Bramley -- Burgess 1946

Sometimes a particular game captures my attention. Tuesday morning I went through five games in Irving Chernev, The 1000 Best Short Games of Chess (1955). I have been working through this book since mid-September. I went through the games quickly and then returned to the first, spending considerable time examining variations that might have been played. Using the opening explorer on Lichess, I found another game with the same odd ninth move.

That afternoon, I showed the game to my after school chess club. On Wednesday, I spent more time exploring the game, annotated it, and created a worksheet for my students with positions derived from the game--mostly those that did not occur. Captions under diagrams indicate the positions on the worksheet.

I cannot find any information about the game beyond what Chernev offers--only surnames, location, and year. Another book includes the game, László Polgár, Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations, and Games, but derived from Chernev. The game is number 500 in Chernev. Polgár includes it among 100 miniatures with sacrifices on f2/f7.

Bramley -- Burgess [C54]
Surrey, 1946

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4

5.d3 is the top choice of masters

5...exd4 6.cxd4

6.b4 Be7; 

6.e5 d5 7.Bb5

6...Bb4+ 7.Nc3

This move initiates the Greco Attack, which I have explored in several articles on Chess Skills.

7.Bd2 also preferred.

7...Nxe4 8.0-0

8.d5

8...Nxc3

8...Bxc3 9.d5 Bf6 10.Re1 Ne7 11.Rxe4 d6 Although approximately equal, Black tends to do better.

9.bxc3 Be7?!

Here we reach what struck me as a novelty when I first looked at the game. It has been been played by others, even at least once by a chess master.

White to move

Stockfish 14 on Lichess gave this move and White's response ?? in annotations to Boricsev,O. -- Sevostianov,P. 2017.

9...d5 10.Re1+ Be7 11.Bd3

10.Re1

Better is the immediate 10.d5 Nb8 (10...Na5 11.Bd3) 11.d6! (11.Re1 reaches the game) 11...cxd6 12.Bxf7+ Kxf7 13.Qd5+ Kf8

White to move

Analysis diagram

14.Re1 Na6 15.Ng5 Qe8 16.Bf4 Nc7 17.Qf5+ Kg8 18.Bxd6 Ne6 19.Nxe6 dxe6 20.Rxe6 Bxe6 21.Qxe6+ Qf7 22.Qxe7 Qxe7 23.Bxe7 Kf7 24.Bc5 Rhd8 and drawn in 63 moves. Chen,Y (2081) -- Kislik,E (2347) Budapest 2011.

14.Ng5 Bxg5 15.Bxg5 Qe8 16.Rfe1 Qf7 17.Qxd6+ Kg8 18.Re7 Nc6 and White won in 32 moves. Sizov,A -- Prikhodko,P Serpukhov 2001.

10...0-0

10...d5 11.Bd3 0-0 12.h3 Be6 13.Bf4 Qd7 14.Rb1 b6 15.Qd2 Bd6 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Re2 h6 18.Rbe1 Rfe8 19.Bb5 f6 20.a4 Bf7 ½-½ Boricsev,O (2343) -- Sevostianov,P (2248) Mukachevo UKR 2017.

11.d5 Nb8

Both players have made errors, but White seems to be much better.

11...Na5 would be my inclination 12.d6! (12.Bd3) 12...cxd6 13.Bd5 Nc6 14.Ba3 Bf6 15.Qd3 (15.Rb1) 15...Ne7 16.Be4 g6 17.Bxd6+-

12.d6!

Lichess opening explorer shows that eleven other moves have been employed here, but none with the sort of results garnered by 12.d6! 12.Qe2 has been the most popular and Stockfish likes it almost as well.

12...Bf6

12...cxd6 13.Ba3 Nc6 14.Bd5 White's advantage is clear;
12...Bxd6?

White to move

Analysis: Exercise 2

13.Bg5 Qe8 14.Rxe8 Rxe8+-

White to move

13.dxc7

White could have struck now with 13.Bxf7+! Rxf7 14.dxc7 Qf8 (14...Qxc7 15.Re8+ Rf8 16.Qd5+ Kh8 17.Rxf8#) 15.cxb8Q Rxb8 16.Ba3 Be7 (16...Qxa3?

White to move

Analysis: Exercise 6

17.Re8+ Rf8 18.Qd5+ Kh8 19.Rae1+-)

17.Rxe7 Rxe7 18.Qd5+ Qf7 19.Qd6+-

13...Qxc7 14.Ba3

Again, White could have played 14.Bxf7+! Kh8 15.Bb3

14...Bxc3

Why not trade a rook for two bishops? 14...Qxc4 15.Bxf8 Kxf8?

White to move

Analysis: Exercise 1

16.Qd6+ Be7 17.Qxe7+ Kg8 18.Qe8#

15.Bxf7+!

Black to move

15...Kh8

During chess club, I was asked what if Black captures the bishop.

15...Kxf7

White to move

Analysis: Exercise 5

16.Qd5+ Kg6 17.Qg5+ Kf7 18.Qf5+ Bf6 19.Ng5+ Kg8 20.Qxh7#

Matters end more quickly if the rook nabs the bishop. 15...Rxf7 16.Re8+ Re7 17.Rxf8#

16.Bxf8 Bxe1 

16...d5 17.Ng5 Be6

White to move

Analysis: Exercise 4

18.Bxg7+ Kxg7 19.Nxe6+ Kh8 20.Nxc7+-

White to move

Exercise 3

17.Qd4

Black can delay, but not prevent checkmate. 1-0

Sandpoint Chess Tournament

Sandpoint, Idaho is a small community of less than 9000 residents that sits on the north end of Lake Pend Oreille. About thirty years ago, Lou Domanski, an A-Class chess player, moved there after retirement and developed some chess programs, including an annual chess tournament. Organized by Sandpoint Parks and Recreation, the event draws 20-50 chess players of all ages, an impressive turnout for a community this size.

In 2009, I was asked by a local who had been bringing his daughter to youth events that I ran in Spokane, whether I could run the event as Lou Domanski was no longer able to do so. It has become an event that I look forward to every April. A 75-90 minute drive from my home, depending on the weather, Sandpoint is a terrific community to visit.

I sometimes play in the event to reduce byes in the open section. One year, I played because I was looking for revenge after losing to Savanna the previous year. I had coached her a bit prior to her success as Idaho Girl's Co-Champion, which earned her a trip to Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, where she finished 9th. At the next event where we faced each other, she beat me again. The final moves of that game found their way into Forcing Checkmate (2017), which can be purchased through Amazon. For a few years as she finished school, Savanna regularly won the open section. I beat her the second time I played in the event, but lost to another player and still finished in 2nd place.

Coming back after two years without the event due to COVID, yesterday's event was small. There were five players registered for the open section, and fifteen in the other two. I opted to play so no one would get a bye. It gave us a round robin, albeit paired via Swiss System rules.

In the first round, I played the horrid 5...a6 from this position.

Black to move

My opponent punished the error and my position grew worse with further errors. However, when my opponent gave me a free piece with 15.Bxh7+, I clamored back into the game and eventually won.

Round two found me playing the risky and inaccurate 4.c3 in the Italian Two Knights

White to move

Play continued 4...d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.O-O Bg4 7.d4 e4?

White to move

After this error, I was able to take control of the game.

In round three, I gained a nice position from the Nimzo-Indian Defense and finished the game with a nice move here.

Black to move

Round four gave me an opportunity to show that Damiano's Gambit is a clear win for White, but I threw it away.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6?! 3.Nxe5 fxe5?

3...Qe7

4.Qh5+ Ke7 5.Qxe5+ Kf7 6.Bc4+ d5 7.Bxd5+ Kg6

White to move

8.Qg3+

This move is not best. 8.h4 presents Black with unsolvable difficulties.

8...Qg5 9.Qxc7 Ne7

White to move

This position was not new to me. I had it earlier this year in a rapid game on Lichess. It led to my only loss with Damiano's Gambit.

10.Qd6+??

From winning to equal. 10.h4 was the correct move.

10...Kh5

On Lichess, my opponent answered 10...Qf6, and after 11.e5??, I went from equal to losing.

11.e5 Bg6 12.Nc3??

Hunting for checkmate, I am blind.

12...Bxd6-+

I should have lost this game, but my opponent returned the gift of the queen three moves later.

My last round opponent is fairly new to active play and was eager for resources to develop his game. We had a nice conversation.

I quickly gained the upper hand with Black after the opening moves 1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 e6 3.h4 Nc6 4.c3 Nf6 5.Qe2 Be7 6.Nf3 d5

White to move

The annual Lou Domanski Chess Festival is friendly unrated competition that I run in accordance with USCF rules, sans clocks until the last 20 minutes of each one-hour round and no expectation of scorekeeping. Although my play was less than stellar, it was a good day. I enjoyed seeing again and playing some of the regulars at this event. It was a nice road trip, too. 

 

A Lesson in Pins

In my after school chess club at Saint George's School yesterday, I presented the game below to the students to highlight some basic principles for using pins effectively.

The player with the White pieces was William Lewis (1787-1870), a prolific chess author best remembered as one of those who hid inside the infamous fake chess playing machine called "The Turk".* Lewis was a student of Jacob Henry Sarratt, England's best player. I am drawn to Lewis because his Gioachino Greco on the Game of Chess (1819) offers more of Greco's model games than can be found in databases (see "Gioachino Greco on the Game of Chess"). Some of the positions in his other instructional books also are a regular part of my teaching.

Lewis,William -- Keen,Eric [C56]
London Casual Games London, 1817

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 d6

4...Nf6 is the most popular move today, but 4...d6 is solid.

5.0-0 Nf6 6.d4

6.d3 seems better.

6...exd4 7.cxd4 Bb6 8.h3

Black to move

8...Nxe4

8...0-0 has led to better results for Black in current master play.

9.Re1

The first pin. We use the term pin when two pieces are attacked along a file, diagonal, or rank such that the one in front cannot move (absolute pin) or by moving exposes a piece of greater value to capture (relative pin).

9...d5?

A mistake.

9...0-0 is best 10.Rxe4 d5 restores the material balance 11.Bxd5 Qxd5 and White has a slight advantage.

10.Bxd5

10.Bg5 is also strong

10...Qxd5 11.Nc3

Piling on the pinned knight wins back the material and maintains substantial pressure on Black's position.

11...Qd8

White to move

12.Rxe4+!+-

12.Nxe4 0-0 leaves White with only a slight advantage (12...Nxd4?? 13.Bg5! [13.Nf6+ Kf8 14.Re8+ Qxe8 15.Nxe8 Kxe8 16.Nxd4] 13...Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 Qd4 15.Nd6+).

12...Ne7

Moving another piece into a pin makes Black's troubles worse.

12...Kf8 and Black cannot castle. This move is Black's best choice. In either case, White already has a technical win.

13.Qe2

Here, castling would lose the knight.

13...Be6 14.Bg5

Pinning the knight again

14...Qd6 15.Bxe7

Black to move

15...Kxe7

Now the bishop is pinned.

15...Qxe7 16.d5 0-0-0 17.dxe6+-

16.d5 Rhd8 17.Ng5

Piling on. The manner with which Lewis increases the pressure on Black's pinned pieces is instructive. 17.dxe6 is just as good.

17...c6 18.Nxe6

Threatens discovered check

18...fxe6

18...Rd7 19.Nc7+ Kd8 20.Nxa8

19.Rxe6+

Fork

Black to move

19...Qxe6

19...Kf8 20.Rxd6 Rxd6 21.Re1

20.Qxe6+ Kf8 21.d6 Re8 22.Qf5+

22.Qc4 is stronger. Whites material superiority and less vulnerable king makes the advantage overwhelming in any case.

22...Kg8 23.Ne4

White has a checkmate idea that Black does not find a way to stop.

Black to move

23...Rf8

23...h6 offers more stubborn, albeit helpless defense.

24.Qe6+ Kh8

White to move

25.Ng5

25.d7 is simple, but Lewis wants to execute a picturesque checkmate.

25...Bxf2+

Black strikes back to win a pawn and check the king, but there is no follow up as Black's lacks sufficient force for a counterattack.

26.Kh2 Rae8 

Moves into the checkmate that Lewis hoped for in bringing up his knight.

White to move

27.Nf7+ Kg8

27...Rxf7 28.Qxe8+ Rf8 29.Qxf8#

 28.Nh6+ Kh8 29.Qg8+ Rxg8 30.Nf7# 1-0

*See Tom Standage, The Turk: The Life and Times of the Famous Eighteenth-Century Chess-Playing Machine (2002).

The Unknown Greco

ChessBase Mega 2020 contains 82 games credited to Gioacchino Greco, most dated 1620 (which seems an arbitrary date). At the time of this writing, Chessgames.com has 90 games credited to the famous Calabrese. In "Gioachino Greco on the Game of Chess" (2013), I wrote about the abundance of Greco's variations that can be found in William Lewis's 1819 text of that name. The better known and more accessible (the notation is standard English descriptive) 1900 text by Angelo Lewis, writing under the penname Professor Hoffmann, also has variations that are absent from databases.

Peter J. Monté, The Classical Era of Modern Chess (McFarland 2014), which I described in "Monumental Scholarship" (2020), offers far more detail from Greco's manuscripts, and also permits the diligent reader to separate Greco's contributions from lines he learned from others. In Part I of the book, Monté describes manuscripts and history from Lucena to Greco, concluding with a discussion of the development of castling and the pawn's leap. Part II. Openings and Games of the Classical Era of Modern Chess is a thoroughly documented move tree (439-530). The so-called Greco Attack is documented across four pages (462-465).

The Greco Attack begins with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 (In some of Greco's manuscripts 2.Bc4 Bc5 is played, and the knights deployed on the following move) 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3.

Black to move

Play continues:

7...Nxe4 8.O-O Nxc3

8...Bxc3 is the mainline today, and offers a very good reason not to play the Greco Attack.

9.bxc3 Bxb3

9...d5 or 9...Be7 have been recommended.

10.Qb3

A fine miniature that I learned from Leonard Barden and Wolfgang Heidenfeld, Modern Chess Miniatures (1960) continued with 10.Ba3. See Corte -- Bolbochán 1946 (2016).

10...Bxa1

Greco also has games that continue with 10...Bxd4.

11.Bxf7+ Kf8  12.Bg5

Black to move

In the ChessBase database, Greco's games all continue with 12...Ne7. Chessgames.com, however, has one game that continues with the line I present below.

12...Nxd4

This move was played against me in a rapid game on Chess.com on Sunday, and I had faced it at least four times prior.

13.Qa3

13.Qb4+? is a blunder that appears in the ChessBase database in ten games played 1996-2016.

13...Kxf7 14.Bxd8

Black to move

In 1619, Greco had access to a manuscript known today as Boncampagno -3, which contains the following variations (Monté, 277, 463). This manuscript is among those classified as the Polerio Complex. Monté dates it between 1594 and 1619. Authorship is uncertain.

A.
14...Rxd8 15.Ng5+ Kf6 (or Kg6) 16.Rxa1 Kxg5 17.Qe7+

B.
14...Nxf3 15.Qxf3+ Bf6 16.Bxc7

Black to move

Greco's original contribution to this line begins from this position and appears in two manuscripts from his sojourn in England, the Mountstephen manuscript (1623) and the Grenoble manuscript, which is undated, but believed to precede Mountstephen.

16...Re8 Qh5+ Kf8 18.Bd6+

Mountstephen ends here.

Black to move

18...Be7 19.Re1 h6 20.Rxe7 Rxe7 21.Qe5 and Qxe7 follows.

Not everything credited to Greco was his own work, and yet much of his work remains unknown to most chess enthusiasts.

Lessons from a Youth Tournament

What can we learn from the play of a group of young players ranging in skill from beginners to seasoned tournament players? I think we can learn quite a bit.

After running the pairings and watching the games of twenty youth players from grades kindergarten through tenth grade, I have been going through their games carefully. There are examples of finding and executing tactical sequences to achieve a decisive advantage, or even a long-term initiative. But, there are also instances of giveaway chess, where a player seems unconcerned with vulnerability. Queens and lesser pieces are placed en prise, and sometimes left alone.

There are well-executed checkmates, and there are draws that followed from a young player missing a simple checkmate in one move. Two games featured three-fold repetition, but only one was claimed. Thirteen of the 49 games lasted 25 moves or less (miniatures), while seven games lasted fifty moves or more. Some of the miniatures revealed strong opening preparation.

King's pawn openings were most popular with the Italian Opening leading. Nearly one-third of the (15) games are classified C50 in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings. Six games began with a move other than 1.e4. One player played 1.d4 three times, while another played 1.Nf3 twice. One game began 1.e3, and one wonders whether it was a mouse slip.

Black and White had an even score, each winning 23 games. Three games were drawn. Twenty participants played 49 games.

Illustrative Games

The first illustrative game pits the eventual tournament winner against one of the youngest players, a second grader.

A Boy (1157) -- A Girl (1634) [C50]
Turkey Trot (1), 21.11.2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bc5

White to move

This position appeared in six games in the event.

5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 h6

Black, who is one of my students, understands how a pin of the knight can be a bother in such positions.

7.Bd2 d6 8.Qe2 Oblivious to the danger?

8.h3 prevents the pin

8...Bg4 9.Be3

Keeps the knight off d4

9...Bd4 10.Nb5 a6

White to move

11.Nbxd4 

11.Nc3

11...exd4 12.Nxd4?? 

The game losing blunder. 12.Bd2 Ne5 and Black still has a clear advantage.

12...Bxe2 13.Nxe2-+ Qe7 14.Nf4 Qe5 15.Ne2 Ng4 16.Bd2

16.Ng3

16...Qxh2# 0-1 

Another Italian Four Knights took a different course. When Black blundered, White seized the initiative, winning some material and bringing pressure against the king. It was enjoyable to watch this game as it progressed, trying to find for myself the surest finale.

Another Girl (1446) -- Another Boy (930) [C50]
Turkey Trot (3), 21.11.2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.d3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.0-0 d6 6.Nc3 Bg4 7.h3 Bd7 8.Be3 Bxe3 9.fxe3 Nh5??

White to move

10.Nxe5!

10.Bxf7+ is even better 10...Kxf7 11.Nxe5+ Kg8 12.Nxd7 Qxd7 13.Qxh5+-

10...dxe5?

10...Nxe5 11.Qxh5 0-0±

11.Qxh5 g6 12.Bxf7+ Ke7

12...Kf8 13.Qh6+ Ke7 14.Qg5+ Kd6 15.Rf6+ as in the game.

13.Qg5+ Kd6 14.Rf6+ Be6

White to move

15.Bxe6!

15.Rxe6+ is less strong, but is what I might have played. 15...Kc5 16.Rxe5+ Nxe5 17.Qxe5+ Kc6 (17...Kb6 18.Qb5#) 18.Bd5+ Kb6 (18...Kd7 19.Qe6#) 19.Na4+ Ka5 20.Bc6+ Qd5 21.Qxd5+ Ka6 22.Bxb7#

15...h6 16.Qxg6

I wanted her to find 16.Bc8+ Kc5 17.b4+ Kxb4 18.Rxc6!! bxc6 (18...Qxg5 19.Rb1+ Ka5 20.Rb5#) 19.Qxe5 Ka3 (19...Qxc8 20.a3#) 20.Rb1 Qd5 21.Qxd5 cxd5 (21...Rb8 22.Qa5#) 22.Rb3#

16...Nb4

White to move

17.d4!

Again, I was looking for17.Bc8+! Kc5 18.d4+ exd4 19.Na4+ (19.exd4+ Qxd4+) 19...Kb5 20.Bxb7; 17.Bc4+ Kc5 (17...Kd7 18.Qf5+ Ke8 19.Rf8+ Rxf8 20.Qg6+ Rf7 21.Qxf7#) 18.Na4#

17...exd4 18.exd4 Nxc2

White to move

19.Bd5+

My persistent idea is clearly better here: 19.Bc8+ Qxf6 20.Qxf6#

19...Kd7 20.Qf5+ Ke8 21.Re6+

21.Rf8+ Rxf8 22.Qg6+ Rf7 23.Qxf7#

21...Kd7 22.Re5+ Kd6 23.Qe6# 1-0

There are other lessons possible from many of the other 47 games. Perhaps I will write more another day.

Near Perfect?

Scoring 99.6% accuracy on Chess.com's computer-generated assessment might be considered an achievement, even if the game was 100% preparation. However, the game in question featured several risky and dubious moves--a line that I play in blitz and other casual games, but would never attempt in a serious game.

Note in the image from the website's game report that Black had a slight edge early on, even though it was short-lived. During this phase of the game, both players were making so-called book moves. Not all book moves, however, have equal merit. It does seem that the methods of evaluation built into the website's analysis feature does not count dubious or refutable book lines against a player's accuracy score.

Stripes,J. (1838) -- Internet Opponent (1805) [C44]
Live Chess Chess.com, 16.01.2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.c3?! Bc5

4...Nxe4 5.Qe2 d5 is also "book" but White scores poorly.

5.d4

This move is fun to play in blitz and often enough leads to games like the present one, but I doubt I would play it in a serious game.

5.d3 is better, and not surprisingly was played this week in Wijk aan Zee among Grandmasters at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament.

5...exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+

White to move

7.Nc3

7.Bd2 Bxd2+ 8.Nbxd2 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Qb3 Na5 11.Qa4+ Nc6 seems about equal (11...c6 12.Bxd5 Qxd5 13.0-0)

7...Nxe4 8.0-0 Nxc3

Now White has an advantage

8...Bxc3! 9.d5 Bf6 10.Re1 (10.dxc6 bxc6 Black is clearly better) 10...Ne7 11.Rxe4 d6 12.Bg5 Bxg5 13.Nxg5 and White is worse.

9.bxc3 Bxc3

9...d5 10.cxb4 dxc4 11.Re1+ Ne7 White has a lead in development, and perhaps Black's advanced pawns are vulnerable. 12.Bg5

10.Qb3

10.Ba3 is preferred by Stockfish 10 on my computer, but Chess.com's version likes my move better. 10...d5 (10...d6) 11.Bb5

Black to move

10...Bxa1

Now White is winning. I like showing this position from Greco to my students. Black is ahead a rook and two pawns when you count all the material on the board, but all of White's pieces are in the game. Most of Black's forces are locked up. They are spectators, rather than players.

10...d5 is Black's last chance for equality 11.Bxd5 0-0 12.Bxf7+ Rxf7 (12...Kh8 13.Ba3 Bxa1 14.Bxf8 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Bxd4) 13.Ng5 Be6 14.Qxc3

11.Bxf7+ Kf8

11...Ke7 12.Bg5+ Kf8 (12...Kd6 13.Qa3+ Nb4 14.Qxb4+ Kc6 15.Qc5#) 13.Bxd8

12.Bg5 Ne7

12...Nxd4 tests White a little more, but I won a long game from this position last month. White had an easy game.

13.Ne5

I've had this position in at least two other blitz games. It appears in several of Greco's model games and is one I've used often for instructive purposes.

13...d6

White to move

This was a new move to me, but I find that it appears six times in my copy of the ChessBase database.

13...Bxd4 14.Bg6 d5 15.Qf3+ Bf5 16.Bxf5 Bxe5 17.Be6+ Bf6 18.Bxf6 Ke8 19.Bxg7 is in Greco.

14.Bg6

Is a response suggested in Greco's models, despite the absence of Black's d6 move there. The checkmate threat is simple enough.

14...d5 15.Qf3+ Bf5 16.Bxf5

Black to move

16...g6

16...Bxd4 17.Bg6+ Nf5 (17...Kg8 18.Qf7#) 18.Qxf5+

17.Bh6+

Another move that exists in Greco, but with a small difference in the placement of one or two other pieces.

17...Ke8

17...Kg8 18.Be6#

18.Bxg6+ Nxg6 19.Qf7# 1-0

Black's errors offered an opportunity to reproduce one Greco's instructive model games with a new twist. Such minor alterations to the basic idea were his method as near as I can discern from the several books that have been made from his manuscripts.

The evaluation of my performance by Chess.com's software highlights that such resources should be treated with skepticism and using sparingly.

Wow!

Chess Informant 140 arrived yesterday, but I went to a concert after work. On the way home from the concert, we stopped for burgers and brought them home. While eating my burger, I opened Informant to the first page and started trying to "see" the best game from CI 139 in my head. The tactics and imbalances were hard to fathom, so I installed the CD on my computer immediately after dinner and went through the game again.

The fireworks started with this position, which also appears as a diagram in Informant.

White to move

Instead of the obvious 21.Ne4, Aleksey Goganov played 21.Re4, which annotator Branko Tadic gives !?

Obviously, White wants to swing the rook to h4 to make the bishop sacrifice on h6 effective. Abhimanyu Sameer Puranik would not allow such a thing, so 21...f5.

Now what? The rook should go back to e1, perhaps.

Goganov wanted to fight.

22.Rxc8!

My imagination had to work hard to keep the hamburger juice off my chin while contemplating the possibilities. Puranik takes the centralized rook, as the other cannot get away.

22...fxe4 23.Nxe4 Qf8

White to move

Exchanging rooks on d8 seems sensible enough, but White had ambitions for something more.

24.Bb3!?

Tadic deals with Rxd8 in the commentary. The move evaluations are his.

24...Kh1

Obviously, Black doesn't want to give up the whole cavalry for a rook.

25.Bxh6!?

Well, this was the idea, but does it work now?

25...Ne7 26.Nxe5!

Black to move

I wouldn't touch the bishop on d5, of course, but the other must be executed.

26...gxh6 27.Nf7+ Kh7

In the subsequent battle, both players made errors. Running an engine while playing through the game confirmed Tadic's series of question marks as White was winning, then Black, then White again. White, as they say, made the second to the last error. This game was not the best of Informant 139 for its accuracy of play. But, it is a worthy game for the creativity of White's aggression and the fighting spirit of both players. I think I'll play through it a few more times, and maybe show it to some students.

Disappointing

This morning after feeding the dogs and making our coffee, I sat down on the couch and began following a game in the Ukranian Championship. I know nothing about either of the players, but they are playing the Italian Opening, and it interests me.

I considered "live blogging" the game, recording it as it transpired along with my thoughts and efforts to guess the move. I decided against that plan and simply watched. The game had some interest, but the players agreed to a draw before move 20. I was disappointed.

Baklan,Vladimir (2655) -- Kravtsin,Martyn (2608) [C54]
Ukranian Championship Kiev (5), 17.12.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.0–0 0–0 6.h3

Philip Sergeant has been justifiably criticized for the comment, "In nothing was Morphy so fortunate as in the frequency with which his opponents played P-R3" (Morphy's Games of Chess [1957], 44). That comment, however, appeared in a Scotch Gambit game where Black fatally weakened his kingside with such a move. In some lines of the Italian, the move is required to prevent decisive attacks on a pinned knight.

6...h6 7.Re1 d6 8.c3

I spend a lot of time working to get my students to understand how this move can be far more useful than a knight on this square, especially after the prophylactic P-R3.

8...a5

My database tells me that this move has been played only once before. Of course, my database is not 100% up-to-date. Even so, that confirms why I was not expecting this move. After the move, however, there are five reference games, so the idea has been played via other move orders. Notably, Kravtsin was Black in the highest rated of these games. Baklan might have expected it.

9.Nbd2 Be6

White to move

10.Bb5

Keeping the light-squared bishop! This move was played in six of the nine games that reached this position. Clearly, the apparent novelty of 8...a5 was merely a move order nuance.

10...Qb8

Wow! This strikes me as a new idea. I'll need to check the database.

Kravtsin played 10...Bd7 in 2015 and went on to win the game.

In my database, I found over one thousand games in the Italian with Black's queen on b8. Most of these featured the move late in the game. There are a few with Black's heavy pieces arrayed on a8, b8, and c8 before move twenty. Even so, in the few dozen that I glanced at, I did not find any that compared substantively to this game.

11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.d4

Black seemed to go into a long think here, and I spent time looking at other games. However, Black used less than a minute on this move and nine on the subsequent move. Sometimes the boards and clocks in the Follow Chess app are not up-to-date.

12...exd4 13.cxd4 Bb6

These were the moves that I expected without a long think. Even so, I'm curious what else Black was looking at. Is Black considering moving the queen up, or lifting a rook and putting the queen on a8 with ideas of swinging the other rook over to the queenside? Years ago, I played a lot of games with my heavy pieces deployed in this manner in the Benko Gambit. Does the idea have merit in the Italian? The half open b-file could offer prospects of attack for Black. On the other hand, White might get a strong kingside attack if Black pursues this plan.

14.Nf1

Black to move

Now, Black thought for 41 minutes.

14...d5 15.e5 Ne4 16.Be3 a4

White to move

17.Qc1

The first move that I considered, played after sixteen minutes. My fantasy position puts the rook on d3 and drops the f3 knight back with ideas of a bishop sacrifice on h6.

This game has everything that I need of instructive value for my students: classic opening, provocative novelty, and a minor piece imbalance.

17...Qe8

Both defends the attacked c-pawn and brings the queen closer to the king.

18.Ng3

Maybe my idea of Rd1–d3 and N3h2 is too slow.

18...Nxg3 19.fxg3 ½–½

A draw? I'll grant the position is probably equal, but there is plenty of play left in the position.

There was a lot of talk--mostly complaining--about the twelve straight draws in the recent World Championship, but with one exception those were hard-fought draws from start to finish. Even the one was drawn after slightly inaccurate play by the World Champion. He may have had more dynamic chances a few moves earlier.

I did not embrace these complaints. The string of fighting draws was very satisfying high-level chess of terrific instructive value.

But, this game, it seems to me should not have been drawn so early.

Thompson -- Morphy, New York 1857

Paul Morphy's first opponent at the First American Chess Congress was James Thompson. He had been born in England and emigrated to the United States as a child. After completing his education, he established himself in business in New York City, where he came to be known as a formidable chess player. In 1853, Thompson won the first tournament among members of the New York Chess Club. He represented New York in several correspondence matches with other cities.*

Morphy beat Thompson 3-0. The games offer useful lessons concerning opening principles, as Morphy easily gained better mobility and coordination of his pieces. Two of the games featured endgames where Morphy demonstrated how to convert a small advantage. In the third game, which I present here, a tactical error in the middlegame cost White a pawn. In the endgame Morphy's bishop proved far stronger than Thompson's knight. Having an extra pawn made the game easier.

Morphy won this game in the middlegame, but had to demonstrate proper endgame technique to complete the victory.

Thompson,James -- Morphy,Paul [C54]
USA–01.Kongress New York (1.3), 08.10.1857

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3

This move is superior to 5.d4. I tend to play the inferior move (see "Materialism").

5...d6 6.h3

I have my doubts about the merits of this move (see "Wasting Time" for Phillip Sergeant's criticism and Macon Shibut's rejoinder regarding the frequency that Morphy's opponents played this move).

6...Be6

6...a6 seems the top choice today. With Morphy's move, White has a problem: How should he resolve the tension between the bishops along the diagonal leading to f7?

White to move

7.Bb3

I might prefer 7.Bxe6 fxe6. Black's control of the central squares with his pawns more than compensates for any apparent weakness on the kingside. However, White's prospects might be better than in the game. The combination of the unnecessary prophylactic 6.h3 and this retreat of the bishop puts White two tempi behind. Soon, Black seizes the initiative.

Here we have a position that is typical of Morphy's games against all but his strongest opponents, and even a few games against his strongest. A few moves into the game, Morphy has all of his minor pieces mobilized. Many of his opponents, on the other hand, have fallen behind.

7...d5

Morphy seizes the opportunity to take the initiative.

8.exd5 Bxd5 9.0–0 0–0 10.Bg5

Black to move

Thompson is ever alert to tactical possibilities. He threatens to force a weakening of the pawns in front of Black's king.

10...Bxb3 11.axb3 h6 12.Bh4 g5 13.Bg3 e4

Thompson's tactical threats have forced Morphy to play this move. However, Black's position is superior due to White's difficulty bringing the b1 knight into the game. This positional weakness will prove decisive.

White to move

14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 exd3 16.Bxf6

16.Nd2 might be better than exchanging the only active piece in order to immediately regain the pawn.

16...Qxf6 17.Qxd3

Black to move

Now, Morphy mobilizes his rooks with further gain of tempi. Meanwhile, White's queenside knight and rook remain spectators to the action.

17...Rad8 18.Qc2 Rfe8 19.b4 Bb6 20.Na3

20.Nd2 is now impossible in the light of 20...Re2.

20...Qf4

Morphy prevents Nc4, and also prepares a battery along the diagonal leading to h2.

21.Rad1 c6 22.Rd3?

White's position was slightly worse. Now, it is lost. However, Black must strike vigorously, or White's will equalize.

Black to move

Surprisingly few chess players have found the correct plan for Black when I have posted this position online.

22...Bxf2+ 23.Kh1

23.Rxf2 loses instantly. 23...Re1 24.Rf1 Rxf1#.

23.Qxf2 loses the exchange. 23...Qxf2+ 24.Rxf2 Re1+ 25.Kh2 Rxd3

23...Rxd3 24.Qxd3 Re3

White to move

Black's checkmate threat is quite serious.

25.Qd8+ Kg7 26.Qd4+

26.Qd7 Bg3!

26...Qxd4 27.cxd4 Re2 28.Nc4 Re1 29.Rxe1 Bxe1

White to move

White managed to fend off the checkmate threats and enter a minor piece ending down a mere pawn. However, Black's bishop will prove vastly superior to White's knight.

30.Na5 Bxb4 31.Nxb7

This moment in the game can be useful for provoking a discussion of schematic thinking.

31...Kf6 32.Nd8 c5 33.Nc6 Ke6 34.dxc5 Bxc5 35.g4

It is hard to criticize White's effort to hinder Black's pawn majority on the kingside in this manner, but the problems on the queenside prove fatal. The knight is helpless to manage workloads on both sides of the board and the king alone cannot battle Black's forces.

Black to move

35...Kd5 36.Nd8 f6

Reducing a vulnerability that could permit White back into the game.

37.Kg2 a5 38.Kf3 a4 39.Ke2 Bd4

Only now does Morphy attack the unprotected pawn after preventing its advance.

White to move

40.Kd3 Bxb2 41.Nf7 Be5 42.Kc2 Kc4 43.Nd8 a3 44.Nb7 a2 45.Na5+ Kb4 46.Nb3 Ka3 0–1

The final position offers a nice illustration of zugzwang.


*The biographical sketch of Thompson in Charles A. Gilberg, The Fifth American Chess Congress (1881), 77-80 provides these details. The Congress was held in 1880. The book contains a detailed history of the first four congresses, as well as the games of the fifth.