Skype coaching session, 02 April 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 51 moves is given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

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Annotated game. 

White: Andersson, 2600. 
Black: Huebner, 2640. 
Event: Johannesburg 1981. 
Result: 1-0 in 51 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Gambit Accepted, Mannheim Variation, D23. 

1. Nf3 d5 
2. d4 Nf6 
3. c4 dxc4 

| Black relieves the central tension at the first opportunity while also creating a pawn structure imbalance. || 

4. Qa4+ Nbd7 
5. g3 

| White aims for pressure up the h1 - a8 diagonal with a fianchetto g2 bishop. || 

5. ... e6 
6. Bg2 a6 

| Black is threatening 7. ... b5, supporting the extra c-pawn. Experience suggests black can rarely get away with trying to keep the gambit pawn, so what is a top Grand Master doing playing in this manner? Black is not actually expecting to hold the pawn, but is instead carrying out a known queenside plan which intends to neutralise the potentially dangerous white fianchetto g2 bishop. || 

7. Nc3 

| A neat use of tactics to prevent black defending the c4 pawn. The idea is if black tries, 7. ... b5, then, 8. Nxb5, the white queen exploits the pin of the black a6 pawn to the unprotected black a8 rook. Black must not fall for further tactics with, 8. ... Nb6, because, 9. Nxc7+, is a double check so the black king is forced to move. After, 9. ... Ke7 10. Qb4+ Kd7 11. Qxb6 Qxc7 12. Ne5+ Kd8 13. Nxf7+ Kd7, white has several winning lines here, the cutest is, 14. Bc6+ Qxc6 15. Ne5+ Ke7 16. Qxc6. || 

7. ... Be7 
8. Ne5 

| White opens up the h1 - a8 diagonal. || 

8. ... Rb8 

| Black removes the vulnerable rook from the a8 square which now allows a queenside space-gaining expansion of, pawn b5. This can be followed with, Bb7, challenging for control of the a8 - h1 diagonal, usually leading to a pressure-relieving exchange of light square bishops. The simplified pawn structure permits either player to seek exchanges of pieces, there will not be any complex tactics emerging during this middlegame. || 

9. Nxd7 Qxd7 
10. Qxc4 b5 
11. Qd3 

| Instead, 11. Qc6 Bb7 12. Qxd7+ Kxd7 13. O-O Bxg2 14. Kxg2 Rhd8, seems to be level. || 

11. ... Bb7 
12. Bxb7 Rxb7 

| The black rook on b7 might appear to be misplaced, but there is an idea available whereby it enters the game via a curious route. || 

13. Qf3 Rb6 
14. O-O Qc6 

| Black must not fall for, 14. ... Qxd4 15. Be3, skewering an exchange, and white would have a decisive advantage. || 

15. Qxc6+ Rxc6 
16. Bg5 Nd5 

| Black aims for further simplifications. || 

17. Nxd5 

| White should trade pieces in the correct move order. Some sample lines of the alternative capture: 
(A). If, 17. Bxe7 Nxc3 18. bxc3 Kxe7, the white backward c3 pawn is always going to be a target. 
(B). Or if, 17. Bxe7 Nxc3 18. Bc5 Nxe2+ 19. Kg2 Rhd8 20. Rfd1, and white threatens, 21. Kf3, winning the trapped black knight. 
(C). Black does not have to succumb to the greed of snatching the white e2 pawn. Instead, 17. Bxe7 Nxc3 18. Bc5 Ne4, and white must decide over the future of the c5 bishop. || 

17. ... exd5 

| And now it is black who should ensure the correct recapture is played. Instead, 17. ... Bxg5 18. Nb4 Rd6 19. e3 a5 20. Nd3, and the white knight has good control of the centre. Black must avoid, 17. ... Bxg5 18. Nb4 Rc4 19. Nxa6 Kd7 20. e3, and white seems to have snatched a safe pawn. || 

18. Bxe7 Kxe7 
19. Rfc1 Rxc1+ 
20. Rxc1 Kd6 

| So white has an active rook on the c-file with a pleasant c5 square for future enjoyment. Black has an active king but needs more time before it can think of invading further into the white queenside. || 

21. f3 

| A double purpose move. Firstly, this pawn move supports the forthcoming, pawn e4, advance. Secondly, the f2 square is vacated to allow the white king access to the centre. White has options of claiming the centre with pawns, black cannot mobilise the queenside pawn majority. White has a plan of action, black must sit and wait. || 

21. ... c6 
22. Kf2 Re8 
23. g4 

| White claims some kingside space anticipation of a possible kingside invasion with the king. || 

23. ... a5 
24. h4 g6 
25. Rc2 

| The white rook protects the e2 pawn which allows the white king to probe on the kingside. || 

25. ... h6 

| Black can keep the kingside blocked which forces white to find some means of opening up the centre. || 

26. Kg3 g5 

| This critical pawn advance is designed to prevent the white king entry of, Kf4. It might have been better for black to instead use the rook to force the white king back with, 26. ... Re6, when, 27. Kf4 Rf6+, pushes the white king back to his third rank. || 

27. h5 

| White now has two strategic advantages. The option of, Rc5, placing pressure on the centre in anticipation of an eventual, pawn e4, advance should be fairly obvious. However the significance of the last few moves on the kingside might not be so clear. White is indeed planning opening up the position creating opportunities for opposite-wing pawn promotion races. If that blocking black h-pawn can be eliminated then the advanced nature of the white h5 pawn might be a decisive advantage when the mutual pawn sprints for promotion begins. This is all a long way in the future, yet preparation like this is what is needed to creates winning chances. || 

27. ... f6 
28. Kf2 

| White now prepares the thematic break of, pawn e4. || 

28. ... Kc7 
29. e3 Kb6 
30. Ke2 Rc8 

| Black has prepared the advance of, pawn c5, activating the queenside / centre pawn majority. White is of course not going to permit black such a luxury. || 

31. Rc5 

| A double purpose move. Firstly, white clamps down on any black queenside plans of expansion. Secondly, the white rook radiates sideways pressure onto the black d5 pawn in anticipation of the forthcoming central break of, pawn e4. || 

31. ... Re8 
32. Kd3 Re7 

| Black is now reduced to shuffling his rook defensively, simply waiting for white to attempt to make progress. || 

33. e4 Rd7 

| Black must not give white the luxury of mobile central pawns arising from, 33. ... dxe4 34. fxe4. White could then continue with, 35. Rf5 Re6 36. e5 fxe5 37. dxe5, support the passed e5 pawn with, Ke4, after which material winning advance of, Rf6, will follow. Black must also be aware of lines where the central pawns all disappear, allowing the white king to sprint to eliminate the black h6 pawn followed by promotion of the white h5 pawn. Black will of course have a counter-advance with his king to eliminate the white queenside pawns followed by attempting to promote either the a5 or b5 pawn. This is far too slow for black, white will promote long before black is near to promotion. Such is the advantage of having a pawn on your 5th rank on an edge-file when the opposing king is many files away on the opposite side of the board. || 

34. a3 

| White first restrains the black queenside pawns and then settles down to reaching the time-control of move 40 by shuffling the rook up and down the c-file. Note how white cleverly avoids a three-fold repetition claim by shuffling on three c-file squares while black shuffles on two d-file squares. Once move 40 has been played then serious consideration with a clear brain can be given on how to proceed. || 

34. ... Rd8 
35. Rc1 Rd7 
36. Rc2 Rd8 
37. Rc3 Rd7 
38. Rc2 Rd8 
39. Rc1 Rd7 
40. Rc5 Rd8 

| Now it is time to make committal pawn moves, remember a piece misplaced can always return to a previous location, but pawns can never return to their previous square. || 

41. b4 axb4 

| Black wishes for white to have an isolated pawn on the queenside in anticipation of his rook eventually gaining entry once the centre has opened. || 

42. axb4 Rd7 

| Seeking queenside activity fails for black. Instead, 42. ... Ra8 43. exd5 cxd5 44. Rxd5 Ra4 45. Rd6+ Kc7 46. Rxf6 Rxb4 47. Rxh6 Rb1 48. Rg6 b4 49. Rxg5, and the white king is close enough to the passed black b-pawn to interfere with the promotion while the black king is nowhere near the white kingside passed pawns. In the game white must now make the commitment necessary for the king to infiltrate the black kingside. || 

43. exd5 Rxd5 

| Instead, 43. ... cxd5 44. Rc8, and the white rook threatens both, Rf8, and, Rh8, black must lose a vital pawn. || 

44. Ke4 Rd8 
45. d5 

| White liquidates the vulnerable d-pawn which permits the white king to go walkies in the black kingside. || 

45. ... Re8+ 

| The king and pawn ending after, 45. ... Rxd5 46. Rxd5 cxd5+ 47. Kxd5, is clearly winning for white. The simplest approach is to win the black b5 pawn with, 47. ... Kb7 48. Kc5 Ka6 49. Kc6 Ka7 50. Kxb5. Though the alternate white plan on move 48 of, Ke6, Kxf6, Kg6, Kxh6, Kxg5, and promotion of the h-pawn safely wins the opposite wing promotion race by two tempi. || 

46. Kf5 cxd5 
47. Rxd5 Re3 

| The black rook is about to go pawn plundering, white had better have a good plan in mind or the whole concept of central activity will have been in vain. || 

48. Kxf6 Rxf3+ 

| White to play and find an idea which makes a very dramatic difference to the result of the game. Clue: The black h6 pawn must be eliminated, to be followed with promotion of the white h5 pawn, costing black a rook, but it is a question of doing so in the most efficient manner. || 

49. Kg7 

| How strange. Why is the white king taking a diagonal route to attack the black h6 pawn? The answer is that in the mind of the white king he is not attacking the h6 pawn at all. No, He is taking up residence on the g7 square to support an eventual, pawn h8, promotion. In actuality, it is the white rook who is going to be given the job of capturing the black h6 pawn. 

An alternative variations which gives black too much freedom is, 49. Kg6 Rf4 50. Kxh6 Rxg4 51. Rxg5 Rxb4 52. Kg7 Rh4 53. h6 Ka5 54. h7 Ka4 55. h8=Q Rxh8 56. Kxh8 b4 57. Kg7 b3 58. Kf6 b2 59. Rg1 Kb3, and white must give up the rook for the black b-pawn, a draw. 

Just howdid black achieve a draw in this proposed variation? It is inevitable that black must give up a rook for the white h-pawn. This in turn will demand the white king be well advanced into the black kingside. However, white permitted the black king to support the advancing b-pawn, and this is a critical mistake. If white can prevent the black king from doing so, then perhaps there might be time for the white king to both win the black rook and return to the queenside in time to halt the black passed b-pawn. 

There is a similarly ineffective variation to be mentioned. If, 49. Rf5 Rb3 50. Kg6 Rxb4 51. Kxh6 Rxg4, and black is actually a tempo ahead in the variation just offered above in this comment. || 

49. ... Rf4 

| Instead, 49. ... Kc6 50. Rc5+ Kd6 51. Rxb5, followed by 52. Kxh6, white is clearly winning. Or if, 49. ... Kc6 50. Rc5+ Kb6 51. Re5, with the same plan for white that is about to be revealed in the game. || 

50. Rd6+ Kc7 

| The black king is now confined to his 2nd rank, a very important strategic gain for white. || 

51. Rxh6 
Black resigns, 1-0 

| Club players would undoubtedly demand proof that this position is winning for white. A very important factor is keeping the white rook on the black 3rd rank for as long as possible in order to prevent the black king advancing to support the distant passed b-pawn. It might be simpler to offer analysis here as if black had not resigned. Play might have concluded as follows. || 

51. ... Rxb4 
52. Rg6 Rxg4 

| A somewhat desperate try here for black could be, 52. ... Rc4 53. h6 b4 54. h7 b3 55. h8=Q b2, hoping white will not find, 56. Qh2+, picking up the unprotected black b2 pawn. || 

53. h6 Rh4 

| Instead black might try to advance immediately on the queenside. Some sample lines are: 
(A). If, 53. ... b4 54. h7 Rh4 55. Rh6 b3 56. Rxh4 gxh4 57. h8=Q b2 58. Qh7 Kb7 59. Qc2, and the white queen mops up the black pawns. 
(B). Or if, 53. ... b4 54. h7 b3 55. h8=Q b2, white has a nice quick finish with, 56. Qa8 b1=Q 57. Rc6+ Kd7 58. Qc8+ Ke7 59. Re6+ mate. 
(C). Or if, 53. ... b4 54. h7 Rh4 55. Rh6 Rxh6 56. Kxh6 b3 57. h8=Q, white wins easily. || 

54. h7 Rxh7+ 

| Black must play this immediately else white will interfere on the h-file with, 55. Rh6, with promotion next move. || 

55. Kxh7 b4 

| The b-pawn is allowed to advance up the board until it becomes beyond the protection of the black king. The alternate advance of the black g-pawn must be considered: 
(A). If, 55. ... g4 56. Kh6 g3 57. Kg5 b4 58. Kf4, the white king has made progress while the black pawns have only made themselves vulnerable. Play could continue with, 58. ... b3 59. Rxg3 b2 60. Rb3, and the black b-pawn is caught just in time. 
(B). A subtly different line could be, 55. ... g4 56. Kh6 g3 57. Kg5 g2 58. Kf4 g1=Q, forcing the white rook to capture the new queen and so release the black king from his cage. It is however too little too late as, 59. Rxg1 Kb6 60. Ke4 Ka5 61. Kd3 Ka4 62. Kc3, and the white king has managed to join in with the defence, the b-pawn will soon fall. 
Black can shuffle the order of moves with the pawns, but the end result is going to be the same. || 

56. Kh6 b3 
57. Rxg5 

| It is now the right time to take the black g5 pawn. Yes, this will allow the black king to advance a rank, but it will not be enough to save the advanced pawn on b3. || 

57. ... Kc6 

| Instead, 57. ... b2 58. Rb5, that same old idea of placing a restraining rook behind an advancing pawn yet again saves the day for white. || 

58. Rg3 

| The black king is too far away to protect the black b3 pawn, so the pawn might as welll advance. || 

58. ... b2 
59. Rb3 

| Again the pawn is caught just in time. At this point the average club player with the black pieces would probably resign, so the analysis following the Grand Master resignation concludes here with a nominal, 1-0. || 

*  *  * 

## Unannotated game. 

White: Andersson, 2600. 
Black: Huebner, 2640. 
Event: Johannesburg 1981. 
Result: 1-0 in 51 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Gambit Accepted, Mannheim Variation, D23. 

1. Nf3 d5 
2. d4 Nf6 
3. c4 dxc4 
4. Qa4+ Nbd7 
5. g3 e6 
6. Bg2 a6 
7. Nc3 Be7 
8. Ne5 Rb8 
9. Nxd7 Qxd7 
10. Qxc4 b5 
11. Qd3 Bb7 
12. Bxb7 Rxb7 
13. Qf3 Rb6 
14. O-O Qc6 
15. Qxc6+ Rxc6 
16. Bg5 Nd5 
17. Nxd5 exd5 
18. Bxe7 Kxe7 
19. Rfc1 Rxc1+ 
20. Rxc1 Kd6 
21. f3 c6 
22. Kf2 Re8 
23. g4 a5 
24. h4 g6 
25. Rc2 h6 
26. Kg3 g5 
27. h5 f6 
28. Kf2 Kc7 
29. e3 Kb6 
30. Ke2 Rc8 
31. Rc5 Re8 
32. Kd3 Re7 
33. e4 Rd7 
34. a3 Rd8 
35. Rc1 Rd7 
36. Rc2 Rd8 
37. Rc3 Rd7 
38. Rc2 Rd8 
39. Rc1 Rd7 
40. Rc5 Rd8 
41. b4 axb4 
42. axb4 Rd7 
43. exd5 Rxd5 
44. Ke4 Rd8 
45. d5 Re8+ 
46. Kf5 cxd5 
47. Rxd5 Re3 
48. Kxf6 Rxf3+ 
49. Kg7 Rf4 
50. Rd6+ Kc7 
51. Rxh6 
Black resigns, 1-0 

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