Skype coaching session, 28 July 2019. The game discussed (46 moves) is 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. * * * Annotated Game. White: C. Chambers, 125 (ECF). Black: P. Benson, 158, (ECF). Event: UK BCA Championship (Torquay) 2019. Result: 0-1 in 46 moves. Opening: Nimzowitsch Defence, Kennedy Variation, B00. 1. e4 | A surprise. White usually plays, 1. d4, as appeared in a game between us in a fairly recent BCA event. So, is white trying to avoid a repeat of that game or has there been some midnight oil burning to prepare a system against my favoured defence to the king's pawn? Uncertain, so a quick trawl of opening systems brought to mind a possible transposition back to something resembling a queen's pawn system. || 1. ... Nc6 | This places us both on whatever general knowledge each of us has on the Nimzowitsch Defence. Is this black system any good? Both Kasparov and Keene have their doubts, but Tony Miles played it against many Grand Masters and lived to tell the tale. Finally, I recently witnessed a 2050+ player with white combat the Nimzowitsch Defence as follows: 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5 3. dxe5 Nxe5 4. Nf3 Qf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 Ne7 7. a3 Bc5 8. Nxe5. Known in the trade as a theoretical novelty, not sure how many players, if any, will place this new move in their repertoire. || 2. d4 | The most preferred response. Instead, 2. Nf3, is angling for a transposition back into mainline territory should black comply with, 2. ... e5, but less obliging opponents are more likely to hit with, 2. ... d5. || 2. ... e5 | The most popular choice for black here is, 2. ... d5, also known are, 2. ... d6, and, 2. ... e6, with probable transpositions into Pirc and French Defences respectively. || 3. d5 | Success. The centre pawn formation is beginning to take on the flavour of a King's Indian Defence, we are heading back into a queen's pawn system with black getting a particularly-desired pawn break. Instead, 3. Nf3, is the Scotch Game, perfectly acceptable from the black perspective. || 3. ... Nce7 | Believe it or not, 3. ... Nb8, has some followers, why? However, 3. ... Nd4, looks like a Trojan Horse in reverse as, 4. c3, the bold black knight has no safe flight squares. || 4. Nf3 | Tempo attack on the black e5 pawn. || 4. ... d6 | Much more popular here is, 4. ... Ng6, but this logical idea does not fit in with the black desire to get the game back into something resembling a queen's pawn system. || 5. c4 | And the hoped-for queen's pawn system is emerging. Black decides to take a bit of a liberty with theory and calls upon a variety of influences to invent a new idea. || 5. ... h6 | With just over a dozen games on the limited database researched for these notes, the more popular choices are, 5. ... g6, 5. ... f5, or, 5. ... Nf6. So what is the purpose of this black pawn move? Black is definitely planning a King's Indian approach, but with a Dutch Defence attitude. Suffice it to say the forthcoming black plan seems new to theory, perhaps it will all make sense when the moves arrive on the board? || 6. Nc3 g5 | The more regular black plan of, pawn g6, with, Bg7, leaves black vulnerable to the white plan of, Be3, Qd2, and then, Bh6, not possible now here. || 7. Be3 Bg7 8. g3 | Possibly played to prevent the manoeuvre, Ng6 - Nf4. || 8. ... f5 | The black kingside plan is achieved, a fighting, pawn f5, is finally levered in. However a slower plan of, Ng6, N8e7, O-O, and then, pawn f5, might have given white time to invent plans of his own which might not fit in with the eventual aggressive black, pawn f5, push. || 9. exf5 Bxf5 | Black prefers to get on with development. Instead, 9. ... Nxf5, gets in the way of the c8 bishop plus black is not seeking a possible, Nxe3, which would produce symmetric pawns, not of great value to the black bishop pair. || 10. Bd3 Qd7 | Black is anticipating a liquidation of tension on the light squares. While potential castling queenside by black might look appealing, black felt white could soon launch a strong attack beginning with, O-O-O, and then, pawn b4, with, pawn c5, to follow. || 11. Qc2 Nf6 12. Bxf5 | Keeping the tension with, 12. O-O-O, or the less ambitious, 12. O-O, waiting for black to commit were worthy of consideration. || 12. ... Qxf5 | Black is not afraid of reducing material, there is some pawn imbalance in the position, and when the time is right, the white centre can be challenged to make further imbalance. || 13. Qxf5 Nxf5 14. Nd2 | White is seeking to establish a knight on e4, such a piece would be difficult for black to dislodge. || 14. ... O-O | Black is not interested in, 14. ... Nxe3, the symmetric pawn structure would offer very little to play against. || 15. O-O Kh7 | Black is already thinking in terms of an endgame, the king is a move closer to the centre. Other units could have been given a move, but black wished to find out what independent ideas white might produce and then play against that plan. So while, 15. ... Rf7, preparing doubling rooks seems the most obvious, "Slow-Build", move, it is not yet clear where the black a8 rook should sit, there might be queenside options available, suggesting doubling on the f-file is not automatically the best. || 16. Nde4 Nxe4 | As any one who regularly plays with a fianchetto g7 bishop knows, it must be given opportunities to influence the centre. Aha, but is there not a pawn on e5 blocking whatever influence it might think it has? Yes, but despite the blockage of the e5 pawn, the black g7 bishop now makes a black plan possible. || 17. Nxe4 Nd4 | Establishing control over a few light squares in the white defences, nothing particularly dangerous yet, but white must now be alert to forks. Instead a kingside squeeze with, 17. g4, needed careful consideration, the idea is to prevent white later creating a support to the e4 knight with, pawn f3. However after, 17. g4, white might be encouraged into challenging the idea with, 18. Kg2, intending, pawn h3, and if black supports with, pawn h5, white trades on g4 and challenges again with, pawn f3, and it seems white will generate a passed g3 pawn. Black is not wishing for such simplification of the kingside, nor is the plan of challenging the white e4 knight with the black knight, now sitting on d4, in mind. || 18. Nd2 | White covers the possible black threat of, Nf3+, but in doing so takes pressure off the black d6 pawn. But surely the black d6 pawn was supported by the c7 pawn and so perfectly safe? Yes, but with the retreat of, Nd2, black now has an option to start play on the queenside. Instead the imbalancing, 18. Bxd4 exd4, would not leave the black passed d4 pawn weak. White can try to gang up on it with rook and knight but it looks a little slow, black will get play up the centre with rooks before the pawn is totally surrounded. Another approach for white was to try, 18. g4, intending, Kg2, next, Rac1, to avoid any black, Nc2, forks, then, pawn f3, to cement the white knight on e4, leaving black with the problem of how to break this formation up. || 18. ... c6 | Trying to create imbalance across the width of the board. || 19. dxc6 | White gives black 3 pawn islands, but pawns are only weak if they can be attacked, the white forces are a long way from coordinating against any particular point in the black position. Here black in return gains a mobile centre/queenside pawn majority, chances for both sides then. Instead just sitting tight, waiting for black to trade with, cxd5, would leave the centre still blocked, white might then think of trading, Bxd4, and try to establish the knight on a light square. || 19. ... bxc6 20. Rad1 Rab8 | A prod at the white queenside, not a spite attack for the sake of it, black is hoping for the, "Obvious", response. || 21. b3 | And white obliges, "Obviously". When a unit moves it gains control of a new set of squares, but the set of squares previously controlled might become available to an opposing unit. || 21. ... Ne2+ 22. Kg2 Nc3 | And has the black knight forgotten that when units move opportunities previously not available might now be on offer? When on d4 the black knight blocked the white e3 bishop attack on the black a7 pawn, now the knight is on c3 the a7 pawn has no protection. Aha, but on c3 there is a tempo-attack on the white d1 rook, fine, but when the d1 rook moves the black a7 pawn is definitely under attack. There must be method in this madness, but what? || 23. Rde1 | And both black and white a-pawns are now unprotected. Black to play and Pay careful heed to the Fischerism: "Obvious Therefore Dubious!" || 23. ... e4 | A move designed to put white under a little pressure. Instead, 23. ... Nxa2 24. Ra1 Nc3 25. Rxa7, white is given the luxury of a 7th rank rook for zero compensation to black. However, now that the h8 - a1 diagonal has been opened for the g7 bishop, it is possible for black to snatch with, Nxa2, as the a1 square is controlled by the black g7 bishop. || 24. a4 | White moves the target a-pawn to safety, but now the only defence to the b3 pawn is the white d2 knight. || 24. ... a5 | And in return the black targeted a7 pawn moves with the gain that the white b3 pawn is now immobilised by a black pawn, expect the black b8 rook to seek new duties soon. Instead, 24. ... a6, might allow white, 25. a5, intending, 26. Bb6, locking up the b-file while also controlling d8, a square the b8 rook might well wish to visit soon. || 25. f3 | White is going to fully-open the f-file, intending to trade both pair of rooks if black permits. || 25. ... Rfe8 | No simplifications yet, black will avoid exchanges providing that backing off does not hand white a significant plus. Every black piece is slightly better than every white piece, but it is nowhere near enough to be a decisive advantage, more shuffling is required by black and try to exploit the white responses. || 26. Bf2 | The white bishop retreat creates a triple-attack on the doubly-defended black e4 pawn. Black to play must not permit any exchanges of rooks. || 26. ... d5 27. fxe4 | Perhaps white should first flick in, 27. cxd5 cxd5, before capturing with, fxe4. Yes, the game continuation is going to inflict 4 pawn islands on black, not a particularly pleasing outcome in itself, but if the 3 black isolated pawns do not come under combined white attacks they will be fine. So why the suggested elimination of a pair of c-pawns? The answer will come much later, it will be nothing to do with the pawns themselves, but everything to do with the restrictions encountered by a completely closed c-file. || 27. ... dxe4 28. Be3 | Having retro-shuffled to f2 to isolate the black e-pawn, the f2 bishop again shuffles, this time to open up the f-file for the f1 rook. || 28. ... Kg6 | Remember that innocuous, Kh7, black king-shuffle back on move 15? It seems it turned out to be of advantage after all, the white rook invasion of, Rf7, is prevented without black having to confront the white f1 rook with a black rook, which would doubtless be met with an immediate liquidating exchange. || 29. Bg1 | The only piece white can sensibly move is the e3 bishop, in contrast all the black units have some flexibility. Every black piece now seems considerably better than every white piece, but as before, this is not yet a decisive advantage. It does however force white to be careful on every move, this will chew up time on the clock, not to mention the psychological impact of having to find moves in an unpleasant position. || 29. ... Rbd8 | A useful tempo-attack on the unprotected white d2 knight, white will not have time for, Bb6, which would force black into a humiliating strategic retreat of, Ra8. || 30. Be3 c5 | Increasing the clamp on the white b3 pawn. If white ever wishes to make something with the queenside pawn majority, then the b-pawn must be sacrificed, but this will give black a protected passed b4 pawn, not a good trade. The black c5 pawn will be safe as long as the white e3 bishop needs to defend the d2 knight, which indicates what white is going to play next. || 31. Nb1 | The worst white piece challenges the best black piece, and due to the hanging black c5 pawn, the black reply is forced. || 31. ... Nxb1 32. Rxb1 Bd4 | Since the black g7 bishop has no real attacking prospects, it can assist the defences. || 33. Rbe1 | Instead first, 33. Bd2 Ra8, then 34. Rbe1, would force black to think hard on how to make progress. If black goes for, Rab8, white should ignore opening lines on the queenside and reply, Rb1, leaving black having to yet again retreat, Ra8, after which white returns with, Re1, black has got nowhere fast. || 33. ... Bxe3 | If black is to make progress then a rook entry up the d-file is the only sensible route. || 34. Rxe3 Rd2+ | Invading to the 6th rank seems to hand white a plus, some ideas run: (A). If, 34. ... Rd3 35. Rfe1 Rxe3 36. Rxe3 Kf5, with play similar to game, but white can do much better. (B). Or if, 34. ... Rd3 35. Rxd3 exd3 36. Rd1 Rd8 37. Kf3 Kf5 38. g4+ Ke5 39. Ke3, and the black d-pawn will fall, only white has winning chances, but black can try a different idea. (C). Or if, 34. ... Rd3 35. Rxd3 exd3 36. Rd1 Re2+ 37. Kf3 Rxh2 38. Rxd3 Rb2 39. Ke4, and the black queenside pawns seem lost. (D). Or if, 34. ... Rd3 35. Rxd3 exd3 36. Rd1 Re2+ 37. Kf3 Rxh2 38. Rxd3 h5 39. Rd5 Rb2 40. Rxc5 Rxb3+, and black should have enough to hold this. Ultimately the last line given could come down to each having a rook plus white having passed a-pawn and c-pawn against zero black pawn, a technical draw when the black king gets in front of the pawns, but some knowledge is required to avoid blundering away the draw. Clearly there are far more lines beginning, 34. ... Rd3, to examine, but they all have a common factor, white gets far too much play compared to the game continuation. || 35. Rf2 | Perhaps the counter-intuitive, 35. Kg1, would have been easier to play? Yes, in principle an invading rook on a defending 2nd rank should be chase away if possible, but there is a big price on eliminating this invader. After, 35. Kg1, just how does black increase the pressure on white? The g6 king cannot cross the f-file, and the e8 rook is tied down to defending the important passed e4 pawn, unless the e4 pawn is dispensable? Perhaps black can try for a double-7th rank invasion with, 35. Kg1 Rb2, intending, Rd8 - Rdd2, but white stops this dead with, 36. Rd1, with threats of checks further up the d-file. In essence, white retreats the king in order to keep the f1 rook active, either preventing the black king entering the centre, or by claiming the d-file with threats on the black king. || 35. ... Rxf2+ | And the black king is now free to enter the centre. || 36. Kxf2 Kf5 37. h3 h5 | Keeping options of either, pawn h4, or, pawn g4, as appropriate. Black has found a plan of entry which demands a certain square be doubly-covered, white cannot easily prevent this invasion without making a serious concession elsewhere. || 38. Re2 | The white rook vacates the e3 square for the white king which then allows the white rook to take either the d-file or the f-file. || 38. ... Rd8 | White is unlikely to accept, 39. Ke3 Rd3+ 40. Kf2 Rxb3, with the further black, Rb4, picking off another white queenside pawn. || 39. Re3 | Defending simply allows the black king a decisive entry, the general idea is 39. Rb2 Rd3 40. Kg2 Ke5 41. Kf2 Kd4 42. Kg2 Kc3 43. Rb1 Kc2 44. Re1 e3 45. Kf3 Kxb3 46. Rxe3 Rxe3+ 47. Kxe3 Kxc4, and black will also pick off the white a4 pawn for free. || 39. ... Rd2+ | Instead, 39. Rd3 40. Rxd3 exd3 41. Ke3, and black is losing the d3 pawn and all thoughts of winning this game. || 40. Re2 | Instead, 40. Ke1 Rb2, and the black king shuffles to d4, white has too many 3rd rank pawn weaknesses to think about an activation plan of, Rc3 - Rc1 - Rd1 - Rd5. || 40. ... Rd3 | With only minutes remaining black is wary of entering into a king and pawn ending. They have an annoying habit of being definitive, misjudge the outcome at the point of entry and there is no reversal. While strategy across the entire board must always be kept in mind, here there are 3 distinct battle-zones to be considered, to begin with each can be thought of in isolation from the others. So imagine, the moves, 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kxe2, are played and it is black to move, and for the purpose of brevity with understanding, the analytical move-count will be set back to 1. The Kingside: Both players have 2 spare pawn moves available, but whoever moves first gives the opponent the chance to determine who must move once the kingside activity stops. With black making the first pawn move, the ideas in isolation run: (A). If, 1. ... h4 2. g4, white pushes the onus to make a move back onto black, but depending on the position, the black king might be able to enter with, Kf4. (B). Or if, 1. ... g4 2. h4, white pushes the onus to make a move back onto black. (C). Or if, 1. ... h4 2. gxh4 gxh4, white claims the right to make the next move. (D). Or if, 1. ... g4 2. hxg4 hxg4, white claims the right to make the next move. A reversal of these ideas will be available to black if white is the first to make a kingside pawn move. So once a pawn move appears on the kingside, the player to reply can choose whether to force the opponent to make a move once the kingside pawn activity ceases, or be able to make a move once the kingside pawn play stops. In pawn endings, either having the move or forcing your opponent to move can often completely reverse results, a tempo can be very important. The Queenside: Only white has a pawn move available, which if played will create passed pawns for both players, the ideas in isolation run: (E). If, 1. b4 cxb4 2. c5 b3 3. c6 b2 4. c7 b1=Q 5. c8=Q. (F). Or if, 1. b4 axb4 2. a5 b3 3. a6 b2 4. a7 b1=Q 5. a8=Q. So, if the queenside exists in isolation and white is forced to make a pawn move, then both players will promote in succession, with black always first. However the presence of kings in the region of the queenside might prevent each promotion. There is also the possibility of a promotion occurring with check, and if this is for black, then the white7th rank pawn will never promote, as black has, Qb7, catching the white passed pawn. Finally, there is a chance that the white king can prevent promotion of the black b-pawn, but due to advancing too far up the board, perhaps to the black 6th rank, the black king cannot prevent a white pawn promotion. The Centre: Black has a passed pawn, the white king is in front of the black pawn. Taking the centre in isolation from the rest of the board, the 2 kings and pawn are in a clearly drawn formation, but white must play carefully. The white king cannot prevent the advance of the black pawn, but a stalemate is available with correct play, it goes: 1. Ke3 Ke5 2. Ke2, always stay on the file of the opposing pawn when retreating, 2. ... Kd4 3. Kd2 e3+ 4. Ke2 Ke4 5. Ke1, stay on the file when retreating, 5. ... Kd3 6. Kd1 e2+ 7. Ke1 Ke3, stalemate. With careless defence white can lose with, 1. Ke3 Ke5 2. Kd2, wrong plan but not yet losing, 2. ... Kd4 3. Ke2 e3 4. Kd1??, losing by force this time, 4. ... Kd3 5. Ke1 e2 6. Kf2 Kd2, and the black pawn promotes. Simple Rule: When retreating the defending king must stay on the file of the advancing pawn. So much for the possibilities within each battle-zone, now consideration of play across the entire board must take place. Personal ambitions of each player are assumed to be: White is happy to avoid defeat, while black must keep pushing hard for a win. Here there is a tricky, "Mutual Minefield", just waiting for an unsuspecting king to enter. Unsurprisingly it is the dark squares around the black e4 pawn which determine who will achieve their aim. The, "Mutual Minefield", squares are, e3, and, e5. Whoever steps onto either of these squares first will be denied their aim. Some sample lines of play across the entire board run: (A). If, 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kxe2 Ke5 42. Ke3 h4 43. g4 Ke6 44. Kxe4 Kf6 45. Kd5, white picks off both black queenside pawns and wins, black has made a fundamental error, improvement available. (B). Or if, 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kxe2 Ke5 42. Ke3 h4 43. g4 Ke6 44. Kxe4 Kd6 45. Kf5, white picks off both black kingside pawns and wins, same strategic error from black, improvement coming. (C). Or if, 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kxe2 Ke5 42. Ke3 h4 43. g4 Kf6 44. Kxe4 Ke6 45. Kd3 Ke5 46. Ke3 Kf6 47. Ke4 Ke6, black keeps winning the opposition immediately after white plays, Ke4, which forces the white king back, this is drawn. (D). Or if, 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kxe2 Ke5 42. Ke3 h4 43. gxh4 gxh4 44. Ke2 Kd4 45. Kd2 e3+ 46. Ke2 Ke4 47. Ke1 Kd3 48. Kd1 e2+ 49. Ke1 Ke3 50. b4 cxb4 51. c5 b3 52. c6 b2 53. c7 b1=Q+ mate, white must not trade pawns on h4. (E). Or if, 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kxe2 Ke5 42. Ke3 h4 43. gxh4 gxh4 44. Ke2 Kd4 45. Kd2 e3+ 46. Ke2 Ke4 47. b4 cxb4 48. c5 b3 49. c6 b2 50. c7 b1=Q 51. c8=Q Qb2+ 52. Ke1 Qd2+ 52. Kf1 Qf2+ mate, same critical kingside trading error from white. (F). Or if, 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kxe2 Ke5 42. Ke3 h4 43. gxh4 gxh4 44. Ke2 Kd4 45. b4 axb4 46. a5 b3 47. a6 b2 48. a7 b1=Q 49. a8=Q Qc2+, black is about to go 2 pawns up, this looks winning for black. (G). Or if, 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kxe2 Ke5 42. Ke3 h4 43. gxh4 gxh4 44. Ke2 Kd4 45. b4 Kxc4 46. bxa5 Kd5 47. a6 Kc6 48. a5 Kc7 49. Kxe4 Kb8 50. Kd5 Ka7 51. Kxc5 Kxa6 52. Kd5 Kxa5 53. Ke4 Kb6 54. Kf4 Kc7 55. Kg4 Kd8, and the black king gets to g8 before the white king can both capture the black h4 pawn and then get control of g7, this is a draw. But what if black advances the g4 pawn on the kingside? (H). Or if, 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kxe2 Ke5 42. Ke3 g4 43. hxg4 hxg4 44. Ke2 Kd4, with similar ideas as above, black should be winning with head-to-head g-pawns instead of h-pawns, but it is the same strategic problem, white should not trade on g4. (I). Or if, 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kxe2 Ke5 42. Ke3 g4 43. h4 Kf6 44. Kxe4 Ke6, black has the opposition, the white king cannot make progress, pushing, pawn b4, will be answered with, cxb4, this is far too risky for white, white should settle for a draw. (J). Or if, 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kxe2 Ke5 42. Ke3 g4 43. h4 Kf5 44. Ke2 Ke5 45. Ke3, white takes the opposition preventing any black progress, a draw. Conclusion: If black trades rooks on e2 then best play on both sides leads to a draw, but there are quite a few snares to be avoided along the way. || 41. Re3 | This should lose quickly by force. Black can enter the winning pawn endings discussed above with, 41. ... Rxe3, when, 42. Kxe3, the white king has been the first to enter the, "Mutual Minefield", of the e3/e5 dark squares. Black would play, 42, ... Ke5, when any white kingside pawn move is met with a push forwards, placing the onus to move on white, black will either get a passed b-pawn or advance the king to d4. Instead white had to go temporarily passive with, 41. Rb2, hoping to get some activity when the black king invades, some ideas run: (A). If, 41. Rb2 Ke5 42. Kg2 Kd4 43. Rb1 Kc3 44. Re1 e3 45. Kf3 Kxb3 46. Rxe3 Rxe3+ 47. Kxe3 Kxc4 48. Kd2 Kb3 49. Kc1 Kc3 50. Kb1 Kd2 51. Kb2 c4, and the black c-pawn marches to promotion without any stalemates in the air. (B). Or if, 41. Rb2 Ke5 42. Kg2 Kd4 43. Rb1 Kc3 44. Rf1 Kxb3 45. Rf5 Kxc4 46. Rxg5 Kd4 47. Rxh5 c4 48. Rh8 c3 49. Rc8 Rd2+ 50. Kf1 c2 51. Ke1 Rd1+ 52. Ke2 c1=Q, costs white the rook, the white passed kingside pawns will be too slow, black wins. || 41. ... Rd7 | Black still suspicious of pawn endings and worrying whether the time-control has been made, makes a hasty retreat, aiming for a different and more secure point of entry. Fine, but this gives white some chances to flail around. || 42. Ke2 Ke5 43. Rc3 | Back on move 27 white chose, fxe4, black replied, dxe4, and black was given 4 pawn islands. There was however a white option of, 27. cxd5 cxd5, and only then, 28. fxe4 dxe4, and the c-file would be fully open. If those c-pawns been traded off, white would now inflict considerable annoyance with, Rc8, preparing flicking sideways to hit the black pawns from the rear. || 43. ... g4 | Black is fighting for total control of the f3 square, all part of a plan envisaged when declining to trade the remaining rooks on e3. || 44. h4 | Opening up the kingside does not help white. If, 44. hxg4 hxg4, black will be first onto the h-file, the idea is that after black invades with, Rh2+, the white king has an awkward decision to make. If he advances with, Ke3, black has, Rg2, picking off the white g3 pawn. If he retreats with, Kf1, black crosses the board with, Rb2, pressuring the white b3 pawn, but more importantly, the black king can now invade with Kd4, and when white retreats with, Rc1, there is, Ke3, and the white g3 pawn is doomed. In essence, trading pawns just permits the black rook to claim the white 2nd rank, such activity should prove decisive rather quickly. || 44. ... Rf7 | Black plans, Rf3, with Kd4, kicking the white rook off the white 3rd rank, the g3 and b3 pawns will probably both fall. || 45. Re3 | White misses a chance to force black to work much harder. White can activate the rook, the mainline begins, 45. Rc1 Rf3 46. Rd1 Rxg3 47. Rd5+ Kf4 48. Rxh5, when the analytical-tree starts expanding dramatically. Both players are confronted with decisions requiring lengthy analysis. Fritz and friends might well crunch this and state black is winning, fine, but we are aging bio-organic forms who have been pushing pawns without a break for more than 4 and a half hours. White can wipe out the black queenside pawns and promote the c-pawn in a total of 6 moves. Another white idea is to play, Rh8, intending to harass the black king from the 8th rank, fine, but the black king has sufficient time to find shelter in front of a pawn. Black is playing for a win, white is seeking to hold a draw, white has all the tricky decisions to make, who knows how it would have ended. || 45. ... Kd4 | Denying the white rook access to the c3 square. || 46. Kd2 Rf3 White resigns, 0-1 | The unpalatable choices are: (A). If, 47. Rxf3 gxf3 48. g4 e3+ 49. Ke1 Kd3 50. g5 f2+ 51. Kf1 Kd2 52. g6 e2+ 53. Kxf2 e1=Q+ 54. Kf3 Qg1, rounds up the white g6 pawn. (B). Or if, 47. Re1 Rxg3 48. Rh1 Rxb3, with more white pawns to fall. (C). Or if, 47. Re1 Rxg3 48. Rb1 Rh3, picking off the white h4 pawn, the black kingside pawns plus rook will quickly overpower white. || * * * ## Unannotated Game. White: C. Chambers, 125 (ECF). Black: P. Benson, 158, (ECF). Event: UK BCA Championship (Torquay) 2019. Result: 0-1 in 46 moves. Opening: Nimzowitsch Defence, Kennedy Variation, B00. 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5 3. d5 Nce7 4. Nf3 d6 5. c4 h6 6. Nc3 g5 7. Be3 Bg7 8. g3 f5 9. exf5 Bxf5 10. Bd3 Qd7 11. Qc2 Nf6 12. Bxf5 Qxf5 13. Qxf5 Nxf5 14. Nd2 O-O 15. O-O Kh7 16. Nde4 Nxe4 17. Nxe4 Nd4 18. Nd2 c6 19. dxc6 bxc6 20. Rad1 Rab8 21. b3 Ne2+ 22. Kg2 Nc3 23. Rde1 e4 24. a4 a5 25. f3 Rfe8 26. Bf2 d5 27. fxe4 dxe4 28. Be3 Kg6 29. Bg1 Rbd8 30. Be3 c5 31. Nb1 Nxb1 32. Rxb1 Bd4 33. Rbe1 Bxe3 34. Rxe3 Rd2+ 35. Rf2 Rxf2+ 36. Kxf2 Kf5 37. h3 h5 38. Re2 Rd8 39. Re3 Rd2+ 40. Re2 Rd3 41. Re3 Rd7 42. Ke2 Ke5 43. Rc3 g4 44. h4 Rf7 45. Re3 Kd4 46. Kd2 Rf3 White resigns, 0-1 * * *