Skype coaching session, 09 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 bishop-file pawn against king and rook - The Philidor position is not achievable, Defender plays accurately and draws (on mp3 audio only). 
Study position #2 from practical play. 
Guest game, 34 moves with brief notes and without notes. 

Paul Benson. 

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Study position #2 from practical play. 

White to play. 
White: Kh5, Rg7, Pf6. 
Black: Kh8, Ra8, Pg5. 

Material is equal but white is pushing hard for the win. Understanding how to make a draw when the Philidor position is not achievable will prove invaluable here. Examine the position from the black perspective while thinking about the strategy required for black to draw. The attacking pawn is already on the 6th rank which tells us the Philidor position cannot be achieved. If black is to make a draw then at some point the defending rook must take up position on the back rank of the attacker, but the important question is: "When?" 

Black begins with, 1. ... Rf8. The black king is effectively stalemated and so black sets a neat trap. Instead playing actively with, 1. ... Ra1, allows white to win quickly with, 2. Kg6. White is advised to leave the black g5 pawn alone as it provides useful shelter from the black rook planning to give check along the white 1st rank. The white threat now is the sequence of forcing moves, Rh7+, awn f7+, Rh8+, and promotion of the f-pawn. Black can stop this with, 2. ... Rh1, but white simply advances with, 3. f7, and there is an unstoppable threat of, 4. Rg8+ mate, white is winning. 

From the start position, if black tries a different form of activity with either, 1. ... Ra5, or, 1. ... Ra6, white still plays, 2. Kg6. Black is again facing the unstoppable white plan of, Rh7+, pawn f7+, Rh8+, and promotion of the f-pawn. 

From the start position, 1. ... Rf8, and if white falls into temptation with, 2. Kxg5, then black has the simplest of drawing methods available with, 2. ... Rxf6, because, 3. Kxf6, is stalemate. 

From the start position, 1. ... Rf8 2. Kg6, and white again threatens the forcing sequence of moves, Rh7+, followed by, pawn f7+, which then demands black give up the rook to avoid it being immediate mate. So after, 2. Kg6, black needs to break this pattern with, 2. ... Rg8, pinning the white rook to the king. White must not trade rooks which only leads to a draw but instead advance with, 3. Kf7. Black must similarly avoid trading rooks which would allow white to recapture with the f-pawn giving check and then promote next move. So after 3. Kf7, black throws the rook as far from the white king as possible with, 3. ... Ra8. White now breaks the stalemate pattern created by the rook being on the g7 square with, 4. Rxg5, which also threatens a cute mate with, Rh5+. Black disrupts the sneak mate threat with, 4. ... Ra7+, when the only sensible reply for white to avoid a continual checking attack is, 5. Kg6. So, white now has both the king and passed pawn on the 6th rank, dangerous but not decisive, if you know how to defend. 

The white king on the g6 square has now gained shelter from the opposing rook, black is now approaching a big test of imagination combined with an awareness of how to draw when the Philidor position cannot be achieved. The necessary imagination involves recognising a drawn pattern found in king and pawn endings. Yes, a drawn king and pawn position must be the inspiration for the next black move. Black plays, 5. ... Kg8, taking the opposition, but what value does this have? White continues to play for a back rank mating net with, 6. Rb5, threatening, Rb8+ mate. Looks bleak. How does black respond? There is only one move to save the game. 

Black produces the startling, 6. ... Rg7+, revealing why on the previous move the black king shuffled onto the g8 square. If white accepts the offered rook with, 7. fxg7, the black king has no legal moves, another surprise stalemate which appears only in the notes. White escapes the clever rook check with, 7. Kf5, leaving black to show understanding of how to draw when the Philidor position cannot be achieved. The attacking pawn is on the 6th rank and the attacking king is on the 5th rank. This is the ideal position for the defender to keep hitting the attacking king with a series of distant checks. So, 7. ... Rg1, and white has no shelter against the black threats of check from the safe distance of the white 1st rank. It is a draw. 

The drawing line without any annotations is: 
1. ... Rf8 2. Kg6 Rg8 3. Kf7 Ra8 4. Rxg5 Ra7+ 5. Kg6 Kg8 6. Rb5 Rg7+ 7. Kf5 Rg1. 

* * * 

## Annotated Guest Game. 

White: Michael Lowery. 
Black: Robert McCewan. 
Event: Club Game (All moves in 1 hour per player). 
Result: 1/2-1/2 in 34 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Pawn Opening, London System, D00. 

1. d4 d5 
2. Bf4 Nc6 

| More popular choices here are, Nf6, c5, e6, c6, Bf5. || 

3. c3 

| This fits in with the general white plan, but perhaps just getting on with the kingside development with, 3. Nf3, was a more preferable choice of move order. || 

3. ... Nf6 
4. Nf3 Bg4 
5. e3 a6 
6. Be2 

| Whenever black plays, Bg4, white should consider asking the question of the bishop with, pawn h3, once potential doubled f-pawns has been ruled out. If black does trade bishop for knight then the white queen will be fine on the f3 square. || 

6. ... e6 
7. O-O Be7 
8. Na3 

| The more natural square for this piece is d2, where it can contribute to the fight for control of the e4 square. || 

8. ... Bxa3 

| Creating interesting positional plusses and minuses. White receives doubled a-pawns while black concedes the bishop pair. Which is better? Impossible to say just now. It is how each player handles the middlegame which will determine if the pawns are a weakness or if black struggles in the fighting on the dark squares. || 

9. bxa3 O-O 
10. h3 Bh5 
11. Qb3 Bg6 

| Putting that old Hungarian proverb to the test. "It is never safe to take the b-pawn with your queen - Even when it is safe." Well, actually there are times when it is definitely poisoned, there are times when it causes stomach ache, there are times when it takes some time to digest, and there are times when it is a dainty morsel just waiting to be swallowed whole. Perhaps, 11. ... Rb8, was a sensible choice here for black, which hints at the toxicity or otherwise of the black b7 pawn. || 

12. Qxb7 Na5 
13. Qb2 Rb8 
14. Qc1 Ne4 

| So black has a little activity for the offered b-pawn but there is no harmony between the pieces. Furthermore there are no obvious targets in the white position. On balance it seems the black b-pawn was a tasty snack for the white queen. || 

15. Bxa6 

| In for a penny, in for a pound. Black gains an attack tempo for the a-pawn, but is it enough? || 

15. ... Rb6 
16. Bd3 Rc6 

| Ah, the black master-plan is revealed. Operation Target c3 Pawn is well under way. Unfortunately for black, there is a way for white to save it while relieving some central pressure at the same time. || 

17. Bxe4 dxe4 

| Another of those decisions with positional plusses and minuses to weigh in the balance. The pawn capture kicks the white f3 knight away from defensive duties but the pawn on e4 makes the black g6 bishop into a spectator hemmed in by his own pawns. || 

18. Nd2 

| The alternative was, 18. Ne5, forking the black c6 rook and g6 bishop, perhaps intending to remove the bishop when convenient. The down side of trading knight for the black light square bishop is that white will have no sensible means to evict a black knight from the c4 square. Win some, lose some. || 

18. ... Qd5 
19. Rb1 

| Perhaps 19. Qc2, guarding the a2 pawn was preferable. || 

19. ... Bf5 

| A mystery. Black can quite safely snatch back a pawn with, 19. ... Qxa2. The white rook on b1 has no sensible entry squares up the b-file, so the a2 pawn should be gratefully accepted. || 

20. Qb2 

| Instead, 20. Qc2, protecting the a2 pawn while permitting doubling of rooks up the b-file seems sensible. || 

20. ... Rb6 
21. Qc1 

| Again, 20. Qc2, for the same reasons. || 

21. ... Rfb8 
22. Rxb6 Rxb6 
23. Qd1 c5 

| Difficult to believe, but this natural counter-attacking move turns out to cause confusion in the black position. || 

24. Qa4 

| Amazing. The white queen has been shuffling with little strength for a few moves and suddenly she threatens to end the game immediately with, 25. Qe8+ mate. || 

24. ... Nc6 
25. Qa8+ Nd8 

| It is beginning to get tricky for black. Accuracy is required now to avoid losing material. || 

26. Qxd5 exd5 
27. Bc7 

| Black must find the correct move here or lose material. || 

27. ... Rc6 

| This is not it. Instead, 27. ... Rb2, attacking the unprotected white d2 knight avoids losing a piece. || 

28. Bxd8 cxd4 
29. Rb1 

| There is no need to hurry. White has a comfortable decisive material advantage. Simply, 29. cxd4, is fine. While black can then win a pawn with, 29. ... Rc2 30. Nb3 Rxa2 31. Ra1 Rb2 33. Nc5, white is ready to push the passed a3 pawn all the way up the board as quickly as it can go. || 

29. ... h6 

| Instead, 29. ... dxc3, seems safe. If white tries for back rank tricks with, 30. Rb8, then simply, 30. ... h6, and the white d8 bishop has no useful discovered checks available. || 

30. exd4 

| Again, 30. cxd4, leaves white with a decisive material advantage. || 

30. ... Rxc3 
31. Ba5 

| Instead, 31. Be7, saves the a3 pawn. || 

31. ... Rxa3 
32. Rb8+ Kh7 
33. Bb4 Rxa2 

| The black rook has mopped up 3 white pawns while the white pieces have shuffled around without achieving any coordination. || 

34. f3 

| The white position has deteriorated since winning a piece. The passed a-pawns which could have been extremely difficult for black to prevent from promoting have been let go. Instead white might have tried, 34. g4, giving the king a little breathing space. Once black moves the f5 bishop somewhere, re-locating the d2 knight with, Nf1, to be followed with, Ne3, was a plan for consideration. The white king could then enter the game via the g2 and g3 squares. With the game move of, 34. f3, white concedes all the advantage the extra piece brings to the position. || 

34. ... e3 
Draw agreed, 1/2-1/2 

| Hostilities cease in a position which is far from clear. Black seems to be about to win a piece in all variations. Here are a few sample lines of how the game might have proceeded: 

(A). 35. Nf1 Ra1 36. Bc3 e2 37. Bxa1 e1=Q 38. Ra8 Bd3, and black is about to weave a light square mating net. If then, 39. Kh2 Bxf1 40. Ra2, to prevent black from playing, Qf2. But black wins anyway with, 40. ... Qb1, and the white rook has the impossible task of protecting the a1 bishop and preventing the black queen from taking the 2nd rank with, Qc2, threatening a powerful invasion with, Qxg2+. 
(B). 35. Nf1 Ra1 36. Re8 Be6, and now that the e-file is blocked black will advance with, pawn e2, which both wins the white f1 knight and promotes to a queen on f1 with one capture. 
(C). 35. Nb3 Rb2 36. Bc3 Rb1+ 37. Kh2 e2, and this time black only wins a piece after, 38. Rb4 e1=Q 39. Bxe1 Rxe1 40. Nc5, creating the knight versus bishop stand-off and this should be drawn, though black might choose to try to find something over on the kingside with pawn advances. 
(D). 35. Nb3 Rb2 36. Ba3 Rb1+ 37. Bc1 Bc2 38. Kh2 e2 39. Bd2 Bxb3 40. Kg3 Rd1 41. Bc3 Ba4 42. Ra8 Bc6 43. Rc8 Bd7 44. Rc7 Be6 45. Kf2, and white seems to be hanging on for a draw. 
(E). 35. Nb3 Rb2 36. Ba3 Rb1+ 37. Bc1 Bc2 38. Kh2 e2 39. Bd2 Bxb3 40. Kg3 Rd1 41. Bc3 Bc4 42. Re8, and white has gained sufficient control of the e1 promotion square and is again holding it for a draw. 
(F). 35. Nb3 Rb2 36. Ba3 Rb1+ 37. Bc1 Bc2 38. Kh2 e2 39. Bd2 Bxb3 40. Kg3 Rd1 41. Bc3 Ba4 42. Ra8 Rxd4 43. Kf2 Rc4 44. Be1 Bd1 45. Rd8 Rc5 46. Rd7 Kg6, and black will find problems in both defending the kingside pawns while trying to offer support to the passed d5 pawn. Without feeding this line to Fritz a definitive conclusion cannot be offered here. Feelings suggest white should be able to hang on for a draw, easier said than done. Over the board it is most likely the correct defence would be very difficult to find and the black centre pawns would find a way through. || 

* * * 

## Unannotated Guest Game. 

White: Michael Lowery. 
Black: Robert McCewan. 
Event: Club Game (All moves in 1 hour per player). 
Result: 1/2-1/2 in 34 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Pawn Opening, London System, D00. 

1. d4 d5 
2. Bf4 Nc6 
3. c3 Nf6 
4. Nf3 Bg4 
5. e3 a6 
6. Be2 e6 
7. O-O Be7 
8. Na3 Bxa3 
9. bxa3 O-O 
10. h3 Bh5 
11. Qb3 Bg6 
12. Qxb7 Na5 
13. Qb2 Rb8 
14. Qc1 Ne4 
15. Bxa6 Rb6 
16. Bd3 Rc6 
17. Bxe4 dxe4 
18. Nd2 Qd5 
19. Rb1 Bf5 
20. Qb2 Rb6 
21. Qc1 Rfb8 
22. Rxb6 Rxb6 
23. Qd1 c5 
24. Qa4 Nc6 
25. Qa8+ Nd8 
26. Qxd5 exd5 
27. Bc7 Rc6 
28. Bxd8 cxd4 
29. Rb1 h6 
30. exd4 Rxc3 
31. Ba5 Rxa3 
32. Rb8+ Kh7 
33. Bb4 Rxa2 
34. f3 e3 
Draw agreed, 1/2-1/2 

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