Skype coaching session, 10 June 2018. 

The game discussed (38 moves) is given below with annotations and without annotations. 

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
 
Paul Benson. 

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Annotated Game. 

White: V. Barnaure, 2511. 
Black: D. Holmes, 2271. 
Event: Scottish Championship (Glasgow) 2012. 
Result: 0-1 in 38 moves. 
Opening: Reti Opening, Advanced Variation, A09. 

1. Nf3 d5 
2. c4 d4 

| Black selects a reverse Benoni formation. || 

3. a3 

| Much more popular choices here are: 3. pawn g3, 3. pawn b4, 3. pawn e3, and 3. pawn d3. 
The move, pawn a3, definitely belongs in this system for white, but perhaps any of the above moves should be preferred before the a-pawn is committed. 
For a completely different type of game there is, 3. pawn e4, up for examination, play can follow ideas found in the Czech Benoni. 
Lastly, there is the somewhat strange-looking, 3. pawn c5, to be mentioned as having being played a few times, should surprise players at club level once one has done the necessary homework. || 

3. ... f6 

| Black intends to construct a central pawn chain on the dark squares. || 

4. d3 e5 
5. e3 

| White makes the traditional central challenge thematic to Benoni pawn structures. || 

5. ... c5 

| Also playable here is, 5. ... Nc6, fighting for the centre, such a piece development avoids giving white a target on c5 for white to undermine. || 

6. b4 

| A double purpose move. 
Firstly, white is hoping black will take the game into Benko territory reversed with, 6. ... cxb4. 
Secondly, if black declines the offer of a Benko reversed, then white will have options of trading with, bxc5, beginning the process of undermining the black d4 pawn. || 

6. ... a5 

| Forcing white into making a decision, the simple threat is, 7. ... axb4, comfortably winning a pawn. || 

7. bxc5 

| White chooses to undermine the black d4 pawn. 
The options rejected were: 
(A). If, 7. bxa5 Rxa5, when white will always need to keep a defence on the a3 pawn. 
(B). Or if, 7. Bb2 axb4 8. axb4 Rxa1 9. Bxa1 dxe3 10. fxe3 cxb4, and white must work hard to regain the lost pawn. 
(C). Or if, 7. b5, white might think about arranging castling queenside to be followed by a kingside assault, but this assumes black will castle kingside. 
In the game it is now black to play and accuracy is now required to avoid giving white the option of gaining a small advantage. || 

7. ... Nc6 

| Black demonstrates that immediate recapturing with, 7. ... Bxc5, can be postponed. 
The idea is that the careless, 7. ... Bxc5 8. exd4, forces black into an awkward decision. 
(A). If, 8. ... Bxd4 9. Nxd4, and white will enjoy the pleasures of the bishop pair in an open middlegame, an advantage definitely worth having. 
(B). Or if, 8. ... exd4, white can arrange putting a bishop on b2, the b1 knight on b3, forcing black to keep pieces tied down to defending the isolated d4 pawn. || 

8. exd4 Nxd4 
9. Nxd4 Qxd4 
10. Ra2 Bxc5 

| The black queen and battery on the white f2 pawn demands care here. || 

11. Be3 Qd6 
12. Nc3 

| Threatening, 13. Ne4 Qc7 14. Nxc5, winning a piece. || 

12. ... Bxe3 
13. fxe3 Nh6 

| The most natural square for the g8 knight of f6 is unavailable due to setting up a dark square pawn chain. 
The alternate development plan of, Ne7 - Nc6, would assist in preventing white from organising the central break of, pawn d4, but black judges the kingside needs a defender even if it is not on the best square. || 

14. Nb5 

| Surely a surprise? 
The most natural square for this knight must be d5, so what is an International Master doing playing a beginner's one-move threat? 
The answer is that, "Tactricks", are in the air. || 

14. ... Qe7 
15. Qh5+ 

| The beginning of kingside activity. 
The alternative was to keep the queen behind the central pawns with the aim of organising, pawn d4. || 

15. ... Nf7 

| Instead, 15. ... Qf7, allows white to flick in an intermezzo forking check, 16. Nc7+ Ke7 17. Qxf7+ Kxf7 18. Nxa8, and white wins a rook. || 

16. Be2 O-O 
17. O-O Bd7 

| Not just attacking the white b5 knight, the bishop is planning to shuffle onto c6, fighting for the centre. || 

18. Nc7 Rab8 

| With options of breaking with, pawn b5, if felt desirable. || 

19. Nd5 

| The white knight has spent 4 moves to arrive on d5 which could have been reached in 2 moves. 
Why waste two tempi like this? 
Perhaps the word, "waste", is inaccurate. 
Along the way white gave black the opportunity to make a mistake by blocking the aggressive, Qh5+, with, Qf7, losing a rook. 
Also the chosen route gained 2 attack tempi on the black queen, so in reality no tempi were wasted. || 

19. ... Qd6 
20. Bg4 

| White initiates a plan of kingside probing which again costs several tempi, black in turn again has pieces pushed around a little. 
The main question to be asked is who is gaining from the white plan? || 

20. ... Bc6 

| Paradoxical. 
We are told that to reduce the power of an attack one should trade off the opposing pieces. 
White is playing for kingside activity and yet black chooses to keep pieces on the board, why? 
Simply because black reckons the white activity does not have sufficient force to break through. 
So black allows the white plan to proceed with the bonus of making small gains as the shuffling takes place. || 

21. Bf5 

| Threatening mate in one with, Qh7+, this is easily prevented with a little care. || 

21. ... Nh6 

| Black had to avoid the catastrophic, 21. ... g6 22. Bxg6 hxg6 23. Qxg6+ Kh8 24. Nxf6, when black must either give up queen for knight with, 24. ... Qxf6, or allow mate after, 24. ... Ng5 25. Qh6+ Nh7 26. Qxh7+ mate. || 

22. Be4 f5 

| A powerful pawn advance which stops the white kingside attack. 
The tide is on the turn, black is about to take over the initiative, white now has to re-group to try and hold the position. || 

23. Bf3 Rbe8 

| Black demonstrates flexibility of thinking. 
When placing the rook on b8 there were options of breaking out with, pawn b5, which would probably be all right, but one must always search for something better. 
This black rook centralisation is preparing a central pawn break, white needs defenders to control the resulting black activity, and quickly. || 

24. Qh4 

| A sad but necessary decision, the white queen kingside foray has gained nothing, in fact it is black who has gained from the campaign. 
With the white attack repulsed and a black central break in the air, she must make a humbling return to defend the centre. || 

24. ... Kh8 

| A sensible precaution. 
Black gets the king off the light square of g8 which permits a capture of, Bxd5, and should white then recapture with the bishop it will not be check. 
Carelessnesses such as allowing a check in the middle of a move sequence can result in success drifting into failure. || 

25. Qe1 Qc5 

| Probably the best move of the game so far. 
This subtle shuffle of the black queen pins the white e3 pawn while maintaining pressure on the a3 pawn and also including an x-ray attack on the white king. 
While these small points force white to take action they are not the real reason for the queen move. 
Black is planning some central action and to gain the most the queen needs to be on the c5 square. || 

26. Rff2 

| This rook lift is a Jekyll and Hyde of a move. 
The pin on the e3 pawn is broken and the lonely a2 rook finally receives a protection. 
However on f2 this rook it is potentially vulnerable to an annoying attack from the black knight, or is it? 
Surely the white f3 bishop could eliminate the black knight should, Ng4, be tried? 
Instead, 26. ... Kh1, escaping the x-ray glare of the black queen creates fewer problems for white. || 

26. ... Bxd5 

| The white knight on d5 might have appeared to have been controlling a good number of squares in the black defences, but in actuality it was backwardly defending the e3 pawn and so needed to be eliminated. 
White now needs to decide which way to recapture. || 

27. cxd5 

| White cannot afford to have the f3 bishop deflected from guarding the g4 invasion square. 
Instead, 27. Bxd5 Ng4 28. Rfe2 Nxe3, and if now, 29. Rxe3 f4, black ends up winning an exchange due to the white king on g1 being pinned by the black c5 queen. || 

27. ... e4 
28. dxe4 

| Instead, 28. Be2 exd3 29. Bxd3 Rxe3 30. Qf1 Ng4, and if the white f2 rook moves then, 30. ... Rxd3+, wins a piece, though there is also, 30. ... Re1+, winning the white queen for a rook available. || 

28. ... fxe4 
29. Bh5 

| White is in a difficult position and so tries a randomiser in the hope sufficient confusion will be created permitting escape. || 

29. ... Rxf2 
30. Rxf2 

| Instead, 30. Bxe8 Rxa2, costs white a rook. 
This type of tactic is easy to miss, the white a1 rook has played no active role all game and consequently not having figured in any calculations can lead to it being completely forgotten. 
Instead, 30. Qxf2, would not yield the sort of counterplay white manages to achieve in game as the white queen cannot invade up the f-file due to being tied down to protecting the weak e3 pawn. || 

30. ... Rd8 

| White now has 3 weak pawns on a3, d5 and e3, just a question of time before one of them drops off, which leads to white throwing in another randomiser. 
Lesson: Diagnose a difficult position early and take randomising action as soon as possible. || 

31. Qb1 

| White knows one of the loose pawns is dropping off and in desperation tries to find some activity for the queen. || 

31. ... Qxe3 

| Black picks off the most succulent morsel, as the white e3 pawn departs a strong black passed pawn is created on e4. 
Less advantageous choices run: 
(A). If, 31. ... Qxd5 32. Rd1 Qg8 33. Qxe4, when a curious activity-reversal of the opposing queens has occurred, white must be better here. 
(B). Or if, 31. ... Rxd5 32. Qxb7, and black must spend time calculating whether, 32. ... Rxh5, winning the loose white bishop does not blunder into a forcing sequence leading to a back rank mate, it doesn't, but why take the risk? 
(C). If, 31. ... Qxa3 32. Qxe4, gives white an active game with the 2 central connected passed pawns ready to roll. 
The chosen game move reinstates the pin on the white king which should be immediately broken. || 

32. Kf1 

| Black is to play and find the simplest of shuffles which creates severe problems in the white defences. || 

32. ... Rc8 

| From here to the end of the game it is now a question of who is going to find their back rank the weaker, the immediate problem for white to solve is, 33. ... Rc1+, winning a heavy exchange. || 

33. Qe1 

Instead, 33. Bd1 Rc1, and white has no painless means to avoid mate or ruinous loss of material, some sample lines run: 
(A). If, 33. Bd1 Rc1 34. Qxb7 Rxd1+ mate. 
(B). Or if, 33. Bd1 Rc1 34. Qc2 Rxc2 35. Bxc2 Qc1+ 36. Bd1 Qxd1+ mate. 
(C). Or if, 33. Bd1 Rc1 34. Qc2 Rxc2 35. Bxc2 Qc1+ 36. Ke2 Qxc2+, black has queen and knight against a lone white rook. || 

33. ... Rc1 
34. Rf8+ 

| There is no satisfactory defence available so white resorts to an attack in the hope some confusion might occur. 
Instead, 34. Bd1 Qd3+, leaves white hopeless as follows: 
(A). If, 34. Bd1 Qd3+ 35. Be2 Rxe1+ 36. Kxe1 Qc3+ 37. Kd1 e3 38. Rf8+ Ng8, and white cannot prevent, Qd2+ mate. 
(B). Or if, 34. Bd1 Qd3+ 35. Be2 Rxe1+ 36. Kxe1 Qc3+ 37. Kf1 Qc1+ 38. Bd1 Qxd1+ mate. 
(C). Or if, 34. Bd1 Qd3+ 35. Re2 Rxd1, black has already won a piece with the win of the heavy exchange on e1 to follow. 
(D). Or if, 34. Bd1 Qd3+ 35. Qe2 Rxd1+ mate. || 

34. ... Ng8 

| This pinned knight might be endangered if white has the time to play, Bf7, but there should be no mating net as black should have time to create a flight route with, pawn h5. || 

35. Qxc1 Qxc1+ 
36. Ke2 Qxa3 

| A nice touch. 
This not only creates a pair of distant passed pawns but also gains an attack tempo on the loose white f8 rook. || 

37. Rd8 Qd3+ 
38. Ke1 

| Instead, 38. Kf2 Qd2+ 39. Kg3 g6 40. Bg4 Kg7, all thoughts of white finding a mating net have gone, the black g8 knight is now free to join in, and just how is white going to cope with those 3 black passed pawns? || 

38. ... e3 
White resigns, 0-1 

| The simple black threat is, Qd2+, and, Qf2+ mate. 
Attempted blocking fails, 39. Be2 Qd2+ 40. Kf1 Qc1+ 41. Bd1 Qxd1+ mate. 
Attempted guarding similarly fails, 39. Rf8 Qd2+ 40. Kf1 Qc1+ 41. Bd1 Qxd1+ mate. || 

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## Unannotated Game. 

White: V. Barnaure, 2511. 
Black: D. Holmes, 2271. 
Event: Scottish Championship (Glasgow) 2012. 
Result: 0-1 in 38 moves. 
Opening: Reti Opening, Advanced Variation, A09. 

1. Nf3 d5 
2. c4 d4 
3. a3 f6 
4. d3 e5 
5. e3 c5 
6. b4 a5 
7. bxc5 Nc6 
8. exd4 Nxd4 
9. Nxd4 Qxd4 
10. Ra2 Bxc5 
11. Be3 Qd6 
12. Nc3 Bxe3 
13. fxe3 Nh6 
14. Nb5 Qe7 
15. Qh5+ Nf7 
16. Be2 O-O 
17. O-O Bd7 
18. Nc7 Rab8 
19. Nd5 Qd6 
20. Bg4 Bc6 
21. Bf5 Nh6 
22. Be4 f5 
23. Bf3 Rbe8 
24. Qh4 Kh8 
25. Qe1 Qc5 
26. Rff2 Bxd5 
27. cxd5 e4 
28. dxe4 fxe4 
29. Bh5 Rxf2 
30. Rxf2 Rd8 
31. Qb1 Qxe3 
32. Kf1 Rc8 
33. Qe1 Rc1 
34. Rf8+ Ng8 
35. Qxc1 Qxc1+ 
36. Ke2 Qxa3 
37. Rd8 Qd3+ 
38. Ke1 e3 
White resigns, 0-1 

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