00045.6.09
Analyzed by Master Daniel Waite
1.
g1-f3 f7-f6 [This is a major opening error.
This
pawn move does not aid in development and blocks
the best
King Knight move. It does not develop a
piece.
It does not control central squares (1…f5 for
instance
does). It creates weakness on the Kingside.]
2.
b1-c3 c7-c6 3. d2-d4 d7-d5 4. c1-f4
[Interesting
and "correct." Unfortunately "correct"
in chess
is not always the "best." When an opponent
is
cobbled up like this ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK! Here
4.e4
leads to a significant advantage due to White's
central
control and Black's lack of development.]
4…b8-a6
5. h2-h3 ["Lasker's rule" states: "Always
distrust
a pawn move." The reason is that all pawn
moves
change the game, forever. You can move any piece
back
and forth, but when a pawn moves it can't go
back.
Thus you see the permanent nature of the pawn
move.
Many players in your class tend to be afraid of
"shadow"
threats (…Bg5). Silman's rule is "if you see
a
threat, look for a way to ignore it." Lasker urged,
"defend
with as little effort as possible." Typically
this
pin is an illusion, especially before a person
castles.
It's only real purpose is to control the
dark
squares on the Kingside (and possibly the
center).]
5…h7-h6
6. a2-a3 [Having protected the Kingside,
you now
seal off the Queenside. While this seems
prudent
you must remember a simple idea. Now repeat
after
me, "always play in the center." Remind
yourself
that if you do not play in the center you
will
spend eternity attempting to win the E class at
your
local tournament. It is a simple concept, but it
is
amazing how few of us catch on to it. Only play on
the
side if there is a GM approved reason.]
6…g7-g5
7. f4-d2 [Not bad but it is a waste of a good
move.
Why did you put your bishop on f4 to begin
with?
To control the middle? To control the
Queenside?
Well, then what is it doing on d2? You
have
just wasted a good wish (to get to move twice in
a game
- here was that extra move you wanted). If you
were to
play Bg3/h2 then you could still do the
control
thing.]
7…e7-e6
8. e2-e3 c6-c5 [Count the pawn moves
your
opponent has made so far. Because the game
remains
closed Black survives 60 moves longer than he
should
have. When you see this many pointless moves
from
your opponent, show no mercy. Go after him,
sacrifice
material to open lines if you have to.
These
are easy points!]
9.
f1-b5+ c8-d7 10. b5xa6 [Interesting choice. I
like
it. It creates some interesting possibilities on
the
Queenside.]
10…b7xa6
11. d4xc5 f8xc5 12. b2-b4 [Fingers
off the
wing pawns!]
12…c5-d6
13. d1-e2 [Again missing the chance to crack
the
game open with 13.e4]
13…d7-b5
14. c3xb5 a6xb5 15. e2xb5+ [Good
exchange
idea!]
15…d8-d7
16. f3-d4 a7-a6 17. b5xd7+ [I'm not
a fan.
Typically when you are up the idea is to avoid
exchanges
in favor of building pressure. Then there
is the
idea that once a material advantage is obtained
trade
into oblivion. It takes experience to know
which
to employ and when. The key to this is to know
how to
win an endgame. When you can go into a "won"
endgame,
but all means go for it! The fewer pieces in
the
middle game the easier the defense - typically.
This
move shows lack of confidence. If you lose make
sure it
is not due to lack of courage (Tal, if I
remember
correctly.)]
17…e8xd7
18. o-o? [Allowing Black to equalize
immediately.
Black has all sorts of weaknesses and
while
you can castle you do not have to castle! I
know we
preach that you should castle as soon as
possible
but that is only part of the idea. The
complete
context is to castle as soon as safely
possible
with a reason. In other words, play with the
end in
mind. Play with a plan. What does the
position
demand? 18.Bc3! attacks Black's confused
Kingside.]
18….g8-e7
19. a1-e1 e6-e5 20. d4-f3 e7-f5?
[Black
gives up the initiative. …Rac8 is the move.]
21.
e3-e4 d5xe4 22. e1xe4 h8-e8? [Giving
White
more targets than can be possibly covered.]
23.
c2-c4 [Another good idea is 23. g4.]
23…a6-a5
24. c4-c5 [Excellent. I like how
Silman
encourages, "when you see a threat, look for a
way to
ignore it!" Now you have the luxury of
ignoring
further threats.]
24…d6-c7
25. d2-c3 [b5 gives White two passed
pawns
and serious attacking potential on the
Queenside.
For instance Bd1 then B anywhere….]
25…a5xb4
26. f1-d1+ d7-c6 27. c3xb4 a8-d8
28.
d1xd8 [Rxd8 gives up the d-file. 28.Ree1 is
best.]
28…e8xd8
29. g2-g4 f5-h4 30. f3xh4 g5xh4
31.
a3-a4 d8-b8 32. a4-a5 b8-d8 33.
a5-a6
[Sure is fun when all your opponent can do is
move
back and forth! But I like getting the Rook
behind
the pawns or invading with the King.]
33…
c7-b8 34. b4-a5 [Ba3!] d8-d1+ 35. g1-g2
d1-a1
36. e4-b4 b8-a7
37.
b4-b7 a7xc5 38. b7-c7+ c6-b5 39.
c7-b7+
[Attacking when the position does not
justify
an attack. This actually loses a piece to
…Kd6.
Either way, by attacking without positional
justification
you allow a winning advantage to
vaporize.]
39…b5xa6
40. a5-c3 a1-a3 41. c3-b2 a3-a2
[…Kxb7
42.Bxa3 Bxa3 wins a piece.] 42. b7-b8
a6-a7
[Missing …Bb6 43.Ra8+ Be7. Now 44.Bxb7 (or any
other
Bishop move) Rxf2+ destroying White's position.]
43.
b8-b5 c5-b6 44. b2-c1 [this should lose
to
…Rxf2+] a2xf2+ 45. g2-h1 f2-f1+
46.
h1-g2 f1xc1 47. b5-d5 c1-c2+ 48.
g2-f3
c2-c3+
49.
f3-g2 c3-c2+ 50. g2-f3 c2-c4 51.
d5-d7+
a7-a6
52.
d7-h7 c4-f4+ 53. f3-e2 f4-f2+ 54.
e2-e1
e5-e4
55.
h7xh6 f2-g2 56. h6xf6 g2-h2 57.
g4-g5
h2xh3
58.
g5-g6 h3-e3+ 59. e1-f1 h4-h3 60.
g6-g7
h3-h2
61.
f6-h6 e3-f3+ 62. f1-g2 f3-f2+ 63.
g2-h1
f2-f1+
64.
h1xh2 f1-g1 65. h6-h7? [Rxb6+ Kxb6 66.
Kxg1!]
b6-f2 66. h7-h6+ a6-b5
67. h6-h5+
b5-c4 68. h5-f5 e4-e3 69.
f5-f4+
c4-d3 70. f4-f7 d3-e2 71. h2-h3
g1-g3+
72. h3-h4 e2-f1 73. f7-f3 g3xf3+
74.
h4-g4 f3-g3+ 75. g4-f4 g3xg7
76.
f4-f3 g7-f7+ 77. f3-e4 e3-e2 78.
e4-d3
Coaches
Advice: Your road to chess improvement is
through
Karpov and his type. You must become addicted
to
"positional" chess. You attacked when you should
not
have, you traded when you should not have, and you
castled
when you had a much better move. Study
Silman's
"How to Reassess your Chess" (easily the most
useful
book on chess in the last 200 years), "The
Amateur's
Mind," and "How to… Workbook." In a sense,
I'm
asking you to go back to "square one" and relearn
the
game. The idea is to teach you to play with a
plan.
It is said that a "bad" plan is better than no
plan.
When I say plan, it's not a legalism that
controls
every thought. But there are some basic
ideas
like knowing when to attack and when to defend
that
are critical. The cool part about this is once
you
have the positional ideas down, you can attack
like a
mad dog when the position calls for it. If you
don't
know then you will not pull off the brilliant
attacks
when they are available.
One
piece of advice that will add 200 points to your
playing
strength right now. ALWAYS (unless there is a
specific
GM approved reason) PLAY IN THE CENTER! If
you
lose the center, you lose the game. The center
controls
the game. The center is your brain, you lose
your
brain…. OK you get the picture. You will be
surprised
when you get this one concept down with a
passion
that you will be able to play with anybody.
(Or at
least you will get that feeling.) You will
also be
a legitimate threat to anyone (just don't look
at the
rating, it messes with your mind).
While
you are doing this, consider what openings you
do well
when playing. While 1.Nf3 is a very good
opening
you must understand the ideas behind what you
are
attempting to accomplish with it. Many players
are
looking for a win in the first 10 moves. If this
is you
then 1.Nf3 is not our opening. If you are real
good at
endgames then your best route is probably 1.e4
(assuming
you can live through the typically violent
middle
games). If you like positional chess then head
for the
closed games you find in 1.Nf3, 1.c4, 1.d4.
1.f4.
If you really like odd ideas stick to 1.c4
(English)
and 1.f4 (Bird) but I wouldn't stray beyond
those
(possibly 1.Nc3 the Dunst is playable.) The
reason
for this advice is that many players like an
opening,
for whatever reason, and do poorly in it
(typically
because they 1. Do not understand it. 2. Do
not
feel comfortable in the game. 3. Are not capable
of
grasping the concepts). For instance, I attempted
to play
the Modern Benoni and was constantly beaten.
My
problem is that I did not have the maturity in the
areas
that were necessary to play the opening.
Nothing
personal, but the Benoni lived up to its name
(son of
my sorrow). Meanwhile they rule with an
opening
that they, for whatever reason, do not like.
I used
to play the English but abandoned it for more
popular
openings. A while back I did an inventory and
discovered
that I did well in English type positions
and won
80% of my games. So when I'm in an important
game
that I want to win, what opening do I play?
(Hint:
It's not 1.e4!)