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Here at Queensac, we adore queen sacrifices. Almost as exciting is the double-rook sac! Yassar Seirawan and Nikolay Minev have produced a compelling book, Take my Rooks!, devoted to this theme. They have found more than 130 games that involve the theme and help us to understand when it works, when it doesn't, and what some players missed along the way.
Here are all of the games in the book and here are two examples. The first is a quick look at the nature of the double rook sacrifice; the second is a battle between two titans that ends quite quickly.
Diagram
1.d4 f5 The Dutch Defense 2.e4 The Staunton Gambit 2...fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 g6 5.f3 exf3 6.Nxf3 For the pawn, white has a noticeable lead in development. 6...Bg7 7.Bd3 c5 8.d5 And now a space advantage. 8...Qb6 9.Qd2 Qxb2 Bad development and taking a poisoned pawn. 10.Rb1 Nxd5 Diagram
In 1965, Vladimir Vukovic authored perhaps the premier manual on tactics, The Art of Attack in Chess. More than just a presentation on how to attack a castled king, he classifies attacks and focuses upon grandmaster games to illustrate his points. He provides a special section on the games of Capablanca and Alekhine, a real treat for those who have not yet seen these games.
The book is available in a new edition, which fortunately makes it available to the next generation of chess players. Here are all of the games and positions in the book and here is just one example, a nice attack conducted by Yugoslavian GM S. Gligoric.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 The Benoni 3.d5 e5 ...b5 would be the Benko Gambit 4.Nc3 d6 In this line, the center closes and the d6 pawn is backward and weak, but black has potential counterplay with both ...b5 and ...f5 5.e4 Nbd7 6.Nf3 a6 To support ...b5 7.Be2 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Ne1 Ne8 To prepare ...f5 10.Nd3 Nc7 11.a4 To prevent ...b5 11...Rb8 12.Be3 Bg5 To exchange the bad dark-quared bishop 13.Qd2 Bxe3 14.Qxe3 h6 15.a5 b5 16.axb6 Nxb6 17.b3 Ra8 18.f4 exf4 19.Qxf4 The e5-square is key here. Will white be able to play e4-e5, or will black be able to get a knight to the e5-square 19...f6 Preventing e5 20.Nd1 Qe7 21.Ne3 g5 Creating holes on the kingside, notably f5, g6, and h5 22.Nf5 Forcing black to exchange the good light-squared bishop 22...Bxf5 23.Qxf5 Qh7 Hoping to exchange the queens in order to protect the weak light-squares on the kingside. 24.Qg4 Idea Rf5 and Raf1 24...Rae8 25.Rf5 Nd7 idea Ne5 26.Raf1 Re7 27.b4 idea cxb4 28.c5 dxc5 29.d6 27...cxb4 28.c5 threat cxd6 28...h5 [28...dxc5 29.d6 wins a [iece] 29.Qg3 Rxe4 30.c6! Rxe2 31.Qxd6 Nb5 32.Qxb4 The connected passed pawns provide full compensation for the piece 32...Nb8 Diagram
Five time Russian champion Rashid Nezhmetdinov sustained his standing atop the world of chess by attacking... always attacking. As the story goes, he defeated Mikhail Tal so many times that Tal hired him as his trainer.
In 2000, Thinkers' Press published Russian Correspondence master Alex Piskin's Super Nezh: Chess Assassin, a collection of 100 well annotated games from this Russian champion previously little known in the west. The book is full of surprises (Nezh invented the poisoned pawn variation of the Najdorf!) and many ferocious attacks. Unfortunately, the book is now out of print, but it shows up used at an affordable price from time-to-time.
Here are all of the games in the book and here is, perhaps, Super Nezh's most famous win.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5 Avoiding the main lines, but allowing an early queen-exchange after d4xe5 4.e4 Perhaps Nf3 to sustain the tension in the center 4...exd4 5.Qxd4 Nc6 Gaining time on the queen 6.Qd2 Blocking the development of the Bc1, but overprotecting the Nc3 and preparing b3 and Bb3 6...g6 7.b3 Bg7 8.Bb2 0-0 9.Bd3 idea Nge2 9...Ng4 idea Nge5 and f5 or Qh4 10.Nge2 Qh4 threat Qxf2. The game now complicates very quickly 11.Ng3 Nge5 [11...Nxh2 traps the Nh2; 11...Nce5!? 12.Bc2 Bh6 13.f4] 12.0-0 [12.Bc2 Nd4 13.Qxd4 Nf3+] 12...f5 [The author gives 12...Ng4 13.h3 Nxf2 14.Qxf2 Bd4 15.Qxd4 Nxd4 16.Nd5] 13.f3 Bh6 14.Qd1 f4 [14...Be3+ 15.Kh1 f4 16.Nge2 Nb4] 15.Nge2 g5 16.Nd5 g4 Ignoring Nxc7 17.g3 [17.Nxc7 g3 18.h3 Bxh3 19.gxh3 Qxh3-+] 17...fxg3 18.hxg3 Qh3 19.f4 [19.fxg4 Bxg4-+] 19...Be6 [19...Nf3+ 20.Kf2 Qh2+ 21.Ke3 when white is fine] 20.Bc2 [20.fxe5 Bxd5 21.exd5 Be3+; 20.Bb1!? Rf7] 20...Rf7 21.Kf2 Qh2+ 22.Ke3 Bxd5 23.cxd5 [23.Qxd5 Nb4 24.Qd2 Bxf4+ 25.gxf4 Qh3+ 26.Kf2 g3+-+] 23...Nb4 24.Rh1 Diagram
Chess lessons occupy my weekend mornings. For years, I've shared my own games and ideas and, of course, reviewed my students' games. During the past year, I've introduced something fun into the agenda. Thanks to the Internet Chess Club, my students and I watch live Grandmaster games and to predict their moves and plans. I know that many players join the ICC to play. The great benefit, in my view, is the ability to watch these games as they are played.
Today, we were following some of the games live from the Russian Chess league. Apart from wtching some interesting chess, it's also quite instructive to observe how the strongest players allocate their time. While many of us finish our games early, they are aware that even the smallest early inaccuracies can cost the full point. So it's quite common to see just 20 or so moves fill most of the time control.
Today's game was no exception, but I call your attention to the diagram. That position dwelled on our screen for about 30 minutes. I wish that I could tell you that my students and I figured out all the complications. The fact is, I wound up devoting a few afternoon hours to the task and, indeed, there were a more than a few surprises that we had missed.
I recommend that you set up a diagram position on the board, turn off the TV, and write down your analysis. You may find, as my students have, that the exercise builds chess muscles!
1.e4 c5 The Sicilian Defense 2.Nf3 Preparing 3.d4 2...e6 Popular defense, often leading to the Kan, Paulsen, or Scheveningen 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 ...a6 is the Kan. 5.Nc3 Qc7 The usual home for the queen, though usually prepared first with ...a6. Now on Nb5, the queen tucks to b8 and then gains time on the Nb5 with ...a6 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Uncommon and looks awkward. Without having played...d6, black can still respond with Nf6 and Bb4going after the white e4-pawn 7...Nf6 8.0-0-0 Bb4 Threatening the e-pawn 9.f3 Ne5 [9...d5?! 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Qxc3 dxe4 12.Nxc6 Qxc6 13.Qe5 exf3 14.Bg5 Bd7 (14...fxg2 15.Bxf6 Bd7 (15...gxh1Q 16.Rd8#) 16.Bxg2 Qxg2 17.Rhg1 Qf2 18.Bxg7 Rc8 (18...Rg8 19.Qc7+-) 19.Qe4+/-) ] 10.Nb3 b5 idea Bb7 11.Qe1 threat Nxb5 because BxQ is now NOT check [11.Kb1 Be7 12.Qf2 Rb8 13.g4 h6 14.h4 d6 15.Rg1 g5 16.Rh1 Rg8 17.hxg5 hxg5 18.Ba7 Rb7 19.Bd4 Bd7 20.Qg3 b4 21.Ne2 Nc4 22.Nec1 Bb5 23.Bxc4 Bxc4 24.Nd2 e5 25.Nxc4 Qxc4 26.b3 Qc6 27.Bb2 a5 28.Qe1 a4 29.Nd3 Qb5 30.Qd2 Nd7 31.Rh7 Nf8 32.Rh6 Ng6 33.Qh2 Rc7 34.Rh7 Bf6 35.Qd2 Rb7 36.Ne1 Be7 37.Ng2 Nf4 38.Ne3 axb3 39.cxb3 Ra7 40.Nf5 Ra6 41.Rc1 Qa5 42.Ba1 Ra8 43.Rc6 Nd3 44.a4 Nc5 45.Qd5 Ne6 46.Rc8+ 1-0 Bauer,C-Skripchenko Lautier,A/Aix les Bains 2003/CBM 97 (46)] 11...Be7 [11...Bxc3 12.bxc3 Nc4 13.Bc5 With excellent play on the dark squares as compensation for the pawn structure; 11...Bb7 12.Nxb5 axb5 13.Qxb4] 12.f4 Nc4 13.e5 Without the black bishop on b7, the Nf6 cannot play to d5 13...Ng4 14.Bd4 Overprotecting the key e5-pawn and threatening h3. 14...f5 idea of lessing the power of the Bd4 and bringing the Ng4-h6-f7 15.h3 Nh6 Of course, the knight on the rim is dim. Certainly true here. The knight stays on h6 for the rest of the game 16.Qf2 Dominating the queenside dark-squares 16...Bb7 Seeking counrter-play along the long diagonal 17.Bxc4 bxc4 [17...Qxc4 18.Na5] 18.Bb6 Qc6 19.Na5 The Na5 and Nc3 control the diagonal 19...Qxg2 [19...Qc8 20.Rd4+/-] 20.Qd4 threat Qxd7 and Rhg1xg7 20...Bc8 Creating a safety square on b7 for the nearly trapped Qg2 21.Bc5 Trading white's "bad" dark-squared bishop for black's good bishop. 21...Bxc5 22.Qxc5 threat Rg1xg7 and Qe7 22...Kf7 Diagram
The most exciting defense for black? Thanks to adherants like Bobby Fischer and Lev Polugaevsky, the Sicilian Najdorf might get the most votes. It certainly remains at the cutting edge of opening theory.
There are many books on the Najdorf. Today, I focus on one, a 1993 effort by Danny King Winning with the Najdorf. He reviews all of the mian lines in 61 well annotated games played between the early 1940s and the mid 1990s.
He includes a few of his own games, but the majority are highly instructive examples such as the following
1.e4 c5 The Sicilian Defense 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 Nf6 attacks the e-pawn 5.Nc3 Defending the pawn. The sequence prohibits c2-c4 and the Maroczy bind (pawns on c4 and e4). 5...a6 The Najdorf variation. 6.Bg5 Fischer tried many different moves here, but used mostly Bc4 and Bg5 6...e6 idea Be7 7.f4 idea Qf3 7...Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 All standard stuff 9...Nbd7 10.f5 More common is g2-g4, Bxf6 and g5 10...e5 A normal reaction. Black creates a hole on d5, but the f5-pawn now blocks the normal Nf5 11.Nb3 b5 idea b4 and Bb7 with pressure upon the fixed e4-pawn. 12.a3 To prevent b4, but a3 weakens the queenside. 12...Bb7 Two attacks upon e4 13.h4 Rc8 Delaying ...0-0, which would give white a target for the attack. Black is preparing the ...d5 break and stops Nd5 (Qxc2#) 14.Bd3 Over-protecting both c2 and e4 14...h5! A lovely move, stopping g2-g4 and, in fact, stealing the g4 square for the Nf6 15.Kb1 Nb6 Idea Nc4xb2 and Qxc3 16.Nd2 Trying to stop Nc4 16...Ng4 Trading the bad Be7 for white's good Bg5 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 idea Rxc3! 18.Nf1 Diagram
As a correspondence chess player, I'm accustomed to writing out pages and pages of analysis before I mail a move. German GM Robert Huebner rose quickly through the ranks in the 1970s through steadfast devotion to thorough analysis over-the-board. When ChessBase was in version 4.0, there was a limit to the amount of analysis that one could place inside a game. They set it quite high, expecting that no normal players would hit it. I did regularly, requiring that I split my games into parts. So too with Huebner, whose detailed analysis is legend.
In 1996, Huebner authored a memorable book, 25 Annotated Games. That may sound like a thin book, but those 25 games occupy 413 dense pages (with more diagrams within the analysis than within the game scores)! The analysis is detailed and comprehensive, a real joy to those who demand proof or just enjoy chess as science.
Here are all of the games in the book and here are my rather paltry annotations of one of the games. I hope that you get some sense of what in store to those who own this treasure.
1.e4 c5 The Sicilian Defense 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 A frequent move, measuring black's intentions. White is unlikely to play a Closed varaition with the Nf3 blocking f2-f4 3...Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Back to a main line... Black can choose among ...a6, ...Qc7, and ...d6 5...d6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 Transposing to the Sozin Sicilian. The more usual move order is: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Be3 7...Be7 8.Qe2 The Velimirovic attack 8...a6 9.0-0-0 Qc7 10.Bb3 All known and book 10...0-0 And an interesting choice now for white. If 11.g4, black plays Nxd4 when the natural Bxd4 fails to e6-e5. So white would have to play 11.g4 Nxd4 12.Rxd4 e5 13.Rc4. Better to prepare g4 with... 11.Rhg1 Na5 12.g4 b5 13.g5 Nxb3+ 14.axb3 Nd7 Again, all well known to theory. Huebner offers just a half page to the first 14 moves, and 26 pages to last 13 moves! 15.Rg3 There's much to learn from Huebner's method. First, analyze the key candidate moves 15.Nf5 and 15.f4... not necessarily to play them, but to find out why they may not yet work. And then play the moves that help to set them up. 15...Bb7 16.f4 [16.Qh5 Rfe8 17.Rh3 Nf8] 16...b4 Diagram
Most books on chess openings have a bias towards one side or another. The bias is natural because players tend to play the opening as white or black but rarely both.
An exception is The Caro Kann in Black and White by Anatoly Karpov and Alexander Beliavsky. Beliavsky authored the first half of the book, looking at the opening from the white perspective. Karpov takes on the black view in the the second half. Again, a game perspective, and a refreshing balance.
Of course, there's much to wonder about here. I get the impression, hard to prove, that both players have held back on the best strategies to defeat their pet lines, but the games are well annotated and worth your attention.
Here are all of the games in the book and here are my annotations to the last game, a nice theoretical novelty that Karpov had prepared for Kasparov but unleashed instead on Kamsky.
1.e4 c6 The Caro-Kann Defense 2.d4 d5 Counter-attacking as in the French, but here, avoiding a bad Bc8 by not having played e6 3.Nd2 Avoiding Nc3 when black has the additional option of playing g6 and Bg7. The fianchetto does not work well here because white can respond with c2-c3 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 A solid variation, preparing rather than playing Ngf6 5.Ng5 Sharp, third move for the knight but an ideal post. ...h6 Ne6! 5...Ngf6 [5...h6 6.Ne6 fxe6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxg6#] 6.Bd3 idea Qe2 and 0-0 6...e6 7.N1f3 Guarding the d4-pawn and eyeing e5 7...Bd6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Nf6 11.Qh4 Diagram
Just how bad are bad bishops? And are all bad bishops equally bad? These are some of the questions explored in a 1989 Thinkers' Press book Strategical Themes by Senior Master Tom Unger.
I adore books that focus on themes, and this book has several: Bad Bishops, Double Fianchettos, central pawn rollers, and centralization. The book provides a good discussion on each theme and, as important, useful examples to drive the points home.
I offer all of the games in the book as well as an instructive example from the section on bad bishops. As you'll see, some bad bishops are worse than others.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Be3 Be6 Threatening ...d5 10.Bf3 a5 11.Nd5 Bxd5 12.exd5 Nb8 13.c4? Once the Nb8 develops to control c5, d4-d5 will not be playable. White needed to try a4 with the idea of re-locating the Bf3 to b5. 13...Na6 14.Bd2 b6 15.Bc3 Nc5 16.Nxc5 bxc5 Diagram
You don't become world champion without mastering the endgame. That's probably fair to say, and Botvinnik's On the End Game gives a pretty fair view of what it takes. Certainly experience, but also a fair imagination and a strong dose of creativity.
The book contains 25 of Botvinnik's endgames against some of the strongest players of the day, Alekhine, Keres, Bronstein, Fischer, Larsen, Portisch, Najdorf, Taimanov, and many others. The plans and more orders are crisp, well annotated, and worth your time.
Here are all 25 games in the book. Where I could find them, I included the full game score rather than just the endgame so that you'll have a chance to see the transition to these interesting endgames.
Finally, here is the game of the day, one of the endgames in the book. There are undoubtedly several winning ideas here, but I think that you will find it interesting to see how Botvinnik planned out the win. Before you play it through, take five minutes to see what ideas you can assemble.
1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 Nbd7 5.e3 a6 6.c5 c6 7.Na4 Ne4 8.Bd3 e5 9.Nd2 Nxd2 10.Bxd2 e4 11.Be2 Be7 12.0-0 0-0 13.f3 f5 14.fxe4 fxe4 15.Rxf8+ Qxf8 16.Ba5 Nf6 17.Bc7 Be6 18.Qb3 Bg4 19.Bxg4 Nxg4 20.Bf4 Qf7 21.h3 Bh4 22.hxg4 g5 23.g3 gxf4 24.gxh4 Qe6 25.Kh2 Rf8 26.Rf1 f3 27.Qc2 Kh8 28.Qf2 Qxg4 29.Rg1 Qd7 30.Nc3 Rf6 31.Nd1 Qe7 32.Qg3 Rg6 33.Qb8+ Kg7 34.Rxg6+ Kxg6 35.Kg3 Qg7 36.Kh2 Kh5 37.Qg3 Qg4 38.Qxg4+ Kxg4 39.Nf2+ Kxh4 Diagram
When I write stories, I like to have to have a good sense of how the story will finish. If I know the ending, I can more easily get there. So too in chess, expertise in the endgame is a great aid throughout the middlegame. If I trade off my pieces, is the endgame favorable? It's a key question that underlies much good chess.
I like Peter Griffith's book Exploring the Endgame in no small part because he often provides complete games. It's not simply a question of showing off some exemplary endgame technique. These folks knew what to do in these endgames. It's interesting to see how they got there.
Here are the 54 games in the book. Griffiths divides them into pawn, knight, bishop, rook, and minor piece endgames. Here's one example from the King and pawn section with my own annotations.
Diagram
There are many game collections, and playing through them will improve your chess. In 1952, R.N.Coles wrote Epic Battles of the Chessboard, an unusual collection because most of the games feature astounding recoveries. To be sure, there are exciting contests and often astounding combintations, but these games were selected because they are tenacious, resourceful, and more closely resemble the type of chess that one might aspire to play at the club.
Here are all of the games in the book and here is one of them with my own annotations. It's a game played between two Swedish masters during World War 2. I think that you will enjoy it.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 The Ruy Lopez 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 The open Ruy 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 All standard fare. White now usually plays c3 or Nbd2 9.a4 Na5 10.Nd4 Nxb3 11.cxb3 With b5-b4, black would fix the queenside structure. 11...bxa4!? 12.b4 c5 Black has decided on daring play [12...Bxb4 13.Qxa4+] 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.f3 Forcing the Ne4 to move, but all pawn moves create weaknesses, here on e6 and the opening of the a7-g1 diagonal [14.Qxa4+] 14...Ng5 15.Qxa4+ Kf7 16.b5 Counting on this pawn advance to create a queenside passer [16.Qa5] 16...c4 Opening the c5 square for the Bf8 17.h4 Bc5+ 18.Kh2 h6 Inviting hxg5? hxg5 19.bxa6 Preferring to advance the passer [19.hxg5 hxg5+ 20.Kg3 was white's best shot... where's the mate?? 20...g4 21.fxg4+ Kg8 22.g5] 19...Kg8! Learning from the variation earlier, black removes his king from the f-file. 20.g3? [20.hxg5 hxg5+ 21.Kg3 g4-+; 20.Qc6! Rc8 21.Bxg5 hxg5 22.Qxe6++-] 20...Qf8 idea: Qf5-h3 21.Kg2 Qf5 22.Bxg5 [22.hxg5 hxg5 23.g4 Qh7-+; 22.g4 Qxe5 23.Nc3 d4 24.f4 Qd6~~] 22...hxg5 [22...Qxe5!?] 23.Qc6 Diagram
When Mikhail Botvinnik defeated Capablanca in a 1925 simultaneous match, the Cuban world champion predicted great things for the young 14-year-old. And so it was to be for the great Botvinnik, a cool pragmatist who precisely dismanted the competition for four decades.
His 1982 book, 15 Games and their stories takes us from that 1925 match through 40 years of great chess punctuated by the stories behind the matches.
Here are all 15 games in the book as well as my notes to one of his efforts from 1934, a nice example of the calculating care that propelled Botvinnik to the World Championship.
Reti's Opening 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 Prefering a transposition to a queen's pawn opening 3.d4 Now a Slav Defense 3...Nf6 4.e3 Solid but passive, blocking in the Bc1 4...e6 5.Bd3 The good bishop to the strong, natural square 5...Nbd7 Anticipating Nc3 and e3-e4, with the idea of exchanges on e4 and then Nd7-f6 6.Nc3 dxc4 The Merin Variation, taking the Bd3 off its nice perch but ceding the center to white. 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Black's manoeuver has gained some time, but there's no good way to prevent e3-e4 8...a6 9.e4 The threat is now e4-e5 9...c5 Counter-attacking the center 10.e5 cxd4 The threat of exf6 permits the knight to become a marauder 11.Nxb5 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 axb5 13.0-0 Rellstab's Attack, a Botvinnik favorite in the 1930s. [13.Qf3!? Ra5 (13...Qa5+ 14.Ke2 Bd6 15.Qc6+ Ke7 16.Bd2 b4 17.Qxd6+ Kxd6 18.Nc4+ Kd7 19.Nxa5 Rxa5 20.Rhc1 Ba6 21.Bxa6 Rxa6 22.Rc4 Nd5 23.Rxd4 Rb8 24.Kd3 h5 25.Kc4 b3 26.a4 Rc6+ 27.Kd3 Rc2 28.Rb1 Rbc8 29.a5 R8c6 30.Ke2 Rd6 31.Ke1 Nc7 32.Rxd6+ Kxd6 33.Bc3 f6 34.Ra1 Na6 35.Ra3 Kc7 36.Rxb3 Nc5 37.Rb5 Na4 38.Bd4 e5 39.Kd1 Rc4 40.Be3 Kc6 41.Rb8 Kc7 1-0 Reshevsky,S-Botvinnik,M/Moscow 1955/EXT 99 (41)) 14.0-0 b4 15.Bf4 Be7 16.Rfc1 0-0 17.Qh3 Rc5 18.Rxc5 Bxc5 19.Bg5 h6 20.Ng4 Be7 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Nxh6+ Kg7 23.Qg4+ Kh8 24.Qh5 Kg7 25.Nxf7 Rh8 26.Qg6+ Capablanca-Levenfish, 1-0, 1935] 13...Qd5 14.Qe2 Holding the Ne5 14...Ra5!? 15.f4 Securing the Ne5 in the face of b5-b4, and holding back on the development of the Bc1, probably now to d2 15...Bd6 16.Bd2 b4 17.a3 Another pawn sac, but opening the board for white's active pieces 17...Bxe5 18.fxe5 Qxe5 19.Qf3 Dangerous. Black cannot 0-0 owing to Bxb4, and white has the dangerous c6 entry square for the queen. 19...Qd5 20.Qg3 Ra7 Diagram
What's the most important discovery of the 1490s? Columbus's discovery of American in 1492? Nah! It was Lucena's discovery in 1497 of how to win Rook and pawn endgames! After all, the Vikings had already discovered the Americas, and without Lucena, there'd have been no hope for chess.
I feature today Edmar Mednis's famous book, Practical Rook Endings. It's a small, 70 page booklet, but it's chock full of what you need to compete in a rook and pawn endgame. Many games between equally matched players end in the endgame, and rook and pawn endgames are by far the most common. We all have learned to make sure that we keep our rooks active on open files and to place our rooks behind advanced passed pawns. But there are subtleties, and the key is recognizing early on when to exchange down to an advantageous rook endgame and, of course, what to do once you get there.
Here are all of the games and positions in Mednis's book and, in honor of the 500th anniversary of Lucena's historic discovery (which surely deserved more recognition than it got), I offer an example of his contribution. Note that white has correctly placed his king on the queening square (and kept the white king from getting to the queening square to prevent the queening of the pawn), but how to advance the pawn? It appears that the white king simply cannot move out of the way without being subject to perpetual checks from the Black rook.
Diagram
Volume two of Polugaevsky's Sicilian Labyrinth looks at pawn structures, key central squares, open files, piece placement, and strategic sacrifices. He also covers typical endgame features in the Sicilian, notable the importance of the open c-file for black and using the two bishops when you are fortunate enough to have them.
The discussions in the book provide excellent proof of the importance of playing through master games, especially when they are well annotated. Here are all of the games in volume two, and here is an example from the book with my annotations. Note the importance of the e5 square for black and the use of the semi-open c-file.
1.e4 c5 The Sicilian 2.Nf3 Active lines require Nf3 and d4 2...Nc6 Not my personal favorite, but solid. IN Hedgehog lines, the Nc6 can wind up blocking the c-file and the a8-h1 diagonal 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 Attacking the e-pawn and, by forcing Nc3, preventing c4 5.Nc3 d6 ...e7-e5 is the Sveshnikov, or Pelikan. 6.f4 Alterantives are Bg5 (the Richter-Rauser) and Bc4 (the Sozin). 6...e6 Solid defense, preparing Be7 and watching the key d5 and f5 squares 7.Be2 To support g4 and often to place the Be2-f3 7...Be7 8.Bf3 Bd7 Solid. If Nxc6 Bxc6, and black can now play Nxd4 Bc6 9.Nde2 Qb6 Inhibiting the development of the Bc1 and preventing 0-0. 10.b3 To develop the Bc1, but weakening c3 and the c-file. 10...a6 The Qb6 has done its job. a6 prepares Qc7 11.a3 Rc8 Black's usual counter play down the c-file 12.Qd3 The queen will be awkward here, vulnerable to attack by Ne5 12...Qc7 13.g4 Diagram
Lev Polugaevsky played the Sicilian throughout his GM career and introduced many new, sharp vaiations, including a key Najdorf line now named after him.
In 1991, he introduced a wonderful two volume set, The Sicilian Labyrinth, that draws upon his many years of experience and insight. Volume 1 focuses upon avoiding opening disasters, preparing theoretical surprises for your opponents, and a variety of counter-attacking measures for black.
Here are all of the games in Volume 1, and here are my annotations to one of the games presented. The game is the 24th in the 1985 Kasparov-Karpov match and represents the culmination of their Sicilian discussion in the match. And yes, it's yet another Hedgehog!
1.e4 c5 The Sicilian. Black's idea is to inhibit d2-d4 and to open the c-file for his major pieces 2.Nf3 d6 Very flexible, with the possibility of a Najdorf (...a6), Dragon (...g6), or Scheveningen (...e6) 3.d4 cxd4 Capturing towards the center, opening the c-file. 4.Nxd4 Nf6 Attacking the e-pawn in order to stop c2-c4. 5.Nc3 The main line, but now white cannot establish the "Maroczy bind" with pawns on c4 and e4 (stopping counterplay with d7-d5) 5...a6 The Najdorf variation. In many lines, Black can now play ...e5 without having to face Nb5 or Bb5 6.Be2 A solid continuation. More challenging, perhaps, are Bg5, Bc4, and the English Attack with Be3 or f3 6...e6 A Kasparov favorite, establishing a solid pawn center, lessening the possibility of e4-e5 7.0-0 Be7 8.f4 0-0 9.Kh1 Removing the king from the diagonal. 9...Qc7 A natural post for the queen in these lines. The a- and e-pawns prevent knight attacks on b5 and d5. 10.a4 To prevent ...b5 10...Nc6 Hedgehog players often prefer to develop the queen knight on d7, but here, white can quickly play g4-g5. The Nf6 needs d7 for its escape. 11.Be3 Re8 Typical play, with the idea of Bf8 and a late kingside fianchetto 12.Bf3 Rb8 and removing the rook from the long diagonal 13.Qd2 Bd7 Aiming towards c6 and maintaining contact with the e6-pawn 14.Nb3 Threatening a4-a5. Black would then have a structurally weak b-pawn. 14...b6 Completing the Hedgehog structure. Black's development remains sub-optimal... The Nc6 and Bd7 are misplaced, but the structure offers black plenty of time to reorganize. 15.g4 Idea g5... Black must vacate d7 15...Bc8 16.g5 Nd7 17.Qf2 Bf8 With no pressure on d6, black pursues the idea of Rg6 and Bg7 18.Bg2 Readying f4-f5 18...Bb7 19.Rad1 g6 20.Bc1 Rbc8 [20...Nc5 After the game, Kasparov preferred Nc5] 21.Rd3 Idea Rh3, Qh4 21...Nb4 22.Rh3 Bg7 Diagram
A long Township Committee meeting tonight (so a shorter BLOG). Yes, I ran for office 5 years ago... and got elected! To make matters worse, I ran for re-election and won again! So I have civic obligations on many nights of the week, but I still find time for my real passion ... because chess is fun!
Some thoughts about new directions for the web site. Please feel free to comment on these possibilities and to offer your own suggestions on the Message Board here. During the coming year, I'm going to try to add a tactics page that will randomly offer a different position every time you load it... It will take some time to load in 3000-4000 positions, so I ask for some patience!
I built Chess is Fun to provide free instruction, and the site has obviously grown and grown over the past 12 years. Time now to consider a special "for-pay" component. Everything here (including the BLOG) will remain free. So what will be offered?
A huge archive of openings, great games, and about 200 online books. I may also offer my Hedgehog book in a special teaching area... I haven't succeeded in interesting any publishers in the book, essentially the Hedgehog for Kids, but perhaps there will be some online interest. I hope to be ready by the fall. I'll update you as I approach completion.
And of course, there's the interactive lesson facility. A few more tests will be needed to make sure that it's up to higher demand, but I suspect that there must be folks out there who'd enjoy being able to interact in such an instructional setting.
That's it for today. During the next two days in the BLOG, I hope to cover Polugaevsky's two volume Sicilian Labyrinth. Some great games, and excellent analysis. But I need more time to enter all the games! Good chess, all.
Correspondence chess has a reputation for long, careful, positional games with detailed, accurate analysis. All the more reason that a book of correspondence chess miniatures might be hard to assemble.
Tim Harding, the editor of Chess Mail, the wonderful publication and web site, took on this task with Startling Correspondence Chess Miniatures. Here is a collection of 100 entertaining, often theoretically important short games all played via e-mail or through the post. The games are enjoyable and also contain traps into which your next opponents just might fall.
Here are all of the games in the book and here is one of mine that I hope will be included in volume two... yes, my way of sneaking one of my correspondence chess miniatures into the BLOG!
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 The Nimzo-Indian Defense. Idea to prevent e2-e4 4.e3 Idea Nge2 to avoid doubled pawns after Bxc3 4...c5 5.Nge2 cxd4 6.exd4 d5 Giving white a choice between an immediate a3 or c4-c5 first. 7.a3 Be7 Preserving the dark-squared bishop 8.c5 White has chances now with a three-on-two queenside majority. Black has counter-play in the center 8...b6 Actively challenging the majority. 9.b4 a5 threat axb5 10.Na4 Permiting the recapture with axb5 and also pressuring the b6-pawn 10...bxc5 11.dxc5 axb4 12.axb4 So, the question is, are the connected pawns strong or targets? 12...Nc6 Attacking the backward b4-pawn. 13.Bd2 Protecting the b4-pawn, but dangerous. Note that the white king cannot move! All black needs is check! [13.b5 Qa5+ 14.Nec3 d4~~] 13...Ne4! 14.Nb6 Diagram
In 1991, Mihai Suba authored Dynamic Chess Strategy, an exciting collection of 36 of his games. Notable is his willingness to break free of conventional chess wisdom and seek new, flexible structures. I first took note of the book because Suba had embraced the Hedgehog and had even used it to achieve his GM title.
Here were games and annotations that attempted to reconcile classical chess with new ways of thinking about the game. I have enjoyed this book. To make it easier to read, I offer all of the games in the book and one example with my own annotations, one of Suba's hedgehogs.
1.Nf3 A perfectly reasonable opening move, often with the idea of a kingside fianchetto, d3, and a delayed e4 1...Nf6 Awaiting events. ...d5 and ...c5 are perfectly reasonable alternatives 2.g3 Here's the fianchetto, with the idea of placing the Bf1 on the long diagonal 2...b6 Required now if you want to play a Hedgehog 3.Bg2 Bb7 Another forced move pair. 4.0-0 e6 or ...c5 in order to make sure that white's d4 meets the pawn exchange. 5.c4 c5 6.d4 cxd4 again, required, to bring a piece to d4. Now Nbd7 will have access to both c5 and e5 7.Qxd4 Avoiding the exchange of bishops after Nxd4 7...d6 Not the natural Nc6 because the knight there would block the Bb7 and the action later down the c-file. 8.Nc3 a6 Completing the Hedgehog pawn structure. The pawns on e6 and a6 prevent the white knights from harrassing the black queen when it posts on c7 9.Rd1 Qc7 The usual move, with the idea of Nbd7, Be7, Rc8, and 0-0 10.b3 Defending the c-pawn against the coming threat of Rc8 10...Nbd7 The normal Hedgehog square. The Qd4 is poorly posted and will likelt repost without black having to play Nc6 11.Bb2 Be7 12.e4 A position that could be reached from many different openings, including the Sicilian and Queen's Indian. 12...0-0 13.Qe3 Rfe8 Typical placement, anticipating Bf8 and a ...d5 pawn break. 14.Nd4 Bf8 15.Rac1 Rad8 Or Rac8 16.h3 g6 Typical in the Hedgehog, a late kingside fianchetto once the d6-pawn is secure 17.Kh2 Bg7 18.Qe2 Qb8 Also typical, often with the idea of Qa8 putting more pressure on the white e4-pawn 19.Qc2 Rc8 20.Qd2 Nc5 Three attacks on e4 21.Re1 Three defenses 21...Qa8 Four attacks. Most players would crumble under such pressure. 22.f3 The new structure weakens the g3-pawn and locks in the Bg2 22...Qb8 TRansferring back to pressure g3 23.Rcd1 Ba8 Again typical, idea b6-b5 24.Nde2 Two attacks on d6 24...Red8 25.Nd4 White would be content with the a draw. 25...Ncd7 Suba has used the Nc5 to gain the f2-f3 concession... He now transfers the Nc5-d7-e5 26.Qf2 Ne5 27.Qe2 Avoiding f3-f4, again weakening e4 27...Nc6 28.Nc2 Nh5 Looks bad, but the simple powerful threat is ...d6-d5 and Qxg3 29.f4 Preventing ...d5, but now black has 29...b5 The typical pawn break in the Hedgehog 30.cxb5 axb5 31.Bf3 [31.Qxb5 Bxc3 32.Qxb8 Nxb8; 31.Nxb5 Bxb2] 31...Ne7 idea Bxc3 32.Nd4 b4 33.Na4 Nf6 34.e5 Usually unplayable in the Hedgehog 34...dxe5 35.fxe5 Bxf3 36.Nxf3 Nfd5 Diagram
Chess draws have the reputation for being dull and boring, the end-product of over-preparation or simply agreements between GMs in order to get early to the tennis court. Wolfgang Heidenfeld knew better. He had just completed a manuscript featuring the most exciting draws ever played when he died in 1981. We are fortunate that the manuscript was published the next year.
Here are all 70 of the games in the book. Taken from tournaments over a 100 year period, you are likely to find more excitement in this collection than in many modern touranments.
Of all of the games in the book, Heidenfeld felt that the following game was probably the best draw ever played. You be the judge. The game is especially noteworthy because it involve a truly great player in a correspondence game.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 The Ruy Lopez 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 The open variation. Black wins a pawn temporarily. White will seek counterplay in the center and down the open e-file. 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 Securing the position of the Ne4. exd4 is far too dangerous in face of the pressure on the e-file. 8.dxe5 Be6 A common position in the Ruy 9.c3 Securing d4 and preparing the Bc2 retreat 9...Be7 10.Be3 0-0 11.Nbd2 Trading off black's advanced Ne4 post 11...Nxd2 12.Qxd2 Qd7 13.Qd3 Na5 14.Bc2 IN a correspondence game between grandmasters, mate will not occur quickly. White simply wants to impel the weakening of the kingside pawns. 14...g6 The f6 and h6 squares are now weak 15.Bh6 Moving immediately into the vaccuum 15...Bf5 16.Qe2 Rfe8 17.Nd4 Forcing the exchange of the bishops and supporting f4-f5 17...Bxc2 18.Nxc2 Avoiding Qxc2 c5 18...Bd6 19.f4 White securesa the center. The idea is f5. 19...f6 Identifying the e5-weakness, fixing and attacking it with his pieces and finally a pawn. Black will win the e-pawn but at the cost of further kingside weakening. 20.Qd3 Out of the pin, supporting f4-f5 20...fxe5 21.f5! [21.Qxd5+ Qe6] 21...Bc5+ 22.Kh1 e4 23.Qg3 threat fxg6. White must play actively to avoid Nc4-e5 23...Bd6 24.Qg5 maintaining the threat. 24...Re5 active defense, pinning the f-pawn 25.Ne3 idea Ng4-f6+ 25...Qf7 26.Qh4 Renewing the fxg6 threat. 26...Nc4! active defense! 27.fxg6 Qxg6 28.Rf6 Diagram
A new book just out Bobby Fischer Goes to War: How the Soviets Lost the Most Extraordinary Chess Match of All Time recounts the historic events surrounding the famous 1972 match. The book has been met with acclaim, in part, according to reviewers, because it does not interrupt the narrative with the occasional game. I have not read the book and you are welcome to join the masses in harkening back to that amazing event in chess history.
I thought, however, that I might focus instead on a true classic about Bobby Fischer, the 1965 account by Frank Brady: Profile of a Prodigy: The Life and Games of Bobby Fischer. Brady's book predated Fischer's classic My 60 Memorable Games by four years. The first 100 pages are an excellent, highly readable narrative about Fischer's life and accomplishments. The second half focuses briefly on 75 Fischer games, including many that subsequently appeared with more extensive notes in Fischer's book.
I present all of the games in Brady's Profile of a Prodigy. I also add my notes to one of the games that appears in both Brady's and Fischer's book. It's a game from 1963 in which Fischer dusts off an idea of Steinitz's. The move flies in the face of the old adage: "If it looks bad, it is bad." 9.Nh3 does not look appealing and yet, Fischer defeated Bisguier and the move became quite popular as this short collection of additional games demonstrates.
1.e4 Fischer's favorite move, it places a stake and the center, threatens d4, and opens the lines for the Qd1 and the Bf1. 1...e5 Solid, stopping d4 2.Nf3 Attacking the e5-pawn 2...Nc6 Defending the pawn 3.Bc4 Less ambitious than the Ruy Lopez, Bb5, but a favorite of young players and in chess's romantic era. 3...Nf6 The Two Knight's Defense, a solid choice in the hands of a master 4.Ng5 Often criticized today. After all, the knight, just developed, has moved again, and white's whole queenside remains "in the box." But how to defend the f7-pawn? 4...d5 The usual response, blockling the Bc4's attack on f7. The Wilkes Barre Variation with 4...Bc5 is double edged but playable. 5.exd5 Taking with "the little thing." There's no reason to cede the valuable Bc4xd5? 5...Na5 A key response, avoiding 5...Nxd5 when white has the wonderful choice between 6.d4! and the Fried Liver Attack with 6.Nxf7!? 6.Bb5+ Better than Morphy's occasional 7.d3. 6...c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 All standard and book. Black is down a pawn but has far superiod development. White could try the sharp Qf3 here, but that attack is artificial. Better simply to retreat and develop as quickly the queenside as possible. 8.Be2 h6 Diagram
During the 1960s, Czech Grandmaster Ludek Pachman produced an important series of instructional books that were subsequently translated into English. Modern Chess Strategy, Attack and Defense in Modern Chess Tactics, Modern Chess Tactics: Pieces and Pawns in Action, Open Games, Semi-Open Games, and Indian Defenses formed the foundation of many 1970s English language chess book collections.
I present today all of the games in Pachman's Decisive Games, a collection of more than 100 encounters between 1870 and 1970 that decided major championships and tournaments. Some are brilliancies, some have blunders, but all were dramatic and entertaining.
Here is one game from early in the book, a key game for Paul Keres in the 1956 Candidates Tournament. One point behind Smyslov going into the final round, Keres sacrificed to go on the attack. Here's the game.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Re8 13.Nf1 Nc4 14.a4 Bd7 15.b3 Na5 16.Ne3 Bf8 17.Rb1 bxa4 18.bxa4 g6 19.Qe2 cxd4 20.cxd4 exd4 21.Nxd4 Bg7 [21...Nxe4 22.Nd5 Qd8 23.Bxe4] 22.Bb2 Nb7 23.Qf3 [23.Ndf5!? gxf5 24.Bxf6 Bxf6 25.Nd5 Qd8 26.Nxf6+ Qxf6 27.Rxb7] 23...Qd8 24.Nc4 Qc7 25.Ne3 Qd8 26.Nb3 [26.Ba3!?] 26...Bc6 27.Nc4 Rc8 28.Nd4!? [28.Nbd2] 28...Bxe4 29.Bxe4 Nxe4 30.Rxe4 Rxe4 31.Qxe4 d5 32.Qf3? [32.Qe3 dxc4 33.Ne6 Qe7 34.Bxg7 fxe6 35.Bc3] 32...Rxc4 Diagram
Like many chess players, my record with white is much better than my record with Black. As a young player, I struggled to find a defense with which I felt comfortable... something sound and yet capable of offering chances for a win.
If that sounds familiar you might, like me, turn to Andras Adorjan's wonderful book: Black is OK! For Adorjan, playing black is more than a challenge, it's an opportunity to seek to present well prepared, complex lines that reverse white's normal advantage. My favorite chapter, of course, is "The Quill of the Hedgehog," a great title that summarizes the structure's power. Get too close to Black's pawns and you may live to regret it!
Here are all of the games in Adorjan's book and here is one from the chapter on the Hedgehog. It's a very nice illustration of one of the pawn breaks at Black's disposal. Enjoy.
1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.0-0 d6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 a6 Black has set up a Hedgehog formation, pawns on a6, b6, d6, and e6 9.Rd1 Be7 10.Bg5 Nbd7 Normal development in the Hedgehog. Nc6 would block both the Bb7 and the c-file. From d7, the N can get to e5 (to attack c4)( and c5 (to attack the e-pawn) 11.Nd2 Permitting the exchange of the light-squared bishops, which often serves black well. Instead, white often plays Re1 and e2-e4 first 11...Bxg2 12.Kxg2 0-0 13.Nde4 Qc7 The usual post for the queen, further defending against e4-e5, providing a counter (Qxc4) to Nxd6, and starting the pressure down the open c-file. 14.Rac1 [14.Nxd6 Rad8 15.Nce4 (15.Bf4 e5 16.Nf5 Bc5) 15...h6 16.Bxf6 (16.Bf4 Nh5) 16...Nxf6-+] 14...Rfd8 15.Kg1 h6 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxf6 Nxf6 18.b3 Rac8 Black offered a draw, and Kortchnoi, who has often expressed his disdain for the Hedgehog, turned it down immediately. 19.f3 With the idea of supporting e4 19...Qb8 Typical Hedgehog manoeuvering. Patience is required. Keep in mind that Black has no weaknesses. It's hard to break through. 20.Qd3 Qa8 21.e4 Diagram
My thanks to all who took part in yesterday's trial of the online, interactive lesson page. I enjoyed it and hope to try again soon. There were no obvious technical glitches with the chat facility, good news as we move ahead.
In the late 1990s, IM Victor Charushin published a neat 5 volume series on tactical themes. Over time, I hope to introduce each of the books in this series. Today, I look at Volume three, Mitrofanovic's Deflection, an imposing title but a neat idea.
In these examples, a piece is sacrificed seemingly for nothing whatever. From the first composition, a study of Mitrofanov's, through real life uses of deflection, the book, and indeed, all the books in the series, provide a quick way to learn.
To make your job a bit easier, I present all of the games in the book as well as Mitrofanov's key composition. In the following diagram, it looks hopeless for white. Just a few scattered pawns against three pieces and a pawn ready to queen. But it's white to move and win!
Diagram
INVITATION: First public test of the interactive lesson page today at 2 pm (EST)
Irving Chernev was the author of many wonderful chess books. One of my favorites, now well out of print, is The 1000 Best Short Games of Chess.
As a young fellow, I played through many of these games and my copy of the book is now falling apart. Of course, no one wins so quickly without some help. All of these games involve serious mistakes by the loser, but the fact is that the tactics are rich and flowing and full of fun.
Here are most of the games in the book, and here are three examples, all involving quick losses by some recognizable names!
1.d4 threat 2.e4 1...d5 Queen Pawn Game 2.Bg5 A very unusual move, aiming to develop the dark-squared bishop without blocking it in with e3 2...Bf5 With the same idea 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.c4 e6 Black is fine 5.e3 Diagram
1.e4 c6 The Caro-Kann 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 Known today as the Bronstein-Larsen variation 5.Qd3?! [5.Nxf6+!] 5...e5 An ambitious bid for equality, or more, after white's inaccuracy 6.dxe5 Qa5+ 7.Bd2 Qxe5 8.0-0-0 Bf5 or Be7 are needed. 8...Nxe4 Diagram
1.e4 Threatening 2.d4 1...Nf6 Alekhine's Defense. White's main choices are 2.Nc3 and 2.e5! 2.e5 Knights belong in the center of the board where they CANNOT be attacked by pawns [2.Nc3 d5 3.e5 d4 4.exf6 dxc3 5.fxg7 cxd2+=] 2...Nd5 3.c4 [3.d4 is also good] 3...Nb6 4.d4 Establishing a broad center. 4...Nc6?? Diagram
INVITATION: Saturday, April 3, 2:00 pm (EST) First public test of the interactive lesson page.
Many thanks to all who commented upon the interactive online chess lesson page. It obviously needs more work, but I'm grateful for all the help and the good ideas!
The most creative grandmaster of all time? That honor undoubtedly goes to David Bronstein, who has the additional distinction of coming as close the the World Championship title as possible without winning it, tying Botvinnik 12-12 in 1951.
Bronstein was the author of 200 Open Games, a compendium of games, mostly his own, all featuring 1.e4 e5. There are King's Gambit's, Petrof's, Scotch Games, but most important, more than 100 games in the Ruy Lopez. The games are not exhautively annotated, but there are some great stories and usually a lesson or two for each game.
Here are all of the games in the book, arranged in ECO order, and here are my notes to one that features an interesting sacrifice in the Ruy.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 The Ruy Lopez 3...a6 4.Ba4 White usually prefers to retain the bishop for later operations against the kingside [4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5 Qd4] 4...Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 Nxe4 is playable, with a much more open game. 6.Qe2 Re1 is more common 6...b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 The usual idea is d2-d4, Bc2, and Nbd2-f1 8...Bg4 Bg4 works best if white first plays d2-d4 9.h3 Bh5 10.d3 0-0 11.Nbd2 idea Re1, Nf1-g3 11...Na5 12.Bc2 Preserving the bishop 12...c5 13.Re1 Nd7 14.g4 Bg6 15.Nf1 idea Ng3(or e3)-f5 15...f6 16.Ne3 Bf7 17.d4 Re8 Attempting to preserve the closed character of the game. 18.d5 c4 19.b4 Nb7 20.a4 Qc7 21.a5 I would have preferred a slower buildup with Ra3 and Rfa1. 21...g6 Taking away the f5-square. How can white make progress? 22.h4 Kg7 23.Kg2 h6 24.Rh1 Rh8 25.h5 g5 Further sealing the position. 26.Nf5+ Kf8 27.Be3 Rh7 28.Nd2 Part of an interesting plan to sacrifice on c4 28...Bg8 29.f3 Bd8 30.Bf2 Be7 31.Rhc1 Bd8 32.Qf1 Bf7 33.Bd1 Be8 34.Be2 Rc8 35.Ne3 White's pieces are optimally placed for the sacrifice, but does it work? 35...Nb8 Diagram
April Fool's Day
One of my favorite holidays, a long tradition back to my college days. But there's no joke planned for the BLOG today, just an update on a fun project.
The next advance for Chess is Fun is an interactive lesson page. It will be a place where many can gather online to observe and talk about a game or an opening, or a lesson. The link to the prototype, working though barely, is just above or right here. Permit me to ask that you try it out and provide your comments at our Message Board. Would you prefer to see the chat area beneath the board?
The idea is that I will post a set time for us all to gather. I'm happy to hear your ideas for what we should discuss, though I will need to post the materials before each lesson/discussion.
That's it for today, save that the game currently on display at the interactive lesson page is undoubtedly my best effort. Some have suggested that I post my worst game, but there are far too many candidates to pick from. But it's easy to spot my best effort... do check it out.
For past entries, please check out the Chess Blog archive.
Please feel free to sign the new Chess is Fun Guestbook. Or share your chess thoughts at the brand new Chess is Fun Message Board!
since November 6, 2003
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