Skype coaching session, 16 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
 
The following game was examined, the games 63 moves is given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

*  *  * 

Annotated game. 

White: A. Stefanova, 2360. 
Black: Z. Peng, 2370. 
Event: Belgrade 1994. 
Result: 0-1 in 63 moves. 
Opening: King's Indian Defence, Saemisch Variation, E81. 

1. d4 Nf6 
2. c4 g6 
3. Nc3 Bg7 
4. e4 d6 
5. Nge2 

| The more usual Saemisch Variation move order is, 5. f3, and, 6. Be3. 
White id deliberately postponing developing the c1 bishop, possibly anticipating a system from black where it can be better placed on the g5 square. || 

5. ... O-O 
6. f3 c5 

| The first major decision from black, a transposition into a Benoni system. 
Has white perhaps prepared something different from the usual lines? || 

7. d5 

| And now the first serious decision from white. 
Those players who like playing with a spatial advantage will push past here, those players preferring to avoid erecting a pawn chain which will become a target to be undermined will permit black an eventual, c5xd4. 
It is all a question of which type of middlegame suits your style. 
Study a few games in systems where the d-pawn is pushed forward and some where the d-pawn remains static allowing a trade on d4, then choose. || 

7. ... e6 
8. g4 

| Not quite a novelty but very rare. 
Much more popular here are, Ng3, or, Bg5, orBe3. || 

8. ... exd5 
9. cxd5 a6 
10. a4 h5 

| So much for those apparent rules regarding pawn interactions of attack and defence. 
Perhaps those rules should instead be thought of as guidelines? 
Generally speaking, one should avoid unnecessary pawn moves on the side of the board where the opponent is attacking. 
And yet here we have black challenging the white attack with a pawn move. 
There are occasions when the guideline can be successfully overruled. 
Here black is playing, pawn h5, in order to prevent white from playing a very quick, pawn h4, and, pawn h5. || 

11. Bg5 

| Now that the black h-pawn has advanced, this bishop pin cannot be broken with a challenging black, pawn h6. || 

11. ... hxg4 

| Black must not allow white the luxury of, 12. gxh5 gxh5, to be followed with much enjoyment for white up the fully-opened g-file. || 

12. Ng3 

| White decides to offer a pawn on the kingside in return for open lines. 
Is this gambit sound? 
Far too early to say, come back about move 30 and we shall have a better assessment of the offer. 
Each player will be put to the test, difficult strategic decisions to be made along with tactical calculations for the attack and defence. 
Good fun, right? || 

12. ... Re8 

| Almost always a useful move. 
The rook puts some pressure on the white e4 pawn, and even though it is well defended at the moment, one cannot be certain how matters will stand in some 10 moves or so. 
There is also the gain that the black fianchetto g7 bishop can now retreat with, Bh8, should white play for the usual manoeuvre, Qd2, and, Bh6, attempting to trade dark square bishops. || 

13. Qd2 Qa5 

| Escaping the pin of the white g5 bishop, pinning the white a4 pawn, and ensuring the white c3 knight remains immobile, otherwise there would be a trade of queens which would only favour black as this would seriously weaken whatever kingside attack white is about to mount. || 

14. h4 Nbd7 

| Black should not get greedy with, 14. ... gxh3 15. Bxh3, when white will have a fully-open h-file for an avenue of attack. || 

15. Be2 gxf3 

| So white finally forces black to accept the pawn. 
Let's all sit back and enjoy the show as white builds for a kingside attack while black tries to ignore it for as long as possible. || 

16. Bxf3 Ne5 
17. Be2 

| Instead, 17. Bg2 Nc4, gives black too much queenside play, because, 18. Qc2 Nxd5, losing at least a pawn, with worse surely to follow quickly on the dark squares. 
On the e2 square, the white light square bishop has entered into the bishop versus knight stand-off. 
The black e5 knight is comfortably winning this particular skirmish. 
Why? Simply because the white e2 bishop is tied down to preventing good moves by the black knight, while the black e5 knight is not really needed to guard threats of the white bishop. 
In essence, the black e5 knight can move around without the white bishop making any impact on the game, however the reverse is not true, the white bishop must remain on e2 to contain the black knight. || 

17. ... b5 

| Hey, it is actually turning out to be an opposite-wing pawn race, of sorts. 
Black is going to claim some queenside space while white carries on with the kingside attack. 
This strategy cannot last for long, sooner or later black is going to have to respond with some kingside play. || 

18. h5 b4 
19. Nd1 

| As one door of opportunity closes another one opens. 
This knight now transfers itself into the centre to improve options of kingside play. || 

19. ... c4 

| These black pawn have gone about as far as they can for the moment. 
They do however contain some threats if white gets careless or too ambitious. || 

20. Kf1 

| Escaping the x-ray glare of the black a5 queen. 
Fine, but the white king cannot be certain of finding safety on the kingside either, it seems white has one king to many. || 

20. ... Nh7 

| The h8 - a1 dark square long diagonal is now open for action with a gain of tempo on the white g5 bishop. || 

21. Bh6 Bh8 
22. Qf4 

| Balance between attack and defence must be made when play is taking place across the full width of the board. 
Is there a, "Best", piece formation for white on the kingside? 
Perhaps put the king on h1, shuffle the rooks to double on the g-file, the d1 knight could centralise and just where should the white queen be when white finally commits with, hxg6? 
One could spend a good 20 minutes hammering around in your mind trying to find the precise piece coordination. 
And while you are doing this from the white perspective, remember black will also be counter-shuffling to meet the growing white activity. 
Fritz and friends can crunch these positions in a few minutes to find the piece harmony to maximise the grip on the position. 
Humans must rely on a mixture of understanding and experience to dictate which formations will be given over to analysis. 

Bobby Fischer warns us about positions when there is attack and defence taking place across the entire board - "In chess it is essential to know when to punch and when to duck." 
Black to play and work out if this is the time to punch or duck. || 

22. ... Qd8 

| Duck! 
A very young Grand Rabbit sitting safe in the warren was offered the fable of The Carrot And The Fox. 
Too detailed to report here, but suffice it to say contained therein was some good life-style advice. 
The message revolves around using your nose and tongue to appreciate one while using your ears and legs to avoid being appreciated by the other. 

Using the pawn-count values of the pieces, when playing Qf4, white has just increased the activity on the kingside by 9 points. 
Who does black have of similar value? 
Why, the queen lounging on the a5 square. 
Sure, if the black queenside attack was about to break through, then she should stay over there. 
However, the black queenside assault cannot make immediate progress, while the white kingside momentum is growing. 
As the fable offered in the warren reports, carrots can make excellent soup, but so can rabbits... 

Conclusion: There is no shame in retreating from your own attack to staunch a strong attack of your opponent. 
Winning an enemy rook on the queenside is very nice, but not if you lose a friendly king on the kingside. || 

23. Ne3 Qf6 

| Surely this pins the white queen to her king? 
In general, a queen trade is usually undesirable for the attacker and a queen trade is usually favourable to the defender. 
So how is white to avoid a trade of queens? || 

24. Ngf5 

| An offer of a knight as well as preventing an immediate exchange of queens. || 

24. ... Bxf5 

| Black correctly resists the temptation. 
A few sample lines of what being greedy can bring: 
(A). If, 24. ... gxf5 25. Rg1+ Bg7 26. Bxg7 Qd8 27. Bf6+ Kf8 28. Qh6+, is mate. 
(B). Or if, 24. ... gxf5 25. Rg1+ Bg7 26. Bxg7 Qxg7 27. Rxg7+ Kxg7 28. Nxf5+, and white has won the black queen and a pawn for a white rook and knight, the attack has not yet been rebuffed, white is clearly far better. 
(C). Or if, 24. ... txf5 25. Rg1+, black tries, 25. ... Ng4, again with complications involving any of white replying with, exf5, or, Nxf5, or, Nxg4, or, Bxg4. 
(D). Or if, 24. ... txf5 25. Rg1+, black tries, 25. ... Ng6, again with complications involving any of white replying with, exf5, or, Nxf5, or, pawn h5, or, Bh5. 

By refusing to open up the g-file with, gxf5, black avoids unnecessary complications which might just hand a strong position to white. || 

25. exf5 

| White chooses to retain a knight on the e3 square, perhaps as an insurance plan should the attack break down? 
The idea is to keep the knight and e2 bishop aiming at the singly-defended black c4 pawn so it can be captured to equalise material for the forthcoming endgame. 

The downside of maintaining the pressure on the black c-pawn is that white now has two pawns on light squares, d5 and f5, in need of defensive support from the white light square bishop. 
Had white kept the central pawn formation of e4 supporting d5, then only the e4 pawn would need support later in the game. 

Black to play must find a neat idea to slow down the white kingside initiative. || 

25. ... g5 

| A nice touch. 
White no longer has options of, hxg6, available and there is the little problem of a sideways attack from the black queen onto the now-unprotected white h6 bishop. || 

26. Bxg5 Nxg5 
27. Rg1 Kh7 
28. Rxg5 

| So white regains a piece and pawn with a useful rook lift up the g-file. 
Looks good, right? 
Matters are not so simple. 
Even if white could triple both rooks and queen on the g-file it would be ineffectual, there is no invasion square. 
Furthermore, an important change in the position took place when white was forced to concede the dark square h6 bishop for the black h7 knight. 
There is now a distinct possibility of an opposite colour bishop ending, almost certainly drawn as the pawn formations stand at the moment. 
Achieving elimination of all the other pieces is far from easy, and it is not even clear who is going to be more fearful of a forthcoming ending of opposite bishops combined with heavy pieces, is it? 

This question will very soon be answered, perhaps some consideration of the pawn formations will assist you to work it out in advance. || 

28. ... Bg7 

| Threatening, 29. ... Bh6, skewering the white rook and queen. 
The alignment of white pieces on the c1 - h6 diagonal combined with a wish to continue the attack compels white to strive for an initiative which might not be achievable. || 

29. h6 Bxh6 
30. Rh5 

| Pinning the black h6 bishop only buys white some shuffle-time. 
The loss of the white h-pawn along the way is of no great concern, remember that doubly-attacked black c-pawn is just sitting there awaiting judgement. || 

30. ... Kg7 
31. Qg3+ Kf8 

| Perhaps it is time for Grand Rabbit to offer a breakdown of the elements of the position? 
The kings: Black has an f-pawn to dance around should the need arise, the white king has no such defensive assistance should the black forces begin to invade. 
The queens: Black is rather blocked in while white appears to have activity in the open kingside. 
The rooks: Black is ready to double rooks up the e-file, white is some way from achieving any coordination between the widely scattered pair. 
The knights: Black on e5 has a secure outpost, white on e3 is hanging in fresh air. 
The bishops: Black on h6 is going to have a wonderful future controlling virtually every dark square which comes into view, white on e2 is going to be either limited by the central white pawns or reduced to defending those central pawns should they come under pressure. 
The pawns: Black is about to lose the c-pawn leaving three pawn islands, white also has three pawn islands, so perhaps this means they cancel each other out? 
No way. White embarked on central / kingside pawn expansion for an attack, but once this ground to a halt, the static advanced pawns were only going to become targets. 

So who stands better? 
It will come down to the main difference in the material, those opposite colour bishops. 
Whichever one can support their heavy pieces to invade at the other end of the board will be the superior. 
Clue: As previously mentioned, white has one king too many. 
Just watch as black demonstrates that opposite colour bishop late middlegames are a world away from opposite colour bishop endgames. 

White in the game realises the attack is over and must now regain the lost pawn. || 

32. Nxc4 Nxc4 
33. Bxc4 Re4 

| Black uses an attack tempo to achieve doubling of rooks on the e-file. || 

34. Be2 Rae8 
35. Bf3 Rf4 

| Have you ever felt during a game about standing up to proclaim: "Isn't fair!", to anyone within earshot? 
No? Oh, just me then. 
White has been trying for a kingside initiative since move 8 while offering small amounts of material along the way. 
Hindsight will, of course, happily inform us if white had kept those central / kingside pawns near to home then black would not have this amount of activity. 
And yet here we now have black invading all over the dark squares and it is only going to get more difficult for white. 
You know what? "'Tisn't fair!" || 

36. Re1 

| White dare not allow, 36. ... Ree3, putting the white f3 bishop into a right royal pair of pins. 
Black would then be winning either the white bishop or queen and bishop for the two rooks. || 

36. ... Rxe1+ 

| White is a little closer to that much-sought opposite colour bishop ending. 
Just a queen and rook to go and a quick handshake must surely follow? 
Only one small problem, black is not going to allow a trade of both the queen and rook. || 

37. Kxe1 Qe5+ 

| The black forces are slowly infiltrating on the dark squares. 
Fine, but if the white forces can set up a defensive formation on the light squares, then it is going to fizzle out, isn't it? || 

38. Kf1 Bg7 

| More dark square shuffling. 
This bishop has a wonderful future if it could just occupy a certain square. || 

39. b3 Qe3 

| A triple purpose move. 
Firstly, there is now a double attack on the white f3 bishop which cannot be ignored. 
Secondly, the black queen is probing at the weak white queenside, though at the moment there are greater rewards to be found on the kingside. 
Thirdly, when a piece moves it leaves a square vacant for someone else... || 

40. Kg2 Be5 

| Creating a rather nasty x-ray attack on the white g3 queen, who is rather short of options as she must protect the vulnerable f3 bishop. || 

41. Rg5 

| White is desperately trying to find some counterplay against the black king. 
Unfortunately, the black f7 pawn is going to restrict the dreams of the white queen and rook. 
Hindsight is gleefully pointing out that had white taken the opportunity to exchange with, hxg6, sometime around move 20, then the black king would not have such a pleasant time as he does now. || 

41. ... Ke7 
42. Rg8 

| White is sending the rook queenside in the hope some pawn-snaffling will counter the loss of the f5 pawn. || 

42. ... Rxf5 
43. Qh4+ 

| Defending with, 43. Qh3, gives black much freedom. 
A few sample lines to show the power of pieces when there is little or no pawn cover: 
(A). If, 43. Qh3 Rf6, when black threatens, 44. ... Rh6, followed by a crushing, Rh2+, invasion. 
(B). Or if, 43. Qh3 Rf6 44. Re8+ Kxe8 45. Qc8+ Ke7 46. Qc7+ Kf8 47. Qc8+ Kg7, and white runs out of ideas since, 48. Qg4+ Rg6, white loses the queen for a rook. 
(C). Or if, 43. Qh3 Rf6 44. Rh8, is not good because, 44. Qxf3+ 45. Qxf3 Rxf3 46. Kxf3 Bxh8, black has won a piece. 
(D). Or if, 43. Qh3 Qd2+ 44. Kh1 Rxf3, either loses a piece or stumbles into, 45. Qxf3 Qh2+ mate. 
(E). Or if, 43. Qh3 Qd2+ 44. Kg1 Bd4+ 45. Kf1 Qf2+ is mate. 
(F). Or if, 43. Qh3 Qd2+ 44. Kg1 Bd4+ 45. Kh1 Qe1+ 46. Kh2 Qf2+ 47. Bg2 Be5+ 48. Kh1 Qe1+ 49. Bf1 Rxf1+, black wins a piece and the battering continues. 
(G). Or if, 43. Qh3 Qd2+ 44. Kf1 Qd3+ 45. Kg2 Bf6, with ideas of transferring the rook to the e-file for an invasion of the white back rank. || 

43. ... Bf6 
44. Qe4+ 

| White feels obliged to trade queens. 
Instead, 44. Qh3 Rf4, with the threat, Rh4, and, Rd4, and the black rook will invade with, Rd2, creating too many threats. || 

44. ... Qxe4 
45. Bxe4 Re5 

| We have reached one of those positions which players might assess as, "Draw-Win". 
That is, white hopes to achieve a draw, black hopes to find a win. 
Someone will be disappointed. 
How should each player go about achieving their aim? 
White must send the rook queenside, grab as many pawns as allowed, and push a passed pawn as quickly as possible. 
The white bishop should be thinking in terms of giving itself up for the black f-pawn once black has invested time in getting it up the board. 
Black must think in terms of using king, rook, bishop and f-pawn to weave a mating net in front of the white king. 
Winning the white bishop for the f-pawn should be only sought as a last resort, which also means black must not allow white to give up the bishop for the Well-advanced f-pawn. || 

46. Kf3 Bg5 

| When there are opposite colour bishops combined with either a single rook or double rooks, whoever has the initiative might be thought of as attacking with an extra piece. 
Here black is about to make excellent use of the dark squares as the white light square bishop is reduced to role of spectator. || 

47. Rb8 

| White can win at least one of the black queenside pawns and targets the b4 pawn. 
If this one is let go, then the white rook on b4 will sideways influence matters on the kingside across the white 4th rank. || 

47. ... f5 
48. Bc2 a5 

| White is forced to eliminate the queenside in the order of a-pawn and then b-pawn. 
This allows black to make rapid progress on the kingside while white is spending moves on the queenside. || 

49. Rb5 Re3+ 
50. Kf2 f4 

| The black f-pawn supports the rook which releases the g5 bishop for infiltration duties. || 

51. Bd1 

| White is preparing to give up the bishop for the now-dangerous black f-pawn. 
One black threat white had to avoid was, 51. ... Bh4+ 52. Kf1 Rh3, and on the next move black advances, pawn f3, creating a mating net, the squares e2, f2, g2, all now under the control of black, so that, Rh1+, would be mate. 
Note that instead, 51. Rxa5 Bh4+ 52. Kg2 f3+ 53. Kf1 f2, and nothing sensible can prevent black from playing, 54 Re1+, and subsequent promotion of the black f-pawn. || 

51. ... Bh4+ 
52. Kg2 Rg3+ 
53. Kh2 

| Black in the game must now find an important strategic idea which will shorten the game by perhaps some 20 or 25 moves. || 

53. ... Rd3 

| Black must chase the white bishop off the d1 - h5 diagonal in order to advance the passed f-pawn safely to either the 6th or the 7th rank. || 

54. Bh5 Kf6 
55. Rxa5 Kg5 

| And the white bishop is ejected from the d1 - h5 diagonal with the additional gain that the black king can also assist in potential mating nets if required. || 

56. Be8 Bg3+ 
57. Kg1 

| Instead, 57. Kh3 Rd2, and nothing can prevent, 58. ... Rh2+ mate. || 

57. ... Rd1+ 

| Black could quite safely play, 57. ... f3, setting up a wall of 6th rank of bishop and pawn. 
This barrier restricts the white king to the back rank creating ideas of a mate, but white can disrupt this plan with, Bb5, and, Bf1, when black must have a good idea on how to proceed. 
Black in the game keeps the essentials of the position undisturbed while giving white the chance to go wrong. || 

58. Kg2 Rd2+ 
59. Kg1 

| Instead trying for apparent activity with, 59. Kf3 Rf2+ 60. Ke4 Re2+ 61. Kf3 Rxe8, costs white the loose e8 bishop. || 

59. ... f3 
60. Bb5 

| Now providing the white king can be located on the g1 square when black gives a white back rank check, then the white retreating interference of, Bf1, will set black a problem of how to finish it off. || 

60. ... Rg2+ 

| Again this is not really necessary, perhaps black is putting moves on the scoresheet to be certain the time-control is passed while not disrupting the essential pattern of the position. || 

61. Kh1 Rb2 
62. Kg1 Rb1+ 
63. Bf1 

| Black to play and find an idea to end the game immediately. 
Clue: A paradox of chess is that moving backwards can sometimes be regarded as moving forwards. || 

63. ... Be5 
White resigns, 0-1 

| If the white king can be displaced from g1 to h2, then the f1 bishop falls. 
If, 64. Ra8 Bd4+ 65. Kh2 Rxf1 66. Rg8+ Kh4, and white is helpless against the idea of, pawn f2, and, Rg1, vacating the promotion square. 
The black f-pawn will then cost white a rook, and there will of course be other successful ideas for black once the f1 bishop falls. 
Or if at the point of resignation white tries to escape the back rank pin with, 64. Kf2, there would follow, 64. ... Kf4, and black threatens, Bd4+, mate, which can only be avoided with the white king retreat, 65. Kg1, when black further invades with, 65. ... Kg3, and there is nothing to prevent, 66. ... Bd4+ 67. Kh1 Rxf1+ mate. || 

*  *  * 

## Unannotated game. 

White: A. Stefanova, 2360. 
Black: Z. Peng, 2370. 
Event: Belgrade 1994. 
Result: 0-1 in 63 moves. 
Opening: King's Indian Defence, Saemisch Variation, E81. 

1. d4 Nf6 
2. c4 g6 
3. Nc3 Bg7 
4. e4 d6 
5. Nge2 O-O 
6. f3 c5 
7. d5 e6 
8. g4 exd5 
9. cxd5 a6 
10. a4 h5 
11. Bg5 hxg4 
12. Ng3 Re8 
13. Qd2 Qa5 
14. h4 Nbd7 
15. Be2 gxf3 
16. Bxf3 Ne5 
17. Be2 b5 
18. h5 b4 
19. Nd1 c4 
20. Kf1 Nh7 
21. Bh6 Bh8 
22. Qf4 Qd8 
23. Ne3 Qf6 
24. Ngf5 Bxf5 
25. exf5 g5 
26. Bxg5 Nxg5 
27. Rg1 Kh7 
28. Rxg5 Bg7 
29. h6 Bxh6 
30. Rh5 Kg7 
31. Qg3+ Kf8 
32. Nxc4 Nxc4 
33. Bxc4 Re4 
34. Be2 Rae8 
35. Bf3 Rf4 
36. Re1 Rxe1+ 
37. Kxe1 Qe5+ 
38. Kf1 Bg7 
39. b3 Qe3 
40. Kg2 Be5 
41. Rg5 Ke7 
42. Rg8 Rxf5 
43. Qh4+ Bf6 
44. Qe4+ Qxe4 
45. Bxe4 Re5 
46. Kf3 Bg5 
47. Rb8 f5 
48. Bc2 a5 
49. Rb5 Re3+ 
50. Kf2 f4 
51. Bd1 Bh4+ 
52. Kg2 Rg3+ 
53. Kh2 Rd3 
54. Bh5 Kf6 
55. Rxa5 Kg5 
56. Be8 Bg3+ 
57. Kg1 Rd1+ 
58. Kg2 Rd2+ 
59. Kg1 f3 
60. Bb5 Rg2+ 
61. Kh1 Rb2 
62. Kg1 Rb1+ 
63. Bf1 Be5 
White resigns, 0-1 

*  *  *