Best Way to Study Master Games!

Ever wished that Marshall, Euwe, Fine, etc... where you teachers? Bring these past Grandmasters back to life for one more lesson. This is how you get the most out of you Chess Books.

This is what is going to happen. We are going to play White in this game. The games is played by players who are master or above. Do not use any chess books, db's, outside sources, analyse board, etc.... For this lesson to work properly and for you to get the most out of it you have to do this on your own all in your head.

I am also going to do this with you. This is what you have to do:
1.Which move should white play. If you have any comments about the position write them down in your post. Who do you think is winning, why you chose that move, what the plan are etc... What ever you think is important. Note: all the moves do no require comments. If you think these master did not comment on a move they played or if it's not that important don't comment on it.
2.Write down how much time you spend analysing the position and figure out which move to play.
3.Which move do you think Black will play?

I will make the black moves 1 day from now, about 24 hours. So voting will end 24 hours from now, 8:30 PM Mountain time.

When the game is done, we will compare our notes to the actual masters notes and see how we did. Pretend you are playing OTB.



Here is the opening: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Nbd2 Nbd7

Okay so I will start.

6.Bd3 I chose this move because white is ready to castle now, it develops the bishop and covers the e4 square. The point of Nbd2 was that if dxc4 for black the knight can recapture so the bishop does not waste a tempo going to d3 and then playing Bxc4.

Black will play 6...Be7

Took me 3 minutes.

Your turn.

9:53

First off, some basic anaylsis of the positions.

No one has a lead in development.
White has a slight advantage in space.
Neither side is castled, but both kings are currently unasailable.
The scope of the minor pieces is equal for both sides and the c1/c8 bishops are pathetic.
The black squares in blacks center are not supported by pawns at all, white has a similar problem with his light squares but to a lesser extent due to the pawn being on c4 whereas blacks is on c6.
All in all, not enough weaknesses to exploit. The only advantage either side has is that it is white to move.


Viable moves/ideas
Develop the bishop to be able to castle... Be2, Bd3. Bd3 is the better square (especially since our knight cannot be easily pinned). The c1-h7 diagonal is generally a strong diagonal to control and w/ black having a pawn on e6, it is not one he can easily contest. VIable.

Move the d2 knight in order to free the c1 bishop. Nb3 makes the knight worse, Nb1 is just wastefull. This is not an option.

Capture the d-pawn. cxd4. This is simply answered by exd4 when white has lost some of his central control and black will have an easy time developing the c8 bishop. Foolish

Advance the d-pawn. This locks the center (not a good thing in this case) but black has the option to try and open it. It is inflexible and more or less commits white to play on the queenside where prospects seem slim. The only way I would play this is if I could put a knight on d6. Another bad idea.

Develop the queen. Qc2 controls the c1-h7 diagonal, the c-file and notably influences whites weakest square - e4. It does not improve his minor pieces and w/o any support it is hard to know that this is the role the queen needs to play.

Hence. I suggest Bd3.

After Bd3 Black will play either dxc5 tempting white to admit his move was a waste w/ Bxc4, however the bishop is wated on that diagonal due to the e6 pawn so Nxc4 is better when it also frees the c1 bishop.

Black could also try any of the ideas white had above. Since the position is almost symetric, the analysis should be the same except that that white has the one extra move. Hence, Bd6 should be the best move.

10:03 - 10 minutes total. Note that I usually spend only 10-20 seconds per position as switching screens and typing it out formally takes much longer.

Great!

I just wanted to mention something about comments.

When you annotate your own game you only write down comments for the important moves and part of the game. Master do the same.
At the end we will compare our comments with the master comments.

So if you commented on a position and the master didn't comment on the situation then that situation wasn't as important. So really you are trying to play the same moves as the master and trying to have the same though process.

So basically commenting about every move isn't the best idea, because a lot of these comments will be unnecessary. Not trying to discourage anyone but just keep that in mind. Pretend you are annotating this game and be efficient with your comments. Make them count for something.

6. Bd3 10 seconds

This is a standard developing move that prepares to castle. Just a side note, if black chooses to play dxc at some point, then white loses the same tempo whether he recaptures with the Knight or the Bishop, the only difference is that the Bishop appears to be better placed on d3 than on c4, so I would prefer to make the recapture with the Knight in the present position. In reality, there is no tempo lost anyway because Black will have moved his d-pawn twice in making the original capture, so any recapture would represent the same number of developing moves for each side.

6. Bd3 Be7, 3 minutes

The position is basically symmetrical, the big difference is that white has a pawn on c4 which attacks and can push forward, while the one on c6 merely defends, as well as white having the move. I should perhaps add I would have played Nc3 instead of Nd2 to make use of the free square for the knight and control d5 and aswell..

Anyone else. Guessing ends 11 hours from now.

I need the black moves also.

Blreid and zebano (I'm the names are spelt wrong sorry) I need an actual black move from you two. I see you both mention dxc4 and zebano mentioned Be7 also but you have to pick one and write it down.

6.Bd3 Be7

Main reasons already cited above. Both sides preparing to castle Kingside withing the next two moves.

Don't read the other post until you have posted your solution. No cheating. Use your own brain to come up with the right moves.

Originally posted by RahimK
Anyone else. Guessing ends 11 hours from now.

I need the black moves also.

Blreid and zebano (I'm the names are spelt wrong sorry) I need an actual black move from you two. I see you both mention dxc4 and zebano mentioned Be7 also but you have to pick one and write it down.

Originally posted by RahimK
Don't read the other post until you have posted your solution. No cheating. Use your own brain to come up with the right moves.

Originally posted by Stives
Look! If the two moves are fairly obvious then people will say the same things, especially in the opening! Of course people will read the other posts, that's what they're there for! That doesn't mean you have to agree with them. In this case the reasons for picking my two moves were already cited...as I explained.

Originally posted by BLReid
6...Bd7. I don't think black intends to play dxc because he has spent so much energy already supporting the d-pawn. Maintaining the pawnmaintains the tension in the center. Bd7 prepares to castle.

White plays 7. 0-0 (10 seconds, okay maybe 20 seconds!)

6. Bd3

Not much to add here.

6...Bb4

This is likely too aggressive so early in the game, but it creates a viable hole on e4 for black's knight by pinning white's d2 knight. Increases space, adds tactical viability, etc.

I spent about 1 minute evaluating it.

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
White plays 7. 0-0 (10 seconds, okay maybe 20 seconds!)