The Cursed Chess Set

1. c4 Nf6 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 O-O 5. f4 d6 6. Nf3 {The diagrammed position.} 6... c5 {Correct. A body blow to the centre. You should never fear such a centre, just remember to attack and unsettle it.} 7. d5 {7. dxc5 meets 7...Qa5 (which in effect attacks the e-pawn) and then if 6.Bd2 Qxc5 with a pleasant and enterprising position for Black.} 7... e6 {Again taking on the centre head on. As Tarrasch said, "Chess is unfair. You are told to build up a good centre and as soon as you do your troubles are only just beginning."} 8. Bd3 {OK it's a developing move but on this square the Bishop is prone to a trick. 8. Be2 is better.} 8... exd5 9. cxd5 {9. exd5 allowing 9...Re8+ is the coming jamjamjoe - Dalradian game which I'll show next.} 9... Qb6 {This ticks all the boxes of a good developing move. Developing with hindrance. This prevents White castling (why?) also it is aiming at the QNP thus restricting the c1 Bishop.} 10. Bc2 {White is now planning to castle. I hope you could see why White could not castle.} 10... c4 {That is castling stopped.} 11. Qe2 {Looking perhaps at playing Be3 and castling.} 11... Re8 {12.Be3 will not work 12. Be3 Qxb2 hitting the a1 Rook and the c3 Knight. 12.Qxc4 Nxe4 with a coming f5 looks good for Black.} 12. Ba4 {Not too good, it’s helps Black develop. 12. Rb1 freeing the c1 Bishop and the game can then go both ways.} 12... Bd7 13. Bxd7 Nbxd7 {White can see the Nxe4 combo's whirling around in Black's mind and with his King and Queen being hit with the an x-ray of doom from the e8 Rook he tries to prevent Nxe4 tricks.} 14. Nd2 {This will stop all those Nxe4 ideas.} 14... Nxe4 {No it won’t.} 15. Ncxe4 Rac8 {No rush to get the piece back. Black brings all his men into play. Seeing such moves in the heat of tactical struggle can be heart breaking. It shows the other player has it all under control.} 16. Kf1 {To get out of the x-ray of doom from the e8 Rook.} 16... f5 {Now with all the bits active Black picks his piece back from White's inside pocket.} 17. Nxc4 {The best practical chance.} 17... Rxc4 {Now 18.Qxc4 is the better move but Black's active bits and White open King (and those two dead Rooks) make it bleak days for him.} 18. Nf6+ {I suppose White did not want Black playing fxe4 and seeing no way of stopping that e-pwn he played this. I don't think he missed 18...Nxf6 protecting the e8 Rook. 18 Qxc4 held out longer.} 18... Nxf6 19. Qxc4 Ng4 {White resigned. Mate on f2 is coming and 20.Qc2 invites 20....Ne3+. Now what would Chernev say: ‘Energetic play from Euwe.’}

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 {The Benoni opening is the most common way to reach this set up.} 3... g6 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 Bg7 6. f4 O-O 7. Nf3 e6 8. Bd3 {There is that dodgy looking move again.} 8... exd5 9. cxd5 Qb6 {So here we are. How can you give advice to prevent what happens next. 'Check all Checks?' At there moment there are none. 'Feel the burn and don't do it again? '....'Before you castle checks all checks'...No that's awful....How can you give advice to prevent what happens next?} 10. O-O c4+ {White resigned.}

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f4 O-O 6. Nf3 c5 7. d5 e6 8. Bd3 exd5 9. exd5 {9.cxd5 is the move. 9.fxe5 allows the disturbing....} 9... Re8+ 10. Kf2 {This is asking for an awkward looking position. But awkward is not always losing (read your Nimzovitch.)} 10... Ng4+ 11. Kg3 {Not looking too clever but it's a blocked centre and Black still has most of his army on the back rank.. The King is OK here - That is the Latvian Gambit player in me talking. Had worse King positions and won.} 11... h5 {The Knight is already being held but unless Black wants to play Na6 (which is a normal Benoni move) there is not much else to suggest developing wise. 11...Nh6 has ideas.} 12. h3 {Kicks the Knight and opens a wee cubby-hole for the King to crawl into.} 12... Nh6 {Now challenge the e-file with Re1.} 13. Qc2 {White is looking at playing Bxg6. When you have Kings on g3 and no pieces have been swapped then look at your opponents threats first.} 13... Nf5+ {White should now play Kh2 and challenge the e-file.} 14. Kf2 {Ah now I am in your head. Now I see it. You won't challenge the e-file because you want the Rook on h1 to get into Black's weakened Kingside. That is why no Kh2 from Black. } 14... Qe7 15. Re1 {15. Re1 now? It's too late.} 15... Bd4+ {16. Nxd4 Qxe1+ mates in two.} 16. Kf1 Ng3 {Checkmate. Interesting wee tussle that one.}

[FEN "3q1rk1/pb4pp/1p6/3nBp2/3Pn3/P1rB1N2/1Q3PPP/1R3RK1 w - - 0 1"]

1. Bxe4 fxe4 2. Nd2 Qg5 {This is it. Black invites the coming Knight fork.} 3. Nxe4 Qg6 {Now if 4.Nxc3 Nxc3 which opens up the threat of mate on g2, this allows Black to play Nxc1 winning back the exchange.} 4. Nd6 {So White knocks back the exchange and goes after that b7 Bishop. That look OK...Black to play, what would you do?} 4... Qxg2+ {A sound Queen sac. Very alert play.} 5. Kxg2 Nf4+ {It's double check. No time to take that b7 Bishop.} 6. Kg1 {Only move.} 6... Nh3 {Knight mates seem to be the mini-theme this week.}

[FEN "8/Q4pk1/4p1p1/P2p4/2p5/7P/2q2PP1/5RK1 w - - 0 1"]

1. a6 c3 2. Qb7 {As we will see the most exact way was 2.Qb8. Treat every move as a brush stroke on a masterpiece. Don't smudge it up with a slack move.} 2... Qd2 3. a7 c2 4. a8=Q {If White has played 2.Qb8 instead of the 'it does not matter' 2.Qb7 then White would now be threatening 5.Qh8 mate and Black would have no time for.....} 4... c1=Q {Another slack move coming up. The simplest way here was 5.Qa1+ transposing into a ending a whole Rook up.} 5. Rxc1 {Instead White wanted to go into an ending a whole Queen up.} 5... Qxc1+ 6. Kh2 Qf4+ 7. Kg1 Qc1+ 8. Kh2 Qf4+ {Yes this is how it ended. A perpetual.} 9. g3 Qxf2+ 10. Kh1 Qf1+ 11. Kh2 Qf2+ 12. Kh1 Qf1+