Skype coaching session, 15 February 2015. 

The following games were examined, 18 and 41 moves. 

Paul Benson. 

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Game 1. 

White: A. Stefanova, 2530. 
Black: N. Dzagnidze, 2540. 
Event: 6th Women's Fide Grand Prix 2011. 
Result: 0-1 in 18 moves. 
Opening: English Opening, Agincourt Variation, Catalan Variation, A13. 

| Brief summary. 
Early opening: Black is permitted to place a restricting pawn on d4. White intends to allow black to establish a pawn centre and set about undermining it. 
Mid opening: Black accepts the challenge and claims the centre with pawns. A curious reverse Benoni has arisen, but the tempo lost by black seems cancelled out by white making a move with the b-pawn. White immediately sets about dismantling the centre with, 5. e3, which offers black some play on the light squares. Instead, 5. Bg2, seems safer. 
Late opening: White is forced to advance the kingside pawns to break a vital pin, which in turn creates targets. The black queen lands on the d4 square, white is still struggling to complete harmonious development. 
Early middlegame: The opening of the h-file can only assist black, the f6 knight is effectively pushed to find a wonderful outpost. 
Mid middlegame: Black, 16. ... Nf4, allows white to win material. 
Late middlegame: So, just what is black to do on move 17? Take as much time as you like over this move. 
Resignation: Black is forcing mate on the kingside. 
If, 19. Qg4 Rxg4 20. hxg4 Ne2+, is a smothered mate. 
Instead trying to create a flight route with, 19. Re1 Rxg2+ 20. Kf1 Rxh3, and white can not prevent, Rh1+ mate. || 

1. Nf3 Nf6 
2. c4 e6 
3. g3 d5 
4. b3 d4 
5. e3 Nc6 
6. Bg2 e5 
7. O-O Bg4 
8. h3 Bh5 
9. g4 Bg6 
10. exd4 e4 
11. Nh4 Qxd4 
12. Nc3 O-O-O 
13. Nxg6 hxg6 
14. g5 Nh5 
15. Rb1 Kb8 
16. Bb2 Nf4 
17. Nd5 Rxd5 
18. Bxd4 Rxg5 
White resigns, 0-1 

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Game 2. 

White: H. Koneru, 2610. 
Black: N. Dzagnidze, 2540. 
Event: 6th Women's FIDE Grand Prix 2011. 
Result: 0-1 in 41 moves. 
Opening: Semi-Slav Defence, Stoltz Variation, D45. 

| Brief summary. 
Early Opening: The early move by the white queen is designed to protect the c3 knight before advancing the b-pawn, which could become a target from the black forces with, Bb4, Ne4, and, Qa5. Get your defence in first! 
Mid-opening: Development continues along well-established lines, each side waiting for commitment from the other. The fight can wait a while yet, such is the nature of this type of Semi-Slav. 
Late opening: The white queen relocates to e2, part of a regrouping plan involving, Bb1, and giving the queen some ideas of entering the kingside, depending on how black plays. 
Early middlegame: White 13. Ne5, initiates a sequence of moves to create pawn structure imbalance. White will have a kingside / centre pawn majority, black will have a mobile queenside majority. Imbalance achieved. If, 18. Rxd1, a further trade of rooks along the d-file is inevitable. White is planning a kingside assault, and so avoids a potential rook exchange. Black must fight quickly on the queenside to counter this. The fight is now in progress. 
Mid middlegame: Black places a knight on f8 to strengthen the light squares. White builds up the kingside pressure, black must find queenside / central inspiration to confuse matters. You might wish to think carefully about black's move 28. I hope this is not an interference! 
Mid-to-late middlegame: White increases the pressure between moves 29 and 32. Instead, 32. Rxf5, keeps some control of the position. White could have stepped back at any point during the previous 4 moves but instead chose to keep attacking. In essence, white was ensuring the game would be decisive, for better or worse. Of course, white could have accepted the offered material, but the connected pawns would have forced white to defend to hold the black pawns,. 
Conclusion: White could have kept control of the game and steered the position into a less imbalanced one before it became critical and ran out of control. Perhaps tournament standing demanded all attempts be made to win this game, and so risks must be taken. || 

1. Nf3 Nf6 
2. c4 e6 
3. Nc3 d5 
4. d4 c6 
5. e3 Nbd7 
6. Qc2 b6 
7. Bd3 Bb7 
8. O-O Be7 
9. b3 O-O 
10. Bb2 h6 
11. Rad1 Qc7 
12. Qe2 Rad8 
13. Ne5 dxc4 
14. bxc4 Nxe5 
15. dxe5 Nd7 
16. f4 Nc5 
17. Bb1 Rxd1 
18. Nxd1 Rd8 
19. Nf2 Nd7 
20. Ne4 c5 
21. Ng3 Nf8 
22. Bc3 a6 
23. Nh5 g6 
24. Nf6+ Bxf6 
25. exf6 Qc6 
26. e4 b5 
27. Rf3 bxc4 
28. Bc2 Rd4 
29. Qe3 Qd6 
30. f5 g5 
31. h4 exf5 
32. hxg5 Bxe4 
33. gxh6 Bxc2 
34. Qg5+ Ng6 
35. h7+ Kh8 
36. Bxd4 Qxd4+ 
37. Rf2 Be4 
38. Qh6 Qxf6 
39. Qe3 Qa1+ 
40. Kh2 Qd4 
41. Qxd4+ 
And white resigns, 0-1 

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