Skype coaching session, 20 March 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 32 moves) and 22 moves are given with annotations and then again without annotations. Paul Benson. * * * Annotated game 1. White: R. Vaganian. Black: D. Velimirovic. Event: Yugoslavia - Russia Match, 1972. Result: 0-1 in 32 moves. Opening: Benoni Defence, Hromadka System, A56. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 d6 7. Nf3 e6 8. dxe6 Bxe6 9. Ng5 Bxc4 10. Bxb7 Nbd7 11. Qxd6 h6 12. Nge4 | Varying from the previously examined, 12. Bxa8 Qxa8. White seems to have a variety of methods of preventing black from achieving activity up the a8 - h1 diagonal. Curiously, the retreat of, Bg2, seems to be the least favoured option. || 12. ... Nxe4 | Opening the h8 - a1 diagonal for the g7 bishop, allowing black possibilities of undermining the defence of the white e2 pawn with, Bxc3. || 13. Bxe4 Re8 | The theme just keeps coming around. Black is gaining much light square pressure and here it is without white having sacrificed the light square bishop on the black a8 rook. Well, not so far that is. || 14. O-O | If you intend to place the variation, 7. ... e6 8. dxe6 Bxe6 9. Ng5 Bxc4 10. Bxb7, in your repertoire, then expect tactics at each twist and turn. Instead attempting to stabilise the centre with, 14. Bf3 Ne5 15. Qxd8 Raxd8, and black is doing very well. If white now tries, 16. O-O, black breaks through with, 16. ... Nxf3+ 17. exf3 Bxf1, and black wins an exchange, but worse is to follow. After, 18. Kxf1 Bxc3 19. bxc3 Rd1+ 20. Kg2 Red1, black has complete control of the white back rank, such that, 21. Bd2 Rxa1 22. Bxa1 Rxa1, black is a rook up. || 14. ... Bxc3 | Black undermines the only white defence to the e4 bishop. The dividing line between tactics and tactricks is sometimes narrow. White must have allowed for this. || 15. Bxa8 | Thought so. It appears that white has delayed the snatching of the black a8 rook, making use of the intervening time to attain king safety. Instead, 15. bxc3 Rxe4 16. Rd1 Be6, and black is a piece up. Black is usually prepared to accept the loss of an exchange in this system, providing there is compensation with piece activity. Black must be precise here to achieve the desired aim. || 15. ... Be5 | Black must retain the dark square bishop. The white a8 bishop is doubly attacked and can always be captured next move. Instead, 15. ... Qxa8 16. cxb3 Bxe2 17. Re1, and black must do something about the attacked d7 knight while not having any of the expected middlegame activity. By keeping the dark square bishop black is planning on being an exchange down but having a very active centrally placed bishop pair as compensation. || 16. Qd1 Qxa8 | Black is not winning two pieces for the a8 rook, the d7 knight has been abandoned by the black queen. || 17. Qxd7 | Black to play must be precise here in order to gain the maximum available in the position. || 17. ... Bd4 | The black bishop pair virtually rule the board. More importantly, white has no sensible means of challenging the black light square bishop, other than give an exchange back, assuming black is so careless as to allow such a trade. Moreover, the white f2 pawn is now pinned and so the advance, pawn f3, is not available in order to block the long a8 - h1 diagonal, which means black has a manoeuvre aiming for mate on the g2 square. Happy hunting here, if the idea had not occurred to you earlier. The chess-equivalent of terrace-based football fans are chanting: "Initiative over material". Instead the materialistic, 17. ... Bxe2, regaining a pawn but activating the white rook seems inadvisable. After, 18. Re1 Bf3 19. Bf4, and white has ideas of exploiting the pin on the black e5 bishop. Ah, but does black have a possible mating net here? The idea is, 19. ... Bh1, and how does white prevent mate on the g2 square? Well, white has the relatively sober, 20. Qh3, guarding the g2 square. However there is also the perhaps unnecessary brutal attempt, 20. Qxe8+ Qxe8 21. Bxe5 Qa8, when the white king must run for safety with, 22. Kf1 Bg2+ 23. Ke2, to be examined and rejected. || 18. e3 | White acknowledges the strength of the black bishop pair and tries to return some material in an attempt to relieve the pressure. If white instead tries to block the dark squares with, 18. Be3, he must be prepared for, 18. ... Rxe3, creating tactical complications. If now, 19. fxe3 Bxe3+ 20. Rf2, and what happens if black tries, 20. ... Bxe2. Black is two exchanges down but threatening the very strong, Qf3, followed by, Bxf2+ mate. White can spoil this with, 21. Qxf7+ Kh8 22. Qf6+ Kh7 23. Qe7+ Kh8 24. Qxe3, and white wins. Black can improve on the above line. After, 18. Be3 Rxe3 19. fxe3 Bxe3+ 20. Rf2, and now the much better centralising, 20. ... Qe4. Black still has the f7 pawn guarded by the c4 bishop, and is threatening at least, 21. ... Bxf2+ 22. Kxf2 Qxe2+, and a possible perpetual check with the queen on the e3 and e4 squares if there is nothing better to be found. Once the black queen lands on the e4 square there is also the thematic creation of a battery up the a8 - h1 diagonal with, Bd5, and those mates on the g2 and h1 squares to consider. So it is hardly surprising that in the game white takes the pragmatic decision to avoid all the tricks and just give black back an exchange. || 18. ... Bxf1 19. Kxf1 Bf6 | An attacking retreat! Black now threatens, 20. ... Rd8, followed by a strong invasion on the d1 square. Instead, 19. ... Qh1+ 20. Ke2, and black has both the e8 rook and d4 bishop under attack and is losing a piece. || 20. Qa4 | The White queen must guard the potential d1 invasion square. || 20. ... Qh1+ 21. Ke2 Re5 | While black has a significant kingside power imbalance of queen against lone white king, this is not enough. The black rook is going to support the thematic exploitation of the absent white g2 fianchetto bishop who should have been guarding the light squares. || 22. Qd1 Qxh2 23. Bd2 Rf5 | And now there are a couple of dark square weaknesses to be exploited. The threat on the white f2 pawn needs immediate action, which forces the white queen into passivity, and when there is not much else happening, the white b2 pawn could be captured. || 24. Qg1 Qh3 | Keeping queens on the board is essential for the black attack to continue, and yet again it is those light squares which are to be exploited. || 25. Rc1 Qg4+ 26. Ke1 Qf3 | The black queen dominates the position. White must yet again take time to respond to another strong threat on the light squares. || 27. Rc4 | White needed to prevent, 27. ... Rh5, when, 28. ... Rh1, costs white his queen for a rook. Instead, 27. g4 Rg5 28. Rc4 h5, and white loses the g4 pawn. || 27. ... Bxb2 28. g4 | A double purpose move. White now has control of the black rook potential entry h5 square and will relieve the black queen and rook pressure on the f2 pawn. This does not worry black. The heavy pieces still have enough flexibility and set about re-grouping for a different route of entry into the white position. || 28. ... Re5 29. Qh2 | Making the black h6 pawn into a target. However, black still has the fianchetto bishop on the board, even if it is sitting on the b2 square. This should be enough to cope with any white threats on the kingside. || 29. ... Qd5 | Black has a passed c5 pawn which is always going to be a problem for white. However, there might be a more efficient means to conclude matters. Initiative over material still applies in a late middlegame. || 30. Rc3 | Inspiration born out of desperation. White is trying to create some chances up the long diagonal dark squares. Black has no reason to join in and instead simply re-locates the least active of his active pieces for the final push. || 30. ... Re8 | Why should black give white counterplay with, 30. ... Bxc3 31. Bxc3, when if the black e5 rook moves then white has, 32. Qxh6, and black will be defending. Black rejects the short term material gain in favour of building pressure on the white position. || 31. Qxh6 Rd8 | The black queen and rook, previously doubled against the white f2 pawn, have re-grouped to gang up on the white d2 bishop. If the bishop moves anywhere then black will have mate with, 32. ... Qd1+. || 32. Rc2 | Black to play and finish the game. || 32. ... Bc3 White resigns, 0-1 | The white d2 bishop is now triply attacked but only doubly defended. If, 33. Bxc3 Qd1+ is mate, or instead,33. Rxc3 Qxd2+ 34. Kf1 Qxc3, black wins a rook. Lastly, 33. e4, so the white h6 queen backwardly defends the d2 bishop, fails to, 33. Qxe4+ 34. Kd1 Qxg4+, and white has to choose from two unpleasant choices. Firstly, 35. Ke1 Re8+ 36. Kf1 Qd1+ 37. Kg2 Qxc2, black wins a rook. Or secondly, 35. Kc1 Qg1+ 36. Be1 Qxe1+ mate. || * * * ## Unannotated game 1. White: R. Vaganian. Black: D. Velimirovic. Event: Yugoslavia - Russia Match, 1972. Result: 0-1 in 32 moves. Opening: Benoni Defence, Hromadka System, A56. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 d6 7. Nf3 e6 8. dxe6 Bxe6 9. Ng5 Bxc4 10. Bxb7 Nbd7 11. Qxd6 h6 12. Nge4 Nxe4 13. Bxe4 Re8 14. O-O Bxc3 15. Bxa8 Be5 16. Qd1 Qxa8 17. Qxd7 Bd4 18. e3 Bxf1 19. Kxf1 Bf6 20. Qa4 Qh1+ 21. Ke2 Re5 22. Qd1 Qxh2 23. Bd2 Rf5 24. Qg1 Qh3 25. Rc1 Qg4+ 26. Ke1 Qf3 27. Rc4 Bxb2 28. g4 Re5 29. Qh2 Qd5 30. Rc3 Re8 31. Qxh6 Rd8 32. Rc2 Bc3 White resigns, 0-1 * * * ## Annotated game 2. White: B. Jobava. Black: M. Kekelidze. Event:Georgian Championship Tbilisi 2001. Result: 1-0 in 22 moves. Opening: Benoni Defence, Hromadka System, A56. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 d6 4. Nc3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. g3 O-O 7. Bg2 e6 8. dxe6 Bxe6 9. Ng5 Bxc4 10. Bxb7 Nbd7 11. Qxd6 Rb8 | Black here is not interested in offering the a8 rook but instead is happy with speedy development. || 12. Bg2 h6 | This knight is no harm at the moment, but if black wishes to play, Rfe8, or, Rfd8, to bring pressure up either central file, then white in turn might be able to find counter-pressure against the undefended f7 pawn. Get your retaliatory defence in first. || 13. Nh3 | Instead, 13. Nf3, would limit the activity of the safely-skulking g2 fianchetto bishop. || 13. ... Qa5 14. O-O Rfd8 | Black has much piece activity for the sacrificed pawn, but at the moment there is no coordination. Some alarm bells should also be quietly ringing here, the black queen and rooks formation is offering white knight-fork heaven on the c6 square. Yes, white is a long way from threatening, Nc6, but once middlegame manoeuvres begin this square could become important. || 15. Qd2 | First things first. White must strengthen the b2 pawn and c3 knight before thinking of of any activity. || 15. ... Nf8 | The knight releases the power of the d8 rook and has ideas of taking some central control. Again, black has activity but where is the coordination? || 16. Qc2 | The white queen has boldly advanced up the d-file to capture the black d6 pawn, quickly followed by a strategic withdrawal. Now she at last finds herself on the natural square for development where both the c3 knight and b2 pawn are given defensive support. Is the time-consuming snatch of the black d6 pawn worth the two tempi? || 16. ... Ne6 | So should white dare to place a piece on the f4 square it will be removed. || 17. Bf4 | The bluff is called. || 17. ... Nxf4 18. Nxf4 | A white knight begins to drift into the centre. That potential knight fork on the c6 square should not be ignored. Threats, however distant they might seem, are still threats. || 18. ... g5 | Attempting to kick a piece around like this might just end up assisting it to find a better location, but where? Black has three pieces guarding the clearly desirable d5 square, a pity, as from d5 a white knight would have the opportunity of a check on the e7 square, quickly followed by that anticipated fork on the c6 square. So, can white find a means of safely ending up with a knight on the d5 square? Take some time over the next white move. || 19. b3 | Since black has 3 units, the c4 bishop, the f6 knight, and the d8 rook fighting for control of the d5 square, white reasons that if one of them can be deflected from their duty, then control the d5 square will pass to white. Ah, but hang on. Surely by playing, pawn b3, white has opened up the long h8 - a1 diagonal such that the white c3 knight will be pinned to the a1 rook by an unshielded black g7 bishop when the black f6 knight moves? || 19. ... Ba6 | Instead, 19. ... gxf4 20. bxc4 fxg3 21. fxg3, simply leaves white with the extra pawn and the compensation, not to mention the weakened black kingside pawn structure. || 20. Nfd5 Nxd5 | And that definitely opens up the long h8 - a1 diagonal for the black g7 fianchetto bishop. || 21. Nxd5 | Learn from your opponent if you can. It is now white who offers an unmoved corner rook as bait for an unsuspecting opposing fianchetto bishop to sacrifice itself on. || 21. ... Bxa1 | Someone should write a book on this fianchetto bishop captures cornered rook concept. || 22. Rxa1 Kg7 | The black king runs away from the threatened, Ne7+, and, Nc6, material-winning fork. However, now comes a rather strange and totally unexpected twist in the game. || Black resigns, 1-0 | Why resign? The general strategic points leading to this decision are: (A(. The black king has no defensive piece cover. (B). White can invade with the queen up the a1 - h8 diagonal. (C). The white c6 knight is hovering for a potential, Ne7+, then, Nc6, material-grab, though a mating net seems more likely. (D). The g2 bishop can enter anywhere on the long h1 - h8 diagonal as required. (E). The black king is very unlikely to escape a mating net by advancing into the kingside. Having strategic reasons is all well and good, but some variations as how all this fits together might help. Analysis justifying resignation. (A). 23. Qb2+ Kf8 24. Qh8+ mate. (B). 23. Qb2+ Kg8 24. Ne7+ Kf8 25. Nc6 Qc7 26. Qh8+ mate. (C). 23. Qb2+ Kh7 24. Be4+ Kg8 25. Ne7+ Kf8 26. Nc6 Qc7 27. Qh8+ mate. (D). 23. Qb2+ Kg6 24. Qf6+ Kh7 25. Be4+ Kg8 26. Ne7+ Kf8 27. Nc6 Qc7 28. Qh8+ mate. (E). 23. Qb2+ Kg6 24. Qf6+ Kh5 25. Bf3+ g4 26. Qf5+ mate. (F). 23. Qb2+ f6 24. Qxf6+ Kh7 25. Be4+ Kg8 26. Ne7+ mate. (G). 23. Qb2+ f6 24. Qxf6+ Kg8 25. Ne7+ Kh7 26. Be4+ mate. And in all of the above lines the remaining black pieces are helpless spectators scattered around the edge of the board. || * * * ## Unannotated game 2. White: B. Jobava. Black: M. Kekelidze. Event:Georgian Championship Tbilisi 2001. Result: 1-0 in 22 moves. Opening: Benoni Defence, Hromadka System, A56. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 d6 4. Nc3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. g3 O-O 7. Bg2 e6 8. dxe6 Bxe6 9. Ng5 Bxc4 10. Bxb7 Nbd7 11. Qxd6 Rb8 12. Bg2 h6 13. Nh3 Qa5 14. O-O Rfd8 15. Qd2 Nf8 16. Qc2 Ne6 17. Bf4 Nxf4 18. Nxf4 g5 19. b3 Ba6 20. Nfd5 Nxd5 21. Nxd5 Bxa1 22. Rxa1 Kg7 Black resigns, 1-0 * * *