Skype coaching session, 31 January 2016. 

Recordings of some previous coaching sessions can be found at: 

http://www.open-aurec.com/Skype/PaulBenson/PaulBenson.htm
 
The following games were examined, the games 15 moves) and 33 moves are given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

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Annotated game 1. 

White: D. Bronstein. 
Black: W. Uhlmann. 
Event: Moscow 1971. 
Result: 1-0 in 15 moves. 
Opening: French Defence, transposing into King's Indian Attack, A07. 

1. e4 e6 

| Yes, a French defence which will soon be transposed into a King's Indian Attack. || 

2. d3 d5 
3. Nd2 Nf6 
4. Ngf3 c5 
5. g3 

| The move which transposes the game into the King's Indian Attack. || 

5. ... Nc6 
6. Bg2 Be7 
7. O-O O-O 
8. Re1 b5 

| All as observed in the 24 January 2016 coaching session. White now varies from 9. exd5, as played in the game Svidler - Karjakin, Baku World Cup Final 2016, 1-0 in 29 moves. || 

9. e5 

| Closing the centre, battle lines are now drawn. White intends to make a strong point of the e5 pawn which will be over-protected as part of this plan. Black will be allowed to expand with pawns on the queenside while white focuses attention on the kingside. || 

9. ... Nd7 
10. Nf1 a5 
11. h4 

| Securing control of the g5 square, necessary for the e5 pawn to be protected with, Bf4, without worrying about a black tactical thrust involving, pawn g5, displacing the bishop. || 

11. ... b4 
12. Bf4 Ba6 

| Black seems to be creating queenside activity before white has woken up on the kingside. || 

13. Ng5 

| White is probing on the kingside, possibly hoping for black to push the knight back with, 13. ... h6. The knight would then retreat, 14. Nh3, after which white will hope to make a target of the black h6 pawn. The manoeuvre, Nf1 - Nh2 - Ng4, would then spring to mind to assist a kingside attack. || 

13. ... Qe8 
14. Qg4 

| The white queen takes up a dangerous location on the kingside. Threats are mounting, black should always be cautious when this much piece activity emerges in front of a poorly protected king. || 

14. ... a4 

| Missing the point of the white moves 13. Ng5, and, 14. Qg4. There is a tactic available for white here, take some time to enjoy finding the next white move. || 

15. Nxe6 
Black resigns, 1-0 

The black f8 rook is entombed so there is little choice here. After, 15. ... fxe6 16. Qxe6+, forking the black king and unprotected black c6 knight. White regains the piece with a two pawn plus, which at Grand Master level is a loss. Rather be seen playing on in such a position black resigns. At lower club level, most players with black would fight on hoping to randomise the position to fight for at least a draw. || 

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## Unannotated game 1. 

White: D. Bronstein. 
Black: W. Uhlmann. 
Event: Moscow 1971. 
Result: 1-0 in 15 moves. 
Opening: French Defence, transposing into King's Indian Attack, A07. 

1. e4 e6 
2. d3 d5 
3. Nd2 Nf6 
4. Ngf3 c5 
5. g3 Nc6 
6. Bg2 Be7 
7. O-O O-O 
8. Re1 b5 
9. e5 Nd7 
10. Nf1 a5 
11. h4 b4 
12. Bf4 Ba6 
13. Ng5 Qe8 
14. Qg4 a4 
15. Nxe6 
Black resigns, 1-0 

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## Annotated game 2. 

White: E. Vasyukov. 
Black: W. Uhlmann. 
Event: Lasker Memorial 1962. 
Result: 1-0 in 33 moves. 
Opening: French Defence, transposing into King's Indian Attack, A07. 

1. e4 e6 
2. d3 d5 
3. Nd2 Nf6 
4. Ngf3 c5 
5. g3 Nc6 
6. Bg2 Be7 
7. O-O O-O 
8. Re1 Qc7 

| Black places two attacks on the e5 square before white has occupied it with a pawn. The idea is so that when white eventually plays, pawn e5, the retreat of the f6 knight to the d7 square will result in an immediate triple attack on the pawn. || 

9. Qe2 

| Preparing a third defence in anticipation of the advance, pawn e5. || 

9. ... b5 
10. e5 Nd7 

| Three black attackers are on the white e5 pawn, three white defenders are all tied down to defending it. White should think of placing a fourth defence on the e5 pawn, a concept known as over-protection. Once over-protected, any one of the four defenders can be released for duties elsewhere. In this way three defenders who previously could not move without material loss would become part of a team of four, any one of whom can all move if they wish. || 

11. Nf1 a5 
12. h4 b4 
13. Bf4 

| Over-protection achieved, now the queen on e2, rook on e1, knight on f3, and, bishop on f4, can move elsewhere, but only one of these, the other three must remain at their posts. Prior to, Bf4, the queen, rook and knight could not move without losing the e5 pawn. || 

13. ... Ba6 

| Black seems impervious to the x-ray attack of the white f4 bishop through the e5 pawn. But since the white e5 pawn is blocked, surely this x-ray attack is not a problem? || 

14. Ne3 

| The wandering white knight chooses a different idea from the manoeuvre, Nh2 - g4, seen in previous sessions. On the e3 square it puts up a fight for control of central light squares, in particular the c4 square. || 

14. ... a4 
15. b3 Ra7 

| Black is slowly building the pressure on the queenside in anticipation of an eventual line-opening. White must do something in the centre or kingside to counter this strategy, but what? Take some time to find an idea for white to squeeze something out of the position. || 

16. h5 

| At first glance this is rather a puzzling advance. Just what plans can white have for the h-pawn? || 

16. ... Rfa8 

Placing as many pieces in the region of the board where you are attacking is a good idea. However, sometimes the odd unit should be kept in the region where defending will soon be needed. While difficult to anticipate, this rook should have definitely stayed on the f8 square. || 

17. h6 

| Ah, this is what white has in mind. The white h-pawn is going to exert strong pressure on the g7 square in front of the black king. || 

17. ... g6 

| O.K., so white has induced a dark square weakness on g7, but just how can this be exploited in such a blocked position? White to play, take some time over the next move. || 

18. Nxd5 

| White shows how to turn a static position into a dynamic one. || 

18. ... exd5 

| Instead, 18. ... Qd8, and white should take further dark square control with, 19. Nxe7+, and has an extra pawn into the bargain along with the bishop pair in a position about to open further. || 

19. e6 

| So, the blocked white e5 pawn has leapt into action. The black queen seems to have ignored the warning about an x-ray attack through the white e5 pawn. The white pieces now have activity and black will be defending on almost every move. || 

19. ... Qd8 

| Instead, 19. ... Bd6, removing the e7 bishop from any potential threats up the e-file was worth considering. White to play and find the best move, take some time, and remember the maxim: Other than where a move is forced by the laws of chess, no move is automatic. || 

20. exf7+ 

| Of course white could have played for being better in a position of material equality with, 20. exd7 Qxd7. But sometimes having the initiative is better than having a piece. Careful calculation must be thought through before rejecting a material regain of course, but if the attacks offers good prospects for the material then perhaps trust in your judgement and go for it. || 

20. ... Kh8 

| Had the black rook now on the a8 square stayed on the f8 square, then the whole idea of white declining to regain the piece would almost certainly be immediately be removed from thought. The black king should not accept the pawn with, 20. ... Kxf7, which allows the white queen to invade with, 21. Qe6+ Kf8 22. Qxc6, note how yet again an unprotected black knight on the c6 square has become a potential target to a tactic. White would be a pawn up and the black king would soon come under a strong attack. From here to the end of the game each white move will need careful consideration. This position is strong for white, but it needs handling accurately. Make one false move and black might have the chance to unravel. || 

21. Ne5 

| The black king is immobilised on the h8 square. A check on the dark squares could be troublesome, so white removes one black defender in preparation of an invasion on the a1 - h8 diagonal. || 

21. ... Ncxe5 

| White to play and recapture on the e5 square, but with which piece? || 

22. Qxe5+ 

| The white battery of queen and rook up the e-file place a double attack on the black e7 bishop, so the black reply to, Qxe5+, is forced. Well, it is forced, isn't it? Instead, 22. Bxe5+ Bf6 23. Bxf6+ Nxf6, and black has escaped the worst of it. The dark squares would have been strengthened and the f7 pawn is vulnerable to attack from the black a7 rook. 
One last glance before moving on. Surely after, 22. Qxe5+, black has a knight on d7 attacking the white queen? Yes. However there is a clever idea available for white. After, 22. ... Nxe5 23. Bxe5+ Bf6 24. Bxf6+ Qxf6, white can invade onto the black back rank with, 25. Re8+. Black is lost since, 25. ... Rxe8 26. fxe8=Q+ Qf8 27. Qxf8+, is mate. The controlling power of the advanced white h6 and f7 pawns provide a tomb from which the black king seems helpless to escape. This concept of entombment is what drives the white strategic thinking for the rest of the game. || 

22. ... Bf6 

| The black bishop saves itself, but in doing so makes a serious alteration in the position, the e-file is now fully open. || 

23. Qe8+ Nf8 

| Forced. Instead, 23. ... Qxe8 24. fxe8+, white regains a queen which black cannot allow to remain. Play would continue, 24. ... Rxe8 25. Rxe8+ Nf8 26. Rxf8+ mate. With the invading game move of, 23. Qe8+, the white queen becomes almost impossible to remove. As regard to the black kingside formation, the immobilised king invites imagination. Now white must further paralyse the black defences. || 

24. Be5 

| Pinning the f6 bishop and creating a threat of, 25. Qxd8 Rxd8 26. Bxf6+ mate. || 

24. ... Qb6 

| Exposing an attack on the white e8 queen, who must surely now retreat? || 

25. Bxd5 

| The white queen is just fine on the e8 square. If, 25. ... Rxe8 26. fxe8=Q, white gets another queen which costs black a rook. Note the power of the white bishops, centrally placed and side by side. This formation fights for control of many squares, and in this example restricts the mobility of the black forces. Black does not have a sensible plan while white does. || 

25. ... Rc8 
26. Be6 

| A double purpose move. The attack on the black c8 rook is clear, but the white e6 bishop has also interfered with the defence of the black f6 bishop along the black 3rd rank, resulting in a threat of, 26. Bxf6+ mate. White is now gaining material and the overwhelming positional advantages of the f7 and h6 pawns still hurt black. || 

26. ... Bxe5 
27. Bxc8 

| Not only winning an exchange but removing the x-ray defence of the black c8 rook to the f8 knight through the white queen. In essence, removing the defending black c8 rook sets up a threat of mate in one with, 28. Qxf8+. Black has only one move to prevent the combined white threats of mate and the double attack on the e5 bishop. || 

27. ... Bd6 
28. Bxa6 Rxa6 
29. bxa4 

| Calmly played. At times during a tactical battle it is possible to play a relatively quiet move. It is not necessary to make every move a punch on the nose of the opponent. This pawn capture is not intending to win material. It is instead to prevent black opening up the a-file giving the black a6 rook some activity. || 

29. ... Ra7 

| Relatively quite time is over. White must start making tactical threats again to finish the game efficiently. || 

30. Re6 

| Pinning the d6 bishop to the black queen, creating a threat of, 31. Qxf8+ Bxf8 32. Rxb6, winning a piece. || 

30. ... Qc7 
31. Rae1 c4 

| Black has no constructive moves. In such positions there can often be found a tactical stroke to finish matters quickly. || 

32. Rxd6 

| On move 23 the black knight was forced to block a white queen check and has been immobilised ever since. White has been consistencly trying to undermine the defences offered to this knight. Persistence as well as patience can be a virtue. || 

32. ... Qxd6 
33. Re6 
Black resigns, 1-0 

| If, 33. ... Qxe6 34. Qxf8+ is mate. Instead trying to defend with, 33. ... Qc5 34. d4, effectively forces the black queen away, allowing, 34. Qxf8+ mate. || 

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## Unannotated game 2. 

White: E. Vasyukov. 
Black: W. Uhlmann. 
Event: Lasker Memorial 1962. 
Result: 1-0 in 33 moves. 
Opening: French Defence, transposing into King's Indian Attack, A07. 

1. e4 e6 
2. d3 d5 
3. Nd2 Nf6 
4. Ngf3 c5 
5. g3 Nc6 
6. Bg2 Be7 
7. O-O O-O 
8. Re1 Qc7 
9. Qe2 b5 
10. e5 Nd7 
11. Nf1 a5 
12. h4 b4 
13. Bf4 Ba6 
14. Ne3 a4 
15. b3 Ra7 
16. h5 Rfa8 
17. h6 g6 
18. Nxd5 exd5 
19. e6 Qd8 
20. exf7+ Kh8 
21. Ne5 Ncxe5 
22. Qxe5+ Bf6 
23. Qe8+ Nf8 
24. Be5 Qb6 
25. Bxd5 Rc8 
26. Be6 Bxe5 
27. Bxc8 Bd6 
28. Bxa6 Rxa6 
29. bxa4 Ra7 
30. Re6 Qc7 
31. Rae1 c4 
32. Rxd6 Qxd6 
33. Re6 
Black resigns, 1-0 

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