Skype coaching session, 21 August 2016. 

Recordings of some previous coaching sessions can be found at: 

http://www.open-aurec.com/Skype/PaulBenson/PaulBenson.htm 

The following two games were examined, the games 10 moves and 27 moves are given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

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Annotated game 1. 

| Note: These annotations include example games up to move 12. Anyone wishing to study the complete games should enquire off-list to me for a file on the Morris Counter-Gambit comprising 20 games. || 

White: Bischof. 
Black: Estes. 
Result: 1-0 in 10 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Pawn Opening, London System, Morris Counter-Gambit, D00. 

1. d4 d5 
2. Bf4 c5 
3. e4 Nc6 
4. Nc3 

| This seems to force clarification of the centre. Instead, 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nc3, offers opportunities for material imbalances, positional imbalances, and good fun. || 

4. ... cxd4 
5. exd5 dxc3 
6. dxc6 

| Black to play must make a good decision here. || 

6. ... Qa5 

| Playing for a simple tactrick. The threat is a horrendous discovered check winning a rook. If e.g., 7. Nf3 cxb2+ 8. Bd2 bxa1=Q, and white cannot capture both of the black queens in one go. In the game now comes a lesson from white in the difference between tactricks and tactics. Take some time to find the next white move. 

Instead, 6. ... Qxd1+, aiming for a queenless middlegame seems more logical. Play has been known to continue with, 7. Rxd1 bxc6 8. Bc7 Bd7 9. b3 Nf6 10. Ba5 e6 11. Ne2 Nd5 12. Nxc3 Bb4 13. Bxb4 Nxb4 14. Rd2 Ke7 15. a3 Nd5 16. Na4 Rad8, with sufficient pawn formation imbalances to keep both players under test. As it happens, this game was somehow eventually won by black in 59 moves. || 

7. b4 

| Excellent. The unsuspecting black queen is about to be deflected from guarding some key squares. Again, take some time to work out the white response to the obvious capture of the white b4 pawn. || 

7. ... Qxb4 

| There she goes. Black has snatched a pawn with an attack tempo on the undefended white f4 bishop. Black should have instead admitted being outplayed in the tactics and backed down with, 7. ... Qb6. || 

8. Qd5 

| Ouch! Creating some powerful threats on the light squares, of particular importance is the newly-created battery of the white queen combining with the c6 pawn. The white idea is to play, cxb7, followed by, Bb5+, forcing mate. Of course it is black to move with several ideas to prevent this simple white plan. There is capturing the stray white f4 bishop, though how this strengthens the light square is a mystery. Instead black could try displacing the white queen from the centre with an attack. Any of, Nf6, pawn e6, or, Be6, come to mind. Well black, you started the tactricks. So get working on a refutation of the white tactics. || 

8. ... Be6 

| The white position is very strong. Here are some sample lines to support this view. 
(A). The greedy, 8. ... Qxf4, receives fitting punishment with, 9. cxb7 Bxb7 10. Bb5+ Bc6 11. Bxc6+ mate. 
(B). 8. ... Nf6, receives similar light square retribution with, 9. cxb7 Bxb7 10. Bb5+, again leading to mate irrespective of how black blocks the bishop check. 
(C). 8. ... Nf6 9. cxb7 Nxd5 10. bxa8=Q, and while white will lose the f4 bishop the dangerous location of the white queen makes completing development by black very difficult. 
(D). 8. ... Nf6 9. cxb7 Qxb7 10. Bb5+ Nd7, might appear to be saving matters, but the deflecting, 11. Bxd7+ Bxd7 12. Qxb7, is rather painful. 
(E). 8. ... e6 9. cxb7 Bxb7 10. Bb5+ Ke7 11. Qxb7+, wins the black a8 rook as well. 
(F). 8. ... e6 9. cxb7 exd5 10. bxa8=Q, and again the white queen is dangerously placed. || 

9. Qf3 

| Keeping the pressure on the h1 - a8 diagonal. The battery tactics no longer favour white as, 9. cxb7 Bxd5 10. bxa8=Q+ Bxa8, and it is black who wins. Beware of backward captures. || 

9. ... O-O-O 

| The black king thinks he has found safety just in time, apparently. White to play might choose to differ. || 

10. cxb7+ 

| Well, that capture must have been expected. Just what has black in reply? || 

Black resigns, 1-0 

| Black is in no mind to wait for, 10. ... Qxb7 11. Ba6, pinning and so deflecting the black queen. After, 11. ... Qxa6 12. Qa8+, the black king is forced from his hideaway with, 12. ... Kd7 13. Rd1+, and black has two choices. 
(A). 13. ... Ke8 14. Qxd8+ mate. 
(B). 13. ... Qd6 14. Qb7+ Ke8 15. Bxd6, and white has won the black queen for a couple of bishops. || 

* * * 

## Annotated game 2. 

| Note: This game was played in Round 9 of an international swiss tournament. It is likely both players have a chance of significant prize money if there is a decisive result. || 

White: Rowson, 2599. 
Black: Stojanovic, 2522. 
Event: Verona 2006. 
Result: 0-1 in 27 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Pawn Opening, London System, Morris Counter-Gambit, D00. 

1. d4 d5 
2. Bf4 c5 
3. e4 Nc6 

| A totally different approach to previous coaching session games which went, 3. ... dxe4 4. d5. The game variation leads to material and positional imbalances, ideal for players needing to win. || 

4. exd5 

| Instead, 4. Bb5 e6 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Qf3 Qxf3 7. Nxf3 Bd7 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Nbd2 a6 10. Bxc6 Bxc6 11. Ne5 Rc8 12. Nxc6 Rxc6, was eventually won by black after 55 moves. || 

4. ... Qxd5 
5. Nc3 Qf5 

| The combined efforts of the white f4 bishop and c3 knight are aiming to win the black a8 rook. The price for white is the loss of the dark square bishop and a knight stranded on a8 struggling to escape. In return the black king will not find safety in castling. The desired imbalances which assist in producing a decisive result are in place. 

Previous experience at this point has produced: 
(A). 5. ... Qxd4 6. Nd5 e5 7. Nc7+ Kd8 8. Nxa8 exf4 9. Nf3 Qxd1+ 10. Rxd1+ Bd7 11. Bc4 Nh6 12. O-O Kc8, and black went on to win in 63 moves. 
(B). 5. ... Qxd4 6. Nd5 e5 7. Nc7+ Kd8 8. Nxa8 exf4 9. Ne2 Qd6 10. Nxf4 Bd7 11. Nd5 Nd4 12. Ne3 Nf6, and black went on to win in 65 moves. 
(C). 5. ... Qxd4 6. Nd5 e5 7. Nc7+ Kd8 8. Nxa8 exf4 9. Nf3 Qxd1+ 10. Rxd1+ Bd7 11. Bb5 Kc8 12. O-O f6, and drawn in 83 moves. 
(D). 5. ... Qf5 6. Be3 cxd4 7. Nb5 Bd7 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 9. Qxf4 Nf6 10. Nf3 Qa5+ 11. Bd2 Qd5 12. Qxd5 Nxd5, and drawn in 24 moves. || 

6. Qd2 cxd4 
7. Nb5 

| This knight is destined to spend 4 moves to land on the a8 square. From there it will be a spectator for the rest of the game. So why is a Grand Master playing in this manner? White is planning for activity with the remainder of his army in the hope of catching the black forces uncoordinated. This style of play demand strong nerve. || 

7. ... e5 

| The white f4 bishop is now blocked out meaning the white knight will only escape if the white forces make a serious effort to help it. || 

8. Nc7+ Kd8 

| So the black king is denied his castling rights. Furthermore white is planning castling queenside making the d-file even more dangerous. It will be essential for black to make sure the d-file remains closed for as long as possible. || 

9. Nxa8 exf4 

| The tournament standing dictating imbalances must be created is achieved. Observe how the black f8 bishop now takes advantage of being virtually unchallengeable on the dark squares. It is now up to white to find open lines for the rooks as quickly as possible. || 

10. O-O-O Be6 

| Prodding at the white a2 pawn, surely black will not take this if allowed? Grand Masters must know that snatching these edge-file pawns with a bishop can lead to the greedy piece being trapped, don't they? || 

11. Ne2 

| White aims to win a pawn back, it is for black to decide which to let go. Instead, 11. Kb1, minimising tactical opportunities for black around the white king was safer, but it seems the tournament table position demands a decisive result. || 

11. ... Bc5 

| The d-pawn must not be let go. || 

12. Nxf4 

| White does not wish for a queen trade and so captures with the knight. Instead, 12. Qxf4 Qxf4 13. Nxf4 Bxa2 14. b3 Ba3+ 14. Kd2, black at least has, Bb2, to save the trapped a2 bishop. || 

12. ... Bxa2 

| Capturing an edge-pawn with a bishop can lead to the piece being trapped by the advance of the adjacent pawn. Surely there must be something wrong with that suggestion? || 

13. g3 

| If white traps the black bishop with, 13. b3, there follows the tragic, 13. ... Ba3+ mate. With, 13. g3, white has created possibilities of, Bh3, attacking the black queen. This bishop option also denies the black king the plan of flight from the centre beginning with, Kc8, which would permit a potential royal skewer, with Bh3. || 

13. ... Bb4 

| Black takes the chance to kick the white queen onto a less favourable square. || 

14. Qe3 Bd6 

| Before this bishop retreat to the d6 square the white queen was safe on the e3 square since the black d4 pawn was pinned to the king on d8. The more usual method to escape a pin is to move the pinned piece. Here black shows us that a pin can be broken by placing an interference between those units suffering in the pin. White in the game now makes a decision to escalate from playing for a decisive result into the result almost certainly being a win or a loss. || 

15. Rxd4 

| White feels the initiative is drifting away and takes measures to open up the centre at the cost of an exchange. In usual trading terms this would be acceptable as black has offered an exchange earlier. However the positional problems of the white a8 knight being unable to escape mean that in the long term white is eventually going to be a piece down. Of course, black might have similar problems over the a2 bishop should white find a safe means to play, pawn b3, trapping it. So this white exchange sacrifice is a short term gamble. If the resulting activity catches the black king or wins back material then it has paid off. These types of sacrifices are unclear and should be made as soon as realisation sinks in that attacking chances are slipping away. In this case action is being taken before black can complete development and achieve king safety. || 

15. ... Nxd4 
16. Qxd4 Qe5 

| The black queen now has the threat of, Qe1+, leading to an exchange of queens, undesirable as white is aiming for a win. The material after such a trade would be equal but the trapped white a8 knight is ultimately lost. White must make something of the position quickly or black will reduce material, especially trade queens, and win the stranded a8 knight. || 

17. Qd2 

| Avoiding, 17. Qxa7, apparently releasing the trapped a8 knight and attacking the black a2 bishop. Looks good, however black will reply, 17. ... Qe1+ mate. Instead, 17. Qxe5 Bxe5 18. b3, might trap the black a2 bishop but offers poor chances of playing for a win. || 

17. ... Nf6 
18. Bg2 Kc8 

| Escaping the pin on the d6 bishop and clearing the d8 square for a rook if required. || 

19. Re1 Qc5 
20. Re3 

| The white rook lift looks dangerous but black can avoid the immediate royal skewer on the c-file with a simple move which was always on the agenda. || 

20. ... Kb8 
21. Rc3 Qb4 

| White is about to lose the trapped a8 knight and simply be a piece down. Here comes the few last throws of the dice from white. || 

22. Nd3 Qd4 

| The black queen has been making full use of the dark squares. The pin on the white d3 knight is designed to further frustrate white and the desire to keep playing for a win. || 

23. Qg5 Kxa8 
24. Qxg7 Re8 

| The white queen might appear to be having fun over on the kingside but nothing concrete will arise from this foray. In contrast the centralised black e8 rook is trying for a powerful invasion on the e1 square, though this is presently prevented by the white d3 knight. White in the game must keep lashing out. || 

25. g4 

| The two queens are engaged in a mutual x-ray attack through the black f6 knight. The advance of the white g-pawn is designed to win the black f6 knight. || 

25. ... Bb4 
26. g5 

Avoiding, 26. Nxb4 Re1+ mate. Instead saving the c3 rook with, 26. Rc7, allows a different catastrophe with, 26. ... Re1+ 27. Nxd1 Qd2+. mate. So much activity on the dark squares for black ever since the white dark square bishop was removed in the opening. || 

26. ... Bxc3 
27. bxc3 Qxc3 
White resigns, 0-1 

| Amongst other problems for white, there is the black threat of,28. ... Qa8+ 29. Kd2 Ne4+, and the white queen on g7 falls to the black a8 queen next move. If white had tried, 28. gxf6, black simply replies with, 28. ... Rc8, when the white king must run away to avoid a mate on the c2 square. There could follow, 29. Kd1 Qxc2+ 30. Ke1 Qxd3, white is a rook down not to mention being in several mating nets. || 

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## Unannotated game 1. 

White: Bischof. 
Black: Estes. 
Result: 1-0 in 10 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Pawn Opening, London System, Morris Counter-Gambit, D00. 

1. d4 d5 
2. Bf4 c5 
3. e4 Nc6 
4. Nc3 cxd4 
5. exd5 dxc3 
6. dxc6 Qa5 
7. b4 Qxb4 
8. Qd5 Be6 
9. Qf3 O-O-O 
10. cxb7+ 
Black resigns, 1-0 

* * * 

## Unannotated game 2. 

White: Rowson, 2599. 
Black: Stojanovic, 2522. 
Event: Verona 2006. 
Result: 0-1 in 27 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Pawn Opening, London System, Morris Counter-Gambit, D00. 

1. d4 d5 
2. Bf4 c5 
3. e4 Nc6 
4. exd5 Qxd5 
5. Nc3 Qf5 
6. Qd2 cxd4 
7. Nb5 e5 
8. Nc7+ Kd8 
9. Nxa8 exf4 
10. O-O-O Be6 
11. Ne2 Bc5 
12. Nxf4 Bxa2 
13. g3 Bb4 
14. Qe3 Bd6 
15. Rxd4 Nxd4 
16. Qxd4 Qe5 
17. Qd2 Nf6 
18. Bg2 Kc8 
19. Re1 Qc5 
20. Re3 Kb8 
21. Rc3 Qb4 
22. Nd3 Qd4 
23. Qg5 Kxa8 
24. Qxg7 Re8 
25. g4 Bb4 
26. g5 Bxc3 
27. bxc3 Qxc3 
White resigns, 0-1 

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