Here are the games or positions from the various training sessions we have undertaken this year for you to study at home.
Enjoy
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Here are the games or positions from the various training sessions we have undertaken this year for you to study at home. Enjoy |
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Here is one of the endings we looked at last Wednesday. No, do not adjust your board. Black really is the exchange and three Ps down! This is a wonderful example of using every resource in your position to annoy, harass, confuse and wear down your opponent. Let's state the obvious: White is winning and normally would convert his considerable advantage into the full point. However, bear in mind the psychological factors. You've been playing for four hours, you're feeling the strain, you know you're winning but you've still to win it. You wish your opponent would resign, but they won't. Instead they keep playing niggly little moves that you have to deal with, doubts start to creep in..... Before we look at the play, it's important to be aware - as Keti obviously was - that Black's position is not totally lifeless. Her K is active, the Pb4 is making it harder for White to create a passed P on the Q-side and she has a passed P of her own which has to be attended to. Watch how Keti utilises all of these factors. (Many players make the mistake, in a lost position, of trying for one cheap trick and, when it doesn't come off, have to resign. Not so here!) I've kept the variations to a minimum. Study the play for yourself. Look for improvements and defences and why one move was played rather than another. 39... g2 This is forced. Why? 40. Rd1 Bg4 41. Rg1 Bf3 Here rather than h3 since from f3 the B attacks White's eP and controls the long diagonal back to a8. 42. Kc1 42.Kc1 Have a look at 42.Kb2 ; What might happen if White advanced a P instead with 42.a4 ; or 42.c4 ? 42... Bxe4 43. Kd2 Kxg6 Two Ps back, but it's still lost. 44. Ke3 Kf5 45. Kd4 I was watching the game hereabouts and it was clear from White's body language that he was suffering because things weren't going as smoothly as expected. That is also a weapon that the defender can use in such situations. Your opponent is "winning easily", but the win just won't come and, as we all know, the hardest thing to win is a won game. You, on the other hand, have nothing to lose. I suspect that White had intended 45.Kf2 but missed 45...Kf4! (Check who wins after 45...Ke5 46.Rxg2 Bxg2 47.Kxg2 .) and if 46.Rxg2 (46.Rc1 & c2-c3 still wins.) 46...Bxg2 47.Kxg2 Ke3 it's Black who wins! 45...Kf4 46.c4 Check out 46.Kc4 ; and 46.Kc5 . 45... Kf4 46. c4 Check out 46.Kc4 ; and 46.Kc5 46... bxc3 47. Kxc3 Ke3 48. a4 Kf2 49. Rxg2+ Bxg2 50. Kd4 You have to admit, it looks bad for Black. Her K is miles away and surely she'll have to give up her B to stop one of the Ps? 50... Kf3 51. b4 Have a look at 51.a5. 51... Kf4 52. b5 Kf5 53. Kc5 Ke6 54. Kb6 Kd6 55. Ka6 Kc5 What happens after 55...Kc7 ? 56. b6 And what happens after 56.a5 ? 56... Kb4 57. a5 Ka4 58. b7 Bxb7+ 59. Kxb7 Kxa5 A fantastic save. Use this as inspiration when your back's to the wall in your own games. As a matter of interest, at what point do you think White let the win finally slip? 1/2-1/2 [Ian Marks] |
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Here's the game we looked at last Wednesday, a nice, crisp attacking effort by the Polish IM/WGM. Notice how each of her moves contributes to her overall plan of attack and how she doesn't attack early - she waits until ALL her pieces are in place. I've only added a few comments, no notes. Deliberately! I want you to have a look at the variations and possibilities for yourself :-) You'll get more benefit that way. 1. d4 d6 2. Nf3 Stopping ...e5 with a useful developing move.
2... Bg4 3. c4 Bxf3 4. exf3 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nd7 7. Be2 Here rather than d3 since then ...e5, attacking d4, would be irritating. Note that, here and on move 2, Dworakowska takes heed of her opponent's possibilities and nips them in the bud. This is one of the basics of good chess.
7... e5 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qb3! An excellent move which serves three purposes: (1) It attacks b7 (2) It clears the way for Q-side castling (note that White didn't rush with 0-0 - she's keeping her options open) (3) It casts an eye along the diagonal towards f7. How useful this is will become clear shortly.
9... Qc8 You might care to ask yourself what's wrong with 9... b6
and 9... Rb8 .
10. c5! Another excellent move aimed at enhancing the scope of her light-squared B. It is conceivable that Black could play ...c5 (OK, it would allow White to put her N on d5), but with a black P on that square, the career prospects of the Be2 would be severely limited.
10... Ne7 With the intention of harrassing the Be3 with ...Nf5 and also preparing to castle.
11. h4! A standard attacking method against a fianchetto position. Note that White moves her infantry up even before Black has castled.
11... Nf5 12. Ne4 Another preventive move, defending the Pc5 in case Black takes on e3 and incidentally bringing the N to an excellent central square one hop closer to the black castled position.
12... |
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1. g3 e5 2. Bg2 2. c4 , transposing to an English Opening, stops Black from setting up a 2P-centre with 2...d5.
2... d5 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nd2 4. c4 Nf6 English(4... d4)
(4... dxc4!? 5. Qa4 (5. dxc4 Qxd1+ 6. Kxd1 Nge7 (6... Be6 7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8. Nd2 |
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1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. |
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1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. Nc3 3. c3
and 3. c4 are good alternatives
but not 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 (5. e5? Qa5+)
5... e5 6. Nb3 Bb4 and ...d5 with advantage to Black.
3... e6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qc7 6. Bd3 Nf6 7. |
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WHITE TO MOVE. WHAT RESULT? This is a famous study by the great Czech GM and composer of the early decades of the 20th century, Richard Reti. If you've never seen it before, it's worth taking a few minutes to ask yourself what you think the result should be, in other words, what would you do if you had White in a real game? It looks as though Black should win easily: White cannot catch the black P and Black can easily capture the white one. My hunch is that if this position arose in a real game between 'ordinary club players', White would resign. But they would be throwing away a half point, because the position is a DRAW. (Stronger players will be familiar with the study and will know what to do!) Incredible, but in chess the only thing that matters is moves, not appearances, and by combining his two threats (to catch the h-P and queen his own), White can save the game. Here's the proof. 1. Kg7! The only move, and a key one. It is easy to calculate that White cannot catch the black P in a race: 1. Kh7 h4 2. Kh6 h3 3. Kh5 h2 4. Kh4 h1=Q+ and that trying to queen his own P is hopeless: 1. c7 Kb7 2. c8=Q+ Kxc8 . So what difference does playing Kg7 make? Well, the answer is based on chessboard geometry, where the distance between two squares on a rank or file is the same, whether we go by the 'direct route' (h7-h6-h5 etc.) or by a 'detour' (g7-f6-e5 etc.). Proof: the distance from h8 to h1 is seven squares whether via h7-h6-h5-h4-h3-h2-h1, or via g7-f6-e5-f4-g3-h2-h1. This means that White can chase the black P while threatening to move across to his own and help it queen. This is probably easier to understand if I shut up and let the moves speak for themselves. 1... h4 1... Kb6 2. Kf6 Kxc6 (2... h4 3. Ke5! Kxc6 (3... h3 4. Kd6! h2 5. c7 h1=Q (5... Kb7 6. Kd7 h1=Q 7. c8=Q+ draw) 6. c8=Q draw) 4. Kf4 h3 5. Kg3 h2 6. Kxh2 draw) 3. Kg5 h4 4. Kxh4 draw 2. Kf6 h3 2... Kb6 3. Ke5! Kxc6 (3... h3 4. Kd6! h2 5. c7 h1=Q (5... Kb7 6. Kd7 h1=Q 7. c8=Q+ draw) 6. c8=Q draw) 4. Kf4 h3 5. Kg3 h2 6. Kxh2 draw 3. Ke6! Careful! Here 3. Ke5?? h2 4. c7 (4. Kd6 h1=Q 5. c7 Qc1 6. Kd7 Kb7-+ This is not the 'usual' Q v. BP ending because [a] the black K is too close and [b] the white K cannot run for the corner.) 4... Kb7! (4... h1=Q? 5. c8=Q+ draw) 5. Kd6 Kc8 wins for Black 3... h2 3... Kb6 4. Kd6 h2 5. c7 h1=Q (5... Kb7 6. Kd7 h1=Q 7. c8=Q+ draw) 6. c8=Q draw 4. c7 h1=Q 4... Kb7 5. Kd7 h1=Q 6. c8=Q+ draw 5. c8=Q+ draw All of these drawing variations are forced. Going over them and trying to find a loophole will do a lot for your understanding of endgames. So remember, in an ending, do not always assume that your pieces (or your opponent's pieces!) have to go buy the direct route. Look for detours! 1/2-1/2 |
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BASIC BREAKTHROUGH 1. b6 1. a6? bxa6 2. bxa6 1. c6? bxc6 2. bxc6 A K move such as 1. Kf3 allows Black to win the white Ps with 1... Kf5 -e5-d5 etc. 1... cxb6 1... axb6 2. c6 bxc6 3. a6+- 2. a6 bxa6 3. c6+- Breakthrough is a common endgame theme, so be alert for it in your own games. It doesn't matter how many Ps you have to give up, as long as one makes it to touchdown! 1-0 |
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BREAKTHROUGH IN PRACTICE This is a fantastic example of breakthrough from practical play. 58... Qb6 Threatening ...Qf2+ 59. c5 Looks good, stopping Black's threat and attacking the Pd6. If 59. Qd2 Qg1 wins the Pg3, since 60. Qg5 is met by 60... Qa1! 59... Qxc5+ Playing for a win, which suggests that Black must have seen what was about to happen. Impressive! 59... dxc5 60. Qxe5+ Kg8 61. Qe8+ Kg7 62. Qe5+= 60. Qxc5 dxc5 61. Kd3 61. f4 exf4 62. gxf4 f6 63. Kd3 g5-+ is another breakthrough! 61... f5 62. Kc4 Now it looks like White will play Kxc5 and Kxb4, then queen his b-P, since the black K is too far away. I was watching the game round about here and wondered why Black had played into what looked like a losing line. I thought about a breakthrough, but, to be honest, did not see Black's idea until his next move appeared on the board. Steve hadn't either, and if Steve misses something, then it's not that obvious! 62... g5!! The start of a stunning breakthrough which White can do nothing about. 62... f4 also wins, but less decisively, e.g. 63. gxf4 exf4 64. Kxc5 g5 65. e5 gxh4 66. Kd6 h3 67. e6 h2 68. e7 h1=Q 69. e8=Q Qxf3-+ 63. exf5 63. hxg5 f4! 64. gxf4 h4-+ 63... g4! 64. fxg4 e4! 65. gxh5 65. Kxc5 e3 66. Kxb4 e2 67. Kc5 e1=Q-+ 65... e3 66. Kd3 c4+!! Beautiful. After 66 bxc4 (Kxc4 e2) b3! 67 axb3 a2 one of the black Ps queens. 0-1 |
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RP AND THE 'WRONG BISHOP' It is worth knowing that if a player has B + RP v. lone K, and the B does NOT control the P's queening square (i.e. it is of the opposite colour), then the position is drawn (unless the lone K is too far away to get in the way of the P). At first glance, this position looks gloomy for White, but bearing the above comments in mind, we should see that 1. Bxh6!! draws, viz. 1... gxh6 1... g6 2. Bxf8= 1... Be7 2. Bxg7= 1... Kd6 2. Bxg7= 2. Kd3 and the white K runs for h1 from which it can never be evicted (since the black B doesn't control h1 - it moves on the wrong coloured squares). Prove it for yourself by shuffling the white K back and forth between, say, h1, h2, g1 etc. In the original position, put the P from h6 back on h7. Now White draws with 1 Bh6!!. The number of RPs is irrelevant. If it is Black's move he wins by 1... g5 or 1...g6. 1/2-1/2 |
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B + RP IN PRACTICE Sloppy play on my part gives us this neat example. 48... Be5 48... >= Bc3 49. a6 Kc7 50. Kf4 Bd2+ with two very dangerous passed Ps or simply 48... c5 . 49. h4 Kc5 50. a6 Kb6 51. Nb4 Bb8! Careful! The gremlins can strike at any time. If Black tries to chase the N and win the P with 51... c5?? 52. a7! wins since either the P queens or the B falls after 52... Kxa7 53. Nc6+ . 52. a7 Bxa7 53. Kf4 Kc5 Wrong square. >= 53... Kb5 to let the P advance. 54. Nxc6?! White is aware of the possible draw, but overlooks a neat tactic. 54. Nd3+ was necessary: 54... Kd4 55. Nb4 and try to draw that way. 54... Kxc6 55. h5! Bb8+? Both of us missed 55... Be3+!! I only spotted it after I got home. I should have looked harder during the game! 56. Kxe3 gxh5 57. Kf4 h4-+ 56. Kg5 gxh5 Or 56... f4 57. hxg6 f3 58. g7 f2 59. g8=Q Bf4+! 60. Kxf4 (60. Kg4 f1=Q=) 60... f1=Q+= 57. Kxf5 And it's a draw since the B doesn't control h1. 1/2-1/2 |
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ROOK ACTIVITY In R+P endings, the most important factor is piece activity, especially the Rs. I'll give this ending without comments; just keep your eye on the relative activity of the Rs, especially how little use Black makes of his. 30. b4 Rc7 31. c5 b5 32. g4 Rc8 33. f5 Ke7 34. Rd2 exf5? 35. gxf5 Rc7 36. Rd6 Ke8 37. Kd3 Rc8 38. f6 g5?? 39. hxg6 fxg6 40. e6 g5 41. Rd7 g4 42. Rh7 Kd8 43. Rh8+ Black lost because he played virtually a R down. He should have set White problems by, for example, playing ...Ra8, trying to penetrate to the first or second rank and attack the white Ps from the rear. Instead, he became frustrated and made two mistakes, 34... exf5 35 gxf5, which gives White the chance to create a passed P with e5-e6, and the howler 38...g5. Players often lose patience in cramped positions and make mistakes, so it is often a good idea just to quietly improve your pieces and wait for your opponent to do something silly. Chances are he will. The other thing to remember is that it is better to be a P down with an active R than level on material with a passive one. 1-0 |
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BASIC WINNING TECHNIQUE WITH R+P v. R The basic technique is 1. Cut your opponent's K off as far from the P as possible. 2. Advance your P to the seventh. 3. Place your R on the FOURTH rank. 4. Zigzag your K back down to the fifth rank. 5. Block the final check with your R on the fourth. It's probably easier to understand when you see it. In the example Craig plays it to perfection. Note also that Keti plays as actively as possible and, like all good players, makes it as difficult as possible for her opponent. 53. Rd5 Cutting the K off. 53... Kc8 Improving her K (not a lot, but still constructive). 54. Kg3 Clearing the P's path. 54... Rc7 55. f4 Passed Ps must be pushed! 55... Rg7+ 56. Kf3 Rg8 Keeping the white K off the g-file. 57. f5 Rd8! Offering a P ending which is drawn. 58. Ke4! Offering a P ending which is a win for White! Perhaps your non-IM opponent might swap Rs? 58. Rxd8+ Kxd8 59. Ke4 Ke7 60. Ke5 Kf7 61. f6= 58... Re8+ 58... Rxd5 59. Kxd5+- since White now controls the sixth rank - the squares in front of the P, e.g. 59... Kd7 60. f6 Ke8 61. Ke6 and now the P reaches the seventh WITHOUT checking, hence White wins: 61... Kf8 62. f7 Kg7 63. Ke7+- 59. Kf4 Rf8 60. Kg5 Rg8+ 61. Kf6 61. Kh6 Rh8+ 62. Kg7 also wins. 61... Kc7 62. Kf7 Textbook stuff, chasing the R. 62. Ke7 also wins, e.g. 62... Rg7+ 63. Ke6 Rg8 64. Rd7+ Kc8 65. f6 and the P goes through. 62... Rg1! Keeping the K off the g-file. 63. f6 Kc6 Improving the K with a threat! 63... Re1 64. Kg6 Rg1+ 65. Rg5 Rf1 66. f7 Kd6 67. Kg7 Ke7 68. Re5+ Kd6 69. Re8 Rg1+ 70. Kh6 Rh1+ (70... Rf1 71. f8=Q+) 71. Kg5 Rg1+ 72. Kh4 Rh1+ 73. Kg3 Rg1+ 74. Kf2! is another - and quite humorous - way of doing it. 64. Rd3 Note how both players have used their Rs actively to restrict the opponent's K, although White's is more effective. 64... Kc7 64... Kc5 65. Kf8 Kc4 66. Rf3 shields the P. 65. Kf8 Rf1 65... Rg2 66. f7 Rg1 67. Rd4 transposes to the game. 66. f7 Rg1 67. Rd4! The key move. Black resigned at this point, since there is no way to stop White from queening. A likely continuation illustrating the five points above is 67... Kc6 68. Ke7 Re1+ 68... Kc5 69. f8=Q Kxd4 70. Qf2+ 69. Kf6 Rf1+ 70. Ke6 Or 70. Kg6 Rg1+ 71. Kf5 Rf1+ 72. Rf4 70... Re1+ 71. Kf5 Rf1+ 72. Rf4+- This is known as the 'Lucena Position' and is a fundamental of R+P endings. Make sure you know it! 1-0 |
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ROOK ACTIVITY I didn't use this during the session, but it's a good example of using Rs actively. Note in particular how Steve uses his active R to compensate for being a P down. (Remember what I said about it being better to be a P down with an active R than level on material with a passive R.) In this posiiton we had just agreed a draw on Steve's proposal. A possible continuation would have been 30... Rxd4 31. Rxf8+ Rxf8 32. Rxd4 Rxf3 33. Rc4! Placing his R on an open file en route to the seventh rank. 33... Rd3 33... Rb3!? 34. Rc8+ Kf7 35. Rc7+ Kf6 36. Rxb7 with counterplay, although Black is still better thanks to the poor position of the white K. 34. Rc7 White's active R offers compensation for the P. 34... Rxd5 Fritz suggests 34... b5 35. a5 when Black needs to watch a6. 35. Rxb7 Black's R is awkwardly placed and he has to keep an eye on a6. 35... Rd2 Improving the R (frees the d-P, restricts the white K and prepares to place the R on a2 or b2 behind the white Ps). 36. Rb6 Rb2 37. Rxd6 Rxb4 38. Rxa6 Rb2 39. Ra7 Ra2 and this should be drawn thanks to the unfavourable position of the white R (stuck in front of the P) and the ideal position of the black one! (behind the opponent's passed P). 1/2-1/2 |
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This sort of thing often arises after exchanges and resulting P race. The winning procedure is straightforward: 1. Check with the Q until the enemy K is forced on to the square in front of the P. 2. Bring your K up. 3. Repeat step 1. 4. Bring your K up another square. And so on. You might be able to use a pin instead of a check to bring your K up. Beware of stalemate and don't rush! 1. c6 g4 2. c7 g3 3. c8=Q g2 4. Qc1 4. Qg8 Kf2 5. Qf7+ Ke1 6. Qg6 Kf1 7. Qf5+ Ke1 8. Qg4 Kf1 9. Qf3+ Kg1 10. Kc5 4... Kf2 5. Qf4+ Ke2 Or 5... Ke1 6. Qg3+ Kf1 6. Qg3 Kf1 7. Qf3+ Kg1 8. Kc5 Kh2 8... Kh1 9. Kd4 9. Qh5+! 9. Qf2 Kh1 9... Kg1 9... Kg3 10. Qg5+ Kh2 (10... Kf2 11. Qf4+ Ke1 12. Qg3+ Kf1 13. Qf3+ Kg1 14. Kd4) 11. Qh4+ Kg1 12. Kd4 10. Kd4 Kf1 11. Qf3+ Kg1 12. Ke3 Kh2 13. Qh5+ Kg1 14. Kf3! 14. Ke2?? Stalemate! 14... Kf1 15. Qh3 Kg1 16. Qxg2# This procedure can be used to win with Q v. b, d, e & g-Ps. 1-0 |
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1. c6 f4 2. c7 f3 3. c8=Q f2 Now let's try the same procedure as for Q v. NP: 4. Qe6+ Kd1 5. Qf5 Ke1 6. Qe4+ Kd1 7. Qf3+ Ke1 8. Qe3+ Kf1 9. Kc5 Kg2 10. Qg5+ Kh1! 10... Kf1 11. Kd4 10... Kf3 11. Qf5+ Kg2 12. Qg4+ Kh1! 13. Qf3+ Kg1 14. Qg3+ Kh1!= 11. Qf4 Kg1 12. Qg3+ Kh1!! and now White is unable to bring his K up because of ...f1=Q with a draw, while 13. Qxf2 is stalemate. So, with c & f-Ps, the position is drawn. White cannot force the win (but Black can lose if he does not know the drawing procedure!). Remember - head for the corner. 1/2-1/2 |
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1. e6 h4 2. e7 h3 3. e8=Q h2 and now if White tries the usual procedure, then after 4. Qh5 Kg1 5. Qg4+ Black plays 5... Kh1! and White does not have time to bring his K up because of stalemate, while if White lifts the stalemate with 6. Qh3 then it's a draw after 6... Kg1 7. Qg3+ Kh1 . Black can use this drawing trick with both a & h-Ps. 1/2-1/2 |
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This looks like a "real" ending, but is a study by the great Russian composer Alexey Troitsky. White to play and win. I SUGGEST YOU SET THIS UP ON A BOARD AND TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT BEFORE LOOKING AT THE SOLUTION. IT WILL DO YOUR CHESS THE WORLD OF GOOD. The first couple of moves can be figured out by a process of elimination. If White plays 1 gxh7, then ...Kg7 wins back the P and it's a draw. Any first move which allows ...hxg6 is also a draw, so White HAS to play 1. Bh6+ and Black's reply is forced 1... Kg8 [1...Ke8 2 gxh7+-] Now the only move to keep the P is 2. g7 This is where the real thinking has to start. Let's suppose Black plays 2... e6+ (2...e5 amounts to the same), based on the stalemate defence 3 Kxe6=. White can easily avoid it with 3 Kd6 Kf7 (3...e5 4 Kxe5 +- No stalemate!) 4 Ke5! (4 Kd7? e5! will force a draw when the P reaches e3 after Bxe3 Kxg7) Kg8 5 Kf6 e5 6 Ke6! (6 Kxe5? Kf7 7 Kf5 Kg8=) e4 7 Kf6 e3 8 Bxe3 +-. Thus White wins if he gets his K to f6 and moves his B, since Black can then move his hP. Therefore Black's only move to avoid this losing line is 2... Kf7 . How can White make progress now? It's not obvious, but the answer can be found by a mixture of logic, calculation - and inspiration! Kd5-e5-f5 leads nowhere since Black will play ...Kf7-g8-f7 till the cows come home. Moving the B loses the P. The only other thing White can move is..... 3. g8=Q+!! Now it's all forced. 3... Kxg8 (3... Kf6 4. Qe6#) 4. Ke6 Kh8 5. Kf7 e5 6. Bg7# Brilliant. (By the way, Troitsky died of starvation in 1942 during rhe siege of Leningrad.) 1-0 |
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1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 |
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1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. e3 a6 7. Rc1 Bg4 8. f3 Bd7 9. g4! e6 10. h4! Be7 11. Bd3 |
