Skype coaching session, 13 September 2015. 

The following game was examined, the game 56 moves) is given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

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Annotated game. 
White: W. Pietzsch. 
Black: H. Lehmann. 
Event: 13th Olympiad (Final A) 1958. 
Result: 1-0 in 56 moves. 
Opening: Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation, B96. 

1. e4 c5 
2. Nf3 d6 
3. d4 cxd4 
4. Nxd4 Nf6 
5. Nc3 a6 
6. Bg5 

| Offering the opportunity for some very sharp play. Most popular here is, 6. Be3. Equally playable are, 6. Be2, or, 6. Bc4. || 

6. ... e6 
7. f4 h6 

| We are at the point where black could have attempted to enter the Poisoned Pawn Variation with, 7. ... Qb6. White can avoid all the fun with, 8. a3, since, 8. ... Qxb2 9. Na4, traps the black queen. If however white is willing to offer the pawn with, 8. Qd2, it is now for black to decide. The idea is, 8. ... Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. f5 Nc6 11. fxe6 fxe6, and white has been known to sacrifice material with, 12. Nxe6 Bxe6 13. e5 dxe5 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Ne4 Be7 16. Be2 h5 17. Rb3 Qa4 18. Nxf6+ Bxf6 19. c4 Ra7 20. O-O Rf7, which, if my understanding of present theory is correct, should with best play lead to a draw by repetition. 
There is so much material available after, 7. ... Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2, it is impossible to summarise it here other than, there is much homework to be done on both sides if you wish to play this variation. || 

8. Bh4 g5 

| Very imaginative. Remember, this game was played in 1958, so no computers to offer analysis on the long-term consequences of either offering or accepting this gambit. Sit back and watch the show. || 

9. fxg5 

| White is almost forced to accept the gambit. Instead, 9. Bg3 gxf4 10. Bxf4 e5, black wins a piece. || 

9. ... hxg5 
10. Bxg5 Be7 

| White can arrange castling queenside quite easily, but what is black going to do for king safety? || 

11. Qd2 b5 

| Black plans to build pressure on the white e4 pawn. The offered black pawn has temporarily reversed the usual strategy in this opening system. It is more common for white who develops quickly, seeking to find a means of opening the centre with ideas of sacrificing along the way. With the removal of the white f-pawn all the usual plans to open the position have disappeared. Now it is white who will be defending for a while, but on the positive side, white does have an extra pawn for the endgame. || 

12. a3 Bb7 
13. Bd3 Nbd7 
14. O-O-O Nc5 

| When white prevents black queenside pawn advances with, pawn a3, it is possible for black to place this knight on the c4 square after black has suitably prepared with, Rc8, and, Qc7. The idea is to set up a tactic involving, Nxa3, undermining the defence of the white c3 knight. This tactic is even better if black ever manages to organise a central, pawn d5, break, releasing the black e7 bishop to also attack the white queenside pawn defences. In this game black cannot easily arrange this formation, leading to questions of the strength of offering a kingside gambit pawn. || 

15. Rde1 

| White appears to be able to hold the e4 pawn and black has no sensible means to further attack it. How is black to complete development and achieve king safety? || 

15. ... Rc8 

| Surely black could try, Qc7, O-O-O, and, Rdg8, attempting to make play up the semi-open kingside files? This plan seems fine apart from one slight problem. As soon as the black queen vacates the d8 square a defence to the black f6 knight has been removed. White can defend both the bishop and h-pawn with, pawn h4, and is then ready to build pressure up the f-file with, Rhf1. White will gain the initiative before black can build pressure. || 

16. h4 

| White defends two units with one move and also releases the h1 rook for centralisation. The alternative of, 16. Kb1, also comes into consideration. Removing a king from the semi-open c-file makes good sense when black places either a rook or queen on the c-file. It is simply a case of avoiding tactical problems long before they could arise. || 

16. ... Nxd3+ 

| The game takes on a different shape. Black cannot easily complete development due to possible white activity up the f-file. This means If left alone for sufficient time white might find a central break-through with the black king still in the centre. Black chooses to remove a potential attacker, even though it has no obvious prospects at the moment. Important decision on how to recapture for white now. || 

17. cxd3 

| White alters the nature of the game. The centre is not to be opened by white, perhaps that gambit pawn is now being thought of as money in the bank? White has flexibility across the entire board, the black forces have no real coordination, either for attacking or defensive purposes. White is considerably better. || 

17. ... d5 

| Black is still trying to create activity in the centre and this is probably the best chance. Just sitting there will only leave one as a sitting target. Again, white has an important decision here. There is activity with, exd5, or possibly leave black with the choice of, dxe4, or close the centre with, pawn e5. Two options create open games and the other closes the position. What is white to do? || 

18. e5 

| White closes the centre with a specific plan in mind. This is much better than allowing black piece activity which would have occurred had the centre not been closed. || 

18. ... Nd7 
19. Kb1 

| White is happy to permit the possible doubling of g-pawns which can occur should black start capturing on g5. || 

19. ... Bxg5 

| Yet again, white must choose correctly here. || 

20. hxg5 

| The black forces are not coordinating, it is the white queen who will have attacking options while the black queen will get in the way of potential defences. In such positions, the player with the attacking queen should keep queens on the board. || 

20. ... Rg8 

| Black cannot afford to trade rooks, this would give white a kingside rook invasion without any means to challenge it. Black is also now threatening to regain that gambit pawn. White has a couple of good replies here. || 

21. g6 

| White chooses an active continuation which demands precise tactical play to gain the most from the position. Instead, 21. Nf3, is easier to play as well as saving the extra pawn. It stabilises the centre while giving white options of kingside activity by doubling rooks on the h-file. There is also the tiny matter of an ending of good white knight against poor black bishop looming, especially with white having centre / kingside pawns on dark squares. || 

21. ... Rxg6 

| Forced. Now white makes an important invasion to justify the return of the g-pawn. || 

22. Rh8+ Nf8 

| Just one active white piece, the h8 rook, is creating many problems for black. The f8 knight is in a, "double-pin", that is both the black king and queen must move before the knight is free to move. This demands time and it is time white is not going to permit black to have. Start looking for tactics. || 

23. Rf1 

| The best move of the game so far. This rook places an x-ray attack on the black f8 knight through the black f7 pawn. This immobilises the black g6 rook, it must stay on the black 3rd rank, if it moves white will have a crushing, Nxe6, winning immediately. || 

23. ... Rc7 

| What else? Black is seriously short of options. White would like to further attack the black f8 knight, and the queen would be an ideal candidate for such a job. However, she cannot play to the h6 square because of the black g6 rook, a pity. So, she cannot join in the fun, can she? Time to start thinking hard here. Best move of the game to be found here. || 

24. Ncxb5 

| Tactics flow from a superior position. The knight is sacrificed to permit the queen entry on the dark squares. White almost certainly calculated this move when giving back the extra pawn on move 21. || 

24. ... axb5 

| Black might as well have a piece for the trouble. Instead, 24. Rd7 25. Nd6+ Ke7 26. Rxf7+ mate, is just one horror to be avoided, there are others. || 

25. Qb4 

| Stronger than immediately recapturing on b5. The worst white threat is, 26. Qxf8+ Kd7 27. Qxd8+ mate. || 

25. ... Qe7 

| Instead, 25. ... Re7 26. Nxb5 Bc6 27. Nd6+ Kd7 28. Nxf7 Qa8 29. Nd6 Re8 30. Rf7+ Kd8 31. Qb6+ mate, is just one example of how bad it is for black. 
Or if, 25. Qb8 26. Nd6+ Kd7 27. Nxb7, and black seems unable to defend the f7 pawn while evading the threat of, Nc5+, followed by a queen trade on b8 resulting in the f8 knight being undefended and captured next move. || 

26. Nxb5 Qxb4 

| Black is losing an exchange now. || 

27. Nxc7+ Ke7 

| Instead, 27. ... Kd7 28. axb4 Kxc7 29. Rxf8, gives the white rooks too much activity. || 

28. axb4 Rxg2 

| White has an exchange advantage and an extra pawn. Surely a simple win? No, there are as many moves to be made as have already occurred. Black is not going to roll over just because there is a decisive material advantage. The key to the white win is going to be the b4 pawn, but it takes a lot of manoeuvring to avoid the annoyances of the black rook before this pawn can prove to be a winner. || 

29. d4 Rg4 

| Is the d4 pawn in danger or not? || 

30. Rf2 

| White thinks not. || 

30. ... Rg7 

| Black agrees. If, 30. ... Rxd4 31. Rxf8 Kxf8, the black king has been deflected into a pin up the f-file. Simply, 32. Nxe6+ Ke7 33. Nxd4, and white is a rook ahead. || 

31. Rxf8 

| White plays for a variant on the above tactic. Is this deliberate or has something been overlooked? || 

31. ... Rg1+ 

| The black rook escapes the potential knight fork of, Nxe6+. It seems white has simplified the position by giving back an exchange for a pawn. The 2 extra pawns should be enough for a win, but sometimes patience is a necessary virtue... || 

32. Kc2 Kxf8 
33. Nxe6+ Ke7 

| Important concept for white to find here. White can only afford to lose more pawns if the passed b-pawn is about to cost black a piece, and that is a long way off in the future. || 

34. Nf4 

| White is going to need the combined forces of king, rook and knight to eventually reduce the centre / kingside activities of the black rook. || 

34. ... Rg8 

| Keeping options of invading the white queenside with, Ra8, and, Ra4 / Ra2, depending on how white plays. || 

35. Kb3 Bc6 

| The white king is not allowed to invade to assist the advance of the b4 pawn. Now comes some patient manoeuvring from white as the black rook goes into mosquito-mode. || 

36. Rc2 Rg4 

| Important test for white to pass here. One idea keeps winning prospects alive, the other offers black good drawing chances. || 

37. Rf2 

| Correct. Instead, 37. Rxc6, might seem active but gives away most of the advantage. After, 37. Rxf4 38. Kc3 Rf3+ 39. Kd2 Rf2+, the white king must choose. If he retreats to the c-file to guard the b2 pawn then the black rook will find repetition along the 3 ranks, a draw. If the white king tries to hide on the far side of the b2 pawn, then the black rook will get behind the white d4 pawn and win it. So, perhaps the white king should keep approaching the black rook with, 40. Ke3 Rxb2 41. Rd6 Rxb4 43. Rxd5, and though white is a pawn up it seems black should hold this. || 

37. ... Rg3+ 
38. Kc2 Ba4+ 

| Now the black bishop joins in to further create problems for the white king. Black is not going to win anything here, it is just a case of white having to be even more careful. || 

39. Kd2 Bb3 
40. Ne2 

| The knight is ultimately heading over to the queenside. There is just the little matter of finding some white king safety and then the passed b-pawn will decide the game. || 

40. ... Rh3 
41. Nf4 Rg3 
42. Nd3 Bc4 
43. Nc5 Rg4 

| The black rook would have preferred being on the h-file, allowing more annoyance attacks on the white king. || 

44. Ke3 Rg3+ 
45. Kf4 Rg1 

| The black rook cannot attack any more across the ranks, so sets up options to attack the white d4 pawn from the d1 square. Important move now for white to start the queenside push. || 

46. b3 

| A double purpose move. The repulsion of the black bishop is obvious, the secondary reason needs to be found or white will not make any progress. || 

46. ... Bb5 
47. Ra2 

| Now the white king is devoid of defenders from the black attackers. A haven must be found for the white king or it will be a draw by repetition. If the black checks run out then the white queenside activity will gain a decisive material advantage. Start calculating. || 

47. ... Rf1+ 
48. Ke3 Re1+ 

| White to play and avoid throwing the full point away. || 

49. Kf2 

| The disastrous, 49. Kd2 Re2+, costing white the a2 rook is just the sort of move which can occur due to tiredness or impatience. || 

49. ... Rf1+ 
50. Kg2 Rf4 

| The white d4 pawn is now being offered in return for piece activity. || 

51. Ra5 Bf1+ 
52. Kg1 Bh3 
53. b5 Rxd4 

| Can the black rook prevent the racing white b-pawn from promoting? || 

54. b6 Rb4 
55. Ra7+ 

| Precise. The white rook wishes to be on the a8 square. Giving check on a7 first forces the black king to the back rank, allowing white to achieve a rook on a8 without black having any useful moves as it does so. || 

55. ... Kd8 
56. Ra8+ 

| The black king will be forced back to the e7 square after which, 57. b7, and, 58. b8=Q, will cost black a rook. || 

Black resigns, 1-0 

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## Unannotated game. 

White: W. Pietzsch. 
Black: H. Lehmann. 
Event: 13th Olympiad (Final A) 1958. 
Result: 1-0 in 56 moves. 
Opening: Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation, B96. 

1. e4 c5 
2. Nf3 d6 
3. d4 cxd4 
4. Nxd4 Nf6 
5. Nc3 a6 
6. Bg5 e6 
7. f4 h6 
8. Bh4 g5 
9. fxg5 hxg5 
10. Bxg5 Be7 
11. Qd2 b5 
12. a3 Bb7 
13. Bd3 Nbd7 
14. O-O-O Nc5 
15. Rde1 Rc8 
16. h4 Nxd3+ 
17. cxd3 d5 
18. e5 Nd7 
19. Kb1 Bxg5 
20. hxg5 Rg8 
21. g6 Rxg6 
22. Rh8+ Nf8 
23. Rf1 Rc7 
24. Ncxb5 axb5 
25. Qb4 Qe7 
26. Nxb5 Qxb4 
27. Nxc7+ Ke7 
28. axb4 Rxg2 
29. d4 Rg4 
30. Rf2 Rg7 
31. Rxf8 Rg1+ 
32. Kc2 Kxf8 
33. Nxe6+ Ke7 
34. Nf4 Rg8 
35. Kb3 Bc6 
36. Rc2 Rg4 
37. Rf2 Rg3+ 
38. Kc2 Ba4+ 
39. Kd2 Bb3 
40. Ne2 Rh3 
41. Nf4 Rg3 
42. Nd3 Bc4 
43. Nc5 Rg4 
44. Ke3 Rg3+ 
45. Kf4 Rg1 
46. b3 Bb5 
47. Ra2 Rf1+ 
48. Ke3 Re1+ 
49. Kf2 Rf1+ 
50. Kg2 Rf4 
51. Ra5 Bf1+ 
52. Kg1 Bh3 
53. b5 Rxd4 
54. b6 Rb4 
55. Ra7+ Kd8 
56. Ra8+ 
Black resigns, 1-0 

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