Skype coaching session, 11 January 2015.

The following games were examined, 13, 9, 56, and 29 moves.

Paul Benson.

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game 1.
White: P. Morphy.
Black: C. Le Carpentier.
Location: New Orleans 1849.
Result: 1-0 in 13 moves.
Opening: Scotch Opening, Scotch Gambit, London Defence, C44.

| Brief summary.
White gives odds of the queen rook, remove the a1 rook.
Opening: The Scotch Opening is transposed into a Danish Gambit. Black would 
have encountered less problems by declining to capture the b2 pawn. Anyone 
fancying allowing or playing, 6. ... cxb2, is strongly advised to do some 
home preparation.
Early middlegame: Black chooses to open the centre, just what white wants. 
When a rook odds ahead it might be better to develop simply and quickly 
instead of snatching pawns which assists the opponent's development.
Middlegame combination: You might choose to stop at white move 10 to find a 
surprising final position. ||

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. d4 exd4
4. Bc4 Bb4+
5. c3 dxc3
6. O-O cxb2
7. Bxb2 Bf8
8. e5 d6
9. Re1 dxe5
10. Nxe5 Qxd1
11. Bxf7+ Ke7
12. Ng6+ Kxf7
13. Nxh8+ mate
1-0

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game 2.

White: E. G. Sergeant.
Black: F. Senneck.
Event: Nottingham (B2) 1946.
Result: 1-0 in 9 moves.
Opening: Latvian Gambit transposing to the Philidor Defence, Counter Gambit, 
C41.

| Brief summary.
Early opening: Black varies from the most popular and more trustworthy, 4. 
... fxe4 5. Nxe4 d5, which needs careful study if this variation is to be 
placed in the repertoire.
Mid opening: Perhaps black should play, 7. ... d5. The text move gives white 
the opportunity to exploit 2 weaknesses with 1 unusual advance.
Late opening: Black can not save material loss with, 9. ... Qc6, as simply, 
10. Bb5, is crushing. ||

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 f5
3. Nc3 d6
4. d4 Nf6
5. dxe5 Nxe4
6. Nxe4 fxe4
7. Ng5 Bf5
8. Qd5 Qd7
9. Qxb7
Black resigns, 1-0

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game 3.

White: T. Spanton, 2007.
Black: O. Jackson, 2222.
Event: Hastings 2008.
Result: 1/2-1/2 in 56 moves.
Opening: Philidor Defence, Counter Gambit, Zukertort Variation, C41.

| Brief summary.
Note: This game was only studied up to about move14, to offer an idea of a 
tactical idea available for white at move 6.
Opening: Very sharp play by white. There is clearly a possibility of 3-fold 
repetition for white, obviously rejected.
Early middlegame: Black has a lead in development for the material 
imbalance.
Middlegame: Neither player seems able to find a decisive plan, despite the 
position suggesting this game can not end in a draw.
Endgame: White chooses to simplify matters, eliminating any ideas of losing 
and leaving black to show the necessary technique to hold the draw.

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 f5
4. Nc3 fxe4
5. Nxe4 d5
6. Nxe5 dxe4
7. Qh5+ g6
8. Nxg6 hxg6
9. Qxg6+ Kd7
10. Qf5+ Ke8
11. Qe5+ Qe7
12. Qxh8 Be6
13. Be2 Bg7
14. Qh5+ Bf7
15. Qg4 Be6
16. Qxe4 c6
17. O-O Nf6
18. Qh4 Na6
19. Re1 Kd7
20. Bc4 Nc7
21. Bg5 Qf7
22. Bxe6+ Nxe6
23. Rad1 Rh8
24. Qg3 Nxg5
25. Qxg5 Rh5
26. Qg3 Bf8
27. Qb3 Nd5
28. Qxb7+ Nc7
29. Qb3 Qh7
30. h3 Bd6
31. c4 Rf5
32. Rd3 Qf7
33. c5 Qxb3
34. Rxb3 Bf8
35. Ree3 Bg7
36. Rf3 Rxf3
37. Rxf3 Bxd4
38. Rd3 Ne6
39. b4 Kc7
40. g4 a5
41. a3 axb4
42. axb4 Nf4
43. Rf3 Nd5
44. Rd3 Nf4
45. Ra3 Nd5
46. Rb3 Bc3
47. b5 cxb5
48. Rxb5 Kc6
49. Rb8 Kxc5
50. Rc8+ Kd4
51. Rxc3 Nxc3
52. Kg2 Ke4
53. h4 Kf4
54. h5 Kxg4
55. h6 Nd5
56. f3+ Kg5
Draw, 1/2-1/2

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game 4.

White: H. Bird.
Black: P. Morphy.
Location: London 1858.
Result: 0-1 in 29 moves.
Opening: Philidor Defence, Counter Gambit, Zukertort Variation, C41.

| Brief summary.
Early opening: An interesting skirmish of the dancing white knights being 
pushed around by advancing black pawns.
Mid opening: White places pressure on the black f6 knight but seems to 
change plans and offers a speculative pawn sacrifice for an open line.
Late opening: By move 15 the white knights, having consumed 9 moves between 
them, are back in the box.
Early middlegame: Take as much time as you think fit over black's 17th move, 
and if that one escapes you, take equally as long as to what black has in 
mind for move 18.
Mid middlegame: Compare the harmony on both sides. The white pieces offer no 
defensive cover to the king. The developed black pieces are coordinating for 
action. All it needs is a little more opening of lines around the white 
king.
Late middlegame: The white pieces still hinder any potential flight by the 
completely exposed white king. Once the black c8 bishop finds a means to 
join in the struggle is effectively over.
Resignation: The black queen and pawns are just too strong, without any 
supporting pawns the remaining white pieces will be helpless, constructing a 
blockade will be impossible. ||

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 f5
4. Nc3 fxe4
5. Nxe4 d5
6. Ng3 e4
7. Ne5 Nf6
8. Bg5 Bd6
9. Nh5 O-O
10. Qd2 Qe8
11. g4 Nxg4
12. Nxg4 Qxh5
13. Ne5 Nc6
14. Be2 Qh3
15. Nxc6 bxc6
16. Be3 Rb8
17. O-O-O Rxf2
18. Bxf2 Qa3
19. c3 Qxa2
20. b4 Qa1+
21. Kc2 Qa4+
22. Kb2 Bxb4
23. cxb4 Rxb4+
24. Qxb4 Qxb4+
25. Kc2 e3
26. Bxe3 Bf5+
27. Rd3 Qc4+
28. Kd2 Qa2+
29. Kd1 Qb1+
White resigns, 0-1

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