From my other thread, it looks like a lot of people are interested so I will give this another try. I will go over a master game explaining the moves as best I can and I will post some puzzles inbetween for you guys to solve. Note that I don't like discussing the opening and variations to much. Once all of you try it and send my your answers, I will post the solution and continue with the game. To me that seems fair. I spend time helping you guys, and you guys spend a couple minutes solving the puzzles.
So here is the list of people interested:
1. RahimK
2. Kevin Mcfarland
3. Falco Lombardi
4. pizzintea
5. Shinidoki
6. Loki74
7. chesskid001
8. MoneyMaker
9.corvus
10.typen
11.huckleberryhound
12.HandyAndy
13.briancron
Alright, so when I post the puzzle, I want each of you to PM with your solution. This way you can't read what someone else wrote. Once all of you do this I will continue the game. Also rememeber as a non-sub I can only send 10 PM's per 24 hours so I won't get back to everyone. Do all the puzzles in your head and don't use physical boards or chess engines. They will be easy puzzles.
And now the game:
1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4
This is the Evans gambit. It was very popular around 1800-1970 but not as much today. I used to enjoy playing it. White’s plans to control the center with pawns on e4 and d4. However, there are 3 pieces defending d4 so white offers black a wing pawn to distract the bishop from controlling d4.
4…Bxc5 5.c3
With a gain of tempo, White is ready to play d4 now.
5…Bc5 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb6
Now white has control off the center with his pawn on d4 and e4. White is ready to castle and has more room for his pieces.
8.0-0 Na5
Usually black plays d6 here, closing the a3-f8 diagonal which allows his king to castle 0-0.
9.Bd3
The knight was attacking the bishop. The bishop retreats and white retains the bishop pair. 2 bishops are very powerful and it’s generally a good idea to keep both bishops. Now the black knight is out of play in the corner. Notice that black moves his knight twice when he should be developing and getting his king to safety.
9…d5 10.exd5 Qxd5
Black fights for control of the center.
11.Ba3
This is one of the key points of this opening. By giving up the b4 pawn, White can put his bishop on the a3-c1 diagonal easily. Why is this important? Well see how the bishop cut through the dark diagonal squares all the way to blacks king? How is black suppose to castle now? In this opening you often see black playing d6 instead of d5 to shut down this diagonal and allow the black king to castle kingside.
11…Be6 12.Nc3 Qd7
The bishop moved to e6 to block protect the king from any checks along the e-file. Now White is ready to attack. He has a great led in development and blacks king is still stuck in the center. White needs to attack quickly before black can recover.
How should White proceed?
All of you guys on the list, PM with your solution. Once everyone does this, I will continue with the game. Remember to do this in your head, no resources allowed and even if you are wrong, I don’t care as long as you tried. Don't worry, It’s simple 🙂
Good luck, Rahim K
Originally posted by RahimKAlthough white's ahead in development, but that isolated d pawn is not so attractive, and can soon become a liability that white has to defend for a long time. Black can't castle kingside, but he can still castle to the queenside. Although white's b file is half open, I think it's still Ok for black to castle queenside and at the same time piling up on white's d-pawn. Pinning that e6 bishop with say Re1 or Qe2 is not so useful in my opinion.
1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4
This is the Evans gambit. It was very popular around 1800-1970 but not as much today. I used to enjoy playing it. White’s plans to control the center with pawns on e4 and d4. However, there are 3 pieces defending d4 so white offers black a wing pawn to distract the bishop from controlling d4.
4…Bxc5 5.c3
With a gain ...[text shortened]... are wrong, I don’t care as long as you tried. Don't worry, It’s simple 🙂
Good luck, Rahim K
White's pieces are not so harmoniously connected with one another. Things can go wrong very fast. If black castles queenside and then does something like Bg4, maybe things can become ugly real quick. Hmmm... interesting position. I must think about it.... easy you say?
OK, so black would probably want to castle queenside. So 13. Ne5 looks appealing because it can indirectly stop black from castling. It's not exactly attacking the king by trying to mate him, but by preventing him from escaping to the corner.
Hmm... perhaps that was a lousy idea after all. 13. ... Qxd4
Originally posted by ckoh1965Give the guys on RahimK's list at least a day to work on it before posting on the problem. Maybe RahimK can tell us when all the PMs are in so the rest of us can have a go at it in the forum before he reveals the answer 😉
OK, so black would probably want to castle queenside. So 13. Ne5 looks appealing because it can indirectly stop black from castling. It's not exactly attacking the king by trying to mate him, but by preventing him from escaping to the corner.
Hmm... perhaps that was a lousy idea after all. 13. ... Qxd4
Originally posted by idiomsOh sorry bout that.... will now PM Rahim for the answer.
Give the guys on RahimK's list at least a day to work on it before posting on the problem. Maybe RahimK can tell us when all the PMs are in so the rest of us can have a go at it in the forum before he reveals the answer 😉
Originally posted by prenshaw84Why not just PM Rahim with your answer.
I only joined redhotpawn last night so I didn't get time to sign up for these lessons. Having said that, I'm 99.9% I know the right answer but I won't give away the secret. What set me off on the right path was the advice "White needs to attack quickly"
Alright I added some more people to the list and I'm just waiting to hear back from 7 more players and we can continue.
Puzzle 1
Kevin Mcfarland
Falco Lombardi
pizzintea
Shinidoki 1
Loki74 1
chesskid001
MoneyMaker 1
corvus
typen 1
huckleberryhound
HandyAndy 1
briancron
ckon1965 1
prenshaw84 1
omulcusobolani 1
vipiu 1
I'm giving particpation points 🙂 Just like kindergarden hey? Then the winners will get some sort of a prize. So far I got the following ideas:
online Lecture, opening analysis (like an opening tree), 20 puzzles from my lamaza training.
I got a few right answers so far. Some were wrong and other were to detailed and wrong but I don't care as long as you tried.
Originally posted by ShinidokiI didn't say that. I said some were wrong, some were right. I don't care if it's write a wrong.
I was wrong?
Hmmm, In that case now's the time to start the 'real cheating'
CRAFTY! get your ass over here!
Edit: --- ahhh.....I see what I did now.
BTW, computer engines often disagree with old master games. The point of this is not for me to show the best moves, it's just to show the idea behind the moves and why they worked even if they are the second best move.