Chess thread

[theprawnidentity]

Reckon you would get another 100 pages out of renaming it Chest thread.

[Honeybadger]

Here's another of my blitz games to try and keep the thread alive. This game is a short but very fun blitz game in which I give up lots of pawns in the opening to get an attack on the White King which is stuck in the centre. I then find a cool exchange sacrifice to finish the game off.

1. e4  d5  
2. exd5  Nf6
3. d4  Bg4
4. f3

3...Bg4 is the Portuguese Variation of the Scandinavian Defence, which is one of my pet lines. White choose the critical line, planning to hold on to the extra pawn but giving Black a dangerous attack. Most players choose either 4. Be2 or 4. Nf3 here, both of which are safer alternatives... but not as exciting.

4...  Bf5
5. c4 e6!

So White has protected his extra pawn. Black needs to stay aggressive or else he will lose his attack and White will just be a pawn up. To keep the attack going Black needs to sacrifice at least one more pawn or else his attack will fizzle out. There is not really an alternative to this since as it stands the White pawn on d5 cramps Black, for example preventing him from developing his Knight to c6.
 
6. dxe6  Nc6!  
7. exf7+  Kxf7
8. d5  Nb4
9. Na3  Bc5  
10. Be2  Re8
11. Kf1

White does not really have many alternatives. He has to get out of the pin since after something like 11 Bg5 Black has 11...Nd3+ followed by 12...Nf2 which causes carnage.

11...  Qd6

11... Qe7 is the main alternative, after which both sides have chances in a very complicated position. 11...Qd6 is fine too. Either way, it is Black having all the fun despite being material down.
  
12. g4  Bg6  
13. Nh3  Rxe2!

Sacrificing the exchange to allow my attack to proceed. As it was a blitz game I could not be 100% certain that I had calculated all the resulting variations perfectly. But I played this exchange sacrifice instinctively, feeling it had to be winning for me. Analysing the variations afterwards it seems my instincts were spot on, and it is likely the only way for me to keep my attack going.
  
14. Bd2?

I was disappointed that White played this move because it just leads to an easy win for me. The game would have been more fun if White has played 14 Kxe2 Re8 15 Kf1 Bd3+ 16 Kg2 Re2+ when White has to give up his Queen for the Rook, or 14 Ng5+ Kg8 15 Kxe2 Bd3+ 16 Kd2 Qf4 when Black is winning and can actually force a quick checkmate in some of the lines.

14...  Bd3

14... Rxh2 is better but the move I played is fine too.
 
15. Qxe2

White can interpose 15 Ng5 Kg8 first, but he is still then going to have to give up his Queen with 16 Qxe2.

15...  Bxe2+
16. Kxe2 Re8+  

16...Qe5+ is actually a little more accurate, but it does not really matter since it is all over now and White resigned a few moves later.

[McGlashan]

Thanks for going to the effort of writing up your thoughts Honeybadger, is there any chance you could post the PGN as it'd be handy to replay all the moves though a computer.

[Honeybadger]

Errr... I have no idea how to do that, or even what PGN is!

I got the game emailed to me. Is this PGN?

1. e4 (0:00.000) d5 (0:00.000)
2. exd5 (0:01.832) Nf6 (0:02.697)
3. d4 (0:01.664) Bg4 (0:03.186)
4. f3 (0:04.409) Bf5 (0:02.399)
5. c4 (0:01.837) e6 (0:02.598)
6. dxe6 (0:02.764) Nc6 (0:01.804)
7. exf7+ (0:03.841) Kxf7 (0:08.297)
8. d5 (0:02.747) Nb4 (0:10.664)
9. Na3 (0:07.133) Bc5 (0:07.321)
10. Be2 (0:13.052) Re8 (0:06.091)
11. Kf1 (0:14.826) Qd6 (0:11.803)
12. g4 (0:07.840) Bg6 (0:13.849)
13. Nh3 (0:12.851) Rxe2 (1:49.331)
14. Bd2 (1:26.663) Bd3 (1:16.258)
15. Qxe2 (0:22.281) Bxe2+ (0:05.356)
16. Kxe2 (0:01.567) Re8+ (0:13.982)
17. Kd1 (0:03.623) Nd3 (0:18.883)
18. Kc2 (0:12.054) Bxa3 (0:17.354)
19. Kxd3 (0:02.355) Bb4 (0:13.205)
20. Ng5+ (0:14.865) Kg8 (0:08.749)
21. Rae1 (0:21.459) Rxe1 (0:21.605)
22. Bxe1 (0:05.059) Bxe1 (0:12.010)
23. Rxe1 (0:02.944) Qxh2 (0:16.242)
24. Kc3 (0:02.626) Qd6 (0:11.986)
25. Re6 (0:07.497) Qc5 (0:04.693)
26. b4 (0:21.901) Qf8 (0:02.969)
27. a3 (0:08.083) h6 (0:02.511)
28. Ne4 (0:09.381) Nxe4+ (0:01.387)
29. fxe4 (0:02.776) Qf3+ (0:07.563)
30. Kd4 (0:03.242) Qxg4 (0:07.351)
31. Re7 (0:01.239) Qc8 (0:06.798)
32. c5 (0:05.367) h5 (0:04.234)
33. d6 (0:03.167) cxd6 (0:07.803)
34. cxd6 (0:02.047) Qd8 (0:02.163)
35. e5 (0:05.599) h4 (0:03.086)
36. Kd5 (0:01.336) h3 (0:03.294)
37. e6 (0:00.972) h2 (0:01.761)
38. Rd7 (0:23.162) h1=Q+ (0:04.227)
39. Ke5 (0:01.289) Qg5+ (0:05.788)
{White resigns} 0-1

[McGlashan]

Errr... I have no idea how to do that, or even what PGN is!

I got the game emailed to me. Is this PGN?

1. e4 (0:00.000) d5 (0:00.000)
2. exd5 (0:01.832) Nf6 (0:02.697)
3. d4 (0:01.664) Bg4 (0:03.186)
4. f3 (0:04.409) Bf5 (0:02.399)
5. c4 (0:01.837) e6 (0:02.598)
6. dxe6 (0:02.764) Nc6 (0:01.804)
7. exf7+ (0:03.841) Kxf7 (0:08.297)
8. d5 (0:02.747) Nb4 (0:10.664)
9. Na3 (0:07.133) Bc5 (0:07.321)
10. Be2 (0:13.052) Re8 (0:06.091)
11. Kf1 (0:14.826) Qd6 (0:11.803)
12. g4 (0:07.840) Bg6 (0:13.849)
13. Nh3 (0:12.851) Rxe2 (1:49.331)
14. Bd2 (1:26.663) Bd3 (1:16.258)
15. Qxe2 (0:22.281) Bxe2+ (0:05.356)
16. Kxe2 (0:01.567) Re8+ (0:13.982)
17. Kd1 (0:03.623) Nd3 (0:18.883)
18. Kc2 (0:12.054) Bxa3 (0:17.354)
19. Kxd3 (0:02.355) Bb4 (0:13.205)
20. Ng5+ (0:14.865) Kg8 (0:08.749)
21. Rae1 (0:21.459) Rxe1 (0:21.605)
22. Bxe1 (0:05.059) Bxe1 (0:12.010)
23. Rxe1 (0:02.944) Qxh2 (0:16.242)
24. Kc3 (0:02.626) Qd6 (0:11.986)
25. Re6 (0:07.497) Qc5 (0:04.693)
26. b4 (0:21.901) Qf8 (0:02.969)
27. a3 (0:08.083) h6 (0:02.511)
28. Ne4 (0:09.381) Nxe4+ (0:01.387)
29. fxe4 (0:02.776) Qf3+ (0:07.563)
30. Kd4 (0:03.242) Qxg4 (0:07.351)
31. Re7 (0:01.239) Qc8 (0:06.798)
32. c5 (0:05.367) h5 (0:04.234)
33. d6 (0:03.167) cxd6 (0:07.803)
34. cxd6 (0:02.047) Qd8 (0:02.163)
35. e5 (0:05.599) h4 (0:03.086)
36. Kd5 (0:01.336) h3 (0:03.294)
37. e6 (0:00.972) h2 (0:01.761)
38. Rd7 (0:23.162) h1=Q+ (0:04.227)
39. Ke5 (0:01.289) Qg5+ (0:05.788)
{White resigns} 0-1

That works, one simple cut n paste job and we can look at your game and commentary on the same screen. Presumably  in the brackets is the time taken for that individual move and it's a 5min game.

Move 7 looks like the first stage where white should take some time to formulate a plan:

1: If black is inviting you to play exf7, is it your best move?
2: If you decline to play exf7,  7:... xe6 is bad for black.
3: White really needs to develop some minor pieces. You cannot punish a king on f7 with 0 minor pieces developed, especially so with pawns blocking the key f3 and c4 squares.

Call me nitty but I'd capture one pawn and consolidate over capturing a 2nd pawn and playing into your preperation.

[Honeybadger]

Yeah I agree. Although saying 'playing into your preparation' is giving me far too much credit lol. It has probably been about 10 years since I last played this line (I've only recently started playing chess again, and most opponents deviate earlier it seems), so I was effectively improvising from about move 6 onwards. Checking it out afterwards, it seems I followed 'book' for quite a few further moves. I guess when you understand a position you can find the correct tactical/strategic paths even if you cannot remember the lines any more.

[McGlashan]

Yeah I agree. Although saying 'playing into your preparation' is giving me far too much credit lol. It has probably been about 10 years since I last played this line (I've only recently started playing chess again, and most opponents deviate earlier it seems), so I was effectively improvising from about move 6 onwards. Checking it out afterwards, it seems I followed 'book' for quite a few further moves. I guess when you understand a position you can find the correct tactical/strategic paths even if you cannot remember the lines any more.

Not at all. If you outplay a similar rated opponent to that extent over the first 8 moves then you've out prepared them. For elite club players preperation involves memorising lines, for the rest of us it merely involves understanding how to play a position.

Also there's a lesson to be learned here for white, if your first 8 moves are all pawn moves then your position probably sucks.

[Honeybadger]

Well, lightning strikes twice. After not getting to play this line for a very, very long time I got to play it again almost immediately. This time my opponent had a much higher rating than me, but I completely crushed him. When I analysed this game afterwards with the help of an engine, it turns out all my moves are good. Which is unusual for me. Actually, I don't play the best move on move 8, but the move I chose instead does keep an advantage for me.

1. e4  d5  
2. exd5  Nf6  
3. d4  Bg4  
4. f3  Bf5  
5. c4  e6  
6. dxe6  Nc6  
7. exf7+  Kxf7

So far play has followed the previous game. But now White deviates.  

8. Bd3  Bxd3

8...Bb4+ 9 Nc3 Re8+ is much more clear cut and is pretty much winning for Black I think. For example: 10 Ne2 Bxd3 11 Qxd3 Nxd4 12 Kf2 Nxe2 13 Qxd8 Bc5+!

Tbh I missed the ...Bb4+/...Re8+ coup. However the line I chose still gives me an advantage, even if I am not outright winning. It might seem odd to deliberately go for the exchange of Queens when down in material, but I thought I would still have an edge in this endgame since my pieces are so active.
  
9. Qxd3  Qxd4  
10. Qxd4  Nxd4

Despite the queens coming off, this is still more of a middlegame position than an endgame. My pieces are very active and White is under pressure. The engine likes all my moves from this point onwards.

11. Kd1  Rd8  
12. Bd2  Bc5  
13. Nc3  Rhe8

The engine prefers 13...Nc6 with a decent advantage for Black, but it likes my move too. Now White loses his composure and cracks, which often happens when under pressure in an uncomfortable position. His next two moves make no sense at all, and lead to me winning with a nice little combination.
  
14. Kc1

14 Nh3 is better, although Black still has an advantage.

14... Bb4
15. b3

And this is just a weird move, after which I am immediately winning. Again, 15 Nh3 is better.

15...  Ba3+!
16. Kb1

Presumably White did not want to allow 17 Kd1 Bb2! However, after 16 Kb1 I found a neat combination which wins immediately.

16...  Nxb3!  
17. axb3  Rxd2  
18. Rxa3  Re1+  
19. Nd1  Rexd1 mate  
 0-1

I have tried to attach the PGN file to this post so that anyone interested can play this game through on a computer if they so desire. Hope it works. I didn't even know what PGN was until yesterday!

[McGlashan]

Well played HB you'll get some nice wins with this line. These lesser known gambits can often lead to quick crushing wins when your opponent cannot calculate quickly enough.

Yesterday I was thinking how should white continue on move 8 as capturing on f7 is pointless if you let d4 fall. My 2 candidate moves were Ne2 and Be3. Ne2 is potentially clumsy in that it could block our development so Be3 looks the natural move in a blitz game.

One secondary line I played through in my head was this Bd3 all the way through to your game move order of 12..Bc5. From that point it looks advantageous for black and also a very difficult position for white to defend accurately. It's not until you switch on your computer engine that you realise both Bd3 and Be3 get crushed by  Bb4+ / Re8+, so by default white must play 8: Ne2.

[Honeybadger]

Well it seems that on move 7 White has a few options others than 7 exf7+. I am not sure about

7 Ne2 being the best move since it can be answered with 7...Nb4, which looks exciting for Black with his dual threats of Nc2+ and Nd3+

7 d5 can also be countered with 7...Nb4

7 Bd3 runs into 7...Bb4+ 8 Nc3 Bxd3 9 Qxd3 Qxd4 10 Qxd4 Nxd4 with similar play to the game I played. Queens are off, but Black still has plenty of pressure to compensate for being a pawn down after 10 exf7+ Kxf7.

So by a process of elimination that leaves...

7 Be3 as the likely best move. Black can play 7...Bb4+ as you suggest, but this does not refute 7 Be3 since there is no Re8+ available (the e-file is still blocked). After 8 Nc3 it looks like Black's best move may be 8...Qe7, although he could try 8...fxe6 and perhaps plan on playing a later ...e5. It looks very complicated to me and I don't know what is going on. I might run it through my engine later, but I only have a very basic engine so not sure how much it will help (I am going to ask for engine advice later in this thread).
Black could also try 7...Nb4, 7...fxe6 or 7...Qe7. Not sure how good any of these are though.

I have an old book on this line in my attic somewhere. I think I'm going to dig it out at some point. If I can find it...

[McGlashan]

Okay I do agree with your last post.

Where I'm coming from is that if in practice your opponents are snap playing 7: exf7, then you should have a plan for exploiting their ensuing moves.

This was probably not made clear in my response to the first game but in my opinion fxe6 is bad for black. I think white doesn't understand this and is why he does not find one of your stronger suggestions on move 7.

[Honeybadger]

Yeah I've played around with some of the variations now (I think some of my 'analysis' is in that PGN file), so I am pretty confident of how to conduct my attack after White goes for the 6 dxe6 and 7 exf7+ line. The ...Bb4+/...Re8+ combo is devastating it seems vs some of White's defences. And in other lines Black has ...Nb4 threats.

One cool thing I noticed was that the same themes/motifs keep recurring in different branches. I guess that's a standard thing when analysing positions, but it is the first time in over ten years that I have actually studied a position for more than about two minutes.

I'm really getting back into chess at the moment. I want some advice on getting both a chess engine and some sort of 'replayer' that I can import games into and then play them through with the engine running on the replayer. That'll be my next post here I suspect.

[McGlashan]

Apologies to anyone who has found this difficult to follow so far.

White is 2 pawns up and has a decision to make: remain 2 pawns up by playing exf7, or give back that pawn by playing a developing move such as Be3 or Ne2.

Click to see full-size image.

If fxe7 is played there are a list of problems to consider:
we have zero minor pieces developed, black has 3
we need to support the d4 pawn
the knights natural f3 square is occupied
if the knight moves to e2 then the bishop is blocked
if the bishop moves to d3 then d4 falls
 
Compare that to not capturing on f7. The main disadvantage is that black can play fxe6 and recapture a pawn, but as you can see that itself is not as bad as you first feared.

Click to see full-size image.

The isolated e6 pawn is weak and will serve no purpose other than to be traded off at a later date. It's white to play, a3 solidifies his position leaving him with a clear advantage.

[Tal]

Thank you for your contributions, chaps. Please keep them coming.

Yesterday, I played in a county match for Warwickshire v Nottinghamshire in the Under 160 section (my grade is 159 this season, so I sneak in). Let me set the scene for those who don't know much about county chess.

Each team has sixteen players and they are ranked in approximate grade order (the idea is ability order). Your top player plays their top player and so on. Colours are alternated and there's a coin toss to determine which team has white pieces on the odd numbered boards. In my opinion, county chess is dying. There was one person out of 32 there yesterday in their twenties and it wasn't me. Younger guys will be playing in tournaments or doing something else with their Saturday afternoons. The idea of travelling big distances for one, four hour game is at best unattractive. This time, we were at our home venue: the upstairs function room of a a working men's club. Boards just before the dancefloor. Refreshments on the stage.  

I arrived about ten minutes before the off but these games never start on time. As expected, the clocks were pressed at ten past one, so I had plenty of time to acquaint myself with the tea urn and the team bourbons. I also had time to pay my subs to the captain - yes, chess isn't cheap, lads. Gotta pay your dues - £2 a man. I know, balla. It was obviously crucial that I got my money's worth in the tea department, so I ensured regular visits to the stage were made.  

My opponent was one of the youthful players there: I'd guess early thirties. He was the proud owner of a cold. Chess can be a horrible game when you are nursing the sniffles. You go through six lines on a position and miss the seventh, critical one. You see everything but the obvious. Sometimes, you can't see anything.

Hero v Villain

1.d4 d5
2.c4 e6
3.Nc3 Nf6
4.cxd5 exd5
5.Bg5 Be7
6.e3 o-o
7.Bd3 Re8
8.Qc2

All standard stuff so far. I've decided to play a simple opening and build from there. My opponent miscalculated horribly next.

8...  Ne4?
9.BxB RxB
10.NxN dxN
11.Bxe4 g6
12.Ne2 c6
13.h4 h5

Trying to smash the position open is a risky plan. I felt it was a game I could win there and then by being hyperaggressive. On reflection, there was no need and I should have just kept the pressure up by being sensible.

14.Bxg6 fxB
15.Qxg6+ Rg7
16.Qxh5 Bg4
17.Qc5 Na6
18.Qc4+ Rf7
19.o-o-o (an appalling decision. f3 was far superior)

19...  b5!
20.Qd3 Nb4
21.Qd2 Nxa2+
22.Kb1 Rxf2
23.Rde1 Nb4
24.QxN BxN
25.Qd2 Qd5
26.RxB Qxg2
27.RxR QxR+
28.Ka2 Qd5+
29.Kb1 Qh1+
30.Qc1 Qe4+
31.Ka1 Kh8
32.Qc5 Qh1+
33.Ka2 Qd5
34.QxQ cxQ
35.Rf7 Re8
36.Rxa7 Rxe3

At the time control, where both players get an extra half an hour on top of whatever we had left from the first 90 minutes each, I have a won endgame from here.

37.Rd7 Re4
38.Rxd5 Rxh4
39.Kb3 Kg7
40.Kb4 Kf6
41.Kxb5 Ke6
42.Kc6 Rh2
43.Re5+ Kf6
44.b4 Rc2+
45.Rc5 Rb2
46.b5 Ke7
47.Kc7 Rb4
48.d5 Rh4
49.d6+ Ke6
50.Rc6 Rh7+
51.d7+ Resigns

1-0

I haven't had much of a chance to look at it - just a quick play through with my opponent afterwards - so you have it warts and all.

The team lost, sadly, despite the above carnage on top board. It was a crazy game, full of mistakes on both sides, but I made the second to last mistake and that's how you win chess games.  

[McGlashan]

Tal you crazy son of a gun, was it too easy going a pawn up that you trade a bishop to make it more interesting?