Skype coaching session, 27 July 2014. 

The following game was examined, the game 50 moves) is given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

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Annotated game. 

White: Leko, 2737. 
Black: Naiditsch, 2705. 
Event: Dortmund Sparkassen 2014. 
Result: 1-0 in 50 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation, D36. 

| While playing over this game, please bear in mind you might be asked to write an essay on the game for your homework. The essay title is: "A Tale of 4 Knights with 2 d-pawns". You are asked to compare and contrast the experiences of all 4 knights during this game, paying particular attention to the position of both d-pawns. Shouldn't take you too long? || 

1. d4 Nf6 
2. c4 e6 
3. Nc3 d5 

| Transposing into the Queen's Gambit Declined, when indications were that black could have been aiming for the Nimzo-Indian with, 3. ... Bb4, or the Benoni with, 3. ... c5. || 

4. cxd5 exd5 
5. Bg5 c6 

| Supporting the d5 pawn. Black can vary the move order of the 5th, 6th, and 7th game moves. Playing, 5. ... c6, leaves white guessing for one more move as to wether black is placing the king's bishop on e7 or d6, and similarly wether the black c8 knight is going to either d7 or a6. || 

6. Qc2 Be7 
7. e3 Nbd7 
8. Bd3 Nh5 

| This strange looking knight move is designed to trade the dark square bishops, and in doing so lift the black queen off the back rank, though it is debatable wether e7 is actually the best square in the long term for the black queen. || 

9. Bxe7 Qxe7 
10. Nge2 

| Instead, 9. Nf3, is the main alternative here. The text permits white to advance with pawn, f3, to either control the e4 square or to assist in the advance of the e-pawn to make progress in the centre. || 

10. ... Nhf6 

| The mainline here is, 10. ... g6, maintaining the h5 knight where it is, to discourage white from playing the e2 knight to the f4 square. || 

11. O-O 

| White is playing for a solid position which gives nothing away. Instead white can play aggressively with, 11. O-O-O, setting up an opposite wing attack middlegame. || 

11. ... Nb6

Unblocking the c8 bishop and also protecting the d5 pawn, even though at present this pawn is not in need of more protection. A different way to handle this piece is to move the f8 rook, perhaps to e8, and play, Nf8, which then offers protection to the always vulnerable h7 pawn. || 

12. Rae1 O-O 
13. Nf4 

White is beginning the process of placing pressure on the black d5 pawn. White has 2 attacks and black has 3 defences to the d5 pawn, but these defences can not all be guaranteed to be permanent. || 

13. ... Bd7 
14. g3 

| Taking time to protect the f4 knight before tactics begin. Loose pieces cost points, so moves like this are not really a waste of time. || 

14. ... Qd6 

| A multi-purpose move. Removing the queen from danger down the e-file, placing some pressure on the f4 knight, even though it is defended, and placing a 4th defence on the d5 pawn. Over-protection of an anticipated weak point is black's plan here. || 

15. f3 

| More calm containment without offering black any play. White takes control of the e4 square, not that black had any ambitions of playing, Ne4. It also prepares a possible central break with, pawn e4. || 

15. ... Rfc8 

| Perhaps played to vacate the f8 square while preparing to challenge in the centre with, pawn c5. There seems no obvious reason why this rook was favoured over the a8 rook. Grand Master confuses Grand Rabbit. || 

16. g4 

| White is now threatening, 17. g5, driving the f6 knight away after which white will win the black h7 pawn with check. || 

16. ... g6 
17. a3 

| White is in no hurry to make any commitment. This now controls the b4 square, perhaps denying the black queen any potential queenside invasion square later on. || 

17. ... c5 

| Creating a twin threat. It would all begin with, 18. ... cxd4, pinning the white c3 knight to the white queen. Should white reply with, 19 exd4, the f4 knight would be unprotected and lost to, 19. ... Qxf4. So, how does white respond to the twin threats? || 

18. Qd2 cxd4 
19. exd4 

| White now has control of the e-file, but this can soon be challenged by black. The central tension has been resolved as both d-pawns are now head to head. However their mutual blockage does not come with mutual safety. The white d4 pawn is on a dark square, and the dark square bishops are now spectators. Moreover the white knights are posted to place pressure on the black d5 pawn, while the black knights are defending it. This means the black knights do not possess full mobility, whereas the white knights can come and go as they please. Black must now enter into over-protecting the d5 pawn to maintain flexibility in defence. Finally, each player has a light square bishop, and it is the black d5 pawn which is on a light square. Conclusion: Black is going to be defending the d5 pawn for a long time, while white can sit there and probe away, waiting to find out if black can set up a satisfactory defence to both the d5 pawn and any action elsewhere on the board, not a particularly happy juggling act to have forced on one. || 

19. ... Bc6 

| Over-protecting the d5 pawn, 2 attacks versus 4 defences. It also vacates the d7 square for a knight, should the need arise. || 

20. g5 Nfd7 
21. Re2 Re8 

| White must not be permitted to double rooks down the e-file. || 

22. Rfe1 Rxe2 
23. Rxe2 Nf8 

| Permitting the c6 bishop to backwardly protect the e8 square, necessary to play, Re8. || 

24. h4 

| Defending the loose g5 pawn, and perhaps setting up options of a kingside attack with, pawn h5, depending on how black continues. || 

24. ... Re8 
25. Rxe8 Bxe8 
26. Qe3 

| Yet again white has snatched control of the e-file, and even though nothing substantial should arise from this, it is just another advantage which black must neutralise while juggling the defences of the d5 pawn. White has managed to make small positional gains without offering black any activity. This is not winning for white, but black will have to be more careful than white when seeking activity. In essence, the position is much easier to play for white. || 

26. ... Bc6 

| Yes folks, it is over-protection time again, 2 attackers versus 3 defenders. White can not easily place 4 attacks on the d5 pawn. So, why is black employing 3 pieces to the defence of the d5 pawn? Simply so that all 3 defenders have full mobility to neutralise any activity white creates elsewhere while still being able to keep 2 defenders on it. || 

27. Kg2 

| Indicating that white has no breaks on the kingside,and so the king advances in anticipation of the forthcoming endgame. || 

27. ... f6 

| Black has had enough ofdefensive shuffling and takes what is probably the first real opportunity to play actively. The alternative was to oscillate with, Nc8, Nb6, Nc8, Nb6. However, white can place the d3 bishop on a2, which would force this knight to become fixed on b6. Black would then be reduced to either, Kg7, Kg8, Kg7, Kg8, or, Nfd7, Nf8, Nfd7, Nf8, both of which are admitting to total passivity. Black is being squeezed and so decides to start a kingside fight, for better or worse. || 

28. gxf6 Qxf6 

| White now has split kingside pawns, but they are not easy targets. The black kingside pawn fortress has been somewhat eroded. || 

29. Kg3 Kf7 
30. Nd1 

| The piece which is contributing the least for white is given a new role, that is to find some activity over on the kingside. Retreating knight moves when the piece is not forced to move are always worthy of attention, and as will be noted later on, this precise move will reappear to good effect. || 

30. ... Nbd7 

| Also heading for a new role on the kingside. || 

31. Nf2 g5 

| To paraphrase Bobby Fischer: In chess sometimes you punch, sometimes you duck. Hmm. And apparently sometimes you throw a punch and end up with orange or plum sauce all over yourself. || 

32. hxg5 Qxg5+ 

| Black now has an outside passed h-pawn, which should be more useful in a minor piece ending than the white f-pawn. Well, it would be if black did not have the continuing headache of avoiding the loss of the d5 pawn. The white minor pieces have too much central control, meaning black has no way of utilising this newly created endgame asset. || 

33. Kh2 Qe7 

| So black's kingside activity was a plan to remove queens from the board. Grand Master confuses Grand Rabbit again. White had no obvious way to break through before this activity, but now matters are tricky for black, which might be compounded by time-pressure. || 

34. Ng4 Qxe3 
35. Nxe3 

| So the white knights have reverted to their old ways again, target the black d5 pawn, however with the advantage that the e3 knight now has some good kingside control. || 

35. ... Nf6 
36. Kg3 N8d7 

| The only black minor piece capable of moving must make some impact on the game, but how? It can not single-hooved break the white knights central grip. The white king must also be prevented from invading to the e5 square, black has willingly created a 2nd weakness by opening-up the kingside. || 

37. Kh4 Nb6 
38. Kg5 Nc8 
39. Ng4 

| The wandering knight on c8 can not now enter into tandem-knight protection, that is by landing on the d7 square, which would have been possible had it been on the b6 square. Consequently an important black kingside defender is either pushed away or traded off, with the casualty of this being the black h-pawn. || 

39. ... Nxg4 
40. fxg4 Nd6 

| If black defends the h-pawn with, 40. ... Kg7, the white king will be permitted entry into the centre. So black instead tries to set up a blockade with the king and knight. || 

41. Bxh7 

| The passed white g-pawn now ties down the black king while the white king, soon to be assisted with some appropriate bishop shuffling, heads for the black d5 pawn. Black is lost now, it is only for white to demonstrate good technique. || 

41. ... Nb5 
42. Ne2 Kg7 
43. Bd3 Nd6 
44. Kf4 Bd7 
45. Nc3 

| Yet again a white knight pressures the black d5 pawn from c3, though in actuality this is the first time this piece has been here, as this knight set out on it's pilgrimage from the g1 square. || 

45. ... Bc6 
46. Nd1 

| Such a short sojourn on the c3 square, now the e3 square beckons where it will place pressure on d5. || 

46. ... Nf7 
47. Ne3 Nd8 
48. Bf5 

| The black knight is about to be pushed away and the white king infiltrates. || 

48. ... Nf7 
49. Be6 Nd6 
50. Ke5 
Black resigns, 1-0 

| Black started over-protecting the d5 pawn on move 11, white has amongst other things, satisfactorily demonstrated that patience is a virtue. || 

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## Unannotated game. 

White: Leko, 2737. 
Black: Naiditsch, 2705. 
Event: Dortmund Sparkassen 2014. 
Result: 1-0 in 50 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation, D36. 

1. d4 Nf6 
2. c4 e6 
3. Nc3 d5 
4. cxd5 exd5 
5. Bg5 c6 
6. Qc2 Be7 
7. e3 Nbd7 
8. Bd3 Nh5 
9. Bxe7 Qxe7 
10. Nge2 Nhf6 
11. O-O Nb6 
12. Rae1 O-O 
13. Nf4 Bd7 
14. g3 Qd6 
15. f3 Rfc8 
16. g4 g6 
17. a3 c5 
18. Qd2 cxd4 
19. exd4 Bc6 
20. g5 Nfd7 
21. Re2 Re8 
22. Rfe1 Rxe2 
23. Rxe2 Nf8 
24. h4 Re8 
25. Rxe8 Bxe8 
26. Qe3 Bc6 
27. Kg2 f6 
28. gxf6 Qxf6 
29. Kg3 Kf7 
30. Nd1 Nbd7 
31. Nf2 g5 
32. hxg5 Qxg5+ 
33. Kh2 Qe7 
34. Ng4 Qxe3 
35. Nxe3 Nf6 
36. Kg3 N8d7 
37. Kh4 Nb6 
38. Kg5 Nc8 
39. Ng4 Nxg4 
40. fxg4 Nd6 
41. Bxh7 Nb5 
42. Ne2 Kg7 
43. Bd3 Nd6 
44. Kf4 Bd7 
45. Nc3 Bc6 
46. Nd1 Nf7 
47. Ne3 Nd8 
48. Bf5 Nf7 
49. Be6 Nd6 
50. Ke5 
Black resigns, 1-0 

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