Skype coaching session, 14 September 2014. 

The following game was examined, the game 32 moves) is given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

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Annotated game. 

White: G. M. Kramer. 
Black: R. J. Fischer. 
Event: US Championship 1957-58. 
Result: 0-1 in 32 moves. 
Opening: Reti / King's Indian Attack, A07. 

1. Nf3 Nf6 
2. g3 g6 
3. Bg2 Bg7 
4. d3 d6 
5. O-O O-O 
6. e4 

| White commits to a plan, the main alternative is, 6. c4. || 

6. ... c5 

| Responding with symmetry can only be taken so far. While, 6. ... e5 is playable, it does not offer the central pawn formation imbalance which some players choose, offering opportunities to fight for the initiative. || 

7. c3 

| White will try to blunt the long dark square diagonal with pawns. If this idea works, the black g7 bishop will find little constructive play. If it fails, the g7 bishop will hit targets followed by great activity. Theory recommends white follow a plan beginning with, 7. Nbd2. || 

7. ... Nc6 
8. Ne1 

| The knight retreats so as to allow the f-pawn to advance, white plans a kingside assault. Black will be permitted to expand on the queenside. Both players have come for a fight, and the spectators will be receiving good return for their money. || 

8. ... Rb8 

| The rook is removed from the long diagonal and supports the advance of the b-pawn, which intends to make direct contact with the white c3 pawn. While the formation of the white b2 and c3 pawn can hardly be regarded as a pawn chain, the black strategy is to eliminate this chain of 2 links. || 

9. f4 Ne8 

| Black might also consider, 9. ... Bg4, when white will not voluntarily place a knight on f3 if the intention is a kingside attack. This will leave white deciding upon either, 9. f3 Bd7, when black has gained a development tempo, or, 9. Qc2, or, Qb3, neither of which are really part of white's plan. || 

| The black knight plans activity on the queenside. Transferring potentially defensive pieces across the board must be considered carefully. White is starting kingside aggression but how can white build an attack against the black h-pawn, a point this knight is usually posted to defend? Perhaps white can play for, Qh4, and, Ng5, but this is very slow and not easily arranged. So, the kingside knight is sent to the queenside. || 

10. Be3 

| Perhaps more consistent is either, 10. g4, or, even more active, 10. f5. This bishop is part of a white central plan, the only question is wether it is a good plan or not. Time and imagination will tell. || 

10. ... Bd7 

| Protecting the c6 knight, so the b-pawn can be pushed to make contact on the long diagonal. || 

11. Nd2 b5 
12. e5 

| So white is not going to aim for a kingside pawn roller, but instead wishes to clarify the centre and create pawn majorities on opposite wings. If white can successfully block the long diagonal with pawns, then white will have more options than black. If this plan fails, white will have given black targets for the g7 bishop and the black knights. If, 12. d4, black gains good play with, 12. ... cxd4 13. cxd4 Qb6, placing a triple attack on the white d4 pawn and threatening to capture the b2 pawn, the black queen invasion is quite safe. || 

12. ... dxe5 

| Black must not allow white the luxury of, 13. d4, strengthening the centre. The changes in the pawn formation offer the white bishops some play for a while, but black will also be gaining queenside pressure. || 

13. Bxc5 exf4 
14. Rxf4 Nc7 

| Gaining a tempo for the attack, as white can not allow, 15. ... Ne6, forking the white rook and c5 bishop. || 

15. Rf1 b4 

| The white kingside / central play has opened the position for the minor pieces, but they have yet to take advantage of this. Black now has queenside threats to be countered, white is now on the defensive. || 

16. Qc2 

| For a few move from here on, white has the option to snatch a pawn with, Bxc6, undermining the defence of the black a7 pawn, permitting white the capture, Bxa7. Black has no immediate refutation of this idea, however the weakening of the light squares by giving up the g2 bishop seems very risky. Black would receive much play for the a-pawn, Qd5, comes to mind. || 

16. ... bxc3 
17. bxc3 Nb5 

| Placing more pressure on the long diagonal targets. || 

18. d4 

| Is the white mission accomplished? If the queenside / centre is now locked up then white can start pushing pieces into the kingside. Black must find a means to maintain the queenside pressure, but how? || 

18. ... Rc8 

| Placing an x-ray attack on the white queen, despite there being 3 units in between, white panics. || 

19. Qb2 

| Removing the queen from an x-ray attack from a rook is in general a sensible idea, but tactics need to be calculated as well. Black has 3 minor pieces focusing on the white pawns on the long diagonal, various captures in varying move orders need to be investigated, however uncomfortable they might seem. With the queen back on c2, black was threatening, 19. ... Ncxd4 20. cxd4 Nxd4, when the complications all favour black. So to answer this idea the queen must remain on c2 when, 19. Nb3, needs to be played. Black might continue with, 19. Ncxd4 20. cxd4 Nxd4 21. Bxd4 Bxd4+ 22. Nxd4 Rxc2 23. Ndxc2, when black has traded rook and 3 minor pieces for white's queen, bishop and 2 pawns, an interesting material imbalance. || 

19. ... Nxc3 

| The start of a flow of tactical ideas set to run for 7 or so more moves before the position clarifies. The unspoken strategic discussion of blocking the long dark square diagonal with white pawns is about to be fully debated in public. || 

20. Qxc3 Nxd4 

| Black now threatens a royal fork with, Ne2+, the g7 bishop has ideas of capturing, Bxa1, and the white c5 bishop is in an uncomfortable pin. Seems the debate about blocking the long diagonal is swinging strongly in favour of black. || 

21. Qb4 

| Creating a battery against the black e7 pawn. Black must not lose the kingside 4 vs 2 majority. If the e-pawn goes, then white can start thinking about saving a draw. If instead white tries to gather some wood for the queen with,21. Qxd4 Bxd4+ 22. Bxd4 Bb5, the black bishop attacks the f1 rook and the queen is now attacking the d4 bishop. || 

21. ... Ne2+ 

| The unmoved white a1 rook is now in the direct firing line of the black g7 bishop. || 

22. Kh1 

| If instead, 22. Kf2, black demonstrates complete dark square superiority with, 22. ... Rxc5. If now, 23. Qxc5 Bd4+, wins the white queen. So white ignores the c5 rook and plays, 23. Kxe2, but now, 23. ... Rb5, attacks the white queen and the a1 rook will be captured next move, black is winning. || 

22. ... Rxc5 

| Removing the dangerous white c5 bishop, ensuring the e7 pawn remains on the board. || 

23. Qxc5 Bxa1 

| The tactical flow has halted, black is 2 pawns up but the a7 pawn seems lost. Black has the bishop pair on an open board, the white knights will find it difficult to achieve safe central outposts without support from pawns. Perhaps the only worry for black would be a potential outside passed white a-pawn. || 

24. Nef3 Bg7 

| There is no point in trying to find a square other than g7 for this piece, it sits beyond the reach of any white knight here, and still have complete dark square control. || 

25. Re1 

| White is again probing on the black e7 pawn. || 

25. ... Nc3 

| Placing a counter-attack on the white a2 pawn, which white dare not lose, meaning the black e7 pawn can not be captured yet. || 

26. Qxa7 Be6 

| Black now regroups the least developed pieces and begins plans to eliminate the white passed a-pawn. White has no sensible plan, placing the rook behind the a-pawn will not work, which means the a-pawn is going to find it difficult to advance safely. || 

27. a3 Qd6 
28. Qa5 Bd5 
| Intending, Ra8, and the a-pawn will be under pressure. || 

29. Nb1 

| Losing material, but white is struggling to find a good move anyway. || 

29. ... Ra8 

| It seems black can win a piece with, 29. ... Bxf3 30. Bxf3 Nxb1 31. Rxb1 Qd3, forking the white rook and bishop and covering the f1 square. Instead after, 29. Bxf3 30. Nxc3 Bxg2+ 31. Kxg2 Qd2+ 32. Re2 Qxc3, black is again a piece up. || 

30. Qb4 Qxb4 
31. axb4 Bxf3 

| Removing the defence of the e1 rook, the white back rank is now endangered by the threat of black, Ra1. || 

32. Nxc3 

| If instead, 32. Bxf3 Ra1, pinning the white b1 knight to the now unprotected e1 rook. White can not afford 33. Nxc3 Rxe1+ 34. Kg2 Bxc3, black is a rook up. Instead, 32. Be4 Nxe4 33. Rxe4 Rxb1+, black is a bishop up. || 

32. ... Bxg2+ 

| Capturing with check, so after, 33. Kxg2 Bxc3 34. Rb1 Rb8 35. b5 Kf8, the black king assists in rounding up the white b-pawn. || 

White resigns, 0-1 

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## Unannotated game. 

White: G. M. Kramer. 
Black: R. J. Fischer. 
Event: US Championship 1957-58. 
Result: 0-1 in 32 moves. 
Opening: Reti / King's Indian Attack, A07. 

1. Nf3 Nf6 
2. g3 g6 
3. Bg2 Bg7 
4. d3 d6 
5. O-O O-O 
6. e4 c5 
7. c3 Nc6 
8. Ne1 Rb8 
9. f4 Ne8 
10. Be3 Bd7 
11. Nd2 b5 
12. e5 dxe5 
13. Bxc5 exf4 
14. Rxf4 Nc7 
15. Rf1 b4 
16. Qc2 bxc3 
17. bxc3 Nb5 
18. d4 Rc8 
19. Qb2 Nxc3 
20. Qxc3 Nxd4 
21. Qb4 Ne2+ 
22. Kh1 Rxc5 
23. Qxc5 Bxa1 
24. Nef3 Bg7 
25. Re1 Nc3 
26. Qxa7 Be6 
27. a3 Qd6 
28. Qa5 Bd5 
29. Nb1 Ra8 
30. Qb4 Qxb4 
31. axb4 Bxf3 
32. Nxc3 Bxg2+ 
White resigns, 0-1 

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