Archive for September, 2005

Problem Of The Day

White to play and mate in 3

JavaManIssa left the following comment to my last post.

“How are you going through the opening book? It’s not good to memorize lines, understanding key ideas behind openings is what should be done. In the end not only will you have memorized the mainlines (without trying..) you’d also be able to go out of the book and still be fine! ”

While I appreciate his concern I guess I should clarify my approach to opening study.

I never have once planned on or believed that “memorizing lines” is the key to successful chess, chess doesn’t work this way. What opening preparation does if approached correctly is give you insight into why moves are played. Study enough openings and you will come to the same realization I had.
{Even now J’adoube is paying good money to learn what I told him for free. [grin]
1) Screw CT-Art and start studying mating patterns.
2) Chess playing is about piece activity.
Seriously Jim I was really glad to read that Dan was stressing those points, it made me feel like I wasn’t off the mark with my own approach to gaining the most benefit in my training. Especially since I was one of the first Knighted de la Mazan’s to scrap the “sacred” approach. }

What I do believe is that opening preparation will solidify my understanding of developing with a plan. It will provide me with a frame work of moves that I can play without hesitation until my opponent branches into unfamiliar territory. Thereby saving precious time on my clock that can be used in other areas, I would rather enter into an equal middle game position, but with more time than my opponent any day.
Ideally chess should flow seamlessly from one phase to the next. Before I can say I have “learned” an opening, I have to understand the themes involved. What are the key squares, which minor pieces thrive in this pawn structure, any long term weaknesses and strengths, is maintaining pressure critical to my or my opponent’s success? What long term plan was used successfully in the past? Why was it successful?
I’m not saying I can do all of those things yet, but it is something I’m working toward.
End of Part 1.

Glad to report that everything is intact after a recent visit from the lovely Hurricane Ophelia.
The area was very fortunate to have escaped with just lots of wind, rain, and relatively light damage.

I did have my internet knocked out until today from a chance meeting of a wayward pecan tree and a 20,000 volt power line. Minor stuff in the grand scheme of things.

Still slogging through the opening repertoire book.

Went through my links and moved some folks to the M.I.A. spot due to either 404 or inactivity.
Added a few new players to the list of Knights Errant, Smith-Morra, Phorku, and DutchDefence, Welcome to family, and have fun!
I even played around with some font and color settings trying to make things easier to see. The color changes will probably continue to happen until I find a nice even balance.

My opening training is paying off in unexpected ways. Even in openings that I haven’t studied I’m beginning to find myself reaching favorable positions on a more frequent basis. I seem to have lost that tendency to saddle myself with structural weaknesses and inactive pieces. At the club this past Thursday I would even go as far as saying that I played my best “positional” games ever.
There weren’t any tactical fireworks, because my opponent tried his best to play openings that are about as exciting as watching paint dry, which is his usual approach during our games. He tries to keep things as quiet as possible and I normally try to drag him into the deep end of the tactics pool. I’m always joking with him telling him that he would rather push a pawn than mate someone. Typically I try to blow things apart, but this time I decided to give him all the rope he wanted. I allowed him to over extend his position, all the while maneuvering my pieces into locations that allowed me create multiple attack points simply by shifting threats until his pieces literally tripped over each other. As soon as they stumbled I would pounce and win a key pawn and grind him off the board. Honestly it was as satisfying if not more so than crushing someone tactically.

Annotated Game

N.N. – Lassila, T. (A47 – Queen’s Indian, London System)

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 e6
3. Bf4 b6

White employs an opening scheme known as the London System. The openings aims to simple development and a quiet middlegame. Too formulaic for my tastes, but certainly respectable. Since a kingside fianchetto is not in White’s plans, I choose a QID structure to put pressure on f3 and g2.

4. e3 Bb7
5. Nbd2 Be7

By developing the knight to d2, White sidesteps Bb4 so the bishop might as well stay close to home. If Black can prevent e3-e4 and throw in d7-d5 and c7-c5, he has equalized.

6. c3 O-O

The idea 6…Nh5!? is premature because after 7. Bg3 the knight has nothing better to do on h5 than to continue Nxg3, after which White gets in e3-e4 and starts opening up lines at the black king. He can even do O-O-O if he wants to.

7. Bd3 c5

Position after 7…c5

The same points are still valid for Nh5 since White has delayed castling.

8. Qc2 d5

Freeing the d7-square for the other knight. If 8…cxd4, then it’s possible to answer 9. Nxd4! due to 9…Bxg2? 10. Rg1 Bb7 11. Bh6 Ne8 12. O-O-O and White has an attack. Black would thus have to live with a weak d-pawn or to consent to playing d7-d5 and close his precious diagonal with little active pawn play in the center.

9. dxc5 Bxc5
10. Bg5 h6

Playing for a little trick, forcing 10…h6. If White wants he can still go for the kingside attack with 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. O-O-O Nc6 13. Kb1 Rac8 14. h4, but the prospects are nothing special due to the lack of the dark-squared bishop. Black would rule the center.

11. Bh4 Nbd7

Black is ready to start counterplay, but to which side is White headed?

12. Nd4 a6
13. N4b3!? Be7

This is already a bit cheeky. White should choose a plan and start implementing it. The knight moves accomplish nothing.

14. Nd4 Ne5
15. Be2 Nc4

The point of 15…Nc4 is that 16. Nxc4 dxc4 17. Bxc4!? Qc7 20. Rg1 leaves White with a shattered pawn structure.

16. O-O Nxd2

White finally smells trouble and castles away, but does so at the cost of an exchange.

17. Qxd2 Ne4
18. Bxe7 Nxd2?!

18…Qxe7 19. Qc2 e5 would offer better chances.

19. Bxd8 Nxf1

Or 19…Rfxd8 20. Rfd1 Nc4 =.

20. Bxb6 Nd2

Position after 20…Nd2

White is now down in material, but in reality stands better. The bishop pair compensates well for the missing rook.

21. a4 Ne4

21. f3 Nc4 22. Bxc4 dxc4 23. Rd1 looks promising for White. Giving up the two bishops is risky however, and Black is not without chances.

22. f3 Nf6
23. a5 Nd7
24. Bc7 Rfc8
25. Bd6 g6 1/2-1/2

Neither player wants to risk it in a balanced position. White is perhaps slightly on top.

Problem Of The Day

Black to play and win

Problem Of The Day

White to play and win