Skype coaching session, 18 September 2016. 

Please note: Re-structuring of the sessions now offers the option for guests to bring their own games for group discussion. 

Recordings of some previous coaching sessions can be found at: 

http://www.open-aurec.com/Skype/PaulBenson/PaulBenson.htm
 
The following were examined: 
The Philidor position is reviewed. 
Guest game, 36 moves with brief notes and without notes. 

Paul Benson. 

*  *  * 

Annotated Guest Game. 

White: Mihci Can Yazgan, 1492. 
Black: Orhan Yeter, 1382. 
Event: Istanbul Open 2016. 
Result: 1-0 in 36 moves. 
Opening: Sicilian Defence, Staunton-Cochrane Variation, B20. 

1. e4 c5 
2. c4 

| This system became popular in the 1840s, featuring heavily in the match between Cochrane and Staunton, London 1842 where both players chose this method to treat the Sicilian Defence. || 

2. ... e6 
3. Nf3 Nc6 
4. Nc3 d6 
5. d4 cxd4 
6. Nxd4 a6 
7. Be3 

| A less committal way to handle the position could have been, 7. Be2, and, 8. O-O, postponing the development of the c1 bishop until black had made some necessary piece development. || 

7. ... Nf6 
8. g4 

| Very aggressive with a possible hint of unsoundness? The kingside attack could be carried out without material risk with, 8. f3, preparing the advance of the g-pawn. || 

8. ... e5 

| Instead, 8. ... Nxd4 9. Bxd4 e5 10. Be3 Bxg4 11. f3 Be6, would snatch a pawn without any serious losses of development tempi. This would however give white the semi-open g-file for rook activity, and as black is likely to have to castle kingside then perhaps the risk is not really worth a pawn. || 

9. Nxc6 bxc6 
10. f3 g6 

| Indicating the black f8 bishop will sit on the g7 square. More usual in this pawn formation is for the bishop to accept a defender's role on the e7 square, keeping a necessary guard on the backward d6 pawn. || 

11. h4 

| Instead, 11. Qd2, waiting for, 11. ... Bg7, can be met with, 12. O-O-O, and black has problems defending the d6 pawn. Clearly, 12. ... Ke7, will keep the pawn but does black really wish to have the king stuck in the centre? Or the retreat, 12. ... Bf8, saves the pawn but defeats the object of trying to fianchetto as well as losing two tempi. || 

11. ... Bg7 
12. Qd2 O-O 
13. h5 

| There is no need for white to be so aggressive this soon, the black kingside is not going anywhere over the next few moves. Instead, 13. O-O-O, again attacking the backward black d6 pawn and allowing the white queenside rook into play seems more logical. Black would have to decide whether to let the d6 pawn go or not. It can be defended with, 13. ... Ne8, but this knight retreat removes a kingside defender, in particular the h7 pawn could then become a target once white starts building pressure up the h-file. || 

13. ... Be6 
14. Bh6 d5 

| Black has organised the standard central pawn-break against the white formation of pawns on the c4 and e4 squares. || 

15. hxg6 fxg6 
16. Bh3 

| White has set up a little tactic trying to exploit the undefended black e6 bishop. || 

16. ... Qc7 

| Much safer is, 16. ... Qd7, keeping everything defended. Loose pieces are tactical targets just waiting to be exploited. There is also, 17. ... d4 18. Ne2 Bxc4, to be considered when black has a safe protected passed pawn in the bank accumulating interest. || 

17. g5 

| After this move black now has two pieces attacked and neither can move to protect the other. Had black played the queen to the d7 square on the previous move then the tactical complications arising from the advance of the white g-pawn would be minimal and easier to calculate. || 

17. ... Bxh3 
18. Bxg7 

| Instead, 18. gxf6 Bxh6 19. Qxh6 Be6, and black is holding the white attack. There will be further options involving, Rxf6, with prospects of play up the f-file to come. || 

18. ... Qxg7 
19. gxf6 Qd7 

| The black queen just about holds the black position together. || 

20. Qh6 Be6 

| So the tactical flurry has given white pressure against the black h7 pawn but this is all white has, pressure, and no more. || 

21. Qg5 Qf7 
22. Qh4 

| White has for no apparent reason wasted a tempo with the queen. || 

22. ... Ra7 

| Again, black could consider, 22. ... d4 23. Ne2 Bxc4, winning a safe pawn. The placement of the rook on a7 does however have the advantage of over-protecting the weak point in the black kingside, the h7 pawn, which now offers black the option of, Qxf6, after which black can start thinking of becoming aggressive up the semi-open f-file. || 

23. cxd5 cxd5 
24. exd5 Bxd5 
25. Qf2 

| Indirectly defending the white f6 pawn with a tactic. If now, 25. ... Qxf6 26. Qxa7, black loses a rook. || 

25. ... Be6 

| Instead the rather strange-looking, 25. ... Ba8, would have been better. The black bishop should be ready to exchange itself for the white knight at the earliest opportunity, all piece endings will then be favourable to black. || 

26. Ne4 

| The white knight establishes itself on a strong outpost while also saving the weak f6 pawn. Had black retreated with, 25. ... Ba8, this knight could have been instantly removed from the game. || 

26. ... Rc7 
27. O-O Bxa2 

| Again, seeking to remove the excellently-placed white knight with, 27. ... Bd5, was advisable. In the game white now finds some activity over on the queenside which is difficult to neutralise. || 

28. Rfd1 Bb3 
29. Rd6 Rc2 
30. Qb6 Qc4 

| Both players are finally achieving heavy piece activity in the opposite half of the board. Such invasions can create unstoppable mating attacks. Black has the threat of, 31. ... Qe2, and, 32. ... Qg2+ mate. It is however white to move. The presence of a protected f6 pawn combined with options of, Ng5, perhaps with check depending on circumstances, should set the creative juices running. || 

31. Rd8 Rc1+ 

| The previously proposed black mating attack is too slow. If, 31. ... Qe2 32. Rxf8+ Kxf8 33. Qd8+ Kf7 34. Ng5+ mate, is annoying. || 

32. Rxc1 Qxc1+ 
33. Kg2 Qxb2+ 
34. Nd2 

| White is planning on winning the black b3 bishop. Instead, 34. Kg3, keeps up the pressure against the black king, the threat of trading rooks, a queen invasion and the, Ng5+ mate, idea still needs to be prevented. || 

34. ... Rxd8 

| An undeserved catastrophe, possibly induced by the approaching time-control. Black could have in turn set white an interesting test with, 34. ... Qa3, guarding the f8 rook with the queen. Here are some examples of what white might have tried: 
(A). 35. Rxf8+ Qxf8 36. Nxb3, and this seems the best option for white. The dangerous f6 pawn remains on the board while the queen sits on the 6th rank and black has problems keeping both the a6 and e5 pawns. 
(B). 35. Nxb3, sets problems for both players as the tactical tension remains in the position. Black would have more difficult decisions to make due to the strong passed f6 pawn becoming part of a mating net. 
(C). 35. Qxb3+ Qxb3 36 Rxf8+ Kxf8 37. Nxb3, liquidating into an ending with an extra piece for two pawns seems tempting, but this is a win for black. The strategic ideas for black are not too difficult to find. Step one, capture the white f6 pawn with the king. Step two, advance the kingside pawns to g5 and h4. Step three, march the king over to the queenside to assist the advance of the passed a-pawn. White has several defensive strategies to counter these three steps, but they all fail. 
If the white king and knight decide to move queenside to eliminate the passed black a-pawn then nothing can stop the black passed h-pawn advancing to promote. So, either the white king or the white knight must remain on the kingside to prevent that ambitious black h-pawn. 
If the white king moves to the queenside to win the black a-pawn then the black king will easily win the white f3 pawn. Black should advance the king to the g3 square and then start pushing the h-pawn. The over-worked white knight will not be able to defend the f3 pawn while also trying to prevent the advance of the black h-pawn. This should give black 3 pawns running through against the lone white knight, a win for black. 
Instead, if the white king tries to defend the kingside then black establishes pawns on g5 and h4 before running the king over to the queenside. The white king can never capture the backward g5 pawn as the black h4 pawn will immediately advance to h3 and the white king cannot prevent promotion. The white knight alone cannot win the isolated passed black a-pawn, so once the black king arrives on the queenside the knight will eventually have to give itself up to prevent promotion and black still has two extra kingside pawns, a simple win. || 

35. Qxd8+ Kf7 
36. Qe7+ 
Black resigns, 1-0 

| If, 36. ... Kg8 37. Qg7+, is mate. The white f6 pawn showed just how dangerous a pawn on the 6th rank can be. Hindsight is a wonderful gift, use it wisely. On move 25 black should have retreated with the bishop in such a way as to be able to prevent the white knight from taking up an outpost on the e4 square, which could then have led to the elimination of the dangerous f6 pawn in a few moves. || 

*  *  * 

## Unannotated Guest Game. 

White: Mihci Can Yazgan, 1492. 
Black: Orhan Yeter, 1382. 
Event: Istanbul Open 2016. 
Result: 1-0 in 36 moves. 
Opening: Sicilian Defence, Staunton-Cochrane Variation, B20. 

1. e4 c5 
2. c4 e6 
3. Nf3 Nc6 
4. Nc3 d6 
5. d4 cxd4 
6. Nxd4 a6 
7. Be3 Nf6 
8. g4 e5 
9. Nxc6 bxc6 
10. f3 g6 
11. h4 Bg7 
12. Qd2 O-O 
13. h5 Be6 
14. Bh6 d5 
15. hxg6 fxg6 
16. Bh3 Qc7 
17. g5 Bxh3 
18. Bxg7 Qxg7 
19. gxf6 Qd7 
20. Qh6 Be6 
21. Qg5 Qf7 
22. Qh4 Ra7 
23. cxd5 cxd5 
24. exd5 Bxd5 
25. Qf2 Be6 
26. Ne4 Rc7 
27. O-O Bxa2 
28. Rfd1 Bb3 
29. Rd6 Rc2 
30. Qb6 Qc4 
31. Rd8 Rc1+ 
32. Rxc1 Qxc1+ 
33. Kg2 Qxb2+ 
34. Nd2 Rxd8 
35. Qxd8+ Kf7 
36. Qe7+ 
Black resigns, 1-0 

*  *  *