Skype coaching session, 18 January 2015.

The following game was examined, 33 moves.

Paul Benson.

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White: D. Hodgkins, 1430, BCF 104.
Black: P. Benson, 1940, BCF 168.
Event: BCA Autumn 1994.
Result: 1-0 in 33 moves.
Opening: French Defence, Tarrasch Variation, C03.

| Brief summary.
Opening: The French Tarrasch offers both players opportunities to either 
inflict or accept an isolated pawn. White, 8. a3, is not necessary. Instead, 
8. O-O should be preferred.
Early middlegame: The head-to-head d-pawns are favourable to black, it is 
the white d4 pawn which becomes a target while the black d5 pawn is not 
going to become a target. The displacement of the white f3 knight to h4 left 
the d4 pawn under-protected.
Mid middlegame: Black succeeds in winning the white d4 pawn but at the cost 
of the dark square bishop. Instead, 16. ... Nxd2, would still find black 
winning the d4 pawn but without the loss of control of important dark 
squares. Black then shuffles without any clear plan while white sets up some 
kingside threats involving the advance of the f-pawn. Black had to play, 
pawn f4, either on move 24 or 25. Failure to do so allowed the white f-pawn 
to advance with good threats.
Late middlegame: Black, 27. ... f6, weakened the black position. Black had 
to try, 28. Rf7, the game move allowed white a crushing break through on the 
dark squares.
Final position: Black has no defence to threats of mate on both g7 and h8.

1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. Nd2 a6
4. Ngf3 c5
5. c3 Nc6
6. Bd3 cxd4
7. cxd4 Nf6
8. a3 Qb6
9. exd5 exd5
10. Nb3 Bg4
11. Be2 Bd6
12. Nh4 Bd7
13. Be3 Ne7
14. a4 Bb4+
15. Nd2 Ne4
16. O-O Bxd2
17. Bxd2 Qxd4
18. Nf3 Qf6
19. Bb4 Bc6
20. Nd4 O-O
21. f3 Nd6
22. Bc3 Nc4
23. Qc1 Qd6
24. f4 Rac8
25. Bg4 Bd7
26. Bxd7 Qxd7
27. f5 f6
28. Ne6 Rfe8
29. Nxg7 Kxg7
30. Qg5+ Ng6
31. Qxf6+ Kg8
32. fxg6 d4
33. Bxd4
Time loss, 1-0

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