Skype coaching session, 02 November 2014. 

The following game was examined, the game 51 moves) is given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

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Annotated game. 

White: Mamedyarov, 2764. 
Black: Andreikin, 2722. 
Event: FIDE Grand Prix Tashkent 2014. 
Result: 0-1 in 51 moves. 
Opening: Semi-Slav Defence, D45. 

1. d4 d5 
2. c4 c6 
3. Nf3 Nf6 
4. Nc3 a6 

| Black can instead head for a Queen's Gambit Declined set-up with the moves, e6, Nbd7, Be7, O-O, and solve the apparent congestion with the idea, Re8, Nf8. At some point during these black moves, white usually trades, cxd5, when black usually replies, exd5. || 

5. e3 e6 
6. Qc2 

| A flexible choice. White will have options of a central pawn e4 break once development is achieved, and the queen also guards the c3 knight before it actually becomes a target. Get your defence in first! || 

6. ... Nbd7 
7. b3 

| The white c1 bishop could have been developed outside of the centre pawns, but should it venture with, Bf4, then black has, Nh5, which usually intends to trade knight for bishop. Instead white, Bg5, often leads to 2 pair of minor pieces being traded after black has developed, Be7, O-O, and soon plays, Ne4. This slower development scheme is designed to avoid early piece trades. || 

7. ... Bd6 

| A more active location than the e7 square, indicating black is seeking to sieze the initiative if permitted. || 

8. Bb2 

| White now has the option of, O-O-O, available at some point, creating an opposite wing middlegame. This will yield interesting games, excellent if one feels internal pressure to play for a win, but beware that black will also have good prospects of organising a powerful attack against the white king sitting on the queenside. || 

8. ... O-O 
9. Be2 e5 

| Sorting out the centre. Black is almost certainly going to end up with an isolated queen's pawn on d5, this may or may not become a weakness, some skill is required to handle the iqp, so study of middlegame strategy is advised if such positions are to be part of your play. || 

10. cxd5 

| Other tries for white are, 10. dxe5, or, 10. O-O-O, or, 10. h3, which offer chances for both sides. There is also the simplifying, 10. Nxd5, the idea is to follow with, dxe4, forking black's pieces. In A. Giri - Mamedyarov FIDE Grand Prix Tashkent 2014, Black replied with, 10. ... Nxd5, which simplified after, 11. cxd5 Qa5+ 12. Bc3 Bb4 13. Bxb4 Qxb4+ 14. Qd2 Qxd2+ 15. Kxd2 exd4 16. Nxd4 cxd5 17. Rhc1 Nf6 18. Rc7 Rd8 19. Rac1 Ne8 20. R7c5 Kf8 21. g4 h6 22. f3 Ke7 23. H3 Kd6 24. f4 Bd7, when black held on for a draw in 36 moves. 

Now comes a few game moves which seem to be forced, that is saying if you choose differently you might receive an unpleasant surprise. || 

10. ... cxd5 
11. dxe5 Nxe5 
12. O-O 

| King safety before seeking complications is advisable. Instead, 12. O-O-O, is possible. White should avoid, 12. Nxd5 Nxf3+ 13. Bxf3 Nxd5 14. Bxd5 Qa5+, when, 15. Qd2, protectings the white d5 bishop, but allowing, 15. ... Bb4, costing white the queen. || 

12. ... Be6 
13. Rac1 Rc8 
14. Qb1 

| Now it is queen safety. It is not necessary to allow complications up the c-file. Black decides it is time to fight for the initiative. || 

14. ... Nfg4 

| Black threatens, 15. ... Nxf3+ 16. Bxf3 Nxh2, winning a pawn and a subsequent, Nxf3+, will follow, breaking up the white kingside defences. || 

15. Nxe5 Bxe5 

| Instead in Petursson - Ortega Italy 1994, play continued, 15. ... Nxe5 16. f4 Qb6 17. fxe5 Qxe3+ 18. Rf2 Qxe5 19. g3 Bc5 20. Na4 Bxf2+ 21. Kxf2 d4 22. Qd3 Bf5 23. Qf3 b5 24. Rxc8 Rxc8 25. Nb6 Rc2 26. Ba1 h5 27. Qa8+ Kh7 28. Qf3 Be4 0-1. Clearly there must be improvements found for white in this game, or black would obviously repeat the line here. || 

16. h3 
| Instead, 16. Bxg4 Bxg4 17. Na4, or, 17. Qd3, give white a reasonable game. || 

16. ... Bh2+ 

| A neat trick designed to force the white king onto the h-file, which means if the white kingside opens up the black queen can arrive on the h4 square with a vital check. Instead wild attacking ideas such as, 16. ... Nh2 17. Rfd1 Bxh3 18. gxh3 Qg5+ 19. Kh1 Qh4 20. f4 Qxh3 21. Kg1, leaves black having to decide wether to play for 3-fold repetition with, 21. ... Qg3+, or to sacrifice more material to search for mate with, 21. ... Qxe3+ 22. Kxh2 Qxf4+ 23. Kg2 Qg3+ 24. Kf1, when the immediate threats are over, which gives white a chance to get some defenders across to the kingside. || 

17. Kh1 Bb8 

| Job done. The bishop retreats to a safe square from which it snipes into the white kingside, an arrangement which white must not allow to continue for long. || 

18. Bxg4 

| White must not get greedy as, 18. hxg4 Qh4+ 19. Kg1 Qh2+ mate, demonstrates the point of the black bishop move to shuffle the white king onto the h-file. || 

18. ... Bxg4 
19. Qd3 

| Again not, 19. hxg4 Qh4+, arriving with check to force mate. White is now targetting the black d5 pawn which is rather difficult to defend satisfactorily. || 

19. ... Qd6 

| Threatening mate on h2 but this is easy to prevent. Instead, 19. ... Qf6, was worth a try. || 

20. f4 

| The black initiative has been repulsed but in the process white has been induced into making pawn moves on the kingside which are not particularly desirable. Now that the white king is safe the black d5 pawn becomes the point of interest. || 

20. ... Be6 
21. Rcd1 Qc5 
22. Nxd5 Bxd5 
23. Qxd5 Qxd5 

| Surely the point of black placing the queen on the c5 square was to capture, Qxe3, which also places pressure on the white f4 pawn? Unfortunately white has an amazing response. After, 23. ... Qxe3 24. Bxg7, and black has serious problems. Accepting the bishop is disastrous, 24. ... Kxg7 25. Qg5+ Kh8 26. Qf6+ Kg8, and now comes a rook lift, 27. Rf3, which attacks the black queen and threatens, Rg3+ mate. Blackcan give up the queen with, 27. ... Qxe3, but after, 28. fxg3, white threatens, Rg1+ mate. So black tries to escape with, 28. ... Rfe8 29. Rg1+ Kf8, but now 30. Rg7, and white threatens both, Qxf7+ mate and, Rxh7. 

Instead after, 24. Bxg7 Rfd8 25. Qg5, white has doubly protected the f4 pawn and threatens a horrendous dark square bishop discovered check. So, the white e3 pawn is toxic. Black instead trades queens and must seek activity to try to hold the position. || 

24. Rxd5 Ba7 
25. e4 

| White could try 25. Bd4, but wether bishops are exchanged or not, black will always be the first to plant a rook on the 7th rank. Such rooks tie down the opposing forces and can often be very difficult to dislodge. Now the black bishop on a7 has no targets but does control the g1 square, restricting the white king which in turn makes it difficult for white to challenge and remove the black c2 rook. || 

25. ... Rfe8 

| Placing some restraint on the white centre. With the white bishop on b2 pointing into the black centre/kingside the white central pawn majority must not be allowed to advance too far. || 

26. e5 

| White avoids, 26. Re1 Rc2, when the e1 rook must respond, 27. Rb1, losing a tempo. The white e4 pawn is safe from capture at that moment as, 27. ... Rxe4 28. Rd8+ forces mate. || 

26. ... Rc2 
27. Rb1 h5 

| A triple purpose move. Black removes the danger of a back rank mate, gives the king an means of entry to advance into the kingside and attempts to limit the activity of the white kingside pawn majority. || 

28. Rd7 Rf2 

| Sometimes one must defend passively and other times one must defend with aggression. Here, 28. ... Rb8, would be too passive, black must either immobilise or eliminate the white pawn centre, and this will not happen if a rook is defending on the b8 square. || 

29. Rxb7 Be3 

| Black is now 2 pawns down but if the white centre is removed then all black has to cope with is the white mobile queenside pawn majority. || 

30. f5 

| This strange pawn advance is designed to force black to capture the f-pawn with a rook, giving white some time to activate the passive b1 rook with an attack tempo. Instead, 30. g3 Rf3 31. Kg2 Rf2+ 33. Kh1 Rf3, and white must choose between accepting 3-fold repetition or losing the g3 pawn and then the f4 pawn. || 

30. ... Rxf5 
31. Re1 Rf2 

| The black rook returns to the 7th rank leaving white to decide wether to keep bishops on the board. Of course, 32. Rb1, would be an admission the attempt to activate this rook was wrong, so white is committed to removing the bishops. || 

32. Rxe3 Rxb2 

| The black 7th rank rook is still an annoyance. || 

33. a4 Re6 

| White has 2 target pawns, e5, and b3, while black has only the a6 pawn as a weakness though the h5 pawn might be vulnerable. The e6 rook blockades the white e-pawn, which gives black the opportunity of advancing the f-pawn for a central challenge. || 

34. Kh2 h4 

| Simultaneously creating a strength and a weakness. This pawn restricts the advance of the white king, a very important factor, but it is now vulnerable to a rook attack. || 

35. Re4 

| The restricting black h4 pawn must be removed if the white king is to contribute. The price for this might seem to be the white e5 pawn. Time on both clocks might now be a significant factor as the game proceeds to move 40. || 

35. ... f5 

| White must now be aware of further advances of this pawn, it must not be allowed to make the f3 square when the pin from the black b2 rook will hurt white. || 

36. Rd4 

| Grand Master confuses Grand Rabbit. From the comfort of my sofa that black h4 pawn sure seems to be a tempting carrot. Perhaps both players are short of time and this sort of move, which does not contain any direct threat, but is threatening to threaten might cause more confusion than it deserves. || 

36. ... Rc6 

| Now the other Grand Master confuses Grand Rabbit. Yet another tempting carrot is left alone. Just what the rook on the c6 square can do as opposed to being on the e5 square is not obvious here. || 

37. Rb8+ Kh7 
38. Rxh4+ Kg6 
39. Rhh8 Rcc2 

| Doubled rooks on the 7th rank offer opportunities for taking a draw by 3-fold repetition if circumstances dictate, providing the defending king is kept to the edge of the board. If the defending king can escape from the edge then the result depends on other factors such as proximity of the attacking king and the pawn structures. || 

40. Kg3 

| Perhaps, 40. Rb6+ Kf7 41. e6+ Ke7, should have been tried before the freeing king advance was made. With the black king on e7 the white king can consider heading for the centre/queenside when the black rooks start their assault. Should the white king find shelter on the queenside then the plan, Ra8, and, Ra7+, is problematic for black. || 

40. ... Rxg2+ 
41. Kh4 

| Trying to hide from the black rooks. Instead, 41. Kf4, intending to head for the queenside was worthy of consideration. || 

41. ... Rbe2 

| Black is threatening, 42. ... Re4+ mate. || 

42. Rb6+ Kf7 
43. e6+ 

| White must lose the e-pawn and so searches for the most favourable way to do so. || 

43. ... Rxe6 
44. Rxe6 Kxe6 
45. b4 

| White has been a pawn or so up since move 22 and clearly trying to find a win. Recognising when the position no longer merits playing for a win is important. Here it is now critical for white to start thinking in terms of holding a draw. The black king has far greater mobility than the white king and it is black who has a passed pawn. So, white should play, 45. Ra8, which should lead to a draw. || 

45. ... g5+ 

| The unfortunate location of the white rook on h8 allows black some tricks to speed up the kingside pawn advances. || 

46. Kh5 g4 
47. Kh4 

| Clearly not, 47. hxg4 Rh2+, black wins the white h8 rook. || 

47. ... g3 

| Now black has 2 connected passed pawns. White can create a single passed pawn on the queenside but this can be dealt with by the black king. Instead attempting to create 2 connected passed queenside pawns by going after the black a6 pawn by white will be too slow. || 

48. b5 axb5 
49. axb5 f4 
50. Rg8 

| Instead, 50. Rf8, black has a simple plan of, Rf2, g2, f3, Rf1, and white will have to give up a rook as the passed black g-pawn promotes. || 

50. ... Kd7 
51. Rg7+ Kc8 
White resigns, 0-1 

| The black king can catch the white passed b-pawn, but white has no answer to the aforementioned black plan to promote the g-pawn. || 

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## Unannotated game. 

White: Mamedyarov, 2764. 
Black: Andreikin, 2722. 
Event: FIDE Grand Prix Tashkent 2014. 
Result: 0-1 in 51 moves. 
Opening: Semi-Slav Defence, D45. 

1. d4 d5 
2. c4 c6 
3. Nf3 Nf6 
4. Nc3 a6 
5. e3 e6 
6. Qc2 Nbd7 
7. b3 Bd6 
8. Bb2 O-O 
9. Be2 e5 
10. cxd5 cxd5 
11. dxe5 Nxe5 
12. O-O Be6 
13. Rac1 Rc8 
14. Qb1 Nfg4 
15. Nxe5 Bxe5 
16. h3 Bh2+ 
17. Kh1 Bb8 
18. Bxg4 Bxg4 
19. Qd3 Qd6 
20. f4 Be6 
21. Rcd1 Qc5 
22. Nxd5 Bxd5 
23. Qxd5 Qxd5 
24. Rxd5 Ba7 
25. e4 Rfe8 
26. e5 Rc2 
27. Rb1 h5 
28. Rd7 Rf2 
29. Rxb7 Be3 
30. f5 Rxf5 
31. Re1 Rf2 
32. Rxe3 Rxb2 
33. a4 Re6 
34. Kh2 h4 
35. Re4 f5 
36. Rd4 Rc6 
37. Rb8+ Kh7 
38. Rxh4+ Kg6 
39. Rhh8 Rcc2 
40. Kg3 Rxg2+ 
41. Kh4 Rbe2 
42. Rb6+ Kf7 
43. e6+ Rxe6 
44. Rxe6 Kxe6 
45. b4 g5+ 
46. Kh5 g4 
47. Kh4 g3 
48. b5 axb5 
49. axb5 f4 
50. Rg8 Kd7 
51. Rg7+ Kc8 
White resigns, 0-1 

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