Skype coaching session, 02 October 2016. 

Please note: Re-structuring of the sessions now offers the option for guests to bring their own games for group discussion. 

Recordings of some previous coaching sessions can be found at: 

http://www.open-aurec.com/Skype/PaulBenson/PaulBenson.htm 

The following were examined: 
The Philidor position is reviewed (on mp3 audio only). 
King and rook with a centre-file pawn against king and rook - The Philidor position is not achievable, Defender plays accurately and draws (on mp3 audio only). 
Study position #1 from practical play. 
Guest game, 32 moves with brief notes and without notes. 

Paul Benson. 

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Study position #1 from practical play. 

White to play. 
White: Kf5, Rb6, Pe5, Pf4. 
Black: Ke7, Rc7, Pf7. 

To make progress, white must create a passed pawn. Attempting to place a double attack on the black f7 pawn will not work. If, 1. Rf6 Ra7 2. Kg5, intending to march the king to g7 fails to black now playing actively with, 2. ... Ra1. White continues on with the plan, 3. Kh6, and black now places the king under constant distant attack with, 3. ... Rh1+ 4. Kg7 Rg1+, 5. Kh7 Rh1+ 6. Kg7 Rg1+, and the white king cannot escape the repeating checks. 

So from the start position, 1. Kg5, with the idea of advancing, pawn f5, pawn f6+. Black might try to tough it out by defending passively with, 1. ... Ra7 2. f5 Rc7 3. f6+ Ke8. Note, black should avoid, 3. ... Kf8 4. Rb8+ mate. So after, 3. ... Ke8, white aims for a winning position of king and passed pawn on the 6th rank with, 4. e6. Black can either capture or ignore this pawn. If black leaves it alone with, 4. Ra7 5. e7 Ra8 6. Rd6 Rb8, black is reduced to total passivity and white heads for a winning pawn ending with, 7. Kh6 Ra8 8. Kg7 Rb8 9. Rd8+ Rxd8 10. exd8=Q+ Kxd8 11. Kxf7. 

So from the start position, 1. Kg5 Ra7 2. f5 Rc7 3. f6+ Ke8 4. e6, and this time black captures with, 4. ... fxe6. White now achieves the winning formation of 6th rank king and passed pawn with, 5. Kg6, with the immediate threat of, 6. Rb8+ Kd7 7. f7, with promotion next move. Black can only prevent this threat with the retreat, 5. ... Rc8. White now takes the 7th rank with, 6. Rb7, after which black is helpless. If black tries, 6. Kf8, then, 7. R f7+, a neat tempo-gaining move forcing the black king to g8 in anticipation of a pawn advance with check. Play continues with, 7. ... Kg8 8. Rh7 Rd8 9. f7+ Kf8 10. Rh8+ Ke7 11. Rxd8 Kxd8 12. f8=Q+, white wins. 

From the start position again, 1. Kg5, and now black tries an active defence. The white plan involves advancing the f-pawn, so black places an attack on the about to become defenceless e5 pawn with, 1. ... Rc5. If white cannot get the f-pawn rolling then there is no means to make progress and it is a draw. So white must be prepared to give up the e5 pawn and hope black will make a mistake. White first tries, 2. Rb7+, giving black a test of how to defend. Active play by the king with, 2. ... Ke6, allows, 3. f5+ Kxe5 4. Rxf7, and the black king is prevented from reaching the f-pawn promotion square, white is winning. 

So after, 1. Kg5 Rc5 2. Rb7+, the black king must move into the kingside with, 2. ... Kf8. This might appear as if the black king is setting up a self-mate formation, but appearances are deceptive. The black king must be able to locate himself on the short side of the white f-pawn to hold the draw. White now further tests black with, 3. f5 Rxe5 4. Kf6. Yet again black must understand the principles of holding the draw and know whether to play passively or actively. Passive defence with, 4. ... Re8, loses to, 5. Rxf7+ Kg8 6. Ra7, and now the correct plan of active defence is too slow to save black. After, 6. ... Re1 7. Ra8+ Kh7 7. Kf7 Rf1 8. f6, the white pawn has reached the 6th rank and white has a mating net threat. After, 8. ... Rf2 9. Ra1, black might play, 9. ... kh6, but then, 10. Rh1+ Kg5 11. Kg7, and the passed f-pawn will promote. Note if black tries, 11. ... Rxf6, then 12. Rg1+ Kf5 13. Rf1+, wins the black rook. 

If all this is depressing those who feel black should get a draw from the start position, perhaps this will cheer you up? Start with, 1. Kg5 Rc5 2. Rb7+ Kf8 3. f5 Rxe5 4. Kf6, and black must immediately play actively with, 4. ... Re1. The black king is going to run over to the short side of the f-pawn while the rook attacks the pawn from the rear, all according to how to draw when the Philidor position is not available. White continues with, 5. Rxf7+ Kg8, run for the short side, running long is wrong. If now, 6. Ra7 Rf1, attacking the pawn from the rear, 7. Ra8+ Kh7 8. Rf8, to protect the pawn while the king attempts to advance with, Ke7. Black now aims to give repeated check across the ranks with, 8. ... Ra1, the black rook is going to give constant distant checks on the long side of the f-pawn. Should white try to preempt this with, 9. Re8 then black returns to attacking the pawn from the rear with, 9. ... Rf1. White cannot make progress, black has successfully demonstrated understanding of the drawing method when the Philidor position is not available. Firstly, run the king over to the short side of the passed pawn. Secondly, attack the passed pawn from the rear. Thirdly, when all units except the defending king line up on the same file as the pawn, 
transfer the rook over to the long side to give constant distant attack along the ranks. 

Lastly, another drawing line with the option for a shock result due to careless play, from the start, 1. Kg5 Rc5 2. Rb7+ Kf8 3. f5 Rxe5 4. Kf6 Re1, white thinks an exchange of rooks will be beneficial. After, 5. Rb8+ Re8 6. Rxe8+ Kxe8, white invades further with, 7. Kg7 Ke7, and now white must be very careful. There is a drawn line and a line winning for black! The draw is by leaving the white f-pawn alone with, 8. Kg8 Kf6 9. Kf8 Kxf5 10. Kxf7. Instead when both kings are standing on the black 2nd rank, if white advances the f-pawn with, 8. f6+ Ke6, we have a position of mutual attack and defence. Each king is attacking the enemy pawn while maintaining defensive contact with the friendly pawn. Whoever has to move will lose their pawn, and here it is white to move away from the g7 square and give black a gift of the white f6 pawn and the full point as well. 

* * * 

## Annotated Guest Game. 

White: Paul Benson, 2059. 
Black: Ambika Prasad Singh, 1648. 
Event: Tournoi Skype 20A 2016. 
Result: 1-0 in 32 moves. 
Opening: Sicilian Defence, English Attack, B90. 

1. e4 c5 
2. Nf3 d6 
3. d4 cxd4 
4. Nxd4 Nf6 
5. Nc3 a6 
6. Be3 Qc7 

| The first move in a specific plan of queenside development. Instead there are other variations for consideration: 
Fighting for the centre with, 6. ... e5. 
Trying to restrain any white central activity with, 6. ... e6. 
Aiming for a serious dynamic middlegame battle with the hybrid Dragondorf, 6. ... g6. 
Simple development of the b8 knight with either, 6. ... Nc6, or, 6. ... Nbd7. || 

7. f3 Nc6 
8. Qd2 Bd7 

| The planned black queenside pieces formation is complete. It is the d7 bishop which is of most interest, being placed on d7 to take control of some light squares, in particular the a4 square. || 

9. O-O-O Ne5 

| This black knight is heading for the c4 square where it will either be able to trade off the white e3 bishop or offer white the chance to trade off the f1 bishop with, Bxc4. In each case black gains the bishop pair with this knight sortie. Instead getting on with development with, 9. ... e6, and then, 10. ... Be7, was worth consideration, postponing committing the c6 knight for a few moves. || 

10. Kb1 

| White prefers to get a defensive retaliation in first. Removing the king from the semi-open c-file is not actually necessary. However previous experience in this lines has revealed the vacated c1 square can be quite useful for a different piece other than the king. Instead carrying on with the thematic kingside expansion with, 10. g4, was a more dynamic choice. || 

10. ... e6 
11. g4 b5 
12. g5 b4 

| Sharp play from black. The d7 bishop is both a hero and villain all at the same time. It prevents the white knight from drifting to the a4 square, with further invasion options on the b6 square if desired. However, on d7 the same bishop denies the f6 knight the most natural retreat square when the white g-pawn advances. Win some, lose some. || 

13. Nce2 

| White has no desire to gamble with creating unclear long-term positional consequences beginning with, 13. gxf6 bxc3 14. fxg7 Bxg7 15. Qxc3, where white wins a pawn but black will always have activity. || 

13. ... Nc4 
14. Qc1 

| The vacated c1 square is already proving useful. || 

14. ... Nh5 
15. Ng3 Nxg3 

| A trade of pluses and minuses. White now has the semi-open h-file with pressure against the black h7 pawn. However the lack of a white h-pawn means the usual plan of advancing it to assist in opening up the black kingside is no longer available. || 

16. hxg3 Nxe3 
17. Qxe3 g6 

| Perhaps the black f8 bishop will be better posted on e7 where it will assist in defensive duties. White now has a good plan available here, but it requires tactical awareness to take the best that is possible. || 

18. f4 Bg7 
19. f5 e5 

| White to play must find the next game move or the opportunity to make a large positional gain will be missed. || 

20. f6 Bf8 

| Instead, 20. exd4 21. fxg7, white can ignore the attack on the queen as, 21. dxe3 22. gxh8=Q+, white gets the queen back while winning a rook into the bargain. If black tries, 20. ... exd4 21. fxg7 Rg8, then, 22. Qxd4, protects the strong white g7 pawn and leaves black with problems of how to save the h7 pawn. || 

21. Nb3 

| White now has a big plus with several good plans in mind. Perhaps a slow manoeuvring of the b3 knight to the d5 square. There is also the slightly materialistic doubling of rooks up the h-file to win the black h7 pawn. The chosen game continuation seems to offer good prospects as well. Black on the other hand has some serious problems over how to develop the kingside pieces. || 

21. ... a5 

| Even though it will cost a pawn, perhaps black should play, 21. ... d5, giving some development options to the locked-in f8 bishop. || 

22. Nd2 Rc8 

| Threatening the white c2 pawn. White must defend this pawn, there are a few options available, a hint was given earlier as how this pawn should be defended. || 

23. Rc1 

| Somewhat counter-intuitive. Surely the rook is better placed on the semi-open d-file where it brings pressure on the black backward d6 pawn? Not really. White very much prefers to have the black f8 bishop and h8 rook kept immobile for as long as possible. So, white will ignore the d6 pawn and instead focus on opening up the queenside and make use of the, "extra", two pieces. || 

23. ... Be6 
24. Bb5+ Bd7 
25. Bxd7+ Kxd7 

| Perhaps, 25. ... Qxd7, getting the black queen off the c-file was better, but even so black will effectively still be two pieces down. || 

26. Qb3 Ke8 
27. c3 

| The point of transferring the white rook from d1 to the c1 square is revealed. The rook not only defended the c2 pawn but has now supported the necessary queenside pawn-break to open up the position. Rooks can take up defensive roles behind pawns with later intentions of supporting aggression. || 

27. ... bxc3 

| Black will always have problems with the queenside pawns once the position opens up. It is almost certain white will trade off all the heavy pieces on the queenside and end up with connected passed pawns. Of course, once the white queen departs from the c1 - h6 diagonal and the h1 rook moves over to the queenside then black can plan a break-out with, pawn h6. It is then a question of white holding the centre / kingside while advancing with the queenside connected passed pawns. White should be able to convert this sort of advantage without any real problems. || 

28. Rxc3 Qd7 

| White has had it quite comfortable since the black bishop retreated to the f8 square. Now is the time for some accurate analysis to take the most from the position. || 

29. Rhc1 

| Careless. Under the circumstances this must be considered a mistake. The game move is good enough to win, but there is a much stronger line available here for white. It begins with, 29. Rxc8+ Qxc8 30. Rc1, and black then has to select from: 
(A). 30. ... Qd7 31. Qb8+ Qd8 32. Qb5+ Qd7 33. Rc8+, is mate. 
(B). 30. ... Qg4 31. Qb8+ Kd7 32. Qc8+, is mate. 
(C). 30. ... Qa8 31. Qb5+ Kd8 32. Qb6+ Ke8 33. Rc7, when white is threatening, 34. Qb5+, and mate to follow on the d7 square. Black can delay a variety of mates by giving up the f8 bishop with, 34. ... Be7, but perhaps resignation would be less painful. || 

29. ... Rc5 
30. Rxc5 dxc5 
31. Qb8+ Qd8 
32. Qxe5+ 
Black resigns, 1-0 

| Black is about to lose another pawn without gaining any play. If, 32. ... Kd7 33. Nb3, and white is targetting the weak black queenside pawns, in particular the c5 pawn. Some sample continuations run: 
(A). 33. ... Qb6 34. Nxc5+ Bxc5 35. Rxc5, when the black king is still tremendously exposed. If now, 35. ... Re8 36. Rd5+ Kc6 37. Qxe8+, white wins a rook with more to follow. 
(B). 33. ... Qb6 34. Nxc5+ Bxc5 35. Rxc5 Qe6 36. Qc7+ Ke8 37. Re5, winning the black queen for a rook is good enough, there will be other strong ideas to be found instead of, 37. Re5. 
(C). 33. ... Qc7 34. Nxc5+ Bxc5 35. Qxc7+ Kxc7 36. Rxc5+ Kb6 37. Re5 h6 38. Re7 hxg5 39. Rxf7 Rh3 40. e5 Rxg3 41. e6, and the connected passed pawns roll through. || 

* * * 

## Unannotated Guest Game. 

White: Paul Benson, 2059. 
Black: Ambika Prasad Singh, 1648. 
Event: Tournoi Skype 20A 2016. 
Result: 1-0 in 32 moves. 
Opening: Sicilian Defence, English Attack, B90. 

1. e4 c5 
2. Nf3 d6 
3. d4 cxd4 
4. Nxd4 Nf6 
5. Nc3 a6 
6. Be3 Qc7 
7. f3 Nc6 
8. Qd2 Bd7 
9. O-O-O Ne5 
10. Kb1 e6 
11. g4 b5 
12. g5 b4 
13. Nce2 Nc4 
14. Qc1 Nh5 
15. Ng3 Nxg3 
16. hxg3 Nxe3 
17. Qxe3 g6 
18. f4 Bg7 
19. f5 e5 
20. f6 Bf8 
21. Nb3 a5 
22. Nd2 Rc8 
23. Rc1 Be6 
24. Bb5+ Bd7 
25. Bxd7+ Kxd7 
26. Qb3 Ke8 
27. c3 bxc3 
28. Rxc3 Qd7 
29. Rhc1 Rc5 
30. Rxc5 dxc5 
31. Qb8+ Qd8 
32. Qxe5+ 
Black resigns, 1-0 

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