Skype coaching session, 27 January 2019. 

The two games discussed (26 and 32 moves) are given below with annotations and without annotations. 

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
 
Paul Benson. 

*  *  * 

| Editorial. 
The 20 January 2018 game witnessed the black minor pieces under-performing. 
Everyone deserves another chance or two... || 

Annotated game 1. 

White: T. Lopang, 1909. 
Black: J. Gilbert, 2144. 
Event: 37th Olympiad (Women) Turin 2006. 
Result: 0-1 in 26 moves. 
Opening: King's Indian Defence, Petrosian Variation, Stein Defence, E92. 

1. Nf3 g6 
2. d4 Bg7 
3. c4 d6 
4. Nc3 Nf6 

| Transposing back into a mainline. 
Black has chosen a flexible move order designed to lead to any of a Modern Defence, a Pirc Defence, or as here, a King's Indian Defence. 
Such an approach to opening selection comes with plusses and minuses. 
The positive: Having a narrow repertoire means study-time is focused on fewer systems leading to a greater understanding of the chosen openings. 
The negative: Opponents will find preparing for a game with you easier. || 

5. e4 O-O 
6. Be2 e5 

| Once the game settled into a King's Indian both players have been playing the most popular choices. 
There are many KID systems available to both players, it is not possible to state which is the best. 
Instead a decision must be made over which piece-pawn formation leads to middlegames that suit your style of play. || 

7. d5 

| When white closes the centre with, pawn d5, the game enters the Petrosian Variation. 
More popular here for white are, 7. O-O, and, 7. Be3. || 

7. ... a5 

| The Stein Defence, black is seeking to restrict the white queenside expansion of, pawn b4, which supports the advance of, pawn c5. 
Less popular choices but still achieving respectable results are, 7. ... Nbd7, 7. ... pawn c5, 7. ... Na6. || 

8. a3 

| Now this is definitely not mainline. 
Top choices for white here are, 8. Bg5, 8. O-O, 8. pawn h3, 8. Be3. 
The game move is perhaps designed to force, pawn b4, fine, but white fails to follow up with this advance, consequently this must be regarded as a waste of a tempo, or possibly worse. || 

8. ... Na6 

| This knight is heading for c5 at some point in the future. || 

9. Be3 h6 

| Black defends against the white threat to trade dark square bishops. 
If white were now to continue with,10. Qd2, black has, 10. ... Kh7. || 

10. O-O Bd7 
11. h3 

| A move with plusses and minuses. 
The positive: White would like to maintain a bishop on e3 to support the advance of, pawn c5, so the h3 pawn prevents a disrupting, Ng4, from black. 
The negative: A pawn on h3 can easily become a target once the black kingside campaign gets rolling. || 

11. ... Nh5 

| A doubler. 
Firstly, when a unit moves it creates options regarding the vacated square, here the black f7 pawn is now released to advance. 
Secondly, the black knight has ideas of advancing with, Nf4, when appropriate. || 

12. Qc1 

| Perhaps white could try to further fight for the c5 square with the simple plan of, Ne1 - Nd3, and if circumstances permit, then consider some kingside fighting with, pawn f4, and the retreat, Ne1, is a time-gaining bonus as it sets up a tempo-gaining tactic of, Bxh5, winning a pawn. 
The game move, 12. Qc1, has set up an unfortunate piece formation in the white camp which allows black to make progress. || 

12. ... Nc5 

| Well-timed. 
The knight arrives on c5 with a threatened fork, Nb3, winning an exchange, white must take another move to prevent this. || 

13. Bd1 Nf4 

| Aha, the f4 knightis doing a little prodding and probing on the white kingside pawns, all very fine, but 
shouldn't this knight incursion lose a pawn? || 

14. Bxc5 

| White is not willing to have a black knight settle on the d3 square, though once the c5 knight jumps in with, Nd3, and the white queen moves with, Qd2, just what has black gained, in fact, the d3 knight could easily be challenged with, Ne1. 
Instead, 14. Bxf4 Nd3, black forks the white c1 queen and f4 bishop and so regains the piece without losing a pawn. || 

14. ... dxc5 
15. Qe3 b6 

| The black queenside pawns are quite solid, just what is required if black is to focus all attention on the kingside. || 

16. Bc2 

| A doubler. 
Firstly, the white back rank is clear for the a1 rook to centralise. 
Secondly, the bishop might be discouraging black from trying a kingside break with, pawn f5, though this rather assumes that black is actually planning, pawn f5. 
Instead putting an immediate challenge to the lurking black f4 knight with,16. Ne2, was worth considering. 
Black to play and find a simple plan to give activity to a somewhat repressed unit. || 

16. ... h5 

| A nice touch of irony. 
A common white plan against the black king's fianchetto bishop is to line up the c1 bishop supported from behind with the queen to invade with, Bh6, intending to trade off the dark square bishops. 
But here the white dark square bishop has eliminated itself leaving the black g7 bishop with a relatively free hand on the dark squares, all it need do is find a route to enter the fray, so the h-pawn vacates h6 for the g7 bishop. || 

17. Kh2 

| A doubler. 
Firstly, the white h3 pawn is offered another defence. 
Secondly, the white king vacates the g1 square for someone else if the kingside needed a little strengthening. || 

17. ... Kh7 

| A doubler. 
Firstly, the planned, Bh6, needs support from the king in order to take advantage of the x-ray attack on the white e3 queen. 
Secondly, the g8 square is vacated for someone else in order to support a possible kingside pawn-storm, depending on how the game goes. || 

18. Rad1 

| Strategically consistent with placing the light square bishop on c2, but perhaps some tactical anxiety over the kingside might have led to, 18. Ng1, recognising that black is building a powerful kingside initiative in need of restraint. || 

18. ... Bh6 

| With some strong threats of moving the black f4 knight revealing the x-ray attack onto the white e3 queen, remarkably she has only a single flight square. || 

19. Qe1 

| The coaching group were asked to judge this position, opinions were in full agreement, black is far better. 
Fine, but being better is not of much use if one cannot take advantage of all the previous good work. 
Black to play and prove the Fischerism: "Tactics flow from a positionally superior game." 

Clue: Richard III announced to his army: "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!" 
Looks like he knew the price of everything but the value of nothing, makes one wonder how one climbs the career-ladder to become a king. 
Just a little tweaking of the possessive pronoun gives us: "A horse, a horse, your kingdom for a horse!" || 

19. ... Nxg2 

| How strange. 
Black has only 1 piece in the opposing half of the board and yet there is a tactic to be found. 
Clearly a combination cannot be played with just 1 unit, so what is happening here? 
The answer is that 3 long-range units, the black d8 queen, the d7 bishop, the h6 bishop, are all pointing in important directions. 
In essence, they are offering support, it might be remote support, but nevertheless they are coordinating with the lone invader on g2. || 

20. Kxg2 

| Instead, 20. Qe2 Nf4 21. Qe1 Nxh3, not only has black snatched a couple of pawns, white is denied access to the g1 square with a rook, black would have a decisive material advantage. 
Black to play, now a piece down for a pawn, must have a follow-up in mind, but what? 

Clue: "A horse, a horse, your kingdom for a horse!", seems rather cheap, surely a whole kingdom costs more than just a horse? || 

20. ... Bxh3+ 

| The only move to make sense of the knight sacrifice. 
Double-piece sacrifices take a little courage, especially as the black rooks seem to have virtually zero access to the newly-exposed white king. 
When embarking on this combination black not only had to visualize the next move should white accept with, 21. Kxh3, but the entire game continuation needed calculating as well. 
It is all about Tactical Event Horizons, and believe it or not, black, 19. ... Nxg2, set off a potential mate involving 10 forcing moves, depending on how white replies. || 

21. Kxh3 

| White effectively says: "Show me!" 
Instead, 21. Kh1 Bxf1, would have black with a nominal pawn advantage plus the white king lacking pawn cover. 
Sure, the game is far from over, but with careful technique combined with good use of a virtually unchallengeable dark square bishop, black should convert such a material imbalance into a win. 
So, black is 2 pieces down for 2 pawns but the only defender to the white king is the f3 knight. 
Black to play, now has, with the best defence from white, a forcing sequence leading to mate in 8 moves to play out, happy hunting! || 

21. ... Qd7+ 

| The black queen must play on the light squares, the h6 bishop will contribute on the dark squares. 
This pattern can also be followed when a bishop is traded off early in the opening or early middlegame, the queen takes over on the colour-complex of the dismissed bishop. || 

22. Kh2 

| Avoiding the immediate disaster of, 22. Kh4 Qg4+ mate. 
Instead, 22. Kg3, will produce a mate in, at longest, 6 forcing moves, happy hunting! 
There is also, 22. Kg2, with the white king continually refusing to step onto a dark square to be examined, this line is not forcing but nevertheless is another mate in 6 moves. || 

22. ... Bf4+ 

| Note how despite the distance between the black d7 queen and f4 bishop, they are coordinating brilliantly. 
It is all about parallel diagonals, the d7 queen controls the c8 - h3 diagonal, the f4 bishop controls the f4 - g2 partial-diagonal, making an impassable barrier to imprisons the white king. 
In the forthcoming chase the white king can choose different squares other than the game choices, but the black pieces will invade to set up a mate on the same final square. 

Anyone wishing to learn about the effectiveness of diagonally-powered pieces on parallel diagonals might choose to study how to force checkmate with 2 bishops against a lone king. 
Of course, one might never be called upon to mate with 2 bishops, but that is not the point, it is how the bishops combine together to restrict the doomed lone king which is of importance. || 

23. Kh1 Qh3+ 
24. Kg1 

| Black to play must be accurate next move, or all of the good work could be undone. || 

24. ... Qg4+ 

| Very important, the mating attack must be carried out with a check on every move. 
Instead the careless, 24. ... Qxf3, allows, 25. Rd3, and black has lost control of the white 3rd rank, the mating net is failing as, 25. ... Qg4+ 26. Rg3 Bxg3 27. fxg3, when black is only a nominal pawn ahead, a massive opportunity would have been squandered. || 

25. Kh1 Qxf3+ 

| The hapless white f3 knight is taken with check, inattention to such small details can drop half or even full points. || 

26. Kg1 Qg4+ 
White resigns, 0-1 

| The finale will be, 27. Kh1 Qh3+ 28. Kg1 Qh2+ mate. 
Yes, those who feel the concept of finding the shortest mate might suggest, 26. ... Qh3, a non-check which gives white a free-hand, fine, but how can the black queen mate on h2 be prevented? 
The answer is it cannot be stopped. 
So, if you find a forcing mate which is not the most efficient do not worry, a win in 28 moves gets exactly the same reward as a win in 27 moves. || 

*  *  * 

## Unannotated game 1. 

White: T. Lopang, 1909. 
Black: J. Gilbert, 2144. 
Event: 37th Olympiad (Women) Turin 2006. 
Result: 0-1 in 26 moves. 
Opening: King's Indian Defence, Petrosian Variation, Stein Defence, E92. 

1. Nf3 g6 
2. d4 Bg7 
3. c4 d6 
4. Nc3 Nf6 
5. e4 O-O 
6. Be2 e5 
7. d5 a5 
8. a3 Na6 
9. Be3 h6 
10. O-O Bd7 
11. h3 Nh5 
12. Qc1 Nc5 
13. Bd1 Nf4 
14. Bxc5 dxc5 
15. Qe3 b6 
16. Bc2 h5 
17. Kh2 Kh7 
18. Rad1 Bh6 
19. Qe1 Nxg2 
20. Kxg2 Bxh3+ 
21. Kxh3 Qd7+ 
22. Kh2 Bf4+ 
23. Kh1 Qh3+ 
24. Kg1 Qg4+ 
25. Kh1 Qxf3+ 
26. Kg1 Qg4+ 
White resigns, 0-1 

*  *  * 

## Annotated game 2. 

White: K. Sundararajan, 2495. 
Black: J. Gilbert, 2098. 
Event: Gibraltar 2006. 
Result: 0-1 in 32 moves. 
Opening: King's Indian Defence, Gligoric-Taimanov Variation, E92. 

1. d4 g6 
2. Nf3 Bg7 
3. c4 Nf6 
4. Nc3 d6 
5. e4 O-O 
6. Be2 e5 

| Black issues a central challenge. 
White must choose to either advance with, pawn d5, closing the centre, or just get on with development, leaving black to choose between a semi-open game with, exd4, or maintain the central tension by continuing developing. || 

7. Be3 h6 

| Black sets up a defence to the white plan of aligning e3 bishop with a d2 queen intending to invade with, Bh6, to trade off the dark square bishops. || 

8. O-O Ng4 

| Vacating the f6 square which allows the advance, pawn f5, when appropriate. || 

9. Bc1 

| White prefers to keep the dark square bishop, but why does it retreat all the way to c1? 
The answer is if the bishop sits on d2 then someone else cannot play there, so another question arises, who else wishes to make use of the d2 square? || 

9. ... Nc6 

| Forcing white into a decision concerning the central tension. || 

10. d5 Ne7 

| A paradox of chess. 
This black knight is retreating, but as it does so, it makes good progress. 
For black the fight is going to be on the kingside, so the route of, Nc6 - Ne7, is how this piece joins the action. || 

11. Nd2 

| Exposing a double-attack onto the black g4 knight from the white battery of e2 bishop and d1 queen. || 

11. ... h5 

| A doubler. 
Firstly, the g4 knight is given sufficient defensive support. 
Secondly, when a unit moves it vacates a square for someone else, in this case the black g7 bishop has plans of, Bh6, when appropriate. || 

12. b4 

| If black is going to attack on the kingside, then white must make a counter-response on the queenside. || 

12. ... f5 
13. c5 Nf6 

| Black retreats to place pressure on the white centre, nothing can happen by force, this is just a case of keeping some restraint on the position. 
Black must resist the temptation to play on the queenside. 
Instead, 13. ... dxc5 14. bxc5, gives white options of dynamic play in the centre, which will not be available if black just sits there. || 

14. a4 Bh6 

| A curious reversal. 
When placing this bishop on g7, black conceded the c1 - h6 diagonal to white. 
Now it is black who has control of the h6 - c1 diagonal, and due to the white d2 knight being tied down to defending the e4 pawn, there is presently little white can do to challenge the h6 bishop. || 

15. exf5 

| A doubler. 
Firstly, the pressured white e4 pawn trades itself off, and so releases the d2 knight for duties elsewhere. 
Secondly, depending on how black replies, the e4 square might be vacant for a piece, such as the d2 knight. || 

15. ... Nxf5 

| Obviously, 15. ... gxf5 16. Bxh5, dropping a pawn is ruled out. 
Instead, 15. ... Bxf5, has nothing particularly wrong with it, other than denying the e7 knight a chance to get itself into the kingside for action. 
The c8 bishop can find itself pointing just as fiercely into the white kingside from either c8 or d7, so the black e7 knight recaptures on f5. || 

16. Bd3 Kg7 

| A doubler. 
Firstly,the danger of the x-ray attack of the white d3 bishop onto the black g6 pawn is reduced. 
Secondly, the h6 bishop is now defended. || 

17. Bb2 

| Grand Master confuses Grand Rabbit. 
Black is in the process of massing pieces on the kingside but white points the dark square bishop at the head of the black central pawn chain. 
Surely it would have been safer for white to engineer a trade of dark square bishops? || 

17. ... Nh4 

| A doubler. 
Firstly, on h4 this black knight might have dreams of playing the hero. 
Secondly, the black c8 bishop is again pointing into the white kingside. || 

18. Nde4 Ng4 

| Another black knight sits within firing-range of the white kingside pawns, it looks as if something could happen, but what? || 

19. h3 

| Success. 
The prodding and probing of the black knights has drawn white into making a response. 
Twitching, "Tactical Event Antennae", should be screaming this pawn move must be inadvisable, if this is so, then just how can it be exploited? || 

19. ... Nxg2 

| There are a couple of ways to arrive at the decision to play this move. 

The Strategic Judgement: A quick, "Active Pieces Count", has a pair of black knights in striking distance of the white king, this is not anywhere near enough for a decisive attack. 
However on careful consideration, are the 4 long-distance pieces located on h6, c8, d8, and f8, contributing to the attack despite their apparent non-active locations? 
Yes, while the h6 bishop might be pointing away from the white king, there are a few useful dark squares under control, this bishop is definitely contributing. 
The c8 bishop has an x-ray attack on the white h3 pawn, must be of some use. 
The d8 queen can now occupy the vacated h4 square, if she gets in there then expect some serious threats to arise. 
The f8 rook is pointing at the white f2 pawn or has options of a rook-lift up the file, depending on what is required, another plus for a black attack. 
So, "Active Pieces Count = 6", should tell you an attack is likely to be strong, but will it be completely successful? 
Only one way to be absolutely certain. 

The Tactical Calculations: Assuming you have all installed, "Bio-Fritz", then positions like this will be fairly simple for you. 
Those lacking this software are going to have to do it the hard way. 
Firstly, list the candidate moves and place them in order of priority for analysis. 
Secondly, create a tree of analysis to the best of your imagination and ability. 
Thirdly, keep an eye on the clock, it is tempting to keep pushing to find more and more in order to be certain. 

The Pragmatic Approach: This is a compromise of the Strategic Judgement and the Tactical Calculations. 
The important word in the above sentence is: "Compromise". 
The Strategic consideration should be virtually immediate, feelings of how much fire-power in the position for both players is always being updated with each move. 
However, the amount of Tactical Calculations required will vary dramatically as the game ebbs and flows. 

So just how much analysis is required to play, 19. ... Nxg2, and feel confident that gains will be made? 
Obviously black must have answers to both the captures of, 20. Kxg2, and, 20. hxg4. 
Other white moves such as, 20. pawn f3, and, 20. cxd6, need brief examination. 

Conclusion: Providing black emerges from the initial skirmishes with at least 2 pawns for a piece, and queens remain on the board, then black should feel something favourable is there to be found. 
So, with black having quietly but confidently played, 19. ... Nxg2, it is now over to white to calculate which piece, if either, should be captured. || 

20. hxg4 

| Instead, 20. Kxg2, gives black the chance to offer evidence to support the the Fischerism: "Tactis flow from a positionally superior game." 
A selection of the complications available run: 
(A). If, 20. Kxg2 Rxf2+ 21. Nxf2 Ne3+ 22. Kh1 Nxd1 23. Raxd1, when black has given up a rook and 2 knights to win the white queen and 2 pawns, nominal material equality, but it is the safety of the white king or otherwise which means black has the much easier game to play. 
(B). Or if, 20. Kxg2 Rxf2+ 21. Rxf2 Ne3+ 22. Kh2 Nxd1 23. Rxd1 Bf4+ 24. Kg2 Qh4 25. Rh1, when black has again given up a rook and 2 knights to win the white queen and 2 pawns, same safety problems for the white king, black is far more comfortable. 
(C). Or if, 20. Kxg2 Rxf2+ 21. Kh1 Rxb2 22. hxg4 Qh4+ 23. Kg1 Qh2+ mate. 
(D). Or if, 20. Kxg2 Rxf2+ 21. Kg1 Rg2+ 22. Kxg2 Ne3+, picking up the white queen again with the same material imbalance and white king vulnerability. 
(E). Or if, 20. Kxg2 Rxf2+ 21. Kg1 Rg2+ 22. Kh1 Rh2+ 23. Kg1 Be3+ 24. Nf2 Rxf2 25. Rxf2 Bxf2+ 26. Kh1 Qh4, black has snatched 2 pawns and the attack continues. 
(F). Or if, 20. Kxg2 Rxf2+ 21. Kg1 Rg2+ 22. Kh1 Rh2+ 23. Kg1 Be3+ 24. Nf2 Rxf2 25. hxg4 Rxb2+ 26. Kh1 Qh4+ mate. 

So many lines left unexplored, but the main ideas are revealed. 
There is a potential black knight fork on the e3 square once the white f2 pawn is removed. 
The black rook might has the freedom of the white 2nd rank depending on how white plays. 
The capture of the black g4 knight only opens up the h-file for the black queen. 
The black h6 bishop has a, Be3+, invasion if the white king can be shuffled to g1 using rook checks. || 

20. ... Bxg4 

| The black light square bishop must enter the game. 
Instead, 20. ... hxg4, is too slow, 21. Kxg2 Qh4 22. Rh1, and black is pushed back with only 2 pawns for 2 pieces. 
The tempo attack on the white d1 queen protects the black g2 knight for a move. 
Now that the material loss is a black piece for 2 white pawns, should black somehow win an exchange, it would be a nominal pawn plus for black, with the added bonus that the white king is still exposed. || 

21. f3 

| The consequences of this tricky move are not easy to assess. 
The white king might have options of running queenside to escape a mating-net by using the vacated f2 square. 
However, the e3 square is now available for either the black g2 knight or h6 bishop. 
If black can indeed snatch an exchange without losing anything else, then white will be worse. 
Black to play and please remember the Fischerism: "Obvious therefore dubious!" || 

21. ... Bh3 

| Possibly played quickly. 
Black has 2 pawns and a strong initiative for a piece and so leaves white again with the unpleasant task of calculating all the black threats in need of neutralisation. 
Instead, 21. ... Ne3 22. Qe2 Nxf1 23. fxg4 Ne3 24. gxh5, and while black has ideas of, Bf4, or, Rf4, or, Qh4, the complications have expanded beyond the point of exact calculation in the time available, perhaps too risky compared to the quieter game move? || 

22. Bc1 

| A doubler. 
Firstly, some sort of a fight is being made over the dark squares, in particular e3. 
Secondly, the white 2nd rank is now clear for a possible defensive strengthening with, Ra2, whenever time permits. || 

22. ... Ne3 

| A doubler. 
Firstly, the black e3 knight forks the white d1 queen and f1 rook. 
Secondly, when moving to e3 the black knight permitted the h3 bishop x-ray attack on the white f1 rook to become real. 
As the rook is doubly-attacked the only means to save itself is to move, but if it does the d1 queen falls, so the white reply is forced. || 

23. Bxe3 

| Grand Master confuses Grand Rabbit. 
White is definitely worse here, black has played boldly and lobbed a, "Confusion-Bomb", into the white position. 
The 400 Elo points difference suggests the higher rated player should now be seeking complications. 
In this position all white can do is offer black many tempting lines and hope black will miss a trick somewhere. 
If this approach is correct then perhaps, 23. Qe1, was worth a punt. 
The main point is that by exchanging with, 23. Bxe3, white will forever struggle for control of the dark squares. 
By declining capturing on e3 the onus transfers back to black as to how to take the exchange, not only a positional test of which minor pieces to trade off / keep on, but also a time-snaffler. || 

23. ... Bxe3+ 
24. Kh1 Bxf1 
25. Qxf1 Rf4 

| The presence of opposite colour bishops favours whoever is attacking, that aggressive black e3 bishop must be neutralised by a white knight, but how? 
There is also the small problem of the weak white f3 pawn, black is obviously going to double heavy pieces on it as quickly as possible. 
Lastly, the white king shivering on h1 is not out of danger, it would be sensible to try to have him run queenside, but as f2 is covered by black and f1 occupied by the white queen, this escape plan is difficult to organise. || 

26. Ra2 

| Perhaps hoping to strengthen the kingside with, 27. Rh2, black must make sure this does not happen. || 

26. ... Qf8 




| The black queen doubles with the f4 rook up the f-file to attack the white f3 pawn, white can defend it easily, but they all come with a price. 
Instead the active, 26. ... Qh4+ 27. Rh2, only benefits white, the white rook on h2 defends the kingside after which a white minor piece can defend the weak f3 pawn whenever needed. || 

27. Kg2 

| Other means of defending the white f3 pawn do not help white, a few sample lines run: 
(A). If, 27. Nd2 Rh4+ 28. Kg2 Qf4, threatens mate with, Qh2+, so, 29. Qb1 Bxd2, black snaffles a piece, the kingside invasion will be all the stronger with the loss of the white d2 knight. 
(B). Or if, 27. Nd2 Rh4+ 28. Kg2 Qf4 29. Qd1 Rh2+ 30. Kf1 Rh1+ 31. Ke2 Rxd1 32. Kxd1 Bxd2 33. Rxd2 Qxf3, black has queen against 2 white minor pieces plus a kingside pair of passed pawns, an easy win. 
(C). Or if, 27. Be2 Rh4+ 28. Kg2 Qf4 29. Qe1 Qh2+ 30. Kf1 Qg1+ mate. 
(D). Or if, 27. Be2 Rh4+ 28. Kg2 Qf4 29. Qh1 Rxh1 30. Kxh1, at least the immediate black onslaught has been halted, but the material imbalance strongly favours black, this is a long-term black win. || 

27. ... h4 

| Grand Rabbit likes this one, such an apparently slow follow-up which actually contains an unhealthy dose of strychnine. 
Black had to overcome the temptation of, 27. ... Rh4, intending to follow up with, 28. ... Qf4, with an unpreventable invading check on h2 to be prevented. 
Unfortunately, 27. ... Rh4 28. Qe1 Qf4 29. Qg3, forces a queen trade on g3, after which the big black attack has floundered. 
So, why is, 27. ... pawn h4, so much better? 
The idea is to either deflect the white king away from important defensive duties to the f3 pawn, or perhaps the h-file might become open for a languishing black unit. || 

28. Ng5 

| Ouch! 
This white knight threatens, 29. Ne6+, a fork of the black royalty and f4 rook, all 3 units cannot evade the fork next move, it seems black is going to lose an exchange now. 
Perhaps the advance of, 27. ... h4, was not so good after all, right? 
Black to play had better have a good answer ready to protect herself from this tripling-fork on e6. || 

28. ... h3+ 

| Perhaps just a spite one-mover before having to face up to the consequences of white, Ne6, gaining material, right? || 

29. Nxh3 

| Well, that takes the material-gaining white, Ne6, out of the equation, and also opens up the h-file for whoever can grab it first. 
Other white choices offer black a variety of attacking options, a, "few", sample lines run: 
(A). If, 29. Kxh3 Qh8+ 30. Kg2 Rf4, white g5 knight threatened by black e3 bishop, 31. Nce4 Rg2+ 32. Kh3 Qh4+ mate. 
(B). Or if, 29. Kxh3 Qh8+ 30. Kg3 Qh4+ 31. Kg2 Qxg5+ 32. Kh1 Rh8+ 33. Rh2 Rxh2+ 34. Kxh2 Rh4+ 35. Qh3 Bf4+ 36. Kh1 Rxh3+ mate, is a fine example of the brutality heavy pieces on open files can wreak. 
(C). Or if, 29. Kg3, aha, we all envisaged this response when getting stuck in with, 19. ... Nxg2, didn't we? 

This is the sort of move that gives nightmares to an Annotator. 
Please remember that Fritz and friends can only ever be involved in these notes when analysis from elsewhere is referenced. 
all comments given in this document are bio-original and therefore potentially open to error. 
Perhaps some thoughts on the position after, 29. Kg3, might assist? 

The white material-winning 3-pronged fork of, Ne6, is still available. 
It requires 2 black moves at once to avoid some loss, priority must be given to moving either the black king or queen, but which and to where? 
Note that the unmoved a8 rook would like an entry to the kingside, so when either of the black royalty moves attempts should be made to keep this sideways transference available if possible. 
The white king on g3 is rather short of safe squares, the chase must surely still be on, if so, then how to continue? 
Black might have to accept an exchange loss, but does this give an opportunity for another unit to make good use of the f4 square? 
Finally, there are 3 white units over on the queenside which should not be given time to strengthen the kingside. 
Quite a number of strategic-skittles in the air here, time for some analysis. 

(C1). If, 29. Kg3 Kg8 30. Ne6 Qf6 31. Nxf4 Qxf4+ 32. Kxh3 Kg7 33. Kg2 Rh8 34. Qd1 Qh2+ 35. Kf1 Qg1+ 36. Ke2 Rh2+ mate. 
(C2). Or if, 29. Kg3 Kg8 30. Ne6 Qf6 31. Nxf4 Qxf4+ 32. Kxh3 Kg7 33. Kg2 Rh8 34. Qh1 Rxh1 35. Kxh1 Qxf3+ 36. Kh2 Bf4+ 37. Kg1 Qxd3, black has a decisive material plus, but does black have better? 
(C3). Or if, 29. Kg3 Kg8 30. Ne6 Qf6 31. Nxf4 Qxf4+ 32. Kxh3 Kg7 33. Kg2 Rh8 34. Qh1 Qg5+ 35. Kf1 Rxh1+, black has won the white queen and the attack will continue. 
But does white have to snatch the exchange on f4? 
(C4). Or if, 29. Kg3 Kg8 30. Qxh3, threatens mate on h7, 30. ... Qe7 31. Qe6+ Qxe6 32. Nxe6, and white threatens, Nxf4, and, Nxc7, and, Bxg6, black is about to go a pawn down and be worse. 

It seems after, 29. Kg3, that moving the black king to escape the royal fork is of no use to black, another option needs exploring. 
(C5). Or if, 29. Kg3 Qf6, tempo attack on the white g5 knight, 30. Ne6+ Kf7 31. Nxf4 Qxf4+ 32. Kxh3 Rh8+ 33. Kg2 Qh2+ mate, goes like a dream, white should not be snatching that f4 exchange then. 
(C6). Or if, 29. Kg3 Qf6 30. Nxh3 Rh4 31. Ne2 Rah8 32. Neg1 Bxg1 33. Nxg1 Qf4+ 34. Kg2 Qh2+ mate, this pattern looks familiar. 
(C7). Or if, 29. Kg3 Qf6 30. Nxh3 Rh4 31. Ne2 Rah8 32. Neg1 Bxg1 33. Qxg1 Rxh3+ 34. Kf2 Qxf3+ 35. Ke1 Rh1, black wins the white queen for a rook just before white hits out with, Qxg6+. 
(C8). Or if, 29. Kg3 Qf6 30. Nxh3 Rh4 31. Nd1 Bf4+ 32. Kg2 Rah8 33. Ndf2 Be3 34. Ng4 Rxh3 35. Nxf6 Rh2+ 36. Kg3 Bf4+ 37. Kg4 R2h4+ mate, deserves to be a game continuation rather than just a note. 
(C9). Or if, 29. Kg3 Qf6 30. Nxh3 Rh4 31. Nd1 Bf4+ 32. Kg2 Rah8 33. Ndf2 Be3 34. Qh1 Bxf2 35. Rxf2 Rxh3 36. Qxh3 Rxh3 37. Kxh3 Qf4, and the black queen will pick up a few white queenside pawns but has black missed a trick when, Nd1, is tried by white? 

Warning: Variation (C10) gives away an important idea yet to appear in the game. 
If you are using the game moves as a test of your tactical ability, then skip this variation proceed to Variation (D). 
(C10). Or if, 29. Kg3 Qf6 30. Nxh3 Rh4 31. Nd1 Bf4+ 32. Kg2 Rxh3 33. Kxh3 Qg5, sets up a side-file mate, 34. Rg2 Rh8+ mate, demonstrates the value of black trying to give away the h-pawn permitting the a8 rookan entry to the attack. 

And as Monty Python kept on telling us: "Now for something completely different." 
(D). Or if white initially avoids tactics but instead retreats, 29. Kh1 Kg8 30. Nxh3 Rxf3 31. Qg2 Rf6 32. Ne4 Rf3 33. Qg4, white has ideas of either, Kg2, pushing the black f3 rook around, or maybe, Rg2, pressuring the black g6 pawn, in both cases white seems better, but is black missing something early in this line? 
(E). Or if, 29. Kh1 Kg8 30. Nxh3 Rh4 31. Qg2 Qh6 32. Bf1 Kg7 33. Nd1 Bd4 34. Qg3 Rh8 35. Rh2, and initial thoughts suggest white is just about hanging on. 
(F). Or if, 29. Kh1 Kg8 30. Qxh3 Qe7 31. Qe6+ Qxe6 32. Nxe6 Rxf3 33. Bxg6, material might be roughly equal but this is just the sort of position a Grand Master hopes a much lower rated player will misplay. 
(G). Or if, 29. Kh1 Kg8 30. Ne6 Rxf3 31. Nxf8 Rxf1+ 32. Bxf1 Rxf8 33. Bxh3 dxc5 34. bxc5 Bxc5, black has 3 pawns for the piece, the opposite bishops will assist black to protect the isolated pawns, but hinder attempts to push the passed pawns. 

Conclusion: Move 29 for white was rich in possibilities, perhaps too many? 
If all of the above is correct then perhaps, 29. Kh1, was the much safer option while the much riskier, 29. Kg3, might have sent black into one of those, "Time-Consuming Deep-Thinks", trying to find all the killer-blows. || 

29. ... Rh4 

| Anyone recall how black began this game? 
Ah yes, 1. ... pawn g6, and, 2. ... Bg7, indicating a wish for a little action on the dark squares. 
This desire has not dissipated, in fact, since the white dark square bishop went into voluntary retirement back on move 23, this black wish has escalated into a monomaniacal command. || 

30. Nd1 

| White is trying to hustle black into making a poor decision. || 

30. ... Bd4 

| The only move to keep up the pressure. 
The white king must not be allowed to sprint for the queenside beginning with, Kf2. 
White to play must first detect the scent of danger in the air, and then find something to counter it. 
Remember, this game has been rich in complexity for both players, neither have had it easy since black lobbed in the, 19. ... Nxg2, "Confusion-Bomb". 
Time must be running short, there is considerable activity available to black if only there were 3 or so moves for white to re-group, the obvious black plan is a tripling of heavy pieces on the target white h3 knight. 
So, white to move must anticipate such a plan, and the simplest means of relieving pressure is to trade off as many of the attacking units as quickly as possible. || 

31. Re2 

| Aha, the black h4 rook is the most active black unit, so perhaps a challenge with, 32. Re4, might assist? 
Fine, but it is now black to move and produce the cute idea referenced in the analysis proposing white, 29. Kg3, comment (C10), which some of you hopefully skipped. 
Instead, had the white, "Tactical Event Antennae", been turned up for full reception then maybe 31. Ndf2 giving the white h3 knight a little more support might have been chosen, forcing black to find a deeper plan than that which is hatching. || 

31. ... Rxh3 

| Perhaps this potential bombshell was overlooked by white when sifting the wheat from the chaff back on move 29? 
Why is black trading off an excellently-placed h4 rook for an apparently innocuous white h3 knight? 
This piece is being removed for 2 specific reasons. 
Firstly, the h-file will be fully open for the remaining black heavy units. 
Secondly, the white h3 knight was preventing a particular black idea, once eliminated black has a powerful option available. 
Instead, anything else for black here will let white back into the game, sometimes the window of opportunity opens up for just one moment. || 

32. Kxh3 

| Declining capturing only leaves white an exchange down in an open position, hopeless at this level of play. || 

32. ... Qf4 

| Dark squares, dark squares, dark squares! 
White is now a rook up but a whole position down. 
There is no one in the scattered white forces capable of coming to the rescue of the white king, only one response to save face here. || 

White resigns, 0-1 

| It will be either mate or decisive material loss, some sample lines run: 
(A). If, 33. Re4 Rh8+ 34. Kg2 Qh2+ mate, showing another curiosity of the, "Knight's Jump". 
The attacking queen sits on an adjacent square to the defending king, the only flight squares of, f1, f3, both a, "Knight's Jump", from the attacking queen, are occupied. 
(B). Or if, 33. Kg2 Rh8 34. Qe1 Qh2+ 35. Kf1 Qg1+ mate. 
(C). Or if, 33. Kg2 Rh8 34. Qh1 Qg5+ 35. Kf1 Rxh1+ mate. 

An important concept of the, "Knight's Jump", is being utilised by the black queen. 
She is in a formation where if she had the powers of a knight then the white king would be in check. 
This is also as close an attacking queen can place herself to a defending king without giving check. 
Other, "Knight's Jump", locations for the black queen onto the white h3 king here would be, g5, f2, g1, all of them clearly dark squares. 
So what is special about the, "Knight's Jump", formation when a queen is chasing down a king? 
Restriction, the flight squares for a fleeing king are limited. 
The ultimate constriction is when a chased king has been driven into a corner square, meaning the restricting queen will be on any of, c2, f2, c7, f7, depending on which corner the trapped king sits. 
Beware, this ultimate constriction position is double-edged. 
The negative: If the defending king is to move and has no other material on the board capable of making a move, then it is stalemate. 
The positive: If it is the attacker to make a move and another unit can give check without interfering with the queen's control, and none of the usual means of cancelling out the check are available, then it is checkmate. 
The, "Knight's Jump", is a powerful tool, once you understand the plusses and minuses, then chasing down a fleeing king will become much smoother. 

Bobby Fischer was right when he told us: "Tactics flow from a positionally superior game." 
So perhaps all wee need to do is achieve a superior position, right? 
Not so simple. 
It is not having a superior position which makes a difference, it is more importantly recognising the position is superior, then starting searching for and finding the tactics just waiting to be discovered. 
It is one thing to have a won game, it is another to win it. 

In this game black made excellent use of all 4 minor pieces. 
Their bold play was soon supplemented with some inspired play by the heavy pieces. 
Purists might question the soundness of the entire black campaign. 
Realists might lament to friends in the bar: "Ive just lost the post-mortem analysis, however there was at least the compensation of winning the game." || 

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## Unannotated game 2. 

White: K. Sundararajan, 2495. 
Black: J. Gilbert, 2098. 
Event: Gibraltar 2006. 
Result: 0-1 in 32 moves. 
Opening: King's Indian Defence, Gligoric-Taimanov Variation, E92. 

1. d4 g6 
2. Nf3 Bg7 
3. c4 Nf6 
4. Nc3 d6 
5. e4 O-O 
6. Be2 e5 
7. Be3 h6 
8. O-O Ng4 
9. Bc1 Nc6 
10. d5 Ne7 
11. Nd2 h5 
12. b4 f5 
13. c5 Nf6 
14. a4 Bh6 
15. exf5 Nxf5 
16. Bd3 Kg7 
17. Bb2 Nh4 
18. Nde4 Ng4 
19. h3 Nxg2 
20. hxg4 Bxg4 
21. f3 Bh3 
22. Bc1 Ne3 
23. Bxe3 Bxe3+ 
24. Kh1 Bxf1 
25. Qxf1 Rf4 
26. Ra2 Qf8 
27. Kg2 h4 
28. Ng5 h3+ 
29. Nxh3 Rh4 
30. Nd1 Bd4 
31. Re2 Rxh3 
32. Kxh3 Qf4 
White resigns, 0-1 

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