Books and the British Knockout

By 09 Dec 15 on

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I have a dilemma. You see (and you surely do, because a picture is below) that I have taken out two books from the library.

I forgot about reading them, which I was planning to do. I have recently learned, however, that they are overdue. The choice is: do I give them back immediately and apologize, or do I keep them long enough to read? The second is a viable option, as they have not threatened me with any fines as of yet. Additionally, they are checked out very rarely. I will likely not keep the books from anyone who wants them by delaying: How to Open a Chess Game and Psychology in Chess were checked out last in 2010 and 2011 (or at least this is the most accurate I can get by studying the checkout slips in the back of the books.) Any input on this matter?

Another book I have in my possession (given to me as a Christmas present a few years ago) is this book:

I have only finished it last week, and it is brilliant. It is in descriptive notation, but that should not deter anyone. Chernev annotates beautifully, with simple, clear, and often humorous asides and variations. Even better is his choice of games: he, as well as a few more well-known games, brings others that I for one, would have never seen to the table. Despite their relative infamy, they are beautiful, and Chernev’s annotations only heighten the learning potential of this book. In short, readers of the wondrous site Red Hot Pawn, I recommend it.

One thing that is great about the book, especially compared to some others, is that it has mostly brilliant endgames, which are usually neglected by other authors for being boring. And it is true, I enjoy tactical games, which is why I try to feature them in my blog, but I have a few endgames to show here: a brilliant study is below, which I found excruciatingly entertaining.

http://akobiachess.gol.ge/Studies4/100.htm

Stalemates are always good to look for, right? Not in the below game–where a bad bishop is cleverly outplayed by a knight–beware, it is long. Skip to move ~69 for the awesome endgame. I will pass on annotating up until then, partly to make it easier to find, partly because it is a very, very long game, and the endgame is the most instructive part. However, I’ll leave the rest, if you’d like to see the build-up play.

Eugenio Torre–Ole Jakobsen Amsterdam 1973

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4. Be2 Nf6 5. Nc3 O-O 6. O-O c6 7. a4 Qc7 8. a5 e5 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Be3 Ng4 11. Bc5 Rd8 12. Nd2 Bh6 13. Ncb1 Nd7 14. Be7 Re8 15. Bh4 Ngf6 16. Nc3 Bg7 17. Nc4 Re6 18. Qd2 Bf8 19. Rfd1 Bb4 20. f3 Rb8 21. Ra4 Be7 22. Bf2 b5 23. axb6 axb6 24. Rda1 b5 25. Ra7 Rb7 26. Rxb7 Bxb7 27. Na5 Nb6 28. Nxb7 Qxb7 29. Nd1 Nfd7 30. Qa5 Bc5 31. Bxc5 Nxc5 32. Qa7 Re7 33. Qxb7 Rxb7 34. Kf2 f6 35. Ke3 Kf7 36. b3 f5 37. Bd3 f4+ 38. Ke2 Ne6 39. Nc3 Nd7 40. b4 g5 41. Kd2 h5 42. Nd1 Nb6 43. c3 Ke7 44. Nb2 Kd6 45. Be2 Rd7 46. Kc2 Kc7 47. Ra7+ Kc8 48. Rxd7 Kxd7 49. Kd2 Ke7 50. Bd1 Nc7 51. Bb3 Ne8 52. h3 Nd6 53. Kd3 Nd7 54. Kd2 g4 55. hxg4 hxg4 56. Nd3 g3 57. Ke2 Ne8 58. Kd2 Nef6 59. Ke2 Kd6 60. c4 bxc4 61. Bxc4 Nb6 62. Bb3 Nfd7 63. Kd2 Nf6 64. Ke2 Ne8 65. Nb2 Nc7 66. Nc4+ Nxc4 67. Bxc4 Kd7 68. Kd3 Kc8 69. Kc3 Kb7 {Black swings the king around to attack White’s b-pawn.}  70. Kb3 Kb6 71. Kc3 Ne8 {Now the knight moves into position– the pawn is on a dark square, so it is doomed, as the bishop cannot defend.} 72. Be2 Nf6 73. Bd3 Nh7 74. Bf1 Ng5 {However, Black now realizes that it is hard to attack the pawn, so he trades it. If the knight goes to a6, White then chops it off and draws.} 75. Kc4 Ne6 76. Kc3 Nd4 {Black places the knight on a good square, then settles the king’s position, marching it up the board.} 77. Kd2 c5 78. bxc5+ Kxc5 79. Kc3 Kb6 80. Kd2 {Now, Kc6 is best. Black hits on this in a few moves.} Ka5 81. Kc3 Kb6 82. Kd2 {The king must guard c2, or else Nc2–Ne3 wins the g-pawn, and Black wins.} Kc6 83. Be2 Kc5 {The bishop is powerless to stop the king’s relentless push.} 84. Bd1 Kc4 85. Be2+ {Of course, Black refuses to trade his domineering knight for White’s awful bishop.} Kb3 86. Bd1+ Kb2 {White is almost out of moves. Black will soon infiltrate on the dark squares with his king.} 87. Ke1 Kc3 {White’s king has no more good moves, so he marks time with the bishop.} 88. Ba4 Kd3 {Black ventures onto a light square, safe in the knowledge that the bishop cannot check him without being taken.} 89. Bd1 Ke3 {The king is relentless!} 90. Kf1 Kd2 91. Ba4 Ne2 {Black now, with the king ideally placed, improves the knight.} 92. Bd1 {Black doesn’t deign to capture the bishop for fear of stalemate. He heads to e3 to push back White’s king!} Nc3 93. Be2 Nb1 94. Bc4 {White continues to move back and forth while Black prepares for a killing blow.} Na3 95. Bb3 Kc3 {Black makes sure the bishop cannot interfere with both Nc4–Ne3 and Nc2–Ne3.} 96. Ba4 Nc4 97. Bb5 Ne3+ 98. Kg1 Kd2 {White is helpless against the Black advance– his king is now boxed up even further.} 99. Ba6 Ke1 100. Bd3 {Black now works the knight to d2, planning to sacrifice it for the f3 and g2 pawns.} Nd1 101. Ba6 Nc3 102. Bd3 Na4 103. Bb5 Nc5 104. Bc4 Nb7 105. Bb5 Na5 106. Ba4 Nc4 107. Bb5 Nd2 108. Ba4 Ke2 109. Bb5+ Ke3 110. Ba4 Nxf3+ {Black finally delivers the coup de grâce.} 111. gxf3 Kxf3 112. Bc6 g2 {0-1, as Kg3-f3-f2# is unstoppable and deadly.}

Clapping ensues. What a masterpiece!

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In other news, the British Knockout is just finishing up, with the finals between David Howell and Nicholas Pert. This was a (similar to: five games, not four) world-cup style knockout between eight strong British players: IM Yang Fan Zhou, GM David Howell, GM Jonathan Rowson, GM Jonathan Hawkins, GM Luke McShane, GM Nicholas Pert, and IM Daniel Howard Fernandez. Michael Adams, unfortunately, was absent, as he was playing across the city in the London Chess Classic. (Also unfortunately, the games so far from that haven’t been too interesting, but we’ll wait for more inspiring chess in future rounds.)

The quarterfinal between Jonathan Hawkins and Nicholas Pert was interesting, producing two games I deemed worthy of examination. This was the second game in their five-game matchup. The score, as of this game’s beginning, was ½-½: Pert had only managed a draw as White.

Jonathan Hawkins–Nicholas Pert, British Knockout 2015

1. Nf3 d5 {Black establishes a central presence.}  2. c4 d4 {He takes a bit more space, clamping down a bit and taking away Nc3 for White.} 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 {White, as he doesn’t want to move the e-pawn, instead fianchettoes the bishop.} e5 5. d3 {White temporarily stops the advance of the pawns.} Bb4+ 6. Bd2 {White is fine with a trade, as it helps him develop.} a5 {Black holds the bishop; if White takes, the pressure on the a2 pawn compensate for Black’s now-doubled b-pawns.} 7. 0-0 Nge7 8. Na3 {The knight only has this square available, but it isn’t a bad one; he can reroute to c2 and chase back the bishop.} Bf5 9. Nc2 Bxd2 10. Qxd2 h6 {Black plays a nice, useful waiting move.} 11. Nh4 Be6 {Not sure here why the bishop doesn’t retreat to h7, a nice hidey-hole built on the last move. Perhaps 12. b4 then stirs up a little trouble, but it’s a fine move.}  12. f4 exf4 13. Qxf4 {The position is nicely balanced, with each side having pluses and minuses.} Qd7 14. Bxc6 Nxc6 {Why did White take? Presumably he sees four moves later, to move 18, when Black’s pawns will indeed be doubled.} 15. Nf3 Rd8 16. Ne5 Qd6 17. Nxc6 bxc6 18. Qxd6 Rxd6 19. c5 Rd5 20. Rf4 {White plays to eliminate the annoying e-pawn.} g5 {Black seizes the chance to expand a little on the kingside before trading the pawns.} 21. Re4 Rxc5 22. Nxd4 Kd7 {Black gives up the bishop, which isn’t really doing much anyway.} 23. Nxe6 fxe6 24. Kf2 Rb8 25. b3 {The seventh rank (Rc2) is surprisingly unproductive, as Rc4 virtually forces a trade.} Rb4 {Rather than Rxb4 axb4, which makes the a-pawn backward, White steps the king up the board, centalizing it.} 26. Ke3 Rxe4+ 27. Kxe4 Rc2 {Black now, when he cannot be displaced, occupies the seventh rank.} 28. Kf3 h5 29. h3 c5 30. Ke3 Kd6 {Black advances, while Black shuffles, but now the two draw–why?} 31. Kf3 Kd5 32. Ke3 Kd6 33. Kf3 Kd5 34. Ke3 Kd6 35. Kf3 Ke5 {½-½. It was drawn here. But why not examine this endgame? <b>The rest is my imagination.</b>} 36. Ke3 Kd5 37. h4 gxh4 {Black trades, hoping to create a weakness.} 38. gxh4 Ke5 39. Rg1 {White spots an idea, trying to create a useful passed pawn.} Rxa2 40. Rg5+ Kd6 41. Rxh5 Rb2 42. Rh8 Rxb3 {Each side has a passed pawn, but neither can make progress.} 43. h5 Rb1 {Black swings around to target the h-pawn.} 44. h6 Rh1 45. Kf4 {White tries to move the king up to free the rook and continue pushing the pawn.} a4 46. Kg5 a3 47. Ra8 Rg1+ {However, neither side can now move forward, as Black continues checking.} 48. Kf6 Rf1+ 49. Kg7 Rg1+ 50. Kh7 {If Ra1, now, then Kg7, and we get back to the same place. ½-½, deservedly.}

After this game, Hawkins won, and Pert produced a wild, freewheeling game, tying up the match and going on to win it and advance to the semifinals.

Jonathan Hawkins–Nicholas Pert, British Knockout 2015

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 e5 5. 0-0 {White and Black go for the same opening, keeping up their chances, but now Pert (Black) goes for broke!} e4 {Black pushes onwards, driving White back a bit at the expense of his development.} 6. Ne1 h5 {He then sacrifices a pawn in order to start an immediate kingside attack!} 7. Bxe4 Bh3 8. Qb3 {White, rather than respond, couterattacks with a threat–Qxb7.} Qc8 {Black defends.}  9. Qb5 Ne7 {Black defends against Bxc6, and the rook continues to hang in the air.} 10. Ng2 {White finally blocks the Black bishop, saving the rook without having to trade off his fianchettoed bishop.} Qd7 11. Qxb7 {Hawkins indulges in a moment of greed, hoping to escape with the pawn. He is now two pawns up, but Pert maintains his attack.} Rb8 12. Qa6 f5 {Black, unable to continue with h4 because of the knight’s protection, pushes onward.} 13. Bf3 d3 {Black throws another pawn into the mix: if White takes, it will make it extremely difficult to develop his queenside pieces.} 14. Re1 {White simply defends against dxe2.} Nd4 {Black demonstrates another pro of 13…d3!: it clears up this useful square for his knight.} 15. Nf4 Bg4 {?– dxe2 16. Bxe2 Bg4 adds more fat to the fire, making it harder for White.} 16. Qxa7 {Hawkins is now three (!) pawns ahead, with no clear attack for Black. However, he manages to continue mixing it up.} Rd8 17. Bxg4 {White will concede the bishop anyway, so he does it on his own terms to avoid losing a pawn.}  hxg4 18. Nxd3 Qd6 {?!–Nec6 develops more easily. However, this move has its point: namely, a queen transfer to the h-file.} 19. Nc3 Qh6 20. Qa4+ {?!–h4, although it looks scary, weathers the attack better, closing down the h-file, although Hawkins hits on this next move.} c6 21. h4  g5 22. Nb4 {?–A blunder that goes against principles. Kg2! was the way to go, holding on and perhaps winning with the material advantage.} gxh4 {The reason White is now lost is that Black can open the h-file, with devastating results.} 23. d3 Qh7 24. Ncd5 {White rallies with threats…} Kf7 25. Bf4 hxg3 {But the h-file is opened nevertheless.} 26. fxg3 cxd5  {?!–Nf3+ did the job a little quicker, but this is fine.} 27. Kf2 Qh2+ 28. Ke3 dxc4 {Having drawn the king into the open, Black opens squares and lines to attack it.} 29. Qa6 Rh6 {Of course, Bxh6 capitulates to Bxh6+.} 30. Qxc4+ {Check!} Re6+ {Countercheck!} 31. Kd2 Nf3+ {Check!}  32. Kc2 Rc8 {Pin! Black, though a little inefficient, continues to keep the pressure on with continuous threats.} 33. Bc7 Nxe1+ 34. Rxe1 Qg2 {Seemingly as a counter to my previous point, Pert shuggles his pieces into position before bringing down the axe.} 35. Kb3 Bg7 36. d4 Bxd4 {Black, in addition to winning back another pawn (He is now back to being down only three (!)), blows open the board for his rooks.}  37. Qxd4 Rxc7 38. Qf4 Rb7 39. a3 Qe4 40. Qf1 Qd5+ 41. Kc2 Rxb4 {0-1.}

Howell won the first game with an interesting approach in his semifinal against Gawain Jones.

David Howell–Gawain Jones, British Knockout 2015

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 0-0 5. e4 d6 6. Be2 e5 7. d5 Na6 {Black will try to slow a White queenside advance while storming after his king in a difficult opening, usually, as that is the main dynamic of the King’s  Indian Defence.} 8. Bg5 h6 {Jones decides to attack, lashing out with his kingside pawns.} 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Nxe4 11. Nxe4 f5 12. Nc3 f4 {Black regains the piece by trapping White’s bishop, with a good position owing to White’s slight lack of development.} 13. Nd2 Nc5 14. Nde4 fxg3 15. hxg3 Nxe4 16. Nxe4 {His bishop is a bit shut in, though, and although he has achieved the bishop pair, his very slight advantage has disappeared, owing to his weakened king.} Bf5 17. Bd3 g4 18. Qd2 {White aims to castle queenside and perhaps also sac the exchange on h6.} Qe8 19. 0-0-0 b5 20. cxb5 a6 21. b6 {White, unwilling to open up the b-file, keeps the pawn, which Black cannot take due to Nxd6.} Bxe4 22. Bxe4 {The position is now very advantageous for White: he has a safer king and a bishop much better than Black’s.} Qa4 23. Qe2 Qxa2 {Either Qb5 or cxb7 to rein in the rogue pawn are better. This move lets White make Black waste another few tempi rounding up the pawn.} 24. b7 Rae8 25. Rh4 {Howell takes advantage of Jones’s wasted time to take the g4-pawn.} Qa1+ {This is not a good move, as  White has a simple response, his next:} 26. Bb1 {wherein now Qd3-Qh7 is now an idea.} Qa5 27. Rxg4 Qc5+ {White avoids a queen trade, as his is more useful.} 28. Rc4 Qb6 29. Rd2 Qxb7 {Black finally recovers the pawn, but has ceded most of the board to White’s hyperactive pieces.} 30. Qe4 Rf6 31. Qh7+ Kf8 32. Bf5 Re7 {The Black king, being chased around the board, heads to safety.} 33. Be6 Ke8 34. Rdc2 Qb6 35. Rc6 {White gears up for a sacrifice: Rxd6 follows.} Qa7 36. Rxd6 Rxf2 {? Qb7 held on to the last vestiges of hope, when Black might have been able to escape down the queen for two rooks.} 37. Qg6+ Rff7 38. Kb1 {Howell, knowing he’s won, steps out of the way of any pesky checks before dealing the killing blow.} Qg1+ 39. Ka2 Qf1 40. Rb6 {1-0, as Black is helpless against a mate: he can’t take, and can’t ignore it. He is only able to prolong the game by a few more moves.}

Lastly, I recommend, though there isn’t room to include it here, as it’s already running a bit long, digging up the games from the Nicholas Pert–Luke McShane match in the semifinals. Here is the first game: https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/british-knockout-2015/2/2/1

Play good chess!
–HikaruShindo

Books and the British Knockout

Hikaru Junction

Books and the British Knockout

Posted to Hikaru Junction

Hikaru Junction