Skype coaching session, 15 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 (41 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: V. Okhotnik, 2449. Black: V. Berezhnoi. Date: 1981. Result: 1-0 in 41 moves. Opening: Caro-Kann Defence, Advanced Variation, Tal Variation, B12. | Editorial. We are told that the strongest defensive pawn formation to have in front of a king has the pawns sitting on their original squares. Fine, but does this not mean such strategy misses out on claiming space? Perhaps there is a subtle balance to be struck between the opposing thoughts? If so, just how many pawns in front of the king should move, and how far? || 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 | The Tal Variation. White claims some kingside space with ideas of annoying the black f5 bishop. Such pawn advances are relatively safe when the centre is closed. || 4. ... h6 | The more popular choice here for black is, 4. ... h5, preventing white from gaining further space with a later, pawn h5, and fighting for control of the g4 square. Both h-pawn moves give black the h7 square for the f5 bishop to retreat if desired. Please note the disastrous, 4. ... e6 5. g4 Be4 6. f3 Bg6 7. h5, snares the unwary, black is losing the g6 bishop. Instead, 4. ... Qb6, is an off-beat worthy of study. || 5. g4 | White continues with the kingside expansion. This style of play appears to contradict advice on how openings should be handled - Get pieces out with the minimum of pawn moves. Experience over the last 100 years or so has however discovered that exceptions to the good advice exist, and here is such an example. The variation is named after Tal, surely a recommendation in itself? So despite the apparent rule-breaking, this system is perfectly playable, the only question on placing it in the repertoire is does it produce middlegames which appeal to the end-user? Black to play and decide on the future of the attacked f5 bishop. || 5. ... Bd7 | Counter-intuitive, right? Surely retreating with either, 5. ... Bg6, or, 5. ... Bh7, keeping up the fight for the h7 - b1 diagonal makes more sense? Not necessarily so. Black is planning a transposition from the Caro-Kann Defence into a system found in the French Defence, Advanced Variation. But surely black here is losing a tempo as the transposition occurs? Yes, but take a look at the white kingside. White almost universally in the Advanced French system will castle kingside, the space-claiming pawn moves will leave the white king feeling much less comfortable over there. || 6. h5 | White increases the grip on the black kingside while also ruling out the possibility of black pushing, pawn h5, trying to break up the white kingside clamp. || 6. ... e6 | The beginning of the transformation to the French Defence. || 7. f4 | A doubler. Firstly, the kingside space-claiming continues. Secondly, the e5 pawn, an important, "Cramping-Device", in a French Defence is given extra support. || 7. ... c5 | And surely this is another loss of tempo by black? Yes, the d7 bishop has consumed 2 moves to get there, as has the black c-pawn spent 2 tempi to arrive on c5. Is this flying in the face of more good advice about not wasting tempi, especially in the opening? Not really. The position is closed, white has played 7 pawn moves, there are no weak points in the black position. So despite 2 tempi having been lost along the way, this black position is secure. However if you ever find yourself in a King's Gambit Accepted it might be advisable to make every tempo count. Going 2 moves behind in such a system is asking for trouble, which should quickly arrive. || 8. c3 So, 8 white moves played and all by pawns. Surely another of those good advice rules being broken? Perhaps so, but amongst those who have achieved this precise position for white are: Mikhail Tal, John Nunn, Michael Adams, David Navara, Fabiano Caruana. So those, "Unwritten Rules", can be broken, but take care to only break them when there are Grand Masters giving you examples of when it can be done. || 8. ... Nc6 9. Nf3 | Giving the central dark square pawn chain some necessary support, black might have plans of ganging up on the d4 square. || 9. ... Qb6 | The black queenside development plan is taking shape, Who knows what development plans white has, there are still a couple of pawns yet to move, or perhaps something else totally unexpected? || 10. Kf2 | Arrrrrrrgggh!! An, "Annotator's Nightmare", of a move. So, just which of the, "Unwritten Rules", does this move break? How about getting your pieces developed quickly combined with king safety being of the highest priority? So why can white play like this? Simply because the position is closed and black has no way of blasting it open to get at the white king. It might please the purists to learn that the limited database reports that, 10. Rh2, is slightly more popular, white preferring to defend the b2 pawn, permitting the c1 bishop to move with, Be3, strengthening the central dark squares. || 10. ... O-O-O | Again following the French Defence strategy. Less committal and similarly, "French", were, 10. ...Rc8, and, 10. ... f6. White to play and find the, "Blindingly Obvious Move". || 11. Kg3 | The white monarch leads the battlefield charge toward the enemy forces, more like 1381 rather than 1981. There is however some logic to getting out of the x-ray glare of the black b6 queen while offering token support to the g4 pawn. || 11. ... Nge7 | Looks logical, but perhaps a safety-first approach plan of, Kb8, with, Rc8, might have worked well. Instead for an aggressive approach there was, 11. ... f6, beginning to undermine the white centre. || 12. a3 | Another pawn move, but it is still part of the overall plan, white must somehow get open lines on the queenside. || 12. ... c4 | And it is for black to try and prevent queenside line-opening. || 13. Nbd2 | Supporting the, pawn b3, challenge. || 13. ... Na5 | Designed to prevent white, pawn b3. || 14. Rb1 | White insists that, pawn b3, must be pushed and so keeps on preparing it. An example of the immediate, pawn b3, is available. U. Jahr (2215) - M. Schlaugat (2250), Bundesliga 1981-82, went: 14. b3 Nxb3 15. Nxb3 Ba4 16. Nfd2 Nc6 17. Rb1 cxb3 18. Bb2 Be7 19. Bd3 Kb8 20. Qe2 Rc8 21. Rhf1 Rhf8 22. Nf3 Na5 23. Nd2 Qc7 24. Rbd1 a6 25. Kh3 Bd7 26. Rc1 Qb6 27. c4 Nxc4 28. Nxc4 dxc4 29. Bxc4 a5 30. Rc3 a4 31. Rfc1 Bc6 32. Qd3 Rcd8 33. Rd1 Rd7 34. Rcc1 Rc8 35. Qe3 Qd8 36. Qe2 Qf8 37. Ra1 Bd5 38. Bb5 Rdc7 39. Rdc1 Rc2 40. Qd3 Rxb2 41. Bxa4 Rf2 42. Rf1 Bc4 43. Qxc4 0-1. || 14. ... Nb3 | Black makes it impossible for white to achieve the aim by occupying the b3 square. Fine, but as a window of opportunity is closed, another window of opportunity opens. Clue: Fischerism - "Tactics flow from a positionally superior game." Fine, but here it is the black pieces who are awkwardly placed which gives white a chance to gain an advantage. || 15. Bxc4 | White finds a combination which exploits no less than 5 unfortunate factors in the black position. || 15. ... Nxd2 | The 1st unfortunate factor eliminates itself. The black b3 knight runs out of protection when a white knight lands on c4. Instead, 15. ... dxc4 16. Nxc4 Qc7 17. Qxb3, white has won a couple of pawns. Much worse for black is, 15. ... dxc4 16. Nxc4 Qb5 17. Nd6+ Kb8 18. Nxb5 Nxc1 19. Nd6 Na2 20. Qb3 Bc6 21. Qxa2, white will be winning the black queen plus 2 pawns for a bishop. Finally, 15. ... Nxc1 16. Qxc1, black is confronted with the same problem as is to occur in game. || 16. Nxd2 | White replaces a knight with another knight, the combination exploiting unfortunate factors in the black position can continue. || 16. ... dxc4 | Black had a difficult decision to make. The alternative was to permit the white c4 bishop to retreat, simply accepting the loss of the queenside-cramping c4 pawn. || 17. Nxc4 Qc7 | The next unfortunate factor, the black queen on b6 being hit as a white knight lands on c4, is revealed. Instead, 17. ... Qb5 18. Nd6+, royally forks black, the black b5 queen is dropping off. Or less dramatic, 17. ... Qa6, and white will proceed in similar manner to game, but the black queen will not be as active on a6 compared to the game continuation. || 18. Nd6+ | And now 2 unfortunate factors are simultaneously exposed. The white knight lands on d6 with check, forcing the black king to move, plus the black e7 knight blocks out the f8 bishop, which could have traded, Bxd6, had the e7 knight been elsewhere. || 18. ... Kb8 19. Nxf7 | The last unfortunate factor is found. Black's rooks are in a knight fork, had black made the previously suggested defensive shuffle, Kb8 - Rc8, the whole white combination would not have caused so much hurt, and perhaps white might not have tried it at all. || 19. ... Rg8 20. Nxd8 Qxd8 | Material imbalance reads: White loses 2 minor pieces for a black rook plus 3 pawns. Also of consideration is the black d7 light square bishop, which once gets an open diagonal into the white centre / kingside, will effectively be unchallengeable. Well, unchallengeable unless white reckons it must be eliminated by the return of an exchange. Not a happy trade, white would then be a piece down for whatever pawns the combination has trawled. || 21. c4 | Playing for some central control, those light squares are in need of a little strengthening. || 21. ... g6 | The start of the real fighting begins. Black must create some weaknesses in the white position and then gang up on them. || 22. hxg6 | A quick glance reveals the only active white piece is the g3 king, hardly a position from which to start controlling the game. Furthermore, black is going to focus on the white centre / kingside, especially the light squares. Quite ironic considering the tactic which created the material deficit was due to a strategic disaster on those light squares. White here recognises that the white h5 pawn - black g6 pawn tension will result in a trade at some point, and so chooses to offer black a choice of recaptures, one never knows how an opponent might respond... || 22. ... Bc6 | Aha, black throws in a zwischenzug, rough translation, an inbetween move. Here black leaves the white g6 pawn alone and instead places an attack on the white h1 rook, which of course will immediately jump out of the way, right? Instead either, 22. ... Rxg6, or, 22. ... Nxg6, were simple to play and easy to understand. White to play continues with the light square strategy. || 23. d5 | White is willing to give something on the light squares, expecting to make an important light square gain elsewhere. || 23. ... exd5 | A deflection. When a unit moves it gains control of some new squares and loses control of previously-guarded squares. So why is white so keen to give away a pawn when simple chess suggests moving the attacked h1 rook? || 24. f5 | All of a sudden white has 3 connected fairly-well advanced passed pawns, with the bonus the doubled g-pawns give the lonely white king some extra cover. || 24. ... d4 | And now black has a passed pawn as well as some lovely light squares on the h1 - a8 diagonal. Note the greedy, 24. ... dxc4, is refuted by, 25. Qxd8+, black drops the queen. || 25. Rh5 | Giving some extra support to the white f5 pawn, fine, but was it in any danger? || 25. ... Be4 | A doubler. Firstly, a tempo-gain attack is given to the white b1 rook. Secondly, the black e4 bishop is pressuring the white f5 and g6 pawns, ideas of a combination against the white kingside pawns could be in the air. || 26. Ra1 Qb6 | A doubler. Firstly, pressure is placed on the white b2 pawn, the c1 bishop is tied down to a defence. Secondly, sideways pressure is placed on the white g6 pawn. A question arose during the coaching session, is there an immediate combination available for black on the kingside with, 26. ... Nxg6, trying to blast the white kingside apart? The idea is, 26. ... Nxg6 27. fxg6 Bxg6 28. Rh4 Be7 29. Rxh6 Bf5. White would have severe problems protecting the g4 pawn, black can take immediately, when white might give up the queen for the black light square bishop plus g-file rook. Or white might choose to try and run the king queenside to escape the liberated black forces, neither seem appealing. Chess can be somewhat contradictory at times. Consult any middlegame book and there will be a chapter on missed opportunities, a player deciding to increase the pressure instead of hitting out immediately, and the delay permitted a defence. Then the next chapter gives examples of striking too soon, the advice being more units are needed for the attack to succeed. So what are we to do when confronted with a position which looks as if something should be happening? Build even more pressure on the perceived weak point, or take the chance before it disappears? There is no real answer to this conundrum. Simply be aware of the building / striking concepts, analyse both, make a decision, then go home and work out which was the better. In this way slowly but surely your personal file of middlegame judgement will increase, hard work but worth the effort in the long term. White to play needs some queenside development, an active response is required. || 27. c5 | White offers a pawn to gain a much-needed development tempo. Instead, 27. Bf4 Qxb2, would leave white with weaker queenside pawns than is about to occur in game. || 27. ... Qxc5 | A deflection, the white c1 bishop can now move without fear of the loss of the b2 pawn. White now also has a fully open c-file for a rook. || 28. Bf4 | White prefers to keep the 3 central connected passed pawns. Instead, 28. Bxh6 Bxh6 29. Rxh6 Qxe5+, effectively trades a dangerous white e5 pawn for a non-contributing black h6 pawn, not to mention permitting the black queen to enter the game. || 28. ... Nc6 | Black takes the pressure off the white g6 pawn in order to increase the pressure on the white e5 pawn. || 29. Rc1 Qd5 | Black reinforces the grip on the light squares while keeping a double-attack on the white e5 pawn. || 30. e6+ Bd6 | Move 30 and black completes development, the white d1 queen has yet to join in, and yet there has been a certain logic to the strategy of both sides. || 31. Qd2 | Another coaching contradiction emerges? Remember that previous advice about having a single bishop and queen placement? That is, put the queen on the colour-complex of the missing bishop. This must be a generalisation, there will be more instances where this strategy is useful, but the advice is not universal. Here white can do little about the light squares and so instead fights for control of the dark squares. || 31. ... Ne5 | Another black unit occupies the centre, white must find some active play soon, but what? || 32. f6 | White can only make progress by throwing in a quiet, "Confusion Bomb". Every move you make in chess is a test of various skills. Before this move all the white kingside pawns were safe, now there are 4 targets on display, tactical opportunities now available. In return the white rook is x-raying the black queen through the black e5 knight. There are also 3 connected passed pawns on the 6th rank, and no matter what black does white will obtain a pawn on the 7th rank, though how long it might last is another question. || 32. ... Qxe6 | The potential analytical tree of options might have caused the, "Confusion Bomb", to go off. Perhaps confronted with 3 white, "Mini-Monsters", all seeking the 7th rank black understandably reduces the odds. Other candidates, 32. ... Rxg6, and, 32. ... Bxg6, must take into account white pushing either passed pawn, or, capturing on e5 with either the h5 rook or the f4 bishop, plus a real randomiser in the shape of, Rc5, very tricky to work through them all. And do not forget to invert the move-orders to be certain a critical line is not being overlooked. Fritz and friends find this frivolous fun, but bio-organic brains make mistakes or miss opportunities. There is another idea, 32. ... Qb3+, to be crunched, some ideas go: (A). If, 32. ... Qb3+ 33. Kh4 Nf3+ 34. Kh3 Nxd2+ 35. Kh2 Bxf4+ 36. Kg1 Qg3+ mate. (B). Or if, 32. ... Qb3+ 33. Kh2 Nf3+ 34. Kh1 Nxd2+ 35. Kg1 Bxf4, white has no sensible way to stop black, Qg3+ mate. (C). Or if, 32. ... Qb3+ 33. Rc3 dxc3 34. Qxc3 Qxc3 35. bxc3, black has won a rook but still has the problems of those 3 white, "Mini-Monsters", on their 6th rank. The black game move of, 32. ...Qxe6, removes a potentially dangerous attacker while placing a double-attack on the white g4 pawn, how can such a move be considered bad? White to play continues with, "Confusion Bomb", strategy. || 33. Rxe5 | All right, perhaps this is not exactly, "Confusion Bomb", strategy, but instead what the position demands, anything else leaves black fine. || 33. ... Bxe5 | Forced. The material-imbalance has white a piece down for a pawn, so better make that pawn count. Instead, 33. ... Qxf6 34. Rxe4, white is a rook up. || 34. f7 | The vulnerable white f-pawn saves itself with a tempo-gain attack on the black g8 rook. || 34. ... Rd8 | All very logical, black protects the d4 pawn. Instead, 34. ... Rf8 35. Re1, and black has severe problems, some ideas run: (A). If, 34. ... Rf8 35. Re1 Bxf4+ 36. Qxf4+ Ka8 37. Qxe4, protects the g6 pawn, black will not survive much longer. (B). Or if, 34. ... Rf8 35. Re1 Bxg6 36. Rxe5 Qxf7 37. Re8+ mate, a double-discovered check, the black king has no flight squares. (C). Or if, 34. ... Rf8 35. Re1 Qxg6 36. Bxe5+ Ka8 37. Qxd4 Bc6 38. Bg7 Rxf7 39. Qd8+ mate. (D). Or if, 34. ... Rf8 35. Re1 Qd5 36. Rxe4 Qxe4 37. Bxe5+ Qxe5+ 38. Qf4 Qxf4+ 39. Kxf4 (white is a rook down but the, "Mini-Monsters", will force a promotion) Kc7 40. Ke4 Kd7 41. g7 Rxf7 42. g8=Q, white will snatch the black d4 pawn, the ending of queen against rook with 3 pawns each is a win. (E). Or if, 34. ... Rf8 35. Re1 Qd5 36. Rxe4 Qxe4 37. Bxe5+ Qxe5+ 38. Qf4 Qxf4+ 39. Kxf4 Kc7 40. Ke4 Kc6 41. Kxd4, and again the white g-pawn will promote into a won ending. White to play has been pulling rabbits out of the hat for several moves now, no reason for there not being another hidden in there. || 35. Qxd4 | A tactical tripler. Firstly, the white queen threatens, Qxd8+, with mate on c8 next move. Secondly, the white queen threatens, Qxe4, winning a piece. Thirdly, the white queen threatens, Qxe5+, winning a piece. Finally the winner of the mutual x-ray glaring of the 2 dark square bishops is declared, white triumphs. So the black e5 bishop cannot capture the white queen, but did not black just play a rook to the d-file to protect the d4 pawn? || 35. ... Bxf4+ | Forced. Capturing the white queen only exposes the weak black back rank. Instead, 35. ... Rxd4 36. f8=Q+, no black piece can safely interfere, as, 36. ... Qc8 37. Rxc8+ is mate. || 36. Kxf4 | And the white king now creates a double-attack on the black e4 bishop, and nothing about the weak black back rank has altered, the black d8 rook needs to protect the f8 square against a white f-pawn promotion. || 36. ... Qe7 | Black guards the d8 rook and places another guard on the f8 promotion square. However on e7 the black queen cannot capture the white g6 pawn, it seems now that the smoke is clearing that white will be keeping both advanced kingside pawns. || 37. Qxe4 Qg5+ | Aren't, "Tactical Event Horizons", tricky beasts? White has been landing a sequence of punches on black, but just as you expect black to fall over, out comes a counter-punch. The black queen skewers the white king and unprotected c1 rook. Instead, 37. ... Qxe4+ 38. Kxe4 Rf8 39. g7 Rxf7 40. g8=Q+, mating. || 38. Kf3 Ka8 | Black declines the white c1 rook, why? Instead, 38. ... Qxc1 39. Qf4+, forces queens off, 39. ... Qxf4+ 40. Kxf4, threatening, pawn g7 forcing a promotion, so, 40. ... Rf8, white needs a little care here, 41. Ke5 Kc7 42. Ke6 Kd8 43. g7, white will emerge a queen ahead. So by shuffling the king to a8 black has escaped the potential royal fork of white, Qf4. White to play can demonstrate a weakness which has been plaguing black for several moves has just been made worse. || 39. Qe8 | A quadrupler. Firstly, the promotion of, pawn f8, is supported. Secondly, an x-ray protection has been given to a now-vulnerable square in the black defences. Thirdly, the black d8 rook is pinned to the a8 king. Fourthly, the black g5 queen is now tied down to protecting the d8 rook. Having waited for 31 moves to get into the action it appears that the white queen now dominates the game. || 39. ... Qf6+ | Black prevents the white threat of, pawn f8, with promotion, however there is still another white tactic in need of neutralisation. || 40. Kg3 Kb8 | When white advanced with, Qe8, an ex-ray support was given to the c8 square, consequently white threatened, Rc8+, forcing black to trade rooks and white would mate with, Qxc8+. So black shuffles the king back to b8, regaining sufficient control of the c8 square to prevent that particular mate. Instead, 40. ... a6, black will lose control of the f8 square, 41. Rc8+ Rxc8 42. Qxc8+ Ka7 43. f8=Q, white wins. || 41. Re1 Black resigns, 1-0 | White has too many threats which cannot be countered, some ideas run: (A). If, 41. ... Kc7 42. Qe5+ Qxe5+ 43. Rxe5 Kd7 44. g7, and, pawn g8=Q, will follow. (B). Or if, 41. ... Kc7 42. Qe5+ Qxe5+ 43. Rxe5 Rf8 44. Re8, the black rook cannot move and dare not trade on e8 as white replies, fxe8=Q. (C). Or if, 41. ... Kc8 42. Qxd8+ Kxd8 43. Re8+ Kd7 44. f8=Q, black will not find a perpetual, the white material will soon prove decisive. (D). Or if, 41. ... Kc8 42. Qxd8+ Qxd8 43. Re8 Kd7 44. Rxd8+ Kxd8 45. f8=Q+, winning. || * * * ## Unannotated Game. White: V. Okhotnik, 2449. Black: V. Berezhnoi. Date: 1981. Result: 1-0 in 41 moves. Opening: Caro-Kann Defence, Advanced Variation, Tal Variation, B12. 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 h6 5. g4 Bd7 6. h5 e6 7. f4 c5 8. c3 Nc6 9. Nf3 Qb6 10. Kf2 O-O-O 11. Kg3 Nge7 12. a3 c4 13. Nbd2 Na5 14. Rb1 Nb3 15. Bxc4 Nxd2 16. Nxd2 dxc4 17. Nxc4 Qc7 18. Nd6+ Kb8 19. Nxf7 Rg8 20. Nxd8 Qxd8 21. c4 g6 22. hxg6 Bc6 23. d5 exd5 24. f5 d4 25. Rh5 Be4 26. Ra1 Qb6 27. c5 Qxc5 28. Bf4 Nc6 29. Rc1 Qd5 30. e6+ Bd6 31. Qd2 Ne5 32. f6 Qxe6 33. Rxe5 Bxe5 34. f7 Rd8 35. Qxd4 Bxf4+ 36. Kxf4 Qe7 37. Qxe4 Qg5+ 38. Kf3 Ka8 39. Qe8 Qf6+ 40. Kg3 Kb8 41. Re1 Black resigns, 1-0 * * *