Skype coaching session, 01 November 2015. 

The following 4 games were examined, the games 8 moves, 12 moves, 12 moves and 24 moves are given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

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Annotated game 1. 

White: H. Haberditz. 
Black: Hysek. 
Event: Wenen 1938. 
Result: 1-0 in 8 moves. 
Opening: Reti Opening, Dutch Defence, Lisitsyn Gambit, A04. 

1. Nf3 f5 
2. e4 

| Puzzling. The typical player of the Reti / King's Indian / English systems is not renowned for hand-to hand combat this early in the game. So, why is there a gambit on offer instead of the usual quiet development? Perhaps because it offers some really neat tricks without much risk for white. What tricks you ask? || 

2. ... fxe4 

| Options for black are limited here. Instead, 2. e5, entering into the tactical world of the Latvian Defence is the only other serious choice. With such a small range of replies to be studied, it becomes worthwhile for players of, 1. Nf3, to adopt the Lisitsyn Gambit into the repertoire. || 

3. Ng5 

| The alternative, 3. Ne5, seems not to be played. Undoubtedly this is because the knight on g5 offers too many potential rewards. || 

3. ... d5 

| The other main choices for black here are, 3. ... Nf6, and, 3. e5. White almost always follows up with the offer of the gambit pawn as shown by the next white move. Play can be very sharp and brutal in this entire system where white lands a knight on the g5 square. If you like this sort of game for white then some homework is necessary. If you respond to the Reti Opening, 1. Nf3,with, 1. ... f5, you will need to have a prepared line in your repertoire to combat it. If you try to work variations out at the board you are likely to suffer badly. || 

4. d3 

| White offers a gambit pawn for 2 development tempi and dangerous activity. || 

4. ... exd3 

| Black takes up the fight. There is still time to steer the game in different directions with, 4. ... Nf6, or, 4. e5. Is the white offer sound? Such a judgement is not possible, the middlegame play, should you get there, can be complex. Theory tells us it is very dangerous to stray into this from either side without preparation. || 

5. Bxd3 

| White has much activity on the light squares in the kingside. Is this worth a pawn? Many players of the white pieces believe they have chances in this position. Note the word: Chances. Black to play and strengthen those kingside weaknesses. Take some time, there are tricks to avoid. || 

5. ... Nf6 

| What? So simple? The h7 pawn is now doubly protected, the white queen has no entry point on the h5 square. Wat is the fuss all about? Surely black has a pawn and prevented any disasters with this easy logical development move? No. White to play and show black precisely what this system can offer. || 

6. Nxh7 

| Ouch! That was not supposed to happen. Now the light squares in the black kingside are even weaker before the, "logical", defensive move, 5. ... Nf6. || 

6. ... Nxh7 

| Resignation was a slightly quicker way to end the game here. No improvements will be offered here for black, as it is hoped anyone venturing into this system with black will avoid this position like the plague it is. || 

7. Bg6+ 

| Light squares, light squares, light squares. The more materialistic with a sadistic streak amongst us might choose, 7. Qh5+ Kd7 8. Bxh7, regaining the piece and the threats continue. White can do slightly better than regaining material. || 

7. ... Kd7 
8. Qxd5+ mate 
1-0 

| And with this centralising queen move white takes a few more light squares. || 

* * * 

## Annotated game 2. 

White: F. J. dos Santos Neto. 
Black: O. Di Diego. 
Event: Torneo Continental Americano 2003. 
Result: 1-0 in 12 moves. 
Opening: Reti Opening, Dutch Defence, Lisitsyn Gambit, A04. 

1. Nf3 f5 
2. e4 fxe4 
3. Ng5 Nf6 

| Black strengthens the kingside while defending the e4 pawn rather than the previous, 3. ... d5, which only defends the e4 pawn. || 

4. d3 exd3 

| "Once more unto the breach..." There are different options here for black on the e-file. Both, 4. ... e5, and, 4. ... e3 are playable. Another option is, 4. ... d5, when white seems to accept that black is not taking up the gambit fight and plays, 5. dxe4, and then black kicks out the dangerous knight with, 5. ... h6, after which black seems to have reasonable chances. || 

5. Bxd3 d6 

| Ah, the improvement? If the black pawn is not on the d5 square then surely the white trick of snatching the h7 pawn will not work. There will be no centralising queen mate today, and probably no light square horrors to fear either. || 

6. Nxh7 

| "Best laid plans of mice and men." Black has an idea in mind, but one can't help thinking avoiding the combined powers of white knight and bishop might have been advisable. || 

6. ... Be6 

| Instead, 6. ... Nxh7 7. Qh5+ Kd7 8. Bxh7, simply leaves white with easy developing moves and black with considerable unravelling to do. || 

7. Bg6+ Kd7 

| On the grounds that there is no safety on the black kingside, then pick up your king and run for the queenside. || 

8. Ng5 

| Pieces with considerable attacking options as this knight should be kept in play, there is more light square joy to be found in the "Swiss cheese" black pawn formation. || 

8. ... Bg8 
9. Qf3 

| More light square pressure, though this time it is the black b7 pawn which is the immediate target. || 

9. ... c6 

| A double purpose move. The long diagonal is blocked and the c7 square is now available to the fleeing black king. || 

10. Nc3 Kc7 

| There he goes. If white is not careful here, black might complete queenside development with moves such as, Nbd7 / Na6, Rc8, and, Kb8. O.K. white, do you notice anything about the black Royalty locations? || 

11. Bf7 

| It is a potential knight fork on the e6 square which inspires this move. Since, 11. ... Bxf7 12. Nxf7, forks the black queen and rook, the only way to avoid material loss is to break the pattern of the black king and queen. || 

11. ... Qd7 

| But not in this way. Black had problems over on the queenside. The planned, Nbd7 / Na6, Rc8, and, Kb8, could only happen while the black king is on c7. White has a means to force the black king off the c7 square, which hints strongly that the entire plan is not possible. Either the black king or queen had to sit on the c8 square to avoid the white knight fork, which would make completing development almost impossible. Placing the queen on the d7 square is still trying to unravel with, Na6, Rc8, and, Kb8. || 

12. Ne6+ 
Black resigns, 1-0 

| Black is losing a piece. After, 12. ... Kc8 13. Nxf8, attacking the black queen so that, 13. ... Qd8, 14. Bxg8, and while white has 2 pieces attacked at least one will escape via the g6 or e6 squares, depending on how black plays. || 

* * * 

## Annotated game 3. 

White: R. Jackson. 
Black: P. Wilson. 
Event: Manila 1992. 
Result: 1-0 in 12 moves. 
Opening: Reti Opening, Dutch Defence, Lisitsyn Gambit, A04. 

1. Nf3 f5 
2. e4 d6 

| A totally different approach. Avoid all sharp lines. Strangely, this line has little support, could be a clue there. || 

3. exf5 Bxf5 
4. Nh4 

| Who said there were no sharp lines in this variation? Black must be accurate here or suffer. || 

4. ... Qd7 

| This seems to be the only move to avoid difficulties. Other less desirable choices are:: 
(A). 4. ... Be6 5. Qh5+ Bf7 6. Qb5+ Nd7 7. Qxb7, leaves black wondering if the slight lead in development will ultimately be worth a pawn. 
(B). 4. ... Bd7 5. Qh5+ g6 6. Nxg6 Nf6 7. Qh4 Rg8 8. Nxf8, seems fine for white. 
(C). 4. ... e6 5. Nxf5 exf5 6. Qf3, hits both the unprotected f5 and b7 pawns. Black can try, 6. ... Qe7+ 7. Be2 Qe4, apparently saving both pawns. However, 8. Nc3 Qxf3 9. Bxf3, white is ahead in development and has the bishop pair in a position which should open further when the middlegame gets going. 
(D). 4. ... g6 5. Nxf5 gxf5 6. Qh5+ Kd7 7. Qxf5+, and white has a healthy pawn advantage while the black king is uncomfortably placed. || 

5. Nxf5 

| White had to resist the apparently clever, 5. Qf3, hoping for something like, 5. ... Bxc2 6. Qxb7 Qc6 7. Bb5, winning the black queen for a bishop. Black would surely instead find, 5. ... Bg4, when, 6. Qxb7 Qe6+ 7. Be2 Qxe2+ mate, reinforces the old proverb about capturing opposing b-pawns with the queen. || 

5. ... Qxf5 
6. d4 Nf6 
7. Bd3 Qg4 

| Forcing simplifications. Instead, 7. ... Qd7, keeps the tension for a middlegame fight. || 

8. Qxg4 Nxg4 
9. O-O 

| Black must find a plan of development. There could be problems up the e-file against the e7 pawn if black tries a kingside fianchetto. || 

9. ... g6 
10. Nc3 Bh6 

| Designed to trade dark square bishops and so reduce any threats to a potentially backward black e-pawn. Positions that appear quiet can be very deceptive. White can set a sneaky trap here, take some time on the next white move. || 

11. Nd5 

| Threatening to capture the black c7 pawn with check and the a8 rook will follow. Black to play must be precise here. Take some time now. || 

11. ... Kd7 

| Instead, 11. ... Bxc1 12. Nxc7+ Kd8 13. Nxa8 Bxb2 14. Rab1 Bxd4 15. Rxb7 Nd7 16. Bb5 Nf8, might have been worth a try. The opposite bishops and lack of coordination in the white forces gives white a chance to misplay it. Of course, white does not have to enter this line. If 11. Bxc1 12. Raxc1, is safe and solid if white does not trust taking the offered exchange. It is now white to play and give black a quiet shock, take some time to find the correct move here. || 

12. Be2 
Black resigns, 1-0 

| Why resign? Black is losing a piece. It is all because the black king strayed onto the wrong square when protecting the c7 pawn, it had to go to the d8 square. After 12. Be2 Bxc1 13. Bxg4+ e6 14. Raxc1 h5 15. Bxe6+, and if the black king retreats with, 15. Kd8, white is a clear piece up. Instead after, 15. Bxe6+ Kxe6 16. Nxc7+ Kd7 17. Nxa8, black will eventually capture the stranded white a8 knight, but still be an exchange and 2 pawns down. || 

* * * 

## Annotated game 4. 

White: T. Piper. 
Black: F. Ensor. 
Event: London 1883. 
Result: 1-0 in 24 moves. 
Opening: Reti Opening, Dutch Defence, Lisitsyn Gambit, A04. 

1. Nf3 d6 
2. e4 f5 

| All roads lead to Rome. Experience suggests that, 2. ... c5, or, 2. ... Nf6, or, 2. g6, or, 2. e5, are all far better choices for black. || 

3. Nc3 

| Speedy development was in style back in the 1880s. The "Hypermodern Movement" teaches us the middlegame fight can be reached by more subtle routes. || 

3. ... fxe4 

| Removal of an opposing central pawn is usually considered advisable. Here the trade brings a white knight to a square where it places pressure on the dark squares in front of the black king. Perhaps, 3. ... Nf6, is preferable. || 

4. Nxe4 e5 

| Black will find some difficulties in developing the f8 bishop. There is also some weakening of the light squares, e6, and definitely f7, to defend. White is already better. || 

5. d4 exd4 

| Five moves played by black, and all with pawns. This can be safe if there are no weaknesses in the position. However, here there are open lines for white to exploit, and they were all created by black. White can achieve full development very quickly and take a strong grip on black. || 

6. Qxd4 

| Placing pressure on the f6 square and g7 pawn. Black will not wish to end up with the f-pawn and h-pawn being isolated. This makes the move, Nf6, needed to challenge white in the centre rather difficult to arrange. || 

6. ... Bd7 

| Black intends, Nc6, to displace the white queen. This bishop move is designed to avoid a potential pin by white with, Bb5. White to play and make life even more awkward for black. || 

7. Bg5 

| More dark square pressure and also anticipating a queen retreat which will further increase the pressure on black. || 

7. ... Nc6 
8. Qe3 

| The threats up the e-file can be blocked, but the real problem for black is how to complete development. This has all come about as a result of 5 pawn moves which assisted in opening the position. White should not think of any move sequence which involves removing queens from the game. When ahead in development keep pieces on the board. || 

8. ... Be7 
9. Bc4 

| Now the light squares in the black kingside come under pressure. How is black to find safety for the king? || 

9. ... Bf5 

| The start of an attempt to organise castling queenside. White must prevent this, but how? Take some time to find a way to keep the black king in the centre. || 

10. O-O-O 

| It is the centralisation of the white a1 rook to the d-file which prevents black from castling queenside. || 

10. ... Bxe4 

| Instead, 10. ... Qd7 11. Nc5, exploiting the d6 pawn pin, so now the black queen must retreat to the black back rank, and will further suffer as white then lands the c5 knight on the e6 square. || 

11. Qxe4 

| Black must do something about the pin up the e-file. If given time, white will double rooks behind the queen, play, Bb5, and, Bxc6, which leaves 4 attacking units bearing down on the hapless under-protected black e7 bishop. || 

11. ... Kf8 

| Yes, the black king escapes the pin, but what a horrible move to have to make. This brings us back to the 5 black pawn moves which assisted the white development in the opening. Now it is important for white to make every move count, black must not be allowed any time to re-group. || 

12. Qd5 

| Threatening mate on the f7 square, there is only one move to prevent this. || 

12. ... Qe8 

| In order to guard the f7 square. However, the black queen move has taken defensive protection away from the dark squares, in particular the f6 square. White now needs to force black to create a new target. || 

13. Qf5+ Bf6 

| The potentially vulnerable bishop moves off the e-file. Instead, 13. ... Nf6, removes a defence from the e7 bishop. White can then double rooks up the e-file, remove the defending black c6 knight with the c4 bishop, and win a piece. || 

14. Bxg8 

| White removes a defender of the f6 bishop. Something is about to give in the black position, but quite where might not be immediately obvious. || 

14. ... Kxg8 
15. Bxf6 

| It might appear that white is winning a pawn on the f6 square. Black to play and prevent this. || 

15. ... Qf7 

| Pinning the white f6 bishop to the queen. It appears that the best white can find here is to inflict isolated pawns on black. Or perhaps not. There is a strong move here for white which is the culmination of the previous 4 moves. || 

16. Ng5 

| The white attacking forces have slowly been traded off to remove black defenders. If this continues without any tangible gain black might escape with a draw. || 

16. ... Qxf6 
17. Qd5+ 

| Queen and knight can work well together and here is the proof. White is about to reap a small but important harvest. || 

17. ... Kf8 
18. Ne6+ Ke7 
19. Nxc7 

| Isn't chess strange? White has been pointing everything at the black kingside and yet now white wins a pawn on the black queenside. Black now finds some activity but it is not enough. The loss of the c7 pawn has created another weakness on the d-file. || 

19. ... Rac8 
20. Rhe1+ Ne5 

| Black finds the only move to attempt to create some confusion. Anyone recall a famous Hungarian saying about capturing b-pawns with your queen? || 

21. Qxb7 

| Perfectly safe and sets up another discovered check. This seems to be one of those games where black has one king too many. || 

21. ... Kd8 
22. Nb5 

| Not really greedy. The quickest means to victory is to remove the black d6 pawn. || 

22. ... Nc4 

| So black defends the d6 pawn. Anything else achieved with this defensive move by black? White to take care and not throw it all away. || 

23. Nxd6 

| A double purpose move. For defensive purposes it lets the b7 queen backwardly guard the b2 pawn, where black had rather cunningly threatened mate last move. The attacking purpose is to strip away the defensive cover for the black king. This is all well and good, but isn't it simply losing a piece? || 

23. ... Qf4+ 

| Instead, 23. ... Nxd6, allows white to liquidate into a won ending with, 24. Rxd6+ Qxd6 25. Rd1, pinning the black queen to the king. After, 25. ... Qxd1+ 26. Kxd1, the white queen is too powerful on the black 2nd rank and the pair of black rooks have no threats. The white pawns will ultimately race through. With the black queen check on f4 the white king has been pushed away from protecting the d1 square. This removes the threatened white tactic to create a queen against 2 rooks ending. || 

24. Kb1 
Black resigns, 1-0 

| Why resign? Surely black can safely snatch the white d6 knight? No. If, 24. ... Nxd6 25. Qe7+ mate will occur. The black queen on f6 protected the mate on e7 but was vulnerable to the liquidation tactic up the d-file. On the f4 square she could not be caught by the liquidation tactic but allowed the mate on the e7 square. || 

* * * 

## Unannotated game 1. 

White: H. Haberditz. 
Black: Hysek. 
Event: Wenen 1938. 
Result: 1-0 in 8 moves. 
Opening: Reti Opening, Dutch Defence, Lisitsyn Gambit, A04. 

1. Nf3 f5 
2. e4 fxe4 
3. Ng5 d5 
4. d3 exd3 
5. Bxd3 Nf6 
6. Nxh7 Nxh7 
7. Bg6+ Kd7 
8. Qxd5+ mate 
1-0 

* * * 

## Unannotated game 2. 

White: F. J. dos Santos Neto. 
Black: O. Di Diego. 
Event: Torneo Continental Americano 2003. 
Result: 1-0 in 12 moves. 
Opening: Reti Opening, Dutch Defence, Lisitsyn Gambit, A04. 

1. Nf3 f5 
2. e4 fxe4 
3. Ng5 Nf6 
4. d3 exd3 
5. Bxd3 d6 
6. Nxh7 Be6 
7. Bg6+ Kd7 
8. Ng5 Bg8 
9. Qf3 c6 
10. Nc3 Kc7 
11. Bf7 Qd7 
12. Ne6+ 
Black resigns, 1-0 

* * * 

## Unannotated game 3. 

White: R. Jackson. 
Black: P. Wilson. 
Event: Manila 1992. 
Result: 1-0 in 12 moves. 
Opening: Reti Opening, Dutch Defence, Lisitsyn Gambit, A04. 

1. Nf3 f5 
2. e4 d6 
3. exf5 Bxf5 
4. Nh4 Qd7 
5. Nxf5 Qxf5 
6. d4 Nf6 
7. Bd3 Qg4 
8. Qxg4 Nxg4 
9. O-O g6 
10. Nc3 Bh6 
11. Nd5 Kd7 
12. Be2 
Black resigns, 1-0 

* * * 

## Unannotated game 4. 

White: T. Piper. 
Black: F. Ensor. 
Event: London 1883. 
Result: 1-0 in 24 moves. 
Opening: Reti Opening, Dutch Defence, Lisitsyn Gambit, A04. 

1. Nf3 d6 
2. e4 f5 
3. Nc3 fxe4 
4. Nxe4 e5 
5. d4 exd4 
6. Qxd4 Bd7 
7. Bg5 Nc6 
8. Qe3 Be7 
9. Bc4 Bf5 
10. O-O-O Bxe4 
11. Qxe4 Kf8 
12. Qd5 Qe8 
13. Qf5+ Bf6 
14. Bxg8 Kxg8 
15. Bxf6 Qf7 
16. Ng5 Qxf6 
17. Qd5+ Kf8 
18. Ne6+ Ke7 
19. Nxc7 Rac8 
20. Rhe1+ Ne5 
21. Qxb7 Kd8 
22. Nb5 Nc4 
23. Nxd6 Qf4+ 
24. Kb1 
Black resigns, 1-0 

* * * 
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