Skype coaching session, 26 January 2020. 2 Forthcoming coaching sessions in February will be on Sundays: 16, 23, at 14:00 UTC, which is 14:00 GMT. The game discussed (44 moves) is given below with annotations and without annotations plus repeat annotations from 19 January notes up to white move 8. 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: G. Jones, 2667. Black: J. Rowson, 2565. Event: British Championship Knock Out London 2016. Result: 1-0 in 44 moves. Opening: Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation, Stoltz Attack, B22. | Editorial. Gambit pawns come in a variety of forms. A few are almost immediately toxic. Others take a little time before ill effects begin to show. Some can simply make life continually difficult for a very long time. It is the last group which are the hardest to assess, and this applies to both, "The Offerer", and, "The Acceptor". || 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 c4 7. Bc2 | For comments on the above moves consult section 3 below, copied from the posting for the coaching session of 19 January 2020. || 7. ... Qc7 | Doubly-attacking the white e5 pawn, it seems there is only a single reply here for white, right? Well, "The Offerer", thinks otherwise... || 8. O-O | With a FIDE rating of 2667 we must assume white deliberately left the e5 pawn under-defended. Instead only, 8. Qe2, avoids loss of the e5 pawn. Note that, 8. d4 cxd3 9. Qxd3, fails to support the weak e5 pawn. Now comes the really tricky decision for, "The Potential Acceptor". || 8. ... Nxe5 | Black seems happy to become, "The Acceptor". || 9. Nxe5 Qxe5 10. Re1 | The only way to follow up the sacrifice, white is seeking speedy piece development while restricting the black development. Stockfish offers an opinion on this position, white materialistically a pawn down, has the advantage by 0.64 of a pawn. Humans cannot assess positions in such numerical terms. They instead consider generalisations applying to the relative positions of, "The Offerer", and, "The Acceptor", such as: (A). King safety. (B). Achieved development. (C). Future ease of development. (D). Weaknesses in the pawn formations. (E). Freedom of mobility of the pawn formations. (F). Any personal factors which their chess comprehension says is of importance. This last generalisation looks like a catch-all, right? For some people having the bishop pair is considered advantageous. Similarly, for some people eliminating the opposing knights is thought advantageous. || 10. ... Qc7 | Trying to stay on the active side of the pawns with, 10. ... Qf6, is known, but with so few examples it is not possible to offer judgement on this plan. White to play needs to justify the loss of the e-pawn, perhaps some queenside activity might suffice? || 11. a4 | White sets about the plan of disrupting the black development. If allowed, pawn a5, will push the black b6 knight around, which begins to undermine the cramping black c4 pawn. || 11. ... d5 | A move of mixed consequences: (A). Support is given to the cramping black c4 pawn. (B). Opportunities to develop are given to the black c8 bishop. (C). The d7 square is vacated for the b6 knight should it be attacked by white, pawn a5. (D). The d5 square is no longer available to the b6 knight should white push, pawn a5. Instead, 11. ... d6, is known, but there are insufficient examples to offer judgement. || 12. Na3 | Pressuring the c4 and b5 light squares, black feels they should belong to him and responds accordingly. || 12. ... a6 13. a5 | Cramping the position with an advancing pawn is a 2-way street. White must however be careful about having a pawn on a5, after the black b6 knight is forced to d7, the black c7 queen will be attacking it. || 13. ... Nd7 | Remember that list of generalisations applying to the relative positions of, "The Offerer", and, "The Acceptor"? Black has just gone backward on points, (B) Achieved development, and, (C) Future ease of development. || 14. d3 | A doubler. Firstly, the cramping black c4 pawn is challenged. Secondly, the dark square c1 bishop is ready to join in with restricting black activity. || 14. ... e6 | A move of mixed consequences: (A). Liberating the black f8 bishop for action. (B). Blocking in the black c8 bishop. It comes down to a case of priorities. Remember that list of generalisations applying to the relative positions of, "The Offerer", and, "The Acceptor"? Black is getting worried about, (A) King safety, castling kingside must be achieved as quickly as possible. White must also remember, (A) King safety, and find a means to keep the black king stuck in the middle for as long as possible. || 15. dxc4 | A doubler. Remember that generalisation list, here we are referencing, (C) Future ease of development. Firstly, the c2 bishop is released for action. Secondly, the d1 queen is released for action, but surely she was free to move previous to the pawn exchange on c4? Yes, but exchanging, dxc4, has given her a new set of options. || 15. ... dxc4 | White to play must remember that list of generalisations. Clue: Restriction is the name of this game, black needs to get castled, so white is about to be rather annoying... || 16. Qd4 | A tripler, remember those generalisations? Firstly, (D) Weakness in the pawn formation, the black c4 pawn cannot be doubly-defended. Secondly, (C) Future ease of development, the black f8 bishop dare not move, white will reply, Qxg7, breaking open the black kingside. Thirdly, (C) Future ease of development, white is getting a strong grip on the b6 square, any black ideas of, pawn b6, are going to be difficult. || 16. ... Qxa5 | With the, "Active (Developed) Units Count", standing at, White = 5, Black = 2, the black queen spends another tempo grabbing a pawn. The, "Couch Critics", are harsh today, right? Well, looking around the board, is there something better for black? Perhaps, 16. ... Nf6, protecting the g7 pawn, some ideas run: (A). If, 16. ... Nf6 17. Bf4 Qd8 18. Qxd8+ Kxd8 19. Rad1+ Ke8 20. Nxc4, white has won back the pawn with a massive lead in development plus just how is black to develop? (B). Or if, 16. ... Nf6 17. Bf4 Qc6 18. Rad1 Be7 19. Nxc4, white has won back the pawn with a better position plus the plan of, Nb6, with, Ba4, needs neutralising. So perhaps black assesses a tough position no matter what and decides to remain a pawn up. || 17. Be3 | X-ray attacks can be mutual. The black a5 queen placed herself into an x-ray attack from the white a1 rook. Fine, but the white a1 rook was unguarded at the time, so the a4 knight became pinned. Now that white has connected rooks then the x-ray attack power shifts from the black a5 queen to the white a1 rook, the black queen is endangered and advised to move. || 17. ... Qc7 | White is now 2 pawns down, but can capture the black c4 pawn next move. Perhaps re-visiting that generalisations list again might assist? (A). King safety. White is fine, black is still in the middle, in positions like this, "The Offerer", might find a piece sacrifice to strip away pawn-cover allowing the other active pieces to attack. (B). Achieved development. "Active (Developed) Units Count", stands at white = 6, black = 2. Though with a little quibbling it is possible to claim the white a1 rook is, "Active", making white = 7. (C). Future ease of development. White pieces have much flexibility on improving their locations, black pieces can develop, but can they do so while coping with whatever threats the white pieces generate from their activity? (D). Weaknesses in the pawn formations. Apart from the double-attack on the black c4 pawn, there are no pawn weaknesses yet, and when black took the a5 pawn, it was doubtless done anticipating the c4 pawn is lost. (E). Freedom of mobility of the pawn formations. While this concept is of importance when offering material, in this exact position it is not relevant. In fact,please pay careful attention as how white completes the game from here, taking note when pawns are moved and why. (F). Any personal factors which their chess comprehension says is of importance. This is a personal issue, without asking the players, no comment can be made here. White to play has several sensible moves which could be found and played in under 20 seconds each. Fischerism: "Obvious Therefore Dubious", would be unfair here, but perhaps it could be re-packaged? How about, "All good moves are equal, but some good moves are more equal than others"? || 18. Nb5 | White takes advantage of the pinned black a6 pawn. Fine, but this move is far trickier to assess than this simple explanation. We need another Fischerism: "Tactics flow from a positionally superior game." Again fine, but sometimes a relatively simple tactic can set off a cascade of complications. Instead, 18. Qxc4 Qxc4 19. Nxc4, should be immediately rejected, the black queen has few safe squares, white might be able to improve the position with attacks from minor pieces on her. Or, 18. Nxc4, does no harm but misses a much better opportunity. || 18. ... Qc6 | With a tempo-gaining attack on the white b5 knight which has limited choices. The tactics are about to escalate, white needed to have them calculated before charging forward with, Nb5. Instead, 18. ... axb5 19. Rxa8, is undesirable. || 19. Ra5 | Not particularly tactical, but the tension is increasing, the white rook dare not leave the b5 knight unprotected, so what if black can attack the rook in some way? || 19. ... Nf6 | A doubler. Firstly, the g7 pawn is now shielded from the white d4 queen attack, the f8 bishop is free to move. Secondly, if white plays, Be4, the black f6 knight has the choice of capture. It is too early for black to seek complications with, 19. ... b6, as after, 20. Be4 Qc5 21. Qd2 Qe7 22. Bxa8 bxa5 23. Nc7+ Kd8 24. Qa7, black might still be 2 pawns up, but is a whole position down plus those weak queenside pawns are ripe for plucking. White to play increases the pressure on a weak point in the black position. || 20. Qe5 | Simple and strong. The threat is, Nc7+, immediately winning an exchange and since white has a bishop on e3 the a8 knight would escape via b6, meaning white would have won a whole rook. || 20. ... axb5 | Black decides the pressure is too much and gives up an exchange to complete development. Complicating with, 20. ... b6, looks bad, some ideas run: (A). If, 20. ... b6 21. Nc7+ Kd8 22. Nxa8 bxa5 23. Qxa5+ Ke8 24. Ba4, wins the black queen for a bishop. (B). Or if, 20. ... b6 21. Nc7+ Kd8 22. Nxa8 bxa5 23. Qxa5+ Ke7 24. Bc5+, and black can either give up the queen with, 24. ... Qxc5 25. Qxc5+, or step back onto a light square when, 24. ... Ke8 25. Ba4, again traps the c6 queen. || 21. Rxa8 | Phase 1 of the game is over. The white gambit-pawn investment has yielded the reward of an exchange advantage for 2 pawns. Phase 2 is going to be some curious skirmishing as white toys with black for a few moves before settling on a plan. Black now an exchange down has some problems. The extra pawns are not of great use. Black dare not expand on the kingside so the 4 - 3 majority over there cannot be used. The queenside 3 - 2 pawn majority is going to take considerable nurturing to create a passed pawn, white is likely to gang up on the remaining pawn and eliminate it. So the usual way of fighting with the extra pawns is not available here. Lastly white is going to trade down to an ending at every opportunity, the only question is which black minor piece will remain to attempt to defend against a white rook. Note how white manoeuvres such that it is the black light square bishop who will remain, and so cannot do anything to endanger the white queenside pawns. || 21. ... Be7 22. Ra5 | Probing at the black b5 pawn, the reply is forced. || 22. ... Bd7 | Avoiding the disastrous, 22. ... b4 23. Ba4, skewering the black royalty. || 23. Qb8+ | The white queen gives a check, probably designed to force black to spend time deciding which bishop should retreat. || 23. ... Bc8 24. Qe5 | More probing at the black b5 pawn, black can reply instantly, so what is white doing here? Probably trying to make black feel uncomfortable about having to dance to the white tune. Of course this cannot last for long, sooner rather than later white must find a concrete plan of how to get pieces traded off. || 24. ... Bd7 25. Ra8+ | The white rook returns to the 8th rank, black will achieve castling kingside, the problem for black is how to avoid an exchange of rooks. || 25. ... Bc8 | The, "Cat And Mouse", sport has gone on for long enough, time to begin Phase 3. White must find a means of keeping control of the position, place the pieces in such a way that black has little choice but to challenge them, resulting in piece trades. And remember, white desires black to have the light square bishop as the remaining piece. || 26. Bd1 | White is re-routing the least contributing piece to a better square. || 26. ... O-O | The first generalisation of, "The Offerer", and, "The Acceptor", started way back on move8 concludes as black finally achieves king safety. However the other generalisations are still in play, gambit pawns can affect a game to the final move. || 27. Bf3 Nd5 | A doubler. Firstly, the attack on the black c6 queen is blocked. Secondly, when a unit moves it vacates a square for someone else, black can activate the rather passive e7 bishop with, Bf6. || 28. Bd4 | Someone say something about king safety? This threat of mate is very easy to stop, but in order to do so black must either compromise the pawn structure or set up a potential piece trade. || 28. ... Bf6 | Black must set up a potential piece trade. Blocking the a1 - h8 diagonal with a pawn loses material, some ideas run: (A). If, 28. ... f6 29. Bxd5 exd5 30. Qxe7, black loses a bishop. (B). Or if, 28. ... f6 29. Bxd5 Qxd5 30. Qxd5 exd5 31. Rxe7, black loses a bishop. (C). Or if, 28. ... f6 29. Bxd5 fxe5 30. Bxc6 exd4 31. Bxb5 dxc3 32. bxc3, and white will win a pawn with, 33. Bxc4, next move. (D). Or if, 28. ... f6 29. Bxd5 fxe5 30. Bxc6 bxc6 31. Bxe5, white wins a pawn. || 29. Bxd5 exd5 | Other moves turn out badly, some ideas run: (A). If, 29. Qxd5 30. Qxd5 exd5 31. Bxf6 gxf6 32. Re7, intending, Rc7, when black cannot avoid a further exchange of rooks, the white c7 rook will then round up both black b-pawns. (B). Or if, 29. ... Bxe5 30. Bxc6 bxc6 31. Bxe5, white wins a bishop. (C). Or if, 29. ... Bxe5 30. Bxc6 Bxd4 31. Bxb5 Bf6 32. Bxc4, black has lost 2 pawns. || 30. Qf4 Bxd4 | Black dare not allow white the luxury of doubling pawns with, Bxf6. || 31. Qxd4 | White rejects, 31. cxd4, which would allow black some play with the queenside pawns. || 31. ... Be6 | For better or worse, black could push, pawn b4, and hope something turns up. Instead trying to hold the position is permitting white to demonstrate the technique needed to convert to a win. || 32. Rea1 | Black cannot sensibly avoid an exchange of rooks, so white prepares to have another rook on the 8th rank immediately after the exchange on f8. || 32. ... f6 | White is aiming to invade with both queen and rook on the black back rank. In this case the black king will have to find shelter by trying to hide in front of his pawns. So white must plan the invasion in such a way that the black king cannot escape front-side of the pawns, fine, but how? Clue: It is generally stated that pawns sitting on their original squares offer the strongest defensive formation... || 33. Rxf8+ Kxf8 34. Qh4 | The prodding and probing at the black kingside pawn formation begins. White must force black to make advances with the pawns, and as they do so, gaps will appear, creating potential entry points for the white heavy pieces. || 34. ... Bf5 | Black had to sift out the less desirable options: (A). If, 34. ... Kg8 35. Ra8+ Bc8 36. Qg4, black loses the self-pinned c8 bishop. (B). Or if, 34. ... Kg8 35. Ra8+ Kf7 36. Qxh7, white then destroys the black kingside with the simple plan of, pawn h4 - pawn h5 - pawn h6. (C). Or if, 34. ... h6 35. Qf4, and white changes plans with, pawn h4 - pawn g4 - pawn g5, and the black kingside is again breaking up. || 35. Qf4 | White has instructively shuffled the queen along the 4th rank, each time with a tempo-gaining attack on an unprotected black unit, ending on f4 with options of a powerful invasion on b8 to come. || 35. ... Be6 | The mistakes are just waiting to be made. Instead the apparent mutually-protecting, 35. ... Bg6, runs into, 36. Qb8+ Kf7 37. Ra7, black loses the b7 pawn and the white heavy pieces will become very powerful. White to play must now soften up the black kingside. || 36. h4 | The last white pawn move was way back on move 15, that means 21 consecutive middlegame piece moves. All designed to slowly but surely arrive at an ending where the advantage of the exchange will prove decisive. The white kingside plan here is to advance, pawn h5 - pawn h6, giving black a headache. If black captures, gxh6, the kingside breaks open, if black stands still then, hxg7, again it breaks open. Instead advancing, pawn g6, allows the white queen to invade with, Qb8+ - Qh8, and the black h7 pawn falls leaving a passed white h6 pawn. || 36. ... h5 | As good a try as any, permitting white to get in, pawn h6, is painful, and again, black, pawn h6, just leaves the g5 square as a point of contact leading to opening of lines as suggested previously. White to play now has a weakness to exploit, time to bring up the artillery. || 37. Ra8+ Kf7 38. Rh8 | The real reason for placing the rook on h8 is not immediately obvious. Yes, snatching the black h5 pawn will give white a decisive advantage on the kingside. However, black will be given chances to get something happening with the 4 - 2 centre / queenside pawn majority, white should not allow such activity. Black to play has, at last, a free move to try for some counterplay. || 38. ... Qb6 | Good attacking moves are in short supply, a few sample choices offer: (A). If, 38. ... Qa6 39. Qc7+ Kg6 40. Qg3+ Kf7 41. Rh7, the black g7 pawn falls with a check, the black king is going to suffer and there will be no black queen perpetual beginning with, Qa1+. (B). Or if, 38. ... Qa6 39. Qc7+ Kg6 40. Qg3+ Bg4 41. f3, black simply loses the bishop. (C). Or if, 38. ... Qa6 39. Qc7+ Kg6 40. Qg3+ Kf5 41. Rxh5+ Ke4 42. Qf3+ mate. (D). Or if, 38. ... Qa6 39. Qc7+ Kg6 40. Qg3+ Kf5 41. Rxh5+ g5 42. hxg5, and the black kingside is a ruin, white will soon finish black off. So it seems black, Qb6, is designed to prevent white, Qc7+, while keeping plans of, pawn b4, when allowed. But what about black trying to defend the kingside? Instead, 38. ... g6 39. Qh6, black needs a flight square, so, 39. ... Bf5, but now, 40. Qf8+ Ke6 41. Qe8+, forcing a trade of queens, white should then centralise the king before probing around at the black pawns with the rook. White to play can be quickly careless or spend a little time to find the accurate continuation. || 39. Qf3 | More white queen prodding and probing. Black dare not allow white the luxury of, Qxh5+, meaning another important change in the black kingside pawn formation is forced, and it comes with serious consequences. || 39. ... g6 | The previous comment stated black is about to create another change in the pawn formation, fine, but surely the consequences are that the black pawns are now much stronger? Yes, they are, but it is not the pawn formation which matters here, the black king has lost g6 for a potential flight square. Instead, 39. ... Bg4 40. Qxd5+, loses an important pawn while permitting the white queen to invade. || 40. Qf4 | With a couple of threats to invade on a dark square with either, Qh6, or, Qb8, and the only sensible means for black to create a flight route for the f7 king is to move the e6 bishop. || 40. ... Bf5 41. Qb8 | An ideal position for an invading queen plus rook. Take the opposing back rank and force the target king into the centre where friendly units and enemy pawns will restrict the flight. || 41. ... Ke6 | The escape attempt begins. Other choices fail, some finishes could be: (A). If 41. ... Qa6 42. Qe8+ Kg7 43. Qf8+ mate. (B). Or if, 41. ... Qe6 42. Rh7+ mate. (C). Or if, 41. ... g5 42. Qe8+ Kg7 43. Qg8+ mate. || 42. Qe8+ | Preventing the black king from running up the e-file, this is now a test of proficiency for white, finding the quickest finish. || 42. ... Kd6 | White to play is about to produce an instructive move on how to chase down a fleeing king. || 43. Rf8 | The temptation in a chase is to keep hitting with checks. Many times this is the correct method, but here white brings into play the, "Passive", h8 rook. Of course, when not hitting with check the opponent is offered a free move in which to create a defence, however here the unfortunate positioning of the black royalty makes an important difference. || 43. ... Kc5 | The inevitable cannot be avoided, other choices fail: (A). If 43. ... Be6 44. Rxf6 Ke5 45. Qxg6, black is tied up, white has time for, pawn g3 - Kg2 - pawn f4+, very painful. (B). Or if, 43. ... d4 44. Rxf6+, black loses the b6 queen for the white rook. (C). Or if, 43. ... Qc7 44. Rxf6+ Kc5 45. Qe3+ d4 46. Qxd4+ mate. (D). Or if, 43. ... Qa5 44. Rxf6+ Kc7 45. Qe5+ Kc8 46. Rf8+ Kd7 47. Qxd5+ Kc7 48. Rf7+ Kc8 49. Qxb7+ Kd8 50. Rf8+ mate. || 44. Qe3+ Black resigns, 1-0 | Black loses at least the queen after, 44. ... Kc6 45. Rxf6+ Kc7 46. Qxb6+, with mate soon to follow. || * * * ## Unannotated Game. White: G. Jones, 2667. Black: J. Rowson, 2565. Event: British Championship Knock Out London 2016. Result: 1-0 in 44 moves. Opening: Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation, Stoltz Attack, B22. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 c4 7. Bc2 Qc7 8. O-O Nxe5 9. Nxe5 Qxe5 10. Re1 Qc7 11. a4 d5 12. Na3 a6 13. a5 Nd7 14. d3 e6 15. dxc4 dxc4 16. Qd4 Qxa5 17. Be3 Qc7 18. Nb5 Qc6 19. Ra5 Nf6 20. Qe5 axb5 21. Rxa8 Be7 22. Ra5 Bd7 23. Qb8+ Bc8 24. Qe5 Bd7 25. Ra8+ Bc8 26. Bd1 O-O 27. Bf3 Nd5 28. Bd4 Bf6 29. Bxd5 exd5 30. Qf4 Bxd4 31. Qxd4 Be6 32. Rea1 f6 33. Rxf8+ Kxf8 34. Qh4 Bf5 35. Qf4 Be6 36. h4 h5 37. Ra8+ Kf7 38. Rh8 Qb6 39. Qf3 g6 40. Qf4 Bf5 41. Qb8 Ke6 42. Qe8+ Kd6 43. Rf8 Kc5 44. Qe3+ Black resigns, 1-0 * * * ## Repeat annotations from 19 January 2020 coaching session up to white move 8. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 | The Alapin Variation, white supports the advance of, pawn d4, with the c3 pawn. || 3. ... Nf6 | A more dynamic approach for black is, 3. ... d5, which usually leads to white having an Isolated Queen Pawn in the middlegame. This sounds bad for white, but when correctly handled with the appropriate piece activity, it is black who needs to be more careful in the middlegame. Much strategic understanding demanded for both players when the Isolated Queen Pawn is present for either player. || 4. e5 Nd5 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 c4 | Looks as if black is winning the opening skirmish, right? Not really. White will soon challenge the cramping black c4 pawn, and once liquidated, white will achieve the much-needed, pawn d4. || 7. Bc2 d5 | Direct. Instead, 7. ... Qc7, keeps white guessing as to how black will handle the centre. Note that after, 7. ... Qc7, white can choose between the calm, 8. Qe2, or speculate to accumulate with, 8. O-O Nxe5 9. Nxe5 Qxe5 10. Re1, which seems to give black a good testing. || * * *