Skype coaching session, 18 December 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 game was examined, the game 33 moves) is given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

*  *  * 

Annotated Game. 

White: I. Theodorovich. 
Black: H. Ridout. 
Event: Ontario Open 1976. 
Result: 0-1 in 33 moves. 
Opening: Zukertort Opening, Ross Gambit, A04. 

1. Nf3 

| A very flexible first move by white. Amongst many reasons for developing this piece rather than a pawn is the gain of preventing black from replying with, 1. ... e5. || 

1. ... e5 

| Best laid plans of mice and men? Welcome to the world of the Ross Gambit. Black aims for speedy development with the bonus that white is unlikely to be able to follow standard systems. Each player will have to think for themselves right from the start. || 

2. Nxe5 

| Why not? Seems like a safe pawn from here. Instead, 2. e4, transposes into mainlines, but is white prepared for such a game plan? Instead, 2. d3, aiming for a King's Indian Attack formation seems sensible. || 

2. ... Ne7 

| Preparing to play, Nbc6, so that a potential piece trade on the c6 square will not create doubled pawns. There is so much flexibility for black here and so little theory available. If anyone intends to try the Ross Gambit, perhaps for blitz games, then a little homework might yield rewards. Seek to start the middlegame where your formation has harmonious development without any pawn weaknesses. Do not expect to find a blitzkrieg, if there was one there then this gambit would be a mainline system. No, simply be content to have a position where your opponents are having to make important middlegame decisions for themselves. In return, you must be capable of quickly opening that tactical window of opportunity when it is available, and that might only be a couple of times before that extra white pawn begins to count. Good luck. || 

3. d4 Nbc6 
4. Nf3 

| After, 4. Nxc6 Nxc6, white has a multitude of formations available, and perhaps this is the black "Master-plan", give white the opportunity to, "refute", the gambit over-the-board. By retreating with, 4. Nf3, white is maintaining options of following familiar game plans with an extra pawn for a couple of lost development tempi. This will be fine providing the centre remains closed, in particular the e-file while white remains uncastled. || 

4. ... d5 
5. e3 Bf5 
6. a3 

| White is playing with caution. While black still has a development advantage of two tempi, there are no weaknesses in the white position to target. Black must complete development and wait for white to attempt to make use of the extra pawn. Instead challenging with, 6. Bd3, was fine. If then, 6. ... Bg4 7. Be2, and white is solid. || 

6. ... a6 

| Designed to prevent the pin of, 7. Bb5. Black needs to enter the middlegame with complete flexibility for the pieces. || 

7. c4 g6 
8. Nc3 Bg7 
9. Be2 

| While clarifying the centre with, 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 Qxd5, is acceptable, the resulting middlegame might not be to the taste of white. || 

9. ... O-O 
10. O-O Na5 

| Black seems to be prodding white into making decisions with the intention of playing against any alterations in the white position. This seems to contradict the general style of gambit-play. Perhaps black is beginning to realise that once both players complete development that white might have the pawn and the compensation to go with it? || 

11. c5 

| White makes a commitment by closing the queenside while taking some space. It appears the two players have differing styles, white preferring slow manoeuvring behind a space advantage and black seeking a position where tactics are lurking just waiting to be found, or possibly overlooked. || 

11. ... Qe8 

| The light squares on the queenside are not of any great importance, so why is the black queen moved here? It appears black needs the d8 square for the a8 rook, anticipating that the d5 pawn could come under pressure. || 

12. b4 Nac6 
13. Bb2 Rd8 
14. Re1 Kh8 

| Indicating that black has not yet induced white into making a commitment which can be exploited. When one player has an extra pawn there is the feeling it should be made to count. White is happy to have extra space on the queenside, make advances over there and if they come to nothing substantial, then think about trying to make use of the extra pawn later. Black seems content to have flexibility for the pieces but without any obvious plan of attack in mind. So now we have some understanding why black has offered a pawn so early in the game. It is not for a speedy attack but instead a small material investment to achieve rapid development. || 

15. Qb3 Be6 

| Over-protection is the name of the game here. The black forces cannot yet coordinate to force anything on the kingside, so they must instead sit and wait until white makes some commitments. || 

16. Bf1 

| At last, something for black to play against. || 

16. ... Bg4 
17. Nd2 

| Perhaps, 17. Be2, with the idea of, Nd2, and then, Nf1, was worth considering. || 

17. ... Qd7 

| Black just keeps shuffling around, trying to keep options open. Providing most of the pieces have activity which does not inhibit the mobility of others, then black feels once a target appears in the white position, some quick manoeuvring can be found and a strong initiative could well emerge. || 

18. a4 Nf5 

| Offering white the opportunity to win material but at the cost of kingside weakening. Will white take the bait? || 

19. Ne2 

| White prefers to keep the position under control rather enter into unnecessary complications. If, 19. h3 Bh5 20. g4, forking the black minor pieces wins material. However after, 20. ... Bxg4 21. hxg4 Nh4, black has some activity. White can of course immediately defend with, 22. f3, but there is no defensive coordination and black can blast away with, pawn h5, or, pawn f5, as desired. It is a question of styles. Some players do not like giving a dangerous opponent an open position. || 

19. ... a5 
20. b5 Nb4 

| Black seems to be making some gains on the queenside but there is a slight mobility problem for this bold knight over there. || 

21. h3 Bxe2 
22. Bxe2 c6 

| Finally the d5 pawn receives support from a pawn, which releases the black heavy pieces for duties elsewhere. || 

23. Bc3 

| The right idea, but since the black b4 knight has no retreat squares, this plan can be held back for a few moves. Instead, 23. Bg4, intending to trade off the pinned black f5 knight would remove most of the danger in the position. || 

23. ... Rde8 
24. Bxb4 axb4 
25. Qxb4 

| This capture can wait a few moves. Again, white should first eliminate the potentially dangerous black f5 knight beginning with, 25. Bg4. Now that white has a long term winning advantage with the mobile queenside pawn majority, black had better find something on the kingside. || 

25. ... Qe7 

| The black queen has ambitions of finding some kingside activity on the dark squares. || 

26. Nf1 

| Why not, 26. Nf3, guarding some important kingside dark squares? || 

26. ... Qh4 

| "Oh well.", says the black queen to herself, "If you don't want these lovely dark squares, then I'll have them." Of course, there are no kingside tactics available yet for black, but storm clouds are most definitely on the horizon. || 

27. Rad1 h5 

| A double purpose move. Firstly, the white plan of, Bg4, either trading off the black f5 knight or forcing it to retreat is prevented. Secondly, black can now think of opening up the kingside with, pawn g5, and, pawn g4. || 

28. Nh2 Bh6 

| Black now has four active pieces located in the centre / kingside, all of them ready for action, while white only has two minor pieces apparently holding them back. White to play must think very carefully here, there is a highly explosive landmine just waiting to be trodden on. || 

29. Nf3 

| Surely forcing the black queen to retreat, but where will she go? The reason might not be apparent yet, but white should have played, 29. Qb3, before attacking the black queen. || 

29. ... Qxf2+ 

| Boom! Not so much a retreat but more of a treat! || 

30. Kh2 

| Clearly, 30. Kxf2 Bxe3+ 31. Kf1 Ng3+ mate, is rejected. The black queen sacrifice which could be followed with the mating combination could not have been available had white defended the e3 pawn earlier with, 29. Qb3, instead of the game move of, 29. Nf3. Once the queen bombshell landed white could have instead tried declining with, 30. Kh1, but black can simply and safely resort to good old-fashioned materialism with, 30. Nxe3. This threatens a mate on g2, white has two replies which prevent this but both lose material: 
(A). If, 31. Bf1 Nxd1, black is an exchange ahead and winning. 
(B). Or if, 31. Rg1 Qxe2, black is a piece up and winning. || 

30. ... Rxe3 

| The alternative of, 30. Nxe3, is also strong, white must then defend the threatened mate on the g2 square. There are two options but they both lose material: 
(A). If, 31. Bf1 Nxd1, and black is an exchange up and winning. 
(B). Or if, 31. Rg1 Qxe2, black is a piece ahead and winning. || 

31. Bd3 Bf4+ 
32. Kh1 

| Black is closing in for the kill. The reason for preferring a black rook on the e3 square might now be apparent. || 

32. ... Rxf3 

| White began the game by placing a piece on the f-file with, 1. Nf3. That knight then went on a minor tour, visiting the squares, e5, f3, d2, f1, h2, and finally back to, f3, again. One purpose of having a knight on the f3 square is to defend the h2 square. If this strong defensive piece is not at his post, then the attacker can think of weaving mating nets using the h2 square. || 

33. Bxf5 

| Instead, 33. Rf1 Qg3 34. Rxf3 Qh2+ mate, would happen. || 

33. ... Qg3 
White resigns, 0-1 

| If, 34. Kg1 Qh2+ mate, would occur. || 

*  *  * 

## Unannotated Game. 

White: I. Theodorovich. 
Black: H. Ridout. 
Event: Ontario Open 1976. 
Result: 0-1 in 33 moves. 
Opening: Zukertort Opening, Ross Gambit, A04. 

1. Nf3 e5 
2. Nxe5 Ne7 
3. d4 Nbc6 
4. Nf3 d5 
5. e3 Bf5 
6. a3 a6 
7. c4 g6 
8. Nc3 Bg7 
9. Be2 O-O 
10. O-O Na5 
11. c5 Qe8 
12. b4 Nac6 
13. Bb2 Rd8 
14. Re1 Kh8 
15. Qb3 Be6 
16. Bf1 Bg4 
17. Nd2 Qd7 
18. a4 Nf5 
19. Ne2 a5 
20. b5 Nb4 
21. h3 Bxe2 
22. Bxe2 c6 
23. Bc3 Rde8 
24. Bxb4 axb4 
25. Qxb4 Qe7 
26. Nf1 Qh4 
27. Rad1 h5 
28. Nh2 Bh6 
29. Nf3 Qxf2+ 
30. Kh2 Rxe3 
31. Bd3 Bf4+ 
32. Kh1 Rxf3 
33. Bxf5 Qg3 
White resigns, 0-1 

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