-N-P-
-+-+bK-+
+-+-+-+r

“White constantly finds ways to improve his position.”

[29. b4? axb4 30. axb4 Ra8]

29… Ne7 30. Bd3 h6 31. Rh5 Be8 32.
Rh2

[32. Nxf5+ Nxf5 33. Rxf5 Rh8!-+ /\ Bg6]

[32. Rxf5 Rh8!-+ ]

32… Bd7 33. Rh1 Rh8 34. Nc2

 

-+-+-+-T
+-XlS-J-
-X-X-+-X
X-+p+x+-
-+p+-P-+
Pp+b+-P-
-+n+-K-+
+-+-+-+r

“Heading for an even stronger outpost on d4. Each time Petrosian
achieved a good position, he managed to manoeuvre into a better
one.”

34… Kf6 35. Nd4 Kg7 36. Be2

 

-+-+-+-T
+-XlS-J-
-X-X-+-X
X-+p+x+-
-+pN-P-+
Pp+-+-P-
-+-+bK-+
+-+-+-+r

“Feigning an invasion with Bh5, Re1 and Ne6. White has two wings to
operate on…”

36… Ng8?

  “Panicking and giving him the opportunity to sneak in b4
when Black can’t react with …axb4 and …Ra8. Petrosian likes to
play cat-and-mouse, hoping his opponents will go wrong in the
absence of a direct threat..they usually do

[36… Ra8 37. Bh5 Rc8 38. Re1 Kf6 39. Ne6 c6=
]

37. b4 Nf6 38. Bd3

[38. bxa5 Ne4+ 39. Kg2 bxa5 40. Rb1 Nc5+/= ]

38… axb4

[38… Ne4+ 39. Bxe4 fxe4 40. bxa5 bxa5

[40… Ra8 41. axb6 cxb6 42. Rb1+- ]

41. Rb1+- /\ Rb7]

[38… Kg6 39. bxa5 bxa5 40. Rb1+- /\ Rb7]

39. axb4 Kg6 40. Ra1

 

-+-+-+-T
+-Xl+-+-
-X-X-SjX
+-+p+x+-
-PpN-P-+
+-+b+-P-
-+-+-K-+
R-+-+-+-

“White has finally achieved his ideal set-up, but Black’s game is
still tenable.”

40… Ng4+ 41. Ke2 Re8+ 42. Kd2 Nf6 43.
Ra6

[43. Ra7 Rc8]

43… Rb8 44. Ra7 Rc8 45. c5

 

-+t+-+-+
R-Xl+-+-
-X-X-SjX
+-Pp+x+-
-P-N-P-+
+-+b+-P-
-+-K-+-+
+-+-+-+-

“This Pawn sac caught me completely by surprise. It’s the only line
that gives Black any trouble.”

45… bxc5

[45… Nxd5? 46. c6+- ]

46. bxc5 dxc5 47. Nf3 Kf7

[47… Nxd5? 48. Ne5++- ]

48. Ne5+ Ke7 49. Nxd7 Nxd7 50. Bxf5 Rf8 51.
g4

[51. Bxd7 Kxd7 52. Ke3

[52. Ra6 Rg8]

52… Kd6 53. Ra6+ Kxd5 54. Rxh6 Re8+ 55. Kf3 c4=
]

51… Kd6 ?

[51… Nf6! 52. Be6 Nxd5! 53. Bxd5 Rxf4=

[53… Rd8= ]

]

52. Bxd7 Kxd7 53. Ke3 Re8+

[53… c4 54. Ra6-+ ]

54. Kf3

[54. Kd3 Rg8= ]

54… Kd6 55. Ra6+ Kxd5 56. Rxh6 c4 57.
Rh1

[57. Rh7+- Petrosian,T

57… c6

[57… c5 58. Rd7+ Ke6 59. Rd1 Rb8 60. g5?

[60. f5+! Ke5 61. Re1+ Kd4

[61… Kf6 62. Kf4 c3 63. g5+ Kg7 64. g6 c2 65. Kg5
Rb1 66. f6++- ]

62. g5 c3 63. f6 c2 64. Rc1!

[64. f7? Rb1!= ]

64… Ke5 65. Kg4!+- ]

60… c3 61. Kg4

[61. Rc1 Kf5 62. Rxc3 c4! 63. Rxc4 Rb3+= ]

61… Rb4 62. Re1+ Kf7 63. Kf5 c2 64. Rc1 Rc4 65. g6+
Kg7 66. Kg5 Rc3= ]

58. Rd7+ Kc5 59. Rd1 c3 60. g5 Kc4 61. g6 c2 62. Rc1
Kc3 63. f5 Rg8 64. Kf4 Kd2 65. Rxc2+ Kxc2 66. Kg5 c5 67. f6 c4 68.
f7 Rxg6+ 69. Kxg6 c3 70. f8=Q+- ]

[57. Rh7 wins]

57… c3 58. g5 c5 59. Rd1+

[59. g6 Rg8 60. f5 Ke5 61. Kg4 Kf6 62. Rc1 c4 63.
Rxc3 Rc8!= ]

[59. Kg4 Re2! 60. g6 Ke4! 61. Kg5 Rg2+ 62. Kf6 Kxf4=
]

59… Kc4 60. g6 c2 61. Rc1

[61. Rg1 Rd8 62. Rc1

[62. g7? Rg8!-+ /\ Txg7]

]

61… Kd3 62. f5 Rg8 63. Kf4 Kd2 64. Rxc2+ Kxc2
65. Kg5 c4 66. f6 c3 67. f7 1/2-1/2

[67. f7 Rxg6+

[67… Rc8 68. g7 Kb1 69. f8=Q Rxf8 70. gxf8=Q c2=
]

68. Kxg6 Kb1 69. f8=Q c2= ]

 

Examples from club
play

Note from DrDave: I apologise for the
huge quantity of me below. Apart from any egotism, there are some
reasons for this:

  • participants in the coaching sessions often complain about
    seeing nothing but master games, arguing it’s all very well for
    Capablanca to be able to do that, but is it relevant to
    us?
  • so, I’d like to include examples from club play wherever
    possible to show that club players can make use of ideas from
    master games
  • I have lots of examples of my own games but not very many from
    other people
  • Most of the examples I have from other people feature their
    brilliant King’s-side attacks, not their games of manoeuvre.
  • If you don’t like this, you know what to do!

But I do feel embarrassed about blowing my own
trumpet.

Manoeuvring in club play:
patience and preparatory moves

Regis,D (2840) – O’Grady,J
(1820) [C30] Spectrum #1 Torquay 1996

1. e4 e5 2. f4

 

tSlDjLsT
XxXx+xXx
-+-+-+-+
+-+-X-+-
-+-+pP-+
+-+-+-+-
pPpP-+pP
RnBqKbNr

2… d6

[2… Bc5]

3. Nf3 Nc6 4. Bc4 Be7 5. d3 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. O-O
Bg4 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 Na5 10. f5 Nxc4 11. dxc4 c6

[11… Kh8]

12. Be3 a6 13. a4

 

t+-D-Tj+
+x+-LxXx
x+xX-S-+
+-+-Xp+-
p+p+p+-+
+-N-Bq+p
-Pp+-+p+
R-+-+rK-

13… Qd7?! [13… b6] 14.
a5!

  Typical of manoeuvre: make sure there is something to go
at on the Queen’s-side before committing on the King’s.

14… c5 [14… Kh8]
15. g4 h6 [15… Kh8] 16. h4 Nh7
17. Nd5 Qd8 18. Nxe7+ Qxe7 19. Qg3 f6 20. Rf2 Rf7 21. Rd1 Rd8 22.
Bd2 Qc7 23. Bc3 Rfd7 24. Rg2 Kf8 25. Bd2 Kf7

 

-+-T-+-+
+xDt+jXs
x+-X-X-X
P-X-Xp+-
-+p+p+pP
+-+-+-Q-
-PpB-+r+
+-+r+-K-

26. g5?!

  with hindsight, hasty

[26. Rf1 an extra strengthening move couldn’t have
hurt]

26… hxg5 27. hxg5 fxg5 28. Bxg5 Nxg5 29. Qxg5
Kf8 30. Rh2 Kg8 31. Qg6 Rf7 32. Kf2 Rf6 33. Qh7+ Kf7 34. Rg1 Rg8
35. Rhg2 Kf8

 

-+-+-Jt+
+xD-+-Xq
x+-X-T-+
P-X-Xp+-
-+p+p+-+
+-+-+-+-
-Pp+-Kr+
+-+-+-R-

The thing you need to manoeuvre or defend is pateince. Both players
now snatch at moves.

36. Rxg7?!

[36. Rg6!?]

36… Rxg7??

[After the sounder 36… Qxg7 37. Rxg7 Rxg7 38. Qh8+
Kf7

 

-+-+-+-Q
+x+-+jT-
x+-X-T-+
P-X-Xp+-
-+p+p+-+
+-+-+-+-
-Pp+-K-+
+-+-+-+-

An interesting Q/RR endgame arises in which White has chances
against the Queen’s-side pawns – remember move 13?

39. Qc8?!

[39. b3! the plan is to secure the King first and
stop Black coordinating Rooks 39… Rg8 40. Qh5+ Kg7 41. Ke2 Rh8
42. Qg5+ Kf7 43. Kd2 Rfh6 44. Kc3 Rh3+ 45. Kb2 R3h6 46. b4 cxb4 47.
Kb3 Rf6 48. Kxb4 Rh2 49. c3 Rb2+ 50. Ka3 Rh2 51. c5 dxc5 52. Qg3
Rc2 53. Qxe5 +-]

39… Rh6 40. Qxb7+ Kf6 41. Qxa6 Rh2+ 42. Kf1 Rh1+
43. Ke2 Rh2+ 44. Kf3 Rh3+ draws]

37. Qh8+ Ke7 38. Rxg7+ 1-0

 

Manoeuvring in club play: play
on both sides of the board

Regis,D (1960) – Richmond,RH
(2150) [A21] Cambridge Vs. NCI, 1986

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 f5 4. d4 e4 5. Nh3 Nf6 6. Bg2 Be7
7. O-O O-O 8. Bg5 c6 9. f3

 

tSlD-Tj+
Xx+-L-Xx
-+xX-S-+
+-+-+xB-
-+pPx+-+
+-N-+pPn
pP-+p+bP
R-+q+rK-

Black’s centre is under pressure.

9… exf3 10. exf3 h6 11. Be3 Be6 12. Qd3 d5 13.
c5 Qd7 14. Nf4 Bf7 15. b4 g5 16. Nfe2 Kg7 17. Rab1 Bg6 18. f4
Ne4

 

tS-+-T-+
Xx+dL-J-
-+x+-+lX
+-Px+xX-
-P-PsP-+
+-NqB-P-
p+-+n+bP
+r+-+rK-

The position is by no means closed but the feature of slow build-up
of play on both sides brings this under the heading of manoeuvre.

19. b5 Qc7 20. fxg5 hxg5 21. Nxe4 fxe4 22. Qd2
Qd8

 

tS-D-T-+
Xx+-L-J-
-+x+-+l+
+pPx+-X-
-+-Px+-+
+-+-B-P-
p+-Qn+bP
+r+-+rK-

Bob thought exchanging rooks was better. The exchanges have left
Black facing pressure against Pawns on both sides of the board
(g5,b7)

23. Rxf8 Kxf8 24. bxc6 bxc6 25. Bh3

[25. Rb7 Nd7+/- ]

25… Na6 26. Bg4 Nc7 27. Rb7 Bf7 28. Qc1 Kg8 29.
Qf1 Nb5 30. Qh3

  The light squares are weaker than the dark.

[30. Bxg5 – lay unnoticed until 1992!]

30… Na3 31. Bf5

 

t+-D-+j+
Xr+-Ll+-
-+x+-+-+
+-Px+bX-
-+-Px+-+
S-+-B-Pq
p+-+n+-P
+-+-+-K-

31… Qa5 32. Qh7+ Kf8 33. Qh8+ Bg8 34. Qh6+ Ke8 35. Qxc6+
Kf8 36. Qh6+ Ke8 37. Rxe7+ Kxe7 38. Bxg5+ Ke8 39. Qc6+

[39. Qc6+ Kf8 40. Qd6+ Kg7 41. Qf6#]

1-0

 

Manoeuvring in club play: as a
phase in a half-open game.

Williams,SK (1990) – Regis,D.
(1935) [A36] East Devon #3, 1994

1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 c5 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. e4 d6 6. Nge2
Nf6 7. O-O O-O 8. d3 Ne8

[8… Bd7]

9. Be3 Nd4 10. Rb1 a5 11. a3 Nc7 12. b4 axb4 13.
axb4 Nxe2+ 14. Nxe2 Ne6 15. Qd2 Nd4 16. Nxd4 cxd4 17. Bh6 e5 18.
Bxg7 Kxg7 19. f4 f5

 

t+lD-T-+
+x+-+-Jx
-+-X-+x+
+-+-Xx+-
-PpXpP-+
+-+p+-P-
-+-Q-+bP
+r+-+rK-

A half-open position in which White has better Pawns and greater
piece activity. White tries to improve his prospects further on
each side before trying to decide the issue – like the Capa-Kupchik
game.

20. exf5 Rxf5 21. Be4 Rf6 22. fxe5 dxe5 23. Rxf6
Qxf6 24. Rf1 Qe7 25. Qg2 Ra6 26. Bd5

 

-+l+-+-+
+x+-D-Jx
t+-+-+x+
+-+bX-+-
-PpX-+-+
+-+p+-P-
-+-+-+qP
+-+-+rK-

White’s pawns on the Queen’s-side are more mobile than Black’s in
the centre – the game now stops being one of unforced manoeuvre and
reverts to the familiar pattern of competing plans. The finish is
still quite tricky, if you are interested.

26… Be6 27. c5 Bxd5 28. Qxd5 Ra3 29.
b5!?

[29. Rd1]

29… Rxd3 30. Ra1 Rc3 31. c6 bxc6 32.
bxc6

 

-+-+-+-+
+-+-D-Jx
-+p+-+x+
+-+qX-+-
-+-X-+-+
+-T-+-P-
-+-+-+-P
R-+-+-K-

32… Qg5

[32… d3? 33. Qd7 Qxd7 34. cxd7 d2 35. d8=Q Rc1+ 36.
Kf2 d1=Q 37. Qxd1+- ]

[32… Qc5!? 33. Qd7+ Kf6]

[32… Rc5! 33. Qd7 Qxd7 34. cxd7 Rd5 35. Ra5 Rxd7
36. Rxe5-+ ]

33. Rf1 Kh6

[33… Qe3+ 34. Rf2 Kh1 transposes to game]

34. Kh1 Rc1?

[34… Qe3! 35. Qd7 Qe4+ -+ ]

35. Qf7 e4 36. c7 Rxf1+ 37. Qxf1 Qc5 38. Qh3+
1-0

 

Manoeuvring in club play: with
extra space (I)

Regis,D. – Richard Dixon
(CORR_92/93) [B36] Devon vs. glos. CC, 1993

1. c4 g6 2. g3 Bg7 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nc3 O-O 5. e4

  ( new for me this season: I played the e3/Nge2/d4 plan
for years but recently fancied this, which looked more enterprising
)

5… d6 6. Nge2 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d3 Ne8 9. Be3
Nc7

  ( ?! in the books )

10. d4 ! cxd4 11. Nxd4 Ne6 12. Nde2
Ne5

 

t+lD-Tj+
Xx+-XxLx
-+-Xs+x+
+-+-S-+-
-+p+p+-+
+-N-B-P-
pP-+nPbP
R-+q+rK-

! TN – threatens c4 and e3 via g4

[12… Nc5 13. Rc1 Be6 14. b3 Qa5 15. Qd2 Rac8 16.
Nf4 +- and black is in trouble: Barcza-Szilagyi 1967]

13. b3 b6

  ( transposing to a hedgehog formation looks better than
Szilagyi’s setup )

14. h3 Bb7 15. Rc1 Nc5 16. f4

  ( now I thought I was on the right lines: turn that space
into attack, as in a Portisch game)

16… Ned7 17. g4 a5 18. Ng3 Bc6 19.
a4

  (what is black’s plan now ? the real challenge of course
is to find white’s plan! The wQ is badly tied to b3 and d3)

19… Rb8 20. Rf2

 

-T-D-Tj+
+-+sXxLx
-XlX-+x+
X-S-+-+-
p+p+pPp+
+pN-B-Np
-+-+-Rb+
+-Rq+-K-

20… Qc8 21. Nd5 Re8 22. g5 Qb7 23. f5 Bf8 24.
Bd4

( 24 f6 simply takes a good square away from the
knight. )

24… Ne5 25. Rc3 Bg7

 

-T-+t+j+
+d+-XxLx
-XlX-+x+
X-SnSpP-
p+pBp+-+
+pR-+-Np
-+-+-Rb+
+-+q+-K-

26. f6 Bf8 27. fxe7 Bxe7 28. h4 Bxd5 29. exd5 Bf8 30. Rf4
Bg7 31. Qf1

  ( both sides have consolidated after some white
initiative and I thought we’re now in for a phase of manoeuvring
)

31… Re7 32. Bxc5

[32. Rf6!!?? but declining leaves White
committed]

32… bxc5 33. Ne4

 

-T-+-+j+
+d+-TxLx
-+-X-+x+
X-XpS-P-
p+p+nR-P
+pR-+-+-
-+-+-+b+
+-+-+qK-

( This move cheered me up a little; I felt I had some chances for
the initiative )

33… Rd8 34. Nf6+ Bxf6!? 35. gxf6 Ree8 36. Re4
h5 37. Rce3 Kh7 38. Qf4

 

-+-Tt+-+
+d+-+x+j
-+-X-Px+
X-XpS-+x
p+p+rQ-P
+p+-R-+-
-+-+-+b+
+-+-+-K-

( I couldn’t see a way of winning after what I thought was the best
line, …Qb4, but I didn’t have to lose either. White can try to
contrive a lever with Bh3, Qg5 and now Bf5, but …Qb4 and …Rg8
(forces Kh1) slows or stops it)

38… Qc8 39. Bh3 Qb8

  ( if the knight moves don’t work this is probably best
)

40. Kh1 Qc7?! 41. Bf5 Qb8

  ( I immediately thought this was too resigned:
41…Rh8)

42. Qg5

  ( mates in six )

1-0

 

Manoeuvring in club play: with
extra space (II)

Regis,D – Tunks,D (1935) [B06]
Portsmouth Open #6, 1984

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nge2 Nd7 5. g3 e5

[too early]

6. Bg2 Ne7

[doesn’t look quite right here]

7. O-O O-O 8. Bg5 f6 9. Be3 Kh8 10. Qd2 Ng8 11.
f4 c6 12. Rf2

[12. a4]

12… Qe7 13. Raf1

 

t+l+-TsJ
Xx+sD-Lx
-+xX-Xx+
+-+-X-+-
-+-PpP-+
+-N-B-P-
pPpQnRbP
+-+-+rK-

Black has only defensive plans available – White tries to keep it
that way.

13… Nb6 14. b3 Be6 15. a4 Rad8 16. a5 Nc8 17.
d5 Bf7 18. Bh3 c5 19. f5 g5 20. Ra1 Be8 21. Na4

 

-+sTlTsJ
Xx+-D-Lx
-+-X-X-+
P-XpXpX-
n+-+p+-+
+p+-B-Pb
-+pQnR-P
R-+-+-K-

White probes on each side – the key manoeuvring idea.

21… Qc7 22. Bf1 h5 23. Nec3 a6 24. Ne2 Nh6 25.
h3 Rg8 26. b4 cxb4 27. Qxb4 Bb5 28. Nec3 Bxf1

[I’m not sure who this exchange favours – I thought
White at the time]

29. Kxf1 Rd7 30. Nb6 Nxb6 31. Bxb6 Qb8 32. Ra3
Bf8 33. Na4 Be7 34. Rc3 Kg7 35. Qc4 Bd8

 

-D-L-+t+
+x+t+-J-
xB-X-X-S
P-+pXpXx
n+q+p+-+
+-R-+-Pp
-+p+-R-+
+-+-+k+-

White doesn’t quite know what to do with the Queen’s side…

36. Qe2

  Tacking about from side to side is the hallmark of
manoeuvre

36… Rh8?!

  Black manfully gives up a Pawn but White has been looking
to get in on the light squares… the pattern of the game looks
like the infiltration of the Lasker-Tylor game rather than the
tacking about of Petrosian.

[36… g4! 37. Rb3!? / 37. Rh2!? when there is still
a lot of play left for both sides]

37. Qxh5 g4 38. Bxd8 Qxd8 39. Nb6
Rc7

[39… Rf7 40. Rc8]

40. Rxc7+ Qxc7 41. Qg6+ Kf8 42. Qxf6+ Nf7 43.
Qe6

 

-+-+-J-T
+xD-+s+-
xN-Xq+-+
P-+pXp+-
-+-+p+x+
+-+-+-Pp
-+p+-R-+
+-+-+k+-

1-0

  (Black said he was relieved when it all ended!)

  idea was 44 Nd7+ and 45 Qg6 mate;

  43 … Qe7; 44 h4!

[43. Qe6]

  43… Rh6

[43… Qe7 44. h4 Nd8 45. Nc8 Nxe6 46. fxe6+ Ke8 47.
Nxe7 Kxe7 48. Rf7+ Ke8 +-]

  44. Nd7+ Kg8 45. Qe8+ Kh7

[45… Kg7 46. f6+ Rxf6

[46… Kg6 47. Nf8+ Kh5 48. Rf5#]

47. Qf8+ Kh7 48. Nxf6+ Kg6 49. Qg8+ Kh6 50. Qh7+ Kg5
51. h4#]

  46. Qxf7+ Kh8 47. f6 Rxf6 48. Qxf6+ Kh7 49. Qf7+ Kh8 50.
Qh5+ Kg7 51. Rf7+ Kg8 52. Nf6#

  1-0

See also the material on
Space in the Canon

Woof

Posted on by

Occasionally, two unconnected bits of the world collide in the space between my ears, which can make me laugh.

I don’t know if Nigel Short still refers to Judit Polgar as ‘Lassie’.

Anyhow, I was doodling online while listening to a repeat of Cabin Pressure on the radio, when I came across this interesting statistic:

Player: Judit Polgar
Player profile: Nigel Short

Overall record: Judit Polgar beat Nigel Short 12 to 3, with 5 draws.*
* Based on games present in our database; may not be complete.
(from chessgames.com)

So, if there is anything at all to add, it is probably: [woof.mp3 (66.25 KB)]

P.S.

“Women will never be great chess players — They just don’t have the killer instinct.” — Nigel SHORT

Swindle your way to success

Posted on by

or, “the hardest thing to win is a won game” (TARRASCH).

36. Ne1?

“Well, well. IM (and correspondence GM) Douglas Bryson once told me that he almost never plays a game that flows smoothly from start to finish; there is always a “moment” of sorts where someone misses a big defensive opportunity or the nature of the position changes more than one might reasonably expect. This was such a “moment”.”

— Jonathan Rowson British Chess Magazine October 1999 p.553

STOP PRESS:

Good News:
There is a brand new book out by Ali Mortazavi which is all about swindling
Bad News:
The book was strongly criticised when reviewed by Jonathan Rogers in KingPin magazine.
Good News:
The review article in itself is very good reading on swindles, and would make a good complement to this document.
Bad News:
The diagrams in this document are a bit of a mix – sorry if it’s slow or hard to read. [It looks OK on paper, is my only defence!]
Good News: Also, Simon Webb’s book “Chess for Tigers” is excellent for swindles.

By swindling I do not mean:

  (a) hanging on grimly until your opponent blunders (this is Pure Luck)

  (b) setting one last trap (this is Desparation)

  (c) defending the position well until the game turns in your favour (this is Proper Grown-Up Defending)

  …although swindling contains elements of all of these. Real Swindling is where (1) your position is lost or losing, and (2) your opponent errs because of something you have done. So you do need to be lucky, but you have to make your own luck, or at least stack things a little less in your opponent’s favour. Swindling has a similar appearance to active defence, but has a rather more urgent feel about it. “Setting a trap” is the simplest level of swindling, and in fact swindling is all about setting traps: some tactical, some positional, and some psychological. Successful swindling is also about setting traps well before things are desperate.

  Some of the world’s best players have always been great swindlers: Frank Marshall brought off so many that fans coined the term ‘Marshall swindle’, and Lasker won so many ‘lost’ positions that they speculated about witchcraft or hypnotism (psychological play was always a big part of Lasker’s normal game, even if he wasn’t losing).

  Let’s have a look at some general points, some simple examples, and then some deeper examples. I’d be happy if everyone had a go at the first two sections, which are mostly common sense, and then gradually work their way through the later parts.

 

Some general points

Swindlers’ attitudes

If you are going to turn a game around, you must admit you are losing: be objective, don’t kid yourself about your position, and do something about it before it really is too late.

  If you are losing, do something about it: if the game continues normally you will lose.

  Doing something about it means playing differently: you must throw the game off-course, and this probably means playing the move that is not objectively the best

Keep your eyes open: you must make the most of any and every opportunity.

Swindlers’ methods

You must avoid losing: you can often decide on the right move by a process of elimination. If your opponent is going to win by promoting a passed Pawn in four moves, it’s got to go! But never make simple concessions, make a mess.

Keep playing actively: you must have some activity to give yourself any chance of getting back into the game, or at least set your opponent some sort of problems (without which they will never go wrong!).

  These and other principles are explained below:

  1. a. avoiding losing
  2. b. creating opportunities for a swindle
  3. c. exploiting your advantages
  4. d. getting the initiative
  5. e. giving up the exchange
  6. f. exploiting psychological factors
  7. g. being awkward
  8. h. defending the endgame

Playing the opponent and not the board.

Timely draw offers: when your counterplay is at its peak, or your opponent has already made one bad mistake, offer a draw in case their confidence has gone

Swindle-proofing your game:

Difficult moves to consider (look again!):

long moves

retreats

geometry (playing off the cushions)

Dangerous moments (look again!):

deceptively calm positions (may explode in your face)

deceptively familiar positions (are always slightly different)

reassuring moves (may drop you right in it)

while you are attacking (your opponent also has a right to exist)

after a crisis (danger may not be past)

when victory is in sight (vigilance is required)

Playing the board not the opponent

This of course is the opposite of the swindling strategy. If your opponent bears a lowly grade, or plays badly or incomprehensibly, don’t assume your position will win itself, keep playing chess.

  Health educators are given to considering four different aspects of human mind and activity in promoting healthy choices: knowledge, attitude and behaviour. Here’s some advice on healthy chess from Amazia Avni:

Knowledge to keep in your mind:

* every game can be lost

* every position can be ruined

* details are important

Attitudes to cultivate:

* constructive paranoia

* self-criticism

Behaviour to practice during play:

* active searching

* thinking for your opponent

* looking for the worst case

Training for between games:

* studying positions with counterplay as a main feature e.g. Open Sicilians

Swindling for beginners: some simple examples

Swindling: a simple example

Regis,D – Greet,An [A10] Torbay Open #5, 1994

1. c4 g6 2. g3 Bg7 3. Bg2 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. e4 O-O 6. Nge2 e5 7. O-O c6 8. d3 a6 9. a4 ANG thought this a mistake 9… a5 10. f4 ?? [10. h3]10… Qb6+ 11. Kh1 Ng4 12. Qe1 Na6 13. Nd1 Nc5 14. f5 Nb3 15. Ra3 Nxc1 16. Nxc1 Bh6 17. h3 Bxc1 18. hxg4 Bxb2

  Now, White is absolutely busted here, a Pawn down and haemorrhaging on the Black squares. ‘Sensible’ passive play would be useless here. White must find some way of throwing the game off course: Black must be given a position where he can make a mistake.

 

-------------------
|r+b+-rk+|
|+p+-+p+p|
|-qpp-+p+|
|p-+-pP+-|
|P+P+P+P+|
|R-+P+-P-|
|-b-+-+B+|
|+-+NQR+K|
-------------------

19. Qd2!? [19. Ra2 Bc1] 19… Bxa3 20. f6 Kh8 21. Qh6 Rg8 22. Bf3 g5? [22… Bc1!] 23. g5 Qd8 24. Kg2 23. Kg2 Rg6 24. Qf8+ Rg8 25. Qh6 1/2

  A very simple example, but it does reinforce points about successful swindling, viz. giving your opponent a chance to go wrong, and playing actively.

Approaching a swindle

To be swindled your opponent must fall into some tactical or positional muddle. We’ll look briefly at both. Here’s how to approach a tactical swindle:

 

-------------------
|-R-+-+-+|
|+Q+-+p+k|
|p+-p-+-+|
|+-+-q-+p|
|-+-+-+-+|
|P-+-rN+K|
|-P-+-+P+|
|+-+-+-+-|
-------------------

Bellers-Regis, 1997

Black has sacrificed a piece to expose the King, but there is no mate (…h5-h4 fails to Qxf7+), so Black is losing. How can one approach a swindle in this position?

Start with: what can go wrong for White?

 

-------------------
|-R-+-+-+|
|+-+-+p+k|
|p+-p-+-+|
|+-+Q+-+p|
|-+-+-q-+|
|P-+-rN+-|
|-P-+-+P+|
|+-+-+-+K|
-------------------

A. hopes of perpetual check (1) by a standard pattern (…Re1+)

 

-------------------
|-RQ+-+-+|
|+-+-+-+k|
|p+-p-p-+|
|+-+-+-+-|
|-+-+q+-+|
|P-+-+-K-|
|-P-+-+-+|
|+-+-+-+-|
-------------------

B. hopes of perpetual check (1) by exposing the King (although the White King may escape to the Queen’s-side if the White Queen can interpose)

 

-------------------
|-R-+-+-+|
|+-+-+p+k|
|p+-p-+-q|
|+-+-+-Kp|
|-+-+-Q-+|
|P-+-+-+-|
|-P-+-+-+|
|+-+-+-+-|
-------------------

C. if the Queen does interpose (1) this may lead the Queen into trouble (Kf5 Qe6+)

 

-------------------
|-R-+-+-+|
|+-+-+p+k|
|p+-+-+-+|
|+-+p+-+K|
|-+-+-+Q+|
|P-+-+-+-|
|-P-+-+q+|
|+-+-+-+-|
-------------------

D. if the Queen does interpose (2) this may leave the Rook loose (…Qh2+)

  So, we have four basic swindles to try for. You have to weigh up quickly which is your best chance, and play a move quickly (a) to make your opponent decide, and (b) give them as little time as possible to find what you have found. In this case (B) looks very achievable but uncertain to produce a desired change in fortune; the others are in their own ways certain, but difficult to achieve. You have to decide which is the most likely and go for that.
The actual game was adjourned here, so I resigned(!), but in a game I think I would have played quickly the non-committal …Qf4, when I still have some hope of bringing off (B) and also I have some new chances of (A) (C) or (D). (A reality check suggests that simply Qb7-b4 holds, which is not that hard to find OTB, after which Black has to go for …Rxf3+, but you have to try these things).

 

The other swindling considerations are positional: you must strive to make your pieces as active as possible and drive or tempt your opponent’s into bad positions.

  For example: you need to get from this lost position I had as White one day:

 

-------------------
|-k-r-+-+|
|+-+b+-+-|
|p+p+p+p+|
|+-p-+-+-|
|-+-+-+-+|
|+-+P+PP-|
|PPP+-K-+|
|+R+-+-+-|
-------------------

…to this:

 

-------------------
|-+-+R+-+|
|+b+-+-+-|
|pkp+-rp+|
|+-p-p-+-|
|-+-+-+-+|
|+P+P+PP-|
|P+P+-+K+|
|+-+-+-+-|
-------------------

27…Rh8 28.Kg2 Kc7 29.Re1 Kd6 30.Re4 Rb8 31.b3 Rf8 32.Ra4 Bc8 33.Rg4 Rf6 34.Rh4 e5 35.Rh8 Kc7 36.Rh7+ Kb6 37.Rh8 Bb7 38.Re8

  Black’s King and Bishop have got lost and the White Rook has been going around bullying Pawns… 1/2-1/2 Draw agreed! (a Timely Draw Offer). White has a nasty trap (…Rf5; g4, Rg5?? Kg3! e4) which ensures the win of a Pawn, and Black thought he’d bale out before things got worse! [Black may still be winning but his confidence had gone.]

  How do you do this? Like I did: play actively, keep making threats, let your opponent lose the thread.

What’s the odds?

Thinking about swindles always reminds me of those games played at odds. The fact that you can win a game at Queen odds must give you some hope!

  Here’s a vigorous example of odds-play by the great German:

Tarrasch- Schroeder, Nuremberg 189?

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d6 3.d3 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.dxe4 a6 6.fxe5 dxe5 7.Nf3 Bb4 8.Bg5 Qd6 9.Rd1

 

-------------------
|rnb+k+nr|
|+pp-+-pp|
|p+-q-+-+|
|+-+-p-B-|
|-b-+P+-+|
|+-N-+N+-|
|PPP+-+PP|
|+-+RKB+R|
-------------------

Here Tarrasch relies on the opponent to be too greedy to give any material back and simplify.

9…Qg6? [9…Qxd1+!] 10.Rd8+ Kf7 11.Bc4+ Be6 12.Nxe5# 1-0

  There are other approaches to chess than Tarrasch’s…

Nimzovich – Leelaus, Riga (Remove White’s Queen & Black’s g8 Knight), 1912

1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.e4 c6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.0-0-0 Bxc3 6.dxc3 0-0 7.Ba3 Re8? 8.Bd6 Qb6 9.Nf3 Qxf2 10.h4 h6 11.Bc4+ Kh7 12.h5

 

-------------------
|rnb+r+-+|
|pp+p+-pk|
|-+pB-p-p|
|+-+-p-+P|
|-+B+P+-+|
|+PP-+N+-|
|P+P+-qP+|
|+-KR+-+R|
-------------------

Nimzo plays in blockading style, even at these odds!

12…b5 13.Bf7 Re6 14.Nh4 Rxd6 15.Rxd6 Qc5 16.Rhd1 Qxc3 17.R1d3 Qe1+ 18.Kb2 Qxh4 19.Bg6+ Kg8 20.Re6 1-0

Examples of swindles and other false results

1. Pure Luck (or mostly pure)

Every so often your opponent just self-destructs. If you don’t resign but hang around and watch this can be fun. When do you do this? When your opponent looks either over-confident or under-confident! Let’s see some examples to clarify this.

Botvinnik,M – Bronstein,D (Wch19_Moscow, 09) [A91] 1951

1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. d5 Bb4 7. Bd2 e5 8. e3 d6 9. Nge2 a6 10. Qc2 Qe8 11. f3 b5 12. Qb3 Bc5 13. cxb5 Bd7 14. Na4 Ba7? 15. b6! Bxa4 [15… cxb6 16. Nxb6 Bxb6 17. Qxb6 is simply winning.]16. b7 Bxb3 17. bxa8=Q Bb6 18. axb3 Qb5 19. Nc3 Qxb3

 

qS-+-Tj+
+-X-+-Xx
xL-X-S-+
+-+pXx+-
-+-+-+-+
+dN-PpP-
-P-B-+bP
R-+-K-+r

White is a Rook up: I am tempted to say, simply a Rook up, but Botvinnik complicates matters immediately.

20. Rxa6? Nxa6 21. Qxa6 Nxd5

  Now it’s one Pawn for a piece! This ‘simplification’ hardly helped matters.

22. Qa4? [22. Nxd5 Qxd5 23. Ke2] 22… Qxa4 23. Nxa4 Bxe3 Two Pawns… also unnecessary. 24. Bf1 Ra8 25. b3 Bxd2+ 26. Kxd2 Kf8 27. Bd3 g6 28. Rc1

  White is still winning but there are some difficulties.

28… Rb8 29. Nc3 Nb4 30. Be2 Ra8 31. Na4 c6 32. Rc4 Rb8 33. Bd1 Ke7 34. Nb2 d5

35. Rh4? [35. Rc5!] 35… h5 36. g4 hxg4 37. fxg4 f4 38. g5 Rf8 39. Rh7+ Kd6 40. Rg7 e4 41. Rxg6+ Ke5 Black may even be better here…! 1/2-1/2

  It’s hard to know what is going on here, maybe it’s more than one thing. Perhaps we can get some more insight into it when considering this example:

Petrosian-Korchnoi, 1962

-+-+-T-+
X-+-+j+-
-X-P-+rX
+-X-X-+p
-+p+pXk+
+p+-+-+-
p+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-

“For a long time I had regarded my position as a winning one. Thus the whole opening phase of the struggle, when Korchnoi was unable to get out of trouble, had psychologically attuned me to the idea that the ending would be favourable to me … and here comes the oversight 35 Rxh6?? I did not even see the threat …f4-f3, possibly because it was in contrast to Black’s hopeless position. Personally, I am of the view that if a strong master does not see such a threat at once he will not notice it, even if he analyses the position for twenty or thirty minutes.” – PETROSIAN.

  Your opponent also has a right to exist… I should add again that here is the value of the ‘write it down and take a fresh look’ advice – you are trying to give yourself a chance to un-stick yourself from any false assumptions.

[See also An important note about Blumenfeld’s rule — DR]

  Anyhow, one more example:

“The world no 10 was a little bit too casual in round one and loses a piece and a pawn for little compensation. Unabashed, he carries on as if nothing has happened and somehow wins quite smoothly.” — PEIN

Wynarczyk,R – Adams,M ICI-Katalco QP

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Qe2 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4 b4? 8.Bxf7+! Kxf7 9.Qc4+ d5 10.Qxc5 Qd6?? 11.Qxc6! Bd7 12.Qxd6 cxd6 13.d3 Rac8 14.c3 h6 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.c4 Bf5 17.Ke2 Nf6 18.Nbd2 Rhe8 19.Re1 Nd7 20.Nb3 d5 21.c5 Nxc5 22.Nxc5 Rxc5 23.Be3 Rc2+ 24.Kf1 d4 25.Bxd4 exd4 26.Nxd4 Bxd3+ 27.Kg1 Rxe1+ 28.Rxe1 Rxb2 29.f4 b3 30.Re3 Bc4 31.Rc3 Bd5 32.g3 Rb1+ 33.Kf2 b2 34.Rc7+ Kf6 35.g4 Rh1 36.g5+ hxg5 37.fxg5+ Kg6 0-1

  We can see a lot of the same features here (giving back material, making concessions) as in the BB game.

 

2. One Last Desperate Trap

Not the best way to play but you can sometimes bring it off:

 

-------------------
|-+r+-k-+|
|+p+q+-+-|
|p+r+ppp+|
|P-+p+-+n|
|-+-P-+-+|
|+-P-Q-+R|
|-P-+BP-P|
|+-+-R-K-|
-------------------

Regis, D – Tyton, Adam (Devon U175 vs. GMCCA, 1997), Position after 32.Qe3

What would you play here as Black?

32…e5!?

  This is a filthy move positionally, but a good practical choice. Moves like

[32…Qh7; 32…Qf7] are just awaiting the undertaker: e.g. 32…Qf7 33.Bxh5 gxh5 34.Qh6+ Qg7+ 35.Qxg7+ Kxg7 36.Rxh5]

  Although the move chosen exposes the Pawns to attack, it does activate the Black Queen and create some sort of activity in the centre, maybe threatening to open the c-file. White has only a few minutes left: he spots a trap: [33.dxe5 fxe5 34.Qxe5 Qxh3] and avoids it… but falls for:

33.Bxh5 gxh5 34.Rxh5?? Qg4+ 1-0

  On reflection:

[34.Qh6+ Qg7+ 35.Qxg7+ Kxg7 36.Rxh5 exd4 37.cxd4 Rc2 is not an easy win because of the activity of the Black Rooks on the c-file, but;

34.dxe5! fxe5 35.Rf3+ Kg8 36.Qxe5 Rg6+ 37.Kh1 is winning [37…Qg4? 38.Rg3]

 

3. Proper Grown-Up Defence

Another booklet’s-worth, I think, but here’s an example from the borderlands between defending and swindling:

Lasker,Em – Janowski,D (Berlin), 1910

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Be6 6.e4 dxe4 7.Nxe4 Nc6 8.Be3 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Qa5+ 10.Nc3 0-0-0

 

-------------------
|-+kr-bnr|
|pp+-+ppp|
|-+n+b+-+|
|q-+-+-+-|
|-+-N-+-+|
|+-N-B-+-|
|PP-+-PPP|
|R-+QKB+R|
-------------------

“The White Knight on d4 stands badly, and this must be White’s undoing” — TARRASCH

“One of the most famous ‘won’ positions in the story of chess” — EUWE and KRAMER.

  What is lost at master level is often worth plugging away in at club level. But the same approaches apply:

11.a3 Nh6? 12.b4 Qe5 13.Ncb5 Nf5! [13…a6 is to play into a characteristic Lasker trap 14.Qc1 axb5 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Qxc6+ Qc7 17.Qa6+ Qb7 18.Rc1+ Kb8 19.Bf4+] 14.Rc1!

  White’s only hope is counterattack. With vigorous play, an iron nerve and some tactical alertness, Lasker pulls it off.

14…Nxe3 15.fxe3 Qxe3+ 16.Be2 Be7 17.Rc3! Bh4+!? [17…Qxc3+!] 18.g3 Qe4 [18…Qxc3+!?] 19.0-0 Bf6 20.Rxf6! gxf6 21.Bf3 Qe5 22.Nxa7+ Kc7 23.Naxc6 bxc6 24.Rxc6+ Kb8 25.Rb6+ Kc8 26.Qc1+ Kd7 27.Nxe6 fxe6 28.Rb7+ Ke8 29.Bc6+ 1-0

  I wouldn’t call that a swindle as such, but there’s no doubt Lasker was a wizard at making his own luck through disrupting sacrifices and active play.

 

4. Real swindles

a. avoiding losing

Beckett,T – Regis,D [A04] King’s Lynn vs. Cambridge Univ, NMCC, 1981

1. Nf3 c5 2. b3 Nc6 3. Bb2 d6 4. e4 e5 5. Nc3 Nge7 6. Bc4 g6 7. Ng5

 

t+lDjL-T
Xx+-Sx+x
-+sX-+x+
+-X-X-N-
-+b+p+-+
+pN-+-+-
pBpP-PpP
R-+qK-+r

Black, misled by White’s quiet first move, is more or less lost. I could submit meekly to 7…Be6 and the loss of a Pawn, but the bare light squares would lead inevitably to defeat. Instead: 7… d5!? is a good randomising move. Black is still losing, but White doesn’t yet know how, and has to work it out!

8. exd5 Nd4 9. d6 Nd5 10. Nxd5 Qxg5 11. Bxd4 exd4 [11… Qxg2 12. Nf6+ Kd8 13. Bd5] 12. Nc7+ Kd8 13. Qf3 Bxd6 14. Nxa8

  Black has undoubtedly gone from losing at move 7 to being even more lost, but now the rot sets in for White. He is behind in development, beset with choices, and starts eating up clock time.

14…Re8+ 15. Kf1 Bg4 16. Qxb7 Qxd2 17. f3 Bf5 18. Qd5 Re6 19. Qb7 Re7 20. Qc6 10 minutes left! 20… Bf4 21. Qd5+ Bd7 22. Nb6 axb6 23. Qa8+ Kc7 24. Qa7+ Kc6 25. Qa8+ 1/2-1/2

 

b. creating opportunities for a swindle

Give yourself a chance!

Alatsortev,Vladimir – Botvinnik,Mikhail (Leningrad training) [E52] 1933

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. e3 Bb7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O d5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. a3 Bd6 10. b4 Nbd7 11. Nb5 Be7 12. Ne5 a6 13. Nc3 c5 14. bxc5 bxc5 15. Rb1

15… Qc7?? 16. Nxd7 Nxd7 17. Qb3 Rab8 18. Nxd5 Bxd5 19. Qxd5 Rxb1 20. Bxb1

 

-+-+-Tj+
+-DsLxXx
x+-+-+-+
+-Xq+-+-
-+-P-+-+
P-+-P-+-
-+-+-PpP
+bB-+rK-

How Good is Your Swindling?

20… c4! Good Point 1: White now has an important decision to make, which is taxing anyhow… 21. Bxh7+?

[21. Qe4! Nf6 22. Qc2 with the advance of the central Pawns. Note that Black’s position here is worse than if he had chosen 20…cxd, but it’s still 20…c4″!” [20… cxd4 21. exd4 Nf6 22. Qf5 Rd8 is technically better]]

21… Kxh7 22. Qe4+ Kg8 23. Qxe7

 

-+-+-Tj+
+-DsQxX-
x+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-
-+xP-+-+
P-+-P-+-
-+-+-PpP
+-B-+rK-

with two Pawns, but… 23… c3 … the other result of Black’s 20th is Good Point 2: counterplay. 24. e4

[24. a4 c2 25. Ba3 Rb8 26. Rc1 Qc6 27. h3 Qxa4 which is comfortable for Black]

24… c2 25. d5? Rb8 26. g3 Qc8

  Not over yet, but Black’s practical decision has transformed his chances.

27. Qg5 Qc4 28. f3 Rb3 29. Qd2 Rd3 30. Qe2 Ne5 31. Kg2 Rd1 32. Qxc4 Nxc4 33. d6 Kf8 34. a4 Ke8 35. Kf2 Nd2 36. Re1 Nxf3 37. Rf1 Nxh2 38. Re1 Nf3 39. Rf1 Nd2 40. Re1 Nb3 41. Ba3 c1=Q 42. Bxc1 Rxc1 43. Rxc1 Nxc1 0-1

 

c. exploiting your advantages

Bracher, AR (Pembroke) – Keene, RD (Trinity) 1967

Games like this are often referred to as swindles, but bear many similarities to Proper Grown-Up Defence. Perhaps the difference is in the assessment of the position as lost at move 18: Black is busted.

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. Bg5 h6 5. Bxf6 exf6 6. f4 Bg7 [6… f5] 7. Nf3 c6?! 8. Bd3 Qb6? “Too extravagant.” 9. O-O! Qxb2 10. Qd2 Qb6 11. Kh1 Bg4 12. Rab1 Qc7 13. Nh4! Nd7!? 14. h3 g5! 15. Nf5! Bxf5 16. exf5 O-O-O 17. Rb3 d5

 

-+jT-+-T
XxDs+xL-
-+x+-X-X
+-+x+pX-
-+-P-P-+
+rNb+-+p
p+pQ-+p+
+-+-+r+k

18. Nb5!!

“A brilliant move which convinced me that it was time to offer a draw.”

[18. Nxd5 Qd6 19. Nc3 Nb6 unclear] 18… cxb5 [18… Qb8 19. Qa5 a6 20. Nd6+!! Qxd6 21. Rxb7!+- “A real piece of Morphy.”] 19. Rc3 a6 20. Rxc7+ Kxc7 21. Qc3+ Kb8 22. a4! Rc8 23. Qb3? [23. Qa5+- ]23… Nb6 24. axb5 a5

“Setting up a temporary defence. From here I had to move at lightning speed to force White through two more time controls and avoid adjudication.”

  Black has avoided losing. The next few moves show Black gradually uncoiling while White fiddles about. He gets his dead Bishop out, holds the Queen’s-side and brings his Rooks to the central files.

25. Qa3 a4 26. Qd6+ Ka7 27. Qb4 Kb8! 28. Qd6+ Ka7 29. Qb4 Kb8 30. Qa5 Kc7 31. Ra1? [31. c4! idea Rc1 +-] 31… Bf8 32. Rxa4 Bd6 33. Ra1 Bxf4 34. Qb4 Bd6 35. Qb3 Rhe8 36. Rf1 Kd7

 

-+t+t+-+
+x+j+x+-
-S-L-X-X
+p+x+pX-
-+-P-+-+
+q+b+-+p
-+p+-+p+
+-+-+r+k

“Suddenly Black is back in the game… White found himself in continuous time pressure and a few more errors sufficed to lose.”

37. Qb1 h5! 38. Re1? Bg3! 39. Rf1 Re7 40. Qd1 h4 41. Qf3 Kd6 42. Kg1 Rce8 43. Rd1 Re1+ 44. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 45. Bf1 Nc4 46. b6 Ne3 0-1

 

d. getting the initiative

Gray,T (1695) – Regis,D [A40] Ian Miles Chp., Andover CC, 1983

1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. e3 f5 !? 5. Nc3 Bb4 !? 6. Be2 Nf6 7. Qb3 ! 7… a5 (7 … Na6!?) 8. a4 O-O 9. O-O Bxc3 10. bxc3 Qe7[10… Ba6] 11. Ba3 d6 12. c5 Nbd7 13. cxd6 cxd6 14. Ne5 ! (zok) 14… Ne4 15. Rad1 Kh8 16. Bb5! (pow)

 

t+-+-T-J
+l+sD-Xx
-X-Xx+-+
Xb+-Nx+-
p+-Ps+-+
BqP-P-+-
-+-+-PpP
+-+r+rK-

Black’s opening set-up has been exposed as a hollow sham. Time for one of those randomising moves:

16… Nec5 17. dxc5 Nxe5 18. c6 (ugh) 18… Nxc6 19. Bxd6

 

t+-+-T-J
+l+-D-Xx
-XsBx+-+
Xb+-+x+-
p+-+-+-+
+qP-P-+-
-+-+-PpP
+-+r+rK-

How good is your swindling?

19… Qg5 !?

  This hardly conceals its tactical point, but more seriously, Black also steals the initiative. Once White takes a step back he never regains momentum.

20. Bf4

[20. g3 Rfe8 21. Bc7 Rac8 22. Bxb6 Qg4 23. Rd7!? Ne5! 24. Rxb7 Nf3+ 25. Kg2 draws by perpetual 25… Nh4+ 26. Kg1 Nf3+ 27. Kg2]

20… Qg6 21. f3 e5 22. Bg3 f4 23. exf4 exf4 24. Be1 Ne5 25. c4 Rac8 26. Qa3 Qf7 27. Rd6 Nxc4 28. Bxc4 Qxc4 29. Rxb6 Ba6 30. Rf2 Rfe8 31. Rb1 Re3 32. Qa1 Qc5 33. Kh1 ? [33. Rd1 Rce8 34. Qb1 Re2 35. Qa1 Qe3 36. h3] 33… Bd3??

  Surprisingly, still enough to win a piece

[33… Rxe1+! 34. Rxe1 Qxf2] 34. Rb7 [34. Rd1 Rxe1+ 35. Rxe1 Qxf2 36. Re7 Rg8] 34… Qe5 35. Qxe5 Rxe5 36. Bc3 ?! 36… h6 ! 37. g3 Rxc3 38. gxf4 Rf5 39. Kg2 Rxf4 40. Kg3 g5 41. Rd2 Kg8 42. Ra7 Rxa4 43. Rb2 Rb4 44. Ra2 Be4 45. R2xa5 Rxf3+ 46. Kg4 Rf4+ 0-1

[46… Rf4+ 47. Kh5 Rh4#] [47. Kh3 Rb3#] [47. Kg3 Rb3#]

 

e. giving up the exchange

Giving up the exchange is often a good idea. It is a good randomising move, unbalancing the position, keeping the piece count the same, often achieving definite short-term compensation, as Rooks are often very hard to develop and use properly..

Grist, H-Regis, D,East Devon 5, 1994

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4. h3 c6 5. Be3 b5 6. Be2 Nf6 7. Nbd2 Nbd7 8. O-O O-O 9. c3 a5 10. a4 b4? (10… bxa4 11. Rxa4) 11. c4

  White has a clear plus; Black has no answer to White’s dominant pawn centre.

11…e5 12. dxe5 dxe5 13. c5 Qe7 14. Rc1 Rd8 15. Qb3 Nf8 16. Bc4 Nh5 (Slightly desparate; more natural is 16… Be6 17. Ng5 Bxc4 18. Nxc4 Ne6 19. Nxe6 Qxe6 20. Qc2 Nh5) 17. Ng5 Be6 18. Nxe6 Nxe6 19. Bxe6 fxe6 20. Rfd1 Nf4 21. Kf1 Rd3 22. Qc2

 

t+-+-+j+
+-+-D-Lx
-+x+x+x+
X-P-X-+-
pX-+pS-+
+-+tB-+p
-PqN-Pp+
+-Rr+k+-

Now the plausible …Rad8 is met by Nc4-d6.

22…Rxe3 A spanner in the works. 23. fxe3 Nh5 24. Nf3 Rf8 25. Kg1 Bh6 26. Re1 b3 Cheeky… to tempt White’s Q off the second rank. 27. Qc3 (it worked) Now for another exchange sacrifice: 27…Rxf3 28. gxf3 Qh4 29. Qxe5

 

-+-+-+j+
+-+-+-+x
-+x+x+xL
X-P-Q-+s
p+-+p+-D
+x+-Pp+p
-P-+-+-+
+-R-R-K-

29…Qxh3?? Sadly I was too short of time to find 29… Nf4! 30. Qb8+ Kf7 31. Qc7+ Kg8 32. Qc8+ Bf8 33. exf4 Qg3+ 34. Kf1 Qxf3+ 35. Kg1 Qg3+ with perpetual check. 30. Kf2 Qh4+ 31. Ke2 Ng3+ 32. Kd3 Qd8+ 33. Kc4 Qc8 34. Qxg3 1-0

 

f. exploiting psychological factors

Regis,D (1940) – Abbott,M (1750) Exeter vs. Tiverton, 1996

t+-+-Tj+
+xXd+xLx
-+-+-+x+
+pPx+-+-
-+-S-+-+
+-Nq+-P-
-B-+-PkP
+r+-+r+-

White is a Pawn down for nothing.

21. Rfe1 c6 22. bxc6 bxc6 23. Ne2 Qf5 (Black is keen to exchange Queens) 24. Qc3 Ne6 25. Qe3 Bxb2 26. Rxb2

 

t+-+-Tj+
+-+-+x+x
-+x+s+x+
+-Px+d+-
-+-+-+-+
+-+-Q-P-
-R-+nPkP
+-+-R-+-

I played for this simplified position hoping that Black would sieze the opportunity to exchange Queens…

26… Qe4+ 27. Qxe4 dxe4 …But now Black has given up his strong Queen and his protected passed Pawn, and has also lost the initiative. 28. Rb6 Nxc5 29. Nc3 Ra6 30. Rxa6 Nxa6 31. Nxe4 Kg7 32. Ra1 Nb4 33. Ra7 Nd3 34. Rc7 c5 35. Nxc5 Nxc5 Q

 

g. being awkward

Adams, M – van Wely, L (Tilburg) 1997

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bf4 d5 4. e3 Bf5 5. f3 Nf6 6. c4 c5? 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Bxb8 oops 8… Nxe3 [8… Rxb8 9. e4 Bxe4 10. fxe4 Nf6] 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Bxd7+ Qxd7 11. Qe2 Nxg2+ 12. Qxg2 Rxb8 13. dxc5

  Black has a Pawn for the piece. but has given it up in the most awkward way.

13… g6 14. Nc3 Bg7 15. Nge2 Qc6

 

-T-+j+-T
Xx+-XxLx
-+d+-+x+
+-P-+-+-
-+-+-+-+
+-N-+p+-
pP-+n+qP
R-+-K-+r

16. Qg5?

  After the f-Pawn falls White’s King will never be safe and Black has definite compensation.

[16. Qf2+- ]

16… Qxf3 17. Rf1 Qh3 18. Rf2 O-O 19. Rd1 Qe6 20. Nd5 Bxb2 21. Qxe7 Qxe7 22. Nxe7+ Kg7

  Black has two Pawns for the piece, but now White is running out of candidates for promotion. White returns the piece for two Pawns!

23. c6 Rbe8 24. Rd7 Ba3 25. Nxg6 hxg6 26. cxb7 Rd8 27. Rxd8 Rxd8 28. Rf3

How Good is Your Chess?

28… Bb4+ 29. Kf1 Rd1+ 30. Kg2 Bd6 31. Rb3 Bb8 Black has blockaded the Pawn while keeping the Rook active. Not over yet though: the a-Pawn can support the b-Pawn. 32. a4 Kf6 33. a5 Ra1 34. Rb5 Ke7 35. Rc5 Bd6 36. Rc6 Rb1 37. a6 Rb2 38. Kf3 Rb3+ 39. Kg2 Rb2 40. Kf3 Bxh2 41. Nd4 Kd7 42. Rc8 Rb6 43. Ra8 Rxa6 44. b8=Q Bxb8 45. Rxb8 Only Black can win this ending. 45… Ke7 46. Rb7+ Kf6 47. Rc7 Ra3+ 48. Kf4 g5+ 49. Ke4 Ra4 50. Rc6+ Kg7 51. Ke3 Ra5 52. Rc7 Kf6 53. Rc6+ Kg7 54. Rc7 a6 55. Ne6+ Kg6

 

-+-+-+-+
+-R-+x+-
x+-+n+j+
T-+-+-X-
-+-+-+-+
+-+-K-+-
-+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-

56. Nxg5 Simplifying to a known draw. 56… Rxg5 57. Rc6+ Kf5 58. Rxa6 Kg4 59. Kf2 1/2-1/2

h. defending the endgame

The endgame is real swindler’s territory. We have four main weapons:

perpetual check

which we have referred to above. Here’s a perpetual I did bring off in the middlegame:

Wildsau (2375) – DrDave (1855) [C57]

-------------------
|-KR+R+-+|
|+PP-+-Q-|
|P+r+-BP+|
|+-+p+P+-|
|-+-+-p-P|
|+q+-b-+-|
|pp-+-+-+|
|k-r-+-+-|
-------------------

31…Rxh3? 32.Rxd6 Qxd6 33.gxh3 Rf3 34.Bxg7+ Kg8 35.Bh8 Qg6+ 36.Kh2

36…Rxh3+ 37.Kxh3 Qh5+ 38.Kg3 Qg5+ 39.Kh2 Qh4+ 40.Kg1 Qg4+ 41.Kh2 Qh4+ 42.Kg1 Qg4+ 43.Kh1 Qh3+ 44.Kg1 Qg4+ Game drawn by repetition 1/2-1/2

  Here’s an endgame example, from a friendly between Steve Homer (White) and Agust Karlsson:

 

-+-+-+-+
P-+-+-+-
-+-+-+-+
R-X-X-+-
-XpXp+-X
+p+p+j+-
-+k+-+-T
+-+-+-+-

Maddening!

exchanging into a known drawn endgame

…which we have also seen above. Here’s another example, from the master of the swindle (rumour has it that “Hewson” is a contraction of “Houdini’s-son”)

 

Lingham,R – Hewson,BWR, Douglas Phillips Quickplay, 1995

-------------------
|-+-+-+-+|
|+-+-+-k-|
|-+-b-pp+|
|+-p-p-+-|
|-+-+KPP+|
|+-+-BB+-|
|-+-+-+-P|
|+-+-+-+-|
-------------------

1…exf4 2.Bxf4 f5+ 3.gxf5 gxf5+ 4.Kxf5 Bxf4 5.Kxf4 1/2-1/2

the saving power of a passed pawn

…which we have also seen above. Here’s a game – not a swindle, because I think Black may have more than one way to draw this position, but a good example of a resource that is often very useful

 

Rubinstein,Akiba – Capablanca,Jose [A46] Berlin (12), 1928

-------------------
|r+r+-qk+|
|pR+-+pp-|
|-+-+p+-+|
|+-+-+-P-|
|-+-+-+-+|
|+-+-PQ+-|
|-+-+-PP+|
|+-+-+RK-|
-------------------

24…a5 25.Rd1 a4 26.Rdd7 a3 27.Rxf7 a2 28.Rxg7+ Qxg7 29.Rxg7+ Kxg7 30.Qf6+ Kg8 31.Qg6+ Kf8 32.Qf6+ 1/2-1/2

the positional draw

below!

 

-+-+j+-+
+-+-+x+-
-+-+t+-+
+-+-+-+-
-Q-+-+-+
+-+-K-+-
-+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-

There are many examples of more complex but still successful blockades. Kotov gives one that very nearly worked at GM level:

Kotov – Arnlaugsson (Amsterdam), 1954

-+-Jl+r+
Xs+-+x+-
-X-X-X-D
+-XpXp+t
p+p+p+nP
+-P-+-Qk
-+-+-+p+
+-+-+-+-

“Having played Ng4 I went for a stroll. When I came back to the board I did not understand at first what was happening.”

84… Qg5 85. Rxg5 fxg5 86. Qe3 Rxh4+ 87. Kg3 Rxg4+!! 88. Kxg4 f6

“Now I looked at the board in dismay. How was I going to win? Where could I force an entry?”

  In fact, Kotov did get through in the end, but it’s an idea worth knowing: sacrifice for a blockade.

Co-ordination

Posted on by

Left over from the summer, some examples with light notes from a
session on Co-ordination

Click on the […] to see the list of games.

P.S. I had a couple of complaints about leaving out Tigran
Petrosian.  As soon as I manage to understand any of Petrosian’s
games, please be assured that I will include some examples by him too.

as-Suli’s Diamond

Posted on by

From Wikipedia (English):

The problem called “as-Suli’s Diamond” went unsolved for over a thousand years. In shatranj, the “queen” (counsellor) is a very weak piece, able to move only a single square diagonally. It is also possible to win in shatranj by capturing all pieces except the king.

as-Suli commented:

“This ancient position is so difficult that there is no one in the world who would be able to solve it, except those I have taught to do so. I doubt whether anyone did this before me. This was said by al-Suli.”

David Hooper and Ken Whyld studied this problem in the mid-1980s but were unable to crack it. It was finally solved by Russian Grandmaster Yuri Averbakh.

as-Suli gave the first move of the solution (1.Kb4) which was the same as Averbakh’s solution; Averbakh was impressed with the obvious prowess of the Arab master.

Solution (from the German Wikipedia) is in the comments. You have 1000 years, starting NOW…
Continue reading →

Three results

Posted on by

29th_June_2010: Three results

Charlie suffered a bit in the last round and wondered if he could fight harder when he was losing.  IM Douglas Bryson once said that in every game he wins there is one point where he loses control and the likely result of the game wobbles for a moment.  That should tell us that in our games there may be opportunities to strike back: we can still hope for a draw or even a win when we are losing.  This is part of a more general problem of getting the right result for you in a game.  Jonathan Rowson talks about playing for two results as opposed to three, or even one…  If you aim at a win and miss, you might draw, but if you aim for a draw and miss?

We often talk about winning a won game, or indeed losing one.  I thought about making some notes on

Winning…   …won  
Drawing… a …drawn …game.
Losing…   …lost  

Things are rarely so identifiable: I know when I’m worse, but the transitions between worse and losing and lost may pass me by.

Let’s consider:

  Winning Drawing Losing
Won      
Better      
Drawn      
Worse      
Lost      

And putting a bit of meat on the bones, some advice, some good examples, some horrible examples, some master games, some club games:
 

  Winning Drawing Losing
Won EG:

  • Botvinnik – Szilagyi [A07]

Botvinnik-Szilyagi
EG:

  • Regis D. – Dale H. [A18]

Regis-Dale
EG:

  • Regis D. – Anderson P. [A14]

Regis-Anderson

  • Control the game
  • Vigilance at all times
  • Keep your eye on the ball
  • Strike when necessary
 EG:

  • Regis D. – Knox S. [D33]

Regis-Knox

  • Faint heart
  • Fear of losing
  • Fear of opponent
  • Vagueness
  • Letting critical moment pass
  • Lack of technique
 EG:

  • Regis D. – Walton E. [A08]

Regis-Walton
EG:

  • Regis D. – Paulden T. [A40]

Regis-Paulden
EG:

  • Royle J. – Marsh B. [C42]

Royle-Marsh

  • Losing control
  • Losing concentration
  • Losing interest
  • Not in the moment
  • Your opponent changes gear and you don’t react properly
  • Hope Chess
Better EG:

  • Botvinnik – Kann [E21]

Botvinnik-Kann
EG:

  • Ditmas H. – Regis D. [C07]

Ditmas-Regis
EG:

  • Brusey A. – Regis D. [C02]

Brusey-Regis

  • As above
  • Keep up pressure
  • Cashing in
  • One wobble (Bryson) 
 EG:

  • Regis D. – Greet A. [A08]

Regis-Greet
EG:

  • Blackmore – Isaac [C48]

Blackmore-Isaac
EG: Morgan
 

  • (As above)
 EG:

  • Regis D. – Lubrook M. [A26]

Regis-Lubrook
EG:

  • Brusey A. – Regis D. [C02]

Brusey-Regis

  • As above; also:
  • Carrying on in the hope that your better position reappears
Drawn EG:

  • Miles A. – Webb S.

Miles-Webb
EG:

  • Regis D. – Hewson B. [A20]

Regis-Hewson
EG:

  • Gurevich M. – Short N. [C01]

Gurevich-Short

  • Persistence
  • Patience
  • Suitable modesty
  • Accumulation of advantages
 EG:

  • Richmond J. – Regis D. [C12]

Richmond-Regis

  • Patience/Stubbornness
  • Don’t make concessions
  • Keep active
  • Exchange with caution
 EG:

  • Regis D. – Jamieson I. [A00]

Regis-Jamieson
EG:

  • Menchik V. – Capablanca J. [A47]

Capablanca-Menchik

  • Trying too hard to win!
  • Trying too hard to draw!
  • Making unnecessary concessions 
  • Not making necessary concessions
  • Going passive
  • Trying to force the issue
  • Wanting the game over
  • Panicking
Worse EG:

  • Gosling B. – Regis D. [A48]

Gosling-Regis
EG:

  • Pope S. – Regis D. [C02]

Pope-Regis

  • Avoid concessions
  • Avoid exchanges
  • Keep active
  • Don’t lose
  • Keep going
  • Create threats
  • See The Swindle
 EG:

  • Regis D. – Sedgwick D. [A28]

Regis-Sedgwick
EG:

  • Waley J. – Keen C. [A55]

Waley-Keen

  • Be realistic
  • Recognise trouble
  • Do something before it’s too late
  • Don’t panic
  • Keep going
  • Don’t lose!
 EG:

  • Waley J. – Keen C. [A55]

Waley-Keen
EG:

  • Regis D. – Anderson P. [A14]

Regis-Anderson

  • Sleepwalking to the graveyard
  • Losing interest
  • Lashing out
  • Lack of technique
Lost EG:

  • Annetts I. – Regis D. [C02]

Annetts-Regis
EG:

  • Stean M. – Webb S. [D44]

Stean-Webb

The Swindle:

  • You need an accident to happen to your opponent
  • Eliminate losing options quickly
  • Force game out of usual channels
  • Randomising moves (chaos)
  • Keep enough pieces on
  • Keep enough pieces active
  • Make threats
 EG:

  • Regis D. – Greet A. [A26]

Regis-Greet
EG:

  • Waters S. – Regis D. [A85]

Waters-Regis

  • Perpetual check
  • Bluff
  • Sieze the carp
  • Elimination method
 EG:

  • Brusey A. – Regis D. [C02]

Brusey-Regis

  • Let events take their course
  • Leave flaws in your position unmended
  • Let game proceed normally
  • Haste
  • Blunder in a bad position

 

Several of these squares complement each other (highlighted): if you are trying to win a better game, your opponent should be at least trying to avoid losing!

Let’s start with Charlie’s initial bleat: how to avoid losing. EG:

Waley-Keen.  

Well, there was certainly the moment when White lost control, right at the end, and perhaps the way to find the best line for Black was the process of elimination (41…Kb5?? loses to two fairly obvious checks, so that’s a hint to play 41…Kb7).

Working backwards, and with the help of Fritz, we can find some improvements for Black.  

Chart of game evaluation at each move

However, I can’t find a move that gives Black any counterplay.  In fact, Black’s attempts at getting some play (22…f5? and 36…b5) just make things worse!  

So this was one of those unpleasant games where Black just has to avoid making the situation worse, and find small ways to make things better (22…f6 and 23…Kf7 doesn’t save the game for Black, but improves the position a little).  Karpov was the master at this sort of thing, whether he was better or worse!

However, that is a pretty miserable way to play chess, so I’m going to point the finger at 8…exd4?!, making a concession for no good reason, and also 3…Be7, which rather says that Black is making things up as they go along — which I had a lot to say about last time.

Click […] for list of games