Skype coaching session, 07 December 2014. 

The following game was examined, 30 moves. It was intended that 2 games be examined in this session but time did not allow. The other game should be studied in the next session. 

Paul Benson. 

* * * 

White: Gelfand, 2748. 
Black: Jobava, 2717. 
Event: FIDE Grand Prix, Tashkent 2014. 
Result: 0-1 in 30 moves. 
Opening, English Defence, Keres Variation, B00. 

| Brief summary. 
Note: Some sources will give this opening system the name, English Defence, Kangaroo Variation. 
Opening: White produces a new idea of invading the black queenside with the queen. Instead, 8. Ngf3, followed by, O-O, with centralisation of rooks is fine for white. 
Early middlegame: Black makes excellent use of the knights and queen moving as a cluster on the kingside. White is unable to find a way of breaking this grip and is reduced to defending. 
Middlegame: White can only wait for black to plan a break, which arrives with, 20. ... f5, after which black has much the better game. 
Resignation: This seems early but black is winning as follows. 
White must avoid playing, Kc2, which allows a knight fork, Ne3+, losing the queen on f5. 
(A): 31. Bxc4 Re1+ 32. Kd2 Qe3+ 33. Kc2 Nb4+ / Rc1+, are both mate. 
(B): 31. Bxc4 Re1+ 32. Nxe1 Qxe1+ 33. Kc2 Ne3+, a royal fork leaving black with queen for rook. 
(C): 31. Rd2 Bxb3 32. axb3 Re1+ 33. Nxe1 Qxe1+ 34. Rd1 Qxd1+ 35. Kxd1 Ne3+, a royal fork and black will be a piece up. 
(D): 31. Bc2 Bxa2 32. b3 Re1+ 33. Nxe1 Qxe1+ 34. Bd1 Bxb3 35. Qd3 Bxd1 36. Qxd1 Qc3+, winning the unprotected h3 knight when black has 2 knights and 5 pawns against rook and 2 pawns. 
(E): 31. Bd1, there is no immediate loss but white knows what the result will be and chooses to avoid slow torture by resigning instead. || 

1. d4 e6 
2. c4 b6 
3. e4 Bb7 
4. Bd3 Bb4+ 
5. Bd2 Bxd2+ 
6. Nxd2 d6 
7. f4 Nd7 
8. Qg4 Ngf6 
9. Qxg7 Rg8 
10. Qh6 Rxg2 
11. Ngf3 Qe7 
12. Qh3 Rg7 
13. O-O-O Ng4 
14. Qg3 Ndf6 
15. Ng5 h6 
16. Nh3 O-O-O 
17. Rde1 Nh5 
18. Qf3 Qh4 
19. Re2 Kb8 
20. Bc2 f5 
21. Qf1 Nhf6 
22. Nf3 Qh5 
23. exf5 exf5 
24. d5 Re8 
25. Rxe8+ Qxe8 
26. Qd3 Re7 
27. Rf1 Ne3 
28. Rf2 Ba6 
29. Bb3 Nexd5 
30. Qxf5 Bxc4 
White resigns, 0-1 

* * *