Skype coaching session, 12 March 2017. 

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 21 moves and 37 moves are given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

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Annotated game 1. 

White: G. McCurdy. 
Black: A. Zwaig. 
Event: Lugano Olympiad 1968. 
Result: 0-1 in 21 moves. 
Opening: Ruy Lopez, Norwegian Variation, C70. 

1. e4 e5 
2. Nf3 Nc6 
3. Bb5 a6 
4. Ba4 b5 
5. Bb3 Na5 

| How patriotic. A Norwegian plays the Norwegian Variation. || 

6. Nxe5 

| This seems to lead to simplifications where black gains good activity. Instead, 6. O-O, as examined in the 05 February coaching session (Spassky - Taimanov) keeps tension with pleasant prospects for white. || 

6. ... Nxb3 
7. axb3 Qg5 
8. d4 Qxg2 
9. Qf3 Qxf3 
10. Nxf3 Bb7 
11. O-O 

| Setting a little trap. || 

11. ... f5 

| Exploiting the unprotected state of the white f3 knight. Black should resist the unnecessary, 11. ... Bxe4, when, 12. Re1 d5 13. Nfd2, vacating the f3 square in order to threaten, 14. f3, winning the pinned black bishop. So after, 13. Nfd2 Kd7 14. Nxe4 fxe4 15. Rxe4, black will have conceded the light square bishop for no gain and the a6 pawn is going to need protection for a long while. || 

12. Re1 fxe4 
13. Nfd2 

| Instead, 13. Ng5 d5 14. f3 h6, a very timely displacement of the white knight from the attack on e4. Then after, 15. Nh3 Nf6 16. fxe4 dxe4 17. Nd2 O-O-O, black still has the extra pawn along with the bishop pair. || 

13. ... d5 
14. f3 O-O-O 

| The black king finds safety and passes the big decision back to white. || 

15. fxe4 

| White chooses to liquidate the centre and try to tough it out against the black bishop pair in an open position. Instead, 14. f4, aiming to keep the centre closed and seek useful squares for the knights was the somewhat depressing alternative. Neither option seems palatable, perhaps indicating an improvement much earlier in the game must be found. || 

15. ... dxe4 
16. Nxe4 Rxd4 

| The centre is cleared of pawns, the white knights will find difficulties in finding safe locations further advanced than the white 3rd rank. The white king is also a little short of pawn-cover as the black pieces further increase their activity. || 

17. Ng3 

| Instead seeking activity with, 17. Ng5 gets nowhere. Black replies with, 17. ... Nf6, and continues with the kingside strategy similar to game. || 

17. ... Nf6 
18. Be3 Rh4 

| The black rook targets the white h2 pawn. || 

19. Nc3 Ng4 

| Ouch! Attacking the now indefensible white h2 pawn as well as threatening some nasties on the a7 - g1 diagonal. || 

20. Nge4 

| White is fighting to prevent a black bishop from landing on the c5 square. Instead, 20. Nce4, would avoid the forthcoming disaster when black deflects an important defender but would lose another pawn to, 20. ... Nxh2. || 

20. ... Nxe3 
21. Rxe3 b4 
White resigns, 0-1 

| If the white c3 knight moves then black wins a piece with, 22. ... Bxe4, with subsequent threats of, Bc5, winning even more material. White needed the knights on the g3 and e4 squares to avoid this immediate loss, but even so, black is winning once the white h2 pawn is captured. || 

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## Unannotated game 1. 

White: G. McCurdy. 
Black: A. Zwaig. 
Event: Lugano Olympiad 1968. 
Result: 0-1 in 21 moves. 
Opening: Ruy Lopez, Norwegian Variation, C70. 

1. e4 e5 
2. Nf3 Nc6 
3. Bb5 a6 
4. Ba4 b5 
5. Bb3 Na5 
6. Nxe5 Nxb3 
7. axb3 Qg5 
8. d4 Qxg2 
9. Qf3 Qxf3 
10. Nxf3 Bb7 
11. O-O f5 
12. Re1 fxe4 
13. Nfd2 d5 
14. f3 O-O-O 
15. fxe4 dxe4 
16. Nxe4 Rxd4 
17. Ng3 Nf6 
18. Be3 Rh4 
19. Nc3 Ng4 
20. Nge4 Nxe3 
21. Rxe3 b4 
White resigns, 0-1 

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## Annotated game 2. 

White: M. Pavlov. 
Black: S. Johannessen. 
Event: Halle (Zonal) 1963. 
Result: 0-1 in 37 moves. 
Opening: Ruy Lopez, Norwegian Variation, C70. 

1. e4 e5 
2. Nf3 Nc6 
3. Bb5 a6 
4. Ba4 b5 
5. Bb3 Na5 

| More patriotism. Another Norwegian plays the Norwegian Variation. || 

6. Nxe5 Nxb3 
7. axb3 Qg5 
8. d4 Qxg2 
9. Qf3 Qxf3 
10. Nxf3 Bb7 
11. Nbd2 

| White strengthens the central light squares. This should stop black from hitting out with, pawn f5, as occurred in the previous game, shouldn't it? || 

11. ... f5 

| Best laid plans... || 

12. e5 

| So white avoids material loss but in return that light square long diagonal now belongs to the black b7 bishop. Instead, 12. fxe5 Nh6, black regains the pawn not to mention a pleasing square for the knight. || 

12. ... c5 

| Aiming to open up the position for the bishop pair, white does not have to oblige. || 

13. O-O 

| Instead, 13. c3 cxd4 14. cxd4, leaves white with doubled b-pawns which can never undouble without black assisting, which of course will not happen. Black in the game to play and show some imagination. || 

13. ... g5 

| A nice idea aimed at creating a pawn structure imbalance to favour the skulking black b7 bishop. || 

14. c4 

| White intends to block the centre with, pawn d5, if allowed. Instead, 14. Nxg5 cxd4, keeps material equality and once black completes development there will be joy for a rook or two available on the fully open g-file. || 

14. ... g4 

| Black deflects the defender of the white d4 pawn while taking a stronger hold of that long light square a8 - h1 diagonal. || 

15. Nh4 cxd4 

| So black claims the a8 - h1 diagonal. || 

16. Nxf5 Nh6 
17. Nxh6 

| White starts a plan of reducing material in the hope that the simplifications plus the presence of opposite coloured bishops will make the position defensible. Easier thought than achieved. Instead, 17. Nxd4 b4, black fixes the queenside in preparation of, O-O-O, to be followed by ganging up on the white e5 pawn. || 

17. ... Bxh6 
18. cxb5 axb5 
19. Rxa8+ Bxa8 
20. Nc4 

| The point of the simplifications is revealed. This knight has found a tactic to activate itself, the black reply seems forced. || 

20. ... Bf8 

| Blackavoids, 20. ... Bxc1, when white throws in the zwischenzug, 21. Nd6+ Ke7 22. Rxc1, when the white knight has plenty of options. || 

21. Na3 

| White must avoid, 21. Na5 Bb4, and the knight is trapped, though matters are not immediately clear. The idea is, 22. Bh6 Bxa5 23. Ra1, white regains the piece. However black can improve on this. After, 22. Bh6 Kf7 23. Ra1 Bf3, what possible defence has white to the threatened, Ra8, finally winning the stranded white a5 knight? || 

21. ... Bxa3 

| Black takes the game into a single rook and opposite colour bishop ending. Surely this makes it difficult for either side to make progress? Not so, there is another vital difference to take into account. || 

22. bxa3 

| Black to play must find the next game move if there are to be any chances of still playing for a win. || 

22. ... Bf3 

| Preventing, 23. Rd1. The black d4 passed pawn must be retained at all costs. || 

23. Bd2 Kf7 

| That previously referenced but unrevealed vital difference is beginning to emerge. Black appears to be a king up in the endgame. || 

24. Rc1 Ke6 
25. Rc5 Be2 
26. Bb4 

| White has no constructive plan and instead resorts to protecting the a3 pawn before it is attacked. || 

26. ... Ra8 

| Inhibiting any ideas white might have involving, pawn a4. || 

27. Kg2 h5 

| It is the status of the kings which makes the difference. The black king is safe from harassment, the white king is going to be squeezed by the advancing black kingside pawns who are being assisted by the light square e2 bishop. || 

28. h3 Rg8 

| And now the black rook gets to join the fun over on the kingside. The white king is coming under pressure. || 

29. hxg4 Rxg4+ 

| Black now has two passed pawns on the go. Both are at present restrained, but if the black king can break through to support the advanced black d-pawn, then matters will turn critical for white. || 

30. Kh3 Bf1+ 
31. Kh2 h4 

| Black continues to squeeze the position. White problem is having no obvious plan. Sitting and waiting for black to make progress and respond accordingly is all that is available. || 

32. Rc1 Bd3 
33. Re1 Bf5 

| The black f5 bishop takes an important x-ray control of the h3 square. Why? So that a move of the black g4 rook will permit the black h4 pawn to advance to the h3 square, further increasing the squeeze on white. || 

34. Bd2 Rg8 

| Black threatens: pawn h3, then, Rg2+, winning the white f2 pawn, followed by, pawn h2, and lastly aim for a bishop check on the a8 - h1 diagonal. || 

35. Rg1 Ra8 

| Black declines trading rooks which would only take the pressure off white. || 

36. Ra1 Kxe5 

| The black king can now make a decisive entry into the position. || 

37. a4 Ke4 
White resigns, 0-1 

| Resignation might seem a little early. Black has the winning plan of the king entering the white queenside with, Kd3, place itself on c2, and then support the advance, pawn d3, d2, relocate the f5 bishop to cover the d1 square, and promote, pawn d1, winning a rook. Quite time-consuming. And perhaps there lies the answer. Did white lose on time? Unfortunately the game source does not reveal such details. If white wished to further test black then moves such as 38. Bg5, or, 38. a5, come to mind. The session concluded that either of the above white moves would demand black play with some precision to achieve the full point. || 

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## Unannotated game 2. 

White: M. Pavlov. 
Black: S. Johannessen. 
Event: Halle (Zonal) 1963. 
Result: 0-1 in 37 moves. 
Opening: Ruy Lopez, Norwegian Variation, C70. 

1. e4 e5 
2. Nf3 Nc6 
3. Bb5 a6 
4. Ba4 b5 
5. Bb3 Na5 
6. Nxe5 Nxb3 
7. axb3 Qg5 
8. d4 Qxg2 
9. Qf3 Qxf3 
10. Nxf3 Bb7 
11. Nbd2 f5 
12. e5 c5 
13. O-O g5 
14. c4 g4 
15. Nh4 cxd4 
16. Nxf5 Nh6 
17. Nxh6 Bxh6 
18. cxb5 axb5 
19. Rxa8+ Bxa8 
20. Nc4 Bf8 
21. Na3 Bxa3 
22. bxa3 Bf3 
23. Bd2 Kf7 
24. Rc1 Ke6 
25. Rc5 Be2 
26. Bb4 Ra8 
27. Kg2 h5 
28. h3 Rg8 
29. hxg4 Rxg4+ 
30. Kh3 Bf1+ 
31. Kh2 h4 
32. Rc1 Bd3 
33. Re1 Bf5 
34. Bd2 Rg8 
35. Rg1 Ra8 
36. Ra1 Kxe5 
37. a4 Ke4 
White resigns, 0-1 

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