Skype coaching session, 09 July 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
 
This posting is divided into three sections: 
#1. Annotated game, 42 moves. 
#2. Unannotated game. 
#3. Annotations up to move 10 from the game McDonald - Ross, 18 June 2017. 

Paul Benson. 

*  *  * 

Annotated game. 

White: V. Jones, 2076. 
Black: C. Ross, 2203. 
Event: British Championship, Torquay, 2009. 
Result: 0-1 in 42 moves. 
Opening: Sicilian Defence, Taimanov Variation, B48. 

| Note: The comments up to move 10 for white made by Chris Ross for the game McDonald - Ross, examined in the coaching session on 18 June 2017 are given in section 3 of this posting. || 

1. e4 c5 
2. Nf3 e6 

| The Sicilian Defence comes in many flavours. 
Generally speaking, those systems with, pawn e6, tend toward positional play, while those with, pawn d6, can lead to sharp tactical middlegames. 
Then there are Dragon-like systems with, pawn g6, which can end up as either positional squeezes or tactical melees. 
Choices by white in response to the black selection usually determine whether there will be fireworks or not. 
When black opts for, 2. ... e6, the main long-term aim is to play for the central break of, pawn d5, and once achieved the view is that black should be roughly equal. || 

3. d4 cxd4 
4. Nxd4 Nc6 

| The Taimanov Variation. 
The black knight on c6 immediately creates an annoyance for white. 
The most favourable square for the white f1 bishop is d3, but this would break the defensive guard to the d4 knight, which in turn means white must spend a tempo by either moving the d4 knight or defending it. 
Once this has occurred white can play, Bd3, but without prior protection of both the b4 and e5 squares, then the aggressively posted white light square bishop can be challenged with, Nb4, or, Ne5. || 

5. Nc3 

| There are a few choices for white here. 
Trying for the Maroczy Bind central grip with, 5. c4, is popular, the middlegame then revolves around black trying to play, pawn d5, while white tries to prevent this break, lots of manoeuvring for both players. 
The somewhat paradoxical, 5. Nb5, aiming to invade with, Nd6+, seems to force, 5. ... d6, transposing into a Scheveningen system. 
Black need not fear, 5. Nxc6 bxc6, the central black pawn mass should anticipate a better future than the white queenside pawns. 
Black should also be prepared with, 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Bd3 e5, shutting out the potentially dangerous white d3 bishop. || 

5. ... Qc7 

| A useful developing move with some very long-term objectives in mind. 
The queen on c7 is ready to recapture on c6 should white panic and release the tension with, Nxc6. 
She is also placed on the semi-open c-file, either thinking of some activity on the c2 pawn, maybe the c3 knight or to support an invasive, Nc4, depending on how white handles the position. 
There is also some control of the e5 square, for once the black g8 knight is given time to develop with, Nf6, black does not wish for it to be deflected with the white push of, pawn e5. || 

6. Be3 

| White cannot gain much with, 6. Ndb5, as after, 6. ... Qb8, the white knight on b5 will soon be pushed back with, pawn a6. 
One curious imbalancing tactrickal line with several branch points for you to explore at home runs, 6. Ndb5 Qb8 7. Be3 a6 8. Bb6 axb5 9. Nxb5 Bb4+ 10. c3 Ba5 11. Nc7+ Qxc7 12. Bxc7 Bxc7, with three white minor pieces for the black queen, considered to be perfectly playable for black. 
Much more solid for white is 6. g3, with, Bg2, and, O-O, to be followed with long-term intentions of kingside expansion. 
Also known is the aggressive-looking, 6. f4, but this leave the white e-pawn without the option of, pawn f3, resulting in white needing to find other means of protecting the e4 pawn. 
Lastly the calm, 6. Be2, should be met with the standard black queenside expansion of, pawn a6, and, pawn b5. || 

6. ... a6 
7. Qd2 

| The most ambitious choice here for white. 
Instead, 7. Be2, with, O-O, might suit those preferring a less riskier approach to life, and black should mirror white with, 7. ... Nf6, Be7, and, O-O. 
There is, 7. Nb3, to be considered, taking some control of the c5 square and asking black to make some commitment. 
Lastly, 7. a4, certainly prevents black, pawn b5, but leaves both the b4 and c4 squares as potential landing points for the c6 knight. || 

7. ... Nf6 

| An important part of the black strategy, the white e4 pawn becomes the target. 
Furthermore, this knight has been deliberately held back until white has made the commitment to the, Be3, and, Qd2, set-up, when combined with black earlier playing, Qc7, means it cannot be pinned by white, Bg5. 
Instead, 7. ... b5, might be a little premature, and, 7. ... d6, transposes into Scheveningen-like systems but limits the options of the f8 bishop. 
Lastly, while there is nothing particularly wrong with, 7. ... Be7, it does not place any pressure on white for the forthcoming middlegame. || 

8. O-O-O Bb4 

| Developing and threatening to win a pawn with, 9. ... Nxe4. 
While, 8. ... Ng4, either disrupting the white pattern or aiming to gain the bishop pair with, Nxe3, might seem tempting, but the top Grand Masters do not adopt it, clue there! || 

9. f3 Ne5 

| An important move for black in this system. 
The c7 queen now combines with the b4 bishop to doubly attack the white c3 knight, threatening to inflict some pawn structural weakness on white. 
There is also the idea of invading with, Nc4, now available, which is most likely going to gain the bishop pair for black somewhere along the way. 
Instead, 9. ... b5, allows, 10. Nxc6 Qxc6 11. e5, pushing the black f6 knight around. || 

10. Nb3 

| The knight on b3 now guards the a5 square so if white chooses to challenge with, pawn a3, then black, Ba5, would permit white the luxury of, Nxa5, removing a dangerous attacker. 
But sometimes the reason for a move is not directly connected to the piece / pawn being moved. 
The white knight retreat to b3 now lets the white queen have some influence over the d5 square, or the white e3 bishop now has access to the d4 square, depending on how black plays. 
Instead, 10. Be2 d5, and black has achieved one of the main aims of the system, a freeing, pawn d5, central challenge. 
For the less accurate, 10. Kb1, consult the recording or notes to the 18 June 2017 coaching session game of McDonald - Ross. 
Lastly, trying to strengthen the c3 knight with, 10. Nde2, permits, 10. ... Nc4, when black can gain the bishop pair with, Nxe3, if desired. || 

10. ... b5 

| A double purpose move. 
Firstly, the black c8 bishop now has access to the b7 square, ready to support a possible, pawn d5, break. 
Secondly, the c4 square is now supported by the b5 pawn, meaning should black play, Nc4, and white capture with, Bxc4, then black has the choice to create a half-open b-file with, bxc4, if desired. || 

11. Kb1 

| With the white king on b1 the pinned c3 knight might be allowed to enter into tactics. 
It is the unprotected black bishop on b4 which would be the target, the idea being to hit both the black bishop and queen with, 12. Nxb5, when, 12. ... Bxd2 13. Nxc7+ Kd8 14. Rxd2, winning a pawn is simplest. 
White should avoid the materialistic, 12. Nxb5 Bxd2 13. Nxc7+ Kd8 14. Nxa8 Bxe3, when the a8 knight is stranded and will not escape because black controls the b6 and c7 squares. 
Black would not enjoy, 12. Nxb5 axb5 13. Qxb4, as white will have far too much control of the dark squares as well as the extra pawn. || 

11. ... Nc4 

| Forcing white to decide which bishop to keep and which to lose. 
The white tactical reply of, 12. Nxb5 Nxd2+, is check and white loses the queen for a knight. || 

12. Bxc4 

| White prefers to keep the dark square bishop and use the central pawns to limit the activity of the black light square bishop. || 

12. ... bxc4 

| A curious switch. 
The usual plan of c-file activity by black is traded for possible play on the b-file. || 

13. Nc1 

| This knight is going to be placed on e2 to offer support to the c3 knight, and while the same idea could be achieved with, Nd4, white prefers to keep control of the d5 square along with activity for the e3 bishop. || 

13. ... Rb8 

| Simple and strong. 
The unprotected black b4 bishop is now safe and tactics up the b-file are now becoming a possibility. || 

14. g4 

| White sets about the opposite wing attack. 
Instead, 14. N1e2, seems sensible in order to strengthen the queenside defences before seeking counterplay. || 
14. ... d6 

| Bobby Fischer tells us (paraphrased): "In chess it is important to know when to punch and when to duck". 
Here there are a few tempting attacking ideas for black. 
Firstly, 14. ... Ba3, which forces, 15. b3, and then it will take quite a few moves for black to open up the queenside. 
In the meantime white might on the first free move hit with, pawn g5, pushing the black f6 knight out of play. 
White might adopt a slower approach of, Rdg1, pawn h4, pawn h5, and then, pawn g5, and white is almost ready for the thematic line-opening advance of, pawn g6, to be immediately followed with, pawn h6. 
Black has several ways to meet this plan, and the general advice of not moving any pawns in the region where the opponent is attacking is probably the simplest approach here. 
There is also, 14. ... Qa5, with the idea, Ba3, to be considered, and again white will be advancing over on the kingside. 
All good fun. 
But these are all punches, are they not? 

The game move of, 14. ... d6, is ducking, with the intention of punching a few moves later. 
Remember, when a unit moves it vacates a square which then becomes available to another unit to occupy. 
In this case the d7 square is vacated to create a retreat square for the f6 knight, who will then emerge into the queenside instead of being isolated over on the kingside. || 

15. Ka1 

| Not only removing itself from threats up the b-file, but vacating the b1 square for a defensive rook should pressure mount on the b2 pawn. || 

15. ... Qa5 

| The moves on the queenside should be played in a certain order to put white under the most pressure. 
Instead, 15. ... Ke7, would have a certain merit if queens could be traded, but black assesses the relative strengths of the opposite wing attacks will favour black, meaning the middlegame must be kept going rather than heading for an endgame. || 

16. N1e2 

| White must not permit the weakening of the queenside pawns by allowing black the luxury of a sequence of captures on the c3 square to create doubled pawns. || 

16. ... O-O 

| Safety first combined with activation of the king's rook. 
Despite appearances of the black king castling into it, in practical terms the forthcoming black queenside pressure prevents white from organising the forces necessary for a successful kingside assault. || 

17. h4 Nd7 

| And just where is this knight heading? 
Clue: The knight is adopting the principle of Ideal Placement. 
That is, think of where it can achieve maximum effect, and then plan a route to try to get it there. || 

18. g5 Nb6 

| Better than, 18. ... Nc5, when, 19. Bxc5 Qxc5, will cost black another move to create the queen and b8 rook alignment for the desired pressure up the b-file. || 

19. Bxb6 

| A sad concession to have to make. 
This hands black the bishop pair in a middlegame where the pawn structure will mean the white knights will find tremendous difficulty in finding safe outposts. 
The black knight could not have been allowed to land on a4, when if nothing else a sequence of captures on c3 will lead to there being doubled c-pawns, effectively leaving black a pawn up in the centre / kingside. 
White also had to be aware of a more serious queenside threat. 
If, 19. h5 Na4 20. g6 Nxb2, when the white c3 knight is undermined and will be lost if black is allowed to retreat with, 21. ... Nxa4, so white would have to capture with, 21. Kxb2, running into the catastrophic, 21. ... Bxc3+ 22. Kc1 Qa3+ mate. || 

19. ... Qxb6 

| Setting up an x-ray attack on the under-protected b2 pawn. || 

20. Rh2 

| Perhaps to defend against the invasion of, 20. ... Qf2, but unbeknown to white this was not in the mind of black, and so costs white at least an attack tempo. || 

20. ... Qb7 

| The queenside attack seems unlikely to break through, so a change of plans is required. 
Black keeps the pressure on the b-file while setting about organising the usual Sicilian Defence breakout of, pawn d5. 
There is also now the option of the b7 queen offering sideways defensive strength over on the kingside if the opportunity to advance the f7 pawn arises. || 

21. h5 d5 

| With the toxic threat of, 22. ... Bd6, unleashing the x-ray mate threat on the b2 pawn while attacking the white h2 rook, black would be winning. 
The advance of the d-pawn could easily be assumed to only be a central challenge, one must always keep in mind a moved unit vacates a square for another unit to occupy. || 

22. Rb1 

| Defending against the mate, but this means the b1 rook is now not going to be able to join in with the kingside attack while black maintains the b-file queen with rook battery. || 

22. ... dxe4 
23. fxe4 Qc7 

| The immediate black mating attack has been thwarted and so the black queen now starts seeking to influence the game from a central position, which also happens with a useful gain of tempo on the white h2 rook. || 

24. Rg2 Bb7 

| The action of the b8 rook is blocked, but this is only temporary. 
Take careful note now on how the black bishop pair can shuffle along diagonals to slowly reduce the activity of the white pieces. || 

25. Qe3 Bc5 
26. Qh3 

| A double purpose move. 
Firstly, targeting the black e6 pawn with possibilities of activity up the h-file but for such options to succeed demands black starts making unforced errors. 
Secondly, the queen on h3 offers extra defensive support to the c3 knight, which at the moment has sufficient defenders but circumstances can of course quickly change. || 

26. ... Qe5 

| Combining attack with defence. 
The black queen places an x-ray attack on the white b2 pawn which ties down the white b1 rook, and from the e5 square she backwardly guards the potential target of the g7 pawn. 
If queens can be traded off, the black bishop pair will have far greater control of the board than the white knights, life would become very difficult for white, almost certainly leading to either errors or tactical sacrificial desperation, both leading to a winning plus for black. || 

27. Qg4 

| Over-protecting the e4 pawn while attempting to create threats up the g-file. || 

27. ... Bc6 

| Opening up the b-file again, giving black options of doubling rooks beginning with, Rb7. 
White dare not sit passively now, there must be some kingside action, even if it costs a pawn or two to create tactical opportunities. || 

28. g6 

| White must get open lines, black must keep kingside weaknesses at a minimum. 
Once the state of the kingside is resolved black can then think of returning to central / queenside activity. 
Note how the white knights cannot assist with the attack but remain ineffective for the rest of the game. 
Furthermore, white dare not enter a double bishop versus double knight endgame due to the centre / kingside pawn weaknesses. 
Knights and pawns can never into a mutual protection scheme. 
If a pawn guards a knight, then that knight cannot guard that pawn. 
If a knight guards a pawn, then that pawn cannot guard that knight. 
Black would only need to shuffle the bishop pair to attack whichever unit is undefended and very quickly a pawn will drop off. || 

28. ... fxg6 

| A useful opening of lines for the defence. 
Black can defend along the 2nd rank now with, Rb7, and the f8 rook can advance up the f-file if required. || 

29. hxg6 

| The alternative means to try for open lines is, 29. h6, but black has a couple of satisfactory responses with either, 29. ... Rb7, or, 29. ... gxh6, and in both cases black should have enough defensive support available to defend the king. || 

29. ... h6 

| The kingside is about to be consolidated. 
White can probe with the heavy pieces but black will soon surround and win the white g6 pawn. 
It might seem a long way off, but once all the heavy pieces are removed from play, black will always have the threat of advancing the passed h-pawn. || 

30. Rh1 Rb7 

| Strengthening the defences along the black 2nd rank and keeping options of doubling the rooks on the b-file, though it seems far more sensible for the f8 rook to seek activity up the f-file. || 

31. Rgh2 Be3 

| Ruling out any desperate line-opening sacrifices involving white, Rxh6. 
The black kingside is now secure, once the flurry of white activity dies down it is then over to black to stop ducking and start punching. 
A different way to handle the position was, 31. ... Ba3, testing white. 
If white takes the bait with, 32. bxa3, a mating attack could follow with, 32. ... Qxh2 33. Rxh2 Rf1+, and white can only postpone the end by giving away both knights. 
If after, 31. ... Ba3 32. bxa3 Qxh2, white declines taking the queen then black has won an exchange and broken open the white queenside. 
If, 31. ... Ba3, then white should decline capturing but instead try, 32. b3, when black yet again re-positions the a3 bishop with, 32. ... Bb4, and white comes under serious pressure on the queenside. || 

32. Rh5 Qf6 

| Much safer than, 32. ... Bg5, giving white some chances to mix matters up with, 33. Rxg5 Qxg5 34. Qxe6+ Kh8 35. Qxc6, and it would be the black queenside pawns who are in need of some support. 
By retreating, the black queen on f6 still keeps a defence to the e6 pawn while starting the attack on the white g6 pawn. || 

33. Qh3 

| This tripling of heavy pieces on the h6 pawn does not create any solid threats for white but instead only forces black to be careful over the next few moves until the threat of, Rxh6, is totally nullified. || 

33. ... Bd2 

| Black simply keeps the grip on the position. 
Instead, 33. ... Bg5, again offers white the chance to randomise with, 34. Rxg5, picking up the black bishop pair as just analysed. 
Black has no need to enter into such murky lines, the kingside is about to be secured with the win of the vulnerable white g6 pawn, so why give the opponent an adrenaline rush with which to start fighting again? 
Another line which was probably good for black but could have given white some hope was, 33. ... Bxe4, hitting both the white g6 pawn and h1 rook. 
Play might continue with, 34. Qxe3 Bxh1 35. Rxh1 Qxg6, and while black should outplay the white rook and knight pair with the two rooks, there is no need to let such unnecessary imbalance arise. 
In the game with white to play a defence to a tactic on the e4 pawn needs to be found. || 

34. e5 

| White diagnoses a bad position and strives for activity at the price of a small investment. 
Instead defending with, 34. Ng3, would block a vital third rank defence and allows, 34. ... Qxc3, as, 35. bxc3 Bxc3+ is mate. 
Similarly, 34. Rb1, would be an admission that the kingside campaign has been a failure. 
Such a back-tracking would simply allow, 34. ... Qxg6, when black will then be ready to start forcing the remaining white kingside attackers back as white now cannot afford an ending due to the black connected passed pawns. || 

34. ... Qxg6 

| Almost all of the white kingside mating threats disappear along with the cramping white g6 pawn. 
Black can now afford to play give and take, that is permit white to have some activity in return for play in the region of the white king. 
In the game with white to play there are the black threats of, Bxh1, and, Qxc2, to be met. || 

35. Rg1 

| The only way to survive in the long term was, 35. Rb1, but black could then consolidate the grip on the position with, 35. ... Bg2 36. Qh2 Bxc3 37. Nxc3 Qxc2, with a long term decisive material advantage due to those kingside passed pawns. || 

35. ... Qxc2 

| Another safe pawn is banked along with a tempo-grabbing threat of mate on the b2 square. || 

36. Qxe6+ Kh8 
37. Rb1 

| Forced, and with it all hopes of smashing through on the kingside evaporate. 
Instead, 37. Nd1 Be4, threatens mate on b1, when the only defensive try of, 38. Nc3, unfortunately this is a deflection of a vital defensive guard such that, 38. ... Qc1+ 39. Nb1 Qxb1+ is mate. 
Black to play in the game now draws on the tactical tool of deflection. || 

37. ... Rf1 

| The white defensive b1 rook is now pinned along the white back rank, which means the threat of, Qxb2+ mate, comes alive again. 
Instead, 37. ... Be4, would put white under great pressure. 
The capture of, 38. Nxe4, fails to, 38. ... Qxb2+ 39. Rxb2 Rf1+ 40. Rb1 Rfxb1+ mate. 
Obviously, 38. Rxf1 Qxb2+ mate, is not going to happen. 
The black rook invasion on f1 has offered white a tactical opportunity to lift the immediate mating pressure, but that is about all it does. || 

38. Qc8+ Kh7 
39. Qxb7 

| A desperate attempt at confusion. 
If black is short of time to reach move 40 then this sort of gamble is worth a try. 
Black needs to find the correct reply here to establish a decisive material advantage. 
Clue: Bobby Fischer once commented: "Obvious, therefore dubious." || 

39. ... Rxb1+ 

| Known in the trade as a zwischenzug. 
Following the materialistic recapture of, 39. ... Bxb7, would allow, 40. Rxf1, and white would have won two rooks for the queen. 
This would still be a win for black but would unnecessarily extend the game which in turn would offer more opportunities to make further mistakes. || 

40. Nxb1 Bxb7 

| The only hope for white now is to make the passed e5 pawn cost black a piece, very difficult to arrange. 
Black is now set a personal task of ending the game in the most efficient manner. || 

41. Nd4 Qd1 

| A queen can be a very powerful attacker when the opposing pieces lack pawn support to protect them. 
Here the black queen has just made three strong gains. 
Firstly, a backwards gain of tempo attack on the white h5 rook. 
Secondly, the white b1 knight is now pinned to the white king. 
Thirdly, an x-ray attack is placed on the white d4 knight through the black d2 bishop. 
And as if that wasn't bad enough for white, there is now a strong threat of black playing, 42. ... Be4, forcing mate in need of prevention. || 

42. Rh4 Bg5 
White resigns, 0-1 

| A triple purpose move. 
Firstly, the white rook cannot find a safe square on the 4th rank to maintain the protection on the white d4 knight, white must lose a piece. 
Secondly, the white rook cannot prevent a crushing invasion of, 43. ... Be4, leading to mate with, Qxb1. 
Thirdly, with resignation the day can now advance to the stage of recuperative refreshment in the local pub. || 

*  *  * 

## Unannotated game. 

White: V. Jones, 2076. 
Black: C. Ross, 2203. 
Event: British Championship, Torquay, 2009. 
Result: 0-1 in 42 moves. 
Opening: Sicilian Defence, Taimanov Variation, B48. 

1. e4 c5 
2. Nf3 e6 
3. d4 cxd4 
4. Nxd4 Nc6 
5. Nc3 Qc7 
6. Be3 a6 
7. Qd2 Nf6 
8. O-O-O Bb4 
9. f3 Ne5 
10. Nb3 b5 
11. Kb1 Nc4 
12. Bxc4 bxc4 
13. Nc1 Rb8 
14. g4 d6 
15. Ka1 Qa5 
16. N1e2 O-O 
17. h4 Nd7 
18. g5 Nb6 
19. Bxb6 Qxb6 
20. Rh2 Qb7 
21. h5 d5 
22. Rb1 dxe4 
23. fxe4 Qc7 
24. Rg2 Bb7 
25. Qe3 Bc5 
26. Qh3 Qe5 
27. Qg4 Bc6 
28. g6 fxg6 
29. hxg6 h6 
30. Rh1 Rb7 
31. Rgh2 Be3 
32. Rh5 Qf6 
33. Qh3 Bd2 
34. e5 Qxg6 
35. Rg1 Qxc2 
36. Qxe6+ Kh8 
37. Rb1 Rf1 
38. Qc8+ Kh7 
39. Qxb7 Rxb1+ 
40. Nxb1 Bxb7 
41. Nd4 Qd1 
42. Rh4 Bg5 
White resigns, 0-1 

*  *  * 

## Annotations up to move 10 from the game McDonald - Ross, 18 June 2017. 

| Editorial note: The extensive annotations for this game are provided by Chris Ross and were written just a few days before his departure to play in the IBCA Olympiad. 
There have been slight editorial changes to conform with the usual format of these postings, some supplementary notes received from Chris post-session have been included into the text. || 
White: N. McDonald, (Wood Green A), 2407. 
Black: C. Ross, (Drunken Knights 1), 2158. 
Event: London League 2016-17. 
Result: 1/2-1/2 in 34 moves. 
Opening: Sicilian Defence, Taimanov Variation, B48. 

| This is no tame draw. Neither player knew they were going to be matched. 
Neil is my Second in many previous events and will be supporting me in 
Macedonia in June. At the time of this game, Neil had not had chance to 
study many of my latest games, so didn't have an in depth knowledge of my 
latest theory and sub-lines. A distinct and somewhat unfortunate 
disadvantage for him. || 

1. e4 c5 
2. Nf3 e6 
3. d4 cxd4 
4. Nxd4 Nc6 

| White has many options here. 5. C4 is a popular choice. White should be 
restraining the thrust, d7-d5 as much as possible, as this is a neutralising 
move desired by many Sicilian players. 

The signature of the Taimanov (4... Nc6) has many principals. Some unique to 
the Taimanov and some universally accepted aligned to the Sicilian in 
generic terms. 

Obviously, white's king's bishop is an issue for him. The naturally 
aggressive Bd3 is not possible due to the loose nature of the d4-knight. 
5. Be2 permits d5 without challenge. 
5. G3 is an accepted side-line, as then the desired d7-d5 would leave black 
with an isolated D-pawn, which can be duly attacked by the fianchettoed 
white light-squared bishop. 

Two principal purposes of the Taimanov which align to the Sicilian in 
generic terms, is the targeting of the e4-pawn and the attention down the 
half-open C-file. Two very important elements to keep focus on. 
|| 

5. Nc3 Qc7 

| The Taimanov in its true state. 
5... a6, 5... d6, 5... Nf6 are other Sicilian sub-variations. 

One unique signature of the Taimanov is the development of the black 
queen-side before any of the king-side pieces are brought to bear onto the 
white position. Knowing when to develop that king-side is a subtle but very 
important feature of the black setup. 
|| 

6. Be3 

| Other sixth moves are possible. 6. Be2, 6. G3, 6. Nb3 and even 6. F4 are 
all acceptable variations. 

6. Ndb5 achieves nothing at all for white. The only sole purpose of this 
move is to gain a move on the move counter. 
The black queen can hide perfectly satisfactorily on b8 and will evict the 
steed immediately with 7... a6, a move black wants to play in any case. 

A normal way to do this is the move order: 
6. Ndb5 Qb8 7. Be3 a68. Nd4 Qc7 And the usual position has been resumed with an extra move on the counter. 
|| 

6... a6 

| Taimanov principals. Black wishes to expand on the queen-side in order to 
develop the black light-squared bishop. 
This is usually how Taimanov players develop. The light-squared bishop 
targets the e4-pawn after all. 
The other purpose of the move is to prevent 7. Ndb5. 

Or, does it prevent it? 
|| 

7. Qd2 

| Taimanov players have to be aware of subtle tricks that white may have by 
sacrifices on b5. When it works and when it doesn't. An important feature if 
a player is to play the Taimanov. Tempo can be gained in many ways and white 
may have opportunities of sacrificing a piece for three pawns were the black 
D-pawn on d6 and undefended in an adequate way. 

So, is 7. Ndb5 actually playable? 
A clever trick has to be known for 
black to wriggle out of this minor tactical trick of white's. 
7. Ndb5 axb5 8. Nxb5 Qb8 9. Bb6 and there is no good way to prevent 10. Nc7+ 
picking up material or entombing the black queen with 11. Bc7. 
Interestingly, black has the clever 9... Bb4+ 10. C3 Ba5! 11. Nc7+ Qxc7 
12. Bxc7 Bxc7 with three minor pieces for the lady. An interesting middle-game then 
occurs, but theory has given this as a perfectly playable variation for 
black with equal chances. 

Black can play it in a different way. 
7... axb5 8. Nxb5 Qa5+ 9. Bd2 Bb4 10. C3 Be7 11. Bf4 d6 
is just good for black. 
|| 

7... Nf6 

| Again, as a Taimanov player, it is important to realise when it is 
essential when to develop the king-side at an opportune moment. Also, 
captures on c6 have to be calculated carefully. For black's natural 
recapture of Qxc6 keeps the C-file open and targets the e4-pawn. 
The re-capture dxc6 is both ugly and does not aid black in any of his 
strategic objectives. 
The purpose of the black queen is to restrain the thrust e4-e5, and to 
target the C-file. 
Qxc6 withdraws the queen's protection of the e5-square, so if white is 
enabled to do this, the king's knight on f6 needs a good flight square. 
In that sense then, black needs to retain the option of playing b7xc6 until 
the king-side is resolved and that the thrust e4-e5 has been prevented. 

White's seventh move also transmits that he is going to castle queen-side 
very rapidly and that a potential opposite-castled pawn chase is offered. 
In that sense then, black needs to grapple with his pieces to restrain that 
pawn race as much as possible, for his storm of b7-b5 is hindered by the 
reasons given above. 
|| 

8. O-O-O Bb4 

| An unorthodox way to develop the dark-squared bishop, but with a specific 
strategic objective in mind, and one that needs to be handled very carefully 
from the positional point of view, for if judged poorly, black's position 
will collapse without too much resistance. 

Tactically, and as aligned to the principals of the Taimanov, the e4-pawn is 
immediately targeted. White has to resolve this on the move. 
|| 

9. f3 

| Black's reached an important junction in his opening setup. His queen-side 
is somewhat restrained and his own pawn storm is restricted for the time 
being. 

White's storm of g2-g4-g5 is obviously arriving very quickly. 
Black needs a positional trump to justify all of his principled play so 
far. 
|| 

9... Ne5 

| Although it seems illogical to move a knight twice without due purpose, 
black needs to generate a reaction to make an imbalance. 

By moving the knight, all of the issues of captures on c6 have been 
immediately taken out of the equation. Black can now happily advance with 
b7-b5 and begin his pawn storm. 

Critically though, the pinned knight on c3 is pressurised. The positional 
damage threatened to the white camp needs to be evaluated. The giving up of 
the dark-squared bishop is a big price, for in an open position and the 
black queen-side pawns being on light-squares, the positional justification 
has to be validated by a specific tangible consequence. 
|| 

10. Kb1?! 

| Intriguingly, the Grandmaster mixes up his lines and finds an inferior way 
to play the position. This innocuous move is a critical point, from which 
white is arguably, struggling to salvage the game. 

Tactically, white did not have many options to prevent any structural 
damage. 
10. F4 is not playable, since this releases the protection of the e4-pawn, 
10... Nxe4 snatches the e4-pawn with gain of tempo on the white queen. The 
white position will collapse very quickly then. 
10. Nde2 is also not possible due to 10... Nc4 neatly justifying the 
knight's excursion into the centre of the board and netting the white 
dark-squared bishop in the process. Black would not create any structural 
damage, but would have a huge plus in obtaining the bishop pair. 
So, what is the point of the king move? 

Apart from attempting to put the king in a more secure position, it sets up 
annoying tactics for black. 
Although the knight on c3 is pinned, what the king move achieves is that the 
queen on d2 cannot be captured with check. 

In that sense then, 11... b5 is a blunder due to 12. Ncxb5 exploiting the 
undefended nature of the dark-squared bishop on b4. There are some fun lines 
in this variation for white involving Nc6 with Rd8 mate themes and other 
such things, so have fun working all of them out. Suffice to say, that 11... 
b5 is accepted to be poor for black. 

10. Kb1 is not the theoretical move though. Best play dictates that 10. Nb3 
is the preferred move for white. 
One must ask then, to why that is. 

Play could then go: 
10... b5 11. Kb1, (threatening Nxb5), Nc4 12. Bxc4 bxc4 13. Nd4 
and black has a number of ways to proceed, starting with 
13... Rb8, 13... Qa5 (be aware of Nc6 tricks though! and other such themes. 

So, why then, is 10. Nb3 the preferred move? 
The answer lies within the d4-square. The dark-square bishop on e3 will need 
a possible retreat. A retreat can also be by moving forward. By playing Bd4, 
neither of the black knights can gain tempo on it by it's loose nature. 
On d4, the bishop exerts pressure down the long diagonal, when g7 is of particular attention. 
10. Bf4 is seen as not a good variation for white. 
Black can respond with the ambitious 10... d5 or be solid with 
10... d6 11. Nb3 Ke7! 
and black does well in both of these lines. 

The final point to 10. Nb3 is that pressure is created on the c5-square. 
Both the e3-bishop and the b3-knight focus their combined attention on that square. 
|| 

*  *  *