Skype coaching session, 08 December 2019. 3 Forthcoming coaching sessions in January will be on Sundays: 12, 19, 26, at 14:00 UTC, which is 14:00 GMT. The game discussed (45 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: I. Bulmaga, 2307. Black: A. Kashlinskaya, 2377. Event: European Womens Championship (Gaziantep) 2012. Result: 1-0 in 45 moves. Opening: Scotch Gambit, Advanced Variation, C45. | Editorial. Approximate quote from somewhere: "Do not begin your final attack until your queen's rook is in play." Easier said than done. Sometimes a window of opportunity might only be open for a single move, delay by activating an undeveloped piece could permit a defence to an interesting idea. Perhaps we need a similar piece of advice for the alternate rooks? How about: "Do not begin your first attack until your king's rook is in play." || 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 | The Scotch Gambit, white is in no hurry to regain the pawn, black is given a choice, keep the tactics rolling or steer the game into quieter lines. || 4. ... Nf6 | There are many ways for black to go wrong in this sharp system, much homework required if the trickier variations are to be put in the repertoire. Here black chooses a fairly solid system which leads to middlegame imbalance. || 5. e5 | White claims some central space with a tempo-gain attack on the black f6 knight. More aggressive intent is shown with either, 5. O-O, or, 5. Ng5, both lines demand preparation at home before putting into the repertoire. || 5. ... d5 | The most popular choice here, though, 5. ... Ng4, and, 5. Ne4, deserve investigation. || 6. Bb5 | White wisely avoids, 6. exf6 dxc4, those black central pawns have too much influence. || 6. ... Ne4 | Black establishes a protected centralised knight on e4, white should be planning a means of eliminating it as part of the development plan. Instead, 6. ... Nd7, a respectable off-beat, is worth studying to escape the mainline. || 7. Nxd4 | White regains the pawn with ideas of making a queenside imbalance trade. Postponing recapturing with, 7. O-O, gains nothing for white. || 7. ... Bd7 | Black avoids complications, instead, 7. ... Bc5, is a more dynamic treatment. This suggestion caused some excitement in the session, there was, 7. ... Bc5 8. Be3, perfectly acceptable to both players. However, 7. ... Bc5 8. Nxc6 Bxf2+, led to a friendly differing of opinions as to who had the better prospects. Apologies are duly made to Bernard Siret, who supported the black prospects of letting white snatch with, 8. Nxc6, the limited database gave 11 games, 9 black wins, 2 white wins. Rather worrying that the session Leader failed to appreciate the dangers of the black activity and felt happy that, "Initiative Over Matrerial", did not apply here. A few examples of what can happen in this fascinating variation are given here. K. Stein - A. Karklins (2300), 6th Midwest Masters Chicago 1988, witnessed: 7. Nxd4 Bc5 8. Nxc6 Bxf2+ 9. Kf1 bxc6 10. Bxc6+ Kf8 11. c4 Qh4 12. Nd2 Ng3+ 13. Kxf2 Ne4+ 14. Ke3 Qf2+ 15. Kd3 Nc5+ 16. Kc3 Qe3+ 17. Kb4 a5+ 18. Kb5 Rb8+ 19. Kxa5 Nb3+ 0-1. G. Federov (2133) - D. Melnikov (2283), White Knights St. Petersburg 2001, continued: 7. Nxd4 Bc5 8. Nxc6 Bxf2+ 9. Kf1 bxc6 10. Bxc6+ Kf8 11. Nc3 Qh4 12. Qd3 Bc5 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Qg3 Ba6+ 15. Ke1 Qh5 16. c4 Bxc4 17. Kd2 Qe2+ 18. Kc3 e3 19. Be4 Rb8 0-1. It is almost enough to put you off playing with white, right? I. Nikolayev (2409) - L. Paciorkowski (2065), RCC Sat. Open New York 2015, perhaps critically varied with: 7. Nxd4 Bc5 8. Nxc6 Bxf2+ 9. Ke2 Bg4+ 10. Kf1 Bxd1 11. Nxd8+ Kxd8 12. Nc3 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Bh4 14. Bd3 Bg4 15. Rb1 Bc8 16. c4 d4 17. Bb2 c5 18. c3 dxc3 19. Bxc3 b6 20. Be4 Rb8 21. g3 Bg5 22. Rd1+ Ke7 23. h4 Bh6 24. Kg2 Be6 25. Bd5 Rbd8 26. a4 Rd7 27. Kf3 Rhd8 28. Ke4 a6 29. g4 Bxg4 30. Rb1 Be6 31. Rhd1 Bxd5+ 32. cxd5 Rb7 33. Rb2 b5 34. Rf1 b4 35. Rbf2 Rf8 36. Bb2 c4 37. Bd4 Ke8 38. Bc5 g6 39. Rf6 b3 40. Rxa6 c3 41. Ra8+ Kd7 42. Bxf8 Bxf8 43. Rxf7+ Be7 44. d6 b2 45. Kd5 1-0. || 8. Bxc6 | All part of the white, "Queenside Masterplan". Inflict an isolated a-pawn plus doubled c-pawns on black, all weaknesses for when the endgame arrives. The other side of this coin is that black has the bishop pair plus thoughts of a kingside campaign, there might not be an endgame at all. || 8. ... bxc6 Black captures with the b-pawn, the trade of imbalance is agreed. White now has some black queenside pawn weaknesses just waiting for pressuring in an endgame. Black has the bishop pair ready to start a middlegame assault against a somewhat piece-bare white kingside. Who has made the correct judgement over pawn-structure weakness combined with an imbalance of minor pieces? Wrong question. It is who can best cope with the questions set from the other side of the board is most likely to prosper. || 9. O-O Bc5 | Another idea for black is the scaryg-looking, 9. ... Qh4. White to play has a neat tempo-gaining trick available. || 10. f3 | White actually wants this pawn on f4, but by hitting the black knight twice, a pawn will arrive on f4 at the cost of zero tempi. || 10. ... Ng5 11. Be3 O-O 12. f4 Ne4 | So the black knight is re-centralised and white has the e5 pawn protected. Instead trying for central pressure with, 12. ... Ne6, scores very poorly for black. || 13. Nd2 | White must challenge the black e4 knight, and as it has no safe retreat squares, a potential elimination cannot be avoided. || 13. ... f5 | More popular here is the simplifying, 13. ... Nxd2, less popular is the challenging, 13. ... f6. The game move is designed to create a strong centre for black no matter how white replies. It must also be noted that pushing, pawn f5, gave white the opportunity to have a protected passed e5 pawn, assuming white does not capture en passant with, 14. exf6. || 14. Nxe4 | The black e4 knight must be eliminated, even at the cost of giving black a protected passed pawn. || 14. ... fxe4 | A quadrupler. Firstly, black gains a protected passed e4 pawn. Secondly, the c8 - h3 diagonal is opened up for the black d7 light square bishop. Thirdly, the f5 square is vacated for somebody else. Fourthly, the f-file is now semi-open and so activates the black f8 rook, the white f4 pawn is now a potential tactic target. || 15. Qd2 | The white, "Queenside Masterplan", has been temporarily put on hold while some necessary centre / kingside activity took place. Now white is ready to focus on getting a grip on the black queenside. The downside of this campaign is that quite a number of white units are absent from the kingside, perhaps meaning a black, "Kingside Masterplan", is about to unfold? || 15. ... Qe7 | A doubler. Firstly, the black c5 bishop receives protection, the mutual x-ray glare of the dark square bishops through the white d4 knight loses some of the sting. Secondly, the black rooks are connected, the a8 rook has opportunities to centralise, most likely for defensive purposes. || 16. Nb3 Bb6 | Black declines trading on e3, instead leaving the tension in the position, waiting to see if white trades bishops on b6, which would permit, cxb6, cleaning up the black pawn structure. || 17. Qc3 | White is claiming the c5 square, a minor piece invasion is planned. Somewhere along the line pieces exchanges are likely to occur, white will be a step closer to having an advantageous endgame. || 17. ... Rf5 | No prizes for guessing where this black rook is heading. However it cannot win a war single-handed, some strong support is required to create threats. Note that the strongest white unit on c3 has just committed in a small way to the, "Queenside Masterplan", meaning any attempts to get back to assist the kingside defences will take a few moves. In the following game we will receive a brief but nevertheless fine lesson in how an opposite-colour bishop middlegame is better for whoever has the attack. Pay careful attention as to how white plays on the dark squares except for the necessary line-clearance of pushing, pawn e6. V. Okhotnik (2295) - S. Sokolov (2380), USSR 1981, produced: 17. ... g5 18. fxg5 Qxg5 19. Nc5 Bxc5 20. Bxc5 Rxf1+ 21. Rxf1 Re8 22. b3 a6 23. a4 h5 24. h3 h4 25. e6 Bxe6 26. Ba3 Bd7 27. Bb2 Qh6 28. Rf6 Qg7 29. Rf8+ Qxf8 30. Qh8+ Kf7 31. Qf6+ Kg8 32. Qg6+ 1-0. Surely worthy of inclusion in a middlegame strategy book, if it is not already out there. || 18. Nc5 | White offers black the opportunity of an opposite-colour bishop middlegame, and if the just offered supplementary game is known to either player, then the present game strategy is understood. || 18. ... Rh5 | Transferring a rook to the h-file might appear crude but is often quite effective. Such moves should only be made when a stable centre is in place. Play a rook out there when the opponent can make a central breakthrough and you effectively risk defending that activity a rook down. || 19. a4 | Carrying on with the, "Queenside Masterplan", white is trying to force a decision out of black. Should black permit white to advance with, pawn a5, forcing a trade of dark square b6 bishop for white c5 knight? Or should black avoid the squeeze of white, pawn a5, by playing either, pawn a6, or, pawn a5, herself? Instead responding to the black kingside probing with, 19. g3, was an option, and after, 19... Bh3 20. Rf2, black must start blasting on the kingside dark squares to break through. Fine, but surely white has a good grip on the dark squares? Black to play and produce a game-changing idea. || 19. ... Qh4 | Black is well aware the d7 bishop has been abandoned, the only question is how far the, "Tactical Event Horizon", stretches. The first few moves in this sortie are relatively easy to find, there are 3 defensive variations to be found and assessed. Having discovered the sternest white defence there is then another important decision for black to make, but this can be considered once the position appears on the board. || 20. Nxd7 | White must snatch the bait, other choices go badly, some ideas run: (A). If, 20. g3 Qxh2+ mate. (B). Or if, 20. h3 Bxh3 21. gxh3 Qg3+ 22. Kh1 Rxh3+ mate. (C). Or if, 20. h3 Bxh3 21. Bf2 Qg4 22. Qg3 Qxg3 23. Bxg3 Bxc5+ 24. Bf2 Bxf2+ 25. Rxf2 Bd7, white is a bishop down. (D). Or if, 20. h3 Bxh3 21. Bf2 Qg4 22. Bg3 Bxc5+ 23. Qxc5 Qxg3, white is a piece plus pawn down. (E). Or if, 20. h3 Bxh3 21. Bf2 Qg4 22. g3 Bxf1 23. Kxf1, white is an exchange and pawn down. When the white knight took on d7 a very important change occurred on the a7 - g1 diagonal. Previously the black b6 bishop had 2 x-ray targets, the e3 bishop and the g1 king. Now this is reduced to a single x-ray attack on the white g1 king, the e3 bishop can only move up and down the a7 - g1 diagonal, it has become pinned. || 20. ... Qxh2+ 21. Kf2 Qxf4+ | Exploiting the pin on the white e3 bishop. The white king has to sift among the 3 legal replies to find the least worst. || 22. Ke1 | And this is the least of the worst. Other choices to be avoided were: (A). If, 22. Kg1 Bxe3+ 23. Rf2 Qxf2+ mate. (B). Or if, 22. Kg1 Bxe3+ 23. Qxe3 Qxe3+ 24. Rf2 Rf5 25. Raf1, black has a queen plus 2 pawns for a piece. (C). Or if, 22. Ke2 Qg4+ 23. Ke1 Qxd7, black is 2 pawns up, white has no compensation. Black to play must make an important decision, trade down into an endgame or keep the middlegame going. || 22. ... Qg3+ | The pursuit of the white king continues. The rejected endgame came with a few tricks to be avoided: (A). If, 22. ... Qxe3+ 23. Qxe3 Bxe3 24. e6 Re8 25. e7 Rxe7 26. Rf8+ mate. (B). Or if, 22. ... Qxe3+ 23. Qxe3 Bxe3 24. e6 Rh6 25. e7 Re6 26. Rf8+ Rxf8 27. exf8=Q+ mate, something needs doing about this white passed e-pawn. (C). Or if, 22. ... Qxe3+ 23. Qxe3 Bxe3 24. e6 Bg5 25. Ke2 Rh6 26. Rf7 Rxe6 27. Raf1 Re7 28. Rf8+ Rxf8 29. Rf8+ mate, still not right. (D). Or if, 22. ... Qxe3+ 23. Qxe3 Bxe3 24. e6 Bg5 25. Ke2 Rh6 26. Rf7 Rxe6 27. Raf1 h6, at last, those 3 extra black pawns are now a decisive advantage. But white does not have to trade queens. (E). Or if, 22. ... Qxe3+ 23. Kd1 Qxc3 24. bxc3 Rh6 25. Ke2 Rd8 26. Nxb6 cxb6 27. Rf5 Rf8, black has 2 extra pawns and no difficulties any more. || 23. Kd2 | White rejects, 23. Bf2, some ideas run: (A). If, 23. Bf2 Bxf2+ 24. Rxf2 Rh1+ 25. Ke2 Qxc3 26. bxc3 Rxa1 27. e6 Rb1 28. e7 Rbb8 29. Rf8+ Rxf8 30. exf8=Q+ Rxf8 31. Nxf8 Kxf8, the 3 extra black pawns will win. (B). Or if, 23. Bf2 Bxf2+ 24. Rxf2 Rh1+ 25. Ke2 Qxc3 26. bxc3 Rxa1 27. e6 Rb1 28. e7 Rbb8 29. Nxb8 Rxb8 30. Ke3 Re8 31. Rb1 Rxe7 32. Rb7, white will win the black a-pawn, black has 2 extra pawns, this should convert with reasonable technique. (C). Or if, 23. Bf2 Bxf2+ 24. Rxf2 Rh1+ 25. Ke2 Qxc3 26. Rxh1 Qxc2+ 27. Ke3 Qd3+ 28. Kf4 e3 29. Rf3 Qe4+ 30. Kg3 Rd8 31. Nc5 Qxe5+, white does not have sufficient material for the queen, black is winning. || 23. ... Qxg2+ | Netting a 3rd white pawn for the sacrificed piece along with making the kingside pawns into a connected passed pair. || 24. Rf2 Bxe3+ | Black is removing defensive cover of the white king, meaning white must find defenders against the combined forces of the black queen and h5 rook. || 25. Qxe3 | Forced, instead, 25. Kxe3, unsurprisingly runs into some tactics. (A). If, 25. Kxe3 Rh3+ 26. Ke2 Qg4+ 27. Kd2 Rxc3 28. Raf1 Rf3, white has lost the queen and there is no mate on f8. (B). Or if, 25. Kxe3 Rh3+ 26. Ke2 Qg4+ 27. Kd2 Rxc3 28. bxc3 Qxd7, white has lost the queen plus 3 pawns for a rook. || 25. ... Qg4 | Pushing at the white d7 knight, when it runs away black will have, Rxe5, going 4 pawns up. White to play and exploit a weakness in the black position. Clue: Someone is overloaded, but who? || 26. Qxa7 | As shown in some previous analysis, the black back rank is weak, the black a8 rook was guarding both the f8 square against a mate and the a7 pawn. But surely the white queen is deserting the d2 king, black has dangerous-looking central pawns plus the black queen and h5 rook to be neutralised? || 26. ... Rd8 | Clearly, 26. ... Rxa7 27. Rf8+ mate, will not happen. White to move has the same problem again, if the doubly-attacked d7 knight runs away black has, Rxe5, and will be 3 pawns up. Clue #1: White must decide who in the centre lives and who dies. Clue #2: "Initiative Over Material". || 27. Raf1 | "Do not begin your final attack until your queen's rook is in play", right? White is willing to let the d7 knight go in return for a strong positional gain, but what could this be? || 27. ... Qxd7 | Forced, as when white doubled rooks there was a threat of mate in 2 moves beginning, 28. Rf8+, to be neutralised. Similarly, 27. ... Rxd7 28. Rf8+ mate, back rank protection is often required when the opposing heavy pieces are active. || 28. Rf7 | And it is not just an opposing rook on the black 2nd rank which is to be feared. If the white e5 pawn can be maintained then black will be forced further onto the defensive. || 28. ... Qe6 29. Qxc7 | Another hard punch. The white queen not only snatches a pawn, she has a tempo-attack on the undefended black d8 rook, and sets up a battery through the f7 rook on the black g7 pawn. || 29. ... Re8 | Black now has a triple-attack on the white e5 pawn, it is surely dropping off in the next few moves, right? || 30. Rxg7+ Kh8 31. Rff7 | So what benefits does white have for the offered d7 knight? (A). The black c7 and g7 pawns. (B). An outside passed a4 pawn. (C). Heavy pieces tripled on the 7th rank, which at the moment are threatening a couple of mates beginning with, Rxh7_+. Fine, but what about king safety? Surely at the first opportunity the black queen and h5 rook are going on a monarch-hunt of their own? || 31. ... Qh6+ | Black had to reject snatching the white e5 pawn, the finales could have been: (A). If, 31. ... Rxe5 32. Rxh7+ Kg8 33. Rh8+ Kxh8 34. Rh7+ Kg8 35. Qg7+ mate. (B). Or if, 31. ... Qxe5 32. Rxh7+ Rxh7 33. Rxh7+ Kg8 34. Qf7+ mate. (C). Or if, 31. ... Qxe5 32. Rxh7+ Kg8 33. Rfg7+ Kf8 34. Qf7+ mate. The black queen prevents the white tactical threat on h7 and also sets the white king a little test. || 32. Kc3 | Instinct alone should warn about retreating with a black queen and rook ready to invade, a few ideas run: (A). If, 32. Kd1 Rh1+ 33. Ke2 Rh2+ 34. Kf1 Qc1+ mate. (B). Or if, 32. Kd1 Rh1+ 33. Ke2 Rh2+ 34. Ke1 Qd2+ 35. Kf1 Qd1+ mate. (C). Or if, 32. Kd1 Rh1+ 33. Ke2 Rh2+ 34. Kd1 Qd2+ mate. Interfering with a white rook does not help. (D). Or if, 32. Kd1 Rh2+ 33. Ke2 Rh2+ 34. Rf2 Rxf2+ 35. Qxg7, black wins a rook. Note how the black e4 pawn played an important part in controlling the potential d3 flight square. So the white king instead advances, if no shelter is found then black will achieve a perpetual attack for a draw. || 32. ... Rh3+ | Black takes up the chase, doing nothing simply allows white to play, Qb7, and throw the a4 pawn to a8, promotion costing black a rook plus a king. || 33. Kb4 | Carelessness is costly, 33. Kd4 Qe3+ is mate. || 33. ... Qd2+ | Black might seem to be weakening the defence of the h7 pawn, but this is temporary. Providing the black queen keeps hitting the white king with check there is no danger, care does however need to be taken on which rank the checks take place. If the advancing white king seems about to find shelter, then the black queen must be able to retreat to the h-file to reinforce the h7 pawn again. || 34. Kc5 | Technically black has all 3 heavy pieces involved in this chase, some examples run: (A). If, 34. c3 Qxb2+ 35. Ka5 Ra8+ 36. Qa7 Rxa7+ 37. Rxa7, black need only take care not to allow white to shuffle the g7 rook sideways followed by a back-rank mate. (B). Or if, 34. c3 Qxb2+ 35. Kc5 Qxc3+ 36. Kd6 Qxe5+, followed by a queen trade and then the central black pawns, particularly the e-pawn, can advance, white should not hold this. (C). Or if, 34. c3 Qxb2+ 35. Kc5 Qxc3+ 36. Kb6 Qb4+ 37. Ka7 Qxa4+ 38. Kb7 Qb5+ 39. Ka7 Ra3+ 40. Qa5 Rxa5+ mate. (D). Or if, 34. c3 Qxb2+ 35. Kc5 Qxc3+ 36. Kb6 Qb4+ 37. Ka7 Qxa4+ 38. Kb7 Qb5+ 39. Qb6 Rb8+ 40. Kxb8 Qxb6+, black has won the white queen for a rook, this is easily winning. || 34. ... Qxc2+ 35. Kd6 Qh2 | A tripler. Firstly, the h7 pawn is sufficiently protected, triply-attacked, triply-defended. Secondly, there is now a triple-attack on the white e5 pawn, the threat being, Qxe5+. Thirdly, the white e5 pawn is pinned to the white king. Decades of play plus study teaches that moves approaching a time-control are open to investigation. This has been a tough game for both players, perhaps a mutual time-shortage is present? A question was raised during the coaching session which provoked much interest. "If h7 needs a defence, what is wrong with, 35. ... e3, when the c2 black queen again guards h7 with the bonus the advancing e-pawn has become dangerous?" It gets rather tricky, here is an approximation of how the analysis slowly evolved: (A). If, 35. ... e3 36. Qd7, forking the unprotected black e8 and h3 rooks, so that is why, pawn e3, is rejected, right? Too superficial, more investigation is required to prove that, pawn e3, is losing. (B). So if, 35. ... e3 36. Qd7 Rh6+, saves the h-file rook by check-tempo on the white king, but further analysis is required. (C). So what if, 35. ... e3 36. Qd7 Rh6+, white dare not interfere with either rook, black simply takes it with the h6 rook and wins. (D). So what if, 35. ... e3 36. Qd7 Rh6+ 37. Kc7 Ra8, black has no harmony between the heavy pieces but seems to be not only holding the position, but has threats of, Ra7+, skewering the white royalty, and also, pawn e2. So, is this analysis good enough to convince us that, pawn e3, is winning for black? Perhaps looking a little further down the most recent line might give confirmation? (E). So what if, 35. ... e3 36. Qd7 Rh6+ 37. Kc7 Ra8 38. Kb7, surely the black a8 rook must stay on the back rank, meaning, 38. ... Rg8, but then, 39. Rxg8+ Kxg8 40. Qe8+ is mate. Still not giving up on this idea yet, can the black queen ever assist? (F). So what if, 35. ... e3 36. Qd7 Rh6+ 37. Kc7 Ra8 38. Kb7 Qb3+ 39. Kxa8 Qxa4+ 40. Qa7 Qxa7+ 41. Kxa7 e2 42. Rg1 d4 43. Rd7, threatening both, Rxd4, and, Rd8+ mate. There must be something here for black if a pawn hits the 7th rank, not giving up yet. (G). So what if, 35. ... e3 36. Qd7 Rh6+ 37. Kc7 Ra8 38. Kb7 Qb3+ 39. Kxa8 Qxa4+ 40. Qa7 Qxa7+ 41. Kxa7 e2 42. Rg1 Rg6 43. Re1 Rg2 44. Kb6 d4 45. Rd7, and black will quickly lose all the central pawns. No, I insist there is something here, it just refuses to be found, perhaps the distant (from the white king perspective) passed h-pawn can do something? (H). So what if, 35. ... e3 36. Qd7 Rh6+ 37. Kc7 Ra8 38. Kb7 Qb3+ 39. Kxa8 Qxa4+ 40. Qa7 Qxa7+ 41. Kxa7 e2 42. Rg1 Rg6 43. Re1 Rg2 44. Kb6 h5 45. Kxc6 h4 46. Kxd5 h3 47. Rh3 h2 48. Rh3+, both black pawns are restrained, white now promotes the b2 pawn. It seems black, 35. ... e3, is just too speculative, black in the game found the right idea, protect h7 while hitting the white e5 pawn. || 36. Re7 | The only move to save the white e5 pawn. || 36. ... Rh6+ | Essentially forcing the white king onto his 7th rank, which breaks the triple-attack on the black h7 pawn, releasing either the black h6 rook or h2 queen for action elsewhere. || 37. Kd7 | Retreating with, 37. ... Kc5, in order to keep the 7th rank triple battery on the black h7 pawn, permits black a strong finish, the conclusion could be any of: (A). If, 37. Kc5 Qf2+ 38. Kb4 Qd4+ 39. Ka5 Qc5+ 40. Ka6 Ra8+ 41. Qa7 Rxa7+ 42. Rxa7 Rg6, and white loses all chances of a sneak back rank mate, black wins. (B). Or if, 37. Kc5 Qf2+ 38. Kb4 Qd4+ 39. Ka5 Qc5+ 40. Ka6 Ra8+ 41. Kb7 Qa7+ mate. (C). Or if, 37. Kc5 Qf2+ 38. Kb4 Qd4+ 39. Ka3 Rh3+ 40. b3 Qc5+, the white king must retreat, black hits with, Rh2+, the white king goes to the back rank, the black queen invades with either, Qc2+, or, Qc3+, according to where the white king went, then a mate with, Qb2+, follows. (D). Or if, 37. Kc5 Qf2+ 38. Kb4 Qd4+ 39. Ka3 Rh3+ 40. Ka2 Qxa4+ 41. Kb1 Rh1+ mate. Note that, 37. Kc5 Qc2+, probably wins, but gives the white king the flight route of, 38. Kb6, considerably expanding the analytical tree, the offered analysis shows how an attacking queen and rook hit a defenceless king very hard. || 37. ... Rf8 | Black should not exchange rooks for 2 reasons. Firstly, a rook trade would leave the black back rank horrendously weak. Secondly, should the black h6 rook and h2 queen get a chance to chase the white kin, then the white 8th rank is inaccessible for flight purposes. || 38. Qa7 | Appropriate Fischerism: "In chess it is important to know when to punch and when to duck." This white queen shuffle is a doubler. Firstly, the white queen backwardly controls the a7 - g1 diagonal, none of the black central pawns can safely advance, especially the dangerous e4 pawn. Secondly, the white d7 king is given a little breathing space, c7 is vacated, those black f8 and h6 rooks were making matters a little uncomfortable, a serious black threat of, 38. ... Qh3+, is neutralised. || 38. ... Qxb2 | Black was at a crossroad. Play has been both tactically and strategically complex for about 20 moves. The big question confronting black was whether to continue hitting at the white king, or simply swallow another pawn creating 3 connected passed pawns. If Fritz and friends state that, 38. ... Qh3+, was the start of a decisive finish, then so be it. Humans cannot be so accurate after almost 4 hours of hard-fighting like this game has produced, some gut-judgement is required. Black takes the safer route, accepting a missed short-term win can be replaced by a slower process of drawing those passed pawns up the board. This leaves white to decide whether to try to keep up the kingside chase, or start retreating to try and hold the black pawns. Instead some hasty bio-organic analysis suggests, 38. ... Qh3+ 39. Kc7 e3 40. Qd4 e2 41. e6, with venomous discovered check threats, almost certainly mating or worse. || 39. e6 | Again that appropriate Fischerism: "In chess it is important to know when to punch and when to duck." It is far too late for white to think of trying to defend this, it simple - Attack or accept the black pawns will cost a rook or so. The white e-pawn advance is a doubler. Firstly, the pawn on e6 is a step closer to a potential promotion, the generalisation, "Passed pawns must be pushed", should always be kept in mind. Secondly, a pawn on e6 cuts down the activity of the black h6 rook, if need be, the white king now has both c7 and d6 for flight squares. || 39. ... Qe5 | A tripler. Firstly, those c7 and d6 potential flight squares for the white king are under the control of the black queen. Secondly, a double-attack is placed on the white e6 pawn, the white e7 rook mustnow remain in place. Thirdly, the black passed e4 pawn now has the queen behind it, black is threatening to push the e-pawn all the way. || 40. Rgf7 | White is running out of ideas, not to mention sensible moves. Just how much time has black remaining to make a critical decision on move 40, trade rooks or back-off? || 40. ... Rxf7 | Black plays to open up the position around the white king. Instead, 40. ... Rg8, would force white to make another decision, but options are limited, some ideas run: (A). If 40. ... Rg8 41. Qe3 Rh5 42. Rxh7+ Rxh7 43. Rxh7+ Kxh7 44. Qh3+ Kg7 45. Qg4+ Kh8 46. Qh3+ Kg7 47. Qg4+, white can only achieve a draw by repetition, but has black got something better? (B). Or if 40. ... Rg8 41. Qe3 Rh5 42. Rxh7+ Rxh7 43. Rxh7+ Kxh7 44. Qh3+ Kg6 45. Qg4+ Qg5 46. Qxg5+ Kxg5 47. e7 e3, the white promoted e-pawn will be traded off by black, Rxe8, but nothing can similarly stop the black e-pawn promotion. So white brutality fails. (C). Or if, 40. ... Rg8 41. Qe3 Rh5 42. a5 d4 43. Qe1 e3 44. a6 d3 45. a7 d2 46. Qe2 Qd4+ 47. Kc7 d1=Q, white cannot make progress with either advanced pawn, black wins this. (D). Or if, 40. Rg8 41. a5 e3 42. a6 e2 43. Qb7 e1=Q 44. a7 Q1a1, black has an extra queen and white has no means of promoting the a7 pawn. It seems with the game move black is expecting the activity of the e5 queen plus h6 rook to snare the white king. || 41. exf7 | A move of mixed consequences. Gain: The black queen is attacked by the white e7 rook plus the white pawn advances a square nearer to promotion. Loss: The white king is now exposed to the attention of the black e5 queen and h6 rook. Instead, 41. Rxf7 Qxe6+, needlessly gives away the potentially dangerous white e-pawn. || 41. ... Qf5+ | Coming in closer causes problems, some ideas run: (A). If, 41. ... Qd6+ 42. Ke8 Rf6 43. f8=Q+ Rxf8+ 44. Kxf8Qf6+ 45. Rf7 Qd8+ mate, but white can avoid this tragedy. (B). Or if, 41. ... Qd6+ 42. Ke8 Rf6 43. f8=Q+ Rxf8+ 44. Kxf8 Qf6+ 45. Ke8 Qg6+ 46. Kd7 Qf5+ 47. Kc7 Qf4+ 48. Kb7, and the black queen checks have run out plus white is now threatening a couple back rank mates. (C). Or if, 41. ... Qd6+ 42. Ke8 Rf6 43. f8=Q+ Rxf8+ 44. Kxf8 Qd8+ 45. Kf7 Qg8+ 46. Kf6 Qg6+ 47. Ke5, the best black can hope for is a draw, but this should not happen if the white king heads for the a8 square. (D). Or if, 41. ... Rd6+ 42. Ke8 Qh5 43. Qd4+, black, Qe5, and then, Rf6, only delay the mate. || 42. Kd8 | Care is needed at all times, no matter how strong the position might appear. Instead, 42. Ke8 Qc8+ mate, is such a banana-skin. || 42. ... Rd6+ | Black must keep kicking the white king, with so much white activity it should not be surprising that defending fails: (A). If, 42. ... Rf6 43. Re8+ Kg7 44. f8=Q+ (double check) Kg6 45. Qg8+, the extra white queen will soon count. (B). Or if, 42. ... Qf6 43. Qd7 e3 44. Qe8+ Kg7 45. f8=Q+ (double check) mate. (C). Or if, 42. ... Kg7 43. f8=Q+ Kxf8 44. Re8+ mate, having an 8th rank king can sometimes come in handy. Appropriate Fischerism: "Tactics flow from a superior position." Here white has 4 attacking units, yes, the d8 king counts for attacking purposes, black has no defensive coordination around the h8 king, superior position means something should happen. || 43. Kc7 | Clearly, 43. Ke8 Qc8+ mate is not going to happen. So black has forced the white king back onto the white 7th rank. Those tactics involving the white a7 queen and e7 rook x-ray battery along the 7th rank are ruled out, fine, but with the white king on c7 black has some problems with her back rank. || 43. ... Rf6 | Desperately trying to prevent any white ideas involving, f8=Q+. The black rook on f6 also blocks the a1 - h8 diagonal, any white tricks involving, Qd4+, are no longer available. Setting up a discovered check with, Qf4, fails as follows: (A). If, 43. ... Qf4 44. Qd4+ Rf6 45. f8=Q+ mate, the black f6 rook is pinned. (B). Or if, 43. ... Qf4 44. Qd4+ Qf6 45. f8=Q+ mate. || 44. Qb8+ | In footballing (soccer) terms, this white, "winger", has got behind the black defences. Perhaps that is a little harsh? Maybe so, remember that black threw heavy pieces into the white kingside for an attack, and here we are some 20+ moves later finding that the remaining active black units cannot contribute to the defence. Should black be criticized for such a committal early-middlegame attacking approach? Definitely not. In this game it did not bring in the desired result, a different day, a different opponent, and matters could easily be reversed. || 44. ... Kg7 45. f8=Q+ Black resigns, 1-0 | Double checks are extremely powerful, they always force the assaulted king to move. There is no immediate mate, but after, 45. ... Kg6 46. Qg7+ Kh5 47. Qe8+ Kh4 48. Re5, the noose is closing on the black king, hardly surprising with white having an extra queen. The advice: "Do not begin your final attack until your queen's rook is in play", applies here, the remaining white rook on e7 began life on a1. || * * * ## Unannotated Game. White: I. Bulmaga, 2307. Black: A. Kashlinskaya, 2377. Event: European Womens Championship (Gaziantep) 2012. Result: 1-0 in 45 moves. Opening: Scotch Gambit, Advanced Variation, C45. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. e5 d5 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bd7 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. O-O Bc5 10. f3 Ng5 11. Be3 O-O 12. f4 Ne4 13. Nd2 f5 14. Nxe4 fxe4 15. Qd2 Qe7 16. Nb3 Bb6 17. Qc3 Rf5 18. Nc5 Rh5 19. a4 Qh4 20. Nxd7 Qxh2+ 21. Kf2 Qxf4+ 22. Ke1 Qg3+ 23. Kd2 Qxg2+ 24. Rf2 Bxe3+ 25. Qxe3 Qg4 26. Qxa7 Rd8 27. Raf1 Qxd7 28. Rf7 Qe6 29. Qxc7 Re8 30. Rxg7+ Kh8 31. Rff7 Qh6+ 32. Kc3 Rh3+ 33. Kb4 Qd2+ 34. Kc5 Qxc2+ 35. Kd6 Qh2 36. Re7 Rh6+ 37. Kd7 Rf8 38. Qa7 Qxb2 39. e6 Qe5 40. Rgf7 Rxf7 41. exf7 Qf5+ 42. Kd8 Rd6+ 43. Kc7 Rf6 44. Qb8+ Kg7 45. f8=Q+ Black resigns, 1-0 * * *