Skype coaching session, 08 January 2017. 

No sessions were held on the dates: 25 December 2016, 01 January 2017. 

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 games 38 moves is given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

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Annotated Game. 

White: Garry Kasparov, World Champion. 
Black: Maria Petsetidi, estimated Elo 2000. 
Event: Corfu Simultaneous 1996. 
Result: 1/2-1/2 in 38 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Quiet Variation, D12. 

1. d4 d5 
2. c4 c6 
3. Nf3 Nf6 
4. e3 

| White is deliberately holding back on developing with, Nc3, in order to avoid a later potential pin with, Bb4. || 

4. ... Bf5 
5. Bd3 

| A simple way to reduce any black activity. Instead, 5. Be2, avoids exchanges but leaves the white queen without access to her favourable square of c2. || 

5. ... Bxd3 
6. Qxd3 e6 
7. O-O 

| Again white delays, Nc3, to avoid a potential black, Bb4, pin. || 

7. ... Be7 

| A completely different style of middlegame would arise after, 7. ... Bd6. This bishop would then be probing into the white kingside, as well as supporting a potential future break of, pawn e5. || 

8. Nc3 Nbd7 
9. e4 

| A central pawn break which offers another exchange of minor pieces. This position can also be reached from the opening moves of the Queen's Gambit Declined with: 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 Bf5 4. c4 e6 5. c4 c6 6. Bd3 Bxd3 7. Qxd3 Nbd7 8. O-O Be7 9. e4. || 

9. ... dxe4 
10. Nxe4 Nxe4 
11. Qxe4 Nf6 
12. Qe2 

| This variation where white breaks on the e-file with, 9. e4, by whatever early moves order it arises, is known as the Quiet Variation. White has no great ambitions of testing black in the opening. The simplifications as the middlegame begins does not automatically mean equality has been achieved. White has a few more options available compared to black in how development can be completed and that is about all. Quiet positions must be handled with care. It is very easy to feel that nothing is happening and drift into passivity which cannot be satisfactorily reversed. || 

12. ... Qc7 

| Played to prevent the white c1 bishop from moving to the f4 square. || 

13. b3 

| So, the c1 bishop will just have to be happy with sitting on the b2 square. At the moment it will have little activity due to the white d4 pawn. However the white central pawns still have flexibility. The blocking d4 pawn should be able to find a favourable moment to make a dynamic thematic advance, and as it does so, the long dark square diagonal will be opened up. Only time will tell us if this b2 bishop is experiencing a case of, "Sit and Sulk", or, "Sit and Skulk". || 

13. ... O-O 
14. Bb2 Rfe8 
15. Ne5 Rad8 
16. Rad1 Qa5 

| Targetting the unguarded white a2 pawn. White however has a neat trick in mind on how to defend it. || 

17. Rd3 

| A triple purpose move. Firstly, while perhaps not immediately obvious, the a2 pawn has now been protected with a tactical defence. Secondly, the potential doubling of rooks on the d-file is closer to completion. Thirdly, the d3 rook has possibilities of drifting over to the kingside, either the g3 or h3 squares beckon as appropriate. || 

17. ... Nd7 

| Black avoids the tragic, 17. ... Qxa2 18. Ra1, trapping the erring black queen. This works because the white d3 rook protects the b3 pawn. In the meanwhile, what is white going to do about the challenge to the e5 knight? || 

18. Ng4 

| Perhaps white could consider, 18. f4, so that if black ever tries, Nxe5, there is, fxe5, with opportunities of play up the semi-open f-file. || 

18. ... Bf8 

| Black is content to shuffle without making any commitment, and who would dare to criticise such strategy? After all, isn't the onus on the World Champion to make the running in simultaneous exhibitions? || 

19. Bc3 Bb4 

| Black will be happy to remove dark square bishops from the game, permanently eliminating any dangers up the long dark square diagonal. || 

20. Ba1 

| A double purpose move. Firstly, the white dark square bishop has far greater attacking prospects than the black counterpart, so white avoids the exchange of a potential attacker for a piece destined to defend for the foreseeable future. Secondly, the retreat to the a1 square permits the white queen on e2 to defend the a2 pawn. Black is resolutely refusing to become involved in fighting for central counterplay, the usual pawn break in this type of position would be, pawn c5. || 

20. ... Bf8 

| The black bishop returns to being a defender again. Some pieces must accept they cannot become part of an attack and pragmatically take up a defensive position until the opposing activity has been neutralised. || 

21. Rfd1 a6 

| Black might have considered, 21. ... Qh5, which threatens to pin and win the white g4 knight with, 22. ... f5, exploiting the white queen on e2 being undefended. On the h5 square the black queen could become a target for a white rook with, 22. Rh3, but after, 22. ... Qg6, how does white continue. ? Interesting tactics with, 23. Nh6+, only work if black gets greedy with, 23. ... gxh6, which is refuted by, 24. Rg3, white wins the black queen for a rook and knight. Instead after the speculative, 23. Nh6+ Kh8, the over-ambitious sacrificial, 24. Nxf7+ Qxf7, gets nowhere, black has enough defensive resources to halt any white attack. The presence of the black queen in front of the kingside pawns seems to invite attacks from the white pieces, however there does not seem to be any satisfactory way for white to take advantage of her location. As such, white would then have to switch back to playing in the centre again. Isn't it wonderful when one can continually switch between two plans? || 

22. Rg3 

| White begins probing on the kingside. The alternative was to try and arrange the thematic central break of, pawn d5. || 

22. ... Kh8 

| The black king escapes the veiled threats from the white g3 rook, but could there be problems for him on the long dark square diagonal? We have yet to find out if the white a1 bishop is sulking or skulking. || 

23. Rh3 Qf5 

| The black queen is preventing the white queen from taking the b1 - h7 diagonal. || 

24. Ne3 Qa5 

| The black queen has been shuffling around while the rest of her army seem to be reduced to being passive spectators. Well, perhaps this is a little unfair. The black pieces are placed in defensive roles and cannot easily increase the strength of the defences. If pieces are performing fine just where they are, then do not disrupt them. It is up to white to find a weakness in the black position, it is up to black to avoid assisting white in that aim. Consequently, the black queen is given the freedom to roam while the compact black defensive pieces simply sit and wait for white to make a commitment. || 

25. d5 

| Commitment at last. So far white has been giving black a series of small strategic / positional tests, and black has coped well. When playing, pawn d5, white transformed a static position into a dynamic one with tactical opportunities to be found or overlooked. Black must now find the correct move or suffer the consequences. || 

25. ... e5 

| The correct reply. This pawn is needed to block the just-opened long dark square a1 - h8 diagonal. Instead snatching with, 25. ... exd5 26. cxd5 cxd5, runs into, 27. Qd3, when the white queen has escaped the pin on the e3 knight while threatening a mate with, Qxh7+. If black replies with, 27. ... h6, there follows, 28. Rxh6+ Kg8, note the black g7 pawn is pinned by the just-released white a1 bishop, and now, 29. Qh7+, is mate. Black can actually avoid the mate, after, 25. exd5 26. cxd5 cxd5 27. Qd3, with, 27. ... Re4, to block the diagonal. However, that rook on e4 has just walked into a pin and so, 28. f3, seems to win a rook. || 

26. Ng4 f6 

| The black pawn wedge is successfully blocking out the white a1 bishop. The black f8 bishop will have reduced mobility, but king safety is a small price to pay. || 

27. Qc2 e4 

| Yet again black finds the correct move to hold the position. White cannot increase the pressure on the kingside and so must return to playing in the centre. Isn't having flexibility in your plans wonderful? || 

28. Ne3 Nc5 

| Black is beginning to unravel. Pieces on both sides are about to find activity, all due to the dynamic central pawn break by white. || 

29. Bc3 

| White wishes to push the black queen to a less active square. Fine, as far as it goes. However, one door closes and another door opens. The black queen will find options for activity no matter what. || 

29. ... Qc7 

| White has manoeuvred the pieces around, in the hope that black will either create a weakness, or tangle up the pieces such that when the position opens up they will not coordinate satisfactorily. Black has successfully managed to tough it out, and is showing no signs of voluntarily falling in with the white plans. White now decides to create a weakness of his own, in the hope black will be drawn out of the defensive formation. This is a dangerous way to play, offering activity to the opponent, but perhaps the World Champion felt a little pressure from the spectators who have turned up to observe some chess brilliance. || 

30. g4 

| A rather difficult move to describe, a little speculation is needed. Some games will have already finished, which means less time for the remaining players to think before the World Champion appears at the board again. Black has not fallen apart when confronted with positional or strategic decisions, so perhaps white tries, "Plan B", that is to create a little tactical confusion. || 

30. ... Qf4 

| Again, the black queen enters the kingside. However this time there are distinct possibilities of black creating some threats. White is seeking a position where the pieces on both sides will find activity, and rely on his tactical abilities to outplay the opponent, even if the position becomes worse for white for a few moves. || 

31. Rh5 Bd6 

| Now it the turn of black to start restraining white by targetting the h2 pawn. || 

32. dxc6 bxc6 
33. Ba5 

| A nice move. The black d8 rook must decide whether or not to remain on the d-file. If it does, it will be in an awkward pin. If it does not, the black d6 bishop will become a target. || 

33. ... Rd7 
34. Qe2 

| Protecting the white g4 pawn, which allows the white e3 knight flexibility of movement if desired. || 

34. ... Re5 

| Challenging the white h5 rook before difficulties can arise. If white is given time to defend the vulnerable h2 pawn with, Nf1, then white will be threatening to exploit the pinned black d6 bishop with, Rxc5, when the black reply of, Bxc5, allows, Rxd7, and white would have won a piece. In the game white judges that black had too much of a grip on the dark squares and sets about removing the pressure on himself by liquidation. || 

35. Ng2 Qf3 
36. Qxf3 exf3 
37. Rxe5 fxe5 
38. Bb4 
Draw, 1/2-1/2 

| Perhaps a little premature? Or perhaps not. Black has fought well and deserves a draw. If this were a standard tournament game, white could justifiably continue to test black, but in a simultaneous exhibition it is not deemed necessary to fight all opponents to the last pawn. Black should think of safety-first and defuse the position with, 38. ... Bc7, finally challenging rooks up the d-file. White dare not concede the d-file to black and so, 39. Rxd7 Nxd7, should occur and there are no complications remaining in the position. || 

*  *  * 

## Unannotated Game. 

White: Garry Kasparov, World Champion. 
Black: Maria Petsetidi, estimated Elo 2000. 
Event: Corfu Simultaneous 1996. 
Result: 1/2-1/2 in 38 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Quiet Variation, D12. 

1. d4 d5 
2. c4 c6 
3. Nf3 Nf6 
4. e3 Bf5 
5. Bd3 Bxd3 
6. Qxd3 e6 
7. O-O Be7 
8. Nc3 Nbd7 
9. e4 dxe4 
10. Nxe4 Nxe4 
11. Qxe4 Nf6 
12. Qe2 Qc7 
13. b3 O-O 
14. Bb2 Rfe8 
15. Ne5 Rad8 
16. Rad1 Qa5 
17. Rd3 Nd7 
18. Ng4 Bf8 
19. Bc3 Bb4 
20. Ba1 Bf8 
21. Rfd1 a6 
22. Rg3 Kh8 
23. Rh3 Qf5 
24. Ne3 Qa5 
25. d5 e5 
26. Ng4 f6 
27. Qc2 e4 
28. Ne3 Nc5 
29. Bc3 Qc7 
30. g4 Qf4 
31. Rh5 Bd6 
32. dxc6 bxc6 
33. Ba5 Rd7 
34. Qe2 Re5 
35. Ng2 Qf3 
36. Qxf3 exf3 
37. Rxe5 fxe5 
38. Bb4 
Draw, 1/2-1/2 

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