Break the Rules!

Neil McDonald writes in Break the Rules! A Modern Look at Chess Strategy (2012), "experienced players ... tread a fine line between the moves they want to play and the moves they are compelled to play." He continues, "Rules and precepts are useful starting points, but we have to use our judgement, creativity and knowledge to find the best move and plan in the specific position in front of us." A game he employs to illustrate has White beginning the game with eight consecutive pawn moves. The game is Navara -- Shimanov, Vilnius 2010.

When I read this book last year, I was already familiar with both the concept and a different Caro-Kann game from having seen them yoked in John Watson, Secrets of Modern Chess: Advances since Nimzowitsch (1998). Watson cites as an example of rule independence a game that Andy Soltis presents in The Art of Defence where Black's first ten moves included seven pawn moves. Yet, somehow I remember it as the same line presented by McDonald (maybe it, too, is in Watson's book).

After McDonald's explication, however, I began playing this line against the Caro-Kann in my online games. I've trapped several bishops when my opponent strayed from the best course. In other games, I've also sacrificed a pawn on e6 to lock in Black's dark-square bishop. These games turned out to be good preparation for a tournament game when my opponent attempted to play the Nimzo-Larsen Attack. But there was more: inspiration from a game I looked at nine years ago.

A game in Chess Informant 124 (2015) inspired me such that I have been meeting 1.b3 with 1...a5 ever since with good results. That game is Rapport -- Adly, Tsaghkadzor 2015. Sometimes I enjoy creating chaos at the board, but I always find it useful to remove my opponents from their comfort zone.

Both these games inspired and guided me during my round four game against David Griffin in the Inland Classic last weekend.

Griffin,David (1522) -- Stripes,James (1873) [A04]
Inland Classic Rathdrum (4), 25.02.2024

1.Nf3 Nc6 2.b3 a5N

A novelty inspired by Rapport -- Adly. Rapport is a devotee of 1...b3. I call this move a novelty because the position does not appear in my usual databases. However, further research shows that the move in the present position has been played 902 times on Lichess.

I did have an OTB game against Griffin Herr in 2019 that began 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 a5. Before the game, Griffin had asked me how I responded to 1.b3. I told him the truth, not knowing that we would be paired.

3.Bb2 e6 4.e3 a4

White to move

5.Be2

5.a3 seems important, as I suggested to David after the game.

5...a3

5...Nf6 6.0-0 Be7 7.d4 0-0 8.c4 d5 9.bxa4 b6 10.Nc3 Na5 0-1 (34) Shytaj,L (2459)--Ponkratov,P (2613) Riadh 2017.

6.Bc3 Nf6 7.0-0 d5=

White to move

8.Nd4

8.d4 has been popular on Lichess, where this position has occurred in 114 games. David wanted to avoid this move because his bishop's scope on the long diagonal was his intended manner of play.

8...Nxd4 9.Bxd4

9.exd4 Bd6 and I would have continued with somewhat more normal development, perhaps seeking to take advantage of the absence of White's king's knight.

9...c5 10.Be5

10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Bxf6 gxf6=
10.Bxf6 gxf6= (10...Qxf6 would be a mistake).

10...h5

I am aiming to trap the bishop. After my a-pawn push, I suspect Griffin did not assess the concrete analysis behind this move.

11.Nc3

11.h3 was David's suggestion after the game.
11.d4 is also good.

11...Nd7

We have reached the game's critical position. Both sides still have chances. After White's next move, Black gets the upper hand and carries it to the end.

White to move

12.Bg3??

12.f4! Qb6 (12...f6? 13.Bxh5+ Ke7 14.Qg4 Qa5 15.Qg6 fxe5 16.Qe8+ Kd6 and White is better) 13.Na4 Qc6 and White is slightly better.
I anticipated 12.Bb5 f6 13.Bg3 h4 with a slight edge for Black.

12...h4-+

I'm winning the bishop.

13.Bf4 g5

Here, I wrote 9/13 in the margins of my scoresheet and then went and asked the tournament director whether I had broken the rules by doing so.

14.Re1!

Perhaps David's strongest move of the game. The bishop cannot be saved, but Black might yet be punished for an inordinate number of pawn moves and a king that likely will remain in the center.

14...gxf4 15.exf4 d4 16.Nb5 Nf6

White to move

17.Bc4

17.f5 seems best and principled. Black's material advantage remains, but White has good chances to create some play in the center.

17...Qb6

Finally! After eleven pawn moves and five knight moves, I develop another piece. Already, I am looking towards some checkmate ideas.

18.Qc1

David's focus on removing my a-pawn did not help his game.

18...h3 19.g3 Qc6 20.Bf1

Forced. There cannot be very many positions in the database where Black has pawns on h3 and a3 on move 20.

Black to move

20...Bd7

I wanted to avoid White's bishop pinning my queen against my king with the knight on a3. Also, I might get an opportunity to create a bishop and queen battery along the long diagonal.

21.Nxa3 Bd6

Targeting the unprotected pawn on f4

Stronger was 21...Qf3 22.Qd1 Qxd1 23.Raxd1 Rxa3-+

22.Nc4

22.f5 Qf3

22...Bxf4 23.Ne5

23.gxf4 Rg8+ and checkmate follows.

23...Bxe5 24.Rxe5 Ng4

White to move

25.Re1

25.Qe1 is best, then 25...Qf3 26.Rxc5 Rh5! a deflection that I might have missed 27.Qe2 (27.Rxh5 Bc6 and White can only delay checkmate) 27...Qxe2 28.Bxe2 Rxc5.

25...Qf3

Bc6 will be decisive

26.Qd1? Qxf2+ 0-1

Although my play was unorthodox, it worked because David did not adapt his plans to the needs of the position. The early a5 thrust by Black is not dangerous, but it is disruptive if White does not meet it appropriately.

Blundering into Victory

On Monday, David Griffin and I met at the Spokane Valley Library to play our game in the Spokane Contenders. This six player round robin began in early May and must be completed by early August. The winner faces Michael Cambareri in the City Championship. Our game was Griffin's fifth and my first. I stated to those who asked that I would play all of my games in July.

This game was the second time that I faced Griffin's Nimzo-Larsen Attack. In the first, I opted for an attempt at tactical refutation, came out of the opening slightly worse, but then was able to gain the advantage when Griffin missed a knockout blow. I opted for a positional response this time and secured a clear space advantage from the opening. As I was playing for checkmate, I made a few errors that let my opponent crawl back into the game. He missed his chances, though, and I had a slight edge in the endgame.

Then, I blundered throwing away the game. This blunder, however, proved to be the game winning move.

Griffin,David (1523) -- Stripes,James (1841) [A06]
Spokane Contenders Spokane, 03.07.2017

1.Nf3 c5 2.b3 Nf6 3.Bb2 d5 4.e3 g6 5.Be2 Nc6 6.0–0 Qc7N

I was pleased to reach nearly the same position I had against Michael Cambareri when I beat him in seventeen moves, but with colors reversed. I contemplated whether lack of deployment of the bishop to g7 was of any account.

6...Bg7 7.Ne5 (7.d4 cxd4 8.exd4 0–0 9.c4 dxc4 10.bxc4 Ne4 and drawn in 51 moves Rethy,P [2389] -- Szabo,L [2537], Budapest 1940) 7...Nxe5 8.Bxe5 0–0 9.Qc1 Ne8 10.Bxg7 Nxg7 11.f4 Qd6 and drawn in 36 moves Trompowsky,O (2366) -- Cruz,W (2307), Rio de Janeiro 1940.

7.d3

Griffin spent twenty minutes on this move.

7.c4 d4 8.exd4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Qe5 would have pleased me.

7...Bg7 8.Nbd2 0–0 9.h3 b5

White often plays b4 against the QID. Indeed, A row of pawns on d4, c4, and b4 occurred in several of the games I went through preparing for my Club Championship battle with Michael.

10.Nh2

I was impressed that all of White's pawns are capable of moving to the fourth rank. While it appears that I am gaining space with my pawns on the queenside, I could easily find myself in possession of a fragile center.

Black to move

10...e5

10...Bb7 11.f4 and White will post a minor piece on e5.

11.f4 d4 12.fxe5 Qxe5

12...Nxe5 would be a gross error 13.exd4 cxd4 14.Bxd4±.

13.e4

Black has more space, leading to greater mobility and flexibility. And yet, it is not entirely clear how to proceed. I would like to exploit some apparent weaknesses around the White king, but the defensive forces seem adequate. Before my queen can profitably occupy the weakened g3 square, White must commit a knight or bishop to f3.

13.exd4 Nxd4 14.Nhf3 Qe3+ 15.Kh1 Bb7 16.Bxd4 (16.Nxd4 Qxh3+ 17.Kg1 Qxg2#) 16...cxd4.

13...Be6

I didn't like 13...Qg3 14.Rf3.

13...a6 was a move that I considered, but regarded as slow. Still, it increases the mobility of my rook on a8, which could then lift to the seventh rank. It also transfers the onus of making important strategic and tactical decisions to my opponent.

14.Ng4 Nxg4

14...Bxg4 15.Bxg4 Bh6.

15.Bxg4

Black to move

15...f5

This forcing sequence left me with a weak f-pawn, but also opened the g-file for my heavy pieces. I considered 15...Qg3 16.Rf3 Bxg4 17.Rxg3 Bxd1 18.Rxd1 when it was not clear to me that I had gained anything from the material exchanges. I needed to win this game, so eschewed simplification that did not lead to clear advantage.

15...Bh6!? 16.Bxe6 Be3+ 17.Kh1 Qxe6.

16.exf5 gxf5 17.Bf3 Rac8 18.Re1 Qd6

What has become of my advantage? My forces are in retreat. And yet, I was confident that retreat was merely redeployment and that White's forces lacked coordination.

19.Nf1

19.Bxc6 seems worthy of consideration in view of the principle that a player lacking space should exchange pieces.  19...Rxc6 But, this rook will soon come to g6 and the pressure on g2 may be too much for White.

19...Ne5 20.Nh2

20.Bc1 f4 (20...Nxf3+ 21.Qxf3 Bd5 22.Bf4 Qc6 23.Qf2) 21.Nd2.

20...Rf6

20...Nxf3+ 21.Nxf3 Bd5
20...Bh6 with plans to play Be3+.

21.Bc1 Rg6

White to move

22.Kh1?!

22.Bh5! Bd5 (22...Rf6 23.Bf4+-) 23.Bxg6 Qxg6 24.Re2 Nf3+ 25.Nxf3 Bxf3 26.Bf4 and the game favors White. Black can win back the exchange, but has a weaker pawn structure.

22...Nxf3 23.Nxf3 Bd5 24.Bd2

Black to move

24...Rg3!

24...Qg3 25.Rg1 (25.Re2 Bxf3–+) 25...Re8.

25.Rf1 only move Re8

I underestimated 25...Qg6 26.Rf2 Bxf3 27.Rxf3 Rxg2 28.Qe1.

26.Be1 Rg6 27.Nh4 Re3! 28.Rf3 only move

28.Nxg6 Rxh3+ 29.Kg1 Qh2+ 30.Kf2 Qxg2#.

Black to move

28...Bxf3

28...Rge6 29.Bf2 Bxf3 30.Nxf3 Re2 was a better means of keeping control of the game.

29.Nxf3 Qd5?!

I wanted to maintain the pin on g2 with its attendant checkmate threats. I considered 29...Rge6 which would have been more logical. There is no realistic chance to find checkmate, but domination of the open file keeps White's pieces in a passive role.

30.Bf2 Re7

Again, my forces are in retreat.

31.Qf1 Bh6! 32.Re1 Be3 33.Nh4 Rge6

At this point in the game, I sensed that I had let my advantage slip away. However, Stockfish insists that my advantage is as strong as it had been at any point prior. Nonetheless, it would slip away soon.

33...Rh6 34.Nf3 (34.Bxe3 Rxe3 35.Rxe3 dxe3 36.Nxf5 Rxh3+ 37.Kg1 and what will I do about Ne7+? ) 34...f4.

34.Bxe3

Black to move

34...dxe3?

34...Rxe3 was best

a) 35.Nxf5 Rxe1 (35...Rxh3+?? 36.Kg1 Rxe1 37.Qxe1 Qxf5 38.gxh3=) 36.Nxe7+ Rxe7–+.

b) 35.Nf3 Rxe1 36.Nxe1 Qe5–+.

c) 35.Rxe3 dxe3 (35...Rxe3 I had examined 36.Nxf5 Rxh3+ 37.Kg1 Re3 38.Nxe3 dxe3=) 36.Nxf5 Re6–+.

35.Qxf5 Re5

35...Qxf5 36.Nxf5 Rf7 37.g4 e2 was not to my liking.

36.Qg4+ Kh8 37.Qc8+ Re8 38.Qg4 Rg8

38...Qd4! Black maintains a clear advantage in all lines.

39.Qf4

39.Qe2 Rf8.

39...Reg5

39...e2

40.Qf6+ R5g7 41.Rxe3

Black to move

It has become clear that not only have I squandered an advantage, but am in danger of losing.

41...Qd4?

I regretted not playing this move three moves earlier and now felt that it was forced, completely missing White's refutation.

41...a5 42.Re5 Qf7 43.Qxf7 Rxf7 44.Rxc5±
41...Qf7= with equal chances for both sides.

42.Qxd4

42.Re5±

42...cxd4 43.Re4

43.Re2 is probably equal.

43...Rc7

I still have hope of advantage with a pawn exchange because my rook also restrains the enemy king, while my own king might join the fight.

44.Rxd4 Rxc2 45.a4 bxa4 46.Rxa4

Black to move

46...Ra8

46...Rg7 was the correct way to defend the pawn, keeping pressure on g2.

47.d4 Rb2 48.b4 Kg8 49.Nf5 Kf7 50.g4 Kf6

50...Kf8 would have been a beautiful prophylactic move.

51.h4

Black to move

51...Rc8??

Right idea, wrong square.

51...Re8 52.Ra6+ Re6 53.Ra1 a6 and Black is pressing with the advantage.

52.Rxa7??

With both his rook and my pawn still in his hand, David saw the ensuing checkmate and resigned here. Having touched my pawn, he could no longer retract his move.

52.Ra6+ Kf7 53.Nd6++-.

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