Skype coaching session, 15 January 2017. 

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 game was examined, the games 55 moves is given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

*  *  * 

Annotated Game. 

White: R. J. Fischer, World Champion to be. 
Black: R. Padula. 
Event: Simultaneous Exhibition 1971. 
Result: 1-0 in 55 moves. 
Opening: Caro-Kann Defence, Two Knights Attack, B10. 

1. e4 c6 
2. Nc3 d5 
3. Nf3 dxe4 

| Other popular choices here for black are, Bg4, or, Nf6, or, pawn g6, or even the slightly surprising, pawn a6. || 

4. Nxe4 Bf5 

Other popular choices for black here are, Nf6, or, Nd7, or, Bg4. || 

5. Ng3 Bg6 

| White now has a forcing sequence to make development tempi gains. || 

6. h4 h6 
7. Ne5 Bh7 

| The alternative here is, 7. ... Qd6, so that the black queen is ready to recapture on g6. || 

8. Qh5 

| No one actually expects to be allowed to play, 9. Qxf7+ mate, so why play the queen here at all? The plan is to force black to advance the g-pawn, after which the black light square bishop will be buried on h7 for quite some time. || 

8. ... g6 

| White to play and find a very useful move to justify the strange queen move to the h5 square. || 

9. Bc4 

| A neat zwischenzug which allows white to achieve harmonious piece placement on the light squares. || 

9. ... e6 

| If, 9. ... gxh5 10. Bxf7+ mate, would occur. This threat of mate allows white to develop the bishop on c4 before the queen retreats to the e2 square. || 

10. Qe2 

| This simple and quite obvious retreat contains a severe dose of poison. || 

10. ... Qe7 

| Black must avoid the careless, 10. Nd7, or, 10. ... Nf6, when white has the surprising tactic, 11. Nxf7, forking the black queen and h8 rook. If then, 11. ... Kxf7 12. Qxe6+ Kg7 13. Qf7+ mate, would follow. The same tactic applies if black tries, 11. ... Bg7, the only difference is the potential flight squares for the black king. In all three cases, after, 11. Nxf7, black could let the h8 rook go, try some desperate flailing around, but this should not succeed. || 

11. d4 Bg7 
12. c3 Nd7 
13. Bf4 Ngf6 
14. O-O-O O-O 

| An opposite wing castling middlegame has emerged. Both players have made pawn moves in front of their kings, which will offer points of contact for advancing opposing pawns. The black light square bishop is problematic. It has no activity but it is however strengthening the defences in front of the black king. If white tries to advance the h-pawn to open up the black kingside, then the h7 bishop will come to life. Consequently, white should leave the black h7 bishop entombed, and instead embark on a middlegame where black is effectively a piece down. So much for the apparent opposite wing castling rule of mutual pawn races to expose the opposing king as quickly as possible. || 

15. f3 Nd5 
16. Bxd5 

| If the black h7 bishop remains skulking behind the g6 pawn then black is effectively a piece down. So white begins piece exchanges which will leave the remaining black forces fighting minus a bishop. Of course, black can always decide to activate the bishop with, pawn g5, but such an advance will only assist white to open up the kingside. || 

16. ... cxd5 
17. Nxd7 Qxd7 
18. Qd2 

| White forces black to fix the kingside pawns. Once this is achieved then any ideas from black of trying the freeing, pawn g5, will cost black at least a pawn as well as gifting the white pieces some unexpected kingside activity. || 

18. ... h5 
19. Bh6 Rfc8 

| Perhaps black should have started some queenside expansion with, 18. ... b5, intending, pawn a5, and then, pawn b4, leaving white to decide how to respond upon first contact. Only then should black transfer the kingside rook over to the queenside, when it will be clearer where both rooks should be located for maximum effect. It seems that black is a player who prefers piece play rather than pawn advances. Both styles of play are fine providing one understands how to create opportunities with the chosen style. Observe how black here manages to find activity with the heavy pieces on the queenside without any pawn assistance. The alternative plan of rapid pawn advances would also create chances for black, it is purely a question of which type of middlegame one prefers. || 

20. Bxg7 Kxg7 
21. Kb1 

| White is tempting black to try and free the light square bishop with, 21. ... g5+, but after, 22. Ka1, it is the black kingside which will become opened up for the white heavy pieces. || 

21. ... Rc6 
22. Qg5 

| White threatens the rather cheeky, 23. Nxh5+, and the white knight will then locate itself on the f6 square, to be followed with, pawn h5, opening up the black kingside. || 

22. ... Kf8 
23. Rhe1 Rac8 
24. Re5 

| White just keeps strengthening his position. Remember, providing the black h7 bishop is kept behind the defensive pawn chain, black will be fighting on a piece down. || 

24. ... Rb6 

| The black rooks have become very active and serious threats are about to emerge. White now makes a critical decision. He assesses his kingside attack will be more dangerous than the black queenside assault. || 

25. Qf6 

| Safety first with, 25. Ka1, was the sensible approach. Perhaps the Grand Master is playing to the crowd watching the simultaneous display and is offering black the opportunity to have some activity? || 

25. ... Rxc3 

| White must have seen this obvious loss of a pawn, so what has he in mind? || 

26. Qh8+ Bg8 
27. Qh6+ Ke8 
28. Qg7 

| Ah, so the white queen invasion is winning the trapped black bishop. Let's hope there is nothing of value for black over on the queenside. || 

28. ... Qa4 

| Just the two opposing rooks and queen hovering in the vicinity of the lonely white king, shouldn't be a problem, should it? || 

29. Qxg8+ Ke7 

| White to play must find some inspiration to avoid what must surely be a potential mating attack on the queenside. || 

30. Nf5+ gxf5 

| Black calls the Grand Master bluff. What would happen if black instead tries to find safety for the king by sprinting to the queenside? The combined forces of the white queen and f5 knight must surely find something concrete, shouldn't they? There are three variations to be found: 
(A). If, 30. ... Kd7 31. Qxf7+ Kc6 32. Qe8+ Kc7 33. Qxa4, a disaster, white wins the black queen. 
(B). Or if, 30. ... Kd7 31. Qxf7+ Kc8 32. Ne7+, white tries to find a mate, but after, 32. ... Kd8 33. Qf8+ Kd7, and the white attack grinds to a halt, leaving the dangerously placed black heavy pieces a free hand over on the queenside. 
(C). Or if, 30. ... Kd7 31. Qxf7+ Kc8 32. Qf8+ Kc7 33. Qe7+ Kb8, the black king finds a safe haven, 34. Qd8+ Rc8, and white has his queen and d1 rook under attack, white can only try, 35. Qxc8+ Kxc8 36. Ne7+ Kd7, and now the white d1 rook and e7 knight are under attack, black is winning. || 

31. Qg5+ Kd7 
32. Qd2 

| So white has managed to escape from the immediate mating net, but the three black heavy pieces on the queenside are not going to be neutralised this easily. || 

32. ... Ra3 
33. Qc2 

| White must offer a losing rook and pawn ending. Instead trying to hold the queenside with say, 33. b3, receives the varying tactical crushes it deserves as follows: 
(A). If, 33. b3 Raxb3+ 34. axb3 Rxb3+ 35. Kc2 Qa2+ 36. Kc1 Rb1+, is mate. 
(B). Or if, 33. b3 Raxb3+ 34. axb3 Rxb3+ 35. Kc1 Qa1+ 36. Kc2 Qb2+, is mate. 
(C). Or if, 33. b3 Raxb3+ 34. Kc1 Rb1+, is mate. 
(D). Or if, 33. b3 Raxb3+ 34. Ka1 Rb2, threatening a mate on a2, 35. Qxb2 Qxd1+ 36. Qb1 Qxb1+, is mate. 
(E). Or if, 33. b3 Raxb3+ 34. axb3 Rxb3+ 35. Qb2 Rxb2+ 36. Kxb2 Qxd1, and black has an easily winning queen against rook ending. || 

33. ... Qxc2+ 

| A pity. Black misses the crushing tactical blow, 33. ... Rxb2+, after which white must choose from: 
(A). If, 34. Ka1 Raxa2+, is mate. 
(B). Or if, 34. Kxb2 Rxa2+ 35. Kb1 Qxc2+, is mate. 
(C). Or if, 34. Kxb2 Rxa2+ 35. Kc3 Qxc2+ 36. Kb4 Qc4+, is mate. 
(D). Or if, 34. Qxb2 Qxd1+ 35. Qc1 Qxc1+ 36. Kxc1 Rxa2, and black has the double luxury of being three pawns up and having the white king trapped on his back rank, an easily winning rook ending. || 

34. Kxc2 Rxa2 
35. Rb1 

| Compare and contrast the opposing rooks. The white b1 rook is tied down to defending the b2 pawn, the e5 rook is in need of inspirational assistance if it is to contribute to the game. The black rooks are active on the queenside and have two weaknesses to attack. Is there any plausible manner in which these fortunes could be reversed? || 
35. ... Ra4 

| White to play must do something quickly or more material will be lost without any counterplay. || 

36. g4 

| Activity at all costs, white must find ways to test black. Up to now, black has withstood the pressure on the kingside and even managed, perhaps with a little charity from white, to find strong play on the queenside. The result is that black now has a won double rook ending, but as the old advice goes, won games do not win themselves. This is the stage of a game where differences in strengths between opponents is more likely to be revealed. If there is something, anything, however obscure to be found for the stronger player here, they should find it. Sadly, the same is not true for the lower rated player. Opportunities will be sometimes taken, sometimes spurned. Consequently the stronger player is likely to find better plans, while the lower rated player will let large advantages slip into lesser advantages. This is why chess coaches repeatedly tell students to study endgames. The better one becomes at endgames, the more likely you are to reap the rewards from opening knowledge and middlegame inspiration. 

In the game, had white tried, 36. Kc3 Rc4+ 37. Kd3 Rb3+ 38. Ke2 Rxd4, black would win another pawn and white still has no activity. Instead, 36. Kd3 Rab4 37. Kc3 Rc4+, transposes into the line just given. || 

36. ... fxg4 
37. fxg4 Rxd4 

| The white kingside thrust of, pawn g4, has given activity to the e5 rook, but in return the black rook on the white 4th rank will also receive much play. But since white was considerably worse anyway, it is white who will be more appreciative of the opening up of the kingside. Instead had black tried, 37. ... hxg4, then perhaps, 38. Rg5 Rxd4 39. h5, and the white passed h-pawn is becoming something of a threat. || 

38. Rf1 

| The black rooks have created pressure and their efforts have given black a three pawn advantage. There threats have however been executed and they must now re-group to create pressure elsewhere. The white rooks are just about to find their long-sought activity. Black must now decide whether to attempt to hang on to the material gains or let some material be given back in return for king activity, in particular to support the advance of the central passed pawns. || 

38. ... Rxg4 

| Instead, 38. ... Ke7, was equally good. Play might continue with, 39. Rxh5 Rxg4 40. Rh7 Rg2+ 41. Kd3 Rgxb2 42. Rfxf7+ Kd6, and the white rooks cannot perpetuate on the black king. || 

39. Rxf7+ Kd6 
40. Rxh5 Rg2+ 

| The scene is set for both sets of double rooks to invade on their seventh rank. In such positions the defending king, if caught on his back rank, will be under continual threats of being mated. Here both kings will be active, but with black having connected passed pawns ready to advance, mating nets around the white king should be in the air again. || 

41. Kc3 Rbxb2 
42. Rhh7 

| White might have chances of picking up a queenside pawn, or possibly trying to get the h-pawn up the board as quickly as possible. These are vain hopes, but as the phrase goes, "Hope springs eternal". || 

42. ... Rgc2+ 

| Remember, this is a Simultaneous exhibition, meaning at move 42 quite a lot of games will have been finished. Others will still be in play, but not presenting any problems for the Grand Master, who will be making automatic replies on many boards. Consequently, black will continue to have less and less time per move at a stage of the game where many variations will need to be analysed. Sifting out the best from the second best or third best just cannot happen. Here is where experience of either playing endgames or having studied games involving endgames really counts. 

The game move is not poor as such, it does however miss a chance to aim for a mating net with, 42. ... Ke5. The idea is to further infiltrate with, Ke4, severely restricting the potential flights of the white king in the centre of the board, after which, Rgc2+ would be mate. Black now begins to drift off course, apparently making progress but in fact creating a few difficulties for himself. Again, time, or rather the lack of it, is most likely to blame. || 

43. Kd3 Rd2+ 
44. Ke3 d4+ 
45. Ke4 e5 

| The black central pawns might appear to have made progress, but in actuality it is the exposure of the black king which is of greater importance. The white king on e4 is beginning to restrict the mobility of the black king, whereas a few moves ago it could have been the black king who could have been enjoying such activity on the e4 square. || 

46. Rh6+ Kc5 
47. Rc7+ Kb4 
48. Rxb7+ 

| White is winning a couple of queenside pawns while retaining all the advantages a pair of rooks can enjoy in an open position. || 

48. ... Kc5 

| Black had to avoid the tragic, 48. ... Ka3 49. Ra6+ mate. This shows why endings with four rooks are dangerous, especially when a king is very short of shelter. We return again to black's move 42, where the option to advance the black king to the shelter of the e5 square and perhaps then to the e4 square is a big opportunity missed. Endgame experience can never be emphasised enough. || 

49. Rxa7 Kb5 

| Possibly a panic-move induced by little time to think. Instead, 49. ... Re2+, was much better. Clearly white will avoid, 50. Kd3 Rbd2+ mate, again notice the ever-present theme of how a pair of rooks with a little assistance can weave a mating net. So after, 49. ... Re2+ 50. Kf5 Rf2+, the white king would have four choices: 
(A). 51. Ke4 Rbe2+ 52. Kd3 Re3+, is mate. Those rooks strike again. 
(B). 51. Kxe5 Rbe2+, is mate. More pleasure for that pair of rooks. 
(C). 51. Ke6 Rb6+ 52. Ke7 Rxh6, white loses a rook. 
(D). 51. Kg5, and now that the white king is banished to the g-file, the centre squares are again available for the black king to escape the annoyances of checking white rooks while assisting the central pawns to promotion. || 

50. Kd5 

| The white king takes the opposition and all of a sudden it is black who must take care about possible mating nets. Perhaps a case of, "Positional Gain Over Material", as white ignores the black e5 pawn, preferring instead to make hunting the black king the main priority. || 

50. ... Rbc2 

| Intending, 51. ... Rc5+, driving the white king back and allowing the black king to advance to the relative safety of the c4 square. White is not going to allow this. || 

51. Rb7+ Ka5 

| The black king is confined to the edge of the board, a perilous position when the opponent has a pair of rooks ready to weave mating nets. || 

52. Rh8 

| Threatening an edge of the board mate with, 53. Ra8+. Black must immediately disrupt this pattern. || 

52. ... Ka6 

| Attacking the unprotected white b7 rook, leaving white to either protect it or move it. || 

53. Rb4 

| Precise. The white rook remains on the b-file in order to keep the black king restricted to the edge of the board, and at the same time the threat of, Ra8+ mate, is re-created. Instead, 53. Rb1, would allow, 51. ... Rb2, interfering with the white control of the b-file and the mating pattern would be disrupted. || 

53. ... Ka5 

| A blunder, again probably induced by time-pressure. The black king would find safety with, 53. ... Ka7, but then white would switch to winning both the black pawns and then make full use of the passed h-pawn. So it seems that black is going under no matter what. || 

54. Rb3 
| That's right, white has yet again set up the edge of the board mate threat of, Ra8+. Note how the two black rooks are helpless to disrupt the mating pattern and that the black king is now two moves away from the safety of the a7 square. || 

54. ... Ka4 

| White to play and finally set up an edge of the board mating pattern which cannot be sensibly disrupted. || 

55. Rb7 
Black resigns, 1-0 

| There is no sensible defence to the threatened, 56. Ra8+ mate. || 

*  *  * 

## Unannotated Game. 

White: R. J. Fischer, World Champion to be. 
Black: R. Padula. 
Event: Simultaneous 1971. 
Result: 1-0 in 55 moves. 
Opening: Caro-Kann Defence, Two Knights Attack, B10. 

1. e4 c6 
2. Nc3 d5 
3. Nf3 dxe4 
4. Nxe4 Bf5 
5. Ng3 Bg6 
6. h4 h6 
7. Ne5 Bh7 
8. Qh5 g6 
9. Bc4 e6 
10. Qe2 Qe7 
11. d4 Bg7 
12. c3 Nd7 
13. Bf4 Ngf6 
14. O-O-O O-O 
15. f3 Nd5 
16. Bxd5 cxd5 
17. Nxd7 Qxd7 
18. Qd2 h5 
19. Bh6 Rfc8 
20. Bxg7 Kxg7 
21. Kb1 Rc6 
22. Qg5 Kf8 
23. Rhe1 Rac8 
24. Re5 Rb6 
25. Qf6 Rxc3 
26. Qh8+ Bg8 
27. Qh6+ Ke8 
28. Qg7 Qa4 
29. Qxg8+ Ke7 
30. Nf5+ gxf5 
31. Qg5+ Kd7 
32. Qd2 Ra3 
33. Qc2 Qxc2+ 
34. Kxc2 Rxa2 
35. Rb1 Ra4 
36. g4 fxg4 
37. fxg4 Rxd4 
38. Rf1 Rxg4 
39. Rxf7+ Kd6 
40. Rxh5 Rg2+ 
41. Kc3 Rbxb2 
42. Rhh7 Rgc2+ 
43. Kd3 Rd2+ 
44. Ke3 d4+ 
45. Ke4 e5 
46. Rh6+ Kc5 
47. Rc7+ Kb4 
48. Rxb7+ Kc5 
49. Rxa7 Kb5 
50. Kd5 Rbc2 
51. Rb7+ Ka5 
52. Rh8 Ka6 
53. Rb4 Ka5 
54. Rb3 Ka4 
55. Rb7 
Black resigns, 1-0 

*  *  *