Skype coaching session, 11 August 2019. The game discussed (54 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. * * * Annotated Game. White: A. Alekhine. Black: N. Schwartz. Event: Blindfold Simultaneous, Gambit Cafe 1926. Result: 1-0 in 54 moves. Opening: King's Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation, E62. | Editorial. Alekhine played this game without any sight of the board as part of a simultaneous of 28 games, 1 other game was also played "blindfold". Do players alter their style if they have to play blindfold? Alekhine was a remarkable tactician, but surely we cannot expect fireworks in the dark? Silly question. || 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 | This is the Fianchetto Variation, a favourite of Alekhine. || 3. ... Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nc3 d6 6. Nf3 | White is deliberately choosing not to play, pawn e4, which can limit the scope of the fianchetto g2 bishop. So far black has followed the easy-to-play moves of the King's Indian Defence. Now comes the important decision for black, whether to set up a central challenge with, pawn e5, or, pawn c5. Which pawn push is better? Wrong question. You need to examine middlegames in both systems and decide in which pawn formation you feel more comfortable. Unless of course, you wish to play both and keep your opponents guessing. || 6. ... Nc6 | The most popular choice here but following very close in popularity is, 6. ... Nbd7, then much less common is, 6. ... c6. At the other end of the scale, there is a single game in the limited database giving a novel knight move. Alekhine - J. Morrison, Leeds (Simultaneous 32 boards), 1923, which produced the following dismantling: 6. ... Ng4 7. h3 Nh6 8. Bf4 f5 9. Qd2 Nf7 10. O-O-O Nc6 11. d5 e5 12. dxe6 Bxe6 13. Nd5 Nce5 14. Nd4 Bd7 15. Qc2 c6 16. Ne3 Rc8 17. g4 fxg4 18. hxg4 Qb6 19. g5 Ng4 20. Rxh7 Nxe3 21. Qxg6 Nf5 22. Rxg7+ Nxg7 23. Be4 Rfe8 24. Qh7+ Kf8 25. Bg6 Qc5 26. Bxf7 Kxf7 27. g6+ Ke7 28. Qh4+ 1-0. || 7. d5 Na5 8. Qd3 | A more popular way to defend the threatened white c4 pawn is, 8. Nd2. Also known here is, 8. b3, when white does not fear, 8. ... Nxd5 9. Nxd5 Bxa1 10. Bd2 Nxc4 11. bxc4 Bg7 12. O-O, with lots of lovely imbalance to confuse the unwary. || 8. ... b6 | Black is creating a retreat square for the stranded a5 knight, the white threat is, pawn b4, snaring it. However a much better solution was, 8. ... c5, preventing both white, pawn b4, and, Nd4, when if white prefers an open centre for the g2 bishop then, 9. dxc6 Nxc6, is required. The black a5 knight is destined for a sad existence for quite some time if the only means of getting activity is to retreat with, Nb7. || 9. Nd4 | A doubler. Firstly, the fianchetto g2 bishop is given influence on the centre. Secondly, the white knight on d4 anticipated the possibility of jumping into the hole, c6. Note that had black played, 8. ... c5, the luxury of this centralising white option would be denied. || 9. ... Nb7 10. Nc6 Qd7 11. O-O a5 | The black a-pawn advances to fight for the b4 square, always needed if a black knight is thinking of occupying the c5 square. || 12. b3 | Despite appearances to the contrary, white is also fighting over the b4 square. The white idea is play, pawn b3, then, pawn a3, and thus the advance of, pawn b4, is ready when appropriate. If white tried an immediate, pawn a3, trying to lever in, pawn b4, in only 2 moves, black could squeeze the queenside with the immediate reply, pawn a4. This would leave the white b2 pawn backward, should white ever try, pawn b4, it would be captured en passant, leaving the isolated white a3 pawn as a target. Sometimes you just have to spend an extra tempo with the pawns to achieve a break of, pawn b4, or whichever knight's pawn is trying to advance to the 4th rank. || 12. ... Nc5 | A different plan was to retreat with, 12. ... Nd8, challenging the white c6 knight, which would keep the black light square bishop for the middlegame. || 13. Qc2 Bb7 14. h3 Rae8 | For the long term black is effectively conceding the a-file to white. The black queenside is always going to be awkward, it all goes back to the move, 8. ... b6, creating a flight square for the a5 knight, instead the recommended way for black to handle the queenside after playing, Na5, is push, pawn c5. || 15. a3 Bxc6 | We must remember this is a simultaneous game, which means there is limited time to make decisions. Such a committal exchange of bishop for knight should not be made lightly, the light squares for the late middlegame into ending are being handed over to white. So now black had better get swinging for white on the kingside with whatever, "Sensible Randomisers", come to mind a circuit of the playing hall will permit to be found. White in the game now takes complete control of the queenside with simple moves. || 16. dxc6 Qc8 17. b4 axb4 | Instead, 17. ... Na6 18. Qa4 axb4 19. axb4 Nb8 20. b5, the black knight on b8 has no sensible means of returning to play. || 18. axb4 Na6 19. Ra4 | A doubler. Firstly, the b4 pawn is defended. Secondly, With either, Qa2, or a slower, Rfa1, white will force the black a6 knight back to b8 after which white, pawn b5, locks in the black knight on b8. || 19. ... Nb8 | Black voluntarily accepts the queen's knight is going to be imprisoned without forcing white to spend a few moves to push it back. || 20. b5 | The hapless black queen's knight has spent 6 moves only to return home. Not only that, it is now trapped and can only escape by giving itself up on the c6 pawn, black is effectively a piece down without any compensation. || 20. ... h6 21. Ra7 | Black is now permanently going to have to defend the c7 pawn, at the moment this task falls to the black queen, this cannot remain, someone else less powerful must take up this job. || 21. ... e5 | A doubler. Firstly, the centre/kingside fight begins, sort of. Secondly, the e7 square is vacated permitting a heavy piece to defend the c7 pawn from e7. || 22. Kh2 Kh7 | Quite a contrast in these king moves. The white king gets off the g1 - a7 diagonal, suggesting a launch of the f-pawn is imminent. The black king walks onto the h7 - b1 diagonal, right into the x-ray glare of the white c2 queen. The latter is not a problem at the moment, but as time passes pawn structures can alter and h7 might not be such a good location for the black king. There is also the x-ray attack of the white a7 rook across the black 2nd rank to consider, yes, there are 3 black units in between, but these have a habit of moving around. || 23. f4 Re7 | A doubler. Firstly, a 4th unit interferes with the white a7 rook x-ray attack on the black h7 king. Secondly, the black c7 pawn is now over-protected, the c8 queen is free to move. || 24. fxe5 | If white is to stretch the black defences then another front of attack must be created. Also as white has the bishop pair then an open centre seems desirable. Nothing decisive yet, but such thoughts place pressure on black to play accurately. Not easy when the amount of thinking time per move reduces due to some games inevitably ending quickly for some of the simultaneous participants. || 24. ... Rxe5 25. Bf4 | Move 25 and Alekhine finally completes development. And despite this slow approach, white stands significantly better, all because Grand Masters know when those, "Strong Guidelines", can be bent to their advantage. Lesser mortals should be given a warning about not completing development. Unfortunately they have managed to win games where neither player moved their queen's rook, rather reinforcing the feeling they can blitzkrieg their opponent in the centre / kingside. All I can say here, is that as your rating increases so will the strength of your opponents. There will arrive a time where bending the, "Strong Guidelines", loses more than it wins. This is when bad habits must be given up or be prepared for that win-loss ratio to be unfavourable. Black in the game must be accurate here, appropriate Fischerism: "Obvious Therefore Dubious!" || 25. ... Ree8 | Surely, 25. ... Re7, protecting the c7 pawn again was better? Appropriate Fischerism warning: "Tactics flow from a positionally superior game." Instead, 25. ... Re7, runs into a c7 pawn pin, white wins material with, 26. Bxd6, skewering the black rooks. If now, 26. ... cxd6 27. Rxe7, again costs black an exchange. Black could grovel around with, 25. ... Re7 26. Bxd6 Rxe2 27. Nxe2 cxd6, only being an exchange down, and oh yes, a trapped knight on b8 not getting into play, perhaps being material down like this against Alekhine would prompt resignation? || 26. Nd5 | White puts a double-attack on the black c7 pawn, the black reply seems forced. || 26. ... Nxd5 27. Bxd5 | The previously skulking white g2 bishop now dominates the central light squares, black has no sensible means of eliminating it, other than giving up an exchange. || 27. ... Qd8 28. h4 | A doubler. Firstly, black is being given a few free moves to invent something rather than continually having to sort out a reply to the white activity. Secondly, white ensures a randomising black, pawn g5, cannot push the white f4 bishop off the h2 - b8 diagonal, though at present, pawn g5, would be illegal, the white queen on c2 pins the g6 pawn. || 28. ... Qe7 29. e3 Kh8 | A sign that black either cannot do anything active or is not willing to try for activity. || 30. Kg2 f5 | For better or worse, black goes active, but this is just what white has been wishing would happen. || 31. Re1 And the x-ray attack count on the black queen doubles, she is short of safe squares from where she can influence the position. || 31. ... Kh7 The black king is the only piece which can sensibly shuffle. The combined efforts of the white c6 pawn and d5 bishop severely restrict black from placing a heavy piece on the black 2nd rank which could perform a defensive task while shuffling. In essence, every white piece is better than every black piece, but more work is needed for white to take the full point. || 32. e4 | And now the white e1 rook is beginning to exert some pressure. But pressure alone is rarely enough, it just forces the opponent to play with greater precision, sometimes demanding the best move be found for many moves in a row. And strangely, this concept can not only apply to the defender but similarly to the attacker if success is to be achieved. It is now move 32, some of the original 28 simultaneous participants will have fallen away, black will have less and less time per move. Combine this with the rising complexity in the position and the difference between Master and Amateur can become visible. || 32. ... Be5 | Black is trying to reduce the activity in the white position with a piece exchange. Fine, but at the moment white dare not play, exf5, as, Qxe1, costs white a rook, but even this might not be fatal, white will pick off the black c7 pawn, and if the black b6 pawn then falls, who knows? White can shuffle back with, Bd2, and if black has blocked the e-file with, Be5, white has, Bc3, threatening an ex change on f5 opening the e-file while still protecting the e1 rook. An abstract way of thinking about the position is that white should keep matters under control until something concrete emerges, remember black has a condemned b8 knight which will not play in any endgame providing white maintains the queenside pawn structure. || 33. exf5 | The white e1 rook finally gets into the game on move 33, as said previously, those, "Strong Guidelines", can be bent providing gains are being made elsewhere on the board. || 33. ... gxf5 | White to play and show that a blindfold does not inhibit GrandMastery. Clue 1: If the power of a pin is to paralyse, how much paralysis can a couple of pins create? Clue 2: Regional stability is a temporary condition, just because all has been quiet on the Western front does not mean it shall remain so forever. || 34. c5 | The queenside pawns have been static since move 20, it is easy to assume they will do so until the extra active white piece leads to the loss of the black c7 pawn. White needed to calculate a mainline of 15 moves before this dynamic thrust could be played, all done without sight of the board. How does such a dynamic idea spring to mind? Clearly there are 2 black pawn captures to be envisaged which would mean the absence of a black pawn on either b6 or d6. So simply ask yourself what benefits would there be if either of the black pawns were simply transported to the other side of the Mobius strip? If the black d6 pawn did not exist then white wins a bishop with, Rxe5. If the black b6 pawn did not exist then white would exploit the pin on the black c7 pawn, with, pawn b6. Once these inspirational factors are appreciated, white can begin to crunch through lines of analysis, all beginning with, pawn c5. || 34. ... bxc5 | Forced. Instead, 34. ... Kh8 35. cxb6, to be followed with 36. bxc7, winning the trapped black b8 knight. Note that, 34. ... Kh8 35. cxd6 Qxd6, gives black activity, a big opportunity would have been missed by white. || 35. b6 Rc8 | What? Could white have missed this simple defence? No, in order for the white plan to work there must be a black rook on c8. White to play and take full advantage of the deflection of the black rook to c8. || 36. Qc3 | The black queen on e7 being x-rayed by the white e1 rook is now unprotected, but surely so is the white c3 queen? Yes, but an indirect trade of queens would give white a crushing position as the e1 rook lands on e7 with check. || 36. ... Rfe8 | Black keeps wriggling on the hook. Has white simply lost a pawn on the queenside for no compensation? Of course, while white is a pawn down, black is essentially a b8 knight down, so white still has a massive plus. Instead, 36. ... Bxc3, fails horribly: (A). If, 36. Bxc3 37. Rxe7+ Kh8 38. Rexc7, threat of, Rh7+ mate, so, 38. ... Rxc7, but, 39. bxc7, wins the black b8 knight. (B). Or if, 36. ... Bxc3 37. Rxe7+ Kg6 38. bxc7, again the black b8 knight falls. || 37. Bxe5 dxe5 | Looks like black has managed to hold it all together, right? White to play finds a move about strength 8 on the Richter scale. Clue: Someone somewhere is overloaded which means tactics are in the air. || 38. Qxe5 | Are the spectators wondering if the blindfolding has finally caught white out? Surely that black e-pawn had a double-defence and the white e5 queen now only a single defence, so black can capture twice to win a rook, right? || 38. ... Qxe5 | Backing off with, 38. ... Qf8, fails, some ideas run: (A). If, 38. ... Qf8 39. Rxc7+ Rxc7 40. Qxc7+ Kh8 41. Rxe8 Qxe8 42. b7 Qe2+ 43. Kh3 Qf1+ 44. Bg2, black must lose the b8 knight and then the white b7 pawn promotes. (B). Or if, 38. ... Qf8 39. Rxc7+ Rxc7 40. Qxc7+ Kh8 41. Rxe8 Qxe8 42. b7 Na6 43. Qc8 Kg7 44. Qxf8+ Kxf8 45. c7 Nxc7 46. b8=Q+, promoting also picking up the black c7 knight. (C). Or if, 38. ... Qf8 39. Rxc7+ Rxc7 40. Qxc7+ Kg6 41. Rxe8 Qxe8 42. Bf7+ Qxf7 43. Qxf7+ Kxf7 44. c7, and nothing can prevent, 45. c8=Q. || 39. Rxe5 Rxe5 | Sure enough black wins a rook, and also hits the unprotected white d5 bishop, such a pity think the spectators. Mind you, the black b8 knight is still trapped and those white queenside pawns look dangerous, so let the players show who will turn out to be correct. White to play and demonstrate his, "Tactical Event Horizon", ability back on move 34 was precise. || 40. Rxc7+ | A check, all that black king-shuffling in the middlegame has left the black monarch on the wrong rank. || 40. ... Rxc7 | Instead, 40. ... Kg6 41. Rxc8 Rxd5 42. Rxb8, the white c6 pawn is heading for promotion, costing black a rook. || 41. bxc7 Re8 | Instead, 41. ... Na6 42. c8=Q Rxd5 43. Qxa6, with the white c6 pawn also interested in promotion. || 42. cxb8=Q Rxb8 | So the white, "Tactical Event Horizon", powers have left him an exchange down, still there might be some means of salvaging a draw, right? || 43. Be6 | White takes control of the c8 promotion square, not only to support the material-winning promotion, but to prevent black playing, Rc8, which would essentially permanently prevent, pawn c7. Instead the hasty, 43. c7 Rc8, white loses the passed c-pawn and also the game. || 43. ... Kg6 | Several factors seem to be conspiring against black. The game would be winning for black with just a tiny change. Please imagine the black rook sits on a8, and so now, 43. ... Ra7, holds the white pawn back on c6, the black king then wanders across the board to assist the passed c5 pawn to advance, or to gang up on and capture the white c6 pawn for a won ending. The game would not be lost and probably give good winning chances if black had no c5 pawn. So please imagine the black c-pawn is in the box, then, 43. ... Rb2+ 44. Kh3 Rc2 45. Bd5 Kf6 46. Bf3 Ke5, can the black king and rook make any progress against the white kingside? Well, we cannot wish pieces onto different squares or flick pawns into the box, black must suffer with the position as it is. Instead, 43. ... Rb6 44. Bxf5+ Kg7 45. c7 Rc6 46. c8=Q, black loses the rook under worse conditions than in game. || 44. c7 Rf8 45. c8=Q Rxc8 46. Bxc8 c4 | Last test of the white, "Tactical Event Horizon". When all this started back on move 34, white had to envisage the potential advance of the black passed c-pawn and how to stop it. || 47. Ba6 | Aiming for the d3 square. Instead, 47. Be6 c3 48. Bb3, is more or less the same, the white bishop covers the c2 square, the black c-pawn is immobilised. || 47. ... c3 48. Bd3 Kf6 49. Kf3 Ke5 | Black has only 1 king which needs to perform 2 tasks. Firstly, it must stay on the kingside to protect the weak pawns. Secondly, it needs to get around to b2 to make the c-pawn cost white the bishop. The former is impossible, white will advance the king and repeatedly zugzwang black to pick off the split black pawns. The latter is possible, but at the price of the black kingside pawns, the white g-pawn will easily promote long before the black c-pawn can get rolling. || 50. Ke3 | The white king takes the opposition. || 50. ... h5 | Black uses up a pawn move to keep the opposition. || 51. Bc2 | Ah, the beauty of the bishop is revealed. The bishop simply wastes a move, the position essentially remains the same, but now black has to make a king move which loses the opposition. || 51. ... Kf6 52. Kf4 Kg7 | Black is trying for a neat trick, will the blindfold player throw away the win? || 53. Kxf5 Kh6 | White to play must avoid a couple of banana skins. || 54. Kf4 Black resigns, 1-0 | The game could have continued, 54. Kg7 55. Kg5Kg8 56. Kxh5, when the white king plus 2 connected passed pawns is an easy win. Instead, 54. Kf6 stalemate, would be a cruel end to the game. Lastly, a similarly sad blunder would be, 54. g4 hxg4 55. Kxg4, white has the, "Impotent Pair", it is impossible to promote the passed h-pawn as the black king cannot be forced away from the h8 promotion square. || * * * ## Unannotated Game. White: A. Alekhine. Black: N. Schwartz. Event: Blindfold Simultaneous, Gambit Cafe 1926. Result: 1-0 in 54 moves. Opening: King's Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation, E62. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nc3 d6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. d5 Na5 8. Qd3 b6 9. Nd4 Nb7 10. Nc6 Qd7 11. O-O a5 12. b3 Nc5 13. Qc2 Bb7 14. h3 Rae8 15. a3 Bxc6 16. dxc6 Qc8 17. b4 axb4 18. axb4 Na6 19. Ra4 Nb8 20. b5 h6 21. Ra7 e5 22. Kh2 Kh7 23. f4 Re7 24. fxe5 Rxe5 25. Bf4 Ree8 26. Nd5 Nxd5 27. Bxd5 Qd8 28. h4 Qe7 29. e3 Kh8 30. Kg2 f5 31. Re1 Kh7 32. e4 Be5 33. exf5 gxf5 34. c5 bxc5 35. b6 Rc8 36. Qc3 Rfe8 37. Bxe5 dxe5 38. Qxe5 Qxe5 39. Rxe5 Rxe5 40. Rxc7+ Rxc7 41. bxc7 Re8 42. cxb8=Q Rxb8 43. Be6 Kg6 44. c7 Rf8 45. c8=Q Rxc8 46. Bxc8 c4 47. Ba6 c3 48. Bd3 Kf6 49. Kf3 Ke5 50. Ke3 h5 51. Bc2 Kf6 52. Kf4 Kg7 53. Kxf5 Kh6 54. Kf4 Black resigns, 1-0 * * *